tmwiese55

My prediction when he went there is that he would not make it through the whole contract. I don't recall exactly what I looked up at the time, but no Cubs manager had made it more than 5 years since like the 70s or something similarly rare. I grant I've been generally wrong in that it has gone better than I expected, with them winning a lot and being good teams even though we've beaten them. But as you said, next year looks like a very good chance for a somewhat big dip, likely into the 80s for wins and possibly not making the playoffs in a loaded NL. If that were to happen, yea that might be it for him and I still end up correct

Yea Cubs are in a tough spot next year. Both OF corners are FA. C is FA. Will need basically a whole new rotation and bullpen. Good luck. Sure, they have money but they've also rarely ever used the full potential of their spending there, so I don't see them all of a sudden doubling payroll to fix all these holes. And to the corner OFs. This is why often going for that NEEDLE MOVER!! comes back to bite you. they'd likely have both corner OF spots covered for league min by the guys traded to Hou and MIA. Not to say that either would be stars, who knows as they're young, but you'd have at least competent starters for league min for 7 years freeing up money for other stuff. And it turns out those two big needle movers that their good owner who wants to win (ours doesn't) actually didn't move the needle at all.

I actually like Schwarber and Harper so that was cool. IMO, I think Phil has a better shot vs LA as well so have been going for them. But of course, who knows really .

A factor was probably that he only threw like 8 pitches in the 7th. I'm sure in spite of being a mostly 1 inning guy, he's often thrown 20ish pitches, which is what getting the 8th would've been. Don't forget he get the first 2 outs in the 8th, and it was only extended due to an infield bad luck single. It was a matter of inches from being 6 up 6 down, while likely throwing so few pitches that he could've pitched today. and it would've left the bottom of the order for their next best guy. If he doesn't pitch him, and one of their bad guys blew the lead the same folks would be saying "why did you lose this game while you left your best arm sitting in the pen"

I actually liked the strategy and it made a lot of sense. Have your best guy in for their top of the order. And yet it still didn't work out. 5 straight outs. then an infield hit, a barely hbp, boom HR

Thanks for this heads up. Was able to get 4 in second deck down the line that I wouldn't have without seeing this thread.

Yea it was pretty clear Braun held a lot of weight as the leader on the clubhouse at the end. After the initial media circus died down on and he was the 'vet leader' type guy at the end it was nothing to the players. It really had no affect and what matters was their personal interaction and relationships. And from the outside it seemed Braun did everything positive/correct in that regard with teammates and young players coming in.

also, he could 'retire' but its done in a buyout type fashion where he still gets the money. Basically a mutually agreed upon way to depart. He obviously just has to show up or wait to be 'cut' and he gets it all. And obviously no way he walks from it. But they can talk and agree its best to just let him have the money but to free up the roster spot. With their relationship, maybe the buyout could negotiate to spread the money out over extra years while he serves some kind of ambassador type role. Which could help free up money right away to help win. My guess is that he'll still play next year though and hope for a rebound back to roughly his 2025 level. But if next year goes like '26, then that buyout/retire thing comes into play for the '28. Funny, about two weeks ago this idea popped in my head. Maybe an announcer called him captain or something. But I had recently looked up if he was named captain, how common that was in baseball, etc just a week or two prior to this going down

Its clear the talent level is better than the last few years. The D is perfectly fine. Not the best non SEC/OSU D in the country it was before, but its perfectly solid/good. Offense is still a work in progress. And in general if they could clean up the attention to detail, organizational, discipline stuff they could be perfectly ok. Which is all we're asking this year, just don't suck. I don't think they've fumbled a kick since ND which is big progress. Gotta clean up the turnovers, penalties, bad snaps etc next. As small of a thing as it is, the QB having to worry about the snap every play starts him a half second behind where he should be and it distracts his mind from what it should actually be on. That was big progress to pull that out, beat MSU and you're at 4-1. Hopefully they don't give all that progress back by laying an egg this week. As much as I don't think Fickell is good, steps are going in the right direction like was needed this year. Generally speaking, it would be best if he could get them back to the OK/fine/good level in the next few years and then work on some kind of transition out or take some other job. Much better than a mass firing overhaul situation. My connections inside the program say its still a complete unprofessional, disorganized chaotic mess behind the scenes though.

All year I've wanted cubs out of our bracket and generally thought they were the 3rd best team in the NL. I'll still hate to play them since losing would be so painful. But at this point, they're fairly clearly the worst team in the NL wildcars and their pen has showed no signs of rebounding. If you took out the rivalry and them filling the stadium stuff, there's no way we should rather face SD/Phi than them.

the quotes didn't come off overly whiny to me or anything, just kind of stating the reality that they have to wing the pitching. But yea he's looking to complain instead of seeing the pig pic. His team is in the playoffs, assuming the plan works that this lets them get these in and his team gets Sunday off. His team now just got a big big advantage in much more important games in the next round. Or, in the middle ground scenario that starting these games Friday but some stuff happens with delays/cancels that eventually leads to the 3rd game done Sunday instead of Monday, then it helped them out immensely. Or by having the DH Fri instead of possibly Sunday helps them too

Not sure of a better spot to post it. But with how good Hall is looked and with so many rotation questions after Miz/Henderson for next year, I wouldn't mind seeing Hall given one last chance to get stretched out and start next year. I also feel more comfortable with him than Ashby in the lefty opener role this playoffs. He also did get up to 36 pitches last night, so could easily see him go 3-4 innings in a bullpen game if he's cruising

Jeez, I was fairly optimistic on May when they got him but quite the dud here as he can't be trusted in the playoffs. Good stuff, get to our coaching staff and our infield D for sinker pitcher you think it would've been a good combo. I guess you still might have to use him after a lefty opener or something to try and get 2ish innings out of him. but really need a good outing from him next time out

Another good May start tomorrow would be really encouraging for the 3rd starter spot. Combo him in someway with Ashby/Hall to cover 3 times through and get to the backend. Vs teams like Phi/Chi/LA the lefty opener really does make a lot of sense, as much as I hate to say it. Then May in afterwards

Probably a fair thing to add is with Chourio missing a month it could/should be factored in that he's going start probably 30 or so fewer games than Happ