NL Central Also-Rans: Reds, Brewers, Cubs, Cardinals

[David]

Went to look up tickets to that first Cubs/Brewers series in Milwaukee and this came up as my section...lol



(yes i know it stands for field infield box)

[Cubswin11]

Some good stuff on the Brewer board today....

I know people overrate the Cubs in general, but Holy God. Their bullpen could be quite bad. They don't have an experienced closer. It could be disastrous for them...
I'll say it again-the Cubs bullpen is not good. Watch.

You haven't really explained how the Cubs moves make them that much better. How many games does darvish really improve on arrieta? Chatwood on lackey? Those are not huge improvements if you look at numbers. Losing Davis is a big hit but a full season of quintana helps offset that. Did they make any improvements at all on offense? They lack depth all over the place. They are the favorites to win the division but they don't belong in the same category of teams you discussed

The key guy for Cubs besides health is Lester. He took a big step backward at age 33.

The Cubs lost a lot of quality AB's from Jay and their backup catcher spot too.

The bullpen sucks, I guess, even though we have like 6 guys who project for a ERA- of under 80. And replaced Davis with a guy who’s better outside of the stupid save stat (but if you’re in to that Cishek has about 3x more career saves than the entire Brewers pitching staff) and we have probably 3 guys at least with better stuff than Davis. Also Chatwood isn’t an upgrade over Lackey and Darvish isn’t an upgrade over Arrieta despite both being better than those guys last year and projecting to be a lot better than them this year. Also hard to make up for those quality abs from Jon horsefeathering Jay and all that production from Miggy/Rivera/Caritini as a rookie for most of the year before Avila. We also lack depth despite having about half the position players being able to play 2-4+ spots. Also health is important. We’re horsefeathers.

[DiceMan4221]

The depth thing is just beyond silly and I see it all the time. Three of Happ/Almora/Zobrist/Baez/Schwarber/LaStella comes off the bench everyday and each is good enough to start for most teams. Its almost like these yahoos are docking the Cubs for not having figured out a way to have 10 players in the field.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

The depth thing is just beyond silly and I see it all the time. Three of Happ/Almora/Zobrist/Baez/Schwarber/LaStella comes off the bench everyday and each is good enough to start for most teams. Its almost like these yahoos are docking the Cubs for not having figured out a way to have 10 players in the field.

Having 6 good MLBers for 4 spots is not depth.

Having 3 good MLBers for 4 spots, one crappy one, two mediocre bench guys and two prospects in the minors? That is depth.

Or something.

[davell]

We'll be 10 games up on the Brewers by the end of May.

But every time I look at this thread, I wonder why the Cards aren't included.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[Cubswin11]

Matt Carpenter is already missing some ST time with back tightness, he seems to be on the verge of falling apart. He missed time the last two years with back, oblique and shoulder issues (I believe he had a cortisone shot last year in his shoulder and he really can't throw much anymore). Between age (Carpenter, Wainwright, Yadi, and Fowler) and regression (Pham, Ozuna, DeJong) they could be in for a long year.

And also LOL at them officially putting Fowler and his bum ass arm in RF this year.

[Brian707]

Went to look up tickets to that first Cubs/Brewers series in Milwaukee and this came up as my section...lol



(yes i know it stands for field infield box)

I guess their ticket plan for Wisconsin residents only backfired. That's the game I'm going to and I was pleasantly surprised to find seats this good(I'm in sec 122 row 22)

[We Got The Whole 9]

Just gonna put this here

Jason: STL sports writer recently said that new coaches on the team will be worth 7-10 wins this season.  On a scale of zero to horsefeathers, how crazy is this?

2:56

Dan Szymborski: That’s a bit crazy.

Anyone read the article referenced?

[HawkeTrackler]

Proposed new Brewers logo:

[Cubswin11]

[Banedon]

Just one?

[weis21]

Yeah I'd say brewers adding one more pitcher plus signing still FA Jesus Christ and it may come down to the wire in September

[Sammy Sofa]

Yeah I'd say brewers adding one more pitcher plus signing still FA Jesus Christ and it may come down to the wire in September

To get a WC spot.

[Cubswin11]

That Mikolas dude made his debut for the Cardinals today......

1.2IP 7H 6R 6ER 1BB 2SO 1HR

[Regular Show]

That Mikolas dude made his debut for the Cardinals today......

1.2IP 7H 6R 6ER 1BB 2SO 1HR

Eh, I need to watch it before I say the guy is awful. Might have been trying to work on some pitches or isn't up to full speed yet.

I hope he sucks and the Cubs torch him the first chance we get.

[Cubswin11]

That Mikolas dude made his debut for the Cardinals today......

1.2IP 7H 6R 6ER 1BB 2SO 1HR

Eh, I need to watch it before I say the guy is awful. Might have been trying to work on some pitches or isn't up to full speed yet.

I hope he sucks and the Cubs torch him the first chance we get.

Yeah it’s ST and his first start so stats are mostly meaningless but that’s a rough debut for a guy who sucked last time he was in MLB and hasn’t pitched in MLB in years.

[Regular Show]

That Mikolas dude made his debut for the Cardinals today......

1.2IP 7H 6R 6ER 1BB 2SO 1HR

Eh, I need to watch it before I say the guy is awful. Might have been trying to work on some pitches or isn't up to full speed yet.

I hope he sucks and the Cubs torch him the first chance we get.

Yeah it’s ST and his first start so stats are mostly meaningless but that’s a rough debut for a guy who sucked last time he was in MLB and hasn’t pitched in MLB in years.

I do think the Cardinals' rotation has the chance to implode if Mikolas sucks and Wainwright continues to struggle. Wacha has had problems staying healthy. I think the Cubs have a much stronger rotation now.

We should make a thread or poll for when we think MM will get fired lol. I'll say right around early August after the trade deadline.

[We Got The Whole 9]

MLBN is showing the game now. He's had a real tough time keeping his pitches down.

[Cubswin11]

MLBN is showing the game now. He's had a real tough time keeping his pitches down.

Yeah I’m watching too, his fastball looks awful straight and none of his breaking stuff looks like anything special

[d_money]

Eh, I need to watch it before I say the guy is awful. Might have been trying to work on some pitches or isn't up to full speed yet.

I hope he sucks and the Cubs torch him the first chance we get.

Yeah it’s ST and his first start so stats are mostly meaningless but that’s a rough debut for a guy who sucked last time he was in MLB and hasn’t pitched in MLB in years.

I do think the Cardinals' rotation has the chance to implode if Mikolas sucks and Wainwright continues to struggle. Wacha has had problems staying healthy. I think the Cubs have a much stronger rotation now.

We should make a thread or poll for when we think MM will get fired lol. I'll say right around early August after the trade deadline.

If MM gets fired (which I would thoroughly enjoy watching Cardinal Nation lose their horsefeathers), Oquendo is probably next up.

[CyHawk_Cub]

I want Mike Matheny to be the Cardinals manager for the rest of his life.

[Banedon]

Yeah it’s ST and his first start so stats are mostly meaningless but that’s a rough debut for a guy who sucked last time he was in MLB and hasn’t pitched in MLB in years.

I do think the Cardinals' rotation has the chance to implode if Mikolas sucks and Wainwright continues to struggle. Wacha has had problems staying healthy. I think the Cubs have a much stronger rotation now.

We should make a thread or poll for when we think MM will get fired lol. I'll say right around early August after the trade deadline.

If MM gets fired (which I would thoroughly enjoy watching Cardinal Nation lose their horsefeathers), Oquendo is probably next up.

Obviously this is subjective, but I think most Cardinal fans would throw a party in the streets if Matheny got fired.

[Derwood]

Only if Yadier Molina was his replacement

[Hairyducked Idiot]

That Mikolas dude made his debut for the Cardinals today......

1.2IP 7H 6R 6ER 1BB 2SO 1HR

The only spring training result that matters for any pitcher is did they throw their allotted pitches and not get hurt.