Official 2023 Chicago Cubs Season Thread Vol: (17-17)

^ i am sort of freakin out....both pitching and hitting are struggling.

BUT.... is it a plan to relax now a bit and actually play later (after all star break)?
 
Pete Abraham‏Verified account @PeteAbe 14h14 hours ago
2016 playoff hangovers abound
Indians 19-17
Red Sox 19-18
Cubs 18-19
Rangers 19-20
Mets 16-20
Blue Jays 17-21
Giants 15-24

Perspective. Long playoff runs DO have impact the following season(s)

That said, we absolutely are not playing our best baseball, no question, we have "struggled" but again, just look from an outside view for a second......

They WON 7 of their first 9 series of the year. And of those, 3 of the losses all came in one series (the Pirates)

On May 5th, they were one pitch away from being 17-12 and in first place. Rondon had just thought he got the K, didn't get the call, threw a slider and boom, we had an L instead of a W.

From that moment on, we've been 2-7........AGAINST 3 FIRST PLACE TEAMS. As in, we've played "poorly" against 3 first place teams, and in those, we had the one pitch away game, the 18 inning game, and a series vs StL without Bryant, Russell, Zobrist, or Heyward. :lol :lol


Yes, we absolutely, positively, are not playing the same as we did last year. Also, we have been banged up a lil bit, we've played the toughest schedule in the NL, and 4th toughest in Baseball.

Get some of these guys back on the field (should all be back sometime this week) Start to play a little bit of a softer schedule, and we'll start to get stronger.

Will we win 103? No, maybe not. But that doesn't matter. What Theo wants, how he has designed his teams is NOT to make ONE run. It's to make MULTIPLE runs. As in Boston, 2004 and 2007 and 2013 World Series titles. In the playoffs the majority of the years in between. We're not built to win in 2016, 2017, 2018, etc. That's why he let Fowler go, Chapman, Hammel, and traded Soler, he's building LONG(ER) term. It's also why he's going to let Arrieta walk after this year. Don't sign old guys forever, keep the young guys around, and build around them.

Notice how we have two first round picks next month? PLUS our 2nd rounder. 8o More chips in the minors. We didn't have a first or a second last year because we went all in (and it paid off :hat )

We may not get what we want this year, but if we don't, what we will get is an extra 6 weeks of rest for our players, and then more money to spend on free agents the next two years, etc. (TV contract comin up, the 2018 Free Agent class is the best in MLB history)

Please everyone, trust the process. I know it sucks losing games, we forgot how to do that the last 2 years, but understand, the next 5-7 years will balance these small losses out, I promise you.
 
All these bombs tonight! Way to get back on track. Hopefully this will catapult them back to their potentials.
 
W 19-19

Schwarber, Happ, Russell, Rizzo all with solo homers.

Contreras and Bryant with run scoring doubles.

Lackey the W.
 
W 20-19

Hendricks lookin stronger each start now.

Lester goes for the sweep tomorrow.
 
Cubs loading up right handed bats vs Cincy's lefty today, including Happ starting in LF today. :hat

Zobrist RF
Bryant 3B
Rizzo 1B
Happ LF
Contreras C
Russell SS
Baez 2B
Lester SP
Almora CF
 
Thinkin about the absolute success the Cubs have had with the young talent they've brought up. Baez, Soler, Bryant, Addison, Schwarber, Contreras, and now Happ. :eek :hat

Theo has found and developed these kids the right way from day one, and they have produced as we hoped they would.
 
W. 21-19

Sweep of Cincy. Now we gotta take care of the Brewers and get things back the way they should be.
 
I know it was a one game sample but if Bosio is working some magic with Butler, this can be big for us.
 
Some great news today 8o

Zobrist 2B
Schwarber LF
Bryant 3B
Rizzo 1B
Happ CF
Heyward RF
Contreras C
Russell SS
Arrieta P


The pitcher finally back batting 9th. [emoji]128582[/emoji]

And of course, Heyward back in RF.
 
I think Zobrist leading off will jumpstart this offense a bit. I was never a fan of Schawber batting lead off to begin with.
 
Cubs rolling today. Zobrist leads game off with home run, they add 2 more in the first, now Bryant has added two solo homers to tack on. :hat

6-1 in the 5th.

Brewers talking **** about the game being cancelled yesterday. Actin like we were afraid of them or somethin. :lol
 
Rizzo adds a homer, Happ doubles twice, Contreras 3-3, it was 13-1 into the 9th before Floro gave up 5 meaningless runs in the final inning.

Cubs sent a message for the Brewers talkin ****

Brewers also hit 3 batters. 8o Gonna be an issue later in the year. These teams starting not to like each other.
 
Bryant made some history on Sunday. First Cubs Third baseman to record 75 HR in first three seasons.

Dude is incredible.
 
W 23-21

Jon Lester DOMINANT performance.

9 inn, 1 ER, 0 BB, 10K [emoji]128293[/emoji][emoji]128293[/emoji][emoji]128293[/emoji]

Schwarber, Heyward, Rizzo all homer off Cueto. (All lefties 8o )
 
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