Do people think that we're good enough?
by WittyUserName on Jan 22, 2008 3:17 PM CST
53 comments
As the roster stands right now (spots to be won in ST aside), do people think that the Cubs in 2008 will be legitimate World Series contenders?
Personally, I feel that they are in a slightly better boat than they were at the end of 2007. They've added depth to the pen and rotation. They've signed a legit RF and have been able to upgrade at C in house.
Could the current roster win the World Series? Sure, but I think a lot has to go right. There are a lot of 'ifs':
If Pie turns the corner
If Lilly doesn't regress
If Soto is as good as advertised
If Fukudome is as good as advertised
If Zambrano has a good year
If Hill has a good year
If Lieber is healthy
If Theriot gets better
If Cedeño turns the corner
If Soriano's leg problems don't come back
Personally, I think that Soto and Fukudome will be fine, and while I doubt Lilly will have a 2008 as good as 2007, I'm sure he'll be fine. But there are still some things that seem to be left up to fate.
I feel that our bullpen is great, our offense is fine, and our rotation is fine. And while I totally expect the 2008 Cubs to be good and make it to October, they don't seem, to me at least, to be a team that can dominate in the playoffs.
Do people feel differently? Do people think we need a new 2B whose name I won't mention since Al is sick of reading/hearing it. Do people think that we need a another top of the rotation Starting Pitcher?
I'm not meaning to start a debate about specific trades, although that would certainly be welcome. But simply how do people feel about the current roster and their chance at ending the streak in it's centennial year?
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.
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Well...
The Cubs will win IF Soriano moves down in the order....JUST KIDDING JUST KIDDING JUST KIDDING.
I like their chances in the NL
by Hammer on Jan 22, 2008 3:19 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Don't kid if you really mean it
As constructed this team has little chance to win the WS. Only will a half dozen+ absolute career years bring them up to a BoSox level, preverably those by the pitching staff.
That said though, they will be better than 85 wins, win the division and one playoff series. After that, its dicey.
They need another [very good] starting pitcher and more lineup versatility. Yes I'm biased towards a certain blockbuster trade but that's how I see it.
by blackhawk24 on Jan 22, 2008 3:25 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I dont mean it....
by Hammer on Jan 22, 2008 3:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I didnt mean..
by Hammer on Jan 22, 2008 3:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
how can you be sure
I just don't think that they're one of the top 3 teams in the N.L. right now, which makes it hard to say that they'd even win 1 series. even if they were, they're not so much better than any other playoff contender that they'd easily win a short series.
by Shanghai Badger on Jan 22, 2008 10:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Hey, it's a guess
Getting a series win is a guess, even a crapshoot.
But my point is they do not have the roster to compete with the elite AL teams for a WS title.
I'm not sure they have enough to get to the WS.
Of course an aberration like several career years can be a huge offset on the positive side. Without that, I fear all the numerals across Sheffield will not be zeros.
by blackhawk24 on Jan 23, 2008 5:51 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
it's always a game of "ifs"
What if Sori hadn't hurt his leg and then his wrists?
What if Prior had signed with the Cubs this year?
What if, what if, what if...
It comes down to being the team that wins the most games on the right days. Who the hell knows?
by drewishdrewid on Jan 22, 2008 3:23 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
They have a fighting chance
With that said, it could happen where the pitcher they need turns out being one of their young guys that steps up, but I don't see the same happening with the position player.
Anyway, looking at this again in a few weeks will give you a better picture, because Hendry is not done yet.
by MPH73 on Jan 22, 2008 3:25 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
you can say that about a lot of teams
by mike on Jan 22, 2008 3:33 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Regarding your points:
I have serious doubts
If Lilly doesn't regress
He will, but will still be solid
If Soto is as good as advertised
One of the keys to how far the Cubs go.
I tend to think he won't dissappoint.
If Fukudome is as good as advertised
I believe he will be.
If Zambrano has a good year
Don't like his trend of the last 2 years, but
he is due for a breakout year
If Hill has a good year
Tend to think he will be slightly above avg.
If Lieber is healthy
Another key factor and I have a good feeling.
If Theriot gets better
He is what he is, but I like him at the bottom
of the order.
If Cedeño turns the corner
More important things to worry about
If Soriano's leg problems don't come back
Healthy legs will help, but would sure like
to see the Cubs take better advantage of his
power.
by MPH73 on Jan 22, 2008 3:39 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
To win the division, yes.
I dont see this as a world series team. We are a few pieces away.
by dus22 on Jan 22, 2008 3:42 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
What pieces?
This team is built to get there. Yes, maybe they need one more starting pitcher. At this moment, the price for a top quality starter is quite high. Why not start the season with what we've got and in July, see what's out there? Ownership has made it clear that it's "business as usual" and there's room to add someone later on.
That's how I'd approach it as of now.
by Al on Jan 22, 2008 3:46 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Good point...
Its not always the Cubs are trading to get better at that time of year, it would nice.
by Hammer on Jan 22, 2008 3:49 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Exception to the rule...
Except the NL Central.
by DrCrawdad on Jan 23, 2008 12:17 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Playoffs not a total crapshoot
by snley on Jan 23, 2008 8:39 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
The great equalizer
by MPH73 on Jan 23, 2008 9:14 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Too early to tell
All I'll say is I feel good about this Cubs team. I feel they stand an excellent chance of competing well in the NL Central. And, honestly, that's all I really care about right now. I'll start worrying about the post-season come August -- maybe July at the earliest. For now, I want to see the Cubs get off to a solid start and establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with in their division and the league as a whole. I want to enjoy victories -- lots of them. I want to feel that uneasy elation of watching the Cubs get over .500 -- AND STAY THERE.
This isn't directed at you personally, but sometimes I think people get so focused on the World Series that they forget -- or at least neglect to fully enjoy -- the regular season. It's only 68 days away!
by dat cubfan daver on Jan 22, 2008 3:50 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
In my lifetime...
by Hammer on Jan 22, 2008 4:00 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Having said my piece...
by dat cubfan daver on Jan 22, 2008 4:06 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Everyone has "If"
If Pie turns the corner- Doesn't have to turn the corner. He just needs to hit 250-260/ 310-320/690-710 against RH pitching. The Cubs will add another RH OF to play with Pie. Remember we will be replacing 254/305 in CF from last year
If Lilly doesn't regress- To what 4-4.10 era pitcher? He's still not pitching in the AL East anymore, so he's still gonna be better then the 4-4.30 era pitcher he was there.
If Soto is as good as advertised- Who knows for sure, but we got 239/304/673 out of the catcher spot last year and still won the division. I'm confident that Sotow will be a upgrade over those numbers offensivly and a big upgrade defensivly.
If Fukudome is as good as advertised- He better be if we're paying him 48m over 4 years. But it wasn't just the Cubs offering him that kind of money. Other teams were offering Fukudome the same or money then the Cubs were. All of the experts think Fukudome will be very good, so until he gives us a reason otherwise I'm confident he will be very good.
If Zambrano has a good year- Not worried at all he's a good pitcher, and has some of the best stuff in the NL. I find it hard to believe he will pitch this poor again next year.
If Hill has a good year- We have no reason to believe he won't. Rich Hill has been a quality pitcher the last year and half, and gave us 195 innings and was 5th in SO. I don't see how he won't be good next year, and he should most likely get better.
If Lieber is healthy- He has made 27 starts or more three of the last four years. Last year was the first time he missed a good amount of time. Since it wasn't arm related I like his chances of being healthy, even at the age of 38.
If Theriot gets better- This is your first real "If", because it's a major queston mark. The Cubs think he will so lets see. But remmeber we can always add a SS during the season if he's not.
If Cedeño turns the corner- Well just one of him or Theriot have to be good. So this isn't really a big "If" either. Not to mention he isn't a major factor on the 2008 team, if he does turn the corner it's a bonus.
If Soriano's leg problems don't come back- You never know but you gotta look at a guys history of injuries. Soriano was never hurt in the past, and never had leg problems in the past. So hopefuly it was just a fluke thing.
by cubsfan25 on Jan 22, 2008 4:11 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Re: Everyone has "If"
I'm personally pulling for that unlikely blockbuster with Baltimore (although I don't know what that would take).
And it's not as though I posed this question saying 'The Cubs are bad and we're going to suck this year'. I think the team will be pretty good actually and I'm anxiously looking forward to watching baseball again.
However, it doesn't seem to me that the roster as is (which some say we're going with barring a platoon partner for CF) is good enough to get over the hump and win in October.
I know that it's difficult, incredibly so, to speculate as to how a team will perform in the playoffs when ST hasn't even started. And getting there has to be the teams first priority. But I don't think that anyone wants to get back to the playoffs just to roll over in three games. So I wanted to get peoples honest impression as to whether or not the likely (current) roster is good enough to get what has been promised to the fans: a championship.
The list of 'if's, let me explain. Not all of those things need to happen for this team to turn to corner. Say if Pie and Cedeño both break out this year, we'd be phenomenal contenders. Or if Lilly doesn't regress and Zambrano and Hill have great years, we'd probably be NL favorites.
It just doesn't seem like the team has a solid plan as to how things are going to work out. They have plenty of potential scenarios that could lead to the team being great, and maybe thats enough, but they haven't solidified anything.
by WittyUserName on Jan 22, 2008 4:27 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I want one more...
I think we'll get it done offensively. I doubted Gerald Perry and Lou last year, at least for a month or so, but it was my first season observing that coaching combination. I think they're great. Soriano will start off hotter this year (that seems to be lost in the shuffle in reassessing last year), as will the rest of the team (i.e. Lee's lack of power).
But over the course of a six-month season, starting pitching and the bullpen are where the money is---and should be. Although I like our starting rotation quite a bit---Zambrano, Lilly, Hill, and any combination of Marshall, Lieber, Marquis, and perhaps Dempster---I would love one more proven starting pitcher.
But, every team has question marks going in. Every last one of them. Every club is perennially concerned about whether the stars they count on will have down year. We should be concerned if the Cubs are not at, or above, .500 by the All-Star break. I fully expect them to be about 10 games above at that point. ... Then we'll be concerned about them taking it easy in the 2nd half and not being sharp enough for the play-offs.
To return to my original point, let's find another innings-eating, strike-out king, stud pitcher. - TL
by timlacy on Jan 22, 2008 4:17 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Cubs are the team to beat in the Central
Is the Cubs offense better then the Padres, Diamondbacks and Dodgers?(only two will be in postseason) I think so, and our SP isn't far off from theirs. The Mets are still the same team that didn't make the playoffs last year, and key players like Delgado,Wagner, Martinez,Hernandez Alou and others are all a year older. The Phillies lost Rowand and replaced him with Jenkins, so that was a downgrade. Plus their SP and bullpen still isn't all that great.
The Braves could be good, but is Tom Glavine enough to make them much better then they were last year? Were the Rockies as good as they were late in the year? Will their SP and bullpen be as good this year?
So like I said, what time could you say is really better then the Cubs?
by cubsfan25 on Jan 22, 2008 4:33 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Good point about the Rockies.
That may be a burden on them, too. The first three or four game losing streak they have (and they will), will show whether they're subject to panic or not.
by Al on Jan 22, 2008 4:46 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Don't give the Cubs the Central yet
by snley on Jan 23, 2008 9:00 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
What team
by cubsfan25 on Jan 22, 2008 4:35 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
They
Maybe Hendry agrees, and that's why Bedard's name has been mentioned.
I also think we can afford for only one of Theriot-Soto-Pie to be bad.
by jazzypete on Jan 22, 2008 4:53 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Best in Central
After that, I can't say how we'll fare in the playoffs. I think we're a better team but anything can happen in the post season.
by ak123 on Jan 22, 2008 4:55 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
man, i don't think you're giving the brewers
by buckmulligan on Jan 22, 2008 10:31 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Nah...
Just like last season if Ben Sheets is healthy the team will have a better chance at winning.
However Cordero gone is damaging to the Brewers. We might have had luck with Cordero but not many other teams did.
Plus they are pretty poor defensively which is the only reason I believe they lost the division.
by ak123 on Jan 22, 2008 11:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Other Movers
- D-Bags upgraded pitching, hitting will be avg. again. Don't expect them to win as many 3-2 games this year. The averages will work themselves out.
- Dodgers added Torre, which upgraded from Little and will prevent the rookie-veteran mutiny of last year, plus Andrew and a heck of a lot of young talent hitting and pitching. Will Kent & Nomar stay healthy?
- Padres added Iguchi, S.Hairston, Edmonds (like he needs a bigger park to wheel himself around in) & will win a lot of close games with pitching and park, but have a garbage lineup. Expect similar performance to the D-Bags
- Mets added Castillo (I know that was last year) and Chuch but still have the pitching questions
- Phillies added Lidge and Jenkins, and Myers is back in the lineup but they're Philly and they'll have trouble living up to their fans expectations. I know that's irrational, but it plays a factor in team outcomes.
- Rockies stayed pat and will definitely CLUB again, but the NL West will be won away from Coors Field and the Rox won't be able to hold leads like their bullpen did the last two months in 07 (remember the Marlins-Cubs games in June? They were a mess)
Dodgers 92 W
Rockies 86 W
D-Backs 84 W
Padres 83 W
Cubs 89 W
Mets 89 W
Phils 84 W
Cubs made moves to upgrade (Fuku & Soto is all I'll admit to. I'll have to wait on Lieber)& this will be the first year without Wood and Prior 'what ifs.' Which I think will play a huge part in chemistry.
Cubs have a chance, and should statistically be a better team than last year (barring health...keep fingers crossed). 95 wins is the cieling, but doubtful.
One more SP will do the job for AT LEAST one series win. The rest is all up to fate
We have a chance (Rockies, Cards, Marlins '03)if they stay focused in every single game.
Woo, I can't wait for Feb. 13!
by The Ryno and I Know on Jan 22, 2008 5:20 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Nothing in Central
Brewers: Kendall will hurt them. Their pitching is still poor and they lost their closer.
Reds: Dusty Baker makes this a mixed bag. You know he will try to put up a fight. They have some power hitting but their pitching is weak minus Harang.
Pirates: They just aren't very good yet somehow will challenge The Cubs like they have the past few years.
Cardinals: They aren't what they used to be. They should not be a challenge.
Astros: This should be the only team who can compete with us. Hopefully we play better than them.
Also as for The Mets: I predict them having a 70-75 W season. Something tells me the team just won't click this year.
by ak123 on Jan 22, 2008 5:56 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I think the Cubs are
The Diamondbacks were the only team to win 90(in 162 game season), and they overachieved alot last year in the regular season(pythagorean 79-83). So with adding Haren and some of their young hitters they will probably be a 90-92 team again.
I don't really see anyone else right now winning more then 92 games in the NL, and the Cubs are right in that range IMO.
by cubsfan25 on Jan 22, 2008 6:08 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
If you believe...
I would expect the Diamondbacks to do the same. You may think I'm nuts to say so, but there's a real chance that Arizona could finish under .500 in 2008.
by Al on Jan 22, 2008 7:18 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Tomorrow is promised to no man.
This is not trying to make A to A comparisons between the Cubs and the Red Sox. In fact, this bears clarifying:
There is nothing the Cubs can do to become a better team than the Red Sox between now and the start of the season.
But that's true of pretty much every team not named the Yankees, and they would need to pull off the Santanna trade to put them over the top.
So, if you think that only the best team in baseball can win the Series, give up now, because it won't be us. Sorry. We'll see you again in '09. Thanks for playing.
But if you understand that anything can happen in a short series - call it luck, small sample size or "the magic of the postseason," I really don't care - then yes, the Cubs as currently constituted are good enough to win the World Series. It's not likely but there's no team in baseball that is LIKELY to win the Series at this point of the year. You pays your money and you takes your chances.
Certainly the team could be better - and we can debate the specifics of it from here until October, and we will. But we're not a flaming train wreck like the Astros - we have a nice ball club. We may be divisional favorites right now, but I think it's by less than people think - the Brewers have a nice team. And I'd rather worry about beating them so we get to the playoffs than matching up for a short series in the playoffs that we won't get to play if we don't take care of business first. Let's just worry about the regular season now, folks. The playoffs are ten months away! They'll attend to themselves in time. We have a division to win first.
by cwyers on Jan 22, 2008 6:23 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Obviously
Many here, myself included, don't think the Cubs have done everything they can yet.It sounds like Hendry doesn't think so either, as evinced by the "2 or 3 moves" we keep hearing about. Nice to have the fans and the GM on the same page.
by jazzypete on Jan 22, 2008 6:36 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Yes
As far as Boston's concerns are. It's one thing to say 'as long as the team stays healthy they've got a really good shot', and a totally different thing to say 'if X, Y, and Z plans work out we'll be in really good shape'.
My impression is that great teams primary concern is staying healthy, because they otherwise have all the pieces they feel that they need.
But the Cubs, currently, seem to be a team who would certainly be good and competitive. But can't be a playoff favorite unless X, Y, or Z happen.
I hope that the Cubs have another move or two in store for the roster. I don't think that they currently have what they need to get over the hump.
by WittyUserName on Jan 22, 2008 7:14 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I agree Brewers will be tough
Overall I still think we have the better SP, better bullpen, and a much better manager. Not to mention were still a better defensive team. But I gotta give the Brewers the edge on the offensive side still. I don't think they will score almost 50 more runs then us like last year, but they should still score 20-25 more runs then us still. So honestly I would like to add a hitter to upgrade the line-up a little bit, and adding a RH who hits LH pitching well is a must.(If Pie is the CF) But I think the pitching is fine, and don't think the guys on the market are much better then the guys we have and I wouldn't wanna give up the talent to get them.
But nobody can predict how good players are going to be next season, and how it will effect the team. A year ago if someone said Jones,Floyd and Murton would hit a total of 21 HR(playing CF and RF) would anyone think we were making the playoffs? If someone said Lee would only hit 22 HR, and Soriano/Ramirez would play in 135 games or lower would anyone think were making the playoffs? If someone said Barrett would suck and be traded in June,(and be replaced by poor hitting catchers) would anyone think we were making the playoffs? If someone said Zambrano would have a 3.95 era, and none of our 5 starters would have a era below 3.80 would anyone think we were making the playoffs?
Sure somethings went right for the Cubs last year like Marmol, Marshall improving for a while, Theriot hitting well for a while, and Lilly having a 3.83 era. But do those things really outweigh all the things we were expected to go right for us that didn't? Alot of these "If" could go right and we could have some surprised, but a few "sure things" might not working out like we hope. But the good thing is we have alot of depth, and can always add players during the season like we did last year. So as of right now I like our chances, but you never know really for sure.
by cubsfan25 on Jan 22, 2008 8:44 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
In my heart,
by deadcatbounce on Jan 22, 2008 7:56 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Presumably the Cubs are set at
Theriot should be expected to regress some and perhaps Derosa, too but these are judy positions anyway so it's not like when your starting 1B loses all of his power. (Let's hope Lee slugs better in 2008.)
The Cubs should have a much better O in 2008.
The Cubs should have much better pitching because they may finally realize that their depth can be used to fill slug spots 4-5 in the rotation.
Today this team can compete for the NLCS title and the NL title, no doubt. Is it anywhere close to Boston, NY, Cleveland, etc...from the AL? In one word--"No!"
If this team could fumble its way to the 2008 WS then I'd be happy--if they get obliterated by the AL Champs then at least they know that it has to be taken up a huge notch, going to eleven, to compete with the big boys. Right now they are Cubs, and it's a huge leap to become Bears.
by DudeVf11 on Jan 22, 2008 8:56 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
We don't need Roberts
NO.
If money and time and hassle are to be undertaken, IMHO (as if the Cubs even cared what I or anyone else thinks), it's another solid arm for the rotation that is most urgently needed. The bullpen is still in flux, still a random bunch of variables orbiting around only a few constants. We've gotten better, but are still lacking another solid one.
I would assume that by the end of spring training, the new equations will be calculated for the Cub jump to National League internecine hyperspace. How far we go will be seen soon enough. I think the starters and bench have enough youth, vets, power and savvy to get the Cubs in serious contention with whoever comes our way. Therefore, an uberdeal to get Roberts at some exotic cost to the Cubs isn't necessary.
But what do I know .. I'm just a fan.
Whether Lieber or Marquis get the nod will be interesting, as I honestly don't see Dempster making it in the rotation. Hill's too valuable to not give another good opportunity to start regularly. He could be back in the pen soon enough, though. He's an example of how much promise and yet how much peril the bullpen has. That's why another hurler has to be nabbed, and the pickings are especially lean this year. Maybe Liebs and Jason will make it interesting ..
by cubnational on Jan 22, 2008 9:28 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
well....
by cubz409 on Jan 22, 2008 10:51 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Is your shift key broken...
Agree on the pitcher, that is if you're talking about one certain South paw from the O's.
by blackhawk24 on Jan 23, 2008 5:54 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
D-Lee
by wombat on Jan 23, 2008 8:48 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Odds to win division, pennant, and World Series
Odds to win the 2008 NL East Division Title
1 Philadelphia Phillies 6:5
2 New York Mets 7:5
3 Atlanta Braves 3:1
4 Washington Nationals 20:1
5 Florida Marlins 40:1
Odds to win the 2008 NL Central Division Title
1 Chicago Cubs 10:11
2 Milwaukee Brewers 9:5
3 St Louis Cardinals 5:1
4 Cincinnati Reds 7:1
5 Houston Astros 10:1
6 Pittsburgh Pirates 40:1
Odds to win the 2008 NL West Division Title
1 Arizona Diamondbacks 9:5
2 San Diego Padres 5:2
3 Colorado Rockies 11:4
4 Los Angeles Dodgers 3:1
5 San Francisco Giants 20:1
Odds to win the 2008 National League Pennant
1 Chicago Cubs 4:1
2 New York Mets 5:1
3 Philadelphia Phillies 5:1
4 Los Angeles Dodgers 13:2
5 San Diego Padres 7:1
6 Colorado Rockies 9:1
7 Arizona Diamondbacks 10:1
8 Milwaukee Brewers 10:1
9 St Louis Cardinals 10:1
10 Atlanta Braves 11:1
11 Cincinnati Reds 18:1
12 Houston Astros 25:1
13 San Francisco Giants 40:1
14 Washington Nationals 70:1
15 Florida Marlins 75:1
16 Pittsburgh Pirates 75:1
Odds to win the 2008 AL East Division Title
1 Boston Red Sox 10:11
2 New York Yankees 6:5
3 Toronto Blue Jays 5:1
4 Baltimore Orioles 35:1
5 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 70:1
Odds to win the 2008 AL Central Division Title
1 Detroit Tigers 5:6
2 Cleveland Indians 8:5
3 Minnesota Twins 5:1
4 Chicago White Sox 11:2
5 Kansas City Royals 50:1
Odds to win the 2008 AL West Division Title
1 Los Angeles Angels 2:5
2 Seattle Mariners 5:2
3 Oakland Athletics 5:1
4 Texas Rangers 8:1
Odds to win the 2008 American League Pennant
1 Boston Red Sox 9:4
2 New York Yankees 11:4
3 Detroit Tigers 3:1
4 Los Angeles Angels 11:2
5 Cleveland Indians 6:1
6 Chicago White Sox 15:1
7 Minnesota Twins 15:1
8 Seattle Mariners 15:1
9 Toronto Blue Jays 15:1
10 Oakland Athletics 20:1
11 Baltimore Orioles 50:1
12 Texas Rangers 50:1
13 Kansas City Royals 100:1
14 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 100:1
Odds to win the 2008 World Series Championship
1 Boston Red Sox 7:2
2 Detroit Tigers 5:1
3 New York Yankees 5:1
4 Los Angeles Angels 9:1
5 Chicago Cubs 10:1
6 Cleveland Indians 12:1
7 New York Mets 15:1
8 Philadelphia Phillies 15:1
9 Los Angeles Dodgers 20:1
10 San Diego Padres 20:1
11 Arizona Diamondbacks 25:1
12 Colorado Rockies 25:1
13 Toronto Blue Jays 25:1
14 Atlanta Braves 30:1
15 Chicago White Sox 30:1
16 Milwaukee Brewers 30:1
17 Minnesota Twins 30:1
18 Seattle Mariners 30:1
19 St Louis Cardinals 30:1
20 Oakland Athletics 40:1
21 Cincinnati Reds 50:1
22 Houston Astros 60:1
23 Baltimore Orioles 100:1
24 San Francisco Giants 100:1
25 Texas Rangers 100:1
26 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 150:1
27 Florida Marlins 200:1
28 Kansas City Royals 200:1
29 Pittsburgh Pirates 200:1
30 Washington Nationals 200:1
by flachimesa on Jan 23, 2008 9:50 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Keep in mind
Also, in 1991, the Cubs were the favorites . . . the two long shots for pennants -- Atlanta and Minnesota.
by Shanghai Badger on Jan 23, 2008 9:58 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
You gotta love the...
by DudeVf11 on Jan 23, 2008 10:05 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
The Nationals are actually in better shape...
by cwyers on Jan 23, 2008 10:16 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Hey now
As for the team, the ownership has been honest and said that the team was a mess when they got it from MLB. With Selig in charge, would you have expected anything else? They stated that they were rebuilding starting with the worst farm system in baseball and would not spend the money for free-agents pretending to compete. They had a excellent draft last season and appear to be on the right track. It will take a few years but I think they will be successful over time. It will likely take that long. Surprisingly they weren't the worst team in baseball last year either and may not be again this year.
My biggest concern will be whether the area supports the team enough to allow it to succeed.
by rlpete on Jan 23, 2008 10:32 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
We had the 2nd best record
The playoff are harder to guage. The better team usually wins but not necessarily the team that had the better season. No matter how good we are or how "built" we are for the World Series we could run in to some team that suddenly got hot (a la Colorado in 2007) right before or during the playoffs and get swept out again.
So yeah, I think we'll be pretty good this year (90 wins) and I think we'll make the playoffs. What we do if we get to the playoff just cannot be predicted right now, which is the same for the Red Sox, Yankees and every other team no matter how well put together they are.
by pageian on Jan 23, 2008 10:27 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
a couple things at play here
- you can't ignore the beginning of the season when judging team's last year. If you take out any team's worst stretch of baseball they'll look better than they really were, which is essentially what you're doing here
- You're likely basing a lot of your analysis on Run Differentials. I'm guessing this based on the fact that their run differentials suggesting they were 2 wins better than their actual record. Run Differentials are a good tool to use and quite a predictive one over time, but due to the differences in scheduling (more games against divisional opponents) and the VAST differences in the competition amongst the NL Central and some of the other divisions... well all Runs are not created equal.
Basically what I'm saying is the Cubs were a pretty "average" baseball team outside of the NL Central.
Now certainly we've made improvements during this off-season (adding Soto full time, signing Fukudome) but these probably make us closer to a true 87-90 win team
That type of team is built for contending in the regular season and built for relying on some good fortune in the post season. I think that's the type of team we are. On paper we are not championship contender material, but we are playoff contending material
and given the randomness of some of the small samples in the post-season, sure we could end up with a World Series
but it would likely require plenty of good fortune, good fortune that depending on whether you're a pessimist or an optimist is either "never coming" or is "overly due"
Either way the goal of this team over the last two years was to revamp a bottom-feeder into a contender overnight. Its a plan I didn't particularly think was very feasible and its one that (largely thanks to a poor division) seems to be coming about as close to fulfilling those notions as could be expected.
by DartmouthCubsFan on Jan 23, 2008 2:06 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Pitching
by CubsBall2202 on Jan 23, 2008 5:44 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
cubs
by NOMAR on Jan 24, 2008 7:46 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
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