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Credit where credit is due: I took this idea from The Athletic, which recently ran a Cubs fan survey as well as an overall MLB fan survey.
Now, I know some of you don’t subscribe to The Athletic — and you should, and they didn’t even pay me to say that. They do excellent work over there that’s well worth reading.
But since there are some of you who don’t, I thought I’d run some of the same survey questions The Athletic did and get the responses of BCB readers, especially now since both the Cubs and Major League Baseball are in quite a state of uncertainty heading into the 2022 season — if we even have a 2022 season.
Instead of having you respond into a Google form as the surveys in The Athletic did, I’m going to use the poll function available to me here at BCB so that you can see the votes tally right away after you vote, or come back later and see the results. These polls will be open for one week. On certain questions where I could have put “Don’t care either way,” I haven’t done that here. Instead, I want you to choose the “either way” you’d most like to see.
Have at it! If you are reading this article via Google AMP or Apple News you will have to go to a conventional desktop browser to vote.
First, about the Cubs specifically.
Poll
How confident are you that the Cubs are heading in the right direction?
This poll is closed
-
8%
Very confident
(60 votes) -
42%
Somewhat confident
(316 votes) -
21%
Neutral
(164 votes) -
23%
Not very confident
(175 votes) -
4%
Not confident at all
(31 votes)
Poll
Rate the job Jed Hoyer has done as Cubs President of Baseball Operations since he took over in late 2020.
This poll is closed
-
7%
A
(56 votes) -
38%
B
(271 votes) -
41%
C
(295 votes) -
9%
D
(70 votes) -
2%
F
(20 votes)
Poll
Rate the job David Ross has done as Cubs manager.
This poll is closed
-
11%
A
(84 votes) -
54%
B
(383 votes) -
28%
C
(198 votes) -
4%
D
(35 votes) -
0%
F
(7 votes)
Poll
What are your realistic expectations for the Cubs in 2022?
This poll is closed
-
2%
NL Central champions
(19 votes) -
7%
Wild card team
(58 votes) -
31%
Wild card contender, winning record
(234 votes) -
45%
70-80 wins
(330 votes) -
8%
Fewer than 70 wins
(61 votes) -
4%
MLB lockout cancels the entire season
(31 votes)
Poll
Who is the Cubs’ biggest divisional rival?
Poll
Once the lockout ends, what is the Cubs’ biggest need to upgrade?
This poll is closed
-
28%
Shortstop
(196 votes) -
56%
Starting rotation
(392 votes) -
13%
Bullpen
(95 votes) -
2%
Something else (leave in comments)
(17 votes)
Poll
You get to pick one, but only one, free agent hitter to add to the Cubs. Which one?
This poll is closed
-
13%
Kris Bryant
(96 votes) -
19%
Nick Castellanos
(138 votes) -
39%
Carlos Correa
(284 votes) -
7%
Anthony Rizzo
(52 votes) -
17%
Kyle Schwarber
(125 votes) -
2%
Someone else (leave in comments)
(17 votes)
Poll
You get to pick one, but only one, free agent starting pitcher to add to the Cubs. Which one?
This poll is closed
-
9%
Tyler Anderson
(59 votes) -
9%
Matthew Boyd
(59 votes) -
9%
Danny Duffy
(61 votes) -
13%
Yusei Kikuchi
(84 votes) -
52%
Carlos Rodón
(330 votes) -
5%
Someone else (leave in comments)
(37 votes)
Poll
Rate Marquee Sports Network’s Cubs game broadcasts.
This poll is closed
-
6%
A
(40 votes) -
27%
B
(178 votes) -
37%
C
(238 votes) -
17%
D
(112 votes) -
11%
F
(75 votes)
Poll
Rate the Cubs’ radio broadcasts.
This poll is closed
-
57%
A
(378 votes) -
32%
B
(215 votes) -
7%
C
(50 votes) -
0%
D
(4 votes) -
1%
F
(11 votes)
Now, about MLB in general.
Poll
Who is MOST to blame for the current MLB labor strife?
This poll is closed
-
56%
Owners
(399 votes) -
6%
Players
(44 votes) -
37%
Both equally
(262 votes)
Poll
Rate the job Rob Manfred is doing as MLB Commissioner.
This poll is closed
-
0%
A
(6 votes) -
2%
B
(20 votes) -
13%
C
(96 votes) -
33%
D
(230 votes) -
49%
F
(344 votes)
Poll
Of these, which is the single most important issue for MLB to address?
This poll is closed
-
20%
Pace of play
(143 votes) -
6%
Universal DH
(46 votes) -
14%
Minor league pay and living conditions
(104 votes) -
11%
Service time manipulation/free agency
(83 votes) -
19%
Tanking
(134 votes) -
14%
Broadcast blackouts
(102 votes) -
10%
Automatic ball/strike zone
(73 votes) -
1%
Something else (leave in comments)
(11 votes)
Poll
Are you in favor of a pitch clock?
Poll
Are you in favor of a universal DH?
Poll
Are you in favor of an automatic strike zone in MLB (i.e., robot umpires)?
Poll
Are you in favor of a salary cap/floor system for MLB?
Poll
MLB should have this many teams in the postseason...
This poll is closed
-
72%
10 (same as now)
(494 votes) -
19%
14 (like the MLB proposal)
(129 votes) -
3%
16 (as they had in 2020)
(25 votes) -
4%
A different number (leave in comments)
(30 votes)
Poll
If you had to keep ONE, but ONLY one, of these recent MLB rule changes, which would it be?
This poll is closed
-
8%
Extra innings runner on second
(57 votes) -
16%
Seven-inning doubleheaders
(116 votes) -
19%
Three-batter minimum
(132 votes) -
41%
Limiting mound visits
(288 votes) -
13%
Restricting late-season roster expansion
(94 votes)
Poll
Which of these recent MLB rule changes would you LEAST like to keep?
This poll is closed
-
59%
Extra innings runner on second
(411 votes) -
15%
Seven-inning doubleheaders
(108 votes) -
12%
Three-batter minimum
(88 votes) -
0%
Limiting mound visits
(6 votes) -
11%
Restricting late-season roster expansion
(79 votes)
Poll
What experimental rule change would you MOST like MLB to implement?
This poll is closed
-
33%
Automatic ball/strike zone
(228 votes) -
26%
Pitch clock
(177 votes) -
5%
Lower the mound
(38 votes) -
4%
Larger bases
(28 votes) -
24%
Eliminate infield shifts
(165 votes) -
4%
Tackier baseball
(31 votes) -
1%
Limiting step-offs/pickoffs
(12 votes)
Poll
Which experimental rule change would you LEAST like MLB to implement?
This poll is closed
-
10%
Automatic ball/strike zone
(71 votes) -
4%
Pitch clock
(32 votes) -
20%
Lower the mound
(137 votes) -
11%
Larger bases
(76 votes) -
29%
Eliminate infield shifts (in other words, you would want to keep allowing them)
(197 votes) -
11%
Tackier baseball
(75 votes) -
11%
Limiting step-offs/pickoffs
(80 votes)