Bryant continue to strike out at near record levels? Soler hurt again? Schwarber's flopping around in the OF and behind the plate effect his hitting? Arrieta's arm fall off?

Who slides back?

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Yes, Yes, No, It wont fall off but fatigue will be a factor.

Arrietta. He wins 15 and it'll seem like a disappointment.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

First two will happen, Schwarber will win the MVP and Arrieta will win the Cy Young again.

Russell and Bryant will both spend time in AAA in the upcoming MLB regular season.

I think the magician Joe Maddon brings in will have the most precipitous decline. Also a snow leopard will eat Matt Szczur.

Best and most appropriate response so far.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Lackey or Zobrist are the most logical bets for a decline.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Based on age, they would seem to be the best guesses. But Lackey is know to be very strict with his conditioning and Zobrist's knee is healthy again, so maybe not.

I will say that if I were the Cubs GM, I would not have signed Zobrist due to his age and the fact the Cubs already had so many options for 2nd base. It may well help them win a World Series in the short term, but they will likely be getting a poor return on their money later. But it does make them a better contender in 2016.

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Agreed

I think there were probably a fair amount of pitchers that sucked the year after a Cy Young. I am not predicting it but it should be able to be looked up pretty easily if you want.

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Elections have consequences.

That is why a regression to stats more like 2014, when he was 10-5 (started the season on the DL) with a 2.53 ERA is reasonable. He's just going to be great, rather than historically great.

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Go Cubs!!!!

Zobrist was signed as a woobie for Maddon. He allows him to overmanage in the style he likes where it's all about him rather than the many Babe Ruths on the roster.

This is Theo's fatal flaw as a GM. He is a people pleaser. He signed Kerry Wood against his better judgment to please Tom Ricketts. He signed Edwin Jackson against his better judgment to please the fans who were upset about his tank job. He signed Ross against his better judgment to please Lester. He signed Zobrist against his better judgment to please Maddon.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Matthew, Tulsi, and Don

With all these outfielders, how are all the Babe Ruth's going to have enough ABs to have Babe Ruth numbers?

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Signing Kerry Wood was a PR move. He knew they were going to be tanking and he wanted to keep a hometown favorite around another season, even if he couldn't help them win anymore. Jackson was supposed to eat innings, even if he did it in mediocre fashion. The problem was, he wound up decidedly short of even mediocre. It made no sense to sign him. If you are tanking, don't do it halfway. In the end, Jackson's ineptitude did help the Cubs to be bad enough to get better draft choices, but they spent too much for his ineptitude. They could have had Dallas Beeler types do the same for less money. Ross was probably part of the negotiation involving Lester. By all accounts, he's a great teammate and will probably be a manager someday. But I would not have signed Lester for the money he got, much less agreed to sign Ross as part of the deal. I'm sure Maddon wanted Zobrist, as he has sung his praises. He certainly knows what Zobrist has to offer. I hope in the short term it pays off.

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Schwarber will get a day or so a week behind the plate and days off perhaps against a tough left handed pitcher here and there. Soler will play in his place on those days, as well as giving Heyward and Fowler a day off now and then. When Fowler takes a day off, Heyward goes to CF, Soler plays RF. When they play a game where a DH is involved, Schwarber is the DH. Maddon likes to give guys regular rest, so it should be manageable. Plus, it's great to have an extra outfielder that is starting caliber ready in the event an injury occurs. Look at the Dodgers over the past few years and how people thought they had too many. But then injuries cropped up and it was fortunate for them that they had them.

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Go Cubs!!!!

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Matthew, Tulsi, and Don

If Schwarber catches at all, his numbers will go down. Catchers take a beating.

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I think his catching "skills" are terrible and the toll catching takes should not be ignored, though one day a week would not probably have much of an effect. I would have him in LF until such time as a DH were implemented in the NL or a team made an offer I couldn't refuse for him. But the Cubs seem committed to giving him every chance to become a catcher.

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I think Schwarber sits versus all lefties

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Bryant raised his average 25 points over the last 2 months ( to .274) and cut down on strikeouts, so I see that issue improving. Plus, with his willingness to take walks, his OBP is very good (.368).

Soler may well get hurt again. But with 4 outfielders capable of starting and producing at high levels, that is not a huge concern.

Schwarber is likely to improve his outfield play, with a full spring to work on it. If he catches (which I do think would be a mistake) it will probably only be once a week. I don't see any of these affecting his hitting. If he caught regularly, it might.

Arrieta will be fine. Not 1.71 ERA fine maybe, but still the best pitcher in Chicago.

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I think Schwarber's best bet as a catcher is to have one pitcher to catch for the time being. I'm sure no pitcher is getting in line to wet nurse him but I think it would be best for his development.

_________________
O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

I agree and Hendricks would be my choice. He and Hammel are the guys he could handle best. Those were the guys he caught most last season too.

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This is why Lester sucks. Veteran pitcher, big money FA, etc. You'd like him to be the guy to step up and say "Give me the kid for 30 starts this year and I'll take care of him."

Obviously he can't throw to Schwarber because he can only throw to Ross which is pathetic.

Maybe Lackey has the desire to help out a kid very green at the position.

Still would have liked to see Buehrle on the Cubs, I could see him allowing Schwarber to catch him.

Last time I saw Lackey he was screaming at a young catcher IWANTED TO THROW THE FUCKIN FASTBALL after giving up an RBI to Hammel in the playoff clincher.

So I'm thinking no on that one.

The only think Schwarber can probably handle is fastballs

Schwarber = Lackey Match!