"we"? Who,you and little Don Tinier? My bitching about bottoming out was based on the eternal rebuilding of teams like the Royals, Pirates,A's,Twins,etc. Teams that spun their wheels for a number of years with going young. I'll stick to my guns.

_________________
favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

Yeah and it was stupid then and still is. You only get guys like Bryant because they had the 2nd overall pick in the draft......because they had an awful record the previous season. Schwarber and Almora likewise. Had they signed half-assed free agents in an effort to be respectable, they would have been like the White Sox the past few seasons, with some hope to contend and then disappointing their fans. Instead, they traded off pieces that would not be a part of the future for prospects that could be, drafted well and finally added some free agents, once enough of the pieces were in place to contend. Trying to catch lightning in a bottle every year doesn't work. We tried that many times. Building up a good farm system and having great scouts and player development people seems like a much better way to go. Having top draft picks certainly makes a difference too. Now they are poised for a good long run at titles and the 3 years of bad baseball seems well worth it. They had a plan and executed it pretty darn well.

_________________
Go Cubs!!!!

That's a great narrative except for the pesky fact that Schwarber and Almora aren't even on the fucking team.

_________________
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

were there any good players taken after Bryant in that draft?

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

There were no multiple time all stars or MVP's drafted behind Bryant as far as I can tell.

_________________
JohnKirk wrote: I dont get it...

Lotta HS players taken that draft in the first round, if Houston takes Bryant #1..then what? The only guys I've even heard of in that draft are Tim Anderson, Billy McKinney, Mark Appeal and Bryant.

_________________

chris Coughlan has made all star teams and there isn't an MVP in that draft as of today

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

Griffith? PcB just became my guy.

_________________

Why are you doubling-down on being wrong? I don't get it ... what's the point, profit, or prize?

I can allow for, at the onset anyway, not buying into The Plan, but now that it's starting to come to fruition by means of a very talented squad that essentially the entirety of the baseball world agrees - regardless of any personal rooting interest - that the Cubs have been, and will continue to be, the favorites in any game or series they play the rest of the year, up to and including the bloody World Series.

At the onset, your take was superficially defensible but also arguably myopic; now, it's fingers-in-ears "LALALALALALALALA CAN'T HEAR YOU" nincompoopery.

Whatever; more room for my Reubenesque ass on the bandwagon.

_________________
Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

yes, we can all agree that the national league is very down in terms of talent level this year which has put the cubs in an advantageous position versus the group

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

I was starting to lean towards Pasta's thoughts as the plan was going. It's natural to get upset about so much losing. You hit the nail on the head though. They have the best record in baseball now, how they got there doesn't really matter anymore. I've enjoyed the last two seasons enough to make up for any shortfalls the previous 4 years. The plan worked. Will they win a World Series? Who the hell knows...all they can do is put together a great team and get to the playoffs.

_________________

Yes, it does matter.

How they got there is why they got there.

_________________
Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

No it doesn't really matter for the purposes of where the team currently stands. The plan worked. Fantastic. Now keep the team winning.

I don't care about the past anymore, just the present and the future.

_________________

We wouldn't be here without the past.

_________________
Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

They got there mostly by spending in free agency. How many free agents do they have starting?

_________________
You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

1) Sort the team by PA or OPS and get back to me.

2) Signing Jon Lester and Jason Heyward were related to cost savings in earlier seasons. Additionally, are you reasoning that Heyward is a large part of the Cubs' success this season?

3) The Cubs would not have the 2015 or 2016 Cy Young winners without The Plan, no matter if Hendricks or Lester wins it.

_________________
Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

What is the answer to the question?

_________________
You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I don't get it. Is Theo terrible at free agent deals, or are free agent deals the reason the Cubs are good? Can't be both! This really is binary, Rick!

_________________

How can people still be upset at planned losing when it has given Cubs fans a yearly lock for the playoffs? As opposed to maybe getting to the playoffs every five years with unplanned losing in between.

I don't understand!!! Is this old people logic!?!? The plan worked!!! Why are you complaining JimmyMeatball?!?!?

_________________

You cannot be process oriented and approve of The(o) Plan. Hell, Theo himself does not approve of the process.

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

You can acknowledge that you hated THE PLAN. You can't deny that it worked.

_________________

If there is this much whining after 2 straight playoff appearances with "boy genius", you fuckers are going to be completely insufferable if they actually win a World Series. You'll be worse than fucking Cardinals fans.

_________________

Almora is most certainly on the team. Whether he is on the playoff roster is certainly questionable. But he is the starting CF in 2017 and Schwarber will be back in LF in 2017 and a leading hitter once again. The team will continue to be bolstered by draft choices and other acquisitions through trades and international signings, coming up from the minor leagues. This thing is just getting started!

_________________
Go Cubs!!!!

I agree, but idk if JimmyMeatball is on board with that thought.

_________________

That is absolutely going to happen. Brace yourself now.

_________________

Oh I don't honestly give a shit.

I just can't wait for it so I can call you fuckers out for it.

_________________

Might as well start now.

_________________

The Dodgers-winning their division since 2013, and rebuilding on the fly...

_________________
Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

Hell, James Y Pasta Esq. died, I can understand him not having patience for a multi year tank job.

_________________

Nah...I won't piss on your October Cheerios.

_________________