They didn't sign Wade Davis.

CoF expects Cubs players to give it their all on the first day of spring training.

I can only hope to reach that level of meatball someday. Respect.

Traded for. Thanks.

If they were going to give up Torres, they should have gotten Andrew Miller or another guy who pitched in the closer role past 2017. To give up Torres for a rental was just dumb. He is going to be an exceptional player. Better than Russell. It should have been Russell getting dealt for a top of the rotation starter at the end of 2017 to take the place of Arrieta, with Torres taking over at SS.

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Go Cubs!!!!

They gambled with a bad deal and it paid off with a World Series. The Yankees now have a stockpile of shortstops like the Cubs did with Mateo and Gregorius. That said, if they can somehow get a guy like Quintana at the trade deadline and not overpay, I think it all balances out.

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You have been huffing paint for too long. Your team won a World Series for the first time in one hundred and eight fucking years. They traded a prospect...a guy who has not seen a single pitch in an MLB game, for your World Series winning closer. If you want to argue that Chapman failed when trying to go more than one inning, that is fine but that is an argument against your hippy Manager, not against Champman. If Torres makes the All Star team with the Yankees ten times, its still a winning trade for the Cubs. You seriously have to be the stupidest person walking around the Chicago area now. And given the politicians, criminals, and people we have running the Bears there are some dumb motherfuckers out there. You surpass them all and its not even close.

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It's not insane. It's a question. He still seems to have lingering effects from his injury since they won't even consider him at catcher and the only game time he had he showed a lack of home run power.

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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!

Lack of home run power? In a 7-game sample fresh off a torn ACL (with no rehab in the minors) against a dominant pitching staff? That's insane.

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OK. No reason to think he will have any issues.

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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!

He had 17 at bats after sitting for 7 months, he was hitting the ball hard .did you watch the series? Mike Napoli hit 34 HR last season and had 25 at bats in the WS and didn't go deep..is his power gone too?

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Got it. How many home runs for Schwarber this year?

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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!

Assuming he gets 500 plus at bats, I'd say at least 25.

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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!

What's so funny? He's not just a one trick pony that swings for home runs. I'd DH him in every interleague game, play him in left or right and never catch another game ever again. He's a guy who will walk 100 times and hit 40 doubles and 30 home runs.

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You are wrong to even question if he lost power!

I think he will hit 25 home runs!

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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 said " at least* 25 home runs, you are really grasping for anything to critique about the 2016 World Series Champs.

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Say how many you think he will hit then.

I think it is a valid question. If you don't think it is then don't put his home runs at Abreu in a bad season levels.

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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!

It's difficult to answer, I believe he's going to be icing his knee several times this year, I wouldn't let him get 600 at bats and play 155 games. I'd like to see him DH every interleague game and play the outfield 75-80% of games and sit the other 20-25% ...keep him healthy for the post season. Depending on his at bats he's going to hit 25-40 home runs.. He's going to have a huge season.

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Rick,

It's okay to question anything about him, even his power, post-surgery. The point is that his performance in the WS was not an indicator he lost power for the multiple reasons we already stated.

Also, 25 HR is pretty good. Were you calling for 50 from the guy before he got injured?

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I was told I was insane to question if he has lost power. You have already made the required caveats about number of at bats.

500 at bats and 25 home runs would be a loss of power for him.

Let me make this clear. I thought it was at least a question as to whether he has lost power from his injury. Two people have told me that was "insane". You seemed to think I was also wrong for questioning it.

You then were willing to go as far as saying he would hit 25 home runs next year.

At least Don Tiny basically got to the point and basically said "Sox fan DON'T TALK ABOUT CUBS!".

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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!

The backtracking has begun!

You are right though. How dare someone take into account the only game action he had since his injury. That's insane!

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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 peg Schwarber, (if healthy) for 30-35 HR. That the estimate is not higher is mostly due to an expectation that he will draw a lot of walks. With Rizzo and Bryant also in that range (Bryant possibly over 40 this year), it's going to be a lot of fun to watch. Bryant may have won the MVP last year, but I expect him to be even better this season. Russell too. Baez should be an all-star, but he still probably will not have one set position, with Maddon saying he still plans on having Zobrist be the main guy at 2B. Baez is the team's best at SS, 3b and 2B, yet can't win a gold glove because he can't get enough games at any position.

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Go Cubs!!!!

hot

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

Frankly, I don't see how an opponent is going to get out of the first inning of the first game of the year

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

100% agreed. Though I also think Chapman may have resented the mule treatment and was maybe holding a little back knowing that he was seeking a big contract and didn't want to blow his arm out. I remember reading about Chapman hitting 105 or 106mph with the Yankees before the trade, and he never quite reached that at any time with the Cubs, even with the adrenaline rush of the playoffs. But in the end, it worked out great for the Cubs and you can't look back and worry about the prospects you gave up.

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Schwarber will have less power than before the blowout...the main reason is that his full recovery time is 18-24 months. Of course he still looks a little gimpy, it's only been 10 months since surgery.

He'll still probably hit 25 HRs...which would be impressive. I hope they stick him at 1st base whenever Rizzo needs a break. If he's up to it, I'd let him catch 5-10 games. If he plays 130-145 games, I'd be happy.

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Heard on M&H this morning that Montero and Maddon are having a feud and haven't spoken since the WS. I knew Montero thought he should have seen more playing time, but fuck him, he sucks. His moment in the sun, the grand slam, was a horrible pitching mistake.

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Obtuse Rick is back, I see.

Do you think a sample size if 7 games while still recovering from an ACL tear is an accurate predictor?

Schwarber could have any number of problems, but his play in the WS was not sn indicator of any of them.

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To get just 20 saves (16 in the regular season and 4 in post) for Torres was not equitable.

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Go Cubs!!!!

1) He hit well and amd showed power in the 17 at bats. He was 2 feet from a homer off Corey Kluber. 1 hr every 17 at bats would be around 36 for the year.
2) 17 at bats is too small a sample to draw amy conclusion amyway
3) He's slated to catch this year unless something chabged today