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Chicago Cubs: *Underdog* (1 Viewer)

SaintsInDome2006

SaintsInDome2006

Footballguy
But whatever the methods – the “process” Maddon so often mentions – the Cubs enter a four-game litmus test against the Washington Nationals not just as the team with the best record in the game, but one that is off to a historically good start. With Wednesday afternoon’s 6-2 victory over the Pirates, the Cubs have outscored opponents by 93 runs. The last time a team posted such a run differential through the first 26 games of the season: 1905, or three years before the Cubs’ most recent World Series championship.

“With the guys in the clubhouse to the talent they brought in and just how loose it is and how much fun we have,” center fielder Dexter Fowler said, “that’s what you expect.”
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On board.

 
Gave up on baseball in the strike years but still silently pull for them so my lifelong Cub fan mom can get a moment of sunshine. If not for her I wouldn't care at all if they went another century.

 
They are having an incredible season but it is only the first week of May and it is tough to maintain a pace like that over an entire 162-game season.   They are the best team in baseball right now though.

 
James Daulton said:
So that Theo Epstein guy is a legit genius it appears.
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Yea, the dude is how old... or rather young? Built the Red Sox to break their forever non-winning World Series streak and on the way to doing that for the Cubs. Basically, he defeated the Curse of the Bambino and is on the way to defeating the Curse of the Billy Goat. Either legit genius, hella lucky or has a dang good Voodoo Priestess on payroll. Take your pick.

 
As a Cubs fan, I am obviously ecstatic about the way they've started the season.  However, being a Cubs fan, I am a realist.  And I realize that, statistically, they've played the easiest schedule in baseball to this point.  I believe their combined opponents winning percentage is something like .430.  So, they should be winning.  On the other hand, they've gotten very little offensive production from Russell, Soler and Heyward to this point, they've had Montero and Schwarber get hurt and guys are stepping up and still getting it done.  

 
Chadstroma said:
Yea, the dude is how old... or rather young? Built the Red Sox to break their forever non-winning World Series streak and on the way to doing that for the Cubs. Basically, he defeated the Curse of the Bambino and is on the way to defeating the Curse of the Billy Goat. Either legit genius, hella lucky or has a dang good Voodoo Priestess on payroll. Take your pick.
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Bumping your payroll by 25% from 2003-2004 and then spending the 2nd most amount of money (only behind the Yanks) had a huge part in the Red Sox success. FWIW the Cubs are #6 this year and were #23 just two years ago also increasing their payroll by 33% during that time. While money alone doesn't win championships (Look at the Dodgers), I'd argue it's a bigger factor than just Epstein. 

 
Pots said:
Bumping your payroll by 25% from 2003-2004 and then spending the 2nd most amount of money (only behind the Yanks) had a huge part in the Red Sox success. FWIW the Cubs are #6 this year and were #23 just two years ago also increasing their payroll by 33% during that time. While money alone doesn't win championships (Look at the Dodgers), I'd argue it's a bigger factor than just Epstein. 
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You can spend all day long but if you don't know where you are spending then it won't help. Sure, you can say that Epstein wouldn't be as successful in a small market like Milwaukee or KC because they can't spend as much but it doesn't disqualify him.

 
Chadstroma said:
You can spend all day long but if you don't know where you are spending then it won't help. Sure, you can say that Epstein wouldn't be as successful in a small market like Milwaukee or KC because they can't spend as much but it doesn't disqualify him.
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Where did I say I was disqualifying him? I'm simply saying the capacity to spend with the big boys is a bigger factor in winning World Series. Look at Oakland, one of the smartest spending teams in the league, and the number of championships they've brought home since 'Money Ball'.

 
Not sure if it was under Epstein but they have a drafted and acquired a #### ton of great young talent. Whatever deal with the devil Arrieta made to turn into Bib Gibson is certainly helping as well. Joe Maddon is awesome, perfect fit for the job. Epstein seems to have a golden touch.

Them winning the World Series is certainly one of the great sports stories left to tell.

 
Pots said:
Where did I say I was disqualifying him? I'm simply saying the capacity to spend with the big boys is a bigger factor in winning World Series. Look at Oakland, one of the smartest spending teams in the league, and the number of championships they've brought home since 'Money Ball'.
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Didn't KC win last year?

 
Chadstroma said:
Didn't KC win last year?
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They did, after a 26% increase in payroll from last year and a whopping 50% increase in payroll from 2 years ago. It was impressive they won it with the #9 25-man payroll last year, they still spent the most they ever had by far.

 
Pots said:
Bumping your payroll by 25% from 2003-2004 and then spending the 2nd most amount of money (only behind the Yanks) had a huge part in the Red Sox success. FWIW the Cubs are #6 this year and were #23 just two years ago also increasing their payroll by 33% during that time. While money alone doesn't win championships (Look at the Dodgers), I'd argue it's a bigger factor than just Epstein. 
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Monies not spent just two years ago is now going towards some nice chips.

 
There's no question they look great but until proven otherwise, I'll take the Mets' pitching in a 7 game series. 

Although that doesn't mean I actually want to see the matchup happen should the Mets make it again. 

 
Pots said:
They did, after a 26% increase in payroll from last year and a whopping 50% increase in payroll from 2 years ago. It was impressive they won it with the #9 25-man payroll last year, they still spent the most they ever had by far.
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Now granted, I don't follow baseball anymore so this is an honest question.... was that FA signings or keeping their own guys mostly?

 
Hov34 said:
Anyone who has ever had WGN will now be a "lifelong Cub fan".
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I had a friend when I was a kid, and his dad would take us to a bar (this is NO, no judging...) which was across from an old baseball park where the old NO Pelicans had played. The ball park was torn down but the bar stayed, bunch of old guys watching the Cubs on tv. Hell I'd watch them after school. And I've still got a hat and I'm pulling that sucker out.

 
Chadstroma said:
Now granted, I don't follow baseball anymore so this is an honest question.... was that FA signings or keeping their own guys mostly?
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Gordon was their most expensive and was home-grown, but the rest were a mix of FA signings and higher priced guys acquired through trade. 

 
RUSF18 said:
Gordon was their most expensive and was home-grown, but the rest were a mix of FA signings and higher priced guys acquired through trade. 
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I am guessing late season trades to make a run? Was this a case of having a good team and then going for broke and brining in some missing pieces that inflated the salary or did they build the team by going out and spending?

 
Chadstroma said:
I am guessing late season trades to make a run? Was this a case of having a good team and then going for broke and brining in some missing pieces that inflated the salary or did they build the team by going out and spending?
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Think Cueto was the only major addition late, and he wasn't earning much last year. Guys like Morales, Volquez, and Davis came earlier. Some of their highest priced guys didn't do much (Rios - he was a one year FA signing, Guthrie). 

 
Christo said:
Can be said about many. Any given sunny afternoon, at most 60% of the people in the stadium are actually watching the game.
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That's because a baseball game is like the 4th most exciting thing going on at best inside a ballpark.

 
Wrigley said:
Its going to be a bit harder for these fans to get in the next couple years 
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Oddly, I almost don't like when the Cubs are good.  Ticket prices go up and if I'm forced to stand up because a ####ing full count in the middle of the 5th inning of a meaningless July game, well, I don't take that sitting down. Wait, I mean, um, I don't like it.

 
I might be in Chicago on July 4th and looked into tickets...SH had some pretty decent second level seats right around 3B for under $40/ticket. Thought that was a great deal. Would you have considered that a high price?

 
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