NL Central Thread 2016

[Clayton]

I didn't think the cards would stay in first all year due to the injuries. Hats off to matheny for winning 100 with that crew and yes I'm biased but it's the first time since maybe 2008 I thought the Cubs were better on paper than the cards. And yes they need Heyward back but he's gonna want 7 yr 150 million Type of deal I think .

The Cubs are so young but youth is often a bonus in postseason.

Matheny is also basically getting a Tony Dungy/Andy Reid type of rep now where he gets everything in the regular season but isn't someone you want managing your pitching staff in the playoffs. I think Matheny is getting beat up a little too much for the past two seasons, though. The Cardinals bullpen is good if Siegrist is on and he usually is but he was awful against the Cubs and his inability to get outs swung the whole series. Its weird to say but the Cards needed Wainwright in the bullpen and might still need someone of his caliber next year there.

I suspect that even if the Cardinals do everything right in the offseason, they'll be picked 3rd in the NL Central next year. We'll see.

The big question mark I have with the Cubs in the playoffs this year is their bullpen. Imo its not strong enough to lock championship teams down so the Cubs will have to continue to hit 4+ runs every game. I'm not sure thats an issue, though. I believe they are the only team that hits DeGrom and I'm not sure the Dodgers are built for a 7 games series.

Every team that has ended Matheny's season so far in his career has won the World Series so there is that.

 

[rmilia1]

Is it really surprising? The Cubs were the best team in baseball over the last 130 games so it's not like STL dominated the whole year. They got a big enough early lead and were a good enough team that they held on. That said the Cubs were the best team in the Central since the early part of May

 

[Clayton]

The Cubs were the best team in baseball over the last 130 games so

Pretty sure you can say the same thing about the Pirates and they're gone, too.

Cards were 9-4 against the Cubs before September and then 3-7 afterwards. Lots of really bad ERAs for Cards pitchers in September against everyone and pretty legendary stuff before that. Cards roster fell apart.

Blue Jays did lead the league in run differential by a lot so if they're still alive and kicking come the WS then Cubs-Blue Jays would probably represent the most talented teams.

 

[packerzrule]

Holee shit

The Cubbies are loading up for next season


sigh

 

[White Rat]

The Cubs can't win with their farm system so now they try to be like the Redsox and Yankees by buying their team. They will still be the Cubs though and lose when it counts.

 

[Clayton]

The Cubs can't win with their farm system so now they try to be like the Redsox and Yankees by buying their team. They will still be the Cubs though and lose when it counts.

This shouldn't be too surprising. Heyward fits their team better and should be worth more to the Cubs. Cubs being good next year is pretty much what I was expecting, too. Cubs being good last year was the surprise, to be honest.

Mozeliak has simply made bad decision after bad decision that past year.

 

[White Rat]

If you compare JHey to Dexter Fowler, their numbers are similar except Fowler had more runs and a lower average. I don't see much of an upgrade there. I do think the Cardinals do have a drop off with Piscotty in right though.

 

[anotheridiot]

The Cubs can't win with their farm system so now they try to be like the Redsox and Yankees by buying their team. They will still be the Cubs though and lose when it counts.

I think they won enough with their farm system to have let them try another year. Soler can be a beast, but now cub fans are knocking his defense. Maybe the third best arm in the NL and the hitting coach finally allowing him to uppercut when the count is in his favor. They let Bryant uppercut all the time. They are finding ways to knock Schwarbers defense in left, but dont want him to catch either. Those are the two guys that did perform offensively last post season.

So some of us finally wanted to allow the building thru the system to fill the lineup. Baez and Alcantara in center field, Pierce Johnson given a legitimate chance at the rotation.

 

[dredinis21]

The Cubs are so young but youth is often a bonus in postseason.

Matheny is also basically getting a Tony Dungy/Andy Reid type of rep now where he gets everything in the regular season but isn't someone you want managing your pitching staff in the playoffs. I think Matheny is getting beat up a little too much for the past two seasons, though. The Cardinals bullpen is good if Siegrist is on and he usually is but he was awful against the Cubs and his inability to get outs swung the whole series. Its weird to say but the Cards needed Wainwright in the bullpen and might still need someone of his caliber next year there.

I suspect that even if the Cardinals do everything right in the offseason, they'll be picked 3rd in the NL Central next year. We'll see.

The big question mark I have with the Cubs in the playoffs this year is their bullpen. Imo its not strong enough to lock championship teams down so the Cubs will have to continue to hit 4+ runs every game. I'm not sure thats an issue, though. I believe they are the only team that hits DeGrom and I'm not sure the Dodgers are built for a 7 games series.

Every team that has ended Matheny's season so far in his career has won the World Series so there is that.

The Cubs, much like the Dodgers, have bullpen depth issues that affect them as early as the 7th inning. That doesn't bode well for post season ball, where SP get pulled early rather then late. Just my $0.02.

 

[Clayton]

The Cubs, much like the Dodgers, have bullpen depth issues that affect them as early as the 7th inning. That doesn't bode well for post season ball, where SP get pulled early rather then late. Just my $0.02.

Oh, I agree. My thoughts on the Cubs after they knocked the Cardinals out last year -

The big question mark I have with the Cubs in the playoffs this year is their bullpen. Imo its not strong enough to lock championship teams down so the Cubs will have to continue to hit 4+ runs every game.

That said, against a lot of teams they might be able to score 4+ runs every game. We'll see. Predictions in baseball are almost always wrong so its hard to say.

 

[dredinis21]

Oh, I agree. My thoughts on the Cubs after they knocked the Cardinals out last year -

That said, against a lot of teams they might be able to score 4+ runs every game. We'll see. Predictions in baseball are almost always wrong so its hard to say.

Time has shown that when it comes to playoff baseball, good pitching beats good hitting most of the time. 4+ runs against everyone's 3/4/5 starters is swell in the regular season, but trying that against aces and beasts in the pen in the playoffs typically forms a different result.

 

[Clayton]

Time has shown that when it comes to playoff baseball, good pitching beats good hitting most of the time. 4+ runs against everyone's 3/4/5 starters is swell in the regular season, but trying that against aces and beasts in the pen in the playoffs typically forms a different result.

Teams win with talent. Teams win the World Series by getting hot. There is definitely more than one way to do it although lately its been based around late inning rallies against relief pitching.

 

[navamind]

What a Slutter Does, Has Done, and Might Do for Jake Arrieta

Interesting read on Arrieta's "slutter."

 

[HammerDown]

 

[packerzrule]

What a Slutter Does, Has Done, and Might Do for Jake Arrieta

Interesting read on Arrieta's "slutter."

I knew a couple of "slutters" in high school

 

[molsaniceman]

Time has shown that when it comes to playoff baseball, good pitching beats good hitting most of the time. 4+ runs against everyone's 3/4/5 starters is swell in the regular season, but trying that against aces and beasts in the pen in the playoffs typically forms a different result.

actually it doesnt last team #1 in era to win it all was the 2010 Giants they were 17th in runs scored

KC 10th-era 7th--runs scored cards were #1 in era
SF 11 and 12 Nats were #1
Bos 14 and 1 Braves were #1
SF 7 and 12 TB was #1
Stl 12 and 5 Phils were #1

Its all about who gets hot Just ask the 2001 mariners who were #1 in both

 

[dredinis21]

actually it doesnt last team #1 in era to win it all was the 2010 Giants they were 17th in runs scored

KC 10th-era 7th--runs scored cards were #1 in era
SF 11 and 12 Nats were #1
Bos 14 and 1 Braves were #1
SF 7 and 12 TB was #1
Stl 12 and 5 Phils were #1

Its all about who gets hot Just ask the 2001 mariners who were #1 in both

You are right...sorta. Playoffs typically do away completely with the 5th starter and with some teams, even the 4th starter. The bullpen also gets shortened a bit, in terms of usage relative to the situation. Most every team that has won over the past 5-6 years has had at least one ace and a solid-nasty pen aka GREAT pitching. The Giants had that in all 3 Championship teams over the past 6 years, as did the Cards and Royals. The Sox had the ace, and although your bullpen wasn't nasty, it wasn't a gas can either.

 

[HammerDown]

 

[HammerDown]

 

[Clayton]

Cardinals and Pirates seem to be getting 'also-ran' status in the projections Ive been seeing. The Cubs should be the favorites but favorites don't stay that way in MLB.