I’ve been diligently looking for work and have some interviews here and there, hopefully something sticks soon. And I guess the timing is good for when I start an eventual new job because the Cubs’ season is over:
The Cubs now sit at 79-76 on the season. The Diamondbacks and Mets currently hold the last 2 National League Wild-Card spots with the Braves still challenging behind them in the standings.
“It was a tough year, obviously,” Kyle Hendricks said after Saturday’s loss. “Just up-and-down. It just seemed like we’d catch steam and then couldn’t maintain it.
“Just a really up-and-down year. Not surprising we’re at about .500. Just how it went for us this year. When we played our good baseball, played fundamental, we could beat anybody. But we just couldn’t put it together for the full year this year.”
Marquee Sports Network
Technically there are a week of games remaining, including the finale against the Nationals that has yet to be played as I clickety-clack, but (soon-to-be former) Cubs World Series hero Kyle Hendricks is correct in that the lack of consistency and the absolutely putrid months of May and June (seriously, what was up with that) killed the season. It’s a disappointment on many levels for a team we all thought could make some noise at the beginning of the year. At least they weren’t eliminated in like July like certain other Chicago-area teams.
As the Cubs play out the string, it was interesting to see Craig Counsell and Jameson Taillon address the fact that they were so far behind the Milwaukee Brewers (seriously, who saw this gap coming?) and how they really needed to work to catch up. Taillon reiterated the need to generate a 90-win team at minimum. Whether we expected the Brewers to be this good, or whether they deserve to be this good, is immaterial, as the Cubs could have and should have done more to address the flaws that we were all witness to during this season. I think there are plenty of positives to take into the next season, including how they did make a late season surge again (a bit too little and too late, of course), but as Counsell implied, some difficult decisions will be made as Jed Hoyer enters his final guaranteed season as president of baseball operations.
I can say with some level of certainty that guys like Kyle Hendricks (sad face) and Drew Smyly (meh) won’t be back. Whether Cody Bellinger opts out or not is up in the air, but with Pete Crow-Armstrong maturing into the everyday center fielder, Bellinger’s value if he stayed on the Cubs may take a hit, so that is worth monitoring as the offseason draws closer. I’m going to take an educated guess that the Cubs also upgrade their bench, at the minimum, and find a way to get more consistent relievers although we all know that bullpen arms are volatile.
The important thing is to raise the projection in the offseason, as this team will max out at 86 wins if they run the table in the remaining time. That is probably highly unlikely as they are hard pressed to sweep a Phillies club that needs to compete for the top seed, and a Reds team with very little to lose and some bright spots of their own, but as many have lamented throughout 2024, if a few of the saves hadn’t been blown and if a few more hits had dropped, things would be really different. So the issue is not only the projection, but luck and preparation. Whoever joins the club, whether it is a promotion from the minors, a trade, or a free agent signing, needs to be onboarded effectively. Slumps need to be nipped faster. Struggles need to be addressed with more urgency. I don’t envy the people in charge who have to deal with it.
Ricketts was selling Cubs Convention tickets pretty recently, so as we wait for the regular season to end and watch another World Series without the Cubs, let’s hope they give us something to be excited about in what we hope to be the inflection point of this “retool” period. Baseball is better when the Cubs are in the playoffs, and while I am thankful that they played meaningful games almost into the final week of the season, there is a lot of work to do to get them back into the dance.
Comments
Speaking of the other team from Chicago, they’re mounting a comeback attempt to try to stave off #119 another day
Rice CubeQuote Reply
The weird shit that comes up on my Google feed
https://www.si.com/mlb/cubs/news/chicago-cubs-all-star-named-worst-contract-in-national-league-central
Rice CubeQuote Reply
RC coming in hot against Caleb Williams and the Bears, wow.
berseliusQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
(dying laughing) ok
berseliusQuote Reply
White Sox social media intern has ran out of fucks to give
https://x.com/whitesox/status/1837694264689430764?t=loKg1KYF0jy_pqTm8TKLSA&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Hard pressed to find a Mariners who isn’t Edgar, Griffey, Ichiro, or A-Rod for that square
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Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rain coming down pretty hard here so I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t even bother with today’s game
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Go packers boo thumbtacks
berseliusQuote Reply
I suppose there are bright spots for the Bears if they can keep their QB from dying
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Stupid Cardinals won, next to last home series for the Cubs will hopefully end on a good note
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Padres Silver Slugger was surprisingly tough…at least thinking of an answer other than Gwynn and Tatis Jr.
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PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
I used Chase Headley
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Another fantastic performance by Shota and I think they should probably just let him rest now…for the game, wanna see how he does in his next start which will likely be the last of the season.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Or not, I can’t tell Craig what to do
Rice CubeQuote Reply
120 losses for the White Sox!
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Wow someone actually decided to get Joey Gallo out
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Whee
Rice CubeQuote Reply
The Twins have given up today, there’s gonna be a three way tie for the final two AL wild card spots all from the same division that the White Sox are in (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Oh no I can’t do math, if Twins don’t come back they’re out of a spot
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Cool.
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PerkinsQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
Shota
https://x.com/Cody_CHGO/status/1838234246126670262
Rice CubeQuote Reply
(dying laughing) amazing
Former Cubs legend Johnny Kling FTW
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Rice CubeQuote Reply
Magic number to finish ahead of the Cardinals
berseliusQuote Reply
New Chicago sports network incoming
https://x.com/NBCSChicago/status/1838263387639447647?t=t-t9i0YRwfSj908pkhm49w&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Wainwright on the Cubs that gave him trouble, you won’t believe who he chose /clickbait
https://www.marqueesportsnetwork.com/adam-wainwright-names-a-pair-of-cubs-as-the-toughest-hitters-he-faced-throughout-career/
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Hmmm
https://x.com/sahadevsharma/status/1838307838730588405?t=BVBuPEOMi5ln03FqUR1gXw&s=19
Kilian and some Gavin Hollowell –> Cubs
Lopez –> IL
Wingenter –> optioned
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Solid tweet
https://x.com/jon_greenberg/status/1838313058168393890?t=fosLi1xo7grqWYU10WK3Dg&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Tonight’s lineup with Happ and Dansby resting
https://www.mlb.com/gameday/cubs-vs-phillies/2024/09/23/745527/preview
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Go Cubs boo Phillies
berseliusQuote Reply
Blerg I missed that the cubs were bullpen day-ing it
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
Seems not to have gone well, alas
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Boo.
andcountingQuote Reply
Random pre-offseason thoughts:
-It feels like the Cubs will need to make one or more drastic trades to improve the offense or free up space for a free agent because it’s going to be tough to add what’s needed at just C and DH
-If Bellinger doesn’t opt out, that only gets worse and I bet he or Happ gets traded
-Or they could throw all the money at one of Corbin Burnes/Roki Sasaki/Max Fried and 2-3 relievers and lean into run prevention
I think this team has a lot of good complementary players but it’s kind of the roster equivalent of a junkballer. It needs a legitimate star to lengthen the lineup.
PerkinsQuote Reply
2000 hit column is tough
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Rice CubeQuote Reply
Fun one today
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PerkinsQuote Reply
Jed Hoyer comments via BN
https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs/2024/09/24/jed-hoyer-speaks-gap-in-the-standings-90-win-teams-process-improvements-consistency/
Rice CubeQuote Reply
https://bsky.app/profile/moxiest.art/post/3l4vm6llp7y27
(dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
What an asshat
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Got the band back together tonight, guess Happ is fine
https://www.mlb.com/gameday/cubs-vs-phillies/2024/09/24/745526/preview
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I am actually disappointed that I can’t find this online so I wonder if it was ever real, stupid AI stuff
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Exit velocity on Seiya’s double was 115.5. 👀
andcountingQuote Reply
Wow this is silly isn’t it, hope they actually score
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Those are certainly runs that scored
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Several even. Poor Paredes made bookend outs in that inning.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
That means they batted around!
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
And then some! (dying laughing)
andcountingQuote Reply
The endangered but not extinct “You got hit by that pitch on purpose, get back in there and hit” call has been spotted in Philly.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
(dying laughing) it broke Gameday.
andcountingQuote Reply
I have the radio off because I’m trying to catch up to Better Call Saul so I have no idea what’s going on now
Rice CubeQuote Reply
It unbroke long enough to show me Smyly was in and he miraculously did not suck
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Well, the Drew Smyly formerly known as a pitcher is on the mound now. Lead-off walk. But he has recorded two outs and then gave up a long pop up that Tauchman probably should have caught, but Hoerner did. So a scoreless inning for a change.
BVSQuote Reply
Opt out!
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Go Cubs
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
85 MPH EV baby!
BVSQuote Reply
It WAS real!
https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/news/athletics-new-era-hat-explained-vulgar-cap-removed-team/0ff884aadfea7161352aec35
Rice CubeQuote Reply
So many 4%
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Rice CubeQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
White Sox fans were not pleased their team actually won
https://x.com/SSBehavior/status/1838780251029057648?t=-0SZiTHb02mQPcPy6pTtRQ&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Kevin Alcantara –> up
Mastrobuoni–> down
Rice CubeQuote Reply
How did 3% of people remember Geoff Blum? (dying laughing)
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PerkinsQuote Reply
I too remembered Blum
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Damn, Assad got lit up.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Cubs still had a good shot at coming back, take that as a success I suppose
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Cubs lose but a very Nice final score
berseliusQuote Reply
Definitely don’t know my Rays
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Rice CubeQuote Reply
The Tigers being in the playoff picture has overtaken the White Sox quest for epic futility on my scale of interest, but I fucking love that those two storylines have a chance to intersect to close out the season with Jason Benetti in the booth. Karma is having a 10+ WAR season.
andcountingQuote Reply
Last game in Oakland…until expansion, perhaps?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Kyle Farnsworth to the rescue
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PerkinsQuote Reply
Wow, Barry Zito sang the anthem
https://x.com/sportingnews/status/1839390186087838067?t=ZQYgExZY1rK16SV1vjYcrw&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Tigers and Royals having leapfrogged the Twins to solidify their spots is a thing that is happening
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
While I have nothing against the Twins, I think it’s much cooler to see the Tigers and Royals in the postseason.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Angels losing again to the White Sox
Rice CubeQuote Reply
The Cardinals have lost
Rice CubeQuote Reply
The A’s win for the last time in Oakland until the next time, whenever that is
Rice CubeQuote Reply
It’s a good day to be David Aardsma. 9 Cubs today.
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PerkinsQuote Reply
So the Mets and Braves play a DH the day before the postseason begins. Wild to see MLB hasn’t improved its hurricane contingency plans since 2008.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Saves are lame
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Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
That’s still impressive. I used Smith-Gossage-Rodney and those summed to 8%.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
Jeff Reardon, Doug Jones, and Isringhausen was 5%
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
I know it’s really on brand for me to only crawl out of my cave to post about the A’s on a Cubs blog, but I watched the game and the postgame yesterday and it was really rough. Folks hanging around for an hour-plus after the game, just sitting there with their kids and staring blankly at the field, old folks who I recognize from being at the ballpark, all of it. NBC shitcanned the whole studio crew as of the end of the season and the guys in the studio were just talking through it and weren’t pulling any punches at all.
I had a conversation with one of my co-workers who grew up out here. We talked about how his dad used to take him to fireworks night, and how his kid was now just old enough to go to games but they only got to do it once before the team left. It’s just sad to me. Even when the team sucked it was nice to just have random conversations with the guy at the butcher counter or whatever about how the season was going. That’s one reason why I don’t really follow the Cubs anymore, there’s just not too many folks for me to talk to about the team these days except for my dad and you guys. But all of this makes me kind of wonder how much baseball I’m going to wind up watching from here on out. I’ve tried to audition new teams this year but without that local pull it’s really tough to get into it.
I dunno. It’s been a while since sports have made me this sad.
uncle daveQuote Reply
1 hr. 49 minute W
andcountingQuote Reply
Blink and it’s over!
Rice CubeQuote Reply
uncle dave,
I saw a ton of clips of everyone just crying or at least trying to hold back the tears and I hope John Fisher finds his way to hell
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Hey the Cubs clinched a winning record.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
Back to back 83-win seasons still in play!
uncle daveQuote Reply
Tigers——->WC
White Sox——->121
PerkinsQuote Reply
Looks like the Dodgers will solidify their top seed soon, Mets having some trouble so ATL may get back into it
Rice CubeQuote Reply
And the AL playoff field is set
Yankees
Guardians
Astros
Orioles
Tigers
Royals
Rice CubeQuote Reply
White Sox admin is fully DGAF (dying laughing)
https://x.com/whitesox/status/1839832215728844947?t=Qap6P0ejRJCOxaggZP8u_w&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Jose Ramirez was one landmine, Mickey Mantle was an even bigger one
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Rice CubeQuote Reply
New stuff –> https://www.obstructedview.net/a-send-off-for-cubs-legend-kyle-hendricks/
Rice CubeQuote Reply