Next Year Is Now Godfrey Logan Outside Analysis 10/14/15

Next Year is now Cub fans. It is understood that no team is promised anything in the post season but this team that beat a 100 win team in the St. Louis Cardinals prove that this is their year. Of the Three teams with the longest world series drout, the Red Sox, White Sox and Cubs two of the three have exorcised their demons and one of them more than once. It’s been ten years since the rival White Sox won their championship and the city has been waiting for the Cubs to do the same thing. What took them so long. Sure it hasn’t happened yet but this team is better than any team Theo Epstein fielded in Boston. There is no reliance on any one single player to do the heavy lifting. Joe Maddon has proved that no player on this team is above the other no matter how long they’ve been in Chicago and how many losing seasons they faced to get here. Had we stopped at Kris Bryant this team wouldn’t have gotten past Pittsburgh much less made the playoffs. Kyle Schwarber is the truth. In my opinion the rookie of the year though I am afraid pitchers will have figured him out next year and his numbers will fall but this is not next year and who knows his numbers might actually improve over time in Joe Maddon’s capable hands.
It has been said that no team can be an all or nothing team. But the Cubs scare the hell out of opposing pitchers because anyone of them could hit a moon shot. This is not a small ball team by any means. You;re not going to have a lot of stolen bases among these players. And they still struggle with men in scoring position but one the flip side they are the best road team in baseball. I can imagine Cardinal fans laughing at the 4-0 game one shutout in Busch Stadium. That must have had them saying this is the real Cubs team and just like most seasons their dreams would end there. Considering these two teams have never met in the playoffs these Cubs will never be taken lightly as long as Theo is running the show.
Taking into consideration the teams that are left the Cubs could still use some fortune on their side. I can say I am more afraid of the Dodgers than I am of the Mets. The Cubs swept the season series against the Mets including a four game series. But these aren’t those same Mets. Or are they? The Dodgers are desperate and they’re playing like they’re ready to get the season over there. With the next game for the Cubs not to be played until at least Saturday likely the Cubs have time for a few more magic shows and slumber parties put on by Joe Maddon to keep his boys loose. Maybe another petting zoo. But to be serious for a moment fans. If the Cubs win it all this year, wonderful but Theo won three with Boston. This team being as talented as they are should surpass that number for all of this to be worth it. The White Sox have been languishing near mediocre since 2005. With only a single playoff appearance since then and a manager walking away from the team with the season still not over because of his mouth and the fans tiring of him. Sure we had the same with Lou Piniella but he had the best three year span of any manager for the Cubs in a long time. This may be the year but if it stops there it means nothing. Even the biggest Sox fan of them all is jumping on the bandwagon. Sorry POTUS but we don’t want you. We don’t need anyone else jumping on where there already is no room. Leave it to the long sufferers to enjoy over and over again. The Bulls won six and still they’re behind the ’85 Bears as the most prolific team in the city and they only won once in the Super Bowl era. I don’t want to be like them where we haven’t beaten New England more than once since that white wash in ’86. This city and their fans deserve to see this for at least five championships before we’re happy and once again the best baseball team in the city and they’re talking about us like the Cardinals. I want to see two more presidents in office before we’re done.Go Cubs Go and don’t ever stop.

So the Bears for a moment showed fight and two ways to look at it is 15 more game to improve or this might be the best of it. A lot of accolade throughout the broadcast for Cutlers control of the flow of the game then he is excoriated when he throws a late pick.

The most positive sign of improvement was on the defensive side of the ball until late in the second half. It could be said they looked competent. Would I go out on a limb and say the surpass their record from last year? I'd say only by a couple of games on the low end and by maybe four games on the high end which would make them a playoff team. Considering they won only five games last year.

During the game I started to miss Brandon Marsall. It was pretty obvious that Cutler missed him as well because there were a number of times when he'd just throw the ball where no one was in the hopes Marshall would appear out of nowhere and grab it. The reality of what Coach Fox has to work with was on display for the league and the fan base to see. And it was pretty ugly at times. I am not completely sold on John Fox either. He might have done well in Denver but let's not forget he had one of the Manning brothers at QB and still got rolled by Seattle in a Superbowl and could never beat New England. If you cannot win the big game how can you beat a division foe like Green Bay. The rest of league would have you think they're better than aforementioned teams but the reality is the have a really good quarterback and that's it.

I trust Fox's coordinators more than I trust Fox where the ownership is treating him like the next Mike Ditka. Frankly what I saw was the next Mark Trestman. And I fear by mid season there will be a mutiny on the offensive side because everyone will start to wonder when Fox will bench Cutler. Granted we have nothing at back up but RG 3 might be a better option. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to get out of Washington. And we might be crazy enough to bring back Mccown if even for the sake of familiarity. I wouldn't be surprised that Cutler wants out of Chicago as much as Chicago wants him out. The offense looks serviceable enough to surprise some people if we had another quarterback. Matt Forte is finally looking like he;s worthy of not only another contract but the praise for all the numbers he's put up. He's not in the conversation with Walter Payton but we'll be forgetting any other running back we've had since sweetness. But we can do without using Forte as our red zone weapon when it comes to passing. This is where Marshall was automatic. All in all the Bears are a “C” level team and they played like it on Sunday.

Outsideanalysis.com Godfrey Logan 9/18/15

This Could Be It September 13, 2015 Godfrey Logan

Two thing Chicago Cub fans have in common with Kansas City Royals fans is long suffering and a better than above average chance to not only make the World Series but win it. 2014 the Royals made it on the strength of their pitching and this year combined with their improved hitting as well as pitching it’s possible that the Royals make it back to the World Series and their opponent could be the Chicago Cubs. Call me crazy for this one but this team is far better than the Dusty Baker led team in 2003. Full of veterans most of them coming over in mid season trades but a far better pitching staff in ’03 than now. This years team will not be able to rely on their pitching unless Jake Arrieta pitches every game. But I am willing to go out on a limb and say that the Cubs could very well not only make the 2015 World Series with their band of rookies but win it because of said rookies. Now some of these guys may be having the best years that they will ever have and then turn into the Washington Nationals: plenty of hype and not much else. The expectation is that this club will compete for years to come and win multiple championships like the Boston Red Sox under Theo Epstein. Unless Epstein is able to do what the Blackhawks have done and maintain a solid core and add to it for the next several years then expect the Nationals scenario to play out and for things to get ugly quickly. Once the smell of a winner starts to pervade the north side of Chicago you’re treated like liars if you cannot make it hold up. Not to mention the influx of rats that have taken over the neighborhood with the construction on the ball park. Some nest having been disturbed all in the name of progress and of course money. It isn’t just the nature of the Cubs that is being changed it is also the upgrade in housing pricing people out of an already over priced part of town. But sports is never a static situation. The Cubs will never be the Yankees without enough fingers and toes to count their championships. The Cubs will eventually as all teams do come up short somewhere and depending what they’ve done up until then and if they cannot pick themselves up the neighborhood will again become a ghost town. Though many have said that if the Cubs do win it all it means the end of the world and all that building will be for naught.
Some might say a K.C. V.S. Chicago world Series might be boring and only seen by their faithfuls but you’d be watching two teams with fantastic records but what will stand out the most to me is whether the souped up pitching staff of the Cubs can handle the Royals hitters. And whether the Cubs will have to out hit their own pitching to win. I propose that if the Cubs are the road team in this scenario they have the edge with Kyle Schwarber hitting dh. This kid has the hottest bat of of any of the rookies on the Cubs. His loud shots will keep the Cubs in it and take it to a game 7 if the pitching can hold on and once again Jake Arrietta will have to pitch probably three of the games in the series. But you heard it from me the Cubs can and possibly will make the World Series in 2015.

outsideanalysis.com

Same Old Bears? Say It Aint So!

Godfrey Logan outsideanalysis.com

 

Yes it is the pre season but what they’re saying in the city is the Bears aren’t any better. Is it possibly because though the scheme maybe different it can’t get the stink off the last two seasons? I’m hoping for a 10-6 season but even if this team was good the first nine weeks are a beast.Except for the Chiefs, Raiders and Vikings the Bears could start off at 3-6. I’m not one to scream at the schedule makers. It’s a job I’d love to have myself but what the hell man? Anyone would be lucky just to go .500 through that that stretch of games. The rest of the season offers no help and it’s possible this team could go 3-13 with the only wins coming from the Vikings twice and the Raiders. As they say any given Sunday… It was about this time we were told we would see some return from the losing seasons of the Cubs. I think this year they’re going to have to charge it to the game. As badly as the team played in a victory no less Cutler would do his best to get out of Chicago faster than Brandon Marshall and that was via trade. We’re still getting comments back from him about the state of the locker room during his time here and players still on the team call bull s**t on it. I don’t see Cutler’s departing via trade. No one I’ve talked to wants him. Even Jerry Angelo the man who brought him here ranks him in the twenties among other NFL QB’s. Granted he’s had two different head coaches and I’ve lost count of offensive coordinators and offensive systems he’s been in since his arrival. But even in the second preseason game against Indianapolis it was Jimmy Claussen bring home the win. This team is starting to remind me of the Detroit Lions of 2008 who win all of their pre season games and then lose every game in the regular season. AT this point schedule and all I think this group of Bears will be truly lucky to end the 2015- 2016 season at 7-9. That might even include benching Cutler for Claussen. And 7-9 will be lucky given that our #1 pick Kevin White might be done for the season with successful shin surgery. Some say the Bears knew about the injury pre draft because he was working out so hard to get himself drafted. Personally, I’d rather have a healthy Brandon Marshall but I don’t think many in the locker room would have that. It might have been the best time for him to move on but he’s not in any better shape considering the Jets starting QB just got his jaw broken in a fight with a former teammate who is now with the Buffalo Bills. I’d think the last person anyone would want getting into a fight is the team’s signal caller. Ah well that’s their problem. The Bear had two teams put up 50 plus points on them last season and with the criticism the new defense is getting that might be a likely scenario again this year though for all the Packers haters in Chicago there is great relief (nothing personal of course) that Jordie Nelson is down for the season. However if the Packers make the playoffs and Nelson is ready by then I’d be very afraid whichever team has to face them in the first round. The fact that there is a new regime in Chicago does nothing to mollify the fan base because we just went through a short lived regime that had nothing to show for it but the worst of the worst. There was some pedigree behind that regime too but it all got wiped after two years and an unprofessional and unceremonious release of Brian Urlacher. No one in Chicago was happy about that. I’d say that had some play in letting the last regime go including the GM. It’s going to be a few seasons and favorable scheduling before the Bears are even what level Lovie Smith had them. So here’s to the Cubs doing something special and Patrick Kane staying out of jail.

Second Half Much Like The First

July 25, 2015 Godfrey Logan Leave a comment

Predictions are just that prediction of what might or might not happen. In my years the predictions have hardly been whether or not the Cubs contend regardless of who they have on the field. Usually they don’t. Then there is the talk of how much they’ve built up the farm system or whichever new star they have stashed away, predicted to be the second coming of somebody. How long will it take for Starlin Castro to get the next manager fired? And or when are we going to trade him? This years prediction in Chicago had the White Sox finishing ahead of the Cubs but Adam Laroche has turned into Adam Dunne. If Robin Ventura wasn’t a fan favorite he’d have been gone weeks ago. I’m a big fan of his since his days playing in Chicago but hey I’m not a White Sox fan. I predicted the Cubs would be in the middle of the pack right where they are. But with all of this fan fare about the youngsters being the future I have to say those in charge should know better by now.
The second half of the season has started out much like the first half. Losing games they should win and having to listen to Cardinal fans with their feint praise while their no name bunch is whooping up on everyone. The Cubs are better than the Pirates who have left us behind. We should be where they are now though no one will catch the Cardinals. With some of the embarrassing losses to St. Louis you hope it leaves a bad enough taste that they can return the favor next season. Again with the next season. Otherwise leave it to the oddball playoff system to extend the season by one game. There will be a point where we will have to stop talking about the age or experience of the players. The season is long enough to go through every scenario highs and lows. But every team at some point and in almost every sport gets it together long enough to make a run. Whether it is because of the schedule or in the Chicago the weather.
One other predictor fans use to decide on their team’s fate is their free agent signings. Let it be said that Chicago is a city where careers come to die unless you’re moved by mid season in a three team trade having to eat some of his mega contract. Yes I’m talking about Jon Lester. I don’t believe pitching is our problem as they’ve finally shored up the bull pen. But all of the chatter is about trading for pitching. Realistically the Cubs need a bat and more than one. San Diego’s Justin Upton is the best rent a player that comes to mind. for some reason this guy doesn’t stick with whatever team gets him but he is very productive for whomever he plays for. Maybe adding him as a veteran presence and keeping him around for that reason might get this team going in the right direction. They didn’t need to hire Joe Maddon to put them in this position of middle of the pack. And if you’re counting this is Starlin Castro’s fourth manager.
It gets frustrating to write these pieces with such bitterness. I grew up with the lovable losers with Harry Caray making their games bearable. Now they’ve dropped the lovable part but they haven’t dropped the losing or the incredible ways to do just that (do I need to bring up 2003, 07, 08?). We are in the post Tribune Company ownership period. And like the Cubs are wont to do they try to make a splash that has nothing to do with the players on the field. With a team struggling to score runs is it necessary to put up a Jumbo-Tron or build up the outfield bleachers which might not even fill up once the team is officially out of the race?
Admittedly the future is bright for this team but unless your team is in St. Louis or New York you don’t know the word consistency and it is what we as Cub fans are hoping for. Many of our fans moved south after 2005 and that ball club has made what, one post season appearance since then. You look at the BlackHawks a team left on the pile of history has risen like a phoenix and haven’t leveled off yet. Proof positive it can be done. They have the nucleus like the ‘Hawks have and the brains to put a run together. One ten game winning streak is a good start. These are kids who have dreamed of playing baseball their whole lives. That cannot be said for many players in the league who are in it for the money. Why else would Aramis Ramirez leave Chicago for Milwaukee in 2011? Chicago is a city of winners. Good football. Good basketball and great hockey. But baseball is where the good and great end unless you’re talking about history. Yet there’s nearly 200 years of losing. Let’s start the second half fresh like the first half never happened and let my next piece be about this being the year.

outsideanalysis.com

New Low For Cubs

July 26, 2015 Godfrey Logan Leave a comment

So a day after hoping, pleading for the Chicago Cubs to do something special, to prove how good these guys really are, they go out and get no hit. Granted they had the longest streak in baseball without being no hit. Couldn’t they have at least done it on the road or against a team which isn’t the worst in the league?
Now everyone is saying we need to trade for Cole Hammel.
No! We need to trade for a whole new roster! One which remembers the point of the game is to hit the ball.
With hits come runs. With runs come wins which it seems the Cubs have not figured out that equation. So what exactly are the Cubs selling right now?
They fought the roof top owners and won to keep them from seeing their product for free. After Saturday I’d have to say selling out was a good idea. Keep it moving there’s nothing to see here.
Now I’m a positive thinking man.
They’ll figure it out one day. I mean they’ve got Theo Epstein doing his thing right? There’s bound to be a day when the Cubs can celebrate three World Series under the same GM. All of the attention he’s brought to the team and the picks he’s made in the draft are all bearing fruit.
Some of his free agent signings however have made me scratch my head and still with Starlin “my batting average goes down every month after April” Castro doing his disappearance act once again. I don’t know what keeps him on the roster. At least Anthony Rizzo is struggling but will still have quality at bats. There isn’t much to be said to defend this team as within a decade both sides of town have seen a no hitter. One thing I could hold over Sox fans heads when the Cubs are at their worst.
Not anymore.

Outsideanalysis.com

Respect Due The Cubs

August 9, 2015 Godfrey Logan Leave a comment

Well I’ve written a number of times about the Cubs. From their anemic offense to the fact they have yet to play like a playoff bound team even questioning the fact Starlin Castro is still on the team. He is still with the Cubs but I am now ready to give them their due. Back in 2005 the Cubs Manager Dusty Baker was consistently questioned about why he would not drop the strike out prone soon to be former slugger Sammy Sosa in the line up. It was a question that he finally acknowledged and dropped him from his usual three or four spot. Joe Maddon has finally decided he will not be the next manager fired because of Starlin Castro and took him out of the line up altogether. The Cubs have finally gotten over the hump and are playing like they should though many say that they are still ahead of schedule. There’s no such thing in Wrigleyville. When a team looks like it can contend the faithful start up with the this is the year chants. I’m not drinking the Kool Aid just yet. Especially when it took them this long to get to ten games over .500. I’m still not sold on Lester as our ace going in to the playoffs. Some of that big money he got to come here is probably getting to his head. Jake Arrieta is the one I’d give the ball to in a one game playoff type situation. And not to be too much of a downer will Kyle Schwarber and the rest of the young stars play like this next year? We are still in a division where the Cardinals are the standard bearers. Any world series title will have to go through St. Louis and they look as dominant as I’ve ever seen them.
Still the Cubs are 61-48 and whatever they do with Castro now he knows there’ll be no more blaming his mistakes on his youth. I’d been told many time this was his last year in a Cub uniform. I feel for the kid because he’s talented and he’s seen his share of losing seasons. And you never want to see your team take off while you’re on the bench. All kind of thoughts start to swirl. With the Cubs being a National League team at best he’d be relegated to pinch hitting if this benching keeps on. Thoughts of being traded are swishing around in your head. Maybe some anger at the manager who made the choice to bench you. This wasn’t a decision that came down from on high. This shows Joe Maddons true value after thinking for some time anyone can manage a .500 level team.

Outsideanalysis.com