MLB 2016 Playoffs & World Series Thread

[Elusive6thRing]

I think Cleveland will break the cities curse, again in sport #2.

Cubs curse will last forever.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Jose BaCrapsta was running his mouth again and took another one on the chin.

What a freaking moron. He should just retired right now. He is a disgrace to himself, his family, his team, and all of baseball.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

I think Cleveland will break the cities curse, again in sport #2.

Cubs curse will last forever.

Is there a Cleveland curse?
Or is it simply a drought?

 

[Elusive6thRing]

I was waiting for the national anthem singer to take a knee.

Not for any cause I thought he was going to have a heart attack when he held that note for like 5 minutes and was sweating.

 

[Fizziksman]

Cubs in 5

 

[Elusive6thRing]

I'm rooting for the Cubs, but I'm predicting Indians in 6.

 

[ccb04]

Regardless of what happens in the 2016 World Series (usually don't make predictions about my teams, but think the Cubs win a hard fought series)...the Cubs are gonna be around and in contention for some time to come. Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have built a team much like they did in Boston. Recently, Epstein, Hoyer & Jason McLeod (the top 3 executives), all signed extensions.

The Cubs have a strong core of talented & mostly young players going forward:
- Kris Bryant (NL ROY...potential NL MVP...24y/o)
- Javier Baez (Rising star that's great on D & has lightning in his bat...NLCS co-MVP...23 y/o)
- Anthony Rizzo (potential NL MVP...team leader...26 y/o)
- Willson Contreras (the future behind the plate...great arm...already fairly dangerous power at the plate...24 y/o)
- Kyle Schwarber (huge power potential...hit 5 HR's in last years playoffs as a 22 y/o rookie...just returning now from torn ACL...23 y/o)
- Addisson Rusell (great defensively...1st time all-star in 2016...streaky but dangerous bat...23 y/o)
- Kyle Hendricks (NL Cy Young candidate...2016 NL ERA leader...pitched a gem to finish off LA...26 y/o)
- Jon Lester (NL Cy Young candidate...finished 2nd behind Hendricks in ERA...has won the WS in Boston...an elder at 32 y/o)
- Ben Zobrist (The versatile 2016 all-star hit .303 for the Royals in last years WS...the old man of the bunch at 35)

Several of the younger guys are on rookie deals that aren't terribly old. Rizzo has already been extended. Lester signed a 6-year deal in Dec. 2014. Zobrist signed a 4-year deal this past offseason. The one disappointment has been the bat of Jason Heyward...who was also signed this past offseason.

Additionally, the Cubs are the 5th most valuable franchise in baseball according to Forbes...so they have the cash to stay competitive, much like they do in Boston (#3 on Forbes list). The management/manager are of course key components to being able to consistently do so...as well as their farm system already leading to considerable improvement at the major league level. They won 97 games in 2015 & advanced to the NLCS. They won 103 games in 2016 and of course advanced to the World Series. And the younger guys are still learning & looking to improve.

 

[TheCoolFan]

Indians are unstoppable. Having home field is huge too

 

[Elusive6thRing]

Indians are unstoppable. Having home field is huge too

To me possibly the dumbest rule in all of sports is giving hfa in the world series to the league that wins the All Star game, which obviously consists of other players than end up in the world series. It makes no sense what so ever and the Cubs won 9 more games in the regular season than the Indians yet Indians get 1 more game at home.

 

[visionary]

Regardless of what happens in the 2016 World Series (usually don't make predictions about my teams, but think the Cubs win a hard fought series)...the Cubs are gonna be around and in contention for some time to come. Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have built a team much like they did in Boston. Recently, Epstein, Hoyer & Jason McLeod (the top 3 executives), all signed extensions.

The Cubs have a strong core of talented & mostly young players going forward:
- Kris Bryant (NL ROY...potential NL MVP...24y/o)
- Javier Baez (Rising star that's great on D & has lightning in his bat...NLCS co-MVP...23 y/o)
- Anthony Rizzo (potential NL MVP...team leader...26 y/o)
- Willson Contreras (the future behind the plate...great arm...already fairly dangerous power at the plate...24 y/o)
- Kyle Schwarber (huge power potential...hit 5 HR's in last years playoffs as a 22 y/o rookie...just returning now from torn ACL...23 y/o)
- Addisson Rusell (great defensively...1st time all-star in 2016...streaky but dangerous bat...23 y/o)
- Kyle Hendricks (NL Cy Young candidate...2016 NL ERA leader...pitched a gem to finish off LA...26 y/o)
- Jon Lester (NL Cy Young candidate...finished 2nd behind Hendricks in ERA...has won the WS in Boston...an elder at 32 y/o)
- Ben Zobrist (The versatile 2016 all-star hit .303 for the Royals in last years WS...the old man of the bunch at 35)

Several of the younger guys are on rookie deals that aren't terribly old. Rizzo has already been extended. Lester signed a 6-year deal in Dec. 2014. Zobrist signed a 4-year deal this past offseason. The one disappointment has been the bat of Jason Heyward...who was also signed this past offseason.

Additionally, the Cubs are the 5th most valuable franchise in baseball according to Forbes...so they have the cash to stay competitive, much like they do in Boston (#3 on Forbes list). The management/manager are of course key components to being able to consistently do so...as well as their farm system already leading to considerable improvement at the major league level. They won 97 games in 2015 & advanced to the NLCS. They won 103 games in 2016 and of course advanced to the World Series. And the younger guys are still learning & looking to improve.

Weren't the Mets saying just this around this time last year? Yeah

Baseball is a complete crap shoot from year to year and the biggest predictor of consistent winning in my mind is the manager

 

[ccb04]

Weren't the Mets saying just this around this time last year? Yeah

Baseball is a complete crap shoot from year to year and the biggest predictor of consistent winning in my mind is the manager

The front office, farm system, manager, financial capacity, etc...all play a roll. If I recall correctly, the Mets were hit hard by injuries in 2016, but still managed to make it to the 1 game NL playoff. The Cubs won 97 games in 2015 & 103 games in 2016. Epstein/Hoyer built a consistent competitor in Boston, and are doing the same in Chicago...with the help of a very good manager as well.

 

[RS12]

Lindor is the best SS in baseball IMO. Guy could easily be a HOFer and is only 23. I'd be shocked if he didnt end up a Yankee some day.

 

[RS12]

 

[Elusive6thRing]

Lindor is the best SS in baseball IMO. Guy could easily be a HOFer and is only 23. I'd be shocked if he didnt end up a Yankee some day.

Why? All great players have to play for the Yankees?

 

[RS12]

Why? All great players have to play for the Yankees?

Nope because to stay relevant they have to throw money at stars. YES network has the money to throw, to drive ratings. No way Cleveland can hang when this kid comes up for FA. Probably looking well north of 200 million.

 

[RS12]

 

[Tabascocat]

Somebody in Chicago better let a goat inside Wrigley tomorrow night!

 

[Doomsay]

Buddy from Northwestern - gave me a ticket to tonight's game yesterday, on the tarmac at LGA, bringing a bag full of dingers. Hit, Cubs, hit!

 

[Doomsay]

Apparently, people were lining up 15 hours early yesterday to just get a seat at a Wrigleyville bar.

 

[jimmy40]

To me possibly the dumbest rule in all of sports is giving hfa in the world series to the league that wins the All Star game, which obviously consists of other players than end up in the world series. It makes no sense what so ever and the Cubs won 9 more games in the regular season than the Indians yet Indians get 1 more game at home.

couldn't agree more but as a Ranger's fan, screw the Cubs, deal with it