Yep, if they don't, we are sunk.

Having Holiday at first helps. He has looked serviceable at 1B. That frees up a slot in LF.

Grichuk/Pham/Piscotty should be the opening day outfield.

If Pham can't make it as an everyday player, move Grichuk to CF and Moss to LF or 1B and Holliday to LF.

It's the only options we have at the moment. I have no confidence in Adams. He still looks as fat and slow as ever. Big looping swing that's easily beat.

I was not terribly excited about the Cardinals prospects the past few offseasons but things obviously worked out more than ok. Like the comment above, definitely going to need some guys like Grichuk, Piscotty and Wong to come though and pitching to stay reasonably healthy.

I suspect it will be opening the season with Moss at 1B and slow to adapt unless he craters right away. Guess I don't have much of a problem trying that but I'm assuming Matheny will be slow to react with a roster that should be pretty flexible. He seemed to at least be using some of that flexibility down the stretch last year but could have been due shuffling for various injuries.

Have some mild hopes for Adams but knowing you have watched some spring training games with those comments tempers those hopes even more. There are definitely some guys that can play well with some weight but Adams likely might not be one of them.

Our pitching was what carried us last year. Wacha and Martinez could be better this year than last year. Garcia should be the same. Slide Wainwright in there for Lachey and Leake for the Lynn role. Our bullpen is a lot better than last year. There is no reason to think our pitching will be good again this year. Just like last year again, it will be our offense that decides the season.

Completely agree. Offense was the real problem last year and still managed to somehow scrape 100 wins out of it with great pitching. Not sure we can count on that happening again but some other things could work out to make it more of a wash.

Really like some of the pen additions and hope Walden is healthy. I do have some optimism with the younger guys but need a few of them to make some steps forward. Guess pessimistic is not quite my feelings on the upcoming season since things could work themselves out like the have the past few years.

Also Cubs seem to have on paper put together quite a team. Hope they continue being the Cubs.

https://www.sportsusa.com.br/wp-cont...bs-850x560.jpg

I know I will get crap for this but man that was a great day. Probably my favorite moment as a Cubs fan. Looking forward to my personal favorite rivalry. Not here to talk trash but I believe it is a a 2 way race for the NL Title this year. Cubs vs Cardinals.

Been a Cub fan since I was born and for the first time I don't expect St. Louis to slaughter us in the Central this year..


Oh and Heyward looks great in a Cubs uniform

http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/fb93...d-Baseball.jpg

Several teams at least you are forgetting about in the NL like the Giants, Mets and I guess Dodgers. Several others also look good going into the season like to Nats, Pirates and Arizona.

Oh there are several teams in the NL that are contenders. I just see it coming down to Cubs vs Cardinals. Just a prediction. Always have to watch out for those Giants

You will despise Heyturd by the all star break...guarentee it

Why's that?? I am actually asking.

Good thing about Heyward is he doesn't need to be a star. We have Rizzo, Schwarber, and Bryant

You keep wrongly assuming that Heyward will be asked to be an offensive keystone in the lineup like he was in StL. He'll be a breath of fresh air defensively in an outfield that was looking at Soler AND Schwarber and he'll be a complimentary offensive hitter in the 2 hole or 6/7, but I expect that Zobrist will be the one asked to hit behind the RBI guys. Heyward offers much more in terms of base running in front.

Adams showed up fat again.

It demonstrates his commitment to the game. A guy that cost us our #2 pitching prospect because his hamstring blew out during a light jog cared so much about conditioning that he did absolutely nothing to address it.

All that shit about him 'adjusting his swing' in the offseason was garbage and I knew it. Had he actually cared about being a major league baseball player, he'd have come to camp 30 lbs lighter and it would've convinced me that he took the offseason seriously.

He didn't. All the Adams talk is bullshit. He's still the same fatass that wouldn't take the game seriously so when pitchers adjusted to him, he couldn't adjust back.

Heywards a mentally soft candy-ass.

But as you've noted, being a mentally soft candy-ass won't be a problem in Chicago because he's finally found exactly what he wants in life: Being paid as a genuine superstar without having to actually produce like one.

And the Cubs hitting approach will help him if he'll actually listen to it. Instead of that stupid restricted swing of his, a swing that Mabry's anti-pull approach catered to, the Cubs may get him to open up a bit more and utilize his raw power.

I suspect he'll have a career year for the Cubs because he finally has a staff that can possibly unlock his talent and because the big pussy finally gets to hide behind a bunch of guys that are younger and less accomplished than he is.

Was not aware of this, great. WTF else did dude have to do this off season?

:clap: Don't worry. That soft bitch will still find a way to cower under pressure yet again. They will see.