Gonfalon Cubs: Home Sweet Home

Time for a new post, just for the hell of it.  It’s too early to do a Good, Bad, Ugly thing, so I’m gonna try this one on for size.

Encouraging
-Gotta start with the bullpen.  Sure, there’s luck involved, but that’s bullpens for you.  None of the pitchers have proved worthless yet, and several guys have already shown they have a chance to exceed our modest expectations for them (Wilson, Butler).
-Russell.  I keep talking about him, and it’s too early to read anything in the numbers, but he has ...

Hall of Merit: Most Meritorious Player: 1942 Discussion

Most Meritorious Player: 1942 Discussion

The Cardinals beat the Yankees 4-1 in the World Series. Kansas City Monarchs swept the Homestead Grays 4-0. Vote for 10.

Player			SH WS		BBR WAR
Ted Williams		46.3		10.5	
Enos Slaughter		37.5		6.2
Charlie Keller		34.3		6.7
Johnny Pesky		28.2		5.5
Joe Gordon		30.9		8.2
Mel Ott			35.3		6.3
Joe DiMaggio		34.2		6.1
Stan Musial		28.7		5.3
Johnny Mize		31.7		6.0
Phil Rizzuto		25.1		5.7
Bobby Doerr		24.3		5.5
Pee Wee Reese		27.4		5.7
Bill ...

Hall of Merit: Most Meritorious Player: 1941 Results

Congratulations to Ted Williams, our unanimous 1941 Most Meritorious Player

Player Name	pts	ballots	1sts
Ted Williams	105	7	7
Joe DiMaggio	96	7	0
Pete Reiser	83	7	0
Thornton Lee	71	6	0
Charlie Keller	66	7	0
Bob Feller	57	7	0
Cecil Travis	54	5	0
Dolph Camilli	44	5	0
Josh Gibson	40	4	0
Whit Wyatt	40	5	0
Stan Hack	15	2	0
Dixie Walker	11	1	0
Max West	10	1	0
Buck Leonard	9	1	0
Elmer Riddle	8	1	0
Bucky Walters	7	1	0
Elbie Fletcher	7	1	0
Ray Brown	6	1	0
Monte Irvin	6	1	0

Sox Therapy: So Far So Good

After an incredibly frustrating loss on Opening Day the local nine have won five straight.  They haven’t exactly crushed their opposition and it is worth noting that they weren’t playing the ‘27 Yankees and ‘76 Reds but wins count and there has been some good and some not so good news so far.  A few thoughts;

Rotation depth concerns may be overblown - As always you can never have too much pitching, say it loud, say it proud.  Still, the Sox got strong starts from Hector Velazquez and Brian ...

Gonfalon Cubs: What’s a sample size?

Way too early thoughts after a mostly boring and somewhat disappointing opening series…

Some of the biggest problems from last year’s team were on full display this series - lack of “situational hitting” and walking too many guys.  For the first one, from The Athletic:

the Cubs are now 1-for-14 at scoring a runner from third base with less than two outs. Even after scoring 19 runs over four games, they’re 7-for-47 with runners in scoring position and have stranded a remarkable 42 ...

Sox Therapy: Opening Day Overreaction

We can spend forever dwelling on the 8th inning but at the same time it’s one game, it’s a marathon not a…etc…etc…etc…As frustrating as this was it didn’t change my outlook on the season.  At the same time if you subscribe (as I do) to the idea that you win 54, lose 54 and it’s what you do with the other 54 that matter this was definitely one of the “other 54” if not one of the “win 54” frankly so this was a giveaway.  Anyway…

- Please give me more of this Xander Bogaerts that ...

Sox Therapy: Hope Springs Eternal (Sox Therapy Predictions)

As we head to the final non-competitive baseball weekend until November I thought it might be fun to just take a look at a few reasons why I personally feel very optimistic about 2018;

Pitching Pitching Pitching - So far in camp things have been about as smooth as possible on the pitching side.  Knock on wood etc…but the Sox are looking generally healthy in the rotation with David Price saying last week that he feels as good as he has in years at this point in camp.  Add to that generally ...

Hall of Merit: Most Meritorious Player: 1941 Ballot

For 1941 each voter should rank the top 10 players from all leagues combined.

Balloting is scheduled to close at 4pm EDT on 4 April 2018.

Anyone can vote, even if you do not normally participate in Hall of Merit discussions. If you have never participated in an MMP election, just post a preliminary ballot in the discussion thread by 3 April 2018.

For detailed rules see one of our previous ballots.

Sox Therapy: Roster Update

With just nine days until Chris Sale dominates the Tampa Bay Rays (ach, this is baseball.  He’ll probably go 4 2/3 allowing 7 hits and 6 runs) I figure we may as well update our look at the likely Opening Day roster;

IF: Mitch Moreland, Eduardo Nunez, Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, Brock Holt, Hanley Ramirez

The big issue here is that Deven Marrero who I had listed in this spot last time around drops off.  I think the strong spring and upside that Swihart has makes him the guy the Sox are ...

Gonfalon Cubs: 2018 Fearless Prediction thread

Time for this year’s fearless predictions.  The season is starting earlier this year, so I won’t have time to do this after I get back from my spring training trip.  As usual, these probably will err on the side of blind optimism, but what fun is it to have a talented team where all you expect is under-performances?  On to the list of 25…

1. Willson Contreras will make his first of many All-Star appearances.  He probably would have a better shot of being voted in if the mound visit rule were ...