Maybe the greatest team ever assembled.

How many must they win in order not to be a disappointment to Cub fans?

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Minimum eight-peat my friend.

Of just the one ... that's pretty neat too.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

2016. Everything else is gravy.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

83.

Though, it is amusing to hear that one World Series is enough when many before were arguing that 2005 was a fluke.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

1

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2018
#ExtendLafleur

No one demands they win a certain amount of games consecutively. They only need to win 11 out of 12 to be considered great

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

I laid back and watched my Cub fan folks win their WS. I was exceedingly happy for them. Now they can go get their shine box. I hope their waves of talent never wins another damn thing.

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Gotta get 7 out of 8.

MJ set the standard.

Gotta give credit to IMU, who hasn't waivered from high expectations. He will consider 2016 a failure unless they win another one too.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

That would be absolutely ridiculous if true.

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I believe the salute means it is true.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

It's ridiculous. One non-fluke WS is absolutely enough. Now it's gravy.

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That's an understandable opinion. As I said, some folks just have higher standards than others.

_________________
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

And even that is too many.

_________________

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2018
#ExtendLafleur

Look, 2016 was great.

But that is in the rear view mirror.

As set up today, the Cubs should compete for championships for the next few years. That was the goal of the rebuild.

If the Cubs don't win any more in the next few years, I'd be content...but would also feel some let down.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Yeah, that is sensible. They got the one and that is somewhat all that matters. But on paper, they are definitely set up for pretty nice run.

If they don't get another one or at least win another pennant, we may look back on this era twenty years from now as we do the 80's Bears where we think, "How did they not win more."

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On paper, the window closes after this year. That can change with acquisitions but THIS group is done at the end of 2017 without dramatic moves.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Very solid response out of a Cubs fan, I am impressed.

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2018
#ExtendLafleur

Yeah even Frank agreed. I think it would be more satisfying for some Sox fans to watch the Cubs struggle to get another than it would have been to see them lose last year. My thinking here is they want to hate on the arrogance real or perceived that they are set up and more or less entitles to many more.

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I got what I dreamed about my whole baseball loving life.
I'd prefer to see them remain competitive. But I will no longer be heartbroken when and if they get bounced.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Correct.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

This is false.

In 2016, the year the Cubs won the World Series in case you didn't remember (2016!), Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks were the two best starters. They are retained. Arrieta will need to be replaced and that production is tough, but Lackey is likely to stick around for a year or two after 2017...and if he isn't, you can find another 3.50 ERA guy easily, if the free agent route is the way the Cubs choose to go.

Position players are clearly set for a long time.

Bullpen is the only area where wholesale changes are likely to occur, and the Cubs' available resources are plentiful.

I believe you're looking at the organization incorrectly. An organization is more than 25 guys.

The organization is set up to win through 2020 or 2021.

And as a concession to your argument, a Cubs team without Arrieta, Montero, and Davis is still a World Series contender.

http://www.spotrac.com/mlb/free-agents/ ... cago-cubs/

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Yeah I dunno if they are set up for that long, but saying the window is closed after this season is likely incorrect.

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Anything can happen, but based on the core players under control...2020/21 is reasonable.

http://www.spotrac.com/mlb/chicago-cubs/

But I don't need to argue specific years where the window closes. As you agree, there are at least a few years where the Cubs are primed for title contention.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

Hey, you have Frank on your side of the argument. What could go wrong?

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

For the record, I don't think it matters.

All anyone needs is to see their teams win one championship while they are old enough to remember it. The others are nice but ultimately you aren't much better off with 1 or 2 or 10 titles.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

They will have to spend approximately $40 million per season for several years starting in 2018 to replace Arrietta and Lackey. I call that dramatic. Spend less than that and suddenly SP 3-5 is no longer a strength.

I did not even factor in expected diminution in production by Lester in his age 34 year.

I did not factor in the likely need for a new closer as well.

I stand by my statement

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Disagree.

I'm a much happier Blackhawks fan now than I was in 2011.

1990's Bulls fans don't talk about 1990-91. They talk about three peats...multiple three peats.



No surprise. You've stood by every Cubs statement so far and they've all turned out poorly for you.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.