Let’s see who can call the Opening Day lineup right now.
Drop your 1–9 and starting pitcher in the comments. Feel free to add your batting order too if you’re feeling confident.
I’ll bump this post at the end of March to see if anyone nailed it.
Have fun!
32 comments
*ignore the typo in Washington. :/
Too soon
P Justin Steele? Will he be ready? If not Cade Horton
C Miguel Amaya
1B Michael Busch
2B Nico Hoerner
SS Dansby Swanson
3B Matt Shaw
LF Owen Caissie
CF PCA
RF Seiya Suzuki
DH Moises Ballesteros
LF could still be Happ but it wouldn’t surprise me if they moved on from him
My dad and I use to do this every year. Thank you.
Considering that Washington is left handed dominate in their lineup – I’m calling Boyd as the opening day starter
P – Boyd
C – Kelly
1B – Busch
2B – Nico
SS – Dansby
3B – Shaw
LF – Happ
CF – PCA
RF – Seiya
DH – Mo Baller
Only real toss up to me is who starts at catcher and I’m leaning towards Kelly over Amaya because Kelly worked with Boyd more this year.
I. Have. No. Idea.
I know a lot of people want to run it back with Rookies. Aka Cassie, Alcantara, MoBall etc. But that’s not a playoff team. Maybe in 2028. Expecting rookies to win 90+ games is crazy.
Idk about you all but I want to win now. Not getting a premier bat (we need 2) is just a recipe for a frustrating offensive year. Cubs fans get too comfortable. We should be expecting playoffs every year and should be always top spenders in offseason. A tucker-less team we saw this team win 84 wins in 23 and 24. So what makes everyone think we make playoffs w/ the rookie movement?
P Horton, C Amaya, 1B Busch, 2B Hoerner, SS Dansby, 3B Shaw, LF Happ, CF PCA, RF Caissie, DH Suzuki
I’m predicting snow because that would be super funny
Opening in Chicago in late March certainly was a choice
P – Cade Horton
C – Carson Kelly
1B – Michael Busch
2B – Nico Hoerner
3B – Matt Shaw
SS – Dansby Swanson
LF – Ian Happ
CF – PCA
RF – Seiya Suzuki
DH – Kyle Schwarber
Carlos Zambrano all the way down.
P – Skenes
C – Raleigh
DH – Ohtani
1B – Vlad Jr.
2B – Nico
3B – Machado
SS – Witt Jr.
LF – Wood
CF – Pete
RF – Judge
All I care about is Mo Baller at DH. The rest will be more or less the same. Wouldn’t mind seeing Charlie Shaw replaced, but that obviously won’t happen.
You did not have to use AI for this big dawg
I still think they should go after tucker. I know that isnt a popular idea around here, but he was playing hurt and still was productive.Before he was hurt, he was one of the best in the league.
amaya prolly starting over Kelly.
Horton on the mound.
happ prolly walks and Cassie can get some at bats early in the season and see how he does.
I can also see moving Cassie because we can probably get a lot for him. next year is actually when we should be expecting a deep run so I wouldn’t mind getting some veteran arms in exchange for a rookie that hasn’t proven himself. I’m guessing that isn’t a popular opinion around here either haha
P – Dylan Cease
DH- Eugenio Suarez
C- Miguel Amaya
1B- Michael Busch
2B- Nico Hoerner
SS- Dansby Swanson
3B- Matt Shaw
RF- Seiya Suzuki
CF- PCA
LF- Ian Happ
I also want to say that I don’t expect much action this off season from the Cubs. The lockout sure looks like it is coming after the 26 season.
The Cubs have Happ, Seiya, Nico, Taillon, Boyd, and some smaller deals all coming off the books after 26.
Additionally there are young players in the farm system that could potentially fill those spots. Not saying that they would be as good, just saying from a position stand point they could be filled internally.
So, I really don’t expect much from the Cubs until the new CBA. The reason I say this is that the current Cubs Front Office has shown themselves to be pretty conservative in terms of making moves. For better or for worse.
P: Horton
C: Miggy
1B: Busch
2B: Nico
SS: mansby
3B: Shawty
LF: Happ
CF: PCA
RF: Suzuki
DH: schwarbs
The one day of the year we get to see Steele pitch!
1. Hoerner 2B
2. Busch 1B
3. Suzuki DH
4. Cassie RF
5. PCA CF
6. Happ LF
7. Kelly/Amaya C
8. Swanson SS
9. Shaw 3B
(Assuming Tucker’s gone)
https://preview.redd.it/7v41le11wwuf1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2c17d410c98738840be488e7c5dd1e438ffb64a1
P – Horton
DH – Schwarber
C – Amaya
1B – Busch
2B – Nico
3B – Murakami
SS – Dansby
LF – Happ
CF – PCA
RF – Suzuki
Mostly I agree we’ll be running it back.
I do hope we re-sign Tucker or go after Schwarbs. Otherwise yeah it’s hoping ONKC can be productive.
Probably need to sign at least one new SP, but the FA market isn’t great. Framber Valdez, Cease, King or Flaherty are the top arms and none of them are too exciting. Maybe we can swing a trade for Alcantara or Sale or Trevor Rogers.
Does “empty stadium and no one playing due to lockout” count?
Bellinger opted out of his contract. Just saying.
There’s going to be a significant lockout probable when the CBA expires after this upcoming season, and this Front Office is going to take that into account. I don’t know exactly how, but I’m going to guess that this FO isn’t taking on anything big and will take advantage of being loaded with young players. I don’t expect much in the way of moves.
P Cade Horton
DH Suzuki
1st Busch
2nd Hoerner
SS Swanson
3rd Eugenio Suarez
C Amaya/Ballesteros
LF Happ
CF Crow-Armstrong
RF Cassie
Suarez will be the one big (lol) free agent signing and we will miss the playoffs.
RF – Teoscar Hernandez
SP: Boyd
1B Busch
2B Hoerner
LF Happ
DH Suzuki
CF PCA
C Ballasteros
SS Swanson
RF Caissie
3B Shaw
1 Busch 1B
2 Hoerner 2B
3 Bregman 3B
4 Ballesteros DH
5 Suzuki RF
6 Crow-Armstrong CF
7 Swanson SS
8 Cassie LF
9 Amaya C
———
Cease P
P- Horton
C – Amaya
1 – Busch
2 – Nico
SS – Dans
3B – Suarez
LF – Ian
CF – Pete
RF – Mullins
DH – Seiya
P – Mathew Boyd
C – Miguel Amaya
DH – Seiya Suzuki
1B – Michael Busch
2B – Nico Hoerner
3B – Matt Shaw
SS – Dansby Swanson
LF – Ian Happ
CF – Pete – Crow-Armstrong
RF – Owen Caissie
P – Steele (could see the Cubs in on Bieber)
C – Kelly
1B – Busch
2B – Nico
SS – Dansby
3B – Shaw
LF – Happ
CF – PCA
RF – Owen Caissie
DH – Seiya