Spring Training has started, and clearly BP’s PECOTA projection system doesn’t like what it sees from the Cubs’ pitchers and catchers, because they’ve dropped a game in the projected standings this week, and are now projected to finish in DEAD LAST PLACE in the NL Central.
Well, tied:
DOOM! DOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!!!
OK, so I’m joking around. The fact that the Cubs are projected at this level is not a surprise, given that we’d already seen the very pessimistic PECOTA projections (boy do they hate the Cubs behind the plate), and an update that trends them down another game isn’t really all that remarkable, unless you’re trolling. Which I am.
But I do think it’s actually kind of refreshing to be able to say that there is a system out there that projects the 2019 Cubs to be a LAST-PLACE TEAM. Where are your expectations now, my frents? The Cubs are underdogs again! We can all celebrate with reckless passion when they go a game over .500 in April!
Then again, maybe PECOTA is just a little drunk today, because as I started putting this post together, the standings updated. The Cubs are still at 81-81, but the Reds and Pirates are … impossible:
Since the runs scored and allowed are the same, I’ll presume they’re still all projected at 81-81, and tied for last place.
DOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!