Bleacher Bums Forum

....We all know that hitting is contagious and that losing a guy like Bryant from the offense has a ripple effect.  It's appeared to me in recent games that the Cubs are pressing and that only exacerbates the problem....but it's usually what happens...lack of hitting is contagious, too....

Cubs composite offensive numbers are good (OBP, BA, slugging, runs).  They are still 3rd in the league in runs.  Being 3rd in runs with 2016 rotation (and 2018 pen) would be great.  Their season-long leads in some of those areas has been dwindling lately, though, since recent games factor.

Blue and ben speak to two points.  Blue's that hitting is inconsistent.  Guys bounce hot-and-cold.  Every team has off games.  We remember all of our struggles, but there's little unique about that, every team goes through them.  So, maybe we're due for some bounce-back good, and for the rest of the season the offense will score about as many or more runs than anybody else in the league, recent weeks notwithstanding?  Slumps come and go, don't sweat it. 

Ben's contagion point makes me more nervous, though.  The seasonal numbers that look good are built in a past that has had some guys having some repeating and extended hot periods.  But for the moment, I'm not sure there's anybody who's hot or carrying the team.  Maybe Russell, Heyward, and Bote already had their fluke hot streaks, and Baez too, and there is no reason to expect those guys to get hot again?     

So I'm a little nervous this might go like 2008 Cubs; a great seasonal offense then led the league by huge margin.  But those seasonal numbers were built early, and by September Soto and Soriano and Theriot etc. had all cooled off; there wasn't anybody who felt dangerous going into October.  Where they got easily swept out. 

One of the issues with a low-HR machine is that it does kind of require a collective of hitters to score the OBP way.  A fluke HR can occur at any moment, sometimes even with a guy on base.  But when you need several guys to get hits, that's hard when you've got several guys in auto-out mode. 

 

This is big if true. I guess the front office sees the need for more offense.

Robert Murray @ByRobertMurray
#Cubs acquiring Daniel Murphy from the #Nationals, sources tell The Athletic.

This is big if true. I guess the front office sees the need for more offense.

Robert Murray @ByRobertMurray
#Cubs acquiring Daniel Murphy from the #Nationals, sources tell The Athletic.

I think it says more about Bryant and Russell health going forward than anything.  I'd keep both of them in bubble wrap until just before the playoffs start.

Bringing in Murphy can certainly jump start a struggling offense in the second half.

Who?

Who?

Defensive middle infielder for the Pelicans. 

Mark Gonzales  @MDGonzales   2m2 minutes ago
No corresponding move announced yet. Cubs can wait until Murphy arrives. Addison Russell has been coping with a puffy knuckle on his left middle finger. Also a few players with minor league options.

Acquiring Murphy provides at least 3 potential benefits:

1 - a very good DH vs AL teams (he likely won't be playing tonight, but maybe tomorrow night and certainly vs the White Sox in mid-September, when wins will seem even more critical)

2 - a very good guy to rotate in at 2b to give Russell's hand time to heal and give Joe more options, and, presumably, a PLUS pinch hitter in clutch situations (Joe will find a way to keep him happy)

3 - a guy who absolutely KILLS the Cubs, so we won't have to face him in critical situations the rest of the way coming to the plate for another team trying to put us away.

Good thinking, Chris!  Maybe playing half his games at Wrigley will help with that!