Bleacher Bums Forum
General Category => Archives => Topic started by: Dave23 on March 02, 2021, 04:34:34 pm
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Earlier lineups were from Jordan Bastian. Thee are what I usually post from the Cubs twitter feed. Note the game at Sloan Park is on Marquee and the MLB Network.
Glendale
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Sloan Park
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FOEh2s9X0AA-Xcr?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Probably seeing if Davis is an option for CF.
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omg a lineup! baseball is back :)
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Crow-Armstrong in LF. I wonder if we're going to see some of that in the regular season because of his shoulder.
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Split squad games with the White Sox - one at each site. The game at Sloan Park will be seven innings, not sure about the other
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https://youtu.be/k6MYJT_nTDQ
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The strike zone is a joke today. Total mockery…
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FAyi9wgXIAU8ZVx?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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https://youtu.be/wnLNcZoxHOE
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Wick blows O'Neill away with a fastball right down the middle to strike him out and end it. Cubs win!
Castillo gets to celebrate after the final out for the first time in his ML career. What a great win.
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A long fly to left is caught by Ortega, and the Cards are down to their last out, but it's in the form of O'Neill, whom the Cubs will somehow have to get past if they want to hold on.
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Rowan Wick is in to try to close the game out. The Cardinals get the lead man on but Wick gets Bader swinging with a big breaking ball. One out.
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Down to our last out in the top of the ninth, and Ian Happ does what he did to Garcia back in Chicago... a titanic home run! Cubs lead 6-5!
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Trayce comes up with men on again but this time his fly ball is caught at the warning track to end the inning.
On to the bottom of the 7th with Rucker still going.
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Trayce Thompson hits a grand slam to give the Cubs a 4-1 lead, then the Cards get one right back on a Goldschmidt double (blocked nicely by the Shwy in CF) and a triple from our nemesis O'Neill to bring him in.
Megill starts a nifty 1-6-3 double play to end the inning and he is totally fired up.
4-2 Cubs going to the sixth.
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Several sources suggest it might be his knee.
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Willson Contreras leaves the game in the bottom of the third. We're told he was not feeling well.
1-0 Cards
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FAuXQz8WEAgDGzT?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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That clinches the seventh pick, no?
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Goldschmidt singles, Edman scores, Cardinals win. Boo.
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Tommy Nance, who has struggled since the restrictions on ball-grip substances, is in to try to hold them in the ninth. Hopefully he can do it.
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Contreras tries to score on an Ortega single but they get him at home; Cubs don't score.
Bottom of the ninth.
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Willson hits for Erick Castillo and doubles to start the inning.
Johneshwy Fargas -- I didn't know he was coming back -- is pinch hitting for Alzolay.
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Alzolay escapes a jam in the eighth, using an intentional walk to strand O'Neill (who would have beaten us all by himself if he had scored).
Let's get a run this inning and hold them; no desire to do the ghost runner nonsense.
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Trent Giambrone with a chance to get the first big hit of his career, but Andrew Miller strikes him out with the go-ahead runs on base. Still tied 3-3 in the bottom of the eighth.
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should have heard the fans on sports radio in St. Louis roasting Schildt for ending the streak by resting his starters.
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Cardinals announcers lamenting the fact that Dylan Carlson isn't getting more love for ROY...because he plays for a winning team, and that should matter...
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Tied 3-3 going into the seventh. And Erick Castillo has just gotten his first major league hit.
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696-693 as O'Neill homers
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Cubs go in order in the top of the first
Boog: The Cardinals have outscored the Cubs by only two runs.
True 695-693
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FAplyc0VUAQmKjE?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FApMuO0X0AQEGSU?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Steele with 7-inning shutout thus far, 7K/1BB/4H, 7 innings on 76 pitches? 9/2 GO/AO.
It's the Pirates, I'm sure they'd like the 3rd pick, and I don't guess they're grinding out long AB's. But a Steele who's throwing strikes, getting groundouts, and getting K's, that's appealing.
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Where I want us is drafting in that 7th slot.
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Cubs have a 7-0 lead in the early innings, which means our opponents probably have us right where they want us.
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Heuer gets it done and the Cubs finally win another game. Great to see Giambrone getting a hit; his prospect status seems to have fallen recently. Maybe he can contribute.
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Codi Heuer is in to try to save the game. This feels like one of the slowest-paced games I've ever watched; Effross in particular took tons of time between pitches. I would have liked to see Wick try to close it out with a two-inning save.
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Trent Giambrone makes his Cubs debut and hits the first pitch he sees into left for a base hit. The Cubs did not bother to find a regular-season number for him to wear, so with #85 on his back he becomes the first person to run the bases with a number in the 80s in the 90 years that the Cubs have been wearing numbers. Nobody had ever had a number in the 80s until Robert Stock took the mound wearing his birth year, 89, in his only appearance as a Cub earlier this year.
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No score in the top of the fifth.
I know this game is about as meaningless as a game can get, but Boog and Dempster talking about the Marquee question of the day for three innings is nothing short of ridiculous. The question? - How do you like your coffee?
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Looks like a beautiful day to watch the Iowa-Indianapolis game.
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With one out and runners on first and second, third baseman Nolan Arenado slipped while trying to catch Frank Schwindels popup. But Arenado threw to shortstop Paul DeJong covering third, and DeJong threw to second for what the Cardinals thought was a game-ending double play.
But Schwindel was called out for the infield fly rule, and there is no forceout on the play. Rafael Ortega rounded second and was tagged by second baseman Tommy Edman, but the umpires ruled the play was already dead.
It's just a matter of timing. Timing wasn't on our side, said Shildt, who was ejected after he came on the field to argue the play. Clearly took exception with it. They were OK with that, for the most part.
A request was made for an explanation from the umpiring crew, but a spokesman for the Cubs said it was declined.
After order was restored, Gallegos struck out Ian Happ swinging for the final out.
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Fast forward to the 7:30 mark to see the "infield fly rule" call in the bottom of the ninth
https://youtu.be/3QXWHjGCxnA
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The Cardinals score two off Heuer in the 9th without hitting a ball past the pitcher.
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Patrick Wisdom was scratched from the lineup due to right wrist soreness.
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The Cubs are 39-41 at Wrigley going into the final home game of the season.
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https://youtu.be/y6-GSa8Sgy8
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4 hits for Harrison Bader…too funny…
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Sampson? Lord, 15 in a row for the Cards
Sampson is Cubs best starter! 2.84 ERA.
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Sampson? Lord, 15 in a row for the Cards
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Another Lars Nootbaar homer? Come on, even tanking shouldn't be this embarrassing.
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He was married to Betty White on the Mary Tyler Moore show.
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Something named Lars Nootbaar just homered.
The Cardinals have scored 15 runs in 9 innings today.
Make it 16 runs. Next guy homered too.
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Not sure the Cardinals could fix Davies. Yeesh.
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3-0 Cards and they are still batting in the top of the first.
I've seen enough of Zach Davies. Is he trying to keep his emotions under control or doesn't he care? I wish he'd show some competitive fire just once.
What does it matter? He'll be gone after the season and we won't have to worry about him until the Cardinals sign him and he shuts us out 3 times next season.
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Frank Schwindel extends is hitting streak to 13 and K or HR Patrick Wisdom makes it 3-2.
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3-0 Cards and they are still batting in the top of the first.
I've seen enough of Zach Davies. Is he trying to keep his emotions under control or doesn't he care? I wish he'd show some competitive fire just once.
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It's gonna break my heart when the Cardinals are knocked out in the WC game.
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Nah, just a grumpy old man.
You are? I haven't seen you at any of our meetings.
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Elitist
Nah, just a grumpy old man.
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13 straight wins for St. Louis.
It is possible to not have to rebuild to compete.
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Elitist
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Wow. Lots of commentary on today's game, I see.
I watched the game from the bleachers for the first time maybe 25 years, or more (thanks, Robb). I exclusively sat in the bleachers for probably the first 10-15 years of going to games. But it took sitting there again after all these years for me to remember the unique subculture of the bleachers.
It really is a party atmosphere, kinda like being in a bar watching a game on tv. The play "Bleacher Bums" really did capture the spirit of the place. There clearly were regulars who knew each other, including a guy dressed in a green jacket with shamrocks, a green fake beard and Notre Dame paraphernalia. He posed for photos with a number of people. But until the 5th inning, people mostly paid attention to the game.
However, with the Cardinals taking a big lead, someone near me started stacking plastic beer cups (an age old tradition in the bleachers late in the game). Pretty quickly, just about everyone was focused on that, and paying no attention whatever to the game. Eventually the stack was probably 10 feet long at least. I said to my daughter, who had never been in the bleachers before, "at least they aren't chanting left field sucks." So, of course, within two minutes the chant began, again, with no one paying any attention to the game.
In the bottom of the 6th inning, when the Cubs started coming back, most of the crowd shifted to watching the game (mostly). After the game, I remembered how different it felt when I first began sitting in the stadium - where pretty much everybody pays attention the game.
I don't begrudge the folks in the bleacher their fun, but I learned that I like watching games in the stadium more.
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Game 1 final Cards 8-5
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Does anyone still have any hope for Bote? Just K’d with one out and the bases loaded. Down to .193/.587 on the year. Ouch.
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Umpires for #STLCards (83-69) at #Cubs (67-85):
Doug Eddings, Adam Beck, Gabe Morales, Bill Miller
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17 mph wind out to center
ESPN announcers: Kevin Connors and Xavier Scruggs
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As a token of appreciation for the tkts, Ron will be wearing a MAGA cap at Wrigley tomorrow.
Kilts, rainbow hair, OK. But some things just are not funny.
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As a token of appreciation for the tkts, Ron will be wearing a MAGA cap at Wrigley tomorrow.
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You bet. I scored some RyderCup tickets so my priorities changed. Have fun.
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Ron, check your email. The tickets should be there.
Got them. Thanks very much.
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Ron, check your email. The tickets should be there.
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Robb - I thought I had sent you a pm with my email this morning, but apparently not. But I did send one mid-afternoon today. Did you receive it? I have not received an email from you yet.
Thanks.
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You've got Ron confused with Playtwo.
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Yes, very nice gesture, Robb.
For those watching on Marquee, Ron will be the guy with rainbow hair wearing an old “Albert Poo-holes” shirt.
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Robb, that was very decent of you.
BTW: br could use your advice in BFFL. He's heading for problems, like you did yourself in. :)
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They are for the first game. Send me a pm on the board with your email and I'll send them over.
Done. Thanks.
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Are the tickets for the first or second game? If they are for the afternoon game, I'll take them if no one else here is interested.
They are for the first game. Send me a pm on the board with your email and I'll send them over.
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No takers on bleacher tickets? They are free. Sad state of affairs you can't give away tickets to a Cubs Cardinals game.
Are the tickets for the first or second game? If they are for the afternoon game, I'll take them if no one else here is interested.
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No takers on bleacher tickets? They are free. Sad state of affairs you can't give away tickets to a Cubs Cardinals game.
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The Cubs are on pace to become the first team to whiff 1,600 times in a season.
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After yet another terrible low strike call, Thompson swings at a pitch in the dirt to strike out and end the game. Can't blame him for swinging, the way this plate umpire was calling things.
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Duffy walks and Contreras is quickly in an 0-2 hole, aided by a terrible call on a low pitch for strike one. He hits a grounder that pulls Sano off first, but Sano reaches back to just barely tag Contreras on the hand; on replay the call is upheld.
Now Nico grounds to third but the throw to first is in the dirt. Trayce Thompson with a chance to be the hero.
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Happ singles and Schwindel scores. Tying run coming to the plate in the form of Matt Duffy, with one out.
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Cubs down to their last inning and Schwindel leads it off with a double. Down by three; let's get a rally going.
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Hey guys, I have 2 bleacher seats for Friday's game against the Cardinals. Does anybody want them?
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40% chance of showers
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Wisdom adds 4 K's, but the time he didn't is the 3-run homer. You'd like to get both some hits and some HR's. But man, those HR's are such game-changers when you do get them.
If any box score ever epitomized Widsom’s game, it’s today. Seems almost impossible to believe can keep walking this tightrope but not much downside in giving him the chance to prove he can.
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Wisdom adds 4 K's, but the time he didn't is the 3-run homer. You'd like to get both some hits and some HR's. But man, those HR's are such game-changers when you do get them.
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https://youtu.be/GIcvFMgVSPU
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Cubs enter the bottom of the ninth with a 6-2 lead. Rowan Wick does his best to blow the game by giving up 2 runs on 2 hits and 3 walks. Wick is finally pulled and Michael Rucker gets a fly ball to save the game.
Two questions - Why was Wick left in so long? And why wasn't there a single mound visit while he was obviously struggling?
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E_qQSOAXMAMM_AX?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Cubs threaten in the 9th against Hader, with Trayce Thompson leading a double steal with the Cubs down to their last out, but the Brewers hang on.
Yet another game in which the Cubs lose after having a lead.
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The Cubs have guaranteed themselves a losing season for the first time since 2014.
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Bad Wick.
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Cubs are hanging on somehow. Still up 5-4 in the 8th.
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Heuer strikes Narvaez out, then walks in a run, then strikes Jace Peterson out to end the inning. Cubs lead by one.
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Brewers have the bases loaded with one out in the bottom half and are threatening to take the lead. Davies is being pulled in favor of Heuer; let's see if Cody can get out of it. Bote coming in in a double switch.
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Cubs up 5-3 in the fifth after a solo homer from The Schwin; Hunter Strickland is coming in to relieve Houser.
Davies' ERA is 5.44 as of this moment. I was expecting something a lot better from him at the time of the Darvish dump.
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Three hard hit balls off Davies in the bottom of the first but all for outs.
No score after one.
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MLB Network? Check your local listings
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MLB ON FOX: SEPTEMBER 18, 2021
(https://506sports.com/mlb/2021/sept18.png)
Philadelphia @ NY Mets
Chi Cubs @ Milwaukee
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I'm starting to think this isn't a very good team.
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Trayce Thompson gets into his second game as a Cub as Dillon Maples lets the Phils pile on.
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Me thinks the Cubs may have a challenge to cure their pitching problems over the winter.
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And it gets worse. How low can you go?
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Two more of Hendricks’ runs scored after he left, so it’s tied. ERA up to 4.81.
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After getting a 7-0 lead, Hendricks is pulled in the 4th with 2 outs, bases loaded in a 7-5 game. Just awful, that’s 2021 Arietta-like.
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Hendricks is a dumpster fire. At this point I’m starting to wonder if the Cubs have anyone worthy of a rotation spot next spring.
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Cubs jump out to a 7-0 lead in the second inning, starting with a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch and ending with a three-run homer from Duffy.
Looks like this was a bullpen game for the Phillies from the beginning, and we're wearing them all out today. Hopefully the Professor can cruise to victory today.
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Game time is one hour earlier than the first two games of the series
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https://youtu.be/7GXpbMTcl10
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A passed ball from Chirinos lets Andrew Knapp come in with the winning run; Phillies win 6-5.
Boog said Chirinos was crossed up. Couldn't it have been that Megill threw the right pitch and the mistake was on the catcher?
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A passed ball from Chirinos lets Andrew Knapp come in with the winning run; Phillies win 6-5.
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Trevor Megill pitching the bottom of the ninth. No better way to communicate that you have dinner reservations that can't be changed.
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Duffy takes it right back with a leadoff homer to tie it back up in the 9th.
If the Phillies win, it will be in a walk-off.
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Codi Heuer is greeted with a Realmuto homer to start the bottom of the 8th, putting the Phils back in front.
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With the Phillies leading 4-2 in the eighth (and, according to Yahoo, having 1:14 odds to go on to win the game), Happ gets hit with a pitch and Chirinos hits a homer to tie the game!
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Ortega sits against a lefty
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E_WcCZGWYBIKAjm?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Hard to see any scenario where Wick isn’t the closer next April if he breaks camp healthy.
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https://youtu.be/vI_nEdQPRhs
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Wick closes it out striking Galvis out on a high fastball and the Cubs win!
(If we can go 15-2 the rest of the way, we'll break even for the season.)
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Chirinos is in to hit for Effross, and he pops to Gregorius at short.
Ortega and then The Tank; let's get some insurance.
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A string of late-inning doubles to left giving McCutchen a workout; Cubs extend their lead to 6-3.
Nance gets through his inning unscathed and makes a nice cover of first on a ball that Schwindel can't get to but is grabbed by second baseman Bote, for an unusual 4-1 groundout.
Effross -- let's let him hit when his turn comes up; he got a nice sac fly his last at-bat -- is in to pitch the eighth and strikes Harper out.
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Happ in the strangest stretch of his career. He's about as streaky as any player but those streaks always come with two things: walks and K's. His OPS in September is now about 1.300 but he walked for the first time in that period tonight. He's .514 BABIP.
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As of end of 4th inning today, Happ and Contreras have identical OPS for the season (.741).
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Wisdom sits
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You know things are bad when Ross uses Maples.
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Final Giants 15-4. Caleb Baragar earned a save by pitching the final three innings.
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Well done indeed. I liked her a lot.
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Manny Rodriguez ERA goes from 3.38 to 6.19.
Ouch.
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This would be a good day for Marquee to televise the singing and playing of the national anthem.
Well done.
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This would be a good day for Marquee to televise the singing and playing of the national anthem.
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Some of Chip Caray’s baseball terminology has been finding its way into JD’s telecasts lately. Today it was “pasture” and “bump”. A few days ago, the bases were “pillows”. What’s next, home plate becomes “the pentagon” again? The ”patrons” cheered Jason Heyward for his “leather larceny”?
And Boog now seems intent on always saying “slug” instead of slugging.
Enough, already.
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You don't win many games with only two hits.
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Cubs lose, 6-1. Looks like Megill had a bad one today.
Nance with a 1-2-3 9th.
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After a walk and an infield hit, Kris Bryant ends the top of the first with a three pitch K.
21 pitches for Kyle Hendricks
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Giants have already won 90 games this season.
On a pace to win 104.
They are 40 wins over .500.
Dodgers have an all-star lineup almost everywhere on the field and are three games behind Giants in the loss column with only 21 games left to play——must drive them crazy with disbelief.
That’s Baseball!
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Cubsinsider
The Giants are reportedly opting for bullpen games on Friday and Saturday and will be starting righty reliever Dominic Leone to open the series. The 29-year-old has made one previous start out of 44 appearances this season, but that was only a single inning of work so he’s serving as an opener in this one.
Leone has only recorded more than three outs in one appearance this year and has pitched only 40.2 innings total. His sterling 1.55 ERA is offset a bit by a 4.63 xFIP because he walks a lot of batters and hasn’t allowed many homers. He throws a fastball/cutter/slider combo, with the latter standing out as his best pitch, and he has dominated left-handed hitters on the road.
Not that any of this makes much difference since he’s only going to be in there for an inning. If you’re a fan of seeing the Cubs get into the opposing team’s bullpen, this is the game for you. Same for those who like nostalgia. First pitch is at 1:20pm CT on Marquee and 670 The Score.
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Umpires for #SFGiants (90-50) at #Cubs (65-76):
Ryan Additon, Carlos Torres, Lance Barrett, Alfonso Marquez
Additon was the plate umpire for this memorable play
https://youtu.be/Nyksli6wCHs
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MLB Network
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Still two full years left after this, so not that small a number....
Maybe, but I see a lot of IL time, bench time, and even a DFA coming sooner than that.
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Even though Heyward's days are numbered, I feel happy for him tonight. That must've felt damn good.
Yep. And he pulled a lowish outside pitch to mash that HR.
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Even though Heyward's days are numbered, I feel happy for him tonight. That must've felt damn good.
Still two full years left after this, so not that small a number....
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https://youtu.be/qit22eIa4Qw
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Even though Heyward's days are numbered, I feel happy for him tonight. That must've felt damn good.
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https://youtu.be/IrMfUurtfkk
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Cubs win, Cubs win, Cubs win! Heyward hits a long no-outs HR. 10th inning, Conterars started at 2nd; Wisdom singled hard, but Contreras stopped at 3rd. Wisdom immediately stole 2nd uncontested.
Rather than walk Heyward to set up the bases-loaded force, which of course we'd expect them to do, they pitched to Heyward. Why? Dumb managing.
The other funny thing is that Cinci is right in the playoff mix... and in an extra-inning game, they bring in ex-Cub Brad Brach. Tough deal for them when Brach is their best choice in a situation like this.
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Heuer, six-up-six-down in the 9th and 10th. Leadoff-runner-on-2nd never advanced even a base. Heuer covered the two innings with only 19 pitches.
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Mills with a good game. Just a HR to Votto.
Wick pitched 7th-8th, his second consecutive 2-inning outing. Heuer pitches the 9th, 1-2-3 inning.
Given how limited our rotation guys are, I think the idea of extending some guys to be able to throw 2-inning outings could be helpful.
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15 minutes before first pitch and maybe 3000 people inside Historic Wrigley Field
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Rucker had to come in to save Maples in the ninth and the Cubs couldn't rally; Reds win 4-3.
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Megill again. Maples languishes.
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Contreras - F9
Schwindel - 4-3
Happ - single to left
Wisdom - K
2-0 Reds after one.
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Castellanos makes it 2-0.
Votto doubles with one out.
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Naquin leads off for the Reds in the top of the first with a homer.
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Jason Heyward was scratched from tonight's lineup due to right hamstring cramping.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E-uDTjKWYAAklvk?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Note the 6:40 P.M. start time for night games in September
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Happ is getting closer (.710) to NL average OPS (.722).
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Another key play was Happ cutting off the game-tying single. Really good play saved a run.
Yeah, although I did not see what sort of jump he got initially, at the time I was impressed by how he cut the ball off. I was pleasantly surprised. Earlier in the game Catellanos was not able to get to a ball before it got to him - I think it was Heyward's triple.
-
Another key play was Happ cutting off the game-tying single. Really good play saved a run.
-
The terrific AB by Rivas to open the 8th should not be overlooked.
-
https://youtu.be/v3AG6rESYrA
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UP NEXT
Reds left-hander Wade Miley (11-5, 2.97 ERA) starts Tuesday night. Miley allowed five runs and 12 hits in four innings in a 5-4 loss to the Cardinals on Sept. 1. Right-hander Adrian Sampson (0-1, 1.59 ERA) pitches for the Cubs.
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Thanks again to Jeff for the tickets to today's game. Pretty much perfect weather and a fun game to watch. I was interested in getting to see the new guys in person. I had already decided I would like to see Steele pitch, so was pleased when I discovered he was starting today. I thought Steele was very good for the first five innings, economical with his pitches and mixing them up. As noted, not so much the 6th. Other than the wild pitch (which Contreras seemed to argue was a foul), Heur looked good too, and can't complain about Effross or Morgan's performances either. Schwindel with two more key hits, including the game winner. Ho hum.
-
You can't beat fun at the ol' ballpark
https://youtu.be/AlbnSzqCovI
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I like Schwindel's power, but am also impressed by his ability (and willingness) to hit the ball to the opposite field when appropriate. His single to right with a man on second brought in the winning run in the eigth.
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Maybe seeing Schwindel’s defensive deficiencies on consecutive plays in 7th inning.
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Steele with a terrible sixth. Loaded the bases and then hit a batter to drive in a run. Taken out of the game.
He was hit a glancing blow on the pitching shoulder with a ball hit 107 MBH in the 4th, but it didn't seem to bother him in the 5th.
After a wijd pitch by Heuer, the Cubs are still ahead 3 - 2.
-
Not a lot to complain about with Steele in the first 5 innings. No runs, three hits, one walk and four strike outs. Generally right around the plate all day.
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Happ!
3-0
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Reds don't score in the top of the first.
Ortega reaches on an E-3 and The Tank singles to left.
An early lead against Gray would be nice.
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The amazing thing is that, since we traded our best offensive players, our offense has performed better than before the trades.
Too bad the starting pitching fell apart for no apparent reason. The failure of the bullpen certainly should have been expected with the loss of Chafin, Tepera and Kimbrel, but even this seems to be recovering.
Next year might be much better than I had expected. If Schwindel performs reasonably, and Ortega and Wisdom continue to perform at least adequately, we might end up with a team that, to use a word that Craig coined, is anti-awful. Whatever the faults of the front office and farm system, they have shown an ability to build a decent relief staff out of other system's rejects. Perhaps they can do it again.
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Yesterday's win guarantees that we will not lose 100.
And it puts us on pace to go 74-88 for the year, avoiding even 90 losses, though that includes the good baseball we played for the first few months. Fangraphs, whose projections factor in the current roster changes, have them going 10-14 the rest of the way and finishing at 73-89. That's pretty optimistic, though this new bunch certainly has been surprising us recently.
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Umpires for #Reds (73-65) at #Cubs (63-75):
CB Bucknor, Chad Fairchild, Dan Bellino, Roberto Ortiz
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E-nJM7BWQAs__9m?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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They forgot to confiscate his smart phone.
-
Wick's missed most of the last 12 months with injury. He was already at 16 pitches in his first inning, but Ross pushes him back out to pitch the 9th, with nobody warming. He walks the first two guys, and is obviously laboring a little in the 9th. Although ump has not given him several pitches right on or near the edges.
Ross is out with COVID, right?
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You're welcome. Let me have the email address associated with your Ballpark account and I'll forward them.
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Upper deck, 3rd base line, not too far back.
Section 310L, row 5, seats 11-12.
My treat.
https://www.mlb.com/cubs/tickets/seat-map
Absolutely. Thanks Jeff.
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Upper deck, 3rd base line, not too far back.
Section 310L, row 5, seats 11-12.
My treat.
https://www.mlb.com/cubs/tickets/seat-map
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Ron, could you use a couple of tickets for tomorrow's game?
Maybe. Location & cost?
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37 pitches for Wick? That’s a real bad idea right there.
-
Wick gets out of it. Cubs win again!
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Wick's missed most of the last 12 months with injury. He was already at 16 pitches in his first inning, but Ross pushes him back out to pitch the 9th, with nobody warming. He walks the first two guys, and is obviously laboring a little in the 9th. Although ump has not given him several pitches right on or near the edges.
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Ron, could you use a couple of tickets for tomorrow's game?
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I'm beginning to think I might have to go to a Cubs game before the season is over. These guys are turning out to be pretty entertaining (other than the starting pitching).
-
The Sultan of Schwin!
Grand slam on a 2-2 curveball that was NOT a hanger. It was curving below the zone, but he got down and golfed it out. Wow.
-
There's got to be some other storyline there.
-
Interesting that even now, with the season all about development and draft position, Ross seemingly still won't use Maples.
-
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E-h6JWmXoAUcbs2?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E-iG3m5WUAQ6Q4L?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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That should say ‘if Marquee shuts down their feed, or if DirecTV pulls the plug on the Marquee feed’…
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DirecTV gives you the ability to add time to what they have allocated. I have my TV set to automatically add 3 hours to every recorded game
That doesn’t mean a thing if Marquee shuts down their feed. I was watching live on 664 when the feed was pulled.
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Frank has been much better against LHP.
I don't think he needs a platoon partner, but Rivas might be a useful part. Especially if the NL adds the DH.
-
Finally
I have to give Beth Mowins credit for how she called the bottom of the ninth, especially
https://youtu.be/ZK0407iaEQg
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When Marquee shut it down, it was the top of the hour…I think they simply reached the end of their predetermined window for the game, and switched to their regularly scheduled programming.
The EI feed was also shut down. DirecTV didn’t show available windows on their guide, so I couldn’t switch to the Pirates feed either.
What I could do was go to the MLB mix channel (721?) and watch the end on a small window in a screen full of multiple games going on at the time. That’s how I saw the ending.
DirecTV gives you the ability to add time to what they have allocated. I have my TV set to automatically add 3 hours to every recorded game
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I see people mentioning a Schwindel/Rivas platoon for ‘22.
While I appreciate Rivas as a potential prospect, does Big Frank really need a platoon partner? He seems to be raking against everyone…RHP and LHP.
Do his splits tell a different story? I’m too lazy to look…
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When Marquee shut it down, it was the top of the hour…I think they simply reached the end of their predetermined window for the game, and switched to their regularly scheduled programming.
The EI feed was also shut down. DirecTV didn’t show available windows on their guide, so I couldn’t switch to the Pirates feed either.
What I could do was go to the MLB mix channel (721?) and watch the end on a small window in a screen full of multiple games going on at the time. That’s how I saw the ending.
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Although Wisdom showed good power in the minors, when you look at his overall performance there, you can see the flaws that kept him from getting a long shot at the majors. The strikeout rate was extremely high, and were likely to go higher in the MLB. Power would have to be prodigious in order to make a good MLB career likely.
But looking at the minor league career of Schwindel, it is hard to see why he was left down there for so long. He showed both power and contact, and his defense, at least to this point, seems to be anything other than a deficit. His triple A numbers of 2018 alone should have warrented at least 300 MLB at bats the following season.
He may well be a keeper. And leave management with one less hole to fill in the free agent market.
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One often sees plays where the batter should slide/dive going to first to avoid the tag after an errant throw. But it almost never happens. Terrific and athletic head first dive by The Tank (regardless of whether the tag was made in time).
-
Until the MLB highlights are ready this will have to do
One of the very few times sliding into first is the right move
https://youtu.be/ibtRtb2n2PU
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Is it too late to mount a ROY campaign for the Sultan of Schwin?
-
M. V. Schwin.
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Marquee shuts down prior to the walkoff.
This happened a couple years ago. I'm guessing somebody forgot about the 7 second delay.
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For those of you who weren't watching, Cubs were down 2, with 2 outs and one baserunner. Stratton nibbled around the dangerous, powerful Alcantara. Rivas hit a single into right, nobody close, although the outfielders were playing super deep. 6-5. They didn't take RHP Stratton out against Unstoppable Ortega, and he ripped a line drive to right. RF Gamel was playing really deep, kind of took a semi-dive and the ball was in his glove more than a foot above the ground, but he'd kinda over-dived, and he missed it. The liner was right in Gamel's glove, in the first place, so he could/should have had it.
-I thought Romine, pinch-running for Rivas, should be able to score from 1st on all of this, but he was stopped at 3rd, even though he had a shot under even a decent throw-relay, and the actual throw was kinda of wild and wasn't fielded smoothly behind 2B.
-Heh heh, maybe the coach at 3B figured why take any risk when the Sultan of Schwin was coming up next?
-Schwindel ripped a hard grounder deep into the hole, Newman made a great play and a difficult jump-throw; throw had Schwin beat, but the throw was off. Schwindel did a tricky wide-slide head-first, Moran did a sweep through that beat Schindel's hand to the bag. The ump called him safe, Cubs were all celebrating, but the call was challenged. To me it looked like the tag was definitely on and that he was out. But they tend not to change calls, and it wasn't super obvious, so the call stood.
What a fun run for Schwindel.
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Same problem here. The highlights should be available in 45 minutes to an hour. I can't wait to see what happened.
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Marquee shuts down prior to the walkoff.
I hate Marquee.
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Frank Schwindel! Walkoff single-slide. :)
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Anthony who? (https://cdn.smfboards.com/caf/images/Smile-20.png)
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Schwindel is slugging .681.
Good grief.
-
Frank Schwindel simply cannot be stopped.
-
Ross' anti-Maples bias is pretty frustrating.
-
Cubs go up 3-1 in the bottom of the 4th, then Hendricks gives up a hit, 3 walks, and a HBP to tie the game while only getting one more out. After Megill comes in and throws gas on the fire, it's now 6-3 Pirates, still with only one out.
-
Hendricks is just really bad right now. Walked in a run, followed by a HBP for a run. His command has just been bad lately.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E-dDVKSX0AAHl85?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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"The Lettuce Man"
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No problem. Austin Romaine has that covered.
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With the new CBA there is a good chance they'll need a DH next season as well.
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I’d be more than happy to see Wisdom at 3B and a Schwindel/Rivas platoon at 1B in 2022, as long as we go out and spend money on SS, SP, etc. I’ll probably be disappointed.
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What is his defense like at 1B? It would be nice if the Cubs could fill their 1B hole left by Rizzo internally.
Schwindel has been okay defensively. But, the more he plays, my expectation is that we’ll see quite a few plays not made that Rizzo would have made——and everybody will take note.
Not really crazy about a Schwindel/Rivas 1B arrangement for 2022 at 1B but it will be close to MLB minimum salary at the position and would rather see money spent on starting pitching and shortstop.
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https://youtu.be/JgAxIp25VtQ
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Schwindel looks like he is the real deal. I don't expect him to continue OPSing over a thousand, but his performance in the minors has been consistent enough to expect that he can be a better than average MLB hitter. And he doesn't seem to have the strike out propensity that marrs the potential of some of the others. I hope they plan to make him their regular first baseman.
Wisdom is another that I expect to continue to perform in the future as he has this past season. His strike out rate definately is a large negative, but his power along with what seem to be better than average third base defense also make him look like a keeper.
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Schwindel had 1,400 PAs at AAA level and slugged .523. Batted .297.
Think that shows significant power at a high level, so he might, perhaps, be a guy who could slug .450+ in big leagues.
What is his defense like at 1B? It would be nice if the Cubs could fill their 1B hole left by Rizzo internally.
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Cubs shut-down bullpen closes it out to extend the winning streak to 4 games. 5 wins in 6 games.
Nobody's tanking here, baby!
Megill-Heuer-Wick perfect. 7K in 3.1 innings.
And that wasn't even using Manny Rodriguez. :)
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LH, RH, doesn't matter...the ball looks like a beach ball to Happ right now...
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Schwindel had 1,400 PAs at AAA level and slugged .523. Batted .297.
Think that shows significant power at a high level, so he might, perhaps, be a guy who could slug .450+ in big leagues.
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The Sultan of Schwin strikes again!
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Shelby Miller in for the Pirates! Hermosillo flied one to the warning track, but not quite enough.
But Hermosillo is not the great Franky Schwindel! Miller nibbles to 3-0, but then throws a strike an Schwindel blasts it out. 6-5. Who can stop Schwindel?
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Pirates bounce back from 5-0 lead to tie it up, 5-5. Mills victim of some iffy defensive execution and positioning. Wisdom missed a knuckling >100-mph line drive, he was right there but he just missed it. Next guy hit a nice DP grounder to the SS spot, but the Cubs had Alcantara pulled so far over to 3B, that it went in as a single. Just watching on the broadcast without having seen the positioning, the camera shows the bouncing-ball and I was thinking "taylor-made DP"... but then the camera follows the ball and Alcantara wasn't even close. Later hard rocket-DP ball to Duffy, but Alcantara air-mailed the throw to first, which was then followed by a long HR.
Mills also the victim of some pitching misses. Had some missed location.
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First three hitters in Cubs lineup today, for the season, are slugging .563, .624, .559, respectively.
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Hermosillo hit it onto the street, he's 3-3 with the HR and two doubles. The first double was way in the corner, short-hopped and hit the pole.
Three hits and 8 total bases adds to his stats to bump his average all the way up to .219, and his OPS up to .827. Career day.
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Frankie Schwindel 2-2, Cubs up 4-0 after 3. Mills 4K/0BB through 3, on only 32 pitches. Breault is at 64 pitches, twice as many.
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Ian Happ goes to 3-2 and ends the bottom of the first with an easy F8.
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Duffy bunts way too close to the plate and Hermosillo is out on a safety squeeze.
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Leadoff double for Hermosillo followed by an infield hit for Schwindel.
Wisdom takes a called third strike.
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Marquee starts the telecast with Doug Glanville alone in the booth. JD joined him after getting his negative test result. Boog arrived in the bottom of the first.
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(https://cdn.lmgcorporate.com/kmov/radar/animated-loops/comp/960x540/chicago80.gif)
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MLB Network
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E-X1nGXXMAIUDoi?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Hope Dog shows up this weekend…
he has, in the Bleachers
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https://youtu.be/AhO9zruEFYo
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Hope Dog shows up this weekend…
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Replay shows that the Pirates did not try to get the force at second, so it's a walk-off reached-on-error.
Remember when the Cubs did this against the Pirates back during the rebuilding years? Somebody hit a fly ball to right field and the Pirates outfielder tripped over his own feet and the Cubs won in extra innings.
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Ortega bunts the ghost runner (Alcantara) to second, and they walk Schwindel to get to Happ.
Happ pops it to second... and Difo drops the ball!
Alcantara scampers home with the winning run!
Cubs win, but it's not clear what the play was, exactly, because the Pirates might have forced Schwindel, who had to stay right near first base when the ball was in the air, at second. But that would only be the second out, so the win is assured.
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Great catch by Schwindel reaching into the Pirate dugout to get the second out, then Heuer gets a strikeout to end the inning.
Ortega to lead off the bottom half of the 11th.
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Bendar gets a couple of strikeouts and the Pirates escape. On to the 11th.
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Winning run on third with one out in the 10th for Chirinos. You know he'd love to make up for that interference blunder.
-
Manuel Rodriguez coming in to pitch the 10th. Let's get three quick outs and walk it off.
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Chirinos interferes with Park's swing with runners on first and second, and the Pirates load the bases; a hit follows and the Pirates have tied it up.
Go-ahead run on third and still only one out.
Now Tucker hits into a double play and is just barely out at first; another few milliseconds and the go-ahead run would have scored.
Headed for the bottom of the ninth, tied at 5.
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Pirates get out of the inning with no further damage, and Adam Morgan is coming in to pitch the 8th with a two-run lead.
Cubs pitchers have retired the past 16 Pirates in order.
-
Wisdom hammers a double down the left field line. Solid contact over and over this inning.
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Schwindel gets a hit, and Happ follows with another homer! 5-3, Cubs!
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Ortega hits a three-run homer to tie the game!
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We're down 3-0 but Sampson is looking good pitching in relief.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E-ToPdhXIAIG22E?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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So is Alzolay, if his health holds up.
-
Justin Steele is going to be a legit mlb pitcher.
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https://youtu.be/bhOEe0izVRg
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And game was played in 2:28.
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Alzolay only 40 pitches (10 balls) in his 4 scoreless innings.
Wow, that was a well pitched game for Cubs.
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That was probably the most promising game that the Cubs have played in the last month. Steele pitching 5 innings on one hit, and Alzolay finishing with 12 in a row gives at least a litle spark of hope for next year's rotation. Both of them have the stuff to be sucessful starters. Of course, stuff isn't enough by itself.
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Top of the ninth inning; Alzolay (whose name means, I think, "the precious" in Spanish-Arabic) gets three easy outs and a nice rare four-inning save. Cubs win!
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Cubs Win! Hopefully that'll be a nice confidence boost for Alzolay tonight.
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FU, I was going to post that exact line and you beat me to the punch.
Ha! Great minds think alike there sir.
-
Alzolay gets through his third straight scoreless inning and the Cubs are in front 3-0 going to the ninth. His ERA will go below 5 if he can keep this up for another inning.
-
If there's one good thing about the American League's DH, it's that it's easier to have long relief outings as we didn't have to think about hitting for Alzolay this inning when the 9-spot came up.
I'd love to see him finish the game, though I can't imagine Ross will let him.
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Alzolay pitching in relief of Steele, who went five innings and allowed only one hit.
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You can't stop Frank Schwindel, you can only hope to contain him.
FU, I was going to post that exact line and you beat me to the punch.
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You can't stop Frank Schwindel, you can only hope to contain him.
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Matt Duffy scratched due to neck stiffness
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E-O8vMZWYAM0oAq?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E-Ol05sXoAAzA3M?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Last time I was at Target Field I was yelling at Castro for f*cking up. It was fun last night though sitting right behind the Cub dugout...
-
A game with 4 runs, 16 hits, and 4 walks takes 3:34 - ridiculous
https://youtu.be/UB_fSk88K9I
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Those are the three relievers who figure to be around next season. Pretty much everybody else is a crapshoot.
-
Wick gets them in order, and the Cubs win.
A nice triple off the wall from Chirinos; solid pitching from Rodriguez and Heuer. Great to see the new faces contributing.
-
Rowan Wick is coming in to try to close it out.
-
Morgan is summoned to get the Cubs out of trouble, and he does.
-
Happ hits a homer to extend the lead to 3-1, but the Twins have two men on with one out in the bottom of the eighth. Bear down, Codi Heuer.
-
Twins escape a bases-loaded, no-outs situation with three straight strikeouts.
-
Big spot for newbie Rivas with the bases loaded and one out. Let's see him break this game open.
-
Davies makes it 2-1 into the 5th. Manuel Rodriguez come in with 2 on, 1 out, and gets a DP to escape.
MRod may be a part of the future. I am a fan.
-
Schwindel homers over the 411' sign.
1-0 Cubs in the top of the first.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E-JSpH8WYAcaZ2K?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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I am now officially worried about Hendricks.
Me too, but I wonder if part of this may be a loss of focus given that he's pitching in a very different sort of environment from what he was used to. FWIW his velocity is fine (by his standards) - for the season at least.
-
Cubs lose the football-score series. After rallying yesterday with a touchdown to take the lead 20-17, they are somehow held to just an extra point today while giving up 13. Final score 30-21 Sox.
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Yeah, but “too long” today arrived in the 5th.
-
When the bullpen has turned to dust like ours has, a manager tends to leave starters in a bit too long.
-
I am now officially worried about Hendricks.
-
The Cubs went from having maybe the best bullpen to the worst in, what, a few days?
-
Jimenez against the Cubs in '21:
8-21, 3 doubles, 3 homers, 10 RBI, 3 BB, 1 K
-
Kyle pounded in the bottom of the 5th, including a 3-run bomb by Eloy. It’s now 8-1 Sox.
He’s never finished a season with an ERA above 4 (and only one above 3.5). That’s looking likely to change this season. (Now up to 4.43. Just a few batters ago it was 4.15…)
-
Eloy sure loves Cubs pitching.
-
Cease has 186 K's in 142-2/3 innings, just 119 hits allowed and a 3.3 K/BB ratio.
-
Wow, did that deal for Q prove to be a horrendous trade. At least giving up Gleyber won us a World Series.
“In a July 13, 2017 trade, the Chicago Cubs acquired Jose Quintana in exchange for Eloy Jimenez, Dylan Cease, Matt Rose, and Bryant Flete.”
Just one of Cease/Eloy would have made it a bad deal (in hindsight). Both is just flat-out painful.
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Now a double. Fonzie owns Cease!
-
Do they still pull the old joke of giving him a ball that has profanities written all over it and then giving him the real ball?
-
Fonzie singles up the middle in his first MLB at bat.
3-0 Sox.
-
Wisdom's defensive skill and versatility makes him kind of a unicorn, don't they? As opposed to the Rob Deers of the world. I'm intrigued.
-
Doesn't look too serious
(https://cdn.lmgcorporate.com/kmov/radar/animated-loops/comp/960x540/chicago80.gif)
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Alfonso (Fonzie) Rivas will be the 62nd player used by the Cubs this year.
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50% chance of thunderstorms
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E999VznXEAgK9ml?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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It’s crazy to think that Wisdom’s run is basically Gallo’s career.
-
https://youtu.be/uYh2jeBZuNY
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This past week did the Cubs decide to switch to football...with these scores.
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Nice to beat up Lynn. Probably can't do better than pick 5 anyway.
-
Wisdom on pace for 14 2B, 50 HR, 100 RBI, 210 K
-
Cubs killing them, and Schwindel doesn't even have a hit!
-
I guess Mills would qualify as our #2 starter at this point.
-
Wisdom makes it 7-0
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HR, BB, or K
-
Ortega with a grand slam to make it 6-0. The Cubs have the Sox right where they want them.
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After the HR, his 24th, Patrick Wisdom is up to a 135 wRC+. He's still running a 39.2 K%.
Min. 200 PA from 2010-20, highest K% while managing to post a >= 100 wRC+: 2019 Joey Gallo (38.4 K%, 144 wRC+).
Brett Phillips is also doing it right now: 39.4 K%, 104 wRC+.
https://twitter.com/DevanFink/status/1431772146821439497
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Wisdom sort of a modern day Rob Deer.
-
Wisdom again!
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Happ now OPSing about .900 in August. What the heck do the Cubs do with him this offseason? He would seem like a potential DFA candidate but then - where are you spending money and who are you giving those ABs to instead?
He's a funny guy. His offense is very sabermetrics-friendly but always seems less than the sum of then parts. He can play multiple positions but only league-average in left. I imagine you ride it out one more season and hope the light clicks on and stays there. It's a tank season anyway.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E95xlutWQAM2xqU?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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https://youtu.be/3tI_7W1lIug
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Reynaldo Lopez, who got the win tonight, pitched five perfect innings.
And, pitched to 14 batters—-one LESS than the minimum.
-
Cubs smack Kimbrel around.
-
With his 9th inning hit/homer tonight, Happ is now over the the Mendoza line.
Batting .201.
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I hate being a prophet.
-
Make that 8 to 1 against.
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Cubs score 6 runs in the first inning. Sox coming up to bat.
Cubs chances of winning this game are no longer trivial. I would rate them as only 4 to one against.
-
Happ playing left and batting fifth. Duffy moves to second. Wisdom will play third.
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Cubs/Sox tonight from the s.side. That’s David Bote on the ground after tripping as he jogged towards home during BP. He eventually limped off the field.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E91JnDUXEAEjC9X?format=jpg&name=medium)
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David Bote just went into the clubhouse with a Cubs trainer after he went down outside the cage during BP. He appeared to be pointing to his lower leg.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E90wLiDXIAsfc0i?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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https://youtu.be/ZfBQeq39oLs
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Jake Jewell now with an ERA of 9.90 and opponents are hitting .391 against him.
-
Cubs get a run back but Chi Chi Gonzalez closes it out for the Rockies, who win 13-10.
-
Ryan McMahon hits a homer and the Rockies take the lead. Now Brandon Rogers doubles in two more and Jewell finally gets out of it.
Down by four with three outs to go. Well, it's been an exciting game, at least; the team didn't roll over.
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Well, that oughta do it. 13-9 now heading to the bottom of the 10th.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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And then the shit hit the fan…
-
Romine fouls to first and we're going to the tenth. Jake Jewell coming in to pitch.
-
Austin Romine pinch hitting with two outs. Let's get the win here rather than endure another extra inning.
-
They walk Schwindel to start the inning. Ortega is the magic baserunner so it's him who will come home to "score" the winning run if we can make it happen.
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Sampson works around a walk (combined with the ghost runner) and strikes Diaz out to end the inning.
Schwindel, Happ, and Wisdom to bat in the bottom of the ninth.
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Ortega strikes out, so we're going to another "extra" inning.
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I had completely forgotten about the bogus runner and couldn't understand how two strikeouts and a single gave the Rockies a 9-8 lead.
Sampson, who has inherited Kyle Ryan's #56, recovers to get the unstoppable Connor Joe to line out to end the "threat" and now the Cubs have to get a run somehow.
And in the bottom half, with the Cubs down to their last out, Story throws a ball away to let the tying run in!
Second and third with our man Ortega coming up. Two outs, though. Could we see another walk-off hit from him?
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After Connor Joe's grand slam gave the Rockies the lead and then they piled on with a few more, Happ has just hit a three-run homer to tie it again. Second huge homer off Daniel Bard in two days.
It's anybody's game as we go to the eighth. Rowan Wick had just pitched a scoreless inning but was pinch hit for, so let's see who comes in. Maybe Manny can shut them down again.
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(https://cdn.lmgcorporate.com/kmov/radar/animated-loops/comp/960x540/chicago80.gif)
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https://youtu.be/t89Xtwgrl54
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RHP Jake Jewell has been recalled to serve as the Cubs' 27th player for Game 2 of today's doubleheader vs. the Rockies.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9qga1DXoAA59kJ?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Wow, that was a long, long bomb. Wow wow wow.
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Wow! That was only 438?!
Wisdom just hit a 3 run bomb to make it 5-2 Cubs in the bottom of the 5th...
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I was a little puzzled seeing Heuer coming into the game in the 5th...but then I saw Jim Belushi on the video board singing the stretch and I remembered it was a 7 inning game...
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Game 1
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9pahCQXEAU1gUW?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Cutters break in the opposite direction.
In Maddux’ case that was a two-seam tailing fastball, but if it were as easy as the desire to throw it like he did everybody would do it.
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I wish more Cubs pitchers could throw that Maddux change that started at the left handed hitter's front pocket and broke back to the inside corner. I loved watching that pitch. I think it was a change. Maybe it was a cutter. Either way it was awesome. Hendricks does it once in a while but not too often. Probably because it's very difficult to master.
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I was hoping for more from Alzolay but he has taken a step in the right direction, IMO. I'll be disappointed if he doesn't take another step next season (#2/3 level starter by season's end).
Boy, that seems like a stretch. Very little in Alzolay's current repertoire or history to suggest he can hit that level. A competent #4 would be a pretty acceptable outcome based on his career to this point.
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This season, Alzolay has had a bit of what I call "Alfonseca Disease". Antonio Alfonseca had pretty good stuff and was effective at times, but he had the most frustrating habit of throwing the same freaking pitch in the same freaking location over and over and over again. It was that two-seam fastball that bored down and in to RHH. It was a good pitch, but he threw it there so much that hitters would start looking for it. I remember one time when Steve Stone went absolutely bananas about it. Alzolay's slider is really good. It can even work against LHH. But he throws it so much that the lefties start to sit on it. Then, if he doesn't quite bury it at the back foot, it's hammerable. His changeup that he fades down and away from LHH is the key. If he can get to where he can execute that well with some consistency, he'll be a solid #3, maybe a bit better.
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We'll play two 7-inning games tomorrow, Aug. 25.
Game 1 at 1:20 p.m. CDT (regularly scheduled)
Game 2 at 5:30 p.m. CDT
Zach Davies Game 1, followed by Justin Steele in Game 2.
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Gordon Wittenmyer
Getting word this game is in process of being rescheduled as part of a 1pm, 5pm doubleheader tomorrow.
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no Hermosillo! I guess they need to get Heyward going
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The tarp is on the field
(https://cdn.lmgcorporate.com/kmov/radar/animated-loops/comp/960x540/chicago80.gif)
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For Alzolay, I think it all comes down to developing a 3rd pitch that more effectively handles LH hitters. Looking at the data, I think this is where the HR problem lies. It's not that he's homer-prone, it's that he's very bad vs LHH.
Not sure if the needed additional pitch is the curve or change, but Alzolay throws both, and both have had good results from a pitch-value perspective historically...
If he can be anti-awful vs LHH, I think he's got a pretty clear path to #3 type, with upside from there. If he can't, he's a high-leverage bullpen guy (which may also follow from his injury history). Don't think there's a lot of in-between for him. Doubt he settles in as a #4-5 type, because the LHH problems are *that* bad.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9lQrfNXIAEnziK?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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I was surprised that he didn't show more frustration. Not sure why, but he seemed to draw the weakest hitting support when he pitched. Contreras, Bryant, Rizzo, Baez...at least 2 if not 3 sitting when his spot came up. It was odd. I don't think it's how you generally try to show a rookie support. Then, he often was taken out at the end of 5, so he was denied a number of quality starts. His record isn't indicative of his potential.
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He does have a generally good mound presence, but he started to show some frustration in the couple of starts before his IL stint. Growing pains.
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He definitely needs something that will be effective against LHH...that should be his primary focus over the offseason.
Yes, that sounds clear and obvious as can be. If he's going to have a future in rotation, he and Hottovy need to come up with something that works. If they can't, he's not going to stick.
My guess is that they don't like to mess with things and be introducing new pitches mid-season. I almost wonder whether shutting him down now, so that he's got more serious pitch-lab time to look for a new grip and some new movement, wouldn't make best sense. 19 LH HR's, it's pretty clear what needs attention. If actual big-league games isn't the best place to fix it, put him in the place that is.
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Here’s the thing about Alzolay that makes him a potential mid-rotation guy (rather than a back-end guy): Alzolay has a Plus pitch. He had a 60 value slider. It’s a really good major league slider, way above average.
A back-end guy, for me, is a guy with average stuff all around. If he has command that day, he can have a good day. Think of Alec Mills, a guy who does NOT have a Plus pitch. A guy like Mills can even pitch a no-hitter on a given great day, but has stuff linitations.
Hendricks became Hendricks, in part, because from day one in majors, he had a Plus pitch as a foundation.
Right now, Alzolay is basically a 2-pitch pitcher—-with inconsistent command and is really hurt when the heater floats into the hitting zone. Hence, the lefty homer problem. He works close to 94, which is fine but, because he has a limited repertoire, he tends to pay a price with the occasional good-pitch-to-hit happens.
Put another way, he needs a third pitch that is a legit average major league pitch. Not even an above-average third pitch but an average pitch that he can command and throws with confidence—-something a hitter had to think about so will more often foul off a meaty heater or misplaced slider. Guys with a repertoire, or a Plus Plus pitch (think of Buehler’s heater) get away with mistakes that the current version of Alzolay almost never seems to get away with.
So, say, Alzolay can improve the change-up as an average major league pitch, which is HARD to accomplish, think we’ll get very different results from him.
But, the Plus pitch—which he already has—is a big deal. An important foundation. Of course, he’s not a kid anymore, so maybe he is what he is. Really like his mound demeanor, so don’t think he’ll be undermined by disappointing results so far.
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He definitely needs something that will be effective against LHH...that should be his primary focus over the offseason.
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He's also faced RH's for 229 PA, and he's faced LH's for 215 PA, almost a 50-50 split.
Managers are stacking LH hitters against him in his starts, which can't be helpful for him.
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I have no idea how that splits. Is there a lefty/righty thing going on with the HRs? Are those heavily on mis-placed hit-me fastballs? Hanging sliders? All of those things? I guess I'm wondering if there's a particular vulnerability that he's had this year, with a chance to be remediated to at least partial degree? If he could get that down to a more anti-awful 1.3 or something, he's got a totally different ERA.
Yeah lefties are killing him so far. 19 of his 24 homers have been against LH hitters. They're OPS'ing .975 against him vs. .574 for RH hitters.
Actually looking at that, he might be destined for a relief role if he doesn't get that cleaned up.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.fcgi?id=alzolad01&year=2021&t=p
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Are you encouraged by his year so far? He has shown flashes at times. Hopefully he keeps improving as he matures. That is what next year will show. I am no scout, but he seems to lack a consistent out pitch. If he and one of Steele/Thompson could make it. The Cubs could afford one free agent top end starter and there you have a competitive rotation. Marquez emerging healthy and dominant next year would sure uncomplicate things.
Alzolay makes me think of Geremi Gonzalez so far. There are some things to work with, and you have to give him credit for staying in the rotation the whole season, which is a pretty under-appreciated thing in the modern game. Still, yeah there's always a mistake or two too many so far with him, which is why a guy like Gonzalez comes to mind for me with him. I don't know if missing some competitiveness or confidence is the right way to put it, but there's something missing he needs to find to take the next step up.
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I was hoping for more from Alzolay but he has taken a step in the right direction, IMO. I'll be disappointed if he doesn't take another step next season (#2/3 level starter by season's end).
#2/3 seems more than I'd anticipate. But making some adjustments/improvements and increases in consistency, I'm hoping for that for sure.
I'd be curious to see what Hottovy's analysis will be on all of the HR's. It's really all the HR's that kills him. His K-rate is fine (9.6), his K/BB is good (3.3), his WHIP is good (1.20). All of those numbers seem fine for a capable mid-rotation guy who could be part of the rotation skeleton. But 2.0 HR/9IP, that's terrible and that's what kills him.
I have no idea how that splits. Is there a lefty/righty thing going on with the HRs? Are those heavily on mis-placed hit-me fastballs? Hanging sliders? All of those things? I guess I'm wondering if there's a particular vulnerability that he's had this year, with a chance to be remediated to at least partial degree? If he could get that down to a more anti-awful 1.3 or something, he's got a totally different ERA.
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I was hoping for more from Alzolay but he has taken a step in the right direction, IMO. I'll be disappointed if he doesn't take another step next season (#2/3 level starter by season's end).
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Are you encouraged by his year so far? He has shown flashes at times. Hopefully he keeps improving as he matures. That is what next year will show. I am no scout, but he seems to lack a consistent out pitch. If he and one of Steele/Thompson could make it. The Cubs could afford one free agent top end starter and there you have a competitive rotation. Marquez emerging healthy and dominant next year would sure uncomplicate things.
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I think it's premature to set Alzolay's ceiling at a 5th starter. He got great stuff and is electric when he's on. More consistency should come with more experience.
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Thompson and Steele have shown they can get it done at every level of the minors and in the MLB bullpen in small patches. With proper opportunity I could see each pitching in the 4th or 5th role in a playoff team's rotation. That would most likely be their ceiling and both hitting that ceiling is unlikely, but nothing I've seen of them so far makes me believe they shouldn't be given the opportunity. Next year's rotation as of now is Hendricks, possibly Mills and ???.
There is no way the Cubs are going to pay to fill three spots with high end or even solid to good starters. They are going to need Thompson, Steele and Alzolay to be viable options and depth to field even a low end rotation. In a perfect world Alzolay would have shown he could be a solid number 3 this year but it didn't happen. He is looking like a number 5 to me. In that same perfect world Brailyn Marquez is at triple AAA dominating ahead of a September call up.
I hope the Cubs use next year as an opportunity to evaluate what they have in house, sign some veteran 1-2 yr contract guys to flip at the deadline including working their magic on veteran bullpen scraps, and look towards 2024 as a chance to beef up with real talent in free agency filling in the many holes they will still have. They might sign 1 or even 2 long term free agents like Stroman (who they seem to like), or Correia, who I really like. The budget will certainly allow it. I'd give him whatever it took to sign. Between him, resigning Contreras and Davis up and reaching his potential you could have a solid start to the next competitive Cubs line-up. Hoerner and Madrigal could be regulars in a world series line-up perhaps, but not without showing they can stay healthy, and in Hoerner's case, add some pop. So many question marks and best case scenarios in the above assessment. Things rarely work that way so most likely the Cubs are screwed for years and there is no hope.
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Much better than we had reason to expect.
Ortega, Wisdom, and Schwindel have all performed better could have been predicted. The odds of all of them continuing to do this well is quite small, but if even one of the three goes on to have a good career, we come out the winner. The same goes for the pitching staff. I doubt that Thompson or Steele would have had the opportunity to become starters again, if they had been on one of the top tier teams.
They might not make it, but at least they have a chance.
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Is it my imagination or has Ortega played well as a Cub? Maybe just a meaningless blip.
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Clearly Ortega didn't get the memo.
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Can’t even tank right.
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https://youtu.be/LGWDEoWqwK0
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Duffy whiffs, but... ORTEGA! WALK-OFF HOMER! CUBS WIN!
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Bottom of the ninth. Heyward pinch hits for one of the Romines and singles to start the inning.
Duffy to hit next.
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Chirinos strikes out. On to the ninth, with Manuel Rodriguez in to pitch. No double switch, and his spot will come up in the bottom half, so Ross must be planning for only one inning from him. Let's get them out and then walk it off.
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Wisdom singles Ortega home, Bote hits into his second run-scoring double play of the game to bring the Cubs to within one, and then Hermosillo hits a double to score Ian Happ and tie the game!
Two outs, Hermosillo on second, Chirinos batting. A great opportunity for him.
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Ortega and Schwindel walk to start the eighth with the Cubs trailing 4-1; maybe we can get a rally going.
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Looks like bad Hendricks tonight.
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Jim DeShaies returns from a family vacation
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9gDi6NWEAYwDv6?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Which is even worse. What’s his job? The line up card. Then later on the substitutions to line up card. Pitcher substitutions. Ross is lost. Swept by the last place (before they faced the Cubs) team in ALCentral is an omen.
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He's probably playing the guys he's being told to play.
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Right, it’s time to be creative, it’s a proven recipe for defeat with Heyward and Happ. The Mendoza line should be a hint. Ross can’t keep up, he needs to go..
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I know you're tanking for draft position, but why would you start Happ and Heyward and leave Hermosillo on the bench - ever? There's value in seeing what a young guy who, however unlikely it is, might have a future role with the club can do.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9Z0MIGX0AET_j7?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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"thrown out on the bases like a nincompoop"
Sal Perez is taking a beating behind the plate today. He's gonna hurt later.
LOL...when did nincompoop become a technical term
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It comes down to what Rick Sutcliffe wondered about. Did the incoming throw move the catcher into that position?
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Boy, that's brutal.
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The "no path to the plate" play is at 4:10
https://youtu.be/Z9228VNTbU4
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvU26k8Fsv0
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"Not on my watch." - Patrick Wisdom
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Rain delay at Wrigley with a no-hitter in progress.
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Maybe a few showers - hot and humid
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9UtUelWEAA00l0?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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It got past both the 1st baseman and the right fielder, but Davies was running like a 6 year old t-ball player looking at mom, and the dog running outside the fence, and the airplane flying overhead…
Quit bringing up the past. JR's mom told him to look for her in the stands.
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It got past both the 1st baseman and the right fielder, but Davies was running like a 6 year old t-ball player looking at mom, and the dog running outside the fence, and the airplane flying overhead…
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Watch Zach Davies beginning at the 2:05 mark. As he rounds second and heads to third on Ortega's grounder that got by the first baseman, he does not pick up his third base coach as he nears third and is still looking back after crossing the bag. He should have scored easily. That prevented Ortega from reaching third. When Happ slips rounding first and becomes the third out, Davies should have already be in the dugout and Ortega would have scored well ahead of the third out.
Ryne Sandberg sounded rather disgusted at the lack of fundamentals and called the play correctly.
https://youtu.be/onUfPG4Gxgw
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I knew that N stood for Nincompoop.
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And yes...the Cubs are in the field as I type this...
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There needs to be something between "hit" and "error" for fielding plays...something where the defense does everything right for the most part, they're just painfully incompetent or inadequate at what they are trying to accomplish.
It just doesn't seem right to give a batter a hit when the play could have been made by competent fielders, yet it seems harsh to give errors when the fielders are just not equipped to execute the tasks they have been assigned to accomplish.
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"thrown out on the bases like a nincompoop"
Sal Perez is taking a beating behind the plate today. He's gonna hurt later.
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TOOTBLAN? is that the new LOOOGY...thrown out on the....?
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Happ fell down. That explains it. Good reaction by outfielder..
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Check that...Davies wasn't a TOOTBLAN, he's just a shitty baserunner...
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So a Davies TOOTBLAN followed by a Happ TOOTBLAN costs the Cubs a run...
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And now the manual scoreboard is updated to show 2-0 as well...
And Perez hits one into the front row in LF, and it's 2-1.
Our first run scored on a bomb by Wisdom onto Waveland Ave.
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They looked at it, and still no one knows for sure. The run is on the scoreboard, though...and the top of the 4th has started...
The digital scoreboards in the stadium say 2-0, though...
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Still not sure...why the hell don't they mike up the umps for these reviews?
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With runners on 2nd and 3rd, Happ lined a single to RF...the RF'er threw behind Happ at 1B, and Happ slipped and fell going back to the bag.
He might have been tagged out before the 2nd run crossed the plate. I'll be surprised if they aren't looking at it...
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Happ TOOTBLAN almost costs us a run, but he drives in two...
Maybe...think this might be reviewed...
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For those of you not watching, you're missing a great air show...
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Looks like in addition to PFP, some of our pitchers (Davies) need to go thru PBP...
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Rick Sutcliffe and Ryne Sandberg in the booth with Boog today.
Anybody want to make a guess on JD's whereabouts?
He's working with the PR department on how to talk up chicken manure as tasty chicken salad. He was running out of ways to hide his disgust.
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Rick Sutcliffe and Ryne Sandberg in the booth with Boog today.
Anybody want to make a guess on JD's whereabouts?
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MLB Network televises
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9PkooyX0Assept?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Without a lot of optimism, I actually took the day off, got up early and made the drive up to Cincinnati for the game today. It’s actually been kind of fun watching our AAAA lineup do some damage today. Glad I made the trip!
Nashville thanks you.
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Happ has build a 3-game hitting streak, and has actually gotten a hit in 6 of his last 7 starts. Yesterday Happ had his first multi-hit game since May.
First multi-hit game since May?! Wow, that’s awful. Do people have hope for Ian? He has sure put together a horrifically bad year.
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The Natural airs on TCM at 4:30pm central.
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https://youtu.be/sVo2ch72r7A
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Glad you had a good time, JR.
Good timing to see a Cubs game!
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Cubs Win!
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JR, it's cool that you're getting to see a game with the Cubs hitting a bunch. Every starter has gotten a hit, other than pitcher. It's been a fun run for Ortega and Schwindel.
Happ has build a 3-game hitting streak, and has actually gotten a hit in 6 of his last 7 starts. Yesterday Happ had his first multi-hit game since May.
You know if you can find some cheap tickets and a day the Twins are pitching a weak pitcher, it might be worth your while to check them out.
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Wow, Duffy just pulled off a perfectly executed drag bunt with Ortega at third and two out to score him. I didn’t k ow you were allowed to do that in 2021. The AAAA guys are getting it done today!
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JR, it's cool that you're getting to see a game with the Cubs hitting a bunch. Every starter has gotten a hit, other than pitcher. It's been a fun run for Ortega and Schwindel.
Happ has build a 3-game hitting streak, and has actually gotten a hit in 6 of his last 7 starts. Yesterday Happ had his first multi-hit game since May.
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That’s a super song. Just heard it again yesterday by chance, a great live version.
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There’s no stopping the Sultan of Schwin.
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6-1 Cubs after six.
Break up the Cubs!
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Schwindel just keeps getting it done...
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Hermosillo went yard.
And he did it again with a runner on base.
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Without a lot of optimism, I actually took the day off, got up early and made the drive up to Cincinnati for the game today. It’s actually been kind of fun watching our AAAA lineup do some damage today. Glad I made the trip!
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Boog with might be one of the all-time dumb questions: If a HBP results in the hitter going on the IL, the pitcher spends the same time on the IL. It didn't take long for Demp to say no.
Cubs up 5-1 after 4.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9FCbYMXEAQni_W?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Rather amazing that Hendricks (or any pitcher) is 14-5 with the 2021 Cubs!
Recall 1972 Phillies club that lost 97 games and Steve Carlton with a 27-10 record (didn’t help that #2 starter went 2-15).
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https://youtu.be/LVEVXIpIfqw
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Heuer had only 3 balls in his 2-inning save. 17 pitches.
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Rather amazing that Hendricks (or any pitcher) is 14-5 with the 2021 Cubs!
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Codi closes it out, and the Cubs have finally won another game.
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Codi Heuer gets a nice easy 1-2-3 eighth inning, with Hermosillo getting what I think is his first Cubs putout.
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Cubs get out of it; Votto hits a grounder up the middle that Andrew Romine grabs and throws to first just in time to get him.
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Barnhart didn't do much to get out of the way of the pitch that hit him -- and it hit him right on his elbow armor.
Morgan coming in to pitch with the bases loaded and two outs.
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Freezes India, so he's 2 for 5 in finishing off batters.
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Wick has gotten up 0-2 or 1-2 to all five batters this inning, and he's only been able to finish one of them off (the 5th batter is still hitting).
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With two runners on and no outs, Akiyama takes a swing at a low inside pitch and misses badly for the first out.
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Cubs are clinging to a 2-1 lead as we go to the bottom of the seventh. Rowan Wick is in to replace Hendricks. Hopefully he and some successors can close it out.
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HIPAA only applies to health care providers, insurance companies or clearing houses. It doesn’t apply to businesses, media companies or schools.
I’d take a vacation from having to watch this.
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No score after two.
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Ryan Dempster in the both again tonight.
Boog missed a series of games a few weeks ago. All that was said when he returned was that he his healthy.
Now JD is MIA. Is Hipaa why we are not being told anything?
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Gordon Wittenmyer
RHP Adrian Sampson to start for Cubs Wednesday. 4-5, 4.96 in 16 games (14gs) at Iowa. Signed after playing in Korea last year.
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Jordan Bastian
Ross: Righty Adrian Sampson will come up from Iowa to start Wednesday vs. Reds. Is positioned well to make the start given his workload/timing. Already in Cincy with the Cubs.
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Who's going to get the start tomorrow? Jewell? Meisinger?
Abbott hasn't pitched since the 11th. Maybe he comes back?
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E9BILnwWUAIeEzr?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Rockies and Twins both pull out walk-off victories. Both are now one win up on Cubs (53 vs 52), and the Cubs have 3 more losses. Good chance the Cubs aren't going to flip that. So, Cubs are now situated to draft #8, if the season finished tonight. Don't think finishing on the wrong side of the Mets pick (#11) is likely.
Cubs are 1, 2, and 3 wins ahead of miami, Washington, and the Royals. So they've got a shot to still step up a couple more spots in the draft order. It would be funny if the next cba was fed up with the tanking approach, and modified the draft rules again,, inevitably to the Cubs disadvantage.
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It's baseball. There's a reason even bad teams usually win 60 games. For context, a 7-34 pace would amount to about 27-135 over a full season. With this schedule? I'm skeptical. Easy to get caught up in the drama of the moment but this is just a run of the mill crap team, one among many over the course of the franchise and the game.
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12 losses in a row by scores that sound like football.
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The schedule is weak, but they are winless against the Marlins and Rockies. The only games they really seem to have a chance at winning are against the Pirates.
Somehow the Orioles have actually been worse than the Cubs in their 12 game losing streak.
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Just for the record, the Cubs would have to go 7-34 the rest of the way to lose 103 games. As bad as they are that seems unlikely - there are other tanking teams still to be played.
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It is wild to think that on June 25 the Cubs where tied for first place and 9 games over .500. 103 loses is the Cubs all-time record and that seems approachable this year.
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Does it really matter? I'd take 100 losses and the #4 pick over 99 and the #5 pick. We were awful before the 2015-16 run and I don't think it did us any harm when we were good.
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Has a team ever gone from 10 games over .500 to a 100-loss team? It feels like we might challenge that record. Please don't lose 100, Cubs. There's rebuilding and then there's historically humiliating collapse.
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Steele definitely has the stuff to succeed in the big leagues. The question is whether he can stretch it out over 6 innings and be a starter. I suppose there's no better time than now to start finding out.
They should also bring Maples up and make him the closer (not that it's a role that has much meaning with this roster).
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Demp talking about umpires calling a pitch a strike because it looked like one as it was coming in.
That mean a catcher pulling a pitch back into the zone doesn't do anything, right?
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Oh, good. Boog can ask Dempster how he feels about the ghost runner, the shift, and the rubber distance.
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Boog and Ryan Dempster in the Marquee booth tonight.
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David Bote as your cleanup hitter is something.
Wade Miley might have a second no-hitter in him this season.
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65% chance of early thunderstorms
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E876C7KXIAQdR_I?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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If the Cubs go 10-32 they can lose 100 games this year. Winning 10 games seems optimistic.
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great another 108 year rebuild
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The draft is only 10 months away. Keep chasing that rainbow.
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Sometimes I wonder: at the beginning of the year, what if we had traded Rizzo and/or Baez and kept Darvish and Schwarber? What if we had kept Mills in the rotation and passed on Trevor Williams? What if we had passed on Pederson also? What if we had traded Happ while the trading was good? Hindsight is 20/20, and we might still be in the same stew, but I don't think so. I think we'd still be in the hunt for a playoff spot, the Cub rep would be intact to draw interest from free agents, and we could reload. Sigh.
BTW: Cardinal fans are not rubbing it in these days. Worse. They express pity. Rather have taunting..
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https://youtu.be/IvCSWZ5pwLY
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Also...nothing against Boog and JD, but it has been so nice listening to Pat and Ron do the games this weekend...
Pat Hughes and Ryan Dempster were a nice change of pace although Dempster would get tiresome if he was a regular.
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It gets tiring dusting somebody else’s broom.
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https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alcanse01.shtml
Thanks Reb, it’s the accent. Duh. But you don’t see that accent in box scores.
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Also...nothing against Boog and JD, but it has been so nice listening to Pat and Ron do the games this weekend...
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Babe Schwindel just cannot be stopped right now.
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Schwindel with another bomb ties the game 1-1 in the 6th. He turned on a high fastball.
Alec Mills and Elieser Hernandez pitching duel...
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Is it Alcantra or Alcantara?
The accent is on the second syllable (al CANT ar a), which makes the third syllable difficult to hear, or even say.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E81sqc5XIAMsDa5?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Can't be easy to score the only four earned runs of the game and lose.
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https://youtu.be/bhANC9oJB_g
-
Is it Alcantra or Alcantara?
yes
-
Is it Alcantra or Alcantara?
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alcanse01.shtml
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Is it Alcantra or Alcantara?
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Only 10 game lead on the Pirates. That seems doable.
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Apparently, Alcantara got the memo that it’s better for Cubs to lose.
Judge Landis may be looking into this.
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The Marlins get another run and Bender closes it out easily in the ninth. What a gut-punch of a game.
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Alcantara sure is having a tough day. Two more bobbles, the second of which lets the tying run in. 4-4 with one out and two men on. Codi Heuer is making some good pitches; hopefully he gets out of this with no further damage.
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Shortstop defense is important. We're going to see a lot of Andrew Romine for a while.
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A three run double by Schwindel puts the Cubs ahead 5 - 4.
So far, Schwindel has looked better than decent. Looking at his minor league stats, I am surprised that the Cubs got him off waivers. He has been a good contact hitter with at least average or better power over the course of his minor league experience. The only real knock I see against him, offensively, is that he seldom takes walks. I haven't seen enough of him to get a firm opinion on his defense, but so far, I can live with what I see.
And Ortega has more than pulled his weight so far, although I can't see him as a long term center fielder.
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With two outs and batting against our one-time teammate Dylan Floro, Frank Schwindel comes through with a bases-loaded double that brings three runs in, with Ortega sliding in ahead of the throw to give the Cubs the lead.
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With the Cubs leading 1-0, Davies was one pitch away from getting out of a sixth inning jam.
3-1 Marlins.
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Dempster with a Dustyism: Aguilar is a base clogger.
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http://www.bobspizzafl.com/
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The uniforms the Marlins are wearing tonight look like they should read "Bob's Pizza" across the jerseys.
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One hour earlier start from Friday
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E8xeCXxXMAcPKVJ?format=png&name=900x900)
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One thing to be said for guys like Ortega, Schwindel, Fargas, Chirinos, etc. is at least they're playing hard and playing like guys who are putting in a full effort every day.
Ladies and gentlemen, your 2021 Chicago Cubs.
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One thing to be said for guys like Ortega, Schwindel, Fargas, Chirinos, etc. is at least they're playing hard and playing like guys who are putting in a full effort every day.
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After a Schwindel homer, Chirinos hits a liner into the right field corner that is perfectly positioned for him to go for three, but he stops at second, and will probably settle for a 4-for-5 day with two doubles and a homer.
You can't stop Frank Schwindel, you can only hope to contain him.
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Played in a quick 4:14 (and w/out a bottom 9th).
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Cubs mount another rally in the ninth but it's not enough; Chirinos strikes out to end the game and the Marlins win, 14-10.
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With runners on second and third, Romine is called out on strikes to end the inning, on a pitch that looked several inches outside. Thanks, umpires.
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Shwy (who is mistakenly called "Jonathan" by our announcers) gets a hit to keep the rally going.
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Happ hits a titanic homer to right-center field and the Cubs are within five.
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After a Schwindel homer, Chirinos hits a liner into the right field corner that is perfectly positioned for him to go for three, but he stops at second, and will probably settle for a 4-for-5 day with two doubles and a homer.
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Chirinos hits a double and now only needs a triple for the cycle.
I'm going to make him my favorite player for the rest of this season. He's a throwback to a previous era: he was drafted in 2001 and was one of our prospects during the Prior/Wood era. And now, two decades later, he's a Cub.
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This guy Shawn Morimando pitching for the Marlins; I'm terrible at Spanish but it feels like his name means "person who is dying".
And he gets himself into trouble but then gets out of it.
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Last couple of weeks is ruining Cubs Pythagorean.
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The inning finally ends with the Marlins scoring 11 runs.
On the bright side, the Cubs seem to be averaging two runs per inning today, so maybe we can pull off an 18-12 win somehow.
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When does Kilian need to be added to the 40-man? Someone has to start games for the next six weeks.
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Hey I made it to the second inning of this game before turning it off. Progress
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Winkler seems to have been a bit premature in indicating that he was ready. All four men he has pitched to have reached base, and the Marlins have extended their lead to three with still only one out.
-
And Alzolay is hurt, and is coming out of the game. Someone will have to warm up first.
-
Johneshwy gets the 100,000th run!
...but Bryan de la Cruz hits a grand slam to give the Marlins the lead.
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5 - 4. Fighting for that draft pick.
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4-1 Cubs going into the bottom of the second.
The game is moving along at a snail's pace.
-
I guess that'd be something to look forward to next year...
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Gordon Wittenmyer retweet
Per http://baseball-reference.com, Cubs need to score 4 runs to become first team to score 100,000 in regular season since NL began in 1876!
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Every time I've looked at our lineups lately, it reminds me of this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpZ3LODBK7E
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Alzolay has drawn the worst offensive support all year.
It doesn't look like that lineup is going to help change that tonight either.
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Alzolay has drawn the worst offensive support all year.
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It’s Friday the 13th for the Marlins, too
Including Alzolay, the Cubs are starting five players who are hitting under .200
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E8skpppXIAkjPZM?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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My parents were there today. My mom said it was the worst game they’ve ever been to. (And they’ve been going for about 50 years so that’s saying something.)
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Deichmann had a couple of good ABs versus lefties in the sixth and eighth innings today.
-
I feel for Ross.
I feel for the fans who have paid some of MLB's highest ticket prices to see this conglomeration of misfits.
JD is often going to be saying "plenty of good seats available for the upcoming home-stand" .
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I, for one, have totally given up on Happ and wish he had been traded at the deadline. I'm not sure he has any value left. Why Ross continues to bat him third, stuns me.
I feel for Ross. It's got to be disheartening to see his friends traded, his pitching staff decimated, and the team such a AAA disaster. I wonder how often he has thought, I didn't sign up for this.
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36 balls thrown in 4 innings.
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I didn't watch the game, but I had it pulled up on MLB.com's Gameday. From that, it looked like Hendricks just had no command today.
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Let’s see if this crackerjack team can stage a comeback. Wouldn’t that be something. No, they fall short. But Happ looped a single into the outfield.
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Final 17-4 Don't come back later looking for the highlights.
(https://i.etsystatic.com/14044701/d/il/b36a7b/1552578679/il_340x270.1552578679_fve1.jpg?version=0)
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Top 9...Andrew Romine pitching, Austin Romine catching
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Jordan Bastian
Cubs on cusp of first winless homestand of at least 7 games since Sept. 3-11, 1943. Would be first time the team has dropped 10 home games in a row since April 4-May 3, 1994.
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Schwindel homers, Wisdom homers, Happ strikes out looking.
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Athletics got 19 today, no just 17. Brewers at 16 in 7th.
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You think he’s injured?
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Maybe Kyle wants to be released too.
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Hendricks out. 4 IP, 11 hits, 9 ER, 97 pitches, 2 HR. His ERA over 4 now.
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Hendricks gives up the granny in the 4th, 9-1. After 5 seasons straight with ERA's below 3.5, he's now at 4.15.
He's been HR-vulnerable for a while, hasn't had a HR/9 IP <1 since the great world-series season.
But his HR-allowed rate is pretty up this season. Up at 1.55 HR/9IP now, after being in the 1.0-1.1 range in previous four seasons, and <1 in his first three seasons.
He's only once allowed 20 HR (22 in 199-IP 2018 season), but now he's at 24HR/139 IP.
Hopefully it's a fluke, and next year and beyond those will come back down.
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I’m thinking how can Cubs sign a decent free agent this off season? Do Pirates have that problem too? As a baseball player why would you want to go near those teams if you can help it?
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Ian Happ strikes out swinging to end the third leaving a runner on first and dropping his BA to below .175.
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And Duffy pops out to end the threat.
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Ortega gets one back with a bases loaded walk.
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47 pitches thru 2. 34 pitches, 5ER in the second inning. The brooms are all in the hands of the other team.
-
Dihard - I have the game on but I'm finding it hard to pay much attention to it.
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Yikes. What’s wrong w the Professor today? The consecutive decision streak is in grave danger, given the fact this Cubs offense may not put up five runs in five games, let alone one.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E8mdBgpXMA4IOcz?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Well a routine fly out and a squibber off the bat probably takes away his chance for 20. He’d have to get the last 6 outs on K’s.
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Burnes at 14 K’s and only 72 pitches. He might have a shot to get to 20?
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Bote unlucky again…
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And Matt Duffy actually makes contact and gets a hit!
-
10 straight K’s for Corbin Burnes ties the MLB record.
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Adames singles to left.
Jake,
You’ve had a long and distinguished career that includes a Cy Young award, two no-hitters, and being a key member (2-0 record) of the 2016 World Series champion Chicago Cubs.
Now do the right thing. Announce your retirement and let the Cubs announce a Jake Arrieta Day at Wrigley Field later in the season.
Only unvaccinated fans allowed.
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Arrieta’s ERA for the season is now over 7.00.
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LOL. The Cubs see a total of 4 pitches in their half of the inning. Get back out there, Jake!
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Finally over with the Brewers up a touchdown after a half inning. If the NL had the DH, the top of the first might still be going.
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When the leadoff hitter doubles in the first, and drives in a run, you know things aren't going well. (Wong doubled twice in the inning.)
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7 hits allowed with only one out is actually kinda hard to do.
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I really wanted this to work.
I had zero expectation that it actually would...but I still held onto that hope...
This is painful to watch...
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Runners on first and second for Cain who doubles down the left field line to make it 6-0.
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Now 4-0.
Boog saying none of the five hits have been hard hit. They weren't bloopers either.
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Adames singles to left.
Jake,
You’ve had a long and distinguished career that includes a Cy Young award, two no-hitters, and being a key member (2-0 record) of the 2016 World Series champion Chicago Cubs.
Now do the right thing. Announce your retirement and let the Cubs announce a Jake Arrieta Day at Wrigley Field later in the season.
Agreed.
Btw, it's now 3-0. And still only 1 out.
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Single and an E-9 make it 3-0. One out.
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Adames singles to left.
Jake,
You’ve had a long and distinguished career that includes a Cy Young award, two no-hitters, and being a key member (2-0 record) of the 2016 World Series champion Chicago Cubs.
Now do the right thing. Announce your retirement and let the Cubs announce a Jake Arrieta Day at Wrigley Field later in the season.
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Brewers start the game with a double to left and a run scoring single to left.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E8iaqkAXIAgAF9E?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Anyone watching? How did Steele look?
I was not watching, but Sahadev Sharma was. Here is his assessment:
https://theathletic.com/2763520/2021/08/10/justin-steeles-first-cubs-start-wasnt-perfect-but-it-was-something-to-build-on-im-trying-to-prove-something/
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Doug Glanville in the booth with JD and Boog.
I prefer just the two man Boog & JD booth. But if they're going to force a third person into the broadcast, they should just go on and hire Glanville full time. He's so much better than Dempster, Sutcliffe, Grace, etc.
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Doug Glanville in the booth with JD and Boog.
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WEATHER ALERT: Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for LaSalle County until 7:15 p.m., DeKalb County until 7:30 p.m. and Cook, DuPage, Kane, McHenry, Grundy, Kendall and Lake (IL) counties until 8 p.m.
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(https://cdn.lmgcorporate.com/kmov/radar/animated-loops/comp/960x540/chicago80.gif)
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Johneshwy Fargas?
Gesundheit.
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Johneshwy Fargas?
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Thanks, guys. Appreciate the perspectives.
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Anyone watching? How did Steele look?
93-94 in the first inning, 90-91 in the 5th. The question with Steele on every level is whether he can be a SP, and that's part of it.
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Frank Schwindel hits cleanup.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E8dab0OXMAIKCrC?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Anyone watching? How did Steele look?
Great the first time through the Brewer's order. Not so great after that.
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Anyone watching? How did Steele look?
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Monday night you would have seen nine innings of baseball. Today you get shortchanged by two innings.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E8cEYAJXIAYDU0-?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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When I first saw Frank Schwindel in the lineup, that was one of the first times I can remember seeing a Cub in the starting lineup and I had no idea who he was or that he was even a Cub.
It doesn't seem especially great when you have a catcher playing shortstop and a guy named Frank Schwindel playing first.
Hey first base guy was the Cubs Dunkin player of the week, show some respect.
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By the way, Frank Schwindel is now going by the name Frank Swindle.
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Weather delay. No estimate of a new game time.
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Actually in other obscure Cubs news, I had no idea we also had his brother who isn’t a catcher or that Austin even had a brother who was an infielder.
This roster feels almost like it was constructed in the Cleveland front office meeting from Major League.
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It is a different Romine playing SS. But maybe you knew that and were just being too subtle in your humor?
Yeah my bad on that. 👍
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It doesn't seem especially great when you have a catcher playing shortstop and a guy named Frank Schwindel playing first.
It’s the catcher’s brother at SS (a likely story).
And, I think Schwindel might be an alias.
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It doesn't seem especially great when you have a catcher playing shortstop and a guy named Frank Schwindel playing first.
It is a different Romine playing SS. But maybe you knew that and were just being too subtle in your humor?
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My gosh that is putrid.
When I first saw Frank Schwindel in the lineup, that was one of the first times I can remember seeing a Cub in the starting lineup and I had no idea who he was or that he was even a Cub.
It doesn't seem especially great when you have a catcher playing shortstop and a guy named Frank Schwindel playing first.
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(https://cdn.lmgcorporate.com/kmov/radar/animated-loops/comp/960x540/chicago80.gif)
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My gosh that is putrid.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E8YBzcRWEAsQCL9?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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I am beginning to think this team is not good.
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This ESPN crew is horrible.
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(https://cdn.lmgcorporate.com/kmov/radar/animated-loops/comp/960x540/chicago80.gif)
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5-0 after nineteen pitches.
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3-0 Sox after eight pitches.
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One pitch and the Cubs are down 1-0.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E8SuDVzX0AUdmd5?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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How about R.A. Dickey? He was a really late bloomer.
good one
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How about R.A. Dickey? He was a really late bloomer.
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Jake was terrific in 2014. Before that I would agree.
Stone's a really good one. I will say that he wasn't exactly dominant in his 25-win, CY season though. Rodon's gone from not very good to pretty dominant.
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Jake Arrieta?
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Has any pitcher been more nondescript for five years before possibly winning a Cy Young than Rodon?
Steve Stone?
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https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2021/08/sunday-night-baseball-to-air-exclusively-on-abc-for-first-time-as-chicago-cubs-host-american-league-central-leading-chicago-white-sox-at-historic-wrigley-field/
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Cubs struck out 17 times today.
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Kimbrel and Tepera get it done for the Sox. 4 - 0 final. Was La Russa rubbing it in there? Or was he just getting the obvious over with? On to game three on national TV.
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Important in games like today is how the young starter does. Except for that first inning, and it seems like Adbert struggles early in games, he did very well and even got a Quality Start which should give his confidence a list.
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Willson with 4 K’s in 4 AB. He’s pressing.
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Has any pitcher been more nondescript for five years before possibly winning a Cy Young than Rodon?
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There a reason the front office seems to have an affinity for Megill?
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9 strikeouts in four innings for Rodon. 60 pitches. He’s on pace.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E8MrLiDXoAginfu?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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30 years
Seeing the trophy is cool if you can still do that. The statues outside as well.
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Have the Cubs given up on Wick? Did he get reinjured?
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Like how long?
30 years
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So, Kimbrel was the problem?
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Andrew Romine with a game tying 3 run homer off Kimbrel.
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Kimbrel coming in. Would have been more exciting if Ryan hadn't given up 2-run 2-out HR to turn 2-1 close into 4-1 easy save.
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Like how long?
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I'll be at Wrigley Field this Sunday for the White Sox game. Haven't been at a Cubs game in a long-while. Is there anything I must check out?
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You designed those uniforms? He/She should be immediately fired.
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And another ground ball gets through, 2-0.
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Hendricks is pretty sharp today, but he's having some really bad BABIP luck in the 4th. No hard contact, but he's given up a run on 3 hits.
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Innings limits. Steele is already at 40 innings, which doesn't sound like a ton, but he had 38 innings in 2019, 46 innings in 2018. His career high is 98 in 2017.
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MLBN televises
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Teams in spring training are supposed to show up with at least four established major leaguers. Apparently that does not apply to the regular season.
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Yuck. I could almost root for the Sox at this point but not with that dude at the helm.
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Tony LaRussa returns to Wrigley
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E8HOaPAVUA0VfAf?format=jpg&name=900x900)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E8HrKUIWYAcid8B?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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The Fargas bunt attempt that CB Bucknor blew the call on is not shown
https://youtu.be/D9n-XkhKF9c
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Why are we still burning starts with Arietta and Davies while Steele is at Iowa?
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I guess they wanted to limit the time outs. Can't challenge every strike call. The problem today was that the base umpires didn't have the balls to overrule CB.
One of the other umps was the rookie called up to replace Kerwin Danley who had to leave Wednesday night's game with back spasms.
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I guess they wanted to limit the time outs. Can't challenge every strike call. The problem today was that the base umpires didn't have the balls to overrule CB.
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Can someone explain the logic behind having only certain plays reviewable?
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Fargas has an attempted bunt bounce up and hit him in the knee before he had even taken a step. CB Bucknor ruled he was out of the box and called him out.
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Predictably, Cubs get C.B.'ed in the 6th inning...horrible call...and horrible that no one paid enough attention to overrule his blatantly bad call...
-
CB Bucknor calls balls and strikes
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E8CrEDdXEAAI4EX?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Jake Bujnowski
Does anybody have information on what’s going on with Boog Sciambi? I understand if he has a personal situation that can’t be talked about, it’s just getting weird we haven’t heard anything at all.
Sahadev Sharma
Getting a few tweets like this. Just to allay any concerns, Boog is healthy and will be back calling games Friday.
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https://youtu.be/xbuNI0SvX-M
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Might as well give these guys chances to fill these roles. I was impressed to see Rodriguez, a name I'd never heard of until we got him, hit 100 on the radar gun. Not five years ago you knew the name of everyone who could do that, and now lots of people can.
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Liked seeing Ross use Heuer in 8th and Rodriguez in 9th to close out the game.
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In their best interest or not, Cubs win 3-2 in Coors. Manuel Rodriguez with a pretty smooth ninth picks up his first save.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Like the strategy of batting Schwindel and Fargas back-to-back.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E7-h34QXoAEmlfC?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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I hope not. The higher the pick the better at this point.
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Megill is coming in with the Rockies up 11-2 and men on base in the sixth inning.
Will this team, which had been ten games over .500 and in the division lead at one point, even be able to avoid losing 90 games?
-
Davies follows it up by giving up a 3 run HR.
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Ian Happ solo HR. 4-2.
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What is hilarious is the ump’s strike zone is like Greg Maddux huge and Davies is still having trouble throwing strikes.
-
Eric Sogard warming up in his backyard in case of a laugher.
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Zach Davis walking people in Coors isn’t a great idea.
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Diaz grand slam 4-1.
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Ross ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the second.
Wisdow single, Happ FC, Some 1B dude doubles, Heyward ground out to first. Cubs up 1-0.
Davies has the bases loaded with nobody out. Ross made a good call to get tossed.
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How hard would it to be to trademark “Next Great Cubs Team” just so the Cubs quit using it.
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Umpires for #Cubs (51-56) at #Rockies (46-60):
Adam Hamari, Kerwin Danley, CB Bucknor, Roberto Ortiz
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E75TbzyWYAMHQga?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Baseball Savant has it as a sinker, Brooks Baseball has it as a 4 seamer.
Brooks Baseball, last year, he was consistently 97-98. This year he started out at 97-96 but since May it has been 95-96 with an occasional game at 94. It could be an injury, dead arm, mechanical thing. Definitely something to watch. He was at 95.7 according to Brooks in his Cubs game.
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I just looked it up on Fangraphs. It's the overall average FB velocity by year.
According to FG he only throws the four-seamer, so when you see a lot of 94s and 95s after averaging 97.6 last season, that seems like a valid cause for concern.
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I just looked it up on Fangraphs. It's the overall average FB velocity by year.
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According to Statcast he's been mostly 94-95 the past two appearances. Is that the four-seamer?
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1.1 mph. He's throwing it a lot less. Chicken or the egg? Is he throwing it less because the velocity is down? Or is throwing it less leading to a slight velocity dip?
-
Has there been any discussion about Heuer's velocity being down quite a bit from last year? Injury concerns, fatigue, or just not being mentioned?
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Really good piece of hitting to take that down and in pitch out oppo…hate tipping your hat, but sometimes you just have to…
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https://youtu.be/JasEQFsbEnI
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Rodriguez gives up oppo field walk-off homer on a 100 mph heater that clips bottom inside corner of the zone.
Typically, that’s a heckuva good pitch.
Chirinos wanted pitch on bottom OUTSIDE corner, so perhaps down/inside is Hernandez’ sweet spot. Nice piece of hitting there.
-
Heyward pops IT UP to the third baseman to end the Cubs threat in the 9th.
-
Duffy is 1-25 since coming off the IL.
-
Heuer with a ground ball double play pitch to end the inning. Good job.
-
Only one other hit for Cubs besides Ortega’s four.
-
Ortega seeing the ball pretty well so far - 4 for 4, three home runs, and all five RBIs. 5-5 top 8 nobody out.
-
I think he's went yard 3 times today.
-
Wow, Ortega has turned into the new Tuffy Rhodes!
-
Ortega wants a job.
-
I can't wait to not see Heyward's name in that line up ever again. It's crazy how bad the contract turned out. Top ten worst contracts ever? Top 5?
Heyward has been a league average player for four seasons, 2017-2020, during this contract. Compare that to a guy like Todd Hundley, who signed a big 4-year contract (for the day) and had negative WAR for that contract. Heyward has 9.5 bWAR as a Cub.
Obviously, Heyward was expected to be WAY better than that and has been a disappointment but league average is nowhere close to being among worst free agent deals.
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I can't wait to not see Heyward's name in that line up ever again. It's crazy how bad the contract turned out. Top ten worst contracts ever? Top 5?
-
That looks like a B team spring training lineup.
-
If they sit Adbert, I wonder if they'll fill the spot by piggybacking Thompson and Steele.
-
JD Saturday night indicated that Alzolay may be reaching a seasonal pitch limit.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E7tkQ1VXoAMXTrj?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Tuffy - Codi Heuer #12.
Thanks, Jeff. A bit low for a pitcher but some of the graphics on the day we got him had him keeping the disgusting number 65 that the White Sox had given him. Good to see that the Cubs have more sense.
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6-4-3 double play Cubs Win!
-
I have tickets for tomorrows Nats game. I might not even go. :(
Quilting bee in town you want to go to?
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I have tickets for tomorrows Nats game. I might not even go. :(
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I have no memory of a worse Cubs team.
How about 11 days in June?
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Tuffy - Codi Heuer #12.
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I have no memory of a worse Cubs team.
Yeah, I went to that same treatment center.
They work wonders, albeit pricey.
But, be careful with those copy cat memory centers. Heard that somebody had 2016 wiped off their memory.
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I have no memory of a worse Cubs team.
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The Shwy steals second but comes off the bag and is tagged. Cubs challenge but the call stands.
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I'm OK with Ian Happ being waived. He's Corey Patterson-lite.
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The Shwy (this is his nickname; not negotiable) makes his Cubs debut today. Thanks to Sogard's departure, number 4 has been opened up and he got it. Very happy after what the Mets had given him.
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Ian Happ struck out for the third time. He’s batting .180.
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Wisdom is our best defender at both 3B and 1B.
After years of GG defense at 1B, it's hard to say where he is more valuable...
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Good play by Wisdom. Looks like he can handle first base.
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Romine also drove in his first run since 2018. Happy for him.
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Romine, nobody knows who he is, playing short at 35 years old is two for two with a double and rbi - now Romine starts a 6 -4-3 double play. Well heck, our new shortstop has just showed up.
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I don't really agree with the scoring decisions. Hernandez gets a double when Happ drops his ball. Yes it was a long run but the ball hit the middle of his glove. Wisdom's shot was off the tip of Soto's glove. Yes, he got a poor break on a line shot that kept sailing, but the rule is "ordinary effort." Neither was. Home town scoring, sure, but it hurts my fantasy team.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E7ppYBKWQAEUakc?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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What could it hurt?
We'll be down by 6 when he comes in anyway.
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Remember Jeff Stevens? One of the guys we got from Cleveland for Mark DeRosa.
There are a million guys like him, but, for some reason, he sticks out in my mind as a sort of poster child.
Very good raw stuff. OK control. But dies because of the home run ball (and slugging in general). Will strike out two in an inning, but give up an extra base hit that scores a run.
I put Rucker in that same category.
Might as well run him out there for a while and see how it goes.
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...
If he can throw strikes consistently, he's going to be a big problem for the league.
It's the "if he can throw strikes" factor that's at issue. The stuff seems high-end. Granted, in my experience major-league-debut guys sometimes have adrenaline-to-the-max, so throw a couple mph faster than normal. But I think the reports and camp observation and stuff suggest that 97-100 isn't adrenaline, that's just normal.
The other nice thing, of course, is that when the stuff is plus, he doesn't need to be as precise as Rucker.
I didn't see much of Rucker, what did you think? I just saw a couple of pitches. Kinda looked like *IF* he could get to 2-strike counts, he's got sharp breaking stuff that will be good for chase K's. So I can well understand why he's gotten lots of K's at Iowa.
-But it kinda looked like his fastball was meh, and that getting to 2-strike K-counts won't be easy for him. Can he throw fastballs to set up the K-count? Just watching one or two batters, kinda looked like he needed to kinda muscle-up to throw the fastball kinda fast, which maybe came at the expense of fastball location?
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Sees a low spin guy so his sinker gets a ton of movement and he tunnels pretty well so the slider/cutter plays up.
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Rodriguez was 97-100 with the fastball last night.
Breaking ball at 89-90.
If he can throw strikes consistently, he's going to be a big problem for the league.
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Boog talks too much, but tonight there's a lot of dead air. I keep checking that I didn't accidentally punch "mute."
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I was thinking with all the carnage, Dietrichofferstein from the A's might be on the roster.
You can kind of tell by who was recalled that they're prioritizing development. If they don't deem a guy ready, he stays down.
Romine instead of Rivas. Rucker instead of Leeper. Fargas instead of Deichmann.
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Keep him out there until he quits. Let him go 5-6 innings every start and give up 10 runs.
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I was thinking with all the carnage, Dietrichofferstein from the A's might be on the roster.
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If Jake tanks tonight that’s got to be it for him.
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. Fielding an AAA lineup tonight--craig
This lineup might have a shot at a mediocre college team.
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In retrospect, it's kind of a shame they had that hot May. Might have been nice to get a top-5 draft pick to add to the pool. Bryant sure helped last time.
Don’t worry we will get at least a few cracks at a top 5 pick before this is over.
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That lineup is... something.
Part of the pity is that Theo's D+D guys were so ineffective.
-Yes, we know they didn't have success with their pitching.
-But position-wise, Bote and Hoerner were the only draftees who weren't top-10 picks who have any role. But Baez and Contreras were guys he inherited. Fielding an AAA lineup tonight, but they pretty much had to go outside the organization to find even that.
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In retrospect, it's kind of a shame they had that hot May. Might have been nice to get a top-5 draft pick to add to the pool. Bryant sure helped last time.
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Nationals traded big pieces and still can put up a better lineup than the Cubs.
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Nationals are definitely better. I believe the Cubs are tied for the 11th pick.
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NATIONALS
CF Andrew Stevenson
SS Alcides Escobar
RF Juan Soto
1B Josh Bell
2B Luis García
C Tres Barrera
LF Gerardo Parra
3B Carter Kieboom
RHP Paolo Espino
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Playing for draft position now?
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That lineup is... something.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E7kwl4dXoAMFeff?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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We have to cover the early innings first.
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With Rizzo and Sogard gone, who do we have to pitch in late innings?
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With Trevor Williams traded, Cubs may have to do a bullpen game tonight.
Oh wait, we don’t have a bullpen.
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Okay, I’m kidding.
Maybe Roy Smalley?
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Maybe it’s a joke but the lineup Ross has posted had an infield of:
Tinker-Evers-Chance-Steinfeldt
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Bennett, we need a lineup. If Ross can make one.
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To the rescue!
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Andrew Romine, Frank Schwindel, Johneshwy Fargas not in the Iowa Cubs lineup tonight. - Tommy Birch
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Only six available pitchers.
Hope the shuttle from Des Moines is up and running.
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Only nine active position players.
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Tonight's starting lineup should be fun!
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In Ross' postgame presser, one of the reporters asked, "Is everybody flying to Washington?".
Ross replied, "Everybody is flying to Washington...as far as I know." A pause, followed by "That's a tough question to ask me."
It reminded me of the latter part of Lasorda's response when he was asked for his opinion of Kingman's performance.
Well one criticism Ross had when he first took over won't be valid for much longer. He won't have to worry about managing many more of his buddies from the 2016 Cubs.
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Nats and Cubs series starting Friday night will be like two tornado victims climbing out of the rubble looking for a light above.
The Nats lineup may be more horrible than the Cubs'.
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Nats and Cubs series starting Friday night will be like two tornado victims climbing out of the rubble looking for a light above.
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In Ross' postgame presser, one of the reporters asked, "Is everybody flying to Washington?".
Ross replied, "Everybody is flying to Washington...as far as I know." A pause, followed by "That's a tough question to ask me."
It reminded me of the latter part of Lasorda's response when he was asked for his opinion of Kingman's performance.
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"Kris Bryant could have gotten a standing ovulation"
Well ok then! ;)
Doctor autocorrects are the best autocorrects.
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The Cubs need to cut Heyward, because Ross is clearly unable to keep him on the bench. Kris Bryant could have gotten a standing ovulation in what will likely be his last AB as a Cub in Wrigley because Heyward was sent to the plate and Ross was managing to “win.” This team is so hard to like at times.
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Cubs in bottom half with Happ up and Baez on first, full count, and an easy strike em out throw em out double play. Ridiculous.
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1 - 2 - 3 double play to end the inning. Cool. But Cubs down by 1 bottom 6.
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If Bote is a step or two deeper at 2B, he probably makes both of those plays...
Think Hoerner makes them both...
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Clutch hitter.
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Castillo either stared him down, or had some words, or both...
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Willson just dropped a tank...464 to the batters eye in straightaway CF...112.9 off the bat...
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So you can see the foot and a half outside slider that Baez swung at, and missed, striking out leaving COntreras stranded at second. Votto with a 2 run homer in top first — why pitch to him? 2 - 0 Reds, top second.
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Tuffy, when you get the MLB app and sign up for the audio for 20 bucks a year you also get a free game every day on video. The Cubs Reds is the free game today.
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If you keep him, you need to use him.
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Maples was drafted in 2011 and made his MLB debut in 2017. He's almost 30 years old. At some point, they're going to realize that he doesn't have enough command to be a successful major league pitcher.
Like the Cubs are going to be competing for anything anytime soon so what is the harm in keeping him around. He struggled and got out of it with 1 run.
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Patrick Mooney
Cubs manager David Ross says Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant will be available off the bench today at Wrigley Field. Rizzo gets his first day off since the All-Star break and Bryant is coming off a recent hamstring issue. Ross ends his pregame media session: “Stay off Twitter.”
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I came to post the same thing.
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No Rizzo, no Bryant. Guess today's the day...
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Bleacher Nation
No Kris Bryant.
No Anthony Rizzo.
Day game after a night game and all that, but still. This is the final game before the Trade Deadline, which means
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Multiple hugs in the dugout today?
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The Joey Votto show continues
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E7ebmEPWEAUB3qB?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Jordan Bastian @MLBastian 5m
No lineup yet for Cubs. A few things for them to assess this morning: Hoerner's status after oblique setback, Javy's improvement with heel issue. A potential roster move to help on that front.
Matt Duffy at short?
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Think he’s a keeper.
Of course you do.
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Duffy singles to score Bote and break up the shutout.
Bryant is playing shortstop?
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Maples was drafted in 2011 and made his MLB debut in 2017. He's almost 30 years old. At some point, they're going to realize that he doesn't have enough command to be a successful major league pitcher.
Actually, thought Maples was impressive tonight——was able to pitch out of trouble on an off-night and only one run. His on-mound demeanor is excellent. Oppo BA is .132 this season. A really good hitter, India, had a very uncomfortable AB tonight against him. You could see that regardless of outcome. Like the way he battles. ERA is 2.28. Think he’s a keeper.
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Bad Maples tonight.
Maples was drafted in 2011 and made his MLB debut in 2017. He's almost 30 years old. At some point, they're going to realize that he doesn't have enough command to be a successful major league pitcher.
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Votto is locked in.
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Bad Maples tonight.
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Andre Dawson with a wonderful rendition of the seventh inning stretch Take Me Out To The Ballgame. Andre can sing behind the beat, just like Harry. Looks like Hoerner injured himself on a check swing. Oh brother.
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Whoever is calling balls and strikes tonight sucks.
And it’s not Phil Cuzzi…he’s at 2B…
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10 minutes until game time and Davies hasn't been scratched. Pretty surprising that they'd risk anything with him less than 48 hours before the deadline.
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I would agree with that if Hermosillo hadn’t gotten injured…
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To be honest, Happ could probably use a reset at Iowa.
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I get that he sucks right now, but Happ has to be in there every day, doesn’t he?
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E7aOFdoWQAUXf6y?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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After a Rizzo walk, the rally falls short as Contreras strikes out and Bote grounds out. Reds win.
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Cubs have another teaser rally going in the ninth, and Amir Garrett is coming in to try to save the game for the Reds.
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Nico with a double down the line. Runners on second and third Happ up. Cubs down by 3. Happ strikes out. 5 - 2 Reds going into the 9th.
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Rizzo flies to center to end the threat. Looks like Amir Garrett is going to get the last laugh today unless the Cubs have another late-inning miracle up their sleeve.
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Bottom of the 7th, trailing 5-2 with two outs and the bases loaded. Pretty big at-bat for Rizzo.
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Ortega singles ad Bryant is hit with a pitch to start the bottom of the third. Maybe we can get a rally going.
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Hey, I’m not the one with a Fave Fan Club.
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Hoerner’s application to the Deeg Fave Club:
DENIED.
Obsession is not a pretty sight, Jes.
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He’s had a pretty bad month.
Hoerner’s application to the Deeg Fave Club:
DENIED.
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Alzolay allows two homers in the first inning, but the Cubs get the runs right back with an Ortega double and a Rizzo homer. Would be nice to win today and get back to .500.
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Thanks, Dog. I eventually got to see the clips, but I should really get that radio app because I love Pat Hughes.
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Javy Báez was scratched due to a left heel bruise.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E7VPpoCWEAQMlzO?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Hoerner had a bad day yesterday. I guess that happens.
He’s had a pretty bad month.
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Hoerner had a bad day yesterday. I guess that happens.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E7VEbLCWUAcbb32?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Tuffy, MLB has an article, headline - Javy bests Reds nemesis for walk-off win. Explains it pretty good. Dihard turned me on to the MLB radio feeds for only 20 bucks a year. You have to get the MLB app first. Then you sign up for the audio feed. I wasn’t listening to Pat Hughes last night so I don’t know his take on it. But the radio feed is a great asset.
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Time of game: 4:00
354 pitches.
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https://youtu.be/0j8wKjHj_Vc
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Time of game: 4:00
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What went on between Baez and Garrett?
I'm just following on Yahoo, and it took them a long time to update the final score. The MLB app shows a 5-5 final score. Was the game-winning hit under review or something?
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To Javy’s credit (in a way) he was jawing at Garrett BEFORE the game winner, not just afterward.
He could have struck out and looked bad.
Maybe there’s an unwritten rule about that which will stop retaliation. (I doubt it).
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Boy, that Baez guy really hates that Garrett guy, huh?
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I wonder what would have happened if that ball had left the park…
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Great job by Javy on game-winner.
But, his shenanigans bring high likelihood of pitchers throwing at hitters and/or a brawl before end of this series.
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Even with the importance of strikeouts in extra innings under this season's rules, I'm happy to see Kimbrel in for the heart of their lineup rather than saving him for a tenth inning that might never come.
Of course.
Standard Operating Procedure for home team to use closer top of the 9th in tie game. There can’t be a save situation anymore for home team. Can’t assume extra innings.
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Who singles in the winning run. Cubs win! Baez is an enigma, whatever that means.
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CUBS WIN!
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Nico hit by pitch, bases loaded one out for . . . Pinch hitter Javy Baez.
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Another leadoff walk for Wisdom; let's not strand him this time.
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Wisdom walks on nine pitches. Runner on first nobody out bottom 9.
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He strikes out the side. Can’t ask for anything better than that.
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Even with the importance of strikeouts in extra innings under this season's rules, I'm happy to see Kimbrel in for the heart of their lineup rather than saving him for a tenth inning that might never come.
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Honestly, I'd rather see anyone but Tepera or Kimbrel.
This game doesn't mean anything, the Cubs are done this year. Don't risk the guys with trade value.
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Kimbrel in. I’m not a fan of that move.
They’re not gonna put their closer on ice for a week. That would make everybody else suspicious.
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I think I would rather see Tepera pitch the ninth, and save Kimbrel for the 10th in this tie game.
If someone is going to start an inning with a runner on second, I would rather it be Kimbrel.
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Kimbrel in. I’m not a fan of that move.
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Duffy strikes out looking to end the inning. 5 - 5 top of the ninth.
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WILLSON! Let's win this thing!
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COntreras with a home run to tie the score in bottom 8!
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No, Thompson with 26 pitches gets out of the 8th with no runs scored. Good job. On to the bottom half Cubs down 5 - 4.
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This time it's the other guys who fail to score when they really should have.
Let's see a rally in the bottom half. Only trailing by a single run.
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Bases loaded nobody out in 8th. Thompson on the hill. Cubs down by one and probably more.
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Our old pal Brad Brach is in the game to pitch for Cincinnati, and the Cubs scratch out a run against him and pull within one.
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When do you just release Heyward?
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And really...who didn't see that coming?
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Down by two, bases loaded, one out. Let's get some runs in this time.
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Hendricks has been on a good run, but he has nothing tonight. Cubs are lucky they're not getting blown out (yet).
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First and third with no outs, and the Cubs can't score. Still 3-3, going into the fifth inning.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E7P7W5VWYA8cGqA?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Saying they're not trading and not trading are two different things.
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Cubs are going to need somebody who can pitch and he has control into next year.
Torress was top 30 prospect in low A when the Cubs traded him. I just went through Keith Law’s updated top 50. The Dodgers have 1 guy on the list and the Padres have 3 who they have said they aren’t trading. I doubt the Cubs could get Martin from the Blue Jays and that is the list of top 50 guys on contenders. The overall strength of the system doesn’t interest me, just the guys the Cubs might get. The Dodgers going after Kimbrel could make it interesting.
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Only true if we assume that Hoerner is going to be a .064 iso guy for his career.
Probably very unlikely to be the case.
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Wonder if Williams might have pitched himself into tradability for a C prospect today. Kind of doubt it.
Hoener under .300 for the season, slugging .360. A reminder that he basically has to hit .300 to be an effective offensive player. He may have the talent to consistently do that, but he's limited as a hitter.
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Cubs: RHP Kyle Hendricks (12-4, 3.61) looks to become the first 13-game winner in the majors Monday night in the opener of a four-game home series with Cincinnati. LHP Wade Miley (8-4, 2.72) starts for the Reds.
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https://youtu.be/cJs8Y_zB8OI
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Kimbrel’s ERA is now 0.5. Wow, has he been good. I sure hope he gets us back something special.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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The thought came to me that Kimbrel may have thrown his last pitch and Bryant may have hit his last home run and made his last catch to end a game today.
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I think Morgan is an easy DFA when the next guy comes off the IL
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Apparently Baez
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Who wouldn't?
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So does Rizzo.
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Looks like Bryant WANTS to be traded.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E7JwwgpWEAA9z73?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Third bad outing in a row for Rex Brothers.
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COntreras with a solo shot. Cubs need to keep him. Seems like a leader.
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Bases loaded nobody out in third Baez grounds into a double play, runner at third scores. 1 - 0 Cubs.
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Boog talking about allowing/not allowing the shift in the top of the first, the bottom of the first, and again in the top of the second.
Just cover the damn game, Boog.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E7EllCgWYAcxc11?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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There is some speculation that Wick will be recalled the moment Kimbrel is traded.
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...Rowan Wick will be up as soon as he’s ready, obviously, but guessing a bit premature for that....
Speaking of Wick, he just pitched last night, his 3rd outing, for South Bend. Gave up his first hit, but he's at 7K/0BB/1H in his 3 innings. He's been used on a 3-day schedule thus far. I'd assume they'll be in no rush with him, better to be careful, after 11 months of injury, with rehab that now seems to be succeeding, you'd not want to undo all of that now. Maybe another week with some every-other day outings included?
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Not really clear what pitcher from the 40-man could be recalled immediately.
I don’t think Ryan is eligible for a recall yet (absent a current pitcher going on IL) and Abbott just threw 89 pitches in a start on Wednesday. Tommy Nance pitched Friday night..
Rowan Wick will be up as soon as he’s ready, obviously, but guessing a bit premature for that.
Who else?
Thompson threw 42 pitches Friday, so he’ll be unavailable for rest of the weekend series but should be good to go on Monday. Also, Cubs are back to a 9-man bullpen and 4-man bench roster, with the Alcantara and Sogard moves. So, lots of relievers. (With Sogard gone, unclear who takes over the blowout position player pitcher role).
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If in fact he can't pitch for 5 days, they SHOULD send him down and replace him with someone else in the shuttle, such as Nance. He can put in 5 innings in Iowa in a few days, and then be ready to come up as a starter in 10 days, if that is what they plan for him.
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As noted in Sharma’s recent piece, plan seems to be to stretch out Thompson in multi-inning appearances (such as today) and perhaps back to AAA for a stretch in a SP role. May piggyback Steele, when Steele comes up to start in August, says Sharma.
Guessing that he’s not going to Iowa just yet.
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Rookie Keegan Thompson worked the final three innings for his first career save.
That makes him unavailable for Saturday's game so he'll probably get to celebrate his first save while on the way to AAA
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https://youtu.be/CQ8zIpcFIDw
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Jordan Bastian
Javier Báez's 3-run homer ended the Cubs' franchise-record run (as noted by historian Ed Hartig) of 75 homers in a row that were either solos or 2-run shots.
The previous blast with at least 2 runners aboard was a 3-run homer by Matt Duffy on May 15 in Detroit.
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Baez with a three run homer. If we keep Baez we have to send him to some Zen Guru who can calm and focus his mind. When the pressure’s off he comes through. 3 - 0 Cubs.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E6_rBvaXoAEvf1k?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Friday's lineup vs the Diamondbacks is well overdue. Kris Bryant must not be as automatic as David Ross said it would be last night.
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Cubs with 4 total bases tonight.
Ugh.
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With the Cubs down to their last out in a one-run game, Javy takes a walk.
And Marisnick strikes out to end it.
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Let's say Jes is right and Rizzo takes the QO (which he won't, but just for the sake of argument). So what? We have so little committed next season that even Ricketts will find it hard to complain, and we're not - as you say - going to be a big player for top-end FAs. The club is in a rebuild whether Hoyer has been ordered not to use that word or not - being on the hook to overpay Rizzo for one year isn't a tragedy. And hell, if he miraculously has a rebound year you could trade him next July for something of real value.
Actually, that was Craig, not Jes.
I think I may know who is impersonating Jes around here. Hint: it's a 4-letter name.
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This is a rhetorical argument. Given the premise that a person is willing to offer the QO, the logical conclusion is that the person still thinks Rizzo is pretty valuable.
My predictions are:
1. that Rizzo will NOT get traded (not enough market demand)
2. That the Cubs WILL offer the QO (they will value him enough to be willing to take on the QO salary)
3. That Rizzo will accept the QO (not enough market demand to leave.).
I'm kinda thinking that the Cubs competitive timeline won't make them a great attraction for young top-end FA's this winter. So even if the QO salary is perhaps a bit of an overpay, that may still seem financially acceptable and best-value practical for the Cubs? Will they have better ways to expend their available money?
Let's say Jes is right and Rizzo takes the QO (which he won't, but just for the sake of argument). So what? We have so little committed next season that even Ricketts will find it hard to complain, and we're not - as you say - going to be a big player for top-end FAs. The club is in a rebuild whether Hoyer has been ordered not to use that word or not - being on the hook to overpay Rizzo for one year isn't a tragedy. And hell, if he miraculously has a rebound year you could trade him next July for something of real value.
-
...
Not a great time for fans to evaluate a guy after a very bad game and in the midst of a slump. And not buying into the argument that free agency affecting his concentration on the field or pre-game routine. Lindor having a bad season AFTER he signed a big contract. In both cases, probably a coincidence. Veteran guys of Rizzo’s stature know to leave that stuff to their agents. A million different reasons why guys get cold, get hot, make stupid plays—-including unexplainable random chance. Just the nature of the game.
I agree with that. Completely and absolutely.
As to the topic of Rizzo the player and his future, I do think your referencing Rizzo's offensive situation as "a slump" may be overly dismissive?
-It's almost August, and his season composite is .247 batting average, .424 slugging, 11 HR. We all know players run hotter and colder, but the composite includes all of that. That's a 4-month slump.
-Last season was .222 average with .414 slugging, another 243 PA slump.
We all understand the unpredictabilities of baseball.
-It's not impossible that he'll hit .275 with 30 HR and .500 slugging next year, who knows?
-But there's also the chance that what he's been this year and last is as likely going forward? That he's NOT going to be a 30-HR .500-slugger anymore with a .280 average?
-Maybe the .240-ish average with .420-ish slugging is just what he is now, and is the better predictor for his future?
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Note the one hour earlier getaway day game time. The Cubs come home to Wrigley to host the Diamondbacks while the Cardinals travel all the way to Cincinnati to play the Reds Friday night.
Check your local listings to see if the game is on the MLB Network in your area.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E67U7IFXEAMXmte?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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I'm reluctantly leaning towards the conclusion that Rizzo is no longer the reliably strong offensive player that he once was. I'm getting more and more comfortable with moving ahead without him or Bryant. I don't want to lose Baez though. I can look down the road and see the middle of our defense being Contreras, Baez, Hoerner, and Davis (assuming he'll stay in CF). That seems like potentially an excellent group to start. Of course, that leaves 4 everyday positions uncovered without an obvious internal prospect likely to step in. Then there's the problem of the lack of reliable rotation guys, although there are at least some possibilities in the farm system. It's going to take a combination of really smart moves, willingness to spend, and luck with the youngsters to allow us to become competitive again in less than several years.
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Well, Craig, Deeg said that Rizzo will NEVER take a QO….and we should know that.
But, tend to agree with you that Rizzo might take a QO at near $20. In any case, It’s a good starting point for Cubs/Rizzo——offer $20 for year one and work from that in multi-year terms, at lower levels as he ages.
Not a great time for fans to evaluate a guy after a very bad game and in the midst of a slump. And not buying into the argument that free agency affecting his concentration on the field or pre-game routine. Lindor having a bad season AFTER he signed a big contract. In both cases, probably a coincidence. Veteran guys of Rizzo’s stature know to leave that stuff to their agents. A million different reasons why guys get cold, get hot, make stupid plays—-including unexplainable random chance. Just the nature of the game.
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....If you want to “let him walk and take the pick,” you have to give Rizzo a qualifying offer to get the pick. A QO was $18.9 in 2021 and figures to increase in 2022. Rizzo is at $16.5 now. If Rizzo allegedly is on such a career decline going forward, peculiar logic to offer him a near 20% pay increase....
This is a rhetorical argument. Given the premise that a person is willing to offer the QO, the logical conclusion is that the person still thinks Rizzo is pretty valuable.
My predictions are:
1. that Rizzo will NOT get traded (not enough market demand)
2. That the Cubs WILL offer the QO (they will value him enough to be willing to take on the QO salary)
3. That Rizzo will accept the QO (not enough market demand to leave.).
I'm kinda thinking that the Cubs competitive timeline won't make them a great attraction for young top-end FA's this winter. So even if the QO salary is perhaps a bit of an overpay, that may still seem financially acceptable and best-value practical for the Cubs? Will they have better ways to expend their available money?
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Gosh, my only point was that Rizzo was a player that would MOST be affected by his contract status, not that that was the sole reason for his poor play. Players say all the time that they won't negotiate during the season? Why? Distraction and inability to concentrate on their routine. Players make mistakes and look bad at times because of trade rumors, an error they made the last inning, a batting slump. Does that mean that at the moment they're thinking I need to think contract while they're in between bases? Get real. But if they aren't in their normal "baseball space" they can do dumb things. Even posters do that.
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Bad managing, bad baserunning by their checked out leader (Baez got pulled for a much less egregious baserunning mistake)...and the Cubs lose.
Baez was unaware of how many outs there were and ran into an out.
That is a category that is very different than a very bad blunder trying to advance or not advance, as Rizzo did tonight.
Bad and misguided baserunning decisions happen every day somewhere when 15 big league games are played in a day.
Rizzo’s was a whopper. Blunder of the week, at least. But, Baez being unaware of how many outs should never happen in the big leagues. So, it’s far worse than Rizzo’s blunder.
Maybe you mean that, given the context of the game situation, Rizzo’s play hurt the Cubs more. That’s true but that doesn’t make the play itself more egregious.
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I’m for offering Rizzo market value, taking into account myriad variables, including how the market for him may form or is likely to form. We can break down those variables in detail but you’re only into good or bad and nothing in between.
In the real world, a baseball club cannot do what you just did: offer a player you don’t want a near $20M QO and then assume he won’t take it.
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If 2020 Baez is your gold standard by all means, throw huge money at Rizzo.
Rizzo will never take the QO and you know it, but don't let that stop you from being as obtuse and pedantic as normal.
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What was his excuse last season?
Last season, Rizzo was a 3 bWAR player, if you pro rata for the short season.
Baez was a 2.3 bWAR player, pro rated.
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What was his excuse last season?
I'm not worried about a bonehead play on the bases, as irritating as that is. I'm worried about clear signs of offensive decline from a guy into his 30s who by all accounts isn't exactly a health and workout freak. And his vaunted clubhouse presence doesn't seem to have accounted for much the past few seasons. If you don't have the balls to trade him for a marginal prospect and take the bad press, let him walk and take the pick.
You just said the way to go is to offer Rizzo a significant pay increase for 2022.
If you want to “let him walk and take the pick,” you have to give Rizzo a qualifying offer to get the pick. A QO was $18.9 in 2021 and figures to increase in 2022.
Rizzo is at $16.5 now.
If Rizzo allegedly is on such a career decline going forward, peculiar logic to offer him a near 20% pay increase.
But, if you’re offering, Maybe Rizzo will take the QO. Talk to his agent about that pay increase and talk them into it.
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I think Rizzo more than any other player is distracted by his contract situation.
What was his excuse last season?
I'm not worried about a bonehead play on the bases, as irritating as that is. I'm worried about clear signs of offensive decline from a guy into his 30s who by all accounts isn't exactly a health and workout freak. And his vaunted clubhouse presence doesn't seem to have accounted for much the past few seasons. If you don't have the balls to trade him for a marginal prospect and take the bad press, let him walk and take the pick.
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I think Rizzo more than any other player is distracted by his contract situation.
You think that Rizzo is out there at 3B in extra innings in a Cubs-Cards game and he’s actually thinking about his contract?
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Yeah, very poor baserunning by Rizzo in 10th inning.
But, if a GM makes a decision about Rizzo’s future here based on Rizzo’s baserunning acumen in tonight’s game, that GM would be an idiot. So, guessing decision will be more complicated than that.
When Joe Maddon first got to Cubs and encouraged more aggressive baserunning, Rizzo was too often running into outs with hyper-aggressive baserunning. Not really an instinctive baserunner.
Tonight, no clue what Rizzo was thinking. Kind of Baserunning 101 that you run to home on a DP grounder like this. Seriously, I wonder if being the “inherited runner” in extras bamboozled his brain on this one.
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I think Rizzo more than any other player is distracted by his contract situation.
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Hit probability on Molina’s game winning hit was 33%.
In other words, if Heyward is out there, the ball very likely is caught. Wisdom in RF (??) not even close to getting it.
Happened because Ross hit Chirinos for Heyward in top of the inning. If facing a nasty lefty, could see that. But, TJ McFarland? That move disrupted defensive setup, which is bad but even worse with an inherited runner to deal with. Ross played it like it was bottom of inning and might not have to play defense at all if scored.
Also caused by Ross burning Alcantara to pinch run for Sogard in 9th inning, a marginal running upgrade. That also meant Ross would have had to use a pitcher to hit in the 11th, had game got there. Further, as JD pointed out on the broadcast, once Arenado walked to set up a DP in 10th, you have to switch Hoerner back to 2B and Chirinos to 3B, so can turn a DP, no?
Also, inexplicable to pitch to Arenado in 10th when his run means nothing. Even for Kimbrel, a tough matchup. Arenado walked anyway, as it turned out, but a tough 7 pitches for Kimbrel there in second inning of work. Makes me wonder if Ross didn’t walk Arenado because not keen about setting up a DP grounder with Chirinos playing 2B. Hope that wasn’t why.
In any case, not a clinic in good managing late in a game.
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I don't know what Rizzo is looking for an extenstion but based on 2020-21, you'd be nuts to offer it.
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Bad managing, bad baserunning by their checked out leader (Baez got pulled for a much less egregious baserunning mistake)...and the Cubs lose.
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What percentage of the time do teams intentionally walk the leadoff man with this ridiculous extra inning rule? Unless it creates a matchup you want to avoid, why wouldn't you do it every time and set up the double-play/force at 3rd? If you're the away team and tied at least.
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Chirinos is in at second base for what I think is the first time in his Cubs career.
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The Cardinals should trade for Kimbrel.
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Awful baserunning by Rizzo, not sure why Contreras got heat for calling out his (non-Baez) teammates lack of attention to the game.
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Robinson Chirinos pinch hitting for Jason Heyward with two outs in the tenth. Wow.
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Kimbrel gets Goldschmidt to ground to short and the Cubs are out of the inning. Top closer facing a great hitter with the game tied and the go-ahead run in scoring position with two outs in the bottom of the ninth... can't say this game isn't exciting!
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Kimbrel is being summoned to try to get the third out as the Cards have runners on first and second.
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Marisnick is hitless in his last 16 ABs.
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Rizzo hits a bullet to Edman at second who is shifted just right but can't handle it cleanly... but he recovers to throw to first for the out to end the inning.
Gotta hold them here and try to win in extras.
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Gant hits Marisnick, and then hits Contreras to load the bases. Both of them are righties, and now we've got lefty Rizzo coming up, and Gant's first pitch comes to a spot that would have hit a third righty.
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Cubs tie it on a Sogard double with two outs in the top of the ninth. Alcantara pinch runs. Let's see if Marisnick can get the go-ahead run in.
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I haven't been watching much this season, so I don't know if he's been this bad all year.
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Tonight?
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David Ross with some really bad managing tonight. After the Cardinals barely miss two homers in the 6th, he lets Hendricks hit for himself with a runner on second and 2 outs in the top of the 7th. Then Hendricks predictably blows the 1-0 lead by giving up 2 doubles to the first three batters of the 7th.
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We found them on the street outside. We returned them to their parents, even though we had a better offer with Jeffrey Epstein.
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I never left early, only to have the game change around, but there is one time that I regret leaving too soon.
When I was in purchasing, I would get offered a lot of free tickets by the vendors. I usually turned them down, but I did get four tickets to Wrigley Field and took my wife and two small children. As I usually did at these games, when there were two outs in the ninth, we would walk to the nearest exit and watch the last out. When it was made, we would immediately go down the stairs, down Addison to the Church parking lot where I always bought a parking spot. This would allow us to get to out of the lot and down Addison to the Outer Drive before the traffic became unbearable.
On this particular day, we took off as the last out was made and headed down Addison, but as we were still in front of Wrigley, there was suddenly a roar coming from inside. I wondered what it was, but continued to the lot and took off.
This was the day that the Cubs clinched the division, and all the players, including Mark Grace who was wrapped in a towel, came out and made a parade around the field, acknowledging the fans, who (other than me and my family) had refused to leave. I didn't find out about it until I got home and watched the News.
What did the parents of the two small children say? Had they called the police? Did you and your wife have to do time for kidnapping?
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I think that at the very least the Cubs want to find out if they want to keep Ortega. I wouldn't be surprised if, after the trade deadline, they also bring up Hermosillo, and have him take a lot of Heyward's ABs. Perhaps that is wishful thinking.
I think the same thing will happen with the bull pen. If they can get decent returns for any of the relievers, they have some at Iowa and perhaps even Tennessee that will get a long look.
And if they can't get something good for Kimbrel, there should be an investigation. Time to see Leeper in the second half.
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Sure. And I think Ross’ opinion of Ortega might have had some impact on moving out Pederson, as Ortega is out of options and Cubs facing a roster crunch with guys soon coming off IL. Ortega probably doesn’t get thru outright waivers.
I believe that Ortega had five years of control and seems like a useful 4th or 5th OFer going forward. So, he has value.
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Does it tell us that the Cubs think they might have something in Ortega?
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When Ortega and Happ are both in lineup, Ross lately has been playing Happ in LF and Ortega in CF.
That probably tells us that Happ’s future (if he has one) as a Cub will be in LF.
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As expected, KB not in the lineup
ESPN televises again
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E62SVI7XMAMM3hC?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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I’m no baseball fan at all, I can’t even stay awake and hear the fat lady sing. I have nothing else to do but listen to Cub games and I gave up on the game before it was over. I’m just a miserable excuse for a human being and this morning I discovered I have bad breath too. I had my baseball glove on and was talking to myself with the glove close to my nose when the bad breath wafted up at me.
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I never left early, only to have the game change around, but there is one time that I regret leaving too soon.
When I was in purchasing, I would get offered a lot of free tickets by the vendors. I usually turned them down, but I did get four tickets to Wrigley Field and took my wife and two small children. As I usually did at these games, when there were two outs in the ninth, we would walk to the nearest exit and watch the last out. When it was made, we would immediately go down the stairs, down Addison to the Church parking lot where I always bought a parking spot. This would allow us to get to out of the lot and down Addison to the Outer Drive before the traffic became unbearable.
On this particular day, we took off as the last out was made and headed down Addison, but as we were still in front of Wrigley, there was suddenly a roar coming from inside. I wondered what it was, but continued to the lot and took off.
This was the day that the Cubs clinched the division, and all the players, including Mark Grace who was wrapped in a towel, came out and made a parade around the field, acknowledging the fans, who (other than me and my family) had refused to leave. I didn't find out about it until I got home and watched the News.
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Makes it hurt just much more. heh heh heh. A Cardinal fan I know said half the stadium left after 8. Bet they got a shock when they turned on their radios.
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Just saw StL’s win probability was 99.6% when Heyward filed out to end the top of the 8th…
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I’ll take partial credit for this W…I went to bed after the top of the 8th…
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https://youtu.be/vDsyBWxyGtw
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Cubs had 7 total bases tonight.
Extremely unusual to score 7 runs on 7 total bases.
Cards had 21 total bases.
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Wooooooow. What a comeback. Kimbrel must have enjoyed getting those last three outs after what the Cards did to him when he first came to Chicago.
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Maybe the big hit will help Happ get going.
Kimbrel lights out again——just carved up Goldschmidt for final out.
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Cubs win. The last time they won like this was 1979
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Three outs to go. If they can win this, it would be the first time they won a game when they entered the ninth losing by 5 runs or more in about 40 years, if I heard Boog correctly.
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If anyone is interested - the Cubs entered the ninth inning losing 6 - 1. They have scored 6 runs to lead 7 - 6.
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Boog says Bryant was pulled from the game because of "Hamstring fatigue".
Your guess is as good as mine.
BlueJay. Is that a medical term?
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Carter Kieboom was pulled from his AAA game at the same time, but the speculation seems to be that Bryant hurt his hand on the diving catch.
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Happ in for Bryant in the 5th…
I’m on Cardinals feed, so no idea why…
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Baez swings . . . and he misses (?) strike three.
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Facing a no-name pitcher, the Cubs go down on 8 pitches in the top of the first.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E6xHsBzX0AYUmZD?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Same here, and hey Jimmer!
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More Jimmer! More Jimmer!
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Ian Happ has such a strange career progression, but given where we are this year, I hope Ian and Nico get at bats every game the rest of the year.
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Ross pinch hits Ian Happ with bases loaded and nobody out down by five. Well of course, Happ hits into an easy double play. Why not Nico there?
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I would guess that my favorite player on Cubs just had his WAR reduced with two errors in one inning.
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I don’t know what WAR means. I know that a batting average around .240 is not good, it stinks. What’s Altuve’s BA? Oh, .274.
BA is not the best metric to use to measure a player's value. One, certainly - but far from the best.
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Quick quiz - without looking it up, guess who leads the 2021 Cubs in WAR.
It depends on the WAR methodology.
But, since you would not have asked the question if anybody other than your fave Cub was the answer, go with that methodology.
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I don’t know what WAR means. I know that a batting average around .240 is not good, it stinks. What’s Altuve’s BA? Oh, .274.
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If there was such a thing as designated fielder Baez might have some value.
Quick quiz - without looking it up, guess who leads the 2021 Cubs in WAR.
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If there was such a thing as designated fielder Baez might have some value.
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Contreras leads off the game with a double to left, Rizzo moves him to third with a grounder to the right side, Baez Ks, and Bryant goes to 3-2 and Ks on a low and outside pitch.
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Baez does something unusual with a runner on third with one out — he strikes out. Leads the league in strikeouts.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E6r3gTaXsAMbOST?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Is there something wrong with Hoerner, the leg again?
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Why the hell did Calhoun not run to first on that bizarro double-play?
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Stats By STATS
@StatsBySTATS
·
20m
The Cubs used 5 pitchers today, and all 5 walked the first batter they faced.
They're the first team to use 5 or more pitchers with every one walking their first batter since the Rangers did it at Toronto on June 14, 1980.
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11 walks and 1 HBP in 8 innings pitched by the Cubs staff.
If the other team outplays you, you tip your cap and look forward to doing better the next time. I'll never get used to giving games away.
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Should've let Chirinos stay in there.
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COntrares tying run at the plate. Ball - 2-2 count, now 3-2 count. Strike 3 ball game over.
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Ortega does it again, doubling Baez home and bringing the Cubs to within two.
Robinson Chirinos up now, and we remember what he did last time he batted in the ninth inning.
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Ortega up again with the Cubs down to their last out; let's see if he can come through again.
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Cubs go one two three in top 8. DBacks are a force, so every run is big.
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Now Diamondbacks score two runs in bottom 7th without a hit. That’s sorta hard to do. 4 - 2 DBacks top 8.
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2 - 2 going into bottom 7. On Cubs radio you can hear the organ in Arizona.
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Pat Hughes is really funny. He’s just great.
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MLB Network televises in some areas. Check your local listings.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E6mJ8zUWQAAPtxl?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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I had to leave with two out in the ninth sure it was over Wow!
https://youtu.be/osnNG45rFFo
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Well, the Cubs have proven that they can win without Pederson. As long as they play Arizona.
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I had to leave with two out in the ninth sure it was over Wow!
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Back to .500
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Kimbrel in to save, almost there, 3 - 2 , strike three - CUBS WIN!!
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If anyone cares, Cubs scored 3 runs in the ninth to go ahead 4 - 2
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Gallen wears glasses when he pitches but doesn’t when he’s hitting. So he doesn’t need ‘em except maybe in a race horse kinda way. My guess is the glasses throw the hitter off just a bit, can’t help but look at ‘em when you’re at bat.
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Well, page 162 anyway.
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Thanks for that, Bennett. BTW, your last post on this thread was #162.
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Note the earlier than originally scheduled game time
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E6g9S2TWUAQr4cF?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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https://youtu.be/gDraF7H_Im8
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Hendricks only one run allowed and guts out 6 innings and 101 pitches on less than his best stuff tonight.
Deserves credit. A pro.
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Hendricks struggling to throw strikes to the worst team in baseball.
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Rizzo's 4th inning homer was his 239th as a Cub, and ties him with Aramis Ramirez for 6th on the Cubs all time list.
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Rizzo hits into an inning ending double play. Nobody wants him.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E6c10KFWEAISbkg?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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I just want our league to win another All-Star Game again some day.
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For the love of all that is holy, please make the All-Star Game uniforms go away.
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Does All Star Game winner still get home field advantage in World Series?
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I can’t remember the last time a hit and run was called.
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Bunting those lobs look too easy. They should have real pitchers throwing real pitches. Use minor leaguers or college invitees at least.
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This just popped up on my Twitter timeline...Bunt derby:
https://twitter.com/roywoodjr/status/1414738310119972867
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The only thing better than a sacrifice fly derby would be a HBP derby facing baseball’s hardest throwers.
Winner gets a big prize.
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The Home Run Derby is the bane of baseball. There should be a hit and run derby, a sacrifice bunt derby, a stolen base derby, a sacrifice fly derby.
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Today’s game between the #Cubs and Cardinals at Wrigley Field has been postponed due to inclement weather.
The makeup game is scheduled for Friday, September 24 as the second game of a split doubleheader. Time is TBD.
(https://cdn.lmgcorporate.com/kmov/radar/animated-loops/comp/960x540/chicago80.gif)
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60% chance of a few showers
Wind in from center at 18 mph
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E6BreCwWQAIpcKw?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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Rizzo, batting .247 grounds out to end the 8.
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Seventh inning stretch coming up, but first Cubs have to hold if possible the Cardinals to six runs. Baez clowning around with Molina who happened upon second base.
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Wisdom dribbles one to the pitcher to end the 6. 6 - 0 Cardinals.
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Cubs continue their stellar play giving up another 2 run homer and now It’s 6 - 0 Cardinals.
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Umpire misses strike three to Edman so Morgan throws a similar pitch slightly higher, and Edman puts it in the bleachers to give the Cardinals a 4-0 lead.
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Ian Happ strikes out to end the inning leaving a runner on second.
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88 pitches thru 4 for Davies, still 1- 0 Cardinals.
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The Matt Carpenter interview was quite interesting. He sounds like a good guy.
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Ian Happ follows suit and grounds into another inning ending double play. 1 - 0 Cardinals, it doesn’t matter what inning it is,
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Baez up runners on first and second one out and no he doesn’t strike out he hits into a double play to end the inning instead. 1 - 0 Cardinals
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(https://cdn.lmgcorporate.com/kmov/radar/animated-loops/comp/960x540/chicago80.gif)
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Fox announcers for today’s game are Adam Amin and Eric Karros
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E59gwAgXsAAIb98?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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https://youtu.be/Gdqwfw83DlU
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(https://bbf.createaforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmlb.mlb.com%2Fassets%2Fimages%2F7%2F1%2F4%2F201585714%2F091516_cubs_flag_med_3_fqqoz3ho.gif&hash=3970d20c3e09faace984547b8d469b852a03436c)
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It's probably time to stop going back to Kyle Ryan when there's an opening on the team. He's been bad.
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Dan McLaughlin, just now…
“And here’s Matt Carpenter coming to the plate…he hit a grand slam here last year…with the sacks full…”
You don’t say?!
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Umpires for #STLCards (43-45) at #Cubs (43-45):
Tim Timmons, Alfonso Marquez, Lance Barrett, Adam Beck
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E53Z1i_XsAcBYBB?format=jpg&name=900x900)
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White flag lineup....
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Abbott with 56 pitches.
That should be enough to get him back to Iowa.
Welcome Kyle Ryan for the weekend.
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Maybe we need a new scouting report for Brad Miller?
Or maybe pitchers that can locate better?
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From Yahoo's game summary:
Running -
SB - J Realmuto (5, 4th base off A Alzolay/R Chirinos), D Gregorius (2, 2nd base off A Alzolay/R Chirinos)
So the kids are calling home plate "4th base" now?
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Ian clutch Happ grounds into a double play and Pederson pops out.
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Adbert’s hair is disconcerting, like he forgot to cut the back part of it off.
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Rizzo strikes out on three pitches, what’s his BA? Used to be that anything below .250 was embarrassing, now it’s a okay since most of your teammates are batting below .200. The Mendoza line has lost its meaning/
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Looking ahead to Saturday
MLB ON FOX: JULY 10, 2021 6:15 CDT
(https://506sports.com/mlb/2021/july10.png)
NY Yankees @ Houston
St. Louis @ Chi Cubs
Cincinnati @ Milwaukee
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You can’t put out your Big Red Machine-like lineup out there every game.
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For whatever reason Alzolay seems to get weak lineup support.
I think it's the team he plays for, if I were to guess.
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For whatever reason Alzolay seems to get weak lineup support.
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That is an ugly, ugly lineup.
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Hey, you can’t hit Tony Wolters at #5!
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No Bryant, Baez, or Contreras
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E5zVK9vX0AI1TB_?format=jpg&name=900x900)