Cubs making hard push for Kimbrel

[beckdawg]

Ryan is fine in low low low pressure.

Like Russell, Almora, Lester type of low pressure.

I would think be caught dead with him up against Bryant, Rizzo, Baez. Runs will happen

He is nice to have in those situations where a mistake is a guy on 1B. Not in the bleachers

I mean that's not how I'd phrase this. Do I want Ryan in a pressure spot in the 2019 playoffs? Probably not. But that's kind of missing the point. Go look at where Morrow was before he broke out in 2017 statistically. He was 9-10 k/9 with 2-3 bb/9 the two or so years prior. There's a slew of guys who develop in a similar fashion in their 27-28 year range. Strop at 27 had a 7.87/5.02 k/bb per 9.

My point is more you let him develop into whatever role he gets to over the next few years. if you want to have home grown pitching you have to allow it time to develop.

 

[DanTown]

Maybe Ryan continues to develop into a quality, lefty reliever. For the grind of a 162 games, he's perfectly fine to have pitch most 6/7 innings or super low leverage late like Joe has used him.

I mean, if we assume the Cubs make the playoffs, the bullpen will likely have this feel to it

Closer - Kimbrel
Late Set-Up - Morrow, Strop, Cishek
Situational - Ryan, Kintzler
Long - Chatwood
? - Darvish

Would I prefer to find a better situational lefty than Ryan? Yes. But it doesn't mean the team should give up on Ryan, he's been perfectly fine for a guy refining his delivery as the Cubs have worked with him to do. Can't just rush that out of the organization.

Also, the Cubs typically like to have a speed guy off the bench so they probably will go with a shorter than usual bullpen of 8 guys because I imagine unless of injury or surprise Zobrist return, the current active 12 hitters will be that way in October. Add a speed guy, takes an arm (Brach) out of the pen and then swap Edwards with Morrow.

 

[CSF77]

I mean that's not how I'd phrase this. Do I want Ryan in a pressure spot in the 2019 playoffs? Probably not. But that's kind of missing the point. Go look at where Morrow was before he broke out in 2017 statistically. He was 9-10 k/9 with 2-3 bb/9 the two or so years prior. There's a slew of guys who develop in a similar fashion in their 27-28 year range. Strop at 27 had a 7.87/5.02 k/bb per 9.

My point is more you let him develop into whatever role he gets to over the next few years. if you want to have home grown pitching you have to allow it time to develop.

Baby steps.

He knocks out low pressure then you make the next

Some things can't be quantified by stats.

A ground ball to 2B with a runner at 1B > a strike out in that situation. So in that situation Chatwood has been pretty good at Geting a ground ball. It makes little sense to put Edwards in who with chuck 90% 4 seem fast balls.

There is a whole level going on in game which has much more to do with in game decision making. So if you have the bases jacked and no outs you need a strike out or a infield fly. So getting a guy that fits that bill (Edwards) kinda makes sense warming up.

Regardless that was Joe saying that Ryan is better utilized vs the bottom of the order.

 

[anotheridiot]

Where is Montgomery in this mix. If there is one lefty in the pen for the playoffs, it has to be Montgomery over Ryan.

Morrow broke out as the 8th inning guy for Jansen. If he can pitch, he might end up being that save guy in the 7th against the heart of the order.

 

[CSF77]

But you can utilize other data to create ideal match ups.

But that is part of being a manager. Using the data given and making in game decisions based off of it.

 

[CSF77]

Where is Montgomery in this mix. If there is one lefty in the pen for the playoffs, it has to be Montgomery over Ryan.

Morrow broke out as the 8th inning guy for Jansen. If he can pitch, he might end up being that save guy in the 7th against the heart of the order.

Right now I'm not sure. He has been under utilized

 

[Diehardfan]

because like ratings are this generation or selfies and telling the world what they are doing on an hourly basis. like ratings lmao, what is that like a facebook badge? Maybe you should show up more often and teach us more, seems you are about as loyal as a friend that needs to borrow money and disappears til he has the money to pay back. I guess it comes from someone who believes insulting someone by calling them Special person makes them sound smarter?

This club, Renteria could have had them playing .600 ball.

What in the hell is this gibberish? But hey, no response required......your posts speak for themselves. Keep working on that GED and at some point your use of English just might become intelligible.

 

[anotheridiot]

What in the hell is this gibberish? But hey, no response required......your posts speak for themselves. Keep working on that GED and at some point your use of English just might become intelligible.

Just stop insulting Special person people is all I ask. It is extremely disrespectful to them to compare them to me.
I am sure you will crawl back under your rock eventually.

 

[Diehardfan]

Just stop insulting Special person people is all I ask. It is extremely disrespectful to them to compare them to me.
I am sure you will crawl back under your rock eventually.

I realize English can be a challenge.....it's too bad the word Special person only has one meaning for you. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I see you used Google to come up with the "under your rock" cliche. You should try it for words you don't fully understand as well.

 

[TL1961]

This shit is getting stupid....

Joe was talking about Ryan and how to approach him.

He put him in against the 8-9-1 hitters.

That is what he means by lower pressure situations.

If Morrow returns I'm pretty sure that he would utilize him against the meat of the order.

So Joe has a different way of approaching his bull pen.

It is not inning 7 = Cishek.

It is inning 7 vs powderpuff = Ryan
Inning 7 vs 3-4-5 Cishek.


Morrow most likely becomes that meat of the order arm. 6th 7th 8th don't matter. Just when you are up against their best you want yours. It is simple as that.

I wouldn't try to point fingers. That is just being a ass hole.

So, he uses his better pitchers in high leverage situations and lesser pitchers at other times?

Is that what you’re calling stupid or did I misread or miss something?

That makes sense and is the trend that started a few years back.

Why would you use your best against their worst when you can’t use the same guys every day?

 

[CSF77]

So, he uses his better pitchers in high leverage situations and lesser pitchers at other times?

Is that what you’re calling stupid or did I misread or miss something?

That makes sense and is the trend that started a few years back.

Why would you use your best against their worst when you can’t use the same guys every day?

No the banter back and forth is dumb.

As far as how to set up a inning
I would approach it as my ground ball pitchers are Chatwood and Kintzler. That is what they do best.
strike out pitchers are Edwards and Ryan.

Strop is the 9th inning guy and Cishek is the 8th.

Montgomery is if the starter fails to get to the 6th inning

Brach is mop up and most likey will surcome to a mystery injury when Kimbrel joins.


But looking at it from when Kimbrel gets here.

9th Kimbrel
8th Strop
7th inning normally would be Cishek #2 guy Kintzler if it is a low pressure inning Ryan
6th Situational. Starter could start this inning. If you need a X2 Chatwood makes sense here. If you need a strike out Edwards.

Earlier than this you are looking at Montgomery to bridge.

 

[anotheridiot]

Saw that Kimbrel will be throwing "live" batting practice sometime next week. I guess seeing Keuchel throw 77 pitches might have pushed the timeline.

I would think a simulated game might be better than batting practice, our relievers are already throwing BP in games.

 

[CSF77]

Saw that Kimbrel will be throwing "live" batting practice sometime next week. I guess seeing Keuchel throw 77 pitches might have pushed the timeline.

I would think a simulated game might be better than batting practice, our relievers are already throwing BP in games.

I'm expecting 2-3 games at Iowa just to get him out in live action. Hard guess June 18 vs the Sox as a nearest date. I don't see them pushing him up for the LAD.

 

[anotheridiot]

Just pretty clear that neither Kimbrel or Keuchel were on their porch drinking beer. They have been working and staying sharp.

 

[CSF77]

So word is Theo is looking for a pen lefty. I've been saying that for a while but anyways.

A few things that he said:

It is early in the trade season. IE we are going in not to over pay.

'I think we know this is the year there will be a lot of adjustments on the way, one way or another, and we’ll stay proactive and very competitive out there'

I take this as Morrow, Strop, Cishek and Kintzler will all be gone next year. So it makes more sense to go after a controlled arm vs a rental.


I don't know if they have the trade capital honestly to make a larger deal. But I could see them getting creative.

With this year's deadline being fixed with no window after this should be a unique deadline where teams are working under a new rule system. So I get where Theo acted early to put himself at a position of less need driven.

 

[CSF77]

Cubs free-agent acquisition Craig Kimbrel is scheduled to join the Triple-A Iowa Cubs, tweets Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. Since signing with his new club, Kimbrel had been working at the Cubs’ complex in Arizona, but will now travel to Sacramento for his first game action, which is slated for Tuesday, adds Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.

The 31-year-old Kimbrel, fresh off signing a 3-year, $43MM contract, has yet to appear in a professional game this season, but that will change this week, with the electric closer set to get some minor-league seasoning before he appears out of a Major League bullpen. While it doesn’t appear that Kimbrel will be in Chicago by the June 20 mark that was tentatively suggested by ESPN’s Jeff Passan, one would imagine that Kimbrel should be ready for big league competition before too long.

And the reinforcements couldn’t come too early for the Cubs, a team that has fielded a bullpen that as a whole has graded out as roughly average thus far. While the Cubs’ most pressing need might be left-handed relievers, Kimbrel will no doubt strengthen a unit that features just two players sporting a FIP below 4.00. As a team, the Cubs have blown 12 saves in 2019, and while saves are of course a flawed metric, the number is nonetheless indicative of the current unit’s lack of reliability.

On the flip side, for his career, Kimbrel’s FIP sits at an outlandish 1.96, placing him in the company of some of the game’s all-time great relief pitchers. And while last season gave way to some red flags—especially in the postseason—any bullpen would benefit from adding an arm like Kimbrel’s. Currently sitting in first place in the NL Central, the 39-31 Cubs will welcome the stability, debth, and experience that Kimbrel should provide.

As of now, reports that Kimbrel’s stuff has looked as good as ever in workouts are the only basis upon which to evaluate Kimbrel’s readiness, but the coming days will give scouts and fans alike their first look at Kimbrel’s dynamic stuff since last October. Needless to say, the intensity of game action—even in the minor leagues—is a far cry from the private showcases that Kimbrel conducted during his free agency, and a nearly eight-month hiatus from affiliated games will surely require some time to readjust to the grind of a Major-League season. With that in mind, though, the Cubs can look forward to the impending addition of an elite bullpen arm as the race for playoff position intensifies.

 

[CSF77]

11:15pm: The Cubs have called Kimbrel up to the MLB roster for tomorrow’s game and optioned Tony Barnette to Triple-A Iowa, Maddon announced post-game (Twitter linkvia Gonzales).