IST: Brewers vs Cubs

[Parade_Rain]

I love what Zobrist said to the PU Cuzzi.

 

[Mr. Cub]

And now we suck again.

The starters have me more worried than the bats. The offense usually does its thing, the pitching has been whack as **** for a dmn minute.

 

[chibears55]

It's easy to manage the Cubs from the cheap seats. GMAFB about your criticisms of Maddon and who he plays. Their MVP third baseman is on the DL. Their big FA signee SP is on the DL. The other acquisition for SP has been a failure by any standard. The guy from the Southside they traded for last year has been abysmal on the mound in 2018. Yet here the Cubs are in first place. Will they remain there? Maybe. Maybe not. Thankfully, you aren't the Cubs manager.

Lol
I mentioned one thing about not playing the hot players and you get all defensive about Maddon..
Ok , you love Maddon
But that not backseat managing, that common sense ..
You always play the hot bats til their not, over making sure you get those role players/bench guys in there to keep them happy..
especially now in meaningful games in mid August against the team your battling the division for..

Their in 1st place because they do have talent on this team but since July 1st they haven't been playing like a 1st place team, theyve been mediocre at 500 level and has been lucky that the Brewers have been playing the same way so they've been able to hold onto 1st place..
Thing is other teams have caught up to them like the Cardinals for the division and others chasing the WC..

Would Darvish had helped ? Maybe
But he wasn't pitching that great before he went down and Monty has been pitching good in his place,so it hard to say if it makes a big enough difference ..

Bryant...MVP 3rd basemen? That was 2 seasons ago, last i checked..
He wasn't playing MVP caliber ball before he got hurt with a .275 Avg 11 HRs 44 RBIs .474 SLG..
In fact his last 22 games, almost 100 ABs
19 - 98 3 HRs 15 RBI
Not exactly MVP or even valuable worthy..
Not saying they dont need him back, although Bote been more then making up for his loss when he does get to play, but it not like he was hitting a ton and helping the team win a bunch of games before he got hurt...
And Again, im not saying i dont want or they dont need him back playing the way he capable of..
They definitely need that and i hope he back sooner rather then later

So, if anyone disagrees about Maddon lineup decision today or in the past when he kept sitting the hot hitters to play other guys who weren't hitting as well..
Need to take off the cubby blue Maddon does no wrong glasses or youre just disagreeing on here because going against me is the thing to do here...

Go Cubs
Let hope they have a little fire in their belly tomorrow after taking a thumping today

Will Maddon play his 8 best or will we see Caratini hitting cleanup and LaStella leading off and playing 2B tomorrow






Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[TL1961]

Baseball is such a game of matchups with specific pitchers that many managers would laugh in your face at the notion of “playing the hot players”.

Contreras had literally one of the great weeks ever for total bases and extra base hits, yet sits here in mid August with 9 HRs. And he has played more games than any catcher in MLB.

Fans complain when Maddon sits “the hot guy”, but how many track what happens when he doesn’t? Do you track what a guy does the day after a 3-4 game that included a HR? It isn’t automatically a repeat.

 

[TL1961]

As far as I am concerned, they can pull Q from the rotation and start Chatwood. Q sucks right now, plain and simple.

And while Rizzo hits at leadoff, the offense as a whole doesn’t click. Move him where he belongs.

 

[chibears55]

Baseball is such a game of matchups with specific pitchers that many managers would laugh in your face at the notion of “playing the hot players”.

Contreras had literally one of the great weeks ever for total bases and extra base hits, yet sits here in mid August with 9 HRs. And he has played more games than any catcher in MLB.

Fans complain when Maddon sits “the hot guy”, but how many track what happens when he doesn’t? Do you track what a guy does the day after a 3-4 game that included a HR? It isn’t automatically a repeat.

Obviously im not talking about regulars, because throughout the season their going to have ups and downs... just hope the downs are minimal

Talking about the guys that are role, platoon players like Almora Happ Zobrist and now Bote

When those guys are rolling and put together a couple good starts, you stick with them til they cool off then you roll them back out there with the matchups and hopefully get them going again..
Otherwise youre probably wasting an opportunity of having a hot bat in the lineup just to get a bench player like LaStella a few ABs, only because it a RHer on the mound and you wanna get a LH bat in there..

That my point

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[chibears55]

As far as I am concerned, they can pull Q from the rotation and start Chatwood. Q sucks right now, plain and simple.

And while Rizzo hits at leadoff, the offense as a whole doesn’t click. Move him where he belongs.

Obviously you hope Q turns it around
But
Im looking at if they make the playoffs and Darvish returns healthy and clicking

If they can go into the playoffs with Lester Hamels and Darvish pitching like the TOR type pitchers they are..
Those 3 can compete with any other playoff team top 3 starters..

So, that the main key for me is having those 3 on top of their game come September and hopefully into October

Plus the offense to start clicking and hitting the way their capable of..

So, you see im not all gloom..lol
I still have hope, it just i keep waiting for them to turn that corner and get away from the IF they do this and that and start playing the way their capable of...



Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

 

[Diehardfan]

Baseball is such a game of matchups with specific pitchers that many managers would laugh in your face at the notion of “playing the hot players”.

Contreras had literally one of the great weeks ever for total bases and extra base hits, yet sits here in mid August with 9 HRs. And he has played more games than any catcher in MLB.

Fans complain when Maddon sits “the hot guy”, but how many track what happens when he doesn’t? Do you track what a guy does the day after a 3-4 game that included a HR? It isn’t automatically a repeat.

Definitely. He has a zillion numbers at his disposal to mix and match. He's not there to appease the masses(meatheads), he's there to win games and until he stops doing that I have no reason to doubt him. It always reminds me of that idiot, Mike Murphy....every game he'd ***** about a managerial move of some sort, win or lose. His big line was always "Hey, I'm just a fan". No shit asshole and you showed it every day on your show.

 

[Globetrotter]

As far as I am concerned, they can pull Q from the rotation and start Chatwood. Q sucks right now, plain and simple.

And while Rizzo hits at leadoff, the offense as a whole doesn’t click. Move him where he belongs.

He gave up 1 run in 6 innings just 2 starts ago. 2 runs in 7 innings a few before that. Let’s start Chatwood, though.

 

[CSF77]

As far as I am concerned, they can pull Q from the rotation and start Chatwood. Q sucks right now, plain and simple.

.

Makes most sense.

And while Rizzo hits at leadoff, the offense as a whole doesn’t click. Move him where he belongs.

Doesn't.



Q has struggled after Sale left. But let's look at the recent info:

PASG:

Hamels: 2-0 1.00 ERA
Montgomery: 1-1 2.70 ERA
Hendricks: 2-1 4.45 ERA

Then the rest:
Chatwood: 1-0 5.17 ERA
Quintana: 2-3 6.26 ERA
Lester: 0-3 10.32 ERA

Now I don't know about you guys but when you bench your 2nd most productive starter for any of the bottom 3 it brings the decision process in question. There is enough data to question the move.


Lester they are addressing and honestly he is healthy. It feels like a pitch sequence or location issue vs bone spurs. He is another concern but has a strong track record going into this moment.

Q was 4-8 4.49 with the Sox in 2017. That was the first time that he was an ace after Sale left. He never broke 4.00 ERA up til then. But right when he was put into the spot light slump. And then put into a play off contender and slumps again. Too much coincidence for my tastes.

I could see him at petco chilling small market soaking innings with a sub 4 ERA again playing meaningless games honestly. I don't think that he has the big game mentality.

 

[fatbeard]

So, you see im not all gloom..lol
I still have hope, it just i keep waiting for them to turn that corner and get away from the IF they do this and that and start playing the way their capable of...

Aug 14th 2017:

Cubs have .522 winning percentage, 1.5 game lead in the Central, and have three teams within five games of them.

Aug 14th 2018:

Cubs have .576 winning percentage, 2.0 game lead in the Central, and have two teams within five games of them. They're doing this without their best player and what should be their #1 starter.

I just wish you would get some perspective on the peaks and valleys of a long baseball season, and its absolutely maddening that you seem incapable of it.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

Aug 14th 2017:

Cubs have .522 winning percentage, 1.5 game lead in the Central, and have three teams within five games of them.

Aug 14th 2018:

Cubs have .576 winning percentage, 2.0 game lead in the Central, and have two teams within five games of them. They're doing this without their best player and what should be their #1 starter.

I just wish you wouldn get some perspective on the peaks and valleys of a long baseball season, and its absolutely maddening that you seem incapable of it.

Don't think he wants that.

Going back a couple seasons either WS year or the next he was pushing the trade of J Baez non stop. Different year same losing narrative, just change the names.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

I know a lot people on this board do no like criticizing this team but that was an embarrassing showing no matter how you try to spin it.

No problem with criticism when it's due. But when the same guy is doing it every day to the extreme of predicting failure for the last few seasons (a couple before you started coming around) it's beyond over the top.

He accuses anyone that doesn't agree of drinking the Koolaid, bull shit, sure things aren't perfect, when are they? How about maybe just watch and see how things play out.

 

[Diehardfan]

No problem with criticism when it's due. But when the same guy is doing it every day to the extreme of predicting failure for the last few seasons (a couple before you started coming around) it's beyond over the top.

He accuses anyone that doesn't agree of drinking the Koolaid, bull shit, sure things aren't perfect, when are they? How about maybe just watch and see how things play out.

I've found that the "ignore" does wonders. Makes whipping through this site a breeze...I mean his dumbass gloom and doom posts are probably covering near 70% of the posts on this forum.

 

[Diehardfan]

Makes most sense.



Doesn't.



Q has struggled after Sale left. But let's look at the recent info:

PASG:

Hamels: 2-0 1.00 ERA
Montgomery: 1-1 2.70 ERA
Hendricks: 2-1 4.45 ERA

Then the rest:
Chatwood: 1-0 5.17 ERA
Quintana: 2-3 6.26 ERA
Lester: 0-3 10.32 ERA

Now I don't know about you guys but when you bench your 2nd most productive starter for any of the bottom 3 it brings the decision process in question. There is enough data to question the move.


Lester they are addressing and honestly he is healthy. It feels like a pitch sequence or location issue vs bone spurs. He is another concern but has a strong track record going into this moment.

Q was 4-8 4.49 with the Sox in 2017. That was the first time that he was an ace after Sale left. He never broke 4.00 ERA up til then. But right when he was put into the spot light slump. And then put into a play off contender and slumps again. Too much coincidence for my tastes.

I could see him at petco chilling small market soaking innings with a sub 4 ERA again playing meaningless games honestly. I don't think that he has the big game mentality.

I didn't like that trade from day one. I kept hearing things like TOR guy, under team control but that's not what I was seeing whenever I saw him with the Sox. Always seemed to be high in pitch counts, too many walks....didn't see the HR's though. That's something new he added. Built a name for himself by not getting run support....big deal. Cubs gave away their best bargaining chip to get this guy and that hurt this franchise.

 

[Adipost]

I’m still really confident that the Cubs will make the playoffs. But with the starting staff the way it is, they could easily be swept out in the 1st round.

 

[CSF77]

I didn't like that trade from day one. I kept hearing things like TOR guy, under team control but that's not what I was seeing whenever I saw him with the Sox. Always seemed to be high in pitch counts, too many walks....didn't see the HR's though. That's something new he added. Built a name for himself by not getting run support....big deal. Cubs gave away their best bargaining chip to get this guy and that hurt this franchise.

Saw a analysis on him. Lacks fastball command and that lets hitters sit on his off speed.

At the time I was ok with the deal. But hindsight they should have gone after a leader type like Hamels vs a guy that has been support. When you think about it they gave away the top prospect in baseball with a TOR arm for a guy that they didn’t give the ball to opening day.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

I’m still really confident that the Cubs will make the playoffs. But with the starting staff the way it is, they could easily be swept out in the 1st round.

Maybe not swept, but sure.

 

[anotheridiot]

Did anyone really pay attention to the pitch that Bote hit out for the grand slam? The pitch Madsen threw was not a mistake, sinking action, bottom of the zone, he just got beat. Sometimes it happens. I did not see where the Q pitches were with the 3 home runs he gave up, but sometimes the good ones leave the yard too.

 

[fatbeard]

I’m still really confident that the Cubs will make the playoffs. But with the starting staff the way it is, they could easily be swept out in the 1st round.

It's baseball...every team could easily be swept out of the first round.