IST: Cubs at Brewers up at Wrigley North

[85Bears]

Brewers' pen is not good either.

The brewers have one of the best pens in MLB. Fortunately they weren't great last night.

Going to the game today. I'm hosting an "event" for the people I work with at our company suite at Miller Park. I've been in suites before, but not this one and not for a baseball game. I'm super psyched. Go Cubs Go!

 

[TL1961]

The brewers have one of the best pens in MLB. Fortunately they weren't great last night.

Going to the game today. I'm hosting an "event" for the people I work with at our company suite at Miller Park. I've been in suites before, but not this one and not for a baseball game. I'm super psyched. Go Cubs Go!

Theyhave lost two key pieces. Hader can’t pitch in 162 games, and when he doesn’t they’re not great.

 

[anotheridiot]

Well that might be the only way to win games.

I'm actually pretty down with Caritiani catching.

But I think the reality is there is a difference between facing AAA hitting and MLB hitting. Both Ryan and Webster were solid. Here they were hammered. So there is a clear talent gap.

I still would like to see Mekkes. 6'7" with a awkward arm angle. Unique approach and would be at a advantage against hitters that have not seen him.

an error, two passed balls and moving his glove a foot to "frame" pitches that are not being called strikes as they are at the bottom of the zone is a better choice.

Well, at least Cishek got the first clean inning out of the pen in the ninth.

 

[TL1961]

Hendricks needs to save teh pen (and chances of a win) today with a strong outing. And, yes, this is the same thing we were saying about Quintana the other day, and that didn't work so well.

 

[beckdawg]

Not sure if this is just a small sample thing but both baez and heyward have 2 steals already. Cubs haven't really been a team to run much under joe. Something worth putting a pin in going forward to keep track of.

 

[knoxville7]

Not sure if this is just a small sample thing but both baez and heyward have 2 steals already. Cubs haven't really been a team to run much under joe. Something worth putting a pin in going forward to keep track of.

It’s about time we saw some aggression in that area. It’s a team with a bunch of guys in their mid 20’s for crying out loud

 

[CSF77]

Well the Cubs are at a 135 wRC+ combined. #3 after Seattle(weird)and LAD. SB wise they have 5 total. So this is more on the player vs a team thing going on.

What I see as improving is they are at 20.8% SO rate. 10th lowest. walk rate 12.3% 3rd highest. So they are really trending right there.

If they can sort the crap pitching they could end up a top tier team based off of the O.

This is with Bryant doing doing nothing to date. Him waking up it gets scary.

 

[chibears55]

Not sure if this is just a small sample thing but both baez and heyward have 2 steals already. Cubs haven't really been a team to run much under joe. Something worth putting a pin in going forward to keep track of.

That great but I think a couple of those steal attempts were missed signs for a hit n run by either hitter or runner

 

[knoxville7]

That great but I think a couple of those steal attempts were missed signs for a hit n run by either hitter or runner

True, however hit n run is something we haven’t seen enough of in recent years either imo.

 

[CSF77]

My take on the pen:

Brach has been lucky to date. 13.5 BB/9. That is an implosion in wait. Fip 6.45 vs ERA 2.25 supports this.

Cishek: Fip 4.04 ERA 7.36. Just tells me that he is not as bad as it looks right now. walking 3 guys that one game is really skewing the data right now.

Kintzler: 3.22 Fip 7.36 ERA. 1 game blow up but the number look respectable. 14.73 SO/9 no walks. You really have to keep tossing him out there.

So at early look Brach is the weakest link here. He is more shaky to date and is most likely to fail.


Net tier:

Chatwood: 7.04 FIP 9.82 ERA. 4.91 SO/9 I really believe that they should DFA and promote Mekkes. Enough said.

Strop: 1.95 FIP 9.00 ERA. Can this guy get stable work please?

Rosario: 5.95 FIP and 12.00 ERA. Well 15 SO/9 kinda makes everything forgiving here. He just needs to not give up flyballs....100% HR rates. How about a sinker ok.

So that is the early takeaway here. Chatwood has to go well before Morrow returns. He give no value to the team and is putting pressure to others to cover his work load. It doesn't justify any excuse to retain. Brach IMO goes when Morrow returns. I just don't see him as a answer on a contender.

Webster is just holding Jr's jockstrap right now. Ryan same with Montgomery.

 

[chibears55]

Should of waited before extending Hendricks...

 

[Britbuffguy]

Give one right down the middle to the League MVP, what did he expect would happen?

 

[Bigfoot]

Well

 

[knoxville7]

Typical 1st inning problems for Hendricks

 

[chibears55]

This game over...

6 1/2 games out before the even play 10 games or a home game..

 

[PickSix]

Typical 1st inning problems for Hendricks

Yep. Can’t believe the data analytics gurus can’t solve this. They know everything.

 

[Diehardfan]

They still got a shot here....Davis isn't exactly Bob Gibson. But forced to pitch an asshole like Chatwood makes things rough.

 

[Bigfoot]

Man hope Bryant finds a rythem soon

 

[chibears55]

All the extending Bryant talks need to slow down for awhile til he shows he worth it again

 

[jooo83]

Bryant needed to bring Almora home there. I know this board mostly dismisses any criticism of him but Bryant needs to find a way to be a more productive hitter with RISP.