IST: Cubs @ Dodgers

[Diehardfan]

When is the Cubs management ever just gonna give up on this group. Everybody bitches and moans about the starting pitching but you have to be deaf, blind and stupid not to see that run shortage is what does them in every fucking year. Another laughable display tonight of 16 K's and one damn walk. They are an embarrassment at the plate....

 

[Skittles2100]

We f*cked. Alzolay is this generations version of Ted "Launch Pad" Lilly. Series over. And wtf are we doing putting our effortd into Adbert. I gave up on him a month ago. He should be a bullpen arm and eventually a closer. He has elite stuff for only 1 to 2 innings. What are we doing g throwing him out there for 5 innings (he cant seem to get past 5 innings often). He loves to give it all up on 2 outs as well. It is frustrating

 

[CSF77]

When is the Cubs management ever just gonna give up on this group. Everybody bitches and moans about the starting pitching but you have to be deaf, blind and stupid not to see that run shortage is what does them in every fucking year. Another laughable display tonight of 16 K's and one damn walk. They are an embarrassment at the plate....

Pitching is a part of the problem. Losing Nico and Duffy at the same time turned this team back into a home run or bust team again.

But they will be back.

Wisdom strikes out at 30% in his minor league career. But he also has 2 31 HR seasons in the minors.

He is not a bad player. The problem is the Cubs have too much of this going on.

I didn't see the game. Seeing 12Ks and the groans I get it. But that kid was seen as a live arm coming up. It didn't shock me that he ran over the Cubs like a truck.

 

[CSF77]

But Jason has the hot bat right now. I would utilize him now.

Rizzo is at .303 for June. Wilson .267. Wisdom .296, Alcantara .290.

Heyward .368. So he has made an adjustment.

The issue is Joc .235 Bryant .222. Baez .178

David is shooting himself in the foot right now.

I would run

Alcantara 2B. Place holder for Nico
Heyward RF Ride that horse.
Contreras C
Rizzo 1B
Bryant CF
Pederson LF/ Happ vs LHP
Wisdom 3B place holder for Duffy
Baez SS

That occasional HR that Baez and Wisdom provides doesn't make up for the inning killing going on. At least at the bottom the damage is lessened.

By the time Duffy gets back then David could play with him hitting #5. bottom half of the linecup lead off. Start up for the bottom of the line up.

Regardless line up construction has been David's heel. He has been great at solving Wilson's framing issues and managing the staff. But in general run production was superior under Joe. Joe would make it work.

A off ball idea would be Baez leading off right now. Let him rip at the first pitch. Then let him pull his magic.

If the D is playing deep lay a bunt. And so on. Javy IMO is stuck in a box right now. What gets him out of is is changing his role. We know he doesn't walk. But if he is forced to get creative he excells at it. Be it base running or providing a spark. He is at his worst when he is swinging for yard.

But that only works with Heyward hitting #2. Baez will be an out but it gets his wheels turning and leads to him using the whole field. Until it locks in Heyward is the hot horse. But as a lead off Heyward has choked. As a #2 that pressure is off and he feeds the middle.

 

[CSF77]

We f*cked. Alzolay is this generations version of Ted "Launch Pad" Lilly. Series over. And wtf are we doing putting our effortd into Adbert. I gave up on him a month ago. He should be a bullpen arm and eventually a closer. He has elite stuff for only 1 to 2 innings. What are we doing g throwing him out there for 5 innings (he cant seem to get past 5 innings often). He loves to give it all up on 2 outs as well. It is frustrating

At least be accurate.

He was avg 5+
Jun 7 he was pitching with a blister. They yanked him.
Jun 21 was given first day back from injury with no rehab assignment.

So give the kid some slack.

 

[Diehardfan]

At least be accurate.

He was avg 5+
Jun 7 he was pitching with a blister. They yanked him.
Jun 21 was given first day back from injury with no rehab assignment.

So give the kid some slack.

I think he's been fine. The homers are not that big a deal if his team was scoring a few runs for him. Fergie Jenkins had a HOF career and he led the league in HR's allowed a few times....he didn't walk very many, so that helped. Not saying this kid will be a HOFer, just saying if he throws strikes.....he could be a Top 3 starter for quite awhile. Home runs or not.

 

[wonky73]

I turned on this game like 2 hours ago.. it's still the bottom of the 2nd

 

[Skittles2100]

So what did you day about Alzolay

 

[Bust]

So what did you day about Alzolay

never was a fan of his. Thought he was a scrub

 

[Skittles2100]

When will his era approach 5??? Also, when will he be demoted

 

[PickSix]

Good to see the improvement tonight. Only 15 K’s. Whoohoo.

 

[CSF77]

Adbert has been using slider at 45.4%
Sinker 28.1%
4 seem 20.7%
change up 4.1%
Curve 1.6%

The GS was after the 3rd slider. You give a guy two looks at you pitch break he will lock in.

So I believe it is not a stuff issue. It is more what is happening between the ears. He is pretty much slider or fastball. He doesn't change speeds well. So hitters pretty much can lock into the fastball and adjust to the slider.

Hitters will sit on him knowing 93 MPH is the high end. Slider 86 MPH. So they time at 90MPH. Opposite field the fastball and pull the slider.

To combat this Adbert needs to increase his slow stuff.

 

[knoxville7]

Adbert has been using slider at 45.4%
Sinker 28.1%
4 seem 20.7%
change up 4.1%
Curve 1.6%

The GS was after the 3rd slider. You give a guy two looks at you pitch break he will lock in.

So I believe it is not a stuff issue. It is more what is happening between the ears. He is pretty much slider or fastball. He doesn't change speeds well. So hitters pretty much can lock into the fastball and adjust to the slider.

Hitters will sit on him knowing 93 MPH is the high end. Slider 86 MPH. So they time at 90MPH. Opposite field the fastball and pull the slider.

To combat this Adbert needs to increase his slow stuff.

View attachment 12436

his biggest issue is what you said, he’s basically a two pitch pitcher right now. He needs to develop a change up to attack left handed hitters with. You attack a lefty with a slider(as a right handed pitcher), you have to be perfect with your location…the slightest miss easily ends up in the stands like last night.

this is why I, and I forget whomst the other poster was that mentioned it, think he should be a late inning reliever. He’s a two pitch pitcher that struggles to make it thru 5 innings. But he has really nice stuff that would play well late in a game

 

[Bearcub13]

This does not appear to be a team good enough to compete at high levels of competition. I believe it's time to blow it up, retool, and see if Rossi can develop a team. I would only keep Rizzo of the big 4, Contreras, Bryant and El Mago can all bring good prospects. The longer the cubs wait, the less value those players have. If stars are allowed to leave as free agents the Cubs will be also rans for at least 5 more years. The reason I would keep Rizzo is three fold, 1. he is the face of the franchise 2. his injuries will limit his value 3. his injuries might allow the Cubs to afford him...

 

[CSF77]

his biggest issue is what you said, he’s basically a two pitch pitcher right now. He needs to develop a change up to attack left handed hitters with. You attack a lefty with a slider(as a right handed pitcher), you have to be perfect with your location…the slightest miss easily ends up in the stands like last night.

this is why I, and I forget whomst the other poster was that mentioned it, think he should be a late inning reliever. He’s a two pitch pitcher that struggles to make it thru 5 innings. But he has really nice stuff that would play well late in a game

He was a 3 pitch pitcher. 2020 he added a 2 seam and a curve. This year his slider use shot up. IE he flipped the curve to a slider.

2020 he was primary curve.
2021 primary slider

So he has new toy syndrome.

Change he only uses on lefties.

MPH:

4 seam-93.6
2 seam-93.5
Slider-86
change-84.8
Curve-80.8

So IMO increase the curve. It was at 33% now it is abandoned at 1.6%. That brings a 13 MPH difference off of his fastballs.

2020: Curveball BA: .036
2021 Slider .BA .165

4 Seem:
2020: .333
2021: .267

2 seam:
2020: .389
2021: .259

Change
2020: .000
2021: .125

So going 30% Slider. 30% Curve. 20% 2 10% 4 10% change.

I would bread and butter the curve/slider. then pop a fastball in occasionally. 4/change to give another look.

 

[CSF77]

but if he was going to go full pen arm. Cutter/slider. lite break heavy break. I wouldn't add a new pitch until the season is over.