IST: Cubs @ Pirates (V. Where is Silence)

[choyne35]

Bryant catches it.
Schwarber probably catches it.
Cargo catches it...oh, never mind.

Whit Merrifield catches it ?

 

[PickSix]

Great thread. This is a sad state we are in. After that great little run these guys went on after that terrible start, I actually had incredibly high hopes.

I do wish that that fatbeard guy would chime in on his thoughts since he is the smartest of all on the internet.

No one wants Theo to over react, but even Theo has stated that watching the ssdd is insanity.

Theo does need to own up to a lot of horrible spending, having a non outfielder playing LF, and not having a leadoff hitter.

This team is full of baseball stupid. How much of that do you lay on Theo vs Joe and staff’s responsibility of player development? Seems we’ve already done the blame game on the staff merry-go-around multiple times.

Does Theo start with a change in the coaching staff to see if player development can improve under new leadership? Or does he roll with keeping the staff and start with more player/roster “fixes”? History indicates the former I suppose.

If Theo is keeping Joe, then he needs to start with culling the stupid whose production doesn’t justify keeping shit for brains around. It would be time to move on from Russell and Almora. Baez and Contreras obviously produce enough to offset their bozo shit.
Next step would be to cull obvious dead weight in Descalso, Montgomery and a plethora of scrub bull pen arms.
Next up, to use a football term, deal with the classic “tweener” in LF. Schwarbs simply does not have a spot on the field and the Babe Ruth hype just isn’t reality.
Problems really get beyond bad for Theo if Bryant does turn out to be a China Doll instead of going through some fluke one time stuff.
Rizzo needs to find a way to be more consistent. How that happens, no clue. He sure can carry a team when hot, but be some major dead weight for long periods as well. That’s not a great formula for the W/L record.

I am betting that Theo is going to get busy. This is going to get interesting.

 

[MDB111™]

If you think Bryant is a shell of his former self, you are clueless.

2016 Bryant was mvp.
He has regressed.
He is still a good player but yes, he is putting up worse numbers.

There was a time where opposing teams could look at the lineup and think "oh shit, all of these guys can hit" I dont think that is the case anymore.
And Maddon messes with the lineup so much its never the same order anyway.
When this team gets fired up and is in full motion, I would argue they are among the best.
The problem is that rarely happens anymore.

 

[MDB111™]

Kris Bryant isn't a shell of himself but many of the Cubs are.

That is a little harsh on the Kris but he is definitely putting up worse numbers.

 

[anotheridiot]

That eighth and ninth innings with Contrares in right field pretty much sums up the emotions.

8th inning, great play, great throw. My god, that Maddon is the luckiest guy in the world. For some reason (which turned out to be Bryants bum knee and Heywards back) he decides on Willson in right field and he saves the game.
9th inning, play no doubles, gives Willlson a mile to run, who ends up over running the baseball and giving up a double.

Then Russell once again thinking he has the arm of zeus, double clutches and still throws home, otherwide the inning at least ends up tied.

This loss was probably more demoralizing than the last two.

 

[Bigfoot]

We'll get the statcast data tomorrow but I don't believe that ball has a super high probability of being caught considering where he started. His athleticism to even get near the ball actually hurt him because the expectation is that he should have caught it. That's a really good catch either way; you'd like to see him make the catch but off the bat that screamed trouble. This isn't like Kyle the other day playing a routine out into a double.

Last night I thought I heard it was a 40% probability of being caught.

 

[anotheridiot]

Last night I thought I heard it was a 40% probability of being caught.

Yes, they said 40%. They got the data on the throw in the 8th at 96.9 mph, but never were able to get to the distance he had to run or top speed he got to when he over ran that ball. I say over ran because the ball went behind his glove.
I think we just need to be thankful he did not pull a hammy making that run from the "no doubles" defense.

 

[CSF77]

Well I think we should look at it objectively.

Yesterdays line up

Schwarber 0-4 1BB 2 SO
Baez 3-5 1 HR
Rizzo 0-4 1 HBP
Contreras 2-4 1 BB
Caratini 2-4 (2 HR)
Bote 0-3 1 BB
Russell 1-4
Almora 0-4

They scored 5 runs on the back of 3 guys. They were resting 2 starters.

So lets try to work those 5 guys in a line up.

Bryant (RH)
Heyward (LH)
Contreras (RH)
Caratini (SH)
Baez (RH)

You can add in Rizzo. He is in a slump ATM and I would lead him off to jump start again.

So a line up would look like
Rizzo 1B (125 wRC+)
Bryant 3B (140 wRC+)
Caratini C (133 wRC+)
Baez SS (125 wRC+)
Contraras RF (141 wRC+) (I believe it will take reps because he is a athlete first)
Heyward CF (114 wRC+)
Bote 2B (105 wRC+)
Garcia (LF) (as a first test)

But I would try Garcia between 2B and LF. Platoon Bote and Schwarber based off of the match up. Russell's only reason for playing was based off his D and that was a bone headed play.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

We'll have a better understanding of where this team is at the first week of August..

Whatever additions they make and how they're playing at that point will go along way to seeing if they're contenders or pretenders the final 2 months

Now wait just a minute here. You want to wait until August now for a more accurate "sky is falling" BWAAHAAAHAA

 

[CSF77]

So you're saying all of your sky is falling

Now wait just a minute here. You want to wait until August now for a more accurate "sky is falling" BWAAHAAAHAA

Here is some of the dialog from a interview:

The exciting announcement of Garcia's recall for many Cubs fans, which came from Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein in a conversation on WSCR-AM 670, was also surrounded by talk of potential shakeups to the big league roster. Epstein called the recent stretch “unacceptable,” and it appears as if Garcia’s callup could be a chance as well as a warning.

“If this stretch of play continues,” Epstein said, “there certainly will be a ton of changes in order.”

Over the past 30 games, the Cubs have posted a .317 Weighted On-Base Average, the lowest mark of any team in a playoff position entering Wednesday's action outside of the Rays (.302). They’ve especially had trouble knocking in runners in scoring position, hitting .250 in those situations since the beginning of June (22nd in MLB).

Those issues, along with baserunning and starting pitching depth concerns, have hurt the Cubs as they’ve failed to win their past seven series, including their four-game set with the Pirates this week.

“It obviously can’t continue, “ Epstein said. “It’s unacceptable."

And Maddon thinks the bulk of that improvement has to come from the everyday guys, not from any callup in particular.

“The blood of the work has got to come from the group that’s already here and that’s here for a reason, that have great backs of baseball cards,” Maddon said. “These are the guys that we’ve got to get them playing to their capabilities.”

 

[TL1961]

That is a little harsh on the Kris but he is definitely putting up worse numbers.

“Putting up worse numbers than his MVP season” does not equal “shell of his former self”.

You guys are losing it.

 

[CSF77]

140 wRC+ must suck to be him

 

[zack54attack]

Theo pretty much said if this continues, that big moves will be made while he was on 670 The Score yesterday.

You have to fix 2nd base. Whether that's wait for Zobrist or make a move at the deadline. It has to be fixed. You're getting nothing from the position.

You need to add more to the bullpen. It still stinks.

 

[zack54attack]

Robel at 2nd.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1146814117669494784

 

[CSF77]

They must be resting Heyward.

 

[DanTown]

He told Joe he's dealing with something and needs a few days off. I guess he's unavailable ATM

 

[anotheridiot]

He told Joe he's dealing with something and needs a few days off. I guess he's unavailable ATM

They said back yesterday. The first game of this series, he struck out and let his bat go and it flew into the netting by the dugout. Maybe it was all those athletic plays he made chasing those screaming line drives.

 

[zack54attack]

Alright KB!

 

[zack54attack]

Heads up by Wilson to get to 2nd there

 

[jooo83]

Wtf. Wasn't a perfect throw but you have to make that play.