IST: Cubs @ Reds

[Diehardfan]

Fukn Strops..

I knew they'd blow this one late, after the bats decided to call it quits and stop scoring ..

Cubs will make playoffs but their 2 biggest hold up in advancing will be either the bats freeze up or the bullpen will blow leads late..

Outside of Davis and Edwards, i trust noone in that pen..

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If you knew it was going to happen...why sit there and watch the game?

 

[Diehardfan]

Wow, that's some real dumb baseball right there.....

 

[chibears55]

If you knew it was going to happen...why sit there and watch the game?

I pretty much wasnt smartass..
I was actually paying more attention to LLWS





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[chibears55]

So Maddon won't bunt down 1 in 8th inning..
But
He'll attempt to steal down 2 in 9th

SMDH

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[Shawon0Meter]

Glad I missed the last 3 innings whilst grocery shopping

oh well though...5 game W streak was great

Hopefully SD hangs on to beat STL

 

[didshereallysaythat]

Fukn Strops..

I knew they'd blow this one late, after the bats decided to call it quits and stop scoring ..

Cubs will make playoffs but their 2 biggest hold up in advancing will be either the bats freeze up or the bullpen will blow leads late..

Outside of Davis and Edwards, i trust noone in that pen..

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You trust Edwards???? I trust him about as much as a crack addict watching my money.

 

[PickSix]

I'm willing to give Duensing a crack at the 8th inning. Everyone is a proven bed wetter.

 

[DanTown]

There's very little to take from this game. They really didn't do enough to win and that was clear.

Long-term concerns

1. Heyward the past month or so has looked a lot more 2016 in terms of swing and especially production in terms of where and how the ball is being hit. Very little lift and struggle with velocity.

2. I wish Joe truly believed Almora was a better defensive CF than Happ but he trusts the data and the struggles Almora had defensively early are telling. I wonder if Albert is doing enough on the side for Joe to trust him.

3. I think the Cubs have to see what they have in Maples for the post season and add him to the 40 man over Hanneman's roster spot.

 

[beckdawg]

There's very little to take from this game. They really didn't do enough to win and that was clear.

Long-term concerns

1. Heyward the past month or so has looked a lot more 2016 in terms of swing and especially production in terms of where and how the ball is being hit. Very little lift and struggle with velocity.

2. I wish Joe truly believed Almora was a better defensive CF than Happ but he trusts the data and the struggles Almora had defensively early are telling. I wonder if Albert is doing enough on the side for Joe to trust him.

3. I think the Cubs have to see what they have in Maples for the post season and add him to the 40 man over Hanneman's roster spot.

On #2 i think it has less to do with Almora and more to do with his belief in Happ's bat. He's fairly universally played Almora vs LHP with Happ generally in LF or 2B depending on the other alignment. That works because they largely have sat Schwarber vs LHP. That's honestly why I think they need to make a decision on him vs Baez in the offseason. I can't see them moving Russell given he's hit enough and he's been arguably one of the top 3 SS in baseball the past couple of years defensively. I think it's pretty evident there's a decent drop in team defense this year and some of that comes from Fowler who was quite good in CF. I also think you're going to have a difficult time arguing Happ will ever be more than average on his best day in CF.

Given the cubs pitching situation it's perhaps best to keep Baez and Almora up the middle and consider dealing Happ. I personally like his bat more than Baez but an elite defense can buy you quite a few runs which we saw in 2016 and the cubs other wise might have difficulty finding pitching with their group of prospects that are movable. On Almora I'm not 100% what's going on there. His range last year was better according to the metrics and his play this year has been ok but it hasn't really matched up with scouting on him prior to debut. I suppose it could be sporadic playing time or perhaps they are aligning him different to protect LF. I know moving Fowler a bit played a big part into his performance being better last year defensively so in theory moving Almora somewhere could have the opposite effect.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

You trust Edwards???? I trust him about as much as a crack addict watching my money.

Edwards had 6 bad innings at the beginning of August. He was great before that and has been great the 6 games since that bad stretch. So yeah, I trust him too.

 

[anotheridiot]

There's very little to take from this game. They really didn't do enough to win and that was clear.

Long-term concerns

1. Heyward the past month or so has looked a lot more 2016 in terms of swing and especially production in terms of where and how the ball is being hit. Very little lift and struggle with velocity.

2. I wish Joe truly believed Almora was a better defensive CF than Happ but he trusts the data and the struggles Almora had defensively early are telling. I wonder if Albert is doing enough on the side for Joe to trust him.

3. I think the Cubs have to see what they have in Maples for the post season and add him to the 40 man over Hanneman's roster spot.

This is the whole point about allowing Schwarber to catch before he loses that. Easily could have slid happ to left and put Almora in center, or happ to second and zobrist to left. We put the defensive specialist in and he could not block a ball in the dirt anyway. Yeah, I guess if that was schwarber you would have crucified him. Happ was finally taking grounders at third base again, after Rizzo had to play there. They have options but Joe and his butt hard head just wont use them.

 

[CSF77]

This is the whole point about allowing Schwarber to catch before he loses that. Easily could have slid happ to left and put Almora in center, or happ to second and zobrist to left. We put the defensive specialist in and he could not block a ball in the dirt anyway. Yeah, I guess if that was schwarber you would have crucified him. Happ was finally taking grounders at third base again, after Rizzo had to play there. They have options but Joe and his butt hard head just wont use them.

Contreras will be back and you don't tinker with long term players. That could result in another DL stint

 

[CSF77]

I'm not sure what they will do with Almora/Happ/Baez/Russell.

Honestly they don't need to trade. They can afford a F/A. They exhausted resource enough. Time to crack the piggy bank

 

[chibears55]

Id like to see Maddon use this for a few games against a lefty.

Bryant LF
Baez 2B
Russell SS
Happ 3B

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[CSF77]

Id like to see Maddon use this for a few games against a lefty.

Bryant LF
Baez 2B
Russell SS
Happ 3B

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D would weaken. Happ LF is the strongest D solution.

Which should be pretty much the norm with a DH. Last WS it was Zo in LF for every game. I don't see Joe doing that with Happ bashing 19 HR's at this point. Zo will get playing time if he is performing at a high level. But if he is hitting .220 I just don't see a repeat of last year.

 

[chibears55]

D would weaken. Happ LF is the strongest D solution.

Which should be pretty much the norm with a DH. Last WS it was Zo in LF for every game. I don't see Joe doing that with Happ bashing 19 HR's at this point. Zo will get playing time if he is performing at a high level. But if he is hitting .220 I just don't see a repeat of last year.

How do you figure D would be weaken

Baez and Russell are GG caliber up middle with range..

Bryant would be a whole lot better in LF then Schwarber...

Im sure Happ will be able to hold his own at 3B as good or probably much better then Schwarber does in LF..

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[CSF77]

Happ is not a 3B

 

[chibears55]

Happ is not a 3B

You sure ? ???

Bryant wasnt a OFer
Contreras wasnt a LFer
Schwarber wasnt a LFer
Rizzo wasnt a 3Bmen
Happ wasnt a CFer
Etc
Etc

Happ taking GB at 3B
So, you know i went with it and said i wouldn't mind seeing Maddon trot this out ..

Dont know why it had to get so..................................[emoji20][emoji20][emoji20]



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[CSF77]

Happ would be a plus LF. That is most likely his strongest D spot.

Bryant is a plus 3B. He may also be a plus LF

Happ is untested at 3B and he don't have a plus arm.

The only guy on the team that is arguably better than Bryant at 3B is Baez.

Now if you were arguing Heyward at CF, Bryant to RF, Baez to 3B and Happ to 2B next year then I could see that but not every day.

 

[chibears55]

Happ would be a plus LF. That is most likely his strongest D spot.

Bryant is a plus 3B. He may also be a plus LF

Happ is untested at 3B and he don't have a plus arm.

The only guy on the team that is arguably better than Bryant at 3B is Baez.

Now if you were arguing Heyward at CF, Bryant to RF, Baez to 3B and Happ to 2B next year then I could see that but not every day.

Im not arguing anything

I just said i wouldnt mind seeing that defensive allignment based on the news we just heard about Happ taking GB at 3B...

I don't know why youre getting so defensive about it...[emoji849][emoji849]

It obvious, they did it because they might want to try him at 3B..

Sooooooo

I just figured hey i wouldnt mind against LHers, seeing a game or two with Happ Russell and Baez in IF and to keep Bryant in lineup play him in LF

[emoji6][emoji6][emoji6][emoji6][emoji6]

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