IST: Cubs vs Cards at wrigley

[Boobaby1]

You must have missed the part where the Cubs scored zero runs. I didn't even mention winning. But since you mention it, you have the so-called "leader" predicting winning the division but then in games against the team who likely poses the biggest challenged, he pulls an ofer and the team scores no runs. Meanwhile, the Cubs best hitter is in Iowa.

Yes. It's a well oiled machine.

The best hitter in Iowa that hasn't swung a bat at the major league level? Do you really think that pitchers won't expose all of Bryant's weaknesses in a hurry?

I am not saying that I don't want him to succeed, but stay in the real world. How many people fire right out of the gates?

And as far as Rizzo going 0'fer and predicting a division, what do you want him to say? Gee, I think we are destined for last place with these bunch of scrubs that Theo & Co. has assembled?

Do you think Lester is worried about his outing the other night? He knew he threw bad. Big deal. It happens to the best pitchers.

Kershaw has gotten rocked by the Cardinals in the playoffs. Would you like to roil the dice and have Kershaw on your team? I would.

And well oiled machine?

They have played together as a cohesive unit for not even one game. Montero didn't start. Bryant hasn't played. The staff hasn't even went through rotation one time.

If you thought that there were going to be no issues with this team because of the newly acquired pieces and young kids not having a full year under there belt, then you have sadly been mistaken.

 

[Parade_Rain]

I love the slurpers. Cubs paid big bucks for a #1 pitcher who can't even throw over to 1B to hold a runner on. I don't want to offend anyone's lack if intelligence here, but a LHP holding runners on is really basic stuff. The #1 pitcher flopped in the playoffs and flopped on Opening Night. He may have a couple of rings, but that's in the past. Currently it looks like he isn't a pressure player. Hopefully, the holding runners on thing gets fixed in the next couple of outings. This isn't about a well-oiled machine. This is about signing a #1 who clearly has some things to fix.

 

[brett05]

I love the slurpers. Cubs paid big bucks for a #1 pitcher who can't even throw over to 1B to hold a runner on. I don't want to offend anyone's lack if intelligence here, but a LHP holding runners on is really basic stuff. The #1 pitcher flopped in the playoffs and flopped on Opening Night. He may have a couple of rings, but that's in the past. Currently it looks like he isn't a pressure player. Hopefully, the holding runners on thing gets fixed in the next couple of outings. This isn't about a well-oiled machine. This is about signing a #1 who clearly has some things to fix.

Why do you think he doesn't throw over? A Steve Sax yips thing?

 

[chibears55]

Lmao.. guy went 5 innings and gave up 3 runs in his first start of season. .. after missing some time in ST with the dead arm issue. .
Im not too worried about the pick offs. .

If the hitters didn't go 0fer with RISP , nobody would be talking about his pickoffs or panicking over his start....

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

Kind of like you can't teach an old dog new tricks. If he has trouble with holding runners at this point in his career, he could get a little better if he works hard on it but that flaw will always be there to haunt him.

 

[Shawon0Meter]

This Lester article is from 2012.

So he somehow went from bad to better to terrible again in 2014. I can't grasp how it can be hard to at least have a bad pick off move.

Jon Lester, who besides the advantage of being left-handed made significant strides in improving his control of the running game and has spent time doing the same this spring.

Twelve of 26 base stealers were thrown out last season against Lester, a 46 percent success rate. He erased an additional four baserunners on pitcher's caught stealing. In each of the previous two seasons, the success rate with Lester had been 24 percent.

This week, Lester talked about the work he has been doing on his pickoff move, and why it matters.

"The biggest thing, and probably the hardest, is making everything look the same," said Lester, who threw 2 ⅔ scoreless innings in a B game against the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday. "I got away with it for a couple of years by varying everything -- giving a big leg kick, executing a slide step, picking off of those. I didn't have to work off one particular thing.

"Those kind of got away from me. I'm trying to get back to doing one thing. That's the hardest part, just knowing I've got to throw the ball over to first and doing the same stuff to do it. It's something that's important, something you have to do, something you have to feel comfortable doing."

"Especially in our division, every run matters," Lester said. "If you can get an out there or keep him close to get that double play, it makes your life a lot easier.

"Keeping them close enough to first base on that ball the shortstop has to dive for, you can still get that out at second and might still have a chance for two."
http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story...ter-boston-red-sox-working-slow-base-stealers

 

[Parade_Rain]

Why do you think he doesn't throw over? A Steve Sax yips thing?

I don't really want to speculate, but that's possible.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Lmao.. guy went 5 innings and gave up 3 runs in his first start of season. .. after missing some time in ST with the dead arm issue

So in 9 innings that means he would have given up 5.4 runs. I'm glad you are laughing the #1 SP gives up runs at that rate.

. .
Im not too worried about the pick offs. .

That's good, because it means the difference between a SB and not. It means the difference between MIF being able to get the out at 2B, etc. Defensively it isn't a good thing, and the #1 was signed to help the defense. It's too bad that's lost on the slurpers. He will get this worked out, but if he doesn't, the word will be out all over the NL that a track meet is on.

If the hitters didn't go 0fer with RISP , nobody would be talking about his pickoffs or panicking over his start....

I don't see anyone other than JimJohnson panicking/giving up. The PU called the strike zone in a way that very much favored Wainwright. The Cards won't have that advantage the next few games.

 

[JosMin]

Updated first post to reflect today's lineup.

Stoked for today's game. Will hopefully have it streaming while I'm at work. Hope everyone's having a blessed day :cubs:

 

[JosMin]

Today's lineup --

Dexter Fowler CF
Jorge Soler RF
Anthony Rizzo 1B
Starlin Castro SS
Chris Coghlan LF
Miguel Montero C
Arismendy Alcantara 2B
Jake Arrieta P
Tommy LaStella 3B

 

[SilenceS]

I love the slurpers. Cubs paid big bucks for a #1 pitcher who can't even throw over to 1B to hold a runner on. I don't want to offend anyone's lack if intelligence here, but a LHP holding runners on is really basic stuff. The #1 pitcher flopped in the playoffs and flopped on Opening Night. He may have a couple of rings, but that's in the past. Currently it looks like he isn't a pressure player. Hopefully, the holding runners on thing gets fixed in the next couple of outings. This isn't about a well-oiled machine. This is about signing a #1 who clearly has some things to fix.

I see you didnt know much about Lester before he signed. He rarely threw to first his whole Red Sox career. The Cubs have never emphasized keeping runners close. It isnt slurping. Its a track record of his and he isnt changing. Also, he flopped? Wow.

 

[SilenceS]

Today's lineup --

Dexter Fowler CF
Jorge Soler RF
Anthony Rizzo 1B
Starlin Castro SS
Chris Coghlan LF
Miguel Montero C
Arismendy Alcantara 2B
Jake Arrieta P
Tommy LaStella 3B

I hate that Coghlan bats 5th.

 

[JosMin]

I hate that Coghlan bats 5th.

It reallllllly really sucks. Why isn't he batting second? Or LaStella?

 

[CSF77]

Not a fan of it either. ESPN also frowned on Cog as the 5 hitter. All it is doing is showing a lacking of a middle of the order and points towards the need for Bryant.

One thin g I did like about the rain out though. 1 less game with out Bryant. His time clock is based on days not game days.

 

[chibears55]

It reallllllly really sucks. Why isn't he batting second? Or LaStella?

I think maddon probably feels it gives them another leadoff type at that part of lineup. ..

After the first couple innings, it doesn't really matter where they started..

Look at the first game.. first 3 innings started with an OBP leadoff type hitter in Fowler, Coghlan, and LaStella and they each reached base...

 

[chibears55]

So in 9 innings that means he would have given up 5.4 runs. I'm glad you are laughing the #1 SP gives up runs at that rate.

That's good, because it means the difference between a SB and not. It means the difference between MIF being able to get the out at 2B, etc. Defensively it isn't a good thing, and the #1 was signed to help the defense. It's too bad that's lost on the slurpers. He will get this worked out, but if he doesn't, the word will be out all over the NL that a track meet is on.

I don't see anyone other than JimJohnson panicking/giving up. The PU called the strike zone in a way that very much favored Wainwright. The Cards won't have that advantage the next few games.

It's one game and his first start...
Im laughing at guys like you who are getting all stupid for lack of a better word and looking to jump off a bridge over it...


his lack of pickoffs hasn't seem to hurt him much over his career, so I dont see his season being successful or unsuccessful based on how many times he throws over to first.. that why im not concerned

 

[chibears55]

@ESPNChiCubs: Lester addressed the throwing to first base stuff. Says its a non-issue in his mind but he's working on "new" stuff. Was pretty ambiguous

@ESPNChiCubs: Says he didn't need to worry about in Boston until maybe the end of the season, feels like it only came up because it's came up on TV

@GDubCub: Lester: "This really wasn't a big issue until somebody [Schilling] brought it up on TV." Lester spoke after working on throws to 1st in pen.

 

[brett05]

I don't really want to speculate, but that's possible.

honestly I am not sure who of us on CCS knew the lack of pickoffs but I have to admit I was dumbfounded that it was true of anyone let alone a great pitcher like Lester. Being lefty naturally helps to hold runners but to not toss and still be as dominant as Lester is really surprises me. It's almost like giveing a Billy Hamilton a double or triple each time he reaches first base.

Without any data, I am under the impression that the NL is a much "speedier" league so he might want to make at least a token toss over there from time to time.

 

[brett05]

Hating the lineup still. Soler should be four not Castro. Castro was there last year out of necessity. Do they feel he can't survive batting elsewhere?
Also again with the pitcher batting 8th. Maddon said himself he is doing it for double switching, and not to help the lineup any. He really should focus on scoring runs instead of thinking he's developed something new. Stick to what you know Joe.

 

[WrigleyvilleTimes]

Not to jump ahead, but today's outcome will depend greatly on Arrieta's pitch selection. Arrieta has his greatest success when keeping his fastball usage under 55% and using his cutter more than 20%. Looking at his breakout campaign from '14 in comparison to '13 Arrieta dropped the usage of his fastball from 65.1% to just 47.5%, while he drastically increased his cutter usage from just 6.1% to 28.3%. Watch his pitch selection today.