IST:Cubs vs Phils

[FrankieLyrical]

When you constantly leave men in scoring position and for the most part don't score enough runs...it eventually will come back and kick you in the ass. Your pitching won't last forever, sometimes you need to score runs...considering who was pitching, today should have been the day.

And let me say once again get off the pitcher hitting 8th crap....it ain't working. Time to make a change....any change.

I always think of Einstein saying the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

Is the pitcher batting 8th the reason we can't hit WRISP though? We consistently get men on, we just can't get them in. Not being snarky or a dick, but I don't see how the pitcher batting 9th would fix that

 

[CRM 114]

Cubs are gonna lose

 

[Diehardfan]

Is the pitcher batting 8th the reason we can't hit WRISP though? We consistently get men on, we just can't get them in. Not being snarky or a dick, but I don't see how the pitcher batting 9th would fix that

Baseball is a funny game...sometimes the smallest thing will turn things around. Ross in the game, useless. Russell not hitting lick with Lester in between them leading into Fowler who's hitting about .200 against rightys. That doesn't sound like a recipe for back of the order production....sounds more like 4 straight outs.

 

[chibears55]

I love me some joe maddon but damn..

You got a kud swinging a hot bat and an offense that struggling. .

YOU SIT DAVID ROSS ASS ON THE BENCH AND TELL LESTER TO BE A PRO AND DEAL WITH IT

 

[CSF77]

Is the pitcher batting 8th the reason we can't hit WRISP though? We consistently get men on, we just can't get them in. Not being snarky or a dick, but I don't see how the pitcher batting 9th would fix that

A big part of the problem is Castro. Just like today 0-4. It is bad enough plugging Ross over Schwarber but Castro has not been carrying his weight in run production. Soler went 3 for 5. Coghlan knocked him in 1 time ahead of Castro with a HR. But he went 2 for 4 with a BB. So that is a total of 4 runners on base ahead of him. That is not even getting into earlier in the order.

So there have been plenty of scoring opportunities and Castro hitting #7 is in a prime spot to clean up some RBI's hitting #7 for the most part. The problem has been him hitting .237 now.

I've not been a fan of him. And it has not been bias at all. He has really made a turn for the worse this year and I for one would not mind seeing the Cubs holding the deck and making an internal change with Baez to 2B and Russell to SS. Enough is enough.

 

[TL1961]

Cub announcers go on and on telling us " just because you're a pro does not mean it is always easy to get a bunt down" when Russell was failing at it.

The. Phils get a hit against Russell and have absolutely no trouble getting a successful bunt down.

 

[CSF77]

Cub announcers go on and on telling us " just because you're a pro does not mean it is always easy to get a bunt down" when Russell was failing at it.

The. Phils get a hit against Russell and have absolutely no trouble getting a successful bunt down.

There is no excuse for it. But they have to be pro Cubs as Cub announcers. I doubt they really felt that way.

 

[Diehardfan]

A big part of the problem is Castro. Just like today 0-4. It is bad enough plugging Ross over Schwarber but Castro has not been carrying his weight in run production. Soler went 3 for 5. Coghlan knocked him in 1 time ahead of Castro with a HR. But he went 2 for 4 with a BB. So that is a total of 4 runners on base ahead of him. That is not even getting into earlier in the order.

So there have been plenty of scoring opportunities and Castro hitting #7 is in a prime spot to clean up some RBI's hitting #7 for the most part. The problem has been him hitting .237 now.

I've not been a fan of him. And it has not been bias at all. He has really made a turn for the worse this year and I for one would not mind seeing the Cubs holding the deck and making an internal change with Baez to 2B and Russell to SS. Enough is enough.

Well you're never gonna confuse him as a Gold Glove winner, but up until this year he's only had one really down year with the bat. I think Maddon is just trying to ride it out until he starts hitting again. But it's not only Castro....Bryant doesn't seem to be making any adjustments out there as they continue to pitch him away and he continues to flail away at low outside pitches. He probably has to either get up on the plate a little more or show some restraint....maybe taking a few to right instead of trying to yank everything. He did hit the homer to right but went right back to trying to pull everything afterwards.

 

[FrankieLyrical]

Baseball is a funny game...sometimes the smallest thing will turn things around. Ross in the game, useless. Russell not hitting lick with Lester in between them leading into Fowler who's hitting about .200 against rightys. That doesn't sound like a recipe for back of the order production....sounds more like 4 straight outs.

Great points, I agree

 

[FrankieLyrical]

A big part of the problem is Castro. Just like today 0-4. It is bad enough plugging Ross over Schwarber but Castro has not been carrying his weight in run production. Soler went 3 for 5. Coghlan knocked him in 1 time ahead of Castro with a HR. But he went 2 for 4 with a BB. So that is a total of 4 runners on base ahead of him. That is not even getting into earlier in the order.

So there have been plenty of scoring opportunities and Castro hitting #7 is in a prime spot to clean up some RBI's hitting #7 for the most part. The problem has been him hitting .237 now.

I've not been a fan of him. And it has not been bias at all. He has really made a turn for the worse this year and I for one would not mind seeing the Cubs holding the deck and making an internal change with Baez to 2B and Russell to SS. Enough is enough.

Yeah, Castro has made me lose confidence in him as well. I agree that Russell should be SS and Baez at 2B

 

[Diehardfan]

I love me some joe maddon but damn..

You got a kud swinging a hot bat and an offense that struggling. .

YOU SIT DAVID ROSS ASS ON THE BENCH AND TELL LESTER TO BE A PRO AND DEAL WITH IT

EXACTLY. What they hell are they doing here? Trying to get these kids some experience or making sure your primadonna "ace" is happy. Well, your "ace" is fucking 5-8 on a winning team and I don't really care how he got there but the fact is, no matter how you wax it...he's 5-8 and hasn't earned the right to name his own catcher.

 

[CSF77]

Well you're never gonna confuse him as a Gold Glove winner, but up until this year he's only had one really down year with the bat. I think Maddon is just trying to ride it out until he starts hitting again. But it's not only Castro....Bryant doesn't seem to be making any adjustments out there as they continue to pitch him away and he continues to flail away at low outside pitches. He probably has to either get up on the plate a little more or show some restraint....maybe taking a few to right instead of trying to yank everything. He did hit the homer to right but went right back to trying to pull everything afterwards.

okay lets see here:

Career AVG: .279/.319/.399
Career best: .307/.341/.432 2011
Career worst: .239/.272/.310 all from this year.
2013:...........245/.284/.347

What has me scared his his SLG. It is down at his career OBA.

FPCT: .962 this year. Last year was his best at .973. Every year he improved up to that point and this year he falls back to his 2011 production. That year he made 29 errors.

So at the end of the day his value has nose dived. And it is not like he is in his 30's or anything and this is expected to happen. No this is a 26 year old kid about to hit his prime years and he falls apart as a player.....

If it was just 1 aspect I wouldn't care. He lost his speed in the 2013 season. That was first to go.

Well I get the defenders of the Castro nation but.....

Now I know that Russell is not much better but .272 OBA from a vet vs a .310 OBA from a rookie...well you get the point.

I would bring up Baez after he clears. Let Herrera go. Then test Castro on the waver wire and see if a team bites and then see if they will make a deal on him.

 

[chibears55]

EXACTLY. What they hell are they doing here? Trying to get these kids some experience or making sure your primadonna "ace" is happy. Well, your "ace" is fucking 5-8 on a winning team and I don't really care how he got there but fact is no matter how you wax it...he's 5-8 and hasn't earned the right to name his own catcher.

I all but guarentee you that a big reason for his lack of run production has to do with Ross inability to get a hit with runners on base ...

I would love to see a stat that shows how many times he been up with RISP when catching Lester and failed to do anything ..

I would bet in his 8 losses and 6 no decisions that Montero and Schwarber would of made a difference in at least half those games offensively

 

[chibears55]

okay lets see here:

Career AVG: .279/.319/.399
Career best: .307/.341/.432 2011
Career worst: .239/.272/.310 all from this year.
2013:...........245/.284/.347

What has me scared his his SLG. It is down at his career OBA.

FPCT: .962 this year. Last year was his best at .973. Every year he improved up to that point and this year he falls back to his 2011 production. That year he made 29 errors.

So at the end of the day his value has nose dived. And it is not like he is in his 30's or anything and this is expected to happen. No this is a 26 year old kid about to hit his prime years and he falls apart as a player.....

If it was just 1 aspect I wouldn't care. He lost his speed in the 2013 season. That was first to go.

Well I get the defenders of the Castro nation but.....

Now I know that Russell is not much better but .272 OBA from a vet vs a .310 OBA from a rookie...well you get the point.

I would bring up Baez after he clears. Let Herrera go. Then test Castro on the waver wire and see if a team bites and then see if they will make a deal on him.

Castro and his contract would get claimed quickly by phillies or any of the bad teams in NL..
They wouldn't even make much of an offer cause theyd wait and see if cubs release him...which they wouldn't. .

 

[CSF77]

Castro and his contract would get claimed quickly by phillies or any of the bad teams in NL..
They wouldn't even make much of an offer cause theyd wait and see if cubs release him...which they wouldn't. .

Phills pulled back Cole. It gives the claiming team sole negotiation rites then. Philly wanted Russell and the Cubs balked.

All a waver wire is is a opertunity for a team to make a deal. Cubs could just let that team take on the deal. We are taking 32 mil owed but I doubt it would go that way.

Stuff like this happens all of the time and may be a way to get him out and a semi decent return. I can't see any team knocking on the door with that line going.

 

[CSF77]

I all but guarentee you that a big reason for his lack of run production has to do with Ross inability to get a hit with runners on base ...

I would love to see a stat that shows how many times he been up with RISP when catching Lester and failed to do anything ..

I would bet in his 8 losses and 6 no decisions that Montero and Schwarber would of made a difference in at least half those games offensively

You can't put the whole line ups inability to generate runs on 1 guy. I agree with it more so with Schwarber vs Montero. Montero was hitting .240 vs over .300. There is a big difference here.

Still it is a line up issue and the team as a whole has been struggling. Fowler non existent. Bryant hits a homer but strikes out 3 times. Rizzo was quiet. Soler carried the team between the 2 homers. Cog carried his weight. Castro non existent. Ross 1 hit that got erased. Russell 0 for


The line up as a whole stunk the joint up. They need to mix it up some. Get Bryant 1 Rizzo 2. Soler 3 and Schwarber 4. Cogs 5. Schwarber and on have been hitting. Rizzo And Bryant have been getting on base via BB more so. So play your strengths here.

Fowler makes a good SH batting # 6 ahead of Castro then.

It is all about run generation. You have to play to the talent of your line up.

 

[chibears55]

You can't put the whole line ups inability to generate runs on 1 guy. I agree with it more so with Schwarber vs Montero. Montero was hitting .240 vs over .300. There is a big difference here.

Still it is a line up issue and the team as a whole has been struggling. Fowler non existent. Bryant hits a homer but strikes out 3 times. Rizzo was quiet. Soler carried the team between the 2 homers. Cog carried his weight. Castro non existent. Ross 1 hit that got erased. Russell 0 for


The line up as a whole stunk the joint up. They need to mix it up some. Get Bryant 1 Rizzo 2. Soler 3 and Schwarber 4. Cogs 5. Schwarber and on have been hitting. Rizzo And Bryant have been getting on base via BB more so. So play your strengths here.

Fowler makes a good SH batting # 6 ahead of Castro then.

It is all about run generation. You have to play to the talent of your line up.

If your going agree with it with Schwarber vs Montero in a small sample size..
Why wouldn't it be the same with Montero .240 Vs Ross .180
That the same difference in a bigger sample...

Im not saying the lineup in itself isn't a struggle. .

Just saying i bet Ross has come up alot with a chance to put runs on the board, and alot of times that the case cause they pitch around the guy in front of him..like they did with Castro today to get to him.. and he failed..
I really believe if Montero or Schwarber today were in the lineup, they may have made a difference in a few of those games Lester lost or got a ND in..

 

[CSF77]

Ross plays on avg 1 max 2 per week. Castro every day. His impact is greater for better or worse

I do not try to defend Ross but to put it in perspective. A role player's main job is to give the regular players a day off. He is a sub. Castro is a starter. When he is struggling it impacts the team far more as he is going more AB's and those are running at a 72.8% out rate this season.

Not the same thing

 

[TL1961]

There is no excuse for it. But they have to be pro Cubs as Cub announcers. I doubt they really felt that way.

I am not complaining about the announcers so much as pointing out that we have a hitter who can't get the bunt down against their pitcher, and a pitcher who can't prevent their batter from getting the bunt down.

They had a tough pitcher. We countered with James Russell. I could bunt against James Russell.

 

[TL1961]

EXACTLY. What they hell are they doing here? Trying to get these kids some experience or making sure your primadonna "ace" is happy. Well, your "ace" is fucking 5-8 on a winning team and I don't really care how he got there but the fact is, no matter how you wax it...he's 5-8 and hasn't earned the right to name his own catcher.

A sure sign of a fan not knowing what he is talking about is constant reference to W-L of a pitcher, without regard to his ACTUAL performace.

Lester has had more poor starts than we would want. But he has had 13 starts of at least 7 IP with 2 or fewer ER allowed. 13 of 20. 2 more "quality starts".

They score almost nothing when he is on the mound. Yes, his catcher doesn't hit. Neither does his 2nd baseman or SS. or CF.

Again, for the umpteenth time, runs not allowed are as important as runs driven in. Lester, with Ross catching, has allowed 2 or fewer ER in 7+ innings 4 of his last 5 starts. (0 ER in 3 and 2 ER in 1) He has one win to show for that. Ross' fault they didn't score? Or proof that Ross with Lester is a good match?