IST: Cubs vs. Reds

[Grizzly]

3 hits 5 runs and a win.

 

[fatbeard]

3 hits 5 runs and a win.

7 walks despite being very aggressive the first time through the order.

 

[Diehardfan]

155 to go and I've already had a shitload of fun watching these guys.

 

[Bear Pride]

155 to go and I've already had a shitload of fun watching these guys.

I still think this team is gonna be a 100+ win team.

 

[pseudonym]

Fun game, tense, exciting at the end, had a blast. Great win.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

I still think this team is gonna be a 100+ win team.

A week ago I would have disagreed, I thought 92-94 or so even before the Schwarber injury, but today I agree with you. Teams that can win games in this many ways can win a lot of games.

 

[chibears55]

A week ago I would have disagreed, I thought 92-94 or so even before the Schwarber injury, but today I agree with you. Teams that can win games in this many ways can win a lot of games.

This team is more then good enough to play .600 ball all year.
Figure they win at a 6 of 10 rate the first 150 games that's 96 wins. Just need to win 4 of last 12 to reach 100 then.

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[OKCCubs16]

The cool thing about the lineup is basically someone should be hot all the time. Just so much talent that it is unlikely that all the guys wouldn't be hitting. If they all put it together, it would be a complete thing of beauty. Nice victory last night. Sweet hr by Addison Russell!

 

[fatbeard]

Encouraging signs at the plate from Soler. Last year sliders & changeups low/away were the bane of his existence, and while he can still be induced to swing at them early in the count, he's recognizing and laying off with two strikes. He's developing an awareness of how pitchers will attack him, his pitch recognition in general has improved, and he's making adjustments not just between ABs, but within them.

 

[Diehardfan]

Encouraging signs at the plate from Soler. Last year sliders & changeups low/away were the bane of his existence, and while he can still be induced to swing at them early in the count, he's recognizing and laying off with two strikes. He's developing an awareness of how pitchers will attack him, his pitch recognition in general has improved, and he's making adjustments not just between ABs, but within them.

Very true. But if you remember, he was a different guy when he came back from his injury last year. He must have watched a ton of film and got some coaching while he was out. If he wasn't the Cub's best playoff performer in 2015, he was damn close. It's probably why I'm expecting big things from him this year.

 

[DanTown]

A week ago I would have disagreed, I thought 92-94 or so even before the Schwarber injury, but today I agree with you. Teams that can win games in this many ways can win a lot of games.

9-0
6-1
14-6
3-2 L
4-2
7-3
5-3

The K rate is down from 24.5 to 20.1. The BB rate is at 13.1. The Bullpen has given up two earned runs in 17 innings with 7 hits, 20 SO. The starters have had six quality starts in seven games.

This is the kind of team that you build to win 105 games if things break right. The Schwarber injury will test them but they have the players to off-set it . Never really agreed with the 95 win prediction because to be honest, with this kind of team, how were they going to LOSE 70 games? What would routinely beat them?

 

[TC in Mississippi]

9-0
6-1
14-6
3-2 L
4-2
7-3
5-3

The K rate is down from 24.5 to 20.1. The BB rate is at 13.1. The Bullpen has given up two earned runs in 17 innings with 7 hits, 20 SO. The starters have had six quality starts in seven games.

This is the kind of team that you build to win 105 games if things break right. The Schwarber injury will test them but they have the players to off-set it . Never really agreed with the 95 win prediction because to be honest, with this kind of team, how were they going to LOSE 70 games? What would routinely beat them?

The numbers are incredible and guys like Heyward, Bryant and Russell haven't even started to hit anywhere near their potential yet. In all my years as a baseball fan I've never picked a team to win 100 games though. It would be interesting to see how many of the 98 teams that have won that many in a season had a Pythagorean win total of 100. The Cubs won 97 last year with a Pythagorean win total of 90 while the Cardinals did get to 100 with a Pythagorean win total of 96. When you get up that high there are variables that are awfully hard to predict in a sport that's hard to predict in the first place. All that said, yes this looks like a 100 win team to me.

 

[SilenceS]

Injuries man. It's what can stop this team. Our front of the rotation needs to stay healthy


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[zack54attack]

I was at the game last night. Atmosphere was incredible when Russell hit that HR..

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

Injuries man. It's what can stop this team. Our front of the rotation needs to stay healthy


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Not only that but if Lackey doesn't perform how he's expected to their starting pitching is the same as last year...after # 1&2 not much, a weakness especially magnified in the playoffs

 

[fatbeard]

Okay, which one of you is Sahadev and aping my Soler takes?

https://twitter.com/sahadevsharma/status/719893146448965633

One word: Royalties.

 

[Grizzly]

Not only that but if Lackey doesn't perform how he's expected to their starting pitching is the same as last year...after # 1&2 not much, a weakness especially magnified in the playoffs

There's always deadline deals to punch up a weakness or two.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Injuries man. It's what can stop this team. Our front of the rotation needs to stay healthy


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No question. They cannot afford to lose Arrieta or Lester for any length of time and the loss of Schwarber might now limit their ability to get a TOR pitcher at the deadline because you probably hesitate to trade Soler or Baez if they're playing well. I look at Schwarber as their mulligan, they can't afford another one. Of course that's not to say they won't have a pitcher miss a start or two or guys missing here and there, that's part of the game.

 

[Mr. Cub]

I was watching NBA until I got a notification that we were being no hit. So then I turned it on and by the time my stream loaded I believe Ross was the first or second batter I watched. And then it happened. Then the walks and Heyward happened. And then Russell happened. I am the Anti-Goat Superstar.


One of the best parts of the offense is the ability to draw walks. If we keep that up all season, we should almost never have issues scoring runs.

 

[fatbeard]

No question. They cannot afford to lose Arrieta or Lester for any length of time and the loss of Schwarber might now limit their ability to get a TOR pitcher at the deadline because you probably hesitate to trade Soler or Baez if they're playing well. I look at Schwarber as their mulligan, they can't afford another one. Of course that's not to say they won't have a pitcher miss a start or two or guys missing here and there, that's part of the game.

Soler and Baez aren't going anywhere for the same reasons they didn't go anywhere in the offseason, now only magnified after the Schwarber injury. As for getting a TOR at the deadline, I think those conversations are going to begin with Willson Contreras, which is probably a conversation the Cubs want no part of. They have a plethora of position blocks and odd fits (Vogelbach, McKinney, Candelario, etc.) that could get cobbled together for a bullpen arm or mid-rotation starter.