IST: Cubs vs Reds

[Fred Garvin]

To be fair...I do believe that Baez and Rizzo being out sure doesn't help the lineup...but even when they have all been healthy they have done a terrible job with RISP and been wildly inconsistent with the offense. Now with both of them out...you'd hope they could overcome it like the Yankees have done...and the Brewers without Yelich. Is Baez and Rizzo being out a legit excuse for melting down like this? I don't know.

 

[nickofypres]

I've been pulling for, and claiming, the Cubs win the NL Central. But even now I'm starting to worry....

 

[SilentLurker]

To be fair...I do believe that Baez and Rizzo being out sure doesn't help the lineup...but even when they have all been healthy they have done a terrible job with RISP and been wildly inconsistent with the offense. Now with both of them out...you'd hope they could overcome it like the Yankees have done...and the Brewers without Yelich. Is Baez and Rizzo being out a legit excuse for melting down like this? I don't know.

no, not against the Reds. Should have beat the Reds 2/3 with the guys they have.

 

[Discus fish salesman]

Guess I missed this -

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1174522981210451969

Lol Schwarber has played well lately which I’m glad to see, but getting upset the other guy beat you and is excited is a little ridiculous. I like Garrett’s sarcasm in running off the field though haha

 

[SilentLurker]

WGN Goodbye message for decades of Cubs baseball :

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1174474449510420480

 

[Fred Garvin]

funny thing is if Rizzo and Baez were healthy, I think they still would have shit the bed like they did this series. It's just how this team operates in 2019.

It's how they operated LAST YEAR as well. Brewers went on a tear and the Cubs bats went silent. It was painful to watch and listen to. This year..the same scenario is playing out as far as Cubs melting down and Brewers going on a streak. Only this year...the Cards are added to the mix. I've been around long enough to see MANY of these late, late season choke jobs with the Cubs. It never gets any easier to stomach. I have an emotional investment in the team...drilled into me from a little kid on to today. It's tough. They say you can't try harder in baseball and be successful...like football for instance...but what explains the big drop from a regular at bat to one where guys are on base? I believe a team CAN be mentally weak...and it seems the Cubs fit under that. Do you target guys who statistically come through with RISP? Or who actually elevate their game when the pressure is on? This team goes into the fetal position when the pressure is on. Reds area good team? Fine. Yes they are. Whatever....but does that explain only 4 hits in a crucial game like this?

 

[SilentLurker]

It's how they operated LAST YEAR as well. Brewers went on a tear and the Cubs bats went silent. It was painful to watch and listen to. This year..the same scenario is playing out as far as Cubs melting down and Brewers going on a streak. Only this year...the Cards are added to the mix. I've been around long enough to see MANY of these late, late season choke jobs with the Cubs. It never gets any easier to stomach. I have an emotional investment in the team...drilled into me from a little kid on to today. It's tough. They say you can't try harder in baseball and be successful...like football for instance...but what explains the big drop from a regular at bat to one where guys are on base? I believe a team CAN be mentally weak...and it seems the Cubs fit under that. Do you target guys who statistically come through with RISP? Or who actually elevate their game when the pressure is on? This team goes into the fetal position when the pressure is on. Reds area good team? Fine. Yes they are. Whatever....but does that explain only 4 hits in a crucial game like this?

problem w/ these guys last 2 years is they are so lazy with everything. no fire in them. they're not hungry anymore. all this talk from Theo end of last year about a reckoning is so bs. Maddon's gimmicks aren't working either.

 

[SilentLurker]

I sort of checked out a few weeks ago because these guys looked dead. Now they tricked me back in to being emotionally invested again only to **** me over this series. I guess i'm in this far just will see it thru to the end.

 

[Fred Garvin]

I sort of checked out a few weeks ago because these guys looked dead. Now they tricked me back in to being emotionally invested again only to **** me over this series. I guess i'm in this far just will see it thru to the end.

One way or the other the end is coming soon. How far do we go with this "core"? It's been a decline each year since 2016. Is it time to blow it up...or does Theo come out and say "it's a reckoning and I really mean it this time"? Is it as simple as fixing a bullpen that blew upwards of 26 games?

 

[anotheridiot]

Lol Schwarber has played well lately which I’m glad to see, but getting upset the other guy beat you and is excited is a little ridiculous. I like Garrett’s sarcasm in running off the field though haha

Garrett was in the middle of the big explosion earlier in the year when he tried to fight the entire pirates team, it was not about Schwarber, it was about staying out of trouble.

 

[Parade_Rain]

I guess there's not chili davis to blame this year. You said it right 'hit the ball'. Not hit a home run every AB, but hit the ball and put it into play. Really bad approach the last few years. And when they bring in guys to fix it all these spoiled brats get all upset and resist.

This is a really clueless take on how instruction occurs with MLB hitters. It also indicates why you think players give effort when they get a hit and they don’t give effort when they lose.

 

[CSF77]

One way or the other the end is coming soon. How far do we go with this "core"? It's been a decline each year since 2016. Is it time to blow it up...or does Theo come out and say "it's a reckoning and I really mean it this time"? Is it as simple as fixing a bullpen that blew upwards of 26 games?

They need to hire Joe Girardi then infuse some hard nose players like Brett Gardner and remove shit balls like Addison Russell.

 

[CSF77]

This is a really clueless take on how instruction occurs with MLB hitters. It also indicates why you think players give effort when they get a hit and they don’t give effort when they lose.

Sometimes a pitcher is just on that night. It happens.

I really take this as the Cubs feed off of energy and are uninspired right now. Which is why they need a few hard nose players infused into the core to keep them on edge more.

With out Baez and Rizzo there to lead them it falls into nice guy KB and Schwarber who looks like he wants to fight guys. Which is at least a resonce.

Adding some toughness to the core is a good thing. Ross was that guy on the bench and they really need that presence to keep them focused.

 

[anotheridiot]

Sometimes a pitcher is just on that night. It happens.

I really take this as the Cubs feed off of energy and are uninspired right now. Which is why they need a few hard nose players infused into the core to keep them on edge more.

With out Baez and Rizzo there to lead them it falls into nice guy KB and Schwarber who looks like he wants to fight guys. Which is at least a resonce.

Adding some toughness to the core is a good thing. Ross was that guy on the bench and they really need that presence to keep them focused.

It was really interesting listening to the ESPN broadcast and David Ross mentioning how dead the park was. The other guy said something like, they dont even seem to realize that he has struck out 8 hitters in a row. When there are 2 strikes on the ninth hitter, that crowd should have been up.

but you cant blame the fans.

I think we started to bring it up the end of last season, how the reds pitching is going to be really good, then they add Bauer and Gray, could be best in the central until St Louis figures out their rotation since they always seem to find system guys to fill theirs . Milwaukee is also developing pitchers that are going to be good, the only thing holding back the pirates is their insane manager.

Its going to be an uphill battle, which is why it is so insane to watch threads starting about what position player are we getting to score more runs.

Theo needs to get back to his plan, the plan that changed with Heyward. Buy pitching, develop position players.

Now Russell has been IL'd which voids a 100 and probably 200K bonus. He wont even get to the 80 game threshold. Its time to figure out how to afford buying pitching and doing it right this time, not Hamels, not Chatwood signings, but a true ace or two just to keep up with the division.

 

[CSF77]

It was really interesting listening to the ESPN broadcast and David Ross mentioning how dead the park was. The other guy said something like, they dont even seem to realize that he has struck out 8 hitters in a row. When there are 2 strikes on the ninth hitter, that crowd should have been up.

but you cant blame the fans.

I think we started to bring it up the end of last season, how the reds pitching is going to be really good, then they add Bauer and Gray, could be best in the central until St Louis figures out their rotation since they always seem to find system guys to fill theirs . Milwaukee is also developing pitchers that are going to be good, the only thing holding back the pirates is their insane manager.

Its going to be an uphill battle, which is why it is so insane to watch threads starting about what position player are we getting to score more runs.

Theo needs to get back to his plan, the plan that changed with Heyward. Buy pitching, develop position players.

Now Russell has been IL'd which voids a 100 and probably 200K bonus. He wont even get to the 80 game threshold. Its time to figure out how to afford buying pitching and doing it right this time, not Hamels, not Chatwood signings, but a true ace or two just to keep up with the division.

Cubs buying declining years vs developing SP is taken its toll. Marquez and Cease and all the rest fringe talent sense 2012. Theo and Jed have avoided this like the plague

 

[anotheridiot]

Cubs buying declining years vs developing SP is taken its toll. Marquez and Cease and all the rest fringe talent sense 2012. Theo and Jed have avoided this like the plague

Didnt they go exclusive to pitching in the 2017 draft? Seemed like they felt they needed to pick 6 to fine 1. Last year went to Nico again first.

I just think they need to trust the guys we did not hear much of with the big club this year. Rhea was one of the best pitchers in Iowa after being a top prospect with the Padres. Dont know if He or Alzolay will crack the rotation or Theo goes out buying again, I just think Rod Nichols should come here with them.

 

[CSF77]

Didnt they go exclusive to pitching in the 2017 draft? Seemed like they felt they needed to pick 6 to fine 1. Last year went to Nico again first.

I just think they need to trust the guys we did not hear much of with the big club this year. Rhea was one of the best pitchers in Iowa after being a top prospect with the Padres. Dont know if He or Alzolay will crack the rotation or Theo goes out buying again, I just think Rod Nichols should come here with them.

It was the last pick and a comp pick on Fowler I believe. The Comp pick was just traded this year and the last pick has been sucking.

So as you can see if they have a higher valued pick they will go bat. Pitching is saved for less valued spots.

I believe that they are finally changing up from the safe card approach with Davis looking the part of a high celing prospect. But as far as pitching goes it has been Draft = Low ceiling easy signing. International is where they go for high ceilings as in Marquez and Alozay.

 

[CSF77]

Rhea might end up a rare find but they didn't put him on the 40 so I'm guessing he is not in the plans.