IST: Cubs vs. White Sox

[DanTown]

Encouraging sign: the eighth inning was a perfect replica of the first two months

- Bryant gets on base
- Rizzo shortens up with two strikes, gets a base hit and Bryant takes the extra base
- Zobrist hits a flyball with a runner on third, less than two outs and is rewarded with a double
- Montero doesn't expand the strike zone and takes a walk
- Russell hits a flyball in a runner on third/less than two outs situation

I know they're "pile on" runs but these are things I want to see executed on a very regular basis that simply hasn't happened lately.

 

[Diehardfan]

He hasn't pitched now in what 8 or 9 days, maybe he'll be a bit wild and not sharp early and hopefully they'll take advantage

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I don't know what to think with this team....maybe it's bizarro world. They can't hit the crap pitchers but will hit a good one.

 

[chibears55]

I don't know what to think with this team....maybe it's bizarro world. They can't hit the crap pitchers but will hit a good one.

Yea, I told a friend today watch theyll probably score a bunch off sale but struggle tonight..

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[beckdawg]

In tonights version of stats that may only interest me... let's talk Baez.

LHP vs Baez
.370/.446/.603 with 9.6% bb rate 16.9% k rate 83 PAs

RHP vs Baez
.253/.274/.408 with 1.1% bb rate 25.7% k rate 179 PAs

Looks like Baez still has a lot of work to do vs RHP but deal god if he figures RHP pitching out to the level he has LHP..... Honestly figuring it out might be strong wording. If he just takes more walks(5-7%) he's well on his way to being useful. I'd still like to see him up his average and I'd be curious to see if he has. He was absolute dog shit in May and that really screws with his numbers. Fangraphs doesn't let you separate out month by month for LH/RH splits which is kind of annoying and if you can do it with baseball ref, I'm not sure how. As of this moment I'm not bored enough to manually walk thru his game logs.

 

[CSF77]

The numbers are glaring for sure. He is getting more action vs RH now due to the whole package but in general his numbers vs RH is bad. I'm not sure why that is. Not seeing the ball as well from the angle is the most likely reason and opening up his stance more might help getting both eyes more involved.

In general righties see lefties better as the ball is coming into them and the ball starts in and goes away by righties. Opening up lets you look more directly at the pitcher and his hand more. Then you close up with the pitch

 

[beckdawg]

5. The Cubs are 60-40. Why is that a big deal? The last time they won 60 games in their first 100 was 1977, a season in which they somehow finished 81-81. This team will not finish 81-81.

From ESPN's sweet spot blog.

 

[DJMoore_is_fat]

I was really down for most of the game - but did any read any of the players quotes after? The entire team is electrified by Chapman. Hammel, Russell, Baez, Maddon, etc. totally fired up.

I get so, so down because 100+ years has left me a basket case - but his performance was a big spark.


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[beckdawg]

I was really down for most of the game - but did any read any of the players quotes after? The entire team is electrified by Chapman. Hammel, Russell, Baez, Maddon, etc. totally fired up.

I get so, so down because 100+ years has left me a basket case - but his performance was a big spark.


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What's that old saying about living in the past? Something along the lines of "Don't let the fear of the past affect the presence of your future."

 

[DJMoore_is_fat]

What's that old saying about living in the past? Something along the lines of "Don't let the fear of the past affect the presence of your future."

True stuff. I need to enjoy this more and not get so ridiculously down.


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[Shawon0Meter]

I’m living in the future so the present is my past
my presence is a present kiss my ass

- Kanye West

 

[SilenceS]

In tonights version of stats that may only interest me... let's talk Baez.

LHP vs Baez
.370/.446/.603 with 9.6% bb rate 16.9% k rate 83 PAs

RHP vs Baez
.253/.274/.408 with 1.1% bb rate 25.7% k rate 179 PAs

Looks like Baez still has a lot of work to do vs RHP but deal god if he figures RHP pitching out to the level he has LHP..... Honestly figuring it out might be strong wording. If he just takes more walks(5-7%) he's well on his way to being useful. I'd still like to see him up his average and I'd be curious to see if he has. He was absolute dog shit in May and that really screws with his numbers. Fangraphs doesn't let you separate out month by month for LH/RH splits which is kind of annoying and if you can do it with baseball ref, I'm not sure how. As of this moment I'm not bored enough to manually walk thru his game logs.

He was hitting around .200 against RH. He has upped his average pretty substantially against them has over double the at bats against them then lefties.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Encouraging sign: the eighth inning was a perfect replica of the first two months

- Bryant gets on base
- Rizzo shortens up with two strikes, gets a base hit and Bryant takes the extra base
- Zobrist hits a flyball with a runner on third, less than two outs and is rewarded with a double
- Montero doesn't expand the strike zone and takes a walk
- Russell hits a flyball in a runner on third/less than two outs situation

I know they're "pile on" runs but these are things I want to see executed on a very regular basis that simply hasn't happened lately.

Exactly. One of the reasons I haven't been part of the "doom and gloom" club is that they are still capable of this. It isn't a question of talent it's a question of execution and execution nearly alwasy has a solution. You can't manufacture talent but you can, tweak, cajole and find your way to get it done. Clearly part of the issue is that Heyward simply can't get it going this year. I have no doubt that he will hit next year, he needs to at very least get back to usual swing and hopefully even improve from there but that ain't happening now, at least you can't count on it. Without Heyward and with Zobrist struggling they've got the same contact issue they had last year. Zobrist likely will hit again so that's a positive but at this point I think they do need a LH bat which should help solidify the order. Now no matter who that is Maddon is going to tinker because that's who he is. The other thing is that Baez needs playing time and another OF could cut into that. Or, it coudl cut into Heyward's time. I don't know if they're ballsy enough to make Heyward a part time player but if they were to acquire Josh Reddick it would make perfect sense. You'd lose out defensively but the offense could really get untracked that way. The hard part to this is that if Schwarber didn't get injured and Heyward was closer to his career numbers they'd be fine but that's baseball. The bottom line is that they don't need premier talent they need a catalyst.

The real positives are that Javy Baez is .314/.346/.520 with 5 HR in his last 30 games and Addison Russell is a very respectable .267/.350/.495 with 6 HR in his last 30. You're talking .886 and .845 OPS players respectively. Add that to the known quantities in Rizzo, Bryant and hopefully Fowler and this offense is loaded with talent. Again if Zobrist gets right and they acquire a bat this is is a formidable team if it gets adequate pitching.

 

[beckdawg]

http://m.cubs.mlb.com/chc/video/v97...rills-a-towering-goahead-jack/?game_pk=448372

That sound off the bat tho...

 

[TC in Mississippi]

5. The Cubs are 60-40. Why is that a big deal? The last time they won 60 games in their first 100 was 1977, a season in which they somehow finished 81-81. This team will not finish 81-81.

From ESPN's sweet spot blog.

I hate that 1977 team being brought up as there is really no comparison. I watched that team and saw probably 30 games at Wrigley. That team's best player was Steve Ontiveros at 3.2 WAR followed by Ivan DeJesus at 2.8. If you were wondering George Mitterwald was next at 1.1. This team has 4 guys better than that 2.8 of DeJesus on 7/28 and you have to go all the way down to Heyward to find a 1.1 WAR like Mitterwald's and again there 2 months left in the season. This is not 1977.

 

[beckdawg]

I hat that 1977 team being brought up as there is really no comparison. That team's best player was Steve Ontiveros at 3.2 WAR followed by Ivan DeJesus at 2.8. If you were wondering George Mitterwald was next at 1.1. This team has 4 guys better than that 2.8 of DeJesus on 7/28 and you have to go all the way down to Heyward to find a 1.1 WAR like Mitterwald's and again there 2 months left in the season. This is not 1977.

Oh I'm not comparing them. Just found the best since interesting. 40 years between what's happening now and the last time it happened.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Oh I'm not comparing them. Just found the best since interesting. 40 years between what's happening now and the last time it happened.

I know that. Steve Philips was using 1977 as a warning to Cubs fans this morning and it cheesed me off. No comparison.

 

[fatbeard]

Video on front page of ESPN of Montero discussing him batting 5th tonight? Does anyone still want to tell me that the Cubs arent just an over-hype media invention of ESPN?

Another night of prescient lineup analysis from you.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Sox put Shields on trade block

Wouldn't it be funny if Cubs traded for him..lol

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Shields believes he figured out his issue, too.

 

[brett05]

Sale time

 

[TC in Mississippi]

Unsurprisingly against Sale Heyward gets a rest.