Random cubs/baseball talks

[brett05]

Hall of Famer, hopefully this will be the year in 2019

http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/24182944/where-braves-legend-dale-murphy-now

 

[Milton Waddams]

MIL traded for 3B Moustakas from KC. He's hitting:

249 AVG
20 HR
62 RBI

Trade

They added P Soria from CHW a few days ago:

2.50 ERA
16 SAVES
49 SO

 

[beckdawg]

I don't like to throw crap entirely on coaching but at what point do we start calling out Hickey? The pitching has not looked very good and the reason he was brought in supposedly was to help with walk rate but even that isn't really better team wide.

 

[PickSix]

I don't like to throw crap entirely on coaching but at what point do we start calling out Hickey? The pitching has not looked very good and the reason he was brought in supposedly was to help with walk rate but even that isn't really better team wide.

Hope Hickey at least considers changing whatever he is having these guy do to prep and warm up for a game. Current routine isn’t working.
My idea of hitting these guys with a jolt from a cattle prod to wake their asses up is probably against the collective bargaining agreement, but gotta try something different.

 

[chibears55]

I don't like to throw crap entirely on coaching but at what point do we start calling out Hickey? The pitching has not looked very good and the reason he was brought in supposedly was to help with walk rate but even that isn't really better team wide.

I agree but sometimes the problem just lies with the player..
But
I remember a talk with Sutcliffe on ESPN radio, he was asked about Hendricks and his situation..

Sutcliffe basically said what he felt was the problem and when asked about getting Hendricks to fix it, Sutcliffe said he hasn't asked for help yet..
Sutcliffe said that a pitching coach, manager, etc. wont go to a player and offer help or suggestions on ways to help, he says the player goes to them when their ready to get help..

Which i found interesting..

He basically saying pitching coaches keep quiet with their possible solutions unless their asked..
Guessing this is mainly with veterans

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[CSF77]

I agree but sometimes the problem just lies with the player..
But
I remember a talk with Sutcliffe on ESPN radio, he was asked about Hendricks and his situation..

Sutcliffe basically said what he felt was the problem and when asked about getting Hendricks to fix it, Sutcliffe said he hasn't asked for help yet..
Sutcliffe said that a pitching coach, manager, etc. wont go to a player and offer help or suggestions on ways to help, he says the player goes to them when their ready to get help..

Which i found interesting..

He basically saying pitching coaches keep quiet with their possible solutions unless their asked..
Guessing this is mainly with veterans

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Coach’s job is to fix mechanic flaws. Most in game stuff goes between catcher and pitcher. Sequencing hitters etc. but if a pitcher is missing location normally something has altered slightly in their mechanic and it is up to the coach and player to analyze and correct. That is what they are paid to do. Not sit on beer money and pow wow when the player feels like it. Not a softball team.

 

[chibears55]

Coach’s job is to fix mechanic flaws. Most in game stuff goes between catcher and pitcher. Sequencing hitters etc. but if a pitcher is missing location normally something has altered slightly in their mechanic and it is up to the coach and player to analyze and correct. That is what they are paid to do. Not sit on beer money and pow wow when the player feels like it. Not a softball team.

Lol..
Thanks for the insight...
But
He didn't say his problems were actual in game stuff where a catcher pitcher can solve it there or about sitting with a beer and having a talk

LMAO , that what you took from that

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[CSF77]

I don't like to throw crap entirely on coaching but at what point do we start calling out Hickey? The pitching has not looked very good and the reason he was brought in supposedly was to help with walk rate but even that isn't really better team wide.

Chatwood kinda skewes this to the north. Then rotating the pen around continuously is not making things better.

I look at Hendricks and he has to be on point. He misses location meatball served.

Q same thing. Low 90 vs high 80’s but leave a sinker or a lollipop in the sweet spot....

Lester has been on point so it is not all of them.


I see the problem as Hendricks has peaked as a player and we may see a gem here and there with a 4.50 ERA the rest of the time.

Q needs to alter something. His fastball command is off. Misses location which screws up his off speed. He may have to add a cutter this off season.

Chatwood I’ll wait and see. Too much talent to push aside. That said 3.5-4.7 was his range of B.B./9 going in. So I would not be shocked with a mechanical tinker gone wrong because 8.0 is not normal.

With Darvish. Injury is that. You can’t judge much here because he was striking guys out fine and wasn’t getting wrecked.

So I’m not going doom and gloom here. If Hamels resurges and Lester continues. We can suffer so sketchy games.

Long term I wouldnt mind if they did make a change in the rotation

 

[beckdawg]

Chatwood kinda skewes this to the north. Then rotating the pen around continuously is not making things better.

I look at Hendricks and he has to be on point. He misses location meatball served.

Q same thing. Low 90 vs high 80’s but leave a sinker or a lollipop in the sweet spot....

Lester has been on point so it is not all of them.


I see the problem as Hendricks has peaked as a player and we may see a gem here and there with a 4.50 ERA the rest of the time.

Q needs to alter something. His fastball command is off. Misses location which screws up his off speed. He may have to add a cutter this off season.

Chatwood I’ll wait and see. Too much talent to push aside. That said 3.5-4.7 was his range of B.B./9 going in. So I would not be shocked with a mechanical tinker gone wrong because 8.0 is not normal.

With Darvish. Injury is that. You can’t judge much here because he was striking guys out fine and wasn’t getting wrecked.

So I’m not going doom and gloom here. If Hamels resurges and Lester continues. We can suffer so sketchy games.

Long term I wouldnt mind if they did make a change in the rotation

It's not just Chatwood though. Every starter has seen their career walk rate elevate. Duensing looks substantially worse. Cishek's walk rate is a full walk higher than last year. So on and so forth. I'm willing to accept the idea that it could partially be Contreras framing at fault as well but clearly there's a large issue at play here. As a whole, they are 8th in k's per 9 and 22nd in bb/9. The walk rate alone is costing them some where between a quarter of a run and a half of a run in ERA.

 

[CSF77]

It's not just Chatwood though. Every starter has seen their career walk rate elevate. Duensing looks substantially worse. Cishek's walk rate is a full walk higher than last year. So on and so forth. I'm willing to accept the idea that it could partially be Contreras framing at fault as well but clearly there's a large issue at play here. As a whole, they are 8th in k's per 9 and 22nd in bb/9. The walk rate alone is costing them some where between a quarter of a run and a half of a run in ERA.

http://www.statcorner.com/CatcherReport.php

 

[CSF77]

Not enough of a sample size but Cartini looks to be a better framer.

 

[CSF77]

I think in general it is the pitcher missing location. Most of the time the catcher frames a spot and the ball misses by 6 inches. If it is not sinking or tailing over the plate when it was not meant to. Which could be a finger placement. Being up in the zone is from not following through properly and staying tall. Every thing is a mechanic when throwing. Moving over to one side to the other of the mound can add new angles to attack a corner of the plate.

The thing is a catcher can help a pitcher but it is the pitcher throwing the ball and if he misses his spot it is not the catchers fault.

 

[chibears55]

Not enough of a sample size but Cartini looks to be a better framer.

And you can tell this how?
while watching games on tv

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[CSF77]

And you can tell this how?
while watching games on tv

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Did you even look at that site? Cartiani is middle of the road. Wilson is among the league worst framers.

 

[beckdawg]

I mean neither is particularly good at it. BP has Victor Caratini at #83 and Contreras and Willson Contreras last out of 101 guys.

 

[CSF77]

I mean neither is particularly good at it. BP has Victor Caratini at #83 and Contreras and Willson Contreras last out of 101 guys.

Pretty sure the the sox and Wellington own that honor.

 

[anotheridiot]

Pitch framing will mean nothing when they get that electronic strike zone going.

 

[CSF77]

Almost makes a argument to develop Miguel Amaya.

With his agility and soft hands, Amaya is an advanced receiver for a teenager, framing and blocking pitches well. His arm strength is average but plays better than that because he makes quick and accurate throws, and he erased 41 percent of basestealers in the NWL. His arm strength has improved since he has signed and he could be a plus thrower once he's fully developed.

He is a A ball and this would push him to 2019 MB, 2020 Tenn and 2021 AAA. He would be 22 at promote. Contreras goes FA in 2023. They could end up trading off Wilson's last 2 control years.

 

[CSF77]

Pitch framing will mean nothing when they get that electronic strike zone going.

Sure and pigs will fly also.

 

[beckdawg]

Pretty sure the the sox and Wellington own that honor.

https://legacy.baseballprospectus.com/sortable/index.php?cid=1899536