Chicago Cubs 2026

[Red77sng]

Why not have Bregman bunt in the ninth?

Because he’s only bunted one time in his major league career

 

[Illiniaaron]

Seiya was up next.

They either walk him, or the fly ball he hit scores Hoerner.

 

[Gary J]

I’m still waiting for Bregman to do something. Not much power this far.

I’d rather see Shaw playing 3rd. His defense is better and he has speed. A little undisciplined at the plate. But I’d like to the chance with him. Unfortunately, with Bregman’s contract, he will be playing everyday.

Btw, I believe House is going to regret this signing.

 

[Emerson Bigguns]

The promotion to AAA could have been just a numbers game, but on the surface a very strange choice to be promoted. He had a 7.76 ERA, a 1.77 WHIP and hitters were batting .313 against him in 7 starts this year. And it’s not like the bad start right before the promotion just screwed up his numbers. In his final three AA starts, he threw 13.1 innings and had a 9.47 ERA and 1.88 WHIP.

As to Arrieta, very dissimilar situation. He switched organizations and spent 1.5 months at Iowa before pitching with the Cubs, so he and Cubs had time to make adjustments. Hardin is with same organization and there was only 7 days between his last start at AA and his first start at AAA. Obviously, something clicked. Just very curious what it is they were working on.

Between high A & AA last year he pitched to a 2.72 ERA last season. (21 starts)

Sometimes you just bet on regression...

Despite the 7+ ERA, his Strikeouts per 9 innings was 14.8 in April. They were likely betting on his stuff, which apparently is pretty darn good. (I still wonder if he was tipping pitches)

 

[Warren Carter Fanclub]

With the way the Brewers develop pitchers, I'd copy everything they do...

I've said this before on this thread....They should have signed Milwaukee's front office instead of their manager. And it probably would have been cheaper.

 

[Second place is 1st loser]

Why not have Bregman bunt in the ninth?

Honestly, I'm glad you said this because I said the exact same thing when he was coming up to the plate. I believe that the heart of the Cubs order(3, 4, 5) is the worst in baseball over the last month. We're into double digits with the amount of times that 1 and 2 got on, with nobody out, and they don't only not score, but they don't advance.

It's usually a combination of K, pop out, fly out......Pop out, K, K, etc. Whether it be Bregman, Happ or Suzuki, they can't even get a productive out much less a hit.

Counsell doesn't have the rocks to do it, but if those situations come up, for the foreseeable future....they're bunting. The outcome literally can't be any worse than what they're getting. The K rate in those situations from all three guys is AWFUL.

 

[Emerson Bigguns]

The promotion to AAA could have been just a numbers game, but on the surface a very strange choice to be promoted. He had a 7.76 ERA, a 1.77 WHIP and hitters were batting .313 against him in 7 starts this year. And it’s not like the bad start right before the promotion just screwed up his numbers. In his final three AA starts, he threw 13.1 innings and had a 9.47 ERA and 1.88 WHIP.

As to Arrieta, very dissimilar situation. He switched organizations and spent 1.5 months at Iowa before pitching with the Cubs, so he and Cubs had time to make adjustments. Hardin is with same organization and there was only 7 days between his last start at AA and his first start at AAA. Obviously, something clicked. Just very curious what it is they were working on.

Also looks like his batting average on balls in play has cratered since the call up. (.435-.316) AA defense might be sub-par too.

 

[Second place is 1st loser]

Seiya was up next.

If Bregman moves the runners along, at worst it's 2nd and 3rd and only one out. There are a lot of ways to get that runner in from third. There's a decent chance that they walk Seiya to load the bases. A walk or wild pitch gets the run across.

The second Bregman K'd, it means that Seiya or Happ has to come through with a hit and the hasn't been happening very often. Happy has had a K rate of over 50% with RISP. Suzuki not much better.

They either have to start playing small ball in what would be an incredibly embarrassing situation for any of those guys of you have to split them up in the order.

Bregman hasn't earned the right to have any discontent with being told to bunt.

 

[Mr. Tibbs]

Honestly, I'm glad you said this because I said the exact same thing when he was coming up to the plate. I believe that the heart of the Cubs order(3, 4, 5) is the worst in baseball over the last month. We're into double digits with the amount of times that 1 and 2 got on, with nobody out, and they don't only not score, but they don't advance.

It's usually a combination of K, pop out, fly out......Pop out, K, K, etc. Whether it be Bregman, Happ or Suzuki, they can't even get a productive out much less a hit.

Counsell doesn't have the rocks to do it, but if those situations come up, for the foreseeable future....they're bunting. The outcome literally can't be any worse than what they're getting. The K rate in those situations from all three guys is AWFUL.

in the words of the immortal Ernie Banks on Home Run Derby in the early 60's, " its home run or nuthin' "

 

[Emerson Bigguns]

I’m still waiting for Bregman to do something. Not much power this far.

I’d rather see Shaw playing 3rd. His defense is better and he has speed. A little undisciplined at the plate. But I’d like to the chance with him. Unfortunately, with Bregman’s contract, he will be playing everyday.

Btw, I believe House is going to regret this signing.

Bregman has been a much better 2nd half hitter in his career. (1st: .262, 2nd: .286) Hopefully that holds up.

He has been lousy at Wrigley (.217) and really good on the road. (.293)

For a guy as pull happy as he is, he isn't generating the slug you'd expect.

In regard to him bunting in that 9th inning situation, it looks like he has attempted a total of 3 bunts in his career...