Last night we saw two different philosophies and one was the correct one. Look at how Miami scored the lead run and if it weren’t for a great play by Gausman, they could have scored more. Their right handed hitters used the right side to get a couple of hits. Even the homer was hit to left center by the left handed Sowers. What do we do, we over swing, pull everything or strike out. Teams see that and shift their defense to the pull side. PCA should not be a power hitter. He needs to be a drive the ball to the gap hitter. Be a Tony Gwynn with better speed. Even Nico has become an over swinger instead of what made him a solid hitter by driving the ball to all fields. Look how pitchers pitch to us. They know we are going to roll the ball over with runners on as we do everything possible to hit the ball to short. I have said this all year but we need a hitting coach that pushes us to use the entire field instead of the Earl Weaver philosophy which is Single, Walk, Three Run Homer. Last night was the first time I saw one of our hitters use the opposite field to get a hit. Ramirez drove the ball to the open hole on the left side. And he died on first after Swanson and Kelly could not move Ramirez. I hope Craig revamps his staff with a new third base coach, a new hitting and pitching coach. Two names I would love to see here are Kevin Long who is in Philly and Kevin Seitzer in Seattle. Both believe in utilizing the entire field and scoring in multiple ways. Pitching coaches I would love to see here are Chris Fetter in Detroit or Ruben Niebla or San Diego. You will never pry Prior from LA nor Matt Blake from the Yankees. We need changes in the staff.
Chicago Cubs 2026
Yes, it seems to be all or nothing with us. I miss old school baseball with moving runners along and hit and run. Maybe those days are gone since few teams do this anymore.
You do not get big money for moving runners over or sacrifice bunts. The money is in the HRs.
I don't know if they should totally change their philosophy but in the very least they can adjust to the conditions. The last 2 nights the wind was howling in but if you look at our swings you would have thought it was a warm summer day with the wind roaring out.
Curbelo Fanboy
BERTBALL IS LIFE
And people forget that about Wrigley. It is the easiest park to hit bombs when the wind blows out. However when the wind blows in it is a near impossibility at times. Really puts an emphasis on playing small ball. Which no one seems to know how to do these days.
Curbelo Fanboy
BERTBALL IS LIFE
Small ball doesn't matter....til it really matters in the playoffs. How many at bats did Toronto have in game 7 vs Dodgers last year with fewer than 2 outs & the series winning run on 2nd or 3rd? IIRC it was several. And failed every single time in part cause they couldn't play small ball.
We have a couple of players who would excel at small ball, PCA and Hoerner. Why has Nico’s game declined this year? He went away from utilizing the entire field to pulling everything that is thrown at him. Our hitting coach is a power swinging pull everything coach. Look at last night, how many times did PCA pull the ball to first? Twice. He has been either hitting the ball to second or first in his last several at bats. He needs to be spraying the ball all over. Nico is the same. Kelly could be more effective hitting the ball to all fields. Teams know we are going to pull the ball and their defensive alignment shows that. I would love to see the old Nico, hitting second and helping set the table for Breggy, Busch and Suzuki. We leave so many runs on the bases as we have no clue on how to move them.
as they say " chicks dig the long ball"
Sure, PCA would thrive playing small ball. What I can't fathom is why anyone would want him to? He's quite literally the best baseball player on the planet right now as is. Adding onto that, offense isn't the issue for this team. This dialogue is a clear recency bias of the last two games going the way they did.
Not to mention how for every team that is not the Brewers, small ball isn't the winning recipe in the modern era. I'll worry about small ball for PCA or any other player when a Cub can lay a bunt down and not pop it up to the pitcher like Shaw demonstrated 2 nights ago.
Until then, keep on keeping on, and see what happens.
Not to mention how for every team that is not the Brewers, small ball isn't the winning recipe in the modern era. I'll worry about small ball for PCA or any other player when a Cub can lay a bunt down and not pop it up to the pitcher like Shaw demonstrated 2 nights ago.
Until then, keep on keeping on, and see what happens.
Nico's at bat in the 4th was atrocious. Man on 3rd, 1 out. 3-1 count. Swung and missed at a ball that almost hit him in the foot and took the next pitch right down the middle. Another wasted opportunity.
40-40. Runner in scoring position no outs. No score.
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The 40-40 club:
Pete Crow Armstrong
Jose Canseco (steroids)
Barry Bonds (steroids)
Alex Rodriguez (steroids)
Alfonso Soriano
Ronald Acuna
Shohei Ohtani
Pete Crow Armstrong
Jose Canseco (steroids)
Barry Bonds (steroids)
Alex Rodriguez (steroids)
Alfonso Soriano
Ronald Acuna
Shohei Ohtani
Last home game in Wrigley for Happ, Suzuki, Kelly and a whole bunch of pitchers.
Illiniaaron
- Geneseo, IL
I don't understand how you could possibly quibble with what PCA is doing offensively.
In the first four innings, 8 of the 12 outs have been made with runners in scoring position. Zero of the 3 hits have occrred with runners in scoring position. Almost defies the law of averages.
Now 2 for 34 in the series with RISP.
Now 2 for 34 in the series with RISP.
PCA 40/40. Hell yeah.
Or when the wind is blowing in at Wrigley and you've scored 6 runs in 27 innings, while watching the wild card lead shrink to a "too close to call lead", watch the Padres pass you, the Phillies catch you and have Milwaukee small ball you to death over the last half decade. Their inability to score in extra innings is when it looks particularly awful. Guys start at 2nd and through a myriad of strikeouts, not getting bunts down, pop ups, not hitting to the right side to get a guy to third followed by a fly ball.....they lose in spectacular fashion.
Milwaukee, with 1/2 the payroll, has great pitching, they get on base, they run you to death, they move people over...they have a ton of ways to best you. They do the little things right, most notably , selfless ABs. Unless the Cubs slug.....it's very hard on them.
When the wind is howling in, it's cold and they're facing good pitching.....this is what you get.
But some how they won. Pitching was good for a change. Clinched at least a 3rd place wildcard.
Curbelo Fanboy
BERTBALL IS LIFE
Playoff bound. I don't expect much due to their shortcomings as we have discussed. But in order to win the tournament, one must first qualify for the tournament.
Final tally for series: 3-39 w/RISP.
I know I'm just being negative but wow !
I know I'm just being negative but wow !