mattcoldagelli
- Script Illinois Enthusiast
[play worst stretch of season]
[still up 8 games on STL]
[still up 8 games on STL]
Pirates are keeping pace at only 5 games behind. Hopefully they are due for a little bit of a winning lull as they are 8-2 in their last 10 games.
Also, the Reds suck.
The Pirates are a very good team with one of the best (and my favorite) outfields in baseball.
The Reds are trash this season. I expect the Brewers to take a similar turn at the deadline when a solid chunk of their team is traded away (Lucroy, Carter, Hill, and maybe even Braun).
The Pirates starting pitching could vastly improve as early as June with the additions of Glasnow, Taillon or Kuhl. It wouldn't surprise me if the Pirates win the division or come very close.
The Pirates are a very good team with one of the best (and my favorite) outfields in baseball.
The Reds are trash this season. I expect the Brewers to take a similar turn at the deadline when a solid chunk of their team is traded away (Lucroy, Carter, Hill, and maybe even Braun).
True, but I still wouldn't count out St. Louis. Their run differential per game is even higher than Pittsburgh's, and they're due for even more upward correction, just as San Francisco is due for downward movement. Heck, Philadelphia has the 5th worst differential in baseball and is 4 games over .500 ball. I know that the Cardinals look slow out there, but it's early.
Cubs : 2.67 @ 0.696
BoSox : 1.46 @ 0.604
Giants : 0.22 @ 0.600
Pirates : 0.70 @ 0.596
Phillies : -0.73 @ 0.542
Cards : 0.90 @ 0.510
Note that I'm only looking at flat figures. I haven't taken any time to look at any standard deviation.
Oh my goodness white sox
Sweep of the Phillies and the Cubs welcome the Dodgers where they will avoid Kershaw. *Phew*
Another solid win by the Cubbies. Hammel went out after 2 innings with a cramp but it seems like he is okay.
Finish out May strong!
Couldn't help but picture Andrew Miller on the mound on favor of Clayton Richard tonight. The Cubs' 23 consecutive win streak in Arrieta starts snapped tonight, despite him lowering his ERA to 1.56.
If the Yankees sell at the deadline, he'd net a solid haul in return. Any idea what someone like Miller would cost? He's signed through 2018 for $9 million/year.
I'll be driving the unofficial Andrew Miller to the Cubs bandwagon until the deadline.
Only reason Richard is still on the team is that he's a left handed. If not either Edwards or Patton would be up from Iowa in his place.
The only reason he pitched last night is because Wood had to go 4 the night before due to Hammel going out with an injury.
Seems to me the Cubs could find a "last resort" lefty out of the pen that will give you better than a 8.00 ERA without giving up the farm.
Edit to Add - have to think the Cubs brass are rethinking their decision to release Jokisch. He's pitching well for Miami's AAA team right now.
The final option I want to call out from Iowa’s roster, and perhaps the most likely to get a near-term trial in Chicago if the option is to come internally, isn’t actually a left handed pitcher. Brandon Gomes is a 31-year-old right-hander, but in 2015 he was more effective against lefties than righties. He faced 110 left handed hitters last season, and they hit just .192 off him. Right handers (135 of them) hit .281. That trend has continued in Iowa this season. Lefties are hitting .100, and righties .238. It may be a little unorthodox, but the numbers say the Cubs could do a lot worse than to give Gomes a shot as a lefty specialist.