He leads the majors in that category by almost a walk and a half per 9.
Chicago Cubs 2018 Season
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He leads the majors in that category by almost a walk and a half per 9.
Chatwood’s career walks per 9 before coming to the Cubs was 4.2. A bit higher than you’d want, but almost half of what he’s been doing this year.
Don’t know why he’s seemed to have lost the strike zone, but this hasn’t been an isolated occurrence with Cubs pitchers. Justin Wilson’s BB/9 has nearly tripled since joining the Cubs. Darvish was 3.3 prior to the Cubs and 4.7 since. Adam Warren walked 4.9 with the Cubs and 2.9 with the Yankees.
It hasn’t been every pitching acquisition, but it’s been enough of them to raise a red flag. The good news is that it seems like it should be a fixable issue. The bad news is that this issue was one of the prime reasons Hickey was brought in to replace Bosio and it’s not getting fixed.
Don’t know why he’s seemed to have lost the strike zone, but this hasn’t been an isolated occurrence with Cubs pitchers. Justin Wilson’s BB/9 has nearly tripled since joining the Cubs. Darvish was 3.3 prior to the Cubs and 4.7 since. Adam Warren walked 4.9 with the Cubs and 2.9 with the Yankees.
It hasn’t been every pitching acquisition, but it’s been enough of them to raise a red flag. The good news is that it seems like it should be a fixable issue. The bad news is that this issue was one of the prime reasons Hickey was brought in to replace Bosio and it’s not getting fixed.
If you are gonna lose, lose big. No sense in wasting offense on a night you give up 10.
Was at the game (2nd of the year), and I have to say I was really disappointed in the food. Main concourse line didn't move while I went to the bathroom, so I went up one of the other levels. Tried to order a melt, but was told it would take 5 minutes. Pass. Got an Italian sausage instead, with peppers. It was the blandest thing I have ever eaten.
You can stiff me on the prices, but don't make me miss more game and make it tasty.
Was at the game (2nd of the year), and I have to say I was really disappointed in the food. Main concourse line didn't move while I went to the bathroom, so I went up one of the other levels. Tried to order a melt, but was told it would take 5 minutes. Pass. Got an Italian sausage instead, with peppers. It was the blandest thing I have ever eaten.
You can stiff me on the prices, but don't make me miss more game and make it tasty.
Serious Late
- Peoria via Denver via Ann Arbor via Albuquerque vi
Hot Dogs. Peanuts (or sunflower seeds). Beer (or water/soda).
No reason to expand horizons beyond that at a baseball game.
Cubs have had the most ABs with RISP and have the highest number of runners left in scoring position. If they were just middle of the pack, they'd be leading the division. I miss the John Mallee days.
[ W ] #26
Catcher Chris Gimenez up from AAA; Victor Caratini optioned.
And Darvish to the DL; Rosario up from AAA.
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Contreras pitch framing skills are not good. He seems to be the one constant. The Cubs could use a David Ross. Gimenez?
Man, that first inning was something else.
[ W ] #27
Almora Jr. is really blossoming this year. Fantastic game all around for him tonight. He's unbelievably smooth roaming CF.
Almora Jr. is really blossoming this year. Fantastic game all around for him tonight. He's unbelievably smooth roaming CF.
So with Memorial Day being the first fence post of the season, how does everyone feel about the Cubs thus far?
Pros
-Record of 27-22 through 49 games (comparatively the Cubs were 25-24 last year at this point of the season).
-Hendricks and Lester have been solid at the top of the rotation.
-Bullpen looks to be of great quality.
-Offense leads the NL in runs/game.
-Contreras, Baez, Bryant, Almora, and Schwarber are all off to good starts.
-The reports of Schwarber being a liability on defense have been grossly exaggerated.
Areas for Improvement
-Quintana and Darvish will improve, and I am hopeful for Chatwood live up to the #5 starter he was signed to be.
-RISP has been poor.
-Rizzo will bounce back, Heyward I have less faith in.
[ W ] #28
Well done in a spot-start, Montgomery!
Well done in a spot-start, Montgomery!
He largely already has. He’s raised his OPS by .274 in May.
Without knowing his R/L splits, I don't see why Almora isn't starting everyday. If you want more Happ AB's platoon him with Shwarbs in left or move Javy to short and have Happ play 2nd.
Also think Zobrist deserves more playing time, but mostly because I've finally given up on Heyward every being anything other than a poor offensive talent. We'll see how much of an albatross that contract is on this team.
We need to give Montgomery an actual chance to win a starting spot. Maybe a 6 man rotation once or twice through might not be the worst thing come September.
Also think Zobrist deserves more playing time, but mostly because I've finally given up on Heyward every being anything other than a poor offensive talent. We'll see how much of an albatross that contract is on this team.
We need to give Montgomery an actual chance to win a starting spot. Maybe a 6 man rotation once or twice through might not be the worst thing come September.
Agreed.
Maddon does a pretty amazing job maintaining 10 everyday starters for 8 spots, but with what he's able to do on both sides of the ball, Almora seems like he should be more on the Bryant/Rizzo side of the ledger rather than in the Happ/Zobrist/Heyward shuffle.
I actually went to the game in Pittsburgh yesterday; let me say that the Pirate fans were livid about the hard slide into the catcher in the 8th inning. Rizzo's 2 RBI single in the 9th was a dagger in their hearts. I was impressed that Rizzo could perform like that in front of a jeering crowd. I'm not worried about him at all.
MLB has notified the Cubs and Pirates that his slide was illegal.
http://www.bleachernation.com/2018/...o-tell-them-anthony-rizzos-slide-was-illegal/
Probably unpopular opinion in this thread, but I agree with the MLB. I'm not sure its in the rules of the game, but he clearly altered his slide path into the catcher. He did it about as cleanly as you could (still touched the base, legs/cleats down), but he obviously would've slide more directly into home if the catcher wasn't off the plate.
What I will say is that this is quickly becoming the MLB's response to the catch rule. Probably going to get worse before it gets better in terms of clarity.
I'm in agreement with MLB as well. Breaking from the baseline is where Rizzo went wrong. I'm just glad the catcher wasn't injured.
[ W ] #29
Lester with the 2-hit night (at the plate) and a nail-biter to close out the 9th.
Lester with the 2-hit night (at the plate) and a nail-biter to close out the 9th.
Since Heyward got off the DL, Almora has more plate appearances than Schwarber, Zobrist, Heyward and Happ.
He’s 24 years old and getting the most playing time of all the outfielders. More than the two vets with big contracts.
Hes a gold glove CF and at minimum an average hitter at the plate. He should be getting more AB's then those you've mentioned above (glad to hear he is). Fact is, Heyward is a a few bad games away from dropping below the Mendoza line, Happ is mediocre in the field and a streaky hitter, and Zobrist/Schwarber aren't going to be playing CF. Almora should be a lock at either the 1/2 spots and an everyday player. Whether he's 19 or 29, making 100k or 100m, it shouldn't matter. You play your best players. He's the best CF we have, and it's not close.
bdutts
- Houston, Texas
MLB needs to retrain their umps, then. Two sets of them got the call wrong.
I would need to read the rule. Didn't look like anything nefarious to me but since I don't know the official rule...there is a difference between being illegal and dirty so I suppose it could be breaking the rule but not with intent to injure.
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