Chicago Cubs 2026

#1,876      
Mr. Roberts
Every Counsell move the last two weeks:

Roger Moore Thespywholovedme GIF by James Bond 007
 
#1,879      
Warren Carter Fanclub
What the bullpen needs is a sidearmed lefty who can throw strikes and get guys out. Somebody like Hoby Milner.
Oh, I forgot...we released him because he wasn't good enough for our All-Star bullpen.
 
#1,881      
Second place is 1st loser
Mr. Roberts said:
Every Counsell move the last two weeks:

Roger Moore Thespywholovedme GIF by James Bond 007
Click to expand...
I hate to go this far just because if Webb could do his job, they'd have 3 more wins over the last three weeks.

If the bullpen, in general, could do even an average job, you could say they should have won 6 more.

The amount of games that they had control of in the 6th and 7th inning and lost is staggering. He's got no reliable arm in the pen. I got on him two night ago because he went back to Webb until I took a step back and realized that he's literally got no better options. I probably would have gone to Palencia because he's the guy that they absolutely need to bounce back, but that's only in theory for success down the road. Doesn't mean, given his recent history, that he wouldn't have walked the bases last loaded and they would have lost in on a grand slam.

They're also clearly missing Swanson. The middle infield has made a lot of errors, which show up in the scorebook, but they've also not converted on a lot of double plays, which is basically giving a team 4 outs in the inning. That's not showing up in the scorebook.

All that said, his decisions with the lineup are questionable, at best. His decision last night, the decision to continue to put Busch in the three hole, having Happ in the five hole for a LONG time before finally platooning him was mind-blowing....the list goes on and on. Now, I'm not sure what goes on in Mesa, but their inability to play small ball is obscene. That's where Milwaukee takes complete advantage of them. They bunt, they take the ball the opposite way(hitting it where it's pitched), understanding how to move a guy from second to third by hitting the ball to the right side of the infield, choking up on the bat when all they need is a fly ball or contact at all, etc.....it looks like they have no concept of manufacturing runs. That's on him. The amount of runners left in scoring position with less than 2 outs is absolutely ridiculous.

Some of the stuff is within his control and some isn't. Can't put the bullpen woes on him, but putting guys in a spot to succeed, understanding the strengths of your lineup and managing accordingly is within his control. Waiting on the long ball seems to be his philosophy. That can work when facing starters 4 and 5, but won't when they're facing 1, 2 and 3......which is the playoffs.
 
#1,882      
Mr. Roberts
Second place is 1st loser said:
I hate to go this far just because if Webb could do his job, they'd have 3 more wins over the last three weeks.

If the bullpen, in general, could do even an average job, you could say they should have won 6 more.

The amount of games that they had control of in the 6th and 7th inning and lost is staggering. He's got no reliable arm in the pen. I got on him two night ago because he went back to Webb until I took a step back and realized that he's literally got no better options. I probably would have gone to Palencia because he's the guy that they absolutely need to bounce back, but that's only in theory for success down the road. Doesn't mean, given his recent history, that he wouldn't have walked the bases last loaded and they would have lost in on a grand slam.

They're also clearly missing Swanson. The middle infield has made a lot of errors, which show up in the scorebook, but they've also not converted on a lot of double plays, which is basically giving a team 4 outs in the inning. That's not showing up in the scorebook.

All that said, his decisions with the lineup are questionable, at best. His decision last night, the decision to continue to put Busch in the three hole, having Happ in the five hole for a LONG time before finally platooning him was mind-blowing....the list goes on and on. Now, I'm not sure what goes on in Mesa, but their inability to play small ball is obscene. That's where Milwaukee takes complete advantage of them. They bunt, they take the ball the opposite way(hitting it where it's pitched), understanding how to move a guy from second to third by hitting the ball to the right side of the infield, choking up on the bat when all they need is a fly ball or contact at all, etc.....it looks like they have no concept of manufacturing runs. That's on him. The amount of runners left in scoring position with less than 2 outs is absolutely ridiculous.

Some of the stuff is within his control and some isn't. Can't put the bullpen woes on him, but putting guys in a spot to succeed, understanding the strengths of your lineup and managing accordingly is within his control. Waiting on the long ball seems to be his philosophy. That can work when facing starters 4 and 5, but won't when they're facing 1, 2 and 3......which is the playoffs.
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Counsell has been fighting with one hand behind his back all year with the staff Hoyer gave him, but he has not helped himself much, either. The deisions you list are all part of it, but he over used the pitchers he had some level of confidence in and now they are gassed, as well. Then last night's decision to pinch hit a rookie that has yet to hit the ball hard once for the guy that won the game the night before (until Webb lost it, that is) is just absolutely baffling.

He has lost me, I'm afraid.
 
#1,883      
Illiniaaron
Second place is 1st loser said:
I hate to go this far just because if Webb could do his job, they'd have 3 more wins over the last three weeks.

If the bullpen, in general, could do even an average job, you could say they should have won 6 more.

The amount of games that they had control of in the 6th and 7th inning and lost is staggering. He's got no reliable arm in the pen. I got on him two night ago because he went back to Webb until I took a step back and realized that he's literally got no better options. I probably would have gone to Palencia because he's the guy that they absolutely need to bounce back, but that's only in theory for success down the road. Doesn't mean, given his recent history, that he wouldn't have walked the bases last loaded and they would have lost in on a grand slam.

They're also clearly missing Swanson. The middle infield has made a lot of errors, which show up in the scorebook, but they've also not converted on a lot of double plays, which is basically giving a team 4 outs in the inning. That's not showing up in the scorebook.

All that said, his decisions with the lineup are questionable, at best. His decision last night, the decision to continue to put Busch in the three hole, having Happ in the five hole for a LONG time before finally platooning him was mind-blowing....the list goes on and on. Now, I'm not sure what goes on in Mesa, but their inability to play small ball is obscene. That's where Milwaukee takes complete advantage of them. They bunt, they take the ball the opposite way(hitting it where it's pitched), understanding how to move a guy from second to third by hitting the ball to the right side of the infield, choking up on the bat when all they need is a fly ball or contact at all, etc.....it looks like they have no concept of manufacturing runs. That's on him. The amount of runners left in scoring position with less than 2 outs is absolutely ridiculous.

Some of the stuff is within his control and some isn't. Can't put the bullpen woes on him, but putting guys in a spot to succeed, understanding the strengths of your lineup and managing accordingly is within his control. Waiting on the long ball seems to be his philosophy. That can work when facing starters 4 and 5, but won't when they're facing 1, 2 and 3......which is the playoffs.
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I feel bad for Webb a little, he was never meant to be the closer and fell into that role because they had to do closer by committee. He's obviously gassed. He's pitched 60.2 innings this season, the second most in his career (66 last year with Texas). Happ and Busch have been major disappointments. Happ I doubt will be back, and you have to wonder if Busch is who you want playing first going forward. It looked really good after last season.
 
#1,884      
Gary J
Illiniaaron said:
I feel bad for Webb a little, he was never meant to be the closer and fell into that role because they had to do closer by committee. He's obviously gassed. He's pitched 60.2 innings this season, the second most in his career (66 last year with Texas). Happ and Busch have been major disappointments. Happ I doubt will be back, and you have to wonder if Busch is who you want playing first going forward. It looked really good after last season.
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Busch will be fine.
 
#1,885      
Second place is 1st loser
Gary J said:
Busch will be fine.
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He's arbitration eligible after this current year. They seem to be working Alcantara at 1st base a little bit in Iowa. Their top prospect is a 1st baseman(I think).

He's taken a fairly significant step back this year. It's been a season long struggle. It wouldn't be the first time that the league has adjusted to a guy and he hasn't been able to adjust back. Hitting third in the order, his job is run production. It just hasn't been there.

To be fair, he does play a very, very high level first base defensively. That can't be ignored.

I am interested in what you're seeing here to 1)believe he'll be back to 2025 form next year and 2)with the position at Iowa being very strong, do the Cubs want his contract in their plans?
 
#1,886      
Red77sng
Second place is 1st loser said:
He's arbitration eligible after this current year. They seem to be working Alcantara at 1st base a little bit in Iowa. Their top prospect is a 1st baseman(I think).

He's taken a fairly significant step back this year. It's been a season long struggle. It wouldn't be the first time that the league has adjusted to a guy and he hasn't been able to adjust back. Hitting third in the order, his job is run production. It just hasn't been there.

To be fair, he does play a very, very high level first base defensively. That can't be ignored.

I am interested in what you're seeing here to 1)believe he'll be back to 2025 form next year and 2)with the position at Iowa being very strong, do the Cubs want his contract in their plans?
Click to expand...
Top prospect is a 19 year old outfielder
 
#1,887      
Second place is 1st loser
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