Took advantage of Joe Burrow being out.
Cubs 2023 Season
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Took advantage of Joe Burrow being out.
Good thing Cincinnati didn’t play Chase Brown.
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KBLEE
- Montgomery, IL
He's not an every-down back anyway. /s
bdutts
- Houston, Texas
What did you see?
Those guys have been around long enough to believe they can turn it around. A month ago Tallion looked like he couldn’t get through 5 innings at A ball. It’s a long season. Guys will have rough patches.
I'm sure they tried but I can't believe that Jed didn't get a lefty for the pen. Anthony Kay......
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
More like Anthony HRI'm sure they tried but I can't believe that Jed didn't get a lefty for the pen. Anthony Kay......
I thought I saw a Bellinger extension. Looks like it was just someone asking Hoyer about extending Bellinger.
I wonder about fatigue for both pitchers. With 50-some games to go, Smyly is at 108 innings. He hasn’t thrown more than 126 since 2016.
Stroman has shown a lot more durability. He’s on pace for about 170-180 innings, which is what he’s topped out at for the past several years.
Both guys are kind of skinny compared to your stereotypical workhorse starter. Stroman especially, with his atypical build for a starting pitcher, has to do a lot of max effort pitching. Have to wonder if he’s been over-extending himself, particularly with the pressure of having to win to avoid being traded.
With Assad and Wes doing multi-inning relief appearances on consecutive days, Smyly starting tonight, and Kay getting blown up last night, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Cubs made a roster move today.
Send Kay down. Given Cuas’ reverse splits, he might get an opportunity.
A more aggressive move would be to bring a starter up, tell Smyly we just want 5 from him tonight and bring the starter in for the 6th. Unfortunately, both Brown and Killian (who has been really good since his last cup of coffee with the big team) just had their turns in the rotation, and there really isn’t anyone else at AAA who I’d remotely trust to get 3 or 4 innings tonight.
It is likely Cade Horton’s turn.to make his first AA start. But as fun as that would be, it’s probably a really bad idea.
Send Kay down. Given Cuas’ reverse splits, he might get an opportunity.
A more aggressive move would be to bring a starter up, tell Smyly we just want 5 from him tonight and bring the starter in for the 6th. Unfortunately, both Brown and Killian (who has been really good since his last cup of coffee with the big team) just had their turns in the rotation, and there really isn’t anyone else at AAA who I’d remotely trust to get 3 or 4 innings tonight.
It is likely Cade Horton’s turn.to make his first AA start. But as fun as that would be, it’s probably a really bad idea.
Bringing up Cuas might be part of the answer. Palencia, Fullmer, Leiter, and Alzolay should all be available tonight as well. Hopefully Drew can give 5-6 solid innings.
It was some commenting on the smile Hoyer gives at the end of the answer to this question. Doesn’t look like a guy who thinks Bellinger is playing somewhere else next season.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Bellinger is a Boras guy remember, and they insisted on a one-year "prove it" deal for 2023 in order to get back into the free agent market with more leverage.
It would surprise me if Bellinger re-signs before hitting FA.
Boras will also want a mega long term deal that pays Bellinger well beyond when he'll likely be worth it, and he's been very successful in securing those deals for his guys. But of course he can only get what the market will bear, and I think and hope Bellinger makes a good candidate for a shorter years higher AAV type deal.
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I agree that Bellinger hits free agency. I’m just reading way, way too much between the lines and think they’ve had some preliminary discussions and Jed is comfortable with where the negotiations look like they’re heading.
For a guy of his age (28), I could easily see him signing a shorter-term deal in hopes of getting the big bag later. 2-3 years, AAV 25-30 million.
IMO he would need to string together a few good years to get the type of long-term security the top FA's have gotten the past few years. Teams have shown willingness to pay guys into their late 30's if they are consistent. He's been too up and down, but he has relative youth on his side.
We are about to find out... Stro to the IL. (hip) Cuas being called up.
[ W ] #55
Bears: 16 - Bengals: 6
Bears: 16 - Bengals: 6
Struggling with extra points 2 games in a row. Time to look at some FA kickers.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
I would have kicked a hole in my TV last night if I were a Reds fan.
Yeah that complete defensive breakdown in the 7th was not good. Had the look of a team that had mentally checked out.
Will be fun to look back in 3 or 4 weeks. Was it a blip or the signs of a team buckling under pressure?
I was ready to kick my TV watching Smyly give up gopher ball after gopher ball
August sets up ridiculously well for this team, with series against the Mets, White Sox, Royals, Tigers, and Pirates (along with a series against the Brewers).
The Brewers schedule is probably comparable, but I wouldn't say it's easier.
But the Reds schedule is rough... Outside of the Nats and Pirates, every team is in contention. Plus a West coast trip to end the month.
Quick glance at September looks like all three schedules are fairly interchangeable, though that can change with how teams do through August.
And I know run differential can be meaningless (last two games for example), but the Cubs are the only NL Central team with a positive differential (Reds have gone negative because of the last two games).
The division is bad, and the schedule is favorable... This team might actually make the playoffs.
The Brewers schedule is probably comparable, but I wouldn't say it's easier.
But the Reds schedule is rough... Outside of the Nats and Pirates, every team is in contention. Plus a West coast trip to end the month.
Quick glance at September looks like all three schedules are fairly interchangeable, though that can change with how teams do through August.
And I know run differential can be meaningless (last two games for example), but the Cubs are the only NL Central team with a positive differential (Reds have gone negative because of the last two games).
The division is bad, and the schedule is favorable... This team might actually make the playoffs.
Hope is alive in Wrigleyville. It's been a while. I almost forgot how much fun it can be to care about baseball daily.
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