Ross probably doesn't want to see him cry again. He's fine somewhere less prominent in order but not the 3
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Happ seems to have a couple of really good games and then disappears for a week. Meanwhile the 3 hole has to be one of the worst production slots in the lineup. Unless Wisdom or Banhart are in the lineup, Happ has the lowest BA and continues to bat 3rd. Just doesn't make sense.
Rough game for sure for Happ. Bad past month and godawful past week.
I think he needs to sit out the next series and then get inserted further down in the lineup, just like with Suzuki, who was certainly ready to play tonight. Tauchman has earned playing time, so stick him in LF for a while.
Tauchman
Hoerner
Belli
Morel
Candy
Swanson
Happ/Suzuki
Gomes/Wisdom
Madrigal/Amaya
I hate blaming stuff on the manager but I certainly didn’t like bringing Wesneski into a tie game with 2 straight lefties to start. I don’t barely ever like a bunt but even less with a hard throwing pitcher and a strikeout guy up next.
Ross has gotten the best out of these guys though which is way more important than these two decisions
Ross has gotten the best out of these guys though which is way more important than these two decisions
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Some of these decisions come from basic flaws in the roster, though. I think he was hoping Wesneski could eat some innings and if you’re going to go lefty-specific, then you’re bringing Leiter in for the 6th, which is less than ideal.
I didn’t have a problem with the bunt call, really. I’m not a big fan of bunting in general, but this is one scenario where I tend to support it - you actually increase your scoring probability by having 2nd & 3rd with 1 out vs. 1st & 2nd with 0 outs and Madrigal is a solid bunter. Also factor in that Madrigal hits almost everything on the ground and the Cubs eliminated the DP. I’d have been ok with Madrigal swinging, as well, but I was good with the bunt. I know Morel and Happ are K guys, but it’s a pick your poison situation and I think either way on the bunt/no-bunt was perfectly defensible.
Sounds like it would have been a great spot to use Smyly. Too bad the team is too busy using him to dig 6-run deficits every 5 games...
I didn't have a problem with the bunt, either. What I DO have a problem with is the $3.25M elephant known as Barnhart taking up a roster spot for absolutely no reason (other than garbage time pitching) so that decent contact hitters like Mastrobuoni or McKinstry aren't there when you need 'em.
Well….they did announce Smyly is going to the pen, so once he’s recovered from his last start, he’ll be there.
Can’t really disagree with the other, though they’ve been playing Barnhart less and the pitchers do seem to like TB, and I’m not sure how that decision really played into last night’s choice.
Coming off that hot home stand they laid an egg against a crap Mets team.
🤷♂️ All they can do is move ahead. Go beat the Jays and then take advantage of the soft, gooey schedule to follow.
Jefferson Rojas, Parker Chavers, Cristian Hernandez and a handful of pitchers are worth watching.
Looks like new draftee Brian Kalmer is having a heck of a start to his pro career.
I watched a good chunk of the game. Most of the talent has been promoted, which is healthy. The guys left like Hernandez and Rojas as extremely young. It was nice to see some recent draftees making an impact.
I finally got out to see them a couple weeks ago. I was bummed I never made it out last summer, but with some family milestone vacations, a kid graduating HS then moving into college, we just never found the time. Hernandez is HUGE. He’s still thin and has a ton of room to add weight, but really big, athletic frame. Rojas looked really good, as did Greg Huss favorite Parker Chavers. We caught a Marino Santy start. He’s really come on this year and while he’s most likely to make the majors as a reliever (if he ever makes it), he has a decent fastball, a really sharp curve and a really highly rated change. He didn’t have the change the night we watched him, but he threw 5 hitless by making guys look ridiculous with that curve. Some command issues, but when he’s sharp, he’s really good.
Matt Shaw is knocking the (expletive), out of the ball at South Bend. Would the Cubs dare to promote him for a few weeks worth of AA? It's worth discussing.
https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs...k-matt-shaw-including-his-first-high-a-homer/
https://www.bleachernation.com/cubs...k-matt-shaw-including-his-first-high-a-homer/
The good side of the improved farm system is that there’s now more talent towards the top of the system, so there is more of a glut and it’s harder to move guys. If he’s still rocking out a week from now, I’d probably take a hard look at that.
All that said, there seems to be some space at AA, so it would probably be worth it. Getting to AA might get him to big-league camp next spring and would likely lock him in to start at AA, which obviously puts him in play for MLB call-up if the Cubs have a need.
You know what they say - Why put a got hitting .485 with an OPS >1.250 in his past 15 games in the 3-spot when there's a perfectly good place for him down at #7?
Maybe he's more comfortable down the order. I remember back to my youth an HS baseball days. I never did like hitting 1-3 in the lineup. Always felt most comfortable in the 5 spot, second most comfortable in the 6 hole, 3rd at cleanup. Don't ever remember ever hitting 7-8-9 so can't comment on that.
Great for the Cubs to bounce back and pick up a W in a tough park to play in.
Awesome having Assad step up when they really needed another starter with the Stro injury and Smyly struggles.
We really need to talk about Morel, though. Ouch! With all the focus on Happ's lousy past month, Morel's has been almost as bad, and his past week has been atrocious (2 for 24 slump since the great game against Cincy 8/2). And he doesn't even play defense. I wonder if playing the field more often would help his bat? Anyway, Cubs definitely need more production out of the DH spot than they've been getting.
Hope they can get at least one more in Toronto this weekend.
Awesome having Assad step up when they really needed another starter with the Stro injury and Smyly struggles.
We really need to talk about Morel, though. Ouch! With all the focus on Happ's lousy past month, Morel's has been almost as bad, and his past week has been atrocious (2 for 24 slump since the great game against Cincy 8/2). And he doesn't even play defense. I wonder if playing the field more often would help his bat? Anyway, Cubs definitely need more production out of the DH spot than they've been getting.
Hope they can get at least one more in Toronto this weekend.
Morel just has to play through it. He crushed his first ball tonight. Just let him keep getting ABs. Most 24yo baseball players are not in the majors…and he’s 9th in the NL in RBI since his callup May 9.
It’s actually improved quite a bit. He’s back-tracked a little lately, but he’s still way ahead of last year.
Why do you constantly have to shove your LGBT agenda down our throats?! I'm just trying to enjoy some meaningful baseball in August and September!!!🤣
My middle son is gay and Apple didn’t post my pride logo until the end of June, so I said eff it and left it up.
How far back into the thread to the do I need to go to get the context of this?
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I posted my podcast link and I have a rainbow/brick background behind my podcast cover art. I’m a horrible person supporting my gay son. Feel free to never listen.
It seems weird, but as I listened to the pregame show last night, Ron Coomer mentioned that last night would be the first game of the season played on artificial turf. 1/3 of the way through August and their first game on the fake stuff. After watching so many games played on turf growing up it's weird, in a good way, that natural surfaces now dominate at stadiums.
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I like Santy. There's something to his delivery that needs to be ironed out, but he has good stuff. And, can you ever have enough left-handers?
The interesting thing about shortstop in the system is it's deep, and getting deeper. If Shaw can stick what a plus!. You have Hernandez playing 2B to make room for Rojas. Ed Howard still has a shot if his health holds. And, the Cubs are tied to IFA SS Fernando Cruz, who might be the best prospect of his class. Now, that system is scummy, but, it is what is is.
Keep drawing in the talent and let it sort itself out. That's how you wind up in a position of strength, and can trade away a decent prospect like Kevin Made.
Strange. MLB standings says the Cubs have played 6 games on artificial turf this season.
Ronny is forgetting about the artificial surfaces in Miami and London.
To your point, though, this ain't the '80s no more. Only other parks with artificial surfaces are Tampa Bay, Arizona and Texas.
This is good karma for today.
But damn, where did 5 years go?
But damn, where did 5 years go?
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