OSS: Cubs defense gives us a flashback or three
Three up:
- Not much to pick for the Cubs today, in an all-around listless day game after a night game performance. The only Cubs position players with a positive WPA were Russell and Soler. Russell had the biggest WPA play of the day when he reached on a pitching error in the fifth, making it first and third with one out in a one run game. More on what happened next below. Russell also from the sounds of Pat Hughes's call made several great plays including a few goundouts in the first, though he did commit an error to start the endless eighth inning.
- Soler had a nice game, and has looked much more selective at the plate of late. He was the leadoff hitter and got on base to start both of the Cubs mini-rallies in the fifth and seventh, and scored the Cubs only run on the day.
- Kyle Hendricks had an okay-ish outing, though he wasn't helped by the Cubs defense during the game. Or himself for that matter – the first run that scored was a baserunner that reached on an error commited by himself. He struck out five and didn't walk anyone but gave up seven hits and two ROEs.
Three down
- I don't know what Joe's deal is with letting pitchers bat for themselves. Hendricks came up to bat for himself with runners on first and third with one out in a 1-0 game, when he was set to face the heart of the Rockies lineup for the third time when he returned to the hill. Hendricks bunted out in some kind of weird non-squeeze that erased Soler from third.
- The defense was sloppy all game, and Rizzo got a gift on a bobble late in the game that should have made it five errors on the day. Bryant had two on the day, including a throwing error on a bunt that had a runner score all the way from first. Woof.
- The Rockies put it out of reach, though maybe not for the usual Cubs offense we've seen, in the eighth in an endless inning that included three stolen bases, a wild pitch, an infield single, an error, two walks, and two fielder's choice runs. I'm not the biggest fan of Richards or Ramirez, but sometimes perfect storms like this happen. The stolen bases are especially strange – you expect guys like Arrieta and obiously Lester to give few fucks about holding runners, but it would be nice if a lefty like ClayDick or any of the other relievers would pay attention to this shit.
Next game: Jay Carrieta v Some Dude, er, Christian Bergmann, 1:20 PM CT
Lineups
Rockies
- 2B Adames (sp?)
- SS Story
- RF Gonzalez
- 3B Arenado
- CF Parra
- 1B Mark Reynolds
- LF Rayburn
- C Garneu
- P Bergman
Nick Hundley is headed to the concussion DL, but the Rockies already called up an extra catcher a few days back.
Cubs
- CF Fowler
- 3B Bryant
- 1B Rizzo
- LF Soler
- 2B Baez
- SS Russell
- RF Szczur
- C Ross
- SP Arrieta
A bunch of days off…this probably should have been the lineup yesterday instead. Though I guess I'd rather have a lower octane offense with Arrieta on the mound than Hendricks.
Comments
I think it’s more due to rest and that this guy just kind of sucks in general. I can’t point to anything scouting-related to explain his reverse platoon split, but I don’t think there’s enough data to make much conclusions about it.
berseliusQuote Reply
Randy says yes (23)
MylesQuote Reply
T minus two hours until I figure out whether I can actually watch this game. Can’t remember if I get the Denver RSN.
berseliusQuote Reply
Cubs are +3 in differential over the next best team—the St Louis Cardinals—the team with the most runs scored of any team in the league.
They are not supposed to be this good—even against the likes of Atlanta and Milwaukee.
(ノ ゜Д゜)ノ ︵ ┻━┻
ceruleanQuote Reply
DM—any chance of putting “sans serif” first in the font hierarchy in front of Arial? That should allow for the system default to come first—San Francisco on Apple products, Roboto on some Android devices, Segoe (maybe) on newer Windows thingies. My eyes suffer from Arial fatigue (as well as it being a constant reminder that creative originals are often coopted by cheaper corporate knock-offs disguised in origiality).
ceruleanQuote Reply
Use a VPN. I was able to find a deal for lifetime access for something like $40 for a not awful VPN that I usually just leave on because my speed bottleneck is not the VPN. The one I am using is VPN Unlimited (
lifetime sub is $130 right now)—they have the deal going on right now: https://stacksocial.com/sales/vpn-unlimited-lifetime-subscriptionYMMV, but my wife has been using it to watch Gardener’s World in the UK and I can get around the blackout restrictions and torrent without Comcast knowing any the wiser. And when the VPN resets, I can give my own posts the finger on this very site (:))
ceruleanQuote Reply
I rarely download torrents because my ISP can track it (I have a VPN, but always forget to turn it on) and this morning I downloaded a Banshee torrent and got a notice from my ISP (they got one from HBO about it). I always use the newsgroups to download that stuff if I’m going that route, but Banshee episodes sometimes take a few days to show up on the newsgroups and it’s become one of my favorite shows.
/cool story bro
dmick89Quote Reply
Yeah, let me try it out. I have trouble reading some fonts. My eyes suck. (dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
If you can install broadband good enough to stream video in my remote mountain valley, I’m all over that (dying laughing).
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
It’s directv or nothing until that any-day-now fiber gets out here that they’ve been promising for the last year. They even called to hook me up last month, but got confused by my mailbox and hooked up the house across the street. Rural life, man.
berseliusQuote Reply
Turns out Stack Social has a referral system:
https://stacksocial.com/sign_up
I don’t know how it pays, but it does remind me that Amazon has that affiliate program, an OV affiliate code would be a good way to support the monetary costs of the site (the discredit can never be paid back).
ceruleanQuote Reply
I made the change, but on a Mac so it’s still coming up Arial for me. How is it for you?
dmick89Quote Reply
Hah—I thought it was the blackout.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
It’s both – I have extra innings from DTV, but they still black out DBacks and Rockies games from the 700s, where those usually live. MLB business model ftl.
berseliusQuote Reply
Helvetica Neue on the iPhone and the Mac. That’ll do.
ceruleanQuote Reply
A lot of people have trouble distinguishing between Arial and Helvetica (dying laughing)
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
I can see it now. I was looking at a small block of text, but once I tested it with a paragraph up top and especially the title of the post, I can see it now.
dmick89Quote Reply
Here's the VPN I occasionally use. Can't remember the cost, but it has a free trial. That link cerulean shared might be a better offer. I really have no idea if the one I use is a good VPN or not. I don't know know enough about them.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
I thought with the transition to San Francisco as the system font that it would be the default, but apparently not. I do find Helvetica Neue to be quite agreeable for reading text (though I still find its and its digital predecessor’s use as a system font to be baffling, particularly for the I vs l distinction).
ceruleanQuote Reply
This is the story of my life.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
Is there another font you’d prefer? I’m open to ideas. It’s easy enough to test them out now that I added the custom css to the backend on WordPress.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
I’m pleased with this. The world of typefaces is wide, but I like using a system font that doesn’t require any extra bandwidth.
ceruleanQuote Reply
By the way, sometimes having eyes that suck is a blessing. After a certain resolution, I am almost certain that anything more is a detriment to contentedness. It’s like having really great hearing and all you get is the persistent high-pitched whines from appliances as your benefit.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
I’m not sure why I hadn’t thought about the additional bandwidth before. I’m certainly a novice when it comes to this sort of stuff, but I did try to optimize the site the best I could. I know there are things that need improving, but some of them are beyond me at this point. I should have thought about the font though. I guess that just didn’t even occur to me. Thanks for pointing it out. Don’t hesitate to bring up other things that can help the site’s performance. Less bandwidth for you is a good thing for us too.
dmick89Quote Reply
Remembered the workaround was to watch the game on the multi-view channel, which sort of sucks. But it does allow me to see Jay Bruce’s terrible defense all over again, this time against the Cardinals
berseliusQuote Reply
But Jay Bruce is a great defender!
ceruleanQuote Reply
The first 3 hitters looked baffled by Bergman.
dmick89Quote Reply
That’s the way I feel about most web technologies these days. They are all javascripted to hell. I am fairly certain that many of the older, no frills approaches to web design are better than a lot of the crazy things done to add interactivity.
Most whiz-bang novelties are just that—whiz-bang novelties. They are like the special effects in Star Wars—good for the time, may age poorly, and since the underlying story is the real meat of the content, ultimately ineffective in adding lasting enjoyment. The first trilogy had a good story, and the original theatrical releases still hold up. The prequel trilogy—and I am judging having only seen it precisely .5 times a decade-and-a-half ago—saw the first in a screening, couldn’t make through the second one with the clones and VHS didn’t fast-forward fast enough to see the end—didn’t hold up.
The really good stuff is the stuff you tend to take for granted.
ceruleanQuote Reply
He grooved two to Bryant to start him in an 0-2 hole. I wonder if the hitters have a strategy of taking pitches early or pouncing on pitches based on the advanced scouting (usually the taking). This Bergman seems have the plan of establishing early strikes with meatballs.
ceruleanQuote Reply
That Reynolds single left the bat at 65mph, lucky bastard (dying laughing)
EDIT: That Soler single, meanwhile, was 113mph.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
I’d much rather have a site load quickly than all of the shit some sites add. The current OV is about as basic as we can be with a few exceptions.
dmick89Quote Reply
What a catch
dmick89Quote Reply
Is that Do Simple Better Cubs tshirt that Maddon is wearing in that one commercial for sale anywhere? I can’t find it.
dmick89Quote Reply
Rizzo!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Reds putting up some runs on Waino
berseliusQuote Reply
Arrieta gets his run.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Soler!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Oh my
berseliusQuote Reply
That homer had an exit velocity of 108mph for Soler.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Soler’s 108mph homer with a 29 degree launch angle went 422 feet.
Rizzo’s 102mph homer with a 28 degree launch angle went 385 feet.
6 mph and a degree off the angle = 37 feet.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I don’t understand why Ross is playing. Isn’t he playing tomorrow?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I’m flashing back to the Hill/Soto platoon.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Montero’s probably gassed after playing a day game after a night game.
berseliusQuote Reply
Have you checked his charity? I think that’s where they were selling the try not to suck shirts.
berseliusQuote Reply
Waino continues to look human. I’m enjoying it while it lasts.
berseliusQuote Reply
The fuck was that? (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
Soler’s weakest contact today only left the bat at Mach 3.7
berseliusQuote Reply
Baez seems his old flaily self at the plate.
Otherwise I’m enjoying this game much more than yesterday’s game
Suburban kidQuote Reply
I am suddenly reminded of Munroe’s first What If?
ceruleanQuote Reply
Nice play, though.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
cerulean,
Just a bow shock and sonic boom instead of a smoking creater in this case, luckily.
berseliusQuote Reply
The Reds are now up four. Seven runs off Waino. This is good.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Dex!!!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I agree with the announcers; it makes no sense to award a hit when the runner interferes with a batted ball.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Wow
Suburban kidQuote Reply
DEX
berseliusQuote Reply
https://twitter.com/mikegianella/status/721428612881256448
berseliusQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
https://youtu.be/J1sYN0PuRs4
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Rizzo got screwed by that call.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
berselius,
Wainwright said something about Heyward? Why can’t these people just be adults and shut the fuck up?
dmick89Quote Reply
I was against signing Dexter for what I thought he should get on the open market. I and everyone else were wrong—and the Cubs got an absolute steal.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Because talking out of your the back of your neck has proven to be “yuge”.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Arrieta is good.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Love how the catcher was standing up to catch the pitch, but Javy hit it anyway.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
He makes it so easy to take it for granted, to the point that it seems like everyone should be able to do this. He has the game set on easy mode. It’s great too that he isn’t a pompous asshole about it because he also knows what it’s like to suck and disappoint.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Why did Arrieta hit?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Gotta be some weird manly payment of respect by the manager. A trade-off for the disrespect of pulling him with a shutout going.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Maddon is trolling us.
ceruleanQuote Reply
The gameday feed had this little nugget: Jake Arrieta becomes the first pitcher since 1900 to turn in six consecutive scoreless outings at home.
There is something to this Jay Carrieta character.
ceruleanQuote Reply
CUBS WIN!
Suburban kidQuote Reply
That should be asked post-game, but it won’t be.
dmick89Quote Reply
Agreed. As long as we maintain an .800 winning percentage, tho, I imagine Joe could pinch-hit with Arrieta in a one-run game and nobody would care.
Besides discredited blogs and those who frequent them anyway. And maybe Gordo. (dying laughing)
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
I will. A bad decision is a bad decision. I wouldn’t care as much were it to happen while the Cubs were fighting to get into the playoffs, but I’d still be bothered by it. Batting Arrieta there makes no sense. For what it’s worth, pitching him in the 9th would have made no sense either so credit to Joe for making the right decision there. It would have been easy to let him go for the complete game shutout. Glad he didn’t.
At least it’s been awhile since a reliever came to the plate. About a week.
dmick89Quote Reply
Gordo is an idiot. He’s probably freaking out about the number of strikeouts by the offense.
dmick89Quote Reply
It is that. And it’s puzzling. He can’t hit very well to begin with, you’d like to keep pouring on as much as possible — not to mention a fastball to the melon or wrist, Jake coming out of the box wrong a la the hateful Adam Wainwright, and your ace is fucked and this season takes on another coat of tarnish.
There’s nothing to gain. Everything to lose. He’s not pitching the 9th. The fuck?
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
He was at 100 pitches even. I thought with him hitting they thought he would handle 110-115 fine, which I think is true. I know they don’t want to wear him down, but where is that line? 100 pitches is just an arbitrary number, like 87 or 109 or 133. I think leaving him in to 133 pitches is too much, but 87 is too little. Where is the line?
ceruleanQuote Reply
Yeah, I always had a difficult time understanding the hard 120 limit some fans had. To be honest, I didn’t even know how many pitches he had. I’d have guessed 105, but I was thinking more about the score when I said there was no reason for him to pitch the 9th. They were up big at that point with only 1 inning left. The team’s worst reliever could get them through one inning without giving up that many runs. That’s more how I think about it. 2-0, I’d have sent him back out there. 3-0? I’d probably have used Rondon. 4 runs or more and I’d have used Wood. An argument could even be made that Arrieta was unnecessary in the 8th inning too, but I think an argument can also be made that you can underwork a starting pitcher so I’d have sent him out for the 8th.
Anyway, hopefully that gives you an idea how I look at it. I can’t really explain it much better.
dmick89Quote Reply
CARDS LOSE
Suburban kidQuote Reply
dmick89,
I like that thinking. And that makes his final at-bat even more ridiculous. But maybe Maddon or Arrieta lost a bet (dying laughing)
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
I think that AB was inconsequential given the score, the fact that Arrieta was done anyway after that, and might have just been for the fun of it. I guess he could’ve hurt an oblique or gotten drilled by a vindictive pitcher but the chances of that weren’t alarmingly high. So I shrug.
Rice in limboQuote Reply
Rice in limbo,
I think I figured it out. Arrieta had a 99mph flyout and a 96mph lineout. I think he wanted to smoke one, and he got smoked instead. But hey, I have to give him props for making that kind of contact.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Maddon on leaving him in there: With a five run lead he was going to send him back out there, with a six run lead he wasn’t. Ross drove in a run right ahead of him, so he batted and sat and that was that.
I find it mollifying that Maddon did have an admittedly arbitrary cut off.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Not joking. Brett says it was a good decision. Cubs poop butterflies and rainbows.
JonKneeVQuote Reply
How on earth is that a good decision? I can see it being a non-decision. It was inconsequential as RC mentioned. It didn’t really hurt the Cubs chances of winning the game (though it was still a negative). It was far from a good decision, though.
dmick89Quote Reply
I find it curious that the cutoff wouldn’t be grand slam territory. What the hell is the difference between 5 and 6 runs in the 9th inning? The worst reliever in baseball can protect a 5-run lead in the 9th. He can probably do it in the 8th and the 9th. I can at least see somewhat of a difference between 4 and 5 runs. One swing of the bat isn’t going to tie that thing up. Not that one swing ever really ties it up (you have to get all the other runners on base first). 6 is just a weird cutoff. Is the cutoff the same for all pitchers? It probably shouldn’t be. Hammel needs an 11 run lead or he’s gone? Lester needs a 7 run lead. Lackey is 8 and Hendricks is 9.
Do pitch counts come into play? If Arrieta is at 120 pitches and they lead by 5, does he pitch the 9th?
I find that answer to be more irritating than anything. I think that’s just Joe talking to talk because it doesn’t make sense. (dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
New shit
http://obstructedview.net/cubs-6-rockies-2/
berseliusQuote Reply