Cubs sweep!
Three up
- Matt Szczur shut us right up by homering in his first PA, opening the scoring for the Cubs. He nearly went yard again in the ninth inning as well. He finished with the highest WPA of any Cubs batter
- Speaking of WPA, Rizzo's bomb of a HR to dead center later in that inning was the biggest play of the game. He knew it as soon as it went off the bat.
- Aside from a rough patch in the sixth inning that surrendered the only run allowed by the Cubs this year, Lester cruised through this game. It even felt like he was working relatively quickly. Kudos to AndCounting for pointing out that Lester's anxiety about baserunners has led him to just make sure that he gets every batter out insted.
-
Honorable mention to this @RandallJSanders gif:
Welcome to 2016, Pedro. pic.twitter.com/kbhE6br02E
— Randall J. Sanders (@RandallJSanders) April 6, 2016
Three down
- Not much to complain about on offense here. The Cubs two 'worst' plays were back to back outs by Russell and Soler with a runner on first in the second inning.
- Kris Bryant committed an error, so there's that I guess.
- Angel Hernandez is still employed by Major League Baseball.
Next up:
The Cubs are off tomorrow, then open up a four game series in Phoenix on Thursday. John Lackey faces Rubby De La Rosa at 8:40 PM CT.
Comments
Don’t question Joe’s moves.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Or do. I can’t tell you what not to do.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Do not presume to tell me what you can or cannot tell me
berseliusQuote Reply
In Randy We Trust
mylesQuote Reply
berseliusQuote Reply
The Cubs 3rd order winning percentage is only .959 so they’ve been a little lucky so far.
dmick89Quote Reply
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKwiz7451OY
It’s Raaaaaaaandy!
umbraQuote Reply
berselius,
I must be old. This is the Randy that came to mind for me:
uncle daveQuote Reply
Pretty awesome to be heading into Friday night of Opening Week™ undefeated.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Suburban kidQuote Reply
In other news, apparently nerds and their instruments are an embarassment for the game.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
I thought they made the right call.
dmick89Quote Reply
Definitely the right call.
>”I felt like I was within reach. I didn’t go directly at him. As far as I understood, I was assuming contact was still OK and obstructing his path was still OK as long as you stayed within reach of the bag and your feet were headed towards the bag. I feel like I respected the rule, felt like it was absolutely a clean slide.”
He overslid the bag AND tried to trip up the fielder with his hand. If you’re sliding to the bag and there’s contact, that’s one thing, but if you’re initiating contact for the purpose of interfering with the throw, that’s interference.
umbraQuote Reply
dmick89,
It was a weird one. I don’t think they got it right because they couldn’t get it right. It should have been inning over and one run in—game tied to the bottom of the ninth.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
I can understand where you’re coming from, but that call encourages baserunners to put the fielder in a dangerous spot. Calls like that will eventually help protect the fielder.
dmick89Quote Reply
This.
dmick89Quote Reply
Suburban kid,
Thursday. Dumbass.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
dmick89,
I agree with that, however I wish that baseball would institute a meta-rule that prevented ending a game on such reversals. If it were called on the field, or it was a safe/out play, that’s a different story. If it is a reversal that would end the game, the play should be redone, like it was a foul ball.
ceruleanQuote Reply
If this exact sequence happened in the eighth like Correa inside the baseline, I am good with that.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I think if an instant replay would end the game, they instead have a home run derby to decide the winner.
umbraQuote Reply
umbra,
Bunting contest. Obviously.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Like, bocce ball style? Or bunt a ball through a series of hoops/wickets/goals quidditch-style?
umbraQuote Reply
I think that would be an entertaining way to end any game, especially given the Cubs current roster.
ceruleanQuote Reply
A bunting contest where the first team to score a little league HR off said bunts is declared the winner.
berseliusQuote Reply
The latter only after hover bats are invented.
ceruleanQuote Reply
umbra,
Dale Sveum should write the new extra inning bunt contest rule.
dmick89Quote Reply
Samardzija’s post-Bosio descent continues. Can’t even get this AAA Brewers lineup out.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
umbra,
dmick89,
berselius,
All of these make more sense than the 3-on-3 NHL overtime plus shootout.
uncle daveQuote Reply
https://bleedingbluecubbies.wordpress.com/2016/04/05/cubs-9-angels-0-jake-deals-aces-but-is-it-enough/
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Initially I didn’t see interference until he put his hand out and caught the guys leg. But after watching it again, he came off the bag (the oversliding as you say). Clearly if he came off the bag, that isn’t what he would normally do if he was trying to be safe, so it seems like a no-brainer right call. Just sucks it was such a pivotal play.
WaLiQuote Reply
uncle dave,
What if the bunting contest requires that the ball first be placed on a tee?
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Now I have an image stuck in my head of Darwin Barney squared around to bunt and holding the bat up to a ball on a tee, just waiting for something to happen.
uncle daveQuote Reply
Castro’s season is off to a nice start.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Just like his Cubs’s debut. Starlin loves
setting those expectations super highto make a good first impression.Suburban kidQuote Reply
Suburban kid,
Yeah, this could lead to backlash if he goes into a slump. Fortunately, I’ve heard Yankees game are a patient, forgiving lot.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
At least there’s one of the biggest lightning rods of all time in the dugout. I’d be more worried in a year or two.
berseliusQuote Reply
Ugh, I meant “fans” not “game.” Damn autocorrect.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
We crushed Heaney so bad he went on the DL.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-angels-andrew-heaney-disabled-list-forearm-strain-20160406-story.html
mylesQuote Reply
new shit
http://obstructedview.net/series-preview-chicago-cubs-2-0-at-arizona-diamondbacks-1-2/
berseliusQuote Reply