OSS: David Ross picks up his 100th HR and the Cubs roll the Phillies on a stormy day.
Three up
- David Ross hitting his 100th homer was the big story of the day. I was at lunch and missed it but you'd have to think that Pat Hughes called it a Turning Point. A lot of us here didn't want Ross to come back this season and he's hewed to ACB/OV tradition by proving us wrong. Shut me right up. Ross's great final season has been one of the best of the many fun storylines this year.
- Not long before Grandpa's home run, Jorge Soler hit an absolute moonshot off the left field scorebaord to put the Cubs up 2-1. Added to his RBI single in the first inning, he was the Cubs WPA leader on the day. Great to see him mash against the kind of pitcher he should be destroying.
- Jon Lester had a nice bounce-back start following the team's shortest outing of the season in his last go-round. He struck out seven and walked two, allowing two runs in 6.1 (almost) rain-shortened innings. The first run can hardly be blamed on him, as it resulted from a two-error play by Dex and Javy.
Three down
- The double-error play is the only particular thing that stands out as bad. *shrug*
- The Cardinals are winning.
- The Pirates are winning.
Next up Eickhoff v Hendricks, 1:20 CT
Comments
I do not like it when the Cardinals and Pirates are winning.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I’m not too worried about the Cardinals (I still want them to lose, of course), but the Pirates are getting annoying.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I’m not worried about either of them.
dmick89Quote Reply
Mets blew a four-run lead in the top of the ninth, only to walk it off on a Granderson homerun in the bottom of the inning.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I didn’t watch the game but Gameday says Strop came in and threw 1 pitch……is that correct?
MuckerQuote Reply
Mucker,
yeah, rain delay happened right after the pitch
berseliusQuote Reply
Mucker,
Started pouring rain after that pitch and the umpire immediately called for a delay.
dmick89Quote Reply
Just simmed a season with current lineups/ratings on MLB the Show. Cubs won 102 games with Cardinals 11 games back and Pirates 21 back.
I’m not worried about them either, but that result reflects the order in which I would worry about them if I was worried about them.
SKQuote Reply
SK,
If the Cubs stay relatively healthy, I don’t see any way they don’t win this division by at least 5 games. If I had to guess right now, here’s what I’d predict for the final win totals:
Cubs: 101
Pirates: 88
Cardinals: 84
dmick89Quote Reply
I’ll be in Denver in a couple weeks for a work trip. I will have one free day to dick around, if anyone has any recommendations. Rockies will be in town so that’s the default option.
SKQuote Reply
dmick89,
That’s about where I see the Cubs. Fuck if I know about the others, although a good chunk of those Cubs wins are going to come at their expense.
SKQuote Reply
…along with gas station hot dogs.
SKQuote Reply
SK,
marijuana is legal so there’s that.
dmick89Quote Reply
SK,
http://www.casabonitadenver.com
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
I still think this team is at least a 105-win team that will challenge records for wins and run differential.
The argument against this is that shit happens. And my argument against that is that shit has happened. This recent cold streak has done nothing but reinforce this, which is to say, they were extremely unlucky, and it is unlikely to continue. I think they are back in a hot streak, facing an overachieving team (Phillies) and an underachieving team (Dodgers) at the right time.
The team was overbuilt from the get go. It has been pretty amazing to see it pan out like my head was telling me in the offseason and my heart wouldn’t let me entertain. Shit will still happen and they will win 105 games. Maybe 117.
Their are two deficiencies that have to do with pitching: Another TOR and another lockdown reliever.
Talk me down from this ledge.
ceruleanQuote Reply
caarrie muskat on twitter: “why didnt ross get doused during post-game tv interview? because szczur grabbed coller filled with ammonia, not water or gatorade.”
ummm….is this a joke that i don’t get, or is there actually a cooler filled with ammonia that is not clearly labeled? this seems really odd for many reasons.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Ha—I went there when I was eight and had a crazy fun time. That place had everything entertainment save rollercoaster rides and the two main Vegas vices—I assume, I was eight. Maybe they also have rollercoasters now. (dying laughing)
ceruleanQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
That’s not ammonia. That’s just piss. (dying laughing)
ceruleanQuote Reply
could they use another TOR arm? sure. so could every team in the history of baseball. do they need one? i really don’t think so. hammel hasn’t conclusively shown that first-half hammel is a fluke and second-half hammel is the real hammel. and hendricks has been great. there are question marks, sure, but that’s why they are #4 and 5. their starters have the best ERA in baseball by a HUGE margin.
as for the rotation….yeah that could use some help. i’m still scratching my head about the neil ramirez dfa but obviously thoyer know something i don’t. fortunately when you are scoring 14 runs per game, the bullpen doesn’t matter.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
SK,
Coors is great but I would advise against the upper deck seats. The purple row is a mile high and about a mile away from the action. You can street park for free 10 mins or so north of the stadium nearby a fantastic brewery/taproom (Epic Brewing). It’s number one on my list if I go up there in August for the Cubs Rockies series. Also in Denver the downtown 16th street pedestrian mall is nice. If you want to get out of the city go to Rocky Mountain NP, it’s gorgeous but I wouldn’t recommend any long hikes unless you are used to the altitude.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
The hotel where The Shining was filmed is also on the way to RMNP
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
wholeheartedly support the Epic Brewing recommendation
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
I brought like $100 worth of their beer back with me last year (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
now i’m even more confused
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
https://mobile.twitter.com/CarrieMuskat/status/736595841058668544
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
I didn’t state my assumption clearly: I mean improvements to the team that give them the best shot to carve up teams in the playoffs.
Hendricks and Hammel are more than solid, and I trust them more each day, but I feel this trust is like that a turkey has toward its beneficent master that feeds it everyday before Thanksgiving. Maybe it’s all for real. Maybe it’s the beard for Hammel—he looks good. Hendricks should grow one too. He could be amazing.
ceruleanQuote Reply
To-day’s base-ball squadron:
Dexward
Bryzzobrist
Solerterussell
Hendricks
ceruleanQuote Reply
I love how a bunt single started the game, and then Hendricks picked him off.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I love how a bunt single started the game, and then Hendricks picked him off.
And then Dex sends it out.
ceruleanQuote Reply
*giggles gleefully*
JoshQuote Reply
I love this team.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
*giggles gleefully some more*
JoshQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
+1
JoshQuote Reply
Nice two-out RBI for Zo.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Zobrist is awesome. Love that guy more every game.
dmick89Quote Reply
Today might be a laugher. +130?
ceruleanQuote Reply
Pat called Howard Heyward and I thought This team is so good they won’t even let the Phils bat.
ceruleanQuote Reply
(They pretty mich didn’t let this Phils bat. Great start for Hendricks.)
ceruleanQuote Reply
*Pretty Michigan, obvs.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Frisco, Colorado is one of my favorite places. It’s about 60-70 miles away from Denver. It’s near Breckenridge. There’s always a ton of stuff to do in those two places. Lots of festivals and open concerts, hiking, biking, drinking, eating. Not sure if you’re wanting to get away from Denver, but instead of RMNP, I’d say go to Frisco or Breckenridge for a couple days and hang out. There’s almost always something going on locally that’s fun to attend.
dmick89Quote Reply
I think even if this team was actually a true talent 115 win team, which I think we both agree they are not, they’d probably fail to win 110 games. Maddon would get his main players all kinds of rest in September since they’d have wrapped up the division by the first week of September. There would be 3-4 weeks where it’s like spring training. You’d have 4 starters and 4 subs (a couple of call-ups). The starters would probably get an extra day off and they’d give a start to ClayDick or Travis Wood.
So even if they’re at 100 wins entering September, which is highly unlikely, I’d still take the under on 115.
dmick89Quote Reply
Great to see Heyward picking up some XBH
berseliusQuote Reply
dmick89,
But that is exactly why I think they can win so many—their depth is exceptional.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Pat and Ron talking about 19th century White Stockings (Cubs) opponents. All I can think about is how the Greys is a great name for a baseball team from Roswell, NM.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Huh, no shit. Might have to try that.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
cerulean,
Exactly. Even if they’re not starting their regulars in September, it’s not like they’re calling up a bunch of scrubs. It’ll be guys like Wilson contreras and Albert almora. And the teams they’re playing may or may not be calling up scrubs anyway.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Marijuana, roller coaster and a brewery it is!
SKQuote Reply
Hendricks is dealing today. We might even see the rare 8th inning Hendricks appearance.
berseliusQuote Reply
cerulean,
I went there during an AACR Convention and while the food was shit I enjoyed the atmosphere.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Yeah, well, slap bracelets were a thing when I went, so…
ceruleanQuote Reply
I saw a double rainbow yesterday. It was a sign.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Yeah the food is brutal but it’s very entertaining from a people watching perspective.
Granted, I was on a decent amount of acid when I went so take this recommendation with a grain of salt.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
Now that I think about it, I only recommend going if you’re high as shit on drugs.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
I wish Rizzo would start hitting again.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
@dmick just had the random logout
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Just found out my dad bought tickets for the Cubs Mets on July 20th. Day game.
JoshQuote Reply
And now I’m Josh! So this is what it’s like to be a communist.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
Apparently I’m still EP. But I do have josh’s login to use for nefarious purposes.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
Nice try. True communism takes real commitment
JoshQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
You can send money to that PayPal account
JoshQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
I got Josh’s email too
SKQuote Reply
Me too
JoshQuote Reply
Spoken like a true communist
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Anyone else think there’s some edginess to the Ron coomer vs mark grote attendance game? Ron’s chatter always seems kind of too passive aggressive.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
But only one email address. You may also contact me at J*************l@gmail. com.
ceruleanQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
Maybe they have money on it
JoshQuote Reply
cerulean,
??
JoshQuote Reply
Weird
JoshQuote Reply
facepalm, hope this doesn’t ruin KH’s Maddux
berseliusQuote Reply
That play sucked.
dmick89Quote Reply
Inverted m
berseliusQuote Reply
Hell of a game even though he lost the Maddux
JoshQuote Reply
Zobrist and Heyward were just doing me a solid, because otherwise I’d be at a complete loss to have anything in the recap’s three down (dying laughing).
berseliusQuote Reply
Josh,
I felt it would be rude to put your actual email address in a comment.
ceruleanQuote Reply
http://obstructedview.net/cubs-4-phillies-1-5-28-16/
berseliusQuote Reply
berseliusQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
Here are other things to gripe about:
Only one homerun.
They didn’t score at least seven runs more than the Phils to push their run differential past +130.
ceruleanQuote Reply