OSS: If you can draw five walks in one inning, chances are you’re going to win that game.
Three up:
- Eight straight Cubs reached base against Sox ace Lucas Giolito and reliever Evan Marshall in the Cubs five run fifth inning. Giolito walked the bases loaded, then gave up back to back doubles to War Bear and Baez. Giolito struggled against the Cubs when he faced them earlier this year as well, so I guess the Cubs just have his number. Given that his ERA on the season was 2.72 going into this game, the Cubs seem to be the only team with said number.
- Jon Lester was solid, going 6.1 innings and allowing just one earned run. He was chased in the seventh, but probably would have finished the inning if not for some sloppy defense behind him.
- The Brewers were obliterated by the Pirates, 12-2. Gotta be a kick in the nuts after also blowing a five run lead the night before, though the Crew did win that one in extras. The Cubs have sole possession of first place once again.
Three down:
- A rough day for Jason Heyward, who broke the Cubs streak in the fifth inning with a strikeout and went 0-4 on the day. He was on a hot streak but now seems to be a bit banged up.
- Robel Garcia quickly ended the rally with a double play, in his second PA of the inning. I guess it’s hard to complain about an offense that bats around though.
- Kimbrel’s velocity was back up today, but his save was a little more tightropey than one would like. He struck out the side, but also hit a batter, walked another, and got the final strikeout on a wild pitch/passed ball.
Next up: Cyle takes on Ivan Nova at 1:10 PM CT to cap off the first ‘half’ of the season.
Comments
This may be the most welcome all star break of my life.
andcountingQuote Reply
To-day’s base ball squadron
LF War Bear
SS Baez
3B Bryant
1B Rizzo
DH Contreras
RF Heyward
C Caratini
2B Garcia
CF Almora
berseliusQuote Reply
another strong outing for brach
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Nova is inducing a ton of swings at pitches waaaaaay off the plate, and they’re fastballs. Rizzo just swung at a four seamer that actually hit him. WTF?
andcountingQuote Reply
Second time Garcia has botched a double play chance and gotten zero outs.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
And, as before, it was immediately followed by a double play.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
And, as before, he hit a home run to make up for it.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Brewers lose.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
First place 😐
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
I expected the Cubs to be about 10 games out at this point so I’ll take it.
dmick89Quote Reply
43, 44, 45, 46.
Those are the loss totals of the teams in the NL Central at the All Star break. It’s pretty hilarious.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
It’s pretty funny. I’m glad the Cubs are in first, but it’s hard to be too excited since they’re also a bad weekend away from 4th place.
dmick89Quote Reply
what a piece of shit division. the central should be declared a 5-way tie for dead last. no one makes the playoffs.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
the NL central’s playoff spot should be donated to a random high school team or even a particularly strong little league team
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
I’d be okay with this. I’d prefer a Little League team.
dmick89Quote Reply
Theo sez Cubs are going to be proactive in the midseason trade bonanza this year. I don’t know what means exactly, but I’d be fine with the result of that meaning very few second-half PAs for Almora, Russell, and Descalso. Or lots of PAs for them… on other teams.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
I don’t want to trade any more prospects away. The Cubs have hardly any to begin with.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
I’d prefer the same, but half measures are part of the reason this team has fallen back to the pack and stuck it in neutral. As is, barring variance and playoff weirdness, best case scenario appears to be this team squeaking out a division title and getting run off the field in the postseason. Maybe I’m spoiled by the one championship in 110 years, but that scenario just isn’t good enough for me anymore.
I’m of a mind to either say the hell with it and do everything that’s necessary to win an extremely winnable division and build a team that can maybe sneak past the Dodgers and whatever monster comes out of the AL, or fire sale right out of the break. Restock the farm. Take 1-2 years to clear out the non-Heyward contracts, and come back in 2021-22 ready to be what this current team should have been for longer than 18 months.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
This is probably the side I’d come down on if it’s one or the other. I’ve been thinking for awhile that the Cubs should maybe take another shot at signing Bryant to an extension and if they can’t get him to sign a semi-reasonable contract then maybe they should look to trade him. They could get a hell of a lot in return for him.
dmick89Quote Reply
I’m a crazy person, but if I’m the Cubs, I just unload everyone. The easiest way to accelerate a rebuild is to trade Bryant, Baez, Contreras, Hendricks, and Rizzo for 8-10 of the top 50 prospects in baseball.
What I DON’T want the Cubs to do is a half-measure. If we trade Bryant, we pretty much close the door on winning a WS with the rest of this core. If that’s the case, why would they still be on the team?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUuHdACg83E
MylesQuote Reply
Myles,
I agree with you except I’d keep Contreras if he’s someone the Cubs want to have work with the pitchers. If he’s someone the Cubs use only because of his offense then I’d deal him. I don’t know enough about that to say one way or the other and I imagine it’s something the Cubs would have to honestly ask a bunch of pitchers about.
dmick89Quote Reply
So the Yankees did some “half measures” the year they traded Chapman to us for Torres. They are in pretty good shape now. Finances should be better in upcoming years with the new media contract.
I’m for trading Schwarber for something good. I think he has rebuilt trade value and looks good on an AL team. Heyward is doing better this year too, so I’d see what I could get for him. He’s the adult in the room though, so if leadership really is an issue, that could be a loss. But for little cost you could probably trade to get John Jay back and refill the leadership tank.
I think trading someone from the lineup we’ve been trotting out for the last 3 years would be a good thing to shake things up. Schwarber is the most expendable in my opinion, though if Rizzo can’t figure out the shift soon, he might be my next option. Trading Russell and Almora are fine too, but what value do they have?
I’d keep the core 4 and I assume that none of our pitching is really tradable except Hendricks and there is little point in trading him.
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
I’m not super excited at the idea of a fire sale, but I think you’re discounting the possibility of the Cubs eating some money to move some guys, especially the pitchers. Quintana, for example, hasn’t lived up to the expectations we had but he’s still a solid pitcher and is only making $10m or so, plus a club option for next year.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
Yeah. Could be. Of all the starters, Q seems to be the only one who would/could be traded.
BVSQuote Reply
Vladdy!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Nice showing by Vlad Jr in the batting practice contest.
Oh, and the idea of a fire sale can go fuck itself. No way.
andcountingQuote Reply
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
andcounting,
A fire sale while being in first place is the new market inefficiency…
North Side PatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
andcountingQuote Reply
Don’t tell me what to do.
Idea of a Fire SaleQuote Reply
Idea of a Fire Sale,
I thought the burning sensation was a turn-on for you?
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
That hasn’t been true for years.
Burning SensationQuote Reply
Burning Sensation,
Aww. Sorry to hear that, man.
Some folks around here will tell you that you aren’t recognizing all the virtues of Fire Sale. I think Fire Sale is vastly overrated, despite some some good traits.
Anyway, I hope you can rekindle your spark.
BVSQuote Reply
🤔
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
Like like like
BVSQuote Reply
Ryno,
Could be to maybe increase his value at the deadline or maybe the Cubs are looking into trading Schwarber and want to put Hoerner in CF. My guess is they’d trade Hoerner because he’s more valuable.
dmick89Quote Reply
Seriously I’m so fucking confused right now (dying laughing) .The Cubs have had pretty much two bad skids this year (one of the beginning of the season, the other just recently) but outside of that have played pretty good baseball against good teams. They’ve had some injuries lately but also plugged their biggest hole by signing Kimbrel. The Cubs have played a shit ton of games lately too which contributed to their skid.
Cubs are in a good position to win the division. They are in first place (although barely) and anything can happen in the playoffs. If you want to watch a non-competitive consistently rebuilding team, watch the Marlins.
WaLiQuote Reply
WaLi,
When the season started, per BREF the Cubs had a 34% chance of making the postseason, 4% chance of pennant, and 2% chance of winning the WS. Halfway through the season, they have a 69% (nice) of making the postseason, 12% chance of pennant, and 6% chance of WS.
It’s hardly the time for a fire sale.
WaLiQuote Reply
I’m not sure anyone has really called for an all out fire sale. I think some comments are being taken out of context. I said if the options are trading prospects and going all in with buying more talent at the deadline or a fire sale that I’d prefer a fire sale. My preference would be the Cubs do nothing at all. My second preference would be the Cubs try to extend Bryant to a reasonable contract extension and if they can’t then trade him for a bunch of prospects (at least one of which is MLB ready). Next I’d go with all out fire sale. At no point would I consider trading a player like Nico Hoerner for bullpen help, which is in all likelihood exactly what the Cubs are going to do. This bullpen is fucked. It sucks ass and there’s literally nothing that the Cubs can do to fix it during the season. The Cubs can make a few trades and get slightly better and have only a tiny bit better chance of winning in the postseason or they can just stand pat and hope they get lucky. I’d rather they do that.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
I think this all makes sense and more or less agree with it. My main objection overall is a mindset that it’s ok for the Cubs to have a season or more in which they are not competitive and expecting to make the playoffs. I find that to be inexcusable for a team with these resources.
It’s funny, if you think back to what we’d listed as the things that needed to happen for the Cubs to be really good this year (aside from signing a FA generational talent), so much from our collective wishlist has come to fruition. Willson Contreras returning to form? Hell yeah. Bryant coming back strong? Yeah. Rizzo not being terrible, Baez staying hot. A Heyward resurgence? Amazingly, all that has happened. Upgrading the bullpen? Kinda, finally. Schwarber improving a little, the rotation not being a total disaster. . . I think the Cubs have just about checked all the boxes. Much of the NL Central parity has less to do with the Cubs sucking and more to do with every other team in the division taking significant steps to improve.
But above all, this franchise has enough assets at this point I just don’t think there’s an excuse for them ever falling very short of the postseason.
andcountingQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
I think Myles was. But he prefaced it by saying he was crazy, so at least he was half right. (dying laughing)
BVSQuote Reply
I probably came the closest to endorsing a fire sale, but only because I wouldn’t mind seeing something bold done to reshuffle a team that as-is looks DOA come the postseason—and that’s if it manages to muster the modest number of wins the Central will require for postseason passage to begin with. Barely escaping the kids’ table division and then getting slaughtered by far-superior teams in the playoffs just doesn’t sound like much fun to me. And it’s getting more difficult for me to see how this gets better anytime soon. So yeah, fire sale does hold some appeal.
That said, my first choice is the Cubs find better players to put around the very good ones they already have and maybe win another World Series this year.
Or at least seriously threaten to do so.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
It’s the shame the Cubs can’t claim home field advantage in the World Series tonight
WaLiQuote Reply
https://deadspin.com/mlb-blaming-players-for-not-being-more-popular-is-now-a-1836233394
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
The single biggest reason the Cubs are so popular is that most of the country could watch their games for free when no other games were available.
MLB has gone to such great lengths to collect subscriptions from converted fans and sell exclusivity to networks it has forgotten to market to the casual fan or non fan. There are no stars outside of die-hard fandom because no one but a die-hard fan can watch. That’s kind of the whole idea of a star—anybody and everybody can see them. How the fuck is anyone supposed to see Mookie Betts? I LOVE baseball, and I can’t ever see him play. Trout either. I have to put in a lot of effort, time, and money to see these guys.
This is not rocket science.
andcountingQuote Reply
Would that be true with the younger generation today? I just don’t think baseball appeals to younger people like it did several decades ago.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
If they made streaming options more available I think it definitely would. I’d partially blame the restricted nature of MLB broadcasting for some of the lack of interest. There’s just way too much to watch either on demand or free.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
Maybe, but I think people become interested in watching baseball after playing it and it’s an expensive sport to play. It’s not like basketball where one basketball can entertain a bunch of kids. It’s not like football where the same is true or where both are school sponsored sports so all the uniforms and padding are paid for. I think that’s the big problem for baseball IMO. It’s not surprising that the best players in high school often come from upper middle class or wealthy families who can fork out a ton of money over the years.
dmick89Quote Reply
(dying laughing) orioles
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
dmick89,
I agree, it has become expensive and that is a big deterrent. But the expense of it is so strange. It didn’t use to be that expensive and doesn’t have to be.
I’ve put a few rounds of kids through the beginnings of little league and found they changed the regulations for bats since our older kids started. So we had to buy all new bats. The cheapest ones were $40. Average price was probably $60-80. It makes me want to start a line of Sandlot equipment. $5 bases. $10 bats. $20 gloves. Letting non-rich kids play is the new market inefficiency.
andcountingQuote Reply
This is what will matter longterm in my opinion. Considering how much less wealth the majority of people have today and how it’s shrinking, I don’t see this problem for baseball getting any better. Baseball treats it as if it’s only an inner city (black) problem that they’re having, but it’s also class. But the reality is that there’s little MLB can do to address this. It’s going to have to be addressed by the government at some point. Maybe then kids will start playing baseball in larger numbers again.
dmick89Quote Reply
shout out to whoever gave me the locke lamora book recommendation (i think it was b?)
solid rec, just finished the first one and gonna move on to #2. many thanks.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
(dying laughing), mentioning it put me in the mood to read them again and I redownloaded the audiobooks. I’m also somewhere in book two.
berseliusQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
I think the Sanzas are my favorite characters in the series. There’s some great stuff with them as teenagers in book three. They’re such delightfully cheeky little shits.
berseliusQuote Reply
dmick89,
I do think MLB teams could invest in parks and academies at least. There are things they could do to encourage more playing, but again I’d go back to making games easier to watch. I wanted to play as a kid because of watching the Cubs. Easier to watch the game, easier to fall in love with the game. And if kids love the game, they’ll play it.
Oh, and more day games.
andcountingQuote Reply
RIP Jim Bouton
If you haven’t read Ball Four, you should. It still holds up.
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
If it’s a how-to, the Cubs bullpen must be devastated.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
Well, you know, it’s a little bit Holden Caulfield, a little bit Stephen Ambrose, a little bit Bill Bryson, a little bit Bob Woodward, and a lot of Jim Bouton.
BVSQuote Reply
There are about 57 articles about Ben Zobrist in the news today but nary a one has any details or speculation about his divorce. I suppose that’s good, but it’s a bit surprising for some reason. I mean, it’s none of anyone’s business outside how it affects his ability to play for the Cubs, it just seems out of the ordinary for someone with a high profile (who kind of made his marriage a pretty public part of that profile) be treated with such great respect for boundaries.
andcountingQuote Reply
Huh?? Baseball is played in 3rd world countries. Look at where many players come from. Yes teams have invested in these countries but that’s because there’s a high proximity of kids with a willingness to play without other options.
Costs have very little to do with kids wanting to play baseball. Kids who want to play can get scholarships to play little league. Play it again sports has dirt cheap equipment if a kid really wants to play.
The biggest deterrents in my opinion are the fact you need a large field, 18 fucking people (unless you have ghost runners, even then at least 8-10), but the biggest deterrent is that it’s boring as fuck for little kids to do anything but bat. Little Johnny is in the outfield picking daisies when most kids can’t hit to him. Shoot even major and minor league players get bored fielding. There are only two players guaranteed to be involved on every pitch, the pitcher and catcher.
WaLiQuote Reply
WaLi,
Someone has never played rundown.
andcountingQuote Reply
WaLi,
Seriously, though, that’s why I say it’s kind of weird that expense is an issue and that it doesn’t have to be, but it definitely is. There are a lot of contributing cultural factors. Parents don’t let kids leave their yards anymore. Kids don’t often play sports outside of organized leagues. Basketball is probably the big exception. It doesn’t have to be that way, but it is.
andcountingQuote Reply
That’s a huge factor too. I remember when I was 8 or 9 I could go up to the elementary school on my own and meet friends and we’d play baseball up there all the time. That would never happen these days. You’d have to be fucking nuts as a parent to do that.
dmick89Quote Reply
I dunno, I think that, as a parent, I could easily put up a strong showing in pickup baseball against 8 or 9 year olds
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
https://www.theonion.com/i-feel-like-a-big-man-1819583505
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
*proceeds to look up definition of rundown in Urban Dictionary*
I have played rundown!
WaLiQuote Reply
I can’t remember that last time I saw kids playing catch/hitting balls in the street. I wonder if it’s because there hasn’t been a good kid relatable movie either that came out for baseball in 20+ years. Growing up I had Sandlot, Field of Dreams, Rookie of the Year, Major League, Bull Durham, A League of Their Own, Bad News Bears, Brewster’s Millions, The Babe, Angels in the outfield.
What is the last famous baseball movie that hit theaters, Fever Pitch? Clearly Jimmy Fallon killed kid’s interest in baseball.
WaLiQuote Reply
To-day’s base ball squadron
LF Schwarber
SS Baez
3B Bryant
1B Rizzo
C Caratini
RF Heyward
2B Garcia
CF Almora
P Darvish
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
No Contreras?
dmick89Quote Reply
Darvish is not sucking.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
Must be something going around in the Pirates clubhouse.
dmick89Quote Reply
Here’s where the Pirates bust this game wide open and take a 1-0 lead.
dmick89Quote Reply
Great start for Darvish. Someone should remind the Cubs that Archer isn’t good anymore, though.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
Or at least remind Archer.
andcountingQuote Reply
KB!!!!
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
KB was gracious enough to remind him.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Jesus fucking christ I hate this fucking bullpen.
dmick89Quote Reply
Sure do love giving up walks when you’re up by 3.
andcountingQuote Reply
Heyward!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Hey now!
andcountingQuote Reply
Heyw, wait, now I’m just gonna be even more pissed when the Cubs bullpen fucks this up.
dmick89Quote Reply
Strop with a shot at the vulture win.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
Wrong. Rosario is the pitcher of record.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Nice play by Rizzo.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
I did not read every word. No dinner for me.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Blown save for Hader
berseliusQuote Reply
Brewers lose.
andcountingQuote Reply
Pretty cool combined no hitter for the Angels.
andcountingQuote Reply
Everyone loses but cubs, sorry dm, no 5 way tie yet
WaLiQuote Reply
WaLi,
The only thing better than a 5-way tie is the Angels no hitter.
dmick89Quote Reply
It’s amazing that Ian Happ has almost the exact same slash line in AAA this year as he had in the majors last year.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Willson!!!!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Is it too optimistic to think that his numbers are down because he’s legitimately WILLSON!!!
Where was I…because he’s legitimately working on a bunch of different things? Or just much more likely that last year was a fluke?
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Lester!!!!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I can’t believe the Pirates pulled a pitcher on pace to break the strikeout record.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Báez!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Lester again!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
The Cubs would be a lot more fun to watch if they did this every game.
dmick89Quote Reply
Yet another airport I am at you
berseliusQuote Reply
To-day:
Schwarbáez
Bryzzo
Victoryward
Robote
Q
andcountingQuote Reply
Did I hear Joe right before the game when he said the bullpen was in good shape? I mean, I think it’s great he thinks that so maybe they don’t trade a prospect for a reliever who will end up sucking on this team, but really? This bullpen sucks.
dmick89Quote Reply
Q!!
andcountingQuote Reply
Heyward!!!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Heeeey now!
andcountingQuote Reply
dmick89,
Maybe he meant well rested? Or just not obese?
andcountingQuote Reply
J Hey!
WaLiQuote Reply
Al!
andcountingQuote Reply
Al Al!
WaLiQuote Reply
Schwarbs!
andcountingQuote Reply
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
berseliusQuote Reply
Gameday had that last Chatwood fastball at 99 mph.
andcountingQuote Reply
Brewers lose.
dmick89Quote Reply
http://www.obstructedview.net/cubs-8-pirates-3/
berseliusQuote Reply