OSS: Cubs win a game on the….road?
Three up
- Ian Happ is certainly making the most of his call up. He had his second four RBI game in a row, and already has three homers in his 13 games in the bigs.
- The Cubs other new acquisitions had big days, with Jonathan Lucroy going 3-5 with a double and two RBI, while Nick Castellanos went 3-4 with two solo home runs.
- Tyler Chatwood had another solid long relief outing, striking out six in three shutout innings. He’s actually been useful this season, though by fWAR he still grades out as replacement level. I guess that’s still a big step forward from last year.
Three down
- Cole Hamels just didn’t have it tonight, giving up eight hits and two walks in just three innings.
- The Cubs offense was rolling today, so Jason Heyward’s line of 1-5 looks a little meh by comparison. I like the idea of moving him to the leadoff spot but doing so against lefties is a little questionable.
- The Brewers and Cardinals couldn’t lose tonight.
Next up: Yu Darvish takes on Trevor Bauer and his drone fleet at 6:10 PM CT.
Comments
This team is so weird. They’re the most hot/cold team I can remember.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
yeah i think i said that to myself in 2017 and then again in 2018. and i agree that that this year is even more pronounced. maybe hot/cold is normal and it just seems weird because we got so used to cold/cold for so long and then hot/hot in 2015/16…
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
Yeah, I mean, it’s the nature of baseball. But Happ, Schwarber, Heyward, and Baez are pretty exaggerated examples of players with extremely high highs and ridiculously bad lows. It’s like they pinball between Cooperstown and Iowa.
andcountingQuote Reply
If the season were to end today, aside from being immensely relieved, how would you arrange the starting rotation? I’m not at all certain, but I might go…
Cyle
Yu
Q
Lester
Cole
and stick with a 5-man rotation with the best-rested starter on standby if someone falters. But I can’t really think of an approach that doesn’t sound as stupid as it does appealing.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
I’d definitely have Kyle and Hamels as the first two pitching in a series if it was me. They’ve been by far the most consistent in my opinion. Not sure who is the odd man out. Based on recent outings, Yu would probably go third followed by Quintana. I find it hard to believe that Lester isn’t going to be one of the four though considering his postseason success and how much Joe will undoubtedly talk about that. My guess is that Joe goes with Lester, Kyle, Hamels, Darvish with Quintana in the bullpen if the season ended today.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
I do think that’s the most likely option Joe will go with, Lester leading the way no matter what. My only hesitation on Hamels is based on him still coming off the injury. But based on how short the average start lasts, any playoff game is going to get pretty terrifying once the 6th inning rolls around.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
I just looked at how many times each starter has thrown 7 or more innings this season.
Hamels: 8
Lester: 3 (never exceeding 7 innings)
Quintana: 6 (5 of those exactly 7 innings, the other at 7.1)
Darvish: 2 (never exceeding 7)
Hendricks: 9 (4 times 8+ including a complete game)
Not saying this should determine anything, but I think it gives a fairly good picture of the most reliable starters this season. I’m actually surprised that Quintana has that many.
All I know is this, Kyle is my game 1 starter. I don’t see that changing over the remainder of the season either and I’m someone who expected him to regress quite a bit this season. Another thing I’m wrong about. Hamels would go next and then you can really just put the names in a hat.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Those are staggering numbers. Lester never pitching into the 8th inning is bonkers.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
He may have pitched into the 8th, but he hasn’t recorded an out.
dmick89Quote Reply
Castellanos!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Best signing evar!
WaLiQuote Reply
Who was that pitcher than came from the A’s (I think) that got everyone out on strikes but couldn’t last past 6 innings?
WaLiQuote Reply
Yu!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rich Harden. Knew it was Rich H something but kept thinking Rich Hill who I knew it wasn’t (dying laughing)
He pitched an average of 5.9 innings/game in ’08 and 5.4 innings/game in ’09. Reminds me of Yu lately who has 5.5 innings/game so far this year. Both had about 11 SO/9 too.
WaLiQuote Reply
WaLi,
Rich Harden, and six innings is generous
berseliusQuote Reply
Ugh.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Throwing strikes to Aquino seems unwise.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
Shut me right up with a called strike three fastball down the middle.
andcountingQuote Reply
Zobrist with homers in consecutive games. Tony Kemp’s days may be numbered.
andcountingQuote Reply
I don’t know what Barnhart’s framing stats look like, but his efforts at dragging his mitt back into the zone after catching a pitch are so exaggerated it seems baffling that they’d ever work. He moves his glove about 8 inches after catching the ball. If I saw that as an ump, I’d call it a ball every time.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
Ok, so he’s top 8. (dying laughing). What a joke.
andcountingQuote Reply
Rough day for Javy.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rough day for Ian.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Damnit
WaLiQuote Reply
Rough day for Kyle.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
This umpire is terrible.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I always find it interesting when a catcher stands up as if he wants a high fastball and the hitter takes a pitch in the zone. I wonder if this is an intentional decoy
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
The Pirates are still worthless.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Why is it that hard to believe all the rich rapist presidents wanted Epstein dead? (Posted here for obvious Pizza Hut MILF tie-ins.)
andcountingQuote Reply
Uh oh.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Cubs lose
dmick89Quote Reply
Sure, Almora can’t hit and shouldn’t be in the leadoff spot, but he almost made a couple of spectacular defensive plays.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
How do you throw that dude something in the strike zone let alone right down the middle?
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
Even Maples threw him a strike! Maples!!!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
andcountingQuote Reply
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
The highlight was grounding out softly to first after Alec Mills singled.
andcountingQuote Reply
So my prediction of the Cubs losing 3 of 4 was right unfortunately.
dmick89Quote Reply
Cubs lose.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Jon Lester really is a big baby.
andcountingQuote Reply
Just figured I’d look ahead to the end of the season and the Cubs aren’t winning the division. They finish the season on the road so best they can hope for is a wild card. You can now spend the rest of the regular season doing other things. You’re welcome.
dmick89Quote Reply
Bryant!!!!!!
PerkinsQuote Reply
Also Happ!
andcountingQuote Reply
It’s weird how Wick and Underwood seem competent. I don’t know how to feel anymore.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
Don’t worry I’m sure Strop will get you feeling like you are used to
WaLiQuote Reply
Those rumors are baseless and whoever told you is not my friend anymore.
andcountingQuote Reply
Welp.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
When was the last time Cubs came from behind and won?? Hell yeah
WaLiQuote Reply
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Besides the inverted M, best news out of today is only three more games against the Reds. And not in Cincinnati.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
Indeed. They seem so much better than their record.
andcountingQuote Reply
Brewers lose.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Cubs!
berseliusQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Sounds like Lucy can browse, but not participate.
berseliusQuote Reply
Cardinals losing. Way to be less useless, Pirates. *knocks on wood*
berseliusQuote Reply
Did the Pirates ever have Watson and Crick on the roster at the same time? They missed out on a huge marketing opportunity.
berseliusQuote Reply
I hate the Pirates so much.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
berselius,
Stupid Pie-rats.
berseliusQuote Reply
Die in a fire, entire Pirates organization.
PerkinsQuote Reply
*waiting to see if the Pirates just start throwing at every Cardinals hitter from here on out*
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
PerkinsQuote Reply
I don’t think voluntarily associating your organization with James Watson is a great idea…
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Unbelievable.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
Un.. *snaps pencil* believable!
WaLiQuote Reply
Thom is right up there with the most unintentionally entertaining people of his generation.
andcountingQuote Reply
Based on what Thom said you’d think the Reds had a 13-0 lead or something. It was only 3-0.
dmick89Quote Reply
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
One of us is paid handsomely to talk regularly about baseball. The other just assumes the worst. I also think the Cubs will get swept in their upcoming series. Any other outcome will surprise me, but it won’t be unbelievable.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
To be fair, I’m pretty sure I said something along the lines of “unbelievable” when I stepped outside for a second and came back into the house to see the Cubs with a lead. (dying laughing)
Also to be fair, the Cubs’ chances of winning had to be pretty damn low before KB homered.
andcountingQuote Reply
The Pizza Hit MILFS called to complain. They were too old for that d-bag, so no tie-in.
BVSQuote Reply
andcounting,
Yes, but did you break your pencil?
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
I did not. One might almost think I was paid to react with some semblance of dignity, but I assure you it was a fluke
andcountingQuote Reply
…
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
Seems hard.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
Maybe but he’s putting in the necessary work to fill the holes in his game.
WaLiQuote Reply
andcounting,
Maybe, but the result has been him getting good wood on the ball.
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
Slumping? Try being more erect. Play with it a little. Nice short strokes. Open stance. Get good extension, and you can hit that all day long.
andcountingQuote Reply
Uh, what the hell was that, Ian?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
A ton of garbage contact from Cubs hitters so far.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Happ is not having a good day.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo is going to have to adjust to fielding weak bounce throws from Lucroy after all the season getting his catching hand blown out by Contreras.
BVSQuote Reply
Castellanos is a trade deadline acquisition I recently enjoyed.
PerkinsQuote Reply
14K through 6 for Quintana. I know he’s over 100 pitches, but I kinda want to see him pitch until he runs out of gas.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
Joe says No
BVSQuote Reply
It’s a shame the Cubs are going to lose this game.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Shouldn’t Caratini be hitting for Lucroy?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Horrible umpiring today. Most of the bad calls went against the Cubs.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
BS strike 3 call on Kemp.
PerkinsQuote Reply
At least the Brewers are losing.
berseliusQuote Reply
Goddamnit, Twins.
PerkinsQuote Reply
berselius,
Apparently I should never say anything again
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
You should say positive things about the Brewers and Cardinals.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Gonzalez!
PerkinsQuote Reply
Brewers lose.
PerkinsQuote Reply
The Orioles already have the AL record for most home runs allowed in a season.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Darvish article:
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/yu-darvish-makes-a-trade-off/
TLDR:
WaLiQuote Reply
Cubs lose.
dmick89Quote Reply
When did Anthony Rizzo become Mark Grace?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Last year.
dmick89Quote Reply
I can’t even muster the will to boo this garbage with the caps lock on.
Wake me up for the next home game.
Or don’t. I can’t tell you what to do.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
The Cubs should have traded for more home games.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Certainly Tampa could have parted with some for cash. Imagine if the Cubs admitted to having any of that.
andcountingQuote Reply
Is this year’s team the worst ever historically on the road for a winning team?
WaLiQuote Reply
Rizzo!!! 1st in August
WaLiQuote Reply
Tony!!!!
andcountingQuote Reply
Grace!
dmick89Quote Reply
Aw, runs, I missed you guys.
andcountingQuote Reply
Castellanos loves trying for doubles.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Darvish!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Wick was the victim of some bad luck (and bad defense).
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Cubs lose.
andcountingQuote Reply
Cardinals lose.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
*anxiety intensifies*
PerkinsQuote Reply
The Cubs should just DFA all their relievers. They’re useless.
dmick89Quote Reply
(dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
Of course.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Breaks pencil.
andcountingQuote Reply
Fuck
WaLiQuote Reply
It’s going to be really embarrassing when the Cubs get swept by the Pirates.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
That would still be twice as many wins on this road trip as I expected.
dmick89Quote Reply
I believe this is the first time in years the Cubs have lost leading 3+ runs in the ninth or later.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Pretty confusing that Wick got taken out. He induced really weak contact. When Strop came in, the game was over. I get paid considerably less than Joe, and it was obvious to me.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
It’s entirely too predictable. Strop has been great, but it’s obvious that he’s lost something and can’t be relied on in high leverage situations right now. I feel bad for him, but it also can’t be good for his psyche that Maddon keeps setting him up to fail.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Not good enough. Permanent bans from baseball. Maybe make an example of one of them, throw em in prison for twenty years.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I’m literally (dying laughing).
dmick89Quote Reply
So who is managing the Cubs next season?
dmick89Quote Reply
(dying laughing). What a play about pieces of feces.
berseliusQuote Reply
How bad was the fielding error by Bote?
WaLiQuote Reply
WaLi,
Well, it led to the team blowing a four-run lead in the 9th inning yesterday, which knocked them out of first place for the rest of the season and essentially closed their window of being relatively competitive.
So not good.
RynoQuote Reply
WaLiQuote Reply
WaLi,
If I may offer an alternative…
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
It also probably was the final straw for Joe as the Cubs manager. I thought there was a chance he’d return, but after last night there’s probably not a chance in hell he’s back next year. Between blowing last season and the shitfest this season, I’m sure the Cubs front office can’t wait to move on. The problem is building a competitive team when the Cubs are probably going to be about a 70-75 win team entering the offseason. They’re going to have to find a way to buy 15-20 wins with little to no money because the Cubs are broke.
dmick89Quote Reply
A team that can’t win on the road vs a team that can’t win. Who will prevail? It sure as hell won’t be the fans.
WaLiQuote Reply
WaLi,
The 2019 Cubs have had a 5-game road winning streak, a 3-game road winning streak, and a 2-game road winning streak. Three distinct instances in which they’ve won consecutive road games.
The Pirates have had 12 winning streaks this season, including 3 wins in a row at home against the Cubs, so I don’t love the Cubs’ chances.
andcountingQuote Reply
The Cubs/Pirates series
Cubs lose
Cubs lose
Cubs lose
Enjoy your weekends.
dmick89Quote Reply
Russell——————> MLB
Almora——————> AAA
andcountingQuote Reply
dmick89,
Amusing, but right.
WaLiQuote Reply
andcounting,
Deckchairs ——–> rearranged
berseliusQuote Reply
Kintzler is back too. So between him and Wick, the Cubs almost have two okay relievers.
PerkinsQuote Reply
berselius,
I’m just glad one of the deck chairs can play 2B.
andcountingQuote Reply
Honestly, it wasn’t an easy play. But it’s one you’d expect a real shortstop to make.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Hendricks swung at ball four twice.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I don’t think the Cardinals are going to lose tonight, so the Cubs need to get their shit together.
PerkinsQuote Reply
DO SOMETHING.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Hendricks has struck out one batter through seven.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
If the Cubs score 17 here, pulling Cyle will have made sense.
andcountingQuote Reply
Tony!!!!!!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Not a fan of this IBB.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Jesus fucking Christ.
dmick89Quote Reply
Fuck this team
WaLiQuote Reply
For the record, that intentional walk to Bell was probably much worse than any if the moves that Maddon was criticised for yesterday.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
This is really quite something to behold.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Cubs should just fly back to Chicago tonight. Take the weekend off. Save themselves the aggravation.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I am starting to wonder if Joe will still be the manager by the time the cubs return to Chicago, let alone next season.
berseliusQuote Reply
Fuck this team.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Mother fucker
WaLiQuote Reply
Breaks another pencil.
andcountingQuote Reply
The only thing that should have been surprising about losing this one was that they managed to score a couple runs and take a lead. This team sucks and there’s way too much shit to fix to even entertain contending next season. It’s time to blow it all up and start over.
dmick89Quote Reply
I wasn’t really buying most of the criticisms of Maddon over yesterday’s game. But today’s ninth inning… yeesh.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Fuck it. Let the Cardinals have it. They can get slaughtered in the NLDS.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Only the 13th time the Cubs have lost a game after leading in the 7th or later.
andcountingQuote Reply
What’s funny is that I’m seeing some of the people who attacked Joe’s decisions yesterday agreeing with his decision to put the eventual winning run on base.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Ugh. I’m going back to reading about politics. It’s less frustrating, even if my guy did drop out yesterday.
BVSQuote Reply
I blame all of us for still cheering for the white supremacist financiers.
andcountingQuote Reply
I’m watching Ricky Nolasco pitch for the Reno Aces right now, which I guess makes up for the Cubs screwing me on my six-way parlay ticket. Dunno what I’m gonna flip him for.
mobile daveQuote Reply
I don’t think I’m even going to bother buying postseason tickets this year. They’ll just have to issue a full (or mostly full) refund for all the games that aren’t played.
It’s kind of darkly funny that the most glaring weakness to address in the offseason has crushed the Cubs so much, especially on the road. Who would have thought the spare parts bullpen was a bad idea except anyone who thought about it for any amount of time?
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
The Cubs won’t have home field in the playoffs so they’re done. Anyone who expects this team to beat any team on the road at this point is kind of nuts in my opinion. Sure, they’re going to inevitably win some, but for whatever stupid reason, this team sucks on the road.
dmick89Quote Reply
It’s one thing to just suck on the road, just play poorly. That’s easy. It’s quite a feat, though, to make it look as though you should win and still lose. It’s like they’re the antagonist in every cheesy sports movie ever, every single day.
David predicted Cubs lose, Cubs lose, Cubs lose. But that’s as easy as saying the Cubs will play three road games. We KNEW that was going to happen. But how? How will they make us start to expect a win? Sure, they’ll throw us off by making Thom Brenneman break his own neck every once in awhile, but that’s just the occasional bit of truth a liar tosses out to prevent us from knowing for certain when to trust the opposite of what he says when he whispers “They’re gonna win tonight, I can feel it” into our ears. It’s actually pretty entertaining if you can appreciate the “hopeless case” genre.
andcountingQuote Reply
It’ll be hilarious when they sneak in, win the first two on the road in the NLDS, but lose the series anyway.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
To-day’s shit show squadron
CF Heyward
RF Castellanos
3B Bryant
1B Rizzo
SS Baez
2B Russell
LF Happ
C Lucroy
P Lester
berseliusQuote Reply
This is fine.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
yeah nuts like a fox
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
nah i’m just kidding, these guys fuckin blow
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
OK, that Houdini act Jon pulled off was exciting.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Relief pitcher hitting alert.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Cubs……win? I don’t remember how this works. Do we invert a g?
berseliusQuote Reply
Hooray. Inverted Road M. The rarest of all Inverted M’s.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I actually think Joe managed this game worse than he managed the Darvish game (for which he was unfairly criticized, in my opnion), but I’ll take it.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
It’s worth a shot.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Cubs… win?
WaLiQuote Reply
Unbelievable.
andcountingQuote Reply
big, if true
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Are the Cubs allowed to win road games? That would be quite a development.
PerkinsQuote Reply
I’m assuming this was a loss until the league office confirms this as a win. Just seems too unlikely that the Cubs would win. Much more likely there’s some cheating involved that the league will fix.
dmick89Quote Reply
http://www.obstructedview.net/cubs-2-pirates-0/
berseliusQuote Reply