OSS: Dexter Fowler: "After me, the flood"
Three up
- Both offenses struggled with the combination of a huge strike zone and strike-throwing starters, but the cracks started showing when Dexter Fowler homered to deep CF in the sixth inning. Fowler also led off the game with a double, but it took a homer to wake up the Cubs bats. They got things going in the seventh with a pile of singles sandwiched around a throwing error by Alemdys Diaz, whose shaky throws today may have shown why the Cardinals traded for Ruben Tejada late in spring training.
- Lackey had a simply fantastic outing against his former club, striking out double digits and throwing a ton of strikes (again, albeit in the gigantic strike zone called by tonight's ump). He also got in on the action in the seventh with an RBI single off of Leake. I think this was the first Lackey start that I've actually watched, and I forgot how hard he throws. He also works very quickly, which is ????.
- Heyward had a tough day at the plate, but it was more than made up for with his excellent play in the field. His first inning strikeout with Fowler on second was ugly, but he blistered two balls in his final two PAs that just happened to be right at guys. His offensive numbers should wake up soon.
Three down
- The Cubs pulled off the rare defensive TOOTBLAN after catching Kolten Wong in no-man's land following what looked like a failed squeeze attempt in the fifth inning. Montero ran him back to the bag but waited too long to throw it to Bryant, and Wong was able to avoid the tag and get back in safely.
- The Cubs bottom play of the day by WPA was Russell's GIDP in the second inning, erasing a leadoff walk by Miguel Montero. There were so few baserunners in the early innings that neither team had much of a chance to botch anything.
- This start in general and Lackey's pace in particular warmed me sligthly towards Lackey, but it was all erased by the interview they aired with him around the sixth inning. The other half heard it from the next room and popped in to ask who the hell that moron was that they were interviewing today. If Ted Cruz has a case of backpfeifengesicht, I'm not sure what the German phrase for Voice that Makes You Want To Punch Someone in the Face. But I'm sure the Germans have a word for it (dying laughing).
Next game
Jason Hammel v Jaime Garcia, 7:15 PM CT
Comments
Holy shit the Cubs’ pitching has been good.
Their team offensive stats are middle of the pack (except for BB, OBP), but they top the NL in team ERA and pitcher hits/walks. Oddly, the one category where they are usually awesome despite other categories — strike outs — they are only above average rather than at the top.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Also, (dying laughing) at the classy BFIB booing after Heyward’s stellar plays in the field.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
The Cubs got a gift when Matheny left Leake in to hit with a runner on third so he could face the Cubs lineup a third time. It’s basically the reverse of the Hendricks situation on Friday.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
The Cubs beat the Fartinals at Butt stadium last night. This comment brought to you by Mad Libs.
MillertimeQuote Reply
Suburban kid,
Methinks it’s good to be solid in multiple things rather than excellent in just one thing. So this is OK.
Rice in limboQuote Reply
I’m beginning to think the Dexter Fowler almost-an-afterthought add-on might end up being the single most important move of the offseason.
It’s certainly playing out that way right now. Fowler’s providing a lot of cover for the largely non-hitting Heyward, Rizzo, Bryant, Zobrist, et al.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
This is a pretty fun team so far. The one thing it’s missing? All the ligaments in Kyle Schwarber’s knee.
joshQuote Reply
Only the Cardinals and Marlins have been more unlucky than the Cubs. (dying laughing)
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/standings/
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
I like that the Cubs are 10-3 and have suffered from some bad luck. That’s a solid feeling.
joshQuote Reply
josh,
too soon?
joshQuote Reply
josh,
Yeah, maybe a little too soon.
dmick89Quote Reply
josh,
It’s even better when you think about how their best hitters haven’t done a whole lot so far. This team is stacked and is so deep.
dmick89Quote Reply
I’m trying to remember, was Aramis Ramirez booed when he came back to Wrigley in 2012?
MillertimeQuote Reply
Millertime,
standing ovation, but many former Cubs have been booed. I do think the Cardinals booing Heyward has more to do with Heyward’s comments than anything else. Not that there was anything wrong with what Heyward said, he was only stating how he felt and I didn’t think anything was disrespectful, but I could see how the other team would take them negatively (especially its fans). It’s also important to remember the Cubs beat the Cardinals in the postseason in fairly convincing fashion. The Cardinals are the underdog this year to the Cubs. It’s unfamiliar territory for the Cardinals and their fans. It’s fucking awesome though.
dmick89Quote Reply
They have no idea how to handle it. They have always been able to just pat Cubs fans on the head and wait for the team to collapse. And it always happened.
Last year they tried that and ended up having their asses kicked in the playoffs by a team of rookies. Their whole world as they know it is coming apart.
Meanwhile the Cardinals players have known it for awhile. If the season was maybe a week longer last year, I’d have bet a good amount of money the Cardinals would have been traveling to Pittsburgh for the Wild Card game. They were coming unglued mentally and it showed when they played the Cubs with Matheny getting tossed repeatedly, Yadi losing his shit during a live play, and them making numerous unforced mistakes. The Cubs are in their heads now.
aisle424Quote Reply
aisle424,
It might be just my perception, but I think the best thing of all is that the Cubs don’t care about the Cardinals in the same way. They just want to go about their business, which so far has been domination. I like it.
Rice in limboQuote Reply
aisle424,
I’m surprised that we haven’t heard more about clubhouse issues in STL – there were some rumblings during the spring about some heated closed door meetings.
berseliusQuote Reply
Cool, my comment above is shaded red. That’s good, right?
MillertimeQuote Reply
Millertime,
Weird, thought it’d be shaded green.
Rice in limboQuote Reply
dmick89,
I mean, I crack myself up and that’s really all I’m going for.
joshQuote Reply
Yeah, I’ve always gotten more ire from Cards fans than I have ever returned. SSS, yeah, but I’ve always felt like Cards fans had a chip on their shoulder that Cubs fans never did. In fact, isn’t one of the criticisms of Cubs fans that they don’t care enough? Like they don’t pay attention, or rooting for the Cubs is just the cool thing to do rather than a generational tradition? Maybe it’s because the Cubs picked up a lot of fans via WGN?
joshQuote Reply
explanation =/= excuse
Just because Borat had never been to America before doesn’t mean he should be excused for bringing a prostitute to a family dinner.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Millertime,
I think because it has a down vote, it’s colored like that. I’ll see what I can do to change that. I don’t think I’ll have the time to dig into the code today though. Hopefully I’ll remember to take a look at it either tomorrow or this weekend.
dmick89Quote Reply
I think that will change with time. The Iowa Hawkeyes football team was like that with Iowa State for years because they just always destroyed them (kind of like the Cardinals in a way vs the Cubs). Then Iowa State started beating Iowa and it took Iowa too long to start caring about ISU in the same way. Eventually, both sides started taking it very seriously. More seriously than I’d like to be honest as I don’t see ISU as an equal.
But yes, you’re right and it’s been fun to see them act like that. Right now they don’t care about anyone other than their goal. Hopefully that is always the case, but I have a feeling a good heated rivalry is going to begin. Remember Joe’s Rays created a pretty heated rivalry with Boston. I think we’ll see the same thing with St. Louis.
dmick89Quote Reply
Millertime,
I’d call it lavender, fwiw
Suburban kidQuote Reply
dmick89,
Yeah, it’s just like those fucking Cardinals to act like assholes. Let’s go beat them up for being jerks to show how coolheaded we are!!
joshQuote Reply
Now it’s green so its if +4 or better it’s green. If it’s 4 combined votes it’s lavender.
dmick89Quote Reply
The inferiority complex has been pretty delicious- from Opening Day when the Cards’ play-by-play guy complained that the Cubs were a paper tiger who didn’t even win the division last year and hence can’t rightfully be considered the favorites. Douse my fries in the salt.
umbraQuote Reply
That’ll never happen to us, Mountain Man!
umbraQuote Reply
It’s so bizarre to see them go to pieces. The Cubs finally have a good team for the first time since the last year of the Bush Administration, and the Cards can’t handle it. 2008 Cubs were a monster too, and the Cards that year fell back to the pack. Don’t recall them getting so weird about it then.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Coghlan struggling as OAK’s 2B/DH/LF/3B/RF/PH.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
Yes but this time it was done with spreadsheets!
joshQuote Reply
Oh? How’s Fowler doing?
MylesQuote Reply
I think they’re right to feel differently about the Cubs now vs. in 2008. At that time, the Cubs’ window looked to be another 2-3 years with not much talent in the pipeline. It was a very veteran-heavy team, and the Cardinals still had an in-prime Albert Pujols. Not to mention, Jim Hendry was running the ship. He made some solid moves, but we’re talking about Jim Hendry here. While the Cubs were good, they probably didn’t look nearly as ascendant as they do in 2016.
Right now, Cardinals fans are looking at the business end of what may well be a 5-10 year window of contention from the Cubs, who are also run by arguably the most competent front office in the game. And who have a fuckton of money. And who are owned by a family that has shown willingness and aptitude for sustained reinvestment in the organization. While the 2008 Cubs were a phenomenal team, the 2016 Cubs are the front end of a phenomenal organization. They’re becoming everything they should have been for a very long time.
None of this is to discount the Cardinals’ organization, which has consistently shown the ability to field competitive to excellent teams. They’re likely to be a factor most years. But relative to the previous status quo, the next 5-10 years have to look like a fucking desert to Cardinals fans. And it’s just the best.
It also probably has something to do with how thoroughly the Cubs drank their milkshake in the NLDS last year.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Austin Jackson is sucking as a starter for the White Sox.
Chris Denorfia was released by NYY in March.
Quinton Berry appears to be in the Angels’ farm system.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Suburban kid,
David Patton and Hayden Simpson run a boutique B&B in Port Ludlow WA
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
Carlos Silva is still cashing those huge Cubbie paychecks while he grows fat on the land.
joshQuote Reply
berselius,
Justin Germano manages a small logging company northern CA
Brent Lillibridge is living under a little bridge
berseliusQuote Reply
Speaking of Lillbridge, this Hazelbaker guy on the Cardinals is about a 9 on the 0 to Brent Lillibridge scale.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
Well on his way to one moderately good season and a whole lot of grit?
joshQuote Reply
josh,
We can only hope.
I’m leaning more towards a future headline of “Hazelbaker to the DL following meth lab explosion”
berseliusQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Ronald Torreys has a wRC+ of 267 for the Yankees.
MillertimeQuote Reply
Today’s lineup vs. a lefty:
Fowler CF, Heyward RF, Bryant 3B, Rizzo 1B, Soler LF, Zobrist 2B, Montero C, Russell SS, Hammel P
Guess Miggy is Hammel’s personal catcher now? Would think Ross would be in per platoon advantage, but whatever (due to overall quality of bats, for whatever that’s worth).
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Whatever happened to Rally Bucket and Helmet Hands aficionado, Jonathan Herrera?
aisle424Quote Reply
aisle424,
Herrera elected free agency, according to MLB.com
MillertimeQuote Reply
It’d be nice if Baez could get a couple AB against a LHP. Probably his best chance for success.
MillertimeQuote Reply
Millertime,
It’d be nice if Baez could donate his ligaments to Kyle Schwarber, but I guess we don’t live in a perfect world.
joshQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
If anything I would have loved to see Baez subbing in for Rizzo, even as good as he’s been against LHP the last two seasons. He or Byrant seem like they could use a breather.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
May be a matchup thing, but I think Javy will get his shot and Rizzo will get his rest.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
aisle424,
Are they doing the helmet rub thing this year? I thought I saw Fowler do it in the opener, but haven’t seen it since.
PerkinsQuote Reply
berselius,
Resting Rizzo against the Cardinals? Hell no.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Perkins,
No, they’re pointing down to the ground, but are keeping the reason for doing so a secret. Apparently it was David Ross who came up with it.
dmick89Quote Reply
Perkins,
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-players-point-to-present-20160418-story.html
aisle424Quote Reply
The “point” makes sense, though the helmet rub was more fun.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Y’all look tired
FonteYESQuote Reply
You have been banned from Obstructed View. Please fax to confirm.
berseliusQuote Reply
RIP Milt Pappas
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Do you WANT cheek cancer? Cuz that’s how you get cheek cancer.
umbraQuote Reply
TOOTBLAN!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
That works out nicely.
dmick89Quote Reply
Toot toot
umbraQuote Reply
That rundown practice must have paid off.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
That wasn’t graceful.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Ow
umbraQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Soler reminded me of Jose Canseco there. Tough play, but he looked horrible trying to make it.
dmick89Quote Reply
Heyward is cursed.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I miss the Cubs offense from the first week. Can we get that back?
dmick89Quote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Maybe he shouldn’t have opened up that mummy’s tomb.
umbraQuote Reply
Terrible strike call.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Get a hit, Addison.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Damn it.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
More RISP fail
dmick89Quote Reply
Wow.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I don’t know what’s gotten into Cubs pitchers at the plate this year, but I like it.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
These pitchers, man.
umbraQuote Reply
Cubs pitchers continue to rake.
dmick89Quote Reply
Heyward bases loaded eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
umbraQuote Reply
Come on Heyward
dmick89Quote Reply
umbra,
Hindsight 20/20
joshQuote Reply
What was the injury delay for?
joshQuote Reply
What a throw.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Heyward’s arm isn’t slumping, either.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Heyward is making me feel very conflicted
umbraQuote Reply
josh,
Big City slid hard into 2nd, got dirt on his uni.
umbraQuote Reply
Adams on his slide into second. A trainer came out. Adams stayed in.
ceruleanQuote Reply
This ump is the worst.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Montero was just rung up on a terrible call. This is getting really annoying.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
every time a half inning ends, mlb audio cuts out and doesn’t re-connect unless i manually re-load the page. it’s a huge pain in the ass. does anyone else have this problem?
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
NOOOOOOOOOO!
ceruleanQuote Reply
http://imgur.com/TgN9lid
umbraQuote Reply
Baez is hexed this year.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Fucking foul ball.
ceruleanQuote Reply
WTF?
umbraQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Maybe he shouldn’t have opened up that mummy’s tomb.
umbraQuote Reply
Baez would be on third with nobody out. Watch him have a fracture.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Stupid team-wide offensive slump.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Dear Matt Adams,
Trimming your beard to your jawline does not help the fact that your face is sitting on a beanbag chair.
Sincerely,
Common Sense
ceruleanQuote Reply
I notice Grichuk did it too, and even though he doesn’t have a dewlap, it is not the way to wear a beard. A beard is not a goatee connected to sideburns.
ceruleanQuote Reply
THROW STRIKES
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Seems like that has been a strike all night when the Cardinals were pitching.
dmick89Quote Reply
THANK YOU
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
dmick89,
Homefield advantage.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Can you ask for more runs?
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
You can ask, but will they deliver?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Score some runs, please.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I hope Rondon remembers how to pitch.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
BFIB doing the Wave smh
umbraQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Big drawback of having 20 pitchers on the roster.
dmick89Quote Reply
I knew the Blues tied it up because of the inexplicable cheering during that walk. 2–2.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Using a backup catcher as a pinch-runner? Weird.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Break out the brooms.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Great job, Hector. Next time don’t give me a heart attack, please.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
That slightly rusty outing brought Rondon’s FIP all the way up to -0.88.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
The Cubs should have traded him when he still had positive value.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Ugh. Hawks down by 2 with 15 minutes left.
ceruleanQuote Reply
This was a schadenfreude-tastic Cubs-Cards piece I recently enjoyed.
http://www.101sports.com/2016/04/19/live-strange-times-cubs-getting-inside-cardinals-heads/
The best is the Matheny stuff. Who apparently learned how to have fun from Angela Kinsey.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
http://obstructedview.net/cubs-2-cardinals-1-41916/
berseliusQuote Reply