OSS: Kyle Schwarber blasts the Cubs to at least a series win.
Three up:
- Kyle Schwarber hit an opposite field grand slam off of Mike Leake in the seventh to put the Cubs ahead. You may have heard that Schwarber is in a bit of a slump, having just five hits in the previous two weeks going into this game. The day before he was pinch hit for by noted slugger Albert Almora. Hopefully this helps boost that confidence level and he can build on it.
- Were it not for the late inning dramatics from the Cubs offense, the big story of the day would have been Jon Lester picking Tommy Pham off at first base in the fifth inning. No one is going to mistake Lester for Andy Pettite out there, but it was a legit throw, and not just running at guys or anything like he had been doing earlier in the season. The Cardinals started off the game by trying to bunt on him like crazy which seemed to have him a little rattled, so it's great to see him push through here.
- Javy Baez had a multi-hit day, including a solo shot in the third. He's been one of the few relatively consistent hitters during the teamwide offensive slump, and while we expected the Cubs to get him in the lineup more often this year none of us would have guessed that Russell would be the guy to see his PAs diminished for it, but here we are.
Three down:
- I was listening on the radio so I'm not sure exactly how rattled Lester was in the first from all those bunts. I'm more than happy to see teams have their middle of the order guys bunting but it's unclear if the Cardinals demonstrated that this is an actual strategy vs Lester that overcomes its inherent dumbness. I'm going to lean towards dumbness, but it's something to keep an eye on. At least that pickoff throw might help point teams in that direction.
- Despite the homer and multi-hit day, Javy ended up with a negative WPA thanks to a strikeout with runners on the corners during the Cubs rally in the seventh and being thrown out at third following an errant pickoff throw by Leake. It's tough to blame Javy for the latter, as he was called out on one of those microsecond off the bag tag plays which has been the most annyoing unintended consequences of replay.
- Rizzo had another 0-fer day. If the Cubs offense warms up he's going to need to be a part of it.
Next up:
The Cubs go for the sweep on Sunday Night Baseball with Michael Wacha facing off vs Kyle Hendricks.
Comments
I can’t help but watch the highlight of the game over and over. Not the grandslam. Lester’s pickoff.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
It was a fine piece of STLaudenfreude.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I was curious about the lackluster performances in the first third of the season by the two greatest teams in my lifetime, the Braves and the Yankees. This is what I found.
1993:
After appearing in but losing the previous two World Series, the Braves were 30–27 on June 5th. They went on to win 104 games, but lost in the NLCS.
1995:
After the strike blew their opportunity for another possible WS appearance, the Braves were 24–20 on June 13th. They went on to win a prorated 101 games (90–54) and the World Series.
1997:
After winning their first Series in almost two decades—can you imagine?—the Yankees were 31–27 on June 4th. They won 96 games but had a quick exit from the playoffs.
2000:
After winning back-to-back championships for the first time since 1978, the Yankees were 38–36 on June 30th. They finished the season 3–15, then won the World Series.
2005:
After blowing a 3–0 lead to their hated rival in the NLCS the previous (historic) year, the Yankees were 38–38 on July 1st. They narrowly won the division with 95 games but fell in the LDS to the only team that won a game against the eventual World Series winner—whatever they’re called.
2009:
After missing the playoffs for the first time since the strike, the Yankees were 38–32 on June 23rd. They won 103 games and the World Series after a nine-year drought.
Baseball is weird. Great teams are not immune.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Isn’t that the year the Giants won 103 and didn’t even make it to the playoffs?
dmick89Quote Reply
I should note that none of these teams was below .500 so late in the season—therefore, the 2017 Cubs are not comparable. All is lost.
ceruleanQuote Reply
dmick89,
I think so.
EDIT: Yep. The Giants were 36–21 on June 5th, six games up.
ceruleanQuote Reply
To-day’s base ball squadron:
Happ CF
Bryant 3B
Rizzo 1B
Zobrist 2B
Heyward RF
Montero C
Russell SS
Hendricks P
Schwarber LF
Rice CubeQuote Reply
cerulean,
With so many more teams in the postseason these days, I doubt we’ll even see a team with 90 wins miss the postseason.
dmick89Quote Reply
The Astros look like they want to win 120 games.
dmick89Quote Reply
cerulean,
So, you’re saying the Cubs will definitely win the World Series again?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Heyward!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
The Braves never won again. But I will go out on a limb to say that they will appear in the WS again.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Happ!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Wow.
ceruleanQuote Reply
443 feet. That was a blast.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Throw strikes.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Of course.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Really!?
Again.
At least it wasn’t a cheap grandslam this time.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Hendricks has a two home runs allowed per game rule this year.
dmick89Quote Reply
Kyle is giving up really hard contact. Particularly after he strikes the guy out.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Joe pinch hits when he ought to! Though I’d have probably used Jay instead of Almora.
EDIT: Shut me right up.
PerkinsQuote Reply
(dying laughing)scotty
Berselius is too lazy to loginQuote Reply
The camera just showed a guy in the RF stands wearing a Justin Grimm jersey. I assume he’s related to Justin Grimm. (dying laughing)
PerkinsQuote Reply
Yep. (dying laughing)
ceruleanQuote Reply
Crookeder number please.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Happ again!!!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
HAPP!!!!!!
PerkinsQuote Reply
ITS HAPPPPPPPENING
Berselius is too lazy to loginQuote Reply
IT’S HAPPENING!!!!!
AGAIN!!!!
ceruleanQuote Reply
Perkins,
Nothing will top the Cubs Bonifacio jersey that I saw in AZ last year.
Berselius is too lazy to loginQuote Reply
Ian Happ straight up for Chris Archer.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I used to own a Joe Borowski jersey.
Check. Mate. (dying laughing)
PerkinsQuote Reply
That was actually Justin Grimm.
ceruleanQuote Reply
More like that, Grimm.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Tony got greedy there.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Bad baserunning by Rizzo there.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Dammit Dexy.
ceruleanQuote Reply
They really shouldn’t be letting Yadi steal.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
God damn it.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
That’s what happens when you let Yadier Molina steal a base.
Though ball 4 to Pham was actually strike 3.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Sigh.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Well fuck a duck.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Don’t tell me what to do.
Berselius is too lazy to loginQuote Reply
Dammit, Cubs. I leave for ten minutes.
ceruleanQuote Reply
So, did Rondon look as bad as his line?
ceruleanQuote Reply
Thank you, Stropy.
Now I hope he comes up to bat this inning.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
Mostly. One of his walks should have been a punch-out, though.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
He probably should have struck out Pham looking, but strike 3 was called ball 4. He didn’t look great, though.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
Turns out, ducks have false vaginas.
The more you know . ~ ^ *
ceruleanQuote Reply
Ian Happ straight up for a bag of sand.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Rizzo with the decapitation express.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Jay!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Not a big fan of all these runners getting thrown out between second and third.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Jay!
Berselius is too lazy to loginQuote Reply
I like these 2-out RISP numbers. But dammit Dexy. (dying laughing)
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
I assumed that they have cloacas like chickens.
Berselius is too lazy to loginQuote Reply
Berselius is too lazy to login,
Related, chicken sex is some weird shit.
Berselius is too lazy to loginQuote Reply
Berselius is too lazy to login,
Ducks are also among the few birds that have a phallus-like organ. Don’t ask me how I know that.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Berselius is too lazy to login,
Given Rule 34, I’m afraid to look.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Cannot decapitate the Enderman.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I love good CJ.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Nice inning. Now screw the closer but have Edwards finish it.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Rosie throws hard.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I would rather have had Edwards out there. Koji is crafty and good, but if Enderman is not walking people, he is unbelievable.
ceruleanQuote Reply
That was an adventuresome strikeout. But I’ll take it.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Brooms. Used on red birds. I am a fan.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Hey, it’s the good kind of sweep.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
S (inverted M) e e p
Berselius is too lazy to loginQuote Reply
Who was the guy singing the stretch with ross? Hard to tell from the shitty pics I am seeing.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Don’t tell me what not to ask.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Nice couple of … Happer Keepers tonight, eh boys? Eh? EH??
Tough crowd
OogQuote Reply
Oog,
You have been banned from Obstructed View. Please telegram to acknowledge.
Berselius is too lazy to loginQuote Reply
http://obstructedview.net/cardinals-6-cubs-7-6-14-17/
berseliusQuote Reply