OSS: Bryant walks it off.
Three+ up
- Kris Bryant’s hot streak continues. He hit a triple in his first plate appearance, and a walk off home run in his last one. His wRC+ has crept up to 137, and in addition to his power surge he also leads the team in walks with 21.
- Albert Almora has two jobs – play good defense in CF and hit left handed pitching. So far in 2019, he’s more or less had the defense part covered, but the whole hitting lefties thing, not so much. He came in to this game with a whopping wRC+ of 3 vs lefties (.161/.212/.161). That should change after tonight’s game, where he homered into the teeth of the wind to tie things up in the middle innings. Despite his struggles, it’s only been 33 PA against lefties so there’s plenty of time to turn it around. It’s not like Ian Happ is knocking on the door all that forcefully.
- Jon Lester was (probably) pitching to the conditions, and managed to work around a few defensive miscues to hold the Fish to two unearned runs over six innings, striking out six.
- Caleb Smith was by far the best pitcher the Cubs were going to face in this game, so it’s especially good to see them pick up a W.
Three down:
- There was some sloppy defense in this one, including a rare error by Heyward and Baez missing the bag on a DP in the first. The Cubs were able to work around it but that’s much easier to do with the Marlins than with, say, the Cardinals.
- In contrast to his heroics earlier in the game, Almora had the most negative WPA play when he hit a grounder in the ninth that led to the potential winning run being thrown out at home. Bryant was there to pick him up at least.
- David Bote had a rough day at the plate, going 0-4 with two strikeouts. Bryant may be heating up, but Bote seems to be cooling off of late.
Next up: Cyle takes on Jose Ureña, who has been lit up yet again this year. He ended up with much better numbers than I remembered last year (3.98 ERA), but I mostly remember the Cubs knocking him around on opening day in 2018.
Comments
Bryant also leads the team in worst haircut.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Best 80s mullet
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
Kind of a mullet / faux-hawk hybrid IMO
(i.e. the worst of both worlds)
SKQuote Reply
It’d be great if the Brewers would cool off again.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Bryant is such a millennial. He gets super irritated by comments about his launch angle, exit velocity, or any stats, which he seems to interpret as this entirely dehumanized realm of criticism, analysis, and even objectification. What really seems to turn him around and energize him is personal interaction with his manager, Joe sending him texts encouraging him or going out of his way to say he’s noticed a difference in his approach. To him, that shows he is valued as a person, not just some kind of hitting machine. He wants people to notice he’s dedicated to helping the team succeed in any way he can and for people to show him that same wholehearted loyalty.
If I weren’t lazy and overwhelmed I’d write a whole story on how important belonging is to the Cubs superstar and how his struggles on the field have been about struggling to feel loved for who he is instead of how he performs, not sore joints or a slower bat. I’d get to the bottom of why KB would prefer to be known less as a 6-WAR player and more as a beloved brother who will always have his teammates’ backs.
But instead I’ll just imagine the narrative in my head is both correct and self-explanatory.
andcountingQuote Reply
Racist hand gesture?
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
Yeah, apparently the symbol dumb kids used to use as a made-you-look-now-I-get-to-punch-you gesture is now the official white supremacist salute.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
Heh, I was at some recruitment strategy thing here the other day and one of the managers commented about how it will be more difficult to keep millennials since they only stay at jobs for a few years on average. Point ————> missed
berseliusQuote Reply
andcounting,
What a time to be alive
berseliusQuote Reply
andcounting,
who gestured racistly?
SKQuote Reply
If…hypothetically…I also played that game (which I don’t), I guess it would be time to stop…in theory, since I don’t do that.
RynoQuote Reply
SK,
Tons of people, apparently.
RynoQuote Reply
SK,
There was a fan in the front row who made the gesture on camera during one of Doug Glanvilles’s standups last night. Now there’s some kind of hubbub.
andcountingQuote Reply
berselius,
Report: if treated like cattle, young people will quit within five years.
Employers: Shit, we have to bring in new cattle every five years?
andcountingQuote Reply
Ryno,
I think as long as you punch someone every time you do it, context makes your meaning clearer, hypothetically I mean.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
As long as that person you punch isn’t black. Although I guess if you only punch white people it’s probably racist too, so you should mix in a few hispanics.
WaLiQuote Reply
SK,
https://wgntv.com/2019/05/08/cubs-investigating-fans-on-air-offensive-hand-gesture/
WaLiQuote Reply
andcounting,
oh my god, the hue of that guy’s fingers in his “I’m a Racist” sign is the kind of sickly pink you’d see in nearly rancid pig’s brains.
https://thebiglead.com/2019/05/08/doug-glanville-racist-hand-sign/
SKQuote Reply
SK,
(dying laughing) I’ve only seen the pixelated version that makes his hand look like Steve from Minecraft.
andcountingQuote Reply
WaLi,
Marilyn Manson said it best: There’s no time to discriminate. Hate every mother fucker that’s in your way.
RynoQuote Reply
SK,
This is the dumbest shit I’ve ever seen. Why do the Cubs insist on being involved in shit like this. Just fucking say “you stupid dumb fucks who think this is racist are idiots. Get a life, we are playing baseball and are more worried about trying to stay in first place”
WaLiQuote Reply
berselius,
What’s really funny is the symbol gives the guy away as someone who really can’t afford his ticket, a mindless pawn of the true power of the white supremacist system. The real damage of racism is done by the rich people who originally paid for that ticket and the rich people who sold it, but they keep their verbal expressions of racism confined to private jokes and the occasional email while funding a political and economic machine dedicated to maintaining their power and brainwashing everyone into believing it’s all a meritocracy.
But yeah, it’s the hand gesture by the stupid white guy with his employer’s tickets that’s truly offensive.
andcountingQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
I knew that Nats had a poor start, but I hadn’t realized they’re seven games under .500.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Also say this: you can never attend another event at Wrigley Field until which time you have passed away and Earth is a better place.
dmick89Quote Reply
The sellers of that ticket should also never be allowed to attend an event at Wrigley Field again.
dmick89Quote Reply
It’s possible the sellers listed the tickets on StubHub and had no idea who bought them. I do that all the time, though I assume most of the buyers are Chads and Trixies since my seats are now in the bleachers.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
I get that, but I kind of feel if all you end up doing is banning that guy then you’ve not done enough to say that sort of behavior won’t be tolerated. It may not be fair, but I’d still ban for life the original owners of that seat or group of seats.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
(dying laughing), I thought we were discussing banning the Ricketts family and was all for it.
andcountingQuote Reply
The upside-down OK below the waist is not a white supremacist symbol. It’s a *made-ya-look* game played by high schoolers: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=The%20Circle%20Game
ceruleanQuote Reply
Apparently Crane Kenney has never been punched in his arm.
JKVQuote Reply
WTF: https://nypost.com/2018/01/18/new-governors-son-appears-to-make-circle-game-gesture-during-swearing-in/
You fucking old people need to hang out with kids more
ceruleanQuote Reply
I’m okay with that too. (dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
Anybody listen to The Daily podcast from NYT? Donald Trump, from 1985 to 1995, claimed over a billion dollars in losses, accounting for nearly 2% of all losses claimed by individuals during that time frame (dying laughing) (dying laughing) (dying laughing)
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
It’s not old people, they are already racist and don’t give a fuck. It’s the fucking SJW’s who don’t understand shit because they only read headlines, blow shit out of proportion, and get offended over anything. This is not an offensive symbol. This circle game has been around probably since SK was a kid.
People need to relax. Just because people disagree with an idea or are ignorant to another idea doesn’t mean they are full of hatred. I’m maybe naive, but I truly believe most people are decent or better people, and most of the rest just doesn’t give a shit. The more we can look at others thinking that they don’t have ill intentions instead of that person is a fucking shithead the better off this world will be.
WaLiQuote Reply
cerulean,
This is a good rundown of the issue at hand. What began as a joke to “own the libs” became a pretty pathetic self own by the most radical of right wing assholes. So it’s not exactly innocent but also not absolutely necessarily meant as racist in every instance. It’s kinda hard to legislate a policy on a gesture that has adopted negative connotations in the last two years after becoming an almost universally recognized expression of everything being pretty not negative.
andcountingQuote Reply
How is this comment any better? The whole SJW–MRA thing is itself blowing shit out of proportion. Anybody remember gamergate? These are just the product of the troll-factory outrage machine using the internet’s ability to spread dubious news that doxxed real individuals and made them scared for their lives.
To paraphrase a misquote from SJ: “If you are using the term SJW, you’re doing it wrong.”
ceruleanQuote Reply
andcounting,
It’s also bullshit. It means everything is fine; it’s the symbol for the letter F in ASL; it’s akin to *fuck you* in Brazil. That some douchebags with aims for creating an ethno-state try to coopt it the last couple years does not make it the most relevant context of interpretation. But outrage garners engagement — and that is how the private news makes it’s money.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Today’s game ———> 6:35
berseliusQuote Reply
Russell ——-> Cubs (reportedly)
berseliusQuote Reply
For what it’s worth, I feel like anybody who wasn’t hiding under a rock learned that symbol was used for white power no later than the Kavanaugh hearings when one of his aids was spotted doing it even though I don’t think she actually was. I think she was resting her hand on her arm and it had that symbol. Maybe it was white power, but I’m guessing it was innocent. It became a huge news story though. So my thoughts on it are however innocent that symbol may once have been, it no longer is. I also hate that any white nationalist can do that symbol and act as if it’s not a hate symbol. It’s officially a hate symbol when we agree that it is one. It’s that time in my opinion.
dmick89Quote Reply
They sure know how to cover their asses, don’t they? So they can freely use that and there’s really nothing that can be done.
dmick89Quote Reply
Sorry lumping in everyone offended as SJW’s is lazy.
But it’s better because I’m just some jabroni on a discredited Cubs blog. I’m not on twitter spouting out nonsense with thousands of followers and then getting picked up by MSM as “news”. These stories are how fucking anti-vaxxers happen. All of a sudden every vaccine is causing autism because some mom with a following read some headline and then put a blog together without crediting any sources.
Are we supposed to not like this circle symbol because some racist asshole was pictured using it? Aren’t we just giving more credence to this scumbag and his ilk by taking offense to what was originally an immature children’s game? Shit I didn’t even know there was a connotation until today, so if I see my kid doing it should I call him a racist?
The swatiska was originally somewhat depicted in buddhism and had other uses, but now there’s only one association. That’s okay to ban. The rebel flag is pretty much associated racism and slavery now, so that’s banned a lot now. Should the circle game next?
I’m getting a little extreme here, but not everything should be a bannable offense because some dumbass was associated with it. There’s obviously some point when things should be banned, but we don’t want to have outrage give credence to these twats either.
WaLiQuote Reply
(dying laughing) (dying laughing)
WaLiQuote Reply
Hmm. I wasn’t hiding under a rock during this timeframe and didn’t hear this bit of idiocracy, but I also was not on Facebook and just listen to podcasts for news, so… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
ceruleanQuote Reply
I’ve never heard of that circle game until today. I learned about the white power sign before the Kavanaugh hearings, possibly as far back as the 2016 election. There were a few times when GOP related people were flashing it at events and stuff.
If this stupid sign doesn’t have the currency that some of us have been led to believe it does, then fine.
But I don’t consider white supremacy an “idea” that I “disagree with”. To paraphrase Harry Doyle, there’s “juuuuuuust a little” more to it than that.
SKQuote Reply
Same (dying laughing)
ceruleanQuote Reply
I’d forgotten about that event during the Kavanaugh hearing as well. Possibly because I just assume that everyone in or associated with the current administration (especially with the departure of Mattis) is a white supremacist, so their specific language or body language isn’t a thing I spend much time dissecting.
PerkinsQuote Reply
berselius,
That’s a good way to get people to forget that someone flashed a racist, drug related, punching game, F, or fuck you symbol on TV (dying laughing)
WaLiQuote Reply
WaLi,
Sorry, I didn’t mean any offense by it. I’m in my mid 40s so I didn’t know what it was until the Kavanaugh hearings. Since then I’ve done some research and yes, it’s still used innocently, but that’s the point for white nationalists. They choose things that have double meanings so they can create discussions like this. There’s no way to ever prove that symbol is used as a hate symbol because of it’s longer history as meaning okay or some circle game or whatever. But it is being used by white nationalists and when it’s shown behind a black man the assumption should be that’s what the intent was.
dmick89Quote Reply
Can we please talk about genital mutilation instead? Need to lighten this place up a bit.
MylesQuote Reply
cerulean,
I didn’t mean to offend anyone with my comment and I should have chosen better language. It was just such a huge story for a time, but all these huge stories under the Trump administration come and go so quickly.
dmick89Quote Reply
I have been working with kids recently and was kind of shocked to see that game so resurgent. I think it came about during the eighties but I remember it from the late nineties early naughties. I did not know it was called the circle game.
The fundamental shapes we perceive are circles and lines and our eyes are drawn to such features. I think that’s why the gesture is the way it is.
ceruleanQuote Reply
dmick89,
I wasn’t offended; more surprised that I’d forgotten it. Usually I’m better at remembering the various ways people in this administration (and most who support it) are garbage people.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Cardinals lose.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Zobrist, Strop -> IL
Russell, Montgomery -> 25-man
MylesQuote Reply
I am offended that you thought I took offense. I demand an apology.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Is this where I call everybody a cuck?
MylesQuote Reply
The Art of the Grift
ceruleanQuote Reply
Today’s Lineup:
Heyward CF
Bryant RF
Rizzo 1B
Baez SS
Contreras C
Bote 3B
Schwarber LF
Russell 2B
Hendricks SP
MylesQuote Reply
Myles,
Only if you’re an incel.
ceruleanQuote Reply
yeah but just don’t look at others below the waist
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
In other news, guess which team has given up the fewest runs in the NL and has the most fWAR by pitchers in MLB? That is probably the most surprising stat of the year. I assume it’s because they have yet to face the Cubs.
EDIT: ENOUGH ALREADY!
ceruleanQuote Reply
Addison Russell is back. I may drown in ambivalence.
andcountingQuote Reply
May Russell rake and be traded down the stretch for good prospects.
It’s the get-a-haul-for-an-a-hole strategy.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Yeah. If it helps, I look at it like this: While I try to be hopeful AR will learn to become a better person and not an asshole who abuses women, it’s easier for me to deal with him with the knowledge that the longer he stays in baseball and the better he plays, the better he is able to make his child support payments.
That said, the days of “Addison Muscle!” and “Hustle!” are almost certainly over.
And I will not complain one bit if the Cubs ship him out to another team and a fresh start here soon.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
If only there were a good closer available for just money…
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Anyone think Zobrist is retiring?
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
Sorry this is all news to me, whatever it is.
SKQuote Reply
He reported late to ST for a personal issue as well, so I’m assuming it’s either an ill family member or marital problems. Whatever the case, I hope things are okay for him soon.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Have there been any rumors about Zobrist retiring or something? I’d just assume it’s a family issue at this point.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
I think Theo specifically alluded that it was a family thing.
berseliusQuote Reply
/self directed eye roll
berseliusQuote Reply
I was trying to start one. (dying laughing)
andcountingQuote Reply
I am worried about the backlash, but I can’t stay quiet anymore. It’s time that I stop being a coward and share with the world my true faith as a Pastafarian.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I hate it when a pitcher has to make a throw.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
dmick89,
(dying laughing) no problem, no offense taken.
WaLiQuote Reply
Starting early with the double plays
WaLiQuote Reply
On a 9 DP pace…
ceruleanQuote Reply
Javy redeems himself!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Curious baserunning choice by Báez there.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Len’s analysis of that play is interesting. I guess it makes sense to bait a throw there, even if it didn’t work.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
cerulean,
Good for you. I always thought the pasta fairy was real.
andcountingQuote Reply
Wow, I sure have learned a lot on this blog today. Up til today I thought the circle sign was either ASL “f”, peace, or someone suggesting it was time to smoke a roach, depending on how the index finger contacted the thumb. Surprised that in this esteemed group no one mentioned the latter. Didn’t know what SJW was, didn’t know about circle game, didn’t know symbol could be white nationalist, didnt know about the Kavanaugh aide, didn’t know dmick was in his mid-40s (dying laughing). That actually makes him closer to my age than I thought.
So much happier learning this stuff here than facebook. Jabronis rule!
Now back to the game.
BVSQuote Reply
I’m guessing Cyle is the closer today, but I wonder who gets save opps going forward. Kyle Ryan? Kintzler?
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
Or maybe not on the Cyle CG (dying laughing).
berseliusQuote Reply
Pinch-hitting for Kyle was almost certainly the right move, but I still wish he were still pitching.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
So I’m thinking Ben Zobrist is going through a divorce, unfortunately. His wife has scrubbed her social media of him.
MylesQuote Reply
Man this bullpen sucks on ice.
MylesQuote Reply
What a frustrating series.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
*butts firmly held*
ceruleanQuote Reply
?
ceruleanQuote Reply
Craig Kimbrel, plz.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Myles,
Is her singing career taking off? I listen to less Christian music even than rap, so I don’t know.
BVSQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
RIZZO!
ceruleanQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
+1
BVSQuote Reply
Tony!
berseliusQuote Reply
Smart move by Rizzo, but really dumb baserunning there.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Love smart baseball
BVSQuote Reply
Nice outing ?wood
ceruleanQuote Reply
I guess Bote didn’t want a leadoff walk.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I’d rather stick my hand in a blender than listen to Christian music.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
3 songs on Sunday is plenty
BVSQuote Reply
I missed good CJ.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Somebody end this game now, please
ceruleanQuote Reply
Heyward!!!!!!!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Thanks Jason
ceruleanQuote Reply
HEY HEY HEY!!
WaLiQuote Reply
Jay-Hay!!!
berseliusQuote Reply
M—————> inverted
berseliusQuote Reply
Missed good Heyward too.
BVSQuote Reply
Nice way to break out of a mini-slump. I approve ??
ceruleanQuote Reply
Nice of Heyward to finish this game exactly as I was plating dinner (dying laughing).
berseliusQuote Reply
You know, all these post game interviews are mostly cliches, but I like listening to Heyward interviews. I think he’d be an interesting guy to sit next to on a plane for a couple hours.
BVSQuote Reply
I am okay with Milwaukee coming in on a crazy win streak and getting swept by the Cubs. It makes the series that much more enjoyable
ceruleanQuote Reply
The Cubs have the second best record in the NL, which is not a sentence I thought I’d say after the way they opened the season.
PerkinsQuote Reply
You were driving dinner home then?
BVSQuote Reply
http://www.obstructedview.net/cubs-3-marlins-2/
berseliusQuote Reply
If true, yes that’s sad and I feel for him and his children. On the other hand, no more shitty walk up music.
Wenningtons Gorilla CockQuote Reply
I know you guys already covered the hand signal thing pretty well, and that this is a totally useless continuation of an already finished conversation on a post from yesterday, or whenever. But:
1) there’s a weird kind of trolling/meta trolling thing going on with the hand sign. It’s an innocent sign that’s adopted by the alt-white folks to try to own the libs into falsely calling racism that becomes no longer false because its mainly racists using it. Like Dmick said, once you know that its being used by white power folks, it’s pretty disingenuous to go “Hey, that’s just the letter F.” Symbols aren’t objective signifiers; they mean what they mean because of how their understood, which means they’re context dependent, and recent/popular use is a powerful contextual force.
2) speaking of context, dude just happened to drop that letter F symbol into the camera shot behind the only black broadcaster on the crew. Wow! what an incredible coincidence. Is Glanville’s middle name F? Maybe its the dude’s kid’s first initial, like Carol Burnett tugging on her ear, but anonymously? Whatever it is, I’m sure the fact that Glanville is black had nothing–nothing–to do with it and it isn’t even some dude’s lame attempt at 3rd dimensional chess level trolling.
URKQuote Reply