OSS: Cubs close out August with a nail biter.
Three up
- Kris Bryant homered again, keeping pace with Nolan Arenado for the NL lead.
- Jason Heyward had yet another solid day at the plate, going 2-3 with a walk, a RBI, and the totally common run-scored-on-balk. Since his series off in Colorado, he has a .333/.351/.500 slash line, and has had just one hitless game.
- Addison Russell drove in two runs, and also had the key play of the game on defense:
Addison hustle. pic.twitter.com/zVv6iZlpSe
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) September 1, 2016
Three down
- The Cubs pen in general shat the bed today, giving up five runs and five walks in three innings. Get well soon, Strop and Rondon. Hopefully both should be back soon.
- Chapman in particular looked gassed, as Joe has had to lean on him a lot with both of those guys out. He settled down a little after Bosio talked to him and finally got the strikeout to end the game, but only after roughly 50 fouled off pitches by Mercer and several near wild pitches.
- I think it’s time for Joe to treat Wood as a LOOGY for the rest of the year, I don’t care if he used to be a starter.
Next up: No day off, and the Cubs start a four game set against the Giants. The matchups are (no time for a preview tonight)
Thor’s Day: Shark v Montgomery
Freya’s Day: TBA vs Jon Lester
Saturn’s Day: Madison Bumgarner vs Jay Carrieta
Sunday Sunday Sunday: Johnny Cueto vs maybe John Lackey
Comments
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
If Cubs go .500 rest of the way they finish 100-62.
SKQuote Reply
That Russell play is so much fun to watch.
dmick89Quote Reply
SK,
(dying laughing) why am I getting downvoted? I thought that was a positive comment??????
SKQuote Reply
If they finish better than 20–10, they have the best record since the Mariners and A’s in 2001.
ceruleanQuote Reply
SK,
I want them to win the 105 games that cerulean predicted so he can laugh in my face because I said that was a silly prediction. (dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
The one fucking day that BPro doesn’t update its adjusted standings is the day I most wanted them to. I collected the data for past seasons going back through the divisional era and was just waiting for their update today so I could compare the Cubs 3rd order winning percentage to the other great teams during this era. All I need is for them to update their data through August. Come on.
Spoiler: the Cubs are probably 3rd best during this era in 3rd order winning percentage.
dmick89Quote Reply
I got confused with their Elo.
ceruleanQuote Reply
1998 Yankees and 2001 Mariners?
PerkinsQuote Reply
Just be sure to call out my 120-win prediction as silly next year. (dying laughing)
ceruleanQuote Reply
NOT POSITIVE ENOUGH! BE POSITIVE!
But really, I don’t know.
EDIT: I downvoted your questioning comment for being a Mr. Complainy-Pants. (dying laughing)
ceruleanQuote Reply
Perkins,
1969 Orioles and 1998 Yankees. 2001 M’s are 5th, I think. 1998 Braves are 4th.
dmick89Quote Reply
cerulean,
Yeah, that one was easier to down vote. The first one I did it because 100-62 would seem like a let down at this point.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Of course it would, but that’s also not bloody likely, which is obvious, but I guess you have to be LITERAL and not rely on anyone to INFER what you’re obviously IMPLYING around here. (dying laughing)
SKQuote Reply
SK,
I down voted all my comments. I hope we’re even.
dmick89Quote Reply
Honestly, I don’t know why the Cubs even bother to show up. They barely even won.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Yes. I think three would have scored barring a great defensive play at the plate if he didn’t get to it. Combined with Bryant’s diving catch on that rocket, the Cubs defense saved four runs right there.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Kris Bryant has 8.5 BWARP. 2nd is Mike Trout at 7.7.
dmick89Quote Reply
cerulean,
Yeah, the defense definitely saved last night’s game. I read somewhere that Russell ran farther than any player (or maybe it was just SS) on a ball that was in the air less than 5.5 seconds. Russell doesn’t have great speed, but his instincts are fantastic.
dmick89Quote Reply
He’s all cat.
ceruleanQuote Reply
It’s not out of the realm of possiblity to ascribe 3 runs saved on that one play alone. Bases were loaded and they could have pretty easily scored 2, maybe even 3.
MylesQuote Reply
Myles,
I think two score for sure if the ball drops. Not sure about the third run. Len had a good look at the field and seemed to think three may have scored. That’s the only reason I think it’s even possible. My guess is the guy gets stopped at 3rd depending on who and how cleanly it’s picked up. Still, great run-saving play. One of the better plays I’ve seen all year.
dmick89Quote Reply
Myles,
If Addy didn’t deflect it and Szczur picked it cleanly—not tripping over Russell either—there would have been a play at the plate. Harrison was between second and third by the time the ball dropped. 5.4 seconds in the air is a hell of a lot of hang time, especially with the runners going on contact.
Addy’s ability to cover ground helps the outfield defense play back more and therefore improves their defense. Those are exactly the kind of hits that irk pitchers when they fall that makes them want the fielders to play in. This will help Schwarber immensely.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Has anyone ever looked at the effect a great defender has on other defenders? Are the best defenders more likely to have a good defense around them? I think so.
ceruleanQuote Reply
All this winning may seem awesome, kids. But just remember, there was a stretch of this year when the Cubes were just okay at baseball. If they lose in the playoffs, we’ll know that stretch was the real team, while all the good times were just lies.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
The Cubs are about as likely to win the World Series as Jason Heyward has been to get a hit so far this season—better than 20%, but worse than 25%.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I remember a quote from Theo early in the season about how there’d be a stretch when it felt like they’d never win another game. Between that and the fact that he doesn’t appear to have a contract extension complete, I wonder if he knows the Cubs are going to win the World Series this year.
Basically I’m saying Theo Epstein is a time lord.
PerkinsQuote Reply
cerulean,
I think I read some article about this. MGL may have written it, but I’m not sure. My recollection is that a fielder doesn’t have an impact on how good or bad his neighboring fielders are. Maybe we’ll get a better idea once we have some fielding metrics created from the Statcast data.
dmick89Quote Reply
Perkins,
I’d be surprised if he doesn’t stick around for another 5-year extension. I think he’s just waiting around to see how much he’s worth. If the Cubs win it all, he’s going to get paid even more.
dmick89Quote Reply
I mean as a team minus the contribution of the great fielder. I bet there is an effect in the same way that quality lineups have an effect—that they spill over in a non-linear way.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I hope so. And given the way the Rickettses have operated to date, I assume they’ll pay the man what he’s worth because a multi-year run of being at or near the top of MLB is going to make them all richer anyway.
Or it’s entirely possible they’ve already worked out an extension and haven’t said anything because they don’t want to distract from what’s happening on the field. With how close to the vest the ownership and front office has kept big stuff, it honestly wouldn’t surprise me.
PerkinsQuote Reply
new shit: http://obstructedview.net/2016-cubs-one-best-teams-divisional-era/
dmick89Quote Reply
new shat again!
SKQuote Reply