OSS: Kyle Schwarber had a big day.
Three up:
- ərber had eleven total bases on the day, courtesy of two home runs and a triple that just missed going over the fence. Aside from the fact that he was crushing it in general, it was great to see that two of those shots were to left field. He had been pulling the ball like crazy before his demotion, now he's looking more like the Schwarber of old.
- Jon Lester had a solid outing, allowing two solo home runs and five total baserunners in seven innings. Aside from the whole lack of first inning runs thing, it feels like the biggest difference from the first half is that the Cubs starters are going deeper into games again. Well, the good ones at least.
- Willson Contreras continues to be white-hot, reaching base three times and scoring twice in this game.
Three down:
- Uehara struggled a bit while mopping things up in the ninth, giving up a solo shot to Abreu. He's given up runs (all on homers) in three of his last six outings.
- Jon Jay had a rough day on offense, striking out three times and getting hit in the helmet in his only other PA. This was promptly followed up by a TOOTBLAN.
- The Cubs don't have four more games against this squad.
Next up: The Cubs head to Wrigley North to face the Brew Crew. It's nice to see this long quasi homestand as a balance to the stretch in June where the Cubs had just three home games in a span of three weeks.
Comments
So…anywhere between 4.5 up or 1.5 down by Sunday. Let’s do it
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I think the biggest difference is first inning runs allowed. All the first inning runs forced Cubs starters to throw a lot of pitches early leaving a lot more pitches to the bullpen.
dmick89Quote Reply
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_(gridiron_football_score)#Conversion_safety
RynoQuote Reply
Unpossible.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
But on a PAT.
RynoQuote Reply
David Price on DL again. Arms are scary investments.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Still not encouraged that we seem to live or die by the long ball. Faced with better pitching we’re not going to be able to just tee up wins like this. But it really was a good sign to see Schwarber going opposite field. Need to settle some of the other guys down, especially Javy. Every time he swings himself out of his shoes trying to be a homerun hero when we just need a hit he should have to scrub the bathroom with a toothbrush.
RandyQuote Reply
It seems the dermal layer around his elbow has gotten really thin, possibly as a result of inflammation in his amygdala.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Kyle Schwarber is perfectly competent in left field. UZR grades him out as slightly positive. DRS has him costing a run every fourteen games or so in the field. Statcast has him converting most plays of greater than 50% likelihood (and that still doesn’t account for the walls). He seems to my untrained eye to be getting pretty good reads and jumps and his arm has been strong. I don’t think it’s crazy to think that he might become an above average defender in left. Unlikely, but not crazy.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I don’t see any Pats in that image. Bill Belichick is nowhere to be found.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Apparently Matheny said that Molina looks tired. I guess he was never an ACB reader.
Berselius is too lazy to loginQuote Reply
I heard his epidermis is showing.
mylesQuote Reply
Lotsa good jokes lads, good stuff.
SKQuote Reply
Too bad Hendricks isn’t pitching tonight, it sounds like the Brewers starter is his equivalent.
Berselius is too lazy to loginQuote Reply
Berselius is too lazy to login,
Somewhat similar. Suter averages around 86 with his fastball. He works quick. His Pace is 17.6, best amongst MLB starters.
EdwinQuote Reply
To day’s base ball squadron:
Jay
Bryant
Rizzo
Contreras
Heyward
Almora
Russell
Baez
Quintana
Kind of surprised not to see War Bear in there after he’s been heating up, but I could see a soft tossing LHP giving him trouble.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Suter only recently moved into the rotation and his minor league career is only OK. Hendricks is actually younger and has thrown about 500 more innings at the MLB level. I agree that they’re somewhat similar, but he’s not nearly as good as Hendricks has shown he can be if he’s healthy.
dmick89Quote Reply
Jay is leading off against a lefty?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Small sample, but this year he’s actually done a bit better against LHP. For his career he’s a bit worse, but still about average (101 wRC+ vs 108 wRC+ against RHP).
PerkinsQuote Reply
Priebus -> unemployed
mylesQuote Reply
Perkins,
All hitters should be expected to perform worse against same-hand pitching, even if Jay’s split isn’t especially large. And Jay projects to be a below-average hitter overall.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
myles,
That’s what happens when you cross The Mooch.
EdwinQuote Reply
I’d have left Schwarber in. It’s not like Suter is Kershaw or Sale.
dmick89Quote Reply
Edwin,
People who can suck their own dicks get spared by The Mooch. He may not like it, but it’s a skill few have.
dmick89Quote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Certainly fair. I’d have preferred to se Zobrist or at least Schwarber in LF.
PerkinsQuote Reply
The Mooch’s wife also apparently filed for divorce because of his boner for Trump.
That’s actually a thing my wife and I discussed during the election season. If either of us had voted for Trump, it would have been impossible for one of us to respect the other ever again.
PerkinsQuote Reply
There has been so much winning for America lately. I’m getting a little tired of all the winning.
And the cocksucking. There has been a bit much of that too.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
Autofellatio is a pretty apt metaphor for this entire administration; I’m just not sure that occurred to The Mooch.
PerkinsQuote Reply
SKQuote Reply
I think it’s hilarious that a big pile of shit like Bannon will forever be remembered as the guy who sucks his own cock.
dmick89Quote Reply
Nice play by Shaw.
dmick89Quote Reply
Second game in a row Quintana has gotten hit pretty hard.
dmick89Quote Reply
Shaw can field.
dmick89Quote Reply
What the hell was that?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Heyward!!!!!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Len was waiting on a scoring decision. (dying laughing) that was obviously an error.
dmick89Quote Reply
From what I’ve seen of Quintana, he gives up rockets all the time.
dmick89Quote Reply
What a not play by Almora.
WHAT A PLAY BY HEYWARD!!!!
ceruleanQuote Reply
You should stop watching; you’re obviously messing with his results.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Half of a good play there.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Ugh.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Half a good play is like half a dog—which is to say, a hell of a lot messier than a whole dog.
And two half dogs do not a whole dog make.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Ugh again.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
ceruleanQuote Reply
That sucked.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Wake up defense!
ceruleanQuote Reply
They had an easy out at home.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Yep.
ceruleanQuote Reply
This inning is infuriating.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
ceruleanQuote Reply
Don’t load the bases for Braun.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Jesus.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Quintana is getting squeezed now. Great.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Phew.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
In case you were wondering, Pat thinks this feels like a turning point.
berseliusQuote Reply
That could have been awful.
Wake up offense!
ceruleanQuote Reply
What he means is the turning point index is high.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Random fan with sign:
Trump’s edit:
Pittsburgh’s edit:
ceruleanQuote Reply
Now would be a good time for the offense to wake up.
dmick89Quote Reply
Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
The Cubs are now up to 90 double plays grounded into this year. That’s second-most in the league behind the Braves.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Almora!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Almoredemption.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Russell!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Addizzo!
ceruleanQuote Reply
Rally time.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
I’m surprised they haven’t figured out a way to ground into two a couple times in the same inning.
dmick89Quote Reply
This game keeps finding new ways to be frustrating.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Baez!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
BAEZ!!!
ceruleanQuote Reply
(dying laughing) that was crushed.
dmick89Quote Reply
That was Judgian.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Stupid Travis Shaw.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Come on, Bryant.
dmick89Quote Reply
That’s a start, Rizzo.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Willson was completely overpowered there.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Double play to end it?
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
They’ll be lucky to make contact.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Good baserunning.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
C’mon Kyle.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Curve in the dirt, please.
dmick89Quote Reply
Dammit, offense.
ceruleanQuote Reply
That Schwarber strikeout was the most predictable result in history.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
No joy in Mudville North.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Wow, just realized how horrible Carlos Gonzalez is now. How did that happen?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Voodoo curse
Wenningtons Gorilla CockQuote Reply
To-day’s base ball squadron
Zobrist
Bryant
Rizzo
Contreras
Schwarber
Happ
Heyward
Baez
Hendricks
berseliusQuote Reply
I hope Hendricks velocity is back to pre-injury levels because last time was ridiculous and his pre-injury velocity sucked.
dmick89Quote Reply
Crew fan all this time
SKQuote Reply
At this rate, Hendricks will be throwing a 72 mph fastball by the end of next season.
dmick89Quote Reply
What a surprise. A double play.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rest in peace, John.
Fuck cancer.
MylesQuote Reply
First pitch is 84 mph.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
84-86 so far. Same as last start.
dmick89Quote Reply
Cubs lose.
dmick89Quote Reply
Maybe it’s not too late for Kyle to learn to throw a knuckleball.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Double Fuck Cancer.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Good thing the Cubs have Lackey going tomorrow.
dmick89Quote Reply
Kyle spent much of the first half on the DL—he didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to give up a first inning run.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I’m just surprised Heyward didn’t ground into two.
dmick89Quote Reply
Jesus. Should be 3-0, Javy.
dmick89Quote Reply
Bye Bye Baez.
ceruleanQuote Reply
That was the worst at bat I’ve ever seen.
dmick89Quote Reply
Baez is so talented. Just think how good he would be of he could hit.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I’m surprised Baez didn’t screw himself into the ground or split himself in two.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I’d bench Baez after that at bat. Clearly didn’t come to play.
MylesQuote Reply
Careful—he’ll take that as a dare.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Baez is the counterargument to market interventionists—sometimes not doing anything is better.
ceruleanQuote Reply
His problem has never been hitting—it’s his inability to lay off pitches he cannot hit well.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Baez wasn’t even paying attention to Guerra having control problems. Worthless plate appearance.
dmick89Quote Reply
cerulean,
And he didn’t learn and hasn’t improved at it. He’s just as awful at recognizing strikes as the day he he was called up. He has no clue.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Get a VR headset on him and have him get funny-boned every time he attempts to swing at something out of the virtual zone.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Butterball Turkey.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Baez would have swung at that.
dmick89Quote Reply
Nice grab, Brinson 🙁
Damn, Schwarber scalded that ball at 111mph.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Jesus Christ.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Fuck
dmick89Quote Reply
Fucking BABIP. Schwarber smoked that one.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Hendricks blew that 85mph fastball past him!
ceruleanQuote Reply
Too bad the Cubs couldn’t score off Guerra.
PerkinsQuote Reply
This kinda sucks. Hader is much better than Guerra.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
If anything calls for an immediate benching of Javy Baez, it was that plate appearance against Guerra.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Now he takes pitches.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Gah.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Really? Just what the fuck.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
I think Joe took him outside and hit his head against some car doors after that last PA.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Wall-to-wall counseling can be highly effective.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Hendricks is hitting 86 this inning, and just hit 88. Lightning!
PerkinsQuote Reply
That was a strike, Anthony.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
This game is infuriating so far.
PerkinsQuote Reply
I was hoping for at least one of three in this series but that looks unlikely at this point.
dmick89Quote Reply
Perkins,
Imagine if Hendricks could hit 90. He could probably be the ERA leader—maybe even a runner-up for the Cy Young.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Kyle’s only hope here is to draw a walk.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Sigh.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Same goes for Heyward.
dmick89Quote Reply
Jeebus, how is this guy not in the Brewers rotation.
Berselius is too lazy to loginQuote Reply
The Cubs have too many spots in the lineup that need to be platooned.
dmick89Quote Reply
Berselius is too lazy to login,
He probably will be after this outing.
dmick89Quote Reply
Jesus, Javy.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Javy’s OBP might actually go up if he just stood in the batter’s box and didn’t swing at anything.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Bryant!!!!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Bryant!
ceruleanQuote Reply
That could have been so much more beautiful.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Cmon Willie
Berselius is too lazy to loginQuote Reply
CJ didn’t throw a single strike in that sequence.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Wild Edwards is wild.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Thank god Heyward can field.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Strop is getting squeezed now.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Robot umps, please.
PerkinsQuote Reply
!portS
ceruleanQuote Reply
Wow, Javy.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Knebel is so annoying.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
That was a great inning by Uehara.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
Nice and drama free
Berselius is too lazy to loginQuote Reply
So close to a perfect bunt hit.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Hit and run backfired there.
ceruleanQuote Reply
STOP GETTING CUTE, JOE.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
#neverbunt
Berselius is too lazy to loginQuote Reply
Willson didn’t get anything close to the zone.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
The bunt was a good idea and almost worked. That hit-and-run… ugh.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I am generally pro-beard, but that is definitely not working for Almora.
Berselius is too lazy to loginQuote Reply
Montgomery comes into the high-leverage situation with Davis still available. Stupid save stat.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Berselius is too lazy to login,
Give it time. He’s got to let it fill in more, maybe get a little wily.
ceruleanQuote Reply
That third pitch was easily a strike, but it missed is spot by so much, the umpire had to call it a ball.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
They walk a lefty to get to a righty.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Eventful inning. Wrong half.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Still alive!
ceruleanQuote Reply
Whew.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Russell doing his Javy Baez impression.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
J-HEY!!!!!!
ceruleanQuote Reply
Heyward!!!!!!!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
At least he’ll be in now.
ceruleanQuote Reply
JHEY!!!!!
Berselius is too lazy to loginQuote Reply
I think he’s struck out about 60 times in the last week.
dmick89Quote Reply
cerulean,
Looking forward to the 27 pitch, stress free save.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Three nine-pitch strikeouts.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I am feeling so stress free!
ceruleanQuote Reply
If he walks Villar, I’ll scream.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Losing streak averted.
ceruleanQuote Reply
$M^{-1}$
berseliusQuote Reply
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I assume most of you have heard that John Arguello has passed. That was a major shocker to us on Cubs Twitter and in the blog universe. It’s hit a lot harder than I expected. Anyway, I don’t really have a point other than that he was a cool dude who happened to be really smart and he will be missed.
Rice in limboQuote Reply
Yep. I heard it on the broadcast. I think Myles did too:
Cancer is the Lord Voldemort of animal cells: Immortality that kills.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Yu Darvish
Darvish to the mystery team
Yu Darvish
Darvish to the mystery team
The magical mystery team is coming to take Yu away
Coming to take Yu away
Take Yu away
ceruleanQuote Reply
Rizzo is out with a sore back.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
http://obstructedview.net/cubs-2-brewers-1-11-innings/
berseliusQuote Reply