Cubs 8, Cardinals 2

In Postgame by berselius98 Comments

OSS: Cubs beat the Cardinals, a week too late

Three up:

  1. Alec Mills had another solid fill in start, striking out nine in five innings and allowing just one run. He’s made the most of his time in the bigs this year, posting a 2.75 ERA across 36 innings, including five starts and pushing some folks to wonder if he might find his way into the rotation next year. Let’s not forget that he posted a 5.11 ERA in his other 100 innings this year in AAA. The PCL was an insane hitters league this year, so a small grain of salt, but he’s likely to be more like a swingman next year.
  2. Albert Almora robbed a home run from Yadier Molina, showing the defense that was his calling card but hasn’t been much in evidence in the past week.
  3. The Cubs win puts the odds of a Brewers-Cards game 163 slightly more likely. Here’s hoping the Cubs take each of the next two games to 22 innings and force a division tie.

Nine down

  1. 9/17: Reds 4, Cubs 2
  2. 9/18: Reds 3, Cubs 2
  3. 9/19: Cards 5, Cubs 4
  4. 9/20: Cards 2, Cubs 1
  5. 9/21: Cards 9, Cubs 8
  6. 9/22: Cards 3, Cubs 2
  7. 9/24: Pirates 9, Cubs 2
  8. 9/25: Pirates 4, Cubs 2
  9. 9/26: Pirates 9, Cubs 5

Next up: Waino takes on Cole Hamels, in what will almost certainly be his final start in a Cubs uniform. Hamels posted about 4 WAR in his season in a half with the Cubs, and Cubs fans should wish him well, even if he started wearing down as this season went along. Or don’t, I can’t tell you what do do.

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  1. Smokestack Lightning

    Given that Lester isn’t likely to be better next year, I wouldn’t mind trying out the opener gambit in front of him that other teams have used to success. Perhaps Mills could be of use as one of those openers, although I’d rather have someone with more velocity in front of Lester. Chatwood might be the better pick here.

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  2. BVS

    I’ve been thinking about maximizing what we can get from this last weekend of games. I think the perfect scenario goes like this.

    Cubs split with Cards. Cubs record is then 84-78. Opens door for Brewers.

    Brewers win out against Rockies. Tie Cards and game 163 happens.

    Boston wins 2 against Baltimore. They end with 85 wins and below us in draft.

    Arizona wins two against San Diego and end with 85 wins.

    Mets at least split with Braves to get to 85 wins.

    I think we have draft order tiebreaker with Boston because they had a better record in 2018 than we we did. So they could split with Baltimore, I suppose.

    Does three spots matter on draft? We’d either draft 12 or 15.Get more allowance at 12. I’ll take it.

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  3. andcounting

    Genie, a week and a half ago: “I can guarantee the Cubs take the first two games in St. Louis, leaving the division title to be decided by the final game of the season.”

    Some stupid Cubs fan: “DEAL!!!”

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  4. BVS

    BVS,

    So, do I care more about a better draft position, or pushing the Cardinals into game 163….

    Since the Cubs are starting Holland, obviously the answer is draft position.

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  5. Author
    berselius

    Smell ya later, Clint Hurdle. I guess we’ll never see if he could complete his transformation into a human-tomato hybrid.

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  6. Smokestack Lightning

    berselius:
    Smell ya later, Clint Hurdle. I guess we’ll never see if he could complete his transformation into a human-tomato hybrid.

    He’ll be in the broadcast booth with A-Rod in no time.

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  7. Smokestack Lightning

    JKV:
    Joe Maddon ———-> Unemployment line

    Godspeed, Mr. Maddon. You ended up being less MLB manager and more Head of the Party Planning Committee, but you were at the wheel when 108 years went by the wayside, and for that you should probably get a statue.

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  8. Smokestack Lightning

    I don’t know about anyone else, but I wanna see Holland go 9. See if he can pitch his way to a job in concessions by the end of the day.

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  9. Smokestack Lightning

    This was a season I recently did not enjoy.

    Otoh, even unenjoyable Cubs baseball is better than no Cubs baseball.

    🙁

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  10. BVS

    ✔Cubs split with Cards. Cubs record is then 84-78. Opens door for Brewers.

    ❌Brewers win out against Rockies. Tie Cards and game 163 happens.
    Ah, well. Their fault.

    ❌Boston wins 2 against Baltimore. They end with 85 wins and below us in draft.
    Split. We have tiebreaker.

    ✔Arizona wins two against San Diego and end with 85 wins.

    ✔Mets at least split with Braves to get to 85 wins.

    So we moved up 3 spots in 2 days. Good for us.

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  11. BVS

    WaLi,

    MLB doesn’t like announcements like this during playoff series, so I’d guess between the Div Series and LCS, or between LCS and WS, unless they want to interview and hire someone on a playoff team (like this hotshot coach for Astros whose name I don’t remember), then after that team is eliminated, probably after the WS.

    If they are simply going to hire Ross, then I’d say after div series.

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  12. BVS

    dmick89,

    (dying laughing). Don’t think that answered my question…

    Eeyore would say, “Ohhh, wellll. I guess St. Louis will rub it in by winning it all now…”
    But Tigger would say, “Who cares if they have the worst division champ win-loss record, they’re going to go go go go go, and win win win win!”

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  13. WaLi

    BVS,

    “dm’s clever,” said Pooh thoughtfully.
    “Yes,” said Piglet, “dm’s clever.”
    “And he has a brain.”
    “Yes,” said Piglet, “dm has a brain.”
    There was a long silence.
    “I suppose,” said Pooh, “that that’s why he never understands anything.”

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  14. SK

    Somehow, I’d totally forgotten Mark DeRosa until a tweet I saw just now. Ben Zobrist had completely cancelled him in my mind. I was trying to recognize the name for a few seconds…how strange.

    Still having trouble picturing him

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  15. EnricoPallazzo

    God,

    Dear God,

    I was unaware that You read this website. I have a question that I have been wanting to ask for quite some time but just didn’t know where to find You. Anyway, my question is this: what the fuck, man?

    Respectfully,
    EnricoPallazzo

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  16. Ryno

    andcounting:
    SK,

    Picture God, then add 15 pounds of muscle and stubble.

    It took all week, but I added 15 pounds of muscle. Still working on the 15 pounds of stubble (that’s a tall order).

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  17. BVS

    andcounting,

    I get that, actually. Sometimes it’s really not about the incumbent. It’s just that strengths and weaknesses don’t align well. Also, considering that the pitching staff throws too many balls and the hitters accumulate too many strikes, that’s really not on Joe.

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  18. andcounting

    BVS,

    Sure, and I would believe its sincerity if he hadn’t just fired Joe. Don’t pretend the team’s problems you’re discussing at length and the dismissal of the manager are unrelated matters, Theo. It seems like he’s so afraid of telling managerial candidates they’ll be expected to fix all these problems with no help from the front office that he forgot to guard against sending the message that everything he says is bullshit. Because everything he said for that hourlong press conference was slathered in bullshit.

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  19. andcounting

    Smokestack Lightning,

    I generally prefer it when people are genuine even if they can’t be candid. If he had just eliminated all variations of “you can’t put that on the manager and everyone in the organization will be a part of changing this, BUT” it would have lasted 15 minutes.

    So something like, look, Joe’s not coming back and that probably tells you everything you need to know about our satisfaction level. But that will be one change of many or we’ll be right back at this same spot or worse a year from now.

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  20. Smokestack Lightning

    andcounting: I generally prefer it when people are genuine even if they can’t be candid. If he had just eliminated all variations of “you can’t put that on the manager and everyone in the organization will be a part of changing this, BUT” it would have lasted 15 minutes.

    So something like, look, Joe’s not coming back and that probably tells you everything you need to know about our satisfaction level. But that will be one change of many or we’ll be right back at this same spot or worse a year from now.

    I get your angle, I just don’t see the point in Theo saying anything like that (not even your mild version). The parting with Joe was sold as mutual and amicable (and it probably was; regardless of what Joe said to the media, he hadn’t been acting like he wanted to come back), and if Theo considers Joe a friend (and vice versa), he’s not going to turn around the next day and go “Akshully….” That might put the match to a bridge there’s no point in burning.

    There’s a whole world we fans aren’t privy to, obviously. A world that only people working in and playing the game are a part of. Sometimes you lie your ass off in a press conference just in case you run into the guy you let go ten years from now, he’ll still smile and shake your hand. I imagine the Theo-Joe relationship has mostly been a warm one, especially considering they scaled together the last insurmountable obstacle the game of baseball had left. That sort of experience tends to form lifelong bonds. Why screw that up with the truth about why you let him go? It’s not like it really needs to be said anyway. It’s obvious to anyone half paying attention to things why Joe is gone. And nobody will remember this press conference three weeks from now—if anyone gave a shit about it in the first place.

    But Joe would remember if Theo threw him under the bus when he didn’t have to. Others that live in that world might take notice too. And that sort of stuff can make a difference when it comes time to choose which organization you want to work for.

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  21. dmick89

    I would and always have preferred honesty. It’s one of the reasons why I’m still such a huge fan of Zambrano. At the same time, I can completely understand that sometimes honesty isn’t the best approach and sometimes the best thing is to say something the media wants to hear that may only be partially true at best.

    What would I want Theo to say? I’d want him to say that the Cubs organization owes a great deal of its recent success to Joe Maddon and the team probably doesn’t win a World Championship without him at the helm. I’d also want Theo to say that Joe may not have managed the game up to our expectations (or maybe he did at which point we’re fucked so it doesn’t matter I guess) in the later years of his contract and what’s best for him and for the Cubs organization is a fresh start. There’s a way to say all of this without shitting all over Joe. It’s the honest answer and it’s one I’d prefer.

    I also know I’d never get that answer from Theo.

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  22. Smokestack Lightning

    dmick89: I’d also want Theo to say that Joe may not have managed the game up to our expectations (or maybe he did at which point we’re fucked so it doesn’t matter I guess) in the later years of his contract and what’s best for him and for the Cubs organization is a fresh start.

    Why is it so important to hear this said? I’m not trying to be combative; I just don’t see how it needs to be aired. The right result was achieved: Joe is gone. Who cares if Theo waffles in a press conference over the reason in order to cover for the guy and let him leave with dignity. Do we need it so explicitly spelled out? Is the obvious implication not enough? Are we afraid Theo let him go because he’d finally had enough of Joe’s shitty red wine selections instead?

    And no, I don’t think there’s a way to do it without perception being Theo dumped on Joe out the door. The Cubs press would guarantee that. And there’s simply no upside to that sort of thing. If Theo were keeping Joe around, I think an honest answer as to why when the performance clearly hasn’t been there would be warranted, but not when he’s already gotten the heave-ho.

    You can be honest and still be a piece of shit. I love Zambrano too, but dude (as we knew him) was kind of a dick, and, for the most part, exhausting. More trouble than he was worth when he wasn’t pitching well. We remember him so fondly now largely because of the passage of time and he’s no longer a part of anything.

    Anyhow. There’s plenty to be pissed at Theo about these days (and, yes, we’re just talking preferences here), but imo, how he handled the Joe departure isn’t anywhere near close to one of them.

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  23. Author
    berselius

    Joe wasn’t pushed out the door amid a whisper campaign that he was a prescription drug addict, so I’d say they handled it relatively well.

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  24. andcounting

    Smokestack Lightning,

    “Starting off, not one word I have to say is a reflection on Joe. That’s why we had a press conference alongside Joe yesterday. All I have to say today is about our direction moving forward.”

    Done. Do the rest of the presser. There was just this huge “methinks thou doest protest too much” in it all that made it seem like he very much was blaming Joe.

    I’m not pissed, it’s just annoying and the only shred of Cubs news to talk about. (dying laughing)

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  25. EnricoPallazzo

    dmick89: Getting white supremacists elected ain’t cheap.

    Look, you can either have a bunch of white supremacists get elected, or you can have a decent ballclub. You can’t have it both ways. Which is it gonna be?

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  26. SK

    Kato Kaelin

    Verified account

    @Kato_Kaelin
    6 hours ago

    I TOLD U! I FRICKING TOLD U! Hader u BLEW IT AGAIN! @Brewers U SUCK! POMERANZ should have pitched at least a batter or 2. Counsell ur AWFUL! I HATE THIS TEAM

    Kato Kaelin

    Verified account

    @Kato_Kaelin
    6 hours ago

    Counsell U BLEW IT! POMERANZ only three 19 pitches. Let him throw more @Brewers – HADERS FACE B4 he came in said defeat and diarrhea GOODBYE TWITTER! U SUCK MILWAUKEE BREWERS!

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  27. andcounting

    I just want to clarify, although I do think Joe failed to do what he does best this year, I don’t blame what happened this year on Joe. I blame everyone above Joe for creating a huge mess and refusing to pay to clean it up. I fully believe that affected everyone on the team adversely. When you get the sense management doesn’t give a shit, that affects you. And it did.

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  28. andcounting

    andcounting,

    I do, however, think Theo does blame Joe but knows that’s unpopular and uncool given the whole World Series thing. But his unhappiness with Joe seemed pretty obvious not long after the World Series.

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  29. BVS

    andcounting: I blame everyone above Joe for creating a huge mess and refusing to pay to clean it up.

    This.

    Our third best bullpen pitcher coming into the season was probably Carl Edwards. Or was it Xavier Cedeño?

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  30. Author
    berselius

    BVS: This.

    Our third best bullpen pitcher coming into the season was probably Carl Edwards. Or was it Xavier Cedeño?

    Daniel Descalso

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  31. dmick89

    I don’t really blame Grisham. Wasn’t it going to be 1st and 3rd, tie game and only one out if he fielded it cleanly? Brewers still probably lose that game in that inning. That loss is on Hader.

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  32. andcounting

    BVS,

    It’s a weird error because it comes before an outfield assist from the same guy and, conceivably could have actually limited the damage. It resulted in an extra run but also an extra out on the play. Harder certainly did a lot more in that inning to give the Nationals runs than Grisham did. It was a costly and really goofy error, but it hardly carries the blame for the loss, IMO.

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  33. Rizzo the Rat

    dmick89,

    There were 2 outs. And, to be fair to Hader, he stuck out two batters, and the first two runners reached on a broken-bat blooper and a disputed hbp. He was wild, but not nearly as bad as the actual result.

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  34. BVS

    I’d already fallen asleep by the 5th inning. Hooray for the sleep timer on my TV. From what I can tell, it was really just an odd sequence of wacky baseball. A “that’s why you play the game” event.

    That said, it’s still tough on a rookie to be the one who made the visible error, hence my Brant Brown reference. Hopefully the assist mitigates the mental/emotional effect some. Grisham seemed to be taking it pretty hard from some of the quotes I read.

    Did Alex Gonzalez’ fielding in 2004 have a lasting effect on his career? Or did Moises Alou’s? Nah. But they were vets. Gonzalez was better the next year with San Diego.

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  35. andcounting

    Rizzo the Rat,

    Yeah, but the disputed hbp was also ball 4 anyway. It would have been ridiculous luck if Taylor hadn’t reached on that pitch. Then walking the tying run into scoring position and the winning run to first? No, not the worst performance ever, but definitely bad.

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