OSS: Time to redefine what makes a good Yu Darvish start, I guess.
Three up:
- Addison Russell had a three-hit day, including a two run homer in the fourth inning that gave the Cubs their first lead of the day. He also legged out a bunt single in the eighth on what was probably a sac bunt and came around to score an insurance run, which was certainly big given the Cubs bullpen issues of late.
- Albert Almora also homered, and I guess I have to admit that he’s actually had a pretty decent month of May after his putrid start to the year. He’s hit .266/.293/.532 despite a .262 BABIP, good for a .342 wOBA and 113 wRC+. With his glove in the mix, that’ll play. Oddly enough he’s been way better against righties than lefties this year (.342 vs .242 wOBA). If he can keep hitting, that’ll play with his glove in CF.
- David Bote had yet another late game clutch hit, doubling in the Cubs rally in the eighth inning to give them back the lead.
One¯\_(ツ)_/¯
- Yu Darvish pitched into the eighth inning, which is good. Yu Darvish gave up six runs on twelve hits, including three homers, which is bad. The wind was howling out, and at least one of those homers was a wind aided cheapie, which is…good? The frogurt is also cursed.
Three down:
- I was in and out of this game, but it sure seemed like Joe sending Darvish out in the 8th was a message to the FO about the bullpen. At least it sounds like Strop will be back soon. Of course even if the Cubs sign Kimbrel today, he probably won’t be able to pitch in a game in like a month. Thanks, CBA/Ownership! All that money you’re saving on Zobrist’s restricted list stint can sure pay for a lot of superpac ads.
- KB pulled off the old Theriot Special in the first, getting thrown out at third on a FC.
- True to form the bullpen nearly blew it in the eighth and ninth, but got bailed out by the Cubs defense thanks to a caught stealing by Caratini and a double play turned with nobody out in the ninth.
Next up: The Cubs go for the series win before heading down to Houston for a three game set. Having an extra win in your pocket before that would sure be nice.
Comments
To-day’s base ball squadron
LF War Bear
RF Bryant
1B Rizzo
SS Baez
C Contreras
CF Heyward
3B Bote
2B Descalso
P Q
berseliusQuote Reply
Is restricted list time unpaid?
andcountingQuote Reply
The Cubs are playing a day game on a Sunday? Strange.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
andcounting,
Yes.
dmick89Quote Reply
The Cubs will wait to go after Kimbrel until everyone else does and then when they don’t get him they’ll say “we tried.”
It’s more important to the Rickett’s family that white nationalists get elected.
dmick89Quote Reply
Generally it is, though I think teams have the option to pay players. In a case like Zobrist’s, I think not paying him would be a bad look.
Then again, I think we’ve established that this ownership group gives zero fucks about optics.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Zobrist is well off so I don’t think not paying him would be a bad look. It’s not like he’s a minimum wage earner who has to leave work to deal with his family’s estate. He’s a multi-millionaire who will never have to work in his life once he retires. I’d rather the Cubs pay him than run some super pac ads, but I’d prefer they don’t pay him and apply it to next year’s budget.
dmick89Quote Reply
Actually, considering how much people like to hate on how much athletes make, I think it would probably be a worse look if he was getting paid for this time off.
dmick89Quote Reply
Delscalso is terrible.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Daniel Descalso is still getting regular starts when he is legitimately bad at all facets of the game. He’s like Aaron miles or Jon Jay tho… managers love to put them in the lineup.
mcalis2Quote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
I’d really love to know what the Cubs were thinking when they thought he’d be better than LaStella.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
I have nothing to base this on: despite the prank war last year I got the feeling that Theo and Jed didn’t think it was funny. Nobody saw 2019 LaStella coming but 2018 version is still better than Aaron Miles 2.0
mcalis2Quote Reply
Q getting BABIP’d to death.
andcountingQuote Reply
I wish I were as good at anything as Schwarber is at striking out looking.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
He’s pretty good at not swinging at balls out of the zone, but he’s terrible at knowing when third strikes are in the zone.
andcountingQuote Reply
My God, Rizzo is slow.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Maybe stop sending Rizzo from second.
PerkinsQuote Reply
He looked like one of those vaunted swing change guys like Murphy
berseliusQuote Reply
Perkins,
There were two outs, and it was very close after a good throw. The send was the right call.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
In a vacuum I agree. Rizzo has just looked really slow this season.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
He’s been really slow for at least a couple years now.
dmick89Quote Reply
This game keeps finding new ways to be awful.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Well this has been a disaster of a game.
berseliusQuote Reply
Concussion? Shoulder?
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
I assume concussion – didn’t see him move or test his arm, just looked dazed. But I couldn’t take anymore and turned off the game so not sure if they have said anything about it.
SKQuote Reply
SK,
I had the volume down since we have people over. At first I thought shoulder, but then I was pretty sure it was the head. The way he walked off the field so slowly seemed to suggest it wasn’t just the shoulder.
dmick89Quote Reply
I might just be in an especially bad mood, but I’m about to the point I want the Superfriends fired for protecting him at all costs rather than Gleyber Torres.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Considering the talent in the Cubs bullpen there’s really no reason that Caratini shouldn’t get more appearances as a reliever. He sucks, which is perfect for this team.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
I’d say Joe is running out of messages to send the FO.
andcountingQuote Reply
Right now the Cubs are clicking on no cylinders. Perfect time to go to Houston.
dmick89Quote Reply
andcounting,
(dying laughing) and pitching for the cubs, seat 42A!
mcalis2Quote Reply
I think the Cubs should add this guy to the Cubs bullpen and they can have a different person wear it every day.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Um, no way that’s happening. Have you checked the price on those things?
andcountingQuote Reply
The Cardinals blew a three-run lead in the ninth and lost in ten.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
In the Zobrist situation, there are a few variables that make me less apt to agree. He’s a World Series MVP, generally regarded as a good guy, a good but non-superstar player, it sounds like his wife may have cheated on him (at least based on his divorce filing), and he’s white.
Especially that last one makes me think a lot of the meatball fans who side with ownership over the players will at least be more inclined toward him. But I could be wrong – would certainly not be the first time.
PerkinsQuote Reply
To day’s base ball squadron:
Schwarber
Baez (DH)
Rizzo
Contreras
Adduci (RF)
Almora
Descalso
Russell
Bote
Get well soon, KB.
PerkinsQuote Reply
I really don’t think it’s a huge deal about whether Zobrist gets paid, though his lawyer, his wife, and her lawyer probably all care as much as he does now. I do think it’s worth noting that Juliana filed in Illinois (now a pure no-fault divorce state) and Ben filed in Tennessee, where grounds for divorce can include adultery, cruelty, etc. affecting the terms. Filing in two different ways indicates a showdown. This isn’t likely to be pretty or quickly resolved. Which sucks, mostly because the kids are likely to be exposed to more than their fair share of negativity, and that shit is the worst.
andcountingQuote Reply
who the fuck is this guy
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
holy shit he’s 34 years old
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
82 percent chance that maddon has him pitch at least a few innings
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
He’s probably better than some of the guys in the Cubs bullpen.
dmick89Quote Reply
Rizzo!!!!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
STOP RUNNING INTO EACH OTHER.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Remember a couple weeks ago when the Cubs were playing well and Brett said they were starting to have a 2016 vibe? Good times.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Of all the AAA hitters, why James Adduci?
mcalis2Quote Reply
Infield double?
andcountingQuote Reply
Rondon pitched well there. I almost feel bad for him.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Damn it.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
One ball hit really well, and that’s the out.
andcountingQuote Reply
Stop striking out.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Al-Al!
berseliusQuote Reply
Wow. This is going to be so disappointing.
andcountingQuote Reply
Runs!
berseliusQuote Reply
Welp.
andcountingQuote Reply
wow 5 Ks for baez
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
17 strikeouts. Against good pitching, but still.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
To day’s base ball squadron:
Schwarber
Baez (DH)
Rizzo
Contreras
Almora
Heyward
Russell
Descalso
Bote
I assume Baez is still dealing with lingering pain in his ankle, because otherwise there’s no reason to take his glove out of the field on consecutive nights.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
And it didn’t appear that DH-ing positively affected his hitting.
andcountingQuote Reply
Heyward!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
This Russell guy seems like he can hit.
BVSQuote Reply
That only tied his record. (dying laughing)
BVSQuote Reply
Bote!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
That was a trio of HR’s I recently enjoyed
WaLiQuote Reply
https://twitter.com/41actionnews/status/1133532003738034176?s=12
dmick89Quote Reply
Almora walk alert.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
dmick89,
Puts a new twist on “The Day After” no?
BVSQuote Reply
Apparently Lester lost the “feel” again in the 4th. Ugh. Hope the 5th is better.
BVSQuote Reply
Bote again!!!!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Bote ^ 2
BVSQuote Reply
Bote!!
andcountingQuote Reply
Nice to see he’s not mailing it in after signing that fat extension.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Schwarber!!!!!!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Oh my.
BVSQuote Reply
Schwarber!!!
andcountingQuote Reply
More HRs plz.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Put down that monkey’s paw.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
PerkinsQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
Wrong team.
I’ve seen Brad Brach pitch about 10 times this year. Hasn’t been effective yet.
BVSQuote Reply
I loathe Tom Ricketts. Care about your fucking baseball team, man. This shit is about more than winning one World Series.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
What’s the record for most homers hit in a loss?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Don’t tell me what to do.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
Might be justified this time. (dying laughing)
BVSQuote Reply
Brewers lose. Cardinals lose. Pirates lose.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Strop pitched last night in Iowa so should be back soon. Also hear that Zobrist may just retire. While that sucks, it may free up some money to pick up Kimbrel?
WaLiQuote Reply
WaLi,
Kimbrel or white nationalist super pacs. (It could go either way.)
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Juliana Zobrist’s instagram post is so, so cringey.
MylesQuote Reply
Let’s check in on Cubs twitter.
Nice!
MylesQuote Reply
I think my favorite part is that he tagged Baez’ wife.
mylesQuote Reply
dmick89,
That’s nuts.
andcountingQuote Reply
Myles,
What about her isn’t?
andcountingQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
Pretty sure I saw an article about how virtually none of the GOP tax cuts went to the middle class, employees, or bullpen upgrades.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
Myles,
As a kid who played in swamps all the time, and now the spouse of a wetland ecologist who regularly ropes me into helping with fieldwork, I think it’s time to change the image of swamps and mires. They are pretty cool places, except when the mosquitoes are bad. Many of them are about the only mostly natural places left on the eastern landscape, since we’ve converted the rest to development, timber plantations, or agriculture.
BVSQuote Reply
andcounting,
Not true. We got Brad Brach and three guys on the minor league DL.
BVSQuote Reply
Myles,
If her singing is as good as her instagram posting, I can’t see how she has any fans.
WaLiQuote Reply
WaLi,
WaLiQuote Reply
WaLi,
Oh, it’s not.
andcountingQuote Reply
should have been a fanpost
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Should have been non-existent IMO
mylesQuote Reply
It’s about what I expected.
dmick89Quote Reply
myles,
I hesitate to make light of someone’s divorce at their expense, because I know it’s a difficult time regardless of whose fault anything is. And people going through divorces almost always post things on social media they eventually wish they hadn’t. It’s almost like their phone autocomplete is set to auto-dramatic, auto-cryptic or auto-passive-aggressive. It’s not easy to stay normal or silent through times like that.
It’s especially difficult to make it through when you have no real friends. Ben has no friends close enough to tell him not to use his wife’s songs for walkup music, and Julianna has no friends close enough to tell her not to let him. She has no friends close enough to tell her not to post at all let alone stream-of-consciousness reject Hallmark prosetry on social media.
My wish for both of them is true friendship and the wherewithal to accept and appreciate it.
andcountingQuote Reply
Schwarber!
andcountingQuote Reply
How did Willson not catch that?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Something about the swing seemed to cross him up. I don’t think he even got a glove on it.
andcountingQuote Reply
KB with 13!
andcountingQuote Reply
What happened with Almora in the 4th? I stepped out to take care of the trash.
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
Foul liner in the stands, sounds like it hit a little kid
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
No wonder everyone looked like they were crying.
BVSQuote Reply
I noticed right after the foul ball and then when they replayed Almora talking to the security guard between innings that Heyward was right there helping out. Seems like he the calming voice in the turmoil again.
BVSQuote Reply
#JavyTag
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Wasn’t MinuteMaid where the guy fell out of the upper deck trying to get a foul or a BP HR?
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
I think it was Arlington.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Willson got screwed (on the second strike, which should have been ball four).
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
The same, but with Rizzo.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Perkins,
Right. Somehow I think Josh Hamilton was involved
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
I think Hamilton threw the ball to the fan.
dmick89Quote Reply
Strike 3 to Brantley, but strike 1 was ball 3.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Hendricks!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Also, why is everyone here treating the well-publicized Josh Hamilton incident like some kind of mystery? Has Google stopped existing?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Cishek!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
not sure, but if it has then there’s no way to look it up to verify so i’m not gonna bother
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
One of three was probably the best the Cubs could have hoped for in Houston. Too bad they dropped two to the mighty Reds, though.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
Since they weren’t facing Verlander I was hopeful they’d take 2, but they haven’t been playing great baseball lately so that was probably a stretch.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
I expected they’d lose to Cole, but they probably should have taken yesterday’s game.
If only there had been a solution to the easily foreseeable bullpen issues the Cubs would have.
PerkinsQuote Reply
I totally missed that the Cardinals currently have a losing record
berseliusQuote Reply
You know, I didn’t miss that little tidbit 🙂
mylesQuote Reply
Apparently Carlos Correa got a broken rib while getting a massage. I guess that’s the new “I was washing my truck”
berseliusQuote Reply
At least he wasn’t playing Guitar Hero.
mylesQuote Reply
I think that takes it to “Someone else was washing my truck.”
andcountingQuote Reply
CarGo———————-> Cubs MiLB.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
Signing brought to you by Faded Glory Apparel
BVSQuote Reply
andcounting,
Yay?
WaLiQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
WaLi,
I’m assuming they’re going to see if he can throw strikes.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
(dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
What’s this thing called where the Cubs don’t play for a whole day?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
A normal day for the 2019 season.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Not for the last two weeks!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Just seems like they’ve had every other day off this season. They’ve already used half or more than half of their off days, haven’t they? I think they reached half at around 40 games, which is ridiculous.
dmick89Quote Reply
So on this off day for the Cubs, I’m watching the national spelling bee. It’s incredible. The kids have broken the dictionary.
BVSQuote Reply
http://www.obstructedview.net/series-preview-chicago-cubs-31-23-at-st-louis-cardinals-27-28/
berseliusQuote Reply