Series Preview: Chicago Cubs (31-23) at St Louis Cardinals (27-28)

In Series Previews by berselius156 Comments

The Cardinals had a brutal month of May, going 7-17 and nearly going from first to worst in the division. While their offense has been solid, their starting pitching has been brutal. Michael Wacha has taken another giant step back, and the shine has faded from Miles Mikolas after he took the league by storm in 2018.

Team Leaders

Cubs

  • OBP: Rizzo (.404)
  • ISO: Rizzo (.300)
  • HR: Rizzo (15)
  • R+RBI: Bryzzo (78)
  • wRC+: Rizzo (159)
  • BSR: Bryant (2.2)
  • Defense: Baez (5.7)
  • SP K/9: Darvish (10.96)
  • SP BB/9: Hendricks (1.67)
  • SP FIP: Hendricks (3.24)
  • RP K/9: Maples (19.29)
  • RP BB/9: Kintzler (2.13)
  • RP FIP: Maples (2.71)
  • WAR: Baez (2.5)

Urinals

  • OBP: DeJong (.391)
  • ISO: Ozuna (.286)
  • HR: Ozuna (15)
  • R+RBI: Ozuna (88)
  • wRC+: DeJong (140)
  • BSR: DeJong (3.5)
  • Defense: DeJong (6.1)
  • SP K/9: Flaherty (9.80)
  • SP BB/9: Mikolas (1.44)
  • SP FIP: Flaherty (4.03)
  • RP K/9: Giovanny Gallegos (14.09)
  • RP BB/9: Gallegos (2.25)
  • RP FIP: Hicks (3.02)
  • WAR: DeJong (2.9)

Transactions, injuries, blood feuds, etc

Pedro Strop should be back in this series for the Cubs, which should be nice to see. As far as other recent injury news goes, I haven’t seen anything explaining what happened with Monty exiting a game while warming up the other day. Bryant was back in the lineup as a DH on Wednesday and homered, so hopefully whatever happened in that collision the other day is no longer bothering him. On the Cards side, Yadi missed the last two games with a bruised hand.

Kris Bryant said in an interview this week that he hopes that Cardinals fans ‘boo all of us’, in response to some comments about how boring St Louis is during the offseason that Yadi took offense over. But of course the Best Fans would never boo or do anything like that.

Pitching Matchups

K/9, BB/9, ERA, Projected ERA listed for each starter

Friday: Yu Darvish, RHP (10.96, 6.22, 5.40, 4.27) vs Miles Mikolas, RHP (6.64, 1.44, 4.76, 3.90), 7:15 PM CT

Saturday: Jose Quintana, LHP (8.04, 2.73, 3.73, 3.77) vs Jack Flaherty, RHP (9.80, 3.02, 3.77, 3.77), 6:15 PM CT (FOX)

Sunday: Cole Hamels, LHP (8.62, 3.73, 4.02, 3.78) vs Adam Wainwright’s Ghost, RHP (7.87, 3.55, 4.94, 4.58), 1:15 PM CT

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Comments

  1. andcounting

    I was thinking about how the dumbest fans of any base tend to be the most vocal, and I was reminded our president literally and verifiably cannot spell accomplishment. In my time on Twitter masquerading as a Cubs hater, I found an undeniable overlap of the most vocal Cardinals fans and the most vocal Trump fans and the worst spellers in the speak-English-or-get-out klan.

    Just a random thought as we venture into what I hope becomes a weekend of unfettered schadenfreude.

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  2. myles

    I love how Dillon Maples has 3 awesome pitches but can’t stick in a bullpen. He’s going to be one of the ultimate “if only” guys at this rate.

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  3. andcounting

    dmick89,

    berselius,

    At least. It’s not just the cartoonish Trumpsters, but the people who in other respects (ie those that don’t involve loving a racist lying dictator who hates his own fan base personally and the Cardinals) seem normal. It’s really odd.

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  4. Myles

    andcounting:
    myles,

    Is there anything missing from his repertoire other than command?

    Not really. He has a fastball, slider, and curveball that would all play well in the majors. If he had any command at all, he’d be a solid reliever. If it was just average, he’d start.

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  5. andcounting

    andcounting,

    Also, one of the biggest shames about the steroid-era fallout is Roger Clemens not being a pitching coach. It’s pretty obvious that dude loves baseball, and from what I’ve heard he can teach really well.

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  6. andcounting

    Perkins:
    andcounting,

    Somewhat related: the amount of Christian bumper stickers on a car is inversely proportional to the sum of the driver’s skill and the driver’s consideration for other beings.

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  7. Author
    berselius

    SK,

    The only thing new I’ve seen was a small update on the ESPN story

    Sources told ESPN’s Jesse Rogers that the initial report on the girl’s condition was positive.

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  8. WaLi

    SK,

    I read somewhere it was a 4 year old that got hit and that later in the game the security guard told Almora she was okay but was taken to the hospital just for precautionary measures.

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  9. Author
    berselius

    To-day’s base ball squadron

    LF Schwarber
    3B Bryant
    1B Rizzo
    SS Baez
    RF Heyward
    SS Russell
    C Caratini
    CF Almora
    P Darvish

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  10. andcounting

    dmick89,

    Yeah. At least 300 feet from home. On a ball that’s crushed, that gives fans about 2 seconds to see the ball, recognize it’s coming right at them, and get out of the way. Someone, somewhere believes that’s beyond fair warning, somehow. And they’re in charge.

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  11. Author
    berselius

    andcounting,

    It would be nice if the nets were retractable, or strung a little higher or something though. I think baseball does lose a little something when the players can’t throw balls to fans down the line, sign autographs, etc.

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  12. WaLi

    dmick89:
    It’s inexcusable that any team opens the 2020 season without netting going down to the foul lines.

    On one hand, I went to a Marlins/Cubs game this year and got like 2nd row seats next to the dugout. The nets made sitting that close suck because could not get balls from the ball boy/players and the net obstructed the view.

    On the other hand a few years ago I took my son to a Ray’s game and got similar seats but a few rows further back. I was terrified I wouldn’t be able to protect my kid if a ball was hit my way. He was just playing on the empty seats not paying attention (not that it would matter, he was about 1). We ended up moving to the outfield.

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  13. dmick89

    WaLi,

    Have the teams throw a bunch of baseballs out to the fans prior to the game or during the 7th inning stretch. I think preventing these injuries is far more important than a potential souvenir that the overwhelming majority of fans leave the ballpark without.

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  14. andcounting

    The Cubs fans in attendance have pitched two perfect innings in relief, so that’s encouraging.

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  15. Rizzo the Rat

    Hicks is such a strange pitcher. How can a guy throw so hard without being all that overpowering?

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  16. andcounting

    Rizzo the Rat,

    Ok, yeah. It seems like his fastball is pretty straight, so it can be hit but for really weak contact. That’s why I asked, because in that regard he does look overpowering, but yeah, not for swings and misses.

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  17. andcounting

    Laz Diaz should be banned after that inning. He’s terrible always, but he was criminally so tonight.

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  18. andcounting

    Rizzo the Rat,

    I agree, though I think Maples lost his composure after throwing a knee-buckling slider over the middle of the plate and having it called ball 4 instead of strike 3. When you do your job perfectly and get screwed (and you’re not playing a character who’s 60 years into a life sentence but finding all the lust you can handle behind bars), it’s enough to unnerve a young fella.

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  19. dmick89

    Rizzo the Rat:
    The first walk was mostly the umpire’s fault. The second was all Maples.

    Fair or not, Maples is never going to get the benefit. I’m surprised umpires don’t go take smoke breaks when he comes in to pitch. They could just as easily call ball/strikes from the parking lot as they can from behind the plate.

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  20. dmick89

    I was thinking, back when I was a kid we used to play baseball and balls and strikes were called on the honor system (usually agreed to by the batter and pitcher). I just realized that you could do that with Maples. You don’t even need a home plate umpire. Most of his pitches are obviously balls that both batter and pitcher would agree on so I say get rid of the HPU when Maples comes in. Play it old school. They could also switch to ghost runners too because the baserunners are just going to be advancing one base at a time. No reason not stand out in the heat.

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  21. andcounting

    dmick89,

    (dying laughing), we’d use imaginary runners all the time when we had only a few kids on each team. Imaginary runners, all-time pitchers, supply your own catcher and right field is out. Not sure why Joe didn’t try to invoke any of that in the 10th.

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  22. dmick89

    I remember I used to get pissed off if I hit a ball into the gap and the ghost runner on 1st wasn’t allowed to score. I now realize ghost runners have the speed of Anthony Rizzo so it all makes sense.

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  23. andcounting

    dmick89,

    I always lobbied to use real people for the trailing runners and ghost the leading runners. If you can’t score from first on a double it’s not baseball.

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  24. Author
    berselius

    To-day’s base ball squadron

    LF Schwarber
    3B Bryant
    1B Rizzo
    C Contreras
    RF Heyward
    SS Russell
    2B Bote
    CF Almora
    P Q

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  25. Rizzo the Rat

    I blame that walk more on Contreras setting up off the plate with a full count to the opposing pitcher.

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  26. Rizzo the Rat

    Hey, at least the Cubs finally got a hit with a runner in scoring position! It was a bunt single that didn’t drive a run in, but it’s something!

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  27. dmick89

    I don’t think the Cubs have won a single game that I’ve watched from beginning to end this season. I haven’t kept track of that because I’m not Alvin and it’s not hats, but I think they’re at least 0-10. I also think the Cubs are about 15-0 in games I’ve not watched at all and paid no attention to gameday. I don’t think I’m supposed to watch this team, which is kind of okay with me.

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  28. Author
    berselius

    dmick89,

    Were you wearing a hat? Perhaps you should track the cubs record based on hat status. There could be a big market for this.

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  29. EnricoPallazzo

    berselius,

    For some reason I was thinking that the tiebreaker would go to the cubs since they scored their second run in the second inning (which was before the cards scored their second run in the third inning). Guess not.

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  30. Rizzo the Rat

    Russell had, by far, the best-hit ball of the game so far, so of course it’s a double play.

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  31. Author
    berselius

    The Cubs might find a way to hit into two double plays in an inning, the way this is going.

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  32. dmick89

    I can’t decide if the Cubs penalty for only getting 2 hits against a shitty old pitcher is a permanent ban from the postseason or something shorter like 50 to 100 years. It could go either way.

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  33. dmick89

    Perkins: In their defense, they did work him for seven walks.

    And 0 runs despite Wainwright throwing a million pitches. I think I have to go with permanent postseason ban and forced relocation to Buford, Wyoming.

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  34. Author
    berselius

    To-day’s base ball squadron

    LF War Bear
    3B Bryant
    1B Rizzo
    SS Baez
    RF CarGo
    C Contreras
    CF Heyward
    2B Russell
    P Lester

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  35. WaLi

    Alzolay seems to be tearing up AAA, but it doesn’t seem like there is a spot for him on the club as a starter. Would they call him up to be a reliever or just let him finish up the year in AAA?

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  36. dmick89

    The good news is that if they never score again they’re going to get a lot of top draft picks. The bad thing is that they’ll still trade everyone away trying to win that 2nd wild card. They’ll also still have no pitching and their bullpen will suck. I think the Cubs could have all the picks in the first round and in 5 years they’d still have no pitching.

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  37. WaLi

    andcounting,

    27) Cubs: Ryan Jensen, RHP, Fresno State
    This is the biggest surprise of the first round so far, as Jensen was ranked No. 99 on our ranking of the top 200 Draft prospects. There’s a lack of college pitching in this Draft, however, and we may see more teams push some college arms up their Draft boards, as the Cubs appeared to here. Jensen has one of the best fastballs in the college class, usually working at 94-98 mph and maintaining his velocity into the late innings. The secondary stuff is inconsistent, as is his control, and he doesn’t have a real big frame (6-foot, 180 pounds), so he could be a reliever.

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  38. dmick89

    WaLi: Jensen was ranked No. 99

    (dying laughing) that shit with Hendry used to drive me fucking nuts. So he’s a 3rd/4th round talent the Cubes take in the 1st. Nicely done.

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  39. Author
    berselius

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  40. dmick89

    Myles,

    I don’t think it’s quite that bad since Simpson was ranked around 200th (I think). I’m not sure it’s much better. It’s a terrible pick for the first round no matter how you look at it. It’s starting to look like this front office excelled in Boston because there weren’t any restrictions on the draft and international free agency. They haven’t done all that well with the restrictions.

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  41. Ryno

    dmick89,

    Maybe the owners should stop being so restrictive.

    BTW, Keith Law had Jensen ranked No. 32 on his board. Their pick in the second round, UCLA infielder Chase Strumpf, was ranked 42 by BA.

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  42. Ryno

    Giants fan 10:00 Why’d the Cubs reach on Jensen?

    Eric A Longenhagen 10:01
    wouldn’t consider it a reach. elite fastball velo+mvmt combo. Size and secondary depth are questions but the kid has carved most of the year

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  43. BVS

    Also, as noted above, the various rankings have lots of variation among them.

    One man’s ceiling is another man’s floor.

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  44. BVS

    Ryno,

    Yeah. It sure would be nice if you’d invest in some carpet, or wait to practice your Riverdance-way-off-broadway audition until after I left for work.

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  45. WaLi

    dmick89,

    Yeah I remember Hendry doing this shit all the time. MLB drafts are weird though because you have to worry about signability and all that shit. Just looking at the undrafted board there are still 6 potential players all ranked top 40 (highest being 13) because they are all high school players most likely with commitments elsewhere. I’ll defer to the experts but it still seems strange to grab a player ranked at 99 unless for some reason you think you couldn’t grab him with your second pick and he’s a “must have”

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  46. WaLi

    WaLi,

    For what it’s worth the Astros drafted a college catcher ranked 119 with their 32nd pick and someone ranked 128 with their 68th pick.

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