The red-hot Cubs head back to Chicago for a four game set against the more scuffle-y Brew Crew. The Brewers are coming off series losses to the Twins and Reds, both at home. Their pitching has been about average, but their big problem is that their offense hasn’t gotten in to gear – they currently have a team wOBA of .293. Christian Yelich and Ryan Braun are sitting on slash lines of .175/.288/.456 and .143/.182/.190, so it’s fair to say that their stars haven’t really stepped up yet this season. Here’s hoping they wait another week or so to regress to their means.
Team Leaders
All based on 2019 numbers, too lazy to look these up for guys the teams have signed since.
Beers
- OBP: Yelich (.429)
- ISO: Yelich (.342)
- HR: Yelich (44)
- R+RBI: Yelich (197)
- wRC+: Yelich (174)
- BSR: Yelich (8.5)
- Defense: Cain (9.0)
- SP K/9: Peralta (11.61)
- SP BB/9: Woodruff (2.22)
- SP FIP: Woodruff (3.01)
- RP K/9: Hader (16.41)
- RP BB/9: Hader (2.38)
- RP FIP: Houser (2.99)
- WAR: Yelich (7.8)
Cubs
- OBP: Rizzo (.405)
- ISO: Happ (.300)
- HR: Schwarber (38)
- R+RBI: Bryant (185)
- wRC+: Bryant (135)
- BSR: Bryant (3.8)
- Defense: Baez (15.7)
- SP K/9: Darvish (11.54)
- SP BB/9: Cyle (1.63)
- SP FIP: Cyle (3.61)
- RP K/9: Wieck (16.20)
- RP BB/9: [picture of dumpster fire]
- RP FIP: Wick (2.82)
- WAR: Bryant (4.8)
The biggest takeaway from the 2019 numbers, aside from Yelich being really good, is that losing Grandal was a bigger blow than I expected.
Who isn’t available?
Jose Quintana is still recovering from his thumb injury, and it’s possible that he might be in the pen for the rest of the year given the short season and ramp-up time. James Norwood is on the IL with shoulder inflammation, and Brad Wieck is on the IL with a hamstring injury. Descalso is still on the long term IL with David Patton disease. Mark Zagunis is the only Cubs org guy that seems to have opted out.
On the Brewers side, Braun and Brett Anderson both recently returned from trips to the IL for various finger issues. Lorenzo Cain and Shelby Miller opted out from the season at the beginning of the month.
Pitching Matchups, game times
2019 K/9, BB/9, ERA, 2020 Projected ERA listed for all starters
Thursday: Brett Anderson, LHP (4.60, 2.51, 3.89, 4.78) vs Yu Darvish, RHP (11.54, 2.82, 3.98, 3.41), 6:15 PM CT
Anderson is a worm-killing machine to have had success with that strikeout rate.
Friday: Brandon Woodruff, RHP (10.58, 2.22, 3.62, 3.79) vs Tyler Chatwood, RHP (8.69, 4.34, 3.76, 4.20), 7:15 PM CT
Saturday: Adrian Houser, RHP (9.46, 2.99, 3.72, 4.16) vs Alec Mills, RHP (10.50, 2.75, 2.75, 4.95), 7:15 PM CT
Sunday: Josh Lindblom, RHP (in KBO, 4.67) Jon Lester, LHP (8.65, 2.73, 4.46, 4.30), 1:20 PM CT
Comments
Series Preview: Cubs (12-3) at Brewers (7-9)
Isn’t this in Chicago?
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
yes
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
dmick89,
Discredited.
berseliusQuote Reply
dmick89,
You could have checked http://www.isthereacubsgametoday.com if you were unsure.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
(dying laughing), looks like that site is just permaset to NO for this year.
berseliusQuote Reply
To-day’s base ball squadron
2B Hoerner
1B Rizzo
SS Baez
DH Contreras
LF Schwarber
CF Happ
3B Bote
RF Souza
C Caratini
P Darvish
Bryant scratched with lingering hand soreness from yesterday.
berseliusQuote Reply
Schwarber!!!!….who I thought wasn’t in the lineup.
andcountingQuote Reply
Also, I read every word.
andcountingQuote Reply
I know batting average is overrated, but if it winds up being .000 for a team over the course of an entire game, that’s still a big deal, right?
andcountingQuote Reply
Darvish doing a thing, but already at 90 pitches in the 6th.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Happ!!!!
PerkinsQuote Reply
Bote!
andcountingQuote Reply
Well there goes the no-hitter.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
You jinxed it retroactively.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
M——->inverted
PerkinsQuote Reply
The Cardinals have played FIVE games?
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
it’s fine, they only need to play 23 games in 6 days. absolutgely no reason that this can’t be done. if 80s movies have taught me anything, my strategy would be to have like 8 different squads of “cardinals” all playing make-up games simultaneously. The squads would all ostensibly be real players, but in actuality, the players would be mostly stand-ins (coaches, one kid standing on another kid’s shoulders, perhaps an orangutan or two, pieces of furniture that have shown a propensity to play, etc) who are wearing elaborate disguises*.
*neck tattoos
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
note that the ruse will all be for nothing if someone happens to check the internet and realizes that the cardinals are in several places at once. so hopefully that doesn’t happen.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
The Cardinals just need to play lots of three-inning makeup games.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Too lazy to make a short game recap, but still have to post this image
berseliusQuote Reply
So the Cardinals are scheduled to play 53 games in 44 days, with 4 doubleheaders in August and seven in September and what looks like two off days in September.
Even if we could assume the COVID side of things stabilizes, because of course it will this time, the baseball aspect is bananas. I’m sure the expanded playoff berths will help mitigate some teams’ frustrations, but it really does feel like a rejected Adam Sandler movie.
https://www.mlb.com/news/cardinals-postponed-games-rescheduled
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
It sucks for teams like the Cubs, who have to play those doubleheaders against them, but I have no sympathy for the Cardinals players, who will doubtless be running on fumes.
PerkinsQuote Reply
To-day’s base ball squadron
CF Happ
1B Rizzo
SS Baez
LF War Bear
C Contreras
RF Heyward
3B Bote
DH Kipnis
2B Hoerner
P Mills
Chatwood scratched with back stiffness, is day to day.
berseliusQuote Reply
Plesac, Clevenger —–> sent to Indians minor league camp (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
Wish the Cubs got a few more that inning.
berseliusQuote Reply
Ok, this is the first time I’ve been annoyed at Davis Ross. Mills should not be allowed to go through a lineup a third time, especially with a rested bullpen.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
And the fact that Yelich struck out the first two times has almost no predictive value.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Phegley?!?!?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
A nice inning for…Craig Kimbrel?
PerkinsQuote Reply
Chatwood out again today, Colin Rea to start.
berseliusQuote Reply
Looks like the eRds are gonna miss a couple of games now. They should change the rules so that the team with the most total wins gets the division regardless of win percentage.
uncle daveQuote Reply
Whoops, thought this was a night game
berseliusQuote Reply
I’m still very confused about Ross’s pinch-hitting moves.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Souza!
berseliusQuote Reply
Fucking new format.
andcountingQuote Reply
sloan commercial: “mlb is putting safety first this season”
hahaha no…mlb is putting safety like seventh at best
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
I don’t know why Almora bothered to score there and risk ending the game.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Lame.
PerkinsQuote Reply
To-day’s base ball squadron
3B Bryant
1B Rizzo
C Contreras
DH Schwarber
LF Souza
CF Happ
RF Heyward
SS Hoerner
2B Kipnis
P Lester
Day of for Javy
berseliusQuote Reply
Just so we all know whom to blame for this.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Kipnis!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
The Brewers are going to win three out of four with a run differential of +1 for the series.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Robot umps, plz.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Oh yeah. Two Cubs games today. I’ve probably never been less excited about the 1st place Cubs playing two against the Cardinals in August.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
Interestingly enough the early game in these double headers is a Cubs home game but the late game is a Cubs away game.
WaLiQuote Reply
Happ!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
This feels like one of those games where the Cubs fritter away a couple of opportunities and end up losing.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
Finally, the normalcy we’ve all been waiting for.
andcountingQuote Reply
Ah, regression. You’re so mean.
andcountingQuote Reply
Run. TOOTBLAN. Ok.
andcountingQuote Reply
Not sure why Ken described Phegley as a “third catcher who can hit.”
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
I meant “Len.” Stupid phone.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Bote!!!!!!!!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Boatface!!!
berseliusQuote Reply
Winkler? Oh god.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Thank you for swinging against Winkler.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Phew.
PerkinsQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/video/luis-robert-steals-jimenez-catch-eloys-face-says-it-all
andcountingQuote Reply
It had been a while since Rizzo struck out on a pitch that hit him.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Happ!!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Heyward!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
War Bear!
PerkinsQuote Reply
Insurance!
berseliusQuote Reply
Stupid bullpen.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Pat hughes in the 8th: “most of the fans have gone home already”
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
M ———> inverted
berseliusQuote Reply
That’s not what you want.
berseliusQuote Reply
Tuning in to see the Cubs down 4-1
PerkinsQuote Reply
Second straight day Happ hit a home run with the bases empty and struck out with the bases loaded.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
By my count, the Cubs have struck out 257 times this homestand.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
Ok, I felt bad being too lazy to look it up. My revised count is 83, which makes my original guess not nearly as hyperbolic as I’d hoped.
andcountingQuote Reply
So Schwarber is a legitimately good left fielder at this point, yes?
andcountingQuote Reply
I really hate this bullpen.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
That probably should have been strike three.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I’ll be kinda shocked if the Cubs don’t strike out three times here in the 7th. The Heyward K was . . . something.
andcountingQuote Reply
Bote!!!!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
BOTE/TOOTBLAN!
andcountingQuote Reply
Bote McBoteface!!!
PerkinsQuote Reply
Kimbrel hitting 99.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Kimbrel!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
If Kimbrel really has righted the ship, David Ross is going to get a ton of credit.
andcountingQuote Reply
Tom with an h is gonna get fired and that makes me happy.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
https://twitter.com/churchofbasebal/status/1296226277158985728?s=20
And the apology
https://streamable.com/60j128
WaLiQuote Reply
dmick89,
Fired mid-game. Life comes at you fast.
EDIT: I guess he was just suspended, but it seems very likely he ends up fired.
PerkinsQuote Reply
WaLi,
I didn’t envision him putting so much stank into it, but that was somehow so much worse than it looks in print. He said it with the same disdain he’d typically reserve for Cub fans.
andcountingQuote Reply
out of a morbid sense of curiosity, i have to ask…do we know what city he was referring to?
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
Kansas City I believe
WaLiQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
I love how reactions have been split between “That’s horrifying!” “Good riddance!” and “Honey, tell me what city you were talking about!”
andcountingQuote Reply
There are dozens of announcers who are readily available who would be better than Brennaman. There’s no excuse to not replace him.
dmick89Quote Reply
San Diego has hit a grand slam in 4 consecutive games. First time in history that has happened.
WaLiQuote Reply
WaLi,
Someone has no regard for unwritten rules.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
If this series has shown anything it’s that the baseball god(s) are real and have a sense of humor
WaLiQuote Reply
To-day’s base ball squadron
LF Happ
1B Rizzo
SS Baez
C Contreras
DH War Bear
3B Bote
RF Heyward
2B Perez
CF Almora
P Lester
berseliusQuote Reply
Not great, Bob.
PerkinsQuote Reply
The Cubs lucked out when KB reportedly turned down that huge extension the Cubs offered.
dmick89Quote Reply
Is there any way we can convince Sean Marshall to come out of retirement?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
You know what makes me feel old? Sean Marshall is only 37.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Caratini!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Don’t tease me, Cubs.
andcountingQuote Reply
This feels like a Javy breakout day.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
Or maybe I have COVID, I don’t know.
andcountingQuote Reply
Schwarber.
andcountingQuote Reply
M ———> inverted with no doubt about it, no siree
berseliusQuote Reply
Carlos Zambrano is only 39.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
berselius,
I keep expecting him to eventually become older than I am for some reason.
andcountingQuote Reply
Have the Cubs won a game since this was published?
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Five, maybe? None of them worth recounting though. (dying laughing)
andcountingQuote Reply
it is just simply unbelievable how consistently horrible these xfinity radio ads are. every year. just so fucking bad.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
I think the Tigers are pretty bad at defense.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
But don’t you think they kinda make up for that by playing the same one every half inning?
“I mean, can you believe that? A fraction????!?!UNO?”
andcountingQuote Reply
ah shit what happened to chatwood? i am half-paying attention on gameday but it looks like he got pulled?
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Tuned in just in time for that Tigers grand slam, tuning back out (dying laughing).
berseliusQuote Reply
At least they stopped running the fawning Newsmax ads that were popping up at the beginning of the season.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
Also, that couple from the commercial has extreme standing in the front yard with a pink polo shirt and a long gun vibe. Maybe they just need to speak to Lily from AT&T’s manager.
berseliusQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
He sucked.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Five walks, lots of hard contact.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
And, wow, Giolito threw a no-hitter for the White Sox.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
To-day’s base ball squadron
RF Happ
1B Rizzp
SS Baez
LF War Bear
C Contreras
DH Kipnis
3B Bote
2B Hoerner
CF Almora
P Lester
berseliusQuote Reply
I guess I should get around to writing a new post (dying laughing).
berseliusQuote Reply
Sounds like Angel Hernandez is in mid season form.
I always forget that Coomer was in the middle of the play that got Steve McMichael ejected after singing the 7th inning stretch (dying laughing).
berseliusQuote Reply
War Bear!
berseliusQuote Reply
Schwarbzzz!
andcountingQuote Reply
Stupid bullpen/defense.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
You just cannot be losing series to the Tigers.
PerkinsQuote Reply
112 mph on that Rizzo lineout.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo just misses again.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Both Rizzo outs are “barrels” according to Statcast.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Anyone else think it’s kinda lame that the Cubs played yesterday and talked about how Heyward was adamant that they play the game? Even if that was the case, seems like the rest of the team should have sat out alongside him, as the Dodgers did when Mookie Betts said he was going to.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Here is my take. Jason Heyward is an intelligent, articulate adult who made his wishes clear. His teammates listened and honored his wishes instead of assuming he was lying or that they knew better than he did what was best. Going against his stated wishes and sitting out the game would have been paternalism.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
I think that’s fair, though I also look at it through the lens of someone who doesn’t want to burden a partner, but the right thing for the friend/partner to do is to have his back, even when he says not to worry about it. Not sure if I’m saying that clearly.
Obviously Heyward is an intelligent and thoughtful person, so I’d also worry about coming across as paternalistic. I’m thinking more of the team dynamics of it. A “you go, we go” type of thing.
PerkinsQuote Reply
I think the Cubs should have had the Bucks backs. I knew they wouldn’t because baseball is much more conservative and I think the Cubs players are especially conservative.
dmick89Quote Reply
Number 42 has two home runs already!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Seems fitting that the very best the Cubs will get out of Darvish will be what’s largely felt like a glorified exhibition season (minus the glory),
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
Smokestack Lightning,
He’s been ridiculous though. I’ll take it.
andcountingQuote Reply
I love Rizzo choke-up homers.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Hader had a meltdown and walked five batters. You love to see it.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Good thing the Cubs don’t have a closer with control issues.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
andcountingQuote Reply
Stupid shaky Kimbrel.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Walkoff whiff. Yup. That tracks.
andcountingQuote Reply
Jose Martinez——>Cubs
2x PTBNL——>Rays
PerkinsQuote Reply
Heyward!
berseliusQuote Reply
Good Chatwood was fun for the two weeks it lasted.
berseliusQuote Reply
I hope Contreras steals a base with a 9 run lead in response to yesterday’s shenanigans.
PerkinsQuote Reply
That’ll do, Cubs.
andcountingQuote Reply
The Pirates have won 9 games this year, and 7 of those have been against the Cardinals or Brewers. If they hang on today, it’ll be 8 of 10.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Cameron Maybin——–>Cubs
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Almora——->South Bend
andcountingQuote Reply
Andrew Chafin, Josh Osich, and Cameron Maybin –> Cubs
PTBNL –> other teams
WaLiQuote Reply
Feels like a shame, but it really shouldn’t. Almora is not good enough at baseball.
Smokestack LightningQuote Reply
I’m starting to think Happ might be better than Almora.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I’m enjoying this game so far.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Why is Lester still pitching?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Okay now not so much.
PerkinsQuote Reply
What a catch by Happ.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Rizzo steal alert.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
The Cubs getting Javy at 2nd to start extras is pretty fun.
andcountingQuote Reply
Somehow we’re well into the second half of the season. It’s so bizarre.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
To be fair, it is September.
uncle daveQuote Reply
http://www.obstructedview.net/where-we-stand-now-2020-post-trade-deadline/
berseliusQuote Reply