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Post by happtobehere on May 29, 2021 14:05:34 GMT -5
Ryan Tepera current ERA 2.66 career era 3.57
Dan Winkler current ERA .54 career era 3.19
Rex Brothers current ERA 3 career era 3.80 (and that includes some of his horrific years)
Whew that is CRAZY that despite Winkler, who still has an impressive career era, everyone else is within one run.
And again, you are confusing with "career number" with "line up dynamic"... if baseball was played on a spread sheet, it wouldn't need to be played. What does Duffy, Hoerner, Sogard and Marsinick constantly do? Put bat on ball and give you "professional" at bats.
Pederson is not an all or nothing hitter, he has a 24% career whiff rate. He also has a much better spray chart than Schwarber and he is a better base runner.
I was talking about it all off season, the Cubs didn't need a dramatic change offensively (and they didn't get it), the needed minor tweaks and a change in line up dynamic. No offense to either player but you leave a lot of runs on the board when you have guys like Schwarber and Zobrist leading off. They could get on base but then you are pretty much playing station to station ball and you are also handcuffing your best base runner when they are on in front of him.
Line up dynamic is about balance and tweaking, not having carbon copies of the same guy out there. Kris Bryant now being able to crush high fastballs is important why? Because Joc Pederson doesn't. So a pitcher cannot get into that comfort zone, he has to work the entire game changing locations.
Lets put this dynamic into perspective shall we... this season, in 49 games, we have 17 sacrifice flies all last season we had 13. Runner on third, we have 28 RBI's this year vs. 17 all last year. 18 runs to 29 runs... do you understand what I'm getting at?
For relievers a full run higher ERA is a ton & probably the difference between being in 1st place instead of 4th.. My final point, did you see that Cub relievers just completed their 38th scoreless inning, the 6th longest streak in the past 50 years? You get my point, they are tremendously valuable right now but this won’t be the case for much longer. I love that the Cubs are playing well but please consider who they have been beating & then plug in the top 4 teams in the National league at years end. I’d just rather better our team substantially instead of the same old one & hone & field an also ran team next year with no chance at the playoffs Oh wow... same Cubs line up... same Cubs team... cannot score without the home run right? Two runners on third base, two runners score... Nearly double the runs scored from third base in 50 games compared to 60 games last season.... same team, same line up... cannot score. Pathetic
***two more***
**** one more******
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Post by batman66 on May 29, 2021 14:05:36 GMT -5
Ryan Tepera current ERA 2.66 career era 3.57
Dan Winkler current ERA .54 career era 3.19
Rex Brothers current ERA 3 career era 3.80 (and that includes some of his horrific years)
Whew that is CRAZY that despite Winkler, who still has an impressive career era, everyone else is within one run.
And again, you are confusing with "career number" with "line up dynamic"... if baseball was played on a spread sheet, it wouldn't need to be played. What does Duffy, Hoerner, Sogard and Marsinick constantly do? Put bat on ball and give you "professional" at bats.
Pederson is not an all or nothing hitter, he has a 24% career whiff rate. He also has a much better spray chart than Schwarber and he is a better base runner.
I was talking about it all off season, the Cubs didn't need a dramatic change offensively (and they didn't get it), the needed minor tweaks and a change in line up dynamic. No offense to either player but you leave a lot of runs on the board when you have guys like Schwarber and Zobrist leading off. They could get on base but then you are pretty much playing station to station ball and you are also handcuffing your best base runner when they are on in front of him.
Line up dynamic is about balance and tweaking, not having carbon copies of the same guy out there. Kris Bryant now being able to crush high fastballs is important why? Because Joc Pederson doesn't. So a pitcher cannot get into that comfort zone, he has to work the entire game changing locations.
Lets put this dynamic into perspective shall we... this season, in 49 games, we have 17 sacrifice flies all last season we had 13. Runner on third, we have 28 RBI's this year vs. 17 all last year. 18 runs to 29 runs... do you understand what I'm getting at?
For relievers a full run higher ERA is a ton & probably the difference between being in 1st place instead of 4th.. My final point, did you see that Cub relievers just completed their 38th scoreless inning, the 6th longest streak in the past 50 years? You get my point, they are tremendously valuable right now but this won’t be the case for much longer. I love that the Cubs are playing well but please consider who they have been beating & then plug in the top 4 teams in the National league at years end. I’d just rather better our team substantially instead of the same old one & hone & field an also ran team next year with no chance at the playoffs yES, consider who they were beating . It hasn't been all stiffs. Lets not forget they swept a series in which Kershaw, Bauer and Buehler started against them.
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Post by jerm42991 on May 29, 2021 14:12:52 GMT -5
For relievers a full run higher ERA is a ton & probably the difference between being in 1st place instead of 4th.. My final point, did you see that Cub relievers just completed their 38th scoreless inning, the 6th longest streak in the past 50 years? You get my point, they are tremendously valuable right now but this won’t be the case for much longer. I love that the Cubs are playing well but please consider who they have been beating & then plug in the top 4 teams in the National league at years end. I’d just rather better our team substantially instead of the same old one & hone & field an also ran team next year with no chance at the playoffs yES, consider who they were beating . It hasn't been all stiffs. Lets not forget they swept a series in which Kershaw, Bauer and Buehler started against them. The next month will tell us if this team is real or not
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Post by batman66 on May 29, 2021 14:36:56 GMT -5
yES, consider who they were beating . It hasn't been all stiffs. Lets not forget they swept a series in which Kershaw, Bauer and Buehler started against them. The next month will tell us if this team is real or not No doubt, especially if they can continue winning with all these injuries. Bote looks like he's going to be #11 on the IL
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Post by skokiejoe on May 29, 2021 14:59:10 GMT -5
Nice K
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Post by happtobehere on May 29, 2021 17:55:06 GMT -5
The next month will tell us if this team is real or not No doubt, especially if they can continue winning with all these injuries. Bote looks like he's going to be #11 on the IL Bote may be done for year.
I'm not sure what Bote was thinking on that play
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Post by southpaw773 on May 29, 2021 19:29:28 GMT -5
Who’s going to replace Bote, Dee Gordon? (Ew)
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Post by batman66 on May 29, 2021 19:53:06 GMT -5
Who’s going to replace Bote, Dee Gordon? (Ew) Probably. He was playing well for the Brewers AAA and was let go when the made the Adames trade. Or they may go with Alcantara who is hitting .328 with a .481 (no typo) OBP at Iowa . More walks 18 than K's 16
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Post by skokiejoe on May 29, 2021 20:30:10 GMT -5
Who’s going to replace Bote, Dee Gordon? (Ew) Probably. He was playing well for the Brewers AAA and was let go when the made the Adames trade. Or they may go with Alcantara who is hitting .328 with a .481 (no typo) OBP at Iowa . More walks 18 than K's 16 Dee is in the lineup for Iowa and Alcantara is not in the lineup for Iowa
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Post by southpaw773 on May 29, 2021 20:34:03 GMT -5
Probably. He was playing well for the Brewers AAA and was let go when the made the Adames trade. Or they may go with Alcantara who is hitting .328 with a .481 (no typo) OBP at Iowa . More walks 18 than K's 16 Dee is in the lineup for Iowa and Alcantara is not in the lineup for Iowa My vote is Alcantara but I don’t run the show
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Post by jerm42991 on May 29, 2021 20:38:21 GMT -5
Dee is in the lineup for Iowa and Alcantara is not in the lineup for Iowa My vote is Alcantara but I don’t run the show The only issue with Alcantara is that he is out of options. So if he comes up he has to stay up or some team will claim him
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Post by fine09 on May 30, 2021 6:07:10 GMT -5
For relievers a full run higher ERA is a ton & probably the difference between being in 1st place instead of 4th.. My final point, did you see that Cub relievers just completed their 38th scoreless inning, the 6th longest streak in the past 50 years? You get my point, they are tremendously valuable right now but this won’t be the case for much longer. I love that the Cubs are playing well but please consider who they have been beating & then plug in the top 4 teams in the National league at years end. I’d just rather better our team substantially instead of the same old one & hone & field an also ran team next year with no chance at the playoffs yES, consider who they were beating . It hasn't been all stiffs. Lets not forget they swept a series in which Kershaw, Bauer and Buehler started against them. I know they are playing very well at the moment for sure, I just don’t believe it is sustainable & would love to sell high on the 8 guys we lose after the year anyway to set us up in great position for years. And unlike the other poster says, it IS NOT a rebuild, it’s a simple retool & reload - but it does punt on this season which isn’t popular & I completely understand that. I don’t like that part of it either..
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Post by happtobehere on May 30, 2021 7:35:13 GMT -5
yES, consider who they were beating . It hasn't been all stiffs. Lets not forget they swept a series in which Kershaw, Bauer and Buehler started against them. I know they are playing very well at the moment for sure, I just don’t believe it is sustainable & would love to sell high on the 8 guys we lose after the year anyway to set us up in great position for years. And unlike the other poster says, it IS NOT a rebuild, it’s a simple retool & reload - but it does punt on this season which isn’t popular & I completely understand that. I don’t like that part of it either.. The trade deadline is still two months away, the Cubs have a ton of injuries so this whole conversation may be moot by then.
I completely see where you are coming from as far wanting to get something from the abundance of pending free agents we have, and I agree IF we are competing for a Wild Card slot. If we are leading the division or a game out from first, I don't believe that you should "waste" a season.
There is no guarantees in this sport. There is no guarantee that if we make the playoffs we have a deep run, no guarantee that if we trade every single player we have approaching free agency that any of those prospects turn out to be All-Star or even ML caliber players (and I'm huge supporter of prospects).
I am saying, that if we are a playoff caliber team, we should not sell. I'm also saying this offense is a lot better than you have given it credit for. The dynamic is completely different.
Last season, we had a line up full of swing and miss, both, in the line up and on the bench. Think about the bench players we had: Martinez, Bote, Maybin, Souza, Alomra... with Bryant being injured and awful last season and Nico being over matched, we didn't have enough contact in the line up. Our highest average player was Heyward at .265.
This season, Bryant is healthy and hitting over .300, Nico Duffy, Sogard, Marsinick, Nico all add an aspect that we didn't have last season, contact. Duffy may not continue to hit .300 but it's irrelevant. What they are doing is adding productive at bats, moving runners over, getting sac flies, allowing hit and runs, getting RBI ground outs. It's a professional team vs. just a talented one. It's an aspect we have been missing since 2016 when we had LaStella, Coglan, Scribbles, Montero and we had our "heart" Zo, Rizzo Bryant and Fowler hitting for average.
Look at what we did last night every runner on third with less than two outs scored (I believe every runner that made third scored). Guys were getting to third on small ball, advancing the runner plays, bunts, ground outs, putting the ball in play and letting defenses make mistakes. Since the calendar has turned, that has been their m.o. Once Joc went down, and Duffy started playing more, the offensive mindset changed. Joc came back, started hitting the cover off the ball, and the train has kept rolling.
We are facing a ton of injures right now so the wheels could fall off at any moment but when healthy, I believe this is the best offensive team we have seen since 2015/16.
As far as starting rotation is concerned, they are an Ace away from being able to make a deep post season run. I have complete faith if we were able to add an Ace in our top three (Player X, Hendricks, Alzolay). I also have complete faith in the pen, I know you do not, but they have good balance, they've done what a dominate pen has to do (lower the walk rate and challenge hitters). They have depth, they have veterans in designed roles, they have young dynamic and fearless young arms and Ross is figuring out how best to utilze them.
There is always a debate on "career numbers" when it comes to relievers, one bad outing inflates ERA's. This about Rex last night, if Keegan didn't come in and save his ass... two runs score in 0.1 innings and his ERA inflates to 4. It's very nit picky. When it comes to relievers, game logs and "the eye ball test" is more important than stat lines. Hell, when the Cubs traded for Chafin last year his ERA was over 8 and he was hurt and I immediately thought "why in the fuck are we trading for this bum". Without realizing that Chafin really only had one bad game (3 earned without recording an out) that inflated his respectable ERA.
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Post by batman66 on May 30, 2021 10:21:35 GMT -5
My vote is Alcantara but I don’t run the show The only issue with Alcantara is that he is out of options. So if he comes up he has to stay up or some team will claim him Yep , thats why I thought they might go with Gordon .
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Post by batman66 on May 30, 2021 10:29:38 GMT -5
yES, consider who they were beating . It hasn't been all stiffs. Lets not forget they swept a series in which Kershaw, Bauer and Buehler started against them. I know they are playing very well at the moment for sure, I just don’t believe it is sustainable & would love to sell high on the 8 guys we lose after the year anyway to set us up in great position for years. And unlike the other poster says, it IS NOT a rebuild, it’s a simple retool & reload - but it does punt on this season which isn’t popular & I completely understand that. I don’t like that part of it either.. I totally understand where you are coming from. We often agree on things on here. And I really would not have a problem if they do that , or at least I'm trying to convince myself I won't. But I just have a different feeling about this team because of the team chemistry they seem to have so I think they could be capable of surprising some teams come playoff time because this is no longer a home run or nothing team and they do have Pederson who CAN actually hit in the playoffs. So I would hate to punt a season I think they actually have a chance in. Because other than SD , I really don't see a team in the NL that scares me that much right now.
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Post by jerm42991 on May 30, 2021 10:54:08 GMT -5
I know they are playing very well at the moment for sure, I just don’t believe it is sustainable & would love to sell high on the 8 guys we lose after the year anyway to set us up in great position for years. And unlike the other poster says, it IS NOT a rebuild, it’s a simple retool & reload - but it does punt on this season which isn’t popular & I completely understand that. I don’t like that part of it either.. I totally understand where you are coming from. We often agree on things on here. And I really would not have a problem if they do that , or at least I'm trying to convince myself I won't. But I just have a different feeling about this team because of the team chemistry they seem to have so I think they could be capable of surprising some teams come playoff time because this is no longer a home run or nothing team and they do have Pederson who CAN actually hit in the playoffs. So I would hate to punt a season I think they actually have a chance in. Because other than SD , I really don't see a team in the NL that scares me that much right now. They aren’t going to make trades in June. So it really comes down to the next month. Starting today, 23 of their next 26 games are teams currently in the playoffs. If they show they can hang over this stretch, then they might go for it. But if they get exposed and go something like 10-16, its time to sell
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Post by batman66 on May 30, 2021 12:15:37 GMT -5
I totally understand where you are coming from. We often agree on things on here. And I really would not have a problem if they do that , or at least I'm trying to convince myself I won't. But I just have a different feeling about this team because of the team chemistry they seem to have so I think they could be capable of surprising some teams come playoff time because this is no longer a home run or nothing team and they do have Pederson who CAN actually hit in the playoffs. So I would hate to punt a season I think they actually have a chance in. Because other than SD , I really don't see a team in the NL that scares me that much right now. They aren’t going to make trades in June. So it really comes down to the next month. Starting today, 23 of their next 26 games are teams currently in the playoffs. If they show they can hang over this stretch, then they might go for it. But if they get exposed and go something like 10-16, its time to sell Agree, but what makes this month even harder to judge is all the injuries . If they play decent ball like .500 or close, do they have the mentality they would have been better if they were healthy and if we can hang in there with so many AAA players, how good can we be if we are healthy with the regular roster ? It just adds another element that's going to make the route they go even tougher.
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Post by thisbuds4u on May 30, 2021 12:54:23 GMT -5
They aren’t going to make trades in June. So it really comes down to the next month. Starting today, 23 of their next 26 games are teams currently in the playoffs. If they show they can hang over this stretch, then they might go for it. But if they get exposed and go something like 10-16, its time to sell Agree, but what makes this month even harder to judge is all the injuries . If they play decent ball like .500 or close, do they have the mentality they would have been better if they were healthy and if we can hang in there with so many AAA players, how good can we be if we are healthy with the regular roster ? It just adds another element that's going to make the route they go even tougher. After June, the remaining schedule gets a lot easier. And this team CAN compete for the World Series. While the starting pitching may be lacking, the bullpen has been dominant.
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Post by batman66 on May 30, 2021 13:16:51 GMT -5
Agree, but what makes this month even harder to judge is all the injuries . If they play decent ball like .500 or close, do they have the mentality they would have been better if they were healthy and if we can hang in there with so many AAA players, how good can we be if we are healthy with the regular roster ? It just adds another element that's going to make the route they go even tougher. After June, the remaining schedule gets a lot easier. And this team CAN compete for the World Series. While the starting pitching may be lacking, the bullpen has been dominant. SP has been lacking , but Hendricks and Davies are inching back to what they should be and Alzolay really seems to be making progress to the point I think he will be a legit #2 or 3 caliber starter. The bullpen does worry me a bit , we can't excpect it to continue to be this good and eventually the workload is going to be an issue. Cubs have played 51 games Chafin has pitched in 25 Tepera 25 Kimbrel 22 Winkler 20 Brothers 19
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Post by irishcubfan on May 30, 2021 14:02:28 GMT -5
After June, the remaining schedule gets a lot easier. And this team CAN compete for the World Series. While the starting pitching may be lacking, the bullpen has been dominant. SP has been lacking , but Hendricks and Davies are inching back to what they should be and Alzolay really seems to be making progress to the point I think he will be a legit #2 or 3 caliber starter. The bullpen does worry me a bit , we can't excpect it to continue to be this good and eventually the workload is going to be an issue. Cubs have played 51 games Chafin has pitched in 25 Tepera 25 Kimbrel 22 Winkler 20 Brothers 19 The issue with Alzolay is his career high innings pitched isn't very high. Not sure they can count on him later on, unless they have a plan to give him plenty of spaced out rest. I am kind of surprised that he was in the starting 5 to start the year as I figured they would want to monitor his usage and the best way to do it is to hide him in the pen for awhile.
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