IST: Cubs at Brewers up at Wrigley North

[zack54attack]

Chicago 1-5 (4th in NL Central) @ Milwaukee 6-1 (1st in NL Central)

@

Pitching Matchups


Game 1 — Friday, April 5. 7:10 p.m. CDT

Jose Quintana (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0 K, 0 BB) vs. Brandon Woodruff (1-0, 3.60 ERA, 5 K, 1 BB)

Game 2 — Saturday, April 6. 6:10 p.m. CDT

Cole Hamels (0-0, 9.00 ERA, 4 K, 3 BB) vs. Corbin Burnes (0-0, 7.20 ERA, 12K, 1 BB)

Game 3 — Sunsday, April 7. 1:20 p.m. CDT

Kyle Hendricks (0-1, 4.15 ERA, 4 K, 3 BB) vs. Zach Davies (0-0, 3.60 ERA, 6K, 4 BB)

​

 

[zack54attack]

I'd normally say I love our pitching matchups for this series cause they should favor the Cubs. But uh, idk.

 

[knoxville7]

I'd normally say I love our pitching matchups for this series cause they should favor the Cubs. But uh, idk.

Agreed...I like the way the starting pitching lined up. Can our bullpen hold a lead to make it matter?

 

[chibears55]

If there are ever must win games in April, these are it..
Definitely dont want to fall to 7 1/2 games back , that a huge hole to climb right out of the gate

Brewers are going to be so up for this series, cubs better be ready

 

[JimJohnson]

Agreed...I like the way the starting pitching lined up. Can our bullpen hold a lead to make it matter?

Just have the SP go for a complete game. That's the only viable solution at this point.

 

[CSF77]

Just have the SP go for a complete game. That's the only viable solution at this point.

It is gonna get ugly real soon IMO. Two team heading in polar direction.

 

[fatbeard]

It is gonna get ugly real soon IMO. Two team heading in polar direction.

I'm willing to bet that neither the Brewers nor the Cubs will play .857 or .167 ball the rest of the season.

Call me crazy.

 

[anotheridiot]

I remember something about the cubs beating the brewers 9 out of the first 11 games last season, or 9/11 from some time leading into and including last season. Hopefully the hippie ball everyone plays deal will be done by august when the cubs can make a run and play with some urgency.

 

[beckdawg]

Sure would be nice if the cubs pitching figured things out. Their offense thus far has been kinda stupid

Caratini - .600/.667/.800(6 PAs) 278 wRC+
Zag - .500/.500/.800(10 PAs) 239 wRC+
Contreras - .353/.500/.647(22 PAs) 196 wRC+
Descalso - .455/.500/.545(12 PAs) 178 wRC+
Rizzo - .286/.464/.571(28 PAs) 173 wRC+
Schwarber - .300/.391/.650(23 PAs) 168 wRC+
Baez -.296/.321/.630(28 PAs) 146 wRC+
Bote - .308/.400/.385(15 PAs) 116 wRC+
Bryant - .240/.345/.440(29 PAs) 109 wRC+
Zobrist - .278/.435/.278(23 PAs) 108 wRC+
Heyward - .286/.273/.286(22 PAs) 46 wRC+
Almora - .208/.240/.208(26 PAs) 23 wRC+

Everyone save for Almora and Heyward are well above league average and Heyward's numbers look a bit on the bad luck side. I know he's hit into a crazy amount of double plays given that PA count. That being said the average is pretty good and even when "bad" he's proven he can walk so his 0% walk rate isn't sustainable. Would be nice to see his power come up though.

As a team the cubs have 11.5%/18.0% bb/k rate on non-pitchers. So, their bats really have been this good and it's not just small sample or at the least it's not entirely all small sample. Team excluding pitchers has 244 PAs where they also have a 132 wRC+ and a .307/.391/.486 triple slash. And for those curious in 71 PAs they are hitting .279/.366/.361 with RISP which has haunted them in past years. I'd like to see the power on that come up(guessing with all those double plays heyward is really dragging that down) but it's a damn sight better than the .247/.344/.378 and .253/.351/.435 we've seen from 2017 and 2018

 

[Bigfoot]

Hope we can get a solid 6 or 7 innings from Q tonight.

 

[anotheridiot]

Pretty sure Edwards still has some options, sure seems like he needs to go work on things. Maybe he will come back as CJ Edwards with better stuff. Get a rotation coming up from AAA, whether its Mills, Maples or Alzolay. Waiting for them to all just click is not going to work.

 

[CSF77]

Sure would be nice if the cubs pitching figured things out. Their offense thus far has been kinda stupid

Caratini - .600/.667/.800(6 PAs) 278 wRC+
Zag - .500/.500/.800(10 PAs) 239 wRC+
Contreras - .353/.500/.647(22 PAs) 196 wRC+
Descalso - .455/.500/.545(12 PAs) 178 wRC+
Rizzo - .286/.464/.571(28 PAs) 173 wRC+
Schwarber - .300/.391/.650(23 PAs) 168 wRC+
Baez -.296/.321/.630(28 PAs) 146 wRC+
Bote - .308/.400/.385(15 PAs) 116 wRC+
Bryant - .240/.345/.440(29 PAs) 109 wRC+
Zobrist - .278/.435/.278(23 PAs) 108 wRC+
Heyward - .286/.273/.286(22 PAs) 46 wRC+
Almora - .208/.240/.208(26 PAs) 23 wRC+

Everyone save for Almora and Heyward are well above league average and Heyward's numbers look a bit on the bad luck side. I know he's hit into a crazy amount of double plays given that PA count. That being said the average is pretty good and even when "bad" he's proven he can walk so his 0% walk rate isn't sustainable. Would be nice to see his power come up though.

As a team the cubs have 11.5%/18.0% bb/k rate on non-pitchers. So, their bats really have been this good and it's not just small sample or at the least it's not entirely all small sample. Team excluding pitchers has 244 PAs where they also have a 132 wRC+ and a .307/.391/.486 triple slash. And for those curious in 71 PAs they are hitting .279/.366/.361 with RISP which has haunted them in past years. I'd like to see the power on that come up(guessing with all those double plays heyward is really dragging that down) but it's a damn sight better than the .247/.344/.378 and .253/.351/.435 we've seen from 2017 and 2018

The problem is only Almora and Heyward can play CF. You almost have to minimize and platoon both in CF hitting 9. Then rotate Zobrist, Zag, Bote and Des. Between 2B and RF

 

[CSF77]

Pretty sure Edwards still has some options, sure seems like he needs to go work on things. Maybe he will come back as CJ Edwards with better stuff. Get a rotation coming up from AAA, whether its Mills, Maples or Alzolay. Waiting for them to all just click is not going to work.

I'm kinda expecting that also. Alozay started on the DL. It really is Maples right now.

 

[knoxville7]

The problem is only Almora and Heyward can play CF. You almost have to minimize and platoon both in CF hitting 9. Then rotate Zobrist, Zag, Bote and Des. Between 2B and RF

I’d rather not see Zag playing in the OF ever again. The guy looks awful out there.

 

[CSF77]

I’d rather not see Zag playing in the OF ever again. The guy looks awful out there.

He can hit. I am a proponent of build the lead and hold the lead. You make that your primary focus it tends to lead to higher success.

 

[knoxville7]

He can hit. I am a proponent of build the lead and hold the lead. You make that your primary focus it tends to lead to higher success.

That’s fine that he can hit. Use him as the primary RH pinch hitter then. He can’t field for shit, kind of hard to get a lead if you’re constantly giving up runs you shouldn’t

 

[CSF77]

That’s fine that he can hit. Use him as the primary RH pinch hitter then. He can’t field for shit, kind of hard to get a lead if you’re constantly giving up runs you shouldn’t

No. You build a lead.

It is really pointless right now anyways though. As is the pitching has sucked so bad that the O and D have little factoring. 46 runs given up in 6 games.

We are arguing about a fighter that is bloody on the deck if a jab or a combo would help

 

[chibears55]

Here you go, the lineup that gets them started... tonight is Game 1

 

[knoxville7]

Here you go, the lineup that gets them started... tonight is Game 1

View attachment 1392

I like it, other than Heyward in CF

 

[CSF77]

I like it, other than Heyward in CF

Joe being Joe. Stack left with the extras.

1-6 should stick IMO. 7-8 Match up based decision. Bote or Descanasio is apples or oranges. Heyward or Almora more of the same