Cubs ongoing 2016 Season Thread

[ChicagoIrish]

Home runs are nice, runs batted in are better. And right now it's a +50 edge to Jay Bruce

 

[ChicagoIrish]

So a 28 run differential in defense?

But a 50 run differential in runs batted in. Interesting

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

RBIs are a team stat as are runs. They are dependent on the players around you. If you want to talk offense and difference the total RAA is +6 for Heyward.

Jay Bruce Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com
Jason Heyward Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com

As the stats clearly show Heyward has been better than Bruce this year. This is despite Heyward's struggles at the plate. If Heyward hits his career averages over the rest of the season he'll be significantly more valuable than Bruce the rest of the way.

 

[anotheridiot]

I always look at the home run to RBI ratio of players. Bryant is scoring more runs than anyone, but just a little over 2.5:1 with 25 and 65, where you can argue Addison Russell is more clutch with 5:1 with 12 and 60.

I know they want more balance in this line up, but the guy getting benched is Baez and he does not deserve it. Put Baez and Contrares together on the bench just to get bruce or Reddick and I am not a fan.

Maddon kept Zobrist at 2B to get him in the all star game. We will finally see him being used as expected so that puts Ben on the bench if Bruce and Baez are in the lineup.

I understood chapman, not because you are vastly upgrading at closer, but you are getting a dominant 8th inning guy too, and Rondons 7 pitch 8th inning last night showed that. Another position player just makes no sense, and I really hope Heyward gets the night off against Sale.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

Heyward is getting the night off. The only position player I'd seriously consider is Lucroy. He is only under contract through next year and would replace Montero. If the price were right on Reddick I'd have to consider him, but it would cause a log jam in LF for playing time which is going to be jammed up enough when Soler gets back. Theo does have a history with Reddick from the Red Sox and Reddick would be a short-term upgrade in LF, but I'm assuming the cost would be Soler and that would be tough because Soler is getting paid like a 4th OF through 2020 and at 24 I'm not ready to give up on him.

 

[anotheridiot]

Well, I dont know why, but I expect Schwarber to be making claims in september that he is ready to go and really needs to be considered if we still need a bat.

I mean if the playoff roster includes Cahill or Hammel and Lackey are not going to be used out of the pen, I would rather have Schwarbers name there. If he gets on base pinch hitting, you let Woody run for him.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

No. Schwarber is not Adrian Peterson. He is not a freak athlete. His knee will not be anywhere near 100% by September. You do not put him out there under any condition. Schwarber will be traded in the off-season if the new CBA doesn't bring the DH to the NL. You don't risk him tearing up that knee again which would put him out for next year, kill his trade value and leave you stuck with a PH who can occasionally be a bad defensive 1B when you need to give Rizzo a day off.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

^ Lol

 

[ChicagoIrish]

You're "not willing to give up on Soler" yet, but you're willing to trade Schwarber away? That's insanity

Soler is a bad defender, but somehow you're ok with that. Schwarber is learning a new position, and a much better hitter than Soler, but you want him gone? Just doesn't make sense.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

You never followed Schwarber until he was drafted, did you? He played just under half of Indiana's games in LF. To say he was learning a new position is like saying that when you get a new car you have to learn how to drive again. Schwarber is a man without a position. He has no range in the OF. He is as graceful as a kid learning to walk. He is going to be a great DH. As bad a defender as Soler is he is so much better than Schwarber that it isn't even close. However, that doesn't matter because Soler should be the 4th OF. Bryant should be the LF. Baez should be the 3B. Soler the 4th OF. Schwarber should be a DH somewhere. Why didn't they just slap Vogelbach in LF if fielding doesn't matter? That kid can hit.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

You never followed Schwarber until he was drafted, did you? He played just under half of Indiana's games in LF. To say he was learning a new position is like saying that when you get a new car you have to learn how to drive again. Schwarber is a man without a position. He has no range in the OF. He is as graceful as a kid learning to walk. He is going to be a great DH. As bad a defender as Soler is he is so much better than Schwarber that it isn't even close. However, that doesn't matter because Soler should be the 4th OF. Bryant should be the LF. Baez should be the 3B. Soler the 4th OF. Schwarber should be a DH somewhere. Why didn't they just slap Vogelbach in LF if fielding doesn't matter? That kid can hit.

Come on, Schwarber is a better fielder than Vogelbach. But! I will say that I agree with you about Bryant in Left, and Baez at 3rd. But I only agree because Schwarber is hurt. Soler has no spot on this team, I think Szczur is a better 4th outfielder at this point, he's a better defender and a better hitter, Soler obviously has more power, but is it worth it? Szczur has been very good in pinch hit spots.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Any word on why Brian Matusz is starting tonight? Are they resting the rotation, or is this a showcase for a possible deal?

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

To give the rotation an extra day of rest. I don't like throwing a game away, but when you have the best record in the majors you can afford to throw a bum out there against Felix and if he shuts down your offense then no harm.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Not a fan of that, might change my mind a little had we won yesterday.

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

Ended up being a great game. I gave up on it early and went to bed. Bullpen was great with 9 scoreless innings. I understand the desire to give the rotation an extra day of rest after the way they finished the first half. Arrieta faded in the playoffs and it is likely that he will once again be pitching the most innings of his career. Hendricks will also be throwing the most innings of his career and will need to be good in the playoffs. I have less concern about Lackey and Lester due to them having been there and done that, but at Lackey's age some extra rest can't hurt.

 

[anotheridiot]

Any word on why Brian Matusz is starting tonight? Are they resting the rotation, or is this a showcase for a possible deal?

all showcase. Grimm will need to stay down for 5 games. All I hear is keep the days rest for the veteran pitchers, if this was any of the other four they would have just released this guy, but dick around with hendricks. Now we need to hope Kyle goes really deep tonight. Sunday night baseball would have been a real nice start for Hendricks to have.

Its just too bad Lackey never got into the game yesterday as a reliever

 

[Johnny Sleeper]

It messes up Lester more than Hendricks. Hendricks just got an extra day rest like the team had an off day between his starts. Lester gets pushed back by this AND there is an off day. So if is going to mess with someone it would be Lester. It shouldn't effect any of them negatively though. The extra rest should help just like the all-star break did.

Hendricks is on pace for the most innings of his career and THEN he'll be pitching the playoffs. You saw what that did to Arrieta last year, right? Giving the rotation extra rest during the season will help them from wearing down in October. I wish it had been Arrieta's start to try to just mix things up. The Cubs have lost his last 5 starts and they only scored 2.6 runs a game over that stretch.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Anyone else big Travis Wood fans? Guy is a gamer for sure. Also, don't forget that bases loaded, no outs jam he got out of. 1 was on him, other 2 were Joe Nathan's.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

It messes up Lester more than Hendricks. Hendricks just got an extra day rest like the team had an off day between his starts. Lester gets pushed back by this AND there is an off day. So if is going to mess with someone it would be Lester. It shouldn't effect any of them negatively though. The extra rest should help just like the all-star break did.

Hendricks is on pace for the most innings of his career and THEN he'll be pitching the playoffs. You saw what that did to Arrieta last year, right? Giving the rotation extra rest during the season will help them from wearing down in October. I wish it had been Arrieta's start to try to just mix things up. The Cubs have lost his last 5 starts and they only scored 2.6 runs a game over that stretch.

After that wildcard game, Arrieta was doing the interview and simply said "I'm tired". He could have meant just from that game, but I really don't think he did. And I remember thinking, fuck.

 

[anotheridiot]

It messes up Lester more than Hendricks. Hendricks just got an extra day rest like the team had an off day between his starts. Lester gets pushed back by this AND there is an off day. So if is going to mess with someone it would be Lester. It shouldn't effect any of them negatively though. The extra rest should help just like the all-star break did.

Hendricks is on pace for the most innings of his career and THEN he'll be pitching the playoffs. You saw what that did to Arrieta last year, right? Giving the rotation extra rest during the season will help them from wearing down in October. I wish it had been Arrieta's start to try to just mix things up. The Cubs have lost his last 5 starts and they only scored 2.6 runs a game over that stretch.

My point is that Hendricks is right behind Kershaw and Madison in ERA, but you will always run thru the forums out there that say Hendricks is the best #5 pitcher in baseball. He deserves to be called the #3 already and stop the madness of Lackey and Hammel getting called 3 and 4 from seniority.