Look out Milwaukee!

[sethuel1]

---The Cubs are about to go on another run! I don't know, I guess I'm just being optimistic but I think Lou is going to get the team to start playing 600 ball once again. I "guesstimate" that we'll win at least four of six against Cincy and St. Louis. And I think we'll take over 1st place as well, because the Cards will give the Brew Crew fits. What are y'all's thoughts?

 

 

We play them 7 times, so your predictions don't really mean anything.

Who took a piss in your Cheerios?

That was me. Sorry.

 

or I could do it again, if you wanted that.

[Ender]

Any facts to prove this? The rotation hasn't improved lately.

 

Yes, i've watched the games and they are throwing better lately. However with Weeks back up and Braun showing his true defense at 3B the teams defense is going down the tubes. Their FIP is better than the Cubs on the year but they have the 2nd worst fielding stats in the NL and thats the root cause of the teams struggles. Plus/Minus suggests the Cubs have made 67 more close plays than the Brewers, thats a huge number!

[Keener98]

Any facts to prove this? The rotation hasn't improved lately.

 

Yes, i've watched the games and they are throwing better lately. However with Weeks back up and Braun showing his true defense at 3B the teams defense is going down the tubes. Their FIP is better than the Cubs on the year but they have the 2nd worst fielding stats in the NL and thats the root cause of the teams struggles. Plus/Minus suggests the Cubs have made 67 more close plays than the Brewers, thats a huge number!

 

Capuano sure wasnt throwing the ball well last night.

[Ender]

Any facts to prove this? The rotation hasn't improved lately.

 

Yes, i've watched the games and they are throwing better lately. However with Weeks back up and Braun showing his true defense at 3B the teams defense is going down the tubes. Their FIP is better than the Cubs on the year but they have the 2nd worst fielding stats in the NL and thats the root cause of the teams struggles. Plus/Minus suggests the Cubs have made 67 more close plays than the Brewers, thats a huge number!

 

Capuano sure wasnt throwing the ball well last night.

 

Thats the problem with just looking at the stats though. If Hardy makes a good throw on Pujols or Braun doesn't flub a grounder at 3B or Weeks makes a play on a grounder up the middle or if Fielder makes the play on Edmonds liner to 1st (Lee makes that play), if Parra doesn't come in and let in the inherited runners then Capuano's stats look fine. He was throwing the ball just fine though.

 

He had one of those innings where the defense just barely misses play after play and suddenly his stats look terrible. He was ahead of hitters, he threw strikes, he got groundouts when he needed them, the defense didn't make the plays. 6 K, 1 BB, 1 extra base hit (a gapper double) in 4.1 IP is going to be a good outing most of the time, the singles are largely out of the pitchers control.

[biittner77]

If the Cubs can hang around until the end of August they should be in good shape. They have a favorable schedule and they get more useful help from Sept. call ups than Milwaukee or especially the Cards.

 

Position players

 

Soto: effectively ending the Koyie Hill era

Fox: RH power off the bench

Patterson: Speed off the bench

 

Pitchers

 

Ohman: hopefully used exclusively aginst LH hitters

Gallagher: can eat innings in long relief

Cotts: pitched well the other night, probably gets a courtesy call

Cherry and Mateo could also get the call

 

The Cubs will also be getting Soriano back as well as Pagan. Could make for a really crowded duggout.

[Cynosure]

"Look out Milwaukee" the Cards are comin for first place!

[Banedon]

Any facts to prove this? The rotation hasn't improved lately.

 

Yes, i've watched the games and they are throwing better lately. However with Weeks back up and Braun showing his true defense at 3B the teams defense is going down the tubes. Their FIP is better than the Cubs on the year but they have the 2nd worst fielding stats in the NL and thats the root cause of the teams struggles. Plus/Minus suggests the Cubs have made 67 more close plays than the Brewers, thats a huge number!

 

Hey now...I know what FIP means to Wisconsin folks.... :P

[woodchip2153]

Any facts to prove this? The rotation hasn't improved lately.

 

Yes, i've watched the games and they are throwing better lately. However with Weeks back up and Braun showing his true defense at 3B the teams defense is going down the tubes. Their FIP is better than the Cubs on the year but they have the 2nd worst fielding stats in the NL and thats the root cause of the teams struggles. Plus/Minus suggests the Cubs have made 67 more close plays than the Brewers, thats a huge number!

 

Hey now...I know what FIP means to Wisconsin folks.... :P

 

Isn't that FIB?

[Ender]

Any facts to prove this? The rotation hasn't improved lately.

 

Yes, i've watched the games and they are throwing better lately. However with Weeks back up and Braun showing his true defense at 3B the teams defense is going down the tubes. Their FIP is better than the Cubs on the year but they have the 2nd worst fielding stats in the NL and thats the root cause of the teams struggles. Plus/Minus suggests the Cubs have made 67 more close plays than the Brewers, thats a huge number!

 

Hey now...I know what FIP means to Wisconsin folks.... :P

 

Isn't that FIB?

 

I've heard both used, with the P in FIP being princess.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

 

Thats the problem with just looking at the stats though. If Hardy makes a good throw on Pujols or Braun doesn't flub a grounder at 3B or Weeks makes a play on a grounder up the middle or if Fielder makes the play on Edmonds liner to 1st (Lee makes that play), if Parra doesn't come in and let in the inherited runners then Capuano's stats look fine. He was throwing the ball just fine though.

.

 

That's a lot of "ifs."

 

What it boils down to is he still didn't make the pitches he needed to make. We can all play the "if" game.

 

I don't think either team is significantly better than the other. Both have serious flaws. This division is going to come down to which team can suck the least over the last six weeks.

[JimSorgi]

Any facts to prove this? The rotation hasn't improved lately.

 

Yes, i've watched the games and they are throwing better lately. However with Weeks back up and Braun showing his true defense at 3B the teams defense is going down the tubes. Their FIP is better than the Cubs on the year but they have the 2nd worst fielding stats in the NL and thats the root cause of the teams struggles. Plus/Minus suggests the Cubs have made 67 more close plays than the Brewers, thats a huge number!

So that's a fact?

[Banedon]

Any facts to prove this? The rotation hasn't improved lately.

 

Yes, i've watched the games and they are throwing better lately. However with Weeks back up and Braun showing his true defense at 3B the teams defense is going down the tubes. Their FIP is better than the Cubs on the year but they have the 2nd worst fielding stats in the NL and thats the root cause of the teams struggles. Plus/Minus suggests the Cubs have made 67 more close plays than the Brewers, thats a huge number!

 

Hey now...I know what FIP means to Wisconsin folks.... :P

 

Isn't that FIB?

 

I've heard both used, with the P in FIP being princess.

 

I've heard it as People, but I suppose there are probably a number of varieties of the term...

[TruffleShuffle]

more like "look out below"

[badgercub]

Any facts to prove this? The rotation hasn't improved lately.

 

Yes, i've watched the games and they are throwing better lately. However with Weeks back up and Braun showing his true defense at 3B the teams defense is going down the tubes. Their FIP is better than the Cubs on the year but they have the 2nd worst fielding stats in the NL and thats the root cause of the teams struggles. Plus/Minus suggests the Cubs have made 67 more close plays than the Brewers, thats a huge number!

 

Capuano sure wasnt throwing the ball well last night.

 

Thats the problem with just looking at the stats though. If Hardy makes a good throw on Pujols or Braun doesn't flub a grounder at 3B or Weeks makes a play on a grounder up the middle or if Fielder makes the play on Edmonds liner to 1st (Lee makes that play), if Parra doesn't come in and let in the inherited runners then Capuano's stats look fine. He was throwing the ball just fine though.

 

He had one of those innings where the defense just barely misses play after play and suddenly his stats look terrible. He was ahead of hitters, he threw strikes, he got groundouts when he needed them, the defense didn't make the plays. 6 K, 1 BB, 1 extra base hit (a gapper double) in 4.1 IP is going to be a good outing most of the time, the singles are largely out of the pitchers control.

 

Keep drinking the Brewer Kool Aid. Their pitching staff is horrible, the bullpen has been overused which will only make things worse down the stretch. Sheets is out and Gallardo is showing the inconsistency typical with young pitchers in their first go around. The fact that the starter only lasted 4.1 IP is a clear sign the pitching staff is experiencing difficulty.

[Cynosure]

So any prediction on tonight's annihilation of the Brewers?

[C.C.]

So any prediction on tonight's annihilation of the Brewers?

 

Who the hell knows. I'm sick of trying to predict this loser division. I wouldn't be surprised if somehow, someway, all three teams lose.

[killthegoat06]

look out Milwaukee! We are going to overtake you despite losing every series. We should be feared!

[Ender]

 

Keep drinking the Brewer Kool Aid. Their pitching staff is horrible, the bullpen has been overused which will only make things worse down the stretch. Sheets is out and Gallardo is showing the inconsistency typical with young pitchers in their first go around. The fact that the starter only lasted 4.1 IP is a clear sign the pitching staff is experiencing difficulty.

 

Yep, I'm sure there has never been a pitcher who left after 4 IP while throwing a good game and I'm sure Marquis has never pitched 6 innings in a game where he was terrible... Seriously if you watched the game you'd see that it was a case of the defense being horrible... that is not Brewer cool aid that is being realistic, that defensive unit is bad enough that it's costing the team games left and right and its not something as easily fixed as pitchers throwing the ball better.

 

Its a problem that most likely will linger for the entire stay of the current players, it will be the achilles heel of the team for the next 4-5 years.