resting regulars for Tuesday's game

[hardcorecubfan]

We needed to see Scales get his first MLB hit after 11 years in the minors, all part of Lou's master plan to build self esteem world wide one player at a time

[Guest]

The Cubs had just won 4 in a row and were playing their 14th game in a row in a sequence of 20 straight without an off-day. Criticize perhaps giving all the regular right-handers the day off, but don't criticize the concept of the day off, or that the Cubs may as well have forfeited.

 

8 of those 14 games were home games. Are guys really that fatigued playing an bunch of home games? Soto has missed at least 3 of those games. Bradley and Aramis have missed how many of those games? How many of those games did Reed Johnson miss?

 

I understand days off. I really do. I don't understand a forfeit line up, especially in front of your home crowd.

 

I don't mind Scales getting a major league start on the infield. Why was Derrek Lee in there if guys really needed a rest? Is Reed Johnson more overworked than Derrek Lee? Could Hoffpauir really not have played a little 1b for a game?

 

To me, it just doesn't make much sense. If it's cloudy, cold and rainy for today's game, it would be a great day to sit some of your starters to give them a little rest AND reduce the risk of injury. If it ends up being bad weather today, now those guys will be sitting on back to back games rather than just one.

[jersey cubs fan]

The Cubs had just won 4 in a row and were playing their 14th game in a row in a sequence of 20 straight without an off-day. Criticize perhaps giving all the regular right-handers the day off, but don't criticize the concept of the day off, or that the Cubs may as well have forfeited.

 

8 of those 14 games were home games. Are guys really that fatigued playing an bunch of home games? Soto has missed at least 3 of those games. Bradley and Aramis have missed how many of those games? How many of those games did Reed Johnson miss?

 

I understand days off. I really do. I don't understand a forfeit line up, especially in front of your home crowd.

 

I don't mind Scales getting a major league start on the infield. Why was Derrek Lee in there if guys really needed a rest? Is Reed Johnson more overworked than Derrek Lee? Could Hoffpauir really not have played a little 1b for a game?

 

To me, it just doesn't make much sense. If it's cloudy, cold and rainy for today's game, it would be a great day to sit some of your starters to give them a little rest AND reduce the risk of injury. If it ends up being bad weather today, now those guys will be sitting on back to back games rather than just one.

 

I don't get why you are including Reed Johnson. He's been horrible and he can't hit right handed pitchers. Why would his inclusion make it less of a forfeit lineup? Ramirez and Bradley were banged up, rest for them was even more helpful. Lee didn't rest because they needed somebody to play first, with Hoff playing left for Soriano. There aren't enough bench players for him to rest.

 

The Cubs are in Houston today and tomorrow, and then go on to Milwaukee for three, there's very little worry about weather making them unable to play.

[SouthSideRyan]

So now your complaint is that Reed Johnson, who has looked Miles-esque all season didn't start over Derrek Lee? Why is it better to space out your time off and not have an optimal lineup for 4 or 5 games, compared to giving a bunch of days off at the same time and having one sub-optimal lineup?

 

Soto: Day game after night game, standard for a catcher not to catch both.

Theriot: Hasn't had a day off all season

Soriano: Hasn't had a day off all season.

Ramirez: Just came back from a nagging injury.

Bradley: Always "just came back from a nagging injury"

 

I really don't understand the complaining, and the "poor fans, not seeing 100% effort" argument is absurd.

[Guest]

I don't get why you are including Reed Johnson. He's been horrible and he can't hit right handed pitchers. Why would his inclusion make it less of a forfeit lineup? Ramirez and Bradley were banged up, rest for them was even more helpful. Lee didn't rest because they needed somebody to play first, with Hoff playing left for Soriano. There aren't enough bench players for him to rest.

 

The Cubs are in Houston today and tomorrow, and then go on to Milwaukee for three, there's very little worry about weather making them unable to play.

 

Fair enough on the weather issue. I hadn't looked ahead at the schedule. It's obvious that weather most likely won't be an issue.

 

Agreed that Reed hasn't played well and doesn't hit RHers. However, I'd still take him over Gathright getting a start. Gathright is just a waste of a roster spot. Hoffpauir could have filled in for Lee, who has played more than anyone else except Theriot and Fontenot. Lee has been nearly as bad as anyone else on the roster, yet he didn't get a day off. Just weird, IMO.

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't get why you are including Reed Johnson. He's been horrible and he can't hit right handed pitchers. Why would his inclusion make it less of a forfeit lineup? Ramirez and Bradley were banged up, rest for them was even more helpful. Lee didn't rest because they needed somebody to play first, with Hoff playing left for Soriano. There aren't enough bench players for him to rest.

 

The Cubs are in Houston today and tomorrow, and then go on to Milwaukee for three, there's very little worry about weather making them unable to play.

 

Fair enough on the weather issue. I hadn't looked ahead at the schedule. It's obvious that weather most likely won't be an issue.

 

Agreed that Reed hasn't played well and doesn't hit RHers. However, I'd still take him over Gathright getting a start. Gathright is just a waste of a roster spot. Hoffpauir could have filled in for Lee, who has played more than anyone else except Theriot and Fontenot. Lee has been nearly as bad as anyone else on the roster, yet he didn't get a day off. Just weird, IMO.

 

Hoffpauir played left field for Soriano.

[Guest]

So now your complaint is that Reed Johnson, who has looked Miles-esque all season didn't start over Derrek Lee? Why is it better to space out your time off and not have an optimal lineup for 4 or 5 games, compared to giving a bunch of days off at the same time and having one sub-optimal lineup?

 

Soto: Day game after night game, standard for a catcher not to catch both.

Theriot: Hasn't had a day off all season

Soriano: Hasn't had a day off all season.

Ramirez: Just came back from a nagging injury.

Bradley: Always "just came back from a nagging injury"

 

I really don't understand the complaining, and the "poor fans, not seeing 100% effort" argument is absurd.

 

Theriot certainly deserved a day off. Soto is understandable as well. Soriano I can understand, also.

 

I guess a complete forfeit line up is almost an assured loss, while just giving one or two guys a day off still makes their team better than the team they are usually playing against, and in this case, still better than the Giants. If you can win them all, why not try?

 

I know that if the Cubs finish one game out of first place, we probably won't look back on this game and say we should have won it. Afterall, it was Lincecum on the mound. I just don't think I'm a fan of sending out a full forfeit line up instead of just giving a player or two a day of rest.

[jersey cubs fan]

If you can win them all, why not try?

 

But you can't. They are going to lose at least 60 games this year. I'd rather give everybody the same day off, and play at full strength for the next 5 days than weaken the team every game for 6 days.

[Guest]

I don't get why you are including Reed Johnson. He's been horrible and he can't hit right handed pitchers. Why would his inclusion make it less of a forfeit lineup? Ramirez and Bradley were banged up, rest for them was even more helpful. Lee didn't rest because they needed somebody to play first, with Hoff playing left for Soriano. There aren't enough bench players for him to rest.

 

The Cubs are in Houston today and tomorrow, and then go on to Milwaukee for three, there's very little worry about weather making them unable to play.

 

Fair enough on the weather issue. I hadn't looked ahead at the schedule. It's obvious that weather most likely won't be an issue.

 

Agreed that Reed hasn't played well and doesn't hit RHers. However, I'd still take him over Gathright getting a start. Gathright is just a waste of a roster spot. Hoffpauir could have filled in for Lee, who has played more than anyone else except Theriot and Fontenot. Lee has been nearly as bad as anyone else on the roster, yet he didn't get a day off. Just weird, IMO.

 

Hoffpauir played left field for Soriano.

 

Yeah, I guess Reed couldn't play for both Gathright and Soriano.

[Guest]

If you can win them all, why not try?

 

But you can't. They are going to lose at least 60 games this year. I'd rather give everybody the same day off, and play at full strength for the next 5 days than weaken the team every game for 6 days.

 

Understood that they will lose 60 games. However, will the Cubs be playing at full strength for the next 5 days? If so, then I'm making this a bigger deal than it really needs to be.

[jersey cubs fan]

If you can win them all, why not try?

 

But you can't. They are going to lose at least 60 games this year. I'd rather give everybody the same day off, and play at full strength for the next 5 days than weaken the team every game for 6 days.

 

Understood that they will lose 60 games. However, will the Cubs be playing at full strength for the next 5 days? If so, then I'm making this a bigger deal than it really needs to be.

 

Well, they won't have Zambrano. And as long as Bradley, and to a lesser extent Ramirez, are on the team, they won't necessarily ever play at full strength. But they have a 2 day trip to Houston and then fly right back north to Milwaukee. That can take a lot out of guys. At least they have an off day next Monday, and another the following Monday. They should be able to play the next 12+ games (most against division opponents) without having to think about resting regulars.

[Guest]

I just read on Rotoworld that Bradley will be having his appeal heard on Wednesday or Thursday.

 

It's possible his next day of rest can coincide with a 1 day suspension. Maybe Sunday, to give him 2 days of rest.

[CubColtPacer]

Remember also that Lincecum is the type of guy who it is a little better to play small ball with. He doesn't allow very many home runs. The only thing he really does do is walk people. Stolen bases and walks both become much more important against him than a normal pitcher.

 

So sending up a bunch of contact hitters and telling them to be very patient isn't a terrible strategy against him. For example, Gathright would have been productive yesterday even without the single in the first just because he made Lincecum throw 18 pitches in his 3 at-bats to him.

 

It's still not as good as having your regular lineup in there. But that lineup is a lot closer in production to the regular lineup against Lincecum than they are against most starters.