Random Cubs Musings

[seanimal]

Jim Hendry was fired 3 years ago today. Gotta say, I feel like they've come a long way in 3 years.

 

True; it's been an impressive slide into the depths.

 

i'd feel like a liar if i didn't admit that i'm somewhat impressed at how quickly you pounce on these things. do you have some sort of IFTTT utility to aid you in your diligence?

[SouthSideRyan]

heh, we have the exact same record as we did then.

[Sammy Sofa]

Jim Hendry was fired 3 years ago today. Gotta say, I feel like they've come a long way in 3 years.

 

True; it's been an impressive slide into the depths.

 

i'd feel like a liar if i didn't admit that i'm somewhat impressed at how quickly you pounce on these things. do you have some sort of IFTTT utility to aid you in your diligence?

 

It's called "if I log into my project right now I'm going to lose it so I'm going to just stare at this [expletive] message board instead until there is activity."

[seanimal]

less impressed

[Sammy Sofa]

I wish I did have some kind of Theo-sense, where I could tell that someone was undeservedly praising his evil.

[Guest]

Jim Hendry was fired 3 years ago today. Gotta say, I feel like they've come a long way in 3 years.

 

True; it's been an impressive slide into the depths.

 

i'd feel like a liar if i didn't admit that i'm somewhat impressed at how quickly you pounce on these things. do you have some sort of IFTTT utility to aid you in your diligence?

 

It's called "if I log into my project right now I'm going to lose it so I'm going to just stare at this [expletive] message board instead until there is activity."

 

i have the same one.

[Guest]

Josh Timmers ‏@Cubsminorswrap 21m

Since June 1, the #Cubs are 2 games under .500. The #SFGiants are ten games under.

 

 

This is surprising, especially given how terrible we were for a while right after the trade.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Josh Timmers ‏@Cubsminorswrap 21m

Since June 1, the #Cubs are 2 games under .500. The #SFGiants are ten games under.

 

 

This is surprising, especially given how terrible we were for a while right after the trade.

http://i.imgur.com/G80hYYl.gif

[ConstableRabbit]

Josh Timmers ‏@Cubsminorswrap 21m

Since June 1, the #Cubs are 2 games under .500. The #SFGiants are ten games under.

 

 

This is surprising, especially given how terrible we were for a while right after the trade.

That pythag tho

[Little Slide Rooter]

Since July 12, Carlos Villanueva's pitched 16 innings with 2/17 BB/K and 0 ER. Any chance that'll be worth something to a contender between now and the waiver deadline?

[Post Count Padder]

We talk about Bosio working his magic but what's going on with that magic with Edwin Jackson? Pardon my ignorance if this has been discussed more, but his ERA has been more than a run higher than his FIP back to back years and he is showing no signs of getting better. Is his velocity down?

[KrisBryantisaBeast]

From Bruce Levine on twitter

Source Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro may miss up to a week dealing with the death of a relative &three friends in car crash (Dominican )

[Sammy Sofa]

From Bruce Levine on twitter

Source Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro may miss up to a week dealing with the death of a relative &three friends in car crash (Dominican )

 

Man, that news just keeps getting worse. That's just horrible for everyone.

[Guest]

Does it seem like a bunch of people get into car crashes in the dominican?

[Gmoney08]

Does it seem like a bunch of people get into car crashes in the dominican?

 

I dont know if the Dominican is the same but in Jamaica the drivers are absolutely insane. Driving 60 mph on side streets, drivers passing in oncoming traffic literally constantly.

[gscool89]

Does it seem like a bunch of people get into car crashes in the dominican?

 

I dont know if the Dominican is the same but in Jamaica the drivers are absolutely insane. Driving 60 mph on side streets, drivers passing in oncoming traffic literally constantly.

This. I was on a bus with a tour group when I was in Jamaica and seriously thought I wouldn't make it home.

[Guest]

Judging by the newspaper article from the Dominican, it sounds like the flatbed of another truck fell and hit their car, leading to the accident.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

Wow, that's terrible.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

We talk about Bosio working his magic but what's going on with that magic with Edwin Jackson? Pardon my ignorance if this has been discussed more, but his ERA has been more than a run higher than his FIP back to back years and he is showing no signs of getting better. Is his velocity down?

Edwin Jackson is an anomaly. Like he exists outside of time or something.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

To my knowledge isn't the Bosio magic basically taking guys with high ground-ball rates that had underperformed their decent peripherals and making them perform even better by getting them to throw more sliders and cutters and rely less on the fastball, and, in effect, get more ground balls? In that case, Edwin Jackson doesn't really fit that quota as he has a normal ground-ball rate and relies heavily on his fastball. I know Bosio has also done a great job at getting Arrieta to work with a more consistent and repeatable delivery, but I am not sure exactly he could do for Edwin. I don't think there was much hope for Edwin to get any of that Bosio magic, in the first place.

[Vinestal]

We talk about Bosio working his magic but what's going on with that magic with Edwin Jackson? Pardon my ignorance if this has been discussed more, but his ERA has been more than a run higher than his FIP back to back years and he is showing no signs of getting better. Is his velocity down?

Some people just can't be fixed.

[Sammy Sofa]

To my knowledge isn't the Bosio magic basically taking guys with high ground-ball rates that had underperformed their decent peripherals and making them perform even better by getting them to throw more sliders and cutters and rely less on the fastball, and, in effect, get more ground balls? In that case, Edwin Jackson doesn't really fit that quota as he has a normal ground-ball rate and relies heavily on his fastball. I know Bosio has also done a great job at getting Arrieta to work with a more consistent and repeatable delivery, but I am not sure exactly he could do for Edwin. I don't think there was much hope for Edwin to get any of that Bosio magic, in the first place.

 

Or Wood.

[Guest]

Wood is the first Bosio success story, the cutter is what made Wood as good as he is to begin with. Wood's case is a good reminder of the fragility of guys with his profile. Not only does he not have wipeout stuff, but as a LHP with his specific repertoire, he walks a thinner line between effectiveness and getting rocked than, say, Ryan Dempster did.

[Sammy Sofa]

Wood is the first Bosio success story, the cutter is what made Wood as good as he is to begin with. Wood's case is a good reminder of the fragility of guys with his profile. Not only does he not have wipeout stuff, but as a LHP with his specific repertoire, he walks a thinner line between effectiveness and getting rocked than, say, Ryan Dempster did.

 

Whoops. I thought Wood's good year was two years ago. But apparently even that would have been Bosio, who I thought was hired for this season.

 

Clearly I've been paying a lot of attention.

[champaignchris]

Edwin Jackson had the reputation of being a bit of an enigma before ever coming to the Cubs. The FIP-ERA discrepancy is weird. No one else on the Cubs has had that to that extent since Bosio's been there. Maybe Jackson isn't pitching to his defense?

 

Wood could just come down to luck. His difference in FIP between this year and last (3.89 to 4.21, with a career FIP of 4.12) isn't that extreme. Is there any reason to think he can't revert to a low-4s ERA next year? If he can do that and pitch 180-ish innings, he's a perfectly decent 4th starter type pitcher, only 27 with a couple more years of team control.