6/5 Cubs (Garza) @ Angels (Vargas) - 6:05 pm CDT, CSN

[Elwood]

Some might call that "light tower power."

[Guest]

Rizzo!

 

How did he not get a triple out of that?

 

Was thinking the same thing. Only thing I could come up with is that he wasn't sure Valbuena was going to go home on it and he didn't want to get caught in the middle of second and third?

 

That makes sense. Not like the extra base was all that important given the situation.

[Elwood]

Effin' A.

[Sammy Sofa]

Here comes the Conger.

[d_money]

What's our doubles total? Leading the league? Thanks

[fallingpieces]

Man Gregg had me nervous.

[sneakypower]

i hope JD doesn't have any more children

[Gingerballs Lives]

[ W ], bitches.

[Guest]

i hope JD doesn't have any more children

 

Or just hope they drop out of school.

[bukie]

Once again, Aramis fan pops in to spew crap about Barney, Garza, and all the good vibes being gone, and then disappears as soon as things turn around.

[Schwarber Fan]

Once again, Aramis fan pops in to spew crap about Barney, Garza, and all the good vibes being gone, and then disappears as soon as things turn around.

 

First of all I had a splitting headache last night, so I couldn't make it past the 9th. Secondly, Barney batting leadoff is still among the worst decisions of the season. I think most fans would agree.

[Guest]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/stats/batting/_/name/chc/cat/onBasePct/split/31/chicago-cubs

[Schwarber Fan]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/stats/batting/_/name/chc/cat/onBasePct/split/31/chicago-cubs

 

Clearly Navarro should have been leading off ;)

[jersey cubs fan]

Once again, Aramis fan pops in to spew crap about Barney, Garza, and all the good vibes being gone, and then disappears as soon as things turn around.

 

First of all I had a splitting headache last night, so I couldn't make it past the 9th. Secondly, Barney batting leadoff is still among the worst decisions of the season. I think most fans would agree.

 

You think that Barney batting leadoff in a game is among the worst decisions of the season? I don't think it registers at all.

[Guest]

Once again, Aramis fan pops in to spew crap about Barney, Garza, and all the good vibes being gone, and then disappears as soon as things turn around.

 

First of all I had a splitting headache last night, so I couldn't make it past the 9th. Secondly, Barney batting leadoff is still among the worst decisions of the season. I think most fans would agree.

 

You think that Barney batting leadoff in a game is among the worst decisions of the season? I don't think it registers at all.

 

Every time Marmol has been brought in to an at least medium leverage situation ranks higher. Easily.

[Guest]

You don't waste power like that in the leadoff spot.

 

 

Really, this touches one of the things that I like the most about Sveum. He uses the hot hand as a way to try to capture some more value from the team and incentivize guys a bit more, but he does so in a way that minimizes the actual difference v. the "optimal lineup" when looking at the macro view. It's most obvious with his lineups against LHP. When Ransom first got here he was absolutely killing the ball against LHP to the tune of a 1.600 OPS or something like that, so he got to hit 2nd against a LHP. When he only hit "quite well" against LHP instead of "Bondsian", he slid back down to the 6/7 spot. Same thing with Barney and Sweeney last night. Sweeney got off to a good start against LHP, so he gets to hit 9th against them rather than Borbon's better CF defense and speed, and it pays off with 2 for 5 and a 3B. Barney is off to a great start against LHP, so he moves him up in the order to get him an extra PA and he goes 2 for 6.

 

It's thoughtful things like this that make the bullpen decisions all the more confusing.

[SouthSideRyan]

I think trying to play the hot hand is a fool's errand

[Guest]

I think trying to play the hot hand is a fool's errand

 

I agree. But he's doing it in a way that doesn't hurt much, so whatever.

[bukie]

I think trying to play the hot hand is a fool's errand

When the alternatives are Borbon or DeJesus, there isn't much to lose.

[Andy]

What's our doubles total? Leading the league? Thanks

Yes, at 127 doubles, the Cubs lead the league, 9 ahead of Arizona. Our 196 XBH overall also lead the league.

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/batting/league/nl/sort/doubles/order/true

[jersey cubs fan]

still last in walks, some combination of free swinging hitters plus pitchers that aren't afraid to pitch to guys, since there's not many guys on base in the first place.

[Andy]

still last in walks, some combination of free swinging hitters plus pitchers that aren't afraid to pitch to guys, since there's not many guys on base in the first place.

Unfortunately, a good point.

[CubColtPacer]

still last in walks, some combination of free swinging hitters plus pitchers that aren't afraid to pitch to guys, since there's not many guys on base in the first place.

 

The Cubs are 25th in percentage of pitches thrown to them in the strike zone. The free swinging part is definitely true, but I don't think the second part holds up. It wouldn't make logical sense either. You don't give a bunch of free swinging mistake type hitters pitches in the zone that they can drive and allow them to be an average offense that way.