4/11 Cubs (Shark) at Cards (Kelly) 7:15 CSN+

[Guest]

I still can't really understand why a supposedly forward thinking FO hires a manager with such old school traits.

 

presumably because they think he's good at things that are more important than the things he's bad at.

 

Such as?

 

developing young players? that's all they talked about since the hire.

 

it's early. he has been pretty good with the lineups in terms of who to play, too.

 

the only frustrating thing about him is the bunting and he hasn't exactly been doing it with great hitters. i doubt we'd be seeing so much of it if we had more good hitters and weren't in so many games that were close late.

[Butterscup1679666578]

Jesse Rogers ‏@ESPNChiCubs 2m

 

Veras is still the closer, per Renteria

[Guest]

Jesse Rogers ‏@ESPNChiCubs 2m

 

Veras is still the closer, per Renteria

 

the rational, smart side of me likes this...i think

 

the irrational fan side of me HATES and wants him and russell DFAd...and schlitter sent down for rusin or rosscop and ramirez or vizcaino

[bukie]

Of course, because 3 outings is too small a sample size to give up on Veras already.

[DiamondMind]

I'll be curious to hear Castro and Rizzo's opinions of Renteria as the season progresses, that's for sure

[Guest]

Of course, because 3 outings is too small a sample size to give up on Veras already.

 

It's just so unbelievably frustrating when a guy can't find the plate repeatedly in high leverage spots

[Butterscup1679666578]

I'll be curious to hear Castro and Rizzo's opinions of Renteria as the season progresses, that's for sure

 

they dont seem like guys to stir things up no matter how they feel

[mul21]

Of course, because 3 outings is too small a sample size to give up on Veras already.

 

I don't want to give up on him, I just think he needs some low leverage situations to get his [expletive] back together and he needs to be not giving away games while he figures it out.

[bukie]

Of course, because 3 outings is too small a sample size to give up on Veras already.

 

I don't want to give up on him, I just think he needs some low leverage situations to get his [expletive] back together and he needs to be not giving away games while he figures it out.

He's had two save situations. Jerking him around in the pen probably isn't going to help the situation when it's two save situations.

[mul21]

Of course, because 3 outings is too small a sample size to give up on Veras already.

 

I don't want to give up on him, I just think he needs some low leverage situations to get his [expletive] back together and he needs to be not giving away games while he figures it out.

He's had two save situations. Jerking him around in the pen probably isn't going to help the situation when it's two save situations.

 

If he was a 24 yr old guy getting his first chance to close, yeah, I can see that. He's a 33 yr old that has both set up and closed before. I don't think it matters much for a guy like him. You tell him to relax and start throwing strikes and he goes back to closing.

[DiamondMind]

I am way too happy that we won that game.

[treebird]

I am way too happy that we won that game.

 

anytime we go to st louis and win the first game i am instantly thrilled we didn't get swept

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I am way too happy that we won that game.

 

anytime we go to st louis and win the first game i am instantly thrilled we didn't get swept

 

I want to sweep them and get to .500 and send them into a tailspin

[Guest]

I am way too happy that we won that game.

 

anytime we go to st louis and win the first game i am instantly thrilled we didn't get swept

 

I want to sweep them and get to .500 and send them into a tailspin

 

Spoilers in April

[Guest]

we're obviously this year's "nobody believes in us!" team

[treebird]

we're obviously this year's "nobody believes in us!" team

 

us and the trailblazers #fthehaters

[Guest]

I keep trying to rationalize it out that fixing Starlin and Rizzo improving is worth the [expletive] bunting. But the FO certainly knows that all this bunting is stupid and Incant see how they aren't in Renteria's office, demanding that it stops ASAP.

 

If you read Francona's book... they probably are or will be. In a very smart and nuanced way.

If they're so savvy and organized, I have no idea why the expectation wasn't set before he was even hired.

[SouthSideRyan]

What is the fastest way to get intoxicated to the point of no recall

 

Whatever it was I did to myself tonight

 

ETA: Last night?? I don't even know anymore.

[ctcf]

Is there a website that tracks how many sac bunts teams have?

[Geech]

Even the stats on ESPN will track sacrifice hits by team. I don't think it tracks bunts attempted, though.

[ctcf]

Hurray for leading the league with 7!

[Geech]

Plus a couple of failed attempts on top of that.

[sneakypower]

a "sacrifice hit" is a sacrifice bunt

 

last year, we were dead last in non-pitcher sac bunts

 

top 5

Rangers - 44

Astros - 43

Reds - 37

Royals - 36

4 tied with 35

[Geech]

a "sacrifice hit" is a sacrifice bunt

 

last year, we were dead last in non-pitcher sac bunts

 

top 5

Rangers - 44

Astros - 43

Reds - 37

Royals - 36

4 tied with 35

 

I know that a sacrifice hit is the same thing as a sacrifice bunt, but my point is that I think ESPN only tracks successfully completed sacrifices. It's not telling the whole story on Cubs sacrificing so this season.

[sneakypower]

I know that a sacrifice hit is the same thing as a sacrifice bunt, but my point is that I think ESPN only tracks successfully completed sacrifices. It's not telling the whole story on Cubs sacrificing so this season.

sacrifice bunt attempts

 

3/31:

Jeff Samardzija, 5th inning, runners on 1st & 2nd; -.142 WPA (unsuccessful)

Junior Lake, 8th inning, runner on 2nd; 0.00 WPA

Welington Castillo, 9th inning, runner on 1st; -.017 WPA

 

4/2:

Edwin Jackson, 5th inning, runner on 1st (ROE); .056 WPA

 

4/3:

no attempts

 

4/4:

Travis Wood, 3rd inning, runner on 1st; -.014 WPA

 

4/5:

no attempts

 

4/6:

no attempts

 

4/7:

Ryan Kalish, 7th inning, runner on 1st; -.034 WPA

 

4/9:

Jason Hammel, 4th inning, runners on 1st & 2nd; -.025 WPA

 

4/10:

no attempts

 

4/11:

Bonifacio, 8th inning, -.022 WPA

Schierholtz, 11th inning, runner on 2nd, .005 WPA

 

------

 

so, that's

4 position players (all successfully) attempting bunts who have totaled -0.068 WPA (or -0.017 per attempt)

3 pitchers (with 2 successfully) attempting bunts who have totaled -0.100 WPA (or -.033 per attempt)

 

it's worth noting pitchers as a whole have averaged -0.019 WPA per PA, and the hitters who were asked to bunt are at -0.003 per PA on the season; basically, in the 9 times hitters have made sac bunt attempts, our chances of winning have dropped about 1.4%-1.5% on average, per try...that seems like kind of a miniscule blip and certainly unworthy of the exaggerated outrage it gets in game threads on here

 

also, we admittedly haven't been particularly good at bunting for hits so far, but i don't know how you blame the manager for that; even so, Lake (53.8% career), Bonifacio (36.4%), Kalish (37.5%) have certainly shown enough ability in the past where it's not predictably hurting the team if they try a few