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

[Guest]

Last 6 games: L W L W L W

 

Last 5 games: W L W L W

[ConstableRabbit]

Last 6 games: L W L W L W

Keep up. 500 ball and we'll be in contention for the second wildcard, baby!

[DiamondMind]

IN DUSTY WE TRUSTY

[treebird]

IN DUSTY WE TRUSTY

 

you can go straight to hell sir

[DiamondMind]

So in all seriousness, who is closing now?

[Guest]

On the one hand, I don't want a manager to be reactionary and put a guy in the doghouse after a couple bad outings when he has a good track record.

 

On the other hand, I'm reactionary and pissed off that Jose Veras keeps getting to pitch for the Cubs.

[Andy]

So in all seriousness, who is closing now?

If they make a change, probably Strop

[DiamondMind]

Veras is obviously not as awful as he's been lately, but it's also obvious to me that he needs to be removed from the role for the time being. Strop's command is a little hit or miss too, give Veras one more shot, or try Rondon? Edited April 12, 2014 by DiamondMind

[ConstableRabbit]

Enough about the game... Let's discuss Kap's suit.

[bukie]

I still feel that 3 outings is early to bury a reliever with a decent track record.

[ctcf]

I'm willing to bet Matheny is going to catch some flack for that Rosenthal decision.

[Butterscup1679666578]

So in all seriousness, who is closing now?

 

Veras. You watched the game. Homeboy had no interest in pitching anyone else.

[davell]

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.

[Guest]

Enough about the game... Let's discuss Kap's suit.

 

Dude needs to find a tailor. Or one who doesn't think it's 1996 and that he's Michael Jordan.

[mul21]

So in all seriousness, who is closing now?

If they make a change, probably Strop

 

Agreed. You've got 3 pretty good late inning options in him, Grimm and Rondon until Veras figures out how to throw a strike again.

[Butterscup1679666578]

Last 6 games: L W L W L W

 

Last 5 games: W L W L W

 

Last 1 game: W

[Andy]

On a team like ours, the only purpose of having a closer at all is to build trade value anyway, so I'd expect them to stick with Veras until/unless he goes full Marmol.

[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.

[Guest]

On a team like ours, the only purpose of having a closer at all is to build trade value anyway, so I'd expect them to stick with Veras until/unless he goes full Marmol.

 

Or, you know, try to win games because this team hasn't been too bad so far and it's only April 11th.

[mul21]

I'm willing to bet Matheny is going to catch some flack for that Rosenthal decision.

 

He did. Basically said Rosenthal had thrown 6 pitches and he wanted him out there again. Apparently there's some trust issues with the guys he had left in the pen based on what the Cards announcers were saying.

[DiamondMind]

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

[ConstableRabbit]

Holly talking like he bumped a couple of rails before going on air.

[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.

[DiamondMind]

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?

[Andy]

On a team like ours, the only purpose of having a closer at all is to build trade value anyway, so I'd expect them to stick with Veras until/unless he goes full Marmol.

 

Or, you know, try to win games because this team hasn't been too bad so far and it's only April 11th.

Well, that's what I'd like to do, I'm just speculating what the FO is shooting for, and I'm assuming the idea behind getting someone else's closer on a team that on paper isn't ready to contend was to run him out there a half-season and hope he's good and you can flip him for more prospects.