10/13 Cardinals (Lackey) @ CUBS (HAMMEL), TBS, 3:37 CT

[Guest]

There's no reason not to start Javy.

 

If Russell is out and Javy doesn't start, I imagine he'll get the Coghlan treatment from yesterday where he's the first pinch hitter so he plays 4-5 innings and gets 2 at bats anyway. Shielding him from Lackey isn't the worst idea in the world.

[mul21]

I would prefer not having La Stella and Coghlan in the lineup

 

Both have looked pretty bad recently, I don't really care about handedness that much

 

Cogs had a pretty hard hit ball in his first AB last night for a single. Looked terrible striking out in his second, but I'm not sure you'll get much better from Soler, who certainly won't see any hittable FBs from a guy as smart about pitching as Lackey is.

[NonProfitCow]

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[Schwarbie]

I would prefer not having La Stella and Coghlan in the lineup

 

Both have looked pretty bad recently, I don't really care about handedness that much

 

Cogs had a pretty hard hit ball in his first AB last night for a single. Looked terrible striking out in his second, but I'm not sure you'll get much better from Soler, who certainly won't see any hittable FBs from a guy as smart about pitching as Lackey is.

 

Yeah but the guy is seeing the ball great, and is taking his walks. If they don't want to throw him hitable pitches then he'll be standing on first.

[Guest]

If Russell can't go today, I'd guess Coghlan and La Stella at the start over Schwarber and Baez.

 

Fowler

Coghlan

Bryant

Rizzo

Soler

Montero

Castro

Hammel

La Stella

 

I'm sorry, but I can't find a single reasonable reason to bench Schwarber. Let's bench Rizzo while we're at it.

 

The other 2 corner outfielder options are the guy who hasn't made an out yet this postseason, and the guy who is probably least susceptible of the 3 to Lackey's repertoire(who is also 8 for 19 against him). There are no 'bad' choices.

[USSoccer]

There's no reason not to start Javy.

 

If Russell is out and Javy doesn't start, I imagine he'll get the Coghlan treatment from yesterday where he's the first pinch hitter so he plays 4-5 innings and gets 2 at bats anyway. Shielding him from Lackey isn't the worst idea in the world.

 

There's a value in putting Javy in and showing confidence in him defensively; it'd settle his nerves and he's a much better defensive player than Coghlan is.

[Guest]

There's no reason not to start Javy.

 

If Russell is out and Javy doesn't start, I imagine he'll get the Coghlan treatment from yesterday where he's the first pinch hitter so he plays 4-5 innings and gets 2 at bats anyway. Shielding him from Lackey isn't the worst idea in the world.

 

There's a value in putting Javy in and showing confidence in him defensively; it'd settle his nerves and he's a much better defensive player than Coghlan is.

 

You wouldn't be keeping Baez out for defensive reasons, and leaving him in after pinch hitting does just that w/r/t showing confidence in his glove.

[sneakypower]

There's no reason not to start Javy.

there's like a dozen valid reasons not to

[jersey cubs fan]

There's no reason not to start Javy.

 

If Russell is out and Javy doesn't start, I imagine he'll get the Coghlan treatment from yesterday where he's the first pinch hitter so he plays 4-5 innings and gets 2 at bats anyway. Shielding him from Lackey isn't the worst idea in the world.

 

There's a value in putting Javy in and showing confidence in him defensively; it'd settle his nerves and he's a much better defensive player than Coghlan is.

I'm not sure there is much value in that at this moment in time.

[UK1679666180]

My expected lineup. ..

 

Fowler

Schwarber

Bryant

Rizzo

Castro

Soler

Montero

Baez

Hammel

[jersey cubs fan]

I would prefer not having La Stella and Coghlan in the lineup

 

Both have looked pretty bad recently, I don't really care about handedness that much

 

Cogs had a pretty hard hit ball in his first AB last night for a single. Looked terrible striking out in his second, but I'm not sure you'll get much better from Soler, who certainly won't see any hittable FBs from a guy as smart about pitching as Lackey is.

 

Yeah but the guy is seeing the ball great, and is taking his walks. If they don't want to throw him hitable pitches then he'll be standing on first.

Depends on what kind of zone the ump wants to give Lackey.

[Schwarbie]

If Russell can't go today, I'd guess Coghlan and La Stella at the start over Schwarber and Baez.

 

Fowler

Coghlan

Bryant

Rizzo

Soler

Montero

Castro

Hammel

La Stella

 

I'm sorry, but I can't find a single reasonable reason to bench Schwarber. Let's bench Rizzo while we're at it.

 

The other 2 corner outfielder options are the guy who hasn't made an out yet this postseason, and the guy who is probably least susceptible of the 3 to Lackey's repertoire(who is also 8 for 19 against him). There are no 'bad' choices.

 

I hear ya, but this is the same manager who started Schwarber in RF and Bryant in LF of an elimination game. Don't be crazy surprised if Coghs is at 2B and Castro at short. I think/hope La Stella is the last guy we think about starting.

[jersey cubs fan]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

I love grumpy dog in that photo.

[Guest]

If Molina can't play, does that affect Lackey at all?

I don't think he's getting the same strike zone. That's going to be the biggest factor. Cuzzi cost the Cubs dearly.

[Outshined_One]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

I love grumpy dog in that photo.

 

My first thought was that she is a bandwagoner.

 

My second thought was that 2005 was ten years ago.

 

My third thought was sadness. I am [expletive] old.

[BigSlick]

What if Russell is healthy enough to start and none of this debate means anything?

[jersey cubs fan]

What if Russell is healthy enough to start and none of this debate means anything?

Playing less than 24 hours after a hammy issue in colder weather seems unlikely to me, but that would be for the best.

[Guest]

If Molina can't play, does that affect Lackey at all?

I don't think he's getting the same strike zone. That's going to be the biggest factor. Cuzzi cost the Cubs dearly.

 

Speaking of which, Mark Carlson is today's home plate umpire. He calls almost as many out of zone pitches as strikes as Cuzzi, and calls more balls on in zone pitches. This is a hard graph to conceptualize, but here's Carlson's strike zone compared to Cuzzi's.

 

v. LH Batter (catcher's perspective)

 

http://www.baseballheatmaps.com/graph/cache/fct8jvqpkg1uol2b2d34qrr0a458LWM.png

 

v. RH batter

 

http://www.baseballheatmaps.com/graph/cache/fct8jvqpkg1uol2b2d34qrr0a458RWM.png

 

 

Green means they call strikes about the same, blue means Carlson calls fewer strikes there, and yellow means Carlson calls more strikes. In other words, Carlson does not normally give a huge outside corner like Cuzzi, but against RH hitters he'll be more generous on the inside edge.

[Guest]

I don't want to see Addison to unless he's 100% healthy.

[Stu]

I'm listening to highlights from the Cardinals side and Mike Shannon keeps calling him "Gor-ge Solar"

 

Homie, he's gonna keep hitting home runs so you better learn his name

 

He's such a giant turd. He ALWAYS called Maddux Maddox and I still want to punch him in the face for it.

 

 

Did you see where his sidekick has taken to sarcastically calling Maddon "the Genius"? Those two are perfect for Cardinal nation.

[NonProfitCow]

My favorite team's season relies on the right am of this guy

 

 

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[mul21]

I would prefer not having La Stella and Coghlan in the lineup

 

Both have looked pretty bad recently, I don't really care about handedness that much

 

Cogs had a pretty hard hit ball in his first AB last night for a single. Looked terrible striking out in his second, but I'm not sure you'll get much better from Soler, who certainly won't see any hittable FBs from a guy as smart about pitching as Lackey is.

 

Yeah but the guy is seeing the ball great, and is taking his walks. If they don't want to throw him hitable pitches then he'll be standing on first.

 

You missed the most important part there......hittable fastballs. He'll get strikes, but they'll be on breaking balls that he's shown very little ability to hit. He gets a couple strikes on him and then he's susceptible to the slider out of the zone. I just like Coghlan better in this spot and as soon as Lackey is gone, put Soler in the game to dong away.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

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[Fro]

I would prefer not having La Stella and Coghlan in the lineup

 

Both have looked pretty bad recently, I don't really care about handedness that much

 

Cogs had a pretty hard hit ball in his first AB last night for a single. Looked terrible striking out in his second, but I'm not sure you'll get much better from Soler, who certainly won't see any hittable FBs from a guy as smart about pitching as Lackey is.

 

Yeah but the guy is seeing the ball great, and is taking his walks. If they don't want to throw him hitable pitches then he'll be standing on first.

 

You missed the most important part there......hittable fastballs. He'll get strikes, but they'll be on breaking balls that he's shown very little ability to hit. He gets a couple strikes on him and then he's susceptible to the slider out of the zone. I just like Coghlan better in this spot and as soon as Lackey is gone, put Soler in the game to dong away.

 

I don't think you can take Soler out given how nuclear hot he is.

[NonProfitCow]

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