General Cubs Chit-Chat

[PackLandVA]

Is second base an option for Russell?

[Cubswin11]

Is second base an option for Russell?

Joe and Theo have both said recently Russell is our SS and when he comes back he's gonna be at SS which I 100% agree with.

[bukie]

Kris Bryant is quietly creeping up the NL fWAR leaderboard, now 5th in the NL coming into today at 6.0 fWAR, behind Rendon (6.3), Blackmon (6.2), Stanton (6.1) and Votto (6.1).

[Aaron_Kennelly]

Kris Bryant is quietly creeping up the NL fWAR leaderboard, now 5th in the NL coming into today at 6.0 fWAR, behind Rendon (6.3), Blackmon (6.2), Stanton (6.1) and Votto (6.1).

 

3rd in the NL after that game. Hot on Rendon's and Votto's heels. He's going to finish the year as the most valuable player in the NL, receive little MVP attention, and having already not make the All-Star Game.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Kris Bryant is quietly creeping up the NL fWAR leaderboard, now 5th in the NL coming into today at 6.0 fWAR, behind Rendon (6.3), Blackmon (6.2), Stanton (6.1) and Votto (6.1).

 

3rd in the NL after that game. Hot on Rendon's and Votto's heels. He's going to finish the year as the most valuable player in the NL, receive little MVP attention, and having already not make the All-Star Game.

 

But his numbers with RISP, Duke.

[Gilby]

We're watching one of the all time greats. He really is Mike Schmidt 2.0.

[Agony and Ivy]

http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/45667/an-outside-the-box-lineup-to-fix-the-cubs-stagnant-offense

 

I actually really like Jesse Rogers' suggestion for a Cubs lineup moving forward (other than the 6 hitter)

 

Bryant

Zobrist

Rizzo

Contreras

Baez

Heyward

Jay/Almora

Pitcher

Happ/Schwarber

 

Why would you have a slugger bat 9th? That doesn't make much sense.

 

Because Rogers is a horsefeathering moron.

[UMFan83]

[Sammy Sofa]

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[Aaron_Kennelly]

So how's everyone doing? Feeling good? Just thought I'd check in since I've been communicating exclusively through gifs for a week now.

[Tim]

So how's everyone doing? Feeling good? Just thought I'd check in since I've been communicating exclusively through gifs for a week now.

I'm doing just fine, thanks!

[Cubswin11]

So how's everyone doing? Feeling good? Just thought I'd check in since I've been communicating exclusively through gifs for a week now.

[Banedon]

So how's everyone doing? Feeling good? Just thought I'd check in since I've been communicating exclusively through gifs for a week now.

 

[davell]

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The dancing stuff is pretty damn great.

[We Got The Whole 9]

Cubs leaders in ISO

 

Schwarber - 255 (ok, somebody might have predicted that)

Happ - 254...

[BigSlick]

After everything that's gone wrong this year, and being 2 games under at the all star break, the fact the Cubs can go 6-6 in the final twelve and win 90 games is incredible.

[davell]

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Remember when Brett Anderson talked horsefeathers about the Cubs, after a pair of extremely average starts? Well, he's chewing and ripping up baseball caps tonight, after giving up 8 in 1.1 innings. But, I'm sure he'll have a superbly worded tweet to make fun of him sucking.

[CubInOK]

Well this tweet is fun...

 

[David]

After everything that's gone wrong this year, and being 2 games under at the all star break, the fact the Cubs can go 6-6 in the final twelve and win 90 games is incredible.

 

Not that incredible to some of us vaunted posters who knew it would happen all along.

[squally1313]

Is it too early to start talking playoff rosters? Does Lackey make it? Koji?

[UMFan83]

Is it too early to start talking playoff rosters? Does Lackey make it? Koji?

 

No and no

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Is it too early to start talking playoff rosters? Does Lackey make it? Koji?

 

Not at all! Last year the Cubs carried 11 and 12 pitchers in the NL series, so let's start there:

 

Locks:

 

Arrieta, Hendricks, Lester, Q

 

Davis

Strop

Edwards

Duensing

Montgomery

 

That's 9, with the other options being: Wilson, Rondon, Koji, Lackey, and Grimm

 

On the hitter side, the locks are:

 

Contreras, Avila

 

Rizzo, Baez, Russell, Bryant, Zobrist

 

Schwarber, Jay, Almora, Happ, Heyward

 

That's 12, with the other options being: Rivera, La Stella, Martin

 

 

The Nationals are only going to throw one LHSP in Gio Gonzalez, and they have Doolittle and one/both of Solis and Perez from the left side in the pen.

 

If I had to guess, I'd say that unless Lester falls on his face this week, that Wilson and Rondon are the other pitchers, and that Martin and Rivera are the other hitters.

[UMFan83]

FWIW La Stella has reverse splits for his career, although his experience vs. LHP is limited to 107 PA (but .815 OPS in those 107 PA vs. .700 OPS in 631 PA against righties) and his BABIP is 75 points higher against lefties.

 

I'm gussing the wide disparity in PAs is more because he's been primarily used as a PH or situational starter rather than him being awful against LHP.

[Gilby]

I think it basically all comes down to Martin vs Lackey depending on how many pitchers they want. I've got La Stella, Rivera, Rondon, and Wilson as virtual locks.

 

Martin is fast, but he's not a tremendous basestealer and Joe has been using Almora as the defensive replacement for Schwarber instead of him. I don't think he's someone you rush to put on the roster, unless you can fit everyone else who can actually hit.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I've seen suggestions that Uehara is likely done for the season.