General Cubs Chit-Chat

[Sammy Sofa]

That was a tremendous moment. I horsefeathering love Contreras and I'm gonna miss him terribly when he's traded.

It isn't too late. I don't care if the Cubs trade Happ, but they should re-sign Contreras and let him be the bridge to the future. Yadi is 39 years old, and now especially with the DH, there's no reason Willy can't be productive for another 4-5+ years.

 

it’s just rank sentimentality, but I’d like it if a core member of the 2016 squad made it til retirement as a Cub.

 

Sorry, it'll be Fartface McGee and nobody else.

 

[Sammy Sofa]

I'm not posting this here as news; that was done in the minor leagues forum.

 

I'm posting this here because [expletive] that dude has a magnificent caboose.

 

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[JudasIscariotTheBird]

Classic scouting horsefeathers:

https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2010/04/09/buck-showalter-on-derek-lees-butt-i-look-at-it-i-say-wow/

[Splendid Splinter]

I'm not posting this here as news; that was done in the minor leagues forum.

 

I'm posting this here because [expletive] that dude has a magnificent caboose.

 

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[Sosa21MVP]

I have not been to a Cubs game since I believe 2010. I have tickets to 2 games this month: next week in Baltimore and the following week at Wrigley.

 

I have not been to a game since 2011 and I have tickets to both games of the double-header today.

[PriorFighter]

Seems to me that at this point, you've gotta think of Patrick Wisdom as a piece of a winning team for the next few years. Through nearly a full season of ABs over 21-22 he's got 40 HR and an .803 OPS. His plate discipline could definitely use some work, but if he cuts his K's down just 10-15% to the 20-25% range, he's a very solid 6 hole hitter. Not to mention the somewhat positive defensive metrics at 3B.

[Cubswin11]

Seems to me that at this point, you've gotta think of Patrick Wisdom as a piece of a winning team for the next few years. Through nearly a full season of ABs over 21-22 he's got 40 HR and an .803 OPS. His plate discipline could definitely use some work, but if he cuts his K's down just 10-15% to the 20-25% range, he's a very solid 6 hole hitter. Not to mention the somewhat positive defensive metrics at 3B.

He’s close to 31 years old, cutting down his K%, 10-15% doesn’t seem like anything remotely possible

[soccer10k]

Seems to me that at this point, you've gotta think of Patrick Wisdom as a piece of a winning team for the next few years. Through nearly a full season of ABs over 21-22 he's got 40 HR and an .803 OPS. His plate discipline could definitely use some work, but if he cuts his K's down just 10-15% to the 20-25% range, he's a very solid 6 hole hitter. Not to mention the somewhat positive defensive metrics at 3B.

He’s close to 31 years old, cutting down his K%, 10-15% doesn’t seem like anything remotely possible

 

Not to mention that in a hypothetical world where he did do that, he’s an 3-4 hitter and an All Star.

[Regular Show]

 

 

Pretty interesting.

 

I doubt the reduction in strikeout rate is sustainable, but the increase in average exit velocity is promising. Switching bats can lead to increases in exit velocity (sometimes). Never used a bat like this and I wonder how it feels. I definitely hate bats with a small knob at the end and a narrow handle. I remember the axe-handle bat was all the rage a few years back and KB tried it before switching back.

[CubinNY]

[Andy]

Not sure where to put this but reports are that Contreras and the Cubs settled at the midpoint between their arbitration figures to dodge the hearing that was set for today.

[Bertz]

I think the new bat #s are likely confounded by A) the early season weather and B) that insane 2 weeks of Braves-Brewers-Sox-Dodgers-Padres that ended shortly before the change. It's probably not really a thing.

 

That said, yeah we're now a full year in of Wisdom being a 115 wRC+ guy. And the peripherals are generally better this year, so it's looking more and more sustainable.

 

I'd like to see him clean up the recent defense at 3B a bit more to be where it was last year, but he looks like a pretty good bet for ~2.5 WAR for the medium term.

 

Speaking of small samples suddenly not being so small anymore, Nico Hoerner is approaching 600 career PAs as well and will likely be right around 4 WAR at that point. And the projections think that is indeed north of 3 WAR on a per-inning basis.

[champaignchris]

I think the new bat #s are likely confounded by A) the early season weather and B) that insane 2 weeks of Braves-Brewers-Sox-Dodgers-Padres that ended shortly before the change. It's probably not really a thing.

 

That said, yeah we're now a full year in of Wisdom being a 115 wRC+ guy. And the peripherals are generally better this year, so it's looking more and more sustainable.

 

I'd like to see him clean up the recent defense at 3B a bit more to be where it was last year, but he looks like a pretty good bet for ~2.5 WAR for the medium term.

 

Speaking of small samples suddenly not being so small anymore, Nico Hoerner is approaching 600 career PAs as well and will likely be right around 4 WAR at that point. And the projections think that is indeed north of 3 WAR on a per-inning basis.

 

You can squint and see how they could be a pretty good offensive team next year by adding someone from the Turner/Correa/Bogaerts trio and Josh Bell in free agency.

 

But then, they could have been a pretty good offensive team THIS year if they’d have added a couple more of the available bats.

[We Got The Whole 9]

They need starting pitching something serious. Should have added Rodon, possibly Gausman.

 

Sent from my motorola one 5G UW using Tapatalk

[OleMissCub]

 

Also, why not...maybe Heyward's got a pulse at the plate still

 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

It might just be a temporary hot streak, but Justin Steele may be figuring some things out. His last month: 6 GS, 32 IP, 27 H, 31/13 K/BB, 1 HR, 3.66 ERA, 2.83 FIP

 

Some things worth calling out in that run:

 

- He's averaging 5+ IP per start, his previous 6 starts averaged less than 4

- Only 1 HR and a GB% north of 50%, plus BABIP is a reasonable .292 so he's not dodging a bunch of danger

- K's are up and walks are down over the first 6 starts

- He's throwing some more first pitch strikes (57% v. 52%), but otherwise there isn't a material change in pitch usage, zone%, or swing%, just mild improvements across the board

- Weirdly enough, he has been consistently fine against RHH (roughly .300 wOBA), but lefties went from a .421 wOBA to .213 between the first 6 and last 6 starts

- All of this includes his recent 2 IP, 7 ER blow up so we're not getting cute with endpoints to avoid the actual bad stuff

 

 

All of this added together is pretty encouraging, because even when he had a crummy start to the year there were some promising signs, like his FIP and cruising through the first 3+ IP. If he's unlocked better sequencing or simply gotten his legs under him to be able to hold his performance through 5 IP consistently, that's a perfectly useful SP. He's on a pace for 3.3 fWAR per 30 starts even with the slow start, so even if his recent form regresses he still has room to meet the 'deserves a rotation spot' threshold.

[stitchface]

What I find unfair is that the Cubs have to play 162 games against teams better than them

[Bertz]

It might just be a temporary hot streak, but Justin Steele may be figuring some things out. His last month: 6 GS, 32 IP, 27 H, 31/13 K/BB, 1 HR, 3.66 ERA, 2.83 FIP

 

Some things worth calling out in that run:

 

- He's averaging 5+ IP per start, his previous 6 starts averaged less than 4

- Only 1 HR and a GB% north of 50%, plus BABIP is a reasonable .292 so he's not dodging a bunch of danger

- K's are up and walks are down over the first 6 starts

- He's throwing some more first pitch strikes (57% v. 52%), but otherwise there isn't a material change in pitch usage, zone%, or swing%, just mild improvements across the board

- Weirdly enough, he has been consistently fine against RHH (roughly .300 wOBA), but lefties went from a .421 wOBA to .213 between the first 6 and last 6 starts

- All of this includes his recent 2 IP, 7 ER blow up so we're not getting cute with endpoints to avoid the actual bad stuff

 

 

All of this added together is pretty encouraging, because even when he had a crummy start to the year there were some promising signs, like his FIP and cruising through the first 3+ IP. If he's unlocked better sequencing or simply gotten his legs under him to be able to hold his performance through 5 IP consistently, that's a perfectly useful SP. He's on a pace for 3.3 fWAR per 30 starts even with the slow start, so even if his recent form regresses he still has room to meet the 'deserves a rotation spot' threshold.

 

I think most encouraging to me is the times through the order penalty is getting less stiff for him.

 

1st time through the order: 2.79 xFIP

2nd time through: 4.14 xFIP

3rd time through: 2.81 xFIP

 

The fact that his 2nd time through numbers are now perfectly fine and his third time through numbers are great is encouraging. While those 3rd time through numbers especially won't keep up it hopefully shows that he has the repertoire necessary to stay a legit starter. On the other hand the velo loss within starts kind of terrifies me. He didn't crack 91 his last two innings last night. If he was 93-95 the first few innings and 91-93 at the end of the night that'd be fine, but he drops down as low as 87 at points. The results aren't as horrible as you'd expect, but it sort of feels like a matter of time?

[squally1313]

Are you guys telling me I'm going to have to learn the difference between Thompson and Steele?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Are you guys telling me I'm going to have to learn the difference between Thompson and Steele?

 

Steele has an L in it so he's the lefty

 

Thompson's first name has an ee and k for "eek get that guy out of the rotation and back into the bullpen"

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Where's the best spot to park for the game tomorrow without dropping a ton of cash?

[Backtobanks]

Where's the best spot to park for the game tomorrow without dropping a ton of cash?

 

 

At home and watch it on TV.

[WrigleyField 22]

Where's the best spot to park for the game tomorrow without dropping a ton of cash?

If you have the time the free park and ride really isn't a bad bet. Although my parents used it a few weeks ago and at that time they werent dropping you off right at the stadium. Not sure if that was still the case or a short term thing cuz there was/is construction.

 

Edit - nevermind that's only nights and weekends.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Where's the best spot to park for the game tomorrow without dropping a ton of cash?

 

 

At home and watch it on TV.

Well I already have tickets and will be going so piss off.

[pitchcs]

Where's the best spot to park for the game tomorrow without dropping a ton of cash?

 

Literally anywhere in the neighborhood? It's a day game, street parking will be easy.