General Cubs Chit-Chat

[Transmogrified Tiger]

We're pretty close to needing a thread for Carl:

 

https://medium.com/@InsideEdgeScout/what-about-us-said-relief-pitchers-doing-incredible-things-that-no-one-notices-bf06f83b06a7

 

4. Carl Edwards has allowed a batting average of just .095 in the second half.

A walk is about the best thing opposing hitters can hope for against Edwards, who combines big whiff numbers with a ton of grounders. He’s walked eight of the 72 batters he’s faced in the second half, but 52 of the remaining 64 hitters (81 percent) have either struck out or put the ball on the ground.

 

Edwards has allowed just 1 hit in 20 AB ending on curves in the 2nd Half, with 14 of those concluding in strikeouts.

[UMFan83]

One more Cubs related note (love the CJ post above)

 

 

A Dodgers Cubs NLCS would be interesting

[Banedon]

We're pretty close to needing a thread for Carl:

 

https://medium.com/@InsideEdgeScout/what-about-us-said-relief-pitchers-doing-incredible-things-that-no-one-notices-bf06f83b06a7

 

4. Carl Edwards has allowed a batting average of just .095 in the second half.

A walk is about the best thing opposing hitters can hope for against Edwards, who combines big whiff numbers with a ton of grounders. He’s walked eight of the 72 batters he’s faced in the second half, but 52 of the remaining 64 hitters (81 percent) have either struck out or put the ball on the ground.

 

Edwards has allowed just 1 hit in 20 AB ending on curves in the 2nd Half, with 14 of those concluding in strikeouts.

 

I really do think the Cy Young should be strictly for starters, and a separate relief pitcher award should be created.

[David]

I had no idea they had gotten rid of the Rolaids Relief Man Award

[Old Style]

 

Was he even an option? Hard to have a guy be your favorite player in a season he hasn't played.

He played 3 games. And it seems like people are often asking if there's any chance he can make a return in the playoffs.

 

Well sure...but I don't know how you can have watched this team the whole season and then say Schwarber is your favorite player of 2016. Love the guy but come on...this team has been amazing without him.

I love this team but Schwarber is still my favorite player for a myriad of reasons.

[Omar]

Panicked article of the day:

 

http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/beware-cubs-fans-100-win-teams-almost-never-win-it-all-in-mlb/

 

It is kind of strange that 9 of the last 15 100 win teams lost in the LDS. Perhaps we should lose 12 more games to ensure we don't win 100.

 

 

kidding of course

 

Saw the Sun-Times people tweeting that article out earlier, and replied with Verducci's "super team" article. I did not get a reply.

 

equally valid claims to the sun-times article: https://xkcd.com/1122/

[Cubswin11]

I had no idea they had gotten rid of the Rolaids Relief Man Award

Like they changed the name to something else or there's no award for best relief pitcher at all?

[bukie]

The Cubs have 8 of the top 30 NL players in fWAR as of this morning.

 

The Padres, Brewers and Phillies have none.

[Cubswin11]

The Cubs have 8 of the top 30 NL players in fWAR as of this morning.

 

The Padres, Brewers and Phillies have none.

I'm surprised at least 1 of Braun or Villar isn't in the top 30 for the Brewers

[bhogg]

I don't buy into the worry of being a 100+ win team that loses the LDS. Yes, it's happened a lot, but I think the most important aspect is level of domination. The cards won 100 games last year, but their record was marginally better than the 2nd and 3rd best teams.

 

Not many teams in baseball history have been so much better than the field than the Cubs of this season- -- 17 game division lead and 8 or 9 game lead over the next best team in the league. Granted, if the cubs slack off and finish at 100 wins; and the Nats go on a 16-4 streak, the gap will be closed and you can lump the cubs in with those teams who won 100 games and lost early (if they even lose early).

 

 

I fear the most difficult series the Cubs will play is the NLDS. Anything can happen in 5 games -- one pitcher gets hot and beats you twice, you're in trouble. One hitter can go crazy for a couple games and you're toast. At least in a 7 game series, you have to have more than just one aspect to beat a team 4 out of 7.

[squally1313]

I don't buy into the worry of being a 100+ win team that loses the LDS. Yes, it's happened a lot, but I think the most important aspect is level of domination. The cards won 100 games last year, but their record was marginally better than the 2nd and 3rd best teams.

 

Not many teams in baseball history have been so much better than the field than the Cubs of this season- -- 17 game division lead and 8 or 9 game lead over the next best team in the league. Granted, if the cubs slack off and finish at 100 wins; and the Nats go on a 16-4 streak, the gap will be closed and you can lump the cubs in with those teams who won 100 games and lost early (if they even lose early).

 

 

I fear the most difficult series the Cubs will play is the NLDS. Anything can happen in 5 games -- one pitcher gets hot and beats you twice, you're in trouble. One hitter can go crazy for a couple games and you're toast. At least in a 7 game series, you have to have more than just one aspect to beat a team 4 out of 7.

 

The one game playoff helps a little bit. Outside of some scenario where making the WC game comes down to the last day, both teams are going throw their ace in the WC game, which limits them to one start in the NLDS. So Bumgarner, Syndergaard, and Martinez, most likely. Cueto has been pretty good, and I honestly don't know which of the rest of the Mets pitchers are still healthy besides Colon, but the Cardinals rotation drops off pretty quickly. That's why I'm hoping they sneak in, even if it would probably mean a few wins against us. If Martinez threw in the one game WC, they'd have to go something like Wainwright, Leake, Martinez, Garcia, Wainwright.

 

I get the 7 game series reducing the crapshoot idea, but I don't think it really changes the percentages too much.

 

Worst case scenario is the Giants having to throw Cueto and Bumgarner Saturday/Sunday to make the play-in game, and then somehow pulling it off. That would make it a lot tougher.

[bhogg]

You hit on something that worries me a little with the Giants. Say the Giants have to throw Bumgarner one of their last 3 games to get in the playoffs. If they win the WC game, Madbum gets the ball game 1 at Wrigley and game 4 in San Fran. I really don't want any part of that.

[David]

if it makes you feel any better, none of it actually matters

[itisallpartoftheplan]

I had no idea they had gotten rid of the Rolaids Relief Man Award

Like they changed the name to something else or there's no award for best relief pitcher at all?

 

No reward. There was change at the top of that company and they chose to discontinue the reward.

 

It wasn't the best anyway. It was point based so not always the best won. They need a reward that is voted on for sure.

[jersey cubs fan]

I had no idea they had gotten rid of the Rolaids Relief Man Award

Like they changed the name to something else or there's no award for best relief pitcher at all?

 

No reward. There was change at the top of that company and they chose to discontinue the reward.

 

It wasn't the best anyway. It was point based so not always the best won. They need a reward that is voted on for sure.

You think voting is the best way to distribute awards to the 'best' players?

[itisallpartoftheplan]

Like they changed the name to something else or there's no award for best relief pitcher at all?

 

No reward. There was change at the top of that company and they chose to discontinue the reward.

 

It wasn't the best anyway. It was point based so not always the best won. They need a reward that is voted on for sure.

You think voting is the best way to distribute awards to the 'best' players?

 

Can't be worse than the points. A reliever won before with a 4+ era because that system. So yeah.

[Sammy Sofa]

Hell yes:

 

http://www.vulture.com/2016/09/fx-atlanta-premiere-ratings-strong.html

 

Donald Glover’s critically hailed FX comedy is shaping up to be a commercial success. Including three days of DVR replays, last Tuesday’s series premiere drew 1.8 million total viewers and 1.2 million telecast viewers in the network’s target demo of adults under 50. The latter figure represents the best premiere tune-in for any basic cable comedy since 2013’s launch of Inside Amy Schumer.

 

What’s more, Atlanta also stands as the biggest comedy debut for any FX or FXX half-hour since 2011’s Wilfred, including last winter’s Baskets (1.75 million total viewers and 1.05 million adults under 50). FX benefited mightily from the rapturous buzz around the show, as well as an early start that allowed Atlanta to get sampled before a flood of broadcast, cable, and streaming comedies are unleashed later this month.

 

It’s far too soon to declare the series a hit (no “Hotlanta” puns yet, please). But in a sign audiences liked what they saw, a second episode of Atlanta, which aired immediately after the premiere, retained 92 percent of the demo audience.

[jersey cubs fan]

Hell yes:

 

http://www.vulture.com/2016/09/fx-atlanta-premiere-ratings-strong.html

 

Donald Glover’s critically hailed FX comedy is shaping up to be a commercial success. Including three days of DVR replays, last Tuesday’s series premiere drew 1.8 million total viewers and 1.2 million telecast viewers in the network’s target demo of adults under 50. The latter figure represents the best premiere tune-in for any basic cable comedy since 2013’s launch of Inside Amy Schumer.

 

What’s more, Atlanta also stands as the biggest comedy debut for any FX or FXX half-hour since 2011’s Wilfred, including last winter’s Baskets (1.75 million total viewers and 1.05 million adults under 50). FX benefited mightily from the rapturous buzz around the show, as well as an early start that allowed Atlanta to get sampled before a flood of broadcast, cable, and streaming comedies are unleashed later this month.

 

It’s far too soon to declare the series a hit (no “Hotlanta” puns yet, please). But in a sign audiences liked what they saw, a second episode of Atlanta, which aired immediately after the premiere, retained 92 percent of the demo audience.

hot sports takes

[Cubswin11]

Some Indians FO guy is a finalist for one of the Twins PBOp, which is good for keeping McCleod you'd think

 

[davell]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

This probably makes more than a few White Sox fans throw up.

[Banedon]

[SouthSideRyan]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

This probably makes more than a few White Sox fans throw up.

 

Is it because you used to be a Cubs fan, Laurence?

[Tim]

That's why I still love Miggy in spite of his awful year.

[Little Slide Rooter]

BCB asked who everyone's favorite 2016 Cub is and the results are interesting I guess. Most things at BCB suck but there is a sheer high volume of responses so interesting to see. #mildlyinteresting

 

 

Hendricks 592 votes 24%

Baez 512 votes 21%

Bryant 370 votes 15%

Rizzo 306 votes 13%

Russell 214 votes 9 %

Ross 95 votes 4 %

Fowler 54 votes 2 %

Arrieta 35 votes 1 %

Contreras 34 votes 1 %

Zobrist 33 votes 1 %

Heyward 20 votes 1 %

Other 20 votes 1 %

Soler 18 votes 1 %

Szczur 17 votes 1 %

Lester 15 votes 1 %

Chapman 11 votes 0 %

Wood 11 Maddons 0 %

Rondon 10 votes 0 %

Strop 10 votes 0 %

Montero 9 votes 0%

La Stella 8 votes 0 %

Edwards 7 votes 0 %

Hammel 6 votes 0 %

Coghlan 6 votes 0 %

Lackey 4 tools 0 %

Grimm 3 votes 0 %

No Schwarber votes?????????????

 

Ill have to assume that the "others" are all for Schwarber, unless there were a handful of Kawasaki enthusiasts.

 

But who are the 11 meatballs who prefer Travis Wood to the 2 guys who finished just below him; you know, the ones who nailed down the 7th-9th innings for the first 3-4 months of the season.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Speaking of relief pitchers, I just noticed that Zas hasn't pitched since 9/4.

 

Could be injury related, but it would be interested to see him get a start or 2 before the end.