Schwarber: Fully torn ACL and LCL. Out for 172 meaningless games.

[Billy_Buck]

"Kyle, you guys need another set-up man with Rondon not being himself. Is that something you could do?"

 

"Well, I've never pitched before, but, horsefeathers it, yeah, I'll get it done."

 

This reminded me of something I was thinking about before Game 1. I imagined a conversation between Schwarber and La Stella when Schwarber came in to take his possible roster spot going something like the one Homer had with Darryl Strawberry:

 

TLS: hey, you're Kyle Schwarber

KS: Yes

TLS: You're a left handed hitter

KS: Yes

TLS: I'm a left handed hitter, too

KS: So...

TLS: Well are you better than me?

KS: Well... I haven't played all year, but yes

These latest developments put all that mid-season La Stella drama into even sharper relief, don't they? I mean, you have all these teammates and management types praising Schwarber's commitment and work ethic and leadership -- and meanwhile, Tommy was pouting about spending some time in the minors. Not to re-litigate the episode while there are more important things to worry about, but wow, in retrospect the team showed remarkable restraint.

[Sammy Sofa]

"Kyle, you guys need another set-up man with Rondon not being himself. Is that something you could do?"

 

"Well, I've never pitched before, but, horsefeathers it, yeah, I'll get it done."

 

This reminded me of something I was thinking about before Game 1. I imagined a conversation between Schwarber and La Stella when Schwarber came in to take his possible roster spot going something like the one Homer had with Darryl Strawberry:

 

TLS: hey, you're Kyle Schwarber

KS: Yes

TLS: You're a left handed hitter

KS: Yes

TLS: I'm a left handed hitter, too

KS: So...

TLS: Well are you better than me?

KS: Well... I haven't played all year, but yes

These latest developments put all that mid-season La Stella drama into even sharper relief, don't they? I mean, you have all these teammates and management types praising Schwarber's commitment and work ethic and leadership -- and meanwhile, Tommy was pouting about spending some time in the minors. Not to re-litigate the episode while there are more important things to worry about, but wow, in retrospect the team showed remarkable restraint.

 

With all of the awesomeness going on right now I can't imagine putting an ounce of thought towards La Stella at all. Like, I've already forgotten who he is while typing this post.

[David]

I guess the only annoying thing is people assuming that Schwarber has no future on this team and will HAVE to be traded sometime soon. I don't think anything like that is in play. Theo and Jed want him on this team, and I actually have full confidence he can play a manageable (perhaps slightly under average) left field.

 

He's on this team for the forseeable future.

well according to rob neyer the only solution is to trade rizzo

 

boy the battle for biggest career drop off among formerly great baseball writers is intense, but neyer is right up there. I read most of his stuff on espn multiple times in the 90s and never missed a chat. he was awesome. but man he is certifiably terrible now.

 

Is it him getting worse or the fact that there's so much good content out there now?

[BigbadB]

Wouldn't it be pretty easy to play the field Friday night in 40 MPH winds? Let Schwarber set up shop a few feet short of the warning track and then you only have to run forward for balls.

[jersey cubs fan]

well according to rob neyer the only solution is to trade rizzo

 

boy the battle for biggest career drop off among formerly great baseball writers is intense, but neyer is right up there. I read most of his stuff on espn multiple times in the 90s and never missed a chat. he was awesome. but man he is certifiably terrible now.

 

Is it him getting worse or the fact that there's so much good content out there now?

He doesn't even really provide content, and just has a mind boggingly stupid thing to say every month or so.

[Banedon]

Wouldn't it be pretty easy to play the field Friday night in 40 MPH winds? Let Schwarber set up shop a few feet short of the warning track and then you only have to run forward for balls.

 

You still have to be able to move laterally though. I'd love for him to be able to play, but I don't think it's gonna happen.

[BigbadB]

Wouldn't it be pretty easy to play the field Friday night in 40 MPH winds? Let Schwarber set up shop a few feet short of the warning track and then you only have to run forward for balls.

 

You still have to be able to move laterally though. I'd love for him to be able to play, but I don't think it's gonna happen.

 

Shhh. I'm trying to get him in the line up and here you are all negative Nancy.

[Banedon]

Wouldn't it be pretty easy to play the field Friday night in 40 MPH winds? Let Schwarber set up shop a few feet short of the warning track and then you only have to run forward for balls.

 

You still have to be able to move laterally though. I'd love for him to be able to play, but I don't think it's gonna happen.

 

Shhh. I'm trying to get him in the line up and here you are all negative Nancy.

 

I was negative nancy about him returning all season long, and then wasn't completely sold on him being DH in these first two games, so I'm not gonna stop now.

[WrigleyField 22]

Wouldn't it be pretty easy to play the field Friday night in 40 MPH winds? Let Schwarber set up shop a few feet short of the warning track and then you only have to run forward for balls.

 

You still have to be able to move laterally though. I'd love for him to be able to play, but I don't think it's gonna happen.

 

Shhh. I'm trying to get him in the line up and here you are all negative Nancy.

He's not allowed to move laterally, he just turns 90 degrees and then runs straight. Problem solved.

[Sammy Sofa]

The Cleveland lineup isn't going to get much more righthanded, is it?

 

If they could tolerate Soler's wretched (but sexy) presence in RF for a start, surely they can do the same for a guy in LF who is actually useful.

[Banedon]

Cleveland fans, and Indians social media isn't happy with the Schwarber love...

 

[Cubswin11]

Cleveland fans, and Indians social media isn't happy with the Schwarber love...

 

Would they rather MLB tweets about how we made their pitching staff look like little leaguers learning to pitch for the first time last night?

[mikeyt34]

If Kyle plays LF, would it be crazy to play Almora in RF, that way Dex can cheat to LF a lot more? Bascially tell Schwarbs if it's in the LF gap, get out of the way and let Dex get it. I'm saying this with no inteniton of JHey starting. I would much rather have Almora's bat in the line up over his and Almora can cover just as much ground if not more than JHey.

[Banedon]

If Kyle plays LF, would it be crazy to play Almora in RF, that way Dex can cheat to LF a lot more? Bascially tell Schwarbs if it's in the LF gap, get out of the way and let Dex get it. I'm saying this with no inteniton of JHey starting. I would much rather have Almora's bat in the line up over his and Almora can cover just as much ground if not more than JHey.

 

Are you benching Zobrist for Almora?

[Tracer Bullet]

Cleveland fans, and Indians social media isn't happy with the Schwarber love...

 

 

Carlos Baerga threw out of the first pitch for Game 2?

 

Jesus, Cleveland. Was Ricky Vaughn still in rehab?

[Sammy Sofa]

Yeah, benching Zobrist right now would be madness. He and Schwarber are hot as the sun's balls right now; I say you put them both in the OF if you can and let their divine bats make up for the unlikely defensive screwup.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

First the Baez Love haters and now it's people sick of Schwarber Love.

 

What do you want them to do!? Not talk about the badass dudes that are dominating the playoffs? "Oh my god, Joe Buck is talking about this guy that is doing something that's literally never been done before! Boo hoo!"

[WrigleyField 22]

If Kyle plays LF, would it be crazy to play Almora in RF, that way Dex can cheat to LF a lot more? Bascially tell Schwarbs if it's in the LF gap, get out of the way and let Dex get it. I'm saying this with no inteniton of JHey starting. I would much rather have Almora's bat in the line up over his and Almora can cover just as much ground if not more than JHey.

So ;

 

Schwarber/Almora/Baez

V

Schwarber/Almora/Zobrist

V

Schwarber/Zobrist/Baez

V

Almora/Zobrist/Baez

 

With Heyward as a sub for Almora in any scenario (or Soler/Coghlan in the last scenario). I'm not doing option one and also still inclined to keep Javy in. So, no, I don't see a lineup with Schwarber and Almora.

 

It may also be an unpopular opinion, but I think I still prefer Heyward to Almora.

[USSoccer]

If Schwarber plays LF they're going to move Zobrist to 2B and Javy to the bench.

[Tracer Bullet]

If Kyle plays LF, would it be crazy to play Almora in RF, that way Dex can cheat to LF a lot more? Bascially tell Schwarbs if it's in the LF gap, get out of the way and let Dex get it. I'm saying this with no inteniton of JHey starting. I would much rather have Almora's bat in the line up over his and Almora can cover just as much ground if not more than JHey.

 

Are you benching Zobrist for Almora?

 

Yeah, Zobrist is clearly playing the OF and the IF isn't changing. Maddon has shown a willingness to start offense and play defense later, so my guess is if Schwarber starts, he's in LF and Zobrist is in RF.

 

But I don't think Schwarber will start tomorrow. My guess is Joe is confident enough in Hendricks that he'll use Kyle as a key PH when there's a run scoring opportunity (and maybe keep him in the game if he's cleared to play defense). I think we'll see Zobrist in one corner with either Contreras or Soler starting in the opposite corner.

 

If Kyle is cleared to play defense, he might start on Saturday when the Lackey/Kluber matchup is much less favorable and we'll need all the offense we can get.

[MUCubsfan]

I guess the only annoying thing is people assuming that Schwarber has no future on this team and will HAVE to be traded sometime soon. I don't think anything like that is in play. Theo and Jed want him on this team, and I actually have full confidence he can play a manageable (perhaps slightly under average) left field.

 

He's on this team for the forseeable future.

well according to rob neyer the only solution is to trade rizzo

 

boy the battle for biggest career drop off among formerly great baseball writers is intense, but neyer is right up there. I read most of his stuff on espn multiple times in the 90s and never missed a chat. he was awesome. but man he is certifiably terrible now.

He was a writer for SBNation for a brief period. Anyone who is on the same staff as Al Yellon you have to assume is going to become awful through osmosis.

[Tracer Bullet]

well according to rob neyer the only solution is to trade rizzo

 

boy the battle for biggest career drop off among formerly great baseball writers is intense, but neyer is right up there. I read most of his stuff on espn multiple times in the 90s and never missed a chat. he was awesome. but man he is certifiably terrible now.

He was a writer for SBNation for a brief period. Anyone who is on the same staff as Al Yellon you have to assume is going to become awful through osmosis.

 

Isn't Brisbee technically on the same staff as Yellon? Brisbee is the best baseball writer going these days.

[Cubswin11]

If Schwarber plays LF they're going to move Zobrist to 2B and Javy to the bench.

I'd lean this way too, in a non-Hendricks game/with the wind blowing out. That being said I don't think Schwarber plays in the OF. It's going to be Heyward or Soler in the OF tomorrow.

[USSoccer]

If Schwarber plays LF they're going to move Zobrist to 2B and Javy to the bench.

I'd lean this way too, in a non-Hendricks game/with the wind blowing out. That being said I don't think Schwarber plays in the OF. It's going to be Heyward or Soler in the OF tomorrow.

 

I wouldn't bench Javy just to make sure someone other than Zobrist plays RF, but that's just me.

[WrigleyField 22]

Let's say the goal is to get Schwarbs 3 ABs. Isnt the best strategy to PH for the LF starter (say Almora) right before his second AB? That minimizes Schwarbers time in the field as he will be guaranteed to miss the top half of whatever inning he enters the game, alomg with not wasting time in the field when his spot in the lineup isn't even due up?

 

Then you have Heyward late for a double switch opportunity and defensive sub. I know that burns through three guys for one fielding position, but if you can be creative with your pitching subs, it gets Schwarbs in the lineup while minimizing his fielding.