7/10 - Cubs (Lackey) @ Pirates (Niese) - 12:35 WGN

[Schwarber Fan]

At least our offensive guys are earning their All-Star spots

[Bryants Disco Ball]

Lost in the crappiness of the pitching is that this weekend, the Cubs offense has started to get relentless again. Pitchers going 80 in 4 innings kind of stuff.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Come on, KB. The way things have been going, if you make it to 3rd, you need to just go for home, regardless of where the ball is.

[Sammy Sofa]

I don't know what people are hoping will happen with the starting pitching.

 

Probably that they go back to pitching well. Just a hunch.

 

It's pretty funny how high people got when we had like 5 of the best 20 starters in baseball, but then when the inevitable regression happens - albeit rather annoyingly in a terrible 3 week stretch - people lose their minds. Did you really expect Lester to maintain a sub 2.00 ERA or Hammel to not turn into a post-June pumpkin?

 

OK, clearly there's a pretty big middle ground they could have and should have ended up in instead of basically leaping from godly to terrible. You're really horsefeathering the chicken if you're thinking people are wrong to be at all frustrated over it.

Edited July 10, 2016 by Sammy Sofa

[KrisBryantisaBeast]

Rizzo is so good! Wow

[raw]

McCutchen is a 1B soon, right?

 

Too short. He should be put in the short RF though in Pittsburgh. He's really terrible reading the ball off the bat.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Lost in the crappiness of the pitching is that this weekend, the Cubs offense has started to get relentless again. Pitchers going 80 in 4 innings kind of stuff.

 

KB and Rizz are really reminding me of vintage Canseco and McGwire.

[UMFan83]

I don't know what people are hoping will happen with the starting pitching.

 

Probably that they go back to pitching well. Just a hunch.

 

It's pretty funny how high people got when we had like 5 of the best 20 starters in baseball, but then when the inevitable regression happens - albeit rather annoyingly in a terrible 3 week stretch - people lose their minds. Did you really expect Lester to maintain a sub 2.00 ERA or Hammel to not turn into a post-June pumpkin?

 

People have trouble wrapping their heads around it because it inexplicably happened to 4 of the starters at the same time and not just went from giving up 1-2 runs a game to 3-4 runs. They went from 1-2 to 5-6.

[weis21]

I mean, even if it all falls under the category of "the pitching," I'm not worried about them all at the same rate.

 

I doubt Lester has lost it forever. Lackey will probably be whatever counts as "fine" from him. Hammel always does this, this is who he is.

 

I am worried about Arrieta. I suspect that controlling his stuff requires insane athleticism and he can't maintain it at 30 with 375 innings since last April on his arm.

wait. why would "controlling his stuff" require insane athleticism?

 

http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/003/578/834/3ca47f3ee8ff5089c910b30e77ff4bd8_crop_exact.jpg?w=1500&h=1500&q=85

[Bryants Disco Ball]

It would be so huge to have a major two-out dong here. Like really big. That's a lot to ask, but it might be the breakthrough breathing room we need.

[Sammy Sofa]

I mean, even if it all falls under the category of "the pitching," I'm not worried about them all at the same rate.

 

I doubt Lester has lost it forever. Lackey will probably be whatever counts as "fine" from him. Hammel always does this, this is who he is.

 

I am worried about Arrieta. I suspect that controlling his stuff requires insane athleticism and he can't maintain it at 30 with 375 innings since last April on his arm.

wait. why would "controlling his stuff" require insane athleticism?

 

http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/003/578/834/3ca47f3ee8ff5089c910b30e77ff4bd8_crop_exact.jpg?w=1500&h=1500&q=85

 

Kyle's gonna think you're Patty Duke-ing him with that shot.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

The pitching performing way, way worse than their median expectations is not "regression to the mean" and calling it that is gambler's fallacy.

[raw]

I mean, even if it all falls under the category of "the pitching," I'm not worried about them all at the same rate.

 

I doubt Lester has lost it forever. Lackey will probably be whatever counts as "fine" from him. Hammel always does this, this is who he is.

 

I am worried about Arrieta. I suspect that controlling his stuff requires insane athleticism and he can't maintain it at 30 with 375 innings since last April on his arm.

wait. why would "controlling his stuff" require insane athleticism?

 

http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/003/578/834/3ca47f3ee8ff5089c910b30e77ff4bd8_crop_exact.jpg?w=1500&h=1500&q=85

 

Spoiler that ugly MF.

[17 Seconds]

it's cool that rizzo is reaching his ceiling

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I mean, even if it all falls under the category of "the pitching," I'm not worried about them all at the same rate.

 

I doubt Lester has lost it forever. Lackey will probably be whatever counts as "fine" from him. Hammel always does this, this is who he is.

 

I am worried about Arrieta. I suspect that controlling his stuff requires insane athleticism and he can't maintain it at 30 with 375 innings since last April on his arm.

wait. why would "controlling his stuff" require insane athleticism?

 

http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/003/578/834/3ca47f3ee8ff5089c910b30e77ff4bd8_crop_exact.jpg?w=1500&h=1500&q=85

 

Arrieta's stuff isn't the same as Colon's stuff.

[UMFan83]

Should I put myself through watching the next half inning or run an errand or something?

[sneakypower]

why is Marte humping the SS

[17 Seconds]

.297/.415/.588

[Bryants Disco Ball]

Should I put myself through watching the next half inning or run an errand or something?

 

I think you know the answer.

[Gilby]

Yo, I bet Bryant and Rizzo will be batting 3/4 in the ASG. That'll be neat.

[Sammy Sofa]

Oh my God. The unthinkable is about to happen.

[weis21]

 

Probably that they go back to pitching well. Just a hunch.

 

It's pretty funny how high people got when we had like 5 of the best 20 starters in baseball, but then when the inevitable regression happens - albeit rather annoyingly in a terrible 3 week stretch - people lose their minds. Did you really expect Lester to maintain a sub 2.00 ERA or Hammel to not turn into a post-June pumpkin?

 

OK, clearly there's a pretty big middle ground they could have and should have ended up in instead of basically leaping from godly to terrible. You're really [expletive] the chicken if you're thinking people are wrong to be at all frustrated over it.

this i all correct. but i think what truffle is saying is there is a huge chasm between "frustrated" and "we won't make the playoffs"/"we are terrible"/"how soon until fans wears bags over their heads" rhetoric.

 

Anyone that is a fan is frustrated. it's maturity that comes into play in which you can distance yourself from from frustration to outright craziness. a fleeting comment is understandable. it's the overarching, over-the-top pessimism that is annoying as hell. (not directed at you, just trying to read between his lines and my perceptions)

[KrisBryantisaBeast]

Well at least we don't have to face him for more than that one batter.

[Sammy Sofa]

http://img.pandawhale.com/post-34100-The-Wedding-Singer-Adam-Sandle-owa5.gif

[weis21]

I mean, even if it all falls under the category of "the pitching," I'm not worried about them all at the same rate.

 

I doubt Lester has lost it forever. Lackey will probably be whatever counts as "fine" from him. Hammel always does this, this is who he is.

 

I am worried about Arrieta. I suspect that controlling his stuff requires insane athleticism and he can't maintain it at 30 with 375 innings since last April on his arm.

wait. why would "controlling his stuff" require insane athleticism?

 

http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/003/578/834/3ca47f3ee8ff5089c910b30e77ff4bd8_crop_exact.jpg?w=1500&h=1500&q=85

 

Arrieta's stuff isn't the same as Colon's stuff.

so for some reason arrieta relies on his crossfit membership to be an effective pitcher while no other pitcher needs that?

 

just trying to follow