7/29 Mariners (Iwakuma) @ Cubs (Lester) 1:20 CT CSN/670

[UMFan83]

Not sure where sweetpeteman is but its 3 hours until game time. Feel free to delete if this upsets the balance of Game Thread karma.

 

This is the 2nd time the Mariners have visited Wrigley Field, and the first since a 3 game series in 2007, which the Cubs took 2 of 3.

 

Some rain in the forecast so hopefully we get this in without too many delays

[squally1313]

[tweet]

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Coghs up, LaStella down.

 

Seems a bit weird that we haven't seen Bryant in the outfield in a while right? Especially those situations where Zobrist is out there and Baez is at second?

[Sammy Sofa]

I don't think it's weird; having Bryant and Baez both playing defense in the infield is much more valuable than fitting Zobrist in.

[Banedon]

I don't think it's weird; having Bryant and Baez both playing defense in the infield is much more valuable than fitting Zobrist in.

 

Yeah, it's not like Zobrist is all that special at infield defense. His value is in being "ok" at multiple positions.

[UMFan83]

Wait wtf, why is LaStella down? I mean he's not great but he's not terrible either. But for Cogs? I don't get this move at all.

[jersey cubs fan]

Wait wtf, why is LaStella down? I mean he's not great but he's not terrible either. But for Cogs? I don't get this move at all.

you can only hide a veteran on the DL for so long and LaStella has options.

[UMFan83]

Wait wtf, why is LaStella down? I mean he's not great but he's not terrible either. But for Cogs? I don't get this move at all.

you can only hide a veteran on the DL for so long and LaStella has options.

 

thats fine but the veteran has been terrible this year and with Fowler and Soler returning I don't see the need for a guy who is stuck at corner OF and has been awful this year.

 

LaStella has an .846 OPS this year, has been hot lately and is worth close to a win this year in limited action.

 

I mean maybe I shouldn't be outraged it probably won't affect the team very much either way.

[davell]

What is this? 3 of 4 games without Willie in the lineup? Or am I mistaken?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

What is this? 3 of 4 games without Willie in the lineup? Or am I mistaken?

You are not

[squally1313]

What is this? 3 of 4 games without Willie in the lineup? Or am I mistaken?

You are not

He started last night.

 

In terms of the defensive arrangement, I just assumed Bryant was a better outfielder than Zobrist, and that seemed to be the way they were playing it earlier in the year, with Baez at third and Bryant in one of the corner, and I thought part of that was that we had told Zobrist he'd play mostly at one position. Seemed to have shifted lately, but maybe that's just faulty memory.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

What is this? 3 of 4 games without Willie in the lineup? Or am I mistaken?

You are not

He started last night.

and did not the 2 days before, thus making it 3 out of 4

[squally1313]

You are not

He started last night.

and did not the 2 days before, thus making it 3 out of 4

Duh. He said 'of', not 'or'.

 

Carry on.

[Tim]

Has Bryant played the OF since the collision?

[UMFan83]

What is this? 3 of 4 games without Willie in the lineup? Or am I mistaken?

 

Only thing I can think of is that he's been slumping quite a bit after the initial surge, but Joe knows as well as anyone that it is normal for pitchers to make adjustments which causes the hitter to slump until they make adjustments, and its the sort of thing you play through.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Has Bryant played the OF since the collision?

with Almora? briefly, but yes

[Omar]

Cubs v. Iwukama

Name              PA AB  H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO    BA   OBP   SLG   OPS SH SF IBB HBP GDP missG
Dexter Fowler     12 11  2  1  0  0   0  1  5  .182  .250  .273  .523  0  0   0   0         0
Ben Zobrist       12 11  4  1  0  0   0  1  2  .364  .417  .455  .871  0  0   0   0         0
Jason Heyward      3  3  2  0  0  0   0  0  0  .667  .667  .667 1.333  0  0   0   0         0
Tommy La Stella    3  3  1  0  0  0   0  0  0  .333  .333  .333  .667  0  0   0   0         0
Anthony Rizzo      3  3  1  1  0  0   0  0  1  .333  .333  .667 1.000  0  0   0   0         0
Miguel Montero     1  1  1  0  0  0   0  0  0 1.000 1.000 1.000 2.000  0  0   0   0         0
Total             34 32 11  3  0  0   0  2  8  .344  .382  .438  .820  0  0   0   0         0
Has not faced: Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, Willson Contreras, David Ross, Addison Russell and Matt Szczur & Has not faced pitchers: Jake Arrieta, Aroldis Chapman, Carl Edwards, Justin Grimm, Jason Hammel, Kyle Hendricks, John Lackey, Jon Lester, Mike Montgomery, Joe Nathan, Hector Rondon, Pedro Strop and Travis Wood

 

Mariners v. Lester

Name                  PA  AB  H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO   BA  OBP  SLG   OPS SH SF IBB HBP GDP missG
Robinson Cano         82  75 18  6  0  0   8  6 15 .240 .293 .320  .613  0  1   0   0         3
Adam Lind             30  29  3  1  0  0   0  1 12 .103 .133 .138  .271  0  0   0   0         0
Nelson Cruz           31  28 11  2  1  3   5  3  4 .393 .452 .857 1.309  0  0   0   0         1
Franklin Gutierrez    23  22  5  0  0  2   6  1 11 .227 .261 .500  .761  0  0   0   0         1
Kyle Seager           16  16  5  1  0  2   3  0  1 .313 .313 .750 1.063  0  0   0   0         0
Nori Aoki             15  14  5  0  0  0   2  1  0 .357 .400 .357  .757  0  0   0   0         0
Chris Iannetta        12   9  2  0  0  1   3  3  1 .222 .417 .556  .972  0  0   0   0         0
Mike Zunino            6   5  3  0  0  0   0  1  0 .600 .667 .600 1.267  0  0   0   0         0
Luis Sardinas          3   3  1  0  0  0   0  0  0 .333 .333 .333  .667  0  0   0   0         0
Leonys Martin          3   2  0  0  0  0   0  1  1 .000 .333 .000  .333  0  0   0   0         0
Seth Smith             3   2  0  0  0  0   0  1  1 .000 .333 .000  .333  0  0   0   0         0
Total                224 205 53 10  1  8  27 18 46 .259 .317 .434  .751  0  1   0   0         5
Has not faced: Dae-ho Lee and Shawn O'Malley & Has not faced pitchers: Steve Cishek, Edwin Diaz, Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma, Nate Karns, Wade LeBlanc, Wade Miley, Vidal Nuno, James Paxton, David Rollins, Drew Storen and Tom Wilhelmsen

[Derwood]

Russell keeps moving up in the lineup. Good on him

[Ram1380]

Wait wtf, why is LaStella down? I mean he's not great but he's not terrible either. But for Cogs? I don't get this move at all.

 

It's absolutely ridiculous, and i'm no fan of La Stella...then to run his bum ass out there as a starter, leading of day 1 back...gtfoh

 

And NO, I don't give to 2 shits what his "career #'s" against iwakuma may be.

[treebird]

coghlan is the worst hitter in the lineup, feel free to let someone else lead off

[jersey cubs fan]

Wait wtf, why is LaStella down? I mean he's not great but he's not terrible either. But for Cogs? I don't get this move at all.

 

It's absolutely ridiculous, and i'm no fan of La Stella...then to run his bum ass out there as a starter, leading of day 1 back...gtfoh

 

And NO, I don't give to 2 [expletive] what his "career #'s" against iwakuma may be.

http://i.imgur.com/VCFBQ38.gif

[Schwarber Fan]

I hope Coghlan goes 4-4 today.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I need to make a Platoon Splits Matter gif or something.

[Ram1380]

I hope Coghlan goes 4-4 today.

 

 

So do I, still wouldn't change the fact that it's a bad decision. Even the worst decisions work out now and again.

[NOLA]

I hope Coghlan goes 4-4 today.

 

 

So do I, still wouldn't change the fact that it's a bad decision. Even the worst decisions work out now and again.

I have to agree. If you're going to give Zobrist a day off, how is this lineup or defense better than La Stella at 3B and KB in LF?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I hope Coghlan goes 4-4 today.

 

 

So do I, still wouldn't change the fact that it's a bad decision. Even the worst decisions work out now and again.

I have to agree. If you're going to give Zobrist a day off, how is this lineup or defense better than La Stella at 3B and KB in LF?

 

Fowler is the one getting a day off, Zobrist is in RF. That doesn't materially change your point, but that bridge is already crossed by demoting La Stella so you don't have to get rid of Coghlan.