4/26 World Champs (Lester) @ Pirates (Glasnow) 6:05pm CSN-C+

[bukie]

Through two games, the Cubs have outscored the Pirates 15-3, thanks to their mastery of hitting and pitching. Yesterday they fell off the pace of highest scoring team in the league, so they need to pick up the slack today and score another 15-20 runs.

 

Tuesday's win was thanks to pitching and defense on both sides, good for the Cubs and bad for the Pirates, who took the slowest ball Heyward hit all year and threw it into the tarp because of sheer panic at Heyward.

 

Wednesday, the Cubs go with Jon Lester, who was less than effective last time out, though he's generally been OK as a Cub pitcher. Rizzo may get another bid of 2B eligibility here, inching ever closer to the most valuable fantasy 2B in baseball.

 

The Pirates counter with Tyler Glasnow, he of 9 walks in 11 innings of work, and a 2+ WHIP in the early going. Fortunately for him, the Cubs offense is easily shut down, so he'll have no troubles.

 

The Cubs are looking for their first 3-game sweep of the Pirates in nearly 7 months.

[Cubswin11]

Sweep these fools

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Pirates resorting to adding made up video game players to the roster to avoid a sweep

 

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[JudasIscariotTheBird]

Pirates resorting to adding made up video game players to the roster to avoid a sweep

 

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[Transmogrified Tiger]

that is one of the more intricate(and unsettling) gif references I've ever seen

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

that is one of the more intricate(and unsettling) gif references I've ever seen

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v314/arwen2310/bateman_daily/Birthday2012/bd12_02.gif

[bukie]

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Cubs breaking out the Lester defense tonight, as expected.

[Brian707]

RD game, I expect no less than a win by 10+ runs tonight

[sneakypower]

*looks for Javy's place in the lineup*

 

[Sammy Sofa]

STOP TRYING TO MAKE BAEZ HAPPEN.

[bukie]

Stop hating on Baez. Sneaky has waited years for the opportunity, sure, but at worst Baez is a defensive whiz at 2nd, with enough power to provide value in bursts offensively. Leave Baez alone.

[David]

Stop hating on Baez. Sneaky has waited years for the opportunity, sure, but at worst Baez is a defensive whiz at 2nd, with enough power to provide value in bursts offensively. Leave Baez alone.

 

another way of saying he's terrible offensively and provides literally negative value despite his defense unless he exclusively faces lefties and the very best of rhp matchups (in which case, yes, he can be quite valuable)

[Ding Dong Johnson]

[bukie]

Stop hating on Baez. Sneaky has waited years for the opportunity, sure, but at worst Baez is a defensive whiz at 2nd, with enough power to provide value in bursts offensively. Leave Baez alone.

 

another way of saying he's terrible offensively and provides literally negative value despite his defense unless he exclusively faces lefties and the very best of rhp matchups (in which case, yes, he can be quite valuable)

Or maybe give the guy more than 3 weeks to adjust to regular playing time, since he's shown to be productive offensively at every level, instead of demanding instant gratification for every player.

[Cubswin11]

Stop hating on Baez. Sneaky has waited years for the opportunity, sure, but at worst Baez is a defensive whiz at 2nd, with enough power to provide value in bursts offensively. Leave Baez alone.

 

another way of saying he's terrible offensively and provides literally negative value despite his defense unless he exclusively faces lefties and the very best of rhp matchups (in which case, yes, he can be quite valuable)

Or maybe give the guy more than 3 weeks to adjust to regular playing time, since he's shown to be productive offensively at every level, instead of demanding instant gratification for every player.

He hasn't shown to be productive vs RHP in a pretty long time

[David]

Stop hating on Baez. Sneaky has waited years for the opportunity, sure, but at worst Baez is a defensive whiz at 2nd, with enough power to provide value in bursts offensively. Leave Baez alone.

 

another way of saying he's terrible offensively and provides literally negative value despite his defense unless he exclusively faces lefties and the very best of rhp matchups (in which case, yes, he can be quite valuable)

Or maybe give the guy more than 3 weeks to adjust to regular playing time, since he's shown to be productive offensively at every level, instead of demanding instant gratification for every player.

 

you really don't think we have enough of a sample size to have a verdict on how javy baez hits major league righties?

 

and it's not like the contact rates in the minors didn't show this coming even when he was succeeding down there.

 

EDIT: since i was curious as to just how bad it was, i looked it up

 

590 PA 3.2% BB% 31.2 K% .230/.267/.370 .276 wOBA 70wRC+

 

If he's ever going to become competent, I don't think it's any time soon and I'm not sure letting him continuously flail away and struggle badly for the sake of getting his glove in the lineup is the way to get there (devil's advocate: maybe he needs to be humbled that much to be convinced to make the adjustments he needs to make, but you'd think 2014 and the subsequent demotion to start 2015 would've been enough to achieve that).

[David]

lol not sure i've ever seen that

[weis21]

lol heady play pirates

[Ding Dong Johnson]

posted in the CSN streaming thread too, but I'm finally getting the games on the NBC sports app. I am not bragging, just sharing terrific info for others who may have been shut out before like me

[David]

crush them addy

[bukie]

3rd strike probably a ball...second ball probably a strike.

[David]

up to jhey

[Ding Dong Johnson]

let's get a grandDONG here

[Ding Dong Johnson]

and slam your damn chest all the way around the bases

[Ding Dong Johnson]

http://cdn2.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1622167/robot_umpire_large_medium.jpg