Braves (Teheran) vs. Cubs (Quintana), 1:20, WGN/MLBN

[cubsclapp]

 

well we've already discussed how the 2017 season was oddly disappointing, and how we were supposed to be great again this season, so we don't really need to do that again. you're lying if you say things haven't been on a downward trend since the world series, but i understand that there should be more leeway since they've accomplished so much

 

but really you guys should at least admit that bitching about game thread bitching is just a different (less annoying) way of venting frustration over the cubs losing games

 

I keep seeing the "2017 was disappointing" stuff and I don't get quite get it. They won 92 games and went to the NLCS, a year after playing into November and hardly having a day off in the offseason. They won a playoff series with Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg pitching in 80% of the games.

 

That's a great baseball season, as ugly as it was for half the season.

 

I think you hit on it with your last sentence. When people look back and just see the win total and the NLCS, hell yeah that is and will be considered a great season. It was just such a dogfight to get to that point, being two games under .500 at the break, that made it not quite as fun for people who were anticipating another dominant season. It wasn't good, fun baseball for six months. It was like, four just blah months and two really awesome ones.

 

 

And that's certainly fair. But 162 games also has a way of sorting these things out, usually. The 2016 team before the All-Star break was far and way the worst baseball this team has played for a 2-3 week stretch in the four-year run. Imagine if they started like that, for example. Sequencing can cloud our judgment sometimes.

[Cubswin11]

This is legit something I’m at least a little worried about.

 

https://twitter.com/mj99_1/status/996156885475741701?s=21

 

His margin for error goes down a ton at 90-91 vs 92-95 and maybe the horsefeathers command is a result that he knows his velo is down so he’s nibbling more. Either way hopefully it’s just dead arm or something minor and not more severe. Hopefully Darvish comes back fine and if Q is rocky another start or 2 he can get the 10 day DL break.

 

Yeah, I was just gonna share that in here as well.

 

I'd honestly feel a little better if it was a dead arm period and this isn't just who he is now out of nowhere (though he's thrown 200+ innings if we include the postseason for five straight years, and we know pitchers break, so who knows).

 

Making matters worse, this is a horrible week to give a guy rest with the 7 games in 6 days.

 

But I do think it's at least partly factoring into his command issues as you said. And giving up a homer to the first batter with your 90-mph fastball has to only put that thought into your head more. He probably doesn't trust his stuff right now, for good reason. His walk/9 numbers are over double what they were with the Cubs last year. His walk percentage is well above any season.

 

His whole game is locating his fastball on the edges or elevating it, and mixing in the curveball. He can afford to make more mistakes at 92-94 but at 90-91 a lot more are gonna get cranked. And hitters are catching up to the pitches on the corners and letter high now more at 90 mph. So naturally he's just nibbling/getting further and further off the plate.

 

It's definitely concerning, but hopefully it's just a dead arm or early-season weirdness where it takes time to make the velocity jump (like we've witnessed with Arrieta and Hendricks).

I’m maybe thinking too that weirdly being back on regular 4-5 day rest could help. He seemed to be really screwed around with especially early on, he had the crazy Braves horsefeathers weather game then think another start right after that or before that with like 7-8 days rest.

[Sammy Sofa]

And the wind cries...."Verlanderrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...."