7/25 - Diamondbacks (Ray) @ Cubs (Lester) 1:20 NBCSC

[Brian]

I think it’s possible the Cubs have been the first to score in a game this season but I can’t think of a situation that’s occurred

 

Ian Happ lead off dong game #001

[Cubswin11]

LaStella, he still sucks

[Bertz]

I can't decide if I'm more encouraged by Jon getting plenty of swings and misses or discouraged that most of the balls in play have been hit super hard.

[Brian]

could have used one of those doubles last night Al

[BigSlick]

Alright, time to pounce on this fool

[BigSlick]

Heck yes

[Brian]

BREAKING NEWS: Cubs score first in a game.

[imb]

god zobrist has been so pleasant to watch this year. What a godsend.

[Cubswin11]

I can't decide if I'm more encouraged by Jon getting plenty of swings and misses or discouraged that most of the balls in play have been hit super hard.

The stuff looks good today, it’s definitely most likely not a skill but Jon seems to be mastering “take your 350 foot fly out you [expletive] and I’ll take the out.” This year

Edited July 25, 2018 by Cubswin11

[Cubswin11]

god zobrist has been so pleasant to watch this year. What a godsend.

The wrist had to be so fucked up last year. Not DL’ing him and letting it heal properly and having him play through it is one of the dumbest things this FO has done. I fear they are doing the same thing to KB.

[BigSlick]

Make this a big crooked inning plz

[Cubswin11]

Dog horsefeathers AB, Addy

[soccer10k]

Wish Addison wouldn’t have swung 2-0. Changed the whole PA.

[Schwarber Fan]

The Cubs need a lesson on who should feel the pressure in a high leverage spot - pitcher or hitter. Everyone but Zobrist needs to take the class apparently.

[UMFan83]

Double play and an awful tootblan

[Cubswin11]

The Cubs need a lesson on who should feel the pressure in a high leverage spot - pitcher or hitter. Everyone but Zobrist needs to take the class apparently.

What does this mean?

[Schwarber Fan]

The Cubs need a lesson on who should feel the pressure in a high leverage spot - pitcher or hitter. Everyone but Zobrist needs to take the class apparently.

What does this mean?

 

We have too many guys putting together bad ABs in big spots - when it’s the pitcher who should feel the pressure. I think of that back to back Baez/Contreras sequence over the weekend and now Russell. You’re up 2-0 in that spot, take at least one more. As stated above, his swing changed the whole AB and inning.

[Andy]

The Cubs need a lesson on who should feel the pressure in a high leverage spot - pitcher or hitter. Everyone but Zobrist needs to take the class apparently.

What does this mean?

He thinks all our players wilt in big spots except Zobrist.

[UMFan83]

The Cubs need a lesson on who should feel the pressure in a high leverage spot - pitcher or hitter. Everyone but Zobrist needs to take the class apparently.

What does this mean?

 

We have too many guys putting together bad ABs in big spots - when it’s the pitcher who should feel the pressure. I think of that back to back Baez/Contreras sequence over the weekend and now Russell. You’re up 2-0 in that spot, take at least one more. As stated above, his swing changed the whole AB and inning.

 

You picked 2 isolated examples during a month long stretch where the Cubs are killing it with RISP

[Schwarber Fan]

What does this mean?

 

We have too many guys putting together bad ABs in big spots - when it’s the pitcher who should feel the pressure. I think of that back to back Baez/Contreras sequence over the weekend and now Russell. You’re up 2-0 in that spot, take at least one more. As stated above, his swing changed the whole AB and inning.

 

You picked 2 isolated examples during a month long stretch where the Cubs are killing it with RISP

 

Fair enough. With the offense struggling at the moment, it’s just frustrating to see them come away with one in what should’ve been a big inning.

[Brian]

Especially with Cishek most likely unavailable I wonder if Joe pushes Lester to the ~120 pitch mark like Quintana on Sunday? (Of course assuming he's still effective...)

[squally1313]

If the point is: Cubs hitters haven't been performing well in big spots...he's got a point. Cubs overall wRC+ is 106, Cubs wRC+ in High Leverage situations is 72 (with RISP it's 91).

 

If the point is that this is somehow a skill that can and should be taught to otherwise very skilled and advanced hitters, then...no.

[Brian]

I missed it, did Happ GIDP on the first pitch after a 4 pitch walk?

[squally1313]

I missed it, did Happ GIDP on the first pitch after a 4 pitch walk?

Yes, but I'm not going to criticize the current version of Ian Happ for pitch selection/plate discipline.

[Cubswin11]

If the point is: Cubs hitters haven't been performing well in big spots...he's got a point. Cubs overall wRC+ is 106, Cubs wRC+ in High Leverage situations is 72 (with RISP it's 91).

 

If the point is that this is somehow a skill that can and should be taught to otherwise very skilled and advanced hitters, then...no.

What’s league average in high leverage and RISP spots?

 

Also we give ourselves more chances than anyone in those spots because, you know, we are good and lead the league in OBP. So being a little below on average on that isn’t the worst thing/kinda expected.