9/17 Cubs (Hendricks) @ Diamondbacks (Corbin) 8:40 WGN

[Aaron_Kennelly]

Let's recap the Cubs' last two weeks: The Cubs started off the September homestretch by losing 2 of 3 to the second-place Brewers. They went to D.C. next, started playing Friday night and spent hours in a rain delay before the game was postponed. They showed up to the park the next morning and spent a couple more hours in a rain delay. The finally started playing and then got swept in a doubleheader. The got rained out again the next day. They went home and lost 2 of 3 to the Brewers again. They then went back to D.C. for a day and used 9 pitchers in what was supposed to be an off-day and lost their closer for the rest of the season. They came home and scored 5 runs in a series against the Reds. And now they are back on a plane heading to Arizona to face the pitcher who ranks 3rd among all MLB pitchers in fWAR before they finally get their first scheduled off-day in a month on Thursday.

 

 

The Cubs wasted a golden opportunity at moving 3.5 up in the division on Sunday, losing 2-1 to the lowly Reds.

 

 

The brand of baseball they've played the last couple weeks has been ugly. They can't hit. They're all getting injured. They're relying on a bunch of 40-year-old pitchers plucked off the scrap heap.

 

 

The bats have been the biggest problem. The Cubs haven't scored more than 3 runs in the first 9 innings of a game since September 8 (which came in a loss). It's time to take drastic measures to get the offense going. They need to do whatever it takes to keep the bats warm.

 

 

Maybe it's more time in the batting cage.

 

 

Maybe it's asking for help from up above.

 

 

Maybe they need to emulate Ben Zobrist.

 

 

Why Ben?

 

 

Whatever it is, the Cubs are going to figure it out. The bats are going to get hot, starting in this one. I can feel it.

 

 

The Cubs are going to get to Corbin and get to him early. This will be the RD Game we've all been waiting for. Somehow.

 

 

By the time Thursday hits, we'll all be wondering...

 

[jersey cubs fan]

Corbin may be good, but he's not untouchable

 

[Sammy Sofa]

So far Duke has at least won the first game each time he's had to start a game thread this season.

 

I dunno; I just need something at this point.

[BigSlick]

Bravo

[imb]

If Corbin strikes out fewer than 12 people i'll be shocked

[Liam Neeson]

I fully expect the Cubs to put up 6 runs on Corbin but fail to get more than 3 hits against whoever Matt Koch is tomorrow.

[Brian707]

[Transmogrified Tiger]

If the Cubs play .500 ball for the rest of the year they'll have 93 or 94 wins(depending on if you count .500 as 7-6 or 6-7). Playing their current winning percentage would similarly be 94-95 wins. If you asked all of us before the year how you'd feel about 93-95 wins, I think most all of us would have said 'fine' at the worst, and yet the current sentiment is 'please kill me' for basically any Cubs-related thought. Remarkable.

 

This is not an indictment or accusation by the way, I've watched maybe a half dozen games since the all-star break. I still keep up with scores with interest, and the doom-mongering doesn't *help*, but it's just not been enjoyable to follow. I guess it's a testament to how resilient the roster is that it can handle this many low end outcomes and still be good, while the Washingtons of the world have already gotten to switch off and resign themselves to no playoffs.

[jersey cubs fan]

If the Cubs play .500 ball for the rest of the year they'll have 93 or 94 wins(depending on if you count .500 as 7-6 or 6-7). Playing their current winning percentage would similarly be 94-95 wins. If you asked all of us before the year how you'd feel about 93-95 wins, I think most all of us would have said 'fine' at the worst, and yet the current sentiment is 'please kill me' for basically any Cubs-related thought. Remarkable.

 

This is not an indictment or accusation by the way, I've watched maybe a half dozen games since the all-star break. I still keep up with scores with interest, and the doom-mongering doesn't *help*, but it's just not been enjoyable to follow. I guess it's a testament to how resilient the roster is that it can handle this many low end outcomes and still be good, while the Washingtons of the world have already gotten to switch off and resign themselves to no playoffs.

baseball without runs isn't funs

[minnesotacubsfan]

If the Cubs play .500 ball for the rest of the year they'll have 93 or 94 wins(depending on if you count .500 as 7-6 or 6-7). Playing their current winning percentage would similarly be 94-95 wins. If you asked all of us before the year how you'd feel about 93-95 wins, I think most all of us would have said 'fine' at the worst, and yet the current sentiment is 'please kill me' for basically any Cubs-related thought. Remarkable.

 

This is not an indictment or accusation by the way, I've watched maybe a half dozen games since the all-star break. I still keep up with scores with interest, and the doom-mongering doesn't *help*, but it's just not been enjoyable to follow. I guess it's a testament to how resilient the roster is that it can handle this many low end outcomes and still be good, while the Washingtons of the world have already gotten to switch off and resign themselves to no playoffs.

 

 

thats an odd take. I'm actually watching every game lately, and with far more interest then at the beginning of the year. Its going down to the wire and making for great entertainment. If we lose the division, how hard do we press for Harper? If we win it, how far do we go?

[mul21]

If the Cubs play .500 ball for the rest of the year they'll have 93 or 94 wins(depending on if you count .500 as 7-6 or 6-7). Playing their current winning percentage would similarly be 94-95 wins. If you asked all of us before the year how you'd feel about 93-95 wins, I think most all of us would have said 'fine' at the worst, and yet the current sentiment is 'please kill me' for basically any Cubs-related thought. Remarkable.

 

This is not an indictment or accusation by the way, I've watched maybe a half dozen games since the all-star break. I still keep up with scores with interest, and the doom-mongering doesn't *help*, but it's just not been enjoyable to follow. I guess it's a testament to how resilient the roster is that it can handle this many low end outcomes and still be good, while the Washingtons of the world have already gotten to switch off and resign themselves to no playoffs.

 

I think it's a symptom of raised expectations and having finally won it and knowing what it takes to do so. This team has been unbelievably resilient to injury, slumps, under performance, you name it. It's amazing they've got the record they do with all of that going on, but the doom and gloom comes from the fact that unless several guys get scorching hot on both the hitting and pitching end of things, this is a flawed team with little to no chance of winning the whole thing. I'm hoping against hope guys get healthy and hot, but the expectation of a flame out in the DS is where I'm at right now.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

If the Cubs play .500 ball for the rest of the year they'll have 93 or 94 wins(depending on if you count .500 as 7-6 or 6-7). Playing their current winning percentage would similarly be 94-95 wins. If you asked all of us before the year how you'd feel about 93-95 wins, I think most all of us would have said 'fine' at the worst, and yet the current sentiment is 'please kill me' for basically any Cubs-related thought. Remarkable.

 

This is not an indictment or accusation by the way, I've watched maybe a half dozen games since the all-star break. I still keep up with scores with interest, and the doom-mongering doesn't *help*, but it's just not been enjoyable to follow. I guess it's a testament to how resilient the roster is that it can handle this many low end outcomes and still be good, while the Washingtons of the world have already gotten to switch off and resign themselves to no playoffs.

baseball without runs isn't funs

 

I agree! And yet they're 5th in the NL in runs, only 21 back of the leader. They're 2nd in both wOBA and wRC+. It's like they're designed for maximum irritation while still winning enough to be successful.

[Cubfanintheknow]

If the Cubs play .500 ball for the rest of the year they'll have 93 or 94 wins(depending on if you count .500 as 7-6 or 6-7). Playing their current winning percentage would similarly be 94-95 wins. If you asked all of us before the year how you'd feel about 93-95 wins, I think most all of us would have said 'fine' at the worst, and yet the current sentiment is 'please kill me' for basically any Cubs-related thought. Remarkable.

 

This is not an indictment or accusation by the way, I've watched maybe a half dozen games since the all-star break. I still keep up with scores with interest, and the doom-mongering doesn't *help*, but it's just not been enjoyable to follow. I guess it's a testament to how resilient the roster is that it can handle this many low end outcomes and still be good, while the Washingtons of the world have already gotten to switch off and resign themselves to no playoffs.

baseball without runs isn't funs

 

I agree! And yet they're 5th in the NL in runs, only 21 back of the leader. They're 2nd in both wOBA and wRC+. It's like they're designed for maximum irritation while still winning enough to be successful.

 

Put me in this category, too. I haven't like the way they've won a lot of their ballgames. And that's probably the wrong way to look at it, since a win is a win not matter how you get it.

 

So I guess they're really gonna tick me off the way they win the game to win the World Series.

[Sammy Sofa]

If the Cubs play .500 ball for the rest of the year they'll have 93 or 94 wins(depending on if you count .500 as 7-6 or 6-7). Playing their current winning percentage would similarly be 94-95 wins. If you asked all of us before the year how you'd feel about 93-95 wins, I think most all of us would have said 'fine' at the worst, and yet the current sentiment is 'please kill me' for basically any Cubs-related thought. Remarkable.

 

This is not an indictment or accusation by the way, I've watched maybe a half dozen games since the all-star break. I still keep up with scores with interest, and the doom-mongering doesn't *help*, but it's just not been enjoyable to follow. I guess it's a testament to how resilient the roster is that it can handle this many low end outcomes and still be good, while the Washingtons of the world have already gotten to switch off and resign themselves to no playoffs.

 

I think it's a symptom of raised expectations and having finally won it and knowing what it takes to do so.

 

Definitely.

 

It's like they're designed for maximum irritation while still winning enough to be successful.

 

DEFINITELY.

[Sammy Sofa]

If the Cubs play .500 ball for the rest of the year they'll have 93 or 94 wins(depending on if you count .500 as 7-6 or 6-7). Playing their current winning percentage would similarly be 94-95 wins. If you asked all of us before the year how you'd feel about 93-95 wins, I think most all of us would have said 'fine' at the worst, and yet the current sentiment is 'please kill me' for basically any Cubs-related thought. Remarkable.

 

This is not an indictment or accusation by the way, I've watched maybe a half dozen games since the all-star break. I still keep up with scores with interest, and the doom-mongering doesn't *help*, but it's just not been enjoyable to follow. I guess it's a testament to how resilient the roster is that it can handle this many low end outcomes and still be good, while the Washingtons of the world have already gotten to switch off and resign themselves to no playoffs.

 

 

thats an odd take. I'm actually watching every game lately, and with far more interest then at the beginning of the year. Its going down to the wire and making for great entertainment. If we lose the division, how hard do we press for Harper? If we win it, how far do we go?

 

I don't think it's that odd; if someone only watches a handful of games for months, they're not going to be subjecting themselves to just how bad this team looks, even when they're winning.

 

I mean, yeah, I do think it's generally weird to only have watched a half dozen Cubs games since the ASB, but I get why someone like that would be less frustrated over how they've been playing in that time.

[jersey cubs fan]

If they win 94 games but annoy us while doing it, can we put an asterisk next to it? 94*

 

 

[Derwood]

They played at 17 games over .500 in the first half, while adding just 8 more games above .500 in the second half. It's not a disaster, but it's a cool down

[Ding Dong Johnson]

They played at 17 games over .500 in the first half, while adding just 8 more games above .500 in the second half. It's not a disaster, but it's a cool down

if you want to actually split the season up in halves, they were only 11 over at 46-35. they're 14 over at 41-27 since

[Sammy Sofa]

They played at 17 games over .500 in the first half, while adding just 8 more games above .500 in the second half. It's not a disaster, but it's a cool down

if you want to actually split the season up in halves, they were only 11 over at 46-35. they're 14 over at 41-27 since

 

[CubinNY]

I’m loving the hell out this season. It’s been so much fun. I’ve been more frustrated with managerial decisions more often than in the past.

[Sammy Sofa]

I’m loving the hell out this season. It’s been so much fun.

 

[Brian707]

I’m loving the hell out this season. It’s been so much fun. I’ve been more frustrated with managerial decisions more often than in the past.

 

 

[minnesotacubsfan]

I mean, in some ways this post season is already far and away above last year since we don't have John Lackey to trot out there.

[bcl412]

We will be up 3.5 at the end of the night

[Sammy Sofa]

We will be up 3.5 at the end of the night

 

But enough about Joe's BAC...