8/2 Pirates (Brault) at Cubs (Lester) 1:20 CT Marquee

[Tim]

At least we tied the game. Almora ain't getting it done.

[UMFan83]

Really nice tribute to pitchers hitting by having Almora bat 9th

[OleMissCub]

Now that I've watched a handful of games with the DH, I don't miss the pitcher hitting at all

 

Yep. I guess I was an old school meathead about the DH but I definitely haven’t missed seeing pitchers cluelessly flail at a baseball.

[Tim]

btw - I'm buying into the idea that Willson is suddenly good at framing.

[Gilby]

That wouldn't have been a bad spot to use Kipnis..

[Cubswin11]

btw - I'm buying into the idea that Willson is suddenly good at framing.

His mechanics back there look a lot better than years past and he seems more “quiet” for a lack of a better term. But it’s such a small sample at this point who knows. And even for the “good” framers there’s year to year variance.

[UMFan83]

Seriously Lester had 49 pitches through 2 I believe and is now at 89 through 6. Great job by Jon

[PackLandVA]

btw - I'm buying into the idea that Willson is suddenly good at framing.

His mechanics back there look a lot better than years past and he seems more “quiet” for a lack of a better term. But it’s such a small sample at this point who knows. And even for the “good” framers there’s year to year variance.

 

Seems to be better this year, so far, but he seems awkward. Like he's swiping at the pitches. Doesn't seem overly smooth.

[Cubswin11]

btw - I'm buying into the idea that Willson is suddenly good at framing.

His mechanics back there look a lot better than years past and he seems more “quiet” for a lack of a better term. But it’s such a small sample at this point who knows. And even for the “good” framers there’s year to year variance.

 

Seems to be better this year, so far, but he seems awkward. Like he's swiping at the pitches. Doesn't seem overly smooth.

That swiping like he’s doing is something the good framers do with starting a little low below the zone and grabbing it up.

[itisallpartoftheplan]

Sadler didn’t want to give up a hit there so now he set up the next pitcher with 2 on with the Pirates best hitter up.

[Derwood]

Rich-Rod's beard is amazing

[itisallpartoftheplan]

Lead off walk after starting 0-2. Not ideal.

[Derwood]

That's a dumb balk call in a dumb time of the game, blue

[itisallpartoftheplan]

17 minute rain delay

[PackLandVA]

Heyward needs to grab the teams ear.

[Omar]

now would be a great time for one of those Heyward speeches

[Omar]

That's a dumb balk call in a dumb time of the game, blue

 

Balk Rules

 

You can't just be up there and just doin' a balk like that.

 

1a. A balk is when you

 

1b. Okay well listen. A balk is when you balk the

 

1c. Let me start over

 

1c-a. The pitcher is not allowed to do a motion to the, uh, batter, that prohibits the batter from doing, you know, just trying to hit the ball. You can't do that.

 

1c-b. Once the pitcher is in the stretch, he can't be over here and say to the runner, like, "I'm gonna get ya! I'm gonna tag you out! You better watch your butt!" and then just be like he didn't even do that.

 

1c-b(1). Like, if you're about to pitch and then don't pitch, you have to still pitch. You cannot not pitch. Does that make any sense?

 

1c-b(2). You gotta be, throwing motion of the ball, and then, until you just throw it.

 

1c-b(2)-a. Okay, well, you can have the ball up here, like this, but then there's the balk you gotta think about.

 

1c-b(2)-b. Fairuza Balk hasn't been in any movies in forever. I hope she wasn't typecast as that racist lady in American History X.

 

1c-b(2)-b(i). Oh wait, she was in The Waterboy too! That would be even worse.

 

1c-b(2)-b(ii). "get in mah bellah" -- Adam Water, "The Waterboy." Haha, classic...

 

1c-b(3). Okay seriously though. A balk is when the pitcher makes a movement that, as determined by, when you do a move involving the baseball and field of

 

Do not do a balk please

[itisallpartoftheplan]

Another Marquee graphic mistake. They currently have a banner that says the game is suspended, rather than delayed.

[PackLandVA]

I'm out of market - any updates on when the game might restart? Radar looks like there's nothing in the area.

[Cubswin11]

[soccer10k]

Javy was trying to end it on one pitch.

[itisallpartoftheplan]

No way the Bullpen can stop a run from scoring a run in the extra innings format.

[UMFan83]

I just realized that starting and inning with a runner on 2nd with 0 outs is a low key way to screw over the Cubs

[OleMissCub]

Shades of Sid Bream...except Kyle has a better arm than Barry.

[soccer10k]

There’s no way this gets overturned.