7/22 - Cardinals (Mikolas) vs Cubs (Fulmer): 1:20pm, Marquee

[Brock Beauchamp]

Michael Fulmer is the opener for Drew Smyly today, which is probably a good idea to stymy the Cardinals' right-handed bats at the top of the order.

Had a nice - but tense - win yesterday, let's get another one today.

[KCCub]

Swanson activated and Young sent down.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

There's still something missing about why they're opening with Fulmer.  If it was a bullpen game or simply about putting a RH before Smyly to steal some platoon at bats, then it'd make more sense to be Palencia.  He's on 2 days rest and was starting games in very recent memory.  Maybe Smyly's got the flu or something and they're simultaneously showcasing that Fulmer can pitch in consecutive days(something he hasn't done since London) for a trade partner?  But even that is a pretty weird outcome given his poor outing yesterday, though admittedly there aren't so many more opportunities to do that before the deadline.

[Brock Beauchamp]

35 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

There's still something missing about why they're opening with Fulmer.  If it was a bullpen game or simply about putting a RH before Smyly to steal some platoon at bats, then it'd make more sense to be Palencia.  He's on 2 days rest and was starting games in very recent memory.  Maybe Smyly's got the flu or something and they're simultaneously showcasing that Fulmer can pitch in consecutive days(something he hasn't done since London) for a trade partner?  But even that is a pretty weird outcome given his poor outing yesterday, though admittedly there aren't so many more opportunities to do that before the deadline.

Good points, though it could simply come down to comfort level or experience. Maybe Fulmer is just more able and willing to open a game.

[Brock Beauchamp]

How long is the delay expected to be?

[PackLandVA]

Radar from Accuweather an hour from now. (don't know how to transfer this to an image)

 

I think the bigger issue is in an hour.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

20 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

How long is the delay expected to be?

 

[Tryptamine]

1 pitch, 1 HR

[WhyCantWeWin]

I like using an opener. But it's usually a good idea to use a pitcher that doesn't stink. 

[soccer10k]

4 hours ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Michael Fulmer is the opener for Drew Smyly today, which is probably a good idea to stymy the Cardinals' right-handed bats at the top of the order.

This aged … poorly.

[muntjack]

I know he put together some innings,  but at no point did Michael Fulmer give me any confidence.  During that streak, he had quite a few games with hard contact right at guys.  

[Tryptamine]

HR, GO, 1B, BB. This is going well.

[Irrelevant Dude]

I don't like to admit it, but I love these Cardinals uni's.

[Tryptamine]

Every inning of Fulmer is walking a tight rope, where he's one batter from letting the game get blown open.

[Brock Beauchamp]

18 minutes ago, muntjack said:

I know he put together some innings,  but at no point did Michael Fulmer give me any confidence.  During that streak, he had quite a few games with hard contact right at guys.  

It has felt like he's been volatile and a step down from previous seasons (where he wasn't great or anything, just pretty good) but his statcast numbers are mostly pretty good this season.

[Irrelevant Dude]

Fulmer survived 2 innings with only 1 run.  I suppose that is as good as outcome as what could have been expected.

[UMFan83]

Looks like Smyly still sucks

[Irrelevant Dude]

Maybe should have used another opener...

[Tryptamine]

Time for Smyly to find himself on the IL with a mystery ailment. 

[UMFan83]

So glad we signed him and Mancini to 2 year contracts.

[Tryptamine]

Lol Smyly is a disaster.  Free double play and gets no outs.

[Tryptamine]

Another blown double play by Smyly

[Irrelevant Dude]

Why wasn't Arenado running hard?

[UMFan83]

What a disaster, first 4 batters reach against Smyly.

[soccer10k]

What is it about the throw to second that seems to cause pitchers way more of an issue than it should?