7/29 - Cubs (Taillon) vs Cardinals (Wainwright): 6:15pm, Marquee

[Brock Beauchamp]

Jameson Taillon takes the mound but actually has a pitching advantage because Wainwright has been so bad this season.

The Cubs have a chance to move two games over .500 for the first time since May 1st.

[Eeyore]

Hopefully, I'll have power by then

[bukie]

According to Fangraphis playoff odds, based on preseason projections, the Cubs have about a 30% chance of making the playoffs as of this morning.

Based on in-season stats, they've become a slightly better than coin flip option of making the playoffs (54%). 

To me, that officially puts their chances as realistic as of today.

[KCCub]

We need to jump on Waino early and give Jameson a cushion. Hoping he can give us 6 innings of 3 run ball. 

[Irrelevant Dude]

I assume Alzolay is down today, so hopefully the offense shows up and puts this one out of reach.

[Cubs420psd]

What exactly are they doing with Wesneski? Is he still a starter or do they want him in that Keegan Thompson multi inning reliever role?

[We Got The Whole 9]

It's starting to feel a little 2007-like. I remember it felt like an impossible hill to climb but they got red-hot in the 2nd half and somehow surpassed the CY Sabathias. 

[Derwood]

Another game that should be a day game.

Down with primetime baseball (esp on weekends)

[KCCub]

 

[Jason Ross]

1 hour ago, Cubs420psd said:

What exactly are they doing with Wesneski? Is he still a starter or do they want him in that Keegan Thompson multi inning reliever role?

As of now, probably.  But I wouldn't say that's a long term outlook, either.  The Cubs aren't against putting arms in the BP to *use* them only to place them in the rotation later.  The Dodgers do similar things and the Cubs are pretty close in how they handle MiLB arms to LAD.  

 

If there's a complaint I have, it's that the Dodgers block their good prospects with good players and force their prospects to succeed beyond them, where as the Cubs are happy to block prospects with lesser talents, it feels.

[Rcal10]

2 hours ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

I assume Alzolay is down today, so hopefully the offense shows up and puts this one out of reach.

Alzolay has pitched in back to back games before. I wouldn’t assume he is down today. He might be. But I don’t think it is a guarantee he won’t be used. 

[Outshined_One]

2 hours ago, Cubs420psd said:

What exactly are they doing with Wesneski? Is he still a starter or do they want him in that Keegan Thompson multi inning reliever role?

Best guess?  Dead arm management, IP limits, and salvaging Smyly.  The Cubs might be trying to keep Wes fresh come September/October, hence the unusual usage, and perhaps they might be dangling Smyly as a SP option for a team desperate for rotation help where Smyly might not have great value to the Cubs on a going forward basis.

[UMFan83]

2 hours ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

It's starting to feel a little 2007-like. I remember it felt like an impossible hill to climb but they got red-hot in the 2nd half and somehow surpassed the CY Sabathias. 

Sabathia was 2008.  But yeah I can see similar vibes.  They don't seem like a complete team yet but it may be good enough to win a mediocre NL Central.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

25 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Alzolay has pitched in back to back games before. I wouldn’t assume he is down today. He might be. But I don’t think it is a guarantee he won’t be used. 

He’s pitched 3 out of the last 4 days, though, and threw 23 pitches last night. If I’m David Ross, I’m doing everything possible to avoid using him tonight.

[UMFan83]

Happy Madrigal is back since he was hitting so well before he went down, but also petrified that being out a month turned him back into bad Madrigal

[Nolansomebody]

2 hours ago, KCCub said:

 

Good to see Madrigal back from the IL. Otherwise, Taillon, please don't mess this up

[UMFan83]

Braves scored 6 on the Brewers in the 1st. Another chance to gain ground maybe

[Tryptamine]

2 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

Braves scored 6 on the Brewers in the 1st. Another chance to gain ground maybe

Tigers took out the Marlins too

[17 Seconds]

4 hours ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

It's starting to feel a little 2007-like. I remember it felt like an impossible hill to climb but they got red-hot in the 2nd half and somehow surpassed the CY Sabathias. 

Weren't they like 22-31 in 2007 before their run? I remember the aramis walk off was the big turning point. The sabathia stuff was 2008

Edited July 30, 2023 by 17 Seconds

[Derwood]

Start time update?

[Brian707]

I thought I heard 8pm cst. But not confirmed 

[JD94]

1 minute ago, Derwood said:

Start time update?

8

[Derwood]

Just now, Brian707 said:

I thought I heard 8pm cst. But not confirmed 

That's what Cardinals twitter is saying, though with the "weather permitting" caveat

[Eeyore]

Wainwright eats corn the long way

[Tryptamine]

Seiya is back to being completely lost again