4/9/24 Cubs (Brown) @ Padres (Musgrove) - 9:05 PM

[WhyCantWeWin]

It would be huge if Almonte ends up not sucking

[Transmogrified Tiger]

that’s three good outings in a row for Almonte, 6/0 K/BB in 3 IP

[We Got The Whole 9]

Great pick by Busch

[WhyCantWeWin]

Does Neris get the 9th? Or does he only come in with a comfortable 10 run leads?

[UMFan83]

5:40 is such a weird start time tomorrow. Essentially a late afternoon start in San Diego but it basically works out like a night game on the East Coast for Cubs fans (which usually start around 6pm)

[We Got The Whole 9]

Way to bounce back with a dominant win

[JHBulls]

I am bewildered that the bullpen held up. Perhaps even perplexed. 
 

[Crusader]

W!

[UMFan83]

8-3 would have been sweet but whatever good win 

Edited April 10, 2024 by UMFan83

[JHBulls]

Just now, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Way to bounce back with a dominant win

Only downer is that should have been the series W. This team can seriously play. 

[Stratos]

3 hours ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

Why does Nico look like he is swinging out of his shoes every at bat?

Maybe he's trying to trade some contact for more damage, which isn't the worst idea to at least try.

If I were him i'd probably pocket that and take advantage of the contact skills and try to take more pitches and draw more walks.  It's pretty dumb to swing at all the bad pitches he does if you're not going to do much damage on them.  His plate discipline is poor and it's hidden a bit by the contact skills.

Edited April 10, 2024 by Stratos

[PackLandVA]

5 hours ago, PackLandVA said:

So I know it’s just batting practice, but Morel  was hitting one absolute bomb after another. I hope a Musgrove throws him a cookie or two. 

The GS was exactly like the bombs in batting practice.  He was definitely locked in in the cage and it did carry over. Thing of beauty from my vantage point.

[PackLandVA]

2 hours ago, Stratos said:

catch any balls during BP?

A couple came very close but no dice. It’s amazing how they come flying into the stands like screaming missiles.  I honestly have no idea how multiple people don’t end up in the hospital trying to catch those.

[Stratos]

3 hours ago, chibears55 said:

Wisdom looking like he's ready to join the team in Seattle Friday, 2 more hits and a HR today.

Question is who gets booted ?

Cooper, Mastrobuoni,  or Madrigal 

My guess Cooper 

I think they'd ideally want to keep a LHP on the bench other than Tauchman, especially on the INF.  I don;'t think he replaces Mastro.  Agree with whoever said they may keep him in AAA for a bit.

[Stratos]

Just now, PackLandVA said:

A couple came very close but no dice. It’s amazing how they come flying into the stands like screaming missiles.  I honestly have no idea how multiple people don’t end up in the hospital trying to catch those.

Totally agree.  I caught a deep Schwarber HR in BP once, it was a bit frightening.  Moving so fast and you hear the seams hiss loudly.

I also had a Rafael Ortega screaming liner hit right at me down the RF line during a game.  I was perfectly lined up to catch it with nobody around me but I forgot my glove so I just ducked under it.

[PackLandVA]

Couple observations from being at the game:

-Petco is really nice, good atmosphere outside of the outfield area (Tony Gwynn hill, beer garden, etc) and visually appealing inside

-BP was great (see above). Funny after watching Morel’s moonshots, but Nicky 3-bag struggles to hit fly balls medium deep. He’s the epitome of Slappy McSlapster if he’s gonna be useful offensively.

-Little spent a lot of time in Left Center shagging balls (away from me). Also spent time bantering over there with fans, tossing them balls, etc. He signed quite a few autographs after BP.  Everyone else paid virtually no attention to anyone in the outfield stands.

-Also of note, Gomes was hitting everything in BP to CF and RF/RC.

-Cody’s laser to 3b for the assist was unreal.  As I was in LF bleachers, I saw the entire throw left to right.  As soon as it left his hand, I knew the runner had no shot. Would’ve love to have had a gun measuring that throw.

-Crowd was remarkably quiet most of the game; home team fans didn’t show a lot of energy. Lots of Cubs fans. 7th inning stretch was fun as you could definitely hear “Root, Root, Root for the CUBBIES……”

 

Fun game all around and looking to get back at it tomorrow afternoon. Sitting down LF line just past third base..

[Jason Ross]

5 hours ago, UMFan83 said:

5:40 is such a weird start time tomorrow. Essentially a late afternoon start in San Diego but it basically works out like a night game on the East Coast for Cubs fans (which usually start around 6pm)

Hey! I get to watch a full baseball game! This is the second best news of this morning. Behind, obviously, waking up to find that the bullpen *didn't* blow a comfortable lead last night after I passed out.

[CubinNY]

Ben Brown, pretty, pretty, pretty, good. 

[BigbadB]

5 hours ago, PackLandVA said:

Couple observations from being at the game:

-Petco is really nice, good atmosphere outside of the outfield area (Tony Gwynn hill, beer garden, etc) and visually appealing inside

-BP was great (see above). Funny after watching Morel’s moonshots, but Nicky 3-bag struggles to hit fly balls medium deep. He’s the epitome of Slappy McSlapster if he’s gonna be useful offensively.

-Little spent a lot of time in Left Center shagging balls (away from me). Also spent time bantering over there with fans, tossing them balls, etc. He signed quite a few autographs after BP.  Everyone else paid virtually no attention to anyone in the outfield stands.

-Also of note, Gomes was hitting everything in BP to CF and RF/RC.

-Cody’s laser to 3b for the assist was unreal.  As I was in LF bleachers, I saw the entire throw left to right.  As soon as it left his hand, I knew the runner had no shot. Would’ve love to have had a gun measuring that throw.

-Crowd was remarkably quiet most of the game; home team fans didn’t show a lot of energy. Lots of Cubs fans. 7th inning stretch was fun as you could definitely hear “Root, Root, Root for the CUBBIES……”

 

Fun game all around and looking to get back at it tomorrow afternoon. Sitting down LF line just past third base..

Not sure how good it is at the ballpark, but Phil's barbeque around town is top notch. I think there is more than one Phil's in the park, but there is definitely one out in the right field area. Can't remember the name of the place that has rib tips, but it was somewhere between home and 3rd base. Spectacular. 

[CubinNY]

I've been to Petco serval times. Of all the parks, I've been to they have the best food and beer options, except the one place in Wrigley where you can get Two Hearted Ale in 16 oz can ($25). 

It's a great ballpark, a very similar feel to the Rockies park. 

[squally1313]

Fun with sample sizes and selectively choosing data: since the rain delay against LA, the cubs have thrown 22 straight innings without anyone who was considered to be in their healthy starting rotation. Ie, bullpen pitchers. 8 earned runs in that stretch, for a 3.27 ERA. 
 

[gflore34]

41 minutes ago, BigbadB said:

Not sure how good it is at the ballpark, but Phil's barbeque around town is top notch. I think there is more than one Phil's in the park, but there is definitely one out in the right field area. Can't remember the name of the place that has rib tips, but it was somewhere between home and 3rd base. Spectacular. 

Never been the West Coast, I've heard that San Diego is a destination for West Coast IPA's?   Might pair well with BBQ.

Edited April 10, 2024 by gflore34

[We Got The Whole 9]

6 hours ago, Stratos said:

Maybe he's trying to trade some contact for more damage, which isn't the worst idea to at least try.

If I were him i'd probably pocket that and take advantage of the contact skills and try to take more pitches and draw more walks.  It's pretty dumb to swing at all the bad pitches he does if you're not going to do much damage on them.  His plate discipline is poor and it's hidden a bit by the contact skills.

50 walks would set a career high and he's on pace for like 130. I think he's in an in-between phase of his approach right now, still trying to figure things out. His timing is likely off because he's trying to be more discerning and not just hacking away, he's letting the pitches get deeper.

[squally1313]

Nico also has a .167 BABIP (.300 and .312 the last two years) and either a .364 (FG) or .345 (BaseballSavant) xwOBA (.320 and .322 wOBA the last two years). It's certainly jarring to see such a change in approach and the BA and SLG so far, but I don't know if it's a failed experiment just yet. 

[Stratos]

3 hours ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

50 walks would set a career high and he's on pace for like 130. I think he's in an in-between phase of his approach right now, still trying to figure things out. His timing is likely off because he's trying to be more discerning and not just hacking away, he's letting the pitches get deeper.

I'm glad.  His approach has been lackluster so far in his career, there's definitely more potential there.  If he can just manage an average walk rate he'd be fine, and can steal more bases.  Guys like he and Madrigal should only be swinging at balls in their happy zones and shouldn't have much problem in 2 strike counts, they can afford an increase in K% to get deeper into counts.  They should take most borderline pitches unless it's in their happy zone.