4/30/24 - CHC (Assad) @ NYM (Manaea) 6:10 MSN

[Rex Buckingham]

The Cubs looked awful against Severino, but Jamo kept them in it and Tauchman and Morel came through. Let's finish out April with Javy Assad facing Sean Manaea.

 

Craig Counsell to the bullpen when they walk the first batter:

Edited April 30, 2024 by Rex Buckingham

[CubinNY]

This is a very winnable game. They need Jobu to wake up the bats. 

[Bertz]

Patrick Wisdom should feast tonight

A win would be really big.  Between Shota being awesome and Houser being terrible winning at least one of games 3/4 feels like a safe bet.  So win tonight and the prospects of a winning series + road trip look great.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Manaea is rough on LHH and is the only LHSP the Cubs are slated to face until after the off day.  Won't be surprised if they empty the bench, Madrigal to 3B, Canario to RF, Wisdom to 1B.

[We Got The Whole 9]

Severino would have been a great pickup by Jed and right in his wheelhouse. Dude was pumping 97-98 like it was nothing through the 7th inning. He's a badass.

 

The Cubs offense really sputters when pitchers fill up the zone. The mantra these days for a lot of staffs is throw your best "stuff" down the middle and when teams execute that plan we are pretty punchless. IDK I guess we're not alone in that regard, and our offense is top 10 in runs per game. It can just be frustrating to watch.

 

Need another lockdown performance from Shota.

[Derwood]

4 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

 

 

The Cubs offense really sputters when pitchers fill up the zone. The mantra these days for a lot of staffs is throw your best "stuff" down the middle and when teams execute that plan we are pretty punchless. IDK I guess we're not alone in that regard, and our offense is top 10 in runs per game. It can just be frustrating to watch.

 

 

This is Ian Happ and Dansby Swanson in a nutshell. Watch two fastballs down the middle, then swing at a splitter in the dirt

[squally1313]

2 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Severino would have been a great pickup by Jed and right in his wheelhouse. Dude was pumping 97-98 like it was nothing through the 7th inning. He's a badass.

I mean, he was terrible last year and hasn't been healthy in like 6 years. A different budget situation, maybe, but the track record just isn't there. 

[squally1313]

5 minutes ago, Derwood said:

This is Ian Happ and Dansby Swanson in a nutshell. Watch two fastballs down the middle, then swing at a splitter in the dirt

Both league average in Z swing (65.2% for Dansby, 65% for Happ, league average is 65.2%) and above average in O-swing (22.4% for Happ, 24.9% for Dansby, 27.7% league average)

[We Got The Whole 9]

8 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

I mean, he was terrible last year and hasn't been healthy in like 6 years. A different budget situation, maybe, but the track record just isn't there. 

He still averaged 96 last year. Jed loves reclamation projects and that's a dude that posted back-to-back 5 war seasons when he was healthy. He usually loves taking flyers on these types, but you are right, his price tag was a little steep for Jed and where his roster was at.

[squally1313]

1 minute ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

that's a dude that posted back-to-back 5 war seasons when he was healthy. 

Which was over 5 injury marred seasons ago

[Bertz]

Especially having been proven right about how ready to roll Assad/Brown/Wicks were, signing someone from the Severino tier of FA starters would have been a bad idea.

Good on Severino for seemingly getting back on track, now he can be one of the top deadline rentals in July and make some real money next winter.  But I don't think it's worth kicking ourselves over.

[We Got The Whole 9]

11 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Especially having been proven right about how ready to roll Assad/Brown/Wicks were, signing someone from the Severino tier of FA starters would have been a bad idea.

Good on Severino for seemingly getting back on track, now he can be one of the top deadline rentals in July and make some real money next winter.  But I don't think it's worth kicking ourselves over.

I'm definitely not doing that, I'm just commenting.

[Bull]

1 hour ago, squally1313 said:

Both league average in Z swing (65.2% for Dansby, 65% for Happ, league average is 65.2%) and above average in O-swing (22.4% for Happ, 24.9% for Dansby, 27.7% league average)

But my eyes say that's impossible. 🙂

Everything is pretty similar to last years as far as batted ball profile (LD% is 24.3 vs 24.2 last year) for Dansby and his BABIP is actually up.

Its not so much that he's swinging more, its that he's missing more.

He's just walking a little less and striking out a little more. His whiff % is a career high, but not by much. So I guess it's WHEN that swing and miss happens. Hopefully it evens out over time.

Happ's contact rates are even worse compared to his career norms. Same story.

 

[UMFan83]

Just for fun, record at the end of April for recent Cubs teams

2024: 19-11 or 18-12

2023: 14-13

2022: 8-13

2021: 11-15

2020: COVID

2019: 15-12

2018: 16-10

2017: 13-11

2016: 17-5

2015: 12-8

 

So if they win tonight it will their 2nd best record at the end of April over the last 10 years (by winning %).  If they lose, they'll be tied for 3rd best (2016 and 2018 being better, tied with 2015).

[Crusader]

3 hours ago, Bertz said:

Patrick Wisdom should feast tonight

A win would be really big.  Between Shota being awesome and Houser being terrible winning at least one of games 3/4 feels like a safe bet.  So win tonight and the prospects of a winning series + road trip look great.

I hope, but I’m not optimistic. Wisdom hasn’t been getting many ABs though lately bc Counsel has been giving them to Mervis (- 21 RC+), and they haven’t faced many lefties.

Edited April 30, 2024 by Crusader

[Andy]

1 hour ago, UMFan83 said:

Just for fun, record at the end of April for recent Cubs teams

2024: 19-11 or 18-12

2023: 14-13

2022: 8-13

2021: 11-15

2020: COVID

2019: 15-12

2018: 16-10

2017: 13-11

2016: 17-5

2015: 12-8

 

So if they win tonight it will their 2nd best record at the end of April over the last 10 years (by winning %).  If they lose, they'll be tied for 3rd best (2016 and 2018 being better, tied with 2015).

Obviously the earlier starts to seasons are a factor in this, but the Cubs Twitter account posted last night that the 18 wins broke the team record for wins prior to May 1.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

6 hours ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

Manaea is rough on LHH and is the only LHSP the Cubs are slated to face until after the off day.  Won't be surprised if they empty the bench, Madrigal to 3B, Canario to RF, Wisdom to 1B.

 

[squally1313]

lol, TT:

[Bertz]

If the team was closer to full strength I would have liked to get PCA in there.  As a lowball hitter Manaea is the type of lefty you'd like to ease him in against I think.

[chibears55]

6 hours ago, UMFan83 said:

Just for fun, record at the end of April for recent Cubs teams

2024: 19-11 or 18-12

2023: 14-13

2022: 8-13

2021: 11-15

2020: COVID

2019: 15-12

2018: 16-10

2017: 13-11

2016: 17-5

2015: 12-8

 

So if they win tonight it will their 2nd best record at the end of April over the last 10 years (by winning %).  If they lose, they'll be tied for 3rd best (2016 and 2018 being better, tied with 2015).

April has been rough on them lately,  especially in the first 10-15 games to start the season, hopefully this start is a good sign for things to come like the last time they had a great April 😉

[chibears55]

5 hours ago, Crusader said:

I hope, but I’m not optimistic. Wisdom hasn’t been getting many ABs though lately bc Counsel has been giving them to Mervis (- 21 RC+), and they haven’t faced many lefties.

Just need him to connect one time, preferably with runners on base...

Not sure if his glove would be considered an upgrade or downgrade defensively to Busch though..lol

[chibears55]

Anyone else have ads annoyingly pop up while you're trying to type.. 🙄🙄🙄

[jersey cubs fan]

Damn, madrigal is tiny 

[chibears55]

18 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

Is that  a yes or no 🤷‍♂️

 

[Crusader]

Good D from Nikki no power.