5/7 Cubs (Shota) vs. Padres (Vasquez) 6:40 PM CT

[Bertz]

The Cubs lost last night 

Once again, the bullpen spontaneously combusted

The fans are getting a bit restless with Jed

Thankfully the team is starting to get healthy

Shota is on the mound for the Cubs against a AAA scrub 

But if we lose tonight people are going to lose their minds

Go Cubs

[We Got The Whole 9]

I did not realize this but Shota is basically the only LHP to throw many splitters in a long time in the MLB. It is extraordinarily rare. Most hitters in MLB have literally never seen a splitter from a lefty. He has the chance to really dominate for most-of-if-not-all of this contract. It is an almost certainty - barring catastrophic injury - that the Cubs will pay all 5 years of his deal. That IVB freak fastball and the splitter are complete rarities. I would not be surprised if the Cubs ask him to play a sort of mentor role and try to coax some of his pitch qualities out of him and onto other pitchers in the organization. Like teach Wicks that fastball, please.

[WhyCantWeWin]

Is Bellinger being activated today?

[We Got The Whole 9]

Morel has raised his line back to his usual 119. That BBK on the season is pretty awesome. If he can keep up the power he can be a 130+ guy. Has to keep laser-focused discernment. Even the fly out to end last night was 105 off the bat on an inside fastball at 99 mph. That was pretty impressive. 

[Bertz]

If Shota shoves against this lineup with the wind blowing out we really start having Ace conversations IMO

 

[Brian707]

25 minutes ago, Bertz said:

If Shota shoves against this lineup with the wind blowing out we really start having Ace conversations IMO

 

Or Cy Young

[Crusader]

Don't we get draft picks in he gets Rookie of the Year?

[WhyCantWeWin]

5 minutes ago, Crusader said:

Don't we get draft picks in he gets Rookie of the Year?

Not Imanaga since he wasn’t on any top prospect lists. Could get one for Busch 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Japanese signings are specifically excluded from the Prospect Promotion Incentive.

[Derwood]

7:40 is a weird start time for Wrigley. I thought it was usually 7:10?

[squally1313]

8 minutes ago, Derwood said:

7:40 is a weird start time for Wrigley. I thought it was usually 7:10?

It's 6:40 central, which, if I remember correctly, has been the normal start time while school is still going on (and the weather is a little colder). Believe in a few weeks the start times get moved back 20-30 minutes. 

[Derwood]

4 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

It's 6:40 central, which, if I remember correctly, has been the normal start time while school is still going on (and the weather is a little colder). Believe in a few weeks the start times get moved back 20-30 minutes. 

Gotcha.

[Brian707]

14 minutes ago, Derwood said:

7:40 is a weird start time for Wrigley. I thought it was usually 7:10?

N/M

 

Squally beat me to it

Edited May 7, 2024 by Brian707

[Andy]

1 hour ago, squally1313 said:

It's 6:40 central, which, if I remember correctly, has been the normal start time while school is still going on (and the weather is a little colder). Believe in a few weeks the start times get moved back 20-30 minutes. 

Yep, pre-Memorial Day and post-Labor Day it's 6:40 CT start times. It looks like it was planned to begin in 2020 pre-COVID and started in 2021.

[Irrelevant Dude]

2 hours ago, WhyCantWeWin said:

Not Imanaga since he wasn’t on any top prospect lists. Could get one for Busch 

I'm pretty sure it was determined that Busch isn't eligible either because he made his debut with the Dodgers last year.  Either way, we won't need to worry about that if he doesn't get things turned around fairly soon.

[Irrelevant Dude]

41 minutes ago, Andy said:

Yep, pre-Memorial Day and post-Labor Day it's 6:40 CT start times. It looks like it was planned to begin in 2020 pre-COVID and started in 2021.

I wasn't a big fan of the 6:40 start times originally, but combine that with the pitch clock and it does make a huge difference when taking school-aged children to games.

[chibears55]

Belinger and Keegan are back..

let go win a game tonight 

 

 

Edited May 7, 2024 by chibears55

[KCCub]

 

 

[KCCub]

10 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

I'm pretty sure it was determined that Busch isn't eligible either because he made his debut with the Dodgers last year.  Either way, we won't need to worry about that if he doesn't get things turned around fairly soon.

Busch is eligible - 

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/here-are-the-potential-ppi-eligible-players-who-made-opening-day-rosters/

"Also, Michael Busch and Joey Ortiz have been added. Both were traded in the offseason, keeping potential PPI eligibility intact. Only players traded in-season lose PPI eligibility."

[UMFan83]

20 minutes ago, KCCub said:

 

 

Even though half of them are still slumping, Bellinger in there immediately makes the lineup look noticeably better

[JHBulls]

So good to have Belli back. The more hitters in the lineup that can hit, the better. Or so I have heard. 

[Derwood]

Great at-bat by Belli.

Morel is REALLY late on this swings

[JHBulls]

Pat Hughes just made a call that the Cubs have been very good because of excellent starting pitching. Good call.

Only to follow up with, “Good pitching in general.” No. Bad call. 

[UMFan83]

Do something offense

[CubinNY]

I would have put PCA in motion there