Pirates (Falter) vs Cubs (Imanaga): 5/18/24, 1:20pm

[profisme]

Just now, Transmogrified Tiger said:

A scouting report from Fangraphs this week describes him as a 'fair shortstop defender', and this is basically irrelevant because we're a couple days from either of them being 3rd on the depth chart at the position, plus Mastrobuoni hasn't been a problem defensively.  Offensively, Mastrobuoni's career AAA OPS is 100 points higher than Vazquez.  We don't have to have shiny new toy syndrome every time a bench caliber player plays like a bench caliber player and start pining for guys who might be bench caliber players if things work out well.

That is definitely an updated report.  I recall the reporting prior to this year as his glove was the best in the system, it was his bat that would be his problem.  Then last year happened and he started hitting the ball with some slugging success.  If the front office viewed him in the light you are painting him, they likely wouldn't have protected him from the Rule V draft this last offseason.

[WhyCantWeWin]

2 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

A scouting report from Fangraphs this week describes him as a 'fair shortstop defender', and this is basically irrelevant because we're a couple days from either of them being 3rd on the depth chart at the position, plus Mastrobuoni hasn't been a problem defensively.  Offensively, Mastrobuoni's career AAA OPS is 100 points higher than Vazquez.  We don't have to have shiny new toy syndrome every time a bench caliber player plays like a bench caliber player and start pining for guys who might be bench caliber players if things work out well.

Some guys are just AAAA players and look at a player like Strider, he didn’t exactly set the world on fire in the minors. 

[chibears55]

Imanaga a beast 

So glad he chose the Cubs

[spaincubsfan]

38 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Counsell has to be throwing up when he writes out his lineup..

.219, .215, .214, .185, .143

5 of the bottom 6 hitters

The pressure on these SP to not give up runs is beyond crazy

I usually go with the ebbs & flows of the season, but yeah lately the lineup is a bunch of junk: career minor leaguers & scrap heap pickups.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

4 minutes ago, WhyCantWeWin said:

Some guys are just AAAA players and look at a player like Strider, he didn’t exactly set the world on fire in the minors. 

Spencer Strider spent less than 1 year in the minor leagues and struck out 40% of the hitters he faced.

Again, we can be annoyed that things don't go well or that bench players don't play well, that doesn't make 'well maybe something good will happen if we just change stuff' a good idea as a reaction.

[squally1313]

4 minutes ago, WhyCantWeWin said:

Some guys are just AAAA players and look at a player like Strider, he didn’t exactly set the world on fire in the minors. 

What are you proposing here 

[UMFan83]

Well thanks to Bellinger’s hit we’ve no longer been retired in order through the entire game.  

[BKHoo]

Morel’s slump has been long.  

[profisme]

Just now, Transmogrified Tiger said:

Spencer Strider spent less than 1 year in the minor leagues and struck out 40% of the hitters he faced.

Again, we can be annoyed that things don't go well or that bench players don't play well, that doesn't make 'well maybe something good will happen' a good idea as a reaction.

It isn't just "maybe something good will happen" when we know what the actual players here are capable of.  Mastro is a full 4 years older than Vazquez.  We know Madrigal isn't good.  Those other guys actually could contribute.  

[WhyCantWeWin]

1 minute ago, squally1313 said:

What are you proposing here 

That the team is better giving a shot to a guy performing well at AAA instead of a guy who has been consistently bad at the mlb level. Though I think Vazquez has been struggling lately and if Hoerner and Swanson are close then it’s a moot point. 

[ToolDRT]

3 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

Well thanks to Bellinger’s hit we’ve no longer been retired in order through the entire game.  

This counts as a W for us in the standings, right? Right?!

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Just now, profisme said:

It isn't just "maybe something good will happen" when we know what the actual players here are capable of.  Mastro is a full 4 years older than Vazquez.  We know Madrigal isn't good.  Those other guys actually could contribute.  

Vazquez being younger doesn't give him extra credit at the MLB level, there's still a long track record of Vazquez not being better than Mastrobuoni(or Madrigal for that matter).  And Vazquez isn't even playing well!  He has a .484 *OPS* in Iowa in May.  There's no reason to expect him to be better than what we'd expect the incumbents to do going forward, and plenty of reason to expect him to be worse.

[JHBulls]

I accidentally pressed on the remote and the channel changed to some church TV program. Feels almost appropriate with the bullpen pitching. 

[squally1313]

3 minutes ago, WhyCantWeWin said:

That the team is better giving a shot to a guy performing well at AAA instead of a guy who has been consistently bad at the mlb level. Though I think Vazquez has been struggling lately and if Hoerner and Swanson are close then it’s a moot point. 

But you get the point on just how well mastro was performing at AAA right? 

[profisme]

1 minute ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

Vazquez being younger doesn't give him extra credit at the MLB level, there's still a long track record of Vazquez not being better than Mastrobuoni(or Madrigal for that matter).  And Vazquez isn't even playing well!  He has a .484 *OPS* in Iowa in May.  There's no reason to expect him to be better than what we'd expect the incumbents to do going forward, and plenty of reason to expect him to be worse.

That is a rough May, no doubt.  It was less about extra credit and more a nod to he still has potential to improve vs. what Mastro (the likely finished product) is at this point.  I'm not saying I love either option and wish Swanson and Hoerner were healthy.  

Edited May 18, 2024 by profisme

[UMFan83]

Hit a solo HR, get a few quick outs and let’s finish this baby up in under 2 hours

[UMFan83]

Wait holy horsefeathers he only had 67 pitches through 7? I didn’t realize that. He could probably go 10 at this point

[profisme]

Not a single hitter looks like they are engaged at the moment.  Super depressing to watch.

[UMFan83]

Looking forward to the 10th when the Cubs will finally have a runner on 2nd base

[CubinNY]

If the Cubs get a run here we could theoretically have a 1:45 minute game , more or less

[profisme]

Does Madrigal bunt here?  I hope so.

[UMFan83]

Everyone knows you’re gonna ground into a DP Madrigal, just get it over with. 

[WhyCantWeWin]

4 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

But you get the point on just how well mastro was performing at AAA right? 

Yeah but my point is that if you’ve seen that Mastrobuoni isn’t translating his skills successfully in the major leagues then it’s foolish to keep giving him plate appearances. Some guys are just world beaters in AAA, because they have been there a while, are older and have more experience there, etc. don’t think we should be looking solely at the line and using mastrobuonis AAA numbers as the guideline if someone warrants a call up or not. 

[muntjack]

I feel like this is the game that Neris' luck runs out. 

[profisme]

Wow.  I am in utter disbelief.