Giants (Hicks) vs Cubs (Assad): 6/17/24, 7:05pm

[Andy]

1 minute ago, UMFan83 said:

I think it’s funny that Jed preached flexibility and smart spending but in reality the Cubs are kind of boxed in for the next 1-2 seasons outside of help from the farm. He has a glut of highly paid average to below average players that have very little trade value but are under contract for a couple of years. There is *some* flexibility but nowhere near what Jed was obsessing over. They’re kind of hosed for the next 2 years unless the Cubs swing some very advantageous trades and get lucky or the vaunted farm system starts giving the Cubs position players with star level production 

We are seeing in real time what would've happened if Theo hadn't hit a bunch of grand slam home runs with his tank trades and draft picks

[Irrelevant Dude]

1 minute ago, UMFan83 said:

I think it’s funny that Jed preached flexibility and smart spending but in reality the Cubs are kind of boxed in for the next 1-2 seasons outside of help from the farm. He has a glut of highly paid average to below average players that have very little trade value but are under contract for a couple of years. There is *some* flexibility but nowhere near what Jed was obsessing over. They’re kind of hosed for the next 2 years unless the Cubs swing some very advantageous trades and get lucky or the vaunted farm system starts giving the Cubs position players with star level production 

Exhibit A for what happens to the rebuild plan when the newly formed "core" kinda sucks.

[Cubs206]

Don’t worry. Same lineup tomorrow same inept catcher too I’m sure. 

[Michael Busch Light]

This Cubs team is just dark comedy at this point.  You have to be a sicko to watch this stuff 

[Cubbies1996]

Let’s not forget that if Amaya is a halfway decent catcher and doesn’t reach his glove out it’s at least tied lol 

[mfcubs22]

You obviously have to give Tyson Miller a chance there, right?

[Irrelevant Dude]

1 minute ago, Andy said:

We are seeing in real time what would've happened if Theo hadn't hit a bunch of grand slam home runs with his tank trades and draft picks

That is absolutely right.  Looking back at it, it is incredible how much went right for 2015/2016 to happen 

[GoCubsGo1978]

Just now, Cubs206 said:

Don’t worry. Same lineup tomorrow same inept catcher too I’m sure. 

Best thing he does is framing pitches.  Offense is not great, defense is not great and he can't throw anyone out at second when stealing

[GoCubsGo1978]

I know the offense has been really stagnant until tonight, but how many games has this bullpen lost??????????

[Andy]

2 minutes ago, mfcubs22 said:

You obviously have to give Tyson Miller a chance there, right?

He's the guy I would try. At least let him suck for a bit (if that's what will happen) and give Neris a mental break if nothing else

[GoCubsGo1978]

Cubs need to bring in Bigge.  He throws upper 90's all the time.  Could be coming in relief.

Edited June 18, 2024 by GoCubsGo1978
Spelling

[squally1313]

It....might be Drew Smyly (ducks)

[abuck1220]

for some reason I thought miller’s two inning outing was yesterday and that’s maybe why he wasn’t used, but that was Saturday. wow counsell horsefeathers sucks. 

[PackLandVA]

Cubs are 16 for 32 in Save situations.

[Cubbies1996]

1 minute ago, PackLandVA said:

Cubs are 16 for 32 in Save situations.

My god….

[PackLandVA]

Cliff on the postgame just made an interesting comment.  Assad has been great as a starter.  But do you give him the ball in the 9th with a lead? He just gets people out. And you have 3 other really good starters with Brown and Wicks eventually coming back from injury.  Might be easier to get another starter (Smyly) than a closer.

[Irrelevant Dude]

9 games out of first place.  10 in the loss column.

[Outshined_One]

8 minutes ago, Andy said:

We are seeing in real time what would've happened if Theo hadn't hit a bunch of grand slam home runs with his tank trades and draft picks

And they all turned into pumpkins after getting traded!!

Contreras is the only guy who'd be an upgrade at this point. Not Baez, not Bryant, not even Rizzo.

[UMFan83]

Cubs are now 0.5 games away from having the 6th worst record in baseball.  It will be hard to drop further than that as the next team is 4.5 games ahead of the Cubs but I believe in them, they can get there.

[squally1313]

10 minutes ago, PackLandVA said:

Cliff on the postgame just made an interesting comment.  Assad has been great as a starter.  But do you give him the ball in the 9th with a lead? He just gets people out. And you have 3 other really good starters with Brown and Wicks eventually coming back from injury.  Might be easier to get another starter (Smyly) than a closer.

I mean, Kyle Hendricks is your 5th starter right now. Do you want him to become your 4th?

I had kinda hoped that, beyond normal leveling out of variance, the real pen upgrade would be a healthy/fully stretched out rotation. We saw the difference between April (terrible pen) to May (8th in fWAR) that just pitching a normal amount of innings makes a huge difference. And then I figured that Steele/Shota/Jameson/Wicks/Assad would let you push Brown to the pen, you'd have Horton not that far away, Almonte/Merryweather/Adbert have to come back at some point. But clearly just not going to happen for us. 

[UMFan83]

Apparently Craig isnt even close to removing Neris from the closers role based on his postgame comments

 

 

Edited June 18, 2024 by UMFan83

[UMFan83]

24 minutes ago, GoCubsGo1978 said:

I know the offense has been really stagnant until tonight, but how many games has this bullpen lost??????????

Hey its me the negative stat guy at your service! If you are counting games that the Cubs have had a lead in the 8th inning or later but went on to lose, that's 10 losses

[Irrelevant Dude]

4 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

Apparently Craig isnt even close to removing Neris from the closers role based on his postgame comments

His initial statement came across like that, but I think he realized what he was saying in real time and gave himself an out as he continued on.

Edited June 18, 2024 by Irrelevant Dude

[JHBulls]

At least the Mets won 14-2, so we can’t relate with them today like every other day…

[Stratos]

Wesneski and Neris are total garbage.  Can Assad or somebody teach Wesneski how to throw a fb?

This team needs major changes immediately.  Neris out as closer, call a hitter up from Iowa tonight.  Write the lineup out backwards.  Do something.  Make some adjustments.  This piece of crap offense can't hit any SP.  NOBODY.  Change the entire BP routine.  For the love of *****.