Phillies (Mercado) vs Cubs (Wesneski): 7/2/24, 7:05pm

[JHBulls]

Inching closer, but geez, let’s rally earlier.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Gonna do just enough to make me remember that 2 of Philly's runs came on 85 mph EV doubles with a combined .220 BA 

[JHBulls]

Craig Counsell when Happ, Morel and Swanson get back to locker room after the fake rally

Edited July 3, 2024 by JHBulls

[Derwood]

whomp whomp

[chopsx9]

Gold Glove Castellanos.

[Cubs206]

Craig Counsell needs to be demoted to peanut vendor. Can’t ever show any motivation fire or accountability. 

[LBiittner]

4 minutes ago, Cubs206 said:

Craig Counsell needs to be demoted to peanut vendor. Can’t ever show any motivation fire or accountability. 

Craig is way toooo casual about the game. He needs to channel his inner Connie Mack and wear his best dress suit in the dugout

[chibears55]

19 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Fake 9th inning rally time 

Question is, will the tying/winning run be on base or at the plate 😅

Couldn't even make it more interesting by getting the tying run to the plate. 

🤦‍♂️🙄

[Cuzi]

Counsell is just conserving his energy for when he has a team that doesnt have a lineup where 1/3 of it is hitting below the Mendoza line.

[JHBulls]

Can’t expect Craig to show any fire when he has Jed giving interviews that

 

about how big league help is coming in the form of “internal” help.

[Tryptamine]

13 minutes ago, JHBulls said:

Can’t expect Craig to show any fire when he has Jed giving interviews that

 

about how big league help is coming in the form of “internal” help.

Meanwhile the players that could actually internally help, are nowhere to be seen

[UMFan83]

Is it possible that the Cubs actually don’t win the World Series this year?

[NorthsideAvenger]

RIP 2024 season. 

I can not wait for the unexpected heater, sometime during the 2nd half, that takes the Cubs out of the top 5 and into the 10-12 range. 🙄

 

Edited July 3, 2024 by NorthsideAvenger

[s2obed]

Did anyone think this team would be so awful?
And damn the injury bug has been so bad this year. I don’t remember so many guys being on the IL throughout the year and we’re barely at the halfway mark of the season. 
 

[Derwood]

1 hour ago, s2obed said:

Did anyone think this team would be so awful?
And damn the injury bug has been so bad this year. I don’t remember so many guys being on the IL throughout the year and we’re barely at the halfway mark of the season. 
 

No. I think people expected a .500ish team from 2023 + Imanaga + healthy Taillon would be a wildcard team

[chibears55]

11 hours ago, Tryptamine said:

Meanwhile the players that could actually internally help, are nowhere to be seen

That the sad part, they have 3 guys in Iowa pumping upper 90s and 100 FB and they sit in Iowa 🙄🙄

[chibears55]

1 hour ago, s2obed said:

Did anyone think this team would be so awful?
And damn the injury bug has been so bad this year. I don’t remember so many guys being on the IL throughout the year and we’re barely at the halfway mark of the season. 
 

I expected 80 to 85 wins with them running out the same guys, I just figured with Imanaga and Steele together,  that they might keep them from having long losing streaks and keep them balanced.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

15 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

That the sad part, they have 3 guys in Iowa pumping upper 90s and 100 FB and they sit in Iowa 🙄🙄

That is because they belong in Iowa, at least for the time being.

[Tryptamine]

36 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

That is because they belong in Iowa, at least for the time being.

You don't think Bigge could outperform any of our current relievers?

[Jason Ross]

13 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

You don't think Bigge could outperform any of our current relievers?

Bigge has a 20% non-competitive strike rate on the season and aan 18.5% at Iowa right now. It's improving, but that's not going to really help. To put that in perspective, his season total , that's 4% higher than MLB BP average. That's...a big jump. Porter Hodge, Tyson Miller, Jorge Lopez, Luke Little and Ethan Roberts are all probably just as worthwhile, if not more. Smyly, Brewer and Neris are all whatever, but all require DFA'd and eating money; I just don't think the Cubs are going to to do that with the deadline looming. Daniel Palencia, on the 40 man and on the path back, is probably also ahead of Bigge. 

Hunter Bigge has big velocity, but doesn't throw a ton of strikes yet. He's not on the 40-man roster...I assume a 40 man spot will open in a few weeks. A few more weeks in Iowa isn't going to change either his developmental plan or the Cubs path, so letting him continue to throw more strikes, and when he doesn't, throw more competitive balls in Iowa is probably the best for both parties. I like Bigge, just think he should probably continue to trend in the right direction with the strike throwing before we dump him in the pen...especially as the Cubs may more a reliever or two in July.

[Cubs206]

This team looked much more capable in spring training when I was in Mesa. Even April reg season. Then May hit and the wheels fell off.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Also, Bigge was hurt and just started his season a month ago, and has thrown with less than 2 days rest only one time.  I think he is the closest to being ready(though he has a 40 man obstacle Palencia and Arias do not), but he isn't at that point quite yet.

[Bertz]

Yeah I think Palencia should and will be the next man up, and even he could probably use another tune up outing or two off the IL.  Bigge's only had 10 outings at Iowa too so even though I've been posting about him breathlessly I think another month is fine.

The other consideration is the 40 man.  Kilian and Merryweather both seem relatively close, next 2-3 weeks.  There's some dead weight on the 40 so making moves on top of that isn't insanely hard, but I'd guess non-essential stuff holds off for post-TDL.

[LBiittner]

9 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Yeah I think Palencia should and will be the next man up, and even he could probably use another tune up outing or two off the IL.  Bigge's only had 10 outings at Iowa too so even though I've been posting about him breathlessly I think another month is fine.

The other consideration is the 40 man.  Kilian and Merryweather both seem relatively close, next 2-3 weeks.  There's some dead weight on the 40 so making moves on top of that isn't insanely hard, but I'd guess non-essential stuff holds off for post-TDL.

Hey Bertz, doesn't brendon davis' broken back create another spot on the 40?

[LBiittner]

Rays got a classA shortstop from brewers in exchange for civale..

Cubs might get a live body for Kyle? If he agrees to a trade?

Or even Neris? Or Hayden? Or Brewer? Or?