Twins (Festa) vs Cubs (Hendricks): 8/5/24, 7:05pm

[PeanutPunch33]

They both stink and are overpaid.  One stinks and is overpaid in one style, and the other stinks and is overpaid in another style.  Happy now, pumpkin? 

Edited August 6, 2024 by PeanutPunch33

[Stratos]

3 hours ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

Assuming a 550 at bat season, Michael Busch is on a near 200 strikeout pace.  I didn't think his performance is sustainable unless that improves.

It's possible his BA will drop.  His BABIP is quite high, but has been pretty consistent, and he had similar in the upper minors.  But his K% since June 1 is 27.2%, and 25.2% since July 1.  So he's improved.  We don't know if he can keep it up though, guess we'll see.

[thawv]

9 hours ago, UMFan83 said:

Can’t believe I’m saying this but this team is too patient sometimes. 3-1 count down 2 runs in the 6th, Busch takes strike 2 and strike 3 looking. I get the desire to get on base to start the inning but feel like there are quite a few situations where the Cubs should be looking to drive the ball but instead are taking good pitches

I've been saying this for a long time.  Hit the ball!

[Rex Buckingham]

7 hours ago, PeanutPunch33 said:

They both stink and are overpaid.  One stinks and is overpaid in one style, and the other stinks and is overpaid in another style.  Happy now, pumpkin? 

Happ has 2.2 WAR and Nico is at 1.4, my back of the napkin math says that's slightly below what their contract says they're worth for the year, with a month and a half of baseball left to play. 

They're not great players. And it would be nice if both made a little less. But they're both pretty good players, they just look worse because of how they accumulate their value (Happ isn't a HR hitter, runs extremely hot and cold, Nico has no power to speak of) and because the rest of the lineup has struggled outside of Seiya being fairly consistent

[CubinNY]

Nico and Happ are good players. The Cubs have several good players, but they don't have any great ones. 

[jersey cubs fan]

30 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

Nico and Happ are good players. The Cubs have several good players, but they don't have any great ones. 

Define several

[gflore34]

19 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

I actually came in to say that Festa’s got some nasty offspeeds. Funky delivery too…Can’t say I’m stunned, big advantage pitcher when they’ve got skills and a lineup’s never seen them 

Extending this logic to today implies Imanaga should shut out the Twins.  That is, the whole never seen a pitcher before mystery.

Edited August 6, 2024 by gflore34

[CubinNY]

9 minutes ago, jersey cubs fan said:

Define several

Happ, Nico, Bellinger, Suzuki, Swanson and PCA (mostly on defense), Busch, Shota, Steele. 

[squally1313]

16 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

Happ, Nico, Bellinger, Suzuki, Swanson and PCA (mostly on defense), Busch, Shota, Steele. 

Paredes

[chibears55]

13 hours ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

Assuming a 550 at bat season, Michael Busch is on a near 200 strikeout pace.  I didn't think his performance is sustainable unless that improves.

Busch and Paredes are nothing special,  they both may go on a little streak for a few games here and there but for the most part they won't provide much with the bat.

I'd like to see these guys succeed at a strong level because they're young and cost controlled for a few years but I just don't see them being anything special right now.

[squally1313]

7 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Busch and Paredes are nothing special,  they both may go on a little streak for a few games here and there but for the most part they won't provide much with the bat.

I'd like to see these guys succeed at a strong level because they're young and cost controlled for a few years but I just don't see them being anything special right now.

Look I know it's cool to be down on everything, but this is just wrong. Busch is 5th in wOBA among first basemen, 6th in wRC, 5th in baserunning value, and 5th in defense. What he's doing is plenty impressive, and the improvements he's making month to month even more so.

Paredes is 9th in wOBA, 7th in wRC among third basemen and to get ahead of the next rebuttal, he's 7th in both in road games this year. 

If you want to nitpick on 'special', sure, whatever. If you truly believe that they 'won't provide much with the bat'.....you should take a closer look at the rest of the league. 

[muntjack]

Busch is 15th in the NL in OPS.  IN 2003, that spot was occupied by....Sammy Sosa.  Offensive #s aren't what they were but relative value is the same.   

It's pretty wild to see that there are 13 players in the NL with an OPS over .800.  In 2019 there were 40.  

Edited August 6, 2024 by muntjack

[Stratos]

9 hours ago, CubinNY said:

Nico and Happ are good players. The Cubs have several good players, but they don't have any great ones. 

They've also had a few crappy players in the lineup much of the year.

[Longhorn20]

Not much reason to check the Tennessee box score anymore except for this Long guy. Where'd he come from?