Pirates (Jones) vs Cubs (Taillon): 9/2/24, 6:40pm

[JHBulls]

Disappointing loss. If only Lopez didn’t take a hit of Belli’s reefer before he went out to pitch. 😞

[Soul]

14 minutes ago, Wilson A2000 said:

The pen has been the best pen in baseball for months

I know it but they FEEL shaky.  It doesn’t make sense.

[Cubbies1996]

Every game feels huge at this point. Especially with the easy schedule. Can’t afford to lose these games. Bad bad loss 

[soccer10k]

That was a May or June type of Cubs loss. 

[Illiterate Scholar]

3 minutes ago, LBiittner said:

Hate to look back, but Busch would've probably made that play on the grounder past Wisdom. Glove would've been on the right hand.

Busch's glove is also on his left hand.

[Irrelevant Dude]

I know it's baseball in 2024, but I will just never understand the eagerness to turn things over to the bullpen when the starting pitcher has time game completely under control.

[LBiittner]

1 minute ago, Illiterate Scholar said:

Busch's glove is also on his left hand.

I'm dumb 

[JHBulls]

1 minute ago, soccer10k said:

That was a May or June type of Cubs loss. 

Yeah, in all seriousness, haven’t felt that horsefeathers after a loss in a while. 

[s2obed]

If they miss out on WC by a game this one will come to mind. Can’t lose like this at this time of the year. 

[NorthsideAvenger]

Go get the next two.

[KCCub]

sigh…

[Irrelevant Dude]

9 minutes ago, KCCub said:

sigh…

Fantastic

[Derwood]

10 minutes ago, KCCub said:

sigh…

[Irrelevant Dude]

How many times has Steele dealt with forearm soreness before, and now elbow soreness?  Maybe it won't be this time, but Tommy John seems inevitable.

[Cubbies1996]

Why tf do they keep going back to Hendricks? Call up Birdsell, it couldn’t be any worse. Do something different!!!

[mfcubs22]

Wow. I’m feeling significantly worse about this team than I was 2 hours ago. Damn. That sucks. 

[mfcubs22]

Also, maybe Craig should have tried to get an extra out or three from Taillon if he knew Steele was possibly/probably going to miss tomorrow’s start. 

[NorthsideAvenger]

If the Cubs lose Steele, I think you can close the book on 2024. 

[chibears55]

1 hour ago, KCCub said:

sigh…

That original Swift candle was done, looks like the Cubs winning ways may be too.

Ugggh

[Stratos]

2 hours ago, Cubbies1996 said:

Why tf do they keep going back to Hendricks? Call up Birdsell, it couldn’t be any worse. Do something different!!!

Hendricks has a 11.12 ERA vs the Pirates this year in 3 starts including last week where he got shelled.  They have a 1.101 OPS against him in 2024.  I agree they can't start him here.  Fly somebody in.

Kyle has a 7.34 ERA as a SP this season, including 5.25 ERA in July and 6.23 ERA in Aug.  Release him.

[LBiittner]

7 hours ago, Stratos said:

Hendricks has a 11.12 ERA vs the Pirates this year in 3 starts including last week where he got shelled.  They have a 1.101 OPS against him in 2024.  I agree they can't start him here.  Fly somebody in.

Kyle has a 7.34 ERA as a SP this season, including 5.25 ERA in July and 6.23 ERA in Aug.  Release him.

OMG - didn't realize how ****** he's been numerically 

[LBiittner]

The Cubs starting pitcher winter roster watch :

Elbows, necks, obliques & lats 

[LBiittner]

20 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

Tbf to Hendricks da numbahs are more weapons than tools at this stage of the career (edit: I guess they’re always more weapons than tools). Like he’s the 40 YO 88 MPH 6th starter on a team next shedueled to Contend in 2026. Good da numbahs Bad da numbahs he’s climbing uphill either way 

I'd just as soon watch Killian in Kyle's absence over this last month. This way we'd have a better idea whether to cut bait with the caleb tease over the offseason

Edited September 3, 2024 by LBiittner

[CubinNY]

I didn't want to start a new thread, but Mooney's write-up in The Athletic about the game contains some cryptic references to Counsell being in "observational" mode for much of the season concerning the coaching staff. He seems to be intimating that this group is not Counsell's guys and changes could be coming. 

TBH, it sounds to me like buck-passing, but whatever. I found it interesting to put into a game recap. 

[Rcal10]

I was at the game last night. One thing that struck me as wrong was the Cubs were showing that huge comeback win over the Pirates last week. Showed hilights between inning along with win probability at the time of the hilight. TBH, I didn’t like it. I thought it was rubbing it in to the Pirates. If you remember last year their manager went off on Ross when Ross complained that the Cubs shouldn’t lose to a bad team. I think that is partially why the Cubs have seen Jones and Skenes in 8 of the 13 games the pirates have played the Cubs. I am also sure the Pirates took great pleasure in making their own comeback win last night. I am sure many will disagree and suggest players play the same no matter what. But I don’t think so. I think showing that comeback was in poor taste and it could have fired them up a little. At the time they did it I said I wouldn’t have shown that. It did concern me. As I said, feel free to disagree. The video did not help the Pirates get two bloop hits before the homer. I get that. But I still would have rather they not poke the bear. As I said, I feel they are facing the pitchers they have faced this year as a result of Ross calling them a bad team last year.