Cubs (Wicks) vs Dodgers (Miller): 9/11/24, 9:10pm

[Brock Beauchamp]

[Bertz]

Bobby Miller has been having a rough go of it all year, and it hasn't let up since he came off the IL.  It is mostly a matter of giving up a ton of dongs, and that is usually more luck than skill.  It wouldn't be crazy for him to have a good game but I'd certainly rather have Wicks going tonight.

[squally1313]

58 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Bobby Miller has been having a rough go of it all year, and it hasn't let up since he came off the IL.  It is mostly a matter of giving up a ton of dongs, and that is usually more luck than skill.  It wouldn't be crazy for him to have a good game but I'd certainly rather have Wicks going tonight.

When they came into town real early in April and he pitched against us I think in hindsight that will go down as the highlight of the year for me (though PCA in general is rising quickly). We came out in the second inning and made him throw like 87 pitchers and just grinded this supposed top prospect down to a pulp and I was all in on the whole 'we've got 8 guys who are going to give you good ABs'. So much for that.

[We Got The Whole 9]

Last night I said to myself, I'm kind of surprised PCA hasn't gotten a fg article yet

 

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/its-all-about-makin-that-pca/

 

A+ for the title

[LBiittner]

I cant believe as late as the all-star break I was willing to dump PCA's butt. Shame on me. I keep preaching myself : patience 

[Bertz]

11 minutes ago, LBiittner said:

I cant believe as late as the all-star break I was willing to dump PCA's butt. Shame on me. I keep preaching myself : patience 

As much as I'm the patience guy and make snide remarks about fans getting overly worked up about every streak and (especially) slump, I don't think the PCA situation is entirely that.

There is an ahistoric (and growing?)  gap between AAA and MLB.  A certain level of failure for a rookie has always been the expectation, but I think we're seeing deeper and longer struggles than ever.  We all basically need to reset our expectations for rookie hitters broadly.  PCA's probably a notable example but not an extreme one. 

[Bobson Dugnutt]

28 minutes ago, Bertz said:

As much as I'm the patience guy and make snide remarks about fans getting overly worked up about every streak and (especially) slump, I don't think the PCA situation is entirely that.

There is an ahistoric (and growing?)  gap between AAA and MLB.  A certain level of failure for a rookie has always been the expectation, but I think we're seeing deeper and longer struggles than ever.  We all basically need to reset our expectations for rookie hitters broadly.  PCA's probably a notable example but not an extreme one. 

I wonder if this is universally recognized by front offices or if this could present opportunity for more trades for post-hype prospects, a la Michael Busch last year? In other words, will all orgs have the same level of patience for letting guys figure things out at the big league level as the Cubs did with PCA?

[I owned a Suzuki]

4 minutes ago, Bobson Dugnutt said:

I wonder if this is universally recognized by front offices or if this could present opportunity for more trades for post-hype prospects, a la Michael Busch last year? In other words, will all orgs have the same level of patience for letting guys figure things out at the big league level as the Cubs did with PCA?

I think PCAs elite defense at a prime spot probably helped warrant more patience. Plus Bellinger injuries gave the team limited options at times. 

I wonder how this would have gone with Ross behind the wheel? 

[Bertz]

2 minutes ago, Bobson Dugnutt said:

I wonder if this is universally recognized by front offices or if this could present opportunity for more trades for post-hype prospects, a la Michael Busch last year? In other words, will all orgs have the same level of patience for letting guys figure things out at the big league level as the Cubs did with PCA?

It's a good question.  I'd guess everyone recognizes it by now, but it might not change how they act on it? 

Today's a great example, the Dodgers have only so much rope they can give Bobby Miller.  They might know "if we give him two months to go out there and pitch and not look over his shoulder he'll probably get it straightened out."  But even if that's true can they really tolerate him bombing out those ten starts to get there?

It's one reason that of the Cubs prospects Alcantara probably needs to be traded.  Next year is already his last option year, so he needs to be a permanent MLBer by opening day '26.  He probably needs to go to a team that can let him bounce up and down next year based on his developmental needs, and if need be take some additional lumps in the first half of '26.

[Tryptamine]

1 hour ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Last night I said to myself, I'm kind of surprised PCA hasn't gotten a fg article yet

 

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/its-all-about-makin-that-pca/

 

A+ for the title

I'd take prime Lorenzo Cain. That's a 5-6 fWAR CFer.

[LBiittner]

Um, did Dave Kaplan just join NSBB?

Edited September 11, 2024 by LBiittner

[Bobson Dugnutt]

55 minutes ago, I owned a Suzuki said:

I think PCAs elite defense at a prime spot probably helped warrant more patience. Plus Bellinger injuries gave the team limited options at times. 

I wonder how this would have gone with Ross behind the wheel? 

Yeah, being a multidimensional player helps in that regard. Given the Cubs’ current roster construction (a bunch of 2-3.5 win players without a true superstar), it’s not something I want to see them do next year unless they are able to pull off that acquisition of a true middle of the order ~40-HR power bat that everyone’s been lining for.

[Illiterate Scholar]

3 hours ago, I owned a Suzuki said:

I think PCAs elite defense at a prime spot probably helped warrant more patience. Plus Bellinger injuries gave the team limited options at times. 

I wonder how this would have gone with Ross behind the wheel? 

I didn't mind Ross, and I don't think our current record would be much different if he were still the manager. However, I do think we'll look back and think the biggest benefit of having Counsell this year was his handling of PCA's playing time, as I have serious doubts Ross would've stuck with him when he was at that 65 wRC+ mark, even with limited options. It would've been a lot more Tauchman (who I still like as a 4th outfielder)

[JHBulls]

Sweeping the Dodgers today would be something else. 

[Bertz]

 

 

[JHBulls]

#Road monsters. 

Edited September 12, 2024 by JHBulls

[WhyCantWeWin]

Throwing one right down the middle to ohtani is probably not a good idea

[JHBulls]

Shohei Ohtani doesn’t make any sense. 
 

Dude was a two way player in Japan, so coming over as that but often you’d hear “two way player” and think that one of those skills are far ahead of the other and that’s fine. But Shohei is genuinely elite at both. Like club ace and best hitter in baseball territory. Crazy. 

Edited September 12, 2024 by JHBulls

[WhyCantWeWin]

Edman is just too elite

[Andy]

I really thought Tommy Edman was done pissing me off when he left St. Louis but here we are

[WhyCantWeWin]

Really unimpressed with wicks since he has returned. I know hes faced the dodgers and yankees but he just looks flat

[Soul]

Safe to say Wicks ain’t got it tonite 

[Andy]

Insert "I think you can go get him now" GIF from Major League

[UMFan83]

damn I turned it on and the first thing I see is Wicks’ 3rd home run allowed to make it 4-2. I didn’t even get the dopamine hit from the Cubs taking a 2-0 and thinking about a sweep in LA

Edited September 12, 2024 by UMFan83

[Irrelevant Dude]

3 minutes ago, JHBulls said:

Shohei Ohtani doesn’t make any sense. 
 

Dude was a two way player in Japan, so coming over as that but often you’d hear “two way player” and think that one of those skills are far ahead of the other and that’s fine. But Shohei is genuinely elite at both. Like club ace and best hitter in baseball territory. Crazy. 

I'm beginning to think he is too valuable as a hitter to risk pitching at all.  Even if he is a top of rotation starter, is it really worth it?