Rangers (Corbin) vs Cubs (Taillon): 4/8/25, 6:40pm

[squally1313]

34 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

Haven’t looked but, is Pressly getting some bad luck on batted balls?  Seems nearly every ball finds a hole of course, this probably due to the inability to get any swing and miss.

 

32 minutes ago, Dfan25 said:

He is just walking too many guys in general .

No walks tonight means that we're 'only' at 3 walks in 6 innings since his first outing (1 IP, 3 BBs).  Obviously not great but the bigger problem becomes the 2 strikeouts in 7 innings. He's getting BABIPed a little bit, but that's going to happen as a GB pitcher and you're going to inevitably get yourself into trouble if they're putting it in play almost every single time they come to the plate. I'm not going to just conclude that became the most hittable pitcher in baseball over one offseason, but needs to figure out how to get some swings and misses. 

On an unrelated note, this offense is a force right now. 

[Bertz]

33 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Hodge has very quietly blown consecutive appearances. We just do not have lockdown relievers. Merryweather got rocked too. Really frustrating.

Did you watch or just follow on GameDay?  Because despite giving up a run Hodge was phenomenal tonight.

[We Got The Whole 9]

18 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Did you watch or just follow on GameDay?  Because despite giving up a run Hodge was phenomenal tonight.

Followed on GameDay, yeah. I like that he threw strikes but his job is to secure the lead, right?

Edited April 9, 2025 by We Got The Whole 9

[Thusly Boned]

14 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Did you watch or just follow on GameDay?  Because despite giving up a run Hodge was phenomenal tonight.

Yeah, it was weak ass contact and bad luck.

[We Got The Whole 9]

I just saw the replay, I take it back.

[Stratos]

1 hour ago, UMFan83 said:

I get that Jed went after a couple of bigger names that signed elsewhere but the results are the results. If you can’t fix the bullpen after it’s basically cost you 2 seasons in a row, time to find someone who can. 

If it makes us feel any better, Tanner Scott has been sucky so far and his velo is down.  I would have liked if they signed Robertson or someone else and not left a ton of money on the table.

Merryweather's velo hasn't been near his 2023 velo yet so I'm not counting on a 2023 return but maybe he can be not sucky as a middle reliever.  Maybe Keller can be the 2025 Mayweather.  If Pressly can have a good year that's 3 solid relievers hopefully.  Brown is also a pen candidate when Assad is back.

[WhyCantWeWin]

Isnt Robertson still a free agent? Id look into that if I was Hoyer

[Soul]

1 hour ago, UMFan83 said:

I just did the math, the Cubs opponents for the first 29 games added up have a combined record of 73-37 and that includes 2 series against uncharacteristically mediocre Arizona.  Thats a .664 winning % and 108 win pace. Somehow we’re 9-5 halfway through that stretch, leading the majors in RD and should probably be 10-4 or 11-3. Good stuff. 

9-5 including 2 BS “games” that count as losses.

[JHBulls]

Kyle Tucker can feel less sad

 

[TarzanJoeWallis]

4 hours ago, JHBulls said:

Kyle Tucker can feel less sad

 

The great Dewayne Staats on the call. I hated it when he left the Cubs. 

[CubUgly]

8 hours ago, Stratos said:

If it makes us feel any better, Tanner Scott has been sucky so far and his velo is down.  I would have liked if they signed Robertson or someone else and not left a ton of money on the table.

Merryweather's velo hasn't been near his 2023 velo yet so I'm not counting on a 2023 return but maybe he can be not sucky as a middle reliever.  Maybe Keller can be the 2025 Mayweather.  If Pressly can have a good year that's 3 solid relievers hopefully.  Brown is also a pen candidate when Assad is back.

I'm not a fan of giving 4-year deals to relievers, they are so volatile, so I actually was not nearly as upset about not getting Tanner as many.  And I do like Keller so far and Hodge's stuff looks good but outside of that man we still are way too shaky in the pin.  We really need to start developing more from within and get more arms like Hodge to emerge. 

I do think Assad could help in the pen, he's been effective there before and Brown's pitch mix may be better served as a reliever?

[Jason Ross]

Some interesting Cubs pitching data from Lance Brozdowski

- Cubs pitchers in general have *really* leaned into 4 seam fastballs. They are leading the league in 4 seam usage. 

- Jameson Taillon has significantly increased his 4 seam usage. It was an objectively bad pitch last year. It's better this year (94 stuff+) but still not good.

- Suggests it could be weather related.

[BigbadB]

8 hours ago, WhyCantWeWin said:

Isnt Robertson still a free agent? Id look into that if I was Hoyer

The Cubs have Ryan Brasier, Tyson Miller and Javier Assad on the IL. Then you have Daniel Palencia, Luke Little, Ethan Roberts and Jack Neely in AAA. Ignoring that they are currently playing the top teams in MLB every day, in crappy weather, I don't see the need to sign Robertson at this point. They seem to be winning more games than would normally be expected. Granted, you don't want your bullpen blowing games, but I don't think the bad luck will continue. Hodge's runs were completely flukey. Tucker is not familiar with RF in Wrigley yet. And I'm certainly glad he didn't crash into that wall hard trying to be a hero like Happ the other day. Happ is familiar with his surroundings.

To me, Hodge is pitching like a true closer. He's missing bats and his stuff is electric. So a swap of Pressly and Hodge, and maybe even another swap of Pressly and Merriweather might be a better usage of the pen. Pressly seems to be the ground ball pitcher you want to bring in with runners on base in those later innings.

[Bertz]

The bullpen is giving up a .370 BABIP, and a decent number of the walks are trying to tap dance around that traffic.  So the group isn't *this* bad.  I would say I feel great about Hodge and somewhere between solid and good still about each of Pressly, Merryweather, and Keller.

That said I wonder if a line change makes sense tomorrow over the off day.  Swap out Pearson and Morgan for Palencia and Little?  I could also see an argument for waiting for next Thursday after this Dodgers/Padres road trip, but I think it should happen some point soonish.

[squally1313]

It is a little annoying that the Brewers, who per FG have four starters, the second of which has made one start and the third of third got acquired like yesterday, are somehow still above .500.

Also, as a small quality of life request, can we set something up to get the next game threads up a little sooner? Feel like people (or maybe just me) are hesitant to throw random thoughts in the game thread once the game is over, but don't really have the right spot to throw out stupid thoughts like the above when there's no thread for the next game. Feel like last year Brock had it running where it just auto generated at like 7 AM.

[17 Seconds]

11 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

It is a little annoying that the Brewers, who per FG have four starters, the second of which has made one start and the third of third got acquired like yesterday, are somehow still above .500.

Also, as a small quality of life request, can we set something up to get the next game threads up a little sooner? Feel like people (or maybe just me) are hesitant to throw random thoughts in the game thread once the game is over, but don't really have the right spot to throw out stupid thoughts like the above when there's no thread for the next game. Feel like last year Brock had it running where it just auto generated at like 7 AM.

the Brewers are winning 90 games, just accept it and it will be much less annoying

[We Got The Whole 9]

I'm more annoyed that the Cardinals have a better offense than ours so far and their young guys seem to hit the ground running, Wynn aside. I know - strength of schedule - but it's a little annoying. They're supposed so suck.

 

The Cubs are in hyperspeed with that BsR though.

 

Do you guys realize that PCA is playing at a 4-5 win pace with a 72 wRC+? Cubs should see if he's open to an extension. From a war perspective, his ceiling is absolutely enormous and his floor ain't so shabby either. 

[JBears79]

4 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

I'm more annoyed that the Cardinals have a better offense than ours so far and their young guys seem to hit the ground running, Wynn aside. I know - strength of schedule - but it's a little annoying. They're supposed so suck.

 

The Cubs are in hyperspeed with that BsR though.

 

Do you guys realize that PCA is playing at a 4-5 win pace with a 72 wRC+? Cubs should see if he's open to an extension. From a war perspective, his ceiling is absolutely enormous and his floor ain't so shabby either. 

Im expecting the bat to pick up once it gets warmer out and he has more reps too. Hes got too much california in him

[Bull]

1 hour ago, BigbadB said:

The Cubs have Ryan Brasier, Tyson Miller and Javier Assad on the IL. Then you have Daniel Palencia, Luke Little, Ethan Roberts and Jack Neely in AAA. Ignoring that they are currently playing the top teams in MLB every day, in crappy weather, I don't see the need to sign Robertson at this point. They seem to be winning more games than would normally be expected. Granted, you don't want your bullpen blowing games, but I don't think the bad luck will continue. Hodge's runs were completely flukey. Tucker is not familiar with RF in Wrigley yet. And I'm certainly glad he didn't crash into that wall hard trying to be a hero like Happ the other day. Happ is familiar with his surroundings.

To me, Hodge is pitching like a true closer. He's missing bats and his stuff is electric. So a swap of Pressly and Hodge, and maybe even another swap of Pressly and Merriweather might be a better usage of the pen. Pressly seems to be the ground ball pitcher you want to bring in with runners on base in those later innings.

I heard in the broadcast that Braiser is "not making much progress". I haven't heard on Miller and Assad.

If you can bump Brown to the bullpen to make room for Assad, add Miller and Little, I feel like that's a great bullpen. One that I feel good about top to bottom. Miller, Braiser (eventually) and Rea are the kind of relievers who *could* come in a game you are losing and hold the deficit of 2 or 3 until this juggernaut offense can come back in.

The last few years it felt like if you put in the low men on the totem pole, you were conceding the game.

[Bull]

14 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

I'm more annoyed that the Cardinals have a better offense than ours so far and their young guys seem to hit the ground running, Wynn aside. I know - strength of schedule - but it's a little annoying. They're supposed so suck.

 

The Cubs are in hyperspeed with that BsR though.

 

Do you guys realize that PCA is playing at a 4-5 win pace with a 72 wRC+? Cubs should see if he's open to an extension. From a war perspective, his ceiling is absolutely enormous and his floor ain't so shabby either. 

We have yet to see the nincompoop emerge on the bases. Perhaps he's evolving. All joking aside, if he can all but eliminate TOOTBLAN from his game, he really doesn't have to hit much to be extremely valuable, as you demonstrated.

[BigbadB]

8 minutes ago, Bull said:

I heard in the broadcast that Braiser is "not making much progress". I haven't heard on Miller and Assad.

If you can bump Brown to the bullpen to make room for Assad, add Miller and Little, I feel like that's a great bullpen. One that I feel good about top to bottom. Miller, Braiser (eventually) and Rea are the kind of relievers who *could* come in a game you are losing and hold the deficit of 2 or 3 until this juggernaut offense can come back in.

The last few years it felt like if you put in the low men on the totem pole, you were conceding the game.

This is also not taking into consideration what will be available at the trade deadline, which the Cubs apparently have lots of money available to upgrade where necessary. Assuming PTR coughs it up.

[BKHoo]

12 hours ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

Hodge has very quietly blown consecutive appearances. We just do not have lockdown relievers. Merryweather got rocked too. Really frustrating.

I'm not worried one bit about Hodge.  The guy has great stuff. 

[BKHoo]

24 minutes ago, BigbadB said:

This is also not taking into consideration what will be available at the trade deadline, which the Cubs apparently have lots of money available to upgrade where necessary. Assuming PTR coughs it up.

Root for the Cardinals to free fall so we can get their closer. 

[musclemom]

Cold, ugly, sloppy, but still a W

[Bull]

3 hours ago, BigbadB said:

This is also not taking into consideration what will be available at the trade deadline, which the Cubs apparently have lots of money available to upgrade where necessary. Assuming PTR coughs it up.

If this team looks approaching the trade deadline anywhere close to as good as this team looks now, it has to be in the budget to add a closer (which would still keep us well below the first threshold), Right?

 

....

Right?

 

 

*sigh*