Cubs (Imanaga) vs Pirates (Heaney): 4/29/25, 5:40pm

[Brandon Glick]

The best lefty in the National League faces Shota Imanaga tonight... no, seriously, Andrew Heaney is on a heater right now. At least the Pirates still can't hit.

 

[We Got The Whole 9]

Defense needs to get back on track, too many costly blunders. The horsefeathers bullpen is assured to walk about half of the hitters they face so let's not keep allowing more free bases. Nico and Dansby need to get it together. The offense only scored 9 runs against the Phillies. That was hopefully a small blip. 

 

I can't be the only one feeling like they will play to the level of their compeition. 

[squally1313]

Besides the series against Texas, every team the Cubs have played so far has been above average offensively (wRC > 100). The Pirates had a team 79 wRC. It's basically Oneil Cruz and the Infinite Sadness. They've given Tommy Pham 98 PAs to put up a .495 OPS. Hopefully the pitchers should mow them down. 

[gflore34]

Given the lineups they've faced so far this season I could see the bullpen being careful trying to thread the needle.  There's no need to pitch in a such a manner this series, be, aggressive go right at the Pirates, stop the horsefeathers nibbling.

[Derwood]

This will be the season's first test of how stupid the blackout rules are.

[CubinNY]

Brett pointed it that it is Lee Elia day.! Best baseball rant this side of Earl Weaver. 

[mul21]

25 minutes ago, Derwood said:

This will be the season's first test of how stupid the blackout rules are.

methstreams

[Banedon]

49 minutes ago, Derwood said:

This will be the season's first test of how stupid the blackout rules are.

How's that?

(Not disagreeing they're stupid)

[KCCub]

Kelly in the 4 hole, Dansby 8.

[Derwood]

20 minutes ago, Banedon said:

How's that?

(Not disagreeing they're stupid)

I live 230 miles from Pittsburgh, but am likely still in their blackout area

[Andy]

42 minutes ago, KCCub said:

Kelly in the 4 hole, Dansby 8.

And no Turner. I'm mostly ambivalent about where Kelly hits, but dumping Dansby down and this seemingly tacit admission that Turner is a corpse are both welcome developments

[squally1313]

Going to try and continue not commenting on the actual batting order, but Turner not starting here is probably at least a little meaningful. 

[Jason Ross]

Yeah, Turner not playing is notable. I don't think it means they're entirely done with him, but it's probably a sign that the team is cognizant of the data and that there is enough there to suggest it won't be a strict R-L platoon moving forward until Turner does something.

[gflore34]

I believe the Cubs know Turner is cooked, give him a chance, didn't work out.  He'll be a former Cub before long.

[chibears55]

37 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

I believe the Cubs know Turner is cooked, give him a chance, didn't work out.  He'll be a former Cub before long.

That could be when we'll see Jonathan Long replacing him, he has been playing well and getting opportunities at 3B.

Turner was never going to last long with this team, he was eventually going to be replaced by someone in Iowa.

[Stratos]

2 hours ago, KCCub said:

Kelly in the 4 hole, Dansby 8.

Good lineup change.  Amaya can hit 4th as well.  Dansby at 8th behind PCA will give PCA lots of pitches swung and missed to steal 2nd LOL.

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, Jason Ross said:

Yeah, Turner not playing is notable. I don't think it means they're entirely done with him, but it's probably a sign that the team is cognizant of the data and that there is enough there to suggest it won't be a strict R-L platoon moving forward until Turner does something.

Yeah, i ageee. I don’t think this means the Cubs are done with Turner either. Turner hit about .100 last May and wasn’t cooked. I doubt the Cubs give up on him this soon. Could be a simple reason like Counsil likes Busch in this match up. I think the long range plan for Busch is an everyday player with OCCASIONAL days off against a lefty. Maybe this is a match up Counsil feels comfortable with. It can also be that Turner is a little banged up or sick. We don’t know🤷 I do like the line up being shaken up a bit. I doubt this is the long term line up, but for now I approve of him moving Swanson down. 

[JHBulls]

Estimated start time of 7:00PM tonight. 

[Rcal10]

45 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

That could be when we'll see Jonathan Long replacing him, he has been playing well and getting opportunities at 3B.

Turner was never going to last long with this team, he was eventually going to be replaced by someone in Iowa.

Well he is 40. So if you mean he isn’t likely to last beyond this year I can why you say that. But if you are suggesting he was never going to make it through this season, I don’t agree. Yes, someone will eventually replace him. Just not sure a slow start means he is cooked and he will be replaced anytime soon. 

[squally1313]

I'd love to see the evidence that Jonathan Long and his .472 BABIP is a better bench option than Justin Turner*

*: The evidence has to include a sample size greater than 53 PAs because we're all adults here. 

[Rcal10]

16 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

I'd love to see the evidence that Jonathan Long and his .472 BABIP is a better bench option than Justin Turner*

*: The evidence has to include a sample size greater than 53 PAs because we're all adults here.  I mean he has 43 AB and is not doing well. Never mind the last two years his OPS+ 

Edited April 29, 2025 by Rcal10

[Banedon]

For some reason Marquee, at least the Roku App version, is playing a ton of ads for Ant-Man and the Wasp streaming....wtf ..what year is it?

[Banedon]

With nobody in the stands after the rain, this feels and sounds like a pandemic game.

[Eeyore]

The way that Heaney's pitches move in to the hitter, I think that PCA will be able to do something against him.

[Rcal10]

Heany is a reverse splits guy. A much simplier reason not to start Turner.