Rockies (Gordon) vs Cubs (Boyd): 5/28/25, 7:05pm

[Rcal10]

27 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Good sweep. Wins are wins.

"This garbage bullpen is going to keep us from being an elite team"

(Bullpen throws 10.2 innings without an earned run to win three tight games)

"Well the offense sucks"

👍 pen has been very good for a bit now. They are 6th in the NL, after a terrible start and a few really, really bad games. But, I am sure the first time they blow a lead or give up a run we will hear how bad they are again. 

[BigSlick]

7 hours ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

Interesting twist. The team allowing 5.3/game on the road vs a team coming into the series scoring 5.6/clip at wrigley managed 9 total runs in a sweep.

The book on PCA looks similar to Javy with curves and changeups nowhere near the zone both low and away. He lives and dies by the sword golfing a homer on a curveball near his knees and struck out on another curve in the dirt.

This is the thing I never understood about pitchers facing Javy, and now pitchers facing PCA. Why would you ever throw a fastball even vaguely near the zone? Just throw breaking balls WAAAAY out of the zone if you get to two strikes and its an instant strike out. 

I think it took MLB about 5 years to figure this out with Javy, but it still boggled my mind why it took that long. 

[bukie]

35 minutes ago, BigSlick said:

This is the thing I never understood about pitchers facing Javy, and now pitchers facing PCA. Why would you ever throw a fastball even vaguely near the zone? Just throw breaking balls WAAAAY out of the zone if you get to two strikes and its an instant strike out. 

I think it took MLB about 5 years to figure this out with Javy, but it still boggled my mind why it took that long. 

It's clearly not that simple, exemplified by Javy's 119 wRC+ this season, a good 4 years after you assert the league "figured him out"

Edited May 29, 2025 by bukie

[Backtobanks]

34 minutes ago, BigSlick said:

This is the thing I never understood about pitchers facing Javy, and now pitchers facing PCA. Why would you ever throw a fastball even vaguely near the zone? Just throw breaking balls WAAAAY out of the zone if you get to two strikes and its an instant strike out. 

I think it took MLB about 5 years to figure this out with Javy, but it still boggled my mind why it took that long. 

The same is true for Swanson, the league knows that all he can hit is a fastball and they continue throwing him fastballs.

[Bertz]

1 minute ago, Backtobanks said:

The same is true for Swanson, the league knows that all he can hit is a fastball and they continue throwing him fastballs.

Dansby Swanson this year has a positive run value on Cutters, Splitters, Sinkers, Sliders, and Curveballs

He has a negative run value on fastballs

[Soul]

1 hour ago, BigSlick said:

This is the thing I never understood about pitchers facing Javy, and now pitchers facing PCA. Why would you ever throw a fastball even vaguely near the zone? Just throw breaking balls WAAAAY out of the zone if you get to two strikes and its an instant strike out. 

I think it took MLB about 5 years to figure this out with Javy, but it still boggled my mind why it took that long. 

Because PCA will actually hit it out of the park if you do it too often.  He’s now golfed the two lowest-pitch homers in the league this year.  Last night it was a tad over 1 ft off the ground.  May 2 he hit one less than 1 ft off the ground.

I agree PCA needs to develop better eye for taking pitches but his ability to hit homers way out of the zone makes him special and a tough out.

[Derwood]

Pitchers knew that Sammy Sosa's achilles heel were sliders low and away, yet he got pitches to hit for a decade

[CubUgly]

1 hour ago, BigSlick said:

This is the thing I never understood about pitchers facing Javy, and now pitchers facing PCA. Why would you ever throw a fastball even vaguely near the zone? Just throw breaking balls WAAAAY out of the zone if you get to two strikes and its an instant strike out. 

I think it took MLB about 5 years to figure this out with Javy, but it still boggled my mind why it took that long. 

Yeah, I would say that almost every time Javy would come up when he played with us....why would you ever throw him anything near the strike zone...he will not take a walk....he's gonna swing.   It never changed here.  the hope is PCA is a bit more willing to evolve, he's still really young.  

[gflore34]

Watched the condensed game.  Games 1 and 2 wind worked against the Cubs keeping the score down, Game 3 wind was the Cubs' friend.  The Rockies approach of breaking balls and change ups away worked think we'll see more of the same from the Reds.  In order to combat such an approach, the Cubs have to get back grinding out at bats. Talking the walks and forcing opposing pitchers to come to them.

Edited May 29, 2025 by gflore34

[squally1313]

57 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Dansby Swanson this year has a positive run value on Cutters, Splitters, Sinkers, Sliders, and Curveballs

He has a negative run value on fastballs

hey get out of here nerd, we've got narratives to push

[CubUgly]

1 hour ago, bukie said:

It's clearly not that simple, exemplified by Javy's 119 wRC+ this season, a good 4 years after you assert the league "figured him out"

I would be VERY surprised if that's number is not below 100 two months from now.  But I hope it is, I only wish the best for Javy. 

[WhyCantWeWin]

Idk if anyone has mentioned but Shaw has a 101 wRC+
 

Kid is on the rise

[Hot Sauce]

No Cubs baseball today. What are we supposed to do for the next 23 hours?

[Dfan25]

Cubs haven’t announced a starter for tomorrow . It’s Rea spot but I wouldn’t be surprised if they open with a lefty ( Cabrera ) ? Reds bat Friedl lead off all the time and that would turn Elly to the Rightside . Hays  could possibly be out with a foot injury .

Seems like the perfect time to start a lefty and try to get 2 innings . Also coming from an off day and next Monday off as well . 

Edited May 29, 2025 by Dfan25