Brewers (Patrick) vs Cubs (Brown): 6/17/25, 7:05pm

[Brandon Glick]

I'd love to see Ben Brown continue working his changeup into his game plan today. Could be the difference between him being a No. 3 starter and a reliever.

[Brian707]

Let's hope the weather cooperates

 

[gflore34]

If the weather cooperates, the Cubs will win today, bats will break out - Ian Happ said so after Saturday' win.

[Derwood]

Worst part of the hourly forecast is the hour before first pitch

[Hot Sauce]

I wish I had more confidence in Brown. 

[We Got The Whole 9]

The Patrick dude has been pretty tough and he has the sinker/cutter arsenal that can give us fits. They got him for Abraham Toro? Damn.

[gflore34]

29 minutes ago, Hot Sauce said:

I wish I had more confidence in Brown. 

Brewers have had a tough time with Brown and we appear to be back on the bad start - good start cycle again.  Last start for Brown was bad, this one should be good. Guess we'll know within the first batter or two if the Cubs hit the Ben Brown lottery tonight.

[chibears55]

Chance to add some space between them and Brewers, just win the series 

[gflore34]

7 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Chance to add some space between them and Brewers, just win the series 

Tonight is key, get this one and they'll get at least one of the remaining two games.  Really interested in tomorrow' match up, Misiorowski has a history of spotty control, guys with control issues aren't very effective against the Cubs.  If he walks a Cub an inning they'll score some runs.

[Bertz]

I am probably Brown's biggest cheerleader, but this really ought to be an Opener situation.  

Now that Contreras' offense has come back to earth they are a very unimposing team against LHP.  Add in how well it worked against the Reds and also the weather forecast, and it feels like a fairly perfect opportunity.

[squally1313]

1 hour ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

The Patrick dude has been pretty tough and he has the sinker/cutter arsenal that can give us fits. They got him for Abraham Toro? Damn.

I don't pretend to be an expert on this stuff, so someone tell me if I'm doing this wrong, but when I go to Fangraphs, offensive team stats, pitch level data, statcast pitch type value, the Cubs are 4th in baseball against cutters and 2nd in baseball against sinkers. So we may actually be in good shape for that type of arsenal?

[Bertz]

21 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

I don't pretend to be an expert on this stuff, so someone tell me if I'm doing this wrong, but when I go to Fangraphs, offensive team stats, pitch level data, statcast pitch type value, the Cubs are 4th in baseball against cutters and 2nd in baseball against sinkers. So we may actually be in good shape for that type of arsenal?

Yeah I think broadly our lefties mash the ball low and our righties mash the ball high.  So a sinker righty should be a good matchup.  Though Patrick does like doing the high sinker move which is a fun gambit.

On top of that with the wind finally blowing out again a 27% GB rate is going to be living dangerously.

[We Got The Whole 9]

I wasn't speaking to this year. Admittedly I didn't look. It just feels like a profile that over the last couple years we struggled with.

[squally1313]

25 minutes ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

I wasn't speaking to this year. Admittedly I didn't look. It just feels like a profile that over the last couple years we struggled with.

Yeah I don't know, I just don't really watch the game in terms of a pitcher profile and our performance against them, anecdotal or not. Last year we were supposedly 5th in value against both, top ten for both in 2023. Again, not sure how accurate those stats are in IDing the pitches, how they calculate the 'value' piece, etc. But just (lightly) challenging those types of claims that are in the 'Why Are The Cubs Uniquely Bad At This' vein....kinda my annoying quick. 

[Derwood]

Would've been a great day for day baseball. Same with tomorrow and Thursday

[cubfansince77]

4 hours ago, Hot Sauce said:

I wish I had more confidence in Brown. 

Agree, he's green and rough around the edges. Fingers crossed for tonight. 

[UMFan83]

Tonight is only the 5th time in 34 home games the wind has blown out according to Jesse. In the previous 4 games the teams combined for an average of 17 runs scored. 

[gflore34]

Canario with a 2-run single, Pirates up 3-2 on the mighty Tigers.  Maybe the Pirates aren’t as bad as we think and the Cubs aren’t terrible for only winning 3 of 4.

[PeanutPunch33]

Excited for this game.  This is a good Brewers team and a great test for this ball club.  

[Derwood]

Good start

Contreras laced the double, but otherwise, hitters looked baffled

[Cubbies1996]

Oh look another Dansby rollover 

[We Got The Whole 9]

Seiya just playing the guessing game 

[PeanutPunch33]

The first sport that gets competent officiating will become GOATed 

[PeanutPunch33]

damn, not a good start

[We Got The Whole 9]

2 balls smoked off of the knuckle curve. If they take that away Brown will be skewered.