Cubs (Rea) vs Astros (McCullers Jr.): 6/28/25, 6:15pm

[Brandon Glick]

Fun fact: this is the first time in his career that Colin Rea is facing the Astros outside of May. Do with that very valuable information what you will.

[gflore34]

Man, last night was tough, Tucker sucked, the Cubs rookies, Horton and Shaw, for the most part sucked.  While, on script, Smith looked great, how about flipping the script tonight?  And Rea not putting the Cubs in a big hole off right off the bat?

Probably, just blowing off steam from last night but, is anyone else, at the moment, discouraged by Horton' and Shaw' lack of anything?  I know baseball is very hard and I didn't expect them to come up polished.  However, neither of them can even manage glimpses of effectiveness, it shouldn't feel like a miracle the one or two times a week Shaw manages to barrel-up a ball or get it out of the infield.  Or, when Horton gets ahead of batter and actually puts him away.  But, I guess, like almost all things when it comes to Cubs, we'll have to wait and wait and wait and maybe, perhaps, they'll turn out to be decent to good players.  I am believer in both of them, it's just really hard right now.

 

Edited June 28, 2025 by gflore34

[Bertz]

14 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

Probably, just blowing off steam from last night but, is anyone else, at the moment, discouraged by Horton' and Shaw' lack of anything?  I know baseball is very hard and I didn't expect them to come up polished.  However, neither of them can even manage glimpses of effectiveness, it shouldn't feel like a miracle the one or two times a week Shaw manages to barrel-up a ball or get it out of the infield.  Or, when Horton gets ahead of batter and actually puts him away.  But, I guess, like almost all things when it comes to Cubs, we'll have to wait and wait and wait and maybe, perhaps, they'll turn out to be decent to good players.  I am believer in both of them, it's just really hard right now.

You definitely have unreasonable standards for what a rookie player's season should look like.

[Dfan25]

 They aren’t doing it , but they should be using an opener tonight . Astros are basically all righty lineup . Brasier should open and  go 1, maybe 2 IP .  Rea shouldn’t face the top of the order a third time .

[Stratos]

Horton looks like a serial killer and I'm here for it.

Edited June 28, 2025 by Stratos

[Illiterate Scholar]

Didn't Horton have like a 3.70 ERA going into last night? 

[gflore34]

1 hour ago, Bertz said:

You definitely have unreasonable standards for what a rookie player's season should look like.

Yes, I know, expecting a good week from Shaw is very unreasonable on my part.  Moreover, Shaw having a good week with the bat appears beyond the realm of possibility.  At this point, as minute as chances appear to be, I'd take one good game.  A game where actually barrels-up multiple balls and does real damage, not the soft contact dribblers that found holes last night.

[Bertz]

14 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

Yes, I know, expecting a good week from Shaw is very unreasonable on my part.  Moreover, Shaw having a good week with the bat appears beyond the realm of possibility.  At this point, as minute as chances appear to be, I'd take one good game.  A game where actually barrels-up multiple balls and does real damage, not the soft contact dribblers that found holes last night.

Do you have the memory of a goldfish?  Shaw was on fire like 3 weeks ago 

[javy knows my name]

8 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Do you have the memory of a goldfish?  Shaw was on fire like 3 weeks ago 

He also hit 3 balls 100+ EV two days ago 

[Derwood]

26 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

Yes, I know, expecting a good week from Shaw is very unreasonable on my part.  Moreover, Shaw having a good week with the bat appears beyond the realm of possibility.  At this point, as minute as chances appear to be, I'd take one good game.  A game where actually barrels-up multiple balls and does real damage, not the soft contact dribblers that found holes last night.

how about this week:

[gflore34]

5 minutes ago, Derwood said:

how about this week:

It's frustration and blowing off steam on my part.  Why did last night have to be so horsefeathers predictable?  Player Cubs trade away looks great, player Cubs traded for looks like dogshit.  Cubs' rookies are for horsefeathers, can't the horsefeathers script flipped just once?

[Stratos]

47 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

Yes, I know, expecting a good week from Shaw is very unreasonable on my part.  Moreover, Shaw having a good week with the bat appears beyond the realm of possibility.  At this point, as minute as chances appear to be, I'd take one good game.  A game where actually barrels-up multiple balls and does real damage, not the soft contact dribblers that found holes last night.

Yeah and he's much less selective compared to April.  3.6% BB% in June.  Seems to be doing the Nico thing of swinging at balls he thinks he can make contact even if it's not a good pitch to get the barrel on.

It is what it is, he'll come around.  Amaya and PCA hit like trash in the first half of last year too.  Just give him runway to relax and figure things out like those other 2.

[Stratos]

17 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

It's frustration and blowing off steam on my part.  Why did last night have to be so horsefeathers predictable?  Player Cubs trade away looks great, player Cubs traded for looks like dogshit.  Cubs' rookies are for horsefeathers, can't the horsefeathers script flipped just once?

Tucker trade this year is still paying off.  Over the next 3 to 6 years maybe not.  At least we get a comp pick if Tucker walks, which seems likely given ownership.

[Derwood]

You’re becoming Sulley. “Only my teams!!!!!”

[gflore34]

2 minutes ago, Derwood said:

You’re becoming Sulley. “Only my teams!!!!!”

Perhaps, though, who couldn't see last night coming from a million miles away?  It'd awfully cool if the script is flipped tonight. 

[Rcal10]

14 minutes ago, Stratos said:

Tucker trade this year is still paying off.  Over the next 3 to 6 years maybe not.  At least we get a comp pick if Tucker walks, which seems likely given ownership.

You had me agreeing either way you until the end. Why is it likely ownership lets him walk? Name a FA at Kyle’s level the Cubs let walk. All this talk of “well they never spent that money before” gets used as an example of why they won’t spend. Tell me a scenerio like this one where they let the superstar walk. 

[PeanutPunch33]

Shaw will probably end up being a good big leaguer, a la Happ and Nico.  But I doubt he will ever end up being a star caliber player, a guy that can carry a lineup.  Which is fine, I guess, there are only so many of those guys around.  And still a resounding success of a draft pick if he ends up as an every day player.  

However, I just think that the Cubs need one more of those guys in the lineup, preferably as a right handed masher that can obliterate left handed pitching.  And where exactly can they fit someone like that?  They have guys locked into every position for the foreseeable future (assuming that they find a way to keep Tuck).  I guess, they can find a better platoon for Busch but how many of those guys are out there?  And does that even solve the problem?  Most 1b platoons are lefties anyway.  Like Rowdy Tellez.  Maybe Long is an option?  Idk.  

All of the righties on this team are basically guys who get their value from their defense, and are marginally above average as hitters, with the exception of Seiya and maybe Amaya.  And the righties on this team are not getting it done vs lefties right now.  Hoerner and his 5 home runs/year will not get it done.  Swanson way too inconsistent.  Shaw, TBD.  Happ, average at best as a right handed hitter.  

The offense is amazing on paper because they destroy right handed hitting, but they look dazed and confused against lefties.  They mentioned on the broadcast that they are 29th in average, 27th in slug against lefties in the last 6 weeks.  That needs to change, even if it requires a massive trade. 

[Rcal10]

10 minutes ago, PeanutPunch33 said:

Shaw will probably end up being a good big leaguer, a la Happ and Nico.  But I doubt he will ever end up being a star caliber player, a guy that can carry a lineup.  Which is fine, I guess, there are only so many of those guys around.  And still a resounding success of a draft pick if he ends up as an every day player.  

However, I just think that the Cubs need one more of those guys in the lineup, preferably as a right handed masher that can obliterate left handed pitching.  And where exactly can they fit someone like that?  They have guys locked into every position for the foreseeable future (assuming that they find a way to keep Tuck).  I guess, they can find a better platoon for Busch but how many of those guys are out there?  And does that even solve the problem?  Most 1b platoons are lefties anyway.  Like Rowdy Tellez.  Maybe Long is an option?  Idk.  

All of the righties on this team are basically guys who get their value from their defense, and are marginally above average as hitters, with the exception of Seiya and maybe Amaya.  And the righties on this team are not getting it done vs lefties right now.  Hoerner and his 5 home runs/year will not get it done.  Swanson way too inconsistent.  Shaw, TBD.  Happ, average at best as a right handed hitter.  

The offense is amazing on paper because they destroy right handed hitting, but they look dazed and confused against lefties.  They mentioned on the broadcast that they are 29th in average, 27th in slug against lefties in the last 6 weeks.  That needs to change, even if it requires a massive trade. 

I can almost guarantee there will not be a massive trade to improve the offense. 

[gflore34]

Just now, Rcal10 said:

I can almost guarantee there will not be a massive trade to improve the offense. 

Getting someone who mashes LHP to play first with Busch would have a massive impact. 

[Jason Ross]

1 hour ago, gflore34 said:

Yes, I know, expecting a good week from Shaw is very unreasonable on my part.  Moreover, Shaw having a good week with the bat appears beyond the realm of possibility.  At this point, as minute as chances appear to be, I'd take one good game.  A game where actually barrels-up multiple balls and does real damage, not the soft contact dribblers that found holes last night.

He literally had two of the seven hardest hit balls of the entire game on Thursday. Three were xBA over .490. He had one hit. His 107mph lineout was the hardest hit ball he's had all year! 

Sometimes you get a little lucky. Sometimes you get a little unlucky. Any of the luck he got last night was paid for on Thursday..

I cannot stress enough, this is what rookies do. The best prospect in baseball has a 60 wRC+ in his first 60 PA's. We gotta stop making every PA and every game some referendum. 

[PeanutPunch33]

13 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

I can almost guarantee there will not be a massive trade to improve the offense. 

It could cost them a deep playoff run.  

[Rcal10]

2 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

He literally had two of the seven hardest hit balls of the entire game on Thursday. Three were xBA over .490. He had one hit. 

Sometimes you get a little lucky. Sometimes you get a little unlucky. 

I cannot stress enough, this is what rookies do. The best prospect in baseball has a 60 wRC+ in his first 60 PA's. 

 But,  but, but….. Smith? How does that happen????? He is obviously going to be a superstar, right? I mean he is hitting .270 with OPS of .750. And a rookie. Has to be a star, right? I mean how many guys do that and then bust????. I would guess less than 70% right? So 30% become decent players. Those are great odds, right. Yep, he has to be a star and Shaw has to suck. Cubs have to be stupidly. They always are, right???

[Jason Ross]

13 minutes ago, PeanutPunch33 said:

It could cost them a deep playoff run.  

The Cubs have scored the 2nd most runs and have the 3rd best wRC+ in baseball. It would be cool to make another really impactful offensive trade, but their offense is about as good as you can ask for. Anything *could* cost them a deep run in the playoffs, but their offense is their best aspect as a team. 

[gflore34]

23 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

 But,  but, but….. Smith? How does that happen????? He is obviously going to be a superstar, right? I mean he is hitting .270 with OPS of .750. And a rookie. Has to be a star, right? I mean how many guys do that and then bust????. I would guess less than 70% right? So 30% become decent players. Those are great odds, right. Yep, he has to be a star and Shaw has to suck. Cubs have to be stupidly. They always are, right???

For me, as I said more frustration,last night, it was so horsefeathers predictable, seems it always has to be so when it comes to Cubs.  Then again I wouldn't be surprised if most fans feel the "only my team" vibe when something bad happens.  Would be awesome if the script was flipped tonight, I think it's allowed, even for the Cubs.

Edited June 28, 2025 by gflore34

[Rcal10]

1 minute ago, gflore34 said:

For me, as I said more frustration,last night, it was so horsefeathers predictable, seems it always has to be so when it comes to Cubs.  Then I wouldn't be surprised if most fans feel the "only my team" vibe when something bad happens.  Would be awesome if the script was flipped tonight, I think it's allowed, even for the Cubs.

I get it, and understand. But even if it isn’t flipped tonight, that doesn’t mean long term it won’t be. This idea that Smith is obviously better (a future star) than Shaw because after 250 AB he is better is dumb. Steve Sax won ROY the year Sandberg came up. Who had a better career? Jerome Walton won ROY. How did that turn out? MLB is filled with guys who start good and end up ok or even not very good. And also with guys who start slower and become stars. Yes, it is frustrating to see right now. But what is happening now doesn’t really have any bearing on how Shaw or Smith end up. It can change as fast as the next 100AB. Maybe not today, however.