Cubs (Horton) vs Twins (Festa): 7/9/25, 6:40pm

[Brandon Glick]

If you're going to the game today, feel free to use this guide from our sister site:

The Ultimate Fan Guide to Target Field - Minnesota Twins Guides & Resources - Twins Daily

TWINSDAILY.COM

---

This is the definitive guide to Target Field, by the fans and for the fans.

 

[Brian707]

Get the mini donuts

I have only been to Target Field once the year it opened but those were good

 

Edited July 9, 2025 by Brian707

[NorthsideAvenger]

Just win, dorks.

Edited July 9, 2025 by NorthsideAvenger

[gflore34]

Appears Festa' stuff is almost a carbon copy of yesterday' starter for the Twins.  After taking a night off, I believe the Cubs will score plenty of runs tonight.  Think they've a good chance to win tonight.

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, gflore34 said:

Appears Festa' stuff is almost a carbon copy of yesterday' starter for the Twins.  After taking a night off, I believe the Cubs will score plenty of runs tonight.  Think they've a good chance to win tonight.

Serious question. When don’t you think that? You always think the Cubs should win and the Brewers should lose. 

[gflore34]

4 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Serious question. When don’t you think that? You always think the Cubs should win and the Brewers should lose. 

Trying to be optimistic and positive, why shouldn't any Cubs' fan have such an outlook?  Is there something wrong with being positive?

[Bull]

10 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

Trying to be optimistic and positive, why shouldn't any Cubs' fan have such an outlook?  Is there something wrong with being positive?

Keep that positivity back in April where it belongs.  It's hope springs eternal, not hope summers eternal. 

Edited July 9, 2025 by Bull

[Rcal10]

7 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

Trying to be optimistic and positive, why shouldn't any Cubs' fan have such an outlook?  Is there something wrong with being positive?

Nope. But sometimes you have to acknowledge other teams are good too. Absolutely fine to be positive. And I agree with you the Cubs have a great chance tonight. 

[gflore34]

34 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Nope. But sometimes you have to acknowledge other teams are good too. Absolutely fine to be positive. And I agree with you the Cubs have a great chance tonight. 

The Brewers are good, I do believe they have some offensive shortcomings that'll eventually show up.  Nonetheless, they are a good team, doesn't mean I have to like it or obsess over how good they are as many seem to do. 

Edited July 9, 2025 by gflore34

[BKHoo]

The Brewers have perhaps the best starting rotation in baseball right now. Their rookie looks like Skenes. Woodruff looked awfully good in game 1 and they have other good options. It’s not going to be easy but we are vastly superior on the offensive side. 

[Rcal10]

4 minutes ago, BKHoo said:

The Brewers have perhaps the best starting rotation in baseball right now. Their rookie looks like Skenes. Woodruff looked awfully good in game 1 and they have other good options. It’s not going to be easy but we are vastly superior on the offensive side. 

But we need 2 pitchers. 

[NorthsideAvenger]

1 minute ago, Rcal10 said:

But we need 2 pitchers. 

Depending on the two pitchers, the Cubs could cancel out that advantage the Brewers have.

[Rcal10]

2 minutes ago, NorthsideAvenger said:

Depending on the two pitchers, the Cubs could cancel out that advantage the Brewers have.

I don’t see them getting anyone the level of Peralta or the brewers rookie. But sure, it would close the gap. And the Uns have the better offense. Point is, Brewers are very good with that staff. 

[gflore34]

3 minutes ago, NorthsideAvenger said:

Depending on the two pitchers, the Cubs could cancel out that advantage the Brewers have.

And, I don't believe the Brewers have the resources to cancel out the Cubs' advantage.  Cubs don't have to exactly match the Brewers pitching, they just have to improve the staff.

[squally1313]

If the Mis guy can simultaneously maintain his .160 BABIP and also maintain the lowest walk rate he's ever had at any professional level, ever, then yes, we're probably going to have some problems with him. But....color me a little skeptical at the moment. 

[Bertz]

2 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

If the Mis guy can simultaneously maintain his .160 BABIP and also maintain the lowest walk rate he's ever had at any professional level, ever, then yes, we're probably going to have some problems with him. But....color me a little skeptical at the moment. 

He's also never thrown 100 innings in a season so comes with the same sort of durability considerations we have with Horton/Brown

[squally1313]

3 minutes ago, Bertz said:

He's also never thrown 100 innings in a season so comes with the same sort of durability considerations we have with Horton/Brown

Fair, though also to be fair you were the main person who talked me off that ledge a few weeks ago when I was worried that their arms were going to explode in the middle of August. Turns out it was Taillon's hamstring instead! But yes, Milwaukee probably needs to slow him down at some point. (Minor related nitpick, FG added that row that sums all the different minor league levels for the year and I don't like it. Blending different levels doesn't tell you anything and I screw up and miscount things like total innings at least once a week). 

The thing that I've kinda made peace with, for better or for worse, is that we have a five game series with them in the middle of August and outside of some extreme swing one way or the other, it's kinda pointless to fret too much about the daily grind until then. For better because....that series is going to be awesome! I still remember that Cardinals one 20 years ago, this one is also at Wrigley, should be an incredible atmosphere. For worse because...we're so much better than they are, and it's annoying to somewhat small sample size it. 

[Rcal10]

21 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

And, I don't believe the Brewers have the resources to cancel out the Cubs' advantage.  Cubs don't have to exactly match the Brewers pitching, they just have to improve the staff.

I agree with this as well. But somehow they always compete.

[KCCub]

 

His quote after the game last night - "Physically good ... It's just something mechanical that's going on."

[gflore34]

5 minutes ago, KCCub said:

 

His quote after the game last night - "Physically good ... It's just something mechanical that's going on."

With the big decrease in velocity from last week I knew something was wrong.  Ethan Roberts?  Why not Little? Or, do the Cubs need see some more strike throwing from Little?

[Andy]

1 minute ago, gflore34 said:

With the big decrease in velocity from last week I knew something was wrong.  Ethan Roberts?  Why not Little? Or, do the Cubs need see some more strike throwing from Little?

I haven't at all been following Little's minor league performances, but the bulk of the time he's been in MLB he plainly has had no idea where the baseball is going. Until that's fixed I don't need to see him.

[gflore34]

7 minutes ago, Andy said:

I haven't at all been following Little's minor league performances, but the bulk of the time he's been in MLB he plainly has had no idea where the baseball is going. Until that's fixed I don't need to see him.

So far in Iowa he's sporting a WHIP of 0.961 which is a big decrease from almost anything he's done at any level.  I don't know how to tell if it'll be fixed at the MLB level.

[Derwood]

 

Oof, Berti

[chibears55]

3 minutes ago, Derwood said:

 

Oof, Berti

Happ getting a half game off, he won't have to play Outfield tonight and just focus on his ABs.   Hopefully he can have a good night, he is wayyyyyy overdue.

 

[Derwood]

DJ LeMahieu was DFA'd