Red Sox (Bello) vs Cubs (Imanaga): 7/19/25, 6:15pm

[chibears55]

3 hours ago, Eeyore said:

Is it going to rain there? I'm in Northwest Indiana and it's raining hard and is supposed to all day into tomorrow.

Don't look like it as of now, some clouds but plenty of blue sky as of 6 CST

[chibears55]

1 hour ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

Where’s Shaw? Trade, injury or other? 

Have to be trading him soon, no other reason to bench him today after a week off and hitting the ball well yesterday. 

[chibears55]

54 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

And Brujan has a .493 OPS vs RHP this year

Yea, the alternative isnt better then just sticking with the kid, especially since he gives them a much better glove defensively where that can make more of a difference in the game then hoping Brujan can do something positive with the bat.

[chibears55]

Just find a way to get another W

Strike early, strike often 

[JHBulls]

Apparently the offense has “taken off” since Michael Busch has been in the leadoff spot. Mind you, this is the third game with Michael Busch in the leadoff spot. Don’t you just love national games lol. 

[Jason Ross]

18 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Have to be trading him soon, no other reason to bench him today after a week off and hitting the ball well yesterday. 

Except that Bello has huge R/L splits and Shaw has yet to show aptitude against sinkers, Bello's most frequent pitch. 

There is clear reason that is beyond a trade.

[squally1313]

We’re going with a bullpen game in the third game after the all star break, can we maybe focus on fixing that over the same complaints about who our 9th hitter is (league wide OPS: .636)

[PeanutPunch33]

Busch should be the leadoff guy moving forward.  Against lefties, Nico 

[Jason Ross]

Just now, squally1313 said:

We’re going with a bullpen game in the third game after the all star break, can we maybe focus on fixing that over the same complaints about who our 9th hitter is (league wide OPS: .636)

Instead of that, I would like to focus in on Ian Happ. Can we talk about him? 

[squally1313]

Just now, Jason Ross said:

Instead of that, I would like to focus in on Ian Happ. Can we talk about him? 

At least until Dansby comes up with a guy on second 

[chibears55]

13 minutes ago, JHBulls said:

Apparently the offense has “taken off” since Michael Busch has been in the leadoff spot. Mind you, this is the third game with Michael Busch in the leadoff spot. Don’t you just love national games lol. 

Hey he just homered, they know something about something..lol

[PeanutPunch33]

LOL

[Jason Ross]

It's almost as if that Bryan Bello guy isn't so good against LHH, or something. 

[chibears55]

Back to Back Jack's

Let Go !!!!

[chibears55]

Just now, Jason Ross said:

It's almost as if that Bryan Bello guy isn't so good against LHH, or something. 

Come on , very low expectation with Brujan getting a hit even against Bello.

Much rather have Shaw glove then Brujan bat

[squally1313]

PCA is about to swing so horsefeathers hard

[Jason Ross]

Just now, chibears55 said:

Come on , very low expectation with Brujan getting a hit even against Bello.

Much rather have Shaw glove then Brujan bat

There is this odd thing that Cubs fans do. They will on one hand complain that the Cubs don't do everything to win, will handwring over every lineup decision.

Then when the Cubs make a data based decision that they "don't like" will complain about that, too.

Yeah, Brujan sucks. Shaw is bad against sinkers and Bello is bad against LHH. Its fine. This is coming from the #1 Matt Shaw Fan Club guy. Its okay he isnt starting today. 

[chibears55]

6 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

We’re going with a bullpen game in the third game after the all star break, can we maybe focus on fixing that over the same complaints about who our 9th hitter is (league wide OPS: .636)

That'll be discussed tomorrow, today it about CC going with Brujan invisible bat over Shaw Glove

[Transmogrified Tiger]

1 minute ago, squally1313 said:

PCA is about to swing so horsefeathers hard

The odds of him swinging through a change up in that at bat were roughly 8000%

[Jason Ross]

1 minute ago, chibears55 said:

That'll be discussed tomorrow, today it about CC going with Brujan invisible bat over Shaw Glove

Imanaga is one of the lowest GB% pitchers in baseball.

[chibears55]

2 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

There is this odd thing that Cubs fans do. They will on one hand complain that the Cubs don't do everything to win, will handwring over every lineup decision.

Then when the Cubs make a data based decision that they "don't like" will complain about that, too.

Yeah, Brujan sucks. Shaw is bad against sinkers and Bello is bad against LHH. Its fine. This is coming from the #1 Matt Shaw Fan Club guy. Its okay he isnt starting today. 

If Brujan had a heartbeat of success this season then it would be fine, just seems dumb to choose him over just sticking with Shaw and his defense despite what he does with the couple of AB against Bello.

[Jason Ross]

Just now, chibears55 said:

If Brujan had a heartbeat of success this season then it would be fine, just seems dumb to choose him over just sticking with Shaw and his defense despite what he does with the couple of AB against Bello.

Imanaga doesn't throw ground balls. Defense at 3b probably isnt a big factor. 

The Cubs chose a LHH to negate Bello versus the better glove (that isnt likely needed) who struggles against Bello's two most frequent pitches. 

It makes perfect sense. If vintage Kyle Hendricks was on the mound, a defensive 3b may have tipped the scales the other way. 

[squally1313]

Said a slightly different way, given all the reasons that have been laid out, if you aren’t going to give Shaw a day off today, when are you ever going to. I get that it was just the ASB but days off and getting the bench some run still matter. 

[chibears55]

3 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

Imanaga is one of the lowest GB% pitchers in baseball.

Ok, we're only talking probably 2 AB versus Bello.

So again, I get the splits and that would work if Brujan was decent but given the choice, id rather have the guy who has the better glove over a guy who will likely have the same outcome as him at the plate. 🤷‍♂️

[chibears55]

2 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Said a slightly different way, given all the reasons that have been laid out, if you aren’t going to give Shaw a day off today, when are you ever going to. I get that it was just the ASB but days off and getting the bench some run still matter. 

Im all for that but Brujan better not be a part of this team in 2 weeks.