Red Sox (Crochet) vs Cubs (Horton): 7/20/25, 1:20pm

[UMFan83]

I love how we shut them out for 21 consecutive innings and then all the sudden we can't get them out to save our lives.

[PeanutPunch33]

1 minute ago, UMFan83 said:

I'm so confused about where you got this from?  

Since May 25th (just picked that date because it was the "end of May" and the last Sunday of the month) they are 13th in baseball against LHP by wRC+.  Over the last 30 days they've been 9th (109 wRC+).  There are teams competing for the playoffs like the Giants who are much worse (55 wRC+ vs LHP over last 30 days)

It was mentioned on one of the broadcasts a few weeks ago that since end of May they were 27th-29th in a lot of statistics vs lefties.  I'll have to go back and check the old game thread where me and Bertz had that convo for the specifics 

[Hot Sauce]

July 20, 2025 will forever be known in infamy as DFA Day.

Ryan Pressly
Kyle Tucker
Drew Pomeranz
Ethan Roberts

[UMFan83]

we're still winning in xBA!

[squally1313]

1 minute ago, muntjack said:

We have to stop using earned runs to evaluate relievers.  I'm not sure why that's been happening around here like it's 2004.  5 of Pressly's last 23 appearances have been clean.  He has a 15%K rate and a 50% hard- hit rate. Does that mean he's done and should be dfa'd? Not necessarily.  But in no way should we be surprised when he gives up some runs.  

That’s fair (was on my phone and just used the CBS scores app vs using FG like normal), I wasn’t trying to imply he was some sort of stud but he’s been fine in his middle of the pen role and when you have like 3.5 starters you’re going to inevitably have to rely on those types of guys in a close spot. 

 

[Geographyhater8888]

3 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

I'm so confused about where you got this from?  

Since May 25th (just picked that date because it was the "end of May" and the last Sunday of the month) they are 13th in baseball against LHP by wRC+.  Over the last 30 days they've been 9th (109 wRC+).  There are teams competing for the playoffs like the Giants who are much worse (55 wRC+ vs LHP over last 30 days)

They probably raised their wRC+ today as well with all the baserunners. What about runs/game and power numbers specifically?

[CubinNY]

These things happen. It just sucks after Horton's start. 

[chibears55]

10 minutes ago, Illiterate Scholar said:

Aren't you the Results Guy

Yep, doesn't mean Im trusting Ryan Pressly late in 1 run games.

Keep bringing him in with bigger leads and less presser.

 

 

[UMFan83]

Just now, Geographyhater8888 said:

They probably raised their wRC+ today as well with all the baserunners. What about runs/game and power numbers specifically?

Not sure if I can filter by runs per game in games started by lefties, but since the end of May their team SLG against LHP is .420, which is 12th in baseball.

There was definitely a dip in May/June but they've been doing well against LHP for the last month or so (just not quite as good as against RHP)

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Since the start of June Pressly has a 21% K%, 2.72 FIP, and 18% K-BB%.  He is not a perfect reliever but he's being used as roughly the 4th or 5th in the pecking order, which is fine.   People are letting early impressions where he truly was not striking people out color their opinions way more than his actual performance in recent months(or his years of past excellence)

[UMFan83]

1 minute ago, chibears55 said:

Yep, doesn't mean Im trusting Ryan Pressly late in 1 run games.

Keep bringing him in with bigger leads and less presser.

 

 

but...like thats the whole point of being a results guy.  You trust the results, not the underlying numbers and what they might suggest.  

Or maybe Pressly just gives you bad vibes, which makes you a results and vibes guy

[gflore34]

Way too many free passes today, ultimately I don't believe the Red Sox are playoff team.  Doesn't mean they aren't a good team, keep giving a good team a bunch free base runners and eventually, they're going to cash in. 

[Hot Sauce]

Hicks got that triple digit heat and great power sinker and has no idea where he’s throwing any of it.

[CubinNY]

Does Duran have a golf grip on the bat?

[Geographyhater8888]

8 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

Not sure if I can filter by runs per game in games started by lefties, but since the end of May their team SLG against LHP is .420, which is 12th in baseball.

There was definitely a dip in May/June but they've been doing well against LHP for the last month or so (just not quite as good as against RHP)

Today perfectly encapsulates what they’ve been vs left handed starting pitchers. They don’t struggle stringing together base runners but scoring runs has been scarce. The wRC+ is probably higher after today too but when they don’t hit home runs scoring runs is like pulling teeth. They won’t hit home runs either with Turner in the lineup who can’t catch up to a fastball anymore.

Edited July 20, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[squally1313]

5 minutes ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

Today perfectly encapsulates what they’ve been vs left handed starting pitchers. They don’t struggle stringing together base runners but scoring runs has been scarce. The wRC+ is probably higher after today too but when they don’t hit home runs scoring runs is like pulling teeth. They won’t hit home runs either with Turner in the lineup who can’t catch up to a fastball anymore.

Weren’t you also just criticizing what you thought to be a ‘home run or bust’ approach?

[UMFan83]

8 minutes ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

Today perfectly encapsulates what they’ve been vs left handed starting pitchers. They don’t struggle stringing together base runners but scoring runs has been scarce. The wRC+ is probably higher after today too but when they don’t hit home runs scoring runs is like pulling teeth. They won’t hit home runs either with Turner in the lineup who can’t catch up to a fastball anymore.

wRC+ isn't measuring a teams ability to get hits or baserunners, its capturing how well they do at creating runs relative to the rest of baseball.  Over the last 30 days the Cubs have a 109 wRC+ with 100 being average.  They are above average at creating runs against left handed pitchers.

It shouldn't be the only thing we look at, but if we're looking at one all encompassing stat, that's one of the better ones to capture performance.  There are other stats we can look at that show the Cubs as more middle of the league vs LHP, but I don't really see anything that suggests that they are towards the bottom of the league in anything.

Could they stand to get better vs. lefties? Absolutely.  Are there playoff caliber teams that have performed significantly worse against lefties? Yep, several

Edited July 20, 2025 by UMFan83

[chibears55]

Booooo

Go beat up the Royals tomorrow to make up for this one

[UMFan83]

Dodgers took a 3-0 lead over the Brewers, but Milwaukee already clawing back to 3-2

Edited July 20, 2025 by UMFan83

[Geographyhater8888]

10 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Weren’t you also just criticizing what you thought to be a ‘home run or bust’ approach?

I’m critical of a lineup that doesn’t score runs. Nice gotcha.

Edited July 20, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[Geographyhater8888]

4 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

wRC+ isn't measuring a teams ability to get hits or baserunners, its capturing how well they do at creating runs relative to the rest of baseball.  Over the last 30 days the Cubs have a 109 wRC+ with 100 being average.  They are above average at creating runs against left handed pitchers.

It shouldn't be the only thing we look at, but if we're looking at one all encompassing stat, that's one of the better ones to capture performance.  There are other stats we can look at that show the Cubs as more middle of the league vs LHP, but I don't really see anything that suggests that they are towards the bottom of the league in anything.

I’m curious what they posted today.

[Dfan25]

2 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

Dodgers took a 3-0 lead over the Brewers, but Milwaukee already clawing back to 3-2

Don’t scoreboard watch the brewers . You are going to get an ulcer 

[soccer10k]

3 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

Dodgers took a 3-0 lead over the Brewers, but Milwaukee already clawing back to 3-2

Dodgers defense helping them out. CFer just blew a relatively simple catch for the third run.

[UMFan83]

3 minutes ago, soccer10k said:

Dodgers defense helping them out. CFer just blew a relatively simple catch for the third run.

Was nice thinking the 27 Yankees might lose a game

[Soul]

Looks like the Brewers will not lose another game…ever.