Cubs (Imanaga) vs Brewers (Peralta): 7/30/25, 1:10pm

[gflore34]

19 minutes ago, 17 Seconds said:

why do you keep being so hard on  Ballesteros? he had <20 PA his first time up

More general frustration than anything, I understand the jump from AAA is extremely difficult.  But, holy horsefeathers it would great if a Cubs rookie bat came up and showed something immediately, I know it happens. Why can't it be Cubs rookie, for once, like today?

Edited July 30, 2025 by gflore34

[Geographyhater8888]

Does DFAing Brujan mean they have a trade in the works for another bat?

[KCCub]

53 minutes ago, Hortonhearsawho said:

Where is Seiya Suzuki? Didn't he used to be good at baseball? Maybe the Cubs will find him today. 

Seiya is 2-19 11K's .105/.190/.263 against Peralta in his career. Maybe that changes today, but I wouldn't bet on it. 

[gflore34]

1 minute ago, KCCub said:

Seiya is 2-19 11K's .105/.190/.263 against Peralta in his career. Maybe that changes today, but I wouldn't bet on it. 

I'd be surprised if Seiya didn't take another 0fer with 3 K's today.

[Jason Ross]

1 minute ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

Does DFAing Brujan mean they have a trade in the works for another bat?

I think Brujan was always going to go in the next two days, so while I think it's likely that the Cubs bench will look pretty different come 4pm tomorrow, but I'd guess there isn't a specific trade right now that's about to hit.

[chibears55]

36 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

The lack of IL stint for Happ kinda clarifies the Ballesteros move for me based on the past approach by the FO. You don't really need a backup outfielder if Happ is going to stay on the roster, but he probably ideally needs a couple days off. With Amaya rehabbing in AAA, it makes sense to bring up the guy who temporarily lost his daily spot and has also already had a taste of major league pitching. 

Obviously now we've got 4 major league-ish catchers floating around between Chicago and Iowa, so McGuire has to see the writing on the wall. But that's a problem for the post deadline, healthy Amaya team to deal with 

SD was looking for a C and or LF in return for Cease, and probably not the case with Happ getting traded ( i lnow NTC) but you cant trade a guy on IL..

McGuire could be a guy on the move though

[Geographyhater8888]

2 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

I think Brujan was always going to go in the next two days, so while I think it's likely that the Cubs bench will look pretty different come 4pm tomorrow, but I'd guess there isn't a specific trade right now that's about to hit.

That’s not at all surprising. The timing was perfectly lined up. Bellestaros wil likely be sent down soon if they make a trade then, which I assume is the plan unless they keep McGuire when Amaya comes back which I don’t see happening.

[chibears55]

36 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

That makes a lot more sense.  I was a little confused by Happ immediately going to the IL following a negative x-ray, especially with an off day tomorrow.  There was no reason to rush an IL decision when they can wait and re-evaluate in a day or two.

Wanted to tease us fans is all

[Jason Ross]

3 minutes ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

That’s not at all surprising. The timing was perfectly lined up. Bellestaros wil likely be sent down soon if they make a trade then, which I assume is the plan unless they keep McGuire when Amaya comes back which I don’t see happening.

That would be my guess. Mo is here for a day, or maybe a few more (the Cubs could conceivably DFA Berti as well at this point to keep Mo up through a few more days) until Happ's healthy again. 

But by Thursday at 4pm est, tomorrow, I think there could be up to three new bench players. One of which isn't really "new" in Miguel Amaya, but think there could two new additions - one via trade and could be one rookie like Franklin or Alcantara as the new CF option.

[Bull]

1 hour ago, gflore34 said:

Think Counsell has figured this out yet?  I don't think there's any question Busch needs to be moved back down.  Why not try it today?  Maybe, Nico in the lead off spot and Busch 5th?

Why not put our CF Albino Soriano in the leadoff spot.

Edited July 30, 2025 by Bull

[chibears55]

Im wondering if there was some kind of mishap that happened with Happ supposedly going on IL and calling up Ballesteros, then last minute decided oh so no IL for Happ but Ballesteros already on his way, and then, ok let him come we'll just let Brujan go today instead of tomorrow. 

😅😅😅

[Geographyhater8888]

5 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

That would be my guess. Mo is here for a day, or maybe a few more (the Cubs could conceivably DFA Berti as well at this point to keep Mo up through a few more days) until Happ's healthy again. 

But by Thursday at 4pm est, tomorrow, I think there could be up to three new bench players. One of which isn't really "new" in Miguel Amaya, but think there could two new additions - one via trade and could be one rookie like Franklin or Alcantara as the new CF option.

We really took for granted how much the pen was pitching well their capability. Now that the rotation injuries have caught up, the pen is too human and can’t hold a deficit and here we are.
 

it seems like the top of the order has struggled a lot since they moved Busch to leadoff. Managers exploit the lefty heavy top of the order by bringing in lefties from the pen and instead of Busch hitting with runners on you have Happ and Swanson. I’m waiting for the power to pick back up, which means Suzuki doubles his career high in home runs.

Edited July 30, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[Jason Ross]

5 minutes ago, Geographyhater8888 said:

We really took for granted how much the pen was pitching well their capability. Now that the rotation injuries have caught up, the pen is too human and can’t hold a deficit and here we are.
 

it seems like the top of the order has struggled a lot since they moved Busch to leadoff. Managers exploit the lefty heavy top of the order by bringing in lefties from the pen and instead of Busch hitting with runners on you have Happ and Swanson.

The bullpen is struggling, but much like when the bullpen was out producing itself, this won't keep either. We have a bad habit of believing all out-of-the-norm things suggest future production (positive and negative) but things regress to the mean. With trades and positive variance, the pen will be fine. Thielbar, Palencia, Keller, and Braiser are a pretty strong foundation. With enough guys like Pomeranz, Hollowell, Hodge, Pressley floating around, and maybe adding Horton and Brown you can probably guess two of them will stabilize it again. Add one good reliever from outside of the organization and it'll be alright.

The lineup will be fine too. I really don't care about lineup construction. People freak out about it, but I think it's a red herring in almost every way. Busch isn't struggling because he's hitting leadoff, he's just going through a slump, for example. Almost all available data we have suggests lineup construction is nearly meaningless, both from a hitter's production POV and from a run scoring environment POV, so I'm not super worried how Counsell orders them as long as the better hitters hit near the front of it and he isn't playing Tucker at SS. Things will work themselves out when hitters revert back into the normal forms.

[Geographyhater8888]

1 hour ago, Jason Ross said:

The bullpen is struggling, but much like when the bullpen was out producing itself, this won't keep either. We have a bad habit of believing all out-of-the-norm things suggest future production (positive and negative) but things regress to the mean. With trades and positive variance, the pen will be fine. Thielbar, Palencia, Keller, and Braiser are a pretty strong foundation. With enough guys like Pomeranz, Hollowell, Hodge, Pressley floating around, and maybe adding Horton and Brown you can probably guess two of them will stabilize it again. Add one good reliever from outside of the organization and it'll be alright.

The lineup will be fine too. I really don't care about lineup construction. People freak out about it, but I think it's a red herring in almost every way. Busch isn't struggling because he's hitting leadoff, he's just going through a slump, for example. Almost all available data we have suggests lineup construction is nearly meaningless, so I'm not super worried how Counsell orders them as long as the better hitters hit near the front of it and he isn't playing Tucker at SS.

I think they’ve stabilized since June. The whole team. They’re in a slump right now and the rotation injuries have caught up with them and  they’ve been treading water for 2 months in large part because those injuries without any major ebs and flows in any phase outside of the current stretch of games. 

Edited July 30, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[chibears55]

Imanaga and Tucker need to step up today and find a way to win a ballgame. 

[JHBulls]

2 hours ago, ILMindState said:

Ballesteros is in Milwaukee, Brujan has been DFA'd

 

2 hours ago, ILMindState said:

Ballesteros is in Milwaukee, Brujan has been DFA'd

So we are down to two worthless bench bats.

Jed, do Turner and Berti next! 

Edited July 30, 2025 by JHBulls

[Outshined_One]

1 minute ago, JHBulls said:

 

So we are down to two worthless bench bats.

Jed, do Turner and Berti next! 

Turner should never get another AB against a RHP so long as he's on this team.  He's an okay platoon partner for Busch, and I'm fine with keeping him on, but why CC seems hellbent on giving him at bats against RHPs is beyond me.

Berti needs to be fired into the sun.

[Rcal10]

6 minutes ago, JHBulls said:

 

So we are down to two worthless bench bats.

Jed, do Turner and Berti next! 

I don’t agree in Turner. Used correctly he can hit some lefties. I know people complain every time he is in the line up instead of Busch, but he isn’t a bad bat against a lefty. But he should be the 26th man, not the 24th. He needs to be the worst bat on the bench. 

[Irrelevant Dude]

6 minutes ago, Outshined_One said:

Berti needs to be fired into the sun.

He is like our 4th best reliever.

[chibears55]

12 minutes ago, JHBulls said:

 

So we are down to two worthless bench bats.

Jed, do Turner and Berti next! 

I think we're stuck with both, but for sure Berti only because of his base stealing ability, which is a thing now for keeping such guy.

Turner i think they just like having him in the clubhouse, but if that the case, just IL him for a month

[Rex Buckingham]

Buschy!

[chibears55]

Now that the way to start a game to get your team going.

Busch

[Hortonhearsawho]

I was about to say over / under 1 run scored today and then that happened. 🤣

Edited July 30, 2025 by Hortonhearsawho

[Brian707]

Cubs are 0-2 when scoring first this series

[chibears55]

Maybe Peralta will just have a game like Imanaga had in his last start

🤷‍♂️