Pirates (Ashcraft) vs Cubs (Rea): 8/15/25, 1:20pm

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

1 minute ago, BKHoo said:

The pitcher we faced today absolutely SUCKS and we are happy with one run. SMDH. 

What are you looking at that tells you he absolutely sucks.?

[UMFan83]

2 minutes ago, Tangled Up in Plaid said:

What are you looking at that tells you he absolutely sucks.?

He doesn't suck but he's been a 2-3 inning reliever most of the season and was able to basically shut us down for 5 innings, continuing our stretch of offensive struggles.

Edited August 15, 2025 by UMFan83

[UMFan83]

Sisk has an ERA near 5 in AAA this year

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

1 minute ago, UMFan83 said:

He doesn't suck but he's been a 2-3 inning reliever most of the season and was able to basically shut us down for 5 innings, continuing our stretch of offensive struggles.

I get it. But nothing about his numbers, a whopping 18 game sample size, or the eye test would make anyone come to the conclusion that he sucks. 

[chibears55]

Signs of a manager that has ZERO confidence in his hitters.

He PH for the guy who not only is his leadoff hitter but also, best defensive 1st basemen, and someone who is one of your better hitters, in the 6th inning just because a lefty is on the mound and hes a lefty hitter.

🫩🫩🫩

[Brian707]

1 minute ago, chibears55 said:

Signs of a manager that has ZERO confidence in his hitters.

He PH for the guy who not only is his leadoff hitter but also, best defensive 1st basemen, and someone who is one of your better hitters, in the 6th inning just because a lefty is on the mound and hes a lefty hitter.

🫩🫩🫩

Go check Busch's numbers against leftys

Edited August 15, 2025 by Brian707

[I owned a Suzuki]

1 minute ago, chibears55 said:

Signs of a manager that has ZERO confidence in his hitters.

He PH for the guy who not only is his leadoff hitter but also, best defensive 1st basemen, and someone who is one of your better hitters, in the 6th inning just because a lefty is on the mound and hes a lefty hitter.

🫩🫩🫩

I kind of get it, but how many lefty relievers do the Pirates have? Turner is a big decline against a mighty coming later

[BKHoo]

8 minutes ago, Tangled Up in Plaid said:

What are you looking at that tells you he absolutely sucks.?

His pitches. 

[UMFan83]

 

Spoiler

Based on the 2023–2025 data, the Cubs have had both longer-than-average and more frequent team-wide offensive slumps compared to a typical MLB club.

Here’s the breakdown:

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1. Slump Duration vs. MLB Norm

• MLB average: Most team-wide offensive slumps last 7–14 games. Prolonged droughts (20+ games of sub-average scoring) are relatively rare.

• Cubs 2023–2025:

  • 2023: One slump of ~38 games (~6 weeks), one of ~3 weeks, one of ~10 games.

  • 2024: One slump of ~24 games (~3+ weeks).

  • 2025: One slump of ~11 games (~2 weeks).

That 38-game skid in 2023 is far longer than normal. Even the 24-game 2024 stretch is on the high end for MLB slumps.

Conclusion: The Cubs have experienced multiple prolonged slumps exceeding league norms in both length and severity.

---

2. Frequency of Slumps

• MLB average: Around 2 major (7+ game) slumps per 162-game season.

• Cubs 2023–2025:

  • 2023: 3 major slumps.

  • 2024: At least 1 very long slump, plus smaller cold streaks.

  • 2025: 1 moderate slump so far, but season still ongoing.

Over these three seasons, the Cubs have averaged ~2.3 major slumps per season, which is slightly above the MLB average. In 2023, they had well above average slump frequency.

---

3. Severity

When the Cubs slump, they tend to drop into the bottom 3–5 teams in MLB in runs per game, batting average, and slugging percentage for the duration — which is worse than the typical “cold stretch” where a team hovers around league average.

---

Bottom line:

• Longer than average: Yes — 2023’s 38-game drought and 2024’s 24-game slump are unusually long by MLB standards.

• More frequent than average: Slightly yes overall, but 2023 was well above average.

• More severe than average: Yes — their slumps often coincide with being among the league’s worst offenses for weeks at a time.

ChatGPT on Cubs slumps over the last 3 seasons

[PackLandVA]

Here comes the big 2-out hit, right?

[PackLandVA]

Just now, PackLandVA said:

Here comes the big 2-out hit, right?

NAILED IT!!!

[Brian707]

This lead is insurmountable

[Hortonhearsawho]

Cool we are about to lose to the Pirates as well because we can't score any runs. 

[Andy]

22 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

Longest outing by Ashcraft before today was 3.1 IP.  He's at 5 IP now and only a couple pitches more than his season high.  Amazing what facing a bad offense can do for you.

They just put him in the rotation pretty recently TBF and are building up his pitch count.

But I also only know this because I scooped him up in fantasy as a streamer today as I've been doing for a couple weeks when possible. If we're going to suck, I might as well get something out of it.

[itisallpartoftheplan]

5th time in his last 6 outings Brasier has given up runs.

[Cubbies1996]

All you can do is laugh at this point 

[DrCub]

1 minute ago, Andy said:

They just put him in the rotation pretty recently TBF and are building up his pitch count.

But I also only know this because I scooped him up in fantasy as a streamer today as I've been doing for a couple weeks when possible. If we're going to suck, I might as well get something out of it.

I just keep betting the under and the Cubs to lose. 

[BigSlick]

Why do they hate scoring runs so much!! Why is it so hard!!!!

[Soul]

Total offensive outage.  These pitchers are not good.  Brewers absolutely feasted on this staff.  The Cubs could do half as good and sweep.

[nihilist]

Spite steal incoming if he can run

[Andy]

It would figure if PCA is getting banged up just as he's starting to hit a little bit again.

[Cubbies1996]

Well Dansby’s gonna hit into a rally killing double play

[UMFan83]

1st and 2nd, 0 outs.... I should turn it off to save myself the pain.

[JHBulls]

That’ll work. 

[Andy]

Just now, Cubbies1996 said:

Well Dansby’s gonna hit into a rally killing double play

Counsell wouldn't allow it and told him to bunt and he got a single out of it. 5D chess by Craig.