Nationals (Irvin) vs Cubs (Assad): 9/5/25, 1:20pm

[mk49]

Just now, BKHoo said:

Kittredge has been a valuable trade piece. 

Yeah, he's been great like 90% of the time.  Way better than Rogers.

[mk49]

5 minutes ago, Papa Cub said:

People say Kyle Tucker, PCA, Seiya etc, but as far as the MVP on this team it has been Nico Hoerner for me. Those others are solid players and I’m glad they’re Cubs, but Nico has been the steady and consistent on this team. As a hitter and a fielder. Atta man Nico 👍💪

I agree.  He has the best BA in the team.  He's very consistent both offensively and defensively.  More than likely, he'll get another gold glove this year.

PCA should've been the MVP, if he didn't struggle this long, though.  

 

Edited September 5, 2025 by mk49

[squally1313]

Willi Castro and Luis Urias (cut by the Athletics, playing for the Brewers AAA team) were offered as upgrades to Nico Hoerner like, 2 months ago in a whole article around these parts. 

Nico rocks. 

[mk49]

There were a lot of trade talks about Nico in off season, too.  I didn't want to see him go.  The Cubs didn't trade him, so it's all good.😄

Edited September 5, 2025 by mk49

[UMFan83]

Just now, mk49 said:

There were a lot of trade talks about Nico in off season, too.  I didn't want to see go.  The Cubs didn't trade him, so it's all good.😄

Agreed.  It was frustrating me that it was even being discussed

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I like Happ when he hits home runs

[mk49]

Happ hit like 4 HRs in the last 7 or 8 games, I think.

[JHBulls]

My stream has horsefeathers itself at the wrong times to the tune of about 8 of the Cub runs today lol. Just now the commentators are having general chit chat, while an AB is happening, then I see a cut to the crowd with fans trying to get to the baseball (Happ home run) and the commentators are still having the exact same conversation. Free sports streaming is funny as horsefeathers at times. 

Edited September 5, 2025 by JHBulls

[squally1313]

115 wRC for Happ. His bad baserunning is probably going to keep him under 3 wins unless he stays hot the rest of the year, but with the soft schedule I wouldn't be surprised if he keeps up his (overall) metronomic hitting ways (122, 119, 121 the last three years)

[Rcal10]

9 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

115 wRC for Happ. His bad baserunning is probably going to keep him under 3 wins unless he stays hot the rest of the year, but with the soft schedule I wouldn't be surprised if he keeps up his (overall) metronomic hitting ways (122, 119, 121 the last three years)

Yep, Happ is just a solid ballplayer that this site hates, for some reason. But year in and year out he ends around the same. Above average offensively and a GG left fielder. 

[Rcal10]

A lot of complaints about Apple TV, but the Cubs have scored 10 or more runs the 3 times they did Cubs games. Maybe they should do all the games😬🤮

[mk49]

Great to see Hodge being good Hodge in the last 2 games.  His velocity seems to be back.

[Rcal10]

I know it was low leverage work, but Hodge looked good. If he can enter the circle of trust that gives the Cubs one more pen arm. 

[squally1313]

9.5 up for making the playoffs, 4.5 up on home field in the first round, 5 back on Milwaukee (who's bullpen is quickly becoming a giant mess)

[BKHoo]

20 minutes ago, mk49 said:

Happ hit like 4 HRs in the last 7 or 8 games, I think.

Hottest player on the team lately. 

[Derwood]

This result pleases me

[Post Count Padder]

Is everyone gonna calm down about Happ now? Dude's on fire. 3 walks and a HR today.

I had thought that would be a good chance to let Hodge try to work a clean inning. And he did.

[BKHoo]

24 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

I know it was low leverage work, but Hodge looked good. If he can enter the circle of trust that gives the Cubs one more pen arm. 

Is there enough time to earn / enter the circle? 

Edited September 5, 2025 by BKHoo

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

11 minutes ago, BKHoo said:

Is there enough time to earn the circle? 

I assume he still has a little bit of leftover trust from last season, so maybe.

[BKHoo]

12 minutes ago, Post Count Padder said:

Is everyone gonna calm down about Happ now? Dude's on fire. 3 walks and a HR today.

I had thought that would be a good chance to let Hodge try to work a clean inning. And he did.

4 runs today.  En fuego. 

[Bertz]

Knock on wood but this bullpen looks like it's peaking at the right time

- Palencia's fine, his peripherals haven't moved.  hmHe was just a bit lucky in the 1st half and paid some dues in August

- Keller's a monster, full stop

- Thielbar's not nearly as good as his ERA, but he's legitimately good, especially monstrous left on left

- That game against Cincy was UGLY and is still impacting his ERA as a Cub, but Kittredge is very good

- Rogers has been hit hard since he came over, but his peripherals have been great and with his track record he's probably still an impact arm.  The only thing I'm nervous about is there's not a ton of time left to confirm it.  Though again his track record means you don't need a ton of tape

- If Hodge looks like *that* a few more times, you can feel pretty optimistic that he's back

- Soroka, who was a *very* good reliever last year, is presumably going to come back in the next week and take Brown's spot in the pen

- The pixie dust has worn off on Pomeranz, though he is probably still fine for LOOGY work

- I'm not super buying what Aaron Civale is selling, but that first outing was legit stellar and in the playoffs long relievers just eat innings in losses anyways 

Like I'm not gonna say "who needs Mason Miller" or anything, but I think by the time we enter the playoffs we're trending towards a situation where I'll be feeling good about 5 or 6 different relievers.

[Rcal10]

30 minutes ago, BKHoo said:

Is there enough time to earn / enter the circle? 

Plenty of time. And he doesn’t even have to go deep into the center of the circle. Just be a 6th inning guy. They have Kittredge, Theilbar, Keller and Palencia to cover the last 3. 

[Derwood]

Who gets left off the playoff roster? Turner, Brown and?

[Rcal10]

6 minutes ago, Derwood said:

Who gets left off the playoff roster? Turner, Brown and?

Civale, Rogers, Rea. I don’t think Turner is left off the playoff roster. I think they go 12 pitchers and 14 bats. 

[soccer10k]

1 hour ago, squally1313 said:

9.5 up for making the playoffs, 4.5 up on home field in the first round, 5 back on Milwaukee (who's bullpen is quickly becoming a giant mess)

Brewers playing at a 130 win pace for 6 weeks (or whatever it was) is going to cost us the division. If they had just played at like a 110 win pace in that stretch, we’d be tied.

EDIT: They went 39-9 which is a 131.6 win pace. If they had gone 34-14, which is a 115 win pace, we’d be tied.

Edited September 5, 2025 by soccer10k