Cubs (Imanaga) vs Brewers (Ashby): 10/6/25, 8:08pm

[chibears55]

22 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

Because Busch is really bad against LHP and that's almost assuredly the reason they are hiding Priester with Ashby. Even if it doesn't work out, this is why you have Turner to begin with. He is better against lefties so you give yourself the best chance. 

Just because Turner isn't a star doesn't mean you just roll over and say the less good hitter should just go do it anyways. 

It one AB to start the game, id take my chances with Busch over Turner there and save Turner for later in the game if needed off the bench against a lefty.

[Wilson A2000]

3 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Then he should be fine later in the game against a lefty. 

But not in the first inning

[Jason Ross]

1 minute ago, Wilson A2000 said:

Busch has a 150 wRC+ in 28 ABs against lefties since August 1

Still has an 81 on the season. I wouldn't read much into 28 PA's. No stat stabilizes within that sample size and with the full season and swing change it's likely the 81 is closer to the truth than anything. 

[Jason Ross]

3 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

It one AB to start the game, id take my chances with Busch over Turner there and save Turner for later in the game if needed off the bench against a lefty.

So you'd turn down a guaranteed spot to use Turner in a tie game game for a hypothetical situation later? The reality is there is no guarantee Busch will come up against a LHP late in the game in an important spot. But we do know Turner will hit in a tie game by leading off. 

A bird in the hand...

[cl smooth]

i believe in shota imanaga. 

[Brian707]

11 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

After Ashby, near as I can tell, Koenig and Gasser the remaining LHP in their pen.  If a miracle occurs and the Cubs jump on Ashby, I don't they can avoid Busch facing a righty.

What if they go Quintana after Ashby?

[Stratos]

11 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

Cool thanks, how do you get this?  Looks like Baseball Reference?

edit: yup nvm found it.   Thanks!  Learn something new every day!

Edit edit:  Looked at 2022 as well, did similar.  2021 he was terrible.

Edited October 6, 2025 by Stratos

[Jason Ross]

Just now, Brian707 said:

What if they go Quintana after Ashby?

Then Pat Murphy is an idiot. Ashby is a LHP and Quintana has a 5.00 xFIP against RHH. The way you guarantee a lineup full of RHH is to start a LHP. That's the backwards way to use an opener. 

If they go that way, the Brewers have far more issues than we realized.

[Stratos]

2 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

Then Pat Murphy is an idiot. Ashby is a LHP and Quintana has a 5.00 xFIP against RHH. The way you guarantee a lineup full of RHH is to start a LHP. That's the backwards way to use an opener. 

If they go that way, the Brewers have far more issues than we realized.

I always find it funny that a guy who looks like my plumber (Murphy) is an MLB manager in 2025.  I take him as more of a pocket pancake guy than an analytics guy LOL.

[Derwood]

Chourio's pulled hammy was merely a flesh wound

[Dmac]

2 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

Letting Jed off the hook for not making a  deadline deal is not the same as letting off the hook for the lack of another option as a starting pitcher. He is the guy responsible for them being so short of pitching options at the deadline. He should have know the costs would be ridiculous and made whatever move necessary in the off season. While I don’t blame him for not paying the prices needed, I do blame him for the entire situation. Based on who did get moved, IMO, Kelly shouldn’t of been who they traded for. I think he was cheaper than Bieber. 

Jed messed up by backing out on the Luzardo deal in the off season.  That would have changed everything.  Even though he was scared off because of the medicals, he still should have done what he could to find somebody else of that caliber. 

[Connor McConnor]

Phillies Dodger game is boring.  

[BKHoo]

Watching the Phillies and Dodgers makes me realize these teams have more elite starting pitching than we do. 

[Hot Sauce]

12 minutes ago, BKHoo said:

Watching the Phillies and Dodgers makes me realize these teams have more elite starting pitching than we do. 

You needed to watch the Phillies and Dodgers to realize we don’t have elite starting pitching? 😉 

[Rcal10]

26 minutes ago, Dmac said:

Jed messed up by backing out on the Luzardo deal in the off season.  That would have changed everything.  Even though he was scared off because of the medicals, he still should have done what he could to find somebody else of that caliber. 

I agree this is one example of something he should have done in the off season. Maybe also talk to the Marlins about Cabrera or Alcantara too. In the off seeing the price wouldn’t have been as high. He and TR TOGETHER put themselves in a bad spot at the trade deadline. So not blaming him for not making a deadline deal is probably a correct opinion. But you can blame him for putting himself and the team in a position to have to overpay. And that’s what I blame him for. 

[I owned a Suzuki]

8 minutes ago, Hot Sauce said:

You needed to watch the Phillies and Dodgers to realize we don’t have elite starting pitching? 😉 

Sure helps that Snell, Glasnow and Ohtani probably have less innings pitched combined than Boyd

[Rcal10]

Those watching the Phillies game will see Hernandez scored on the contact play. Also, he scored because Turner made a bad throw. Remember Turner’s defense when comparing his signing to the Cubs signing Swanson. FYI, a good throw from a good SS gets him at home. 

[Rcal10]

2 minutes ago, I owned a Suzuki said:

Sure helps that Snell, Glasnow and Ohtani probably have less innings pitched combined than Boyd

Very true 

[I owned a Suzuki]

11 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

Those watching the Phillies game will see Hernandez scored on the contact play. Also, he scored because Turner made a bad throw. Remember Turner’s defense when comparing his signing to the Cubs signing Swanson. FYI, a good throw from a good SS gets him at home. 

Would have gotten out of that inning with no runs allowed if he made the play

[Stratos]

40 minutes ago, Dmac said:

Jed messed up by backing out on the Luzardo deal in the off season.  That would have changed everything.  Even though he was scared off because of the medicals, he still should have done what he could to find somebody else of that caliber. 

I mean on Opening Day Steele, Imanaga, Boyd, Taillon, plus Rea/Brown/Assad/Wicks/Horton for the 5th and injuries is definitely an above-average rotation.

Assad hurt, Steele hurt, Wicks and Brown sucking, Boyd they've probably gassed out a bit just trying to get into the playoffs and then Horton getting hurt and Imanaga having a late-season suck-fest.  Plus a deadline of SP priced out of wazoo.  It is what it is I guess.  I can point some fingers but there's a bunch of bad luck there too.

[squally1313]

8 minutes ago, Stratos said:

I mean on Opening Day Steele, Imanaga, Boyd, Taillon, plus Rea/Brown/Assad/Wicks/Horton for the 5th and injuries is definitely an above-average rotation.

Assad hurt, Steele hurt, Wicks and Brown sucking, Boyd they've probably gassed out a bit just trying to get into the playoffs and then Horton getting hurt and Imanaga having a late-season suck-fest.  Plus a deadline of SP priced out of wazoo.  It is what it is I guess.  I can point some fingers but there's a bunch of bad luck there too.

It feels stupid to bring up Zips on October 6th, but going into the year, with a healthy Steele, Zips had us as the 9th ranked offense and the 18th ranked pitching team (17th for SP, 21st for relievers) in baseball. There was one obvious position on the offensive side to upgrade, we made some sort of attempt to get Bregman, we didn't get him, and we did basically nothing else with the money (Flexen and Turner technically signed after Bregman, but....yeah.) The list of pitchers who signed after the Bregman deal is admittedly not impressive, basically just Quintana and Patrick Corbin, but A. it was clear we needed at the very least innings, if not talent, and B. it's Jed's job not to be left with a pile of money and a weakness he was almost certainly aware of.

This is probably an unnecessary shot, but it's almost like he got high on his own supply with the (both objectively good) Swanson and Bellinger contracts, waiting out the market and getting a good player for less than he maybe would have cost otherwise. But he didn't make enough improvements in the offseason, and he certainly didn't make enough improvements at the trade deadline. 

(I'm also aware that if you would have asked me about this topic in July I would have said that upgrading from Colin Rea to Shane Bieber or Zac Gallen would have improved our WS odds from like 6% to 8% so who cares and I'm in about as close to meatball mode as I'm going to be. But I think the truth is somewhere in the middle.)

[Jason Ross]

1 hour ago, Dmac said:

Jed messed up by backing out on the Luzardo deal in the off season.  That would have changed everything.  Even though he was scared off because of the medicals, he still should have done what he could to find somebody else of that caliber. 

Both the Cubs and the Marlins had issues with the medicals. It wasn't as simple as "the Cubs backed out". Luzardo's medicals at the time were shaky. Owen Caissie was coming off a core injury. The Marlins reportedly had issues with his medicals. 

Strangely enough, both have raised their value. Luzardo had a career year and Caisse considerably improved his contact rate. 

[Stratos]

1 hour ago, Derwood said:

Chourio's pulled hammy was merely a flesh wound

It might explodie on his way to 1st  base.

Edited October 7, 2025 by Stratos

[DrCub]

This LA/PHi got good!!!!!!

[Connor McConnor]

Not a bunt!!!!!! FFS