TheDude
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Everything posted by TheDude
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Online box score shows Marshall with all 7 ER. Didn't a run score on an error? Just trying to figure it out. Meanwhile, I don't see for the life of me why Clemens was given only 3 ER, when the error in that game came with only one out and didn't have any affect on the next 5 runs really. I can never figure out how ERs are scored.
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Yeah, only Pittsburgh, Houston, and Cincinnati have worse in the NL.
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Yankee-White Sox Redux?
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You really should give some credit to the team leading the NL in Runs Scored. The Cubs have done a good job holding them down all series (until now).
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Aren't they home against the Mets too? We already played em at Shea. Yes, hence 4 more home games left this stretch. I'm looking for 3-1 over the last 4 games this week.
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How is any Cubs fan supposed to sleep now? Let's hope the Cubs can finish the homestand 3-1 and get a cushion.
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FIRST PLACE!!!!
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Can't swing at one that far off the plate. Sheesh.
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Come on Kendall!
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C'mon Jacque, get the ball in the air! I know it's tough and all. But please!
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Dempster was great. Blue was [expletive].
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So I guess strike three has to be over the middle of the plate?
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Time to jump out early on Moyer. This game will have at least 6 runs combined by the 3rd inning, hopefully Cubs 4-2.
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Keith Law: Cubs only good because of weak schedule
TheDude replied to Bruno7481's topic in Chicago Cubs Talk
The West isn't balanced with 4 good teams. 3/4 of the West represent 3/5 of the worst offenses in the NL. And because those offenses are so bad, and the ballparks are generally pitching friendly, all the teams in the West have inflated pitching numbers. They may be balanced, but they aren't good. It's a wonder to me that the West isn't the same as it was a few years back, all under .500 records. Both the Cubs and the Brewers are better than all teams in the West, except perhaps the Dodgers (though with the injuries they are racking up, they probably are worse now). -
Would also likely be the death knell of Murton in Chicago, correct? I kind of thought Church would play CF and wouldn't really effect Murton. Of course, Murton could be part of the deal. I don't know if I'd like giving up Murton for Church. They seem very similar, with Murton having a little more potential and maybe a little better bat and Church being a better defender and being able to play CF. Church is every bit the bat Murton is, probably better. And at a position more difficult to fill. I'd certainly give up Murton for Church if that were the option.
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Keith Law: Cubs only good because of weak schedule
TheDude replied to Bruno7481's topic in Chicago Cubs Talk
There is some validity to Law's argument, but as usual he takes the extreme stance rather a reasonable one. It's a chicken-and-egg argument, and has to account for the possibility that the Cubs are simply better than the teams they have been playing, and those teams end up looking worse after meeting the Cubs. Why isn't Law applying the same argument to West? The teams in the West have far better records than they should, primarily because all the teams (except Dodgers) are in the bottom 5 for offensive production in the MLB. The Dodgers are just average, only slightly better than the Cubs. If any team in the West could hit, that team would run away with it. -
Keith Law: Cubs only good because of weak schedule
TheDude replied to Bruno7481's topic in Chicago Cubs Talk
Except that the Pythagorean Win-Loss statistic says the Cubs should be +3 over the current record (meaning they should be 58-45 right now). The team has actually been unlucky by a factor of three games based on Runs Scored and Runs Allowed analysis. So the team is actually better than the record suggests, not worse as you suggest. -
Where do you go to find pitcher's batting averages?
TheDude replied to KatJ's topic in Chicago Cubs Talk
Here you go Not surprisingly, Cubs are one of the better teams. -
People can criticize Hendry for a lot of things, but mincing words isn't one of them. Nice affirmation.
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That isn't even close to realistic offer.
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Laird? He of the sub-.300 OBP and sub-.700 OPS? For Pie? That is absolutely [expletive].
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Very true. To list a few more meaningful numbers, the Cubs are 4th best in baseball at OBP against and 3rd best at OPS against. So for this team, the walks sometimes hurt, but overall the swing-and-miss pitching is having a much greater impact than the walks. To put it into perspective, Theriot is out-producing opposing teams entire offense against Cubs pitching right now.
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It's not coincidence. The organization likes free-swingers that can hit as well as pitchers that usually are able to strikeout said free-swingers. The Cubs pitching staff would absolutely dominate its own offense, likely racking up double-digit K's and few walks. I don't expect the Cubs staff to ever break into the top 10 for fewest walks allowed in the Zambrano-ace era. Having a team that is top 3 in K's year after year with him as the ace prohibits it. But 2004 is a good example of the team's best balance, given the types of starting pitchers they seek. That team was far-and-away the strikeout leaders across baseball and still remained middle-of-the-pack (16th) in walks. Minnesota is the only team I have seen in recent years capable of top 5 K's and top 5 fewest walks allowed, but it requires the best as the ace (Santana) and one of the most efficient pitchers in baseball (Radke) as the number 2.
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19th best represents an improvement over recent years, no? Sadly it does. They were dead last in 2006 and 23rd in 2005.
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With the current hot streak still running, and the season reaching its 2/3 point, the Cubs have moved into having the 3rd best pitching staff in baseball statistically: 3rd in MLB in ERA 3rd in MLB in Fewest Runs Allowed 1st in MLB in BAA 2nd in MLB in Ks The only real hole in the pitching staff is the same hole that has plagued them for years: BBs Allowed. The team is 19th best in BBs. With the remaining schedule the team has, it's possible the staff gets even better, or at worst status quo. Now if only we could get one more serious bat. The offense is in the lower half of all important hitting stats.