Bertz

Stuff-wise, Wick has gotta be one of the most inconsistent guys I've ever seen. 98 just now while there's plenty of outings where he barely tops 94

Okay boys, some of us have the under 8.5 so let's save the rest of the runs for tonight unless the Cards decide to mount a comeback

If he could simply be Alec Mills but actually have minor league options that would be pretty sweet

Matt Swarmer is somehow pitching well again

I was thinking the same thing. With Mills coming back next week, he's presumably the long man with this rotation: Stroman Kilian Steele Hendricks Thompson And when Miley comes back in a few weeks one of Thompson/Steele shifts to the pen.

Not watching, but I assume Willson getting HBP in the ankle and coming out is more of a "holy horsefeathers this hurts" deal rather than a "something is broken" deal right?

Houston's catchers are currently putting up a 124/214/211 slash line. Padres are 238/291/322. Doubt the Sox would be an option with Grandal and also just being the Sox, but currently getting 176/261/229 from that spot. Tampa is at 188/211/339. Mets are 222/257/304 Even someone like the Yankees, 10th in fWAR from that position, are slashing 217/267/316 This is all compared to Willy's 277/395/514 so far. Yes, his defense is suspect, to put it lightly, but he's basically doubling the production of all those teams with playoff aspirations right now. Factor in his clubhouse attributes, postseason experience, etc....someone is going to want him to be their starter down the stretch. With Higgins not falling on his face and Gomes still around somewhere (I think?) definitely think they should keep limiting his innings behind the plate (15th in baseball so far in innings caught) to avoid a major slump. Yeah catching is bleak this year. I'd add the Angels and a reunion with Joe Maddon to the list too. Teams don't love trading for catchers mid-season, but I think given the above they'll get over it. If Willson continues what he's been doing, I'd think he'll bring back a little more than what the core guys brought back last year. Maybe even a lot more, since most of the good players in their walk years are already on contenders. I might be missing a name or two, but for obvious rental bats it looks like you've got Contreras, Mitch Haniger, Josh Bell, and a bunch of horsefeathers.

Morel man, he just keeps going Feel pretty ready to fire Schwindel and Rivas into the sun. Call up Young and Maldonado, they're probably not any better but let's at least start scratching a different set of lottery tickets.

Nwogu is HOT right now

DJ only went 5 innings, not 6. But either way, that’s very exciting. The answer to your question - Brailyn had a 14 K, 0 BB, 1 H outing over 6 innings back in 2019 Oh dang, I jumped the gun I guess. A little more dominant a little less efficient than I thought Wow I knew Brailyn's run at the end of 2019 was great but didn't remember him doing *that*

Holy hell DJ 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 12Ks 8 Ks in a row at one point. I guess if we're nitpicking the smattering of balls in play were all airborn? This has gotta be the best outing by a legit Cubs prospect since...gosh probably some Andrew Cashner outing?

Oh, that’s right. Well, I guess it could be Mills who gets the start for Iowa today. They probably could just call up Espinoza to start as the 27th man again so they don’t have to make a 40 man decision. Yeah I'd guess Mills or Espinoza. I think they'll probably wanna be careful with the 40 man until next week with those two off days.

Really good pitching day, also presumably Kilian day for Iowa?

With his defensive limitations and how right handed practically the entire org is, he doesn't really fit the roster long term unless he completely mashes. But like, he deserves an opportunity to see if he can mash when playing every day. The potential reward on him is just exponentially higher than any of the old guys except Wisdom (and we've probably seen enough from Wisdom at this point to be comfortable he's this guy).

Do we know what Luis Devers throws? Because the numbers are top notch. I think I remember AZ Phil calling him out in March as a guy whose stuff ticked up?

Morel's over 60 PAs and still kicking ass. It's still small sample, but that's 10% of a typical full season so not exactly meaningless at this point.

Yup. They projected as a 75-80 win team, and the underlying #s (I.e. controlling for their horsefeathers 1-run game record) think that's exactly what they've been

I think it's time to start cutting bait with some of these fringy guys and uncomplicate that situation. I'd be fine with Hermosillo, Leiter and Norris getting sent Packing to make room for guys with an actual future. The prospects have to be ready. I get the Cubs aren't playing competitive baseball but let your young players develop and call them up when they're ready. Yeah, the relief guys we can probably push, and Morel has shown enough that he'll have to really nosedive for me to be okay with him going back down, but elsewhere it's less black and white. Also, there are *so many* injuries right now, they might have to just play 40 man games for another week or three. I'd love to get Kilian up ASAP for example, but if we have to e.g. lose Espinoza just to get Kilian one or two more MLB starts this year, that's not worth it. Teams are rarely so up against the wall like that, but I'd buy that the Cubs are at the moment. Things should chill starting with the off day Monday.

Really curious to see this one. I'd never heard of him and then Longenhagen put him in his Cubs top 30 and really gushed about him over the winter.

Really curious if the Smyly injury makes a Kilian debut happen, or if it makes the 40 man situation that much more complicated, so they have to just throw Espinoza to the wolves for another turn or two through the rotation

Cole's been coming on a bit lately but wow. I wonder if this is a sign he's way outperforming the box scores and they think he's ready (e.g. Nelly getting the bump to AA last year) or if this is kind of a horsefeathers or get off the pot deal. Basically he's lost so much time he's gotta catch up or get left behind?

Of the many things I love about baseball this recurring bit is damn near the top