Stratos
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Everything posted by Stratos
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The HR/FB is 33% and the BABIP is .387. He's been crap but I think some of it is clearly bad luck. He has 16.4 H/9, he can't keep that up, that many bloops won't keep falling in.
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If you've got 1 out and the tying run on 3rd and a K guy on the mound i'd put in the guy who can put the ball in play, preferably in the air. That's probably Bellinger there, who hit LHP well last year and killing them this year. Amaya bunt is a whatever. Seems like a GDP guy to me.
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Late come from behind losses are the worst losses.
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Easier to win 1-run games coming from a team with a boss bullpen. Jed has put most of the payroll into position guys, has gone discount shopping on SP, and doesn't want to spend much on the pen because of "randomness". I get it, player-for-dollar wise it probably makes the most sense, SP get hurt all the time so spending lots there over the bats doesn't make as much sense, but this is just how it's going to be until we develop our own pitching and relief arms or lady luck is on our side again with the pen JAGs.
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If they want to get the best out of their OF they probably will platoon Tauchman and Canario depending on RHP vs LHP. Canario doesn't have much of a future on this team unless it's coming off the bench and/or platooning. He's an Iowa injury backup right now and that's before guys like Cassie, Davis, PCA, and Alcantara are ready for the MLB. I think Canario and Morel have a similar hitting profile, but the Cubs OF is loaded with good MLB talent and quality prospects so the opportunity is limited. IMO both Canario and Morel need an approach change if they're going to reach their potential so more regular PA's somewhere just isn't going to achieve that. They're both dead-pull hitters and teams can beat them away, especially with offspeed/breaking stuff.
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Normally would agree, but the Marlins hit a ton of balls on the ground so I think they wanted Madrigal at 3B, so Morel slides to DH. Wisdom hits LHP well. I'd assume Canario can hit LHP too but I'm not sure. Vs LHP I think normally we might see Canario in RF and Wisdom at DH, if Cooper is playing 1B for Busch. I'm glad I got my wish and someone replaced Mastro on this team.
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I'm keen on getting Mervis up with the team somehow, he could fit as a DH vs RHP. I still like his bat. With Busch and Cooper plus Wisdom I just don't know how it happens without an injury to Busch at this point. They aren't going to carry a whole bunch of 1B. They need Canario up as an OF though, they can't roll with 3 OF, and he compliments Tauchman with the RHB. Mastro sucks and looks like Cooper may only play OF in a pinch vs LHP, he doesn't seem to move very well. I would like to see Mastrobuoni swapped with someone, possibly even Mervis. Between Swanson, Nico, Madrigal, and Morel I think we have enough players who can play middle INF at least in a pinch, Mastro doesn't fill a role if he can't hit or even field particularly well and he's just rotting on the bench as an emergency infielder at this point.
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Hendricks sucks balls, bullpen sucks balls, hoping Taillon doesn't suck balls again, but will probably be better than Hendricks either way.
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Years ago I remember Hendricks throwing sinkers that actually moved. Now its crappy BP fastballs.
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Yeah Canario coming up is odd. If they want RHB at DH instead of Tauchman they'd stick Cooper there. Doubtful they bench Busch right now for Cooper or Wisdom. Hopefully no injuries!
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Agree. They'll need to depend on Smyly, Little, Thompson, Palencia. Hopefully offense can provide a cushion and Brown pitches well
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I think it may just mean they plan to keep Brown up, in the pen at the very least once Taillon is back, and wanted another depth SP piece in Iowa.
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Definitely a depth flier. If Neris gets the control on track and we get 1 more effective pen arm out of someone maybe we could be ok. Taillon should push someone to the pen, unless they shelve Hendricks for a bit, though it seems too early in the year for that. Complicated by the fact that they'd ideally like to keep Brown stretched out. He could work as a long man though.
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Let's go into AZ and beat their butts as payback from last Sept. Lots of motivation for our guys. Won't make us pitch any better though lol
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I looked on baseball savant. The last 3 seasons his split has been basically unhittable and his fb has been quite good too. His fb velo dropped by 1 mph last year and so far is down another 1 mph this year. His problem right now though is the control is way out of synch.
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If he could actually locate the fastball I think he could a pretty solid reliever.
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If Nico could stop swinging at balls, gained 30 lbs of muscle, and started hitting lefthanded he could be the next Busch!
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The dude can pitch. Numerous solid pitches he can locate.
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They're platooning Tauchman and Cooper right now basically, they just haven't seen many LH SP lately. They're not going to put another RHB in the lineup vs RHP. I personally wouldn't replace Cooper with Wisdom. Not sure what they'll do, maybe demote Mastro? They want a bench LHB in the infield, but since Mastro sucks anyways besides running speed i don't see why that would matter here. Cooper has also been playing some corner OF.
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Control has been off. JD said doesn't look like he trusts himself to throw a FB for a strike because he threw a splitter on a 3-0 count
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Busch is really bad at picks in the dirt. That's alarming since it's a basic skill you largely pick up naturally over many years of just playing catch. If he's played baseball most of his life and he can't pick balls by now it's a problem & a good chance of not getting fixed. He's just so stiff taking throws. Sucks given Morel and Swanson often spike their throws. He seems adequate defensively otherwise. If one of our OF gets hurt or Tauchman tanks I wouldn't mind giving Mervis a shot at 1B and Busch at DH vs RHP. No idea how this would shake-down roster wise though. Hoping Tauchman's bat gets on track besides the walks.
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Minor League Discussion & Box, 4-11-24
Stratos replied to CaliforniaRaisin's topic in Cubs Minor League Talk
I thought Rojas looked really good in ST. Very athletic and calm/ comfortable at the plate. I like him a lot. Only thing might be his size which could limit the power upside, but who knows. -
Cubs option Cuas to Triple-A, Corresponding Move Pending
Stratos replied to Jason Ross's topic in Chicago Cubs Talk
He was all over the place last year, but I looked on Baseball Savant at his outing today. The velo was sitting 93-94, which is usual. The spin on all his pitches were up about 1000 rpm last year in MLB compared to 2022, possibly due to only pitching out of the pen last year. Last night's game his fb spin was still up to 2023 levels, but the spin on his curve and cutter were up a bit and the spin on his sweeper was way up to almost 3000 rpm, up from 2700 in 2022 and 2800 in 2023. It would put him in the top 10 in the MLB. Not sure if stuff & velo is still the issue for him, maybe just the command. But i didn't look at pitch movement. Wesneski's sweeper spinrate is far lower, around 2600, but his active spin is much higher. -
Looks on Baseball Savant after his start. The fastball will be key for him. Last year they pummeled his 4-seamer, this year so far it's been very effective, .230 xwoba this year vs .394 last year, and he's more than doubled the whiff% on it. Still small samples though. The velo seems to be ticking down a bit since his first start, back to sitting around 92 mph this start and last start vs Dodgers. Maybe 1st-start adrenaline vs Texas had it tick up. Avg velo this year now 92.6 compared to 92.2 last year.
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Cubs option Cuas to Triple-A, Corresponding Move Pending
Stratos replied to Jason Ross's topic in Chicago Cubs Talk
Keegan for Cuas is underwhelming, I don't even see the point, other than throwing things at the wall and crossing our fingers.
