PackLandVA

Wouldn’t mind seeing the Cards or Dodgers lose a couple top prospects for a rental.

So the Cubs get a come from behind win against the Mighty Reds. Who'd a thunk? I really don't know what to think about this game. -On one hand, Johnny Lester is pitching. And he's been terrific in June. -On the other hand, it's July. And many on NSBB think he's not pitching as well as his record. -On one hand, Cubs killer William Hamilton will be in the lineup. In his career, he's batting .333 against aforementioned Lester with two HRs, a .364 OBP, 1.030 OPS and 6 stolen bases. -On the other hand, in the past two years he's only 1 for 11 with 3 Ks and ZERO stolen bases against the big southpaw. -On one hand, Cy Castillo is starting for the Reds, and he's really not that good. At least not yet. -On the other hand, the Reds have beaten the Cubs in Cy Castillo's last two starts against them this year. And the Cubs haven't hit him particularly well. And did I mention the Cubs often struggle against mediocre pitchers? -On one hand, the Cubs have been pretty good of late, wining 7 of their last 8, albeit against some weaker teams. -On the other hand, the Reds have been pretty good of late themselves, winning 14 of 19 against a couple of good teams. -One one hand, I feel pretty good about the Cubs chances in this one. Despite my mid-game rant Saturday about the lack of offense, they've been pretty good at scoring runs of late. -On the other hand...... http://memeguy.com/photos/images/dont-get-your-hopes-up--7473.jpg Maybe I'll hit the bike trails again tomorrow and be pleasantly surprised when I get back and flip the game on. On the hand, I think it might rain.

The Cubs offense has scored 80 runs over the last 10 games, and leads the league in OBP.. The Royals have scored 67 runs over their past 30 games. Wait until the second half nothing, this is easily the best offense in the NL right now. And in the ten games before the last ten, they scored 29 runs. Not very impressive. Which is why my original post stated that "stats really don’t show how awful the offense can be over the course of several games so often this season."

Cubs have ten starters for eight positions. Everyone will get their ABs.

As mentioned previously, focus can be put on the pitching. But the Cubs offense this season is a joke. The season stats really don’t show how awful the offense can be over the course of several games so often this season I know, I know. Wait until the second half.

Keep him in until his arm is burned out thus requiring a DL stint.

I'm sure we'll see this soon enough in the real game. But as far as the game thread goes, I'm out. Bring in a reliever for me. The bike trails are a callin'!

Seriously, why are the Reds swinging at anything??? I say this NOT in jest: I would make Chatwood strike out the side before I took the bat off the shoulder.

Nope. He’s just not good.

Thanks Theo.

Anyone warming up in the bullpen?

Maddon just intentionally walked Shebler and Barnhart to start the game. Guess he wants to keep Chatsuck's pitch count down.

Everything was great until the Mighty Reds came to town. So philosiphizer75, smear some pine tar on the barrel and start loosening up with the donut. This ought to be a quick one, right? I mean, what could go wrong? Joe must've read this before the 4-game set in Cincy: http://www.inspirationkit.nl/uploads/large/2012/05/31/uma.JPG

I'm on it!

I'm here, still smartin' from yesterday's loss.

I sometimes wonder why they even play the games.

It's telling that you're hanging this all on the bold multiple times now, because that's literally all he has going for him in terms of arguing that he's figuring it out. His meh June ERA was a whopping .01 lower than Verlander's. Almost everything else has been consistently mediocre all season. I’m not arguing Q has been that good or that I’m not expecting more. Just that he hasn’t been “that” bad that we need to be in “OMG rotation is doomed and we need starters at the deadline.” There’s reasonable belief that him and Hendricks will get better sooner than later and I just used Verlander as an example since he’s held in some regard here that he’s always great and that’s just not the case. These guys go through weird/bad stretches Not to continue the derailment of the game thread, but when the Cubs got Q, wasn’t he statistically a Top 10-15 starting pitcher in all of baseball. Has he even been close to that for a significant period of start.... yet?

Not my dream scenario... Not by a long shot, but if Harper got traded somewhere and then we ended up signing him during the offseason we wouldn't lose a draft pick (which is always nice). I'd rather see the Dodgers miss the playoffs. Dodgers are gonna win their division...by several games.

Who is Yu??

Lot of things “going right” for the Brewers the first half of the season. When will it be midnight?

Head first slide to the inside beats the tag easily.

Check his piss!!

santa maria Let's hope! For the bottom innings I mean.

Morrow threw a 92 mph cookie that the batter missed.

Do baseball players ever use two hands to catch anymore???