OSS: Cubs get the W, with some bullshit managing to go with some bullshit scheduling.
Three up:
- Javy Baez went 3-4 with a RBI double, homer, another walk(!), and a game winning go ahead squeeze in extras. MVP please.
- Randy Rosario managed to close out the game, which is not a sentence I ever expected to write. He retired Rendon, Soto, and Zimmerman in order to end the game.
- Kris Bryant also had a three hit day, which was nice to see as he still hasn’t seemed himself so far.
Three down:
- Joe really out-Joed himself in this one, letting Pedro Strop bat for himself with a one run lead and the bases loaded in the tenth inning. Not only did Strop hit into a double play, but he pulled up lame on the play. No word yet on the severity of the injury but it did not look good.
- Seriously, WTF Joe, you had position players on the bench and clearly Strop was not going to pitch the bottom of the inning.
- This was probably Joe’s most overmanaged game since the 2016 World Series. The guy is clearly pretty good in the clubhouse and other stuff that managers need to do, but get the fuck out of your own way man.
Next up: The Cubs continue the long slog to next Thursday’s off day with a three game set against the Reds. Cole Hamels takes on Matt Harvey at 7:05 PM CT tonight. Given the NL East flavored matchup maybe the Cubs should have tried to put this game on Eastern time.
Comments
https://twitter.com/TheJoeMarino/status/1040633997464952832
RynoQuote Reply
I’m going to play idiot’s advocate and say Strop, not Joe, is to blame for the injury. I had assumed he got hurt on the swing or breaking out of the box since he looked like he was running with a toddler hanging on to each leg, but Strop said he got hurt lunging for first. We’ve seen Pedro high-step from the bullpen to home in pursuit of KB, so we know he can run better than that. Was he seriously dogging it that badly or does he just remember incorrectly about when the injury happened?
I mean, it’s obviously Joe’s fault, just thought I’d argue for the hell of it.
andcountingQuote Reply
RynoQuote Reply
Ryno,
True enough.
andcountingQuote Reply
Most players lunge toward the end to reach first base, especially on close plays.
I started to write something out about “the problem with the play is” and realized about four sentences in that there is so much wrong with letting that Strop bat in that situation that there is only one circumstance in which he should have hit: if there was nobody else who could have hit (all position player had been used and all relievers had been used). Even if he hit he should have been told to either not swing, bunt or not even run to first base.
I wouldn’t fire Joe for this, but if he was fired for it I would very easily defend the decision to do so.
dmick89Quote Reply
Trump reads every word.
dmick89Quote Reply
Strop says he’s out 2 weeks (at least).
This is not how you play “screw the closer,” Joe.
BVSQuote Reply
I was in the front row behind the Nats dugout for the game. When I saw La Stella head back into the dugout and Strop come out to hit I thought I must be having a stroke or something. A Nats fan next to me asked what the problem was and my reply was that letting Strop hit in this spot was the dumbest thing Joe could possibly do. And that’s even if you don’t consider the risk of injury! La Stella is pretty likely to get at least one more run in, and I’d sooner have a fresh Rosario (shudder) in there with a 2+ run lead than Strop for a third damned inning. WTF.
You gotta wonder what Theo & Co. say to Joe about this. I get the impression that the front office is generally pretty hands-off, but they had to lose their shit when they saw this go down.
mambochicken23Quote Reply
They’re calling it a moderate sprain. I’m guessing it’s more like 4-6 weeks at least. Realistically, this is a season ending injury. No way would they bring him back that late in the postseason if the Cubs somehow managed to get that deep.
I probably wouldn’t fire Joe for this as I said, but there are going to be several managers who lose their jobs in a few weeks who might be less deserving of being fired than Joe. If the Cubs finish the season a game behind the Brewers and lose the wild card game because they couldn’t hold a late lead, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Joe fired.
dmick89Quote Reply
It’s just a shitty situation that absolutely should not have happened. It really fucks the Cubs and will put more pressure on Morrow when returns and it’s not like his arm can handle it.
dmick89Quote Reply
Strop———-> out for the season.
Honestly, I’m more upset by it from a strategy perspective than the injury. I hate that Joe goes from “starting an oddball lineup to give the offense a spark” mode to “let’s pinch hit for my spark plugs with the bases loaded and the game on the line” mode to “fuck runs, let’s have the temporary closer hit with the bases loaded and the game on the line” mode. I realize I’m alone in this, but I believe in letting the lesser position player keep his high-leverage at bat on occasion for the sake of showing confidence in him. But doing that with a relief pitcher? That’s stupid as fuck. Fire Joe? No. Slap him upside the head? Oh yes.
andcountingQuote Reply
Also, if the players union lobbies for a DH in the NL, they can use this incident as exhibit A.
andcountingQuote Reply
Also I still can’t believe the Cubs got good Cole Hamels.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
I’m sure the Brewers would also agree. Didn’t Nelson screw up his shoulder running the bases? I wonder if that’s something that will be brought up this winter. The DH in the NL is probably inevitable.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Yeah, that’s true. I don’t understand how they don’t demand the DH. From a labor perspective it makes total sense.
andcountingQuote Reply
Has Caratini become Hamels personal catcher?
dmick89Quote Reply
andcounting,
I think the players want it, but the owners have rejected the idea to this point. Not sure how many more pitcher injuries they need to see before they get on board. I’d think the Brewers owner would be. The Brewers are probably in first place if Nelson had been healthy this season.
dmick89Quote Reply
What’s the latest on Heyward?
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Almost zero information. He just started running outside this week. But he hasn’t aggravated it, so that’s good.
andcountingQuote Reply
At least they’re going to lose to the best.
dmick89Quote Reply
Remember when the offense used to score runs? Those were heady days…
North Side PatQuote Reply
Not sure why JD called this a “high-leverage” situation. I guess any time Maples comes in with the score within 5 runs, it’s a bit of a risk…
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Now this is high leverage.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Happ!!!!!!!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Happ!!!
dmick89Quote Reply
HAPP!!!!!!
North Side PatQuote Reply
It’s Happening
Berselius is too lazy to loginQuote Reply
Garcia?
dmick89Quote Reply
Do any of you know if Bubbles the Chimp is still in SC?
BVSQuote Reply
Does Joe know that Suarez is right handed?
dmick89Quote Reply
BVS,
I know he hasn’t posted here in a long time, but I was thinking about him while following Florence. Obsessing about that disaster distracts me from the Cubs bullpen. (Though you guys aren’t helping there, (dying laughing).)
BVSQuote Reply
Jamie Garcia is getting big outs for the Cubs in September, just like we all predicted before the season started.
North Side PatQuote Reply
North Side Pat,
Yeah, I’ll take back my thumbs down on Dmicks Garcia? post, But only for tonight.
BVSQuote Reply
BVS,
Not sure. I was thinking he might be in DC last we saw of him, but I don’t know.
dmick89Quote Reply
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
M ————> inverted
Berselius is too lazy to loginQuote Reply
http://www.obstructedview.net/cubs-3-reds-2/
berseliusQuote Reply