Cubs 5, Cardinals 3 (6.3.17)

In Postgame by berselius74 Comments

OSS: Kyle Schwarber blasts the Cubs to at least a series win.

Three up:

  1. Kyle Schwarber hit an opposite field grand slam off of Mike Leake in the seventh to put the Cubs ahead. You may have heard that Schwarber is in a bit of a slump, having just five hits in the previous two weeks going into this game. The day before he was pinch hit for by noted slugger Albert Almora. Hopefully this helps boost that confidence level and he can build on it.
  2. Were it not for the late inning dramatics from the Cubs offense, the big story of the day would have been Jon Lester picking Tommy Pham off at first base in the fifth inning. No one is going to mistake Lester for Andy Pettite out there, but it was a legit throw, and not just running at guys or anything like he had been doing earlier in the season. The Cardinals started off the game by trying to bunt on him like crazy which seemed to have him a little rattled, so it's great to see him push through here.
  3. Javy Baez had a multi-hit day, including a solo shot in the third. He's been one of the few relatively consistent hitters during the teamwide offensive slump, and while we expected the Cubs to get him in the lineup more often this year none of us would have guessed that Russell would be the guy to see his PAs diminished for it, but here we are.

Three down:

  1. I was listening on the radio so I'm not sure exactly how rattled Lester was in the first from all those bunts. I'm more than happy to see teams have their middle of the order guys bunting but it's unclear if the Cardinals demonstrated that this is an actual strategy vs Lester that overcomes its inherent dumbness. I'm going to lean towards dumbness, but it's something to keep an eye on. At least that pickoff throw might help point teams in that direction.
  2. Despite the homer and multi-hit day, Javy ended up with a negative WPA thanks to a strikeout with runners on the corners during the Cubs rally in the seventh and being thrown out at third following an errant pickoff throw by Leake. It's tough to blame Javy for the latter, as he was called out on one of those microsecond off the bag tag plays which has been the most annyoing unintended consequences of replay.
  3. Rizzo had another 0-fer day. If the Cubs offense warms up he's going to need to be a part of it.

Next up:

The Cubs go for the sweep on Sunday Night Baseball with Michael Wacha facing off vs Kyle Hendricks.

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Comments

  1. cerulean

    I can’t help but watch the highlight of the game over and over. Not the grandslam. Lester’s pickoff.

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  2. cerulean

    I was curious about the lackluster performances in the first third of the season by the two greatest teams in my lifetime, the Braves and the Yankees. This is what I found.

    1993:
    After appearing in but losing the previous two World Series, the Braves were 30–27 on June 5th. They went on to win 104 games, but lost in the NLCS.

    1995:
    After the strike blew their opportunity for another possible WS appearance, the Braves were 24–20 on June 13th. They went on to win a prorated 101 games (90–54) and the World Series.

    1997:
    After winning their first Series in almost two decades—can you imagine?—the Yankees were 31–27 on June 4th. They won 96 games but had a quick exit from the playoffs.

    2000:
    After winning back-to-back championships for the first time since 1978, the Yankees were 38–36 on June 30th. They finished the season 3–15, then won the World Series.

    2005:
    After blowing a 3–0 lead to their hated rival in the NLCS the previous (historic) year, the Yankees were 38–38 on July 1st. They narrowly won the division with 95 games but fell in the LDS to the only team that won a game against the eventual World Series winner—whatever they’re called.

    2009:
    After missing the playoffs for the first time since the strike, the Yankees were 38–32 on June 23rd. They won 103 games and the World Series after a nine-year drought.

    Baseball is weird. Great teams are not immune.

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  3. dmick89

    cerulean: 1993:
    After appearing in but losing the previous two World Series, the Braves were 30–27 on June 5th. They went on to win 104 games, but lost in the NLCS.

    Isn’t that the year the Giants won 103 and didn’t even make it to the playoffs?

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  4. cerulean

    I should note that none of these teams was below .500 so late in the season—therefore, the 2017 Cubs are not comparable. All is lost.

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  5. Perkins

    Joe pinch hits when he ought to! Though I’d have probably used Jay instead of Almora.

    EDIT: Shut me right up.

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  6. Perkins

    The camera just showed a guy in the RF stands wearing a Justin Grimm jersey. I assume he’s related to Justin Grimm. (dying laughing)

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  7. cerulean

    Perkins:
    Joe pinch hits when he ought to! Though I’d have probably used Jay instead of Almora.

    EDIT: Shut me rightup.

    Yep. (dying laughing)

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  8. cerulean

    Perkins:
    The camera just showed a guy in the RF stands wearing a Justin Grimm jersey. I assume he’s related to Justin Grimm. (dying laughing)

    That was actually Justin Grimm.

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  9. Perkins

    That’s what happens when you let Yadier Molina steal a base.

    Though ball 4 to Pham was actually strike 3.

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  10. Perkins

    cerulean:
    So, did Rondon look as bad as his line?

    He probably should have struck out Pham looking, but strike 3 was called ball 4. He didn’t look great, though.

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  11. cerulean

    I would rather have had Edwards out there. Koji is crafty and good, but if Enderman is not walking people, he is unbelievable.

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  12. Berselius is too lazy to login

    Oog,

    You have been banned from Obstructed View. Please telegram to acknowledge.

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