Cubs 10, A’s 1

In Postgame by berselius92 Comments

OSS: Two more Wizdongs lead the way to a Cubs blowout

Three up:

  1. Patrick Wisdom’s red hot start continues with two more homers. Wisdom now has a .288/.351/.788 slash line, good for a whopping 193 wRC+. His eight homers are tied with Pete Alonso for the MLB lead. I mentioned it during the game thread; if he keeps up this pace I may reconsider my preseason assessment that all he brings to the roster is Handsomeness. It’s on Wisdom to put up a 96 HR season and prove me wrong.
  2. Hayden Wesneski had a bit of a shaky first few innings, but improved as the game went on. He finished with a line of 7 IP, 5 H, 0 BB, 7 K, 1 R. Cubs starting pitching has been great in this young season.
  3. Cody Bellinger’s bat continues to show signs of life. He went 5-5, including a double, and his line on the season now sits at .310/.369/.517. I don’t think anyone expects him to put up numbers on the level of his 2019 MVP season, but with his defense in CF even being a league average hitter would make this a fantastic signing for the Cubs. His wRC+ of 136 makes things look even better.

Three down:

  1. Matt Mervis watch continues. The Cubs offensive explosion happened despite Trey Mancini going 0-5 with 3 Ks. Given the deal he signed, Mancini isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, but if this team’s record continues to look cromulent Eric Hosmer’s days are numbered.
  2. The Binny’s attendance game on the radio broadcast was a pretty sad one. 4500 fans is not what you want. Unless you’re the Oakland owner, who is trying to enact the plot of Major League IRL this season.
  3. Believe it or not, the Cubs had the most negative WPA play on the day when Ian Happ popped out to third base with runners on the corners when the game was tied in the third inning.

Next up:

Marcus Stroman faces the bass player from Armada at 8:40 PM CT

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  6. BVS

    andcounting:
    Rice Cube,

    I’m starting to feel bad for saying the Brewers rotation was an injury away from a train wreck.

    To be fair, you said nothing about 2 injuries. (Or 3, if you count Houser).

    Also, old acquaintance Colin Rea is starting for the Fermenters today. Zoiks

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  9. Rice Cube

    I agree almost purely for nostalgic purposes but the systemic failures in player development and strategy and all the other things that led to their downfall means my baseball brain will disagree with this sentiment

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  10. Rice Cube

    From MLBTR, and a good sign for reinforcements coming if all goes well:

    Cubs righty Kyle Hendricks threw 36 pitches in a two-inning simulated game yesterday and came away from that session feeling good, tweets Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times. Assuming he doesn’t incur any setbacks in the coming days, that could put Hendricks on pace for a minor league rehab stint sooner than later. He’d likely need multiple starts to build up, which generally aligns with Hendricks’ previous statements that he’s aiming to be on a rehab assignment by May. The 33-year-old Hendricks was one of the NL’s most durable and consistently effective starters from 2015-20, pitching to a 3.17 ERA over the life of 967 innings in that time. He’s stumbled to a 4.78 ERA in 48 starts over the past two seasons, however, as he’s become increasingly homer-prone. Hendricks is entering the final guaranteed season of a four-year, $55MM contract, though the Cubs hold a net $14.5MM decision on him for the 2024 campaign ($16MM option with a $1.5MM buyout).

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  18. Rice Cube

    Rice Cube,

    My immediate reactions:

    1. For the designated PR rule, I don’t necessarily like that the slow guy can just come back into the game and bat, it basically becomes a beer league softball free-for-all. I get the idea, but that footballizes the game more than even I might like, and I’m a big fan of silly chaos in baseball. It might lead to designated fielders and pitcher reentry and stuff. I think the only allowable reinsertion should be for catchers because they’re so specialized.

    2. For the disengagement rule, I think only one allowable is too little but who knows, based on what Corbin Burnes did before he left the game the other day the pitchers probably have some tricks they can do with the one disengagement they do, but it does swing the advantage wildly back to a guy who can reach base.

    3. I think the double-hook is a good compromise, it forces teams to start looking for pitchers who can provide length in the game, but I also think it shouldn’t be just five innings. If QS is six innings, at least make it that, or even seven. We go to games to watch aces try to go for complete games, not a bullpen brigade. But with pitching as specialized and max effort as it is these days, five is probably their best compromise.

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  19. BVS

    Rice Cube,

    I think a courtesy runner for the catcher is fine. It works well in high school. Gives a C a break since they have the hardest job on the field. Speeds up game because you don’t have to wait for them to get gear on again. Just subbing for your slow guy seems weak to me.

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  20. BVS

    Rice Cube:
    I agree almost purely for nostalgic purposes but the systemic failures in player development and strategy and all the other things that led to their downfall means my baseball brain will disagree with this sentiment

    Should have had some of the core who didn’t have K rates >25%.

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  22. Rice Cube

    BVS:
    Rice Cube,

    I think a courtesy runner for the catcher is fine. It works well in high school. Gives a C a break since they have the hardest job on the field.Speeds up game because you don’t have to wait for them to get gear on again. Just subbing for your slow guy seems weak to me.

    Was a big fan of this rule when I was coaching, not so big of a fan when the high school rules made it way too lax though because they started doing it for the pitcher as well even if there was a DH because I think our league allowed a designated fielder and to DH for someone who wasn’t the pitcher so it was hard to keep track of who was coming on and off the field especially when I also had to keep score (dying laughing)

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  23. Perkins

    Rice Cube:
    I agree almost purely for nostalgic purposes but the systemic failures in player development and strategy and all the other things that led to their downfall means my baseball brain will disagree with this sentiment

    The player development failures loom large, and I think the other aspect is that following 2016-17, the offense never had enough contact bats to balance out all the TTO core guys. Too much boom and bust that wasn’t sustainable as the pitching regressed.

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  25. Rice Cube

    berselius,

    We will probably never know, but I feel like Javy would’ve been ok if he had stayed a Cub, albeit not at what he ended up getting paid by Detroit…probably should have offered the extension much sooner, but I think they likely did and he wanted to bet on himself, which financially turned out to be the right decision but I’m not entirely sure he’s happy now.

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  27. andcounting

    Rice Cube:
    Rice Cube,

    Also KB finally hit his first Coors HR as a Rockies

    That’s your 2023 MVP, just wait.

    Javy’s problem in Detroit is he is a completely emotional player. Like, 100% fueled by emotion. If he’s mad, he’ll kill the ball. If he’s happy, he’ll kill the ball. If he’s out of control or max frustrated he’ll suck. If he’s bored? He’ll be unwatchable.

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  30. Rice Cube

    Rice Cube:
    I do hope that flight attendant got a raise

    https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/toronto-blue-jays-anthony-bass-wife-kids-popcorn-united-airlines-cleaning-153945081.html

    This has sparked a very interesting debate on the FB page between those who side with the airline and those who side with the parents, if you look at the picture though it’s like a dozen popcorn kernels if that so mountains and molehills and all that 🤷🏻‍♂️

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  33. Rice Cube

    I have purchased a ticket for tomorrow, hopefully to celebrate a sweep attempt rather than a rubber match, either way if they lose I suppose I will have to go without dinner

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  37. Rice Cube

    The Cubs get way more 3-ball counts and walks than I am comfortable with, really should look up the numbers to see what the BB% really is because my lying eyes suggest it’s high but it probably isn’t

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  45. Author
    berselius

    Rice Cube:
    Maybe it’s because I haven’t listened to him that much, but Zaidman is at best inoffensive and at worst meh to me

    It’s pretty much dead on “generic announcer voice”

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  46. BVS

    Scores. Yay.

    I like that Oakland has gone back to the bright green uniforms. There isn’t enough green in sports (uniforms, that is).

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  56. Author
    berselius

    Rice Cube: False! They lost the opening series to Milwaukee much to my disappointment

    Berselius has yet to botch an easily verified fact this year.

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  66. Rice Cube

    Heh
    There are probably gonna be like 10K fans today if that and they still checked my ticket.

    I’m pretty sure Oracle had individual urinals but the Coliseum definitely has all the troughs (dying laughing)

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  67. Rice Cube

    They used Kaprelian in the bullpen earlier and brought up their hotshot pitching prospect Mason Miller so get ready for a lot of strikeouts if that 100 mph heater moves in a not straight line

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  69. Rice Cube

    The Kuiper brother who isn’t Duane did an animated spot on fan conduct, they actually rendered a Cubs fan being dragged away by security (dying laughing)

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  74. Rice Cube

    The Cubs gave up the tying run while I went to get a shitty hot dog but took it right back when I sat down again

    Miller was nasty, 100+ looked easy and then he mixed in that ridiculous slider before they chased him

    Nick Madrigal should never again attempt another steal

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  91. BVS

    Rice Cube:
    I must caution the masses that I’m 0-2 watching the Cubs in Oracle Park so I’m hoping I don’t go 0-for-California in person

    Streak averted. Congrats.

    I’m with Berselius in blaming you for Hosmer sticking around. But if he’s suddenly fixed, you can take credit in mid-June.

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