Series Preview: Colorado Rockies (31-27) at Chicago Cubs (32-26)

In Series Previews by berselius34 Comments

Wait, the Rockies are good again? Last I remembered they got off to a terrible start and were already written off. They had an eight game losing streak in April and were an early 2019 Cubs-esque 3-12. Since then they have gone 28-15, and are currently riding an eight game winning streak that wipes out that earlier dumpster fire of a streak in April.

Team Leaders

Rocks

  • OBP: Arenado (.395)
  • ISO: Arenado (.293)
  • HR: Arenado (16)
  • R+RBI: Arenado (99)
  • wRC+: Arenado (148)
  • BSR: Trevor Story (3.0)
  • Defense: Story (5.7)
  • SP K/9: Jon Gray (9.33)
  • SP BB/9: German Marquez (1.77)
  • SP FIP: Marquez (3.27)
  • RP K/9: Wade Davis (11.05)
  • RP BB/9: Chad Bettis (1.27)
  • RP FIP: Davis (2.73)…despite a 6.14 BB/9
  • WAR: Arenado (3.2)

Cubs

  • OBP: Rizzo/Contreras (.398)
  • ISO: Rizzo (.294)
  • HR: Rizzo (16)
  • R+RBI: Bryzzo (80)
  • wRC: Rizzo (154)
  • BSR: Bryant (1.8)
  • Defense: Baez (6.4)
  • SP K/9: Darvish (10.77)
  • SP BB/9: Hendricks (1.67)
  • SP FIP: Hendricks (3.24)
  • RP K/9: Mapeles (15.88)
  • RP BB/9: Kintzler (2.05)
  • RP FIP: Cishek (3.52)
  • WAR: Baez (2.6)

Arenado is good.

Injuries, Transactions, oaths of vengeance, etc

Javy is still dealing with his sore heel, and Bryant hasn’t looked quite the same since colliding with Heyward in the outfield a week or so ago. Pedro Strop should be back any day now, but that’s also what we said before the Cards series. Allen Webster and Xavier Cedeno are down at Sloan Park rehabbing their respective injuries, so who knows when they will be back. And Brandon Morrow is playing catch now, maybe he’ll be ready to go sometime around December.

On the Rockies side, Charlie Blackmon is out with a calf strain. He could be back this series, but hasn’t been on a rehab assignment yet so might spend a few days down in the minors. Former Cub Wade Davis is out with an oblique strain, and it sounds like he won’t be back for this series. The Rockies sent last year’s breakout star, Kyle Freeland, back to the minors after he broke back this season to the tune of a tune of a 7.13 ERA and roughly 93 home runs in 12 starts.

Pitching Matchups

K/9, BB/9, ERA, Projected ERA listed for each

Tuesday: Jeff Hoffman, RHP (9.00, 2.40, 7.20, 5.13) vs Kyle Hendricks, RHP (7.84, 1.67, 3.09, 3.63), 7:05 PM CT

Wednesday: German Marquez, RHP (8.75, 1.79, 3.48, 3.81) vs Yu Darvish, RHP (10.77, 6.05, 5.02, 4.23), 7:05 PM CT

Thursday: Jon Gray, RHP (9.33, 3.48, 4.11, 4.59) vs Jose Quintana, LHP (8.37, 2.70, 3.78, 3.77), 1:20 PM CT

Share this Post

Comments

  1. Ryno

    WaLi,

    Apparently CHC wanted to draft a prep pitcher, but he was asking for a way-overslot deal.

    Anyway, so much of the MLB draft is about projection that it’s hard to get too upset about any picks. Smart teams can take established veterans, tweak something about them and turn them into better players. So I’ll try not to take any pick at face value until it’s been in the system for a year or so.

      Quote  Reply

    4

    0
  2. WaLi

    Bryant hasn’t looked quite the same since colliding with Heyward in the outfield a week or so ago

    Small sample size blah blah blah, but comparing before and after the collision:

    May 26 and before:
    227 PA, 33 BB (15% rate), 37 K (16% rate)

    May 29th and after:
    22 PA, 1 BB (5% Rate), 10 K (45% rate)

      Quote  Reply

    0

    0
  3. Ryno

    Ryno:
    Smart teams can take established veterans, tweak something about them and turn them into better players.

    Meant to add something to the effect of: “so imagine what they can do with players who haven’t had great coaching or physically matured yet.”

      Quote  Reply

    0

    0
  4. GW

    Not crazy about the pick, but I don’t think it’s as bad as Simpson or even Jake Stinnett. I was hoping for Hoese.

    As far as bonus pool finagling, there is not much room for that unless your first pick is near the top and/or you have a few comp picks.

      Quote  Reply

    0

    0
  5. Smokestack Lightning

    GW,

    Rather than try to figure which draft analysis is the correct one, I try to look at it this way:

    If the picks work out, the Cubs were smart to draft them. If they don’t, then the Cubs were stupid and everyone should be fired.

      Quote  Reply

    7

    0
  6. dmick89

    WaLi,

    I believe so, but if he costs more than league minimum, he’s too expensive for this successful, large market team. Kimbrel needs to find a small market team that can afford him.

      Quote  Reply

    0

    0
  7. Author
    berselius

    To-day’s base ball squadron

    LF Schwarber
    3B Bryant
    1B Rizzo
    SS Baez
    RF Gonzalez
    C Caratini
    CF Heyward
    2B Russell
    P Hendricks

    Cubs trying to get Willson a little extra rest, I’m guessing.

      Quote  Reply

    0

    0
  8. andcounting

    GW,

    Is anybody really good at drafting pitchers, especially early? This current front office could be accused of lacking the ability to draft pitchers in the opening rounds, or they could be credited with having the wisdom to do so very infrequently. Their proven eye for position-player talent persuades me to believe either these pitchers are that good, the available hitters were that bad, or the Cubs’ upcoming need for pitching is that desperate.

      Quote  Reply

    0

    0
  9. dmick89

    How good has this front office really done with drafting position players since they’ve been in Chicago? Kris Bryant is the only star player they’ve gotten so far and he was as close to a guarantee as it gets with MLB draft picks. Albert Almora isn’t all that good. Kyle Schwarber is okay. Ian Happ is back in the minor leagues. I’m not convinced they’ve done as well as they should have with position players. They’ve really had nobody else hit from the lower rounds either. While this front office definitely gets a lot of credit for developing Javier Baez, I think we all know there is no chance this front office would have drafted him if they had the chance. Willson Contreras was signed by Hendry as well. I guess I’d think they’d have a better rate than they’ve had and would have had at least a player or two from rounds other than the 1st step up and make a difference. I’m disappointed in what they’ve done, but then I also remember that drafting and signing international free agents when they were in Boston is a hell of a lot different than it’s been since they came to Chicago. I don’t think they’ve done poorly, but I don’t think they’ve done nearly as well as what seems to be the public consensus.

      Quote  Reply

    0

    0

Leave a Comment