I guess I can get off my lazy but and bang out a preview for what’s likely the most significant series to date this year, with the Cubs four games back going into the series. The surging Cubs took care of business in a soft stretch of the schedule, only to see the Beers bang out an 8 game winning streak against two division leaders and the frustrating Padres. At least they were polite enough to get swept by the Dodgers beforehand.
While there were a few frustrating moments along the way, the overall takeaway against this 7-3 stretch of bad teams was positive. Javier Assad continues to look strong after stepping up to fill in the rotation following Stroman’s odd injury and Smyly’s Wile E. Coyote-ing. Jordan Wicks shook off some initial jitters to look very strong in his MLB debut, and Keegan Thompson struck out five in two innings after his long-term abscence. Who knows if he’s fixed or not, but if the Cubs get even 80% of what these guys have shown so far, their reinforcements are hitting the club at just the right time. The bullpen was a shitshow three months ago, but I feel pretty good with a backend of Alzolay, Merryweather, Leiter, Cuas, (and resurgent Thompson)? *knocks on all the wood*. I guess losing Fulmer technically hurts a bit, but I was never the hugest fan (dying laughing).
For the Beers it’s tough to point to any one player in particular as to why they’ve taken off in the second half of the year. Some of it could just be guys getting healthier. Since July 1, Freddy Peralta and Corbin Burnes have each posted a sub-3.00 ERA in 19 combined starts for a combined 3.6 WAR. William Contreras, who learned how to frame in his brief time with the Crew, has posted 2 WAR in that stretch thanks to a .374 wOBA and great defensive numbers. Even Christian Yelich has broken somewhat out of his years long slump with a .361 wOBA.
Team Leaders
Switching to actual numbers on the year!
Beers
- OBP: Yelich (.370)
- ISO: Carlos Santana (.204)
- HR: Willy Adames (21)
- R+RBI: Yelich (156)
- wRC+: Yelich (122)
- BSR: Yelich (7.6)
- Defense: Contreras (15.7)
- SP K/9: Peralta (11.46)
- SP BB/9: Adrian Houser (2.70)
- SP FIP: Houser (3.86)
- RP K/9: Devin Williams (13.50)
- RP BB/9: Joel Payamps (1.67)
- RP FIP: Williams (2.52)
- WAR: Yelich (3.9)
Cubs
- OBP: Bellinger (.365)
- ISO: Wisdom (.296)
- HR: Wisdom/Bellinger (20)
- R+RBI: Belli (144)
- wRC+: Belli (140)
- BSR: Hoerner (7.1)
- Defense: Dansby (14.5)
- SP K/9: Steele (8.67)
- SP BB/9: Cyle (1.55)
- SP FIP: Steele (3.18)
- RP K/9: Merryweather (12.33)
- RP BB/9: Alzolay (1.40)
- RP FIP: Alzolay (2.70)
- WAR: Dansby (3.9)
Who isn’t available?
Michael Fulmer is out indefinitely with the dreaded forearm strain diagnosis. I haven’t seen much new on Stroman and his rib cartilage issue lately either, and would be surprised to see him back anytime soon. Rule 5 guy Nick Burdi can’t catch a break this year – he was on his way back before an emergency appendectomy in late May, and since then he’s been diagnosed with some kind of ulnar nerve irritation. Given his status as a rule five guy this could just be David Patton disease but who knows. Brad Boxberger started a rehab assignment with Iowa last week, but given how long he’s been on the shelf it’s not clear that he can make an impact right away.
For the Beers, Adrian Houser left Sunday’s game with forearm tightness. The Cubs won’t face him this week but this could be a big loss to the Brewers rotation if it ends up being a serious injury. Rehabbing starter Julio Teheran is rehabbing a pitch injury in AAA. Yet another injured starter, Aaron Ashby, is rehabbing from shoulder surgery performed back in April and likely won’t be stretched out enough to start this year, but could show up in the pen before all is said and done. Recent CF callup Sal Frelick, who has looked good in limited time, is dealing with a nagging hamstring injury.
Pitching Matchups, game times
2023 K/9, BB/9, ERA, FIP listed for all starters
Great to see the Cubs current three best guys line up for this series, and that they avoid Cub kryptonite Freddy Peralta. Not that these other guys are slouches either.
Monday: Wade Miley, LHP (6.06, 2.77, 3.18, 4.55) vs Jameson Taillon, RHP (7.78, 2.57, 5.60, 4.64), 7:05 PM CT
Tuesday: Corbin Burnes, RHP (9.11, 3.19, 3.65, 4.00) vs Justin Steele, LHP (8.67, 1.96, 2.80, 3.18), 7:05 PM CT
Woden’s day: Bronson Arborvitae, RHP (10.85, 2.38, 2.65, 4.42) vs Cyle Hendricks, RHP (5.87, 1.55, 3.80, 3.97) 1:20 PM CT
A bit disappointing that Miley and Hendricks did not match up, that would be quite the Weak-Contact-Off.
Comments
In honor of the theme night, I hope the Cubs body Miley
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Welp (dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
Someone forgot to tell Taillon not to suck tonight.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Goddammit Taillon
Rice CubeQuote Reply
More like Tailloff, amirite?
andcountingQuote Reply
No Cubs pitcher gets worse defense than Taillon, but I can’t imagine a pitcher allowing it to do more damage than Taillon does.
andcountingQuote Reply
Doesn’t help that the defense was shitty for at least two of those runs
Rice CubeQuote Reply
andcounting,
It may or may not be jitters due to the magnitude of the series but I really do hope they reset the game next time through against Miley
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Hoping the heart of the order can try to do something to make this game a bit more competitive assuming Taillon doesn’t keep hemorrhaging runs
Rice CubeQuote Reply
One day I hope Taillon can go his 5 or 6 or 7 innings without giving up all the runs
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Thus endeth a frustrating game
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Reds and AZ lose but SF wins so 🤷🏻♂️
Rice CubeQuote Reply
This is some scary bullshit https://twitter.com/awfulannouncing/status/1696370850721591377?t=x5rX2aburFFYfHFroXaQkg&s=19
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
I don’t know, I still think up-and-in fastballs at 98mph are scarier than some rando running onto the field, but that’s just me.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
I think he was fortunate that the yahoos just wanted a hug, but it did remind me of the two idiots who beat up the KC coach at a White Sox game
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Imagine my surprise, then understanding, that Ted Williams didn’t actually do the thing
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 149 8/9:
Rarity: 255
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Play at:
https://immaculategrid.com
@immaculategrid x @baseball_ref
Rice CubeQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 149 8/9:
Rarity: 233
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BOS 3K hits was tough after I used Beltre for LAD.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
way after the fact I remembered Boggs and Yaz (derp)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
I guessed Ted Williams but figured he missed it due to military service. Totally forgot Boggs and Yaz.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
I hadn’t considered the military service but like Bonds he just walked so much that he couldn’t amass the hits, unlike say a Hank Aaron who would’ve gotten 3000 hits even without all the bombs
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Bonds would have made it too, except all the owners colluded not to sign him after 2007 and nobody is likely to convince me otherwise.
PerkinsQuote Reply
I didn’t realize Pujols and Beltré had 3,000 hits. And I always forget about Rickey too.
andcountingQuote Reply
I always forget Rickey played for so many teams. I just always think of him with Oakland.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Whee, flight delays. At least there is beer
berseliusQuote Reply
⚾️ Immaculate Grid 149 7/9:
Rarity: 339
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Also got tripped up by Ted Williams
BVSQuote Reply
Crawly says Anthony Kay is back in town for some reason
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Apparently per Marquee it’s because Cuas had to go on bereavement list, socials suggest it is because his unborn baby died 🙁
Rice CubeQuote Reply
HBCU day, that’s pretty cool
Rice CubeQuote Reply
The Angels just put a bunch of guys on waivers (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
It’d be awesome to get Giolito if he made it all the way to the Cubs.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Here’s the waiver order, unfortunately a few WC contenders will get dibs before the Cubs
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Darn laborious innings
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I don’t think Steele will last very long in this game. That line drive to the quad looked pretty painful.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Just landed in Madison – heaven is a place on earth 😃
berseliusQuote Reply
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/qa-what-the-heck-did-the-angels-and-some-other-teams-just-do/
Rice CubeQuote Reply
The Brewers are bullshit, that is all
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I did not tune in to the game and will now wash the dishes and check back later
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Shut me right up.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Love to see Yelich TOOTBLAN
berseliusQuote Reply
Good job wind. Good job, Yan. Good job, Nico. Good call, Blue. Eat farts, Christian.
andcountingQuote Reply
jebus Uribe has filthy stuff
berseliusQuote Reply
berseliusQuote Reply
2:30 one-run (literally) win
Rice CubeQuote Reply
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
This picture of Clark always reminds me of an old cat we had–something was always hanging off his butt too.
BVSQuote Reply
You’ll be happy when you do
BVSQuote Reply
That was a streak buster I recently enjoyed.
andcountingQuote Reply
Spotted Cow you are in me
berseliusQuote Reply
BVS,
(dying laughing)
berseliusQuote Reply
berseliusQuote Reply
Gioloto
Matt Moore
Harrison Bader
Randall Grichuk
Tyler Anderson
Jose Cisnero
Hunter Renfroe
Dominic Leone
Reynaldo Lopez
Carlos Carrasco
Mike Clevinger
All on waivers
Cots Contracts suggests the Cubs are about $10M below the CBT, so they could afford any of these guys.
Some enticing names on the list. Saving the Angels from the CBT doesn’t bother me, because I think they’re out if the Ohtani race anyway.
BVSQuote Reply
New shit you can listen to –> http://www.obstructedview.net/podcast/dreamcast-71-house-money/
Rice CubeQuote Reply