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Chicago Cubs Thread - Playoff Push Pending

There are a decent amount of rumblings about Brailyn Marquez coming up to pitch. That would be amazing. I'm not holding my breath, but would love to see him in the pen for the stretch run. A lefty who comes in midseason with a 102 MPH fastball out of the pen to close out games? Like 2016 all over again.
 
And this time we don't have to screw over our future to do it!
 
Ross is starting to over manage and its annoying. Pinch running for Nico last night made zero sense - he removes our 2nd or 3rd fastest guy for a pinch runner... huh? Finding new and interesting ways to bench Nico or Kip, the later having a pretty strong year so far - but why are we giving at bats to this journeyman Vargas over either one of them? His bullpen management is becoming iffy too - he's relying on Winkler a lot, who has a deceptively low ERA even though he hasn't been pitching well at all. Well, I mean we only have 2 dependable relievers anyway in Jeffress and Wick - although Jason Adam has looked ok recently and Kimbrel has had a pretty good run save the one blown save against Cincy where he was getting squeezed a bit.

So many holes in this team, but if they can manage close to .500 over the last 15 games, they should be able to hold on the Central and get homefield against the Cards or Phils or something.
 
Remaining schedule:

@Brewcrew for 3
vs indians at home for 2
vs Twins at home for 3
@Pittsburgh for 4
@Whitesox for 3

Basically need to go 5-2 again Bucs and Brewers and hope we miss the big guns for the others.
 
Managers have brain farts. Pinch running for Hoerner is an example.

Ross has made it plain he has a set line up and has no intention of changing it. He has set himself up to be a genius or a fool.

Winkler and Tepera are still getting looks because they have experience. Been there, done that. Kimbrel has been good as a set up man, lousy as a closer. Underwood has been promoted to pitching with a lead. Seven straight scoreless appearances. Adam has five straight. Jeffress closes, Wick as late set up against best hitters. Those two make sense.

Short and sweet. Unless Bryant, Rizzo, Schwarber and Baez produce, this team goes nowhere. Happ and the rest can only do so much, especially with the pitching problems.
 
BlackjackMc said:
Managers have brain farts. Pinch running for Hoerner is an example.

Ross has made it plain he has a set line up and has no intention of changing it. He has set himself up to be a genius or a fool.

Winkler and Tepera are still getting looks because they have experience. Been there, done that. Kimbrel has been good as a set up man, lousy as a closer. Underwood has been promoted to pitching with a lead. Seven straight scoreless appearances. Adam has five straight. Jeffress closes, Wick as late set up against best hitters. Those two make sense.

Short and sweet. Unless Bryant, Rizzo, Schwarber and Baez produce, this team goes nowhere. Happ and the rest can only do so much, especially with the pitching problems.
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Agree. But not many teams can win with their four top hitters collectively flirting with the Mendoza line and driving in few runs. Especially with only two reliable starters and a mediocre bullpen. Theo has work to do this off season.
 
Another bone head decision to stick with Wick for a second inning when Jeffress was already warm. He should have been out to start the inning, or at worst after the walk. Probably shouldn't have given Javy a day off against a lefty too, but whatevs.
 
Agree on Wick. He may have been hoping to get three innings out of Wick and Jeffress (?), which shows a lack of confidence in the rest of the bullpen. Nice job by Lester.
 
What an amazing afternoon. Flipping back and forth between Mills and Bears comeback has been awesome.
 
It's been a long time since I've watched a no hit shutout in it's entirety. Lot of fun. The offense maximized their opportunities as well. Congratulations Alec Mills ! Outstanding pitching performance.
 
And the reds just took advantage of a bases loaded in the 7th to go up 2 on the Cardinals!
 
Buttermaker said:
Agree. But not many teams can win with their four top hitters collectively flirting with the Mendoza line and driving in few runs. Especially with only two reliable starters and a mediocre bullpen. Theo has work to do this off season.
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Off season could prove interesting if Schwarber, Baez, Rizzo and Bryant continue to struggle. Their value will be diminished. Schwarber is a lifetime .235 hitter who hits a solo HR every 15 AB's and is limited defensively. Bryant has had nagging injuries for three years and has driven in 2 of the 45 runners on base this year. Baez has a glove and intangibles but his K rate is the second worse of his career. Rizzo has the benefit of 6 previous seasons of great production but he is 31 and he isn't hitting the inside pitch this year. None of them are producing. The luster is off and questions abound.
 
Not that it’s a major accomplishment but I believe (?) the cubs have now officially clinched a playoff spot. We’re at 100% on fangraphs. Gonna be a whirlwind last few weeks plus playoffs. Exciting no matter what happens.
 
Wakeforest22890 said:
Not that it’s a major accomplishment but I believe (?) the cubs have now officially clinched a playoff spot. We’re at 100% on fangraphs. Gonna be a whirlwind last few weeks plus playoffs. Exciting no matter what happens.
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Have not clinched a spot yet, but up 5.5 on 2nd place with 12 to play. The Cards and Brewers have to play 8 more times in the next couple of weeks, so I am going to assume they won't catch up unless one team sweeps, but that would knock out the other one - and the Reds schedule is tough. The biggest challenge for the Cubs is their own schedule - with 8 of the 12 remaining games against 3 teams currently in the playoffs from the AL Central. The Cubs are tied for the 2 seed right now, and if they can win the division, they will get home field against a wild card team or the lowest ranked 2nd place finisher - which at this rate looks like the Cards, Phils, Giants or maybe Marlins. I am pretty confident in a 3 game series for the Cubs against any of those teams knowing Yu and Hendricks will go game 1 & 2 - except maybe the Cards who have a 4 deep rotation. Phillies have two good arms, but only Wheeler is scary as a lefty, the Fish have some young arms, but nothing dominant outside of Sixto.

Should be a good final couple weeks.
 
DaDeacs said:
Have not clinched a spot yet, but up 5.5 on 2nd place with 12 to play. The Cards and Brewers have to play 8 more times in the next couple of weeks, so I am going to assume they won't catch up unless one team sweeps, but that would knock out the other one - and the Reds schedule is tough. The biggest challenge for the Cubs is their own schedule - with 8 of the 12 remaining games against 3 teams currently in the playoffs from the AL Central. The Cubs are tied for the 2 seed right now, and if they can win the division, they will get home field against a wild card team or the lowest ranked 2nd place finisher - which at this rate looks like the Cards, Phils, Giants or maybe Marlins. I am pretty confident in a 3 game series for the Cubs against any of those teams knowing Yu and Hendricks will go game 1 & 2 - except maybe the Cards who have a 4 deep rotation. Phillies have two good arms, but only Wheeler is scary as a lefty, the Fish have some young arms, but nothing dominant outside of Sixto.

Should be a good final couple weeks.
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Lol ignore the home field stuff, forgot about the bubble thing.
 
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