Buttermaker
Well-known member
ESPN on Schwarber leading off: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id...adoff-man-kyle-schwarber-makes-cubs-dangerous
Welcome to the bigs, Adbert Alzolay. Four innings of one hit, one run relief for a W in his first game. Started and ended with a walk. Sandwiched in between were 33 strikes of 45 pitches on the fringe of the strike zone, five resulting in K's. Gave up a HR to Todd Frazier on one of the few pitches in the middle of the plate. Kid even threw one behind Robinson Cano after he called timeout to slow Alzolay down. Then K'd Cano. Kid works very fast, a fielder's dream and a hitter's nightmare fast. Catches the ball, gets the sign and delivers quicker than it took to read this sentence. 94 to 96 with command of a change and a sharp curve as well. Received five hugs before exiting to his third standing ovation with a tip of his hat to the crowd in thanks. He will be seen again.
BTW, Cubs won.
When did Darvish last pitch into the 7th? Or give up fewer than 4ER?
Is there a more miserable pitcher to watch than Jose Quintana? Even when he is pitching well (rarely), his nibble-fest approach is just so difficult to watch.
It's just so hard to watch his 25-30 pitch implosion innings. Anyway - I believe the Cubs hold on option on him next year? Maybe they could sucker a team which thinks they will be competitive next year into taking him for prospects. The Cubs would still have Chatwood, Montgomenry, and Alzolay to fill the rotation spot.
Darvish has limited opponents to less than four runs in eleven of sixteen starts. Unfortunately he has gone six or more innings in only four of the eleven. He was removed in the sixth inning in four others. He has gone six or more innings in six of his last seven starts. He has surrendered 21 runs in those seven starts. Slow improvement.