2016 Season

Howling Mad · Post #121 » by **Howling Mad** » Fri Jul 8, 2016 12:39 pm

Ok so we lost. That sucks. We've lost 7 of 8. That really sucks, but this is baseball. Our bullpen, that also sucks.

BUT DID YOU SEE CONTRERAS?!

Dat swag, tho... If our bullpen didn't blow that lead, Contreras looks like Pudge or Piazza with that attitude. I like it, I like it a lot.

Kizz Fastfists · Post #122 » by **Kizz Fastfists** » Fri Jul 8, 2016 1:29 pm

Gotta fix the bullpen. They are still up 8 in the division, but the bullpen has cost several games. It's not that Rondon, Wood and Stop haven't been good with their sub 1.00 WHIPs, but you need more than 3 pitchers in the bullpen. Only one pitcher in the league has pitched in more games than Wood. Grimm is in the top 20 for games pitched and Strop then top 35. Grimm has been terrible this year and you can't expect Wood and Strop to pitch every other day and hold up for a long post-season run. They have got to find some quality depth.

hermes · Post #123 » by **hermes** » Sat Jul 9, 2016 3:27 am

well i was at tuesday and wednesday's games - and we lost both....to the reds!... ugh

wrigley was really cool though, and wrigleyville around the stadium is pretty neat as well. got burnt to a crisp in those bleachers though

hermes · Post #124 » by **hermes** » Sat Jul 9, 2016 3:27 am

anyway, how worried should we be???????????????

seems like the wheels are falling off the bus

hermes · Post #125 » by **hermes** » Sat Jul 9, 2016 3:29 am

also congrats to rizzo, zobrist, russell, bryant, fowler, arrieta and lester for making the all-star team

Kizz Fastfists · Post #126 » by **Kizz Fastfists** » Sat Jul 9, 2016 3:54 am

hermes wrote:anyway, how worried should we be???????????????

seems like the wheels are falling off the bus

Until the bullpen gets fixed we should be concerned. The offense will be fine. The starting pitching will be fine. The bullpen is is an issue. The team as it stands is technically good enough to win the World Series, but adding a pair of high end bullpen arms to go with Rondon, Strop and Wood would make it much better. Give the Yankees what they need to get Miller and Betances. Those two pretty much take care of the bullpen through 2018. Wood would be the only bullpen that would need to be re-signed between now and the end of 2018 and with Miller, Rondon, Betances and Strop it wouldn't be an urgent deal. Wood is likely to leave anyway since he wants to go to a team that will let him start again.

hermes · Post #127 » by **hermes** » Sat Jul 9, 2016 3:59 am

contreras is good though

Howling Mad · Post #128 » by **Howling Mad** » Sat Jul 9, 2016 2:54 pm

Glad you able to experience Wrigley, hermes. I know not every Cubs fan is within distance to attend a game, but I think if you're a Cubs fan and you can make it happen, GO!

hermes · Post #129 » by **hermes** » Sat Jul 9, 2016 3:25 pm

Howling Mad wrote:Glad you able to experience Wrigley, hermes. I know not every Cubs fan is within distance to attend a game, but I think if you're a Cubs fan and you can make it happen, GO!

it was really fun, i might try and make it an annual thing or at least get over there more often

karch34 · Post #130 » by **karch34** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 5:30 am

When I lived in MN I would try to make a stop at Wrigley on a work trip when I could. In AZ not as easy, but happy you had fun.

Nice to get a W before the break. I think the break is at a perfect time. We're still in a good spot and our start might not have been sustainable, but I think a little time off will bode well for a good 2nd half.

hermes · Post #131 » by **hermes** » Mon Jul 11, 2016 10:26 pm

so first half thoughts: who did well, who did not as well, and what do we need to do for the second half?

ADDinChicago · Post #132 » by **ADDinChicago** » Tue Jul 12, 2016 7:05 am

hermes wrote:so first half thoughts: who did well, who did not as well, and what do we need to do for the second half?

Obviously, I'm very pleased with the first half overall. The last 2-3 weeks haven't been great. But better for it to happen now than in September into the playoffs.

Who did well:
The starting pitching
Kris Bryant
Anthony Rizzo
Dexter Fowler
Addison Russell
Javy Baez
Willson Contreras (in a very small sample)
David Ross (hell of a swan song)

Who didn't do AS well (and really only because I'm going to nitpick. I understand the bullpen has been overworked):
Jason Heyward (Just hasn't been doing what they've paid for. Has shown signs of heating up here and there, but overall, not off to a good start)
Miguel Montero (and yes people will point out the advanced metrics, yada, yada, yada he needs to sit even with his OBP and pitch framing, he's just not passing the eye test and the other 2 actual catcher have been better)
Clayton Richard
Trevor Cahill
Justin Grimm

For the second half, most importantly, they need to win series. Not pulling 1 win per opponent like they've been doing. Get at least 2 reliable bullpen arms. I trust in Theo, but at the same time, waiting until August 1 or August 31 might not be the best approach anymore to pull off a move hoping the price will go down when the exact opposite most likely happens with more teams hanging around the wild card standings. And when the division seems to be more into place toward the end, start giving the everyday guys some days off here and there. The problem last season seemed to be aside from the Mets' pitching buzzsaw, the Cubs were just flat out gassed come the NLCS. Better planning with higher expectations this season should help.

ADDinChicago · Post #133 » by **ADDinChicago** » Fri Jul 15, 2016 10:10 am

Arrieta's first start post-all-star break will now be Tuesday. He needs more rest (well, at least that's all they've said).

Kizz Fastfists · Post #134 » by **Kizz Fastfists** » Fri Jul 15, 2016 4:06 pm

Arrieta's been pitching hurt. That is why his mechanics are off which is what is causing the control issues. Hopefully, it is something that just needed some rest and he'll be fine. I'd rather him take a DL stint in July/August then try to pitch through it and have a 2nd half like Hammel did last year fighting his nagging injuries then struggling in the playoffs. With the exception of last year Arrieta has never been a work horse and even then he had almost nothing left after the wild card game. If he needs a few weeks off now would be the time to give it to him so he can be in peak form for the playoffs.

hermes · Post #135 » by **hermes** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 12:50 am

hendricks with a sold start and a nice win

its crazy that he has the best era on the team right now (starters wise)

karch34 · Post #136 » by **karch34** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 5:15 pm

nice win and Hendricks has been one of the bigger surprises as far as consistency. Hopefully the break was just what we needed to get things back on track

hermes · Post #137 » by **hermes** » Sun Jul 17, 2016 2:15 pm

darvish was striking a lot of people out, nice clutch hit by rizzo to put us over the top

Kizz Fastfists · Post #138 » by **Kizz Fastfists** » Sun Jul 17, 2016 9:58 pm

Cole Hamels can never pitch in Wrigley again and I won't mind. At least they started the 2nd half with a series win. They need to keep it going against the Mets.

karch34 · Post #139 » by **karch34** » Wed Jul 20, 2016 10:02 pm

I like the Vogelbach for Montgomery trade. Vogelbach is a nice player, but his inevitable fit was in the AL as DH, maybe a team with little 1B options. Quality lefty reliever who's versatile and under contract for awhile. I still don't think we move Schwarber unless we get blown away ( i.e. Young starting pitcher under team control for a few years and not just rentals). I could be wrong, but I think Schwarber is viewed as long term core.

hermes · Post #140 » by **hermes** » Wed Jul 20, 2016 10:42 pm

rizzo!

and hendricks pitching great