Official 2023 Chicago Cubs Season Thread Vol: (17-17)

Was a fight to the end & fowler with that catch was clutch.
 
It was a great win last night, to be sure, but we’re going to have to talk about the bullpen a little bit.

While I know that the bullpen has been severely hampered by the simultaneous injuries to Justin Grimm and Neil Ramirez (not to mention Jacob Turner, Tsuyoshi Wada, and Blake Parker), I’m not sure Joe Maddon can justify continuing to go with Brian Schlitter in high-leverage situations.

I understand the theoretical allure of Schlitter in close, runners-on situations – he’s got a high velocity, hard sinker, and he looks like a guy who could get you some groundballs in key spots and get you out of a jam. Thing is, he hasn’t really done that. Indeed, going all the way back to June 8 of last year, Schlitter has posted a 6.54 ERA, a 4.63 FIP, a 4.20 xFIP, a 12.0% K rate, and a 9.3% BB rate. I don’t care how many groundballs a guy gets, those are not the numbers of a reliable, late-inning, high-leverage reliever in today’s game. Those numbers are scary bad over a healthily-sized sample of the most recent results.

(As Sahadev Sharma recently wrote, Schlitter has been missing his spots so far this year, and, when you’re not a guy with overwhelming stuff as it is, that’s a recipe for problems. Schlitter is mostly getting groundballs, but he’s also given up the long ball when he’s been up in the zone.)

Setting aside Schlitter’s performance, specifically, I can’t help but wonder about the broader question: are we really sure the whole concept of trying to get groundballs with runners on base is the right late-inning approach? Groundballs – especially if they’re getting hit as hard as those Schlitter has been giving up – are much more likely to go for hits than fly balls, and, if you’re not getting any strikeouts, you’re allowing a ton of balls in play. Is that really the approach you want? I’m not asking that rhetorically, mind you – I’m really asking. Given the extreme lack of strikeouts Schlitter brings to the table (and since his walk rate is no longer in the 5% range), is his statistically the best option in those situations even if he gets you the groundballs you want? I think I’d rather have a strikeout guy in there, even if he gives up some fly balls.

… but that’s where the bullpen troubles come in, and why I’m not excoriating Maddon for going with Schlitter in that 6th inning spot last night. For one thing, Jason Motte also got hit around. For another thing, Pedro Strop has been used so heavily, and you can’t lean on him every single night in April. For another thing, Hector Rondon wasn’t going to go in that spot. For still another thing, Zac Rosscup had pitched three of the last four days, including the night before. For still another thing, Phil Coke may still be best suited to a lefty specialist role. So that left Maddon with Schlitter, newly-added Gonzalez Germen, and Edwin Jackson.

Should Maddon have gone with Jackson? I’ve thought so for a little while now – just give the guy a chance to be a true one-inning reliever and see what he can do (like last night in the 8th) – but I won’t blast Maddon just yet for not pulling the trigger, given it’s a new role for Jackson, and he obviously struggled the last couple years.

But the roles need to shift around a little bit in the bullpen, presuming the Cubs aren’t going to get reinforcements any time soon. The available arms in the minors right now all come with questions: Armando Rivero has been struggling, James Russell is probably a LOOGY (as might be Joe Ortiz, Drake Britton, and Hunter Cervenka), Donn Roach is Schlitter-like, Blake Cooper is an unknown quantity, and C.J. Edwards is only just getting used to the bullpen at AA.

Hopefully each of Grimm and Ramirez recover well, and we see them back dominating in the pen before too long. Until then, though, the bullpen has become something of a question mark for an otherwise intriguing team.
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We need Grimm and Ramirez back, bad. :x
 
Lineup tonight

Fowler CF
Soler RF
Rizzo 1B
Bryant 3B
Castro SS
Montero C
Coghlan LF
Hammel P
Russell 2B
 
Chicago Cubs ‏@Cubs 3m3 minutes ago
Dexter Fowler was removed from tonight's game due to right groin tightness. #Cubs
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Injuries pilin up. :x


Bryant has hit about 5 pitches that would have been homers at Wrigley, but for some reason he can't get them out at Pittsburgh. :lol


Addison did get his first base hit tho. :smokin
 
Bullpen is in shambles without Grimm and Ramirez. :{ :x


Wonder if we see some bodies called up soon, otherwise some starters are gonna have to go 7-8 innings in a row to get some rest for the pen.
 
JohnnyRedStorm said:
what do you think about Bryant in CF?
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Honestly? I think they know they don't have it this year (nor should they think they do)

So they are experimenting. How does Russell look at 2nd? Bryant in Center/Left?

I expect to see Russell play some 3rd at some point. (to bring Baez up to 2nd)


IMO, they are seeing how they can fit the pieces, and then in a year or two, that's when they will truly push in, and we won't see all the shuffling.


If the Cubs would have scored in the 9th yesterday, Bryant was going to move to first base. He woulda played 3rd, CF, and 1B all in the same game, a week in the majors. :lol
 
Again, if everything were to work out, Almora is a tremendous Center Fielder defensively. Question is, can he hit enough?

And Schwarber is likely going to be tabbed at LF.

So at some point, movement will be needed, unless they plan on platooning a bunch, with Schwarber behind the plate some days, and Bryant in Left, with Russell/Baez at 3rd/2nd.

When Schwarber is in LF, Bryant at 3rd, and whoever is hotter at 2nd.


Or even shift Bryant to CF, Schwarber in LF, and Baez and Russell both in the infield while Almora takes a day off.


I just think they are searching what everyone can do right now, before it really truly matters. And I'm ok with that, for now. At some point, we need set lineups/positions so everyone gets comfortable with their jobs.

And also, we don't know who all truly lasts and who turns into a bust, etc.
 
CP1708 said:
There's not really anyone left.

WildK doesn’t really post anymore outside the CBB thread. Zo is gone. First Born is pretty much gone. Craftsy, W4L been LONG gone. :lol

The only ones we really have left are you, me, DMX, and Arstyle27.
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True, lol..........W4L smdh.
 
CP1708 said:
More than just the 9th, the Internationals that I posted a few pages back shows even more youth Theo will be getting, to be a wave behind this wave of talent.
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We are stacked. I don't think the Cubs farm system have never ben this stacked before. NEVER
 
Yep. It's why I'm so excited. We are being built for the long haul, not just a 1-2 year window.

Doesn't mean we're done, still a lot of work to do, but Theo has done an amazing job layin the groundwork.
 
Arrieta 6 strong innings. Russell a 3 run double, and Montero a bomb.

10-7

And the Cards just lost Wainright for the season.
 
Starlin needs just 132 hits to join this list.

David Kaplan @thekapman · 6h 6 hours ago
Only players post 1961 w/1000 hits by age 25. Starlin Castro could join this season. A-Rod, Yount, Cedeno, E. Renteria, Alomar, Griffey, Cabrera.
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Jason Hammel with the best game so far. 8 inn, 4 hits, no walks, 7 K's. :hat

Rizzo has 60 plate appearances. Been on base 32 times. :eek

Bryant with a couple hits and a clutch two out 2 run single.


Reds just lost Homer Bailey for the year. Cards lost Wainright.

Some movement to be made. Cards could try to buy Cole Hamels. And Reds could try to sell Cueto. Either way, worth watching. I want Theo to stay patient, save all our assets, and just buy a FA SP in the off-season.

We'll see. But right now, 11-7, and improving every day. Get Grimm and Ramirez back, get Lester settled and the team will be in great shape.
 
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