2017-07-30: Cubs (Lackey) at Brewers (Davies) 1:10 PM CDT [Brewers lose, 4-2]

[TURBO]

 

Slumps happen. 31 consecutive failed RISP opportunities does not just 'happen' to an anemic offense, let alone a good one. And the fact that it happened in the biggest series of the year was not some freak coincidence of a bad thing at a bad time. It happens because players pressed, got too tight, lost focus and gave us horrible ABs in key situations.

 

They couldn't handle the pressure of this series. It may be the elephant in the room but they simply choked. Honestly, the Cubs' pitching wasn't even all that good this series.

 

How does everyone know it was pressure and they arent "mentally tough?" How do people know this and just state it factually? In 162 games teams have bad patches and sometimes it happens in big series. Invariably when it does, the armchair qbs seem to know without a doubt that these guys lack toughness or some magic mental ability to want to win.

 

Agreed. They seemed pretty mentally tough when they were winning the division when no one else gave them a chance... I think claiming they are not mentally tough is a reach, they are after all, professional athletes.

[LouisEly]

Slumps happen. 31 consecutive failed RISP opportunities does not just 'happen' to an anemic offense, let alone a good one. And the fact that it happened in the biggest series of the year was not some freak coincidence of a bad thing at a bad time. It happens because players pressed, got too tight, lost focus and gave us horrible ABs in key situations.

The "mentally tough" part is very debatable. However, the last sentence of this paragraph is pretty much spot on. Whether that is mentally tough or not, I don't know, but you don't need to do much research to see that the Cubs bullpen walks a lot of hitters, and based on that you cannot have an aggressive approach at the plate where you decide to swing before the pitch is out of the pitcher's hand.

[adambr2]

 

Slumps happen. 31 consecutive failed RISP opportunities does not just 'happen' to an anemic offense, let alone a good one. And the fact that it happened in the biggest series of the year was not some freak coincidence of a bad thing at a bad time. It happens because players pressed, got too tight, lost focus and gave us horrible ABs in key situations.

 

They couldn't handle the pressure of this series. It may be the elephant in the room but they simply choked. Honestly, the Cubs' pitching wasn't even all that good this series.

 

How does everyone know it was pressure and they arent "mentally tough?" How do people know this and just state it factually? In 162 games teams have bad patches and sometimes it happens in big series. Invariably when it does, the armchair qbs seem to know without a doubt that these guys lack toughness or some magic mental ability to want to win.

 

I never said 'mentally tough,' so I don't know why that's been quoted a couple times. I would agree it's debatable because I really don't know what it means. I said they choked, and I'll stand by that. if you want to call that a lack of mental toughness, I guess that's open to interpretation. I also don't know what leading a division in July has to do with mental toughness. I also certainly never said they don't 'want' to win so I don't know why you associated that with my post. I'm sure they want to win very badly. I'm not stating anything factually -- like most other things posted, it's a matter of opinion and individual interpretation.

 

Here's what I do know: the ABs in this series, particularly in the late innings, were collectively the worst ABs I have seen this season. Numerous times we lost much-needed baserunners simply from a player trying to do to much and swinging at a 3-1 pitch that would have been Ball 4. I don't know the reason, but I was and remain highly disappointed that they would make those kinds of mistakes time and time again in such a critical series.

 

I understand there's times in baseball you just tip your cap to great pitching. This series wasn't one of those times.

[GAME05]

"My girlfriend and her hubby"

 

Wait....what???

[adambr2]

"My girlfriend and her hubby"

 

Wait....what???

 

Pugger is female, I think. So in that context the statement becomes a lot less scandalous.

[Ennder]

The team wasn't hitting well way before this series. For whatever reason the teams offense came out of the all star break cold. They aren't the only team that came out of it cold. This is the normal ebb and flow of a baseball season. We aren't as good as the big hot streak right before the break and we aren't as bad as the slump after it.

[Pugger]

"My girlfriend and her hubby"

 

Wait....what???

 

Pugger is female, I think. So in that context the statement becomes a lot less scandalous.

 

Yes, I'm female. I guess if you didn't know that my post would look scandalous.

[PinaMadness]

Looks like Chris Christie discovered the magic of Miller Park's loaded nachos...

And yet even he still has more plate discipline than the Brewers.

 

Oh, and hello.