2018-04-08: Cubs (Quintana) at Brewers (Anderson) 1:10 PM CDT [Brewers lose, 3-0]

[Eye Black]

 

[pre]Cubs Lineup Brewers Lineup

 

1. Albert Almora Jr. ® CF 1. Lorenzo Cain ® CF

2. Kris Bryant ® 3B 2. Domingo Santana ® RF

3. Ben Zobrist (S) 2B 3. Ryan Braun ® LF

4. Willson Contreras ® C 4. Jesus Aguilar ® 1B

5. Kyle Schwarber (L) LF 5. Hernan Perez ® 3B

6. Addison Russell ® SS 6. Manny Pina ® C

7. Victor Caratini (S) 1B 7. Jonathan Villar (S) 2B

8. Jason Heyward (L) RF 8. Orlando Arcia ® SS

9. Jose Quintana ® P 9. Chase Anderson ® P

[/pre]

[adambr2]

I was kind of hoping to see Braun take a seat today, but against a lefty in Quintana doesn't really make sense.

 

All righty lineup, Thames and Shaw off against the tough lefty, Perez gets a start at 3rd and Aguilar is in. I'm good with this today.

[pacopete4]

Braun at all parts of his career has had stretches of bad st bats. And then he has like a ten pitch at bat and a guy and snaps out of it. Can’t always sit guys in slumps and think it’ll fix anything.

[adambr2]

Braun at all parts of his career has had stretches of bad st bats. And then he has like a ten pitch at bat and a guy and snaps out of it. Can’t always sit guys in slumps and think it’ll fix anything.

 

I don't totally disagree but a great deal of his ABs this year have looked absolutely horrendous, and it's not like he couldn't use a maintenance day anyway as he's on pace for 130 starts which is probably a little on the high side.

 

Like I said, not the right day for it with Quintana on the mound, especially with Yelich mow out.

[Oxy]

Braun at all parts of his career has had stretches of bad st bats. And then he has like a ten pitch at bat and a guy and snaps out of it. Can’t always sit guys in slumps and think it’ll fix anything.

 

Yeah, he does have stretches of bad ABs. Rarely goes into extended month long slumps though, as you say.

[Boomer5]

Looking at these huge bullpens and lack of bench options, the NL needs to either go the DH or expand the roster to 26.

 

The Cubs had to PH Lester in a 9 inning game. Of course he and his .083 BA actually drove in a run but that’s a story for yesterday’s debacle that I won’t be talking about.

[liveforoctober]

Getting a split would be a big exhale considering how we are playing. Go get 'em team right handed! I predict Aguilar gets his first today..

[Boomer5]

I was looking at baseball reference.

 

Number 1 in the NL in Errors, number 1 in the NL in strikeouts.

 

Minus 12 in run differential.

 

Tighten this up!

[Oxy]

Arrieta got lit up by the Marlins in his first inning. Not by Brinson though, who's off to a .428 OPS start.

[wallus]

 

Number 1 in the NL in Errors, number 1 in the NL in strikeouts.

 

Good thing those aren't the most important stats out there by any means. I will agree the defense has been putrid however.

[pacopete4]

Anderson off to a good start.

[adambr2]

Picking up right where we left off yesterday fundamentally I see.

[pacopete4]

It’s fine that he stopped when not getting a good jump but you can’t freeze. Dead meat doing that.

[liveforoctober]

Braun missed a 92 mph fastball right down the middle by about 6 inches with that swing.

[wallus]

Braun missed a 92 mph fastball right down the middle by about 6 inches with that swing.

 

I'm worried when he isn't destroying lefties.

[82brewcrew82]

 

Number 1 in the NL in Errors, number 1 in the NL in strikeouts.

 

Good thing those aren't the most important stats out there by any means. I will agree the defense has been putrid however.

Except those are two of the areas we were told we were going to see significant improvement.

[adambr2]

Braun missed a 92 mph fastball right down the middle by about 6 inches with that swing.

 

I'm worried when he isn't destroying lefties.

 

I know it's early, but he just isn't the guy he was several years ago. 2016 was his last flash of greatness, and we missed the window to unload him.

 

If he is the best hitter on this team by a wide margin as some say, this offense is in serious trouble.

[wallus]

Braun missed a 92 mph fastball right down the middle by about 6 inches with that swing.

 

I'm worried when he isn't destroying lefties.

 

I know it's early, but he just isn't the guy he was several years ago. 2016 was his last flash of greatness, and we missed the window to unload him.

 

If he is the best hitter on this team by a wide margin as some say, this offense is in serious trouble.

 

I remember my buddy's dad telling stories of Hank Aaron at the tail end of his career. Basically he looked bad most of the time be would hit a few homers every once in a while.

[TJseven7]

 

Number 1 in the NL in Errors, number 1 in the NL in strikeouts.

 

Good thing those aren't the most important stats out there by any means. I will agree the defense has been putrid however.

Except those are two of the areas we were told we were going to see significant improvement.

 

And they actually are vitally important. Giving extra outs and not moving runners hurts a ton.

[adambr2]

I really want to like Villar again, but even when he does something good, he does something bad. There was no reason for him not to wind up with a triple on that if he's hustling all the way, and that could end up being the difference between scoring and not scoring this inning.

[pacopete4]

Hey, Villar didn’t run to 3B there. Improvement!

[MrTPlush]

 

Number 1 in the NL in Errors, number 1 in the NL in strikeouts.

 

Good thing those aren't the most important stats out there by any means. I will agree the defense has been putrid however.

Except those are two of the areas we were told we were going to see significant improvement.

 

In the outfield....

[TJseven7]

Braun missed a 92 mph fastball right down the middle by about 6 inches with that swing.

 

I'm worried when he isn't destroying lefties.

 

He's been ebb and flow this way for awhile. I am not a big fan and part of my criticism is that his strike zone discipline and patience at the plate wanes at times. It comes and goes. Watch the pitches he takes... its a huge inducator or where he's at. He's not good right now. When he spits on balls or takes on the edge he'll heat up fast in a big way. You'll see multi hit games. Its just a matter of time with him.

[Oxy]

When Aaron was 39, he slashed .301/.402/.643 with 40 homers.

 

Not sure why we are comparing Aaron and Braun though. I'd be happy if Braun aged like Carl Yastrzemski though.

[TJseven7]

Hey, Villar didn’t run to 3B there. Improvement!

 

Aren't you pro villar? I'm not but got to admit, he's off to a real solid start.