Real MLB Thread

[JWags85]

Not that we're at this weekend I'm going to stand on my original thoughts on the players weekend jerseys. Not great.

Anytime you have to have the pitcher wear a different hat cause the jerseys FOR EVERY HOME TEAM can mess with hitters, you probably f***ed up the design

[MU82]

If the Cubs make the postseason, what do you do with Lester?

The guy's a gamer from way back, but he is pitching as poorly as any starter in baseball.

[JWags85]

If the Cubs make the postseason, what do you do with Lester?

The guy's a gamer from way back, but he is pitching as poorly as any starter in baseball.

Your 3 right now are Hendricks, Hamels and then either Q or Darvish. Over his last 8, Darvish has 3 electric starts, 2 that were very good, and 3 that were bad. If you can get the 0-2 ER and consistent Darvish, he's the easy choice. But who knows with him. Still think he's the guy cause his upside seems higher than Q right now.

As for Lester, you put him in the pen. Ideal guy for 4 innings if your starter gets shaky early on. He's absolutely a gamer and a playoff legend for 2 clubs, but he's just been awful

[MU82]

Your 3 right now are Hendricks, Hamels and then either Q or Darvish. Over his last 8, Darvish has 3 electric starts, 2 that were very good, and 3 that were bad. If you can get the 0-2 ER and consistent Darvish, he's the easy choice. But who knows with him. Still think he's the guy cause his upside seems higher than Q right now.

As for Lester, you put him in the pen. Ideal guy for 4 innings if your starter gets shaky early on. He's absolutely a gamer and a playoff legend for 2 clubs, but he's just been awful

Very reasonable. Would love to chat Maddon up and see if he feels the same.

That was quite a series against the Nats. Outscored 23-10 in an important home series. Certainly crushes the perception that the Cubbies are borderline unbeatable at home.

While Brewers and Cardinals will be going at it the next few days, Cubs have to play the Mets on the road ... and face Stroman, Syndergaard and deGrom.

The Cardinals have a chance to all but sew up the division by the end of the week.

[WarriorDad]

My vote is do not repeat the all white and all black uniforms again as done this weekend.  Drab.

[dgies9156]

The Cardinals have a chance to all but sew up the division by the end of the week.

Mmmmmmm!

Music to my ears. Of course, as wacky as this season has been, they'll get swept by the Brewers and snatch defeat  from the jaws of victory.

[dgies9156]

A couple of thoughts about this weekend:

1) The Cubs are a good baseball team. Not a great one and certainly not as great as most Cub fans think they are. The team proved Sunday against Washington they can come back from almost anything and they're almost never out of any game they play. I really was impressed about how, after a really nasty pitching duel, they battled back to tie Washington. As I listened to the game, they could have folded numerous times. They didn't and I give Maddon credit for that.

2) Now, about that bullpen......

3) The Cardinals were playing a decidedly mediocre team at home. They won the games good teams are supposed to win. And then some. The key for this team is that Ozuna and Goldschmidt are starting to show something and Dexter Fowler (remember him, Cub fans?) is finally starting to show that the contract he was given was not for naught.

4) The difference between the Cubs and Cardinals is pitching. The Cub veteran pitchers are old and crafty, but their arms wear down later in the season. The Cardinals arms are young and in many cases livelier (Adam Wainwright excepted), but they lack the experience and knowledge of the Cub staff. Also wonder if things are tight in late September how the lack of experience will manifest itself in Jack Flaherty, Dakota Hudson and Michael Mikonis?

5) Milwaukee's season is on the line this week. Get swept by the Cardinals and the season is over. Lose two of three and, hey Milwaukee, you're on life support! I like Counsell and there's a lot of things to like about the Brewers, but their pitching makes the Cubs staff look like world beaters.

[MU82]

A couple of thoughts about this weekend:

1) The Cubs are a good baseball team. Not a great one and certainly not as great as most Cub fans think they are. The team proved Sunday against Washington they can come back from almost anything and they're almost never out of any game they play. I really was impressed about how, after a really nasty pitching duel, they battled back to tie Washington. As I listened to the game, they could have folded numerous times. They didn't and I give Maddon credit for that.

2) Now, about that bullpen......

3) The Cardinals were playing a decidedly mediocre team at home. They won the games good teams are supposed to win. And then some. The key for this team is that Ozuna and Goldschmidt are starting to show something and Dexter Fowler (remember him, Cub fans?) is finally starting to show that the contract he was given was not for naught.

4) The difference between the Cubs and Cardinals is pitching. The Cub veteran pitchers are old and crafty, but their arms wear down later in the season. The Cardinals arms are young and in many cases livelier (Adam Wainwright excepted), but they lack the experience and knowledge of the Cub staff. Also wonder if things are tight in late September how the lack of experience will manifest itself in Jack Flaherty, Dakota Hudson and Michael Mikonis?

5) Milwaukee's season is on the line this week. Get swept by the Cardinals and the season is over. Lose two of three and, hey Milwaukee, you're on life support! I like Counsell and there's a lot of things to like about the Brewers, but their pitching makes the Cubs staff look like world beaters.

I agree with all of that.

Winning games a team is "supposed to win" is not as easy as it sounds -- especially in baseball, where any good pitcher can have an off day and a bad pitcher can have a career outing.

Just yesterday, the Phillies lost a game they desperately needed to win to the Marlins.

I remember back in the final week of the 2004 season, the Cubs lost 3 straight games at home to a bad Cinci team as part of an epic choke job. Greg Maddux, signed before the season to give the Cubs "the best pitching staff ever," was routed in the first of those 3 losses. In many ways, that game started his decline into relative mediocrity after so many stellar seasons.

So I give the Cardinals -- or any team -- credit for winning the ones they're supposed to. It's never easy to sweep a 4-game series, no matter the opponent.

[4everwarriors]

Brew Crew shot der load, aina?

[shoothoops]

As previously mentioned, the Cardinals entered a long stretch of playing losing record teams except for Milwaukee. They have so far gone 13-3 in their last 16 after losing 5 straight to strong winning teams. Results aren't always automatic but they have been taking advantage of the opportunity thus far.

Their bullpen leads the league in at least a half dozen categories and Jack Flaherty has been arguably the best starting pitcher in the league since the all star break. This is what people expected from him. It's still a mediocre at best offense but it's been scoring against the bad teams in this stretch.

Cubs finish 17 of final 32 on the road where they have struggled.

Things can and do change.

Any of 3 teams can win the division.

Washington won 5 in a row and gets a sweep in Chicago, playing well. Then you look up at Atlanta who has won 8 in a row. At the least it has positioned Washington well in the Wild Card race.

[cheebs09]

We can pretty much put a fork in the Crew.

[BM1090]

We can pretty much put a fork in the Crew.

Nah. Not after tonight. After Wednesday? Maybe. Let's see how the next two go.

[jesmu84]

https://www.barstoolsports.com/barstoolu/christian-yelich-comes-out-to-roxanne-as-his-walkup-song-to-troll-the-concerned-mother-who-came-at-him-on-twitter-this-morning

[The Sultan]

And now Miller Park just had a rain delay.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

And now Miller Park just had a rain delay.

The 2019 Brewers season in a nutshell.

[wadesworld]

https://www.barstoolsports.com/barstoolu/christian-yelich-comes-out-to-roxanne-as-his-walkup-song-to-troll-the-concerned-mother-who-came-at-him-on-twitter-this-morning

Her Twitter profile says it all.

[buckchuckler]

Her Twitter profile says it all.

Totally. Engineers, Amirite?

[MU82]

Washington lost at home to Baltimore ... Philly lost at home to Pittsburgh ... Tuesday was perfect example of supposedly good teams not taking care of business against bad teams.

[#UnleashSean]

Washington lost at home to Baltimore ... Philly lost at home to Pittsburgh ... Tuesday was perfect example of supposedly good teams not taking care of business against bad teams.

Just baseball things. Winning 6/10 games usually gets you into playoffs.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Washington lost at home to Baltimore ... Philly lost at home to Pittsburgh ... Tuesday was perfect example of supposedly good teams not taking care of business against bad teams.

That's baseball.

[wadesworld]

Just baseball things. Winning 6/10 games usually gets you into playoffs.

Has there ever been a 97-98 win team that didn't make the Playoffs?

[buckchuckler]

Has there ever been a 97-98 win team that didn't make the Playoffs?

There are several 100 win teams to not make the playoffs.  Before the wildcard era though.

[#UnleashSean]

There are several 100 win teams to not make the playoffs.  Before the wildcard era though.

I'm a believer in a 3 game wild card. That 98 win pirate VS 97 win cub game is still in my mind.

[wadesworld]

There are several 100 win teams to not make the playoffs.  Before the wildcard era though.

Wild, would've guessed never in my lifetime.  Looks like the last time it happened was to the Giants in 1993.  103 wins and no postseason.

[#UnleashSean]

Wild, would've guessed never in my lifetime.  Looks like the last time it happened was to the Giants in 1993.  103 wins and no postseason.

I could see it with the 2 division era