BBTF's Game Chatter Discussion :: Cubs (8-14) @ Phillies (10-12), Monday, April 30, 2012, 7:05pm

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Monday, April 30, 2012

Cubs (8-14) @ Phillies (10-12), Monday, April 30, 2012, 7:05pm

CHC:Chris Volstad (25, RHP, 0-3, 6.14)
PHI:Vance Worley (24, RHP, 2-1, 2.16)

The Primer Chimp Posted: April 30, 2012 at 10:00 AM | 36 comment(s)
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Reader Comments and Retorts

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1. Brian C Posted: April 30, 2012 at 10:54 AM (#4119663)

Ah yes, the rare Fri-Mon four-game series.

Cubs season HR pace: 58
Bryan LaHair PA/game: 3.0
Soriano XBH/GIDP: 1/3

Out of fairness, I'll leave the Soto/Clevenger tracker off until Soto returns to the lineup. The LaHair tracker is inching towards retirement - it'll happen when he reaches eligibility for the batting title, i.e., 3.1 plate appearances per team game. He'll get there if he gets 6 plate appearances tonight (improbable), 11 plate appearances in the next two games (possible), or 12 in the next three (probable, if he plays).

2. SouthSideRyan Posted: April 30, 2012 at 12:53 PM (#4119816)

Run Differential: -19 (First time better than -20 since 4/17. Still good for 15th in the NL, ahead of only the Brewers)
W-L projection: 59-103
Pythag: 66-96
Castro: 10 SB/7 E (He leads majors in steals, and in errors by a SS)

3. SouthSideRyan Posted: April 30, 2012 at 03:09 PM (#4119977)

Oooh and 7th~! in SRS

4. Brian C Posted: April 30, 2012 at 07:08 PM (#4120153)

Oh man, right off the bat and the Cubs get screwed.

5. Brian C Posted: April 30, 2012 at 07:11 PM (#4120155)

I think that ump was just not in a good position to make that call. But he clearly blew it, there's just no question that DeJesus was safe at second.

6. Brian C Posted: April 30, 2012 at 07:22 PM (#4120163)

Two infield hits and a slow grounder through the middle and Volstad's already given up a run. That dude is having some really terrible luck this year - I don't actually think he's pitched all that poorly.

7. Brian C Posted: April 30, 2012 at 07:30 PM (#4120171)

Phillies got four runs in that inning and I don't think they hit a ball in the air. A couple infield hits and three seeing-eye grounders ... sheesh.

8. SouthSideRyan Posted: April 30, 2012 at 07:35 PM (#4120179)

The big inning has killed Volstad this season. Since his first start he's thrown 12 shutout innings compared to being scored upon in 6. The problem is those 6 had run totals of 4, 4, 4, 3, 2, and 1.

9. Walks Clog Up the Bases Posted: April 30, 2012 at 07:38 PM (#4120181)

I've only seen one Volstad start this season (in Miami), so I'll take your word for it that he's just been the recipient of some awful luck.

10. Brian C Posted: April 30, 2012 at 07:38 PM (#4120182)

Coming in to the game, his FIP was 3.22, so it's not just me thinking he's looked decent. He actually lowered that in the first inning to 3.16, so again, it's not just me thinking that he had a gruesomely unlucky inning.

11. Brian C Posted: April 30, 2012 at 07:41 PM (#4120186)

Another seeing-eye grounder for a hit.

In a related story, DeWitt is not looking very rangy in this game.

12. SouthSideRyan Posted: April 30, 2012 at 07:48 PM (#4120200)

Heading into tonight:

Volstad OPS against with runners on: .985
Bases Empty: .486

Obviously there's a selection bias whereas if runners are on, odds are the pitcher doesn't have as good of stuff, but here are his career #s.

Runners on: .818
Empty: .734

13. SouthSideRyan Posted: April 30, 2012 at 07:54 PM (#4120209)

That trivia question is wrong. The Pirates won the East in '91-'92.

14. SteveM. Posted: April 30, 2012 at 07:58 PM (#4120217)

Gary Matthews is as bad an announcer as his son is a ballplayer.

15. SouthSideRyan Posted: April 30, 2012 at 08:07 PM (#4120236)

Gary Matthews is as bad an announcer as he is a hitting coach.

16. Walks Clog Up the Bases Posted: April 30, 2012 at 08:09 PM (#4120240)

Theo ate the wrong contract.

17. SouthSideRyan Posted: April 30, 2012 at 08:10 PM (#4120242)

Yeah, Byrd has really draped himself in glory this season.

18. Walks Clog Up the Bases Posted: April 30, 2012 at 08:13 PM (#4120245)

I was referring to Zambrano. I know the move was made more for Zambrano's behavioral problems, but god damn, Soriano is just a drain to watch.

19. SouthSideRyan Posted: April 30, 2012 at 08:15 PM (#4120248)

Ahhh, mea culpa, I didn't care much for the Z trade either. Though despite the horrendous traditional numbers, I'm actually more optimistic about Volstad than I was before the season.

20. SteveM. Posted: April 30, 2012 at 08:21 PM (#4120255)

Theo ate the wrong contrac

When I read that, what popped in my mind was Walk Hard-"The wrong kid died."

21. Walks Clog Up the Bases Posted: April 30, 2012 at 08:24 PM (#4120259)

"I'm cut in half pretty bad" might be one of my favorite lines from any comedy to come down the pike in the last several years.

22. SteveM. Posted: April 30, 2012 at 08:28 PM (#4120264)

"And you never pay for drugs" is pretty hard to bear. Okay that settles it, I am going to order that from Amazon tonight.

23. SteveM. Posted: April 30, 2012 at 08:31 PM (#4120265)

Pretty hard to beat. That is what I get for typing while eating.

24. SteveM. Posted: April 30, 2012 at 08:55 PM (#4120279)

Jesus, Soto is a rally killer.

25. SteveM. Posted: April 30, 2012 at 09:19 PM (#4120295)

Its interesting that the Cubs player the Phillies announcers are most taken with is Campana.

26. SteveM. Posted: April 30, 2012 at 09:19 PM (#4120296)

LaHair!!

27. SouthSideRyan Posted: April 30, 2012 at 09:20 PM (#4120297)

Lahair's batting average on balls out of play is 1.000

28. SteveM. Posted: April 30, 2012 at 09:23 PM (#4120298)

It will be a brighter day in Chicago when Rizzo comes up and LaHair replaces Soriano in left.

29. Dan The Mediocre Posted: April 30, 2012 at 09:26 PM (#4120300)

The Cubs now have 9 Home Runs. 5 are by LaHair.

30. SteveM. Posted: April 30, 2012 at 09:35 PM (#4120309)

The Cubs now have 9 Home Runs. 5 are by LaHair.

And one by Joe Mather!

31. SteveM. Posted: April 30, 2012 at 09:41 PM (#4120324)

Why did the hell did Sveum leave in Soriano? Someone with a little range might have, if not caught it, been able to limit that to one run.

32. SouthSideRyan Posted: April 30, 2012 at 09:42 PM (#4120325)

I came here to make a sarcastic comment about you blaming that on Soriano. You cannot be serious.

33. SteveM. Posted: April 30, 2012 at 09:45 PM (#4120332)

Not the hit, that was on Dolis. I do blame him for the stretching of that hit to a double and the second run scoring.

34. Brian C Posted: April 30, 2012 at 10:03 PM (#4120347)

FWIW, my first reaction was that a good LF would have cut the ball off and prevented the second run.

35. SouthSideRyan Posted: April 30, 2012 at 10:21 PM (#4120360)

He was nowhere near the ball when it landed. He was playing deep, so it's not like he could take an angle to cut it off before it got to the wall anyway. Syth or Mather aren't stopping that run from scoring.

36. Brian C Posted: April 30, 2012 at 10:43 PM (#4120382)

Looking at the replay, it looks like he initially came in on it before retreating. Either that or it took him too long to get moving. It looks like he entertained thoughts of catching the ball, because once it lands, he changes directions by almost 90 degrees to chase it back to the wall.

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Monday, April 30, 2012

Cubs (8-14) @ Phillies (10-12), Monday, April 30, 2012, 7:05pm

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