BBTF's Game Chatter Discussion :: Braves (18-12) @ Cubs (12-17), Tuesday, May 8, 2012, 8:05pm

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Tuesday, May 08, 2012

Braves (18-12) @ Cubs (12-17), Tuesday, May 8, 2012, 8:05pm

ATL:Randall Delgado (22, RHP, 2-3, 5.14)
CHC:Ryan Dempster (35, RHP, 0-1, 0.95)

The Primer Chimp Posted: May 08, 2012 at 10:00 AM | 32 comment(s)
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1. Cabbage Posted: May 08, 2012 at 11:38 AM (#4126319)

I love athletes with names that sound like cultural mashups. Randall Delgado is a decent example, but I'm really hoping for the day when Sven Katahishii faces a lineup built around Duane Singh, Moutubu Jefferson, and Mohammed Kensington.

2. SouthSideRyan Posted: May 08, 2012 at 12:29 PM (#4126380)

W-L Pace: 67-95
SRS: 8th in NL
Ian Stewart LD%/BABIP: 22.2/.243
4 games out of wild card

3. SouthSideRyan Posted: May 08, 2012 at 12:39 PM (#4126396)

Ex-Cub update:

Cashner: 3.95 ERA, 7.9 K/9, 7.9 BB/9, 1.3 HR/9
Zambrano: 1.98 ERA, 7 K/9, 3.1 BB/9, 0.7 HR/9
Marshall: 4.35 ERA:, 12.2 K/9, 2.6 BB/9, 0.9 HR/9
Ramirez: .215/.259/.364
Pena: .252/.398/.447
Fukudome: .182/.310/.212
Colvin: .289/.313/.533
Byrd (BOS): .255/.263/.273
LeMahieu (AAA): .311/.357/.403
Montanez (AAA): .136/.264/.159
Hill: (AA): .182/.217/.273

4. SouthSideRyan Posted: May 08, 2012 at 12:40 PM (#4126400)

Yes, Koyie Hill who we gave 200 ABs/year to the past 3 years, is immediately not good enough for a AAA roster.

5. Brian C Posted: May 08, 2012 at 02:06 PM (#4126507)

Cubs season HR pace: 100 (I think the first time this year it's been as high)
Bryan LaHair MLB OPS+ rank: 2
Starlin Castro NL dWAR rank: t2
Team high/low OPS+ (minimum 58 PA): LaHair 246/Soriano 55
Team high/low ERA+ (minimum 9 IP): Russell 492/Volstad 58
Team defensive efficiency (NL rank): .719 (2)

6. SouthSideRyan Posted: May 08, 2012 at 02:56 PM (#4126566)

Our starters and relievers have identical ERAs, despite the starters OPS against being 100 points better.

7. Brian C Posted: May 08, 2012 at 03:09 PM (#4126586)

Speaking of which, the Cubs' pitching has pretty much not sucked lately. After allowing 76 runs in the first 14 games, they've only allowed 45 in the most recent 15.

8. Dan The Mediocre is one of "the rest" Posted: May 08, 2012 at 03:56 PM (#4126660)

Speaking of which, the Cubs' pitching has pretty much not sucked lately. After allowing 76 runs in the first 14 games, they've only allowed 45 in the most recent 15.

They're 9-6 in that span with 53 runs scored. I doubt that the true Cubs talent is a positive run differential, but I think that it's closer to the last 15 games than the first 14.

9. SouthSideRyan Posted: May 08, 2012 at 04:45 PM (#4126717)

@BruceMiles2112:

DeJesus RF
Campana CF
Castro SS
LaHair 1B
Soriano LF
Stewart 3B
Soto C
Cardenas 2B
Dempster P

10. Brian C Posted: May 08, 2012 at 06:58 PM (#4126799)

Cardenas over Barney should be a permanent change until Cardenas proves that he can't handle it. Barney's defensive stats are surprisingly good, but he now has a 652 career OPS in 765 career PA on top of a 694 OPS in 754 PA in AAA. He just can't hit.

Cardenas doesn't exactly look like Rogers Hornsby to me, but his AAA OPS is 60 points higher, and he's two years younger so he could plausibly improve further. It may turn out that he can't handle it, but if that's the case, so be it. But Barney is not the answer and never has been.

11. SouthSideRyan Posted: May 08, 2012 at 07:27 PM (#4126818)

Cardenas supposedly is pretty poor defensively.

12. Brian C Posted: May 08, 2012 at 07:40 PM (#4126828)

Well, I guess that part of the problem here is that I don't quite believe that Barney is all that great defensively, either. He's grading out pretty solidly this year, but I don't think anyone puts too much stock in defensive stats based on less than 30 games (I like quoting Castro's dWAR on a daily basis because I think it's amusing, not because I really believe it). His stats last season aren't all that remarkable, and generally speaking he looks to me like a guy who doesn't hurt the team out there but doesn't add near enough to make up for his poor offense.

13. SteveM. Posted: May 08, 2012 at 08:33 PM (#4126851)

To echo Ryan, Cardenas has had his troubles in the field. Still worth giving a look to him.

14. SteveM. Posted: May 08, 2012 at 09:04 PM (#4126878)

Always a little shocking to see Soriano make a good play in left.

15. Walks Clog Up the Bases Posted: May 08, 2012 at 09:20 PM (#4126888)

Funny how quickly the other team can put up a run immediately after your team drags out the process and comes up empty.

16. Walks Clog Up the Bases Posted: May 08, 2012 at 09:27 PM (#4126896)

Poor Dempster.

17. Walks Clog Up the Bases Posted: May 08, 2012 at 09:39 PM (#4126912)

Josh Hamilton is having an OK night.

18. Brian C Posted: May 08, 2012 at 09:52 PM (#4126931)

Always a little shocking to see Soriano get a big hit at the plate.

19. SteveM. Posted: May 08, 2012 at 09:52 PM (#4126932)

My God Soriano came through. Why would anyone throw him a strike?

20. Brian C Posted: May 08, 2012 at 10:05 PM (#4126949)

And to think, someone here actually said a couple weeks ago that having Earl Bennett do the stretch was scraping the bottom of the chicago sports celebrity barrel.

21. SteveM. Posted: May 08, 2012 at 10:11 PM (#4126957)

And to think, someone here actually said a couple weeks ago that having Earl Bennett do the stretch was scraping the bottom of the chicago sports celebrity barrel.

Guilty as charged. I have never heard of this guy but I don't follow wrestling. Pretty damn obscure.

22. SteveM. Posted: May 08, 2012 at 10:14 PM (#4126961)

Great game by Dempster. Should the Cubs trade him, he is driving his value up.

23. Lassus Posted: May 08, 2012 at 10:17 PM (#4126965)

LET'S GO CUBBIES!

24. Brian C Posted: May 08, 2012 at 10:19 PM (#4126968)

So it was you. I honestly didn't remember who it was.

From the pro wrestling Wikipedia page, what must be one of the greatest paragraphs of all time:

The matches have predetermined outcomes in order to heighten entertainment value, and all combative maneuvers are worked in order to lessen the chance of actual injury.[2] These facts were once kept highly secretive but are now a widely accepted open secret. By and large, the true nature of the performance is not discussed by the performing company in order to sustain and promote the willing suspension of disbelief for the audience by maintaining an aura of verisimilitude.

25. Walks Clog Up the Bases Posted: May 08, 2012 at 10:23 PM (#4126972)

Wood has looked awful all season.

26. Walks Clog Up the Bases Posted: May 08, 2012 at 10:25 PM (#4126975)

I don't follow wrestling as closely as I used to, but CM Punk is actually one of the bigger stars in wrestling now. He's a charismatic guy, but I don't think that really came through during the in-booth segment.

27. Lassus Posted: May 08, 2012 at 10:25 PM (#4126978)

Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

28. Brian C Posted: May 08, 2012 at 10:26 PM (#4126980)

That's a couple of nice plays in this game by Castro to a) corral a not-great throw, and b) still manage to apply a tag.

29. Walks Clog Up the Bases Posted: May 08, 2012 at 10:35 PM (#4126993)

Sorry, guys. I stopped watching and turned it back on just as LaHair swung.

30. Brian C Posted: May 08, 2012 at 10:36 PM (#4126994)

LaHair's 0-3 tonight without striking out. Odd.

31. Brian C Posted: May 08, 2012 at 10:44 PM (#4127003)

That is one hell of a heads-up play by Castro.

32. Brian C Posted: May 08, 2012 at 10:53 PM (#4127024)

Oh well.

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Tuesday, May 08, 2012

Braves (18-12) @ Cubs (12-17), Tuesday, May 8, 2012, 8:05pm

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