Joe Maddon: The Man Behind the Glasses

[InternetApex]

His management of the 8th inning was superb. Coke comes in and gets an out and an E6 against two lefties. Ramirez gets Holliday to pop out and then exits for Strop who induces Adams into a L6 to end the inning.

Why use Ramirez at all? Well, Holliday is 1-3 with a double a walk and two HBP lifetime against Strop. That's all kinds of bad juju. The lefty Adams is now 0-8 lifetime against Strop. So that means Pedro can carry a little picture of that fat turd around in his wallet with an inscription on the back, "My bitch."

Isn't it amazing when things work? I can get used to this.

[SKO]

His management of the 8th inning was superb. Coke comes in and gets an out and an E6 against two lefties. Ramirez gets Holliday to pop out and then exits for Strop who induces Adams into a L6 to end the inning.

Why use Ramirez at all? Well, Holliday is 1-3 with a double a walk and two HBP lifetime against Strop. That's all kinds of bad juju. The lefty Adams is now 0-8 lifetime against Strop. So that means Pedro can carry a little picture of that fat turd around in his wallet with an inscription on the back, "My bitch."

Isn't amazing when things work? I can get used to this.

I was wondering why the switch from Ramirez to Strop given they're both right-handed so thank you for this. Savvy.

[Saul Goodman]

So that means Pedro can carry a little picture of that fat turd around in his wallet with an inscription on the back, "My bitch."

I lol'd.

[Shooter]

Late getting around to this....

I know it worked out (and was probably a key part of getting the winning run across), but I'm not sure how much I like pinch-running for Rizzo at first base in the ninth inning of a tie game. Over the long term, it seems like the reward that the extra speed Szczur or the like provides will make a difference is outweighed by the risk that you head in to extra innings without the NL MVP in your lineup.

[Eli]

Late getting around to this....

I know it worked out (and was probably a key part of getting the winning run across), but I'm not sure how much I like pinch-running for Rizzo at first base in the ninth inning of a tie game. Over the long term, it seems like the reward that the extra speed Szczur or the like provides will make a difference is outweighed by the risk that you head in to extra innings without the NL MVP in your lineup.

He's done that a few times this year and I agree. There are a lot of scenarios where Rizzo could score just the same as Szczur. The benefit just isn't worth it.

[SKO]

It's always a risky strategy with the state of the Cubs pen, but I approved of the quick hook for Wada. Norris/Kemp/Upton crush lefties and Wada was garbage vs the third time through the order last year. Good work, Joe.

[Eli]

It's always a risky strategy with the state of the Cubs pen, but I approved of the quick hook for Wada. Norris/Kemp/Upton crush lefties and Wada was garbage vs the third time through the order last year. Good work, Joe.

Not on Joe, but it'd be nice if they had more than three starters who could sometimes make it through 6 innings. Maybe Wada and Hendricks should go 4 each every 5th day.

[SKO]

It's always a risky strategy with the state of the Cubs pen, but I approved of the quick hook for Wada. Norris/Kemp/Upton crush lefties and Wada was garbage vs the third time through the order last year. Good work, Joe.

Not on Joe, but it'd be nice if they had more than three starters who could sometimes make it through 6 innings. Maybe Wada and Hendricks should go 4 each every 5th day.

SomethingsomethingColeHamelssomething

Still thinking Scott Kazmir looks nice and Oakland sure seems like they might be sellin' right quick.

[Eli]

It's always a risky strategy with the state of the Cubs pen, but I approved of the quick hook for Wada. Norris/Kemp/Upton crush lefties and Wada was garbage vs the third time through the order last year. Good work, Joe.

Not on Joe, but it'd be nice if they had more than three starters who could sometimes make it through 6 innings. Maybe Wada and Hendricks should go 4 each every 5th day.

SomethingsomethingColeHamelssomething

Still thinking Scott Kazmir looks nice and Oakland sure seems like they might be sellin' right quick.

Worthless fake trade proposal: Torres and Vogelbach for Kazmir and Josh Reddick.

[SKO]

It's always a risky strategy with the state of the Cubs pen, but I approved of the quick hook for Wada. Norris/Kemp/Upton crush lefties and Wada was garbage vs the third time through the order last year. Good work, Joe.

Not on Joe, but it'd be nice if they had more than three starters who could sometimes make it through 6 innings. Maybe Wada and Hendricks should go 4 each every 5th day.

SomethingsomethingColeHamelssomething

Still thinking Scott Kazmir looks nice and Oakland sure seems like they might be sellin' right quick.

Worthless fake trade proposal: Torres and Vogelbach for Kazmir and Josh Reddick.

I like this trade both for the actual value in return and for the inevitable butthurt from the Minor League Following Pederasts^TM




Minor League Following Pederasts is a registered trademark of CT Enterprises

[Eli]

I like this trade both for the actual value in return and for the inevitable butthurt from the Minor League Following Pederasts^TM

They're currently projected as an ~86 win team and this trade would add between 4-5 wins this season (if it were done today, that is). That's a huge difference at the major-league level.

[SKO]

I like this trade both for the actual value in return and for the inevitable butthurt from the Minor League Following Pederasts^TM

They're currently projected as an ~86 win team and this trade would add between 4-5 wins this season (if it were done today, that is). That's a huge difference at the major-league level.

Plus Kazmir seems like a guy they could sign to a Hammel like deal for another 1-2 years in addition to adding another top tier starter. Make the playoffs this year with a rotation of Lester/Arrieta/Hammel/Kazmir/WadaHendricksWoodThreeHeadedMonsterOfJustGiveUsFiveInningsPlz and then next year roll out Lester/Arrieta/Cueto(or Price or whomever)/Hammel/Kazmir.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

It's always a risky strategy with the state of the Cubs pen, but I approved of the quick hook for Wada. Norris/Kemp/Upton crush lefties and Wada was garbage vs the third time through the order last year. Good work, Joe.

Not on Joe, but it'd be nice if they had more than three starters who could sometimes make it through 6 innings. Maybe Wada and Hendricks should go 4 each every 5th day.

SomethingsomethingColeHamelssomething

Still thinking Scott Kazmir looks nice and Oakland sure seems like they might be sellin' right quick.

Worthless fake trade proposal: Torres and Vogelbach for Kazmir and Josh Reddick.

That sound you heard was PenFoe dropping his free-range vegan craft beer on the floor in horror.

[Yeti]

It's always a risky strategy with the state of the Cubs pen, but I approved of the quick hook for Wada. Norris/Kemp/Upton crush lefties and Wada was garbage vs the third time through the order last year. Good work, Joe.

Not on Joe, but it'd be nice if they had more than three starters who could sometimes make it through 6 innings. Maybe Wada and Hendricks should go 4 each every 5th day.

SomethingsomethingColeHamelssomething

Still thinking Scott Kazmir looks nice and Oakland sure seems like they might be sellin' right quick.

Worthless fake trade proposal: Torres and Vogelbach for Kazmir and Josh Reddick.

Throw in Corey Black and (some other guy that is going to be Rule 5 eligible this year) for Sean Doolittle

[Eli]

It's always a risky strategy with the state of the Cubs pen, but I approved of the quick hook for Wada. Norris/Kemp/Upton crush lefties and Wada was garbage vs the third time through the order last year. Good work, Joe.

Not on Joe, but it'd be nice if they had more than three starters who could sometimes make it through 6 innings. Maybe Wada and Hendricks should go 4 each every 5th day.

SomethingsomethingColeHamelssomething

Still thinking Scott Kazmir looks nice and Oakland sure seems like they might be sellin' right quick.

Worthless fake trade proposal: Torres and Vogelbach for Kazmir and Josh Reddick.

That sound you heard was PenFoe dropping his free-range vegan craft beer on the floor in horror.

I really didn't intend it as a Pen-poke. I thought about McKinney, but Torres is exactly the kind of trade chip a team like the Cubs should cash in right now. He's high-floor/low-ceiling, at a position of organizational strength and far away from the majors. He's less valuable to them than most other clubs.