I admit it...

[Eli]

...I'm getting impatient with this offense. Yeah yeah the average age of last night's lineup was 14 and according to my brain they need time, but damn it my gut is sick of watching all these studs that I've been fantasizing about put up a slapdick offense.

Also I'm about two Fowler TOOTBLANS away from being as done with him as I am with Castro. He's already getting on base at a much lower clip than we expected - he can't afford to piss away the times he actually does get on base.

Offensively, they're just stuck by nature of how the club is built around young guys. They could make some incremental improvements like finding a platoon partner for Fowler and beefing up the bench, but there aren't many paths for them to take.

The 5th starter spot is still their weakest and most easily upgraded spot on the entire roster. Yeah, the pitching has been really good but that rotation spot is a wasteland of suck with no internal solutions. Ideally they'd improve the offense but a run saved is the same as a run scored, or whatever.

[InternetApex]

I'm always quick to defend Pedro Strop, citing his excellent numbers, and yet I often find myself annoyed by Justin Grimm even though he's been better than Strop in a lot of ways. I think it's because Grimm just walks too damn many guys, or because Joe usually brings him in to get one key out and it sticks out more anytime he fails to get that one out.

Or maybe me and Obama are the real racists

When he's on, Pedro Strop is electric. His unfortunate habit of missing in the zone with his fastball gets him beaten sometimes, as it will most pitchers who throw less than 100 MPH. And because he only comes in at high-leverage moments, those memories stick with fans longer than they would for a Justin Grimm, who may pitch with a one run lead half the time. Grimm is ok. Everything they've gotten from him so far is gravy. If he puts up similar numbers the rest of the way, he'll continue to be a useful sixth inning guy and we'll talk about him on this messageboard like twice.

[InternetApex]

...I'm getting impatient with this offense. Yeah yeah the average age of last night's lineup was 14 and according to my brain they need time, but damn it my gut is sick of watching all these studs that I've been fantasizing about put up a slapdick offense.

Also I'm about two Fowler TOOTBLANS away from being as done with him as I am with Castro. He's already getting on base at a much lower clip than we expected - he can't afford to piss away the times he actually does get on base.

Offensively, they're just stuck by nature of how the club is built around young guys. They could make some incremental improvements like finding a platoon partner for Fowler and beefing up the bench, but there aren't many paths for them to take.

The 5th starter spot is still their weakest and most easily upgraded spot on the entire roster. Yeah, the pitching has been really good but that rotation spot is a wasteland of suck with no internal solutions. Ideally they'd improve the offense but a run saved is the same as a run scored, or whatever.

Get a Jonathan Niese, a Ben Revere and a Jonathan Papelbon. Give up something of fairly decent value, for which you have no opening on the major league roster and some hot shit teenaged prospects and go win a chammenship.

[ChuckD]

...I'm getting impatient with this offense. Yeah yeah the average age of last night's lineup was 14 and according to my brain they need time, but damn it my gut is sick of watching all these studs that I've been fantasizing about put up a slapdick offense.

Also I'm about two Fowler TOOTBLANS away from being as done with him as I am with Castro. He's already getting on base at a much lower clip than we expected - he can't afford to piss away the times he actually does get on base.

Offensively, they're just stuck by nature of how the club is built around young guys. They could make some incremental improvements like finding a platoon partner for Fowler and beefing up the bench, but there aren't many paths for them to take.

The 5th starter spot is still their weakest and most easily upgraded spot on the entire roster. Yeah, the pitching has been really good but that rotation spot is a wasteland of suck with no internal solutions. Ideally they'd improve the offense but a run saved is the same as a run scored, or whatever.

"Really good" sort of sells it short. They've posted an xFIP of 3.33 through 3.5 months. If it weren't for this year's Dodgers, the Cubs would be on pace for the lowest team xFIP by anyone since 2002. They had the second lowest FIP prior to yesterday's game, but caught the short end of the proverbial HR/FB stick. They've been reeeeeeally good.

[InternetApex]

...I'm getting impatient with this offense. Yeah yeah the average age of last night's lineup was 14 and according to my brain they need time, but damn it my gut is sick of watching all these studs that I've been fantasizing about put up a slapdick offense.

Also I'm about two Fowler TOOTBLANS away from being as done with him as I am with Castro. He's already getting on base at a much lower clip than we expected - he can't afford to piss away the times he actually does get on base.

Offensively, they're just stuck by nature of how the club is built around young guys. They could make some incremental improvements like finding a platoon partner for Fowler and beefing up the bench, but there aren't many paths for them to take.

The 5th starter spot is still their weakest and most easily upgraded spot on the entire roster. Yeah, the pitching has been really good but that rotation spot is a wasteland of suck with no internal solutions. Ideally they'd improve the offense but a run saved is the same as a run scored, or whatever.

"Really good" sort of sells it short. They've posted an xFIP of 3.33 through 3.5 months. If it weren't for this year's Dodgers, the Cubs would be on pace for the lowest team xFIP by anyone since 2002. They had the second lowest FIP prior to yesterday's game, but caught the short end of the proverbial HR/FB stick. They've been reeeeeeally good.

We're in the "steroid era" of pitching. Unless something is done to shrink the strike zone, I don't know see how this gets evened out. HGH is a helluva drug but it won't help anyone hit 95 on the black away or 101 at the belt. And every day I become less inclined to support any deal giving up valuable hitting prospects for pitchers with high mileage and expensive contracts.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

...I'm getting impatient with this offense. Yeah yeah the average age of last night's lineup was 14 and according to my brain they need time, but damn it my gut is sick of watching all these studs that I've been fantasizing about put up a slapdick offense.

Also I'm about two Fowler TOOTBLANS away from being as done with him as I am with Castro. He's already getting on base at a much lower clip than we expected - he can't afford to piss away the times he actually does get on base.

On board with all of this.

And to Eli, I'm more concerned about Ramirez than Soriano. Soriano is just a dude - he's the 5th option out of the pen right now behind Strop, Motte, Rondon, and Grimm. If he can use his guile or whatever to pitch the Cubs out of sixth inning jams, cool.

Ramirez looks bad. He's not healthy.

I never thought Ramirez was that good. I think his ceiling is present-day Jason Motte, unless we see some drastic improvement in his off-speed action. The middle-inning option with the most upside given an opportunity and Bosio Wizarding is Medina. That man is disgusting.

After today's low-leverage performance, I'd agree.

[Saul Goodman]

...I'm getting impatient with this offense. Yeah yeah the average age of last night's lineup was 14 and according to my brain they need time, but damn it my gut is sick of watching all these studs that I've been fantasizing about put up a slapdick offense.

Also I'm about two Fowler TOOTBLANS away from being as done with him as I am with Castro. He's already getting on base at a much lower clip than we expected - he can't afford to piss away the times he actually does get on base.

On board with all of this.

And to Eli, I'm more concerned about Ramirez than Soriano. Soriano is just a dude - he's the 5th option out of the pen right now behind Strop, Motte, Rondon, and Grimm. If he can use his guile or whatever to pitch the Cubs out of sixth inning jams, cool.

Ramirez looks bad. He's not healthy.

I never thought Ramirez was that good. I think his ceiling is present-day Jason Motte, unless we see some drastic improvement in his off-speed action. The middle-inning option with the most upside given an opportunity and Bosio Wizarding is Medina. That man is disgusting.

After today's low-leverage performance, I'd agree.

My stomach and baseball sensibilities also agree.

[Powdered Toast Man]

...I'm mad.

[Saul Goodman]

...I'm mad.

[InternetApex]

...Yoervis Medina sucks.

[Quality Start Machine]

...Yoervis Medina sucks.

Way to stick your neck out.

[InternetApex]

...Yoervis Medina sucks.

Way to stick your neck out.

Well I was the one who said he was good so this one is on me. I personally accept all of his failures as a human being as my responsibility.

[SKO]

I wish Len had gone full Vin Scully after that Teagarden hit. "In a season that has seen the improbable, the impossible has happened!" I'm sure Teagarden would be a good sport about it.

[Quality Start Machine]

I wish Len had gone full Vin Scully after that Teagarden hit. "In a season that has seen the improbable, the impossible has happened!" I'm sure Teagarden would be a good sport about it.

Why not? Teagarden has a go-to drinking story for the rest of his life.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

I was thisclose to starting up a Jason Motte Spooge thread after Wednesday's game.