I don’t think he will ever be a starter but I still believe he can be a productive member on a winning team. I like the defense and versatility. If he can bat .250 and have an OPS over .700, which I think he can, sign me up.
Seventy-seven pitchers through 3 and 23 pitches to get through 5--he cleaned up what was a pretty ugly start. And the change-up? Almost every game seems like a revelation of something else he can do.
I would be willing to bet that Shelton wanted to take him out after 4... pitch count... monitoring workload... sticking with the plan... and so forth, and Skenes just stared him down with dagger eyes, since apparently Keller is the only one allowed to talk to Skenes during starts. I would pay to be a fly on the wall in the dugout when Shelton's rigid plans encounter Skenes' fiery competitiveness.
77 pitches through three innings and no runs allowed feels like a record. Cubs have been trying their best to help out by swinging at pitches when their bats should be glued to their shoulder. The 1-0 swing by Hoerner after Skenes walked two batters numbs my mind, but two other guys followed walks with first pitch swings in big spots. I swear hitters are just getting worse every game I watch. I want to take a league-wide poll and ask them if they have ever heard the term "plate approach" in their life.
The Cubs have scored 100 runs in their last 10 (give or take), so they're a different type of offense than we are used to watching. They have a lot of confident hitters, which is why they are up there swinging.
I guess mentally it shocks them, but not swinging in situations where you're not supposed to swing doesn't sound like a decision. More like a common sense rule you apply by doing nothing. Also, it's definitely not a Paul Skenes thing. It's a pro baseball thing. Baseball is tough to watch if you're old enough to remember anything before 2020
I could not agree more. Players, coaches, and teams have become so enamored of statcast data and so afraid of the dreaded "soft contact" that they have ruined hitting.. IMO. Opens up an opportunity for someone to bring back some more old-school-style coaching and development.
This grossly underestimates how hard it is to hit big league pitching when every guy throws 95 plus with a pretty wicked off speed pitch. I don’t disagree that it opens up an opportunity to avoid groupthink, but it’s also much harder to string three singles together for a run rather than have a guy run into one.
I don't believe GMs feel the need to change guys like Arraez and Kwan, but they do probably want comfort in knowing what those two do is sustainable. And I'm not sure the statcast guys really want to help prove that.
I think MLB loves what they have going now. They love sharing exit velocity, high K totals for pitchers, home run videos, while ignoring everything that goes wrong. Obviously many fans are fine with it too. I can't stand it because it's not the game I grew up watching. It's bad fundamentals too often at the highest level of baseball.
Part of the problem is that we see 1,500 guys a year now, when 1,200 was normal not long ago. Baseball isn't as popular as it used to be as a participation sport 20+ years ago, so where are we getting these 300 guys who weren't good enough for the majors every year in the past, while still having another 300 guys around who used to be called AAAA players, except they are no longer the bottom of the barrel? You watch a season and teams are averaging 20 guys per year who really aren't MLB quality. The problem is that there are so many of them now, that this is what "MLB quality" has become.
I disagree about the talent pool. While the pool of young U.S. amateur and college players is declining, the pool of Latin American and Asian players is increasing. I think there is as much talent now as ever. You wouldn't know it watching the Pirates minor-league system though, since they never manage to find any talent in Latin America.
Unless the Cubs help him in the fourth, it seems unlikely. I wouldn't have been surprised if they decided to pull him after three innings with 25.6 pitches per inning. It's not like it's a meaningful game and it would be a way to get him deeper into the season without running into an innings limit
I was in favor of re-signing Santana. While Carlos sucked worse than Rowdy in Apr/May, he's having his best year since 2019. But the amazing stat is that this is Santana's first season with a positive defensive WAR since 2010. He'll be 39 next year.
Let's not. The first two months of the season happened. So did the rest of his career, which is nearly identical to the below average numbers he has on the 2024 season.
So that’s most of the season, yet he’s still only replacement level. He has those pretty EVs but takes away value in so many other ways. And his lack of hustle doesn’t seem to set the example we need.
I think he leads the team in boneheaded plays, and I’ve yet to see him run hard out of the box. If we don’t re-sign him, I doubt he gets a major league deal.
I don't think his brain works very well either. Do you remember him trying to run down a guy between 2nd and 3rd after fielding a grounder about 15 feet to the 1B side of the pitcher... then throwing the ball into the stands? I do.
You can also sign/trade for someone and have them change positions. First base isn’t particularly hard to play of all the positions, and Tellez can’t even do that well.
Actually was Holmes’ 11th blown save for the most blown saves in the Majors……Baseball…..
Clay Holmes just blew his 10th save in true Bednar Fashion. Gave up a Granny to Langford in the bottom of the 9th 1 out.
Booyah!! #65 for the Series clincher!!! Love beating the Cubs almost as much as beating the Cards. Raise it!!!!!!
Living in Chicago and its suburbs all my life I absolutely love it. After last week very satisfying indeed.
That’s a series win
Boy does that shutout feel good! They owed Skenes that one. Nice last inning from Bednar.
Let’s sweep them and forget last week ever happened.
Thinking same 3-3 is a draw vs Cubbies.
Lol. But unfortunately last week will go down in history.....no sweeping that under the rug.
Bednar going in with a 5 run lead. Is anyone else a little nervous?
And we get a 9 pitch inning. Baseball is too weird.
Very quietly, since Aug 3 Triolo put up a wRC+ of 106, better than any month of Hayes in 2024 (Hayes had 101 in Mar/Apr).
I don’t think he will ever be a starter but I still believe he can be a productive member on a winning team. I like the defense and versatility. If he can bat .250 and have an OPS over .700, which I think he can, sign me up.
I've noticed he lowered his hand placement pre load. Don't know when he made the change.
I don't know what he's doing with his head though. Not sure. Not looking square at pitcher. Very stiff looking??
BOOOOMMM!!!! Goes Triolo!! He got all of that one !
Whale oil beef hooked! Triolo with a dinger.
Thank you Wrigley. I imagine that's another 1/30 parks HR.
I stand corrected. It was a 10/30
Good thing they bunted the runners up.
At least the bunt was successful. Baby steps.
Stayed out of the triple play.
Shelton had Hank bunting last game or two. That's the last thing we need Hank to learn! Smh.
IMO, if you're batting 8th or 9th and prone to hitting ground balls for easy double plays, you should learn to bunt regardless who you are.
I'm with you on Grandal, but we need Henry to hit as a 1/1 overall!
That's his ticket to staying in the bigs. Not as #8 or 9 light hitting catcher.
Gutsy competitor is Skenes, definitely was on thin ice tonite with Happ and Suzuki balls to the wall.
I love him keeping pressure on Sale.....still a lot of voters watching.
Seventy-seven pitchers through 3 and 23 pitches to get through 5--he cleaned up what was a pretty ugly start. And the change-up? Almost every game seems like a revelation of something else he can do.
I didn't see the postgame, but wondering if Skenes addressed that.
Was it Marin? Doubtful. Was it Grandal? Possibly.
I would be willing to bet that Shelton wanted to take him out after 4... pitch count... monitoring workload... sticking with the plan... and so forth, and Skenes just stared him down with dagger eyes, since apparently Keller is the only one allowed to talk to Skenes during starts. I would pay to be a fly on the wall in the dugout when Shelton's rigid plans encounter Skenes' fiery competitiveness.
Pitch count not as important since he is going every 6 instead of 5. If he had to go every 5 they would keep his pitch,count lower.
Hell yeah, he reminds me of Roger Clemens. You let him pitch and he'll be successful.
It's time for Skenes to take off the rest of the season.
77 pitches through three innings and no runs allowed feels like a record. Cubs have been trying their best to help out by swinging at pitches when their bats should be glued to their shoulder. The 1-0 swing by Hoerner after Skenes walked two batters numbs my mind, but two other guys followed walks with first pitch swings in big spots. I swear hitters are just getting worse every game I watch. I want to take a league-wide poll and ask them if they have ever heard the term "plate approach" in their life.
The Cubs have scored 100 runs in their last 10 (give or take), so they're a different type of offense than we are used to watching. They have a lot of confident hitters, which is why they are up there swinging.
It's harder making swing decisions with a guy who can throw 100 mph.
I guess mentally it shocks them, but not swinging in situations where you're not supposed to swing doesn't sound like a decision. More like a common sense rule you apply by doing nothing. Also, it's definitely not a Paul Skenes thing. It's a pro baseball thing. Baseball is tough to watch if you're old enough to remember anything before 2020
I could not agree more. Players, coaches, and teams have become so enamored of statcast data and so afraid of the dreaded "soft contact" that they have ruined hitting.. IMO. Opens up an opportunity for someone to bring back some more old-school-style coaching and development.
This grossly underestimates how hard it is to hit big league pitching when every guy throws 95 plus with a pretty wicked off speed pitch. I don’t disagree that it opens up an opportunity to avoid groupthink, but it’s also much harder to string three singles together for a run rather than have a guy run into one.
I don't believe GMs feel the need to change guys like Arraez and Kwan, but they do probably want comfort in knowing what those two do is sustainable. And I'm not sure the statcast guys really want to help prove that.
I think MLB loves what they have going now. They love sharing exit velocity, high K totals for pitchers, home run videos, while ignoring everything that goes wrong. Obviously many fans are fine with it too. I can't stand it because it's not the game I grew up watching. It's bad fundamentals too often at the highest level of baseball.
Part of the problem is that we see 1,500 guys a year now, when 1,200 was normal not long ago. Baseball isn't as popular as it used to be as a participation sport 20+ years ago, so where are we getting these 300 guys who weren't good enough for the majors every year in the past, while still having another 300 guys around who used to be called AAAA players, except they are no longer the bottom of the barrel? You watch a season and teams are averaging 20 guys per year who really aren't MLB quality. The problem is that there are so many of them now, that this is what "MLB quality" has become.
I disagree about the talent pool. While the pool of young U.S. amateur and college players is declining, the pool of Latin American and Asian players is increasing. I think there is as much talent now as ever. You wouldn't know it watching the Pirates minor-league system though, since they never manage to find any talent in Latin America.
Doubt Skenes makes it to 5. He is all over the place.
Unless the Cubs help him in the fourth, it seems unlikely. I wouldn't have been surprised if they decided to pull him after three innings with 25.6 pitches per inning. It's not like it's a meaningful game and it would be a way to get him deeper into the season without running into an innings limit
Tellez with a .670 slugging with runners in scoring position since June 1. Best on the team. Yeah, let's talk about re-signing him Ben.
I was in favor of re-signing Santana. While Carlos sucked worse than Rowdy in Apr/May, he's having his best year since 2019. But the amazing stat is that this is Santana's first season with a positive defensive WAR since 2010. He'll be 39 next year.
Let's not. The first two months of the season happened. So did the rest of his career, which is nearly identical to the below average numbers he has on the 2024 season.
The numbers since June 1 don't lie. Numbers including EV and RISP. Darn productive bat.
So that’s most of the season, yet he’s still only replacement level. He has those pretty EVs but takes away value in so many other ways. And his lack of hustle doesn’t seem to set the example we need.
Yes. You can use any metric you want, other than small sample sizes: WAR, slugging, wRC+, HR’s, RBI… he’s just not that good.
I'd not give WAR much importance with Rowdy. Much like Key. Just focus on his bat and he's got merit. He'll definitely get signed if we don't.
He is a lazy slob whose bat barely plays at the position. Why would you want him?
Please no more Tellez. There is only so much that I take from this team, and we are reaching the limit.
I think he leads the team in boneheaded plays, and I’ve yet to see him run hard out of the box. If we don’t re-sign him, I doubt he gets a major league deal.
You're obviously exaggerating. Cruz is in his own league for boneheaded plays.
I’m not talking errors, I’m talking plays where I’m at a loss to explain what the player could have been thinking.
The main complaint I have with Tellez is him wandering toward 2b on ground balls when he should really stay home and let the 2b handle it.
Agree 100%. You'd think he knew how to play 1B by age 29. But it's his bat that has got my interest.
Yeah we're talking about the same thing then.
He just managed to get picked off. How does a statue get picked off base? Don't you just set it on the base and tell it to stay there?
If you watched the slide, his belly caught the dirt early and stopped his progress.
And Clinton complains about Cruz not being a heads up player? Tellez is a constant stream of bonehead plays.
I don't think his brain works very well either. Do you remember him trying to run down a guy between 2nd and 3rd after fielding a grounder about 15 feet to the 1B side of the pitcher... then throwing the ball into the stands? I do.
Who is available to sign for that position? We sure don’t have many internal options.
Endy can play 1st when he’s not catching. Obviously, he’s untested. But I’d rather leave that option open than bring back tellez.
There are 45 first basemen in MLB with 200+ plate appearances. Of those, Tellez ranks 32nd in wRC+ and 35th in fWAR. They absolutely can do better.
Which doesn't answer J-Ro's question. Who is available to sign for 1b that is significantly better than Tellez?
I am honestly curious about the FA options for that position this offseason…not necessarily challenging the original question.
About half the 1bman in the league are upcoming FAs. In the Pirates price-range? Not so many.
Pretty sure they're allowed to trade, too.
You can also sign/trade for someone and have them change positions. First base isn’t particularly hard to play of all the positions, and Tellez can’t even do that well.