2019 Gameday Thread
Cubs vs. Pirates: Quintana vs. Musgrove (Game 12)
CHC (3-8): LHP José Quintana (0-1)
PIT (6-4): RHP Joe Musgrove (1-0)
First pitch 7:056:35pmCDT
If this game isn't rained out, Quintana will make his 3rd appearance and 2nd start. Things have not gone as planned for him, the running theme for Cubs' pitching so far.
Cubs vs. Pirates: Darvish vs. Lyles (Game 11)
CHC (3-7): RHP Yu Dravish (0-1)
PIT (5-4): RHP Jordan Lyles (0-0)
First pitch 7:05pmCDT
Yu Darvish will take the mound for his third start with only 6.2 IP under his belt. After showing good stuff in Spring Training, Darvish has looked very rusty in the regular season.
Cubs vs. Pirates: Lester vs. Taillon (Game 10)
CHC (2-7): Jon Lester (1-0)
PIT (5-3): Jameson Taillon (0-1)
First pitch 1:20pmCDT
The Cubs arrive at Wrigley with a 2-7 record, the second best team OPS in the NL, and a bunch of journeyman relievers duct taped into the shape of a MLB bullpen.
Cubs @ Brewers: Hendricks vs. Davies (Game 9)
CHC (2!-6): RHP Kyle Hendricks (0-1)
MIL (7-2): RHP Kyle Davies (0-0)
first pitch 1:10pmCDT
The Cubs ended their losing streak and look to have some actual fun today.
Cubs @ Brewers: Hamels vs. Burnes (Game 8)
CHC (1-6): LHP Cole Hamels (0-0)
MIL (7-1): RHP Corbin Burnes (0-0)
First pitch 6:10pmCDT
Hamels and the Cubs will try to end a 6-game skid and take a nibble out of the Brewer's division lead. That will probably require length from the veteran lefty.
Struggling relievers Carl Edwards Jr. and Mike Mongtomery head to Iowa and the Injured List, respectively, and Allen Webster and Kyle Ryan come up to fill the gap. Normally, replacing two mainstays with minor league veterans would not be cause for hope. But any change is welcome at this point. (DJL called the Montgomery injury.)
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Cubs @ Brewers: Quintana vs. Woodruff (Game 7)
CHC (1-5): LHP Jose Qunitana (0-0)
MIL (6-1): RHP Brandon Woodruff (1-0)
First pitch 7:10pmCDT
Last night, the Cubs lost their fifth game in a row, matching their longest losing streak of the previous year on only the 6th game of the season. This series against the division-leading Brewers would be a great time to turn things around.
Cubs @ Atlanta: Darvish vs. Fried (Game 6)
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CHC (1-4): RHP Yu Darvish (0-1)
ATL (2-3): LHP Max Fried (0-0)
First pitch 6:20pmCST
The first two games of my tenure as gameday poster haven't gone well. So, in lieu of writing the post myself, I forced a bot to watch what has felt like 1000 hours of Cubs baseball and had it script out a game. Here's a sample:
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Cubs @ Atlanta: Lester vs. Teheran (Game 5)
CHC (1-3): LHP Jon Lester
ATL (1-3): RHP Julio Teheran
First pitch: 6:20pmCST
We are only four games into the season. Yet, three painful losses in a row have emphasized some questions about the team: Who will step up in the bullpen? How much of the starting rotation is on the decline? Why do I even watch baseball?
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Cubs (1-2) @ Braves (0-3), 4/1/2019, 6:10CST
Kyle Hendricks takes the mound for the first time in 2019.
Opening Day!
Welcome to the end of the void and the beginning of the baseball season!
Remember that, in addition to your brilliant and insightful comments, you are also welcome to join the MeWe chat--on your computer or the great app.
Go Cubs!
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Recent comments
crunch (view)
SF snags b.snell...2/62m
Cubster (view)
AZ Phil: THAT is an awesome report worth multiple thanks. I’m sure it will be worth reposting in an “I told you so” in about 2-3 years.
Arizona Phil (view)
The actual deadline to select a post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agent signed to 2024 minor league contract (Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta) to the MLB 40-man roster is not MLB Opening Day, it is 12 PM (Eastern) this coming Sunday (3/24).
However, the Cubs could notify the player prior to the deadline that the player is not going to get added to the 40 on Sunday, which would allow the player to opt out early. Otherwise the player can opt out anytime after the Sunday deadline (if he was not added to the 40 by that time).
Arizona Phil (view)
Today is an off day for both the Cubs MLB players and the Cubs minor league players.
Arizona Phil (view)
For those of you keeping track, so far nine players have been called up to Mesa from the Cubs Dominican Academy for Minor League Camp and they will be playing in the ACL in 2024:
* bats or throws left
Angel Cepeda, INF
* Miguel Cruz, P
Yidel Diaz, C
* Albert Gutierrez, 1B
Fraiman Marte, P
Francis Reynoso, P (ex-1B)
Derniche Valdez, INF
Edward Vargas, OF
Jeral Vizcaino, P
And once again, despite what you might read at Baseball Reference and at milb.com, Albert Gutierrez is absolutely positively a left-handed hitter (only), NOT a right-handed hitter.
Probably not too surprisingly, D. Valdez was the Cubs #1 prospect in the DSL last season, Cepeda was the DSL Cubs best all-around SS prospect not named Derniche Valdez, Gutierrez was the DSL Cubs top power hitting prospect not named Derniche Valdez, E. Vargas was the DSL Cubs top outfield prospect (and Cepeda and E. Vargas were also the DSL Cubs top two hitting prospects), Y. Diaz was the DSL Cubs top catching prospect, and M. Cruz was the DSL Cubs top pitching prospect.
F. Marte (ex-STL) and J. Vizcaino (ex-MIL) are older pitchers (both are 22) who were signed by the Cubs after being released by other organizations and then had really good years working out of the bullpen for the Cubs in the DSL last season.
The elephant in the room is 21-year old Francis Reynoso, a big dude (6'5) who was a position player (1B) at the Cardinals Dominican Academy for a couple of years, then was released by STL in 2022, and then signed by the Cubs and converted to a RHP at the Cubs Dominican Academy (and he projects as a high-velo "high-leverage" RP in the states). He had a monster year for the DSL Cubs last season (his first year as a pitcher).
Arizona Phil (view)
DJL: The only players who definitely have opt outs are Cooper, Edwards, and Peralta (Opening Day, 5/1, and 6/1), and that's because they are post-2023 Article XX-B MLB free agents who signed 2024 minor league contracts and (by rule) they get those opt outs automatically.
Otherwise, any player signed to a 2024 minor league contract - MIGHT or - MIGHT NOT - have an opt out in their contract, but it is an individual thing, and if there are contractual opt outs the opt out(s) might not necessarily be Opening Day. It could be 5/1, or 6/1, or 7/1 (TBD).
Because of their extensive pro experience, the players who most-likely have contractual opt outs are Alfaro, Escobar, and D. Smith, but (again), not necessarily Opening Day.
Also, just because a player has the right to opt out doesn't mean he will.
Dolorous Jon Lester (view)
I love the idea that Madrigal heads to Iowa in case Morel can’t handle third.
The one point that intrigues me here is Cooper over Smith. I feel like the Cubs really like Smith and don’t want to lose him. Could be wrong. He def seems like an opt out if he misses the opening day roster
Arizona Phil (view)
Childersb3: Both Madrigal and Wisdom can be optioned without any restriction. Their consent is not required.
They both can be outrighted without restriction, too (presuming the player is not claimed off waivers), but if outrighted they can choose to elect free agency (immediately, or deferred until after the end of the MLB season).
If the player is outrighted and elects free-agency immediately he forfeits what remains of his salary.
If he accepts the assignment and defers free agency until after the conclusion of the season, he continues to get his salary, and he could be added back to the 40 anytime prior to becoming a free-agent (club option).
Childersb3 (view)
Phil,
Madrigal and Wisdom can or cannot refuse being optioned to the Minors?
If they can refuse it, wouldn't they elect to leave the Cubs org?
Arizona Phil (view)
In my opinion, the biggest "affirmative" mistake the Cubs made in the off-season (that is, doing something they should not have done), was blowing $9M in 2024 AAV on Hector Neris. What the Cubs actually need is an alternate closer to be in the pen and available to close if Alzolay pitched the day before (David Robertson would have been perfect), because with his forearm issue last September, I would be VERY wary of over-using Alzolay. I'm not even sure I would pitch him two days in a row!
And of course what the Cubs REALLY need is a second TOR SP to pair with Justin Steele. That's where the Cubs are going to need to be willing to package prospects (like the Padres did to acquire Dylan Cease, the Orioles did to acquire Corbin Burnes, and the Dodgers did to acquire Tyler Glasnow). Obviously those ships have sailed, but I would say right now the Cubs need to look very hard at trying to acquire LHSP Jesus Luzardo from the Marlins (and maybe LHP A. J. Puk as well).