Post by Commissioner Erick on Mar 13, 2021 16:03:57 GMT -5
Atlanta Braves (70-42) @ Chicago Cubs (55-57)
ATL: Hunter Ruth: 1-0, 4.60)
CHC: Cobi Johnson (5-2, 3.14)
The Atlanta Braves have been a fun surprise, leading the NL East into August. This will be the part of the season where they find out if they have staying power. The Chicago Cubs, meanwhile, have the run differential of a playoff team, but the record of an afterthought. With a rough few weeks up ahead, followed by an easy closing kick, this may be their last chance to make a push for the playoffs.
Heading in opposite directions, the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs meet in the Game of the Week.
Aaron Dunham, constant tinkerer, has settled on a six-man rotation going forward. Hunter Ruth, recently added to the unit just before the All-Star break, will make his fourth start of the year. Ruth has been a swingman, oscillating between the majors and the minors, bullpen and rotation since being taken from St. Louis in the Rule V draft prior to 2023. The big right-hander throws a fastball, slider and changeup; had a 2.98 ERA at Triple-A Gwinnett, and held the Cubs scoreless in 5.1 innings July 11.
Atlanta’s coming off a month where they hit .259 as a team. That July average was Atlanta’s highest average in any month, and it complemented the club’s power surge. With the team getting more hits, it’s placed more hitters on base for Atlanta’s powerful lineup, while also giving the club other ways to score. Six Braves have at least 19 home runs thus far, Steven Williams might be joining them if he didn’t need to be spotted so often as a Catcher, and Mikey Polansky may not have a tremendous quantity of home runs, but he’s tended to hit them in big moments.
Fortunately for Chicago, one of their best pitchers will be on the hill to slow Atlanta down. Cobi Johnson has easily been Chicago’s most successful starter, working to a 3.14 ERA and a 5-2 record in 10 starts. The veteran, who has previously struggled as a member of the Cubs, has provided stability to a nightmarish rotation that’s been wrecked by injury and age-related decline.
Johnson will look to get the Cubs back on a winning path after a brutal July. The Cubs lost all six series that were at least three games long and began in the month, getting upended by contenders and mediocrities alike. The bullpen has begun to heal up, but Zach Britton has been brutal since returning from a strained abdominal muscle, and Joe Caulder has had no command since coming back rom shoulder inflammation. The team is still ferocious offensively, but their lineup choices have compromised their defense. For example, Rafael Jimenez has had a respectable 96 OPS+ as a Center Fielder, but is a Right Fielder by trade. He’s produced a -12.6 Zone Rating in Center Field, bringing him down to a -0.5 WAR. That defense has done no favors for a staff that has needed all the help it could get.
Questions for the GMs:
For Aaron Dunham, why the move to a six-man rotation that includes Ruth?
How has your bullpen fared since moving Brancaccio to the rotation?
What’s the key to beating this Chicago team?
For Brandon Hillebrand, Rafael Jimenez hasn’t been able to field in Center, while Greg Allen hasn’t been able to hit. Why have you gone with Jimenez over Allen?
Britton has really struggled since coming off the IL. Why hasn’t he been effective?
If your team struggles down the stretch, will we see more youngsters in the lineup?
TRIVIA: Kris Bryant has hit the most home runs of his career against two pitchers, one of whom Francisco Lindor has also hit the most home runs of his career against. Who is that pitcher?
ATL: Hunter Ruth: 1-0, 4.60)
CHC: Cobi Johnson (5-2, 3.14)
The Atlanta Braves have been a fun surprise, leading the NL East into August. This will be the part of the season where they find out if they have staying power. The Chicago Cubs, meanwhile, have the run differential of a playoff team, but the record of an afterthought. With a rough few weeks up ahead, followed by an easy closing kick, this may be their last chance to make a push for the playoffs.
Heading in opposite directions, the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs meet in the Game of the Week.
Aaron Dunham, constant tinkerer, has settled on a six-man rotation going forward. Hunter Ruth, recently added to the unit just before the All-Star break, will make his fourth start of the year. Ruth has been a swingman, oscillating between the majors and the minors, bullpen and rotation since being taken from St. Louis in the Rule V draft prior to 2023. The big right-hander throws a fastball, slider and changeup; had a 2.98 ERA at Triple-A Gwinnett, and held the Cubs scoreless in 5.1 innings July 11.
Atlanta’s coming off a month where they hit .259 as a team. That July average was Atlanta’s highest average in any month, and it complemented the club’s power surge. With the team getting more hits, it’s placed more hitters on base for Atlanta’s powerful lineup, while also giving the club other ways to score. Six Braves have at least 19 home runs thus far, Steven Williams might be joining them if he didn’t need to be spotted so often as a Catcher, and Mikey Polansky may not have a tremendous quantity of home runs, but he’s tended to hit them in big moments.
Fortunately for Chicago, one of their best pitchers will be on the hill to slow Atlanta down. Cobi Johnson has easily been Chicago’s most successful starter, working to a 3.14 ERA and a 5-2 record in 10 starts. The veteran, who has previously struggled as a member of the Cubs, has provided stability to a nightmarish rotation that’s been wrecked by injury and age-related decline.
Johnson will look to get the Cubs back on a winning path after a brutal July. The Cubs lost all six series that were at least three games long and began in the month, getting upended by contenders and mediocrities alike. The bullpen has begun to heal up, but Zach Britton has been brutal since returning from a strained abdominal muscle, and Joe Caulder has had no command since coming back rom shoulder inflammation. The team is still ferocious offensively, but their lineup choices have compromised their defense. For example, Rafael Jimenez has had a respectable 96 OPS+ as a Center Fielder, but is a Right Fielder by trade. He’s produced a -12.6 Zone Rating in Center Field, bringing him down to a -0.5 WAR. That defense has done no favors for a staff that has needed all the help it could get.
Questions for the GMs:
For Aaron Dunham, why the move to a six-man rotation that includes Ruth?
How has your bullpen fared since moving Brancaccio to the rotation?
What’s the key to beating this Chicago team?
For Brandon Hillebrand, Rafael Jimenez hasn’t been able to field in Center, while Greg Allen hasn’t been able to hit. Why have you gone with Jimenez over Allen?
Britton has really struggled since coming off the IL. Why hasn’t he been effective?
If your team struggles down the stretch, will we see more youngsters in the lineup?
TRIVIA: Kris Bryant has hit the most home runs of his career against two pitchers, one of whom Francisco Lindor has also hit the most home runs of his career against. Who is that pitcher?
