Post by Commissioner Erick on Aug 23, 2017 13:17:57 GMT -5
Chicago Cubs (22-21) @ San Francisco Giants (26-19)
CHC: Jon Lester (5-2, 3.19)
SF: Madison Bumgarner (2-3, 3.75)
The San Francisco Giants have been awful all year against the PBA's best. They'll get a chance to change that when the Chicago Cubs come to town.
The Giants are 6-14 against the Dodgers, Rockies, and Mets, and 20-5 against the rest of their schedule, one that doesn't feature an opponent with a winning record. They scored five runs total while getting swept by the Dodgers last week, before allowing only five runs to the Cardinals in a sweep of their own. In fact, in those games against the Dodgers, Rockies, and Mets, they've scored more than three runs just seven times, and fewer than three runs nine times.
Their offense isn't terrible—they're 7th in runs scored on the year. They've just had too many times when their offense has been helpless against good pitching. Losing 2-0 to Jon Gray, 1-0 to Scott Kazmir, 3-1 to Matt Harvey, 2-1 to Clayton Kershaw, etc.
A theory is that their roster doesn't have the ability to punish enough mistakes when pitchers don't allow the team to string together hits. The team ranks second from the bottom in home runs with 31, and their new additions won't move the needle. Ehire Adrianza has one home run in roughly 100 plate appearances, and while Michael Brantley has some power, he's mostly a line drives and doubles guy.
San Francisco is really trying to make their hay with pitching and defense. Madison Bumgarner is a legit ace, and their other four arms have pedigree, though Johnny Cueto has struggled. The bullpen is good in the eighth and ninth, with Mark Melancon racking up nine saves this year.
The Giants defense, however, is special, with a zone rating that blows away the second best rating. They're third in baseball in throwing out runners, second in the league in committing errors, and first in BABIP. Che-Hsuan Lin is an early favorite for a Gold Glove award in center field, both for flagging balls down, and for being tied for third in outfield assists. Lin's defense has been so good, that he's on pace to be a league-average player despite an OPS of .541.
The Giants will have Madison Bumgarner on the mound so they’ll be very equipped to use a pitching-and-defense strategy to win. They may need to, facing Jon Lester. Despite getting lit up in his last start, Lester is 5-2 on the year, and has allowed over three runs only once in eight starts. He has given up seven home runs, but against a Giants team that doesn’t hit home runs, that’s less of a concern.
The Cubs, like the giants though, have played great defense but haven’t hit. They’re second in zone rating, and last in batting average. Like the Giants, they’re middle-of the pack of runs. However, while the Giants can’t blast the ball over the fence, the Cubs can’t string together hits. Four players in their regular lineup are hitting .205 or worse.
Two great lefthanded pitchers, two great defenses, the team that can run into a long ball or two may be the team that comes out on top. Odds may be on the Cubs’ favor.
Questions for the GM’s:
The Cubs do not have a GM right now. For Samuel Rutledge and the Giants, your team has had an extreme tilt in favor of speed and defense over power. How do you feel about that tilt thus far?
Madison Bumgarner hasn’t been as dominant as you’d like, especially at home where he’s 0-3. What’s slowed him down?
Facing a pitcher the caliber of Lester, what’s your game plan to score runs tonight?
CHC: Jon Lester (5-2, 3.19)
SF: Madison Bumgarner (2-3, 3.75)
The San Francisco Giants have been awful all year against the PBA's best. They'll get a chance to change that when the Chicago Cubs come to town.
The Giants are 6-14 against the Dodgers, Rockies, and Mets, and 20-5 against the rest of their schedule, one that doesn't feature an opponent with a winning record. They scored five runs total while getting swept by the Dodgers last week, before allowing only five runs to the Cardinals in a sweep of their own. In fact, in those games against the Dodgers, Rockies, and Mets, they've scored more than three runs just seven times, and fewer than three runs nine times.
Their offense isn't terrible—they're 7th in runs scored on the year. They've just had too many times when their offense has been helpless against good pitching. Losing 2-0 to Jon Gray, 1-0 to Scott Kazmir, 3-1 to Matt Harvey, 2-1 to Clayton Kershaw, etc.
A theory is that their roster doesn't have the ability to punish enough mistakes when pitchers don't allow the team to string together hits. The team ranks second from the bottom in home runs with 31, and their new additions won't move the needle. Ehire Adrianza has one home run in roughly 100 plate appearances, and while Michael Brantley has some power, he's mostly a line drives and doubles guy.
San Francisco is really trying to make their hay with pitching and defense. Madison Bumgarner is a legit ace, and their other four arms have pedigree, though Johnny Cueto has struggled. The bullpen is good in the eighth and ninth, with Mark Melancon racking up nine saves this year.
The Giants defense, however, is special, with a zone rating that blows away the second best rating. They're third in baseball in throwing out runners, second in the league in committing errors, and first in BABIP. Che-Hsuan Lin is an early favorite for a Gold Glove award in center field, both for flagging balls down, and for being tied for third in outfield assists. Lin's defense has been so good, that he's on pace to be a league-average player despite an OPS of .541.
The Giants will have Madison Bumgarner on the mound so they’ll be very equipped to use a pitching-and-defense strategy to win. They may need to, facing Jon Lester. Despite getting lit up in his last start, Lester is 5-2 on the year, and has allowed over three runs only once in eight starts. He has given up seven home runs, but against a Giants team that doesn’t hit home runs, that’s less of a concern.
The Cubs, like the giants though, have played great defense but haven’t hit. They’re second in zone rating, and last in batting average. Like the Giants, they’re middle-of the pack of runs. However, while the Giants can’t blast the ball over the fence, the Cubs can’t string together hits. Four players in their regular lineup are hitting .205 or worse.
Two great lefthanded pitchers, two great defenses, the team that can run into a long ball or two may be the team that comes out on top. Odds may be on the Cubs’ favor.
Questions for the GM’s:
The Cubs do not have a GM right now. For Samuel Rutledge and the Giants, your team has had an extreme tilt in favor of speed and defense over power. How do you feel about that tilt thus far?
Madison Bumgarner hasn’t been as dominant as you’d like, especially at home where he’s 0-3. What’s slowed him down?
Facing a pitcher the caliber of Lester, what’s your game plan to score runs tonight?
