JoeC

Yeah - you think the pitchers follow literally that same template? Pitchers make adjustments. It's clear our batters collectively aren't adjusting. That collective lack of adjustment is on both the players and coaches, and to pretend like the coaches aren't responsible at doesn't make sense to me.

No, it's more "if this guy throws 2 fastballs in at the hands, expect the next pitch to be a slider diving away from you." You know - things that scouting reports would say

The game plan absolutely matters if the hitters are told to look for one thing and consistently see the opposite.

If it were 1 or 2 guys, sure. Blame the individual players. Of course the players need to perform. They're the ones stepping up to the plate... butt if it's 75% of the lineup basically each and every game, that's systematic. That tells me that if there's a game plan or strategy, it's clearly outdated.

Of course it's up to the players not to swing. It is, however, a team effort to make sure hitters know how pitchers (and teams) are going to approach you as a hitter. Right now it looks like guys are clueless at the plate. THAT is a team effort.

Counterpoint: Coaches have a job help players to have a strategy at the plate. Constantly swinging at garbage outside of the size and never taking a walk to me says that there is no strategy (or, at best, insufficient strategy)... especially when these tendencies become persistent patterns. Ergo, I would argue that this current widespread slump is on the coaches just as much as it is on the players.

If it meant not having McEwing ill-advisedly waving guys home all the time, I'm all for it.

Eloy, Robert, Pollock, Moncada, Vaughn (briefly) 5/9 of your opening day lineup (including 100% of your infield) injured 6 weeks into the season. Eloy's injury was deemed a "freak" thing last year (torn pectoral on an ill-advised OF leap). He hasn't had leg muscle injuries before this year.

So what's your alternative in RF?

Yeah obviously a GM needs to prepare for injuries. That said, how many super-extended absences should you have to prepare for? RE: Kimbrel's option - IMO it was the right move to pick up the option on a top-5 closer (but bottom-5 setup man). He had value; to let him walk away for nothing made no sense. Point definitely conceded on the Rodon QO. I've tried to erase that from my memory.

The struggles of this team right now really can't be placed on Hahn IMO. The issues going into the offseason were: How to unload Kimbrel and get something in return How to upgrade in RF How to upgrade at 2B How to shore up the rotation beyond Cease - Lynn - Kopech He addressed (1) and (2) by acquiring Pollock #4 has proven to be miraculously OK. #3 is obviously still a shit show. If this team were healthy (Lynn, Giolito, Moncada, Eloy) and players were performing up to par (basically everyone except for Vaughn and the TA's bat), we wouldn't be talking about this. Could Hahn have done more? Yeah, probably - but to blame him for this team underperforming is misplaced blame IMO.

I was surprised to see this thread empty after the lineup for yesterday's nightcap was posted. "Welcome to the big leagues, kid. Here's a AAA lineup behind you to make you feel at home."

Kind of, but not really. Abreu still provides protection, as much as he's been struggling. Every run counts in that instance, so the risk of putting on Robert with Abreu on deck is that you're down 3 instead of 2. I personally would have pitched around Robert though.

Debut went about as well as it could for Cueto. I really hope there are tough decisions ahead for the rotation.

Also, Potsticker House on Halsted for eats.

Do Midway. You can stay pretty much anywhere and hop on the Red line even the Metra Rock Island line (if staying in Beverly / Morgan Park / etc.)

Sorry - you're saying that we're dismissing the complexity of the game, yet you're boiling down small sample sizes to a single number. WAR is extremely useful in the aggregate / long run, but it's next to useless if you're taking it in one or two game chunks. On an individual game level, momentum matters. That tends to even out in the long run IMO (thus my affinity toward aggregated statistics like WAR), but in a game like last night when your leader is "out of it" and makes mental mistakes, it's contagious. No, he didn't give up the two home runs to Naylor, but you can't tell me that pitchers don't feel the extra heat.

To clarify - overall, TA's offense has been great. As a team leader though - when you see tons of seemingly mental miscues consistently happening, it's contageous.

Yeah TA's antics work as long as he's leading by example where it counts. The issue right now is that, as the shortstop, he's making mental (focus) mistakes. I'm OK with physical errors, but the undisciplined plays and (lack-of-focus) errors are unacceptable. If you've got swagger, you better be taking care of your own business first and foremost.

Looked like he had zero feel for his offspeed stuff tonight... thus the fastball.

Predictably, Robert swings for the fences on the first pitch down by 3.

Wasn't open, but doesn't change the fact that we should've walked him.

Of course it all comes down to Moncada.

fixed it.

Is Kopech available out of the 'pen?