Respecting Zobrist While Hoping for More, Tseng as Hendricks, and Other Bullets

Early heads up: Cubs Social Media Night is September 12, when the Cubs play the Mets. You can get more info and register here, which is annually a lot of fun. Some of you will be able to sit at a BN table, too, though we’ll be sorting out the particulars on that soon.

  • It’s been a rough year for Ben Zobrist, both in terms of his results at the plate, and in terms of the myriad injuries that have probably played a major role in those numbers. But, as you’ve no doubt noticed – and sometimes lamented – Joe Maddon continues to insert Zobrist into the lineup with regularity, and into a prominent spot in the lineup (essentially always in the top four).
  • That’s largely because there is a belief that Zobrist *will* hit well again this year, but it is also because Maddon believes it has an impact on the other side, because of the perception of Zobrist’s ability (ESPN): “I still think he is who he is from the other side. There’s that perception. Imagine me being in the other dugout. I’m paying attention to where he’s at all the time. The cache that he’s built up matters.” Hmm. That’s certainly an interesting, and different perspective on the placement of a struggling bat. In all candor, it’s one that I’ve gotta mull before I’d react to, because my gut response is neither to immediately say I totally can see it, nor to immediately say I can’t believe it. I suppose, as I mull, I do recognize that, if you’re on the other side and you know Zobrist has had a dinged up season and could be healthy at any time, you do risk him being HIM if you’re too aggressive.
  • (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

  • The counter to that is that there has to be some recognition that this is a 36-year-old player who dealt with a wrist injury, after which he’s had 205 plate appearances and hit just .194/.284/.278. That’s neither a small sample nor an acceptable line for a guy seeing prominent at bats. I’m not saying the answer here is to bench Zobrist, but I do think there has to be a realistic accounting for how effective the Cubs believe he can be the rest of this season, and weigh that against other players’ starting opportunities. Those are questions, you’ll note, that get a heckuva lot trickier whenever Addison Russell returns from his foot injury.
  • Zobrist says he feels healthy now and is able to put in his regular work (ESPN), which he hadn’t been before. So, then, it is not at all outside the realm of possibility that we see an invigorated and effective Zobrist from here on out. For what it’s worth, he’s hitting .259/.355/.315 in August, which, well, you can see the positives and negatives in there.
  • Jen-Ho Tseng’s manager at AAA Iowa is comparing him to another righty who passed through Iowa recently: Kyle Hendricks. In the Des Moines Register piece, Marty Pevey is careful to note that Hendricks fully commanded his whole arsenal of pitches, though both pitchers rely on excellent control of a low-90s fastball (well, at the time Hendricks was in Iowa, anyway) and good offspeed pitches. I can certainly see the similarities in overall style, though a couple things to point out: Tseng is actually a year younger than Hendricks was when he first reached AAA and has a better strikeout rate than Hendricks did in that partial season (Hendricks blew up when he returned to AAA to start the 2014 season). But Hendricks’ walk rate was always super elite (in the 5% range), whereas Tseng had a 6.4% rate at AA and then a 7.6% rate so far at AAA. Hendricks also always had a super elite groundball rate, whereas Tseng’s was actually troubling at AA this year (39.4%), but has been very solid at AAA (52.9%).
  • In any case, the point here is less about comparing the two pitchers – Kyle Hendricks is something of a unicorn in the world of soft-tossing, high-command pitchers who reached high-level big league success – but more about reminding us that, a year after falling off the map in 2016, Tseng is very much back on the radar as a possible rotation piece in the next couple years for the Cubs. And it’s not as if this year is coming out of nowhere: Tseng was the organization’s pitcher of the year in 2014, and before that was signed to a significant bonus out of Taiwan.
  • I am dying:
  • https://twitter.com/flippingbats/status/899988436249182209

  • Yup, I am here for this:
  • Over at TYL, John Fox isn’t quite ready to commit publicly to the QB plan for preseason game three.
  • Over at Amazon, Kindles and Fire tablets are on sale, and also a weed whacker, because screw those weeds.
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

    more cubs news

    Enhanced Box Score: Braves 2, Cubs 0 – May 13, 2024

    Well that ninth inning rally started off great, with Cody Bellinger and Christopher Morel reaching, the latter on 12-pitch walk (the longest PA of his career). And then POOF. In just two pitches, the Cubs made three outs and the...

    Craig Counsell Was Just Thrown Out from the Dugout … by the First Base Umpire

    Well you don't see that very often. Craig Counsell was just thrown out of the game from inside the Cubs dugout *by the FIRST BASE umpire* after a check-swing appeal. Here's what happened. In the bottom of the fourth inning,...

    Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Braves (6:20 CT) – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    CUBS LINEUP — The Atlanta Braves are one of, if not the toughest opponent the Cubs will face this season. But Seiya Suzuki is back, Cody Bellinger is back, and Shota Imanaga is on the mound. This Cubs team is...

    Cubs Roster Move: Alzolay to the IL, Cuas Returns (UPDATE)

    It felt like this situation with Adbert Alzolay could not go on much longer, and it has now resolved itself with an Injured List move. Today, the Cubs placed Alzolay on the 15-day IL with a right forearm strain. Jose...

    MLB Has a New Streaming Home For Its ‘Sunday Leadoff’ Games

    Fans can now watch MLB games via Roku. Do with that what you will. The "MLB Sunday Leadoff" games will begin this weekend. The first game, featuring the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals, starts at 12:05 p.m. CT,...

    Let’s See How They Measure Up in Atlanta: Cubs vs Braves Series Preview

    Cubs vs Braves — Six of the Cubs next ten games come against the Atlanta Braves, and the first three are on the road starting tonight. And while the Cubs did recently get Seiya Suzuki, Cody Bellinger, and Justin Steele...

    MLB Pipeline Added Two MORE Cubs to Their Top-100

    Over the weekend, MLB Pipeline updated their top-100 MLB Prospect Rankings, with eight new players making the list after graduations and other considerations. And TWO of those players, Moises Ballesteros and Jefferson Rojas, are Chicago Cubs prospects. All together, that...

    For the Second Time in a Few Days, Birthday Boy Nico Hoerner Saved the Game

    A happy 27th birthday to Chicago Cubs second baseman, and fill-in shortstop, Nico Hoerner. He is currently hitting a career-best .275/.364/.399/122 wRC+, and walking more often (9.7%) than he's striking out (9.1%). He has been absolutely scorching over the past...

    MLBits: Padres Best the Dodgers, Skenes Debut Reactions, Guardians New Threads, More

    The Dodgers have a comfortable lead in the NL West, but the Padres are proving to themselves that they can make this a two-horse race. Plus, reactions from Paul Skenes' major league debut and more in today's MLB Notes. Padres...

    David Peralta Has Opted Out of His Minor League Deal with the Cubs

    The Chicago Cubs have had veteran outfielder David Peralta around as emergency depth going back to Spring Training, when he was working his way back from offseason arm surgery. But he might now be heading off to join another organization....

    Latest News

    Phillies vs. Mets Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Tuesday, May 14, 2024

    The Philadelphia Phillies will take the field against the New York Mets (19-21) on Tuesday. The game begins at 1:10 PM ET on SNY, with the Phillies listed as -140 favorites on the moneyline.Aaron Nola starts for Philadelphia while Jose...

    Phillies vs. Mets Probable Starting Pitchers – May 14

    The New York Mets (19-21) play on Tuesday in Queens against the Philadelphia Phillies (29-13). First pitch is at 1:10 PM ET.This contest's pitching matchup is set, as the Phillies will send Aaron Nola (4-2) to the mound, while Jose...

    Celtics vs. Cavaliers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets for Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 5 – Wednesday, May 15, 2024

    The Boston Celtics are massive 15.5-point favorites in a decisive Game 5 of the second round of the NBA Playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers at TD Garden on Wednesday, tipping off at 7:00 PM ET on TNT. The Celtics have...

    Thunder vs. Mavericks Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets for Western Conference Semifinals Game 5 – Wednesday, May 15, 2024

    The Dallas Mavericks are 4.5-point underdogs in Game 5 of the second round of the NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on Wednesday, tipping off at 9:30 PM ET on TNT. The series is tied 2-2....

    Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Predictions, Best Bets and Odds: Western Conference Semifinals Game 5 – Tuesday, May 14, 2024

    The Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves meet in Game 5 of the second round of the NBA Playoffs. The Nuggets are favored by 4.5 points in the contest, which airs on TNT at 10:30 PM ET. The over/under in...

    Knicks vs. Pacers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds: Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 5 – Tuesday, May 14, 2024

    The Indiana Pacers are slight 2.5-point underdogs in Game 5 of the second round of the NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, tipping off at 8:00 PM ET on TNT. The series is...

    New York Liberty vs. Washington Mystics: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    The Washington Mystics face the New York Liberty at St. Elizabeths East Entertainment and Sports Arena on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. The game, the first of the 2024 season for both teams, tips at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN3, Monumental,...

    Connecticut Sun vs. Indiana Fever: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    The Connecticut Sun will start their 2024 season matching up with the Indiana Fever on Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN2 and ESPN+.Watch the WNBA all season long on Fubo!How to Watch Sun vs. FeverGame Day:...

    NHL Playoffs Anytime Goalscorer Bets and Odds Today – May 14

    There are two Stanley Cup Playoffs Second Round games on the schedule Tuesday, and anytime goal-scorer odds for players from each contest are available in this article.Watch the NHL on Fubo!Today's Top Anytime Goal OddsZach Hyman (Oilers) -130 to scoreOilers...

    Stars vs. Avalanche NHL Playoffs Second Round Game 5 Prediction: Picks, Live Odds and Moneyline – Wednesday, May 15, 2024

    The bookmakers fancy the Dallas Stars to top the Colorado Avalanche in their meeting on Wednesday, May 15, with the Stars given moneyline odds of -142 at home, and the Avalanche at +120.Watch the NHL on Fubo!Stars vs. Avalanche Favorite,...

    more cubs news