If It Can Go Wrong Lately for Jon Lester, It Has Gone Wrong and Other Bullets
Sundays sure do fill up in the mornings – hence the delayed Bullets. The late game tonight helps, at least …
- There isn’t much new that can be said about Jon Lester right now that hasn’t already been said long before he got blown up by the Nationals yesterday. Every indicator we could look at in the first half said his excellent results weren’t quite matching his underlying performance, and, although some of that could be credited to a veteran executing well to the game plan and using his defense, most of it was probably the kind of good fortunate that doesn’t last for too long. Now, not only is the expected regression hitting like a tornado, Lester also doesn’t seem to be executing his pitches as well as he was earlier this year, which is only compounding his brutal stretch since the start of July.
- Brace yourself for the numbers in eight starts since July 1: 8.01 ERA, 7.14 FIP, 16.4% K rate, 10.6% BB rate, 33.3% groundball rate, 2.0% infield fly ball rate, 16.1% soft contact rate, 32.1% hard contact rate, 2.75 HR/9. And it’s not like it was just a couple blowups skewing the numbers; just one of those starts was competitive.
- The good news is that Lester is not injured (based on his own account, as well as the radar gun). Something is just off with his command, and, at this stage of his career, that’s going to get him trucked. His take:
Jon Lester: "I’m just in this rut right now. I probably felt like that was some of the better stuff I’ve had over the last couple starts – and that was the outcome. Unfortunately, the rotation has been throwing the ball well and now I’m the guy that’s not. That’s a bad feeling."
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) August 11, 2018
Jon Lester: “I don’t want to take anything away from today, but I’m not worried. I feel great physically. It’s not like I’m battling anything to try to execute pitches. It’s just – for whatever reason – I’m not executing when I need to and getting those outs. That’s all on me.”
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) August 12, 2018
#Cubs Lester: "I don't want to cop out on anything but I guess I'm just in this rut right now, I don't know. I probably felt that was some of the better stuff I've had over the last couple starts and that was the outcome."
— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) August 12, 2018
- I have no doubt Lester and the Cubs will continue to work and study and game plan. We’re just along for the ride.
- Congrats to Anthony Rizzo on the milestone:
Congratulations to @ARizzo44 on career hit No. 1,000! #EverybodyIn pic.twitter.com/FIfh8mtkGx
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 11, 2018
- I saw a Kris Bryant clip and I was feeling silly with the pause button:
- Hands down, one of the best throws I’ve ever seen – this should be remembered among the Cespedes/Guillen/Guerrero group of throws:
https://twitter.com/flippingbats/status/1028474912409874432
- The starter pitching right there for the A’s was Edwin Jackson, who is about to turn 35, and is sporting a 2.48 ERA for those currently-playoff-bound A’s. Baseball is wild, man.
- Speaking of which, this is pretty wild:
Top of the 10th inning pic.twitter.com/mtUbj2QAim
— x-Rome Braves (@TheRomeBraves) August 11, 2018
- Some Bears Bullets as camp is winding down:
Fun Fact About Floyd, Howard’s Hands, Miller Impresses Again, and Other Bullets https://t.co/gv5NCe4hn9 pic.twitter.com/kg3ELGcxA0
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) August 12, 2018
- Outdoor furniture and Kindle book deals are among the Deals of the Day at Amazon.
