NEWSLETTER
It’s never fine when the bats can’t get much going, but it is at least more understandable when you’re facing a guy like Max Fried. He’s good. Ditto Braves bullpen. Outcome still sucks, but at least I can see how it happened.
Well, plus the gd strike zone. People say I “always” complain about the umpiring, but this is game 17, and it’s the first time I’m gonna say it: that strike zone was shiiiiiiiiit. Just some absolutely ridiculous, never-close-to-the-zone type calls against the Cubs. Fundamentally changing plate appearances. Maybe not the difference in the game, but it definitely didn’t help.
Oh also, this play was a huge freaking bummer, and was emblematic of the small handful of times the Cubs did really hit one hard:
Seiya Suzuki off LHP Tyler Matzek – 103.8 mph, 22 degrees (370 ft Double Play)
95.8 mph 4-Seam Fastball#Cubs @ #Braves (T8)— MLBBarrelAlert (@MLBBarrelAlert) April 27, 2022
Yes, that’s a 370-foot Seiya Suzuki barrel that became a double play (Adam Duvall made a really impressive catch after a very long run, and Michael Hermosillo had read it as a double off the bat and was trying to score from first).
So the offense wound up being Ian Happ’s homer, and nothing else.
Marcus Stroman looked MUCH better than his last two starts tonight, even setting aside the solid results. He did a better job staying down with his offspeed pitches, the sinker was more frequently well-located, and he was getting great contact early on. The Braves started hitting him harder in the 5th and 6th, but he (and the defense) made it work.
Two of the “optionable young arms” held it down for a couple innings to give the bats a chance, but nothing doing.
