Experiencing Bullpen Problems, Suzuki Swings, Trout and Happ, Rising Dread, and Other Cubs Bullets

The smoke/air quality stuff from the Canadian wildfires is crazy. When I went out yesterday afternoon to run some errands with the kids, I noticed an unusual haze in our area (central Ohio). I was aware of the stuff in New York because of the Yankees-White Sox game, but I figured there was no way it could be from the same wildfires. Turns out it was.

  • For just about a decade, the Cubs have always – always – had a solid bullpen sorted out by the end of May. The personnel didn’t matter. Not the pitchers. Not even the coaching staff. It just always seemed to work out, and it felt like one secret sauce that the Theo Epstein-Jed Hoyer front office tree in Chicago could always do. This year, as of June 8, the bullpen has absolutely not come together, and I’m like … oh … this is what that feels like? It really sucks.
  • Speaking of which, I forgot to add a name to the group of mostly-home-grown relievers who were expected to be fine or better this year, but who have been a disaster: Rowan Wick. His disappearance happened even earlier than that of Keegan Thompson, Brandon Hughes, and Jeremiah Estrada, so he was completely off my radar. When you have four guys looking ROUGH who you were counting on to be reliable, internal, optionable arms, you’re going to have a serious problem in your bullpen. And that doesn’t factor in the two main veteran free agent additions – Michael Fulmer and Brad Boxberger – ALSO being disasters so far in their own ways. What looked like such a deep, bright spot on paper in March has become an absolute anchor on this team. As fans, we had been spared for years what it actually felt like to live the whole “relievers are volatile year to year” thing, and this year we’re getting it in spades.
  • It didn’t work out, but it was nice to see Seiya Suzuki finally swing at a meatball first pitch fastball down the middle last night. It was anecdotal at the time, because I hadn’t looked it up, but it felt like Suzuki NEVER swung at the first pitch, no matter how juicy. Turns out, he swings at the first pitch 10.7% of the time … the lowest mark in the National League. Even conservative batters are usually closer to 20%. That isn’t to say Suzuki is all the way wrong for doing it this way – some guys just need to see a pitch to get settled in – but it’s a clear tendency that has become too easy to exploit. He’s gotta go up there ready for a fastball in a particular zone. And if he gets that specific pitch, he needs to swing every time, first pitch or otherwise.
  • Interesting point here from Trey Mancini about the feedback loop that can come from not getting results:
  • I am reminded of the 110 mph rocket that Matt Mervis hit last night, after striking out the at bat before, which wound up right at the right fielder. Mervis did exactly what you want to do: barrel the ball. Didn’t get results. But that happens, because you can’t control that part. You can control only what you do at the plate, and in that particular at bat, he DID DO the good thing. I just hated that the outcome wasn’t there for Mervis, because I do worry that it’s all starting to get into his head.
  • Speaking of good at bats that don’t get results, Ian Happ hit on 398 feet to the top of the center field wall last night, but Mike Trout reached up and caught it. Statcast listed it as one that would’ve left three ballparks, one of which was Angel Stadium! So I guess that means it counts as a home run robbery for Trout? On replay it’s a little hard to tell if it would’ve gone over, largely because Trout is so dang casual with the catch:
  • Naturally, Trout immediately followed with a home run of his own – AVOIDING LEFT FIELD LIKE A COWARD SO IAN HAPP COULDN’T ROB HIM RIGHT BACK. Trout’s homer only went 388 feet because baseball shall do its thing whether you like it or not.
  • Marcus Stroman’s public support for the LGBTQ+ community – in both statement and in financial support – gets a very nice write-up in the Tribune.
  • It includes these spot-on thoughts from Nico Hoerner, who had re-shared Stroman’s statement on his own Instagram: “Baseball is a game that should be for everybody to enjoy,” Hoerner told the Tribune. “It’s a space that I hope is open to all types of people. I don’t think me sharing anything is that big of a statement, but if there is an opportunity for a fan out there to feel like they’re included and appreciated in our game, that’s significant. It’s kind of a no-brainer for me, but I know there’s been some controversy lately with the stuff in LA. I just hope that baseball feels like a game that’s approachable for all types of people.”
  • The building of dread and disappointment was gradual and then explosive:
  • Fingers crossed on the “precautionary” thing, with a reminder that the Injured List is used much more liberally in the minor leagues than in the big leagues:
  • A 458-foot TITANIC blast for Elly De La Cruz in his second big league game:
  • He also tripled, while setting a season best speed mark in the process:
  • This guy is gonna be a problem for Cubs fans for a long time, isn’t he? Also, the Reds walked off the Dodgers for the second straight night and are extremely feeling themselves:
  • A very nice read on the man who made the splitter a household pitch:
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    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.

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