MLB 16 Franchise Progress Thread

[steelerfan]

Re: MLB 16 Franchise Progress Thread

A big thing for me is I would hope it would help me draw more walks/strikeouts because both of those numbers are low for me. But that is a flaw in my own gameplay im not patient enough.

I play every game and have used QC since it was introduced. It really helps with walks, at least for me.

[scooterperpetual]

Re: MLB 16 Franchise Progress Thread

Played my first game with quick counts and I loved it. It is just what I needed I was starting to lose motivation after playing nearly 80 games in my other franchise before retsrating 22 into this one but this renewed it for me.

Had one of the best games was a 6-4 extra innings win and I used almost my entire bullpen lol.

Anyways onto the update, I havent started the Oakland series but figured I would put out the April update.

Going to post a recap of the series here:

@NYY Won 2/3
@ MIL Won 3/3
KC Split 2/4
DET Won 2/3
@TEX Lost 1/3
BOS Won 2/3
@SEA Won 2/3

Stats:
Dallas Keuchel 26.2 IP 3.71 ERA 1.31 WHIP
Collin McHugh 32.2 IP 3.86 ERA 1.22 WHIP
Doug Fister 28.2 IP 5.34 ERA 1.40 WHIP
Mike Fiers 21.1 IP 2.53 ERA 1.22 WHIP
Michael Feliz 16.2 IP 2.16 ERA 1.08 WHIP

Scott Feldman 20.0 IP 6.75 ERA 1.85 WHIP
Pat Neshek 11.1 IP 0.00 ERA 0.71 WHIP
Tony Sipp 9.1 IP 3.86 ERA 1.18 WHIP
Josh Fields 10.0 IP 3.60 ERA 0.90 WHIP
Ken Giles 8.0 IP 0.00 ERA 0.88 WHIP
Luke Gregerson 7.0 IP 1.29 ERA 0.71 WHIP
Will Harris 7.0 IP (7 SV) 0.00 ERA 1.14 WHIP

Jose Altuve .284/.343/.455 2 HR 13 RBI 4 SB
George Springer .351/.359/.581 3 HR 16 RBI 3 SB
Carlos Correa .310/.351/.535 3 HR 20 RBI 2 SB
Colby Rasmus .260/.316/.452 3 HR 11 RBI
Marwin Gonzalez .343/.362/.567 2 HR 12 RBI
Tyler White .338/.348/.368 5 RBI
Carlos Gomez .231/.265/.323 2 HR 5 RBI 1 SB
Luis Valbuena .250/.294/.313 6 RBI
Jake Marisnick .300/.323/.333 2 SB
Jason Castro .239/.300/.283
Evan Gattis .200/.245/.380 2 HR 2 RBI
Matt Duffy .286/.324/.600 3 HR 8 RBI
Danny Worth .143/.250/.286 1 RBI

Overall I am happy with the stats. Walks will rise with QC. I would like to see more home runs but I am very happy with how my stats are looking otherwise. The Big 3 of Altuve/Correa/Springer are the only ones actually lighting it up with bats the other guys are coming back down to worth (Other than Marwin he is insane)

Speaking of Altuve he has struggled but it is just a slump I am sure he came into the year a little cold then heated up but has gone cold again over this series in Seattle. We have a day off I think that will help him because he hasn't had a day off all year because he hasn't needed it.

Danny Worth was called up to replace Preston Tucker who was stinking it up but Worth hasn't really been an upgrade either but he is a utility guy and Ill take it.

Pitching has whats lead us to these wins we leave way too many guys on base but our bullpen is likely the best in the league through this first month of the year.

Top Prospects of April:
Brad Peacock (AAA) 26.2 IP 1.69 ERA 1.20 WHIP
Mike Hauschild (AAA) 29.0 IP 1.24 ERA 1.07 WHIP

David Paulino (AA) 23.0 IP 0.78 ERA 0.87 WHIP
Edison Frias (AA) 12.1 IP 0.00 ERA 0.97 WHIP

Derek Fisher (AAA) .281/.359/.316 6 RBI 2 SB

Mott Hyde (AA) .342/.468/.474 1 HR 7 RBI 1 SB
Alex Bregman (AA) .324/.442/.577 3 HR 10 RBI 1 SB
Kyle Tucker (AA) .314/.386/.647 4 HR 14 RBI 1 SB
Jack Mayfield (AA) .309/.371/.436 1 HR 7 RBI 1 SB
J.D. Davis (AA) .304/.365/.500 3 HR 14 RBI 1 SB
Daz Cameron (AA) .288/.362/.576 4 HR 15 RBI 1 SB

My general rule of thumb for promoting players is 50 IP / 100 AB's. Unless they are really struggling then I half that.

[Counsell3333]

Re: MLB 16 Franchise Progress Thread

Come check out my live stream to see what's up with tha crew! https://youtu.be/ogHyVOJ12eM

[Ranger Fan]

Re: MLB 16 Franchise Progress Thread

Rangers Update (2018 late July)

Well season 3 has seen its ups and downs with my cureent streak in a up turn. We set 51-49 and really have no shot at reaching the Angels who are 24 games above 500. I set second but my focus is on the Wild Card as I set fourth 3 1/2 games out. Cargo came back after a 2 and a half month absence and is killing the ball, hitting almost 300 with good power. My team over the past month has gone from 30th in hitting to 20th and the pitcjing continues to be good setting 8th. Wade Davis has been incredible, he has 28 saves and a .23 era. He's gven up 1 run all season.

[BZito75]

Re: MLB 16 Franchise Progress Thread

Started a franchise yesterday trying to rebuild the big red machine. Started out 1-1.... It's gonna be a long first year


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[KBLover]

Re: MLB 16 Franchise Progress Thread

Brito to Stay

The Marlins have officially taken Stan Brito off the trading block. The team is still willing to be patient with the young (but getting older) slugger.

"He just has too much power. He has true 80 power. Not projected, not just raw strength, but his game power is 80. His bat speed is high and when he connects with the ball, it's going 110-115 MPH, " one scout spoke, "If he even hits .250 with that and with how pitchers fear him, I think he's still a special player, and that's not even counting his defense."

Brito's gotten hot lately and is up to .248 in batting average. Of his 59 hits, 33 have gone for extra bases (56%) and his batting line is .248/.309/.525.

Pitchers do show some fear with him, he's been walked intentionally the most of anyone on the team with 5 times.

"I have to learn to just take my walks, " Brito said, "I always feel like I should do more than just trot down to first, but I have to remember that they are giving us a baserunner and take the gift."

Brito might be learning. His OBP would be by far a career high, finally breaking over .300. His walk rate is at 8% and has been climbing.

[HozAndMoose]

Re: MLB 16 Franchise Progress Thread

<table><td bgcolor=#004684>End of May - 2020</td></table>

We are back to .500 at 25-25 after an up and down May. We started the month 8-4. And then basically all the hitters started to slump at the same time and we went 7-9 the rest of the way. Still only 2.5 games behind the Tigers for 1st and 3.5 games out of a Wild Card spot. Yankees have the best record in the AL at 34-17. Braves the best in the NL at 33-17. Twins and Padres are both 19-31 worst in their leagues.

The offense has takena big step back and it wasnt all that good to start. We are 24th in AVG at .242, 26th in OBP and 23rd in SLG at .389. We AVG 3.5 runs per game in May and just 2.8 over the last 12 games. Bubba Starling of all people has been the best player so far. 2nd on the team with a .288 AVG. Tied for the team lead in HR with 10 and RBI with 27. Alex Gordon is hitting .288/.350/.429 with 4 HR. Jackson Yates is hitting .283/.333/.514 with 10 HR and 27 RBI. Salvy has been the worst hitter at .234/.298/.351. Still rock solid defense with no errors in 411 innings behind the plate. We sent Cuthbert back down to AAA he was hitting .143 at the time. Called Alcides Escobar back up and in 26 at bats he is hitting .346/.393/.615 with a HR. In Cuthberts first game down in AAA he broke his arm and will miss 2-3 months. Lorenzo Cain will be back in a few days. Hopefully he can help get things going.

While the offense was slumping the Starting pitchers got their **** together. Michael Wacha is now the only starter with an ERA over 3.54. He is 3-3 with a 4.58 ERA in 55 IP. Just as surprising as Starling being the best hitter Kyle Zimmer has been the best starter. 3.02 ERA in 62.2 IP with 66 SO. Leads the team in all those categories. Mike Minor and Jordan Lyles both have a 3.54 ERA in 61 IP. And Yordano Ventura has a 3.45 ERA in 60 IP and he leads the team in WHIP at 1.05. Not a whole lot has changed with the bull pen. Wade Davis, Kelvin Herrera, Houston Street and David Huff all have ERA's under 1.93. Medlen, Duffy and Gee have ERA's between 4.29 and 5.71. Then Joakim Soria has a 7.56 ERA. He is very close to being DFA'd. Hopefully the starters continue to play well until and after the offense figures its **** out.

In AAA, Luke Farrell is 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA in 41.2 IP. Nolan Watson has struggled a bit after a good start. He is 0-5 with a 3.57 ERA in 58 IP. Out of the pen Aroni Nina as a 1.96 ERA in 18.1 IP and Matt Strahm has a 1.06 ERA nad 0.71 wHIP in 17 IP. Cam Gallagher is hitting .286/.358/.406 with 4 HR. Balbino Fuenmayor leads the team with 6 HR and 25 RBI.

In AA, Marten Gasparini is hitting .336/.373/.471. But like back on the DL for a few weeks with a shoulder injury. Seems like that has happened every year. Alexi Gomes is hitting .271/.331/.368 with 10 SB. Tom Hoyt has a 3.00 ERA in 60 IP. Brad Burnette has a 3.10 ERA in 40.2 IP. Out of the pen Lindsay Singer has a 1.48 ERA in 24.1 IP. Pedro Fernandez has a 1.95 ERA in 27.2 IP with a 0.94 WHIP. And Foster Griffin has a 0.96 ERA with a 0.75 WHIP in 18.2 IP. Those last 2 guys are being promoted to AAA.

2020 Draft Picks

Spoiler

1st - 20 year old SP Lindsay Costello. Has the stamina to go 7+ innings regularly. Sits in the mid to upper 90's with his fastball. Biggest issue is giving up the long ball. Probably 2-3 years away.

2nd - 22 year old 2B Samuel Vina. Good hitter coming out of college. Below AVG fielder but good enough to stick at 2B. Could see some time as early as next year if there were some injuries.

3rd - 20 year old 1B Daniel Molina. Low AVG high HR guy. Could hit .250 with 30+ HR. Probably doesnt have the glove to play 1st but can be your typical DH. 4-5 years away.

4th - 23 year old RP John Marsh. Fastball sits in the low 90's but has enough movement to fool batters. Tends to walk a few to many guys. And while he doesnt give up a lot of hits when he does they tend to leave the park. 2-3 years away.

5th - 25 year old 1B Sam Heard. Probably wont sniff the majors. Makes good contact off lefties. But that is about it. Aggressive on the base path but his below AVG speed means he gets thrown out more than anything. 5+ years away.

6th - 20 year old C Darrack Davila. Big catcher at 6'5 230. Defense is his strong suit with a great arm behind the plate. Could be a .250 guy with 15 HR. 4-5 years away.

[KBLover]

Re: MLB 16 Franchise Progress Thread

Bullock, Owings Shipped Off to Arizona
Diamondbacks Hope to Bolster Roster for Second Half

The Marlins removed another name off the roster in the person of Will Bullock. The young pitcher that never could win the hearts and minds of the Marlins front office will get a fresh start with a club that will be relying on him.

The Marlins staff soured on Bullock as he developed, and coming up in a system that birthed Jose Fernandez and Damian Boeve sets the bar high for pitching prospects.

Bullock's current sporting a 4.06 ERA, which isn't bad, but it's not what you need when your organization has little faith in you.

That's all in his past now and Arizona will slot him next to...Jose Fernandez...who bolted Miami for the desert.

Also moving on is Chris Owings, who's been rotting away with the Zephyrs, hoping for a shot at the majors. To his credit, he never quit and kept working hard, showing growth at 30 years old, not a common feat. The D-backs need a SS with their infield in shambles. Owings can be that ready-now player with a well-rounded profile.

"We have a chance to get back on top the NL West or at least back into the playoffs. We needed help and we like Marlins pitchers, after all we broke the bank for Jose Fernandez. So when they wanted to offer us Bullock, we were definitely interested on multiple levels, " D-backs GM commented.

The Marlins get Martin Ybarra, a talented defensive utility player that could develop a bat. Ybarra will head to New Orleans and the Marlins will work hard on his offense. However, at worse, they get another versatile player.

The gamble prospect is LF Rex Dean. He's a raw 19-year-old outfielder that will have plenty of time to develop. He could be slated to replace Yelich in LF one day...or perhaps Hart and/or Gonzalez as well. Hard to project him at this point, but the ceiling is there. Like with a lot of kids, can the tools translate to skills and production?

Replacing Bullock at the majors...the Marlins have a ton of options. But sources indicate it will be Robinson Mota. He got a look in Spring Training, and he seems to be the next arm the Marlins are testing to see if their faith in him is well-placed. If Mota falters, there's no shortage of options as the Marlins continue to cultivate pitching.

Not the least of which is Jared Richard, a classic power pitcher that throws an 88 MPH change up off his 100+ MPH fastball and relies on K's and raw power.

"Richard is Boeve II as far as I'm concerned. Boeve uses his splitter like a change up, Richard has an actual change piece. And he also has a two-seamer that he has surprising command of for inducing double plays, " a team scout spoke, "If they [Boeve and Richard] had a fastball velocity contest, it would be a 50/50 toss up depending who has the better heat that day."

The Marlins are taking it slow with Richard so far, but that might change later on in the season.

[saintrules]

Re: MLB 16 Franchise Progress Thread

What are you guys that play all the games opinion on quick counts? Considering using it to speed up the regular season.

I use quick counts full time, here's why:

1. Quickens up the game. It may not be by much, but without QC & you get guys back to back getting 3-2 counts and fouling off a couple pitches, one inning can last a very, very long time.

2. Gives more walks and strikeouts. I find my walk rate is much higher when using QC's. If I get a batter who starts 3-1 I'm much more likely to take the pitch than I would if it was a 3-1 count without QC's. On the pitching side, I also find myself walking batters more often which is frustrating but also provides higher realism.

3. Fun. Nothing is more heart pounding than being in the ninth in a close one and getting Stanton up with a 3-0 count. Would I normally have thrown 3 balls to Stanton? No. But letting the CPU dictate my situation is fun to me.

[KBLover]

Re: MLB 16 Franchise Progress Thread

Would I normally have thrown 3 balls to Stanton? No. But letting the CPU dictate my situation is fun to me.

What's funny is that would be my first reaction to Stanton in a close game late!

Always interesting to see how different players approach the game.

Of course, if I got that rolled up in QC, I'd just give him ball four anyway.

[saintrules]

Re: MLB 16 Franchise Progress Thread

What's funny is that would be my first reaction to Stanton in a close game late!

Always interesting to see how different players approach the game.

Of course, if I got that rolled up in QC, I'd just give him ball four anyway.

I usually try to get ahead on a good hitter like Stanton. I figure it's easier to give him a low fastball or tight slider on a 0-1/1-1 count than it is to start with junk and try and nip the corners on a 2-0 count. Speaking of that situation though, I got back to 3-2 but then lost him trying to get a low outside slider.

Also, is there any indication QC's are tailored to the batter, or are they random? I seem to find QC's usually 0-2, 1-2, 2-2 for the lower hitters in the lineup and the lead off/power guys getting 2-1 or something 3-0 counts. It definitely has been fun because it seems more realistic.

[scooterperpetual]

Re: MLB 16 Franchise Progress Thread

I use quick counts full time, here's why:

1. Quickens up the game. It may not be by much, but without QC & you get guys back to back getting 3-2 counts and fouling off a couple pitches, one inning can last a very, very long time.

2. Gives more walks and strikeouts. I find my walk rate is much higher when using QC's. If I get a batter who starts 3-1 I'm much more likely to take the pitch than I would if it was a 3-1 count without QC's. On the pitching side, I also find myself walking batters more often which is frustrating but also provides higher realism.

3. Fun. Nothing is more heart pounding than being in the ninth in a close one and getting Stanton up with a 3-0 count. Would I normally have thrown 3 balls to Stanton? No. But letting the CPU dictate my situation is fun to me.

Yea I am really enjoying it glad I gave it a try. Before could only get through maybe a series now I can get through 8+ games if I have the free time.


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[NDAlum]

Re: MLB 16 Franchise Progress Thread

I usually try to get ahead on a good hitter like Stanton. I figure it's easier to give him a low fastball or tight slider on a 0-1/1-1 count than it is to start with junk and try and nip the corners on a 2-0 count. Speaking of that situation though, I got back to 3-2 but then lost him trying to get a low outside slider.

Also, is there any indication QC's are tailored to the batter, or are they random? I seem to find QC's usually 0-2, 1-2, 2-2 for the lower hitters in the lineup and the lead off/power guys getting 2-1 or something 3-0 counts. It definitely has been fun because it seems more realistic.

I do believe that ratings play a part in the equation.

[KBLover]

Re: MLB 16 Franchise Progress Thread

I usually try to get ahead on a good hitter like Stanton. I figure it's easier to give him a low fastball or tight slider on a 0-1/1-1 count than it is to start with junk and try and nip the corners on a 2-0 count.

True, but to me that would be heart-pounding, knowing that if my pitcher screws up (I play on Classic or Pulse), then it could be in the cheap seats.

Then again, Classic/Pulse give me enough heartburn as it is LOL. Just had my rookie closer throw 9 of the 15 pitches he throw right down the middle. I mean literally center of the center square. Escaped thanks to a couple hard-hit outs. But good lord...Yeager pls.

[saintrules]

Re: MLB 16 Franchise Progress Thread

Cubs Franchise 2016

Date: May 27th, 2016
Record: 27-20
April: 10-14
May: 17-6

Batting Summary:

Bats started off incredibly quiet in the month of April and most games were coming down to solo shots or late inning errors to win. While the first part of May seemed the same, we have absolutely taken OFF in the middle of May. Rizzo currently leads the pack hitting .306 with an NL third best 16 homers and 37 RBIs on the season. He's in the hunt for the NL MVP so we'll see if he can keep it up. Doubled and triples have become a standard for this powerful lineup and that is where most of our run production has come from. Russell is currently sidelined with a hip injury for 3-4 weeks and Bryant is coming off a 6 game break due to an abdominal injury. Bryant had a horrible April but has really tuned it around in May. He's currently only hitting .190 but is well over .300 in his last 10-15 games and is boasting 24 RBIs, good for second best on the cubbies. Alcantara, Almora, and Contreras have all been called up from the minors to help produce. Batting stats and current lineup is as follows:

1. Zobrist .299/2 HR/8 RBI
2. Fowler .275/7 HR/13 RBI
3. Rizzo .306/16 HR/37 RBI
4. Bryant .190/7 HR/24 RBI
5. Heyward .236/2 HR/16 RBI
6. Soler .255/4 HR/10 RBI
7. Montero .302/8 HR/16 RBI
8. Almora .265/3 HR/9 RBI
9. (Injured) Russell .268/3 HR/14 RBI
10. Alcantara .241/0 HR/1 RBI

I moved zobrist up to lead off and fowler down to number two and they have had a lot of production. Rizzo blasts at the 3 spot and Bryant has done well at cleaning up any runners left on base, 5 of those 7 home runs have come in May. Heyward, Soler, Montero, and Russell have all kind of delivered the same on and off performance, but those 8 home runs from Montero are definitely welcome and made a big difference in a couple of April games. I call up Contreras to help out David Ross when Montero is resting but so far it hasn't really panned out. Alcantara and Almora are huge additions to the lineup, specifically Almora who has had some very important doubles to secure games.

Pitching Summary:

Overall our pitching was our saving grace in April and early May until the bats came around. Most surprising has been our 5th man, Hammel, who is currently in the CY YOUNG, yes I said it, CY YOUNG hunt! He is 6-1 and boasts a 1.69 era with 63 strikeouts. He is definitely a big reason why we won a couple of games in April by keeping the other team to a run or less. Our next best has been the ace Arrieta but struggled in his first few starts to land him a 5-4 record. He holds a 2.98 era but an NL third best 76k's on the season. His control has been a bit of an issue but when he's striking out 10/11/12 batters a game, he can afford the couple of walks. Lester, Hendricks, and Lackey have been on and off, I'll show their stats below. The pen has been HUGE for us and I recognized it a bit. Currently Warren is our main RP and usually comes in around inning 6-7 unless the starter has the energy. I can't even explain how clutch warren has been but you'll get the idea when you see his .28 ERA! I moved Rondon to our main set up man due to him blowing a couple of save opportunities in April, but he's really turned it around at the set up spot and I plan to keep him there for now. Strop is a MONSTER and his strike out ability is the reason why he's my current closer. He currently boasts 52 strikeouts in 24 innings pitched, absolutely god like. Current pitching stats are as follows:

1. Arrieta 5-4/2.98 ERA/76k
2. Lester 4-3/3.25 ERA/53k
3. Hendricks 2-3/3.04 ERA/31k
4. Lackey 2-3/4.44 ERA/30k
5. Hammel 6-1/1.69 ERA/63k

RP Warren 1-0/32 IP/.28 ERA/41k
SU Rondon 2-2/23 IP/2.66 ERA/27k
CP Strop 3-0/24 IP/11 saves/2.08 ERA/52k

NL Standings:

Cubs 27-20
Pirates 24-24
Cardinals 24-24
Reds 23-25
Brewers 22-26

Thoughts:

We currently ride a 10 game win streak heading into late May. In April we struggled but things have turned around big time ever since the bats have come to play. After losing series to the Brewers, Reds, Pirates, Padres, and Cards, we have swept the Nats, Giants, Brewers, and Cards. We now head into series with the Dodgers and Phillies, shouldn't be too hard with Philly but the Dodgers will be an exciting match up. Stay tuned for more updates, I'm thinking all star break or end of June.

Cubs Franchise

Date: Late June
Record: 49-29
April: 10-14
May: 17-6
June & Early July: 22-9

Batting Summary:

As a recap, my bats started off incredibly quiet in the month of April and most games were coming down to solo shots or late inning errors to win. May started off the same, however, the bats took off in the middle of May. Rizzo was knocking bombs left and right and was a solid contender for NL MVP with the likes of Stanton & Harper. Bryant & Heyward had been struggling, but their averages didn't quite show their true production as 5 of Bryant's 7 homeruns came in a 3 week stretch of May Heyward led both leagues in
triples. My starting lineup is listed below. I am going to write "increasing", "stable", or "decreasing" next to their name based on how they have done over the last month or so. As a starting lineup we are hitting .274 and are currently #4 for HR's in the majors. Power is definitely our strength, but sustaining long innings of production seems to be our pitfall, we have left far too many ducks on the pond.


1. Dexter Fowler .314/13 HR/31 RBI - Increasing
2. Addison Russell .287/9 HR/19 RBI - Increasing
3. Kris Bryant .228/14 HR/42 RBI - Stable
4. Anthony Rizzo .306/22 HR/50 RBI - Stable
5. Ben Zobrist .268/5 HR/19 RBI - Decreasing
6. Jorge Soler .267/10 HR/24 RBI - Increasing
7. Jason Heyward .236/4 HR/23 RBI - Decreasing
8. Miguel Montero .282/13 HR/31 RBI - Stable

Fowler has been everything I have wanted and more out of a leadoff guy. Boasting a .314 average and knocking 13 HR's so far, he has definitely been delivering. I used to have Zobrist hitting behind Fowler, however, ever since Russell came back from a 4 week hip injury he has PRODUCED. He has brought his average up from .268 when we last checked in late May and is now hitting a nice .287. Bryant has been, well, frusturating to say the least. He has so much power & potential but keeps failing in pressure situations. As soon as I look to take him out of the third spot for the next series, he'll knock two bombs to the cheap seats like he knew I was questioning his stability. While he isn't hitting all the best, he is making good enough contact to get Fowler or Russell around the bags or in scoring position for Rizzo. Speaking of Rizzo, my MVP, he has somewhat maintained the tear he was on for most of May. For a while he was pretty close to leading the NL in homeruns but as of late his HR production has slowed down and Stanton's has picked up. By the way, Stanton has almost 30 HR's before the all-star break, guy is going crazy. Zobrist, Heyward, Soler, and Montero have kind of given me on and off performances. They have been reliable in some pressure situations but have also faltered big time in late games when it mattered most. Montero has hit 13 bombs so far but they have come at really odd times such as when we were down 12-1 to the Marlins or when we are up 6-0 to the Reds. It's definitely welcomed, just not always at the best time. Heyward has continued to struggle hitting consistently but he has been able to get a lot of extra base hits making the hits he does get, very valuable.

Bench:

1. Albert Almora Jr .328/3 HR/15 RBI
2. Arismendy Alcantara .250/1 HR/7 RBI
3. Javier Baez .213/4 HR/11 RBI
4. Wilson Contreras .171/0 HR/3 RBI
5. Tommy La Stella .233/0 HR/3 RBI

This is definitely where we have struggled. It's hard to rely at all on my bench to give me any production and when I have to sub at least 2 of them in for fatigue, it's a long day at the plate. Almora has been hitting well, but when we are hitting an average of .217 between the other four, well, we have an issue. Almora & Baez are definitely my go to guys, so I am questioning putting Alcantara out there and seeing what I can get for him and maybe a prospect like Torres or Volgelbach.

Pitching Summary:

Overall our pitching has been the main reason we are winning games, particularly the chucking of Arrieta Hammel, Lester, and then pen. Lackey has been awful and I am definitely thinking about moving him to LRP or MRP and trying to pickup a more quality starter at the all-star break.bHendricks hasn't been performing too bad, but his inability to strike guys out hurts, big time. We have seen him get lit up later in games when his energy starts to dip and balls become even easier to blast. Arrieta has had a weird year so far, especially for being our ace. That 3.36 ERA is definitely high, and he is out of Cy Young contention at the moment, but his ability to strike guys out and keep the runs down (enough) has helped us secure some needed victories. He's been the victim to a couple of absolute blowouts so that's why his ERA is pretty high. Hammel, like last month, has been stellar and a very welcomed help into this starting rotation. Even though we've got some high ERA's we are still boasting the #1 or #2 rankings in runs allowed, strikeouts, homeruns allowed, and ERA...thank you mostly pen for that.

1. Jake Arrieta 8-6/101.2 IP/3.36 ERA/127k/1.23 WHIP
2. Jon Lester 7-4/99.2 IP/3.07 ERA/92k/1.08 WHIP
3. Kyle Hendricks 7-5/97 IP/3.53 ERA/52k/1.29 WHIP
4. John Lackey 4-5/82.1 IP/4.59 ERA/53k/1.30 WHIP
5. Jason Hammel 9-2/100.2 IP/1.88 ERA/112k/.99 WHIP

Pen:

LRP. Brandon Gomes 0-0/4.2 IP/3.86 ERA/4k/1.71 WHIP
LRP. Travis Wood 1-1/21 IP/5.14 ERA/16k/1.29 WHIP
MRP. Neil Ramierez 3-2/30 IP/3.30 ERA/38k/.97 WHIP
MRP. Justin Grim 1-1/15 IP/2.93 ERA/14k/1.30 WHIP
SU. Hector Rondon 2-2/39.2 IP/1.59 ERA/50k/.96 WHIP
SU. Adam Warren 3-1/58.2 IP/1.53 ERA/70k/.77 WHIP
CP. Pedro Strop 4-0/49.1 IP/1.46 ERA/75k/.77 WHIP

Our bread and butter, kind of odd to say considering in real life they have been the weakness of the Cubbies. Well, in this fake reality they are not doing half bad. Gomes is a complete mop up guy & he was moved up to the MLB by the CPU so I barely even use him. Wood used to be a middle reliever but after getting absolutely demolished once or twice I moved him to long relief. Neil Ramirez was beasting at the setup but I wanted to get Warren in there as he was doing better at the job. Neil is the type of guy i'll bring in for Hendricks or Lackey once they get into the 5th or 6th inning of work. Rondon and Warren are going crazy and I would honestly call them the three headed monster with Strop. When it's late in the game and I know i've got these three in the tank, my smile is ear to ear. Warren is currently #1 in voting for RP and Strop is currently #1 in voting for CP. I moved Strop to closer over Rendon last month after Rendon blew a couple of games. I feel Strop has better K potential and I like his delivery better.

NL Standings:

Cubs 49-29
Pirates 40-29
Cardinals 35-41
Reds 36-43
Brewers 32-45

Thoughts:

Overall we have maintained a nice 9.5 game lead in our division. I don't necessarily feel threatened by teams in our division, however, we have had a rough couple of series lately including losing 3/4 to Miami and currently 1/2 to Cincinatti to begin the series. It's hard to pinpoint an issue as both hitting and pitching has faltered, but we will find our way back. As for now I am content with the roster, but I am pondering deals including guys like Neil Ramirez, Gleybar Torres, Dan Volgelbach, & Arismendary Alcantara. Stay tuned for more updates, I'm thinking end of July at the trade deadline.