OT: Raise the Jolly Roger: New season of plundering begins

[sovietsanta87]

The biggest thing that frustrates me about the outfield is that Shelton isn't using Olivares as an everyday player like he should be. He has only started 25 of 45 games at this point despite hitting the ball really well (.727 OPS and 5 HRs after today).

Is he good defensively in RF? Not really, but it's inexcusable he's not an everyday player with how the offense is struggling.

Especially since none of our outfielders are particularly good defensively.

 

[sovietsanta87]

Wow. Shelty really sitting Oliveras and starting Jackkkk

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Yeah, seems like today's loss will be brought to you by spots 6-9 of the order.

We'll see. We need some momentum moving, so it's hard not to feel some level of optimism when you have a win in your pocket, need some momentum, and have Skenes starting for you. The top of the order needs to show up and damage Hendricks today.

 

[BusinessGoose]

I'm interested to see Skenes again, see if it was just jitters on the first start

 

[Scandale du Jour]

Took the afternoon off to watch Skenes, he better deliver

 

[ImporterExporter]

If he gets rocked again, can't wait to see the Fandom and writers subsequently.

 

[Empoleon8771]

If he gets rocked again, can't wait to see the Fandom and writers subsequently.

How was Skenes "rocked" in his first outing?

 

[MrBrightside]

How was Skenes "rocked" in his first outing?

I was about to ask that as well. But shitting on everything is his current shtick, much as being irrationally optimistic a few years ago was this shtick then.

 

[WickedWrister]

Lmao Cutch

 

[Empoleon8771]

I was about to ask that as well. But shitting on everything is his current shtick, much as being irrationally optimistic a few years ago was this shtick then.

Yeah he was definitely a bit wild and "throwing" it more than "pitching" it, but he was absolutely not rocked in any way. Had Nicolas not walked like 5 straight batters, he would have finished that day with 1 earned run in 4 innings pitched.

Anyway, 3 strikeouts on 13 pitches in the 1st inning for Skenes today. Looks much more controlled today than he did in his first start.

 

[WickedWrister]

Skenes absolutely filthy

 

[sovietsanta87]

I hope everyone takes a page out of Joe’s book and looks to hit the ball the opposite way

 

[Empoleon8771]

104 MPH EV on that Gonzales groundout. Unfortunately went right to the SS, but that's the kind of hard contact Gonzales needs to continue having.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

Skenes absolutely filthy

Electric stuff is indeed electric.

 

[MrBrightside]

He won't throw enough pitches to do this, but I recall a Friday afternoon at Wrigley when Kerry Wood struck out 20...I think around 1997. This looks similar.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

The ump has made Skenes throw like 10 extra pitches already because he apparently has no idea where somebody's knees are.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Skenes legitimately has three plus-plus pitches between his fastball, slider and sinker/splitter. They just work so well off of each other and have just a big enough velocity difference to consistently mow down batters.

 

[WickedWrister]

I had to google it... "Camilo Pascual holds the MLB record for most strikeouts to start a game with 15, which he achieved in 1960 while pitching for the Washington Senators against the Boston Red Sox."

 

[Empoleon8771]

Holy crap Tellez got a hit!

 

[td_ice]

Good lord this is fun to watch. ( Skenes has K'd the 1st six Cubs.)

Please get this man some runs.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Nice Triolo HR!

 

[Scandale du Jour]

Boooom!

 

[WickedWrister]

BIG TREE

 

[Empoleon8771]

Hell yeah another double for Gonzales. I think he might have finally arrived for real.

 

[ImporterExporter]

Gonzales hits the ball hard because he has a very fast swing. Bat speed was lauded coming out and it was just a matter of him finding a better consistency against the spinning stuff. If he can do that moving forward, he's a regular because when he does make contact, it's often loud.