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Cusecards wrote: ↑08 Jul 2025 08:28 am Good points.
I think the Cards have the potential to be a division winner but they certainly have a ways to go.
And while I get frustrated on a day to day basis I’m trying to adjust my expectations and remember that this is an evaluation season.
I have my fingers crossed that Herrera is emerging as a core middle of the order bat.
Same possibility with Burleson.
Pretty shaky on Walker/Gorman.
More optimistic on Scott.
Excited about Crooks/Bernal and very excited about Wetherholt.
Time will tell.

blackinkbiz wrote: ↑08 Jul 2025 08:47 am

Cusecards wrote: ↑08 Jul 2025 08:28 am Good points.
I think the Cards have the potential to be a division winner but they certainly have a ways to go.
And while I get frustrated on a day to day basis I’m trying to adjust my expectations and remember that this is an evaluation season.
I have my fingers crossed that Herrera is emerging as a core middle of the order bat.
Same possibility with Burleson.
Pretty shaky on Walker/Gorman.
More optimistic on Scott.
Excited about Crooks/Bernal and very excited about Wetherholt.
Time will tell.

If all the hitters are healthy and playing at least at their career norms with Gorman hitting 25 bombs and if Walker could just do what he did 2 years ago, this offense can hang with most clubs. Not the record-shattering pace the Cubs are on, but most clubs.

But ... Fedde and Mikolas falling off the map as we all suspected they would is a dagger. McGreevy's got to earn at least a 2 WAR from here till season's end, but then you're still counting on at least one of Pallante or Mikolas to find some better version of themself.

That's a lot of ifs and buts ... albeit it's possible. Anything can happen over 70 games including the Cubs falling back to earth as I just don't see how it's possible to keep up that pace.

They have at LEAST 3 players who's first half of 2025 are better than any previous full year's production. Like ... what? That just doesn't happen in MLB, especially not this day and age of the pitcher.

blackinkbiz wrote: ↑08 Jul 2025 08:47 am

Cusecards wrote: ↑08 Jul 2025 08:28 am Good points.
I think the Cards have the potential to be a division winner but they certainly have a ways to go.
And while I get frustrated on a day to day basis I’m trying to adjust my expectations and remember that this is an evaluation season.
I have my fingers crossed that Herrera is emerging as a core middle of the order bat.
Same possibility with Burleson.
Pretty shaky on Walker/Gorman.
More optimistic on Scott.
Excited about Crooks/Bernal and very excited about Wetherholt.
Time will tell.

If all the hitters are healthy and playing at least at their career norms with Gorman hitting 25 bombs and if Walker could just do what he did 2 years ago, this offense can hang with most clubs. Not the record-shattering pace the Cubs are on, but most clubs.

But ... Fedde and Mikolas falling off the map as we all suspected they would is a dagger. McGreevy's got to earn at least a 2 WAR from here till season's end, but then you're still counting on at least one of Pallante or Mikolas to find some better version of themself.

That's a lot of ifs and buts ... albeit it's possible. Anything can happen over 70 games including the Cubs falling back to earth as I just don't see how it's possible to keep up that pace.

They have at LEAST 3 players who's first half of 2025 are better than any previous full year's production. Like ... what? That just doesn't happen in MLB, especially not this day and age of the pitcher.

sikeston bulldog2 wrote: ↑08 Jul 2025 08:52 am

blackinkbiz wrote: ↑08 Jul 2025 08:47 am

Cusecards wrote: ↑08 Jul 2025 08:28 am Good points.
I think the Cards have the potential to be a division winner but they certainly have a ways to go.
And while I get frustrated on a day to day basis I’m trying to adjust my expectations and remember that this is an evaluation season.
I have my fingers crossed that Herrera is emerging as a core middle of the order bat.
Same possibility with Burleson.
Pretty shaky on Walker/Gorman.
More optimistic on Scott.
Excited about Crooks/Bernal and very excited about Wetherholt.
Time will tell.

If all the hitters are healthy and playing at least at their career norms with Gorman hitting 25 bombs and if Walker could just do what he did 2 years ago, this offense can hang with most clubs. Not the record-shattering pace the Cubs are on, but most clubs.

But ... Fedde and Mikolas falling off the map as we all suspected they would is a dagger. McGreevy's got to earn at least a 2 WAR from here till season's end, but then you're still counting on at least one of Pallante or Mikolas to find some better version of themself.

That's a lot of ifs and buts ... albeit it's possible. Anything can happen over 70 games including the Cubs falling back to earth as I just don't see how it's possible to keep up that pace.

They have at LEAST 3 players who's first half of 2025 are better than any previous full year's production. Like ... what? That just doesn't happen in MLB, especially not this day and age of the pitcher.

Good points. But it does all come together on a winning year. Next year, after a great 2025, the Cubs will not repeat.

The fact that our team is as close to the blazing Cubs bodes well for the reset and hence the future.

Basil Shabazz wrote: ↑08 Jul 2025 08:09 am If you know the stat WPA(Win Probability Added), then this should be pretty impactful. If you don't know WPA, here is the definition:

Win Probability Added (WPA) in MLB measures the extent to which a player's actions impact their team's chances of winning a game, taking into account the game's context (score, outs, runners on base, etc.). It essentially quantifies how "clutch" a player is, as it focuses on how much a player's performance changes the likelihood of their team winning.

Herrera's current WPA is 2.4. That ranks him 8th in MLB behind Ohtani 4.0, Judge 3.4, Alonso, 3.4, J. Woods 3.3, Raleigh 3.0, Tucker 2.9, and W. Smith 2.8. That is excellent company.

For a team void of much HR and gap power, Herrera was a pretty big deal for the 2025 Cards, and his absence has been felt. Our next highest WPA is Pozo at .8, Burleson .7, and Contreras .6.

Winn is a -1.2, Pages is a -1.1, and even Donny is a negative .3.

I don't know what position Herrera ends up playing, but his bat needs to be in the lineup daily. I hope he isn't a player that is out frequently w/ health issues.

Another interesting Herrera stat.

As Catcher - 54 PAs 6/15 .388 .444 .796 1.24
As DH - 116 PAs 2/21 .290 .371 .410 .781

rockondlouie wrote: ↑08 Jul 2025 12:38 pm Sure hope C. Bloom instructs his new manager/coaches to give him an OF'ers glove and (if retained) has J. Jay work w/him all winter and in STing.

I've said since last season they need to convert him into a LFer.

Sure hope it happens and he does no worse than makes the routine plays.

Hererra in the OF would give them their first impact OF bat since M. Holliday.

Talkin' Baseball wrote: ↑08 Jul 2025 12:43 pm

rockondlouie wrote: ↑08 Jul 2025 12:38 pm Sure hope C. Bloom instructs his new manager/coaches to give him an OF'ers glove and (if retained) has J. Jay work w/him all winter and in STing.

I've said since last season they need to convert him into a LFer.

Sure hope it happens and he does no worse than makes the routine plays.

Hererra in the OF would give them their first impact OF bat since M. Holliday.

Preach it brother!

Basil Shabazz wrote: ↑08 Jul 2025 08:09 am If you know the stat WPA(Win Probability Added), then this should be pretty impactful. If you don't know WPA, here is the definition:

Win Probability Added (WPA) in MLB measures the extent to which a player's actions impact their team's chances of winning a game, taking into account the game's context (score, outs, runners on base, etc.). It essentially quantifies how "clutch" a player is, as it focuses on how much a player's performance changes the likelihood of their team winning.

Herrera's current WPA is 2.4. That ranks him 8th in MLB behind Ohtani 4.0, Judge 3.4, Alonso, 3.4, J. Woods 3.3, Raleigh 3.0, Tucker 2.9, and W. Smith 2.8. That is excellent company.

For a team void of much HR and gap power, Herrera was a pretty big deal for the 2025 Cards, and his absence has been felt. Our next highest WPA is Pozo at .8, Burleson .7, and Contreras .6.

Winn is a -1.2, Pages is a -1.1, and even Donny is a negative .3.

I don't know what position Herrera ends up playing, but his bat needs to be in the lineup daily. I hope he isn't a player that is out frequently w/ health issues.

Another interesting Herrera stat.

As Catcher - 54 PAs 6/15 .388 .444 .796 1.24
As DH - 116 PAs 2/21 .290 .371 .410 .781