I can see 2 of 3 in Chicago...then 1-2 against the Marlins to close it out. That feels on brand for this team.
It's maddening because when things are clicking this team has a ceiling as high as pretty much anyone out there. But good gracious the floor is deep down in the basement for this team too.
Inconsistency has plagued this team in all aspects. Hitting - we get super hot and lead all of baseball for 2 or 3 weeks, then have a 2 or 3 week stretch where we are the worst hitting team in the sport. No middle ground. Alonso is white hot, then he looks lost. Alvarez spends half the season flailing away at everything, then turns it on. Lindor is burning hot, ice cold, then hot again. Nimmo is solid then goes on about the worst streak of his career. Vientos is horrible, then flashes dominance, now fades away again.
Then pitching is the same, best ERA in the majors after maybe a month or so in, Senga tops in baseball...no he's in the minors. Peterson is an All Star first half, 5+ ERA second half. Manaea dominates for 2 innings, get shelled in the 3rd. Defense can be sparkling, we've seen Pete make some great plays at 1st, Lindor flash gold glove ability, Taylor or Cedric make stellar plays...then Siri and Cedric take horrible angles to balls, drop balls, Lindor has catchable balls glance off his glove, Pete throws the ball away on routine tosses...just wildly inconsistent.
I'd be stunned if Mendoza is back next year if we miss the playoffs. Someone has to take the fall and a month or 2 ago I wasn't really questioning him at all, today I can't say that anymore. Some of his decisions with the staff and bullpen management leave me wondering what we are doing.
It's maddening because when things are clicking this team has a ceiling as high as pretty much anyone out there. But good gracious the floor is deep down in the basement for this team too.
Inconsistency has plagued this team in all aspects. Hitting - we get super hot and lead all of baseball for 2 or 3 weeks, then have a 2 or 3 week stretch where we are the worst hitting team in the sport. No middle ground. Alonso is white hot, then he looks lost. Alvarez spends half the season flailing away at everything, then turns it on. Lindor is burning hot, ice cold, then hot again. Nimmo is solid then goes on about the worst streak of his career. Vientos is horrible, then flashes dominance, now fades away again.
Then pitching is the same, best ERA in the majors after maybe a month or so in, Senga tops in baseball...no he's in the minors. Peterson is an All Star first half, 5+ ERA second half. Manaea dominates for 2 innings, get shelled in the 3rd. Defense can be sparkling, we've seen Pete make some great plays at 1st, Lindor flash gold glove ability, Taylor or Cedric make stellar plays...then Siri and Cedric take horrible angles to balls, drop balls, Lindor has catchable balls glance off his glove, Pete throws the ball away on routine tosses...just wildly inconsistent.
I'd be stunned if Mendoza is back next year if we miss the playoffs. Someone has to take the fall and a month or 2 ago I wasn't really questioning him at all, today I can't say that anymore. Some of his decisions with the staff and bullpen management leave me wondering what we are doing.
