Counsell Manages Like It’s October Thanks to Starter-Relievers

What’s Happening with the Cubs Right Now?

Imagine you’re playing a truly important crippled of kickball astatine recess. Your squad is trying to marque it to the title tourney (the playoffs), and each crippled matters a full lot.

The Chicago Cubs are successful that nonstop spot close now! They’re warring to triumph their part (the NL Central) against the Milwaukee Brewers, portion besides keeping an oculus connected different teams similar the Phillies and Padres who privation the aforesaid playoff spots.

Why Sunday’s Game Was a Big Deal

The Situation:

• The Cubs were playing the Seattle Mariners
• They had conscionable taken the pb acknowledgment to a grand slam (a location tally with the bases loaded — the champion kind!) by Ian Happ
• But their starting pitcher, Shota Imanaga, was struggling

The Bold Move:
Manager Craig Counsell did thing you don’t spot each time — helium took Imanaga retired of the crippled super early, aft lone 6 outs (2 innings). This was the shortest commencement of Imanaga’s full career!

IMPORTANT POINT
In baseball, starters usually get much clip to "figure it out." But Counsell treated this regular-season crippled similar a playoff game — wherever each azygous retired matters and managers propulsion pitchers overmuch faster.

The Secret Weapon: "Length successful the Bullpen"

You mightiness wonder: "If you instrumentality your starter retired that early, who pitches the different 7 innings?"

Great question! This is wherever the Cubs’ special bullpen comes in.

What is "Bullpen Length"?

Think of the bullpen similar a squad of substitute players waiting connected the sidelines. Usually, these relievers lone transportation 1 inning each. But the Cubs person thing antithetic — pitchers who tin spell 3, 4, adjacent 6+ innings!

Counsell explained it perfectly:

"This is wherefore we person immoderate magnitude successful the bullpen. We tin bash things similar this with the magnitude successful the bullpen… We person innings to screen if the crippled goes wrong. We’ve got Colin [Rea] oregon Aaron [Civale] to cruise done the game."

How Did the Cubs Get So Many Long Relievers?

It happened successful 3 steps:

1. The Trade Deadline (July 31st) — The Cubs’ beforehand office, led by Jed Hoyer, traded for two top-tier starting pitchers
2. Roster Math — When you adhd caller starters, your aged starters person obscurity to go…
3. Creative Solution — So the Cubs moved those "extra" starters to the bullpen arsenic long relievers!

Meet the "Starters-Turned-Relievers"

Sunday’s Hero: Aaron Civale

After Imanaga left, Aaron Civale came successful and was amazing:

• 4 innings pitched
• 0 runs allowed
• Only 1 deed allowed
• Saved the remainder of the bullpen from overwork

Counsell called Civale’s show "the communicative of the game" — adjacent though the squad scored 19 runs and deed TWO expansive slams!

Civale’s stats since joining the Cubs are incredible:

• 1.80 ERA (earned tally mean — little is better)
• 20 innings pitched
• Part of past year’s playoff roster (pitched 4⅓ scoreless innings successful Game 1)

Why This Matters for October

Baseball playoffs are a totally antithetic game than the regular season:

By practicing this "playoff-style" managing NOW, the Cubs are:

1. Winning important games successful August/September
2. Building confidence successful their bullpen
3. Learning which pitchers they trust successful high-pressure spots
4. Saving their champion relievers for erstwhile it truly counts

IMPORTANT POINT
As Civale said: "There’s a batch of assurance being instilled. It’s conscionable taking the shot whenever you’re called upon and going retired determination and getting outs." That’s the mindset of a title team!

Summary

The Chicago Cubs are successful a choky playoff race, and manager Craig Counsell is managing each crippled similar it’s October. Thanks to astute trades astatine the deadline, the Cubs present person a bullpen afloat of pitchers who utilized to beryllium starters — guys similar Aaron Civale, Colin Rea, and Javier Assad who tin transportation aggregate innings. This "length" lets Counsell propulsion struggling starters aboriginal (like helium did with Shota Imanaga connected Sunday) without wrecking his bullpen. With much reinforcements coming backmost from wounded (Edward Cabrera, Ben Brown), the Cubs are gathering a playoff-ready pitching staff close earlier our eyes.

FAQ: Your Questions Answered

What does "quick hook" mean?

A: It’s erstwhile a manager takes the starting pitcher retired of the crippled very early — usually due to the fact that they’re struggling. Think of it similar a cook pulling a barroom retired of the oven earlier it burns!

What’s a "long reliever" vs. a regular reliever?

A: A regular reliever usually pitches 1 inning max. A agelong reliever tin transportation 3, 4, 5+ innings — basically, they’re starters hiding successful the bullpen!

Why did the Cubs commercialized for starters if they already had starters?

A: Good teams always privation much pitching. Injuries happen, pitchers struggle, and having excessively galore bully arms is ne'er a occupation — you conscionable determination the extras to the bullpen!

What’s the "NL Central" and "wild card"?

A:

• NL Central = One of 6 divisions successful shot (like a mini-league). Winner goes consecutive to playoffs.
• Wild Card = The 3 champion non-division-winners successful each league besides marque the playoffs. It’s the "backdoor" entry!

Can the Cubs really marque a heavy playoff run?

A: They person the pitching depth to bash it! In playoffs, pitching wins championships. With aggregate starters disposable arsenic relievers, Counsell tin lucifer up perfectly against immoderate opponent. But they inactive request to hit and play defense too!