Just check these output speeds:
Five bullets over 99 MPH, ten bullets over 90 MPH. He was hit with some Bad luck, no doubt, but anyone watching this game knows that he left one too many on the plate and was punished for it. It happens. He’s just going to have to move on from this one.Of course, what Chatwood did tonight hardly mattered, as Royals starter Brad Keller was making Cubs hitters silly. He ended up only finishing 5.0 innings, but was out after just 75 throws on his debut in 2020 (he missed the first two weeks of the season after testing positive for COVID-19).
Nico Hoerner had a chance to get the Cubs back into the game with the bases loaded and two strikeouts at the top of the 4th inning, but he watched a meatball fly down the middle at 3-1 and ultimately made weak contact on what should have been bullet four. That was about it for the Cubs attack (until some trash spilled on top of the 9th).
After Hoerner’s exit, David Ross replaced some regulars with his reserves on the bench and the game continued to spiral out of control after that (Duane Underwood Jr. was not very relieved).
On the bright side, Ryan Tepera looked pretty good tonight and Dan Winkler looked good until Jorge Soler crushed a hanging break ball for his third homer of the season, making it 12-0 Royals.
And yet, none of the above was the most notable part of the game. That honor is reserved for Craig Kimbrel, who entered the bottom of the 8th inning of a 12-0 game and immediately gave up a triple. rocket (106 mph), a walk and a single RBI, before getting his three withdrawals. On the bright side, he didn’t get one, but TWO swings on his curveball, both of which ended in strikeouts (one strikeout and one groundout) … although he threw seven by my count. , so I think it’s 2 out of 30 swings for the year. Progress?
ANOTHER BATTERY HAS SWAGED ON A CRAIG KIMBREL CURVEBALL in 2020 AND IS LACKING. AND YOU THINK THIS GAME WAS A SNOOZEFEST.
– Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) August 7, 2020
Let’s call it progress.
At least the Cubs scored a couple in the 9th….
Score from the full box.