Games 62-63- Getting The Number

There are some teams that have the number of the Cubs. The Reds for one. But the Cubs have the number of other teams, namely the Cardinals. In this short weekend series the Cubs have dominated with pitching (Hamels pitching an absolute gem on Friday) and with hitting (the Cubs coming back from 4 runs to win 9-4).

Hitting home runs over the last few games is Javy and Kyle. The offense is definitely clicking as the team goes for the sweep today. Here is Cubs Insider's recap!

https://www.cubsinsider.com/2019/06/08/chicago-cubs-score-and-recap-6-8-19-cubs-9-cardinals-4-cubs-erase-early-deficit-to-pound-cardinals/


Cubs Games Watched: 9.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 36
BCB/CI: 17.5

Game 61- Meh

It never felt like the Cubs were in this one. Sure they got some timely hitting from KB leading to a RBIy from Javy but 1 run will not do it when the Rockies score 3.

That being said, it WASN'T a terrible pitching performance by Q, quite the contrary he looked sharp and didn't issue a walk in his almost 8 innings of work (yes a pitcher that lost 3-1 almost pitched a full 8 innings, such was the weirdness of this game).

I really don't have much to add on this one. The game really doesn't fit too neatly into the overall narrative for the baseball season or even within the recent arc of Cubs games. There are no broader trends here just a game that was a loss as the Cubs struggle to get any separation from the rest of the Central. The division will probably come down to the last week.

Cubs Games Watched: 9.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 36
BCB: 15.5

Game 47- Powerball

The Cubs seemingly had one goal last night. Get as many people on base as possible and then hope someone hits a home run. Down 3-0 Rizzo stepped up and hit a 3 run homer. 2 innings later, the Cubs loaded the bases and as soon as the announcing team stated that Almora has never had a grand slam, he hit one.

Capping everything off was Baez having a solo shot in the 7th meaning every single Cubs run was scored due to a home run.

I think what we have seen is the Cubs finding a way to win in a variety of circumstances. Earlier this year they have shown they can small ball the heck out of a team and now they are showing they can homer to death a team.

They needed all the homers they could get as Hamels basically threw an entire game's worth of pitches in the first 4 innings. Chatwood came in and got the W and looked sharp (except for the homer to McCutchen).

In the end though it is all about the dingers, er offense. The Cubs are averaging 5.38 runs a game which leads the NL (which is even more impressive that early in the season they were averaging 4 runs a game and middle of the pack). Last game against the Phils this morning/early afternoon!

Cubs Games Watched: 9.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 28
Gave Up Read BCB: 9.5

Game 46- By Gawd That's Baez Music

This game felt like a repeat of the several games that came before. Starting pitching gave the Cubs a chance to win.

The offense sputtered (with a similar RISP issue) but still the Cubs were leading going into the 7th.

Then of course the wheels came off with the bullpen giving up 2 in the seventh (on a single VERY similar to what happened in Game 45 with Realmuto).

I was sitting at home, listening to the game thinking, welp bullpen you have cost the Cubs yet another game. Joe Maddon looked at the clubhouse and saw hobbled superstar Javy Baez who raised up and defeated the Night King, err came in and got the winning hit!

Let's face it, the Cubs are grinding. So many close 1 run games recently. It sets your teeth on edge. But when you have KB running the base paths and Baez hitting you will win much more than you will lose. Rubber game today!

Cubs Games Watched: 9.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 27
Couldn't Do It: 9.5

Game 24- What Do You Do About A Problem Like Kyle

Al over at BCB brought up an interesting suggestion. Given that Kyle Hendricks is absolutely terrible in the first inning of games over the last two years, should the Cubs put out an opener (a pitcher who pitches the first few innings making way for the starter to go 5 or so)?

https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2019/4/27/18519599/cubs-diamondbacks-recap-kyle-hendricks-javier-baez-mlb-scores

On the one hand, once you go this direction, you may be permanently altering the confidence level of Kyle so if he goes back to starting the first inning as a regular starter it may make things even worse. On the other hand, there clearly is a mental block here and the Cubs need to win games (back to .500 after climbing all the way up from the basement). Complicating this is the Hendricks JUST signed an extension going into 2024.

Given all this, I say, stay the course, don't add in an opener at this point. After all, I don't trust the Pen enough to have a good opener anyway plus Kyle is around for awhile may as well try to make it work if at all possible.

What IS working is another Baez homerun. Selfishly, this continues to justify my recent purchase of a Javy jersey and now I am just on pins and needles wondering whether he and Theo can work out an extension.

I also over the moon that Bryant hit a home run in this game. On game one, I infamously said Bryant and Baez will be the new Bash Brothers and while it hasn't quite worked out that way so far, Bryant has the talent to be better than he and to be one of the best players in the league. I am rooting for him hard in order to get back to that level.

When the Cubs lose a game 8-3 there isn't too much to be said and one hopes the Cubs can come back on Saturday and Sunday and take the meatloaf. With Darvish going on Saturday, anything is possible (in the worst possible way) so we will see!

Cubs Games Watched: 5.0
Cubs Games Listened To: 13.0
BCB'd it: 6.0

Game 22- JavWard

This was a really weird night.

Hamels looked good but gave up 3 runs and threw a ton of pitches.

For most of the game Kris Bryant, yes that KB, actually was the best hitter by far.

The Dodgers looked like the Dodgers of last year.

All of that changed with a 3 run homerun by Javy and ANOTHER 3 run homerun by Heyward. These two guys are mashing taters and carrying the Cubs on their prodigious backs.

And of COURSE the bullpen gave up more runs making this game uncomfortably close.

First it was the offense carrying the team. Then it was the starting pitching carrying the team. Now it is down to Javy and Jason carrying the team. I can't wait for this Dodgers series to be over with. Tomorrow the Cubs go for the sweep, break out the brooms.

Cubs Games Watched: 5.0
Cubs Games Listened To: 13.0
Gave Up, BCB'd it: 4.0

All pictures used here are for news and/or commentary purposes only. All copyright is owned by their respective owners. 

Game 20- Hanging Tough

First of all, let's get this out of the way. Baez is having a HELL of year. Not only in this game where he hit a triple and was responsible for the only run in 8 innings but he was the winning run in the bottom of the ninth.

Not only that but let's pull out for a second. He is hitting .302 with 6 home runs and 17 RBIs. It just isn't hits as Javy's OBP is .333

Even better is Chatwood having 6 shutout innings and then everyone was on pins and needles about what would happen with the bullpen. Predictably a winning score became a tied score with the 'Pen giving up a home run but Baez had a great heads up running and Bote was a hero again bringing the Cubs level again on the season.

Despite the terrible bullpen I am so glad to see the Cubs battle back and take the meatloaf. They gotta keep grinding and winning the grind and then we might actually be getting somewhere.

Cubs Games Watched: 4.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 11.5
Gave Up: 4.0

Game 8- Its Not All Terrible

I mean of course the Cubs immediately went down 1-0 to the Brewers in the first inning with Hamels giving up a homerun to the VERY FIRST BATTER. I just don't even know what to say at this point. Hamels jersey number is 35. Will the Cubs only get 35 wins this season?

Amazingly, the Brewers pitching staff is as bad as the Cubs this day and Hayward hits a homer making it 2-1. I don't tend to do play-by-plays on this game summary but I find it interesting this is the first lead I can remember the Cubs having in weeks (note, the season is only one week old).

The game settles in to a back and forth with the Brewers hitting Hamels hard but with no break of the 2-2 deadlock. All of a sudden, the Cubs kept hitting and the pitching kept the Brewers at bay with Baez hitting a homer putting the Cubs up 5-2 and at the end of the 6th inning it was 7-2.

The callups from AAA were appropriately terrible but with Heyward leading the way with 2 HRs and 2 SBs (first time since 1906!) the Cubs put their foot on the pedal and won going away.

It wasn't perfect but after that last 6 game stretch, I will take it.

Watched Cubs Games: 2.5
Listened To Cubs Games: 5.5
Gave Up Bleed Cubbie Blue: 0

Game 1 - Bash Brothers

The Cubs went to Arlington Texas with a lot of question marks surrounding them. Would the hitting finally catch up to the pitching this year after falling off a cliff last year? Would the pitching now fall off the cliff with Lester getting older and seemingly a parade of relievers shuttling back and forth between AAA Iowa and Chicago?

Basically everyone thought the Cubs had the talent to be the best in the league but predictions varied wildly from winning the World Series to not even making the playoffs.

I would dare say a 12-4 shellacking of the Rangers was a hearty start to the season and now everyone has to be thinking of them as real contenders (I know, I know, 161 games to go this season).

The biggest takeaway from the game was the mashing of taters by Baez and Bryant. I think we have a new Bash Brothers on our hands here, I am calling it first! Baez hit 2 with 4 RBIs, Bryant hit 1 and came away with 3 RBIs.

Everyone hit as well (there were 13 hits overall) and even Heyward went 2 for 5.

On a slightly less positive note, Lester looked fine getting the W but not great. Strop and Montgomery combined to give up another 2 runs and the Cubs are counting on those guys to pitch clean sheets. At least Rosario made things happen with 2 Ks in 1 inning of work.

It is tough to quibble with a 12-4 stomping and with an off day tomorrow, I will be dreaming of victories this weekend in Texas.

This is Cubs Watch 2019, my blog attempting to watch every game of the Cubs in 2019 (something I haven't done, almost ever. So for each game I am going to let you know how I am doing on my quest.

Did I watch Game 1: No but listened on the radio.

Watched Cubs Game: 0
Listened to Cubs Game: 1
Ignored Everything and Read Bleed Cubbie Blue's Recap: 0

All pictures are used herein for news and commentary purposes only. All copyrights reserved to their respective owners.