Game 64- Da Sweep

The Cubs completed their domination of the Cardinals with another trouncing, this time with a 5-1 win. KB looked sharp, getting several hits (despite playing on a kinda sprained ankle when running from first to second) and CarGo got his first home run as a Cub.

Can we just focus on CarGo for a second? This guy was a 3 time All Star but before the Cubs picked him up he was hitting .210 for the Indians and the Tribe outright released him. Much like the Cubs picking up Hamels, a change of scenery is what CarGo needed. He has been paying dividends in the outfield which is leading to some weird statistical anomalies like this might be only the third time in the last 70+ years the Cubs have fielded an all left handed outfield for an appreciable part of the season.

Aside from the hitting, Hendricks pitched another 1 run gem. The ESPN announcing crew said several times that Hendricks was Maddux-like and I have to agree with them. He is really painting the corners and get strike outs and contact outs in a manner very reminiscent of Greg. Hendricks and Hamels are the H&H team that is getting it done for the Cubs.

After a week of getting healthy at home, the Cubs travel to Colorado at the beginning of this week and then to the Dodgers at the end of the week. These are two very strong NL teams so it will be great to see how the Cubs stack up with potential playoff scenarios.

Cubs Games Watched: 10.5
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 54- Lights Out

The Cubbies came out swinging again and that made all the difference. Bryant and Schwarber both hit solo shots and Hendricks showed up again and shut down the Astros. Given that this may be a pseudo-World Series preview it was great to see the Cubs battle to shut the Astros down and the pitching limit the damage.

Listening on the radio you never got the sense that Cubs were going to score many runs in this which usually leads to an impending sense of doom but Hendricks was so on (8 innings pitched, 1 run, 1 walk) that it didn't really matter.

Given the travails of Darvish and Lester it great to see the rock of Hendricks living up to his extension and anchoring this rotation.

Cubs have an off day and then a series against the Cardinals, can't wait!

Cubs Games Watched: 9.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 34
Gave Up, Read BCB: 10.5

Game 51- Wheels Fall Off

I listened to the first 5 innings and things were going rather predictably against the Reds. Meaning... the Reds got up early and the Cubs bats were cold. I am not sure why the Cubs can't play well against the Reds (currently 2-4 against them) but the Reds have the Cubs number and unless the Cubs come out guns blazing it was going to be a long day.

I didn't listen to the remainder of the game and I am glad I didn't. First of all the game last 3 and a half hours and with the Cubs ultimately losing 10-2 I am happy I didn't have to suffer through all of that .

Speaking of suffering KB (playing the outfield, something I have NEVER agreed with) left the game injured and while the Cubs staff is playing coy with his condition, he did fly with the team to Houston so signs are hopefully positive.

Houston is a tip top team, hopefully the Cubs come to play.

Cubs Games Watched: 9.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 31.5
Gave Up: 10

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 42 - The KB Show

This post was going to be about yet another terrible outing from the bullpen. I think was I was overly harsh about Darvish's last start. 11ks is nothing to sneeze at and in reality it was the bullpen that let him down in that game. Sorry Yu.

I was going to have a similar post about last night's game against Washington. How a 5-2 lead isn't safe with this bullpen (and it isn't) but the simple fact of KB hitting 3 homeruns should be the main focus of this recap.

Cubs Insider has the recap of the third one and it is a beaut!

https://www.cubsinsider.com/2019/05/17/watch-kris-bryant-hits-third-home-run-of-the-game/

With 3 home runs last night Bryant jumped up to 19th place in the MLB tied with teammate Javy and is now in 17th place for RBIs. I realize in the Sabre-era these are old school stats but it shows you how hot Bryant has been given the absolute frigid start he had in April.

Oh also he is 10th in OBP, 14th in slugging leading to him being 9th in OPS. The guy is absolutely raking and when he has a game like he had last night, damn right it is all we are going to talk about!


Cubs Games Watched: 8.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 24
Gave Up, Red BCB: 9.5

Game 38- Bryant Business

5 homeruns in 8 games, that is KB's stat-line. Of course, his average has increased, his OBP has remained great and all of his stats have been raised up but ultimately chicks dig the long ball and KB has been hitting them in bunches.

Sure Lester pitched well and sure Baez had a great game but what this team has needed s'more is Kris Bryant playing well.  His defense has been good to very good. His plate discipline is top notch, the only thing that has been missing is the power and that has been coming back in waves.

With Bryant firing on all cylinders I think that sets up the Cubs for a continued run. They can certainly win without him but they are a WS series contender with him.

Cubs Games Watched: 8.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 21
Cubs Games Via BCB/CI: 8.5

Game 35- Bryzzo Business

Bryzzo is a fun combination of Bryant Rizzo. It is such a prevalent shortening of the two names based on their contributions that there are shirts:

https://www.mlbshop.com/mens-chicago-cubs-fanatics-branded-gray-bryzzo-souvenir-t-shirt/p-13428066559701+z-9566-409849578

Hats

https://www.12up.com/posts/5531028-every-cubs-fan-needs-this-awesome-bryzzo-souvenir-co-hat

Even coffee mugs

https://www.redbubble.com/people/stereotypicalts/works/27330770-bryzzo-for-president-make-america-cub-again?p=travel-mug

The reason for all this schwag is that they DO produce and against the Marlins they produced mightily. KB hit an awesome homer in the first and Rizzo followed with a homer in the fifth (driving in Bryant).

Can we also talk for a moment about how awesome KB is at walking? He has gotten on base in 19 consecutive games and a good part of that is definitely due to his ability to walk and get into scoring position.

In any event, Bryzzo is back in full effect, break out the coffee mugs and bring on the Brewers!

Cubs Games Watched: 7.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 21
Gave Up: 6.5

Game 33- Homers Club

Last season the Cubs lived and died on the homer. There were many games that a 1 run homer were all the Cubs could manage. Forget hitting, base running, etc. Were there any runners on when the inevitable homer was hit?

This season the Cubs are getting all types of hits and scoring in all types of ways. Still this game felt similar to last season. The Marlins were hitting here and there and the Cubs, well they were hoping something would click. Sac Fly to score Bryant (who it a doozy of a triple), homer by Almora.

Tonight was a night that I didn't mind the Cubs being a part of the Homers Club after Bryant hit this rocket against the wind (nonetheless!)

https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/1125963841102327808

Lester looked good although had his classic first inning almost-meltdown. The bullpen did its job holding the score to 2-2 through several innings.

After getting blown out in the first series, the Marlins decided to put up a fight and they are scrapping the hell out of this series. Still with KB at the bat, you can't stop him, you can only try to contain him. Cubs go for another series win tomorrow!

Cubs Games Watched: 7.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 19.5
Gave Up: 6

Game 31- Volleyball Hijinks

I think we are getting to the point where Contreras is getting into Mike Piazza territory. Great bat (home run in the second), very good offense (even throwing out an attempted steal!) and overall one of the true leaders on this team. Wilson is making an early All-Star case for sure.

The Cubs also looked great on defense, Zobrist had two great defensive plays and Baez was doing Baez things on sharply hit ground balls. Bote also had some great plays as well (Addison who?) and the Cubs really had the diamond on lockdown.

Q looked good as usual and Kintzler thankfully got out of a jam.

The Cubs kept dinking and dunking hits coupled with aggressive base running and bim bam boom the Cubs won 13-5. It didn't feel like a wipeout quite like the score indicated until KB stepped up and hit his grand slam but it was a great win nonetheless.

The Cubs have now come all the way back and are top of the division. Crazy times.

Cubs Games Watched: 7.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 17.5
Gave Up, BCB: 6

Game 26- Rispy Business

One of the best statistics in baseball is the RISP statistic. If you have runners in scoring position (2nd base or better), how often do you drive them in?

San Diego currently leads the MLB in RISP which, great for them. Now, let me see where the Cubs are on this list...

Hmm Top 10?

Nope.

Top 20? Keep looking!

Way down the list in 24th place are the Cubs. These are the same Cubs that are killing it in almost every single offense category.

The RISP chickens really came home to roost today with the team going 2-15 RISP. Most egregious was the 12th with bases loaded and NO OUTs.

Still, still the Cubs won. KB mashed another homer. Q looked good although was left in too long. Chatwood came up huge in a high leverage situation. There are so many positives to the Cubs right now but a glaring hole is their RISP.

Eventually the Brewers negative run differential caught up to them. I hope the Cubs RISP situation doesn't catch up them. Monday is an off day and then we are back at it, go Cubs!


Cubs Games Watched: 5.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 14.5
BCB'd It: 6.0

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 13- Solid Is Solid Does

Cubs getting out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning off of 2 home runs and a, GASP, KB hit? Solid.

Hamels pitching 8, EIGHT, innings and only giving up 1 earned run? Solid.

The bullpen giving up NO runs? Very Solid.

This game showed the power of the Cubs and why many preseason prognosticators picked them to be WS contenders. Hitting that will score 4+ runs a game. Pitching from the starters that will staunch the attack. The bullpen seems to have settled down some which makes the Cubs even that much more potent.

Also unheralded, the Cubs making less and less errors. It is almost like the first 10 games were an extended preseason which sucks because those games count but if that means the Cubs are turning a corner here then so be it.

Cubs Games Watched: 3.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 8
Bleed Cubbie Blue: 1.5

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.

Spring Training Game 9

The Battle of Chi-Town, Cubs vs White Sox. Yet all of this is taking place in Arizona of all places. The White Sox are slowly trying to build a "window" for winning but a few of their hot rookies have unfortunately been getting hurt. The Cubs meanwhile have a few draft picks making meaningful contributions to the squad but have mortgaged the rest of the farm for a win now "window".

This lineup is the closest we have seen to a MLB lineup so far. So given that, it no surprise that the Cubs won 13-4 scoring 10 runs in the first 3 innings. The Cubs were led by KB going 2-2 with 3 RBIs and Bote was no slouch either, with 3 RBIs.

Darvis looked really good throwing 3ks in 2 innings and said afterward that he was feeling really good and sharp. Good, this is exactly the type of game the Cubs needed after the Brewers loss. Explosive offense mixed with great pitching, well that is a recipe for success for any team.

Spring Training Game 1

Well well well, the Chicago Cubs are playing the first game of 2019, who is pumped?!?

The offseason has been, well, a little off-putting. Tons of relief arms added, no major free agent signings, Russell still on the team, etc. However, hope always springs eternal and as is the slogan of my family's team the Brooklyn Dodgers goes, "wait till next year".

Next year is this year and there is a lot to be hopeful for. This team was run ragged by the schedule, had a crazy amount of injuries (especially to Kris Bryant) and the team STILL won 95 games. With everyone rested and some starting pitching coming back healthy, big things could be in store for the Cubs.

The Cubs came out with a mix of the starters and the...not starters. Seriously, Adduci, Field, Tseng? Still, it will be interesting to see how these guys do but I am much more interested to see 1) Does KB look healthy and does Heyward look like a baseball player (not to bag on the guy but he is clearly the reason the Cubs didn't pursue Harper both salary-wise and positionally)?

Cubs 8 - Brewers 4

Well that was a heck of a start! KB went 2-2 with a HR and looked great!

https://www.mlb.com/cubs/news/kris-bryant-starts-spring-with-homer

Heywood was looking pretty good as well with a 1-2 start with a run. Tseng gave up 2 earned in 2 innings.

A whole bunch of bodies did things but honestly, first game of preseason, I am not going to develop any passion one way or another. Still, a win is a win, especially against the Brew Crew. 2019 is under way!