Game 65- Yu Got Me

I feel like I am taking crazy pills every time Yu Darvish pitches. I watch him and he definitely has the stuff of a major league pitcher. Yet there seems to be something missing.

That missing component leads to lousy results and Yu has 8, count em, 8!, consecutive no decisions. That is crazy. Blah blah blah Coors Field, tough to keep leads yakkity smakitty but Yu was staked to a 4-0 lead off of a few Cubs homeruns.

After listening to the game, I go onto various Cubs fan sites (all excellent BTW) and I read things like "[Yu] threw very well despite allowing the four runs and two homers". Well, no he didn't if he is giving up those runs!

Sure we could talk about how the Cubs battled back and lost by a narrow 6-5 scoreline and we could talk about the offense continuing to do well but really I just can't figure out what to do about Yu. He drives me crazy and yet we are stuck with him for a long time. Do I hope that his stuff translates into wins? Surely but I almost don't want to follow the games he pitches anymore because I am just so perplexed about his talent vs. his results.

Welcome to life as a Cubs fan I suppose.

Cubs Games Watched: 10.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 37
BCB/CI: 17.5

Game 60- Foggy Hijinks

The game was foggy my friends and a weird one.

Both starting pitchers did great for the first 4 innings (yes even Darvish, I am giving you credit!). Then the wheels started falling off.

The Cubs scored 3 runs in the 5th and the teams combined to score 8 runs in the 6th inning. What was a 0-0 game ended up being a 9-8 Cubs win.

The hero of the game clearly was David Bote. 4 for 4 with 7 RBIs will put anyone into hero status. It was basically Bote vs. the Rockies and thankfully Bote came out on top.

News broke during the game that the Cubs signed Kimbrel as the lockdown reliever over the next 3 years. Given that the bullpen gave up 5 earned runs last night, this signing needed to happen.

Cubs Games Watched: 9.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 35
Cubs Games BCB'd: 15.5

Game 50- Offense Saves The Day

Yu Darvish didn't pitch great today (as ever pitched WELL this year?). He gave up 5 runs in 7 innings. Then because of Maddon's lack in faith in the bullpen (and who could blame him so far?) Darvish comes out in the 8 and gives up another home run leaving the game tied.

I want to step back for a moment about Yu because both BCB and Cubs Insider echoed Joe Maddon's comments that Yu pitched a gritty game and both websites framed it as he was rounding into form. I am sorry, I just can't buy that narrative.

Even if Yu pitches a good game, he does so infrequently and really you have zero idea on what is going to happen in any given start. It has gotten to the point where I assume the Cubs will lose during a Darvish start and am pleasantly surprised when they win and I haven't seen any indication he is "rounding into form".

Otherwise though the offense again bailed out the pitching having to score 2 runs in the 8th and 8 overall to do so but they did it. Major props go to KB and Almora for timely hitting and also Rizzo for two RBIs.

Until Maddon can figure out the bullpen and Darvish the hitters are going to have to, well, hit but Theo's maximum offense strategy in drafting is paying off here and keeping the Cubs afloat on top of the Central. The Cubs close out the Reds series today, hoping they win!

Cubs Games Watched: 11.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 29
Read The Web: 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

Games 39-40 Two Sides Of The Coin

What's good for the goose is good for the gander as the saying goes and the Cubs played a tight game against the Reds in game 39 of the season and Hendricks pitched a tight gem.

With Darvish on the mound for game 40, the Cubs also played a tight game but ultimately lost in extra frames.

What do we take from the first two games of the series? First the Central is a tough division and there is going to be no easy outs, no easy wins this year. If the Cubs are above .500 after playing the Central they have done well this year.

Secondly, I feel like sending Darvish out there is worse than a dice roll at this point. Its not that Darvish is pitching poorly but he just doesn't pitch. I feel like every fifth game is basically a loss but I don't know what the Cubs can do to correct this situation at this point.

Still, Cubs go for the rubber game tomorrow, go Cubs!

Cubs Games Watched: 8.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 22
Cubs Games via BCB: 9.5

Game 30- Scappy Doo

Look at those Cubs hitting singles, hustling on the base-paths, grinding on defense to keep the Cardinals from scoring despite having the bases loaded.

Look at those Cardinals stealing bases and getting put outs from their outfielders.

This was a scrappy game, the teams played small ball and long ball. The most thrilling moment had to be Davis (the backup backup catcher) hitting a grand slam to tie the game but I also really enjoyed the Cubs scuffing it around the bases trying to make things happen.

What I didn't enjoy was Yu Darvish.  If Maddon had too quick a hook in the early part of the season with Darvish he clearly left him in too long this game. Only by the skin of the teeth of the bullpen were they able to extract themselves from the mess Yu left them in.

Of course, it didn't matter in the end with Baez (who looked terrible much of the day) came through and hit a looooong homerun to put the Cubs up for good in the eight. 6 runs scored and the Cubs needed every single one two win 2 in a row against the Cards.

I don't know what the answer is regarding Yu but if the Cubs keep hitting and scrapping they are going to sweep this series.

Cubs Games Watched: 6.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 17.5
BCB: 6.0

Game 15- Getting Healthy Against AAAA

I swear, it seems like the Marlins are fielding a JV team nowadays. Jeter et. al. havre traded away all their blue chip players and that's left is arguably worse than the Cubs. This the perfect time for the Cubs to get healthy in the wins column.

Right on cue the Cubs score 3 in the first. This is the biggest X factor for the Cubs early in the season. If the pitching lets them down early the the offense has to press just to square things up.

Not that Yu (the greatest enigma of our times) didn't try his best to give the game back to the Marlins. Gives up a run there, ends the inning with the bases loaded there. The box score will show that Darvish got the W and giving up 2 earned runs in 5.2 innings pitched but one couldn't help but think the wheels were coming off slowly but surely.

The stats say, a fine start. The sound says Maddon pulled him before any more damage could be done.

Luckily this offense could bail out any pitcher with Baez going off for 3 hits and 2 runs scored and Contreras getting yet ANOTHER homerun.

The Cubs move to 6-9 and aren't in the basement of the Central. A sweep here could get them sniffing .500 and wouldn't THAT be a miracle given the start they had?

Cubs Games Watched: 4.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 9
Gave Up, BCB: 1.5

Game 11- Where Have Yu Gone, Darvish?

I don't know what of the following things is more depressing at this point:

1) The Cubs going down to an early deficit for the umpteenth time this season (3-0 after 3 this time)?

2) That Yu Darvish again looked, ok-ish? But in this league for his salary ok-ish isn't going to cut it. Oh, he is also 0-2 in 3 starts so far with a 7.50 ERA.

3) Or is it that Hayward is the best hitter on this team at this point? I mean, he should be and all but he is just MASHING it with a .371 average with 13 hits and 9 RBIs (I don't do advanced statistics here at Cubs Watch 19).

At least the bullpen isn't looking too shabby. The offense is looking great and getting contributions from unexpected sources but man the starting pitching, what to do with starting pitching.

Oh BTW, Lester is hurt and Chatwood is starting in his place. I am sure that will go well (what is the eyeroll emoji again)?

I want to be positive and I want every.single.Cubs.player to do well but this season has 500 written all over it unfortunately.

Watched Cubs Games: 2.5
Listened To Cubs Games: 7.5
Bleed Cubbie Blue Recapped it: 1.0

Game 2- Fast Fits and Starts

It is really easy to win a ballgame when you get 3 runs in the top of the first. Of course, it is also easy to lose if it you give up big numbers.

The Cubs started off as well as you could hope for. Baez singled home Bryant (get used to hear that) and Schwarber and Contreras also singled in runs and wham bam thank you ma'am you are up 3 nothing.

Couple that with another Contreras hit (this time a double, which he will do again later in the game) and the Cubbies are up 4-1. However, Darvish is going to Darvish and he ended up throwing 75 pitches and was pulled in the third inning after giving back 3 runs, 7 walks and making the lead a slim one.

Thankfully for Yu, Quintana came in to settle things down and Schwarber mashed a huge tater. It is interesting to see the offense bail out the pitching so far this season, last year was the polar opposite.

The pitching definitely didn't bail out the clubs in the later innings allowing 5 runs in the 7th and 8th inning. This all lead to a Cubs loss that was disheartening given how well the offense hit.

Watched Cubs Game: 0
Listened to Cubs Game: 2
Ignored Everything and Read Bleed Cubbie Blue's Recap: 0

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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 4

The big question mark going into today's game was one Mr. Yu Darvish. Yu signed a 6 year, $126M dollar deal (hatchi matchi!) and really hasn't delivered on the deal in any form due to his arm injury. Spring is a renewal of all things so will Yu-renew?

This lineup is slowly starting slowly resemble the regular season, how did everyone do? Well the catchers went a collective 0-3 with a walk so that's "good". Darvish gave up 2 runs and 4 walks in 1.1 innings of work. Also "good"! 

What is truly good is Almora who has been tearing it up this pre-season. So far he is averaging .400 with an OPS of 1.000 which is fantastic. Granted it is a small sample size but with the Cubs as offensively challenged as they were last year, anyone showing signs of hitting prowess needs to be cradled like a baby bird by this team.