The Pirates are only 2.5 back from the Cardinals going into this series, and I wouldn’t mind seeing that lead shrink even further with the Cubs help. It could be a tall order even with the Cubs help though, as the Cardinals are playing a team even worse than the Rizzo/Castro-less Cubs as they host Colorado in St. Louis. The …
Series Preview: Brewers (73-63) at Cubs (61-76)
The Brewers started the season scorchingly hot and had a 20-8 record on May 1. Since then they’ve gone 53-55, are currently riding a five game losing streak, and are now tied with the (ugh) Cardinals for the division lead. I think the Pirates end up taking the division by season’s end but that big lead the Brewers built early …
Soler ————> Cubs
Per David Kaplan on CSN, Jorge Soler is being called up and will join the team for this week’s series in Cincinnati. I’m guessing Justin Ruggiano will be put on the DL in the corresponding roster move. It’s been a given for some time that Soler was going to be called up in September anyway, since he’s already both on …
Series Preview: Tampa Bay Rays (55-59) at Javier Baez (2-1)
It’s hard to believe the Rays were ahead of the Cubs in the Race To The Top earlier this year. They take on the Javier Baez and the Baezettes in a weekend series in Wrigley that may or may not see a surge in ticket sales. Team Overviews (respective league ranks in parens) Rays wRC+: 105 (5th) UBR: 8.1 (2nd) …
Series Preview: Javier Baez (0-0) at Colorado Rockies (44-67)
The Cubs continue their western road trip with another key series in the Race to the….oh who cares, we’re just tuning in to see Baez, and Baez at Coors Field at that. Aisle424 wrote a great piece this morning on the callup and what it means for the fans and the process. Team Overviews Cubs wRC+: 88 (12th) UBR: 5.7 …
Javier Baez —————–> Cubs
The twitters were churning this afternoon after this tweet from Javy Baez’s brother: Congrats to my brother @javy23baez on getting called up! Welcome to the show baby!! — Gadi Baez (@OMGADI) August 4, 2014 No confirmation from Jim Bowden this time, but Bruce Levine later confirmed it on The Score Cubs source confirms Javier Baez to join team in Colorado …
Series Preview: Chicago Cubs (45-62) at Los Angeles Dodgers of Los Angeles (62-47)
It’s Vin Scully week! Even better, we’ll get another Vin Scully week next year, as he returns for his 66th season broadcasting Dodgers baseball. @CeeAngi did a great piece on Scully’s process and career last month, which is worth a read (or re-read). The Dodgers were in on a bunch of players at the deadline, but didn’t end up making …
Series Preview: Rockies (43-61) at Cubs (42-61)
With a 42-61 record, the Cubs are now in last place in the National league, a half game back from their opponent this series. The Rockies actually started off the season fairly well, thanks to an All-World performance by marketing departmental bane Troy Tulowitzki, and were tied with the Giants for first place in the NL west on May 7 …
Series Preview: Cardinals (54-47) at Cubs (41-59)
The Cubs worked on racing to the top in their last series, winning one of three against the Padres with a combined score of 12-21. Giving up an average of seven runs a game to this year’s historically bad Padres offense is pretty impressive. Though to be fair in the last game, to quote MO, “Padres could turn their backs, fart …
Series Preview: Padres (43-55) at Cubs (40-57)
Since leaving for my summer travels*, the Cubs have gone 2-10, pushing their run differential from around even to today’s -38. Oh well, at least the Cubs minor league bats have been hitting. I chatted with a Padres fan at a SFO bar who was glum about his team and seemed to think the Cubs beat up in them recently …