It’s been a rough go of it for the Nats this year, just won their first series in over a month. Former Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez doesn’t seem to have brought that Joe Maddon magic along with him, and every new team that comes into DC has to be double checking wikipedia before the series to see if he’s …
Series Preview: St Louis Cardinals (20-11) at Chicago Cubs (16-12)
The Cubs have caught fire over the past few weeks, but the same can be said for the Cardinals. Their offense (112 wRC+) has been on par with the Cubs (114 wrC+), but their pitching staff has been a dumpster fire. Their starters sport a 4.47 ERA, which is slightly worse than average, but that masks an absurd 81.5% strand …
Series Preview: Chicago Cubs (12-11) at Arizona Diamondbacks (15-11)
The Cubs head to the desert, which is feeling especially desert-like already (high of 101 forecast for today). Since this is one of my two ‘local’ teams I’m out here to catch a few games and see some locals that I know. Thank the maker that (insert bank here) Park is air conditioned. The Cubs just saw the Dbacks last …
Series Preview: Los Angeles Dodgers of Los Angeles (15-9) at Chicago Cubs (10-10)
The Cubs have feasted on a couple of mediocre to bad teams over the past week or so, but now get to face arguably the best team in the NL. They just took three of four in Milwaukee, knocking around Josh Hader for not one but two lead-changing home runs. Team Leaders I’m switching to 2019 numbers now, though small …
Series Preview: Chicago Cubs (5-9) at Miami Marlins (4-12)
Well, at least Chatwood didn’t start after all. The Cubs take a brief break from their homestand for a three game series with the Marlins, who seem to be on track to be a new calibration point for the concept of replacement level. Still, it always seems like weird things happen in Miami, even when you leave their home run …
Cubs 2, Pirates 0 and mini-preview: Anaheim Trouts of Disneyland (7-6) at Chicago Cubs (4-8)
OSS: Cubs eke one out in the rain Three up: Jose Quintana had one of his best starts as a Cub, striking out eleven batters in seven shutout innings. It’s especially good to see given how much of a disaster his last start was. Even better, he only issued one walk. Daniel Descalso had the big hit of the night, …
Series Preview: Pittsburgh Pirates (5-3) at Chicago Cubs (2-7)
Well, that road trip is over with. Hopefully the Cubs can get a fresh start now that they are finally at their homes for the first time in two months. At least the Brewers final felt like a regular loss instead of yet another back-breaking loss. Team Leaders I’ll use the teams’ 2018 numbers here (excluding injured/departed players), since looking …
Series Preview: Chicago Dumpster Fire (1-5) at Milwaukee Brewers (6-1)
Well that sucked. I’m not even jazzed enough to joke about this being the real Cubs home opener. The Brewers have gotten off to a hot start, full of dramatic walk off hits/catches and all the other fun things that the 2016 Cubs seemed to have from the get go. The Cubs meanwhile have gone from a team that certain …
Series Preview: Chicago Cubs (0-0) at Texas Rangers (0-0)
The crack of the bat! the roar of the crowd! Baseball’s back at WYNX WSCR. *waves tiny flag* It will be great to have Pat Hughes back in my earballs, no matter how ambivalent I feel about the upcoming season. At least with my win prediction in the podcast that ones of you likely listened to, I have seized the …
Wild Card Preview: Colorado Rockies (91-72) at Chicago Cubs (95-68)
At least the Cubs didn’t draw the Dodgers in this one, Kershaw or no Kershaw, and they don’t have to travel yet again. We can only hope the Cubs don’t feel the same frustration and cynicism about being stuck in this position that many of us do at home. I guess we can always point to the 2006 Cardinals. It’s …