What You Need To Know: Once again, the Cubs offense went Copperfield against a pitcher you were sure was straight out of the EA Sports Name Generator. This time it was a collection of whosits and whatnots, with Miguel Diaz exiting in the 3rd with an arm injury, followed by Craig Stammen (yes, still in the league), Ryan Buchter who can’t spell his last name correctly, and Phil Maton who still doesn’t use a razor to shave. The Cubs managed two hits off of them and their real relievers in Brad Hand and Brandon Mauer. Eddie Butler gave up only one run, but his command was certainly Pollock-esque which stretched the pen. Brian Duensing surrendered the tying run, and Koji Uehara the winning run in the 8th. And that’s all she wrote.
Next Level: It’s getting comical at this point. Essentially the game today boils down to Willson Contreras crushing balls on his last two at-bats. The first was run down by Franchy Cordero, which could have been a leadoff double or triple. The second, in the 8th, was snagged by Pirela, and would have at least been a single and might have been another double. Meanwhile, Spangenberg belches one over Russell’s head that gets knocked down by the wind to where Almora can’t get it, and that turns out to be the key hit of the game. It forced Uehara to load the bases to avoid Aybar and gave him no margin for error. He erred. Ballgame. It just seems to be going that way all the time now.
As for Butler, he just couldn’t seem to put anyone away today, even though his stuff looked lively. By my rough count, admittedly way rough, he had 26 pitches fouled off. That forced him to either come right down the heart of the plate to try and get more economical or move farther away and risk walks. Butler’s stuff appears to be really good but it doesn’t get past hitters. Coming into this only Montgomery had a lower swinging-strike rate than Butler as far as starters. And because he stays high in the zone, that contact isn’t turning into grounders but just fouls and more pitches.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one, but Ian Happ homered in an at-bat that didn’t get past the third pitch. Isn’t this the weirdest thing?
Justin Grimm was once again effective, getting out of the jam that Butler had created. If Montgomery has to stay in the rotation, and given the nature of Hendricks’s injury and murky reporting on it I’m going to guess he is, Grimm would be my suggestion as a multi-inning guy. There was a time when he got lefties out pretty consistently and he’s still got great stuff to slice through lineups if he ever puts it together. But I’ve been saying that last part for four years or so.
Top WPA Play: Happ’s homer in the 4th that gave the Cubs a two run lead. It’s Happ’s third homer to the opposite field out of the seven he’s hit from the left side. There’s some trivia for you. (+.235)
Bottom WPA Play: Uehara walking Torrens in the 8th to force in Myers. (-.232)
Missing the sweep sucks, but I suppose we should focus that the Cubs have won four of six and it has to start somewhere. Or something.
Onwards.
Lead photo courtesy Caylor Arnold—USA Today Sports