What You Need To Know: Here’s how you know the Cubs are going to win: at some point early in the game, they’re losing. That’s it. In eight of the Cubs last nine games, they were losing, then come back to win. (Yes, there was one they were losing and then lost, but that’s clearly […]
Category: Articles
Game 86 Recap: Cubs 8, Reds 7
What You Need to Know: The Cubs finally snapped their five-game losing streak against the dreaded Reds, but it wasn’t easy. Trailing 5-0 and 7-2 at different points of the game (and as late as the seventh inning), the offense and bullpen picked up Tyler Chatwood, scoring one in the sixth, one in the seventh, and […]
Game 85 Recap: Reds 3, Cubs 2
What You Need To Know: All good things must end. The Cubs six-game winning streak came to an end as Mike Montgomery couldn’t quite dance with Tyler Mahle on one of those strange summer days that’s warm but the wind howls in from the lake. And though the winds and air said “Do Not Enter,” the Cubs […]
Q And Hendricks Might Not Like The New Way
If you want to start worrying about the Cubs rotation, I’m going to give you permission to raise your threat level from green to orange. Not that you really know what that means, but it probably means adjusting in your seat. Jon Lester has been riding his luck and the Cubs defense, and you never […]
Game 84 Recap: Cubs 5, Tigers 2
There are many ways to celebrate Independence Day. Reciting the Declaration of Independence. Utterly misreading the lyrics to a Bruce Springsteen song. Or, if you’re Kyle Schwarber, dressing up as the inside of Wayne Messmer’s brain. But for today’s game, the Detroit Tigers were scheduled to start Francisco Liriano. Which meant that the Cubs would […]
Nico Hoerner Looks Impressive in His First Week as a Cub
When the Cubs selected Nico Hoerner with the 24th pick in the first round of this year’s draft, it was quite a surprise. Ranked in the 50s on most boards, the Cubs nevertheless selected the 6’1” shortstop from Stanford and signed him fairly quickly to a full slot first round value. That meant Cubs fans […]
Game 83 Recap: Cubs 5, Tigers 3
What You Need To Know: If you were hoping for an easy, I’ve-Figured-It-Out Kyle Hendricks ride, you didn’t get it. Hendricks got paper cut to death in the first, with only one hard-hit ball accounting for the two runs against. But he hung in there—which he’s basically been forced to do all season—didn’t pitch enough innings—which everyone […]
Third Time Hasn’t Been the Charm This Season for Cubs
Over the past few seasons, the Cubs’ offensive trademark has been their ability to wear down starting pitchers by grinding out at-bats early in the game and forcing the opposing pitcher to throw a high number of pitches. Even in games in which they didn’t score early, the Cubs maintained a confidence that they would […]
Happ, Heyward, and tough defensive choices that shouldn’t be
When Albert Almora Jr. is patrolling center, the Cubs outfield becomes a viscerally exciting thing to watch. Almora and Jason Heyward have made the spectacular happen on such a regular basis that even Jon Lester has told the media that he’s going to stop applauding them for good plays—most likely because he was in danger […]
Game 82 Recap: Cubs 11, Twins 10
What You Need to Know: I hope you brought your dancing shoes to this one, because the Cubs Hit Parade continued today, knocking Lance Lynn out of the game in a second inning that included a Jon Lester three-run shot to center and three consecutive RBI doubles by Anthony Rizzo, Javy Báez, and Kyle Schwarber. Ian […]