After a personal hiatus from all things writing, what better way for me to get back into the saddle than to focus on the primary object of my affection: Javier Baez? The Cubs’ infielder has given us no shortage of things to talk about (some of which he’s responsible for and some of which he’s […]
Category: Articles
Game 14 Recap: Cubs 14, Braves 10
What You Need to Know The Cubs fell behind 10-2 after Jose Quintana couldn’t make it through the third inning. But a nine-run eighth punctuated an improbable comeback. Next Level Many moons ago, in the first inning of this long, stupid game, Albert Almora Jr. hit a solo home run that looked like it took […]
Game 13 Recap: Braves 4, Cubs 0
The fifth inning was what decided the game, with all four runs coming in the top half. Aníbal Sánchez kept the Cubs quiet through six innings and the Braves bullpen held on, giving the Cubs their third shutout on offense on the young season. What You Need to Know: Both teams were slow out the gate, […]
Game 12 Recap: Pirates 6, Cubs 1
What You Need To Know: Justin Wilson reverted to Justin Wilson-ing in the seventh, after the lovely two week vacation we got from that to start the season. He was walk-happy, and by the time he realized he had to come over the plate, Francisco “I’ma Turn Into Johnny Bench’s And Carlton Fisk’s Lovechild For This Series” […]
Jose Albertos Has a Rough and Short Debut
Between extended spring training and Eugene, Jose Albertos pitched a little over 60 innings in 2017. That beats the four total innings he threw in 2016. And just based on those 4 innings, he skyrocketed up many prospect lists. I watched Albertos pitch every home start for Eugene in 2017. He worked on developing his […]
Game 11 Recap: Cubs 13, Pirates 5
Fresh off hitting two home runs in yesterday afternoon’s home opener, Javier Baez took to Twitter to keep the good news going. He announced his engagement to his now-fiance, Irmarie Márquez, who is currently pregnant with the couple’s’ first child. On the field tonight Baez made sure the good times kept coming by hitting another […]
Game 10 Recap: Pirates 8, Cubs 5
At what point does it no longer become cute and cuddly that the Pittsburgh Pirates are flying the Jolly Roger atop the National League Central? The answer to that question can probably start with the agreement that such a point occurs well after the tenth game of the season. Still, though, in an offseason that […]
Yu Through Two Starts
It’s difficult to write meaningfully about early season performances in baseball. Sample sizes are too small to draw any sweeping conclusions: the Dodgers are 3-6; the Pirates are 7-2. But on the pitching side of things, results aside, it only takes one or two starts to get some pretty interesting—if not predictive—pitch data. So, because […]
Game 9 Recap: Cubs 3, Brewers 0
No matter what Gleyber Torres does in the future, the trade for Aroldis Chapman has been forever legitimized thanks to a magical night in Cleveland in November 2016. Jose Quintana—at least until he similarly has a World Series title to celebrate with the Cubs—doesn’t have the same luxury. With every 972-ft home run Eloy Jimenez hits, the […]
Game 8 Recap: Cubs 5, Brewers 2
What You Need to Know After the Cubs’ late-game, defensive breakdown last night, the Brewers had a breakdown of their own. Two errors in the ninth allowed the Cubs to come back for four runs, though Chicago only hit one ball out of the infield in the inning. Yu Darvish was excellent, and Kris Bryant […]