Theo Epstein said it would be a wild Winter Meetings. And Tuesday was exactly that for the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs made two significant moves and they are reportedly not done. The Cubs signed Ben Zobrist to a four-year contract and traded Starlin Castro to the Yankees for RHP Adam Warren and a PTBNL. Joe Maddon has more hardware for his trophy case. Baseball America named Maddon its Major League Manager of the Year and Maddon won the MLB Esurance Award for Manager of the Year. Maddon … [Read more...]
Cubs 2015 Position Review – Bullpen
In our last installment, we analyzed a starting pitching staff that despite a lack of depth was one of the best in all of baseball. While their accomplishments were impressive, what may be even better was a bullpen that finished eighth in overall ERA at 3.38 with 20 pitchers and two position players making at least one appearance. Let’s take a look back at the Cubs patchwork bullpen. Much like last year, the bullpen was again headlined by three pitchers, Hector Rondon, Pedro Strop and Justin … [Read more...]
The Daily CCO: Playoff Baseball Returns to Wrigley Field and Other Cubs News
It’s a full day of post-season baseball, a quadruple header starting at 12:07pm CDT with Game 4 between the Astros and Royals. Houston leads the series 2-1 and will look to advance behind Lance McCullers. The Rangers are up 2 games to 1 over the Blue Jays and will look to close out the series with Derek Holland on the hill (3:07pm CDT). It should be rather interesting at Citi Field on Monday night as the Mets and Dodgers square off in Game 3 starting at 7:37pm CDT. Matt Harvey faces Brett … [Read more...]
The Daily CCO: It’s Time for the NLDS and Other Cubs News and Notes
Friday is a full day of playoff baseball. All four division series play today beginning with Game 2 of the Rangers and Blue Jays series (11:45am CDT). The Royals will try to even the best of five series with the Astros starting at 2:45pm CDT. And the day will conclude on the West Coast (8:45pm CDT) with the Mets and Dodgers. The Cubs and Cardinals meet in the post-season for the first time. And the two longtime rivals kick off the best of five series at 5:45pm CDT with Jon Lester on the hill … [Read more...]
Cubs 2015 Regular Season Highlights – June and July
The Cubs played good ball in June and July while hovering around the five-game over .500 mark. The Cubs could not get over the hump until a series in late July in Milwaukee. Jake Arrieta found a groove and started an incredible run while Jon Lester also settled in with his new team. Balls started leaving the park on a regular basis, but the offense still lacked a bat. The front office made the call and Kyle Schwarber made his Major League debut in June. Schwarber was optioned down to Iowa … [Read more...]
The Daily CCO: Wild Card Game Still Possible at Wrigley and Other Cubs News
Seven of the 16 games on what could be the last day of the baseball season have playoff implications. And that includes the games at Miller Park between the Cubs and Brewers and the Reds and Pirates in Pittsburgh. The Cubs shutout the Brewers 1-0 on Saturday night behind what Joe Maddon said was Kyle Hendricks best start of the season. Not long after Hector Rondon picked up his 30th save of the year, Aroldis Chapman closed out the Reds 3-1 victory over the Pirates. The Cubs are one game back … [Read more...]
The Daily CCO: Castro Making Most of Playing Time, Maddon and the Wrigley Schedule and Other Cubs News
The Cubs surprised the Cardinals and won for the second straight day in St. Louis. With the Pirates beating the Reds, the Cubs did not gain ground on Pittsburgh in the NL Wild Card race but did move to within 6 ½ games of the Cardinals in the division. With the Nationals blowing a big lead to the Mets, the Giants jumped over the Nats in the Wild Card standing and are nine games behind the Cubs for the second Wild Card spot. The Cubs will enter play Wednesday two games behind the Pirates for … [Read more...]
The Daily CCO: Cubs Hit the Road, Going Back to Cali and Other News and Notes
The Cubs wrapped up the seven-game homestand in dramatic fashion Monday with a 2-1 win over the Indians in the make-up game thanks to an excellent outing from Jon Lester and the walk-off oppo blast from Kris Bryant. The Cubs are 21 games over .500 after completing the first 20-4 stretch for the franchise since 1945. And with Monday's celebration at homeplate, the Cubs now have 12 walk-off wins this season, tops in baseball. With the Pirates and Cardinals both winning Monday night, the Cubs … [Read more...]
From the Wire: Cubs Place Jorge Soler and Jason Motte on 15-Day DL, Recall Tommy La Stella and Zac Rosscup from Iowa
The Cubs announced four roster moves Monday morning and updated Addison Russell’s status. The Cubs placed OF Jorge Soler on the 15-day DL with a left oblique strain. Soler could be out about a month. The injury happened late in Sunday’s game and he had an MRI on Sunday night. Jason Motte was placed on the disabled list with a right shoulder strain. Motte is expected to be out three-four weeks. Motte said Monday he felt the problem in his shoulder for the first time Sunday. Motte will not … [Read more...]
Cubs Hammel and Sweep the Braves – Cubs 9, Braves 3
Game One Hundred Twenty-Two - Cubs 9, Braves 3 WP – Jason Hammel (7-5) LP – Matt Wisler (5-4) Save – None Kris Bryant, Dexter Fowler, Miguel Montero and Kyle Schwarber all went deep Sunday. The Cubs hit five home runs, two by Kris Bryant and the first four to the opposite field and completed the four-game sweep over the Braves behind Jason Hammel. The Cubs used Wrigley Field to their advantage again Sunday. Dexter Fowler (1-for-3 with a home run, a walk and a HBP) and Kris Bryant … [Read more...]