1. Well that was fun.
Wow. Out of nowhere.
It was a great day for the bats (14 hits and 3 walks is, finally, above-average), and Trevor Williams’s performance shouldn’t go unappreciated either. Great day all around.
2. We’d said David Bote was hitting the ball well.
Bote was not the headliner offensively, but we’d noted recently that he was having good contact, which was going unappreciated. Willson Contreras and Kris Bryant were getting results (and were, to be fair, striking the ball better than Bote), Bote was not. Nice to see all three get them.
3. It’s ok to give Shelby Miller some time.
If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work, but no problem trying it out, especially because he could be a valuable swingman if they get him back to serviceability. Hopefully it’s all just jitters right now.
4. Don’t change the expectations yet.
The Cubs still have one of the worst run differentials in the National League, thanks to one of the worst offenses in the National League. They’ve still yet to win a series against anyone not named the Pirates, and they’re 3-3 overall against Pittsburgh on the season.
That said, winning this series is back on the table, and that’d go a long way towards building a feeling of competitiveness, especially staring down the Mets and Brewers this week.
***
Around the Division:
The Cardinals returned the favor in Philadelphia, jumping on Matt Moore and winning the game 9-4. The Reds came back against Cleveland to tie it in the ninth and win it in the tenth, 3-2. The Brewers returned the favor against Pittsburgh, beating the Pirates 7-1 and scoring all seven runs in the first two innings.
Standings:
1. Cincinnati (9-5)
2. Milwaukee (8-6)
3. St. Louis (7-7)
4. Cubs (6-8)
5. Pittsburgh (6-9)
Out of last place. Now, to keep it that way.
Up Next:
Rubber match with Atlanta tomorrow night.
***
Whom:
Cubs vs. Atlanta
Where:
Wrigley Field
When:
6:08 PM Chicago Time
Weather:
Dry, temperatures dropping into the 40’s towards the end of the game, wind blowing lightly out.
Starting Pitchers:
Kyle Hendricks vs. Bryse Wilson
The Opponent:
Ozzie Albies is not on the IL, which is good news. Hopefully he bounces back quickly from Friday’s hit by pitch. As far as Wilson goes, there isn’t a big MLB sample on him: just over 40 innings, 5.42 FIP. He’s a fringe prospect who’s performed well in the minors and is rather young. Cubs should have him outmatched, but he’s still a major league pitcher.
The Numbers:
Looks like the line’s opening with each side at about -105, so real tossup. Over/under’s opening at 9, I believe, and leaning towards the under, and I’ll probably lay off all of these odds personally.
Cubs News:
Nothing too notable that I saw. Would expect the meat of the bullpen to be available.
Cubs Thoughts:
Winning the series would be really nice. But at least they avoided the sweep. And showing life at the plate…wow. That is a relief.
