Sunday, July 31, 2016

CUBS, CHAPMAN BLOW LEAD AND GAME at Cubsquest.com

30 July:

To many this was not supposed to happen this way.

To some others it fit perfectly. The Cubs, who had finally put a run on the board, this time against the great Wade Miley. As opposed to the other starters they haven"t been able to hit for over a week.

One to nothing in the top...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS, CHAPMAN BLOW LEAD AND GAME

Saturday, July 30, 2016

CUBS SWAMP MARINERS at Cubsquest.com

29 July:

The Cubs bats and Chicago weather combined to swamp the Seattle Mariners 12-1 in front of 40,951 fans at a rain soaked Wrigley Field. Already ahead 11-0 in the 7th, the heavens opened up and a 1 hour and 14 minute delay ensued.

By the time the game continued it was basically over....
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS SWAMP MARINERS

Friday, July 29, 2016

CUBS BEAT SOX at Cubsquest.com

29 July

The Cubs may not be a better team than they were last week but they are a different one.

They are now a six inning team. That means get a lead, any kind of a lead and you shut down the game after the sixth inning. Kansas City had that game plan last year and won a World...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS BEAT SOX

Thursday, July 28, 2016

CUB BATS EXPLODE; CHAPMAN DEBUT at Cubsquest.com

28 July:

I took them a while but they eventually snapped out of it.

Locked in yet another scoreless duel with a no name right handed pitcher, who was not only no hitting them also homered for his first major league hit, the team finally belted their way out of it. A solo shot by Kris...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUB BATS EXPLODE; CHAPMAN DEBUT

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

LISTLESS CUBS FALL TO SOUTH SIDERS at Cubsquest.com

27 July:

The Cubs are still 19 games over .500.

But they are 8-13 for the month of July. Worse yet, they are reverting back to the offensively challenged club of yore. They"re still in the middle of the pack average wise; 15th in baseball at .252.

Their on base percentage is still quite...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comLISTLESS CUBS FALL TO SOUTH SIDERS

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

CUBS DROP HEARTBREAKER ON SOUTH SIDE at Cubsquest.com

26 July:

The Cubs, at 59-39 still have one of the best records in baseball.

They have just acquired the premier closer in the game for what was essentially surplus help. It is still only July, and they have a LOT of baseball left.

These are all good things. There is no reason for worry....
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS DROP HEARTBREAKER ON SOUTH SIDE

Monday, July 25, 2016

CUBS BREAK MARKET OPEN; WHAT"S NEXT? at Cubsquest.com

25 July:

The gauntlet has been tossed.

Chicago Cub owner and his right hand man Theo Epstein made their first really big trade, the type of bold move that real teams in good organizations make. This is virgin territory for the Cubs, more or less.

They"ve been good sporadically over the...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS BREAK MARKET OPEN; WHAT"S NEXT?

CHAPMAN TRADE IMMINENT at Cubsquest.com

25 July:

Theo Epstein is serious about a championship at Wrigley Field, and sooner rather than later.

Like this year. According to sources close to both the Cubs and the New York Yankees, closer Aroldis Chapman will be coming to the Cubs for prospect Gleyber Torres. Cubsquest has been on...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCHAPMAN TRADE IMMINENT

CUBS COME BACK AGAINST BREWERS at Cubsquest.com

24 July:

The Cubs played badly but won. That"s the good news.

There"s more good news. That"ll be next. For now it"s smart to focus on the pretty poor play they are starting to show on a more recurring basis. Poor execution with men on base and some spotty defense. Being fooled by slow...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS COME BACK AGAINST BREWERS

Sunday, July 24, 2016

CUBS DROP ONE TO BREWERS at Cubsquest.com

23 July:

The Cubs got "Hendricksed".

For obvious comparison sakes, the success of Kyle Hendricks and his style of pitching has caught on. The Brewers have their own version of the stylish but velocity challenged right hander. Zach Davies(W, 7-4) would be a virtual clone if he wasn"t half...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS DROP ONE TO BREWERS

JASON HEYWARD NEEDS TWO WEEKS IN IOWA at Cubsquest.com

23 July:

First of all, let"s get one thing straight.

Jason Heyward is a fine baseball player. Has been since he first strapped on a pair of spikes. The Cubs" offseason acquisition of him was smart, and will pay huge dividends. He is a good guy and teammate as well.

Under no...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comJASON HEYWARD NEEDS TWO WEEKS IN IOWA

Saturday, July 23, 2016

CUBS BEAT BREWERS; CLOSE ON HELP? at Cubsquest.com

23 July:

The good news:

The Cubs beat a pretty bad Brewer club, who essentially beat themselves with poor defensive play and starter Jimmy Nelson"s(L, 6-8) lack of command. That and the dramatic, and triumphant return of Dexter Fowler to the lineup.

All he did was go 3 out of 4, and on...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS BEAT BREWERS; CLOSE ON HELP?

Thursday, July 21, 2016

CUBS ADD PITCHER- LEFT HANDED PUNCH NEXT? at Cubsquest.com

21 July:

With newly acquired left handed pitcher Mike Montgomery now in the fold -and from what the buzz is out there he"s pinching himself to make sure he"s not dreaming- the Cubs are beginning to address some of their more pertinent needs.

One is not just adding pitching, but adding...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS ADD PITCHER- LEFT HANDED PUNCH NEXT?

CUBS MAKE FIRST BIG MOVE at Cubsquest.com

21 July:

The Chicago Cubs made their first big move of the 2016 season Wednesday evening. According to sources close to the team, the Cubs and Seattle Mariners made a four player swap with the centerpieces being Seattle left hander Mike Montgomery and Cub AAA prospect Dan Voglebach.

The...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS MAKE FIRST BIG MOVE

CUBS TAKE SERIES FROM METS at Cubsquest.com

21 July:

This was an important game. Illustrative, too.

The Cubs have been one of the best clubs in baseball for over a year. Their winning percentage is .606, identical now to the vaunted SF Giants, who were unbelievably hot while the Cubs cooled.

If you go back to the All Star break...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS TAKE SERIES FROM METS

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

CUBS LOSE TOUGH ONE TO METS, at Cubsquest.com

20 July:

This was, by any definition, a very tough loss to take.

For a myriad of reasons. Most notably is you simply MUST find a way to score a run when you have bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th with nobody out. Mets closer Jeurys Familia(S, 33) walked a pair and then poor Met defense...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS LOSE TOUGH ONE TO METS,

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

CUBS FINALLY BEAT THE METS at Cubsquest.com

19 July:

OK, so it"s not THAT big a deal.

After all, the hometown heroes had pounded on this team from Flushing Bay, next to LaGuardia and just downstream from Riker"s Island 9 straight games at one point.

That was until, of course, the NLCS last year. Since then these pretenders to the...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS FINALLY BEAT THE METS

Monday, July 18, 2016

THEO, CUBS MAKING MOVES SOON? at Cubsquest.com

18 July:

Major league deals are a little bit like childbirth.

There is a realization something"s about to happen. There is a date. Zero sum affair, if you will. The Chicago Cubs, being beyond pregnant with prospects, would love to give birth to a Championship. They are aware of the fact...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comTHEO, CUBS MAKING MOVES SOON?

CUBS RUN INTO HAMEL BUZZSAW AGAIN at Cubsquest.com

18 July:

What does Meatloaf sing?

"Two out of three ain"t bad"? Hard to argue with that, particularly when you beat a team as loaded as the Texas Rangers two in a row and their ace has to pitch his best game in a month just so they can escape with one win.

Keep in mind last time Cole...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS RUN INTO HAMEL BUZZSAW AGAIN

Saturday, July 16, 2016

CUBS LOOK SHARP BEATING RANGERS AGAIN at Cubsquest.com

16 July:

It looks like that time off was just the tonic the Cubs did need.

Limping into the break playing .250 ball with a 21 games in 21 days streak, they were a dead looking team. The final game, a win at Pittsburgh, cannot be discounted. it was extremely important.

They went in the...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS LOOK SHARP BEATING RANGERS AGAIN

CUBS ROAR OUT OF THE BREAK at Cubsquest.com

15 July:

Seems a few days off might actually have been the ticket.

That and another interesting lineup from Joe Maddon. What 41,482 very happy but slightly damp fans saw was a more or less carbon copy of the best of the first half with a distinct improvement.

Not sure whether it"s...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS ROAR OUT OF THE BREAK

Friday, July 15, 2016

REST OVER; AL"S BEST COMES TO WRIGLEY at Cubsquest.com

15 July:

With the All Star break in the rear view mirror, the Cubs have to improve on their recent play.

The schedule is tough. Texas rides into town with a near identical record; after that the Mets come in. And anyone who thinks the White Sox, or even Milwaukee will be lay downs has...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comREST OVER; AL"S BEST COMES TO WRIGLEY

Thursday, July 14, 2016

WHAT WILL THEO DO? at Cubsquest.com

14 July:

With the All Star game in the rear view mirror, and another full day until the Texas Rangers ride into Wrigley, Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have been busy fellows.

Tasked with the Herculean notion of bringing the perennial losers to the Promised Land, he has already achieved some...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comWHAT WILL THEO DO?

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

AL WINS, NO HOME ADVANTAGE FOR NL IN SERIES at Cubsquest.com

12 July:

It wasn"t a very good game, at least from a National League point of view.

Once again Ned Yost and his Royals managed to win; they attacked Jonny Cueto early in the count and hit two home runs off of him. Once they had the lead it was a matter of getting the superb AL closers in...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comAL WINS, NO HOME ADVANTAGE FOR NL IN SERIES

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

CUBS TAKE CENTER STAGE IN SAN DIEGO at Cubsquest.com

12 July:

While the Chicago Cubs and their fans take a needed time out from a very rough month of June, the media spotlight, and attention of baseball fans worldwide, will be on their young, dynamic core.

The entire infield will be Cubs. Sure, the fans voted. But the voting was worldwide,...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS TAKE CENTER STAGE IN SAN DIEGO

Monday, July 11, 2016

RELAX AND TAKE AN ALL STAR BREAK! at Cubsquest.com

11 July:

The month long ordeal is over.

Cub fans, and fans nationwide of their talented young core of players can sit back and enjoy the game for the fun it still represents. Gone is the agonizing post mortems of how they lost, and who was responsible.

You have four days off. A home run...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comRELAX AND TAKE AN ALL STAR BREAK!

CUBS TAKE HUGE WIN TO ALL STAR BREAK at Cubsquest.com

11 July:

With their backs literally to the wall, the Chicago Cubs delivered their biggest win of the year. After leading the Known Universe with a .710 winning percentage coming into June, they proceeded to win only 6 of their next 22 contests.

That"s roughly .250 ball. That isn"t a slump;...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS TAKE HUGE WIN TO ALL STAR BREAK

Sunday, July 10, 2016

CUB TAILSPIN CONTINUES at Cubsquest.com

10 July:

Over the past couple of weeks the Chicago Cubs, earlier lauded as not only the best team in baseball, but a lead pipe cinch to win 116 games, has shown the absolute other side of the equation.

They have done nothing but lose, and in every respect imaginable.

Their starting...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUB TAILSPIN CONTINUES

Saturday, July 9, 2016

CUB STRUGGLES CONTINUE at Cubsquest.com

9 July:

This wasn"t any fun to watch. It mustn"t have been much fun to play, either.

The Chicago Cub 8-4 loss to Pittsburgh was kind of a highlight ("lowlight" might be more appropriate) reel of their recent struggles. It  had issues with the starting pitching, bullpen, defense and ...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUB STRUGGLES CONTINUE

Friday, July 8, 2016

CUBS NOW FIND WAYS TO LOSE at Cubsquest.com

8 July:

Another game the Cubs could have, and should have won, down the drain.

There is a saying in sports: "Good teams find a way to win, bad teams find a way to lose". Right now, this moment, the Chicago Cubs are a bad baseball team. It"s as devastating a turnaround as seen in some...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS NOW FIND WAYS TO LOSE

CUB NOTES: HAMMEL, WARREN AND THE UPCOMING TRADE at Cubsquest.com

7 July:

The talks between the Cubs and Yankees have gotten serious.

Just since the last post Cubsquest put up the other day, the Yankee brass are admitting, albeit reluctantly, that they need to get younger and more athletic, and must rebuild.

On the fly, of course. They"re still the...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUB NOTES: HAMMEL, WARREN AND THE UPCOMING TRADE

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

CUBS OFFICIALLY IN TAILSPIN at Cubsquest.com

6 July:

The news is getting ugly.

The Cubs, sitting at one point on top of the baseball world with a record setting first 10 weeks, are now in a complete reversal of fortune. The team that found a way to win no matter what now finds ways to LOSE.

They are losing early in the games, in...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS OFFICIALLY IN TAILSPIN

REDS FINALLY EXTRACT REVENGE; OUTSLUG CUBS at Cubsquest.com

5 July:

This, like many other baseball outcomes, was due to occur at some point.

The Cubs came in with a 10-1 edge against them, and the domination has been all but complete. The only other win they got was a bullpen meltdown in Cincinnati but they were still tied after 6 in that affair....
Check it out at Cubsquest.comREDS FINALLY EXTRACT REVENGE; OUTSLUG CUBS

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

RICH HILL COMING BACK TO CUBS? at Cubsquest.com

4 July:

As the break nears and the pressing needs of the club become front and center some of the possible moves are now coming somewhat apparent. One is the most hyped and expensive, the other a marriage -or should one say a reunion- made in baseball heaven.

You all have heard about the...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comRICH HILL COMING BACK TO CUBS?

TERRIBLE REDS JUST THE TONIC CUBS NEED at Cubsquest.com

4 July:

Nothing like the Cincinnati Reds with their major league worst 5.53 team ERA to solve the Cubs short term hitting woes. That"s right, 5.53.

That"s not just ONE player. That"s a team aggregate. They have FIFTEEN pitchers over 5.00. Even in a bandbox like the Great America Ballpark,...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comTERRIBLE REDS JUST THE TONIC CUBS NEED

Monday, July 4, 2016

CUBS NEED ALL STAR BREAK BADLY at Cubsquest.com

4 July:

This may be a National Holiday.

And being on Monday, many people have been celebrating it, more or less, since Thursday. Yes, many are celebrating the fruits of freedom (without understanding any of it, of course) and today will feature many burgers downed and beers tossed.

Not...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS NEED ALL STAR BREAK BADLY

Sunday, July 3, 2016

CUBS DROP ANOTHER TO METS at Cubsquest.com

3 July:

This has not been a weekend of cookouts and fireworks for the Chicago Cubs.

They are now in the worst moment of this season, and it has a historical precedent, too. What promised to be a very tough road trip has turned out to be exactly that; with a sidebar trip to...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS DROP ANOTHER TO METS

Saturday, July 2, 2016

CUBS, HAMMEL GET LIT UP BY METS at Cubsquest.com

1 July:

If the series with the Cincinnati Reds proved one thing, it"s that the Cubs are not "all better". That was an outlier, a break for Chicago in between other clubs who are, quite frankly, playing better baseball than they are.

St Louis, Miami, and now New York. All playing better...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS, HAMMEL GET LIT UP BY METS

Friday, July 1, 2016

CUBS BLOW LATE LEAD, LOSE TO METS at Cubsquest.com

1 July:

This was a game the Cubs could have, and should have won.

Of all the games this year, it is the first one that they both lost, and were beaten as well. The Mets outplayed them, certainly outpitched what is now becoming a very suspect bullpen, and the Cubs beat themselves by showing...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comCUBS BLOW LATE LEAD, LOSE TO METS