Taking Stock

The Cubs lost their first series of the season to the Padres today.  All in all, they were a little unlucky not to have won it.  Yesterday, I was all set to write a post congratulating them on having arrived, but I had to pull it back after that awful ninth inning meltdown.  Still, they came back then to win it in the 11th.

I have to say the Cubs look like a real competitive team this year.  The biggest change is that they are really grinding out at-bats.  Even today against Cashner, they were able to run up his pitch count to around 80 in the first four innings.  Anyway, they are giving themselves a chance to succeed, which is way more than they have done the past few years.

One of the reasons they had a harder time in the Padres series was their bullpen problems.  Starting pitching was supposed to be one of the Cubs strengths, and, I think, still is.  However, the Cubs starters, although pretty effective, have not been taking the game past the sixth inning, and this issue has begun to tell on the outcome of games.

So far, only Arrietta and Wood have delivered seven inning starts.  Arrietta, in his other start, and Hammel, in one of his starts, have taken the game into the seventh without finishing the inning.

This performance leaves a lot for the bullpen to mop up in what have been, mainly, pretty close games, three or more innings in seven of the eleven games.  It is little wonder they are showing some cracks, especially when you consider the injuries to Ramirez and Grimm.  It has put a lot of pressure on Strop and Rondon especially, as they are the team's most effective relievers.