An Ugly Beginning

Everyone knew the Cubs bullpen would be an issue at least until their closer returned, but the performance in Texas was really pretty awful.  To score 29 runs and wind up losing two of three games to one of the worst teams in baseball has got to be of some concern.  Of course, Darvish's dreadful performance and Hamels mediocre start had something to do with it, but both those guys left with a lead.

What I find of rather more concern than just two days of crappy games, though, is the apparent lack of defined roles in the game plan and the lack of confidence being demonstrated by Maddon in his staff.  Looking back on Saturday's game, for example, I know that the Cubs had some concerns mapping out the rotation with two off-days breaking up the first five games.  So the decision to bring in Quintana in the fourth inning makes some sense, especially as it pushes his first start into the Milwaukee series and Quintana owns the Brewers.  Quintana pitched pretty well under the circumstances.  He gave them four innings, left with the lead, and was unlucky to have been tagged for the two runs the Rangers scored in the 7th.

Still, the logical long men are Chatwood and Montgomery, so right there it looks like nobody believes in them in that spot.  Actually, with the exception of bringing on Quintana early on Saturday, the rest of Maddon's bullpen usage was pretty much by the book.  Of course, with the exception of Cishek and Kintzler, nobody seems to have read the same book.

I frankly don't understand why Maddon is determined to employ Edwards as his 8th inning guy despite his performance in high leverage spots like that over the past two years.  Edwards has great stuff, but he seems lost these days.  Cishek is the guy to use in those spots.  Edwards also seems to have changed his delivery from the windup to some sort of hesitation move that the umpires announced on Sunday was illegal, so it seems it is back to the drawing board for Edwards anyway.

After watching them pitch this weekend, I don't really know about Darvish and Chatwood rounding back to form that quickly.  Hamels I have no doubt will bounce back.  I'm also pretty sure the remainder of the bullpen will be adequate for now except for Edwards, who, as I have noted, seems to have lost confidence.

I mean, if you average 10 runs a game, how good does your bullpen need to be.  Not that great, I suppose, but better than they showed in Texas.

Latest Moves

I was surprised to see that the Cubs optioned Ian Happ to AAA.  Happ has had a bad spring and continues to strike out too often.  On the other hand, he does get on base.  One supposes this is a temporary measure along the lines of the Schwarber demotion earlier in his career.

People are speculating about the Cubs searching the waiver wire for a center-fielder, presumably a left-handed hitter.  Kind of strange from my viewpoint.  The team can field an all left-handed or all right-handed outfield with the players who remain in that Heyward can play a more than adequate center field to spell Almora.  Anybody available who has been cut is likely a worse alternative than Happ.  Also, Zagunis had had a terrific spring and should make the roster even if Happ were to stick.  Personally, I'd like to see them dump Heyward.  The Giants are apparently looking for outfield help.

Finally, the Cubs have finally given up on Duensing.  Picking up Collins on a major league deal is kind of odd given the number of other options they have, but anyone is better than Duensing at this point.  Now, if they finish the job and dump Kintzler as well...