Now that was more like it.
Despite a preseason promotion allowing only Wisconsin residents to pre-order tickets for Cubs games, Miller Park was filled primarily by Cubs fans. Those fans were rewarded with three Cubs wins in four days.
The series was bookended by shutout wins, and also featured a 9th inning comeback win for the Cubs a day after they were walked off.
On to the details.
THE GOOD:
Starting Pitching.
Jon Lester, Yu Darvish and Jose Quintana all struggled in their season debuts, which caused quite the overreaction from the fanbase. This time around, all three of them got through six innings in under 100 pitches before being forced out of the game in favor of a pinch hitter. Lester and Q pitched shutouts while Darvish allowed just one run via an Eric Thames homer.
Lester was able to get back to his mechanically sound self.
89 pitches worth of release points for Jon Lester last night looks like a dot. He's quite mechanically sound. pic.twitter.com/afUBX0VTng
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) April 6, 2018
Yu Darvish showed us why the Cubs invested $126M in him.
.@faridyu retired 18 of 21 batters faced today. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ojPtkcXA7P
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 8, 2018
Jose Quintana has spent his whole career being overlooked and that was the case again this weekend thanks to Lester and Darvish. Q allowed just five Brewers to reach base safely while striking out six in six shutout innings. Most importantly, he finished just as strong as he started, snapping off this filthy curveball to end the Brewers’ only threat of the game.
Jose Quintana strikes out Jesus Aguilar to get out of the 6th. #Cubs
Nasty curveball 🤢 pic.twitter.com/69rMtowxes— Aldo Soto (@AldoSoto21) April 8, 2018
Kyle Hendricks struggled in the Cubs lone loss of the weekend Friday night, but it was just one bad inning that did him in, as he gave up two two-run bombs in the fifth. Outside of that one inning, the Cubs staff combined for 22 innings and one earned run. That’s about as good as it gets.
Bullpen
The Cubs biggest “weakness” has been the team’s most reliable strength in the early going.
#Cubs 'pen has a league-leading 0.94 ERA through nine games! #EverybodyOut pic.twitter.com/RCc9DJUKOr
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 8, 2018
The pen allowed just two earned runs over the weekend, one after a costly Kris Bryant error and the other after a rare misplayed flyball from Jason Heyward.
If there is a single negative to be taken from the bullpen’s performance it’s than Justin Wilson walked the bases loaded during a tied game Friday night. However, it was after he had retired the first three batters he had faced and he bounced back in his next appearance with a 1-2-3 inning.
Justin Wilson 2018 (5 G, 5.2 IP):
0.00 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 9 K, 5 BB, 1 H
— Tony Andracki (@TonyAndracki23) April 8, 2018
Carl Edwards Jr. pitched three scoreless innings without walking a soul. When he and Wilson have their command going, and Brandon Morrow is looking like this:
Morrow filthy slider to Braun followed by a 98-mph fastball. https://t.co/5tbN66kwpo
— Matt Clapp (@TheBlogfines) April 7, 2018
then this bullpen will continue to be one of the best in the game.
Ben Zobrist
The 2016 World Series MVP has been widely considered the odd man out entering the season. In the early going that has turned out to be far from reality.
In 29 plate appearances, Zobrist has reached 13 times. He has a team-leading .360 batting average and the power looks to back as well.
Ben Zobrist with his first HR of 2018! #Cubs pic.twitter.com/hyhYGufBh6
— Pinwheels and Ivy Podcast (@PinwheelsIvyPod) April 8, 2018
With Anthony Rizzo dealing with a back issue, Zobrist is in the lineup today at 1st, and he’ll continue to find time in the outfield given how some of the Cubs youngsters are currently struggling. A healthy, productive Zobrist is a great sign for the Cubs.
THE BAD:
Kyle Schwarber & Ian Happ
The two former top 10 draft picks stole the show with their Spring training performance, and Schwarber continued hitting well in the Miami series, but they were both bad this weekend.
Schwarber is 0 for his last 15, but he was primarily up against reverse split righties and tough lefties. Yes, he needs to show improvement against those type of pitchers, but it’s still too early to be really worried about him.
Happ, on the other hand, has been concerning. Despite have a game-winning ninth-inning single in the Cubs Saturday comeback, his strikeout woes have continued. Strikeouts in general are overrated, but 17 K’s in 30 plate appearances is outrageous. If he has another week like this during the Cubs’ opening homestand, it’s probably time for him to be shuffled out of the leadoff spot for the time being.
All in all, it was a great weekend for the Cubs. They now sit at second place in the NL Central with 5-4 record, two games behind their next opponent, the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Enjoy today’s snowy home opener, Wrigley faithful.
Here is today's #Cubs lineup for the home opener at Wrigley Field. #EverybodyIn
Game preview: https://t.co/i7kNTy2BpM pic.twitter.com/OXZOT3FX9x
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 9, 2018
UPDATE: The game has been canceled and they will play tomorrow at 1:20 p.m.
