Luis Valbuena Deserves to Keep Playing Third Base

In the past, the Cubs have been gifted with many successful third basemen. Players such as Stan Hack, Aramis Ramirez, and Ron Santo have held down the spot at the hot corner for many seasons on the North Side. However, since Ramirez signed a three-year contract to go play with the Brewers in the 2012 off-season, the Cubs have had a hard time finding a replacement for the player who was a two-time All-Star during his tenure with the Cubs. Kris Bryant looks like the future third-basemen of the Cubs, but at the moment the Boys in Blue might have found a good stop-gate. 

Luis Valbuena has been around in the Major Leagues for seven years now. According to Baseball America, Valbuena was once a Top 20 prospect in the Mariners farm system. His time in Seattle didn't  last long, as he was part of the deal that sent Franklin Gutierrez to Seattle. Also noted by Baseball America, Valbuena was a Top 10 prospect in the Indians farm system. That hype never transitioned to the big leagues for him, as he hit an average of .224 in three seasons playing for Cleveland. Eventually, Valbuena was traded to the Blue Jays for cash, but never was called up to Toronto during his tenure in the Jays system. He went to the Cubs on April 4, 2012, when he was claimed off waivers from the Blue Jays.

Coming to Chicago was another opportunity for Valbuena, as the Cubs needed a third-basemen due to Ian Stewart landing on the disabled-list. In his first season with the Cubs, he hit .219/.310/.340/.650 with 4 HR and 28 RBI. Last season, he hit .218/.331/.378/.708 with 12 HR and 37 RBI. With those two bad seasons in the books, the Cubs still gave Valbuena another chance to play in the 2014 season.

Going into Spring Training  for 2014, there was actually a battle for the Cubs third-basemen job. Luis Valbuena was coming off of winter ball time in Venezuela, while Mike Olt was ready to make an impact in the Cubs lineup after coming over from the Rangers in the Matt Garza deal. Eventually, both players were granted roster spots on the Cubs 25-man roster, and so far this season both players have been sharing time at the hot corner. Through forty-seven games played this season, Valbuena has hit .263/.384/.436./.820 with 3 HR and 12 RBI. It's also worth noting that Valbuena has started fourteen games at second-base. On the other hand, through 45 games Mike Olt has hit .165/.248/..402/.650 with 9 HR and 24 RBI. With Barney earning some playing time at second base lately, Olt or Valbuena have been pushed out of the lineup. While it is possible to just bench Barney, the Cubs offense need some better defenders like him on the field, as Castro and Olt have not been fielding well this season. A decision needs to be made soon on who gets the third base job, and this is how it should go: Mike Olt gets demoted to Iowa, and Valbuena starts to be the everyday third-basemen. This solution needs to be made because Valbuena is the Cubs best option at third base at the moment, and sending Olt down could help improve his game with less pressure around him.

- Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

- (Stats courtesy of baseball-reference.com)

The Curious Case of Tyler Colvin

Chicago, IL- Tyler Colvin is a familiar player all Cubs fans should remember. He was once a first-round draft pick when Jim Hendry was the general manager of the Chicago Cubs in 2006. While in Chicago, Colvin never truly got to prove himself in a Cubs uniform. Before the 2012 season, he was shipped off with DJ LeMahieu to Colorado for Ian Stewart and Casey Weathers. Now at the age of twenty-eight, Colvin finds himself in a Giants uniform. 

Coming up for the Cubs, Tyler Colvin was suppose to be the next great thing in the heart of the Cubs lineup. He made his debut on September 21, 2009, and went one for three with a single and sacrifice fly. He went on to play in 2010 in 395 plate appearances, but was derailed by a broken bat injury that punctured his lung. After missing the rest of the 2010 season, Colvin came back to play in 2011. He struggled in 222 plate appearances, as he slashed .150/.204/.306/.509 with 6 HR and 20 RBI. 

After the poor numbers on the North Side, Colvin found a resurgence in Colorado. In his first year he appeared at the plate 452 times, as he hit .290/.327/.531/.828 with 18 HR home runs and 72 RBI. However, Colvin fell to earth again in 2013, as he hit .160/.192/.280/.472 with 3 HR and 10 RBI in only seventy-eight plate appearances. He was outrighted off the Rockies on September 4, 2013, which lead to him becoming a free agent on October 1.

Recently, the Giants gave Colvin another chance to make a name for himself at the Major League level. They signed him on February 22, 2014 to a minor-league deal, and he was sent to AAA Fresno. There he slashed .267/.315/.408/.724 with 2 HR and 16 RBI, which earned him a call-up on May 11, 2014. In his first game with the Giants in San Francisco, he hit a home run which ended up in the Cove, and hit a two-run triple. Now, Colvin is batting .295 with 1 HR and 7 RBI in a span of fifteen games. Playing for the first-place Giants, Colvin might be finally able to find some success. Only time will tell, but the spark could light at any second for any ball player. That spark might finally come for Tyler Colvin, as he is in the prime of his career.

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

(All stats courtesy of baseball-reference.com)

Samardzija Gets Plenty Of Support In His First Win

Chicago, IL- It took Jeff Samardzija eleven starts, but he finally sealed a victory in the Cubs 8-4 win over the Giants.

Recap: The Giants scored first off of the Cubs in the first inning as Pablo Sandoval hit an RBI single with two outs. Two innings later, Nate Schieholtz tied up the game with a solo shot. Once again, Sandoval gave the Giants the lead with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth. However, the Cubs struck back in the top of the fifth, as they took a 4-3 lead with a sacrifice fly by Darwin Barney,  an RBI double by Jeff Samardzija, and an RBI triple by Emilio Bonifacio. The Cubs pondered again in the sixth with RBI singles by Wellington Castillo and Darwin Barney. The last two runs scored by the Cubs came in the seventh when Anthony Rizzo hit an RBI double, and Luis Valbuena hit an RBI single. The Giants scored their last run in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single by Brandon Crawford, but it didn't win them the game. 

Pitching Duel: Jeff Samardzija had another good outing for the Cubs, as he went seven innings, gave up six hits, four runs, three earned runs. and struck out ten. A notable part of his performance was that he struck out the side in the bottom of the second. Justin Grimm and Neil Ramirez relieved Samardzija with two innings of shutout ball. On the other hand. the Giants pitching struggled as a whole. Yusmiero Petit only went five innings, gave up six hits, four earned runs, and struck out five. David Huff, who came on in relief for Petit, was worse on the mound. Huff only went 1.1 innings, gave up seven hits, four earned runs, and collected one strike out. George Kontos, Javier Lopez, and Juan Gutierrez all pitched a combined 2.2 shutout innings to slow down the Cubs offense. 

Hot/Cold Hitters: The Cubs offense was hot today, as Bonifaicio, Rizzo, Valbuena, Castillo, Schierholtz, and Barney went a combined eleven for twenty-five with six runs batted in. Starlin Castro was cold at the plate, going 0 for 4 with a strikeout. The Giants got some good production from Pablo Sandoval, as he went two for four with three runs batted in. Hunter Pence and Hector Sanchez both went 0 for 4 for the Giants. 

What's Next: Game two of this three-game series is tomorrow with first pitch at 9:15 PM CT. Jake Arrieta will square off against Tim Hudson. 

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

Manny Makes A Return To Baseball

Chicago, IL- Manny is back in baseball, but this time he's not going to be on a Major League roster.

The Cubs officially signed Manny Ramirez to be a player-coach for the Iowa Cubs. Ramirez will "coach full-time and play part-time in a limited role that does not take at-bats away from our prospects" according to Theo Epstein. Manny believes he can "pass on to the next generation, both what to do and what not to do" in regards to improving at the game of baseball.

Before taking on this new role, the forty-one year old spent his career with the Indians, Red Sox, Dodgers, White Sox, and Rays. He has been an All-Star twelve times, and has won two World Series championships. He's a member of the 500 home run club, and also the 1800 RBI club. On top of all of that, he has won nine Silver Slugger awards. He has a career .312 batting average along with a .411 on-base percentage. 

Despite the hall-of-fame numbers, Manny has been suspended twice for performance-enhancing drugs. He likely will not be inducted into Cooperstown, but his legacy will be remembered in baseball fan's minds. 

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

-(All stats courtesy of baseball-reference.com)

Preview: Cubs At Giants May 26, 2014

Chicago, IL- Today is game one of a three-game series between the Cubs and the Giants in San Francisco.

Outlook for the Cubs: With a split series in San Diego, the Cubs will come into San Francisco today with the opportunity to sweep all three games from the first-place Giants. Jeff Samardzija will look to earn his first win of the season today. The right-handed pitcher is 0-4 with a 1.46 ERA. Mike Olt will get the day off , as Luis Valbuena gets the start at the hot-corner today. John Baker caught last night for the Cubs, and Wellington Castillo is back in the lineup today. The Cubs will look for their backstop to continue his good numbers against the Giants pitchers today. He has a .417 average against the Giants current staff in his career. 

Outlook for the Giants: The Giants are coming off a sweep against the Twins, and all the positive energy is running in their veins in the NL West. Yusmiero Petit will get the start today, as he is 3-1 with a 4.76 ERA. A lineup for the Giants has not been announced as of this writing. 

News for the Cubs: The Cubs will be getting some right-handed power back on the bench today, as Justin Ruggiano will return from the disabled-list. Ryan Kalish has been sent down to AAA despite a .242 batting average. As noted by Jesse Rogers, Kalish wants to get at-bats down at AAA, and hopefully contribute to the big league team soon. 

News for the Giants: Matt Cain was originated to start today, but he is resting due to a a hamstring injury. 

- Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

-(All stats courtesy of ESPN.com and MLB.com along with photo credits to Rueters and Thearon W. Henderson of Getty Images)

Idea Destinations For Jeff Samardzija

Chicago, IL- There haven't been many highlights for the Cubs this season. The good news is Starlin Castro, Jeff Samardzija, and Anthony Rizzo have continued to bounce back following poor seasons from all of them. Castro and Rizzo remain to be two core players for the Cubs, but Samardzija doesn't look like he's part of that future anymore. 

It's not his talent this year that's affecting his future, but his age. Jeff Samardzija is halfway through his prime this season, and he's built along with players that are suppose to be stars in three or four years. Jeff realizes this, and that adds to his decision on why he hasn't been extended by the Cubs. It's clear Jeff wants to play for a contender now, and not when his production will decrease.

Currently, Samardzija's value is at sky high with his MLB-leading 1.46 ERA. Some trade ideas for Shark could be these:

1. New York Yankees: It's clear that the Yankees need some starting pitching to compete in the AL East with Sabathia, Nova, and Pineda on the disabled-list. Jeff could give the Yankees another ace along with Tanaka. The Cubs would probably want a package with guys such as Adam Warren and Gary Sanchez. 

2. Toronto Blue Jays: The Blue Jays are another team in dire need of a starting pitcher with Brandon Morrow on the disabled-list. Aaron Sanchez would probably be a piece of a package for Samardzija. 

3. Oakland Athletics: With A.J. Griffin and Jarrod Parker out for the season, Sanardzija would give the A's another pitcher along with Drew Pomeranz, Jesse Chavez, and Scott Kazmir. Tommy Milone has struggled this season, and Samardzija would take his spot in the rotation. The A's have a good minor league system, so Theo could get guys such as Raul Alcantra. 

4. Seattle Mariners: The Mariners are a team just a few pieces away from truly being a contender. They have the pieces to help the Cubs with what they want. If this goes down, I see a trade like:

Cubs send Jeff Samardzija and Junior Lake

Mariners send Nick Franklin and Brandon Maurer (Possibly Tyler Pike)

5. Miami Marlins: The Marlins are a surprise team in contention, and need another front of the line pitcher now with Jose Fernandez out for the season. They could send over prospects such as Andrew Heaney.

6.  Colorado Rockies: The Rockies are a contending team with a great lineup, but an iffy rotation. Gettin Samardzija would help their rotation be closer to competing to rotations of the Giants and Dodgers. The Rockies could send over a pitcher such as Tyler Anderson. 

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

-(All stats courtesy of MLB.com and SB Nation)

Preview: Cubs at Padres May 25, 2014

Chicago, IL- 

Outlook for Cubs: The Cubs are looking to win only their fourth series of the year against the Padres today. They will send Jason Hammel to the mound in hope of adding win number six to his record. One player that has been heating up this series is Junior Lake, who is currently batting .273 in this series. The Cubs will be looking for Lake to keep contributing in the two hole today. Lately, the Cubs have been playing good baseball as of late, going 5-5 in their last ten games. However, the Cubs have a lot of ground to make up, as they are currently 18-29.  

Outlook for Padres: On the other hand, the Padres are trying to split this series. Ian Kennedy, acquired from the Diamondbacks at the Trade Deadline last year, will look to earn his third win this season. Getting Carlos Quentin back from the disabled list has been helpful to the Padres offense, as he's batting .385 with 2 HR and 4 RBI in only six games. He hit his second home run on the year last night, and the Padres are looking forward to more production from their cleanup hitter in today's game. Unlike the Cubs, the Padres are only 3-7 in their last ten games. They are close to .500 though, as their record stands at 22-28. 

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

-(All statistics courtesy of MLB.com)

Ricketts Wants Your Help To Preserve Wrigley

Chicago, IL- Officially celebrating it's one hundredth birthday on April 23, 2014, Wrigley Field is now known as a landmark. The area known as "Wrigleyville" creates a vast amount of income for the city of Chicago due to the tourist-attracting stadium along with the great bars, sports shops, and engaging communities. Even though the stadium is a great place to enjoy a ballgame, it's not a great place to play.

The Ricketts, the family who own the Chicago Cubs Major League Baseball franchise, have been trying to renovate the stadium and the area for a few years now. They believe the stadium requires some upgrades like a video screen and more advertisement signs. With these upgrades, the stadium would collaborate more in the digital age of baseball, and boost the revenue the Cubs already make from the millions of people who attend Wrigley every year.

Even though the ideas sound great and have been approved by the city, there is one group of people who don't agree with the idea: the Wrigley Rooftop Owners. In a video released early this morning, Tom Ricketts addressed some major concerns for the state of Wrigley Field. His main concern was the rooftop owners not agreeing with the proposal brought to the city, but he also had some other major points.

For the players, Wrigley Field is not a ballpark they usually enjoy. Unlike the ballpark in Mesa, Wrigley Field is not up to code compared to other Major League Baseball Stadiums. The clubhouses are one factor that Mr. Ricketts points out in his message to Cubs fans. Due to the lack of batting cages near the clubhouse, players have to set up a tee and a net in order to practice their approach at the plate. It is very disappointing that a Major League Franchise has to use that practice in order to work on hitting. While all of the renovation ideas sound costly, Mr. Ricketts said he would cover all of the $500 million dollar expenses owed for an improved Wrigley Field.

In order to help persuade the Wrigley Rooftop Owners, the Chicago Cubs have set up a petition at the Wrigley Field website. With these new proposals, the Cubs might improve their chances of winning a World Series on the North Side.

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

Fans Say Farewell to Jeter At Friendly Confines

   

Chicago, IL- Around the league, many fans of baseball don't respect the Yankees. It's pretty reasonable why so many people hate the team due to the fact that the Yankees have won twenty-seven World Series championships, and maintain a team full of superstars everyday in the lineup. Whether a fan of the Yankees or not, respect has to be given to Derek Jeter. 

Through his nineteen-year career so far, Derek has maintained a .312 career average, became a member of the 3,000 hit club, been an All-Star thirteen times, won five World Series championships, been a World Series MVP, won a Rookie of the Year award, earned five gold glove awards, and has earned many other achievements to put him into Cooperstown. With all these accomplishments, he has only been with one team: the New York Yankees.

Announcing his retirement prior to the 2014 season, Derek Jeter showed no sad emotions. Many teams have given him gifts such as the number two from the scoreboard the Cubs gave to him yesterday. Like Mariano Rivera, Jeter has been a huge part of Yankee history, and many clubs will recognize his achievements as he plays on the road this year. 

Today, marks the last day Derek Jeter will appear in a game at Wrigley Field. So far this season, the fourty-year old had put together a .275 batting average with one home run and eight runs batted in. It's not like Jeter's usually numbers, but it's solid compared to many shortstops around the league this season. So before Jeter comes up to bat for the last time on the North Side in pinstripes, give him an applause for the entertainment he has brought to Major League Baseball and it's fans

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

-(Stats credited to baseball-reference.com)

Closing For The Future

  

Chicago, IL- The last few years, earning the save has been a difficult task for the Cubs closers. Carlos Marmol, Kerry Wood, Jose Veras, and Kevin Gregg are some examples of the shaky closers the Cubs have used before. To fix this issue that has been reoccurring, the Cubs have made some moves the last few years to find that ninth inning man for the future.

In Theo's first year of being President of Baseball Operations for the Chicago Cubs, he took a huge risk on a pitcher in a trade he made to the Braves. Sending Paul Malholm and Reed Johnson, Epstein knew these two were good players at the time, but needed a core player to build around for the coming seasons. In that trade with the Braves he acquired Arodys Vizcaino, a pitcher coming off of Tommy John surgery. It took awhile to recover, but Vizcaino finally appeared at Spring Training earlier this season. People realized he was a flamethrower, and could possibly be turned into the Cubs closer down the stretch. So far this season, he has appeared in thirteen games between A+ and AA with a .69 ERA and seventeen strikeouts in thirteen innings pitched. Vizcaino looks to have a promising career in the future if he remains healthy.

On the other hand, the Cubs might have their closer of the future at the big league level already. Hector Rondon, a Rule 5 Draft pick, was taken from the Cleveland Indians in 2012. Struggling last year with a 4.77 ERA and 1.409 WHIP, Rondon has really turned it around this year. So far this season, Rondon has an ERA of 1.33 and a WHIP of .984. Another thing to note is he is five-for-five in save situations. Just like Vizcaino, Rondon looks to have a promising career after coming back from Tommy John.

Down the stretch, it's going to be a tough call who gets the ninth inning in Chicago. Rondon might actually start to struggle soon, but the chances look unlikely. Vizcaino might also lose his charm, but that looks unlikely to happen too. No matter who becomes the future closer for the Cubs, these two look to be examples of the arms the Cubs are searching for to relieve their starters.

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

(All stats from baseball-reference.com)

Cubs Win Against Brewers Like Old Days

                                           

Chicago, IL- The Cubs came out today, and play liked the Cubs of 1937 in their 4-2 win over the Brewers.

Travis Wood struggled out of the gate early, but was able to put the first behind him after the tough inning. After getting Rickie Weeks out, Wood ended up walking Jean Segura. With two outs, Wood loaded the bases with walks to Johnathan Lucory and Mark Reynolds. Instead of capitalizing on the opportunity, Khris Davis hit into a ground-out to end the inning.

With the Brewers failing to capitalize in the top of the first, the Cubs followed the same path in the bottom of the first. With one out, Junior Lake was able to get on second with a double. However, Rizzo and Castro got out to end the inning.

After Travis Wood regained his control in the second to pitch a shutout inning, the Cubs were ready to score the bottom half. Luis Valbuena leadoff the inning with a walk, and Wellington Castillo gave the Cubs a 2-0 lead with a two-run home run. The Cubs weren't able to do anything else in the inning, but came out of the inning with a safe lead.

The game kept cruising into the bottom of the third, as Travis Wood was pitching well against the Brewers. The Cubs decided to back up Wood more, as they scored another run in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Starlin Castro hit a double, and afterwards he came home on a Luis Valbuena RBI double. Castillo ended the inning with a fly-out, which left a runner on second, but the Cubs came out of the inning with a 3-0 lead.

With the Brewers still being cold in the top of the fourth, the Cubs continued to keep up the hot offense in the bottom of the fourth. Mike Olt leadoff the inning with a home run, which was a shot to left field. The inning ended shortly though, as they stranded Emilio Bonifacio at second base.

It took four innings, but the Brewers finally figured out how to score against Travis Wood in the top of the fifth. With two outs, Rickie Weeks ended up putting the Brewers on the board with a two-run home run after Logan Schafer doubled. That was all the runs the Brewers would get in the inning though, as Jean Segura was called out on strikes.

Neither team scored the rest of the game, but Hector Rondon was able to pick up his fifth save of the season. Travis Wood got the win, while Marca Estrada got the lost.\

Game Notes:
-At one point in the game Travis Wood retired ten straight batters

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

Cubs Spoil Garza's Return To Wrigley

Chicago, IL- Edwin Jackson put on a show today, as he recorded eleven strikeouts in the Cubs 3-0 win over the Brewers.

On his return to Wrigley, Matt Garza didn't have the greatest outing of his career. The Cubs tallied all three of their runs in the first inning, as they got to Garza early. Emilio Bonifacio laid down a good bunt to lead off the inning, and it got him to first. Next, Chris Coghlan tried to do the same, but could only get Bonifacio to second. With runners in scoring position, Anthony Rizzo was the first to take advantage of the opportunity. However, he grounded out, but got Bonifacio to third. Then, Starlin Castro hit an RBI double to get the Cubs on top 1-0. Following the Castro RBI double, Nate Schierholtz walked. After, Wellington Castillo decided to give the Cubs some security with a two-run RBI double,as he put the Cubs on top 3-0. With all the offense producing, it was only a matter of time before the third out came on a strikeout by Mike Olt.

The Brewers offense wasn't special at all, as they only mustered four hits in the whole game. Edwin Jackson & Co. just shut them down the entire game. Edwin Jackson, who tossed seven innings, probably had his best start in a Cubs uniform, and the bullpen was able to back him up. Neil Ramirez provided some solid relief, as he pitched an inning with two strikeouts. Hector Rondon earned his fourth save for the Cubs this year.

Game Notes: 

-Edwin Jackson struck out eleven batters for the first time in two years during a start. The last time it occurred came on August 18, 2012 against the New York Mets. 

-After the victory today, the Cubs are 13-2 when leading after the sixth inning this season.

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

Matt Garza May Not Be A Cub Anymore, But That Doesn't Mean He Will Be Forgotten

Chicago, IL- Cubs baseball is a subject fans haven't liked to talk about the last few years. The Cubs have not had a winning season since 2009, and are currently in a rebuilding phase. The new front office for the Cubs, led by Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer, has made some significant trades to prepare for the future. Many of these guys are washed up veterans towards the end of the careers looking to contend for a title. However, the few that are not a part of the "Washed Up" category have been traded away to acquire bigger pieces. 

A lot of fans remember some of the moves made by Jim Hendry. Alfonso Soriano, Derek Lee, and Aramis Ramirez are all players who contributed to the Cubs offensively. Pitching wasn't really a spark for the Cubs in deals until Matt Garza came along. Matt Garza, who was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays, was part of a deal that consisted of seven players going between the Cubs and Rays in 2011. The Cubs received Garza, Fernando Perez, and Zach Rosscup in exchange for Chris Archer, Brandon Guyer, Robinson Chirinos, Hak-Ju Lee, and Sam Fuld. While the Cubs lost key prospects in Archer and Lee, Garza brought some talent to the big league club during his tenure on the North Side. 

Matt Garza's career with the Cubs began in 2011 when he went 10-10 with a 3.32 ERA in 31 starts. He was a highlight of a Cubs team that lost ninety-one ballgames that year. His record really didn't show how well Garza pitched; as he threw 198 innings, struck out 197 batters, and kept his WHIP at 1.258. After that season, Garza experienced injuries the rest of his time in Chicago, but when he was healthy he was on. In 2012, the record wasn't great at 5-7, but he still had an ERA at 3.91 while dealing with injuries. He only made eighteen starts, but was effective at times like on April 29, 2012. On that day in Philadelphia, Garza went seven innings, pitched one hit ball, and struck out ten. It showed the reason why he was an ace in Tampa Bay, and why he also won an ALCS MVP award. Despite the iffy season in 2012, Garza turned his whole game around in 2013 before being shipped off to the Texas Rangers at the deadline. In eleven starts, he went 6-1 with a 3.17 ERA and WHIP of 1.141. 

The Garza trade at the deadline was huge for Texas, as they needed a starting pitcher to carry them into the postseason. They put together a package that Theo liked such as: Mike Olt, Neil Ramirez, C.J. Edwards, and Justin Grimm. Even though Garza was successful for the Cubs that year, it didn't carry over into Arlington. He went 4-5 with a 4.38 ERA. Now, Garza looks to find the success he once had, and leave the awful stay in Texas in the dust.

Garza, is someone Cubs fans will always remember. His smile and his cheer-leading skills are something the Major League team always enjoyed in the time of despair while Garza was a Cub. Garza might have hurt Cubs fans with his words to Samardzija about pitching his way off the team, but his comments were right. The men are heading into their thirties, and there is no spot for them in the future plans for the Cubs to contend. So while Garza pitches in that rival blue and gold jersey today, just remember that he once was a key part of why fans continued to have faith in the Cubs the last few years. 

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

(All facts and stats are credited to Baseball-reference.com, The Associated Press, and USA Today)

Preview: Brewers at Cubs May 17, 2014

Chicago, IL- Former Chicago Cub, Matt Garza, makes his return to Wrigley Field today. This time, he's in a Milwaukee Brewers uniform, which is not the sight the Cubs want to see. Garza was a fan favorite, and a good player in the locker room too. He will square off against Edwin Jackson in game two of this three-game series.

Matt Garza hasn't had that much success this season. Currently he is 2-3 with a 4.98 ERA in eight starts. A free agent prior to this season, Matt Garza earned himself a 4 yr./50 million dollar deal with the Brewers. In today's start, he looks to improve his numbers, and prove to his team he's a legit top of the rotation starter. On the other hand, Edwin Jackson has been having a pretty successful season this far compared to last year. The right-handed pitcher is also 2-3, but has a lower ERA at 4.56 in eight starts.

Today's lineup for the Cubs is all focused around success against Garza. Chris Coglan is 4-5 lifetime against Garza, and that is a key part of why he is batting second. Another hitter who has success against Garza is Emilio Bonifacio, who has a lifetime batting average of .357 against him. The Cubs will look to depend on these two player's success hopefully carrying into today's game. Some bad news for the Brewers is that Carlos Gomez has been scratched from the lineup, and will be replaced by Logan Schafer. So far this season, Carlos Gomez has been an outstanding lead-off man for the Crew, and sadly today that number one spot will probably be weakened. The Brewers will hope that Herrera can provide some production today in Gomez's absence. 

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

5/16/14: Cubs Can't Play Fundamental Baseball In Loss To Brewers

Chicago, IL- Playing baseball with the proper mechanics, proper judgments, and proper techniques usually contributes to a win on the diamond. However, the Cubs failed to use the skills mentioned, and that is a key reason why they lost today 4-3 to the Milwaukee Brewers.

It didn't take Milwaukee long to score in the game, as they got to Jeff Samardija in the top of the first inning. After Logan Schafer hit into a ground-out, Jean Segura gave the Brewers their first hit in the bottom of the first with a single. With two outs, Segura was able to reach second on a wild pitch by Samardzija. The first run came on the board with an RBI single by Johnathan Lucroy. On the play he was able to reach second on an error by Junior Lake. Not soon after, the Cubs committed another mistake with a throwing error by Starlin Castro, which allowed Lyle Overbay to reach first. On that play, Jonathan Lucroy came home to put the Brew Crew on top 2-0. Khris Davis hit a single after the error, but Mark Reynolds ended the inning with a strikeout. 

Trouble came for Kyle Lohse in the bottom of the first, but it didn't build up anything besides hype. With two outs, Lohse walked Rizzo, which lead up to a single by Starlin Castro. On the play, Rizzo advanced to third by an error on Mark Reynolds. However, Luis Valbuena couldn't capitalize, as he flied out to end the inning.

The second inning didn't change for Samardzija, as he faced a rough inning again. Elian Herreran lead off the inning with a double. Kyle Lohse wasn't able to get a bunt down, but that didn't matter as Logan Schafer took his base after Lohse's at-bat. With runners on first and second, Samardzija threw another wild pitch, which allowed the runners to get to third and second. Jean Segura was able to capitalize with a two-run single, as the Brewers took a 4-0 lead. Before Scooter Gennett walked, Segura was caught trying to steal second. Jonathan Lucory ended the inning on a line-out. 

In the bottom of the second, the Cubs decided they were going to cut the lead. With one out, Nate Schierholtz singled. After, Darwin Barney hit a ball into the seats, which trimmed the lead to 4-2. Unusual, Jeff Samardzija, the pitcher for the Cubs, hit a single after Barney's home run. However, the Cubs couldn't produce on that single, as Emilio Bonifacio grounded into a double play to end the inning.

In the bottom of the third, the Cubs put more pressure on the Brewers again. Junior Lake leadoff the inning with a solo home run, which gave the Brewers a one run lead. After the home run, it looked like the Cubs offense was going to come alive. Anthony Rizzo followed through with a single in the next at-bat. Castro popped up shortly after, but Valbuena moved Rizzo to third with a single of his own. The Cubs let down the fans once more, as the inning ended on a double-play by Wellington Castillo.

The game ended with another save going to Francisco Rodriguez, the Brewers closer. The Cubs were not able to at least tie the game up, and bring it into extras. The Cubs ended up losing on the day they celebrated Babe Ruth's Shot Called with a bobble head tribute.

Game Notes:

- Babe Ruth's daughter, Julia Ruth Stevens, attended the game with her son today. Tom Stevens, Julia's son, sang the seventh inning stretch. 

- James Russell, Justin Grimm, and Jose Veras struck out seven batters in three innings combined. 

-The Brewers retired sixteen Cubs in a row heading into the bottom of the ninth during the game.

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

                                          

Cubs and Cardinals May 14, 2014

Tonight's game has been postponed. No makeup date has been announced, but Hammel will start tomorrow. The rest of the rotation is pushed back a day.

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

Jose Veras Is Back...

Chicago, IL- Well it looks like everybody's favorite pitcher is back to the Major League club.

Jose Veras, who went to the fifteen-day disabled list for a left oblique strain, has made his return to the Chicago Cubs. Playing for the Smokies on a rehab assignment, he made an appearance in four games going 2-0. He gave up one hit, no runs, and struck out three in four 2/3 innings pitched.

So far this year Veras is 0-0 with a 15.88 ERA. He lost his closing role after blowing two saves. In his career he holds a 19-22 record with a 4.04 ERA.

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

5/13/14: Grimm Loses Control, As Cardinals Win In Extras

Chicago, IL- Coming off a huge win against the Cardinals, the Cubs disappointed last night in their 4-3 loss to the Cardinals in twelve innings.

Through the first inning, the game was all about pitching and defense. Arrieta racked up two strikeouts, while Wainwright got Anthony Rizzo to ground into a double-play. 

Things changed into the bottom of the second inning, when the Cubs looked to strike in the top of the second. After Starlin Castro grounded-out, Nate Schierholtz walked and Wellington Castillo hit a single. However, Junior Lake ended the opportunity to capitalize, as he grounded into a force-out. Eventually, the inning ended with a Darwin Barney fly-out. 

The bottom of the second changed for Arrieta as he lost his control. He started the inning striking out Yadier Molina, and getting Matt Adams to fly-out. Next, he gave up a double to Peter Bourjos due to Emilio Bonifacio tripping in center field. Mark Ellis and Adam Wainwright walked following the double, but Arrieta got out of a jam with a fly-out by Matt Carpenter.

Runs started to come on the board in the top of the third, as Luis Valbuena hit a two-run home run with Jake Arrieta on base. The inning ended soon after the two-run shot, but the Cubs went info the bottom of the third with a 2-0 lead. 

Once again, Jake Arrieta lost his control against the Cardinals going into the bottom of the third. He lead off the inning walking Jhonny Peralta and Matt Holliday.  Evantually, Yadier Molina singled, but the Cubs tagged Jhonny Peralta out at the plate. However, the Cardinals didn't wait to get on the board, as Matt Adams hit an RBI single in the next at-bat. Limiting the damage, Jake Arrieta got out of the inning striking out Peter Bourjos.

Arrieta was not able to go far into the ball game, as Carlos Villanueva came onto relief for the fifth and sixth inning. Villanueva got hit hard in the bottom of the sixth, as he lead off the inning giving up a single to Peter Bourjos. John Jay took a walk, and Bourjos stole third soon. Wesley Wright came in relief for Carlos, but couldn't hold the damage. With runners on first and third, Matt Carpenter reached on an error, and the ball game was tied. Jhonny Peralta gave the Cardinals a 3-2 lead when he hit an RBI single. Wright got out of the jam with Holliday and Craig hitting into ground-outs. 

Going into the ninth inning, the Cubs were down by a run. Trevor Rosenthal came in to earn a save, but couldn't do it. Rosenthal gave up a single to Junior Lake, and walked Barney to put a runner in scoring position for the Cubs. Emilio Bonifacio was clutch, as he tied up the game with an RBI single. However, Luis Valbuena blew the Cubs chance to take a 4-3 lead.

The Cardinals went into the bottom of the ninth, but couldn't come back. It took three innings of extras to win, but the Cardinals evantually did it. Justin Grimm came in to pitch the bottom of the twelfth, but couldn't give the Cubs another the opportunity. He gave up a single to Jhonny Peralta, and loaded up the bases with walks to Allen Craig and Yadier Molina. The game ended sadly for the Cubs, as the winning run for the Cardinals scored by Greg Garcia being hit by a pitch. 

Game Notes:

-ESPN stat people say it's the third time in the last decade Cubs have lost on a walk-off HBP. '07 (Marmol)  and '12 (Dolis)

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

Preview: Cubs at Cardinals May 13, 2014

                           

Chicago, IL- The Cubs and Cardinals face off today after a dominant win by the Cubs. Today, the Cubs will look to earn a 2-0 lead in this series, while the Cardinals will try to even the series at 1-1.

The Cardinals should be worried today, as they face a pitcher they don't have much success against in the past. Jake Arrieta has only faced the Cardinals twice in his career, but both performances have been dominant. Last year, he threw seven shutout innings against the Cardinals in Chicago. His second start against the Cardinals came this year, when he threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings. Something worth noting is that in 12 1/3 innings pitched against the Cardinals, Arrieta has struck out fourteen Redbird batters. On the other hand, Adam Wainwright, the Cardinals starter, has not had much success in his career against the Cubs. Against the Cubs, Adam Wainwright is 9-7 with a 4.49 ERA. The two time all-star will look to rub the chip off his shoulder against the Cubs, and continue the great start he has had this season. Currently, he is 6-2 with a 2.02 ERA so far this season.

Last night, the Cubs came alive on the offensive part of the baseball. Emilio Bonifacio fell out of his slump with four hits in five at-bats. Junior Lake came alive with three hits in six at-bat, and also drove in six. Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro hit a combined four hits with six RBI. One shocker was Darwin Barney, who actually had three hits in five at-bats. The second-basemen is not normally known for his bat, but last night he showed what he can do. Despite all the solid performances in the lineup, Wellington Castillo continued to struggle. The backstop only went one for five, and his average dropped to .241. Hopefully, Castillo gets a few hits in today's game, and raises his average back up. The Cardinals offense wasn't so hot last night, as they only mustered six hits. Matt Holliday, Allen Craig, Yadier Molina, and Mark Ellis were the only batters who collected hits for the Cardinals. The Cardinals are a young team just like the Cubs, and need the kids to produce in order to win ballgames. 

- Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

5/12/14: Cubs Tear Apart Redbirds Pitching In Win

Chicago, IL- The Cubs came into St. Louis today hungry for some runs. The hunger wore off as they beat the Cardinals 17-5.

The game lead off with a bang, as the Cubs took a lead early on in the top of the first. Emilio Bonifacio lead off the game with a double, and scored on a passed ball. After Rizzo reached first with a single, Castro tripled him home. Mike Olt hit another bomb with Castro on third, which gave the Cubs a 4-0 lead. Nate Schierholtz struck out to end the inning. Travis Wood started the ball game off perfectly, as he pitched a 1, 2, 3 inning in the bottom of the first.

The second inning turned into a nightmare for the Cardinals, as they gave up three runs to the Cubs. Before Junior Lake hit a three-run home run, Travis Wood and Emilio Bonifacio hit back-to-back singles. Into the second inning, the shutout and perfect game for Travis Wood was broken. He started out the inning striking out Allen Craig, but Yadier Molina followed through with a single afterwards. With two outs, Travis Wood walked Peter Bourjos, and gave up an RBI single to Mark Ellis. On the play, Junior Lake made an error, which allowed Bourjos to score. Eventually, Wood got himself out of a jam by striking out Tyler Lyons.

A breather came for Tyler Lyons in the top of third when he ended the inning only facing three batters. Travis Wood ended up in a jam again with runners on third and second in the third inning, but got out of it with a fly-out by Yadier Molina. 

Into the fourth inning, the Cubs offense came back to life once again. Darwin Barney leadoff with a single, and was bunted to second by Travis Wood. Next, Bonifacio walked, and Junior Lake came through again. This time he hit an RBI double, which gave the Cubs a 8-2 lead. The Cubs scored one more run on a fielder's choice, but ended the inning on a ground-out by Mike Olt. Pitching through the bottom of the fourth was an easy task for Wood, as he breezed past Matt Adams, Peter Bourjos, and Mark Ellis.

Sooner than later, Travis Wood began to fall apart. In the bottom of the fifth, he gave up three runs: an RBI double by Matt Holliday, an RBI ground-out by Allen Craig, and RBI single by Yadier Molina.

With the game growing closer, the Cubs realized they needed to provide some more security. They scored two runs on a sacrifice fly by Anthony Rizzo, and an RBI double by Starlin Castro.

After the fifth inning, the Cardinals offense failed to score anymore. However, the Cubs put more runs on the board in the top of the ninth: Darwin Barney hit an RBI single, Junior Lake hit a two-run RBI double, Anthony Rizzo hit an RBI groundout, and Starlin Castro hit an RBI single. Hector Rondon pitched the bottom of the ninth, but it wasn't a save situation. 

Game Notes:

-Travis Wood hit two batters in the bottom of the fifth, and got beamed himself in the top of the sixth. 

- Cubs set season high in a game with seventeen runs and twenty hits

-Cubs scored more tonight than the fifteen runs total they have scored in all of Samardzijas eight starts. 

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

Preview: Cubs and Cardinals May 12, 2014

Chicago, IL- Tonight, the Cubs begin a four-game series with the Cardinals in St. Louis. After being swept by the Braves in Atlanta, the Cubs will be looking for success against their rivals. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are coming back from Pittsburgh, where they lost two of three to the Pirates. So far this season, both teams are 3-3 against one another. 

Travis Wood will be eyeing success, as he comes back after a terrible start against the White Sox. In that game, he gave up eight earned runs in four innings pitched. So far this season he is 2-4 with a 4.75 ERA. A former relief pitcher, Tyler Lyons has translated well into the starting rotation. The twenty-six year old has had quality outings in two of his three starts this season. The lefty is currently 0-2 with a 3.43 ERA.

One player the Cubs are looking to heat up in this series is Nate Schierholtz. Last night, he went 1 for 3 with a two-run RBI double. He is currently batting .195 with 0 HR and 12 RBI. For being a constant name in the lineup, he needs to contribute similar to last year when he batted .251 with 21 HR and 68 RBI. Bonifacio needs to also start hitting again, as he only has seven hits and two walks in his last thirty-eight at-bats. This season has been a slow start for some Cardinals hitters such as: Jhonny Peralta, Allen Craig, Matt Carpenter, Mark Ellis, and Peter Bourjos. However, in the last ten days all of these cold hitters have been hitting over .300 besides Mark Ellis. The Cardinals will look to carry that hot hitting into this neck-to-neck rivalry series. 

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

Preview: Cubs and Braves May 10, 2014

Chicago, IL- The Cubs fell 3-2 in game one, and they are eyeing the opportunity tie up the series in tonight's match up. 

Jeff Samardzija, the Cubs ace, has been having a phenomenal season so far. He may be 0-3, but the record doesn't explain just how well he's pitched. Jeff is currently second in ERA in the National League. His opponent Ervin Santana has also been having a good season. Santana was passed up by many teams due to his inconsistency in the off-season, but so far he has put up a respectable 2.41 ERA with a 3-0 record. 

The Cubs offense struggled in last night's game, and hopefully tonight the bats will warm up. The Cubs only mustered out four hits compared to Atlanta's nine. The table-setters (Bonifacio, Kalish, Rizzo, and Castro) need to heat up in this series, as the Cubs have fallen ten games under .500. On the other hand, the Braves have been getting production in this series from the top of their line up. Jason Heyward, Justin Upton,  Freddie Freeman, and Evan Gattis went a combined six for sixteen on Friday. 

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

5/9/14: Cubs Fall To Braves In Extras

Chicago, IL- The Cubs fell to the Braves 3-2 in a game that went into ten innings.

Jason Hammel started off shaky in the bottom of the first, but got out of a jam. He started the game with two fly-outs by Jason Heyward and Justin Upton, but then lost his first inning groove. The trouble started with a walk to Freddie Freeman, followed by singles to Evan Gattis and Chris Johnson. With the bags loaded, Jason Hammel was clutch with a strikeout to B.J. Upton to end the inning. 

The Cubs got an early 1-0 lead with a Mike Olt blast in the top of the third. However that lead didn't last, as Jason Hammel got into another jam into the bottom of the third. Once again, Jason Hammel got Jason Heyward and Justin Upton to get out. Freddie Freeman and Evan Gattis hit singles again, and eventually moved up on a wild pitch. Soon, Chris Johnson gave the Braves the lead with a two-run RBI single. B.J. Upton ended the inning with a fly-out. 

It took the Cubs six innings, but they eventually tied up the ballgame. Ryan Kalish hit an RBI single, which blew Craig Kimbrel's save opportunity. 

The Braves eventually won the game on a walk-off RBI single by Freddie Freeman.

Game Notes:

The Cubs top of the lineup struggled, as one hit was recorded between Bonifacio, Kalish, Rizzo, and Castro.

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

Preview: Cubs and Braves May 9, 2014

Chicago, IL- Tonight the Cubs kick off a series against a similar team who hasn't done too well the last few days: the Atlanta Braves. The Braves have only won two of their last ten games. They are coming off a series against the Cardinals, where they took one of three games played. The Cubs are coming off a series against the White Sox, where they took one of four games played.

Jason Hammel gets the start for the Cubs. He has had a resurgence season, as he is 4-1 with a 2.43 ERA. In the National League, he is tied fourth in wins, third in WHIP, and second in average allowed. His opponent, Julio Terehan, has also had a good season. He is 2-2 with a 1.80 ERA. In the National League, he is second in ERA, and fourth in WHIP. It should be an exciting match up down in Georgia, as both pitchers are at the top of their game right now.

Despite the excellent pitching from both clubs, the lineups haven't been promising. In the National League, the Braves are twelfth in offense, and the Cubs are thirteenth. Some of the Cubs young core players have been putting up good numbers such as Starlin Castro, Anthony Rizzo, and Wellington Castllo. However, one guy they are hoping for to pick up his bat is Mike Olt. Olt may have six HR and nineteen RBI, but he's only batting .184 with a .259 on-base percentage. Meanwhile, the Braves have had many issues in their lineup. Justin Upton, Freddie Freeman, and Andrelton Simmons are all producing, but core players such as Jason Heyward, Evan Gattis, Chris Johnson, and BJ Upton are all struggling. The veteran Dan Uggla has also been having another down season, which may lead up to the promotion of Tommy La Stella. 

- Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

5/8/14: Cubs Avoid Sweep Against White Sox

Chicago, IL- The Cubs avoided a sweep with a 12-5 win over the White Sox in the final game of the four-game series between the crosstown rivals.

The White Sox struck first in the bottom of the second against Jake Arrieta, but the lead didn't last long. Alexei Ramirez and Alejandro De Aza lead off the inning with back to back singles. Then, Moises Sierra hit an RBI single to drive in Ramirez. A bad throw by Junior Lake on the play home allowed De Aza to reach third base. The White Sox put their second run on the board with an RBI ground-out by Tyler Flowers, but Gordon Beckham ended the inning with a double play. 

In the top of the third inning, the Cubs decided to strike back immediately. Ryan Kalish lead off the inning with a triple, and Luis Valbuena came through with an RBI single. Soon, the Cubs took the lead with a mammoth two-run home run by Anthony Rizzo. After serving up the long ball, Scott Carroll lost his control and command, as he gave up a base hit to Nate Schierholtz, hit Wellington Castillo, and gave up another base hit to Chris Coghlan. Following a Mike Olt pop out, Carroll walked Junior Lake, which lead to another run scoring. The order came back around to Ryan Kalish, but he grounded out. Still, the Cubs left the inning with a 4-2 lead.

The Cubs struck again in the top of the forth. Rizzo walked and Starlin Castro hit a two-run bomb. Nate Schierholtz tripled afterwards, but Wellington Castillo and Chris Coglan couldn't bring him home. The White Sox tried to strike back in the bottom of the fourth, but only scored two runs on RBI singles by Tyler Flowers and Connor Gillaspie. 

Runs didn't cross the plate again until the top of the eighth. Maikel Cleto was still on the mound after the seventh, but couldn't get past the Cubs in the eigth. He lead off the inning walking Luis Valbuena, which followed with a double by Anthony Rizzo. With runners on second and third, Cleto loaded the bases with a walk to Schierholtz. He then hit Castillo, and eventually served a grand slam up to Mike Olt. Junior Lake singled afterwards, but Kalish flied out to end the inning. In the bottom of the eighth, Justin Grimm struck out the side.

The Cubs scored their final run in the top of the ninth. Valbuena and Rizzo leadoff the inning with ground-outs, but suddenly Castro was plunked by Jake Petricka. On a wild pitch by Petricka, Castro reached second. Wellington Castillo then hit an RBI single after Schierholtz walked. However, Coglan flied out to end the inning. 

The White Sox tried to make a comeback in the bottom of the ninth, but it was unsuccessful. Justin Grimm got two quick outs from Leury Garcia and Connor Gillaspie, but he couldn't make a third out. He ended up walking Marcus Semien, and giving up a single to Adam Dunn. Then, Dayan Viciedo came through with an RBI single, and Alexei  Ramirez followed up with a single. Renteria pulled out Grimm to preserve the game, and put in Wesley Wright, who got the final out with a strikeout from De Aza.

Game Notes: 

Starlin Castro hit his fifth home run of the season. He only hit ten last year. 

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

Preview: Cubs and White Sox May 8, 2014

Chicago, IL- The White Sox are looking to sweep the Cubs this year in the crosstown series as they are up 3-0. The Cubs will send Jake Arrieta to the mound to hold off against the White Sox, while the White Sox send Scott Carroll to the mound to earn the victory against the Cubs. 

Jake Arrieta is coming off his first start of the season. Against the Cardinals, he pitched 5.1 innings of shutout baseball with seven strikeouts. Scott Carroll, the twenty-nine year old rookie, is also coming off a solid outing. Against the Indians, he pitched six innings of two-run ball. To sum up, both teams are looking for solid production from both of their starters today.

A name out of the lineup for the Cubs tonight is Emilio Bonifacio. The utility player has been batting .174 the last six games as stated by Carrie Muskat. Bonifacio has seen a lot of time in center field, but tonight Ryan Kalish will replace him. 

The Cubs offense really struggled last night besides Bonifacio, Olt, Valbuena, and Barney. The Cubs are looking for Lake, Rizzo, Castro, Castillo, and Kalish to bounce back tonight as all of them went a combined 0 for 17 in yesterday's game.

Another thing the Cubs are looking for tonight is limiting the damage from their south-side rivals. The White Sox have scored twenty-one  runs compared to the Cubs nine runs this series.

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

5/7/14: Cubs Can't Hold Off White Sox In Cup Loss

Chicago, IL- Well the Cubs are not Crosstown Cup winners this year. They have dropped three straight games to the  White Sox out of four. 

Travis Wood struggled out of the gate as he gave up an RBI single to Alexei Ramirez in the first inning. He walked Viciedo and Konerko in the inning along with a double to Abreu.

Luis Valbuena tied up the game with an RBI double in the top of the second at 1-1, but that lead didn't last long.

Wood had another rough inning in the bottom of the fourth. He led off the inning getting Konerko out, but trouble came afterwards. Moises Sierra hit a single, and advanced to second on an error by Luis Valbuena. Next, Marcus Semien and Adrian Nieto walked. However, Semien was picked off first. Soon, Gordon Beckham hit a go-ahead three-run home run which gave the White Sox a 4-1 lead.

The Cubs looked like they were coming back in the top of the fifth with a homer by Olt and RBI double by Bonafacio, but the inning ended on a questionable strikeout by Anthony Rizzo.

With the Cubs only trailing 4-3 into the bottom of the fifth, it looked like things were going to be close. However that wasn't the case, as Paul Konerko hit a bases-clearing double in the inning to give the White Sox a 7-3 lead. Afterwards, Travis Wood's day ended, but Brian Schlitter was hit hard too. He ended up giving up an RBI single to Marcus Semien, and the White Sox finished the game 8-3 after nine innings. 

Game Notes:

-Rick Renteria was ejected in the fifth inning, which was his third ejection this season.

-Alexei Ramirez had a great play in the top of the seventh, catching a line out from Valbuena.

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

Preview: Cubs and White Sox May 7, 2014

Chicago, IL- Two lefties square off tonight at U.S. Cellular Field. Travis Wood, who is 2-3 with a 3.35 ERA, starts on the mound for the Cubs. John Danks, who is 2-2 with a 5.00 ERA, starts on the mound for the White Sox.

The Cubs are looking to split this series between their crosstown rival in the next two games. The White Sox won game one 3-1. Marcus Semien came through with a clutch RBI double in the top of the twelfth. The Sox came back again in the second game at Wrigley with a 5-1 win. Tyler Flowers hit the go-ahead RBI double in the top of the ninth. 

Wellington Castillo is looking to rebound today after going one for four with three strikeouts in last night's game. The twenty-seven year old backstop for the Cubs is batting .261 this season. Another player looking to rebound from a dreadful night is Luis Valbuena. The third-basemen collected no hits in three at-bats along with two strikeouts. 

The White Sox lead-off man Alejandro De Aza also needs to bounce back, as he collected no hits in five at-bats, along with three strikeouts. Dayan Viciedo and Marcus Semien didn't add to the hit column either, as both had four at-bats and struck out twice. 

The Cubs got some bad news today with the addition of Pedro Strop to the DL for a groin strain. Lefty Zac Rosscup was called up to replace Strop in the pen.

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC). 

Rusin Throws A No-No

Chicago, IL- Reggie Patterson was the last pitcher to throw a no-hitter for the Iowa Cubs. It was against the Omaha Royals on August 21, 1984. 

Since then, an Iowa Cub pitcher has not thrown one for thirty years. However, Chris Rusin broke that streak today against the New Orleans Zephyrs, an affiliate of the Miami Marlins. Chris Rusin & Co. beat the Zephyrs 3-0.

Even though Rusin threw a no-hitter, it wasn't spectacular at all. He only struck out three hitters: Matt Angle and Brian Bogusevic. The lefty only gave up two walks to Josh Rodriguez. After the start, he is 2-4 with a 3.58 ERA at Iowa.

Chris Rusin has been called up to the Chicago Cubs before in 2012, 2013, and 2014. He has gone a combined 4-9 with an ERA of 4.54.

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)

Welcome To Cut The Curse!

Chicago, IL- Sports blogs have become very popular over the last few years. Some really popular ones are USSMariner, BleedCubbieBlue, and LookoutLanding. Some famous sports writers are Dave Cameron, Buster Olney, and Jon Heyman. To become a good sports writer takes a lot of practice, and covering teams as much as possible. To become the best, the heart needs to enjoy doing it every second of the day.

I have grown accustom to writing over the last few years. Growing up as a kid, I hated having to write. However, my perception on writing changed after my sophomore year in high school. An English teacher I had really got me into writing on different ideas. Soon, I enjoyed writing and also speaking on all kinds of topics. When I started reading sports articles from such sites as Bleacher Report, I realized I found a career I was destined to be in.

So far, sticking to one place has been hard for me. Growing up as a Mariners and a Cubs fan, my upbringing was brought with losing culture. However, that never made me lose my interest in either team. I started a blog in February of 2014 called Mocha Mariners, and I planned to stay with it. The problem though was after awhile, I realized it was a difficult task covering a West Coast team in a Midwest city. Afterawhile, I started SouthSideSluggers, a blog about the Chicago White Sox. It didn't last long for me, as I slacked off on stuff. Now, I'm on my third (and hopefully final) blog.

Covering Major League Baseball at my age is not an easy task. I'm still in high school, and have a lot going on at the moment. My effort to cover the Cubs will be the best I can do. The usual posts will be about recaps, opinions, and news. The occasional posts will be about injuries, monthly reports, and minor league news. Enjoy the work put out here, as I hope this blog will be the one the fans and I enjoy working on.

-Daniel (DanielDoreCTC)