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CHICAGO CUBS ( HAMMEL )
LA DODGERS ( KERSHAW ) |
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| 909 | CHICAGO CUBS | +185 | Ov 6,-120 | +200 | Ov 6,-130 | | 910 | LA DODGERS | -200 | Un 6,+100 | -220 | Un 6,+110 |
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| All Games | 73-53 | +9.2 | 56-63 | 4.1 | 0.241 | 0.311 | 0.392 | 0.703 | 3.9 | 0.242 | 0.295 | 0.387 | 0.682 | | Road Games | 34-27 | +6.8 | 29-28 | 4.4 | 0.245 | 0.311 | 0.394 | 0.705 | 4.0 | 0.246 | 0.302 | 0.386 | 0.689 | | vs Left-handed Starters | 15-12 | +1.1 | 14-11 | 4.2 | 0.238 | 0.316 | 0.359 | 0.675 | 4.7 | 0.261 | 0.316 | 0.436 | 0.753 | | Past 7 Games | 5-2 | +2.9 | 4-3 | 5.1 | 0.232 | 0.297 | 0.482 | 0.780 | 4.6 | 0.247 | 0.292 | 0.391 | 0.683 | | Grass Games | 73-53 | +9.2 | 56-63 | 4.1 | 0.241 | 0.311 | 0.392 | 0.703 | 3.9 | 0.242 | 0.295 | 0.387 | 0.682 | | Night Games | 45-29 | +13.8 | 35-35 | 4.5 | 0.251 | 0.321 | 0.409 | 0.730 | 4.0 | 0.243 | 0.300 | 0.382 | 0.682 |
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| All Games | 4.1 | 0.241 | 0.311 | 126 | 4253 | 1023 | 200 | 24 | 132 | 0.392 | 497 | 434 | 1161 | 79 | 887 | 97 | 85 | 91 | 109 | | Road Games | 4.4 | 0.245 | 0.311 | 61 | 2152 | 527 | 111 | 10 | 63 | 0.394 | 259 | 208 | 588 | 39 | 436 | 43 | 47 | 49 | 40 | | Lefty Starters | 4.2 | 0.238 | 0.316 | 27 | 900 | 214 | 47 | 4 | 18 | 0.359 | 106 | 103 | 263 | 18 | 202 | 20 | 16 | 19 | 11 |
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| All Games | 3.54 | 1.258 | 403.7 | 169 | 159 | 364 | 31 | 144 | 391 | 30-20 | 38 | 16 | 70.4% | | Road Games | 3.47 | 1.318 | 184.3 | 75 | 71 | 167 | 11 | 76 | 173 | 11-11 | 21 | 7 | 75% |
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| All Games | 70-56 | -12.9 | 62-61 | 4.1 | 0.253 | 0.323 | 0.421 | 0.744 | 3.6 | 0.244 | 0.296 | 0.369 | 0.665 | | Home Games | 42-20 | +8.9 | 38-23 | 4.4 | 0.259 | 0.324 | 0.446 | 0.771 | 3.4 | 0.233 | 0.279 | 0.355 | 0.634 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 55-42 | -5.8 | 48-47 | 4.2 | 0.255 | 0.324 | 0.426 | 0.751 | 3.7 | 0.246 | 0.299 | 0.368 | 0.668 | | Past 7 Games | 3-4 | -2 | 1-6 | 2.6 | 0.192 | 0.249 | 0.317 | 0.566 | 2.7 | 0.216 | 0.266 | 0.344 | 0.610 | | Grass Games | 70-56 | -12.9 | 62-61 | 4.1 | 0.253 | 0.323 | 0.421 | 0.744 | 3.6 | 0.244 | 0.296 | 0.369 | 0.665 | | Night Games | 50-42 | -13.8 | 50-39 | 4.3 | 0.256 | 0.325 | 0.429 | 0.753 | 3.8 | 0.244 | 0.298 | 0.380 | 0.678 |
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| All Games | 4.1 | 0.253 | 0.323 | 126 | 4165 | 1053 | 206 | 18 | 153 | 0.421 | 500 | 431 | 963 | 31 | 860 | 128 | 58 | 99 | 70 | | Home Games | 4.4 | 0.259 | 0.324 | 62 | 1999 | 518 | 116 | 9 | 80 | 0.446 | 264 | 193 | 450 | 20 | 398 | 52 | 22 | 44 | 28 | | Righty Starters | 4.2 | 0.255 | 0.324 | 97 | 3211 | 819 | 161 | 14 | 120 | 0.426 | 391 | 330 | 745 | 27 | 656 | 96 | 49 | 75 | 59 |
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| All Games | 4.19 | 1.309 | 346 | 170 | 161 | 333 | 38 | 120 | 391 | 23-23 | 34 | 17 | 66.7% | | Home Games | 3.45 | 1.117 | 182.7 | 74 | 70 | 152 | 16 | 52 | 210 | 17-6 | 20 | 9 | 69% |
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| 8/14/2015 | HENDRICKS(R) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | SAMARDZIJA(R) | 6-5 | W | -110 | 8.5 ov | O | 10 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 9 | 0 | | 8/15/2015 | ARRIETA(R) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | QUINTANA(L) | 6-3 | W | -120 | 7.5 un | O | 12 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 2 | | 8/16/2015 | HAREN(R) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | SALE(L) | 1-3 | L | 180 | 7.5 ov | U | 3 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 1 | | 8/18/2015 | HAMMEL(R) | DETROIT | SANCHEZ(R) | 8-10 | L | -160 | 8.5 ov | O | 11 | 6 | 0 | 19 | 11 | 1 | | 8/19/2015 | LESTER(L) | DETROIT | NORRIS(L) | 8-15 | L | -180 | 9 un | O | 11 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 10 | 2 | | 8/20/2015 | ARRIETA(R) | ATLANTA | FOLTYNEWICZ(R) | 7-1 | W | -290 | 7.5 ov | O | 9 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 0 | | 8/21/2015 | HENDRICKS(R) | ATLANTA | MILLER(R) | 5-3 | W | -185 | 9 un | U | 8 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 2 | | 8/22/2015 | HAREN(R) | ATLANTA | PEREZ(R) | 9-7 | W | -195 | 9 ov | O | 11 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 5 | 0 | | 8/23/2015 | HAMMEL(R) | ATLANTA | WISLER(R) | 9-3 | W | -215 | 10 un | O | 11 | 11 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 1 | | 8/24/2015 | LESTER(L) | CLEVELAND | KLUBER(R) | 2-1 | W | -130 | 7.5 ov | U | 5 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 0 | | 8/25/2015 | ARRIETA(R) | @ SAN FRANCISCO | CAIN(R) | 8-5 | W | -140 | 6.5 ev | O | 10 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 1 | | 8/26/2015 | HENDRICKS(R) | @ SAN FRANCISCO | PEAVY(R) | 2-4 | L | -110 | 7.5 un | U | 5 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 1 | | 8/27/2015 | HAREN(R) | @ SAN FRANCISCO | BUMGARNER(L) | 1-9 | L | 170 | 7 ev | O | 3 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 0 | | 8/28/2015 | HAMMEL(R) | @ LA DODGERS | KERSHAW(L) | | | 8/29/2015 | LESTER(L) | @ LA DODGERS | LATOS(R) | | | 8/30/2015 | ARRIETA(R) | @ LA DODGERS | WOOD(L) | | | 8/31/2015 | HENDRICKS(R) | CINCINNATI | HOLMBERG(L) | | | 9/1/2015 | HAREN(R) | CINCINNATI | DESCLAFANI(R) | | | 9/2/2015 | HAMMEL(R) | CINCINNATI | IGLESIAS(R) | | | 9/4/2015 | | ARIZONA | | |
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| 8/14/2015 | WOOD(L) | CINCINNATI | LAMB(L) | 5-3 | W | -170 | 7.5 un | O | 11 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | | 8/15/2015 | ANDERSON(L) | CINCINNATI | HOLMBERG(L) | 8-3 | W | -165 | 8 ov | O | 12 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 1 | | 8/16/2015 | GREINKE(R) | CINCINNATI | DESCLAFANI(R) | 2-1 | W | -225 | 7.5 un | U | 7 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | | 8/18/2015 | KERSHAW(L) | @ OAKLAND | DOUBRONT(L) | 4-5 | L | -250 | 6.5 un | O | 7 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 10 | 0 | | 8/19/2015 | WOOD(L) | @ OAKLAND | CHAVEZ(R) | 2-5 | L | -120 | 8 un | U | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 0 | | 8/21/2015 | ANDERSON(L) | @ HOUSTON | FIERS(R) | 0-3 | L | 115 | 8 un | U | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | | 8/22/2015 | GREINKE(R) | @ HOUSTON | KAZMIR(L) | 1-3 | L | -125 | 7 un | U | 7 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | | 8/23/2015 | KERSHAW(L) | @ HOUSTON | MCCULLERS(R) | 2-3 | L | -150 | 6.5 un | U | 10 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 0 | | 8/25/2015 | WOOD(L) | @ CINCINNATI | LAMB(L) | 5-1 | W | -130 | 7.5 un | U | 7 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 0 | | 8/26/2015 | ANDERSON(L) | @ CINCINNATI | HOLMBERG(L) | 7-4 | W | -170 | 8 ov | O | 10 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 1 | | 8/27/2015 | GREINKE(R) | @ CINCINNATI | DESCLAFANI(R) | 1-0 | W | -190 | 7 ov | U | 7 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 1 | | 8/28/2015 | KERSHAW(L) | CHICAGO CUBS | HAMMEL(R) | | | 8/29/2015 | LATOS(R) | CHICAGO CUBS | LESTER(L) | | | 8/30/2015 | WOOD(L) | CHICAGO CUBS | ARRIETA(R) | | | 8/31/2015 | ANDERSON(L) | SAN FRANCISCO | PEAVY(R) | | | 9/1/2015 | GREINKE(R) | SAN FRANCISCO | BUMGARNER(L) | | | 9/2/2015 | KERSHAW(L) | SAN FRANCISCO | LEAKE(R) | | | 9/3/2015 | LATOS(R) | @ SAN DIEGO | REA(R) | | | 9/4/2015 | | @ SAN DIEGO | | |
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| |  | CHICAGO CUBS: CHICAGO (AP) - Standing in the shade on a beautiful afternoon in Arizona, Jon Lester embraced the question that hovers over the Chicago Cubs these days.
When it comes to all those highly touted prospects, Lester said the time is now.
''When I played in Boston, we didn't have time to grow up,'' the left-hander explained. ''You just had to show up and play, and each year you're expected to win, so that's how I feel. Every year they should come in and expect to be not only division winners, but World Series champions. If you don't have that mindset, then I think you're playing for the wrong reasons.''
Heady stuff for a franchise known mostly for futility, but the Cubs think it's a new era after five consecutive losing seasons.
The shift in thinking for president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and the rest of the front office was evident during an aggressive offseason that included the addition of Joe Maddon after the veteran manager opted out of his contract with Tampa Bay, and a $155 million, six-year contract to add Lester.
The hiring of Maddon meant dumping Rick Renteria after just one year, and Lester's deal is a significant investment for a pitcher who turned 31 in January. But looking at their good young core and rich minor league system, the Cubs felt it was time to act.
''There's a lot of talent here. Now it's about executing,'' Lester said. ''It's going out and playing good baseball for six months. It's hard to do. But that's why we're here. We're going to figure it out as we go.''
The Cubs, who also acquired center fielder Dexter Fowler and catcher Miguel Montero in trades, should be much improved after their 73-89 finish in 2014. But going from last place to the playoffs could depend more on the development of Chicago's top prospects than its newest players.
Jorge Soler takes over in right field after making his major league debut in August and drawing raves for his approach at the plate in the season's final month. Javier Baez, Arismendy Alcantara and Kris Bryant - all 20-something position players with considerable potential - also are key to the Cubs' chance for a breakthrough.
''You don't really read enough about their personalities and their makeup. That to me makes them real prospects,'' Maddon said. ''There's a lot of guys who throw 95 mph and hit balls out of sight. But with the makeup, personality and character ... that's what really turns me on to this group.''
Here are a few more things to watch with the Cubs:
UNDER THE RADAR: Jake Arrieta was a pleasant surprise, finishing with a 10-5 record and a sparkling 2.53 ERA in 25 starts last year. He struck out 167 in 156 2-3 innings and allowed just five homers.
Arrieta, 29, began last season on the disabled list with right shoulder tightness but looked healthy this spring and could team with Lester to give Chicago a potent top of the rotation.
''There's always room to improve. There's always things to get better at,'' Arrieta said. ''There's a right way to go about doing that, and I think that there's some things that I can clean up and kind of use in regard to what I did last season to make it even better.''
AT THE PLATE: The Cubs struck out a major league-high 1,477 times last season, and their .300 on-base percentage was 28th among 30 teams. They had six players with at least 100 strikeouts.
The addition of Fowler, who had a .375 on-base percentage last season with Houston, should help the top of the order, and the pressure is on new hitting coach John Mallee to help Baez and the other young hitters make more consistent contact.
IN THE DUGOUT: Maddon is one of the game's most creative managers, and the move to the NL and one of the game's most quirky ballparks in Wrigley Field could lead to all sorts of different lineups. He could put the pitcher in the eighth slot in the lineup in some situations. Pretty much everything is on the table when it comes to Maddon.
IN THE FIELD: The majors' second-oldest ballpark is undergoing a major renovation that could affect its notoriously fickle wind, which can turn innocent fly balls into homers and long drives into outs. A massive new videoboard is expected to be in place by opening day, but the bleachers will be under construction for the first part of the season. How the work on the ballpark affects the  the field remains to be seen. | | LA DODGERS: LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Los Angeles Dodgers have a new front office. Shortstop Hanley Ramirez, outfielder Matt Kemp, second-baseman Dee Gordon and pitcher Dan Haren are gone from a roster that won the NL West title last season.
Change was everywhere at the Dodgers' spring camp and all of it was designed to enhance their chances of achieving a goal that has never changed: Winning the World Series.
It eluded them last October in the NL Division series against the St. Louis Cardinals. It eluded them after the club was sold for $2.15 billion three years ago. It's eluded them since 1988.
''Everything we're doing is in the vein of trying to put ourselves in the best position to make it into October and then play as long as we can,'' said Andrew Friedman, the team's new president of baseball operations, who along with new general manager Farhan Zaidi employed an analytic approach to a winter makeover of a roster that had won back-to-back NL West titles.
Make no mistake, though, the changes were built around those who are back. At the top of the pitching order is Clayton Kershaw, the 2014 NL MVP and three-time Cy Young Award winner. Kershaw is armed with motivation to make amends for last fall's struggles. In right field, there's the young Yasiel Puig, an All-Star who was benched for some of the postseason.
A key to the makeover is in the heart of the infield, where Friedman and Zaidi acquired shortstop Jimmy Rollins from Philadelphia and second baseman Howie Kendrick from the Angels.
''Instant credibility,'' Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said of the two veterans who some think will plug holes in what was an inconsistent defense. ''I think they bring a ton to the table for us. They create stability up the middle.''
There are questions whether the Dodgers sacrificed some offense in losing Ramirez' big bat and Gordon's speed. Ramirez signed with Boston. Gordon, a 2014 All Star, was traded to Miami. Meanwhile, Kemp's proven power is also gone. He was traded to San Diego for catcher Yasmani Grandal.
The Dodgers were willing to move Kemp because of what they've seen in 22-year-old Joc Pederson, who through 17 spring games was batting .417. Pederson appears to have the edge over veteran Andre Ethier as the starter in center field. With Carl Crawford in left and Puig in right, there's no room for Ethier, who said early in camp that he wants to be an everyday player.
Then there's the pitching staff. Kershaw and Zack Greinke are locks for the top of the rotation. After them, there are questions. No. 3 starter Hyun-Jin Ryu is likely to start the season on the disabled list because of an ailing left shoulder. Friedman signed projected starters Brandon McCarthy (four years at $48 million) and Brett Anderson (one year at $10 million), but each has a long history of injury.
With the uncertainty surrounding Ryu, it's not clear who will be the fifth starter. Joe Wieland, also acquired from San Diego in the deal for Kemp, was considered a leading possibility.
In the bullpen, the biggest question is about closer Kenley Jansen, who underwent surgery on Feb. 17 to have a growth removed from the fifth metatarsal on his left foot. He was expected to be out for 8-to-12 weeks. Until he's back, Mattingly said he might use a committee of pitchers to fill the role.
QUIET PUIG: Except for an occasional flip of the bat, it was a quiet camp for Puig, who is beginning his third season. Through 12 games, he was batting a modest .226 with 3 homers. ''I don't think his spring was that great last year either,'' Mattingly said. ''I'm not really concerned about his average or anything. I think he looks fine. He's hit some balls decent. He's a lot like other guys who know they're going to be around. They take their bats different than guys who are trying to show us what they can do.''
IMPATIENT KERSHAW: Kershaw never has much patience for questions about the World Series in the spring. ''Every team thinks they're going to win the World Series at this time of year,'' he said. ''That's everybody's goal and it should be. If you don't win the World Series, it's a failure.''
POWER ADJUSTMENT: First baseman Adrian Gonzalez has his own take on the Dodgers' altered offense. ''People are saying say that we lost power, but I think we just put the power in different spots of the lineup,'' he said. |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER NL PREVIEW (CHICAGO CUBS-LA DODGERS) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Cubs-Dodgers Preview* ======================
By KEVIN MASSOTH STATS Writer
Chicago (73-52) at Los Angeles (69-56), 10:10 p.m. EDT
The Los Angeles Dodgers salvaged three games from what could have been a disastrous road trip. On Friday night they will try to squeeze something out of a Clayton Kershaw start.
Kershaw will go for his first win in three outings as the first-place Dodgers return home for a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs.
Los Angeles (70-56) has come up empty in back-to-back Kershaw gems, 10-inning walk-off losses in Oakland on Aug. 18 and Houston on Sunday.
A 3-2 loss to the Astros wasted eight innings of one-run ball from Kershaw (10-6, 2.29 ERA). More importantly, it was the Dodgers' fifth loss to start their eight-game trip through Oakland, Houston and Cincinnati, and it trimmed their NL West lead to 1 1/2 games over the Giants.
It was also just the second time all season Los Angeles dropped consecutive games from Cy Young candidates Zack Greinke and Kershaw.
"I hope we're panicking a little bit," Kershaw told MLB's official website. "I think panic's a good thing to a certain extent. It's obvious we've got five weeks or whatever it is, too. So, there's a sense of urgency."
The Dodgers took the message into Cincinnati and swept the reeling Reds in the final three games of the trip, lifting their division lead to 2 1/2 games. Greinke did the heavy lifting Thursday with seven innings in a 1-0 win.
The only bad news was the departure of right fielder Yasiel Puig, who paid a heavy price for legging out a ninth-inning infield single by reinjuring his right hamstring.
Puig, who's two singles moved his hitting streak to 10 games, said the injury was worse than the original one he suffered Aug. 18 that forced him to miss two games. Manager Don Mattingly did not say if Puig would undergo an MRI on Friday.
Puig was one of the only players hitting during the road trip, which included Mike Fiers' no-hitter last week. The Dodgers averaged 2.75 runs, just below their underwhelming August number of 3.91.
They likely won't need that much for Kershaw. The reigning MVP has given up one earned run or less in nine of his last 10 starts, a span that includes two shutouts and an ERA of 0.94.
The Cubs (73-53) will face a Cy Young candidate for the second consecutive day after a 9-1 loss to San Francisco's Madison Bumgarner on Thursday cut their lead for the second wild card to 5 1/2 over the Giants.
"You have to learn how to bounce back from a loss," manager Joe Maddon told MLB's official website. "You may be upset for about 30 minutes, and then you move on."
Chicago - which added right-hander Fernando Rodney to its bullpen in a deal with Seattle on Thursday - is 5-2 against former Cy Young winners this year, including a 4-2 win over Kershaw on June 22. Kris Bryant had two home runs, including a two-run shot off Kershaw, and he's batting .370 with three homers during a seven-game hitting streak.
Jason Hammel (7-5, 3.35) will face Los Angeles for the second time this year. One of the right-hander's best outings came during a 1-0, 10-inning win June 23 as he held the Dodgers to two hits over 7 2-3.
Hammel - 2-4 with a 4.96 ERA in 11 starts against the Dodgers - posted his longest outing in eight starts Sunday, allowing two runs in 6 1-3 innings in a 9-3 win over Atlanta.
Cubs center fielder Dexter Fowler, who is 17 for 40 against Kershaw, is day to day after fouling a ball off his right shin Tuesday.
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| | Last Updated: 4/18/2024 3:32:50 PM EST. |
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