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CHICAGO CUBS ( HENDRICKS )
MILWAUKEE ( WAGNER ) |
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| 911 | CHICAGO CUBS | -160 | Ov 8.5,+100 | -160 | Ov 8,-115 | | 912 | MILWAUKEE | +150 | Un 8.5,-120 | +150 | Un 8,-105 |
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| All Games | 95-65 | +14.9 | 72-79 | 4.3 | 0.244 | 0.314 | 0.399 | 0.713 | 3.8 | 0.234 | 0.287 | 0.375 | 0.662 | | Road Games | 46-33 | +11.7 | 38-35 | 4.5 | 0.251 | 0.315 | 0.401 | 0.716 | 3.8 | 0.238 | 0.292 | 0.370 | 0.662 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 75-51 | +10.8 | 57-62 | 4.4 | 0.247 | 0.316 | 0.411 | 0.727 | 3.7 | 0.230 | 0.284 | 0.366 | 0.650 | | Past 7 Games | 6-1 | +5 | 2-4 | 4.3 | 0.245 | 0.316 | 0.373 | 0.689 | 1.7 | 0.166 | 0.197 | 0.240 | 0.438 | | Grass Games | 95-65 | +14.9 | 72-79 | 4.3 | 0.244 | 0.314 | 0.399 | 0.713 | 3.8 | 0.234 | 0.287 | 0.375 | 0.662 | | Night Games | 58-35 | +18 | 41-47 | 4.4 | 0.251 | 0.320 | 0.409 | 0.729 | 3.8 | 0.230 | 0.286 | 0.361 | 0.647 | | Division | 44-30 | +8.8 | 34-34 | 4.4 | 0.256 | 0.327 | 0.402 | 0.729 | 3.9 | 0.234 | 0.288 | 0.363 | 0.650 |
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| All Games | 4.3 | 0.244 | 0.314 | 160 | 5426 | 1323 | 271 | 29 | 171 | 0.399 | 655 | 558 | 1500 | 92 | 1146 | 119 | 112 | 118 | 136 | | Road Games | 4.5 | 0.251 | 0.315 | 79 | 2813 | 705 | 159 | 14 | 79 | 0.401 | 343 | 265 | 784 | 49 | 587 | 56 | 61 | 66 | 54 | | Righty Starters | 4.4 | 0.247 | 0.316 | 126 | 4292 | 1059 | 211 | 25 | 148 | 0.411 | 532 | 438 | 1154 | 74 | 894 | 95 | 91 | 93 | 121 |
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| All Games | 3.41 | 1.237 | 508.7 | 223 | 193 | 448 | 42 | 181 | 505 | 37-26 | 46 | 19 | 70.8% | | Road Games | 3.36 | 1.277 | 233.3 | 101 | 87 | 207 | 13 | 91 | 225 | 13-15 | 26 | 9 | 74.3% |
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| All Games | 68-92 | -19.3 | 81-67 | 4.1 | 0.253 | 0.306 | 0.396 | 0.702 | 4.6 | 0.262 | 0.325 | 0.424 | 0.750 | | Home Games | 34-45 | -15.7 | 42-32 | 4.3 | 0.252 | 0.311 | 0.409 | 0.720 | 4.9 | 0.261 | 0.318 | 0.445 | 0.762 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 49-72 | -18.9 | 63-50 | 4.0 | 0.250 | 0.302 | 0.388 | 0.690 | 4.8 | 0.265 | 0.328 | 0.429 | 0.757 | | Past 7 Games | 4-3 | +4 | 1-3 | 3.4 | 0.237 | 0.277 | 0.369 | 0.646 | 3.4 | 0.262 | 0.348 | 0.403 | 0.751 | | Grass Games | 68-92 | -19.3 | 81-67 | 4.1 | 0.253 | 0.306 | 0.396 | 0.702 | 4.6 | 0.262 | 0.325 | 0.424 | 0.750 | | Night Games | 46-63 | -13.2 | 56-43 | 4.2 | 0.252 | 0.306 | 0.396 | 0.702 | 4.6 | 0.259 | 0.322 | 0.424 | 0.746 | | Division | 31-43 | -5.6 | 37-33 | 4.0 | 0.248 | 0.305 | 0.384 | 0.688 | 4.4 | 0.250 | 0.315 | 0.415 | 0.731 |
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| All Games | 4.1 | 0.253 | 0.306 | 160 | 5424 | 1373 | 272 | 34 | 145 | 0.396 | 624 | 409 | 1282 | 83 | 1021 | 151 | 113 | 160 | 101 | | Home Games | 4.3 | 0.252 | 0.311 | 79 | 2638 | 666 | 143 | 21 | 76 | 0.409 | 323 | 224 | 616 | 41 | 508 | 65 | 56 | 65 | 42 | | Righty Starters | 4.0 | 0.250 | 0.302 | 121 | 4110 | 1027 | 190 | 21 | 112 | 0.388 | 465 | 307 | 976 | 56 | 764 | 115 | 93 | 128 | 65 |
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| All Games | 3.46 | 1.241 | 523 | 221 | 201 | 470 | 61 | 179 | 536 | 23-15 | 40 | 12 | 76.9% | | Home Games | 3.64 | 1.228 | 272 | 125 | 110 | 244 | 37 | 90 | 271 | 12-9 | 21 | 7 | 75% |
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| 9/19/2015 | WOOD(L) | ST LOUIS | WACHA(R) | 5-4 | W | +110 | 7 ov | O | 9 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 11 | 0 | | 9/20/2015 | LESTER(L) | ST LOUIS | MARTINEZ(R) | 3-4 | L | -140 | 7.5 un | U | 6 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 0 | | 9/21/2015 | HAMMEL(R) | MILWAUKEE | PERALTA(R) | 9-5 | W | -210 | 8 un | O | 13 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 0 | | 9/22/2015 | ARRIETA(R) | MILWAUKEE | CRAVY(R) | 4-0 | W | -325 | 7.5 ev | U | 7 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | | 9/23/2015 | HENDRICKS(R) | MILWAUKEE | DAVIES(R) | 1-4 | L | -225 | 8 un | U | 4 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | | 9/25/2015 | LESTER(L) | PITTSBURGH | COLE(R) | 2-3 | L | -115 | 6.5 un | U | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 0 | | 9/26/2015 | HAMMEL(R) | PITTSBURGH | LIRIANO(L) | 0-4 | L | +100 | 7.5 un | U | 4 | 7 | 1 | 10 | 9 | 0 | | 9/27/2015 | ARRIETA(R) | PITTSBURGH | BURNETT(R) | 4-0 | W | -175 | 7 ov | U | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | | 9/28/2015 | HENDRICKS(R) | KANSAS CITY | VENTURA(R) | 1-0 | W | +105 | 8 un | U | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 0 | | 9/29/2015 | HAREN(R) | @ CINCINNATI | SMITH(R) | 4-1 | W | -135 | 8.5 ov | U | 8 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | | 9/30/2015 | LESTER(L) | @ CINCINNATI | DESCLAFANI(R) | 10-3 | W | -155 | 7 ov | O | 16 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | | 10/1/2015 | HAMMEL(R) | @ CINCINNATI | LAMB(L) | 5-3 | W | -115 | 7.5 un | O | 8 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 9 | 0 | | 10/2/2015 | ARRIETA(R) | @ MILWAUKEE | PENA(R) | 6-1 | W | -235 | 7 ov | P | 10 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 2 | | 10/3/2015 | HENDRICKS(R) | @ MILWAUKEE | WAGNER(R) | | | 10/4/2015 | HAREN(R) | @ MILWAUKEE | LOPEZ(R) | |
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| 9/19/2015 | JUNGMANN(R) | CINCINNATI | SMITH(R) | 7-9 | L | -140 | 8.5 un | O | 12 | 6 | 1 | 13 | 8 | 0 | | 9/20/2015 | PENA(R) | CINCINNATI | DESCLAFANI(R) | 8-4 | W | +105 | 7.5 un | O | 13 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 3 | | 9/21/2015 | PERALTA(R) | @ CHICAGO CUBS | HAMMEL(R) | 5-9 | L | 190 | 8 un | O | 8 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 10 | 3 | | 9/22/2015 | CRAVY(R) | @ CHICAGO CUBS | ARRIETA(R) | 0-4 | L | 265 | 7.5 ev | U | 3 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 0 | | 9/23/2015 | DAVIES(R) | @ CHICAGO CUBS | HENDRICKS(R) | 4-1 | W | 205 | 8 un | U | 6 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | | 9/24/2015 | JUNGMANN(R) | @ ST LOUIS | WACHA(R) | 3-7 | L | 185 | 7 un | O | 9 | 8 | 0 | 12 | 6 | 1 | | 9/25/2015 | PENA(R) | @ ST LOUIS | MARTINEZ(R) | 4-3 | W | 200 | 7 un | P | 9 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 1 | | 9/26/2015 | WAGNER(R) | @ ST LOUIS | GARCIA(L) | 1-5 | L | 205 | 7.5 un | U | 7 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 0 | | 9/27/2015 | CRAVY(R) | @ ST LOUIS | LACKEY(R) | 8-4 | W | 200 | 7.5 un | O | 9 | 7 | 1 | 10 | 9 | 1 | | 9/29/2015 | LOPEZ(R) | @ SAN DIEGO | ROSS(R) | 4-3 | W | 165 | 7 un | P | 7 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 0 | | 9/30/2015 | DAVIES(R) | @ SAN DIEGO | CASHNER(R) | 5-0 | W | 135 | 7 un | U | 13 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 1 | | 10/1/2015 | JUNGMANN(R) | @ SAN DIEGO | KENNEDY(R) | 1-3 | L | 125 | 7 ov | U | 7 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | | 10/2/2015 | PENA(R) | CHICAGO CUBS | ARRIETA(R) | 1-6 | L | +215 | 7 ov | P | 4 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 2 | | 10/3/2015 | WAGNER(R) | CHICAGO CUBS | HENDRICKS(R) | | | 10/4/2015 | LOPEZ(R) | CHICAGO CUBS | HAREN(R) | |
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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. | | MILWAUKEE: MILWAUKEE (AP) - Success for the Brewers this season may hinge on Milwaukee's consistency in the batter's box.
September swoons can prove costly - as can prolonged slumps any other time of year, for that matter.
A lineup filled with accomplished hitters like Ryan Braun, Jonathan Lucroy and Carlos Gomez has the potential to score runs. To break into the playoffs from the competitive NL Central, the Brewers must eliminate team-wide slumps.
''Last year we kind of grinded it to a point where instead of just playing day to day and for that game and to win, we looked like we were forcing things,'' manager Ron Roenicke said. ''We were trying to hold on to what we had, and that's not the way we go about it.''
The Brewers spent 150 days in first place before a stunning, late-season collapse left them out of the playoffs for a third straight year.
''We've got a good club, and when we're playing the type of baseball I think we can play every night ... if we just worry about that game today, at the end of the season, good things will happen,'' the skipper added from the team's spring training complex in Phoenix.
The lineup is bashing again this spring.
After a slow start, Braun has been hitting much better following an unusual offseason medical procedure. Extreme cold was applied to his right hand in hopes of fixing a lingering nerve problem near the thumb.
Lucroy also looks like he is over a hamstring injury that limited him for the first few weeks of spring training. The upbeat, energetic Gomez had three homers three weeks into spring ball.
''Every day you learn something new ... you learn from that,'' Gomez said about the 2014 season. ''The first step we have to do is make the playoffs. We take it game by game.''
The regular season begins on April 6 against Colorado at Miller Park. Some things to watch with the Brewers:
PITCHING: The Brewers don't have a true ace, but they do have solid veterans atop the rotation in Kyle Lohse and Matt Garza. Wily Peralta won 17 games last year in his second full season in the majors, and Mike Fiers impressed down the stretch. But Milwaukee traded Yovani Gallardo and Marco Estrada, so there is no experienced starting depth. Young right-hander Jimmy Nelson must prove he can be a consistent fifth starter. A long-term injury to any of the starting five could leave the Brewers scrambling.
In the bullpen, veteran Francisco Rodriguez figures to return to the closer's role after re-signing with the club more than two weeks into spring training. He bounced back with 44 saves in 49 chances last season.
AGGRESSIVENESS: Roenicke likes his team to take chances on the base paths, and he's sticking with that philosophy. That puts the Brewers in attack mode, and when working at its best, the strategy forces the defense to rush and possibly make mistakes. But rally-killing outs on the bases can make fans at Miller Park groan. Perhaps of more concern is the approach at the plate, where the Brewers led the majors by swinging at 33 percent of first pitches, according to STATS. Darnell Coles is the new hitting coach. The team wants to stay aggressive while having more plate discipline.
KEYSTONE COMBO: While Braun, Lucroy and Gomez draw much of the attention in the lineup, the Brewers' keystone combination of second baseman Scooter Gennett and shortstop Jean Segura will be just as vital to the team's success. Gennett, a left-hander, will play every day and must prove he can hit lefties consistently. The speedy Segura is a top defender, though he is looking to bounce back from a slump that dropped his average nearly 50 points to .246.
RAMMY OUT: It is probably one more and done for third baseman Aramis Ramirez, who turns 36 in June. He has said he likely will retire after this season to spend more time with his family. Ramirez's production has waned over the last two seasons, though he remains one of the best in the league in fielding bunts and slow rollers to third. |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER NL PREVIEW (CHICAGO CUBS-MILWAUKEE) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Cubs-Brewers Preview* ======================
By MATT BECKER STATS Editor
Chicago (94-65) at Milwaukee (68-91), 7:10 p.m. EDT
Chicago's Kyle Hendricks is hitting his stride at the perfect time and although it has yet to be confirmed by manager Joe Maddon, seems to have locked down a spot in the postseason rotation should the Cubs win next week's wild-card game.
It's looking more likely like that winner-take-all game will be taking place in Pittsburgh.
Hendricks looks to build on a solid performance and help Chicago to a seventh straight win Saturday night against the Milwaukee Brewers in front of what is expected to be another large Cubs crowd at Miller Park.
Jake Arrieta made his final case for the NL Cy Young Award on Friday by striking out seven in six scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 1.77 as Chicago (95-65) won 6-1. However, the Pirates moved to the cusp of securing the league's top wild card by rallying for a 12-inning win over slumping Cincinnati.
Pittsburgh's magic number to host Wednesday's wild-card game is one.
Hendricks (7-7, 4.09 ERA) has had an up-and-down season - his ERA was at 5.15 in mid-May - but in five September starts, he had a 3.71 ERA with 31 strikeouts over 26 2-3 innings. The right-hander was sharp early against the Brewers (68-92) on Sept. 23, allowing one run and two hits while striking out eight through six innings. He gave up two runs and two hits without recording an out in the seventh, though, and took a 4-1 loss.
Five days later, he shut down AL Central-champion Kansas City, permitting two hits and walking two while striking out nine over six innings in a 1-0, 11-inning win. It was his major league-leading 17th start without a decision.
"I'm just trying to focus on going out there every time (Maddon) gives me the ball and make good pitches," he told MLB's official website said. "Come playoff time, you have to be ready to do whatever Skip asks you to do, whether it's a start or come out of the 'pen. I just hope I get some innings. Whatever the team needs me for, that's the bottom line."
Hendricks has a 7.58 ERA in his last four road starts but has been stellar at Miller Park this season, posting a 0.73 ERA in two outings there.
Anthony Rizzo has also excelled in Milwaukee, batting .424 with five home runs and 14 RBIs in eight games this year. He hit his 31st homer and drove in three runs to move into a tie with Kris Bryant for the team lead with 99 RBIs.
The last time the Cubs had two players with at least 100 RBIs in a single season was in 2004, when Moises Alou had 106 and Aramis Ramirez had 103.
Chicago has plated 21 runs in its last three games and looks to stay hot against Tyler Wagner (0-1, 11.74), who had a Southern League-best 2.25 ERA in 25 starts for Double-A Biloxi but has struggled mightily in two big-league starts.
The 24-year-old right-hander made his major league debut May 31 against Arizona, yielding five runs in 3 2-3 innings. He was sent back to the minors before being recalled last week and permitted five runs, six hits and four walks in four innings of last Saturday's 5-1 loss at St. Louis.
"You fall behind big league hitters and you limit yourself in your pitch choices, it's trouble for anybody," manager Craig Counsell said.
He is limiting left-handed hitters to a .154 average in 13 at-bats but righties are 13 for 21 (.619) with six extra-base hits.
Scooter Gennett had one of Milwaukee's two hits off Arrieta on Friday and is 7 for 16 in his last four games, but 3 for 15 lifetime against Hendricks.
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| | Last Updated: 4/18/2024 10:31:18 PM EST. |
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