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PITTSBURGH ( LOCKE )
CHICAGO CUBS ( WOOD ) |
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| 907 | PITTSBURGH | +110 | Ov 7.5,-105 | +105 | Ov 7.5,-115 | | 908 | CHICAGO CUBS | -120 | Un 7.5,-115 | -115 | Un 7.5,-105 |
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| All Games | 11-9 | +0.9 | 8-8 | 3.9 | 0.227 | 0.267 | 0.357 | 0.624 | 3.2 | 0.235 | 0.294 | 0.334 | 0.629 | | Road Games | 5-5 | -0.1 | 3-5 | 3.8 | 0.230 | 0.273 | 0.342 | 0.615 | 2.9 | 0.222 | 0.287 | 0.332 | 0.620 | | vs Left-handed Starters | 0-1 | -1.5 | 1-0 | 8.0 | 0.257 | 0.333 | 0.457 | 0.790 | 9.0 | 0.300 | 0.364 | 0.525 | 0.889 | | Past 7 Games | 5-2 | +2.6 | 2-4 | 4.4 | 0.245 | 0.281 | 0.367 | 0.648 | 3.1 | 0.250 | 0.319 | 0.326 | 0.646 | | Grass Games | 11-9 | +0.9 | 8-8 | 3.9 | 0.227 | 0.267 | 0.357 | 0.624 | 3.2 | 0.235 | 0.294 | 0.334 | 0.629 | | Night Games | 6-7 | -2.1 | 5-7 | 3.2 | 0.198 | 0.241 | 0.308 | 0.550 | 3.4 | 0.258 | 0.311 | 0.352 | 0.662 | | Division | 7-7 | -0.6 | 7-4 | 4.3 | 0.231 | 0.278 | 0.373 | 0.651 | 3.9 | 0.248 | 0.301 | 0.364 | 0.666 |
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| All Games | 3.9 | 0.227 | 0.267 | 20 | 653 | 148 | 34 | 0 | 17 | 0.357 | 78 | 36 | 163 | 11 | 109 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 21 | | Road Games | 3.8 | 0.230 | 0.273 | 10 | 339 | 78 | 20 | 0 | 6 | 0.342 | 38 | 20 | 96 | 5 | 61 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 14 | | Lefty Starters | 8.0 | 0.257 | 0.333 | 1 | 35 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.457 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
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| All Games | 3.37 | 1.196 | 56 | 24 | 21 | 51 | 4 | 16 | 58 | 2-5 | 6 | 2 | 75% | | Road Games | 1.71 | 1.101 | 26.3 | 6 | 5 | 20 | 1 | 9 | 27 | 1-3 | 2 | 1 | 66.7% |
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| All Games | 11-7 | +3.2 | 9-7 | 4.6 | 0.247 | 0.318 | 0.386 | 0.704 | 3.7 | 0.235 | 0.277 | 0.361 | 0.638 | | Home Games | 5-4 | +0.1 | 4-5 | 3.7 | 0.234 | 0.308 | 0.355 | 0.663 | 3.1 | 0.218 | 0.258 | 0.310 | 0.568 | | vs Left-handed Starters | 1-2 | -0.8 | 2-1 | 4.7 | 0.245 | 0.319 | 0.373 | 0.691 | 6.0 | 0.291 | 0.348 | 0.476 | 0.824 | | Past 7 Games | 5-2 | +3.2 | 3-2 | 5.3 | 0.277 | 0.332 | 0.407 | 0.739 | 3.4 | 0.209 | 0.250 | 0.349 | 0.599 | | Grass Games | 11-7 | +3.2 | 9-7 | 4.6 | 0.247 | 0.318 | 0.386 | 0.704 | 3.7 | 0.235 | 0.277 | 0.361 | 0.638 | | Night Games | 7-3 | +3.8 | 4-5 | 5.1 | 0.279 | 0.345 | 0.445 | 0.790 | 3.4 | 0.228 | 0.268 | 0.334 | 0.602 | | Division | 8-4 | +3.6 | 4-6 | 4.4 | 0.252 | 0.316 | 0.390 | 0.706 | 3.0 | 0.211 | 0.257 | 0.322 | 0.579 |
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| All Games | 4.6 | 0.247 | 0.318 | 18 | 619 | 153 | 30 | 4 | 16 | 0.386 | 77 | 64 | 163 | 20 | 131 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 14 | | Home Games | 3.7 | 0.234 | 0.308 | 9 | 299 | 70 | 13 | 1 | 7 | 0.355 | 30 | 32 | 79 | 10 | 68 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 7 | | Lefty Starters | 4.7 | 0.245 | 0.319 | 3 | 102 | 25 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0.373 | 13 | 11 | 33 | 1 | 22 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
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| All Games | 2.79 | 1.069 | 58 | 19 | 18 | 46 | 4 | 16 | 57 | 5-2 | 4 | 4 | 50% | | Home Games | 2.30 | 0.878 | 27.3 | 7 | 7 | 18 | 2 | 6 | 22 | 2-1 | 1 | 2 | 33.3% |
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| 4/14/2015 | BURNETT(R) | DETROIT | GREENE(R) | 0-2 | L | -110 | 7.5 un | U | 3 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 0 | | 4/15/2015 | LIRIANO(L) | DETROIT | SIMON(R) | 0-1 | L | -145 | 7.5 un | U | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 0 | | 4/17/2015 | WORLEY(R) | MILWAUKEE | NELSON(R) | 6-3 | W | -125 | 7.5 un | O | 11 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 1 | | 4/18/2015 | LOCKE(L) | MILWAUKEE | LOHSE(R) | 6-2 | W | -140 | 7.5 un | O | 7 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | | 4/19/2015 | COLE(R) | MILWAUKEE | GARZA(R) | 5-2 | W | -170 | 7 un | P | 7 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 | | 4/20/2015 | BURNETT(R) | CHICAGO CUBS | ARRIETA(R) | 2-5 | L | -105 | 7 ov | P | 5 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 9 | 1 | | 4/21/2015 | LIRIANO(L) | CHICAGO CUBS | WOOD(L) | 8-9 | L | -150 | 7 ov | O | 9 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 9 | 0 | | 4/22/2015 | WORLEY(R) | CHICAGO CUBS | HAMMEL(R) | 4-3 | W | -110 | 7.5 un | U | 7 | 6 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 2 | | 4/23/2015 | LOCKE(L) | CHICAGO CUBS | HENDRICKS(R) | 5-4 | W | +110 | 7 ev | O | 10 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 2 | | 4/24/2015 | COLE(R) | @ ARIZONA | COLLMENTER(R) | 4-1 | W | -125 | 8 ov | U | 7 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 0 | | 4/25/2015 | BURNETT(R) | @ ARIZONA | DE LA ROSA(R) | 2-1 | W | -130 | 9 un | U | 7 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 1 | | 4/26/2015 | LIRIANO(L) | @ ARIZONA | HELLICKSON(R) | 8-0 | W | -130 | 8 ov | P | 14 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 0 | | 4/27/2015 | WORLEY(R) | @ CHICAGO CUBS | HAMMEL(R) | 0-4 | L | 110 | 7 un | U | 4 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 1 | | 4/28/2015 | LOCKE(L) | @ CHICAGO CUBS | WOOD(L) | | | 4/29/2015 | COLE(R) | @ CHICAGO CUBS | HENDRICKS(R) | | | 5/1/2015 | BURNETT(R) | @ ST LOUIS | LYNN(R) | | | 5/2/2015 | LIRIANO(L) | @ ST LOUIS | LACKEY(R) | | | 5/3/2015 | WORLEY(R) | @ ST LOUIS | WACHA(R) | | | 5/5/2015 | | CINCINNATI | | |
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| 4/14/2015 | ARRIETA(R) | CINCINNATI | DESCLAFANI(R) | 2-3 | L | -145 | 7 un | U | 5 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 0 | | 4/15/2015 | WOOD(L) | CINCINNATI | MARQUIS(R) | 5-0 | W | -140 | 7 un | U | 11 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 2 | | 4/17/2015 | HAMMEL(R) | SAN DIEGO | SHIELDS(R) | 4-5 | L | -120 | 7.5 ov | O | 7 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 2 | | 4/18/2015 | HENDRICKS(R) | SAN DIEGO | ROSS(R) | 7-6 | W | -115 | 7 un | O | 12 | 13 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 1 | | 4/19/2015 | LESTER(L) | SAN DIEGO | CASHNER(R) | 2-5 | L | -120 | 6.5 ov | O | 7 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 2 | | 4/20/2015 | ARRIETA(R) | @ PITTSBURGH | BURNETT(R) | 5-2 | W | -105 | 7 ov | P | 14 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 2 | | 4/21/2015 | WOOD(L) | @ PITTSBURGH | LIRIANO(L) | 9-8 | W | 140 | 7 ov | O | 12 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 2 | | 4/22/2015 | HAMMEL(R) | @ PITTSBURGH | WORLEY(R) | 3-4 | L | 100 | 7.5 un | U | 10 | 10 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 1 | | 4/23/2015 | HENDRICKS(R) | @ PITTSBURGH | LOCKE(L) | 4-5 | L | -120 | 7 ev | O | 8 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 7 | 0 | | 4/24/2015 | LESTER(L) | @ CINCINNATI | LEAKE(R) | 7-3 | W | -105 | 7 ov | O | 9 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 1 | | 4/26/2015 | ARRIETA(R) | @ CINCINNATI | DESCLAFANI(R) | 5-2 | W | -115 | 7 un | P | 6 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 2 | | 4/27/2015 | HAMMEL(R) | PITTSBURGH | WORLEY(R) | 4-0 | W | -120 | 7 un | U | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | | 4/28/2015 | WOOD(L) | PITTSBURGH | LOCKE(L) | | | 4/29/2015 | HENDRICKS(R) | PITTSBURGH | COLE(R) | | | 5/1/2015 | LESTER(L) | MILWAUKEE | PERALTA(R) | | | 5/2/2015 | ARRIETA(R) | MILWAUKEE | FIERS(R) | | | 5/3/2015 | HAMMEL(R) | MILWAUKEE | NELSON(R) | | | 5/4/2015 | WOOD(L) | @ ST LOUIS | MARTINEZ(R) | | | 5/5/2015 | | @ ST LOUIS | | |
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| |  | PITTSBURGH: PITTSBURGH (AP) - The scenario was familiar. The destination not so much.
A veteran player with not much time left leaving millions of dollars on the table for one last run to glory. Only A.J. Burnett didn't walk away from his $12.75 million player option with the Philadelphia Phillies for Los Angeles, Washington or St. Louis.
Nope, the 38-year-old well-traveled (and well tattooed) pitcher practically sprinted to Pittsburgh. His arrival in 2012 marked a sea change in the once-floundering organization's direction. His return three years later signals - he hopes - the end of the team's slow but steady slog from downtrodden afterthought to world champion. And he's not kidding.
''I want to win a ring and I want to win a ring in Pittsburgh,'' Burnett said.
The Pirates are as close to being in the conversation as they've been in nearly a quarter century. And they've opened up their wallets, at least a little, to get there. Pittsburgh made Francisco Liriano the highest-paid free agent in team history when they signed lefthander to a three-year, $39-million deal in the offseason to continue the career resurgence that began when they took a two-year flier on him in 2013. And while Burnett took a cut, he isn't exactly going broke. He'll make $8 million to work as the third man in the rotation behind Liriano and Gerrit Cole.
Pittsburgh even spent $5 million for the rights to sign Korean infielder Jung-Ho Kang, who hit 40 home runs on the other side of the world last year and gives the Pirates an intriguing if unproven option should shortstop Jordy Mercer falter or second baseman Neil Walker's back flare up.
General manager Neal Huntington remains adamant his team's budget will never compare to those of clubs in larger markets but allows there is ''more margin for error'' than in years' past.
''We've built a deeper club because of the money allocated to us,'' he said. ''But we need to continue to grow and mature. We want to put ourselves in a position to win the World Series.''
There are worse places to start than in Pittsburgh, which backed up its breakthrough year in 2013 with a second straight postseason berth in 2014. The playoff run ended abruptly against Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants in the NL wild card game. Yet the point had been made. The Pirates aren't going anywhere.
''It would've been easy to say 2013 was a fluke and we just got lucky,'' centerfielder Andrew McCutchen said. ''But we showed up in `14 and were able to do the same thing. We know we're for real. And other teams know they just can't come in (thinking), `All right, we're going to beat the Pirates.' We're not that team anymore.''
They're also not where they want to be, at least not yet. A National League Central title would avoid the fickleness of a one-game scenario. Pittsburgh believes it's built to withstand the rigors of October.
Here are the keys to getting there:
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THE OTHER FRANCISCO
The Pirates' budget might be growing, but they still couldn't afford to keep catcher Russell Martin, who parlayed his tremendous 2014 into a $82 million deal with Toronto. Pittsburgh prepared for Martin's departure by trading for longtime Yankees' backup catcher Francisco Cervelli. When healthy Cervelli is an adequate defensive replacement with a decent if not powerful bat. If he can handle the pitching staff and control the basepaths, any offense he provides would be a plus.
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SPEED TO BURN
Perennial MVP candidate McCutchen anchors one of baseball's most athletic outfields. Starling Marte surged toward the end of a bumpy 2014 and Gregory Polanco is a raw but talented work in progress. Pittsburgh felt confident enough in Polanco's progress to trade Travis Snider to Baltimore.
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PEDRO'S PROGRESS
Pedro Alvarez moves across the infield to first base in hopes of salvaging his career after developing a serious case of the yips at third. If his can reclaim the groove that helped him mash 36 homers in 2013, the Pirates can live with whatever growing pains may come with the switch.
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KANG SHOW
Kang (pronounced ''Gahng'') doesn't lack for confidence. He told reporters in Korea he believes he can supplant Mercer at shortstop. It may take longer than he thought after a sluggish spring training.
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THE VANIMAL
Vance Worley, like Liriano, Burnett and the since departed Edinson Volquez, thrived under pitching coach Ray Searage's mentoring last spring. He was arguably Pittsburgh's best starter down the stretch and a strong spring gives him a leg up in the battle Jeff Locke for the fifth starter spot. | | 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. |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER NL PREVIEW (PITTSBURGH-CHICAGO CUBS) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Pirates-Cubs Preview* ======================
By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer
Pittsburgh (11-8) at Chicago (10-7), 8:05 p.m. EDT
Much of Kris Bryant's early success has come at the Pittsburgh Pirates' expense, but he didn't have enough to push the Chicago Cubs to a series win in last week's meeting.
Bryant will try to change that Tuesday night while leading the Cubs to a fourth consecutive victory.
Bryant is batting .351 with nine RBIs, all but one coming in five games against the Pirates. He's 8 for 19 versus Pittsburgh and 5 for 18 against the two other teams he's faced.
"He is a big kid with a good swing that looks like he is going to have every opportunity to be a qualified major league player," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said.
Bryant went 2 for 4 with a two-run single in a 4-0 victory in Monday's series opener at Wrigley Field. Anthony Rizzo drove in the other two runs to help end the Pirates' five-game win streak.
"We preached it in spring training - we've got to survive April," Rizzo said. "We can't put ourselves in a hole like we've done in years past and we're doing a good job of coming to the park every day, playing with a lot of energy, having fun and really playing with a purpose."
Bryant totaled five hits and five RBIs when Chicago (11-7) won its first two games at Pittsburgh last week but was 1 for 7 with four strikeouts in the next two as the Cubs settled for a split.
Travis Wood (1-1, 3.24 ERA) will try to build on his solid showing against the Pirates last Tuesday. The left-hander gave up three runs and four hits in five innings but most of the scoring in that 9-8 win took place after his departure.
Wood didn't fare nearly as well in his final two home starts against Pittsburgh (11-9) in 2014, going 0-2 with a 14.21 ERA. He was tagged for seven runs in 1 2-3 innings in a 10-4 loss Sept. 7 and dropped to 0-4 with a 5.28 ERA in his six matchups at Wrigley Field since joining the Cubs in 2012.
He'll pitch opposite Jeff Locke, who failed to get a decision Thursday for the first time in three starts. Locke (2-0, 3.32) gave up four runs in five innings against the Cubs and was in line for a loss until the Pirates rallied for a 5-4 victory.
Bryant went 0 for 2 with a bases-loaded walk and one strikeout in his three plate appearances against the left-hander. Jonathan Herrera hit a two-run triple, and rookie Addison Russell registered his first major league RBI with his first double.
Rizzo, batting .426 in last 15 games against Pittsburgh and owner of an eight-game hit streak in the series, has one hit in his last seven at-bats versus Locke.
Andrew McCutchen has five hits in his last 11 at-bats against Wood, including a pair of homers, but is 1 for 21 in his last seven games following an 0-for-4 effort Monday. He's 0 for 12 in his last four contests versus the Cubs after batting .353 previously.
"He continues to go out there and work," Hurdle said. "He's being very professional about his approach, trying to be stubborn with it and I think he's getting very, very close."
Pittsburgh second baseman Neil Walker, riding a 10-game hit streak, is 7 for 20 (.350) lifetime against Wood and is batting .333 (16 for 48) while hitting safely in 11 of his last 12 contests versus Chicago.
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| | Last Updated: 5/21/2024 9:28:02 AM EST. |
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