Bleed Cubbie Blue - Cubs vs. Padres Wednesday game threadsA Chicago Cubs Fan Community Since February 9, 2005https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47557/cubbieblue.png2017-05-31T17:50:11-05:00http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/rss/stream/154711912017-05-31T17:50:11-05:002017-05-31T17:50:11-05:00Padres 2, Cubs 1: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/9A2zlrkUyUsmPINNUSvgRnMZBlc=/0x481:3173x2596/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/55035761/690991512.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>You explain this, because I can’t.</p> <p id="dh9qqF">Two things, in my view, defined the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a>’ 2-1 loss to the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> Wednesday afternoon, a loss that swept them out of a West Coast trip for the first time since the awful 2012 Cubs suffered the same fate.</p>
<p id="kdB4Rx">First is the attempt of <span>Willson Contreras</span> <a href="https://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/mp4/2017/05/31/1448601883/1496262439263/asset_1800K.mp4">to take third base [VIDEO]</a> on a little infield single by <span>Javier Baez</span> that scored the Cubs’ only run of the game.</p>
<div id="NZBTsz"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><video controls="" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;">Your browser does not support HTML5 video.<source src="https://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/mp4/2017/05/31/1448601883/1496262439263/asset_1800K.mp4" type="video/mp4"></source></video></div></div>
<p id="A8G4vg">Maybe that’s just hindsight. There were two out and no guarantees the offensively-impotent Cubs would have scored again. But Willson, you’re already in scoring position! That was an unnecessary chance.</p>
<p id="SvwIwv">Second was Joe Maddon’s decision to pull <span>Carl Edwards Jr.</span> after a seven-pitch seventh inning. Yes, I know <span>Koji Uehara</span> hadn’t thrown in a week and needed the work. But this isn’t spring training, the Cubs are on a long losing streak and trying to win games. Uehara isn’t nearly the sort of dominant reliever CJ is, and it showed in the eighth when he allowed a triple by <span>Franchy Cordero</span> and then a high throw from <span>Ian Happ</span> with the infield pulled in allowed <span>Cordero</span> to score the decisive run.</p>
<p id="QL9FEz">Really, the Cubs should have won this game. <span>Jake Arrieta</span> had one of his better outings of the season, allowing five hits and one run in six innings, with seven strikeouts. He made one mistake and <span>Ryan Schimpf</span> sent it out of the park, tying the game in the second inning. Jake threw just 83 pitches, 52 for strikes, and had his curveball working very well. This is a good sign going forward, I think.</p>
<p id="QD7cjH">The Cubs, again, failed with RISP: 1-for-9. This has been a common theme through not only this road trip, but the entire month. Len Kasper’s line described the month of May well: it should have been designated for assignment. Between the horrendous weather in Chicago, this road trip and the overall 12-16 record, the Cubs will surely be happy to see May in the rear-view mirror.</p>
<p id="NVN0ms">Credit where credit is due department: Happ made two very nice defensive plays in center field. First, <a href="https://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/mp4/2017/05/31/1448643983/1496263332213/asset_1800K.mp4">this sliding grab in the third [VIDEO]</a>.</p>
<div id="PlAqry"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><video controls="" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;">Your browser does not support HTML5 video.<source src="https://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/mp4/2017/05/31/1448643983/1496263332213/asset_1800K.mp4" type="video/mp4"></source></video></div></div>
<p id="2SLQx2">Then in the sixth, Happ made <a href="https://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/mp4/2017/05/31/1448732783/1496266292781/asset_1800K.mp4">this leaping grab at the wall [VIDEO]</a> to rob <span>Wil Myers</span>.</p>
<div id="Ee5ZTA"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><video controls="" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;">Your browser does not support HTML5 video.<source src="https://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/mp4/2017/05/31/1448732783/1496266292781/asset_1800K.mp4" type="video/mp4"></source></video></div></div>
<p id="fIWktM">Give Happ a lot of credit. Center field isn’t his natural position, but he looks like he can handle it well at the big-league level.</p>
<p id="2KtoK9">The Cubs had just three hits on the afternoon — the RBI infield single by Baez and singles by Contreras and <span>Kris Bryant</span>. I mean, teams go through slumps, but this is getting ridiculous. This team has much more talent than we saw on this road trip, on which the Cubs got outscored 31-9 and scored more than two runs exactly once. The question is: Is this just a natural slump that some teams will go through, even good ones, or is it a real decline in talent level?</p>
<p id="AfUCaJ">I’d lean toward “natural slump.” Even last year’s championship team had a stretch in which they lost nine of 10 and were outscored 74-42 — and without the one win in that span the margin was 70-32.</p>
<p id="gfMWUI">One thing I haven’t changed my mind on is <span>Kyle Schwarber</span>. Warbird went 0-for-4 with two more strikeouts in this one, and this sums up my feelings:</p>
<div id="bKbMIN">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Let's put into perspective how poorly Schwarber is doing right now: At this point last year, Jason Heyward was hitting 50 points higher.</p>— Cubs No-Hit Streak (@CubsNoHitStreak) <a href="https://twitter.com/CubsNoHitStreak/status/870037127899250689">May 31, 2017</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<p id="zHyp5b">Give Schwarber a break. Send him to Triple-A Iowa for maybe a week or so, just to let him clear his head and make some adjustments. </p>
<p id="qNNhcs">Meanwhile, the loss puts the Cubs two games under .500 for the first time this year. The Cubs have been so good over the last two full seasons that this is the first time any Cubs team has been that far under .500 since the last day of the 2014 season, when they finished 73-89.</p>
<p id="XZXfEH">Even with this loss, if the <a href="https://www.brewcrewball.com/">Brewers</a> and <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Cardinals</a> lose Wednesday evening, the Cubs will still be only 1½ games out of first place. The worst-case scenario is three games behind, and that would require the Brewers to win both Wednesday and Thursday in New York.</p>
<p id="Cr5xZG">Three games behind... with 110 remaining. That doesn’t seem so insurmountable, does it?</p>
<p id="R6uSRx">Regardless, if the Chicago Cubs are going to resume winning, they are simply going to have to start hitting better. </p>
<p id="XZh6Nu">The Cubs will regroup on their off day Thursday and then begin an important 10-game homestand with a three-game set against the Cardinals. Friday afternoon’s series opener matches up <span>John Lackey</span> for the Cubs and <span>Lance Lynn</span> for the Cardinals.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2017/5/31/15722156/cubs-padres-recap-jake-arrieta-ian-happ-mlb-scoresAl Yellon2017-05-31T17:25:02-05:002017-05-31T17:25:02-05:00Overflow thread 3: Cubs vs. Padres, Wednesday 5/31, 2:40 CT
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/q0JZYme_GrAeT2u0Ym5pawKzjY8=/0x61:3988x2720/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/55023415/690317290.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="luSZWq">——</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2017/5/31/15702804/overflow-thread-3-cubs-vs-padres-wednesday-5-31-2-40-ctAl Yellon2017-05-31T16:40:02-05:002017-05-31T16:40:02-05:00Overflow thread 2: Cubs vs. Padres, Wednesday 5/31, 2:40 CT
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YnZzR_0abSI2n-pwlIxHUolhhzM=/215x467:3968x2969/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/55023407/690335184.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="luSZWq">——</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2017/5/31/15702800/overflow-thread-2-cubs-vs-padres-wednesday-5-31-2-40-ctAl Yellon2017-05-31T15:40:02-05:002017-05-31T15:40:02-05:00Overflow thread 1: Cubs vs. Padres, Wednesday 5/31, 2:40 CT
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fnKDbM8iJopjplj08FN0uq9z0BU=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/55023395/690321532.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="luSZWq">——</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2017/5/31/15702792/overflow-thread-1-cubs-vs-padres-wednesday-5-31-2-40-ctAl Yellon2017-05-31T12:30:02-05:002017-05-31T12:30:02-05:00Chicago Cubs vs. San Diego Padres preview, Wednesday 5/31, 2:40 CT
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/90aH3lV2NpT7kVn2gQYJMFMg3zA=/0x90:2939x2049/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/55023175/GettyImages-690335180.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Denis Poroy/Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Cubs are trying to win one game out of their California road trip.</p> <p>The Cubs have lost five in a row. The Cubs have been outscored 29-8 during this streak.</p>
<p>The Cubs have not lost more than five in a row since September 5-12, 2014, when they lost seven straight (swept by the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pirates</a> at home, swept by the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/">Blue Jays</a> in Toronto, lost the first of a three-game set in Pittsburgh). They were outscored 55-13 (!) during that streak.</p>
<p>The last time any Cubs team lost an entire road trip of six games was August 3-8, 2012, to the same two teams they've played on this one, in the same order: swept by the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> in Los Angeles and the Padres in San Diego, outscored 27-12.</p>
<p>That Cubs team, as you know, was one of the worst in franchise history, losing 101 games. We certainly don't want to see this team match that one's futility.</p>
<p id="xd18M6">Here are today’s particulars.</p>
<p id="Yv7Z7W"><a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> lineup:</p>
<blockquote>Zobrist 2B, Schwarber LF, Bryant 3B, Rizzo 1B, Happ CF, Heyward RF, Contreras C, Baez SS, Arrieta P</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here is today's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cubs?src=hash">#Cubs</a> lineup.<br><br>Game preview: <a href="https://t.co/XUBWRWHE0h">https://t.co/XUBWRWHE0h</a> <a href="https://t.co/FTqDldX1TA">pic.twitter.com/FTqDldX1TA</a></p>
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/869945868203503616">May 31, 2017</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</p>
<p id="FbwPnv"><a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> lineup:</p>
<blockquote>Cordero CF, Solarte 2B, Myers 1B, Renfroe RF, Schimpf 3B, Spangenberg LF, Aybar SS, Torrens C, Perdomo P</blockquote>
<h2 id="uUA7L0">
<span>Jake Arrieta</span> vs. <span>Luis Perdomo</span>
</h2>
<div class="c-float-left"> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YCffecHpX6NmYeiXFP0qhS-xTdY=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/8592205/usa_today_9928086.jpg">
<cite>Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
</figure>
</div>
<div class="c-float-right"> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/tAeA5jVidXoVuUCgl3RZn8YZ5Hk=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/8592207/usa_today_9944874.jpg">
<cite>Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
</figure>
</div>
<p>Jake Arrieta didn't have a <em>bad</em> outing in Los Angeles -- six innings, four runs, nine strikeouts -- but then, it wasn't really a <em>good</em> outing, either. "Just good enough to lose," as the saying goes. With so many new faces on the Padres, Jake doesn't have much of a track record against any of them (5-for-25). All I can really say is that we need 2016 Jake to show up, because so far the 2017 version appears broken.</p>
<p><span>Luis Perdomo</span> was bad last year, posting a 5.71 ERA, 1.589 WHIP and -1.0 bWAR. He's been bad this year, with a 5.61 ERA, 1477 WHIP and -0.3 bWAR in eight starts.</p>
<p>He made a three-inning relief appearance against the Cubs last year, but that doesn't tell us much. We do have some more recent evidence, even if it's only spring training. Perdomo pitched against the Cubs <a target="_blank" href="http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2017_03_13_chnmlb_sdnmlb_1">March 13 in Peoria, Arizona</a> and allowed five hits and two runs in 3⅔ innings. Here is one of those hits:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-video">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Wake up.<br>Hit dingers.<br>Go to sleep.<br>Repeat. <a href="https://t.co/37EQF8qgNB">pic.twitter.com/37EQF8qgNB</a></p>
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/841393947284926464">March 13, 2017</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>That's a monster home run by <span>Ian Happ</span>. Here's hoping for more of that today.</p>
<p id="g0AeTP">Today's game is on WGN.</p>
<p id="y4SIM1"><a href="http://mlb.mlb.com/mediacenter/index.jsp?ymd=20140401#date=5/31/2017">Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.</a></p>
<p id="Xe5URc"><a href="http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2017_05_31_chnmlb_sdnmlb_1#game=2017_05_31_chnmlb_sdnmlb_1,game_state=Live">MLB.com Gameday</a></p>
<p id="cOzi2Y"><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/previews/2017/SDP201705310.shtml">Baseball-reference.com game preview</a></p>
<p id="G92wAe"><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/events/520413/pregame">SB Nation game preview</a></p>
<p id="AScVZw">Please visit our SB Nation <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> site <a href="http://www.gaslampball.com/">Gaslamp Ball</a>. If you do go there to interact with Padres fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.</p>
<p id="4R9cxt">The 2017 Game Thread procedure will be the same as the one used during 2016. Here's how it works.</p>
<p id="uNrOo7">You'll find the game preview posted separately on the front page, two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).</p>
<p id="Jy7Er2">At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page. The First Pitch Thread and all the overflow threads will be published in that stream, as well as the recap. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post, and at the time I write the recap I will rename the stream "Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of Week) Game Threads" so you can go back and find every thread related to that particular game.</p>
<p id="F5ehVY">You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread, all the overflow threads and recap in the box marked "Chicago Cubs Game Threads" at the bottom of the front page (you can also find them in <a href="http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/chicago-cubs-game-threads">this section link</a>). They will also appear in the game's StoryStream as noted above.</p>
<p id="pjBR1E">The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at one hour, two hours and 2:45 after the scheduled game time.</p>
<p id="14mqou">Get tickets to Cubs games from our partner StubHub <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fchicago-cubs-tickets%2Fperformer%2F5644%2F%3Fgcid%3DchDIG-_-geoUS-_-genAllTix-_-dt170314-_-cmpEvergreenVoxOrganic-_-mktgrBRAND-_-partVox&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleedcubbieblue.com%2F2017%2F5%2F31%2F15702184%2Fchicago-cubs-san-diego-padres-preview-wednesday" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<p id="LizoFe">Discuss amongst yourselves.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2017/5/31/15702184/chicago-cubs-san-diego-padres-preview-wednesdayAl Yellon