Bleed Cubbie Blue - Cubs vs. Braves Thursday rainout threadsA Chicago Cubs Fan Community Since February 9, 2005https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47557/cubbieblue.png2018-05-17T20:57:00-05:00http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/rss/stream/171061912018-05-17T20:57:00-05:002018-05-17T20:57:00-05:00Cubs, Braves postponed, makeup date August 30
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<figcaption>Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>It rains in the area around SunTrust Park. A lot.</p> <p id="EijdUr">The Cubs and Braves avoided rain delays and/or postponements for the first two games of their series in Atlanta, but Thursday night’s game didn’t have the same luck:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tonight's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Braves?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Braves</a> vs. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cubs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cubs</a> game rained out, to be made up at a later date TBD.</p>— David O'Brien (@DOBrienAJC) <a href="https://twitter.com/DOBrienAJC/status/997294606718001152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2018</a>
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<p id="Tfk9bk">The teams have no common off days remaining that wouldn’t break the 20-consecutive-day rule, except September 13. The problem with that: it’s in the middle of a Cubs homestand, and unlikely that they’d agree to fly to Atlanta for one game in that circumstance.</p>
<p id="0BHbvw">I haven’t checked the teams’ schedules for this, but they could try an unusual way of making up this game, and that would be to have the Cubs go to Atlanta on a day when they’re off, but the Braves aren’t, and thus the Braves would play a split doubleheader against two different teams.</p>
<p id="xJOS8E">This has been done before, on rare occasions when circumstances are similar to this: no more games between the two teams and no reasonable common off days. The last time this was done was September 25, 2000, between the Indians and White Sox. The teams had been postponed on September 10 in Cleveland and there were no common off days remaining, so the White Sox returned to Cleveland September 25 for an afternoon game. The Indians then played a night game against the Twins. That was one of three doubleheaders the Tribe played in a six-day span, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CLE/2000-schedule-scores.shtml">as you can see here</a>.</p>
<p id="k9kqX3">If they’d have scheduled an afternoon game on getaway day Thursday, this wouldn’t have happened. This was the odd explanation the Cubs got for that:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Cubs not thrilled this is a night game, btw. Getaway day. Was told something re day games here during the week. Parking or traffic a problem. New ball park in a business district</p>— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNChiCubs/status/997258170169942018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2018</a>
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<p id="xVTMR7">Like many things connected with this oddly-located stadium, that sounds weird. And here’s more about why it rains so much at SunTrust Park:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/Braves?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Braves</a> experience rain delays a lot at <a href="https://twitter.com/SunTrustPark?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SunTrustPark</a> our recent <a href="https://twitter.com/SERCC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SERCC</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/universityofga?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@universityofga</a> may explain cc: <a href="https://twitter.com/BradNitzWSB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BradNitzWSB</a> <a href="https://t.co/JFg46Djo8I">pic.twitter.com/JFg46Djo8I</a></p>— Marshall Shepherd (@DrShepherd2013) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrShepherd2013/status/887639250174435330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2017</a>
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<p id="e3NpUz">Anyway, the Cubs head on to Cincinnati to begin a four-game series with the Reds Friday night. They actually could be helped out pitching-wise by this postponement, as Jon Lester should go Friday and, with two off days next week, Kyle Hendricks and Jose Quintana could start the doubleheader games Saturday and Yu Darvish go on his regular rest Sunday.</p>
<p id="CeqLh4">As always, we await developments.</p>
<p id="ZoilYT">UPDATES! A makeup date has been announced:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tonight's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cubs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cubs</a>-<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Braves?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Braves</a> game has been rescheduled for Aug. 30 at 6:35 p.m. CDT. <a href="https://t.co/mDKMZfZS5R">pic.twitter.com/mDKMZfZS5R</a></p>— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/997297971468304384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2018</a>
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<p id="8BWt2y">That date follows a Cubs homestand and is just before the longest road trip of the year, 10 games to Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Washington.</p>
<p id="tD3nwV">And, the rotation will be as noted above for the weekend in Cincinnati:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Cubs pitching rotation going forward: Lester Friday, Hendricks and Q Saturday (TBD on order) and Darvish Sunday.</p>— Sahadev Sharma (@sahadevsharma) <a href="https://twitter.com/sahadevsharma/status/997305146882306048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2018</a>
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/5/17/17367172/cubs-braves-postponed-makeup-date-august-30Al Yellon2018-05-17T18:30:02-05:002018-05-17T18:30:02-05:00First pitch thread: Cubs vs. Braves, Thursday 5/17, 6:35 CT
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<figcaption>Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="uFA8ze">Go get ‘em, Jon.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/5/17/17341674/first-pitch-thread-cubs-vs-braves-thursday-5-17-6-35-ctAl Yellon2018-05-17T16:30:02-05:002018-05-17T16:30:02-05:00Chicago Cubs vs. Atlanta Braves preview, Thursday 5/17, 6:35 CT
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<p>This is the last Cubs/Braves game of 2018... unless the teams meet in the postseason.</p> <p id="lHJCP6">The Cubs are 22-18, two games out of first place, and one back in the loss column. For some, this has meant “the sky is falling” and ledge-jumping.</p>
<p id="nO1AA9">Let’s look at that record in a bit more detail, along with the records of the three other over-.500 teams in the N.L. Central.</p>
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<p id="6IF3ha">Cubs 2018 record vs. teams currently over .500: 14-13<br>Cubs 2018 record vs. teams currently at/under .500: 8-5</p>
<p id="HKCdPX"><a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Cardinals</a> 2018 record vs. teams currently over .500: 8-9<br>Cardinals 2018 record vs. teams currently at/under .500: 15-8</p>
<p id="kiqdc9"><a href="https://www.brewcrewball.com/">Brewers</a> 2018 record vs. teams currently over .500: 10-14<br>Brewers 2018 record vs. teams currently at/under .500: 16-4</p>
<p id="CPIo5g"><a href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pirates</a> 2018 record vs. teams currently over .500: 8-8<br>Pirates 2018 record vs. teams currrently at/under .500: 17-9</p>
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<p id="H1b9hW">So... first, the Cubs have played more games against over-.500 teams than any of their three division rivals, far more in the case of the Cardinals and Pirates, and are the only one of the four with a winning mark against those teams. The Cardinals, Pirates and Brewers have fattened up their W/L records against bad teams (examples: Pirates 9-1 vs. <a href="https://www.southsidesox.com/">White Sox</a> and <a href="https://www.blessyouboys.com/">Tigers</a>; Cardinals 9-0 vs. White Sox and <a href="https://www.redreporter.com/">Reds</a>; Brewers 10-1 vs. Reds, <a href="https://www.royalsreview.com/">Royals</a> and <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a>).</p>
<p id="Mq0Oiz">Thus when the schedule switches around and the Cubs get a “break” (which could happen this weekend) and the other N.L. Central teams play teams with winning records, the Cubs will get their chance to break away from the pack.</p>
<p id="xuhVpT">At least, that’s the way I see it.</p>
<p id="u4Yo83">(Note: I split this into “over .500” and “at/under .500” because the Cubs and Cardinals both have played games vs. the <a href="https://www.letsgotribe.com/">Indians</a>, who are at .500 entering today’s games. Wouldn’t have made any difference, really, if I had done it the other way, as both the Cubs and Cardinals are 1-1 vs. the Indians. The <a href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a> are also exactly at .500 entering today, but the only one of the four teams that’s played them so far are the Pirates, who are 2-1 against them.)</p>
<p id="lwlxoX">Here are today’s particulars.</p>
<p id="Vergm4"><a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> lineup:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here is tonight's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cubs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cubs</a> lineup against the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Braves?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Braves</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EverybodyIn?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EverybodyIn</a> <br><br>Game preview: <a href="https://t.co/sceyM83hPx">https://t.co/sceyM83hPx</a> <a href="https://t.co/czV0ywdIis">pic.twitter.com/czV0ywdIis</a></p>— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/997199144291794945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2018</a>
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<p id="paTjw6"><a href="https://www.talkingchop.com/">Braves</a> lineup:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">First pitch at 7:35 ET tonight at <a href="https://twitter.com/SunTrustPark?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SunTrustPark</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChopOn?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChopOn</a><br><br>Game Preview: <a href="https://t.co/t9R4b2Qvc7">https://t.co/t9R4b2Qvc7</a> <a href="https://t.co/9zgZPQZh5C">pic.twitter.com/9zgZPQZh5C</a></p>— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) <a href="https://twitter.com/Braves/status/997193809988653062?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2018</a>
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<span>Jon Lester</span>, LHP vs. <span>Max Fried</span>, LHP</h2>
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<cite>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<cite>Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="sJzory">Jon Lester, last five starts: 1.82 ERA, 1.146 WHIP. After a bit of a rough start, Jon’s been really good this year.</p>
<p id="yzxJvO">Jon was the starter in the very first game the Cubs played in SunTrust Park, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ATL/ATL201707170.shtml">July 17, 2017</a>. He threw seven strong innings, allowing just three hits and one run. He also had a hit and drew a walk in that game, for whatever that’s worth.</p>
<p id="uLLRIh">Since Jon came to the Cubs, in fact, he’s pitched very well in Atlanta, where he makes his winter home. Including last year’s game: three starts, 21⅓ innings, 0.563 WHIP, 0.42 ERA (that’s right, just one earned run in those three starts). In fact, in the game he threw against the Braves in Atlanta <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ATL/ATL201507180.shtml">in 2015</a>, he took a no-hitter into the eighth inning.</p>
<p id="fzSKk6">The Cubs could use one of those outstanding Lester outings tonight.</p>
<p id="usEQGo">Braves rookie <span>Mike Soroka</span> was supposed to start this game, but:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Braves?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Braves</a> have placed RHP Mike Soroka on the 10-day DL (retroactive to May 14) due to a right shoulder strain. LHP Max Fried has been recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett and will start tonight’s game against the Cubs.</p>— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) <a href="https://twitter.com/Braves/status/997178779675103233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2018</a>
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<p id="eO4ZZo">Max Fried was the Padres’ first-round pick in 2012 (seventh overall, picked right after <span>Albert Almora Jr.</span>) and came to the Braves in 2014 in the deal that sent <span>Justin Upton</span> to San Diego.</p>
<p id="ftx2In">He’s made four relief appearances this season in between stints in the minors, and last year he made nine appearances (four starts) for the Braves. One of those starts was against the Cubs, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN201709030.shtml">September 3, 2017 at Wrigley Field</a>. He had a good outing, allowing one run in five innings. The run was a solo homer by <span>Ian Happ</span>, who’s in the lineup tonight.</p>
<p id="VtANbY">The Cubs are 7-4 vs. LH starters this year, so there’s that.</p>
<p id="eQTdEP">Today’s game is on WGN. It’s also on MLB Network (outside the Chicago and Atlanta markets).</p>
<p id="47IVCe"><a href="https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/2018/05/17">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=2018_05_17_chnmlb_atlmlb_1">MLB.com Gameday</a></p>
<p id="iDRiK8"><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/previews/2018/ATL201805170.shtml">Baseball-reference.com game preview</a></p>
<p id="AScVZw"><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/events/536981/pregame">SB Nation game preview</a></p>
<p id="c01E3n">Please visit our SB Nation <a href="https://www.talkingchop.com/">Braves</a> site <a href="http://www.talkingchop.com/">Talking Chop</a>. If you do go there to interact with Braves 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 2018 Game Thread procedure will be the same as the one used during 2017. 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="VZ5YMU">Discuss amongst yourselves.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/5/17/17341572/chicago-cubs-atlanta-braves-preview-thursdayAl Yellon