Bleed Cubbie Blue - Cubs vs. Rangers Wednesday game threadsA Chicago Cubs Fan Community Since February 9, 2005https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47557/cubbieblue.png2019-02-27T16:40:02-06:00http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/rss/stream/180065332019-02-27T16:40:02-06:002019-02-27T16:40:02-06:00Cubs 9, Rangers 5: Willson Contreras homers, throws out a runner, is awesome
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<figcaption>Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Cubs catcher is off to a great start this spring.</p> <p id="1fW1Hz"><span>Willson Contreras</span> had somewhat of a down year in 2018. His slugging percentage was down over 100 points from his 2017 season, which at the time looked like it might be a breakout year.</p>
<p id="JfHO50">Contreras, who turns 27 in May, looks like he wants to make up for lost time. He hit his second home run of the spring — a ball that cleared the left-field berm at Surprise, a very, very long blast:</p>
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<p id="hc3Cy9">In the first inning, he threw out <span>Delino DeShields</span> trying to steal:</p>
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<p id="3VckKV">That’s the Contreras we knew and grew to love in 2016 and 2017. If he can return to that level in 2019, that’s yet another real boost to an offense that struggled mightily at times last year.</p>
<p id="oBTeHu">And the homer was off <span>Jesse Chavez</span>, who looked so good for two months with the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs </a>last August and September. I surely wish Chavez well, but I don’t think he’ll be quite that good in Texas.</p>
<p id="BgbR1K"><a href="http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2019_02_27_chnmlb_texmlb_1">The Cubs won the game 9-5</a> over the <a href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Rangers</a>, and got a decent two innings out of <span>Cole Hamels</span>. He allowed two hits but no runs; some of the outs were hard-hit, but that’s not uncommon for many starting pitchers in their first outing of the spring. A lot of guys like to throw nothing but fastballs in their first outing, hitters know it, so there’s a fair amount of hard contact.</p>
<p id="9UyfJY">The other really good news from this game was the return to action of <span>David Bote</span>, just three days after a scary-looking HBP by <span>Madison Bumgarner</span> (who, to his credit, said he was sorry and checked in on Bote a couple of times). Bote didn’t suffer a concussion, was cleared to play, and went 2-for-3.</p>
<p id="FMKUKS">There was also some good work from Cubs minor-league relievers who might figure into the bullpen mix during 2019.</p>
<p id="Iru258"><span>Dillon Maples</span> threw a 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts, though against Rangers minor leaguers. Dakota Mekkes also threw a scoreless frame. I think both of these guys will be on the Iowa Shuttle this year. Mekkes, in particular, could be a real dark horse to be a significant contributor this year.</p>
<p id="H97bq5"><span>Matt Davidson</span> homered off <span>Oscar De La Cruz</span> in the ninth to make the final score a bit closer.</p>
<p id="CsVgdv">So, all around, this was a good day for our favorite team. They hit, they fielded, they pitched well, and no one got hurt. It wasn’t seen by too many people (and I didn’t make the drive to the West Valley), just 4,782, and it sounded like majority Cubs fans at Surprise Stadium.</p>
<p id="OQjx5B">Thursday, the Cubs return to Sloan Park to face the <a href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/">Athletics</a>. <span>Kyle Hendricks</span> will make his spring debut, and our old friend <span>Brett Anderson</span> goes for the A’s. Game time is 2:05 p.m. CT, and again coverage Thursday will be via <a href="http://cubs.com">cubs.com</a>.</p>
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2019/2/27/18243637/cubs-rangers-recap-willson-contreras-david-bote-mlb-scoresAl Yellon2019-02-27T15:30:00-06:002019-02-27T15:30:00-06:00Overflow thread: Cubs vs. Rangers, Wednesday 2/27, 2:05 CT
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<figcaption>Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="iwhAWO">——</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2019/2/27/18242488/overflow-thread-cubs-vs-rangers-wednesday-2-27-2-05-ctAl Yellon2019-02-27T14:00:00-06:002019-02-27T14:00:00-06:00First pitch thread: Cubs vs. Rangers, Wednesday 2/27, 2:05 CT
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<figcaption>Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="iwhAWO">Go get ‘em, Cole.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2019/2/27/18242486/first-pitch-thread-cubs-vs-rangers-wednesday-2-27-2-05-ctAl Yellon2019-02-27T12:00:00-06:002019-02-27T12:00:00-06:00Cubs vs. Rangers at Surprise preview, Wednesday 2/27, 2:05 CT
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<figcaption>Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Today’s Cubs starter faces his former team.</p> <p id="tTrCE7"><span>David Bote</span>, as you see below, is back in the starting lineup for Wednesday’s game. <a href="https://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20190226/chicago-cubs-bote-eager-to-get-back-at-it">He’s thankful that he avoided a concussion</a> when he was hit in the head by <span>Madison Bumgarner</span> on Sunday:</p>
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<p id="LN7LiK">“We went through all the correct things,” Bote said. “I’m not in concussion protocol. There’s no concussion. But we went through many, many, many tests. I’m thankful for the <a href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a>’ medical staff, as well as our medical staff.</p>
<p id="QJXhyZ">”They did a thorough, thorough job. I’m like, ‘Hey, I’m good, guys. Let’s go.’ The Cubs and the Giants have done nothing but state-of-the-art process. Madison called me after the game to apologize. Then he texted me again the next morning. He’s an ultimate pro. He definitely does not have to do that. But he did, and it means a lot.”</p>
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<p id="LTskTa">Bote is an important part of this team and is likely going to get a lot of playing time early while <span>Addison Russell</span> is serving his suspension.</p>
<p id="Nc1prm">I’m not going to this one, so I’ll follow the audio broadcast along with you.</p>
<p id="UMQUg1">Here are today’s particulars.</p>
<p id="NIhSkF"><a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> lineup:</p>
<blockquote><p id="R8qVgV">Happ CF, Bote 3B, Contreras C, Adames 1B, Zagunis DH, Field LF, Evans 2B, Hannemann RF, Short SS</p></blockquote>
<p id="P10EWw"><a href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Rangers</a> lineup:</p>
<blockquote><p id="mnTOuM">DeShields CF, Odor 2B, Andrus SS, Mazara RF, Cabrera 3B, Gallo LF, Pence DH, Guzman 1B, Sanchez C</p></blockquote>
<p id="RT2gFO"><span>Cole Hamels</span> will start for the Cubs. Also scheduled for the Cubs today: <span>Alec Mills</span>, <span>Tony Barnette</span>, <span>Dillon Maples</span>, Dakota Mekkes and <span>Oscar De La Cruz</span>. It will be the first spring outings for Mills and Barnette.</p>
<p id="YxyOyo"><span>Edinson Volquez</span> will go for the Rangers. Other pitchers scheduled for Texas include our old friend <span>Jesse Chavez</span>, as well as <span>Chris Martin</span>, <span>Jose Leclerc</span>, <span>Zach McAllister</span>, <span>Jeanmar Gomez</span>, Brett Martin and Taylor Guerreri.</p>
<p id="OC139U">Today’s game is on <a href="http://cubs.com/">cubs.com</a>. No TV today.</p>
<p id="MNoeEF"><a href="http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2019_02_27_chnmlb_texmlb_1">MLB.com Gameday</a></p>
<p id="0b0ENG"><em>Please note that during spring training, Gameday doesn’t usually go pitch-by-pitch as it does during the regular season -- usually, it will update after each at-bat.</em></p>
<p id="duh5N2"><a href="https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/2019/02/27">Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.</a></p>
<p id="77FG6H">Please visit our SB Nation <a href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Rangers</a> site <a href="http://www.lonestarball.com/">Lone Star Ball</a>. If you do go there to interact with Rangers 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="fnbMtI">For spring-training games, we’ll have a first-pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time (because I know how you all like overflow threads!). For today, that will be 2 p.m. CT and 3:30 p.m. CT.</p>
<p id="eDrZXV">These threads will <em>not</em> post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked <a href="http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/chicago-cubs-game-threads">”Chicago Cubs Game Threads”</a> at the <em>bottom</em> of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher boxes and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.</p>
<p id="mI6dIM">Discuss amongst yourselves.</p>
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2019/2/27/18242472/cubs-rangers-surprise-preview-wednesdayAl Yellon