Bleed Cubbie Blue - Cubs vs. Braves Wednesday 4/28 game threadsA Chicago Cubs Fan Community Since February 9, 2005https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47557/cubbieblue.png2021-04-29T10:00:00-05:00http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/rss/stream/221714472021-04-29T10:00:00-05:002021-04-29T10:00:00-05:002021 Cubs Heroes and Goats: Game 24
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<figcaption>Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Cubs shutout for third time in four games; fifth time overall</p> <p id="necA3n">There’s not a lot to say. The offense was a no-show again. The pitching got shelled. Again. These storylines are playing out nearly every single game. Arguably, the pitching might be in a better position if the offense was putting any kind of runs on the board. Of course, when you are buried more times than not within the first inning or two, it probably doesn’t provide a laser focus for your hitters. </p>
<p id="XT1c52">Last week is looking more and more like a mirage with each passing day. Really, if we take the <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a> series out of the mix, the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> are 7-14 against everyone else. That’s a 108-loss pace. Of course, you can’t just take three wins out of the sequence, no more than in other recent years you might want to take three losses out. Those games happened. They are part of the sequencing. But that one really good series sure is masking a lot of really bad baseball.</p>
<p id="nJrx2G">There are some bumps, bruises and injuries, but I just don’t think that’s enough to explain all that is wrong with the Cubs. I’d like to think the core of this team has too much pride to be tanking their way out of the city. But if this continues much longer, the Cubs will be one of the first teams in a position to begin selling assets. Recall that nearly the entire roster is on an expiring contract. The Cubs are already well on their way to resetting the luxury tax threshold. They increasingly look headed for a rebuild and would do much to assist that by trading some of these expiring contracts for younger talent. </p>
<p id="dIfojb">Somehow, someway things just corrupted with this core and it just doesn’t appear that there is any way to get things back on track. At least not in any near term. </p>
<p id="LJQIOO">There’s not a lot to dwell on here, so we’ll just get to the numbers. As you’ll recall, the Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA (Win Probability Added) and are not in any way subjective. Many days WPA will not tell the story of what happened, but often it can give at least a glimpse to who rose to the occasion in a high-leverage moment or who didn’t get the job done in that moment. With that, let’s get to the results.</p>
<p id="Q8pyZH"><strong>Game 24, April 27: </strong>Braves 10, Cubs 0 (10-14)</p>
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<iframe src="https://www.fangraphs.com/graphframe.aspx?config=0&static=0&type=livewins&num=0&h=450&w=450&date=2021-04-28&team=Braves&dh=0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" height="450" width="450" style="border:1px solid black;"></iframe><br><span style="font-size:9pt;">Source: <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/livewins.aspx?date=2021-04-28&team=Braves&dh=0&season=2021">FanGraphs</a></span>
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<p id="0xMNoL"><strong>THREE HEROES:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="ESGLsz">
<strong>Superhero: </strong>Matt Duffy (.024). 1-2, 2BB</li>
<li id="6TYnsq">
<strong>Hero: </strong>Jake Marisnick (.013). 1-4, 3B, K</li>
<li id="mx4mDb">
<strong>Sidekick: </strong>Eric Sogard (.000). 0-2</li>
</ul>
<p id="fd1X5q"><strong>THREE GOATS:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="XmN23Y">
<strong>Billy Goat: </strong>Kyle Hendricks (-.366). 3⅔ IP (22 batters faced), 11H, 0BB, 7R, 3K (L 1-3)</li>
<li id="p2T7CQ">
<strong>Goat: </strong>Kris Bryant (-.036). 2-4</li>
<li id="hu4QSS">
<strong>Kid: </strong>Nico Hoerner (-.028). 0-3, BB</li>
</ul>
<p id="ZNozYc"><strong>WPA Play of the Game: </strong>Marcell Ozuna batted with a runner on first and one out in the first inning against Kyle Hendricks. He slugged a two-run homer and the rout was on. (.171)</p>
<p id="8xRjxU">*Cubs Play of the Game: Dansby Swanson batted in the first inning with a runner on second and one out. The score was 2-0 at the time. He lined out for the second out. (.024)</p>
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<p id="y5ntAn"><strong>Heroes and Goats Cumulative Standings: </strong>(Top 3/Bottom 3)</p>
<ul>
<li id="FvM5BL">Craig Kimbrel +9</li>
<li id="MV3iyM">Jake Arrieta/Jake Marisnick +6</li>
<li id="QzH72O">Brandon Adam -6</li>
<li id="KV5TR3">Ian Happ -8</li>
<li id="FeFN69">Zach Davies -11</li>
</ul>
<p id="mFJ6cH"><strong>Up Next: </strong>The fourth and final game of the series on Thursday. Adbert Alzolay is started to make his first start of the year against a team other than the <a href="https://www.brewcrewball.com/">Brewers</a> (who he has started against three times). Let’s hope the Cubs can sneak one win out of the series. Or even keep one game close. Or even score some runs. Oh boy, this isn’t great. </p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2021/4/29/22409051/2021-cubs-heroes-and-goats-game-24Thomas Smith2021-04-29T08:00:00-05:002021-04-29T08:00:00-05:00Braves 10, Cubs 0: Anthony Rizzo’s career ERA is still 0.00
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<figcaption>Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>That was entertaining, at least. And we could use some entertainment right about now.</p> <p id="ud1g9A">I was all set to write yet another funeral dirge of a recap, bemoaning both Kyle Hendricks’ inexplicable fall to the bottom rungs of MLB pitching and the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a>’ inability to score runs at all in the team’s <a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/cubs-vs-braves/2021/04/28/634414#game_state=final,game_tab=box,game=634414">10-0 loss to the Braves</a> Wednesday night... and then Anthony Rizzo made us all smile.</p>
<p id="ldH9Jm">Rizzo entered the game to pitch in the seventh inning. This is something we never expected to see again. Rizzo had pitched against the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> in 2018, and at the time, after retiring the only hitter he faced (AJ Pollock, on a fly ball to center field), he said that was it for his pitching career:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cubs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cubs</a> Maddon on Rizzo: "He actually conceded he'll never want to pitch again. ... He's going for the greatest leadoff hitter and relief pitcher in the same season."</p>— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) <a href="https://twitter.com/CarrieMuskat/status/1021602222419968000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2018</a>
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<p id="qBAXrU">But here we are, in a season where Cubs starting pitchers have averaged the fewest innings of any team in baseball and where the bullpen has been overworked, and so with the score already 10-0 after six innings, Rizzo took the mound again.</p>
<p id="l9Ulzj">Johan Camargo grounded to first base — Rizzo dutifully went from the mound to cover, but Matt Duffy, subbing for Rizzo at first, made the play himself. Rizzo then walked Ronald Acuña Jr.</p>
<p id="N8EUce">And then, the matchup everyone wanted: Rizzo vs. Freddie Freeman. The two had a bit of fun in Chicago on April 18, when Rizzo was mic’d up and <a href="https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2021/2021-04/18/3e70590b-0db06b6b-e2dfc5cb-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4">yelled “FREDERICK!”</a> at Freeman while getting him caught in a rundown.</p>
<p id="p9GDPC"><a href="https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2021/2021-04/28/4fa7b6a4-54ff5d47-caeb1131-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4">Rizzo proceeded to calmly strike Freeman out [VIDEO].</a></p>
<div id="mvrZEG"><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://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2021/2021-04/28/4fa7b6a4-54ff5d47-caeb1131-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4" type="video/mp4"></source></video></div></div>
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<p id="cCOoQ7">On a 61 mile per hour “curveball”!</p>
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<p id="6BfO6V">Sorry, Gameday, I don’t think those were “sliders.” But as you can see on the video clip, both Rizzo and Freeman got a huge laugh out of it, and I did too, watching at home. I hope you did too. This Cubs season has been pretty much devoid of happy things, thus far. The team needed that. Rob Friedman, the “Pitching Ninja,” had some fun with this, too:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Anthony Rizzo, 74mph Heater and 61mph Hammer, Overlay. <a href="https://t.co/taPQax4pvT">pic.twitter.com/taPQax4pvT</a></p>— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) <a href="https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1387589515804545028?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2021</a>
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<p id="ZjEuyf"><a href="https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2021/2021-04/28/b4f7ab14-703175dd-986ada39-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4">Here are Rizzo and Freeman talking about that at-bat [VIDEO].</a></p>
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<p id="tPQ7G6">They’re both right about having fun in the game. Sometimes I think we forget that. Rizzo’s so good at that, one reason he’s a beloved team leader.</p>
<p id="mA6Mo4">Anyway, Rizzo’s mound job done and his career ERA still at zero, now with one full career inning pitched, he went back to first base and Duffy took over on the mound. Duffy got Marcell Ozuna to hit a comebacker to end the inning. Eric Sogard came in to throw the eighth, recording two quick outs, then loading the bases on two singles and a walk. But he got Camargo to fly to left to end the inning.</p>
<p id="Z5vd5y">This was the second time the Cubs had used three position players to finish out a blowout. The other time was <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN201807200.shtml">July 20, 2018</a>, when Tommy La Stella, Victor Caratini and Ian Happ threw the last 3⅓ innings of what eventually was an 18-5 loss to the Cardinals. But those three allowed three runs. Wednesday night’s trio held the Braves scoreless. So, progress?</p>
<p id="YGMVus">I’m kidding, of course, but really, we need some comic relief with how comically bad the Cubs have become. They’ve lost five in a row for the first time in David Ross’ managerial tenure, been shut out three times in that stretch and been outscored 33-10.</p>
<p id="t65ogn">One note on Rizzo from his 2018 pitching appearance is worth repeating:</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cubs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cubs</a> Anthony Rizzo is the first left-handed throwing player to play first base, second base, and third base and also pitch during his career since George Sisler, who last played in 1930.</p>— Ryan M. Spaeder (@theaceofspaeder) <a href="https://twitter.com/theaceofspaeder/status/1021614698532364289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2018</a>
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<p id="LaI9Sk">It is a baseball truism that no team is as bad as they look when they’re on a losing streak, nor is any team as good as it looks when it’s on a winning streak. You know and I know that this Cubs team still has a tremendous amount of talent on it. <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/world-series">World Series</a> talent? Maybe not, but I believe they still have a chance to contend in an NL Central where no one has taken command. Every team in the Central lost Wednesday night, so the Cubs remain four games behind the first-place <a href="https://www.brewcrewball.com/">Brewers</a>, even looking up from the divisional basement.</p>
<p id="4Pjpxj">The only other thing really worth discussing from this game is Hendricks’ poor outing. Sara Sanchez <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2021/4/28/22406980/kyle-hendricks-home-run-problem-mystifying">wrote about this yesterday</a>. Josh Timmers <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2021/4/29/22409163/bcb-after-dark-chicago-cubs-kyle-hendricks-anna-may-wong">wrote about it here last night</a>. I’m not sure I have anything to add to those articles other than to say: Before 2021, Hendricks had a seven-season, 174-start track record of success, with two Top-10 Cy Young Award finishes and 21 bWAR. Barring injury — and I don’t think he’s injured — it simply doesn’t seem possible that he could have gotten this bad, this quickly. April 2021 is now the worst calendar month of Hendricks’ career (7.54 ERA, 1.765 WHIP, 10 HR allowed), edging out June 2018 (7.03 ERA, 1.685 WHIP, 15 walks in 24⅓ innings). Even with that bad June in 2018, though, Hendricks wound up with a 3.44 season ERA and 1.146 WHIP, with 3.2 bWAR. It’s not too late to right his ship.</p>
<p id="eInDlA">But they had better figure this out quickly.</p>
<p id="2MXQrU">One last thing about Rizzo’s pitching appearance, a quick plug, if you don’t mind: When Rizzo pitched in 2018, the folks at Breaking T and I created <a href="https://breakingt.com/products/anthony-rizzo-shirt-let-rizzo-pitch?rfsn=373338.5bd93" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">this “LET RIZZO PITCH” T-shirt</a>. It’s still available if you want to get your own.</p>
<p id="vtUwy0">The Cubs will try to avoid being swept by the Braves Thursday evening. Adbert Alzolay gets the start for the Cubs and Bryse Wilson will go for Atlanta. Game time is again 6:20 p.m. CT and TV coverage is via Marquee Sports Network, and also on MLB Network outside the Cubs and Braves market territories.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2021/4/29/22409364/cubs-braves-recap-anthony-rizzo-kyle-hendricks-mlb-scoresAl Yellon2021-04-28T19:50:00-05:002021-04-28T19:50:00-05:00Overflow thread: Cubs vs. Braves, Wednesday 4/28, 6:20 CT
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<figcaption>Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="b8QvQs">——</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2021/4/28/22407402/overflow-thread-cubs-vs-braves-wednesday-4-28-6-20-ctAl Yellon2021-04-28T18:15:00-05:002021-04-28T18:15:00-05:00First pitch thread: Cubs vs. Braves, Wednesday 4/28, 6:20 CT
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<figcaption>Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="b8QvQs">Go get ‘em, Kyle.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2021/4/28/22407400/first-pitch-thread-cubs-vs-braves-wednesday-4-28-6-20-ctAl Yellon2021-04-28T16:30:00-05:002021-04-28T16:30:00-05:00Chicago Cubs vs. Atlanta Braves preview, Wednesday 4/28, 6:20 CT
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<figcaption>Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>This one has to be better than last night. Right? <strong>RIGHT?</strong></p> <p id="Vzx8lu">Wednesday notes:</p>
<ul>
<li id="LT7DSC">
<strong>NOT ALONE:</strong> The Cubs (10-13) are not the only team that had hopes of contending that’s sitting in last place as of today. The Nationals (8-12) are last in the NL East. The Yankees (10-13) are last in the AL East. And the Twins (7-15) are not only last in the AL Central, they are seven games out of first place.</li>
<li id="DbdWY7">
<strong>THE GOOD NEWS:</strong> The Cubs rank tied for sixth in MLB with 30 home runs.</li>
<li id="EMcI2a">
<strong>THE BAD NEWS:</strong> The Cubs rank 28th in team ERA, 4.61. On the other hand, tonight’s opponent, the Braves, ranks 29th (4.67).</li>
<li id="obql2w">
<strong>THE WORSE NEWS:</strong> The Cubs are dead last in MLB in team BA, .206, and in walks by pitchers (110).</li>
</ul>
<p id="jDxCJR">Here are today’s particulars.</p>
<p id="OmIgrW"><a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> lineup:</p>
<div id="7HAlGx">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here is tonight's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cubs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cubs</a> starting lineup in Atlanta.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CubTogether?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CubTogether</a> <a href="https://t.co/KSrICL8E7C">pic.twitter.com/KSrICL8E7C</a></p>— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/1387496636633522177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2021</a>
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<p id="zM1STs"><a href="https://www.talkingchop.com">Braves</a> lineup:</p>
<div id="GgR9hc">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/theynoaa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@theynoaa</a> takes the mound tonight at Truist Park!<br><br>Presented by <a href="https://twitter.com/TruistNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TruistNews</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ForTheA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ForTheA</a> <a href="https://t.co/a6u4EVrQUZ">pic.twitter.com/a6u4EVrQUZ</a></p>— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) <a href="https://twitter.com/Braves/status/1387464940680847361?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2021</a>
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<h2 id="lePhfq">Kyle Hendricks, RHP vs. Huascar Ynoa, RHP</h2>
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<cite>USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<cite>USA TODAY NETWORK</cite>
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<p id="5czmVf">If only Kyle Hendricks could face the <a href="https://www.brewcrewball.com/">Brewers</a> every start:</p>
<blockquote><p id="6PUSzP"><strong>2021 vs. Milwaukee:</strong> 12 IP, 0.75 ERA, 1.000 WHIP, two walks, 12 strikeouts<br><strong>2021 vs. other teams:</strong> 7 IP, 12.86 ERA, 2.423 WHIP, five home runs allowed</p></blockquote>
<p id="gI2pQN">That’s like two entirely different pitchers. One of those bad games, of course, was <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN202104180.shtml">April 18 vs. the Braves</a>, where Kyle served up four home runs in the first inning. BCB’s Sara Sanchez <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2021/4/28/22406980/kyle-hendricks-home-run-problem-mystifying">took a deeper dive into Kyle’s home run problems</a> earlier today, worth reading if you haven’t already.</p>
<p id="Z3gfdJ">Needless to say, we hope tonight’s outing will be much better.</p>
<p id="Rgn9Lc">The Cubs absolutely crushed Huascar Ynoa when they faced him <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN202104170.shtml">April 17 at Wrigley Field</a>. He allowed six runs in four innings, including three home runs, two by Willson Contreras, one by Javier Baez. The Cubs eventually won 13-4.</p>
<p id="UTM7Y5">I’ll take another one just like that one, please.</p>
<p id="lg8fcO">Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. <a href="https://www.marqueesportsnetwork.com/providers/">Here’s a list of providers currently carrying Marquee<strong>.</strong></a> It’s also on FS1 (no blackouts).</p>
<p id="6w2xna"><a href="https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/2021/04/28">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=2021_04_28_chnmlb_atlmlb_1">MLB.com Gameday</a></p>
<p id="iDRiK8"><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/previews/2021/ATL202104280.shtml">Baseball-reference.com game preview</a></p>
<p id="7oSHCm">Please visit our SB Nation Braves 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="mRtOMf">The 2021 Game Thread procedure will be a bit different than previous years. It will be similar to what we’ve used for Spring Training.</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, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game, including the First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread, as well as the recap when it’s published. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post.</p>
<p id="F5ehVY">You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread 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>). The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.</p>
<p id="pjBR1E">The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at 90 minutes after the scheduled game time.</p>
<p id="cWIBoH">Discuss amongst yourselves.</p>
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2021/4/28/22402216/chicago-cubs-atlanta-braves-preview-wednesdayAl Yellon