Bleed Cubbie Blue - Cubs vs. Cleveland Wednesday 5/12 game threadsA Chicago Cubs Fan Community Since February 9, 2005https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47557/cubbieblue.png2021-05-13T08:30:00-05:00http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/rss/stream/221960822021-05-13T08:30:00-05:002021-05-13T08:30:00-05:002021 Cubs Heroes and Goats: Game 36
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<figcaption>Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Cubs continue to yo-yo through the season</p> <p id="SVNR7U">After two games in Cleveland, I’m not sure their team can hit much. But I sure wouldn’t sleep on their pitching staff. I suppose I say that with a grain of salt. At best, the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> offense is streaky. But, I didn’t really look at the last two days and say that the offense was MIA. They did hit in these games. There were a ton of baserunners throughout both games. The Cubs just couldn’t cash them in. I’m inclined to tip my hat more than a little bit to the Cleveland pitchers for always coming up with a pitch when they needed to.</p>
<p id="YTb7ki">Of course, the Cubs growing injury issues are decimating any depth this team had. Ildemaro Vargas and Nick Martini really fall more into the category of “break glass in case of emergency” players than guys who should be combining for six plate appearances between them. To Vargas’ credit, he’s come up with a couple of really nice hits in key situations between a whole lot of plate appearances where he looks completely over matched to my eye. </p>
<p id="bFoaGl">The Cubs centerfield job has apparently become so cursed that if you didn’t see it, even Albert Almora Jr. was injured this week. Seriously, the Cubs have played five different players already in center. Ian Happ, Nico Hoerner and Jake Marisnick have all done so and are all on the injured list. Kris Bryant has spent several games there, he left Tuesday’s game with illness and then when he pinch hit in Wednesday’s game, he was hit on the wrist. Joc Pederson played the game in center, so even though he’s recently recovered from an injury (before he had played any center), I suspect he should be on injury watch. </p>
<p id="DCxaHl">As the Cubs played yet another one-run game, the frustration builds for Cubs fans. This team is just undermanned. I suspect that was true before any injuries happen, but with each one the situation grows a little worse. Every team is going to deal with injuries over a 162-game schedule, but this certainly feels a little worse than what is ordinary. This too shall pass. The good news is that they’ve stayed in there and competed while short handed. But it sure feels like a bunch of winnable games have gotten away and you always sense that eventually that comes back to bite you when you come up a few games short in the end. </p>
<p id="4X9X0t">There is lots of baseball to be played and we’ve seen this team get hot already. Too soon to draw any real conclusions. Instead, we’ll 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. And now, let’s get to the results. </p>
<p id="Yz8Rxs"><strong>Game 36, May 12: </strong>Cleveland 2, Chicago 1 (17-19)</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=2021-05-12&team=Cleveland&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=2021-05-12&team=Cleveland&dh=0&season=2021">FanGraphs</a></span>
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<p id="GmK7t3"><strong>THREE HEROES:</strong></p>
<ul><li id="VRyjGX">
<strong>Superhero: </strong>Andrew Chafin (.423). 2IP (6 batters faced), 0H, 0BB, 0R, 2K </li></ul>
<p id="UHdDED">*This is the sixth highest WPA game score of the year for the Cubs</p>
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<strong>Hero: </strong>Willson Contreras (.228). 4-5, K</li>
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<strong>Sidekick: </strong>Justin Steele (.154). ⅔ IP (3 batters faced), 0H, BB, 0R, 2K</li>
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<p id="2r0Aog"><strong>THREE GOATS:</strong></p>
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<strong>Billy Goat: </strong>Eric Sogard (-.465). 0-5, K</li></ul>
<p id="HZCZxi">*This is the lowest WPA game score by a Cub this year. </p>
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<strong>Goat: </strong>Matt Duffy (-.199). 0-5, 2K</li>
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<strong>Kid: </strong>Jason Heyward (-.191). 0-4, BB, 2K</li>
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<p id="BB45eH">(also of note, Baez -.150, Martini -.141, Vargas -.133. The offense combined has a WPA of -1.015, more or less enough to lose this game twice or something like that).</p>
<p id="hNa1gX"><strong>WPA Play of the Game: </strong>Amed Rosario came through with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the tenth inning against Keegan Thompson. (.339)</p>
<p id="20luDB">*Cubs Play of the Game: Josh Naylor struck out against Andrew Chafin with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. (.207)</p>
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<p id="V9bKBH"><strong>Heroes and Goats Cumulative Standings: </strong>(Top 3/Bottom 3)</p>
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<li id="USrHGU">Craig Kimbrel +10</li>
<li id="DI2h5j">Jake Marisnick/Kris Bryant +7</li>
<li id="op8VtX">Ian Happ -7</li>
<li id="nVPyCv">David Bote/Zach Davies -8</li>
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<p id="4rG53g"><strong>Up Next: </strong>An off day Thursday before a three-game set begins on Friday in Detroit. Jake Arrieta is expected to come off of the injured list and make the Friday night start. Jake was pitching reasonably well until the thumb injury ruined his last start before his IL stint. </p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2021/5/13/22433069/2021-cubs-heroes-and-goats-game-36Thomas Smith2021-05-12T16:35:13-05:002021-05-12T16:35:13-05:00Cleveland 2, Cubs 1: Joc Pederson’s three hits are not enough for victory
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<figcaption>Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Willson Contreras added four hits... but the rest of the team did almost nothing.</p> <p id="f7OcPV">Here are the numbers that sum up the state of the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Chicago Cubs</a> after their <a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/cubs-vs-indians/2021/05/12/634129#game_state=final,game_tab=box,game=634129">2-1, 10-inning loss to Cleveland</a> Wednesday afternoon:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">For clarity: That's 2-for-27 with runners in scoring position. <a href="https://t.co/eNjmKv67Rq">https://t.co/eNjmKv67Rq</a></p>— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBastian/status/1392583534062231556?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2021</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Willson Contreras and Joc Pederson today -- 7 for 9<br>Rest of the Cubs lineup vs. CLE -- 2 for 24</p>— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) <a href="https://twitter.com/M_Montemurro/status/1392574043228868615?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2021</a>
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<p id="2c0Ex7">Granted that a couple of key players are on the injured list. And granted that Kris Bryant did not start this game because he was “under the weather,” and then when KB did get in the game, he had to leave right away after being hit on the hand. Fortunately, that turned out to not be a big deal:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kris Bryant has a contusion after being hit by a pitch on his left hand/wrist, Ross says. Plan was to pinch run for Bryant regardless.</p>— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) <a href="https://twitter.com/M_Montemurro/status/1392587543825326080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2021</a>
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<p id="U0flii">So, hopefully KB will be all right by Friday — this was a really good week for two off days! — and maybe the Cubs get Nico Hoerner back for the weekend series against the Tigers, too.</p>
<p id="6FcKbC">Because the spring training-style split squad lineup the Cubs put on the field today either got a lot of hits — Joc Pederson and Willson Contreras — or very few at all, essentially the rest of the team.</p>
<p id="qTXmhz">The Cubs left RISP in the first, second, third, sixth, seventh, ninth and 10th innings, and that includes an inning in which they scored their only run of the game.</p>
<p id="65xIyO">Ildemaro Vargas doubled with two out and <a href="https://mlb-cuts-diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2021/2021-05/12/c22d0a72-2fe17303-7d8291df-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4">Pederson doubled him in [VIDEO]</a>.</p>
<div id="catllI"><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/2021/2021-05/12/c22d0a72-2fe17303-7d8291df-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4" type="video/mp4"></source></video></div></div>
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<p id="4kacti">Pederson seems locked in at the plate. Since his return from the injured list he is hitting .444/.484/.481 (12-for-27). You’ll note that the slugging percentage is fairly low for a guy who’s that hot, lower than the OBP. Of the 12 hits, the double today is the only one for extra bases. Jim Deshaies noted on the broadcast that when a guy starts hitting like this, eventually the power will come. Hope so, because the Cubs have now had 40 hits over their last five games — that’s good! — but just eight are for extra bases — that’s not. Seven doubles and a home run is all they have beyond 32 singles, and you can see the RISP issues they’ve had above.</p>
<p id="bnvs8t">Zach Davies had another good outing, allowing just the tying Cleveland run in the bottom of the sixth before departing with one out in the inning. Over his last three starts, Davies has allowed 14 hits, six walks and three runs (two earned) in 16⅓ innings. That’s a 1.10 ERA and 1.224 WHIP, excellent work that we hope continues.</p>
<p id="XzABk7">Justin Steele, Ryan Tepera and Andrew Chafin combined for 3⅔ innings of scoreless relief, allowing just one baserunner among the 12 total batters they faced (a walk by Steele) and striking out five. That’s excellent work, and if the Cubs offense had been able to generate anything with all those baserunners we’d be talking about a win here.</p>
<p id="P0EKm0">Keegan Thompson was tagged with the loss after issuing a walk with the placed runner on second. This is never going to work out well, because in that situation — bottom of an extra inning, score tied — the runners are going to be bunted along. The bases are then going to be loaded intentionally, and the pitcher involved is going to have to be really good to get out of that jam and Thompson wasn’t.</p>
<p id="IH2bEV">Of note, Cleveland kept running out there guys who can throw 95+, with their closer Emmanuel Clase topping 100 multiple times. The Cubs could use guys like this.</p>
<p id="6ofiFW">Overall, though, this loss isn’t on Cubs pitching. It’s the failure to hit with RISP. </p>
<p id="43rwy9">Hopefully, that changes this weekend in Detroit. The Cubs have Thursday off and begin a three-game series against the Tigers Friday evening. Jake Arrieta is reportedly going to come off the injured list and make the start Friday, though nothing’s been made official yet. The Tigers do not yet have a starting pitcher listed for Friday’s contest. Game time Friday is 6:10 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2021/5/12/22433039/cubs-cleveland-recap-joc-pederson-zach-davies-mlb-scoresAl Yellon2021-05-12T13:40:00-05:002021-05-12T13:40:00-05:00Overflow thread: Cubs vs. Cleveland, Wednesday 5/12, 12:10 CT
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<figcaption>Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="hUnQHO">——</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2021/5/12/22432038/overflow-thread-cubs-vs-cleveland-wednesday-5-12-12-10-ctAl Yellon2021-05-12T12:05:00-05:002021-05-12T12:05:00-05:00First pitch thread: Cubs vs. Cleveland, Wednesday 5/12, 12:10 CT
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<figcaption>Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="hUnQHO">Go get ‘em, Zach.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2021/5/12/22432036/first-pitch-thread-cubs-vs-cleveland-wednesday-5-12-12-10-ctAl Yellon2021-05-12T10:30:00-05:002021-05-12T10:30:00-05:00Chicago Cubs vs. Cleveland preview, Wednesday 5/12, 12:10 CT
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<figcaption>Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Cubs go for the series split.</p> <p id="T5Sg5W">Wednesday notes...</p>
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<li id="zxgPOm">
<strong>KB’S HITTING:</strong> Kris Bryant last night recorded his MLB-leading 14th double and 23rd extra-base hit off Cleveland’s Shane Bieber in the third inning. Just five <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> since 1901 have had more than Bryant’s 23 extra-base hits within the team’s first 35 games: Vic Saier (27 in 1915), Rogers Hornsby (26 in 1931), Hack Wilson (25 in 1936), Billy Herman (25 in 1936) and Javier Báez (24 in 2019).</li>
<li id="eI6UfH">
<strong>CUBS DH FACTS:</strong> Besides Willson Contreras, others on the active roster to have seen time at DH with the Cubs: Kris Bryant (7 games), David Bote (4), Javier Báez (3) and Anthony Rizzo (1).</li>
<li id="4S26jH">
<strong>SCORING RUNS:</strong> Cubs hitters have scored 60 runs in the last 11 games, hitting .274 (101-for-368) with 35 extra-base hits (21 doubles, two triples, 12 home runs). This followed a four-game stretch in which the club was shut out three times and hit .137 (17-for-124) with just five extra-base hits (two doubles, one triple, two homers), April 25-28.</li>
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<strong>BASE THEFT:</strong> The Cubs have been successful in 14 of its last 18 stolen base attempts since April 26, and the team’s 26 stolen bases are tied for third-most in the majors, surpassed only by the Padres (39) and Rangers (28).</li>
</ul>
<p id="RdHxK4"><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/teams/chicago-cubs"></a><a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> lineup:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here is today's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cubs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cubs</a> starting lineup.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CubTogether?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CubTogether</a> <a href="https://t.co/Bi1wsYNEbT">pic.twitter.com/Bi1wsYNEbT</a></p>— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/1392482273115746308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2021</a>
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<p id="0AbQ7d">And here’s why Kris Bryant isn’t in today’s lineup:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ross: Bryant is "super under the weather." Didn't sleep well. Wanted to be in the lineup, but the manager thought better of it, especially with the off-day tomorrow.</p>— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBastian/status/1392488156637929473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2021</a>
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<p id="OqWlTr"><a href="https://www.coveringthecorner.com">Cleveland</a> lineup:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Good morning.<br><br>We go for the 2-game sweep this afternoon.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OurCLE?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OurCLE</a> <a href="https://t.co/QdIrozDMSA">pic.twitter.com/QdIrozDMSA</a></p>— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) <a href="https://twitter.com/Indians/status/1392493713989984256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2021</a>
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<h2 id="GgR9hc">Zach Davies, RHP vs. Sam Hentges, LHP</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="6T2fgt">At last, Zach Davies put together the sort of start we’d been expecting from him in his last outing against the Pirates: seven innings, five hits, no runs. So now he has an 0.82 ERA (one earned run in 11 innings) over his last two starts. Baby steps.</p>
<p id="xmw6sD">Believe it or not, despite 130 starts over the last six-plus seasons, Davies has never faced Cleveland. Current members of the team are hitting a small-sample-size .364 (12-for-33) against him, though no one has faced him more than seven times.</p>
<p id="XbkBJj">Perhaps the unfamiliarity will help Zach, unless...</p>
<p id="aZWx0z">... similar unfamiliarity helps Sam Hentges. Tonight will be Hentges’ fifth MLB appearance, but first start. He was Cleveland’s fourth-round pick in 2014 out of HS in Minnesota. He’s a big dude (6-8) and <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/players/sam-hentges/18548/stats#pitch-type">per Fangraphs</a> he relies mostly on his 95+ fastball (55.8 percent of the time), and 30 percent on his curve.</p>
<p id="LAglpI">He has yet to throw more than 63 pitches in a big-league game, so if the Cubs can get to him early, Cleveland’s bullpen could come into play.</p>
<p id="2e7Fy8">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 MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Cleveland market territories).</p>
<p id="6w2xna"><a href="https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/2021/05/12">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_05_12_chnmlb_clemlb_1">MLB.com Gameday</a></p>
<p id="iDRiK8"><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/previews/2021/CLE202105120.shtml">Baseball-reference.com game preview</a></p>
<p id="7oSHCm">Please visit our SB Nation Cleveland site <a href="http://www.coveringthecorner.com/">Covering The Corner</a>. If you do go there to interact with Cleveland 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/2021/5/12/22428438/chicago-cubs-cleveland-preview-wednesdayAl Yellon