Bleed Cubbie Blue - Cubs vs. Yankees Wednesday Game 1 ThreadsA Chicago Cubs Fan Community Since February 9, 2005https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47557/cubbieblue.png2014-04-16T14:53:27-05:00http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/rss/stream/53537972014-04-16T14:53:27-05:002014-04-16T14:53:27-05:00Yankees 3, Cubs 0: Yes, Tanaka Is That Good
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Tayc-3GlstzI96Yt1nJm2ziR9Ww=/0x306:4000x2973/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/31716387/485096095.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Elsa</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>You didn't really expect a different result, did you?</p> <p>On a 43-degree afternoon in the Bronx, <span>Masahiro Tanaka</span> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a> <a href="http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2014_04_16_chnmlb_nyamlb_1" target="_blank">shut out the Cubs 3-0</a>, and if you thought this game was going to end differently... I'm not sure what to tell you.</p>
<p>Tanaka is good. Very good. Very, very good. VERY, very, very good. He'd been decent enough through his first two major-league starts and allowed the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> just two hits in eight innings. The first hit, an infield bunt single by <span>Junior Lake</span> in the second inning, was only a hit because manager Rick(y) Renteria decided to challenge the close "out" call at first base. Replays conclusively showed Lake's foot touching first base before the ball settled into first baseman Kelly Johnson's glove, thus safe. In that manner, the Cubs' no-no-hit streak was extended to 7,676 games.</p>
<p>Tanaka was mostly unhittable after that. <span>Anthony Rizzo</span> also bunted his way on in the seventh, pushing a nice one down the third-base line to help defeat the shift. I'd like to see more of that; if Rizzo can do that from time to time, perhaps teams would spread out the shift against him. Tanaka issued one walk, to <span>Justin Ruggiano</span> in the first inning, and struck out 10. His control was impeccable -- 76 strikes in 107 pitches. The 10 Ks gave him 28 in his first three starts, which is a record for a Yankees pitcher.</p>
<p><span>Shawn Kelley</span> dispatched the Cubs fairly easily in the ninth, allowing a single by Rizzo, for his fourth save.</p>
<p>Masahiro Tanaka would have cost Theo & Co. a lot of money. The Cubs might have had to give an opt-out clause like the Yankees did. But it's clear to me -- and yes, three starts is a small sample size -- that he really is worth the money. Next time management goes after someone like Tanaka ... they really have to actually get him.</p>
<p><span>Jason Hammel</span> didn't pitch too badly; the solo home run allowed to <span>Carlos Beltran</span> (the fourth homer Hammel has allowed this year, all with no one on base) was the worst of his sins. The Yankees scored their third run on a weird occurrence, when Cubs catcher <span>John Baker</span> was called for catcher interference on what would have been a comebacker groundout. Normally, if that happens the batter is given first base but the ball is dead and runners have to hold. Instead, Yankees manager Joe Girardi was given the option of taking the play without the interference, which would score a run, which is what happened.</p>
<p>The Cubs again kept the game reasonably close -- the seventh loss (of the nine that show in the standings) of a deficit of three runs or fewer, and Hammel posted a quality start, so the actual standings tally so far this year should read:</p>
<blockquote>
<pre>Moral victories: 7
Actual victories: 4
Blowout losses: 2</pre>
</blockquote>
<p>At least it was done fairly quickly, two hours and 41 minutes, leaving more than three hours in between games. If the Cubs wanted to have some tourist fun on their quick NYC visit, that might even be enough time to take the subway to the Empire State Building for a tour and get back before the nightcap begins at 6:05 p.m. CT.</p>
<p>That's when the Cubs will try for another <strike>moral</strike> actual victory (they have yet to have one in any edifice named "Yankee Stadium"). <span>Travis Wood</span> takes the mound against <span>Michael Pineda</span>. A game preview thread will post at 4:30 p.m. CT.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2014/4/16/5621466/cubs-yankees-recap-masahiro-tanaka-carlos-beltran-mlb-scoresAl Yellon2014-04-16T14:05:02-05:002014-04-16T14:05:02-05:00Overflow Thread 2: Cubs vs. Yankees, Wed 4/16
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/84uTfRE0cCRqVWxnzeBsL-bEwqE=/0x170:2667x1948/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/31646371/484644845.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Dilip Vishwanat</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>----</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2014/4/16/5593404/overflow-thread-2-cubs-vs-yankees-wednesday-4-16-12-05-ctAl Yellon2014-04-16T13:05:04-05:002014-04-16T13:05:04-05:00Overflow Thread 1: Cubs vs. Yankees, Wed 4/16
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/S64X7qbxrQm0n_Ml5fzsL8UiQQs=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/31646255/484644839.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Dilip Vishwanat</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>----</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2014/4/16/5593402/overflow-thread-1-cubs-vs-yankees-wednesday-4-16-12-05-ctAl Yellon2014-04-16T10:00:09-05:002014-04-16T10:00:09-05:00Cubs vs Yankees Game 1 Preview, Wed 4/16, 12:05 CT
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/S7fe4jVU2M651yUX86tXFkhmh3g=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/31645699/484644835.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Dilip Vishwanat</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This game is the makeup of Tuesday night's rainout.</p> <p>The Cubs never did win a game in the original Yankee Stadium. They were swept out of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/world-series">the World Series</a> in 1932 and 1938, losing two games each of those years there, and were swept in a three-game interleague series in 2005.</p>
<p>Perhaps the grand new edifice now called Yankee Stadium will be kinder to the Cubs. Doubleheaders have a tendency to split -- and I think most of us would be quite satisfied with a split with the Bronx Bombers.</p>
<p>There will be the usual threads for this game, then a recap posted, followed shortly thereafter by a preview for the night game. The Jackie Robinson ceremonies, and the players all wearing Robinson's No. 42, will occur before and during the night game this evening.</p>
<p>I would like to take this opportunity to again call your attention to <a href="http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140415&content_id=72136772&vkey=pr_nyy&c_id=nyy" target="_blank">the Yankees' fan-friendly rainout policy</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<pre>Fans holding paid tickets for tonight's game (April 15) may use them for the rescheduled game or exchange their paid tickets for any regular season game at Yankee Stadium within 12 months of tonight's postponed game (subject to availability).</pre>
</blockquote>
<p>Any game within 12 months. Sounds great. Very accommodating. Will be interested to see if the Cubs will do something like this in the event of a Wrigley Field postponement this year.</p>
<p>If the mighty Yankees can do it... surely the Cubs can.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> lineup:</p>
<blockquote>
<pre>Bonifacio 2B, Ruggiano CF, Rizzo 1B, Schierholtz RF, Castro SS, Lake LF, Valbuena 3B, Olt DH, Baker C</pre>
</blockquote>
<p>Yankees lineup:</p>
<blockquote>
<pre>Gardner LF, Beltran RF, Ellsbury CF, Soriano DH, McCann C, Solarte 2B, Johnson 1B, Anna SS, Sizemore 3B</pre>
</blockquote>
<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" width="680"><tbody>
<tr class="yspsctbg">
<td class="ysptblhdr" align="center" height="18"><center>
<h2><i>Today's Starting Pitchers</i></h2>
</center></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="ysptblbdr2">
<table class="yspwhitebg" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="680"><tbody>
<tr>
<td colspan="3" height="3">
<spacer width="1" height="1" type="block"></spacer><spacer></spacer>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="yspscores" align="center" width="45%">
<a target="newwindow" href="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7709"><img alt="Jason Hammel" src="http://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/assets/4233691/jasonhammelheadshot.jpg" border="1" height="480" width="320"></a><br><center> <a target="newwindow" href="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7709">
<h2>Jason Hammel</h2>
</a> </center> <br><center>
<h2>Cubs</h2>
</center>
</td>
<td align="center" width="10%">vs.</td>
<td class="yspscores" align="center" width="45%">
<a target="newwindow" href="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/9642"><img alt="Masahiro Tanaka" src="http://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/assets/4301835/tanakaheadshot.jpg" border="1" height="480" width="320"></a><br><a target="newwindow" href="http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/9642">
<h2>Masahiro Tanaka</h2>
</a> <br><h2>Yankees</h2>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="35" class="ysptblbdr2">
<spacer width="1" height="1" type="block"></spacer><spacer></spacer>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="ysprow2" valign="top">
<td class="yspscores" align="center"><a target="newwindow" href="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/bvsp?playerId=6480"><center>
<h2>vs. NYY</h2>
</center> </a></td>
<td class="yspscores" align="center">--</td>
<td class="yspscores" align="center"><a target="newwindow" href="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/bvsp?playerId=33150">
<h2>vs. Cubs</h2>
</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p><span>Jason Hammel</span> has made quite a few starts against the Yankees from his time in the AL East, most notably twice in the division series in 2012 (including the decisive Game 5). Both of those starts were OK, nothing great. Overall, current Yankees are hitting .320 (47-for-147, not such a small sample size) with four home runs (two by <span>Kelly Johnson</span>).</p>
<p>This isn't quite the way we hoped to see <span>Masahiro Tanaka</span> in April -- we hoped he'd be in a Cubs uniform -- but here he is, making his third big-league start. His first two starts have been good but not great; the best thing about them has been his control, just one walk in 14 innings, with 18 strikeouts. So the Cubs will have to be aggressive against him.</p>
<p>This game is on CSN Chicago.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://mlb.mlb.com/mediacenter/index.jsp?ymd=20130401#date=4/16/2014">Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2014_04_16_chnmlb_nyamlb_1&mode=gameday">MLB.com Gameday</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/previews/CHC.shtml">Baseball-reference.com game preview</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/events/474289/pregame">SB Nation game preview</a></p>
<p>Please visit our SB Nation <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a> site <a target="_blank" href="http://www.pinstripealley.com">Pinstripe Alley</a>.</p>
<p>For 2014, we are going to have the same game-thread routine as 2013. Here's how it works.</p>
<p>You'll find the game preview -- like this one -- posting as the first link in the StoryStreamâ„¢, which will then contain all the overflow threads and the recap. The recap will also be on the front page as a separate post; once I post a game recap, the stream for each game will be retitled "Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of Week) Game Threads" so you can go back and find every thread related to that particular game.</p>
<p>In general, game previews will post two hours before game time. Exception: for day games after night games, that will usually be 90 minutes.</p>
<p>You will also be able to find the First Pitch Thread and all the overflow threads in the box marked "<a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chicago Cubs</a> Game Threads" at the bottom of the front page (<a href="http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/game-threads">you can also find them in this section link</a>). They will also appear in this StoryStreamâ„¢. As I've done for each regular-season game for several years now, we'll have the First Pitch thread at five minutes before game time (moved up from actual game time per your requests), then an overflow one hour, two hours and 2:45 after game time.</p>
<p>Discuss amongst yourselves.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2014/4/16/5589702/chicago-cubs-new-york-yankees-preview-wednesday-game-1Al Yellon