By Jordan Long
The Chicago Cubs are 1-2 to start the first weekend of the MLB season. They lost last night to the Texas Rangers 11-10 on a walk off wild pitch. The Cubs’ pitching has been the weak link in the early going.
The Cubs starting pitching in 3 games is one of the worst in all of baseball. Chicago can’t keep opponents from scoring. The starters haven’t been able to locate their pitches, giving up 3 home runs. They can’t seem to keep runners off the bases allowing 12 walks this weekend against the Texas Rangers, tied for the most in MLB. Those walks create traffic which equal runs scored. The total ERA for the starters is a disappointing 6.59.
When Manager Joe Maddon must take a pitcher out, the bullpen comes in and can’t do their job. The bullpen has given up 8 walks and 4 home runs, not a recipe for success. The total ERA for the bullpen is 10.03
Maddon isn’t too worried yet. According to ESPN, Maddon said, “I’ve always believed it takes about a month. I know the guys, and you know what you think you have, but you have to keep throwing them out there because things change on a year-by-year basis. I won’t make up my mind too soon about anything. I have to get them all out there.”
Maddon knows it is early in the season not time to panic yet. There is still time for the pitching to improve. It should over the course of a 162 game season.
The problem is it may not. Maddon can’t keep a starting pitcher or a reliver out on the mound if he is showing signs of not having it that day. He must be more aggressive and make pitching changes. This might keep the Cubs in games. If the pitching is still poor, especially the bullpen, the Cubs will need to look at making a trade. Luckily for Chicago it is only the 1st weekend of the MLB season and they have 5 months for the pitching to be better.
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