Hittin' 'Em Where They Ain't | A Chicago Cubs Franchise Report (MLB 14 | PS4)

[KingFry]

I agree with Duece. As always I'm following. These Cubbies need some wins. Just don't play like you did in the D-Backs franchise and you should be good lol.

[CBMerling]

First, it is always awesome to me to see someone do a franchise of their favorite/hometown team, personally. I attempted at doing the Houston Astros last season, but was bogged down in regards to time, even tried this year but I had to get my PS4 replaced. Second, I love the free agent signings you made for the Chicago Cubs. Denorfia is a solid bench player and utility outfielder. Scherzer was also a great move, IMO. But I also see in real life, John Lester heading back to Boston myself, so it was cool to see in your franchise. I also enjoyed the other signings/trades as well.

The simmed 2014 season was also interesting Nice to see a Orioles/Nationals World Series and the Cubs avoiding a 100 2014Just curious as to where Nelson Cruz ended up. I believe he was on a one-year contract with Baltimore, correct?

Bo Porter on the pitching staff is nice to see, considering I wish Lunhow (due to how he handled the draft picks this season) was let go in Houston rather than Porter. In the end, best of luck attempting to alleviate "the curse" from the Chicago Cubs. I'll be keeping watch.

[AC]

Yesssssssssssssssss

[CameRoN0407]

Easy subscription. Nice to get Scherzer, let's see how he transitions.

[xboxxerx]

Subscribed, following and always, looking forward to enjoying. Liked the moves as well WTNY.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Cubs Drop Home Opener, Take 2 of 3 from Bucs




Game 1 Rapid Reax: PIT 4, CHC 2

The Cubs welcomed the Pirates to Wrigley by gift-wrapping an Opening Day win for the Buccos. A dropped 3rd strike by Welington Castillo opened the door for 3B Pedro Alvarez to hit a 2-run HR in an extended top of the 1st inning. Cubs Luis Valbuena and Javier Baez also kicked a couple of balls around the INF, with Valbuena making a beautiful diving stop only to fire a lawn dart across the INF that Anthony Rizzo couldn't scoop. Chris Coghlan was a hot mess in LF muffing a couple of grounders that snuck through the INF, though neither instance of butterfingers led to a free base.

Max Scherzer was extremely shaky, but largely a victim of his own defense and the Pirates dinking and dunking and Peter Dinklage'ing balls through the INF. Scherzer fought his control in the early innings and had trouble getting out #3 in the later innings. Only one of his 4 runs were earned, though. And Gerrit Cole can apparently swing the lumber for some reason.

On offense, the Cubs had a good opportunity with the bases loaded and 1 out in the 4th and Arismendy Alcantara narrowly missed touching 'em all, though he did record a sac fly. Valbuena singled on the very next play, but a nice heave ho from Gregory Polanco nailed Starlin Castro at the plate to end the threat. The very next inning, Castillo lead off with a single only for Scherzer to somehow sac bunt into a double play as Alvarez was able to tag Scherzer heading for first and fire a strike to 2B to catch the slug-footed Castillo.

The bright spot for the Cubbies on offense was a 6th inning baseball obliteration by Castro. Castro got the very definition of a meat pitch on a 1-1 count and sent what was left of the ball 444 feet to extremely deep left-center--nearly out of the entire park which is not easy to do that close to CF at Wrigley.

Baez and Valbuena both narrowly missed solo homers to slight left-center, only to watch a half-in-the-ivy Andrew McCutchen snare both just below the basket. To cap off the Cubs offensive futility, Rizzo led off the 9th with a ringing double to right-center only to make the boneheaded play of getting thrown out trying to stretch a double into a triple down by 2 runs with 0 out.

Rule 5 RPs Chris Withrow and Stephen Kohlscheen both made their Cubs debuts, with Withrow showing the whole package--the nasty stuff and a pair of strikeouts along with the complete lack of knowing where some pitches were going with a pair of BBs. Kohlscheen was more under control, but lacks Withrow's electric stuff.




Game 2 Rapid Reax: CHC 4, PIT 3

The Cubs offense took advantage of a familiar foe in the 7th inning and not only saved Jake Arrieta a loss, but helped earn him the win. A solo blast on a John Axford spinning curveball by Luis Valbuena tied the ballgame at 3 before a Welington Castillo single followed by a Chris Denorfia double and an Anthony Rizzo sac fly gave the Cubs a lead they would not relinquish. Starling Marte's throw was a bit offline toward the 1B side of home, which barely let the tortoise-like Castillo slide in safely. Rizzo also drove in a run in the 6th with a single. Valbuena went 3 for 4 against mostly left-handed pitching, which was good to see.

Arrieta was pretty decent with 8 K's in 7 IP, but he was much more hittable than normal. He gave up 10 hits. Once again, the Pittsburgh pitcher got in on the action as southpaw Francisco Liriano knocked in the first PIT run in the 2nd inning.

Pedro Strop danced out of trouble created by Wesley Wright in the 8th. Wright came on to face Pedro Alvarez and walked him before getting Neil Walker, who previously homered, to strike out. Strop caught pinch runner Kelly Johnson napping at 1B with a timely pickoff, then blew Starling Marte away with a low 2-2 fastball to escape. Hector Rondon came in throwing straight gasoline and worked around a fluky Ike Davis pinch hit single for the save.

The Cubs hit a few more deep flies in and around CF and Andrew McCutchen has mostly been a vacuum cleaner out there. But, one got away from him. In the 2nd inning, Arismendy Alcantara lined sharply to medium center, but McCutchen had trouble getting in far enough to make the play and dove as the ball went right by him and rolled and rolled and rolled. Gregory Polanco backed up the play but he had no chance of getting the fleet-footed Alcantara before circling 'em all.




Game 3 Rapid Reax: CHC 2, PIT 1

The new look Cubs got solo homers from Jorge Soler and Arismendy Alcantara to back a magnificent Kyle Hendricks start. Hendricks tired a bit in the 8th, but went 7.1+ IP striking out 7 and walking none. Hendricks threw 76 of 116 pitches for strikes. On the other side, Jameson Taillon made his MLB debut with a bang by striking out the side in the 1st inning.

Arguably the most important pitch of the game was thrown by Wesley Wright, who flip flopped with Pedro Strop from yesterday in stalling the Pirates in the 8th. After the Pirates inflicted an earned run on Hendricks via a hit off Strop, Wright came in to face Gregory Polanco and straight taught the youngster a lesson on 3 pitches including a nasty called 3rd on the outside black. Arguably the most impressive pitch of the game, closer Hector Rondon blew Pedro Alvarez away with a letter-high heater that was clocked at an even 100 mph in the 9th inning. The Cubs staff combined to punch out 10 Buccos and allowed a mere 5 singles.

On the offensive front, Jorge Soler's 2nd inning blast off Taillon still hasn't landed. The pitch was a straight as an arrow 4-seamer that Soler launched into orbit and it allegedly came down 441 feet away just to the right of and nearly past the batter's eye and camera housing in center field. THAT is plus power from the young Cuban slugger.

[xboxxerx]

Way to close out the series after opening pup with that L, WTNY.

[CBoller1331]

This is very exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I will be following!!!!!!!!


Awesome realism in the offseason. Now go get 'em in 2015