Chicago Sun-Times

Liriano outduels Samardzija as Pirates blank Cubs 1-0

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:17:00 -0500

PITTSBURGH – For the first time in three games, the Cubs didn’t get a pair of RBIs from their starting pitcher. And that turned out to be the difference as Pittsburgh’s Francisco Liriano stymied the Cubs for seven innings in a 1-0 Pirates victory Wednesday night at PNC Park. Liriano (3-0) outdueled Cubs ace Jeff Samardzija, allowing just two hits and a walk in seven scoreless innings, retiring 16 of the final 18 batters he faced. It was the Cubs’ fourth loss in five games – all one-run losses. The Cubs’ only threat against Liriano came in the third when …

Grilli, McCutchen stayed put, high on Pirates’ potential

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:25:20 -0500

Last winter, the Cubs made an aggressive run at the best closer in the National League right now. “It was a tough choice,” Jason Grilli said. But Grilli turned down “a little bit more money” to re-sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates instead of Theo Epstein’s Cubs. The best center fielder in the league also is a guy Cubs’ brass identified as a possible long-term target once he reached free agency in a couple of years — until Andrew McCutchen signed a six-year extension with the Pirates before last season. “I didn’t want to be anywhere else,” McCutchen said Wednesday, before …

Cubs squander more fine pitching in 1-0 loss to Pirates

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:25:31 -0500

PITTSBURGH — An already strong starting rotation that got better this week with the return of Matt Garza continues to be — as Kerry Wood might say — irrelevant, dude. Which makes this idea of forcing the front office to rethink its plans to blow up the roster in July, and add players instead, a pipe dream at this point. For Matt Garza’s one-hit season debut for five innings Tuesday and ace Jeff Samardzija’s seven dominant innings Wednesday, the Cubs have nothing but a pair of one-run losses to show for it — in fact, exactly nothing in a 1-0 …

Cubs’ brass takes closer look at potential pick Jonathan Gray

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:25:42 -0500

With barely two weeks left before the Cubs make what could be the defining draft pick of this second-year regime, top front-office officials are gathering the final — and finest details — on the few players they are considering for the No. 2 overall selection on June 6. Team president Theo Epstein, general manager Jed Hoyer, top scouting/player development executive Jason McLeod and amateur scouting director Jaron Madison were in Oklahoma City on Wednesday to meet with Oklahoma right-hander Jonathan Gray — one of the top two pitchers in the draft. The Big 12 tournament opens in Oklahoma City on …

Garza shines in return, but bullpen scuffs up save in loss

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:13:30 -0500

PITTSBURGH — The race is on. Matt Garza’s powerful return to the mound after 10 months sidelined with injuries signaled the restart of his run-up to the trade deadline that was halted abruptly by an elbow injury last July, with many of the same scouts who followed him then returning for another look Tuesday. Either that, or it jump-started the Cubs’ surge into contention that will make their front office rethink its plans to sell off productive players. Uh, scratch that last one if a 5-4 loss Tuesday to the Pittsburgh Pirates was any indication. Not even five scoreless innings …

Cubs still seeking answers for the third base question

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:31:10 -0500

PITTSBURGH — Cody Ransom played third base on Tuesday. Luis Valbuena will be starting there by the end of the Pirates series. But who’s the third baseman of the future? The best answer to that might come from Abbott and Costello, and they’re both dead: “I don’t know.” The long-term uncertainty of that position hasn’t stopped Ian Stewart from telling mlb.com that team president Theo Epstein told him disappointing prospect Josh Vitters is the Cubs’ third baseman of the future — and the reason the $2 million Stewart is on the bench at Class AAA Iowa. The realities are that …

Kevin Gregg solidifies closer role, likes makeup of Cubs

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:53:14 -0500

The Cubs are starting games off with a surprisingly strong rotation that figures to get even better with right-hander Matt Garza’s return Tuesday. And they are finishing games off better since the unexpected return of Kevin Gregg. After shuffling the closer role among Carlos Marmol, Kyuji Fujikawa and a committee of others, manager Dale Sveum seems to have found his go-to man. ‘‘[Gregg] has been perfect [in six save opportunities],’’ Sveum said. ‘‘He’s a guy who’s been in that situation many times in his career, and he knows how to get those last three outs.’’ Gregg’s first time in a …

Garza makes long-awaited return Tuesday against Pirates

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:53:14 -0500

The Cubs acquired Matt Garza two seasons ago in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays to be an ace, and his credentials backed up that hope. At the time of his acquisition, Garza was 26. He had a 52-44 record, had thrown a no-hitter in 2010 and had been named the most valuable player of the 2008 American League Championship Series. The stakes won’t be quite as high when Garza makes his season debut Tuesday against the host Pittsburgh Pirates, but he figures to be stoked. ‘‘There will be a different energy in a major-league game,’’ Sveum said of …

Lack of clutch hitting scuttles quality start in Cubs’ 4-3 loss

Sun, 19 May 2013 22:11:30 -0500

The Cubs’ pitching continues to be strong, with left-hander Travis Wood earning his ninth consecutive quality start Sunday at Wrigley Field. The last Cubs pitcher with such a streak was Mordecai Brown, who had 11 in a row in 1908. But the Cubs’ hitting with runners in scoring position continues to struggle. That cost Wood in a 4-3 loss to the New York Mets, in which the Cubs went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. ‘‘We had opportunities to break it open,’’ manager Dale Sveum said. ‘‘We got guys to third base. Our biggest goal going forward is getting those …

Buoyed by starting pitching, Cubs still looking to be more well-rounded

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:42:44 -0500

The San Francisco Giants have won two of the last three World Series on the strength of dominating pitching. Starting pitching is the best component for the Cubs, who still must improve defensively and hit more productively. “There’s no question that’s where it all starts,’’ manager Dale Sveum said. “You can use the Giants as an example and how deep their starters go in the game. There are so many different matchups you can do [at the end of games] when you get through those first seven innings, so many ways you can shorten the game. “And when your bullpen …

Scott Feldman keeps rolling as Cubs thump Mets

Sun, 19 May 2013 02:41:08 -0500

How improbable is it for a team with a sub-.500 record to have one of the best starting rotations in baseball, with the possibility it can get better soon? That’s the question for the Cubs (18-24), whose starting staff has a 3.47 ERA, a major league-best .226 opposing batting average and 26 quality starts, tied for third in the National League. Imagine if Matt Garza returns to form quickly when he’s activated from the disabled list this week. ‘‘Potentially, if these guys keep throwing the ball the way they have the first six weeks, and with Garza coming back, once …