Cub Fans are You Panicking About the Bullpen Yet?
Normally when you score 28 runs in a 3 game series you feel like you’re going to win at least 2 of 3. The Chicago Cubs failed to address their bullpen in the off season, and many Cub fans including myself are worried ..and the season just started! Jon Lester is getting up their in years but held the Rangers in check on opening day to record a 12-4 win. But the next 2 days the Cubs pitching was awful. Starter Yu Darvish went just 2 2/3 innings on Saturday walking 7 batters striking out 4. He left with a lead but the Cubs bullpen fell apart in particular Carl Edwards who failed to retire any of the 4 batters he faced. In the end the Rangers scored 3 in the bottom of the 8th to take the second game of the series. Yesterday the bullpen faltered again. Mike Montgomery didn’t retire any of his three batters he faced, . In the end Pedro Strop’s wild pitch in bottom onf the 9th gave the Rangers another come from behind victory yesterday 11-10. In the end Cubs relief pitchers gave up 11 runs in two games.
I’m scared and it’s only 3 games into the season. Perhaps the most distressing part of the equation is that they only made minor moves in the off season. Lefty Kyle Ryan was sent to the minors. He was really the only addition they made. The only option would be Craig Kimbrel , a legitimate closer that has not signed yet because of long-term demands. Offer him a high annual salary for the next 2 years and at least help stop some of the bleeding. There are really no other options unless they pull off a trade and no team is willing to do that this early in the season. So it looks like we’ll have to have faith that Steve Cishek or Pedro Strop can hold down the fort. So far that hasn’t been the case. Please Jed & Theo fix this bullpen!