Chicago Cubs Q & A with Jacob Misener of Cubbies Crib
By Emily Gruver
Jun 6, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo (44) hits a walk-off two run homer against the Miami Marlins at Wrigley Field. The Chicago Cubs defeated the Miami Marlins 5-3 in 13 innings .Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
To prepare for the Phillies series against the Chicago Cubs, I asked some questions to Jacob Misener of Cubbies Crib. Luckily, he was kind enough to provide some answers so that we could learn a little more about the Cubs.
Can you provide a brief overview of the Chicago Cubs season so far? How have they been playing as of late?
This season has been a lot of ups and downs for the team. They rattled off five straight wins at home this month but are coming off a series against the Pirates in which they dropped three of four.
The bullpen has been very good but the offense – at its best – is sporadic.
Can you provide a brief scouting report on the scheduled (pitching) starters for the Cubs in this upcoming series vs the Phillies?
Jake Arrieta. Image Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
Jake Arrieta has been one of the most consistent starters all season long. He is usually good for five or six innings of one run ball, as long as he locates the ball well and keeps it low in the zone.
Edwin Jackson is the epitome of the Cubs season. He’ll be dominant in one start and then get shelled the next time out. If he can get through the first few innings, he’s usually good for a quality start.
Travis Wood has been noticeably worse than his All-Star year of 2013. He’s left a lot of pitches out over the plate and opposing hitters have made him pay for it.
Who will be the x-factor for the Cubs in this series? Who do the Phillies need to focus on and be the most concerned with?
Anthony Rizzo has had himself a nice month but the question moving forward – as it has been all season – is whether this team can produce runs. So far this season, the answer has been no more often than not.
Prediction for the series?
Arrieta and Wood will keep the Cubs in the games, and the offense will do just enough to get two out of three in Philadelphia.
Much thanks to Jacob, and be sure to follow both him (@JacobRMisener) and Cubbies Crib (@CubbiesCrib) on Twitter!