NEWSLETTER
The Cubs dropped today’s game 5-4 to the Diamondbacks, but there was a lot of interesting stuff going on, so at least there was that.
It was really nice to see Jake Arrieta back pitching in a Chicago Cubs uniform. I’ll take the nostalgia, man. And a couple scoreless innings, too:
Two scoreless innings today from Jake! pic.twitter.com/N6ETvzQfFI
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) March 7, 2021
Appearance-wise, there’s only so much you can glean from a veteran making his first spring appearance. He looked like a pitchability guy, trying to stay down, change speeds, and induce contact. The command was off for the first four batters or so, and then settled in enough to get swings and a mix of medium and soft contact. He’s not as rotational in the crossfire delivery as he once was, but we already knew about that – the physicality required in sustaining mechanics on the crossfire as you hit your mid-30s is just so much. If you want to maintain any semblance of command, my guess is you just can’t get quite as rotational when you’re older.
Adbert Alzolay followed Arrieta, and ooh boy, he looked as bad as you’ll see him look. He was working the four-seamer heavily, but couldn’t locate it … at all. Every fastball was pulled glove-side, and so when he was working back into the zone with everything else (or when the fastball found the zone) it was getting hammered. For example, this four-seamer that was supposed to stay arm-side, but came back in and got crushed:
Sunday stroll for @SVogt1229. pic.twitter.com/ya7lNmYaIZ
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) March 7, 2021
I’m not sure he was really throwing the two-seamer or the slider much (his two new, highly-effective pitches last year), so I don’t know what to take from this. Further, his fastball was SO off that it’ll be really easy for him and the Cubs to see in the video whatever was mechanically off.
Andrew Chafin sure looked ready pitching against his old team, striking out the side. The Cubs brought him back at a healthy price tag for a reason, folks. And this dude looked so good:
I mean, what he was doing last year carried over into, at least, this outing. Just looks like a crystal clear top setup option. Should've struck out the side but got robbed on nasty pitches that didn't get called. Instead he goes K, soft fly out, soft fly out.
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) March 7, 2021
Chafin and Adam are going to be really important late-inning arms this year.
Anthony Rizzo went deep on a pitch up at his shoulders, which was fun:
Tony two-run tank! pic.twitter.com/CINpaEQJZQ
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 7, 2021
Tony tater 🔥 pic.twitter.com/XQe6Edq0eu
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) March 7, 2021
There was a goose patrolling center field for much of the first half of the game, but he did not make a single play:
Cubs going with 2 CF’s this inning. pic.twitter.com/LVfOZhuhb4
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) March 7, 2021
