Dale Sveum is Concerned About Jeff Samardzija and Other Bullets

I can’t imagine that an off-day after your worst lost in two years is a fun thing. Maybe it’s a necessary thing. A cleansing thing.

  • Dale Sveum sums up all of our concerns after another total clunker by Jeff Samardzija yesterday: “I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t concern. The execution of pitches hasn’t been good for four or five starts now. It could be confidence, it could be mechanical, it could be all of the above. The magic question is, which one is it? There’s a number of things sometimes – is it the concentration level, trusting your stuff? When he gets in trouble, he doesn’t get strike one either. That’s a big thing. Today, we didn’t get strike one too often.” In other words: who knows what the problem is? That’s the scary part.
  • For his part, Samardzija said the things you’d expect him to say – he can’t walk guys, he has to make adjustments, he has to keep plugging away, etc.
  • Sveum says Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo are his two and three hitters until further notice, regardless of the matchup. “You want to get some stability in this lineup,” Sveum said. “You call people up who are going to be here a long time, you just want to leave them alone. [Starlin] Castro and [Rizzo], we’ll see what happens. I don’t want to keep moving things around, because then you can’t protect this guy or that guy, and it snowballs into another problem. We’re committed to this lineup and lefties will be what they are. Those two guys will be in the same spot from now on.”
  • Randy Wells declined to talk to the media yesterday after he was designated for assignment.
  • Anthony Rizzo is adjusting not only to playing baseball in the bigs, but also life in the bigs in a big city.
  • The Cubs are going to be showing ‘The Blues Brothers’ at Wrigley Field on July 6, at which they’ll try to set the world record for most people wearing sunglasses at night. Swell.
  • Catch up on the state of the Wrigley Field renovation discussions with a handy infographic from Chicago Mag.
  • The Cubs have signed undrafted free agent Anthony York, a relief pitcher out of UC-San Diego.
  • The Cubs have started the process of releasing a number of minor leaguers (including Theo compensation piece Jair Bogaerts) as they open up spots for 2012 draft signees.
  • A great thread over at the Message Board, in which you can vote on the Cubs’ top 10 positional prospects. Crowd-sourcing!
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

    more cubs news

    Cubs Roster Moves: Wisdom and Taillon Are Back, Wesneski and Mastrobuoni Are Out

    Even with tonight's rainout, the Chicago Cubs are still making some roster moves. When Patrick Wisdom was removed (perfectly healthy) from the I-Cubs game in the 4th inning on Wednesday, we had an idea of what was coming next. When...

    Tonight’s Cubs-Marlins Game Has Been Postponed

    The weather wasn't going to cooperate for Jameson Taillon's season debut, and tonight's Cubs-Marlins tilt has been postponed. The game will instead be part of a split-doubleheader this Saturday, with the first game at 1:20pm CT and the second at...

    MLBits: Paul Skenes Could Make His MLB Debut Any Day (But Probably Won’t), Red-Hot Orioles, Houck’s Maddux, More

    If you're into tracking young pitchers with star potential like I am—as I watch Jack Leiter's debut while typing this column—then you're probably itching to see Pirates top prospect Paul Skenes make his way to Pittsburgh sooner than later. While...

    Back to Wrigley: Cubs vs Marlins – Series Preview

    Cubs vs Marlins — Whew! The Cubs got through their first West Coast road trip of the year, and did so with a winning record (5-4) against the Padres, Mariners, and Diamondbacks. They definitely let a couple games slip out...

    Taillon Coming Back, Busch’s Integrity and Success, Bad News for the White Sox, Wicks, Hendricks, and Other Cubs Bullets

    As the father of a toddler who was sick for an entire week — the same week Brett was out from his back surgery and the Cubs were playing almost exclusively late-night ballgames on the West Coast — I was...

    Cubs Farm Report | April 18, 2024: Caissie, Alcántara Go Yard, South Bend and Myrtle Beach Smoked, More

    Kevin Alcántara hit his first home run of the season for the Tennessee Smokies last night, and Owen Caissie hit his first Triple-A home run for the Iowa Cubs as Iowa and Tennessee secured victories. The same can't be said...

    Cody Bellinger Sticking With Scott Boras

    Given the way the offseason played out for super agent Scott Boras's top available clients - Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman, Blake Snell, and Jordan Montgomery - you wouldn't be shocked to see some unhappiness behind the scenes. Did Boras overplay...

    You’ll Be Even More Impressed with Hayden Wesneski, When You Hear What it Took to Get Him to Arizona

    Hayden Wesneski was the hero of yesterday's finale and series-win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, coming in to clean up Jordan Wicks' (little) mess in the 5th ... and then tossing 4 shutout innings to save an over-used bullpen and help...

    Offseason Cubs Target Robert Stephenson Now Out for the Year

    Hand up, I really wanted the Cubs to sign reliever Robert Stephenson this offseason. I felt like they could use one more impact arm (accurate), and I felt like Stephenson was one of the best available (about that ... )....

    Rays Closer Pete Fairbanks With a Wonderful and Brutally Honest Line About His Performance

    Rays closer Pete Fairbanks has been an extremely effective reliever the last four years, posting a 2.66 ERA from 2020 through 2023, with a 34.8% K rate and worth 4.1 WAR. But things have started out much more rough for...

    Latest News

    Cubs vs. Marlins Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Friday, April 19, 2024

    The Chicago Cubs (11-7) are set to take on the Miami Marlins (4-15) Friday at 2:20 PM ET, airing on BSFL. The Cubs are listed as -165 favorites by oddsmakers, while the underdog Marlins have +139 odds for the contest.Jameson...

    Best MLB Prop Bets Today, April 19, 2024

    In one of the 15 exciting matchups on the MLB schedule today, the Baltimore Orioles and the Kansas City Royals take the field at Kauffman Stadium.MLB prop bets for today's games are available, so if you're interested in placing a...

    Cubs vs. Marlins Probable Starting Pitchers – April 19

    The Miami Marlins (4-15) kick off a four-game series on Friday against the Chicago Cubs (11-7). The contest starts at 2:20 PM ET at Wrigley Field.The Cubs will give the ball to Jameson Taillon and the Marlins will turn to...

    How to Watch Reds vs. Angels: Live Stream or on TV

    The Cincinnati Reds (9-9), led by Spencer Steer, host Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels (9-10) at 6:40 PM ET on Friday.If you're intending to watch this game, keep reading for streaming and TV options for the Cincinnati-Los Angeles...

    Kings vs. Pelicans Predictions, Best Bets and Odds: NBA Playoffs Game 1 – Friday, April 19, 2024

    The Sacramento Kings and the New Orleans Pelicans take the court to start the opening round of the NBA Playoffs. The Kings are favored by 1.5 points in the contest, which airs on TNT at 9:30 PM ET. The over/under...

    Nick Foligno Calls Out Blackhawks Teammates, Says Changes Are Needed

    The Blackhawks put the worst regular season of more than 70 games in the history of the franchise to bed on Thursday night in a manner that sums up the season fairly well. Connor Murphy was banged up and Nikita...

    2024 NBA Playoffs Odds: Mavs vs Clippers Odds to Win Series, Spreads, Lines

    It's a first-round matchup with a history of fireworks! The Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers lock horns once again in the NBA Playoffs. This year marks the third time in five years these two teams meet in the opening...

    2024 NBA Playoffs Odds: Pacers vs Bucks Odds to Win Series, Spreads, Lines

    The NBA Playoffs are here, and the Eastern Conference first-round ignites with a clash of styles. The Indiana Pacers, boasting the league's top-scoring offense, bring their high-octane attack to Milwaukee to face the experienced Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo's status adds further...

    How to Watch Pirates vs. Red Sox: Live Stream or on TV

    The Pittsburgh Pirates (11-8), led by Bryan Reynolds, host Jarren Duran and the Boston Red Sox (10-10) at 6:40 PM ET on Friday in a series opener.If you're trying to watch this game, keep reading for streaming and TV options...

    Padres vs. Blue Jays: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

    The San Diego Padres (11-10), with Matt Waldron on the mound, host the Toronto Blue Jays (10-9) who will counter with Yariel Rodriguez, at 9:40 PM ET on Friday.Find out how to watch the San Diego-Toronto matchup below.When is Padres...

    more cubs news