3 takeaways from the Chicago Cubs’ opening series, including a glimpse of offensive potential (2024)

ARLINGTON, Texas — Adbert Alzolay‘s first fist pump of the season Sunday to mark a Chicago Cubs victory was the exclamation point they had been waiting for.

“Needed it,” a grinning Alzolay said. “The boys needed it.”

The Cubs (1-2) broke open a tied game with a four-run ninth in their 9-5 win against the Texas Rangers, led by Ian Happ’s bases-loaded walk to give them the lead and Seiya Suzuki following with a two-run single. Manager Craig Counsell received the game ball for his first win as Cubs manager. The congratulatory texts started to roll in postgame, including a message from chairman Tom Ricketts.

As the Cubs finally head home to Chicago ahead of their opener at Wrigley Field on Monday afternoon against the Colorado Rockies, there were three takeaways from their first series.

Pitchers can’t put pressure on themselves to try to do too much in Steele’s absence

3 takeaways from the Chicago Cubs’ opening series, including a glimpse of offensive potential (1)

Counsell has talked about the importance of connectedness and stepping up for each other since the start of spring training, something that could be tested while the Cubs’ No. 1 starter is sidelined for at least a month by an injury.

With Justin Steele out the next few weeks with a left hamstring strain, the Cubs will need to fill his innings. They do not want the rest of the pitching staff to deviate from their approach, though, or feel pressure to step up during Steele’s absence.

“It’s so important these young guys understand just do what you do,” pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said Sunday. “Go as long as you go and then Counsell is going to get you out of there when he’s ready to make a move. That’s just so important, not only for young guys who experience it now, but I think over the course of their careers, it’s so important to trust what you can do really well and go out and execute.”

It comes down to maintaining focus and trying to get better each day rather than looking to take on the weight of losing Steele, an important mindset for a group that features less experienced big-league starters in Jordan Wicks, Shota Imanaga and Javier Assad. Wicks did his part Sunday and ended his outing on a high note by striking out Josh Jung and Adolis García to end the fourth with the go-ahead run on third base.

“We’ve got to each do our own jobs to kind of try and fill that void as much as we can until we get him back,” Wicks said. “He’s a huge piece of our team, huge piece of our rotation and we’re going to have to fill that collectively as a group. Not any one person is going to be able to come in and just immediately replicate what he does.”

The offense shows a glimpse of potential

3 takeaways from the Chicago Cubs’ opening series, including a glimpse of offensive potential (2)

The Cubs avoided carrying over Saturday’s offensive struggles into Sunday, quickly moving past a frustrating performance that had them looking to avoid the series sweep.

After not logging a plate appearance with a runner in scoring position Saturday, the Cubs tallied three extra-base hits and nine walks, three from Cody Bellinger alone, in Sunday’s victory. The patience the Cubs displayed in the ninth inning, when they sent nine batters to the plate, set up their big inning. They recorded three walks, two of which eventually scored as part of their four-run ninth.

“We kept putting pressure on them from the offensive perspective and we broke through so it’s a good team win where a lot of guys did a lot of good things to get us there,” Counsell said. “Obviously, the pressure we put on offensively today, that’s going to be tough to keep down if we can have innings like that consistently.”

Ideally, the Cubs’ offense steps up and shoulders more of the load until the rotation is back at full strength with the returns of Jameson Taillon and Steele. Christopher Morel’s three-run home run in the first inning Sunday provided the thump the Cubs want in the middle of the lineup. The lineup showed they can do that in the ninth Sunday without pressing in those big moments.

“In that situation, it’s really easy to try to do too much and try to hit a double or homer and put us in a position to take the lead and just for everybody to have good at-bats, it put us in a position not only to go ahead but to give Seiya a chance to drive in two — that’s a big deal,” Happ said. “As we get more comfortable, the lineup you’ll see a lot more of those bats and I think we showed that today.”

The defense needs to get locked in

3 takeaways from the Chicago Cubs’ opening series, including a glimpse of offensive potential (3)

The Cubs need more consistency from their defense,which wasn’t crisp during the Cubs’ three-game series in Texas.

Two of their three errors in the series came Sunday — a bad throw at third by Morel in the second and a misplayed ball by Dansby Swanson in the fourth — which led to three unearned runs with Wicks on the mound. Seiya Suzuki lost a ball in the lights that resulted in a two-out triple in the sixth, but Julian Merryweather stranded the go-ahead run on García’s popout to end the inning.

Two miscues by Swanson and Morel that went for hits were part of the Rangers’ six-run eighth inning in Saturday’s 11-2 blowout loss. Nico Hoerner also had a throwing error in Thursday’s series opener.

For as good as the Cubs were defensively last year, they will need to clean up their play and not give teams extra outs, especially when facing a dangerous lineup like the Rangers’.

“Everything adds up so the more that we can make sure that guys don’t have to throw extra pitches, starters can go longer into games, it gives us a chance to use the bullpen less,” Happ said. “That all adds up over the course of the season. That’s our responsibility to do what we can to limit that, play really solid defense which this group has done for years now and continue to have that as a strength.”

Counsell knows what he has defensively in his team, spearheaded by Happ, Swanson and Hoerner coming off Gold Glove award-winning seasons.

“Everybody is going to be given a look just a tiny bit more responsibility, and there’s going to be somebody who takes Justin’s spot that’s going to be given a lot more responsibility,” Counsell said heading into Sunday’s series finale. “But obviously to make up for the loss I think it’s on all of us to make up a little bit.”

Originally Published:

3 takeaways from the Chicago Cubs’ opening series, including a glimpse of offensive potential (2024)

FAQs

What caused a Chicago Cubs fan to put a curse on them in 1945? ›

Origins of the curse

Sianis's family claims that he dispatched a telegram to team owner Philip K. Wrigley that read, “You are going to lose this World Series and you are never going to win another World Series again. You are never going to win a World Series again because you insulted my goat.”

What are the accomplishments of the Chicago Cubs? ›

The Cubs play in the National League (NL) and have won three World Series titles (1907, 1908, and 2016). The team, originally known as the Chicago White Stockings, was a charter member of the NL in 1876 and had quick success. Led by Cap Anson, the team won 6 of the NL's first 11 championships.

What are some fun facts about the Chicago Cubs? ›

It was founded in 1876 as the White Stockings, a name they carried until 1903. The Ricketts family have been the owner of the Cubs since 2009, after purchasing a majority interest in the team for 700 million U.S. dollars. The Chicago Cubs are the fourth most valuable franchise in the league.

Why is 1914 significant for the Chicago Cubs? ›

Wrigley Field, established 1914. Known as the second-oldest park in the majors and the oldest in the National League. It has been in the lives of every living Cubs fan at this point, considering the Cubs have played at Wrigley for over 100 years now.

What started the Chicago Cubs curse? ›

It all started when Sianis, the owner of the Billy Goat Tavern in Chicago, decided to buy tickets and bring his goat to Game 4 of the 1945 World Series against the Detroit Tigers.

What is the meaning behind the Chicago Cubs? ›

Chicago's National League team lost many players in that process, leaving behind a young roster short on Major League experience. "The word 'cub' implied young and inexperienced," Cubs historian Ed Hartig noted. "Today, a high school may have a varsity and a JV.

What were the Cubs originally called? ›

In their early history, they were called in the press the White Stockings, Orphans, Infants, Remnants and Colts before officially becoming "Cubs" in 1907.

Does the Wrigley family still own the Cubs? ›

On October 27, 2009, the Ricketts family, with Tom Ricketts as board chairman, officially took over 95% ownership of the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field, and 25% ownership of Comcast SportsNet Chicago. The Tribune opted to retain a 5% ownership stake in the team and the Chicago Cubs acquired the remaining stake in 2019.

What are the nicknames for the Cubs? ›

The Cubbies – Familiar version of "Cubs". The Baby Bears – Referring to the meaning of cubs. The Little Bears – Referring to the meaning of cubs. The Blue Bears – Referring to the color of bear in its team logo.

Why are the Chicago Cubs so famous? ›

From 1876 to 1945, The Chicago Cubs were one of the most successful baseball teams in the country. They would post a 5475-4324 (. 559) record, with 51 winning seasons, 16 first place finishes, and 16 pennants and World Series appearances. They would win two World Series titles and six Championship titles in that span.

Why are Cubs called Cubs? ›

1902 – Going from the White Stockings to the Colts, the team then switched to the Orphans. The Chicago Daily News began referring the team as the Cubs because of high amount of young players. This nickname stuck and became the official team name in 1907.

Why do the Cubs have so many fans? ›

The neighborhood really is Wrigleyville; everyone can take part in the broadly defined game. Historically, the Cubs media outlets have had similar effect. The Cubs have long been on powerful WGN-TV, later a cable super-station, which helped maintain and expand their Chicago Diaspora fan base.

What is Wrigley Field known for? ›

Known for its unique traditions and charm, Wrigley Field, which was built in 1914, has been the beloved home of the Chicago Cubs for more than a century. Find out all about the Friendly Confines and its history of memorable events. Cubs tickets are available exclusively as mobile tickets via the free MLB Ballpark app.

Why is Wrigley Field so historic? ›

Wrigley Field is nicknamed "The Friendly Confines", a phrase popularized by Hall of Fame shortstop and first baseman Ernie Banks. The oldest park in the National League, it is the second-oldest in the majors after Fenway Park (1912), and the only remaining Federal League park.

Why is there a 23 on Wrigley Field? ›

Sandberg already has his classic No. 23 retired by the Cubs. Along with Sandberg, Ron Santo, Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Greg Maddux and Ferguson Jenkins also have their numbers retired. Now, Sandberg will join a limited cast in having a statue at Wrigley Field.

What happened to the guy who caught the foul ball at the Cubs game? ›

Minutes after the game, his name and personal information were published online, necessitating police protection at his home. He faced further harassment from fans and the media after the Cubs' loss in the series. Bartman apologized for the incident and stated his desire to move past it and return to a quiet life.

What is the meaning of Billy Goat curse? ›

Curse of the Billy Goat

The Wrigley ushers, citing a policy that prohibited animals from entering the stadium, refused to let the goat in. This incensed Sianis, who went on to allegedly say, "Them Cubs, they ain't gonna win no more."

What is the Cubs famous fan interference? ›

2003 — Steve Bartman, a Cubs fan, became a household name after reaching for a foul ball and deflecting a potential catch by Chicago outfielder Moises Alou in Game 6 of the NLCS. Chicago had a 3 games to 2 lead in the best of seven series and was leading Miami 3-0 in the eighth inning at Wrigley Field.

What animal was at Wrigley Field in 1969 that some believe famously cursed the Chicago Cubs? ›

The odor from the soggy animal began getting the 'goat' of nearby fans, and security booted Sianis and the goat. Angered over what he felt was shabby treatment, Sianis reportedly cursed the Cubs outside the stadium.

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