Chicago Cubs score early, but fall to Giants, 8-6 in Scottsdale

Cubs Vs Indians Game 7 Live Score
The Chicago Cubs got off to a quick start, but the San Francisco Giants rallied and took the lead for good in the sixth for the 8-6 victory. But its okay because Cubs baseball is back.

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The Chicago Cubs got their Spring Training schedule opened up on Saturday with a set of split squad games. While they opened up the home schedule at Sloan Park against the Oakland Athletics, the other squad headed to Scottsdale to face the San Francisco Giants. In typical Spring Training fashion, there were plenty of pitching changes and runs scored.

The cubs (1-1) struck first off giants (2-0) starter Matt Cain (0-0, 4.50) as Jeimer Candelario hit an RBI triple to score Javier Baez, giving the Cubs the early 1-0 lead. They would add one more in the second as they scored an unearned run on a Mark Zagunis flyout. Cain tossed just two innings, allowing one earned run on three hits.

Right back to work for Javy

Last years co-NLCS MVP Baez drove the Cubs third run of the game in the fifth inning with a double to give the Cubs a 3-0 lead, thanks to an error on the throw home. The merry-go-round of pitchers for the Cubs was effective for the first four innings, as Rob Zastryzny, Pierce Johnson, Dallas Beeler and Jhondaniel Medina shut the Giants down. Things fell apart in the fifth inning.

Cubs relievers Tommy Nance and Jim Henderson (0-1, 36.00) had no answers for the Giants hitters, allowing seven runs in the fifth and sixth inning, including a three-run homer by Jae-gyun Hwang to put them up to a 7-3 lead that they would never relinquish.

George Kontos (1-0, 0.00) would be the winner of the winning pitcher lottery as he was on in the sixth inning when the Giants took the lead for good. The Cubs did battle back, scoringtwo in the eighth and one in the ninth, but fell short, 8-6.

The Cubs will take on the Cleveland Indians in a rematch of last years World Series. The Indians Danny Salazar will face Jake Buchanan in tomorrowsmatch-up.

Source: http://cubbiescrib.com/2017/02/25/chicago-cubs-score-early-fall-giants-8-6-scottsdale/

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Levine: Could The Cubs Score 900 Runs? Analytics Department Projects Big Numbers

4/14/16: The Cubs score eight runs to complete sweep

By Bruce Levine

MESA, Ariz. (CBS) Theres a numberfor us to consider for the Cubs as the new season sits less than two weeks away: 900.

Thats a number of runs that could be in play for the team to score in 2017.The 900-run mark is certainly a big number, as it projects to just shy of 5.6 runs per game, but its not without context.

Thats a magical figure on the mind ofthe Cubs geek squad of sabermetric experts. Manager Joe Maddon gave that group of bright minds the think-tank assignment of projecting the Cubs best lineups for scoring maximum runs. Specifically, Maddon was interested in the projections with slugger Kyle Schwarber as the lead-off hitter.

This is just another tool in the tool box, Maddon said of using analytics. We felt in Tampa that we had some better options. We had a lot of discussions about (metrics). It was more nouveau when Andrew (Friedman) and I were talking about it then. Now everyone is doing it. The edge is going away. From my perspective, for me, it helps. Just adding another layer to it helps. You would be a fool not to try. So I think it has definitely helped me.

Maddon wouldntreveal the exact number theanalytics department projected for a Schwarber-led lineup at the top, but he did confirm it was more than five runs per game. He also acknowledged this: The statistical gurus project the cubs to score more runs with Schwarber leading off than they scored with Dexter Fowler atop the order in 2016, when they scored 808 runs en route to a championship.

The Rockies led the National League with 5.22 runs per game last season, while the Cubs averaged 4.99. The Red Sox led the majors with 878 runs, an average of 5.42 per game.

The Cubs franchise record for runs in a season is 998, recorded in 1930. That figure was inflated by a lively ball that MLB decided to use in order to attract more fans during the Great Depression.

For now, Maddon wants to put his group in the best position to be successful and challenge his dynamic young hitters.

They gave me a sheet with different scenarios, Maddon said. It was pretty heavy. It was good. Dexter was awesome, but with Schwarbers power potential, the home runs coming out of that spot with extra at-bats (could help). You also have the natural rebounding of Jason (Heyward). He will be a better hitter. We talk about bearing down on defense and pitching because these (offensive numbers) are going to get better. They have more experience. All of these things set up the right way, we should have a better offensive year, especially against right-handed pitchers.

Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.

Source: http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/03/20/levine-could-the-cubs-score-900-runs-analytics-department-projects-big-numbers/

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