ATLANTA — We know, we all know: It’s a small pattern dimension.
The Cubs have performed solely 5 video games.
“I don’t think anyone’s panicking,” Cubs reliever Steve Cishek stated.
That’s in all probability a superb factor for the staff.
Steve Cishek after strolling the primary three batters of the eighth and leaving the sport.
But it doesn’t change the outstanding incontrovertible fact that it took solely these 5 video games for the Cubs to fall 4 video games again in a division that acquired so much higher since final yr.
Or that Wednesday night time’s 6-Four loss to the Braves was the results of one other bullpen meltdown fed by one other bunch of walks — two points that had been questions even earlier than the season opened.
“The average fan of every major-league team is worried about the bullpen,” staff president Theo Epstein stated. “We’ve had the most effective bullpens in baseball the final 4 years, and there’s in all probability been a grand -total of about three days the place folks haven’t been fearful concerning the bullpen.
“That’s simply the best way it really works since you don’t often discover after they’re getting outs on a constant foundation.”
You particularly don’t discover it when 5 video games in, the bullpen has blown all three save possibilities — twice within the eighth and as soon as within the seventh — and when the pitching employees general has walked 35 in 41⅓ innings.
Cishek, final yr’s bullpen star, walked the primary three batters of the eighth with a 4-2 lead Wednesday. And when Randy Rosario took over and allowed Johan Camargo’s bases-clearing double, a powerful begin by Jon Lester and rocket-launched dwelling run by Willson Contreras had been wasted.
“I don’t know what happened,” Cishek stated. “I was focused, ready to go. I was fighting myself mechanically.”
The Cubs have misplaced 4 in a row, together with a six-error fiasco Monday. They didn’t lose three in a row final yr till May.
“We’re all from top to bottom pressing a little bit too much right now,” stated Lester, who stated he thinks it’ll flip round shortly. “I believe we put such an emphasis on getting off to a superb begin that it’s sort of hanging over our heads slightly bit proper now.
“We simply have to get again to being us.”
Lester stated “nobody’s giving up on anybody” within the bullpen. And Epstein and supervisor Joe Maddon stated they anticipate outcomes to normalize as they get a number of extra video games into the season.
“These guys are going to keep going out there,” he stated. “I have a ton of faith in all of them. It was precipitated by a guy that’s normally lights-out.”
When reminded of the urgency theme for 2019, Epstein identified that emphasis concerned “attitude and preparation” and that he has been pleased with that a lot, even via the struggles.
“Nothing we were talking about this offseason, or that has become this narrative that I hope will die really soon [as we get] into the flow of the season, relates to [an] outcome on a particular night,” he stated. “It’s baseball.”
Even because the very areas of best query going into the season have price the membership early, Epstein withholds judgment and definitely any temptation to make strikes already.
“Every team has questions coming in, and they’re answered by how you play,” he stated. “Sure, you play a game like Monday night, you deserve to be questioned. I think the answers will come with how we play going forward.”