09/02 05:05 PM MLB (965) MILWAUKEE BREWERS at (966) CHICAGO CUBS
Take: (966) CHICAGO CUBS -105
The Milwaukee Brewers have enjoyed what amounts to a season long run atop the NL Central. But as we enter today’s action, the Brewers are now looking up in the standings at the Cardinals. Milwaukee has hit the skids in a serious way and really need a win at Wrigley tonight against the rival Cubs.
That’s going to be easier said than done. The Cubs still have some clear liabilities. But energy sure isn’t one of them. I really like what the Cubs management has done here. They have been promoting their stars in the making for a couple months now, and they’re not just sitting around the dugout getting a feel for big league baseball, they’re playing everyday. This is going to serve the Cubs well in 2015 and beyond.
To be sure, the Cubs lineup we’ll likely see tonight has its flaws. The raw rookies are whiffing at a pretty ridiculous rate. But they’re also flexing some muscle and there isn’t any team in the game that will hustle any more than this outfit. The Cubs are obviously dead as far as this year’s playoff chase is concerned, but that definitely isn’t having a negative impact on the players. In fact, they appear to be relishing the spoiler role and the fact there’s no pressure is a plus.
The Brewers are getting their brains beat in right now. Carlos Gomez is hurt and his status is up in the air for tonight. Jonathan Lucroy, who was playing great baseball for this team throughout the first half, has perhaps gotten word down and his production has fallen off considerably. The bullpen has gone from very reliable to a huge question mark, which forced management to make a deal to bring veteran Jonathan Broxton over from Cincinnati.
Yovani Gallardo has done some solid work for the Brewers this season, but he’s now a pitch to contact type, so he actually isn’t the best profile to contain the free swinging Cubs. Jake Arrieta will throw for the Cubs, and he’s off a bad start. Arrieta had control problems in that effort, and also got hurt by some lousy luck almost every time anyone made contact. But the fact he still managed to K eight Reds in just four innings of work indicates it was probably just one of those days. I like his chances of rebounding tonight.
I expect the Cubs to draw the sharper action in this game, so tracking the line movement is imperative as my guess is playing early will yield the most value. My call is to go against the fading visitor and I’ll back Arrieta and the Cubs to earn another win tonight.
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