Wins all the time lighten the temper within the clubhouse.
Chicago Cubs supervisor David Ross joked catcher Yan Gomes will get all of the day-game begins going ahead after he hit two dwelling runs in a 4-3 win Sunday afternoon towards the Philadelphia Phillies. The homers have been Gomes’ first since June 13.
“If the performances keep up like that I’ll take them all day,” a smiling Gomes mentioned of Ross’ declaration.
The Cubs (38-57) secured their first collection sweep of the season. It additionally represented their first three-game sweep of the Phillies in Philadelphia since July 25-27, 2000, at Veterans Stadium.
Ahead of the Cubs enjoying seven of their subsequent 9 video games on the highway, listed below are three ideas on the workforce.
1. There stays optimism Kyle Hendricks will pitch once more this season.
A proper shoulder pressure landed Hendricks on the injured checklist July 6 with the expectation that it will be weeks earlier than he would resume throwing.
The Cubs initially supplied a murky timeline, counting on how the right-hander’s shoulder feels going ahead. Hendricks might be re-examined Monday when the workforce is again in Chicago to see how his shoulder is progressing, pitching coach Tommy Hottovy instructed the Tribune.
Hendricks instructed the Tribune Sunday he’s not but absolutely asymptomatic and continues to be experiencing some sharpness on two positional actions. However, Hendricks mentioned his shoulder is significantly better than the way it felt when he went on the IL. He has began a power program and is “absolutely” optimistic he’ll pitch once more this season.
“You know your arm, how it needs to feel to throw a baseball and be able to do that,” Hendricks mentioned. “So when I get up in the morning you kind of know where you’re at. But at least there’s always progress. There haven’t been any setbacks so that’s a positive for me. I just have to focus on keeping it simple, focus on the work I’m doing right now and not try and get ahead of myself.”
After the Cubs’ transient two-game dwelling collection towards the Pittsburgh Pirates, Hendricks will journey with the workforce for his or her seven-game journey to San Francisco and St. Louis. The hope is he’ll be capable of do some type of throwing throughout that journey.
“Once I’m symptom free I can really start ramping up weights and stuff like that — and that shouldn’t take too long in that phase — and then look at picking up a baseball,” Hendricks mentioned. “But at least we’re on the way right now and out of the bad part.”
Hottovy believes Hendricks will return earlier than the season ends, whether or not it’s one begin or 5.
“There’s a peace of mind knowing that you’re healthy at the end of the year than not pitching and saying, ‘OK, I think I’m going to be good,’ and then you start ramping up and it’s just not the same,” Hottovy mentioned. “So I do think it’s important to get to a point where at the end of the year he’s competing and he can prove himself.”
Even veterans like Hendricks need to construct confidence heading into the offseason. With greater than two months remaining within the common season, there nonetheless is time for Hendricks to get his shoulder again into sport form.
2. Drew Smyly’s commerce worth is boosted after one in every of his last begins earlier than the deadline.
Smyly isn’t questioning if he’s making his last begins as a Cub regardless of the nearing commerce deadline.
The left-hander pitched properly Sunday in his third begin again from the IL. He had an ideal sport till Bryson Stott’s two-out double within the fifth that middle fielder Christopher Morel almost caught with a stellar diving effort. Smyly labored round Gomes’ error on a foul pop up and David Bote shedding a pop up within the solar for an infield hit. Smyly restricted the Phillies to 1 earned run in six innings with no walks and 4 strikeouts.
Smyly relied on a two-pitch mixture of sinkers and curveballs due to an ineffective cutter. That won’t fly for some starters, not to mention getting via six innings whereas protecting the opposing lineup in test, however that is what could make Smyly so efficient.
“The big thing with him is he just moves the pitches around pretty well,” Gomes mentioned. “He’ll go in and out on guys and he’ll go to his curveball at any point. … He’s got one of the funkiest curveballs in the game, and he can throw it at anytime.”
Starting pitchers are coveted on the commerce deadline, and Smyly’s veteran expertise and reliability when wholesome (3.93 ERA in 12 begins) makes him interesting to contenders. The 33-year-old has beforehand been traded 3 times in his 9 years and is having fun with a Cubs clubhouse that encompasses a good mixture of veterans and youthful gamers.
“I love it here, I love being a Cub,” Smyly mentioned. “It’s a extremely enjoyable group to be a part of. Home video games are superb. The clubhouse is superior. I imply, we haven’t received off to the most effective begin, clearly, our file’s not the place we need to be. But exhibiting up day-after-day, everybody has smiles on their face and being in a number of completely different clubhouses you actually soak that in as a participant realizing that you just look ahead to going into the sector day-after-day.
“There’s winning teams where it’s not that vibe so the Cubs do have that going for them. … I‘ve been on a lot of teams and it’s not always (like that). It helps when you win. It’s fun when you win, but it also matters who’s in the clubhouse and the personalities that are put together. That matters a lot.”
3. Nelson Velázquez reveals he can convey thump even with irregular enjoying time.
Velázquez began solely as soon as throughout the Cubs’ three-game sweep at Citizens Bank Park, but the 23-year-old outfielder walked off the sector with extra profession dwelling runs than when he arrived in Philadelphia.
Velázquez slugged two dwelling runs off the bench in Friday’s blowout victory after which clubbed a solo homer Sunday within the fourth inning off Phillies left-hander Bailey Falter that held because the profitable run. He is the one Cubs participant this season to hit three dwelling runs in a collection of three or fewer video games.
Velázquez is constructing a case to get extra enjoying time after the Aug. 2 commerce deadline when the Cubs probably have extra at-bats out there.
Velázquez hasn’t appeared fazed by the irregular enjoying time and credit his capacity to remain mentally robust, have enjoyable and never stress about issues out of his management.
Since being recalled June 20, Velázquez has began solely 13 video games. While his common (.246) and on-base share (.307) might use a lift,he has proven he can hit for energy (.536 slugging share). Of his 15 hits since Velázquez was recalled, 9 have gone for further bases.
Velázquez can play middle subject and his velocity provides one other dynamic factor to his sport. Ross mentioned over the weekend that Velázquez and Seiya Suzuki are the Cubs’ quickest runners.
“I’m really seeing the ball well,” Velázquez instructed the Tribune. “I’m trying to stay more on my approach to where I can do some damage and locking myself in. I really want to have the chance to get ahead and I really feel much better than a couple of weeks ago. That’s something that I’m really proud of.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com