The Chicago Cubs bullpen is like watching a slow-motion car wreck. There are two certainties: It’s going to end badly and there’s not a darn thing you can do about it.
As helpless bystanders, Chicago Cubs baseball fans watched the bullpen once again fail to hold a lead and then walk home the winning run in the ninth. The Mets won the game, 5-4, but these continual failures by the Cubs bullpen point to something far greater than another Chicago loss.
These re-occurring lapses are no accident. Nor can these continual malfunctions be dismissed as a “slump.”
No, simply put, the Chicago Cubs bullpen is a wreck unto itself.
Monday’s loss was the 10th of the season directly attributed to the Cubs bullpen. That’s one more loss than the starting staff combined. And my guess is the number of blown holds and saves equals, if not betters that amount.
Control problems continue to be the main pain. Of the 122 walks issued by the Chicago staff this season, 49 of those belong directly to the bullpen.
Newly appointed stopper Michael Wuertz got credited with three of those tonight, including walking three consecutive batters to force home the winning run - all after two were out. Ironically, Wuertz took over the set-up role from Bob Howry, who’s had his own share of troubles (0-3 record, three blown saves).
As I mentioned in yesterday’s Weekly Cubs Report Card, when Michael Wuertz is your stopper the outlook for success isn’t promising.
I knew he’d prove me right. I just didn’t think it’d be so soon.
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