Cubs, Maddon become first to use no-pitch intentional walk

Music softly played in their clubhouse – it nearly never happens after losses in every other clubhouse around baseball – and they seemed nearly energized by erasing a 3-0 ninth-inning deficit on Willson Contreras’ three-run homer.

The Cardinals then loaded the bases with a double and two walks (one intentional, more on that in a moment) in the bottom of the inning and Randal Grichuk sent a Mike Montgomery offering deep into left field for a game-winning single, giving St. Louis a 4-3 win on Opening Night. Mathis scored on former UConn shortstop Nick Ahmed’s pinch hit single, and Pollock followed with a two-run homer just over the left field fence that tied it at 3. “The way I ended last year gave me confidence going into the offseason, so I’m excited to see where the year goes”.

The Cubs should be as good as they were last season in 2017.

“It’s still throwing a baseball”.

This will be an excellent way for the Major League Baseball year to open up as the Yankees are on the road for their first series of the season. The “automatic” IBB really accomplishes nothing. I will make my predictions after the All-Star Break.

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Fowler spent two successful years in Chicago, drawing praise for his presence in the clubhouse and his solid all-around play on the field. End of story. If they do this, then the pendulum will swing back in their favor and the media can drool over them.

Not great odds. Still there are reasons to be optimistic about the Cubs chances.

Bryant popped up and Rizzo flied to right. I give them the credit they deserve.

The Cubs have 161 more of these to deal with before they can start thinking about the playoffs, including 18 more against the Cardinals. Walks are one of the things the Cubs did best in 2016, setting a franchise record (656).

That is one thing I’m hoping, if it comes down to it, the Cubs can do this season with a vastly improved farm system under the leadership of owner Tom Ricketts, President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein and Executive Vice President, General Manager Jed Hoyer.

This Comes despite the Fact that Jon Lester went 5 innings along with strikeouts.

After plunking Ben Zobrist to start the inning, Oh fanned Addison Russell and appeared to get a potential second out from Jason Heyward’s chopper to first.

Seung Hwan, who threw Contreras’ home-run ball, was the winning pitcher.

I wasn’t real happy to see the play where Fowler stuck his leg out attempting to break up a double play.

With the help of Todd Mizener, my company’s director of photography and the best “shooter” in the business – and a Cubs fan – we set out to honor my boast.

I think the rotation has a lot of upsides but could fall apart with a few bad starts.

Not that St. Louis necessarily has an inferiority complex, because the Cardinals love their Opening Night pageantry and the Budweiser Clydesdales parading around the stadium.

“I think our guys are ready to turn the page and move on to this year”, he said.

Jeff Moran and Patti Carnahan dressed in their Chicago Cubs gear for opening day on Sunday.

(AP Photo/Paul Beaty). The grounds crew puts a tarp on the field at Guaranteed Rate Field during a rain delay before an MLB baseball game between the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers on opening day Monday, April 3, 2017 in Chicago.

“It was not just an opportunity to show the Cardinals I’m the man for the job, but to showcase my talent for the world”, he said. Some teams will offer streams but if the game is not sold out thy may also decide to blackout said game. “And the walk-off, they kept it, so I’ll get both of them, which is pretty cool”.

Adam Wainwright will go to the mound for St. Louis against Chicago’s Jake Arrieta.