Deer In the Headlights

Averaging just over three hits per game in baseball is enough to do some real damage. It can turn outstanding pitching performances into losses; it can get coaches fired. it is certainly no way to win games. Somehow, though, the Cubs 11 base hits through their first three games have been enough to win the series in Pittsburgh. 

To put it in to perspective, 10 teams have scored more runs than than the Cubs have hits. Going in to Thursday afternoon's game, the .131 team batting average ranks third worst in the league, with only the Marlins and Reds worse. 

In three games David Dejesus has no base hits ; Luis Valbuena has no hits; Brent Lillibridge has no hits; and Alfonso Soriano and Anthony Rizzo each have one hit. Obviously, this is just a bad slump. The question, though, is how much better they will get. After all, Valbuena is a career .223 hitter and Lillibridge is a career .211 hitter. Anthony Rizzo is bound to turn it around at some point, and Soriano is among the most inconsistent hitters in the game. Can new hitting coach Rob Deer do something to minimize the damage of the bottom of the order? 

Darwin Barney should return fairly soon, and with his return, Lillibridge is likely to return to the bench. The same applies to Ian Stewart, who, good lord willing, will replace Valbuena at the hot corner. Up until both of these players are back, Deer needs to figure out a way to spark the hitting. 

Thursday's game in Pittsburgh was identical to Monday's. Travis Wood allowed one hit and no runs in six innings of work. He was taken out after the sixth inning, his only run support to that point being a Starlin Castro RBI single. Wood was the scoring run, and eventually wound up with the win. Just like Monday, though, Carlos Marmol made things interesting. 

Marmol was given the reigns in the ninth inning, with the Cubs up by three. He quickly gave up three hits and a walk. Two runs scored, though he was able to escape due to a ground ball double play. Two appearances, two very close calls already for Marmol. He nearly blew the game on Monday in a similar situation, but was pulled after allowing one run. 

The Cubs were very fortunate to leave Pittsburgh with two wins. If they struggle to make contact, though, and Marmol is left at closer, changes chould be on the way.