Chicago Cubs News: Baseball is back!; New bullpen roles

It was such a great day to have Chicago Cubs baseball back that they played two just for us. Well, maybe not for us. But the Cubs split a pair of Spring Training games as they opened up play this weekend.

The Chicago Cubs played a pair of games this weekend as they opened up Spring Training. In the home opener at Sloan Park, the Cubs rallied to beat the Oakland A’s, 4-3. Charcer Burks hit a go-ahead home run and made a fantastic play on defense to help the Cubs to their first win of the season.

Over in Scottsdale, the Cubs got into an offensive shootout (I use that loosely as it is Spring Training), but fell to the San Francisco Giants, 8-6. Cubs pitchers shut down the Giants for the first four innings before the wheels came off in the fifth and sixth innings. The loss dropped the Cubs to 1-1 here in the spring. Which, as we learned, means nothing when the games really count.

The Cubs bullpen has lost Aroldis Chapman, but the roles of Hector Rondon and Pedro Strop will again be different from where they began last year. Each of them had to battle through injuries towards the last part of the season, so their health is going to be critical for the success of the bullpen.

These and other stories you might have missed:

‘Cubs rally late to win home opener’ – Cubbies Crib

‘Rondon must find focus in middle relief role’ – Cubbies Crib

‘Cubs score early, but fall to Giants, 8-6’ – Cubbies Crib

‘Good guy Rizzo strikes again‘ – Cubbies Crib

‘Clear evidence to support the extension of Strop’ – Cubbies Crib

#Cubs on Twitter

We’ll have lots more for you on this Sunday. We have the rematch of the World Series between the Cubs and Indians. Also, a list of some of the amazing achievements the Cubs had during their 2016 season.