There's winning ugly, but that was ridiculous

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In one of the ugliest game I can recall seeing, the Cubs came up with a 6-1 win over the Pirates. Kris Bryant had a huge game with 4 hits, including a triple, 2 home runs and 4 RBIs. Anthony Rizzo had a two run homer. Until the Cubs broke through in the bottom of the 4^th, the was a fiasco of missed opportunities and fielding blunders for both teams.

How do I flub thee, let me count the ways.

It makes my head hurt to run through the Cubs fielding blunders. I'll just make some observations that came to mind as I watched them in the field. I love Ian Happ in the lineup and want him in there, but his throws from center field are terrible. If you have Happ in center and Schwarber in left, you got a real defensive problem. I'd like to see Happ play regularly at second or left.

The Cubs really don't look ready at the beginning of games. The Cubs made three errors. One each by Happ, Russell and Bryant. Willson Contreras came on in the 6^th inning and picked up a passed ball. The Cubs really look like a team that needs a reset.

It's Butler, everybody stay loose

Once again, Eddie Butler couldn't get through the 5^th. Again lack of efficiency was the culprit. Going into the season the Cubs bullpen was viewed as a potential weakness, but it's proven to be the strength of the team. If the Cubs don't get more depth from their starters, they run the risk of burning out their bullpen.

Speaking of the bullpen, it was once again stellar. Carl Edwards Jr. came on in the 5^th and worked 1.2 innings to pick up the win. Pedro Strop, Koji Uehara and Wade Davis followed and kept the suspense to a minimum.

Theo speaks

I got to hear Theo Epstein on 670 The Score this morning. Theo said Joe Maddon wasn't doing anything differently this season. Maybe he should. This is a different set of dynamics in 2017. He also indicated that periodically players have to be reevaluated. Maybe it's time the Cubs did that. It seems like the Cubs may have overvalued some of their players. Maybe a market correction is in order.

He could last longer by not playing in playoff games

In NBA free agency, it looks like former Bull, Derrick Rose may end up with the Dallas Mavericks. Previous he was linked with the Timberwolves and Spurs. Honestly, I couldn't see him going to either place. Both Tom Thibodeau and Greg Popovich like their players to play defense. That's not Derrick.

Oh, and that deafening silence you hear in NBA free agency, that's the Bulls making their move.