Levine: Cubs Are Confident With NLCS Back At Home
By Bruce Levine--
CHICAGO (CBS) -- There's no panic for the Cubs as the NLCS moves back to Wrigley Field for Game 3 of the NLCS on Tuesday night. Of course, no team in history has admitted that before a game when down in a series.
Concern, though? There better be that be that and a sense or urgency for the Cubs as they trail 2-0 against the Mets.
"We put ourselves in a little bit of a hole, but there is no need to panic," reliever Justin Grimm said. "We are down two games. We are at home. We now have the crowd behind us, so we can (take) three here for sure."
The weather is warmer and the winds were blowing out slightly early Tuesday afternoon, giving so more optimism that the Cubs offense can do some damage against Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom.
"'We will see what happens' is what I tell (Anthony) Rizzo when he is looking for advice," Cubs veteran catcher David Ross said. "That is why we play these games. Anything can happen, but it's nice to be here at home. Our manager's personality really helps in this situations. He is not fazed. He will not change. We will not change. The reason we won the way we have won going down the stretch is because of that. We are just trying to figure out the Mets and get out a couple of their key hitters. We played pretty good baseball other than that (in the first two games)."
What the Cubs better figure out is how to score more runs. In the first two games, they combined for three runs and 10 hits, just one of which was a homer. It wasn't anything like their style for much of the 2015 season.
"Their pitching was really good on New York," said Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant, who had two hits and drove in his team's lone run in Game 2. "Their staff is one of the best in baseball. We have played them before, and we played them well (the Cubs swept the season series 7-0). We hit some balls hard both nights. We just need to stay with that approach. Balls will start falling in."
Slumping hitters like Rizzo and Miguel Montero will have to start being productive in game 3. Those two are a 2-for-10 with no RBIs in the NLCS. The success of the Cubs lineup this season has been based on a balanced attack of left- and right-handed hitters.
Rizzo and Montero are a combined 6-for-41 in postseason. That must be change if the Cubs are going to make a series out of this.
"I just ask my guys to try and go out and win (Game 3)," manager Joe Maddon said. "I keep repeating the same mantra all the way through: We need to put together several one-game winning streaks. We go only at one thing at a time. You have a pretty good shot to do it. If you want to get into that result-oriented thinking, that is not going to play. For me and us, I am happy our guys have adapted that way of thinking. We will come out ready to play. Our prep is always great. The group could not be closer. Their expectation will be to win one game at a time."
The Cubs have gone 25-8 in their last 33 games at Wrigley Field. The previous Cubs teams in the NLCS are 1-2 in Game 3s.
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
