WATCH: Craig Counsell evaluates his team's starting pitching

Tony Crumpton · Senior Editor · 5 hours ago

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell met with the media ahead the series finale against the Baltimore Orioles at Wrigley Field about the Cubs' most recent acquisition Mike Soroka, Colin Rea's recent struggles and more.

Check out the pregame video below:

Video summary/cliff notes:

(00:01) Counsell says his pitcher is eager to debut with the new team and has no concerns about nerves, noting he’s been through similar situations before.

(00:26) Offense has dipped below 4.5 runs per game lately due to some hitters struggling, but Counsell stresses winning in different ways and believes slumping hitters will rebound.

(01:50) Early-season success provided a cushion for inevitable slumps; recent wins despite offensive struggles show resilience.

(02:35) Base running is a team strength thanks to passionate coaches Quinton Barry and Jose Javier, whose energy has rubbed off on players.

(05:04) Kyle Schwarber (example given) isn’t driving the ball as much but still has an OBP over .400, showing strong swing decisions despite missing some hittable pitches.

(08:38) Colin needs to stay aggressive in the strike zone with quality first-pitch strikes; small sample sizes shouldn’t trigger overreactions.

(09:42) Bad outings happen, but Counsell trusts his pitchers’ track records and won’t overanalyze unless there are dramatic changes in stuff.

(10:46) Team chemistry is strong, with players enjoying competing together and supporting each other even during rough stretches.

(12:21) New mid-season additions benefit from joining a winning environment, which helps them focus less on personal pressure and more on contributing to team success.