Given that they’re an eclectic group headed by an eccentric leader, the Cubs are kind of like a latter-day version of Welcome Back, Kotter. And now they’ve got a bona fide sweathog in Jake Arrieta. Were Siskel and Ebert still around to do so, I think they’d have given the starter’s performance once thumb up and one down.
Arrieta hit a game-tying home run to account for most of his team’s offense Saturday night, but he also imploded in the 5th inning, allowing two hits while throwing two wild pitches and hitting a batter. The only plausible explanation is that Rick Ankiel grew a beard and was masquerading as Arrieta last night.