Cubs Home Opener: Players Aim To Leave Losing Streak On The Road
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Cubs are hoping for a fresh start this afternoon, as they welcome the Pittsburgh Pirates, hoping to get on a winning streak, after a seriously disappointing 2-7 road trip to start the season.
On the heels of their worst nine-game start since 1997, manager Joe Maddon said he's trying to keep things loose, saying "adversity is good for the soul."
The Cubs took early batting practice under sunny skies Monday morning, with players relieved to be back at home, with a chance to kind of start over.
"You get back home, our fans are wonderful, the ballpark is the best, and then all of a sudden you get this little carrot with the weather too. All of a sudden, it's kind of neat," Maddon said. "Listen, it's not something that you just turn around in a second, on a dime. It's a slow turnaround normally, and for me it's a patient process."
Outfielder Albert Almora said, despite winning only two of their first nine games, a lot of positive things happened for the Cubs on their road trip.
"The results might not be there, but I love the way we're playing, and we're not giving up. It's real easy to fold at the end of these games when it's kind of lopsided, or whatever the case may be, but we fight to the end, and then that's all we could really ask for," he said.
The Cubs have the right man on the mound to try to get them back on track on Monday, with ace Jon Lester starting the season with a 3.00 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 12 innings over his first two starts.
