by Chuck Sommers
Thursday, Apr 14, 2022
Time: 8:40 p.m. ET
Venue: Coors Field, Denver, CO
Where to watch: Marquee Sports Network, AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Rockies -125, Cubs +105
BetMGM: Rockies -125, Cubs +105
Caesars: Rockies -125, Cubs +105
Season record
Cubs: 3-2
Rockies: 4-1
What a strong opening weekend for Scott Rickenbach going 3-0-0 with his best MLB picks. Opening weekend definitely showcased some intriguing matchups in this very-early stages of baseball, but we know it's a six-month marathon, not a sprint, for some of these teams. The same applies for baseball betting and not getting too caught up with the sticker shock of it all. Catch Scott's plays available right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers.
Cubs - Rockies preview and analysis
Forget everything I said the other day about the Chicago Cubs doing well because they’re sending their ace to face the Pittsburgh Pirates. Clearly everything I know about how good pitchers should handle bad teams was quite a lie.
But the Cubs will try to bounce back as this road trip continues with a four-game road trip to Coors Field to take on the Colorado Rockies beginning on Thursday. And unfortunately for the Cubs, with me having prisoner-of-the-moment syndrome, I think they blew a gigantic opportunity in this loss to Pittsburgh.
They could’ve gone to Denver, facing a Rockies team that has gotten off to a very solid start through their first five games, and at least go there 4-1 with not much to complain about. But Hendricks suffered his first loss of the season after lasting only 3.2 innings while giving up six earned runs.
“Fastball command is the key for me, and this start, I didn’t have it,” Hendricks said. “I tried to force it. There were spots, maybe around the second, where I got a few and then got back out of it.”
The Cubs took an early 1-0 lead in the first when Wilson Contreras hit a 453-foot blast to center field. The Pirates answered with a three-run homer in the first from Ben Gamel, and then a two-run triple from Kevin Newman in the third to essentially put the game out of reach.
"Offensively, we had a couple of chances," Cubs bench coach Andy Green said. "We had them on the ropes, but couldn't claw our way back."
Seiya Suzuki continued his hot tear with an RBI single to cut the lead to 5-2, but the Cubs’ offense as Green mentioned couldn’t get anything more than that. Suzuki has nine RBI in his first five games since coming over from Japan. I’d say that’s at least a solid foundation to build off of. Suzuki homered twice in the Cubs’ 2-1 victory on Tuesday.
The offense should pick up when heading to the friendly hitter confines of Coors Field, but a Rockies team led by their newly-signed superstar Kris Bryant awaits them after they completed a two-game road sweep of the Texas Rangers on Tuesday.
The game could’ve gone differently than the 4-1 win indicated had Randal Grichuk not robbed Corey Seager of a three-run homer in the fifth inning. That shocked the crowd and everyone involved, as the Rockies won their fourth straight game.
"I knew he got it well, and knew I was going to have a chance. Luckily he hit it high enough, that gave me time to get under it," Grichuk said. "I didn't really quite know where the wall was at, but I knew it was approaching. It was just one that I knew that I had to jump at that time, and brace for the wall at the same time, and luckily I came down with it."
Bryant, meanwhile, has settled in nicely with his new club. He has yet to go yard and has only two RBI, but Bryant is batting .350 and three doubles to his credit. The fact a Rockies player is even getting on base seems like an improvement from last year.
Justin Steele will make his second start of the season for Chicago against Kyle Freeland for Colorado. Steele threw five strikeouts and didn’t allow a run in his first start this season, while Freeland lost his opening day start to the Dodgers despite striking out six.
Prediction
You know Bryant wants to get revenge on his old team, and what better way to put that together than in a ball park where he can rake a few? I think the Rockies’ start is legit and I would be shocked if they don’t at least come away with the win in the opener. They have to feel good about this start and how they’ve won games. Rockies win 7-4
Betting trends
Cubs are 27-49 the past three years when an underdog between +100 and +150.
Rockies are 33-22 as a favorite of -110 or higher the past three seasons.
Projected lineup
Cubs:
Rafael Ortega (L) DH
Frank Schwindel (R) 1B
Willson Contreras (R) C
Ian Happ (S) LF
Seiya Suzuki (R) RF
Jason Heyward (L) CF
Patrick Wisdom (R) 3B
Jonathan Villar (S) 2B
Nico Hoerner (R) SS
Rafael Ortega (L) DH
Frank Schwindel (R) 1B
Willson Contreras (R) C
Ian Happ (S) LF
Seiya Suzuki (R) RF
Jason Heyward (L) CF
Patrick Wisdom (R) 3B
Jonathan Villar (S) 2B
Nico Hoerner (R) SS
Rockies:
Connor Joe (R) LF
Charlie Blackmon (L) RF
Kris Bryant (R) DH
C.J. Cron (R) 1B
Brendan Rodgers (R) 2B
Randal Grichuk (R) CF
Elias Diaz (R) C
Jose Iglesias (R) SS
Garrett Hampson (R) 3B
Connor Joe (R) LF
Charlie Blackmon (L) RF
Kris Bryant (R) DH
C.J. Cron (R) 1B
Brendan Rodgers (R) 2B
Randal Grichuk (R) CF
Elias Diaz (R) C
Jose Iglesias (R) SS
Garrett Hampson (R) 3B
Starting pitchers
CHC: Justin Steele
COL: Kyle Freeland
Statistical leaders
Cubs:
Batting average: Ian Happ -- .538
Hits: Ian Happ -- 7
Home runs: Seiya Suzuki -- 3
RBI: Seiya Suzuki -- 9
Wins: Three tied -- 1
Saves: David Robertson -- 2
ERA: Two tied -- 0.00 (1 win each)
Rockies:
Batting average: Jose Iglesias -- .357
Hits: Kris Bryant -- 7
Home runs: Two tied -- 2
RBI: C.J. Cron -- 5
Wins: Jhoulys Chacin -- 2
Saves: Daniel Bard -- 2
ERA: German Marquez -- 1.29
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
