May 30--With two words, a comma and a chuckle, the man of many words summed up his feelings about the Cubs dodging Dodgers all-world left-hander Clayton Kershaw during the teams' upcoming four-game series.
"Bummer, man," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Sunday before his team completed a three-game sweep of the Phillies with a 7-2 victory.
Kershaw entered his Sunday night start against the Mets with 95 strikeouts against five walks, almost a 20-1 ratio. He also sported a 1.48 ERA, a 0.66 WHIP and a 7-1 record.
Maddon wasn't unhappy that the Cubs wouldn't have to face the three-time Cy Young Award winner him in a series that begins Monday.
"I always want us to compete against the best," Maddon said. "To save that for a little bit later in the season, I'm OK with it.
"It's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. Sometimes teams miss (Jake) Arrieta."
Dexter Fowler (.409 average, .908 OPS in 44 at-bats) is the only current Cub who has had consistent success against Kershaw.
Maddon praised Kershaw, calling him "really good."
Maddon replaced the word "good" with "fun" when he described the lefty's last start at Wrigley Field, a 4-2 Cubs victory on June 22, 2015. The Cubs played the game under protest after umpires ruled the game would go on despite some out-of-order light bulbs, which flickered to darkness during the sixth inning, causing a 10-minute delay.
Magic number, 1,000: Maddon said a goal for his five starters is to combine to pitch 1,000 innings this season, around 200 each.
He said the number is ideal for preserving the arms of the relievers.
"Normally when that does occur, you have a good bullpen," he said. "You're able to match them up better, rest them more often."
Cubs pitchers had a 2.67 ERA going into Sunday's game, best in the majors.
Extra innings: Anthony Rizzo entered Sunday on a 3-for-41 slide but had two hits, a walk and an RBI against the Phillies. Rizzo began the day tied for fourth in the National League in RBIs with 35. ... The Cubs swept the Phillies in three games at Wrigley Field for the first time since 1995. They also swept them at Veterans Stadium in 2000.
