PITTSBURGH — Jed Hoyer flew into town here Tuesday.
It wasn’t because he suddenly developed a craving for pierogis washed down by an Iron City (the locals pronounce it “Arn”).
As any veteran Cubs watcher can tell you, usually the only time the Cubs’ president of baseball operations pops in on the team on the road is when things are going bad.
Bad, of course, doesn’t begin to describe this. And it didn’t get any better just because Hoyer showed up.
The Cubs lost their 10th game in a row Tuesday night, 12-1, their most one-sided defeat in a streak that back home is evoking equal parts bafflement and aggravation.
Actually, judging by the lurid commentary heard on the airwaves and seen in cyberspace, aggravation is ahead by a wide margin.
The Pirates led 5-0 after the first inning. They led 8-1 after five, 9-1 after six, 10-1 after seven, 12-1 after eight. In the top of the ninth, Cubs manager Craig Counsell was ejected.
Before the game, Hoyer offered measured words of support for his beleaguered team.
“I’m sure at some point in my career we had hot streaks and cold streaks within the same season like this, but definitely not in the first third of the season. It’s really been the antithesis of last season, with the same group of players. We won five in a row the first week of the season when we came back from Japan, and never won five in a row again.
“But we never got swept [in a series] until August and never lost four in a row until after we clinched [a playoff spot]. We were kind of a metronome all summer, never hot, never cold, and basically the same group of players has been exactly the opposite [this season].’’
How to explain it? Hoyer elects to focus on the randomness of baseball.
“I think it speaks more to the randomness of our game than it does any characteristic of our players, because these same players were amazingly consistent last year, so there’s not much to process in a way.
“We just have to play better baseball and realize that literally, we’ve played 33% of the season. We’ve got a long way to go, and we’ve got to have a lot more hot streaks than these streaks the rest of the way.’’
You can just imagine how “randomness of the game” plays in those precincts that would prefer to rage at the manager, castigate the roster as a bunch of overpaid millionaires, and are ready to offer anybody short of PCA in a trade — and the only reason he’s not on their imaginary block is their kids would kill them.
“Everyone’s frustrated, everyone’s searching, everyone’s trying to be find solutions. I think trying to ask those questions, but also lending support, certainly that’s why I’m here right now.
“It’s frustrating, especially when we got off to such a great start, to follow it with this. Like everyone [in the clubhouse] knows we’re going to play better. It’s just a matter of when and how it’s going to shake out.’’
The Cubs’ overall numbers, Hoyer said, aren’t far from internal projections before the season. “I think right now, we have really everyone slumping. This is what happens when everyone goes into a pretty deep slump at once.
“I think right now there’s a hyperawareness of our struggles and our situation. … When you’re hitting with runners in scoring position, you look fantastic. When you’re not. You look terrible.’’
Final score, RISP division: Terrible 1, Fantastic 0. The Cubs were 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position Tuesday night.
Matthew Boyd is scheduled to make a rehab start in Iowa on Sunday, Counsell said. Justin Steele was examined by Dr. Keith Meister, and will continue his strengthening program. He is not expected back until well after the All-Star break.
Target practice
Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a line drive in the third inning Monday that was caught by Pirates first baseman Spencer Horwitz. It had an exit velocity of 105.2 miles an hour. He hit another line drive in the fifth caught by Horwitz. That one came off the bat at 101.3 miles an hour. In the seventh, he scorched a 100.9 mph ground ball that was snagged by Horwitz.
“I might have given Spencer Horwitz the Gold Glove,’’ PCA said. “I couldn’t miss him, man. … I just think it’s important after a day like today to remind myself that eventually those turn into hits.’’
