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CHICAGO -- A slow start did not appear to impact the confidence of Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo.

Despite a .224 batting average, Rizzo began the month of May among the lead leaders in home runs (8) and RBIs (20). Rizzo, working with manager Dale Sveum and the Cubs' two hitting coaches, went back to the basics to rediscover his hitting mojo.

"The important thing for me is staying even keeled," Rizzo said. "Staying confident, taking things in stride whether you get three hits, four hits or strike out four times, you take it in stride and know it is a part of the game."

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CHICAGO -- April was arguably as strange a month as the Chicago Cubs will have. Their first 25 games were decided by four runs or less, making it the second-longest such streak to start a season in baseball history. They almost made it a full month of close games if not for Edwin Jackson's performance in a 13-7 loss on Tuesday night. He had the rare bad start in a month of good ones by Cubs hurlers.

The outcome on Tuesday was much more predictable than the first 25 where games were won and lost in the strangest of fashions. Errors, home runs, bullpen meltdowns and wild pitches were the norm. And a look inside the numbers truly tells how weird the first month of the season was for the 10-16 Cubs.

They hit 35 home runs in the first month, or 26 more than they did last April. Combined with lowering their ERA from 4.21 to 3.78 those numbers should equate to more than just a slight increase in their winning percentage from .348 to .385. But it didn't. Why not?

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CHICAGO -- As the Chicago Cubs return home for the second half of their 20 games in 20 days stretch of baseball their opposition will slowly rise back-up the competitive ladder.

First the San Diego Padres come to town for a four-game series beginning Monday and sport the identical record (9-15) as the Cubs, although they've won four in a row. The Cincinnati Reds are here this weekend followed by a make-up game with the Texas Rangers. Finally the homestand concludes with a two-game set against the St. Louis Cardinals on May 7-8.

Before we look forward, let's take a look back at five things we learned during the first 10 games of this stretch, all coming on the just completed road trip:

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He’s back. Or at least he might be.

Friday might be the night that Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo looks back on with plenty of meaning. With “75-100” friends and family looking on, Rizzo might have found his swing in Miami. He said as much after belting two two-run home runs to help defeat the Miami Marlins 4-2.

“It was a good day, especially looking at the video after the game,” Rizzo told reporters. “The swing is where I want it to be. Now it’s just staying consistent with it.”

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Time to open the mailbag for Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo as he answers your questions:

Who was your favorite baseball player growing up? -- Mike (Columbus, Ohio)
AR: Gary Sheffield. I'm from South Florida, he was on the Marlins. I always wore No. 10 because of him. I really enjoyed watching his swing and his play.

Do you think there is a book on you? Is there a trend how pitchers are pitching you this year compared to last? -- Cole (Cedar Falls, Iowa)
AR: I'm sure there are certain scouting reports they have on me and tendencies, but I need to just stick to my game. Pitchers are going to make mistakes, if I stick within my game I'll hit those.

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Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo is going to take some questions from ESPN Chicago readers. Click here to submit a question and then check back later this week for his answers.

CINCINNATI -- Let's get one thing straight: Despite manager Dale Sveum's more than cryptic comments this past weekend in Milwaukee, the Chicago Cubs are not sending Anthony Rizzo or Starlin Castro or any other everyday player to the minors anytime soon.

If they do, it might mark the first time a team's core player was sent down strictly because of defense. Struggling mightily at the plate is one thing, playing shoddy defense is another. You don't go to the minors for that. You go to the bench.

Isn't the bench the first way to punish or teach or give a breather to a player? It's interesting that Sveum didn't mention this as the more logical answer. Maybe he meant it that way. Who knows, the guy was obviously not happy in Milwaukee where the Cubs committed six errors en route to getting swept by the Brewers.

Then again, benchings aren't part of Sveum's style of managing. This was his view in spring training when asked if Castro should play all 162 games in 2013 as he did last year.

"I'm old school that way," Sveum said. "If you have players that good, going into the season you want consistency and if the consistency is there then those guys play 162 games. That's why they get paid a lot of money and they're one of the best in baseball at their job."

Presumably Sveum was talking mostly about their offense. A huge slump at the plate might dictate a day off but maybe a fielding slump should as well. And hopefully the players take it for what it should be: a punishment. It's not like they're fatigued this early on. Make sure they know sitting for a game isn't doing what's best for them, it's doing what's best for the team. There is no better wake-up call then a benching.

And the excuses are over. Cold weather could have contributed to a few mistakes early on this year but Miller Park's roof was closed and still the Cubs couldn't field the ball.

Wake Castro or Rizzo up with a benching because even they don't believe they're going to the minors. But anyone can sit for a game – or more. That should be Sveum's first move.

A quick look at the Chicago Cubs' 4-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday at Miller Park.

How it happened: The Cubs’ Scott Feldman got off to a strong start, but was undone by a three-run homer from the Brewers’ Ryan Braun in the fifth. After Yunieski Betancourt led off the inning with a double, Feldman struck out the next two batters. An error on Feldman allowed Jean Segura to reach first and then Braun made him pay with the home run. Anthony Rizzo provided the scoring for the Cubs in the third, hitting his sixth home run of the season off Wily Peralta, a two-run shot with two outs. Michael Bowden, James Russell and Shawn Camp threw three hitless innings in relief for the Cubs.

What it means: The Cubs were swept by the surging Brewers, who have won seven straight to climb back over .500. The Cubs fell to 5-12.

Outside the box: The Cubs have committed nine of their 17 errors against the Brewers, with Feldman and Welington Castillo adding to the total on Sunday.

Up next: The Cubs’ 10-game road trip continues Monday with a series in Cincinnati at Great American Ballpark. Travis Wood (1-1, 1.83 ERA) will take on the Reds’ Mike Leake (1-0, 4.26 ERA) in a 7:10 CT start.

MILWAUKEE -- Chicago Cubs manager Dale Sveum might be sending a message to his team after yet another sloppy loss on Saturday night to the Milwaukee Brewers.

"We're making mistakes that rookie ball people make," Sveum said after a 5-1 loss. "It seems to be the story every night."

The Cubs made three more bad errors Saturday leading to four unearned runs, and most alarming is they were made by key players -- two of whom should remain with the team if the Cubs become contenders over the next several years.

"It's unbelievable," Starlin Castro said. "I think we're trying to do too much. Trying to be too perfect."

Castro made his fourth error of the season, with two outs and a man on third base, on the easiest of ground balls in the fifth inning. That was preceded earlier in the inning by a fly ball that Alfonso Soriano dropped after thinking he had to go back for it instead of toward the infield. One inning later, Edwin Jackson threw away a potential double-play ball into center field.

"I double clutched," Jackson said. "Once I doubled clutched I didn't gather back up; caused me to open up instead of stay closed."

As always with this team lately, the outcome of the game is secondary. A more important concern is Castro's ability to play shortstop. Another question is whether Jackson can be a mainstay after starting 0-3. He's signed for four years and $52 million. Castro for seven years and $60 million. Sveum was asked if there really is anything he can do about the defense in terms of personnel considering the miscues are being made by his mainstays.

"There's always options if you can't play," Sveum said cryptically. "To win in the big leagues you have to have people that perform, and perform in 162 days and not once in a while. Otherwise you lose your job."

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MILWAUKEE -- Here’s a quick look at the Chicago Cubs' 5-4 defeat to the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night at Miller Park.

How it happened: An awful first inning sunk the Cubs as the first five batters reached via error, single, home run, double and triple. But starter Jeff Samardzija finally shut the door after four runs had crossed the plate, giving his team a chance. The visitors put up three of their own in the third inning on home runs by Luis Valbuena and David DeJesus. But the Cubs offense stalled after that despite putting the leadoff hitter on base in seven consecutive innings. The teams exchanged late-inning home runs when the Brewers’ Carlos Gomez went deep followed by Anthony Rizzo the next inning.

Sveum ejected: Cubs manager Dale Sveum was sent to the showers in the sixth inning after arguing with home plate umpire Chris Guccione. Guccione had removed his mask to respond to Samardzija, who yelled towards home plate after a borderline pitch to Ryan Braun was called a ball. Sveum got in his money’s worth before leaving the field.

What it means: There was some good that came of the loss in that Samardzija once again proved he can overcome adversity. Rizzo’s error on the opening batter and a perfectly executed hit-and-run set the tone for the awful first inning but after the damage was done, Samardzija retired 17 of the next 19 batters.

What’s next: The series continues on Saturday night when Edwin Jackson (0-2, 6.06 ERA) takes the mound for the 5-10 Cubs against the Brewers’ Hiram Burgos (first start of season). Game time is 6:10 CT.

CHICAGO -- Forget about his past label as reliever, Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Villanueva might just be more than a No. 5 starter.

After another stellar performance on Thursday in which he allowed two runs over seven innings in a 6-2 win over the Texas Rangers, Villanueva has established himself as arguably the Cubs best starter so far.

"I know what's in him and how he can pitch to a game plan," manager Dale Sveum said. "With his ability to throw four pitches and change speeds with his breaking ball, you're talking getting people out and keeping slugging percentage to a minimum."

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The Chicago Cubs called off their series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday long before first pitch. A combination of freezing temperatures with a forecast of storms made it an easy call.

"Last night (Tuesday) was about as tough as it was going to get, tonight probably would have been where you couldn't even function out there," manager Dale Sveum said after the game was postponed.

"I'm not sure if it's football weather."

Sveum won't alter his rotation so Scott Feldman, Carlos Villaneuva, Jeff Samardzija and Edwin Jackson will pitch against the world champion San Francisco Giants beginning Thursday if the weather holds up. The forecast for the next couple of days isn't much better.

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CHICAGO -- As he tries to battle through an early batting slump, Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo has gone back to the basics.

A combination of video and cage work are part of his process as he works with the team’s hitting coaches.

“I have to go with the approach I had in Triple-A,” said Rizzo, who has four hits in his last 25 at-bats. “I need to take a lot of those fastballs I am seeing to left field. Also must gear up for the changeup and take them up the middle.”

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ATLANTA -- The Chicago Cubs are struggling at the plate, that much we know. Why it's happening? That's a little more difficult to figure out.

"I'd be lying to say we aren't struggling," manager Dale Sveum said before his team played the Atlanta Braves on Saturday night. "But it's too early to push the panic button. There's not much we are going to do. These guys are the core guys. They're going to come around. Unfortunately right now we have just about everybody not swinging the bat well right now."

Sveum can't do much to the lineup when Starlin Castro (.188), Anthony Rizzo (.083) and Alfonso Soriano (.133) aren't hitting. Rizzo, in particular, has had issues since his first swing of the season produced a home run. But that was Monday. He hasn't had a hit since.

"He starts analyzing and thinking too much about what the pitcher is going to do to him instead of just getting a good pitch to hit," Sveum said. "He's trying to guess along with each pitch."

Said Rizzo: "That's baseball. It's four games. ... Hitting is contagious. Once someone gets going I'm sure we'll all get going."

A look inside the dismal offensive team numbers (.133 BA, .188 OBP) shows the Cubs have the smallest (0.79) ground ball to fly ball ratio in the National League. In other words, they are flying out the most. That coincides with their hitting philosophy of working from the top of the strike zone on down. They want their hitters driving the high pitches. But most are turning into fly outs instead of line drives that can’t be tracked down.

"The approach hasn't been that bad," Sveum said. "We've gotten some good pitches to hit. We're just not doing much with it."

The Cubs want the "high pitch" philosophy to stick but if the choice is a high, warning track fly ball or a grounder in the infield, grounders have at least a chance at sneaking through. Dave Sappelt (.000) said after Friday's 4-1 loss he was expanding the strike zone late in the game since nothing was falling in. In other words, getting frustrated. Is that the case for the struggling veterans as well?

"Not frustration because it's too early," Soriano said. "Sooner or later we want to pick up the offense. ... It's nothing to worry about. There are a lot of good hitters on this team."

The Cubs have yet to prove that to be true.

ATLANTA -- Chicago Cubs manager Dale Sveum keeps saying he wants “slugging percentage” guys in his lineup, especially when the opposing pitcher is a lefty. But after Mike Minor of the Atlanta Braves shut down the Cubs Friday night -- two days after lefty Wandy Rodriguez of Pittsburgh did the same -- he may have to re-think his lineup plans.

“Nobody is swinging the bat at all right now,” Sveum said after the Cubs' 4-1 loss. “Someone has to step up and get hot. Hopefully it’s the whole team at one time.”

Dave Sappelt is supposed to be a killer against southpaws but he has yet to have a hit in two starts so far. Same with David DeJesus. Starlin Castro is hitting .188 through four games, Anthony Rizzo just .083. Scott Hairston has one hit, a home run on Friday.

“It was one of the very few mistakes (Minor) made tonight,” Hairston said. “The one I hit out.”

And the Cubs aren’t being patient at the plate. Minor threw only 84 pitches in 7 1/3 innings, an average of about 11 pitches per inning. That’s stunning. The Cubs are last in the National League in batting (.133) and last in on-base percentage (.188).

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