Game 4: Quad Cities 8 – Kane County 4

Just going to squeeze this in before tonight’s game is done, I think. POTG: C Anthony Recker (HR, 1 R, 3RBI) As mentioned before, the one big name prospect the Cougars have this season is Craig Italiano, and every scouting report has been pretty much the same. High school pitcher with great fastball. Probably destined … Continue reading “Game 4: Quad Cities 8 – Kane County 4”

Just going to squeeze this in before tonight’s game is done, I think.

POTG: C Anthony Recker (HR, 1 R, 3RBI)

As mentioned before, the one big name prospect the Cougars have this season is Craig Italiano, and every scouting report has been pretty much the same.

High school pitcher with great fastball. Probably destined for a relief role

I’d like to tell you I found some insight everyone else missed, but, nope, that’s exactly it. Italiano has one great fastball (up to 96 MPH – either he’s added 2 MPH or the stadium gun is fast) that killed in the first inning and faded after that. He got hit early because as fast as the fastball is, it’s quite straight, and lost 2 MPH off that fastball by the second inning. He got rattled when his CF dropped a ball he should’ve had, he got rattled (and pitched slow) when people got on, and he ran out of gas and got murdered in the long 5th inning. Good thing I picked that inning to stroll around. Cougars kept the game from getting out of hand after, with the 3 run HR, but it wasn’t in much doubt.

After two games, I’ve realized that even though I paid for a seat, I appear to being assigned to a bench. It hasn’t mattered yet – there are always plenty of open seats available for April baseball – but it’s obviously this year’s season ticket goof up and will be annoying if I don’t take care of it soon. I need to track down my receipt and figure this out.

I wouldn’t have sat in my assigned seat regardless. There were about 100 kids of various ages and 5 adults as part of a church group in the section, and the kids were completely winning the battle. I wanted no part of that and ended up sitting near the Quad City bullpen for a change. (Didn’t help the team! 1st base side next time!)

Game 5: Cubs 8, Cardinals 4

I don’t plan on losing track of this so quick. I would’ve put something up if I didn’t have it a 1/4 done on another computer and it wasn’t an off day POTG: C Michael Barrett (2 H, 2R, 4 RBI, HR, one wrecked living room but no one’s perfect) Feely suggested Izzy here, and … Continue reading “Game 5: Cubs 8, Cardinals 4”

I don’t plan on losing track of this so quick. I would’ve put something up if I didn’t have it a 1/4 done on another computer and it wasn’t an off day

POTG: C Michael Barrett (2 H, 2R, 4 RBI, HR, one wrecked living room but no one’s perfect)

Feely suggested Izzy here, and I think I’m going to make the rule that POTG has to be Cub, because it’s more fun that way. But that’s only for POTG.

Runner Ups: STL CL Jason Isringhausen (O+ IP, 4 ER, 2H, 2BB, BS, L – his implosion has to scare every Cardinal fan), RF Jones (2 H, 2 R, 3 RBI, perhaps thought the season started a week later), SS Cedeno (4 H – now someone drive him in!), 2B Walker (2 H + 1 BB, run scored by PR Hairston), RP Williamson (1 IP, 2 Ks)

Jury’s still out on Marshall, which is probably where it should be at this point. There’s something goofy about the “he didn’t have a high enough pitch count yet” when he’s your fourth starter and you know that’s a strong possibility for weeks. I guess you can’t just say “we didn’t want him to be murdered in his first start.” Or maybe we should prepare for the Cubs to go to 12 pitchers on 04/15 – if Marshall isn’t strung out long enough to go a decent amount of pitches, there’s no way Jerome is, and you need someone to eat those innings.

It’s one thing to sweep a team. It’s one awesome thing to sweep the Cardinals, but that’s not really my point, I just need to point out we swept the Cardinals and it is outstanding.

It’s one thing to sweep a team. It’s another to do it while uncovering a major flaw in your opposition in the process. Izzy didn’t look like he was having an unlucky night; he looked liked Joe Borowski, 2004. He had no control, lost speed, and seemed completely hittable. He’s also on the wrong side of 30 with an injury history, and no real help to take the pressure off. If there’s a Papelbon in the Cards bullpen, he didn’t emerge this series (which is why Izzy was in the game in the 8th to begin with). They have no good alternatives if Jason Isringhausen can’t get the crucial innings, and he did not look like a good who could do that on Sunday night.

The Cardinals have an offense to be successful with any pitching staff, but they’re not going to be an unstoppable juggernaut if they can’t close out games. It’s far too know for sure, but the Cubs might have a better chance at the division.