Game 16: Cardinals 4 – Cubs 1

box Cubs fall to 9-7. Cardinals rise to 11-6 and clinch this series, with a chance at a return sweep tomorrow. POTG: RP Scott Eyre (1.2 IP, 1 BB, 2K, 2IR stranded) Runner ups: CF Juan Pierre (2 H), 2B Todd Walker (H, 2BB – out on a bad baserunning move) First game of the … Continue reading “Game 16: Cardinals 4 – Cubs 1”


box
Cubs fall to 9-7.
Cardinals rise to 11-6 and clinch this series, with a chance at a return sweep tomorrow.

POTG: RP Scott Eyre (1.2 IP, 1 BB, 2K, 2IR stranded)

Runner ups: CF Juan Pierre (2 H), 2B Todd Walker (H, 2BB – out on a bad baserunning move)

First game of the season I fell (half) asleep thru. I was awake enough to notice the bad things, which really is far more awake than I wanted to be.

The problem with the 3-4-5 guys isn’t that they’re not capable of being good, it’s that, for whatever reason, they’re inconsistent about being good. I think we’re going to keep alternating between promising and discouraging starts until they’re replaced.

I know it’s fun and he’s got the pieces to do logistically do it, but they can not double switch Walker out of games with this lineup, especially on days where Barrett’s on the bench. We can’t give up his bat when the team is behind, unless we’re resigning ourselves to be behind.

Cubs are second to last in walks taken (40 – Mets are first at 38) and third to last in walks given out (71 – Giants are first at 78.)

There’s some pressure on Maddux tomorrow. Even though they should get well against the Marlins, coming home after losing 3 straight and without Lee would put a black cloud over the team. With two disaster starts in a row, they also need Maddux to eat some innings – will he break 90 for the first time this season?

Episode #1: thecubsfan

Joe and I talk lucha for about a half hour. You can download it here, or you can add it to iTunes. (In iTunes, go to Advanced, Subscribe to Podcast, and paste this link: http://www.thecubsfan.com/jvstw/itunes.xml We want feedback. We NEED feedback. Mail Joe or leave a message.

Joe and I talk lucha for about a half hour. You can download it here, or you can add it to iTunes. (In iTunes, go to Advanced, Subscribe to Podcast, and paste this link: http://www.thecubsfan.com/jvstw/itunes.xml

We want feedback. We NEED feedback. Mail Joe or leave a message.

Game 15: Cardinals 9 – Cubs 3

box Cubs drop to 9-6. (1.5 GB) Cardinals rise to 10-6. (1.0 GB) POTG: RP Roberto Novoa (2.2 IP, 2 K, 1 H, 0-1 inherited runners scored) Runner Ups: C Michael Barrett (3 H, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, but I’m being unfair and not giving it to him after the terrible base running to end … Continue reading “Game 15: Cardinals 9 – Cubs 3”

box

Cubs drop to 9-6. (1.5 GB) Cardinals rise to 10-6. (1.0 GB)

POTG: RP Roberto Novoa (2.2 IP, 2 K, 1 H, 0-1 inherited runners scored)

Runner Ups: C Michael Barrett (3 H, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, but I’m being unfair and not giving it to him after the terrible base running to end the game)

The best part of the game was Barrett’s home run. The second best part was the slap fight. The third best part was Kasper talking about good injury news and somehow going from “Prior faced live batters” to “Wood backed out of pitching, having felt a twinge”.

However, Wood ended his bullpen session on Thursday early because of some tightness on his right side under his arm, but Rothschild said he didn’t think the problem was too serious.

If it wasn’t too serious, why didn’t he just go ahead and pitch?

Jerome’s one more bad start away from being yanked. They probably wouldn’t have won this regardless, but enough already.

bad sports talk theatre

Jim’s crazy idea on how to fix this: – Call up Felix Pie, The Answer to Everything – Move Matt Murton to 1B (picky people will note Matt Murton doesn’t know how to play first) – Put Pie in LF and let him play almost every day. My current crazy idea on how to fix … Continue reading “bad sports talk theatre”

Jim’s crazy idea on how to fix this:
– Call up Felix Pie, The Answer to Everything
– Move Matt Murton to 1B (picky people will note Matt Murton doesn’t know how to play first)
– Put Pie in LF and let him play almost every day.

My current crazy idea on how to fix this:
– Call up Eric Patterson! Stick him at 2B.
– Move Walker to 1B and warn people sitting behind 1B to be alert for flying objects
– Play Bynum instead of Jones
(- Somehow get Mike Piazza to be on the opposite side of all our games)
– run run run run run run run run

The sane thing we agree on
– don’t trade for borderline all-star guys or below, because they’ll be overvalued and still won’t fill Lee’s spot (you sorta need Puljos or Ortiz or someone like that)
– find out what you have before you get rid of it
– starting Mabry more than 3 days a week is a horrible ieda.

I haven’t seen it announced yet, but Michael Restovich is listed on the current roster. Wonder who they bumped off the 40 man to make that work – maybe Wade Miller was eligible for the 60 man DL by now?

end of his era

tnm quits weekly visitor (for 22 or so paragraphs); oh no. This has been a horrible 48 hours. I don’t know if I can go on much longer. Next week’s going to have to be especially awesome to make up for it. Though I’m working on that. (Chats which just feature the same running jokes … Continue reading “end of his era”

tnm quits weekly visitor (for 22 or so paragraphs);

oh no. This has been a horrible 48 hours. I don’t know if I can go on much longer. Next week’s going to have to be especially awesome to make up for it. Though I’m working on that.

(Chats which just feature the same running jokes forever and nothing more? Surely wouldn’t know anything about that.)

Oh, by the way, I thought I paid to renew this domain, but it doesn’t appear to so when I look at my WHOIS info. So, if I disappear forever in two days, it’s been real. Really real.

WON Obits

The WON Obit blog, written by a mysterious man of mystery none of us could possibly could figure out, has moved to http://wonobits.blogspot.com/. If you’re into that sort of thing, subscribe to the RSS feed and get updates when it, uh, updates. saving me from another post: Joe vs the World #1 will debut this … Continue reading “WON Obits”

The WON Obit blog, written by a mysterious man of mystery none of us could possibly could figure out, has moved to http://wonobits.blogspot.com/. If you’re into that sort of thing, subscribe to the RSS feed and get updates when it, uh, updates.

saving me from another post: Joe vs the World #1 will debut this weekend. Joe is promising “thecubsfan” as his first guest – it was a tough get. (If this works out, the plan is to cull the guest list from people who’ve posted on this at least three times. If you are reading this, you may already be winner!)

Game 14: Cubs 5, Dodgers 4

Box Cubs, surprisingly for many reasons, move up to 9-5 (.5 GB). Dodgers fall to 7-9 (2 GB). POTG: SS Ronny Cedeno (H, 2 BB, 2 RBI, Game winning hit, Game Finishing play) Runner ups: CF Juan Pierre (3 H, R, SB), 2B-1B Todd Walker (2 H, R), RF Jacque Jones (2 H, R), RP … Continue reading “Game 14: Cubs 5, Dodgers 4”

Box Cubs, surprisingly for many reasons, move up to 9-5 (.5 GB). Dodgers fall to 7-9 (2 GB).

POTG: SS Ronny Cedeno (H, 2 BB, 2 RBI, Game winning hit, Game Finishing play)

Runner ups: CF Juan Pierre (3 H, R, SB), 2B-1B Todd Walker (2 H, R), RF Jacque Jones (2 H, R), RP Bobby Howry (1 IP, 0 BB+H)

the thing that actually matters: Lee sidelined by fractured hand (out for two to three months and can’t possibly expected to pick up where he left off even when he does return.)

I could write a million words, I could write two words, or I could write no words. Since all of those options still leave the Cubs without the most valuable player on their team, I’m going to stick with none and waste my time instead finding ways to make my head go numb. (Pounding it against a wall seems like the leading choice.)

(the podcast thing worked, by the way. Remind me to tell you about on a better day.)

Game 13: Dodgers 2, Cubs 1

Box. Cubs drop to 8-5, Dodgers are up to 7-8. Whom to pick for POTG last night has been bugging me for a good 14 hours now. Carlos had a 6 IP, 1 R game last night, but he walked 5 and hit one in the process, making this seem less like him getting back … Continue reading “Game 13: Dodgers 2, Cubs 1”

Box. Cubs drop to 8-5, Dodgers are up to 7-8.

Whom to pick for POTG last night has been bugging me for a good 14 hours now. Carlos had a 6 IP, 1 R game last night, but he walked 5 and hit one in the process, making this seem less like him getting back on the right path and more like a mirage.

The only other person I can figure is Jacque (Yahoo’s pick), but if your POTG is POTG for hitting 2 singles, scoring no runs (pinch runner – and I’m not sure he would’ve gone 1st to 3rd like Bynum did) and still hitting about 150, that’s not much of a POTG.

With regret, I’ve come to my decision.

POTG: vacant

For all the talk the first two games about a better hitting envoirment in Chavez Ravine this year because of the stadium changes, it sure hasn’t played out that way this series. Dodgers have 3 runs on 9 hits over 2 games, and they’re not that bad. Then again, it is only 2 games.

Taking today’s game and the series would be nice, but I don’t like our chances tonight. Sports books have the Dodgers as a +142 favorite. The under/over is 8, and if you’ve got faith in Marshall not going Kaboom, that’s tempting.

I don’t think I’m going to make it to the end of tonight’s game, but I’ve got a crazy plan to record the game off Gameday Audio and listen to it on my iPod tommorow morning. I’ll see how it goes.

Game 12: Cubs 4 – Dodgers 1

box. Cubs up to 8-4 (.5 GB), Dodgers drop to 6-8 (2.5 GB) Player of the Game: P Greg Maddux (8 IP, R, 3 H, 0 BB, 6 K, QS, W #321 + batting H, R, RBI – still only 87 pitches, but if he can use ’em like that, who’s complaining?) Runner Ups: 2B … Continue reading “Game 12: Cubs 4 – Dodgers 1”

box. Cubs up to 8-4 (.5 GB), Dodgers drop to 6-8 (2.5 GB)

Player of the Game: P Greg Maddux (8 IP, R, 3 H, 0 BB, 6 K, QS, W #321 + batting H, R, RBI – still only 87 pitches, but if he can use ’em like that, who’s complaining?)

Runner Ups: 2B Todd Walker (2 H, RBI, 2 R, HR, SF – plus an extra bit of respect for his bat when they don’t play Neifi behind Maddux), CF Juan Pierre (2 H), SS Ronny Cedeno (2 H, R), CL Ryan Dempster (IP, SV)

I hate the west coast road trip. Plus, with the Bulls going to OT, this was about 5.5 hours of sitting around and watching Comcast, far far too much than healthy.

Maddux was quite vintage awesome Maddux tonight. Some long fly balls that might have been more dangerous in Great American Park, but Maddux pitches to his park and it worked out fine. No walks, no problem.

There was nothing much to say; Walker got the team ahead in the top of the 1st, Maddux was completely on cruise control, and Dempster actually got to get a save. Quick and painless.

Pagan’s supposed to be out 4-6 weeks, which means he’ll probably be coming back right in the middle of the big pitching returns, and there’ll be a lot of roster moves in a short time.

Hope Z gets back on track tommorow.

Game 11: Cubs 7, Pirates 3

box. Cubs take the series 2-1, and rise to 7-4 on the year. The Pirates are 4-10, and perhaps don’t have any more meaningful games left in the season (or at least meaningful ones to them.) POTG: 3B A-Ram (2 H, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI; Comcast went with Rusch. They are wrong.) Runner ups: … Continue reading “Game 11: Cubs 7, Pirates 3”

box. Cubs take the series 2-1, and rise to 7-4 on the year. The Pirates are 4-10, and perhaps don’t have any more meaningful games left in the season (or at least meaningful ones to them.)

POTG: 3B A-Ram (2 H, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI; Comcast went with Rusch. They are wrong.)

Runner ups: SP Glendon Rusch (6 IP, 3 R, 5K, QS, W – if he doesn’t give up the 3 run HR, he’s POTG); CF Juan Pierre (3 H, 2 R, SB, 1 SAC), 1B D-Lee (2B, R, 2 RBI), 2B Todd Walker (HR, R, 2 RBI)

Pittsburgh fans really need to let go of the A-Ram hate; there were people cheering when he got hit yesterday, and that’s never cool. It’s time to move on.

I missed about six innings of this one doing other things, so I again don’t have much to say. I didn’t see much of Rusch’s start, so I’m not sure if he was lucky or good, but the results are fine enough. After this weekend’s set of starts, I think the team is no longer on that worried about starters for this stretch till someone comes back to take a spot.

All the papers seemed to be going with the idea of Pie coming up for Pagan, if Monday’s MRI put him on the DL. Apparenlty, they’re all wrong – David Aardsma got called up after the game. (Move #2 of the season, Cub #27; let’s see if I remember to keep count.) I think they’re over concerted about bullpen usage, but the rotation isn’t getting the innings at this point. Maddux doesn’t go long, Marshall and Williams aren’t trusted to go long, and Rusch and Zambrano haven’t been good enough to go long. If you are going to need at least 3 innings out of your pen each day, maybe 7 relievers does make sense.

Obviously, the long term plan is to stick to 12 when Wood (assuming he’s first) comes up because he probably won’t be able to go long either, but that’s dependent on everyone staying healthy and good.

Has anyone figured out exactly what blue camo t-shirt is sweeping the clubhouse? This has the makings of this summer’s ‘it’ Cubs accessory.

I’d much rather see Cedeno 2nd and Bynum 7th when we’re playing with lineup, but it worked out today.

People who drafted Dempster must be dying right now. He’s given up no runs, but he sure isn’t getting the saves. It’s just a quirk.

Next up is the Dodgers, where we face ex-Cub Nomar and deal with annoyingly late start times. What kind of road trip is this anyway? Pittsburgh to Los Angeles (to off day) to St. Louis?

MON: Maddux vs Brett Tomko – expect Neifi to get the start, and figure on everyone writing their “Why didn’t Furcal end up with the Cubs – and is it a good thing?” story.
TUE: Z vs Derek Lowe – battle of headcases, though Z looks comparatively sane
WED: Sean Marshall vs Bard Penny – one the Cubs have no business winning.