Game 38: Cubs 4 – Nationals 0

box Cubs move up to 16-22 Nationals drop to 13-26 POTG: Z! (8 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 0 R, QS, career W #50) Runner Ups: CF Juan Pierre (2 H, R), 2B Todd Walker (2B, 2 H, 2 RBI, 1 R, BB), C Michael Barrett (2B, 2H), 3B A-Ram (2B, 2 RBI) When the … Continue reading “Game 38: Cubs 4 – Nationals 0”

box
Cubs move up to 16-22
Nationals drop to 13-26

POTG: Z! (8 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 0 R, QS, career W #50)

Runner Ups: CF Juan Pierre (2 H, R), 2B Todd Walker (2B, 2 H, 2 RBI, 1 R, BB), C Michael Barrett (2B, 2H), 3B A-Ram (2B, 2 RBI)

When the top of the order hits, we win. A shocking development.

things we learned the last two days

– Z may be back. May Stats: 3 Starts, 23 IP, 2-0, 0.39 ERA. His hits are down 3 per 9, and his walks are down 3 per 9. That usually would do it.

– Dusty isn’t getting fired any time. Hendry’s interviews with the beat guys seemed to indicate it wasn’t a consideration at this time, and I got the impression that they’d go the whole way with him unless in benefited Dusty to leave early (a mid August team after guys like Pierre and Wood have been traded away.) Whether it should happen or not, it’s a dead issue.

– Jacque Jones is the unluckiest person in the world. Not for the baserunning play, but for the ball being thrown at him. It’s a completely unwinnable situation – either he ignores it and more people start doing it (so he can’t do that), or he gets security to throw out the person who threw the ball at him, and then the people angry at him are more angry because they don’t really understand what’s going on.

They really ought to start arresting people who do that. It’s probably more trouble than it’s worth, but it might send a message. Then again, the people who are doing it are drunk so it’s not like they’re thinking this out.

The problem with the Jacque Jones isn’t as much Jacque Jones, but three years of him.

It doesn’t change anything, but Jacque seemed amazingly angry at himself after getting doubled off. It’s nice that he cares.

– Matt Murton can actually bat 2nd! This took to long to figure out.

Cubs.com notes article has Dusty saying Pierre is hitting too many balls in the air, causing his slump. It’s seemed to me like he he’s had too many failed bunts.

Ground Outs/Air Outs ratio (higher = more ground outs)
2003 2.40 (305 AVG, 361 OBP, 056 BB)
2004 1.66 (326 AVG, 376 OBP, 050 BB)
2005 1.72 (276 AVG, 326 OBP, 050 BB)
2006 2.06 (231 AVG, 273 OBP, 042 BB; but that’s just one more walk away from normal)

Nice theory, anyway.

– Theroit will never ever ever ever start a game

Say hi if you see me at the game today. I’ll be the guy wearing Cubs stuff.