Day: May 14, 2007

Cubs 17-18
Phillies 17-20, win series 2-1

POTG: SP Ted Lilly (8 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 5 K, W [3/62]
Runners Up: RF Matt Murton (3 H, RBI), SS Cesar Izturis (3 H, R, RBI)

That’s a nice pick me up. I saw most of this game, except for a bit of the last inning checking in on the Bulls game. Lilly was looking great thru the game, and really has only had that one bad start in Pittsburgh. He should be better than 3 and 2 right now, but all the more reason not to take individual pitcher records seriously.

Both Murton and Izturis have taken advantage of their chances to get in the lineup, which I guess may get them more in the immediate future. I’m not sure how things will exactly shake out with Lee out. I didn’t really think of DeRosa as a first baseman – he’s played 3 games there his career – but judging from today, they could move him there, put The Riot at second, and put Cesar at first. I was thinking perhaps they could put Cliff at first and Murton in RF, but only after looking at his stats do I realize that Floyd hasn’t played 1B regularly since he was an Expo.

I guess it might be Darryl, which isn’t such a great idea but better than nothing. I just hope the “we’d really like to play Ward more” in non-injury situations is just talk, because he’s fine as a bench guy and shouldn’t be given more than that.

I’m not taking this Lee injury serious, and I hope I’m right about that.

Enough with people getting thrown out at home. People getting thrown out at second to end the game is fine.

Cubs 16-18
Phillies 17-19, clinch series

POTG: 1B D Lee (4 H, 2 R)
Runner Up: PH/RF Matt Murton (3 RBI HR, E), SS Cesar Izturis (3 H, 2B, R), 2B Mark DeRosa (H, BB, R), CF Jacque Jones (2 RBI 2B), 3B A Ram (2 H, 2 RBI, R), LF Alfonso Soriano (2 H, BB, R, SB)

I got to listen to this game on WGN for most of the way, but lost it in the 8th. I did see the final strikeout, though I didn’t realize it was Jacque until I read the boxscore. At least it wasn’t against a lefty.

This was about as bad as they come. I was really surprised they went to Howry instead of Wuertz in that situation, but that’s an inning thing, not because I’d thought one had displaced the other in Lou’s mind. (And I’m stunned to realize Howry was left in to pitch the 8th – was Lou giving up on it like it was a lost cause?) Howry having three blown saves this early is a bad sign, but before the Nationals game last week, he had marooned all 6 runners who he had stranded. As the game was happening, I was very tried of Howry, but a day later, I’m willing to chalk him and Ohman up to having particularly bad days.

According to baseball-reference’s gamelog, Ohman got credit for a hold in a performance where he gave up as many runs as outs. That’s not right at all.

This shouldn’t all go on the pitching – you can’t get two guys gunned down at the plate in any game, that’s a screwup. Two more runs sooner would’ve given the Cubs a bigger lead, and then who knows how the Phillies react in the bottom of the 7th. Those weren’t the only missed chances (hello Murton), and it seemed like the team could’ve played a better game on both sides of the ball.

Note that Jacque got a big hit and the team lost. This is how it works.

At this point, the team doesn’t seem to be living up to it’s potential, and it’s hard to say what exactly is the magical solution.

Cubs 16-17
Phillies 16-19

POTG: LF Alfonso Soriano (HR, 2B, 2B)
Runner Up: RF Matt Murton (2 H, BB), CF Angel Pagan (HR)

I wasn’t even close to being able to watch this game – I found out by watching the Bottom Line during the Warriors/Jazz game, and was able to get some details via story on my cell phone and talking with someone who watched it. They summed up it as “Burrell KILLED us”, and that’s sure how it looks in the box score.

Judging from the highlights on MLB.com, Hill mostly had his curve working – though it might have been a really bad one Burrell crushed for the second HR, the first was a high fastball – so I think this was just One Of Those Things. Cotts getting lit up in garbage time made this look less close than it was, I think.

Doesn’t seem like a good night on offense. Cole Hamel’s change up looks good in the highlights. Actually, it looks like a sinker, to me anyway though I really could use a Pitch Identification 101 class. A lot of the pitch effectiveness is because it looks just like a fastball coming out of his hand, but it seemed to me like it was dropping down the last couple of feet, and that was an assist. Anyway, while I realize the Vote For The Riot All Star campaign could never truly get off the ground – what position does he count as? – striking out three times isn’t going to help.

No Jacque versus a lefty – thank you.