Day: June 24, 2007

Game 73: Cubs 2 – White Sox 1

Cubs 34-39, 8.5 GB White Sox 29-41, 13.5 GB POTG: 3B The Riot (SQUEEZE) Runner Up: SS Cesar Izturis (3 H, SB, E), LF Soriano (HR), Bullpen as a whole (3.1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 4 K) I think some of the pitching success this series is do to Cubs pitcher, but … Continue reading “Game 73: Cubs 2 – White Sox 1”

Cubs 34-39, 8.5 GB
White Sox 29-41, 13.5 GB

POTG: 3B The Riot (SQUEEZE)
Runner Up: SS Cesar Izturis (3 H, SB, E), LF Soriano (HR), Bullpen as a whole (3.1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 4 K)

I think some of the pitching success this series is do to Cubs pitcher, but a lot of it has to do with the White Sox being absolutely terrible. I don’t think I really understood how bad they were till now. I’ve been thinking they were just an average team in a tough division, but I think that may be an overstaetment. They seem plain bad, to the point where today’s ESPN scroll – “White Sox will trade Mark Burhele” – seems way too obvious to be news. Outside of trades, their season is pretty much over on Sunday regardless of who wins. There’s not much left to play for.

The Cubs lack of offense worried me, but at least they’re executing well. Even with Brenly pointing it out many many times during the broadcast, it’s tough to accept that they’re actually playing good fundamental baseball. I didn’t think such a thing was possible.

Marmol’s really taken to his role in the bullpen. I’m kinda okay if they don’t ever start saving him for saves, because he’s by far the best guy to have in tough situations.

Game 72: Cubs 5 – White Sox 1

Cubs 33-39, 8 1/2 GB White Sox 29-40, 12 1/2 GB POTG: Z! (8 IP, 3 H, R, BB, 12 K) Runner Up: LF Soriano (2 H, HR), 3B A Ram (2 H, HR, 2 RBI), CF Felix Pie (H, 2 RBI) Carlos Zambrano is the awesomest thing ever. Brian Kendrick should change his finisher … Continue reading “Game 72: Cubs 5 – White Sox 1”

Cubs 33-39, 8 1/2 GB
White Sox 29-40, 12 1/2 GB

POTG: Z! (8 IP, 3 H, R, BB, 12 K)
Runner Up: LF Soriano (2 H, HR), 3B A Ram (2 H, HR, 2 RBI), CF Felix Pie (H, 2 RBI)

Carlos Zambrano is the awesomest thing ever. Brian Kendrick should change his finisher name from Sliced Bread #2 to Carlos Zambramo, because he clearly is the greatest thing since. If the team sale means Z doesn’t get resigned, I may have to buy Extra Innings, change the name of the website and throw out half my t-shirts. You MUST pay this man.

I was driving and eating a pretzel dog when the game was going on. I figured I was going to be too late to the Chicago area to hear this game live on WGN (and I was right), so I just turned my iPod on for the trip and waited till I got home to find out any of this (though I did get a phone call indicating it was going to be worth my time.) This was a great call.

Interesting but not particularly surprising they put Bowen behind the plate for the first Z start they could. I don’t think they want Carlos to be attached to Koyie (and to be fair, he probably is only attached to non-Barrett pitchers), but Bowen didn’t seem to be the different maker here. You’re not going to look good the first time you catch Z’s stuff, and Bowen sure looked like he was catching Z for the first time. It worked, so no complaints.

He’s like 2 more of these away from an All Star Birth, right? 10 wins, ERA may be under 4…

Some of those Soriano home runs would look really nice with runners in front of him.

Game 71: Rangers 6 – Cubs 5

Cubs 32-39, 8.5 GB Rangers 28-44, 17.5 GB POTG: 1B D Lee (3 H, 2 RBI, R, HBP) Runner Up: LF Soriano (2 H, 2B, R, IBB), 1B Darryl Ward (2 H, R, BB), LF Angel Pagan (3 H, RBI), CF Felx Pie (2 BB!, SH) This was a killer series for the slim playoff … Continue reading “Game 71: Rangers 6 – Cubs 5”

Cubs 32-39, 8.5 GB
Rangers 28-44, 17.5 GB

POTG: 1B D Lee (3 H, 2 RBI, R, HBP)
Runner Up: LF Soriano (2 H, 2B, R, IBB), 1B Darryl Ward (2 H, R, BB), LF Angel Pagan (3 H, RBI), CF Felx Pie (2 BB!, SH)

This was a killer series for the slim playoff hopes. The Brewers have gotten unstuck, and the Cubs lost 2 of 3 to a horrible team. Which kinda makes the Cubs a horrible team. 8.5 might as well be 50 at this point.

I didn’t see or hear any of this game – I tried to get GameDay Audio working on my laptop, but it wasn’t working. I hate my laptop – I think there’s a defective RAM stick or something. It’ll just randomly blue screen of death after being on an hour or three. Don’t know when, don’t know why (guessing it’s a heating issue.) I would like to get a new laptop, and probably a Mac at that, but I don’t want to deal with the same sort of problems from something else. Right now, I’m just using programs which can autosave every five seconds.

It’s probably good I didn’t see this game, because just reading the description would’ve killed me. The bullpen has generally been better of late. Not this game. Offense should’ve done more with 13 hits and 6 walks, so I say it’s a group loss.

Even though the box score numbers don’t look good, Lilly did a good job keeping the Cubs in it and saving the bullpen by making it 7 innings. He didn’t give up a run after the 3rd, a hit after the 4th, and finished with 3 strikeouts. It’s totally an AL thing – he would’ve been lifted for a pinch hitter in the 4th or 5th in the NL

Game 70: Rangers 7 – Cubs 3

Cubs 32-38, 8 GB Rangers 27-44, 18 GB POTG: LF Soriano (2 2B, HR) Runner Up: RP Scott Eyre (1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 R) 21 hitting it off 21, seems about right. No matter what went down, they shouldn’t have given Sammy’s number away for 10 years. They shouldn’t have given away … Continue reading “Game 70: Rangers 7 – Cubs 3”

Cubs 32-38, 8 GB
Rangers 27-44, 18 GB

POTG: LF Soriano (2 2B, HR)
Runner Up: RP Scott Eyre (1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 R)

21 hitting it off 21, seems about right. No matter what went down, they shouldn’t have given Sammy’s number away for 10 years. They shouldn’t have given away Grace’s either. I’m not going to argue Sammy’s Hall of Fame case, because when it gets down to it, I don’t really care about the hall of fame. All I know is Sammy was a Cubs for a long time, was the best player on some really bad teams and a couple good ones, and was by far the only best reason to watch the Cubs in the 90s. I don’t what kind of baseball fan or if I’d be one at all if he hadn’t been around.

I’ve always rooted for Sosa, it’s tough to remember a time when I didn’t. I defended him before he hit it big, so it doesn’t make sense for me to give up. I don’t think he’s the right fit for Texas right now, but I don’t care much about these Rangers. Let Sammy hit home runs.

Marquis pitching like we thought he would, check. Koyie might have hit a HR, but he saw all of 6 pitches in 3 at bats. Pagan saw 6 in one at bat. Cesar was hacking even more, 9 pitches in 4 at bats.

Cubs, game story, Rangers