NLDS Game 3: Diamondbacks 5 – Cubs 1

POTG: RP Bob Howry (2 IP, H, 4 K)
Runner Up: 2B Mark DeRosa (2H, R but GIDP), 1B D Lee (2 H but GIDP)

No power, no win. One double on the night, 4 extra base hits on the series, and it obviously wasn’t going to be close. Rich Hill dug a hole early, but it doesn’t matter much when the Cubs only put up a 1.

I’m looking for something to say about the game, but there’s really not. The grounding into double plays, 4 in the first 7 innings, was crazy annoying, but they would’ve been just as much an issue if they were only good for one out. The Cubs were hitting ground balls instead of line drives all series, and it’s tough to get extra bases when your hitting the ball to the short stop.

Stephen Drew looked good at the plate, but looked at shortshop like he should be a third baseman.

Gut, instant feelings:
Ward – returns
Floyd – does not
Wood – stays
Prior – DFA, possible resign at a big salary cut
Monroe, Cotts, Novoa – same
Jacque/Marquis – no trade
Pie/Murton – platooning
Dempster – still the closer
Marmol – still the setup
Kendall – free agent
Blanco – back up catcher
Soto – #1 starting the year
Trachsel – history

Next Year’s 25

01 CA Soto
02 CA Blanco
03 1B Lee
04 1B Ward
05 2B DeRosa
06 2B Fontenot (or Cedeno)
07 SS Theriot
22 3B Ram (oops! distracted)
08 LF Soriano
09 CF Jacque
10 CF Pie
11 RF Murton

12 SP Z
13 SP Lilly
14 SP Hill
15 SP Marquis
16 SP Marshall

17 RP Wuertz
18 RP Eyre
19 RP Marmol
20 RP Howry
21 CL Dempster

22 SS Cedeno or middle infielder
23 spare OF
24 left handed reliver (Ohman?)
25 spare reliever