Tag: Colorado Rockies

Cubs 36-21
Rockies 20-37

POTG: CF Edmonds (2B, 3B, 2 RBI, BB)
Runner Up: RP Bobby Howry (1.2 IP, 2 K, 0 H + BB, 0 R), SS The Riot (2 R, 2 H), 3B A Ram (2B, IBB, 3H, R, RBI),

3 straight versus the Dodgers, 4 straight versus the Rockies, undefeated homestand. There was a bit of “well, how good are they REALLY” before this set of games started, and winning 7 in a row quiets those for a bit.

My memory of this game is Gallagher being wild (2 HBP!), and that leading to his short perfomance. But he wasn’t so wild that the Rockeis weren’t swinging at his pitches – no walks on the day – and they were doing a lot of missing. 8 Ks in 5 2/3 is greatly impressive, and he’s credited with giving up 3 runs only because Wuertz was back to being completely ineffective for eight pitches.

Edmonds giving the Cubs something out of CF versus lefty was a big improvement over the nothing they were getting before. They needed someone to step up with Lee out of the lineup (and the weirdness of Hoffpauir being the #3 hitter – I can’t understand how attached regulars get to their normal spot in the batting order, but it obviously means more to them that it’d seem.)

Cubs 34-21
Rockies 20-35

POTG: CF Jim Edmonds (HR, 2B, 3 H, 2 R, 3 RBI)

Runner Up: 1B D Lee (2 H, R), C Henry Blanco (2 H, HR, R, RBI), 1B Hoff Power (2 H, 2 R, 2B), RF Fukudome (HR, 2 H, 2 R, RBI, BB), 3B DeRsoa (HR, SF, 3 RBI)

I have no problem admitting I gave up on this game. It was a Friday, I had things to catch up on, and it looked pretty much over at 9-1. The team gave up too – Derrek got pulled, Soto got pulled, Ram was never in the lineup. The guys in the lineup, especially the guys who came in, they didn’t give up.

There’s a story here that only works a few weeks out, but it’s seemed pretty likely at the time. Jim Edmonds dropped a fly ball in the 3rd. It was an error, a pretty clear one, and gave the Rockies one more out in the inning which turned the game from a somewhat close 4-0 to a 7-0 disaster. The vultures were already circling Edmonds in the days before. If the Cubs did not come in this game, with Edmonds playing a big part in it, then he’s probably cut by the end of the weekend and his Cubs stint is only remembered as a weird misstep to end his career. I was willing to give up on this game because I was content with how many wins the team already, but guys like Edmonds, Blanco (backup catchers are replaceable) and DeRosa (a million trade rumors) can’t ever really be content with taking an at bat off, and that was all the difference here.

DeRosa’s home run has to be one of the top 5 moments of the season. Although I wouldn’t mind even better moments pushing it down and making me wrong.

Cubs 60-57, -1.5
Rockies 61-57, -5.0

POTG: 3B Mark DeRosa (2 H, R)
Runner Up: 2B Mike Fontenot (2 H, R – he had a K and only saw 9 pitches, so that was the tie breaker)

We had a break there while I unbroken, broke, fixed, broke, and probably fixed the Cubs feed. That was fun. I really don’t have much to say about this game – I’m keeping to my promise of not evaluating Wood till August is over, Marshall had one of his trademark “kinda good, but not near as long as we needed” starts, and there’s not much else going on here. If I recall correctly, while this game was going on, I was sitting outside at the Cougars game, getting my arms and neck burned to an agonizing degree (though I didn’t realize it till I came home.) Between no sunblock and leaving my phone in the car, it was not a great day, but the Cougars won and it was one of the happier heat strokes I’ve ever had. I was dead tired but driving around to find food I’d actually eat, because I knew I was dead the moment I got home, but at least I’d watch this game. Or at least that was the plan, till I picked up a phone call to hear someone tell me “I tried to call you before to see what was going on in the Cubs game, but I heard they loss, huh?” and that was the end of me.

I think I would’ve fast forwarded thru lots of the game anyhow. It seemed that sort of game, especially with the tension ripped out.

No extra base hits = NO WIN. They really could use Ram. Fontenot would be a helpful player for another team, but the Cubs could use someone who could add a few more slugging points. You’re not normally going to find those at second base, but the Cubs needed to find it somewhere with Patterson and Pie adding little.

I felt the complete opposite about the Rockies after the last two games than what I felt after the first two. Their starting pitching is still awful thin, but they have a puncher’s chance with that lineup. I think they’re a year too soon, but the Diamondbacks are as well, and I’m not sure if they Rockies will be as good as them. They’ll need to add some parts yet. Too bad Helton isn’t worth anything.

Cubs 60-56, -1.5
Rockies 60-56, -6.0

POTG: SS Ryan Theriot (2 H, SB)
Runner Up: CF Felix Pie (2 H)

Eyre is not only off the good pitching wagon, he hit the ground and bounced a few times. He wasn’t alone here, because all the pitchers pretty much had nothing this game. Kinda figured Rich Hill and Coors Field was not going to be a please combo, but apparently that was also true for Gallagher (aloha) and Wuertz added to the damage in just two batters.

This is one of those games I’m very helped out by the B-R.com box score, because it reminds me of what I would’ve said, had I gotten a chance at the time. I forgot about the grand slam till I scrolled thru the box score to see where it went all wrong, and that sequence was the game. Hill had his usual trouble pitching with runners on, but he really just barely missed his spot on the home run pitch, and that was the game. This game got out of hand after, and who knows what would’ve happened otherwise, but Hill was just one more out, one more good pitch at times, from a pretty good start at the point where he needed a pretty good start, and he missed. It was frustrating to watch, and must’ve been frustrating to pitch.

This was another game where the Cubs don’t get any extra base hits and lose. You’d think those two things were connected or something.

(for 08/09)

Cubs 59-55
Rockies 59-55

POTG: RF Jacque Jones (4 H, 4 RBI, 2B)
Runner Up: SS Ryan Theriot (2 H, 2 R, SF), 3B Mark DeRosa (3 H, 2 R), C Jason Kendall (3B, 2R, 2 RBI), CF Felix Pie (2 H, R), P Ted Lilly (6 IP, 5 H, 2R, 5BB, 5K, W[13]; BB, R)

I’m going to try to catch with all these games, today. Looking at the sky, I may be able to shave one more game off the total, so my real problem is remembering what I wanted to say about these games. I’d actually written up something about this game, but it’s on a computer I can’t get to at the moment, and I don’t want to wait any longer. The seasons is wasting.

Thank goodness for Ubaldo Jiminez. He was plain awful when the Cubs really could use a plain awful pitching. Note Bucholz was pretty darn great when he came in for five innings, which probably says more about who was responsible for those 9 runs. The defense wasn’t helping either, and the Cubs tacked together some extra base hits for once.

Lilly was effectively wild here. The five walks were concerning, and the actual reason why he went over 120 pitches. I didn’t mind the Cubs doing that with Lilly for one start. Wood pitching reminds us of what can happen when you do that too much, but it was just one start, the Cubs already were planning on giving Lilly an extra day off, it was a big lead, and they needed one more inning from their starter. It was a shame Lilly could only go six here, because seven or eight really would’ve been a boon.