Filed: September 28th, 2008
Loathing Bob Howry has gone from a Cubbie Nation pastime to a true national endeavor. Ryan Braun hit him for a two-run home run in the eighth Sunday, to propel the Milwaukee Brewers to a 3-1 victory. Coupled with the Mets 4-2 loss to the Marlins, the Brewers are officially the NL Wildcard winner, and will be making their first playoff appearance since 1982.
Bring on the Dodgers. With the field now officially set, pretty much all things playoffs have been resolved The Cubs will open a best-of-five series against the Dodgers Wednesday at Wrigley Field, with the time still to be determined. Also left to be resolved is the NLDS playoff roster itself. With the announcement that Jason Marquis will be on the playoff roster, and the announcement of the starting rotation, one speculates that you should expect something along the lines of:
Starting rotation:
Ryan Dempster/Carlos Zambrano/Rich Harden/Ted Lilly
Starting lineup:
Alfonso Soriano/Ryan Theriot/Derrek Lee/Arams Ramirez/Jim Edmonds/ Geovany Soto/Mark DeRosa/Kosuke Fukudome
Bench
Reed Johnson/Henry Blanco/Ronny Cedeno/Daryle Ward/Mike Fontenot/Felix Pie
Relievers:
Kerry Wood/Carlos Marmol/Jason Marquis/Sean Marshall/Neal Cotts/Jeff Samardzija/Bob Howry
Definitive? No, as the Cubs likely won't announce the roster until Tuesday. But as Lou put it when asked:
"I think for the most part, pitching-wise, we've made all the decisions we need to make. Unless there was an injury, I think we're pretty well decided."
Sigh. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
And hats off to both the Brewers and the Chicago White Sox. One day after watching Johan Santana deliver an amazing performance with a complete game victory on three days' rest, CC matched him today, baffling the Iowa Chicago Cubs for most of the game. It was interesting to watch this "pitching duel", with CC against basically the entire Cubs pitching staff -- Angel Guzman started in place of Carlos Zambrano, and left after two innings as part of Lou's starter by committee approach today -- but the the end performance was still one for the ages.
And to the White Sox, who forced the completion of their makeup game with the Tigers tomorrow by beating the Cleveland Indians this afternoon. If they win, they'll force a one-game playoff with the Twins. Lose and go home. Welcome to October.
Filed: September 25th, 2008
Sigh. How many more games until the playoffs?
Playing out the string sounds good for a division winner, but for fans it's absolutely dreadful. Too many no-talents on the field. Too many guys playing out of their comfort areas. And winnable situations that go for naught, as managers either let guys "work out their problems" or "audition". I'm over it, and you probably are too after watching the 7-6 loss to the Mets tonight, a debacle that left me seriously considering tuning out baseball until Tuesday.
Let's start with the big item; Micah Hoffpauir going 5-5, with two home runs. An amazing performance, and one that probably bought his ticket onto the playoff roster; who really wanted to see Daryle Ward in the playoffs anyway? Congratulations to you, but my friend...there's a reason you're a 28 year old languishing in the minors, and it's your fielding. It was bad enough when you bobbled the Jose Reyes ball in the first, resulting in an error. And worse when you made routine plays look like a struggle all game long. But when the game-winner -- a Carlos Beltran single in the ninth -- bounced off your glove and down the right field line, well, that shows me all that I needed to see about your long-term prospects. But I do hope that he enjoys the moment.
Not that I'm blaming him, of course. When Lou said he was going to rest his regulars,he meant it. So with the game on the line late, there was no Lee or Ramirez. No DeRosa. Not even a Henry Blanco to pinch-hit. And definitely no Carlos Marmol or Kerry Wood. Instead, Lou let that Beggars Row of a middle-relief corp attempt to audition for their postseason spots. And they all scared the hell out of me. Starter Rich Harden left after six innings, giving up three runs along the way, despite another game with a curious lack of velocity. Oh, and some extreme wildness early on. It's difficult to assess whether that was more him, or the constant rain throughout that played with his changeup grip. Either way, he was effective, and looks about ready to go, in what likely was his playoff tuneup.
However, he gave way to Chad Gaudin, who was better -- giving up a run in an inning of work -- but certainly not good enough. The velocity is there, so you hope that another appearance or two this weekend might help him find his release points again. And then to Neal Cotts, who has long since turned back into, well, Neal Cotts. Back-to-back hits by Beltran and Ryan Church chased him in the eighth, with Bob Howry taking his stage appearance. Bob gave up consecutive RBI hits before striking out Damion Easley, the last being a single to Robinson Cancel to right that Kosuke Fukudome threw home on. He had Ryan Church out by a country mile, but Church went wide around Koyie Hill, missed the plate, and beat Hill to it on the second tag attempt.
From there it got worse. I mean, the Mets bullpen was awful as usual, with manager Jerry Manuel pretty much burning through all of them -- five in all actually -- to get through the game. However, the Cubs were worse. Kevin Hart game up the game-winner in the final audition of the evening, but at least mercifully kept a dreadful game from going into extra innings.
The only good news of the day is that with the Diamondbacks loss, the Dodgers are officially in the playoff. And Ryan Dempster has been announced as the Game 1 starter for the NLDS. It's all finally starting to take shape. We just have to suffer through the Brewers in the meantime.
Filed: September 23rd, 2008
Representative. Yeah, right.
After having spent a few hours this afternoon chuckling at and enjoying the Cubs great win last night against the Mets, I got to tune in to tonight's game -- sadly, a 6-2 loss -- and see the sort of "representative lineup" that Lou looks to field this week. Casey McGehee at third, extended at-bats for Micah Hoffpauir in left, Henry Blanco behind the plate, and my personal favorite; Reed Johnson batting cleanup. Oh, and Sean Marshall starting in place of Rich Harden, who's had his next start moved back to Thursday. It was the sort of traveling lineup that usually gets you a call from the Commissioner's office during Spring Training. You get the idea.
The "C" team actually did have some luck against Mets starter Johan Santana, jumping out to a 2-0 lead early. Credit Kosuke Fukdome -- 2-4 -- and Reed Johnson -- 2-3, with a walk -- for RBI hits in the second and third innings, respectively. Even Casey McGehee faired well, hitting a double in the second inning against Santana that I'm certain will be one of his most memorable major league experiences. Actually, the Cubs cruised thru the fifth, with Sean Marshall more than managing the Mets.
Then things just got so Cub. I mean, I know the game doesn't matter really, but call me greedy, at least as long as 100 wins is still up for grabs. So, it was frustrating to see the Mets manage to grab a pair in the fifth, when Sean Marshall just ran out of gas. It didn't help that Johan Santana extended the inning with a broken-bat infield hit, that hit the shattered bat again as Ronny Cedeno attempted to field it. I've been watching baseball for 25 years, and I don't think that I've seen an odder hit.
But Chad Gaudin had nothing, really just coming undone in the sixth, and that was pretty much the ballgame. After getting giving up four straight hits, and committing an embarrassing throwing error that allowed Carlos Delgado to score, he was mercifully lifted. Kevin Hart then jumped in with the bases loaded, and Jose Reyes promptly cleared them, screaming a three-run triple down the right field line. Eshh.
Santana would go eight, before giving way to that crazy mets bullpen. The Cubs were able to stage a mini-rally of them in the ninth, but ultimately they got Mike Fontenot and Daryle Ward out to end the game.
So, while we're waiting out the playoffs, a couple of things. Saturday's game against the Brewers has been moved to Fox, and the game time to 2:55 CT. Also, Phil Rogers thinks that Carlos Zambrano is a third starter in the playoffs. Wow. I'm trying not to laugh. Trust me guys, dance with the girl you brought. But, what do you think?
Filed: September 21st, 2008
The Cubs closed out the home portion of the 2008 season with a win, beating the St. Louis Cardinals 5-1 Sunday afternoon at Wrigley. The Cubs finish the year with a 55-26 home record -- their best record in 73 years at Wrigley -- and now move on to finish the season with seven games on the road against the Mets and Brewers. Provided the Houston make-up game doesn't make it eight.
File this event under "a game that meant absolutely nothing". With the division officially in hand, manager Lou Piniella used the game to rest virtually all his regulars, sitting all starters but Kosuke Fukudome, whose status is still in limbo. So take your pick; either C is for championship, or the level of talent on the field today for the Cubs.
Not that it mattered, as the Cardinals are just done. Done. Done. Done. For the record, I don't embrace rivalries like most, and tend to think of myself as more a baseball fan in general and purist. So with the exception of perhaps a bit of happiness when the Sox don't play well, I wish the best for baseball teams, except when they're playing the Cubs. Point being, I was mad as any Cardinals fan when they chose to sit pat at the trade deadline, trying to convince fans that a Chris Carpenter return was going to somehow save them. The needed a left fielder. They needed bullpen help. They could have used a starter. This was a year when the well-managed Cardinals could have stolen a playoff spot, with just a little help from the front office. It's no wonder that this team rolled into town gassed, looking whipped and like they've given up for the year. Hell, even Tony LaRussa has been remarkably quiet this weekend. Even St. Louis fans deserve better than the front office expecting a competitive team each year with little more than LaRussa, Dave Duncan, and chewing gum. Okay, rant over.
Back to today's game, where starter Ryan Dempster picked up his 17th win of the season for his five innings of work. He left in the sixth, giving way to Jeff Samardzija, Chad Gaudin, Randy Wells, and Bob Howry to finish things. I never thought I'd say this, but happiness is seeing Gaudin working a scoreless inning. He was iffy to be sure, walking two, and looking W-I-L-D with everything. But he's back, and hopefully with a few appearances this week, will get sharp and can lock that the increasingly problematic middle relief situation.
Past that, it was just nice to get a chance to see some guys who maybe won't be seen again at Wrigley. Not so much with Kosuke Fukudome, who went 2-4, and gunned down Cesar Izturis in the fifth. It's a four-year commitment; he'll adjust, and get right. That I'm confident of. But Casey McGehee, who got his first major-league hit, going 2-3. Micah Hoffpauir, snapping out of his funk with a 1-3 day. Jim Edmonds, who collected an RBI with a sacrifice fly in the sixth, and Felix Pie, who went 2-4. 2009 starter, or trade bait? I won't dwell for now, but one wonders.
So, that's that. But if you find yourself with some free time this evening -- given the early game -- try the ESPN Game of The Week. Baltimore vs. the Yankees, in the final game at Yankee Stadium. I think the countdown for Wrigley has begun.
Filed: September 20th, 2008
It took 153 regular season games, more ups and downs than we'll ever know, a new center fielder, a Freaky Friday switch of Ryan Dempster and Kerry Wood, a little luck, and, well... a lot of heart. But the Chicago Cubs are your 2008 NL Central Division champs, beating the Cardinals 5-4 Saturday to seal the deal. Yes; at home, and against the Cardinals. Life is beautiful.
Alot of people are going to talk about the fact that it's been 100 years since the Cubs won back-to-back titles of any kind, with the 1906-08 Cubs winning consecutive World Series. Even more will talk about how it's been that long since a championship. I don't care, and you shouldn't either. Say what you will about the Cubs as loveable losers, and being snake-bitten or goat-cursed, but the fact is that they've endured many, many years of bad ownership. The Wrigley family was awful for decades, and the Tribune Company was something of a joke, especially in the 90's. But somewhere inside The Tower, the lights went on years ago. This is the Cubs third playoff appearance in five years; fourth in 10. I think we can take down the loveable losers banner. Let's move past the days of old, and concentrate on the only number left that matters: 11.
That's what it takes to bring a title to this town, end some of the nonsense and media drivel, and finally allow the ghosts of old to die, and find their peace in eternal sleep. This team is good enough to do it, they've got an extra week to prepare, and in the meantime let's all take a moment to cheer them on. Cubbie Nation will be there for the playoffs, until the money runs out, or the Cubs do. Check back from time to time, and maybe we can cheer on the Cubs together. And keep each other off the ledge when required.
And as for the game itself yesterday, congratulations to Ted Lilly, who picked up his career-high 16th win with seven good innings of work. His obligatory home run surrendered almost cost him, this time a three-run shot to Troy Glaus -- who I liked a lot better when he was 0-30 against the Cubs this year -- in the sixth inning. In reality though, this was mostly a giveaway game, with Cardinals left fielder Brian Barton butchering a couple of plays that lead to all of the Cubs run. Lilly was effective though, and I'll always remember him for giving Cubs fans this clincher at home.
Onward we go. The new magic number is 11. Get ready.
Filed: September 19th, 2008
Take my hand, I'll lead you to the promised land,Take my hand, I'll give you immortality,Eternal youth, I'll take you to the other side,To see the truth, the path for you is decided Heaven can wait, Heaven can wait,Heaven can wait,Heaven can wait til another day.
A little vintage Iron Maiden -- guess the title? It came to mind watching the hot mess that was the Cubs-Cardinals game Friday afternoon, a Cubs 12-6 loss that meant little in the grand scheme of things. It was just so ugly to watch.
Call me simple -- others have before -- but I've been wondering all week why Carlos Zambrano wasn't pushed back a few days. He's fresh off the disabled list, went way over his pitch count limit in his no-hitter Sunday, and would probably be better aligned for his playoff start if you started him say...Sunday. You start him again the following Friday for a few innings, and then set him loose for the NLDS, which starts when...the next Wednesday? Makes sense to me. Instead, Lou Piniella decided to send him out there today, even with him running around the globe the last few days for his grandmother's funeral in Venezuela. Needless to say, Carlos got tagged.
Now, I've seen strange things this season in following the Cubs, most of which were in their favor. Some of course weren't: Mark Kotsay hitting for the cycle, Willie Harris beating the Cubs with a grand slam, a .176 hitting Greg Norton clobbering Ted Lilly for a three-run homer. But when Zambrano gave up a grand slam to Adam Kennedy -- Adam #%#$%#%!! Kennedy -- in the first inning, you knew he shouldn't have been out there. Kennedy -- who was something of a hot topic himself, having this week publicly requested an off-season trade -- was 4-5, and pretty much burned the Cubs all day. But Carlos bore the brunt, between the slam, and an RBI-single in the second, before Carlos was mercifully yanked. He'd get tagged for eight runs in all, and even drew the anger of Piniella in the process, when he attempted to run off the mound before Lou arrived to take the ball. Emotions. Emotions. Emotions.
You can pretty much figure out the rest. The Cubs went to the back-half of the bullpen, and they were lit up. Sean Marshall was alright in an inning-plus of work, but Angel Guzman looked overmatched, and Kevin Hart was shaky. What's happened to his fastball? I mean, this wasn't a good Cardinals team, featuring Felipe Lopez in cleanup, and Adam Kennedy -- a career second baseman -- in right. Carlos maybe gets a pass, but you expect your guys to do better against this sort of hodgepodge lineup.
Things were so bad that Lou lifted pretty much all the starters wholesale in the fifth, really just clearing out the bench. Kosuke Fukudome was able to come up with a pinch-hit, good for an RBI. And while Casey McGehee is still waiting on his first major-league hit, he did collect a pair of RBIs on groundouts.
Well, I've said more about this game than it deserves already. Go. Enjoy the night. Root for the Reds, who are playing the Brewers tonight. And tune in to Fox tomorrow. If you're lucky, you can see the Cubs clinch at home, and on national TV at that.
Filed: September 18th, 2008
Maligned, cursed, and a source of frustration for much of the season, Derrek Lee erased all of that Thursday afternoon, sending a sharp single into center that scored pinch-runner Jason Marquis, and gave the Cubs a 7-6 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. With the win, the Cubs reduced their magic number to two, and now look to close out the division with a win tomorrow against the Cardinals.
You can't understate the contributions of team, and the idea that you're going to need 40 guys -- or at least most of your 40-man roster -- to give you something meaningful over the course of a season if you're going to win anything. You know what though? You still need star power occasionally to carry a team. And that's exactly what the Cubs got today in the win.
That started with starter Rich Harden, who survived an extended first inning to go five innings of one-run ball. This was an effective, if not sharp start by Harden, who while showing much of his usual velocity was wild, walking six, and just not spotting well with that fastball. An ill-advised Mark DeRosa force-out attempt at second that went awry extended that inning, and pretty much assured the Cubs of a short outing from the beginning. If you're looking for positive signs though, he hung in there for 115 pitches, and frequently hit 95 on the radar gun. And he looked more pitcher than hurler, working his way out of jams by working pitchers, rathing than trying to constantly overpower them.
Shame too, as middle relief proved to be problematic yet again. Jeff Samardzija made a mess of things in the sixth, allowing four runs to score on back-to-back-to-back RBI hits by the Brewers, before giving way to Randy Wells. This was his first appearance as a Cubs, and he shined; going two-plus innings of scoreless work. I know it probably won't last, but given that fans are in ABH -- Anybody But Howry -- mode, it was welcomed.
But the Cubs were still down 6-2 going into the ninth though, and that's when the stars stepped up. First, Aramis Ramirez smacks a two-out double to start the rally. Then, three batters later Geovany Soto smacks a three-run homer to tie the game, and send it into extra innings.
Carlos Marmol and Kerry Wood proceeded to shut down the Brewers over three scoreless innings, fanning five in the process. And that gave way to a fantastic 12th, when Carlos Villaneuva intentionally walks Alfonso Soriano, before getting Ryan Theriot to fly-out. And in comes Lee. Fantastic.
Great game. I think you better start making your October plans.
Filed: September 16th, 2008
Click here for photos of last night's game.
Well, they tried a different manager. Didn't work. CC Sabathia got outdueled, Dale Sveum got out-managed, and the Cubs were just a little better Tuesday night, giving them a 5-4 win over the Brewers at Wrigley Field. The win extends their lead over second place Milwaukee to nine games, and reduces their magic number for the division to four.
That dull knocking sound that you here is the hammer putting the final nails in the Brewers coffin for the season. One day after firing manager Ned Yost, Dale Sveum brought his Brewers into Wrigley for a game that was about as must-win as you'll find throughout a season. Sweep Chicago, and get back in this race. It's really that simple. What they got in reality was a loss; victimized by many of the same problems plaguing them all season: relief pitching, defense, and manager moves.
CC Sabathia was a beast in taking his first loss of the season. I've a great deal of respect for the man after seeing his performance over the last few months. Milwaukee has used and abused him in every way possible, and he's made every start, without complaint, and been fantastic. Last night though was not his finest hour. He appeared extremely hittable from the outset, with the Cubs jumping on him early via a Derrek Lee RBI double in the first. The Cubs would grab hits against him in every inning but the fourth actually, scoring runs in the third on a Aramis Ramirez two-RBI double, and again in the seventh when Alfonso Soriano just cleared the left field bleachers for a solo home run.
The Brewers would keep themselves in the game, with monster home runs from Cecil Prince Fielder, the first of which was a mammoth line drive launched onto Waveland. Between Cubs fans loud chants of "Cecil, Cecil", and a disputed 5-3 double play by the Cubs the previous inning, his fuse was most definitely lit. Perhaps not as much as the Brewers first base coach, who was ejected for arguing that play, but angry nonetheless.
Like I said though, some things don't change. The Brewers could have stolen this game, were it not for miscues. In particular that of Dale Sveum, who in the eighth decided to hit to pinch-hitting Henry Blanco, rather than have his lefty reliever Brian Shouse face Kosuke Fukudome. Bad move. Blanco singled to score Aramis Ramirez for what proved to be the game-winner, and Kosuke Fukudome chopped into a weak grounder to short. Dumb.
The Cubs would make it a bit interesting in the ninth, when yet more Kerry Wood troubles lead to an RBI double from Ray Durham, which brought the score to 5-4. But he buckled down, and struck out Fielder to end the game.
Wow. Let's hope that Dale Sveum doesn't get his managerial talents aligned until after this series.
Lastly, two things I thought I'd pass along. Congratulations to Ron Santo, added to the Hall of Fame Veterans Committee ballot. I know I'm in the minority in Cubbie Nation as someone who questions his candidacy, but if the Hall of Fame inductees say he's done enough to join their club, that's good enough for me. And from Milwaukee comes an interesting article on the back story regarding how the Ned Yost firing went down. Interesting stuff. I've seen some burn notices go down before, but this was Soprano-esque.
Filed: September 15th, 2008
The very next game after Carlos Zambrano's historic no-hitter of the Astros, Ted Lilly makes his attempt to up the anty, taking his own no-hit bid into the seventh, and combining with Jeff Samardzija, Carlos Marmol, and Bob Howry for a one-hitter against the same team. In the end, the Cubs win 6-1 going away, and leaving Houston, well....ready to blast off.
Let's get something out of the way first. I understand Cecil Cooper's likely expletive-filled rant to the commish. You gotta say something. And less we forget why the games were moved, let me share my concerns for the people of Houston, and all affected by Hurricane Ike. Frankly though, Drayton McLane is something of a buffoon. And he's proved that yet again with this move. Drayton, you can't have it both ways. First, you absolutely refuse to leave Houston, insisting that not only was the park going to be playable, and that you could assemble the 1000 people or so needed to put a game on in the middle of a natural disaster, but that 60,000 - 100.000 people would somehow be interested in catching baseball in the middle of the aftermath.
Then, after finally relenting, you scream like an infant, demanding ticket concessions, and trying to maximize gate. And that's beside the fact that MLB now had to find a place not likely to be rained out itself on short notice. You think you can get 24,000 people into Kauffman at the drop of a dime? The Braves can't pack people in when their own team play in Atlanta, so that's iffy. So what do you expect MLB to do? The best thing you could have done was suck it up, expense getting the players' families to wherever they needed to go, and with any logistical support they required, and moved on. MLB and the Cubs didn't do this to you; an act of God did.
Why do I mention this? Because it probably would have refocused the Astros, and maybe kept them playing closer to what they had been entering the series. Instead, they get beaten like rented mules over a two-game set. First Zambrano, then Ted Lilly, who really was just his normal self. There was nothing spectacular there; just a nicely spotted fastball, a good curve, and some good location. But Houston couldn't do a thing with him, only coming close in the seventh when the no-hit bid fell apart.
Bless the baseball Gods, for you know that they require all honor to ultimately be earned. A hard-hit ball by Reggie Abercrombie to start the inning was graciously scored an error by the scorekeeper, allowing the bid to last a bit longer. It was a hit though. A sharp grounder to third , that bounced up, before being fielded by shortstop Ronny Cedeno, who threw to first. You have to earn these things, and Ted didn't earn that error. At that point, I knew it was just a matter of time. The next batter, Mark Loretta, then singled sharply to right to end the bid officially. Oh well. Ted then briskly closed out the seventh, and turned it over to the relievers, who pretty much had their way with Houston too.
There was just too much good for the Cubs to complain about. The win of course, reducing the magic number to six. A good inning out of Bob Howry, who I'm forced to hope comes out of his stinky season. Homers abound, with Geovany Soto, Jim Edmonds, and even Derrek Lee going yard; a rarely-seen sight of late that always puts a smile on my face. About the only bad thing was Micah Hoffpauir, who appears to be falling back to earth. 0-2 yesterday, and 1-10 since his recall. I'd feel alot better with even some league-average production from right, but I suppose championship teams have gotten by with worse.
Lastly, the news out of Milwaukee of Ned Yost finally getting fired. Now -- and I say this with no disrespect intended to either Brewers management, or their fans -- Ned Yost is something of a nitwit. I wouldn't have him managing men in any capacity from what I've seen of his managerial talents. So, I don't question the decision. However, I do the timing. How desperate must you be to make this move with less than two weeks left in the season? How badly has this team quit on Yost? If your team can't sustain and band together better than this during a bad two-week stretch, then you lost that team a long time ago. And if that was the case, why wasn't he let go then? And what pressure does this put on interim manager Dale Sveum to try and right a ship in 13 days? It's nutty. But all signs point to the Brewers not wanting to eat that contract. This is what you get when you go cheap. Personally, I consider Ned Yost something of a cautionary tale. Yes Dorothy, a manager actually can make or break a team.
Now go beat the Brewers, and close this thing out.
Filed: September 14th, 2008
Quick, what do you get when you mix:
1) A team who hasn't played in three days unexpectedly
2) A starter shutdown two weeks ago with tendonitis
3) The game played at a "neutral" site, which in this case is jokingly known as "Wrigley Field North"
4) The real team who plays at the site -- who happens to be chasing the Cubs -- getting swept at the same time your game is being played?
Answer: A fine mess. Oh, and the first Cubs no-hitter in 36 years, as Carlos Zambrano put his stamp on history with a performance that will leave you asking years from now "Where were you when...?" in a 5-0 win.
Only seven times before in modern Cubs history have someone fired a no-hitter, the last being Milt Pappas in 1972; a game in which he still today says should have been a perfect game, expect for that "fat Bruce Froemming". Hehehe. For a little perspective, the complete list is now:
No, I don't count the White Stocking days. Call me in denial.
And believe me, Carlos earned that place in history with a level of poise, control, and nasty pitches that was worthy of the distinction. Minus a few times when he seemed a little too strong with the sinking fastball -- bouncing it a few feet in front of the plate -- he was spot on, hitting mid-90s on the gun, showing a crisp slider, and showing composure in a way that we just don't often see. Frankly, there isn't much more though that you can say about his performance in the game itself. The Astros had two base runners over the course of nine innings, via a walk to Michael Bourn, and HBP of Hunter Pence.
The Cubs would get all the runs they needed in the first, when Alfonso Soriano hit a lead-off home run of Astros starter Randy Wolf, which of course proved to be the game winner. They'd tack on in the third, chasing Wolf in the process. Credit Derrek Lee for finally taking that outside pitch the opposite way, the result being a two-RBI double to extend the four-run inning.
After that, it was just Carlos, Carlos, and more Carlos. How great is that he fired this no-hitter in Milwaukee, against the Astros, while preempting the White Sox Game of The Week telecast on ESPN? If you could have found a way to burn the Cardinals as well, karma would have been complete.
As Carlos put it:
"I guess I'm back."
Yep. Congratulations my friend.
Filed:September 11th, 2008
Watching last night's Cubs-Cardinals game -- a 3-2 win by the Cubs to take the series -- I was reminded of John Carpenter's cult classic, Escape from New York. A bruised and battered Snake Plisken running around prison city New York, doing whatever he can to collect his prize -- the President -- before time runs out, and he's left to die on the side of the road. Oh, and all the while, with an oversized black man chasing him; *cough*, Prince Fielder, *cough, cough*. Sounds about like the Cubs in September.
Well, the Cubs did their best Snake impression, getting the win in almost Hollywood-like fashion, with six innings of two-run work from Rich Harden, then turning it over to the bullpen to hang on for dear life.
The Cubs took the lead in the fifth, when a bases-loaded walk to Ryan Theriot scored Geovany Soto, sending the Cubs up 1-0. Derrek Lee would later ground out to third, allowing Reed Johnson to score. Yet another instance of pulling an average fastball outside to kill a rally. I miss the days when Lee would smack that ball to the right field gap for a double. Sigh. Now we just get weak grounders.
The Cubs would add another in the sixth, when back-to-back doubles by Mark DeRosa and Mike Fontenot plated DeRosa. The Cardinals would come back quickly though, snagging a pair when Albert Pujols hit a double to left to score Aaron Miles, and Felipe Lopez hit an RBI-single in the bottom of the frame.
But the Cubs managed to have the lead hold up, using a little luck, and great plays all around. With the cardinals rallying, Alfonso Soriano makes a diving stab in the eighth of a Albert Pujols fly to help Carlos Marmol escape the jam. But not before Kosuke Fukudome bests that play by reaching up to steal what appeared to be a homer in the making from Lopez two batter later. Carlos would strike out Josh Phelps after intentionally walking Adam Kennedy to end the Cardinals rally. IBB to Kennedy? Bet you won't see that again.
But the best was in the ninth inning, when a yet again shaky Kerry Wood took advantage of a Derrek Lee throw to third on a sacrifice to get Brendan Ryan. Ryan, who overslid the bag, was tagged out on the second swipe by Aramis Ramirez. Kerry would end the game later, when he forced Pujols to pop up to second. The save was his 30th of the season.
Every championship teams needs a little luck along the way. Eventually, the Cubs are going to have to find a way to score more runs, and while Lou thinks that Kerry's problems are simply a matter of needing more work, that remains to be seen. But no one is going to remember next year -- or even next month -- how the Cubs got their wins in September. Only that they got them. And if the baseball gods step in fa few times for an assist, well, we're owed some good luck after 100 years, yes?
Well, with the next few games postponed, I guess I'll see you in a few days.
Filed:September 10th, 2008
Just get it. And that about sums up my impression of last night's sorely-needed 4-3 win over the Cardinals. Ted Lilly, again proving to be something of a blessing, picked up his 14th win, going eight innings of one-run ball. Actually, in reading the post-game interviews, I think Alfonso Soriano said it best:
"We were struggling to win. This was huge for us. We had a little frustration, but with the win tonight, everybody can come tomorrow a little more relaxed."
If you can look past the Cubs desire to yet again give a game away in the ninth, there were a few encouraging signs last night. Ted Lilly really was that good; wearing out the Cardinals with off-speed pitches, and still looking fresh enough to go the full nine if needed. He finished with 90 pitches over his eight innings. Felix Pie, making a spot start in center field, showing actual patience at the plate. He went 1-2, with two walks. Kosuke Fukudome, who Lou deemed ready to re-enter the lineup earlier in the day, getting a hit, and playing great defense in right; something that was truly missed in his absence. Yeah, I know. 1-4. Fact is though, if Fukudome could sustain a .250/.350/.400 batting line for the rest of the season, you probably wouldn't here whoop from Lou.
Sadly though, getting one earned run off of Braden Looper is sadder than being held to three by Kyle Lohse. Fortunately, Felipe Lopez -- proving to be a poor substitute for the injured Troy Glaus -- made a series of errors in the fourth inning that ultimately cost his team the game, as the Cubs used them to score all of their runs for the night.
Ryan Ludwick smacked a two-run shot off of Kerry Wood in the ninth to pull the Cardinals within one, but Kerry then got Aaron Miles on one of the filthiest sliders I've seen from him, and Josh Phelps to fly out to end the game.
Ugly? Yes. But given that the Brewers had rallied late to beat the Reds earlier in the day, it was a needed win. Like I said, anyway that you can get it.
Filed:September 9th, 2008
I've said before that the first team to figure out how to win again is going to take this division. Apparently, it doesn't appear that it's going to be the Brewers. Cincinnati rallied late last night to surprise us all, and beat the Brewers 5-4. The best part though was, wait for it...Corey Patterson, who hit an RBI infield hit with the bases loaded to sustain the ninth-inning rally. Jeff Keppinger would later drive in the game winner, with a two-run double. Any of this sound familiar? Either way, this extends the Cubs division lead to 4.5 games, and reduces their magic number to 15.
Elsewhere in Cubbie Nation, things appear to be getting worse for the Cubs bullpen. Reliever Chad Gaudin is back in Chicago today to have his lower back re-examined. Sun-Times reporter Gordon Wittenmyer reports that Chad's recovery has regressed, at least according to his sources. Let's hope for the best, and that Lou chooses to look a little closer at Angel Guzman during this absence, rather than Bob Howry He Who Shall Not be Named.
Fortunately, the stars appear to be aligning for the starting rotation, with Zambrano throwing again -- off flat ground -- without discomfort, and Harden still scheduled for his start later this week. Lou has penciled in his rotation for the remainder of the season, with Dempster, Lilly, and Harden on tap against the Cardinals. Interesting to note that this sets up Ted Lilly to start the opener against the Brewers, given their ability to absolutely mash left handers.
Congratulations to the Iowa Cubs, whose fantastic season ended with a 16-5 loss to Oklahoma. The RedHawks take the series 3-2. Sad news, but I have to say 'd really like to see an Andres Blanco call-up right about now.
And finally, goodbye to Jon Lieber, who's been shutdown for the season, and sent home by the Cubs with chronic soreness. Yeah, right. Listen, if the Cubs want me to believe that an aging veteran went home for what probably is the end of his career, as opposed to sticking it out on a club with legitimate World Series aspirations due to "soreness", I'm going to have to disappoint them. Jon has been in Lou Piniella's doghouse since that debacle in Cincinnati back in the spring, so it's very difficult to believe that this is anything more than managerial differences. Which is fine, but stop with the injury drama. Of course, one wouldn't have to guess if the press corps actually called them on this stuff, but...
Filed: September 7th, 2008
Meet the real goat.
The Cubs in September are proving to be a sleep to not fall asleep on, albeit for all the wrong reasons. I did after the seventh actually, having watched Sean Marshall work a great six innings, and the Cubs jumping out to a 3-1 lead. I awoke in time to see a hot mess of a ninth inning, in which Ronny Cedeno blew an inning-ending double play, allowing two to score. Jolbert Cabrera would then single to left, sending Wilkin Castillo home for the winning run, and the Cubs off with a 4-3 loss to the Reds.
I keep hearing people explain to me the logic of keeping guys like Ronny Cedeno and Bob Howry on the roster, as it's September, so what the point? The problem is that you're occasionally fooled into using them, no matter how large your roster, today being a prime example. Ronny, who entered the ballgame in the sixth when Ryan Theriot left with minor illness, is not a major league shortstop. I question whether with his lack of fundamentals and poor sense of baseball instincts, whether he's even a major league player. And since this is the 50th example this season of it, I'm going to say it again; for the 50th time.
Back to the ninth though, which proved a microcosm for the Cubs in September. No execution. Whether it was Kerry Wood walking two to extend the inning, the bobble by Jim Edmonds -- yep, even sure-handed Edmonds -- on a Edward Encarnacion single allowing him to reach second, to the tailor-made double play ball hit by Chris Dickerson that Ronny Cedeno whiffs on trying to catch and throw at the same time, it was the worst and ugliest of the 2008 Cubs compacted into the inning. The scorer is calling it a double, but if you missed the game, don't be fooled. There isn't a shortstop in the league that wouldn't have at least gotten the force at second. Well, at least a real one.
As of this writing, the Brewers are getting thumped 10-1, meaning it's likely the Cubs will keep their four-game division lead for at least another day. But Lou's time to right this ship is running out. It looks like the first team to get back to winning is taking this division, and I think the Cubs would go a long way toward making sure that it's them by sending both Cedeno and Howry home.
I'm going to go out now, and try to forget that this game ever happened.
Filed: September 6th, 2008
The Chicago Cubs broke a six-game losing streak Saturday -- beating the Reds 14-9 -- by getting back to what they've done all year; strong starting pitching, good execution, and capitalizing on shaky opposition pitching to extend innings. Oh, and knocking the ball out of the park. The Cubs had four home runs in all, including a spectacular three home runs by Alfonso Soriano. And for that, we say:
Cheers
To Alfonso Soriano, for putting the team on your back, and carrying them to a win. Three home runs, and five RBI. Amazing. We're hoping it's the start of one of those classic 10-game hot streaks, which would likely help put this thing away
Jeers
To Kosuke Fukudome, benched in favor of Micah Hoffpauir. Get it together quick man, or get used to the wood. According to Lou:
"These last 20 games, I'm going to try to play a lineup we can win with. I've played everybody all year, everybody's had opportunities over here. Now, we're going to try to play a lineup that's going to win a baseball game that particular night."
That's code over here man for:"I'm done with you till you get right".
To Jason Marquis, who gave seven-plus innings of two run ball. A couple of more starts even close to this in September, and we'll all be Marquis fans.
To umpire Brian Runge, whose ball four call on Chris Dickerson resulted in a walked-in run, and the explosion of Mt. Saint Marquis. Brian, Jason's mouthing off was a bit over the line, but you can't give a guy that pitch all night, and then not suddenly with the bases loaded.
To Reed Johnson, who probably can expect to see more September starts after a 2-4 night. Michah Hoffpauir was 0-4 in his start, and Lou does love that hot hand.
To the bullpen, especially Michael Wuertz, who turned a blowout into something competitive enough to merit a Carlos Marmol appearance. Eight runs in two innings of work. Shameful. Hopefully, it was just a bad night. Personally though, I think when the Tigers came calling before the start of this season for Michael, the Cubs should have sold high.
To Joey Votto, for going 0-4, an apparently leaving his hot hand at home last night. Cub fans thank you.
Enough. Go win the rubber match.