Game 36 Thread / Diamondbacks @ Cubs (2 of 3)

So I hate Fox. MLB.tv is blacked out and Fox is showing Yankees/Detroit here in Seattle. Fuck you, Fox. Fuck you.

Theriot caught stealing AGAIN?!?!!! Sheesh........

Yay smallball?

Marmol pitching the 9th with a 5-run lead? *Shakes head*

And just watching Soriano run is painful. He's clearly either gutting it out out there or he's scared of reinjuring himself.

But, still, a good win.

I was blacked out and haven't seen any highlights, but this is from the AP recap:

Alfonso Soriano had four hits, including a go-ahead double in a six-run seventh inning, and showed some flair on the bases to help the Cubs beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-2.

Entering the game batting .191 and slowed earlier this season by a calf injury that landed him the on the disabled list, Soriano twice raced home and scored with good slides to send the largest crowd of the season at Wrigley Field (41,597) into a tizzy.

On one of the plays where Soriano was rounding third (I think it was the play where Upton made the error in RF), he clearly started running like he did last year after he came back from the quad injury, where it looked like he couldn't raise the one leg.

But then by the time he got to the plate (once he was in full sprint with no change of direction required), he was running much better. Perhaps rounding third or maybe stopping & starting (as he did on that play) may be a problem for him.  

I don't know if he was favoring the quad because it was bothering him, or if he was trying to protect himself in the cold weather, or if he has some kind of a mental block about it, but he defintely was not running at full speed at all times on the bases today, that's for sure. But he also was running the bases aggressively at times, too, which I wouldn't think he would do if he was hurting.

mets announcers for SNY are going to broadcast a game from the upper deck at shea (missed the date of this game).

not intimate as much as alienating, though. its way up there.

should be crazy/weird depending on how well they can actually follow the game.

The Atlanta Fox outlet did show the game -- very entertaining. Scherzer was very tuff, but Dempster was more than holding his own - excellent stuff today and some very solid defense behind him. Theriot in particular made some great catches and throws at short -- his inside-out swing was very effective against Scherzer's mid-90s outside heat.

Dempster could have come out of the 6th unscathed, but with the bases loaded and one out, the ump blew what should have been a called strike 3 on Upton on a 2-2 count. Demp walked Upton on the next pitch (forcing in a run) and eventually got out of the inning with the Cubs down 2-1 after another run scored on a FC to Theriot. Another very encouraging start by Dempster. And thank God Scherzer left after 6 innings.

Surprise, surprise. A setback for ol' #22.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080510&c...

WGN radio guys said he got a visit from the trainer after he scored in the 7th.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp...

Soriano said he was just a scared because of the cold weather.

"It was more like a scare," Soriano said of his slow turn around third. "I was running a lot today, and the last one I was scared because it was cold. But I think I'm OK. I just have to play a little more and be confident in my legs."

with his leg issues and Dero doing his best Soriano impression at 2b, I wonder if they should just get Soriano defense at 2b from Soriano, trade for Lou's mythical LHOF who can 5 to play LF (Adam Dunn, Andre Either, G. Anderson or GMJ) and stick with Pie in CF. Yeah the take out slides are a reason to not consider it, but most of the damage of those are to your ankles, while running and to a lesser extent hopping playing OF put stress on the quad he keeps hurting.

Congrats to Mad Dog on win #350.

From the article:

"There has never been a timetable for Prior's return to the Major Leagues, though there was once speculation it would be around June 1."

Note no mention of WHICH June 1.

Was at the game yesterday.

Went with 20 buddies from college, we had the up stairs room rented at the Cubbie Bear, its a great view of the ball park from the front.

Sat section up from main aisle behind home plate. Dempster pitched heck of game, I couldn't believe Soriano ran on that first run the whole play was right in front me.

Good to see Howry pitch a good inning, wish they would have use Wuertz or Fox.

Although when Marmol came in I was sitting with my friend who was Dback fan. And after the first strike, I told him cmon lets go this over.

Fun game, little chilly but a great time.

After the game Dempster walked by Bernies the bar I was at on Clark and Waveland.

Got a picture with him and told him he pitched a "fning good game."

He said "thanks" and was a really nice guy.

Go Cubs. Get the sweep.

all this bitching about Soriano. Shouldn't we be ecstatic that he went 4-5? Hopefully this means he is starting to see the ball.

Soriano is going to hit.
Also Pie needs to play more, but not today against Johnson.

Rain on the forecast until 8 pm. I'm thinking no game today.

Wind kicking up a gust from the north.

If they do play no HR today.

...which seems to be unlikely, a Cedeno sighting!

LF Soriano
CF Johnson
1B Lee
3B Ramirez
C Soto
2B Cedeno
RF DeRosa
SS Theriot
P Zambrano

Zambrano and Johnson scratched for Gallagher and Gonzalez. I wouldn't count on this one getting in today, but stranger things have happened.