Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
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| SP | Josh Johnson | SP | Ryan Dempster |
| 0-0, 3.86, 10 K, 3 BB, 11.2 IP | 11-4, 3.05, 111 K, 51 BB, 132.2 IP | ||
| SS | Hanley Ramirez | LF | Alfonso Soriano |
| RF | *Luis Gonzalez | SS | Ryan Theriot |
| 3B | Jorge Cantu | 1B | Derrek Lee |
| 1B | *Mike Jacobs | 3B | Aramis Ramirez |
| 2B | Dan Uggla | RF | *Kosuke Fukudome |
| LF | Josh Willingham | C | Geovany Soto |
| CF | Cody Ross | 2B | *Mike Fontenot |
| C | Paul Hoover | CF | Reed Johnson |
| P | *Josh Johnson | P | Ryan Dempster |
With Jeff Samardzija (last name = 29 Scrabble points) in a Major League uniform for the first time and the Brewers so close you can smell the Miller High Life and cannibal sandwiches on their breaths, the Cubs go for a second win in a row against the Fightin' Fish.
Kosuke Fukudome returns to the starting lineup, as does Mike Fontenot, who has gone 14-for-41 (.341) with four homers and a 1260 OPS since the first of July.
Ryan Dempster, who was beaten at home for the first time this year when he lost to the Giants on the Sunday before the All-Star break, comes off a sterling outing at Houston, in which he threw eight shutout innings while fanning seven, walking one, and allowing just six hits.
Josh Johnson makes his third start of the year for Florida as he recovers from elbow surgery this past March. The six-foot-seven-inch righthander throws a mid-90's fastball, a slider and change-up, though often not where he means to throw them. (In 185 Major League innings pitched dating back to '05, Johnson has allowed nearly 4.5 walks for every 9 IP.)
Just thought of this: on Monday, the Cubs faced six-foot-ten-inch Randy Johnson of Arizona. Today they get 6-7 Josh Johnson of the Marlins. That means this week alone, the Cubs have encountered more than 13 feet of Johnson.
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#1 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
That means this week alone, the Cubs have encountered more than 13 feet of Johnson.
nice.
I thought Edmonds was healthy and I thought Fukudome was suppose to stay in the 2 spot? Although I guess if Edmonds is sitting, Lou likes that lefty in the 5 spot.
#2 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
What ever happened to the notion of resting Lee every once in awhile? Seems like, if there is anyone who might be due for a rest, it is him...
#4 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
I'm sure he'll get one soon enough, he was having a very good July until that last road trip and still has an .850 OPS for the month. Plus he had 4 days off recently. Maybe Ramirez is who you're thinking of...
117 OPS over the last 7 days and 630 in July
#10 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
Lee has gone 5-29, 1 BB, 6 K since the all-star break. He is slumping, and has played in 101 games already. He might benefit from a day off. Ramirez, too, but he hasn't played nearly as much as Lee. I am just remembering how Lou said that he would make sure that Lee sits every once in awhile... He pretty much hasn't sat at all...
#13 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
Seriously... he just sat for four days.
I am not sure why he needs a rest. Sometimes you just need to let your players, especially your stars, play through slumps.
#3 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
Jace,
They have this thing called the All-Star break.
Cubnut,
I don't have a Scrabble board in front of me, but I am pretty sure it's impossible to spell Samardzija (which you wouldn't be allowed to use in Scrabble anyway) without scoring more than 29 points.
Carry on.
#5 Re: Samardzija's scrabble value
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrabble_letter_distr...
according to that it's 29, but I haven't played scrabble in ages, but I'm sure that's what Cubnut used.
#6 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
You might be right on the Scrabble scoring. I assume you're thinking you'd inevitably run over double- and triple-point squares.
As for not being allowed to use the name, depends on the rules you follow. When I play with the family, the ONLY words that are allowed are the last names of Cubs players. Thank God for Dick Nen!
#7 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
Well... not only would you not be able to use a proper name, it would nearly impossible to spell Samardzija being that you only get 7 letters, and you would need 3 letters to be set up on the board already.
If you had sam, or mar, already on the board you may be able to do it, but beyond that, it would get really tough.
#8 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
We (my wife and I) are Scrabble hardcores and the way we play, the Official Scrabble Word List is the final ruling and I'm pretty sure Samardjiza isn't in it. Of course, being 10 letters you'd have to build on, like 'mar' or something. And either one of us would probably challenge that word, btw.
http://www.amazon.com/Official-Scrabble-Players-Di...
#9 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
My wife had an epic game, once. 416, she had two 'bingos' (when you use all your tiles, you get a 50pt bonus). She also snuck the word 'ovid' in, she even defined it: "relating to the ovary". Sounded real to me. In retrospect I should have thought of "ovarian".
Ah yes, we're a real exciting bunch of folk here in northeastern Indiana.
#11 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
Would one day off really make a difference?
#12 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
When players are scuffling a little bit, it is pretty common to sit them down for a day and give them a mental break from the frustration, let them take a deep breath and relax. I am not only talking about sitting him down for just one day. I am also talking about Lou's supposed commitment to giving Lee a breather every once in awhile. The Cubs have played ONE game without him this season.
#14 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
That Dempster -- always, with the impressions.
Today's "Carlos Marmol" is spot on.
Six walks for Demp, none for Johnson? Let's get that fixed.
#15 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
"The six-foot-seven-inch righthander throws a mid-90's fastball, a slider and change-up, though often not where he means to throw them."
Through 4.5 innings"
Dempster - 6 walks
Johnson - 0
#16 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
And just I finish typing that, Johnson walks The riot.
#17 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
Oops, sorry about that Billybucks. You snuck your post in ahead of mine.
#18 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
Man, Reed Johnson sure looks red-hot at the plate. It's a pretty stark contrast from so many of the Cubs at this point...
#19 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
Talk about trial by fire for Jeff. Let's hope he brought his A game with him to Chicago today.
#20 Shark Attack!
I guess this kills that speculation about him starting over the weekend...
#21 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
That was 99 mph... and Hanley hit it...
#22 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
The kid was in a tough situation, but got out of it fairly well; that pick - off throw almost reached the stands, BTW.
#23 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
"Sometimes you just gotta tip your hat."
#24 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
the scoreboard radar in Des Moines always clocked Samarzija @ 90-92 [once I saw a 94]; even allowing for the extra 2-3 mph the scouts @ the ballpark said their guns usually registered, JS must have some serious adrenalin pumping for the Wrigley debut if these readings so far are accurate...
#25 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
Yeah, I'll bet he did. The readings did taper off a little in the 2nd inning he pitched...
#26 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
Homerun Howry. A nickname AND a description.
#27 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
I have an idea.
Have Howry pitch the first inning instead of the 8th or 9th.
That way, at least we have a chance to catch up.
#28 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
Hey Lou-
News flash -- Howry sucks. His 5+ ERA may hav tipped you off, or the fact that virtaully every hitter scorches the ball when he throws it.
Ths is also the 4th day in the last 5 he has pitched.
What the hell?
#29 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
Howry is Howrrible.
#30 Re: Game 103 Thread / Marlins @ Cubs (2 of 4)
Just going by the Yahoo! feed -- was there a batter that didn't hit he ball hard in the 9th inning? Howry's good-but-not-great fastball isn't getting it done any more.
Man, the bullpen is a mess.
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