A Public Safety Alert for TCR Readers In and Around Chicago

Be forewarned—the entire downtown area is overrun with Nordic boys wearing Kirby Puckett jerseys. I know; I have seen it for myself!

This afternoon's Twins starter, Kevin Slowey (8-2, 4.21), is prone to the gopher ball. (That's "gopher" as in home run, not Golden Gopher.) Cubs starter Randy Wells is prone to getting screwed by the non-performance of his offense and/or his bullpen.

Go Cubs!

Tags: 
Randy Wells
Interleague play
Strangeness of Minnesota people
Submitted by Cubnut on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 12:14pm
Return to Homepage

Comments

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 12:30pm

LF Soriano, 3B Fontenot, RF Bradley, 1B Lee, C Soto, CF Fukudome, SS Theriot, 2B Miles and P Wells.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 12:35pm

Q: What are some things people don’t know about you, away from the field?

A: We do some weird things out here, man. I’m an art major. That’s usually the first thing I tell people. I really enjoy art and focus on painting ceramics. I love going to Lake Tahoe and it’s a home away from home for me. I enjoy the lake and the boat. Other than that, I enjoy my family. One of the reasons I went to school close to home was so I could see my younger siblings grow up and be close to my family.

http://cubs.scout.com/2/871803.html

rest is pretty standard fluff, says he had very little contact with Cubs before the draft despite all the scouts supposedly going out to see him.

Submitted by Cubnut
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 12:37pm

Funny, awkward exchange this morning on Mully & Hanley show on The Score as they interviewed Bert Blyleven:

Mulligan asked Bert if Kevin Slowey can hit and then said, "If he can, maybe the Cubs can get him to come over. They could use the bat."

Bert then replied, "You boys are kind of rough on the Cubs, aren't you?" and then later, "It's easy for guys who've never played the game to criticize a team's hitting. But the hardest thing to do in all of sports is to hit a round ball with a round bat."

I think that is what they call "closing ranks."

Wonder if they'll have Bert back on the air anytime soon.

Submitted by Charlie
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 12:48pm

I like it.

Submitted by Charlie
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 12:49pm

[Double post—twitchy trigger finger.]

Submitted by Ryno
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 1:34pm

I heard that, that was a fun conversation. Did you hear the soundclip of Bert with the explitives on-air?

"S*** we're going to have to do this again... what? We're live? Well I apologize for that..."

lol'ed.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 12:38pm

already signs with Brewers...

Submitted by Ryno
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 1:40pm

Solid AB, MB.

Submitted by Jace
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 2:17pm

http://deadspin.com/5288450/why-your-stadium-sucks...

A bit harsh, but true in many ways...
It's not for everyone, but I still love it...

Submitted by The Joe
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:19pm

Funny, because...well, it's true. It is a shithole. AND they left out a bunch of stuff. If you're allowed to mention the people, how can you leave out the 7th inning stretch?

Wrigley is a dump, but if they ever remodel or rebuild, I hope they keep the troughs.

Submitted by Ryno
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 2:17pm

Kevin freaking Slowey and his lively (yawn...) 88 MPH fastball sporting the 1-hitter so far.

lmao

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 7:17pm

Funny, when I run that 88 MPH fastball through the reality machine it comes out 93!

Submitted by Jace
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 2:23pm

Look out! These Twins can get more than one guy on base in an inning! Holy crap! And a #3 guy with 54 RBI... what a novel concept...

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:01pm

Of course, it helps when you have a guy with a .491 OBP hitting #2 half of the time.

Submitted by Ryno
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 2:25pm

Dear Randy Wells, please throw strikes to the American League pitcher.

Thanks.

Submitted by jacos
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 2:28pm

and this game is over.

Submitted by Ryno
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 2:35pm

Naw, everything is fine.

They'll get Ramirez back and I figure they'll win 70% of the second-half games. With their 29 wins now that's... umm... 86 wins.

But they might win some games before the halfway point, too. That's just gravy.

Wooo, 70% second-half games!!! Yea Cubs!

Submitted by Ryno
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 2:49pm

Did Wells come out of the game because of an injury or did Lou just yank him b/c of the 4 runs. Seemed early to me.

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 2:58pm

No injury. I thought it was early too.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:34pm

seemed to just want to get Marshall in to face the Mauer who tattoed that HR last AB and they have a 8-man pen today...kept them in it at least.

Submitted by Ryno
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 2:55pm

*crickets*

K. Slowey 4.2 IP, 1 H, 8 K

Submitted by jacos
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 2:57pm

Please send the Wandy Rodriquez and Ortiz splits that Slowey obiviously has for the road against National league teams who play in ivy covered walled fields.

Jeesh, this is brutal

Submitted by Ryno
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:01pm

I went ahead and picked up some guy named Anthony Swarzak on my fansty team and I intend to start him tomorrow. If the Cubs are going to drive me to drinking I might as well pick up some fantasy points along the way.

Submitted by WISCGRAD
on Sun, 06/14/2009 - 9:45am

If you really did this, great fantasy move!

1 W, 7 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 6 K, 0 ER

Submitted by Jace
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:10pm

The whole bench sits up and says... "Wait... you can do that? You mean you don't have to hit the ball right to them?"

Submitted by Jace
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:11pm

Okay, first and third, no out. Anyone think they're gonna score here?

Submitted by Ryno
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:13pm

That was real solid work by Soriano.

Submitted by Ryno
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:15pm

IT'S ALIVE!

Submitted by Jace
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:16pm

Milty!!!

Submitted by Jace
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:17pm

A pulse! I found a pulse!

Submitted by ddp33
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:17pm

i posted this in an old thread... but is blanco out of options?

Submitted by Ryno
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:18pm

They need to make Slowey work. Gardenhire is notorious for leaving his starters out there way too long. Plus, with the exception of their closer, the Twins bullpen isn't all that great.

Submitted by Tito
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:19pm

For those of us not watching/listening, did Bradley run into an out on a bad play or was it the right play on his part?

Submitted by Doug Dascenzo
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:26pm

Inexcusably bad. Groundball to the third baseman and he ran right into the tag.

He also just lost a flyball in the sun.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:33pm

but he does have 2 hits today and 2 RBI's!!!

baserunning was bad, albeit ultimately insignificant, he never saw the ball he dropped even with sunglasses. Then dove and couldn't come up with a ball that gave Twins their 5th run.

So he's a +1 today.

Submitted by Doug Dascenzo
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:52pm

You might want to edit that comment after he just threw a ball into the stands with 2 outs allowing the runner on first to go to third.

My god.

Submitted by Tito
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:40pm

Milty has this weird knack for diving for the ball and not making the catch.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:45pm

didn't he just make a diving catch in houston on tuesday? I think i recall one other dive and miss this year but can't say I'm keeping track.

Submitted by jacos
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:49pm

Yes, and he did one in Milwaukee where he bobbled after dive and caught.

Ask me my wedding anniversay, I haven't a clue.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 7:20pm

You bastards quit clouding the vitriol with facts!

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:52pm

catches out number two, thinks it was number 3 and throws it in the stands.

runner would have scored anyway, runner went from 1st to third though...no run ultimately.

Submitted by WISCGRAD
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:53pm

He also has a weird knack for not knowing how many outs there are apparently... Good lord.

Submitted by Tito
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:53pm

Counting today (which I didn't see, only going by what was said in here), that's at least three times he dived for balls that appeared catchable, only to, well, not catch them.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:56pm

well unless he's jim edmonds diving, the sheer act of having to dive for the ball probably lowers the odds of catching it significantly. I suppose he should just let them fall instead of making the effort.

Submitted by Andrew
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:54pm

Bradley throws it into the stands after catching the 2nd out of the inning. I'll say this -- at least he keeps things interesting in an otherwise depressingly boring game.

Submitted by jacos
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:56pm

Hopefully the white hoods and robes are not being put on by the RF bleacher bums and they start taunting.

ugh

Submitted by Andrew
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 4:05pm

Oh no, they are, and not just in RF. Booed very loudly the next inning at his AB and even booed after he flied out to left.

Submitted by Tito
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 4:04pm

Rob, I'm not denigrating his effort, but these were balls that looked easily catchable while diving. They weren't full-out, Reed Johnson in D.C.-type dives. (Or, as you state, Edmonds-type dives.) And he botched them. If you dive for the ball and it clanks out of your glove...

Submitted by Andrew
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 4:07pm

Apparently Fuku plays one of the deepest CF in the majors. I wonder if that affects where Bradley plays. Most of the dives and misses have been on short loopers falling in front of him or to the side.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 6:34pm

fwiw, Edmonds dives are diving for the sake of diving about a half second after you've actually caught the ball...

Submitted by Tito
on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 10:35am

Agreed. But Edmonds also has amazing dives where he catches the ball.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 7:23pm

This is a good one "I didn't see the play" followed by "these were balls that looked easily catchable while diving".

In today's game, probably the play, dive included gets made 2 out of 3 times.

Submitted by Tito
on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 10:38am

Right. I didn't see the play in that game. I was talking about the other balls that were catchable and said that going by what was said in here, this one appeared that way.

Get over yourself.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 12:34pm

"easily catchable"... get over yourself.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 4:13pm

Hoff in and Patton in for the 9th, soriano to 2b....

Submitted by The Joe
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 4:21pm

I hate the Cubs right now.

I'm going to root for my fantasy team instead.

Submitted by Brick
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 4:26pm

Do you sell caps?

Submitted by The Joe
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 4:30pm

I can make iron-on's for caps. I could use a following.

Submitted by jacos
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 4:23pm

Can't wait for Lou's post game.

Submitted by The E-Man
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 4:57pm

sitting with Cubster today. we both said we had never seen a player do what Bradley did. Somehow, i'm feeling like its thr beginning of the end with Bradley after that.

it will be JJ redux, and thanks to Hendry, we are all stuck.

what an underachieving $140mm ballclub!

blech!!

Submitted by The Joe
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 5:08pm

I missed it. Did he toss a ball into the stands before the 3rd out? I know Manny handed a ball to someone once and had to go back and get it.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 5:42pm

1st and 3rd, 1 out, fly ball to straight right. Milton sort of catches it on the side of him and just stands there as the runner scores (no chance he would have got him). Then rifles the ball deep into the right field bleachers. Runner from first went to third on the play and he just sort of put his hands on top of his head.

I assume the little showboating he did standing there was that he was getting razzed for losing a previous ball in the sun or something.

I can't recall a Cub doing it any time in the recent past, but it seems to happen about once a year where a player forgets the number of outs or so it seems.

Submitted by Arizona Phil
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 8:00pm

Submitted by The E-Man on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 3:57pm.

sitting with Cubster today. we both said we had never seen a player do what Bradley did.

Somehow, i'm feeling like its thr beginning of the end with Bradley after that. it will be JJ redux, and thanks to Hendry, we are all stuck. what an underachieving $140mm ballclub! blech!!

=======================================

E-MAN: You wil be happy to know that Milton Bradley's automatic "no trade" (the one he got as an Article XX MLB FA who signed a major league contract after the end of the Free-Agency Filing Period) runs through this coming Monday.

So if Hendry were so inclined, he could trade Bradley (without having to get Bradley's approval and without any restrictions) starting on Tuesday. And with the Rangers having lost Josh Hamilton for a while, they might possibly be interested in reacquirng Milton, bringing him back to the place where he had his best year and seemed the most at ease, and where he can DH full-time. Of course the Cubs would have to eat some of his salary or take back a similar contract, but so it goes. .

Now, Aaron Miles has not and does not have a "no trade," so it's just a matter of finding a taker (ANY taker) for him, even if it's the Cardinals or the Brewers. Of course that still won't bring DeRosa back, but sometimes there's something called "addition by subtraction."

Back in the early 1990's the Cubs signed free-agents Danny Jackson and Candy Maldonado, and both were lemons. But the Cubs were able to make a little bit o' lemonade out of it, by trading Maldonado to Cleveland for Glenallen Hill and Jackson to Pittsburgh for Steve Buechele, and both deals actually filled needs and made the Cubs a better club. So all is not lost.Yet.  

Submitted by The E-Man
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 8:43pm

Thanks AZ PHIL.

As has been intimated by Crane Kenny (according to Dave Kaplan, CSN), he does not see the team acquiring any "substantial" players due to the ownership issue (always, the "ownership issue" - meaning if there is $$ involved). This is what I have felt all along and have stated as much here.

But, the opportunities for trades, however, seems like the most fruitful direction in order to try and "save" the season.

I hope to hell Hendry can correct his mistakes as you suggest. Aaron Miles is a superflous player for this team. However, as you say, finding ANY taker may prove to be challenging.

Submitted by The E-Man
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 8:45pm

Candy Maldonado!!

I loved to hear Harry shout his name!

What a lemon, as AZ PHIL says. Who did we send to the Dodgers for that bum?

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 6:29pm

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=2...

I'd have to copy and paste pretty much the whole article for all the good quotes. Here's the out gaffe though...

"[I've seen it] on replays on some of that 'Best Damn Sports Show' stuff of the '50 Not Greatest Moments,'" Gardenhire said. "I think that's going to rank right up there with one of those plays. That wasn't a lot of fun for him. I'm sure he's not feeling too good about that."

Did Piniella need to talk to Bradley?

"Do we need to go over math? One, two, three," Piniella said. "I don't know what else to say. I'm sure he's somewhat embarrassed by it. I've never seen it before. The only thing we can do is go over how many outs there are. You've got to keep your head in the game. Outside of that, look, it didn't cost us a run but it's embarrassing to the person it happened to."

Bradley put his hands on his head right away.

"I wasn't embarrassed," Bradley said. "I've done a whole lot of things to be embarrassed about. That's water under the bridge. The run was going to score, the fan got a souvenir. Worst case scenario.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 6:31pm

you know it's bad when Carrie even takes a shot at you...

"Everybody's got to relax," he said. "We have a ton of media here,
everybody has expectations that we're supposed to run away with the
division. It's June, and we're [three] games out. We're right there. We
talked about it today -- just have fun, relax. It's hard to get me to
smile, but I had to smile today. You can't keep taking yourself too
seriously. Just chill, have fun."


And keep count.

 

Submitted by WISCGRAD
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 6:41pm

Interesting Note on Peavy:

Jake Peavy will miss a month of action due to an ankle injury, according to Corey Brock of MLB.com
Peavy's right ankle is in a cast, but no other details are known at this point.

Submitted by Cubster
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 6:53pm

Apparently Peavy injured his ankle 5/22 in his start against the Cubs while running the bases. He's been pitching thru it until now. Dxd as tendonitis.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090612&c...

Submitted by Mister Whipple
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 7:39pm

This injury would never have happened if we had traded for him in the offseason!

Submitted by Ryno
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 8:54pm

Re: Trading Bradley.

Cubs having Bradley isn't the problem. Bradley not hitting is the problem. If they get rid of him they'll have the same problem of lack of a productive power bat, right?

The Real Neal:
Funny, when I run that 88 MPH fastball through the reality machine it comes out 93!

What did you mean by this? His fastball has been sitting around 88-90 all year.

Ryno (8:40 this morning):
Is Slowey still throwing a boring 89MPH fastball?

Answer: Yes, but maybe not "boring". If Gameday is to be believed (and it isn't always), he finally has some life in that fastball.

FWIW Slowey owned spring training.

Submitted by jacos
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 10:14pm

And there is the excuse I was waiting for.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 7:40am

The radar gun on the broadcast said '93'.

Submitted by WISCGRAD
on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 10:08am

Gameday had him 87-88-89 all game, hitting 90 maybe 4 times is all. It had Wells at about the same.

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 10:58am

Don't let facts and reality get in the way.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 11:14pm

#80, dipshit.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 11:18pm

54 seconds into the Slowey owns the Cubs video at MLB.com, monkey,

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Sun, 06/14/2009 - 6:58am

Yup... one pitch, on a television radar gun, makes your point. Brilliant.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 10:18am

Fangraphs has him at an average of 89, Gameday showed 3-4 pitches at 90mph in the middle innings, pretty much 87-89 the rest of the way.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 11:14pm

Splain me how 87-89 averages out to 89, por favor.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sun, 06/14/2009 - 2:51am

maybe like this?

5th inning fastballs for slowey...

88 mph, 88,88,89, 89, 89, 90, 89, 90, 90...average....89

average fb yesterday for the game was 88.01 yesterday, 89.02 for his sinker according to Pitch F/X data...

http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfx/index.php?month=...

w/o going through the whole game, I found this and at around :51 he K's fukudome and the WGN gun reads 91mph

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?conten...

but the bigger point was you felt the need to jump down Ryno's throat for daring to suggest Slowey throws 88mph, which is what he normally is around and then getting offended when someone dared question your brilliant insight because you glanced at one radar gun reading.

 

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 6:52pm

When did I get all offended? When I called Dave names for being a little 'me too' sissy, hiding behind others comments? He'd being saving that one up for a few weeks, he should have at least done some basic research before he used it.

Let's go on a wild goose chase of speculation here. Say we see 3 fastballs for K's in that video, one of which shows 91 MPH. It's not out of the realm of possibility that Slowey was rearing back for a little extra when he got two strikes on a hitter, is it? Because I was watching the game, and that's what he appeared to be doing. If you think the pitch he K'd Soto on was 88 MPH's well...

Submitted by The E-Man
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 10:18pm

According to Bruce Levine reports Scales optioned for Harden.

Unfortunately, Aaron Miles will still be onthe team.

sigh...

Submitted by carlosrubi
on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 10:40pm

At least we're not the Mets. Really. That game was classic 2006 Cubs, wasn't it?

Submitted by toonsterwu
on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 12:15am

Looks like Tony Thomas is heating up a bit again. Casey Coleman has been awesome this year. Starlin Castro keeps churning along - still a work in progress but boy, he sure doesn't get enough attention, imo, from general minor league fans. I hope Rosa is heating up, 3 game hitting streak, 6 out of the last 8. 2 solid starts from Bristow is a nice sign.

Submitted by Charlie
on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 1:10am

I'd prefer that fans and the organization not get too excited about him. Then he can come out of nowhere in four years.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 7:43am

Thomas has K'd 7 times against no HR's and no BB's the last 4 games. Him heating up is just an illusion. 56K's in 213 At bats is not good.

Submitted by toonsterwu
on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 8:38am

don't disagree ... the strike zone judgment collapse has been quite disappointing, considering how he started the year.

Submitted by Cubster
on Sat, 06/13/2009 - 8:02am

so with Harden back at least we have someone on the pitching staff who can pinch run...

oy.

Submitted by Tito
on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 2:27pm

Yes, I said they looked easily catchable. The assumption there is "by a major leaguer" not "by a guy on a message board."

Is it somehow a stretch to say a couple of balls Bradley dived for and missed looked easily catchable for a major league OF?

I guess I need to be more clear for the likes of you. These were not "Reed Johnson in D.C., full-extension, be lucky if you caught it" plays. These were plays where the dives were ill-timed, even awkward-looking but still getting there in plenty of time and the ball clanking off his glove. So yeah, in my mind, easily catchable. Guaranteed catchable? OK, maybe not. But easily catchable. I wish I had the time/inclination to somehow search through all of Bradley's plays to show you what I meant. But I don't. It's anecdotal, and if others see it differently, so be it. It was an innocuous comment based on having seen Bradley miss at least two plays. I didn't see the diving catch in Houston that Rob mentioned, which I'm sure was a thing of beauty.

X
You may login with either your assigned username or your e-mail address.
The password field is case sensitive.
Loading