Game Thread: Cubs (13-15) at Pirates (12-15)

Unbeaten Randy Wells (3-0, 3.45) matches up with lefty Brian Burres (1-1) as the Cubs try to avoid their first sweep at the hands of the Pirates since 2006. Burres comes into the game with an ERA of 6.00, i.e., about 7 runs per game lower than Charlie Morton, who frustrated the Cubs last night.

A couple wrinkles in the Cubs batting order tonight (aren't there always?):

Cubs: Theriot 6, Byrd 8, Lee 3, Nady 9, Ramirez 5, Soriano 7, Soto 2, Baker 8, Wells 1

Pirates: Iwamura 4, LaRoche 5, McCutchen 8, Jones 3, Doumit 2, Church 9, Milledge 7, Cedeno 7, Burres 1

Finally, this interesting, depressing tweet from @CarrieMuskat: "#Cubs batting .251 on road, but if subtract Milw series 4/23-25 stats, they're only hitting .220 away from Wrigley."

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Game preview
Submitted by Cubnut on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 3:19pm
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Comments

Submitted by jacos
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 3:23pm

Soriano is on a tear and you bat Nady 4th?

Nice managing there Lou.

Submitted by Cubnut
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 3:29pm

Thing is, they ought to be able to hit Wells leadoff and still beat this guy.

I had to laugh at Lou moving Ramirez up to 5th after that one-night purgatory in the 6th spot. I guess that sac fly last night was really persuasive.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 3:42pm

I think it has more to do with moving Soriano back to where he was than with moving Aramis up.

I can see why Colvin and Fukudome are sitting though, because the 250 .308 .500 that Colvin is batting against lefties doesn't match up to Nady's powerful .136 .208 .273.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I am really enjoying losing these games so we don't risk Colvin's tender ego. Do you suppose he has Trammel tell him how great he is as the three of them sit on the bench and watch Nady foul out?

Submitted by crunch
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 3:51pm

colvin and his 10 plate appearances per week...dusty hates kids.

and what is dusty doing with the middle of the lineup? and when is dusty going to realize dlee isn't a #3 hitter this year? what's up with burying soriano while proping aram? and why did dusty kick muh dog and make it up n' die?

only him...

bring on the next 3+million dollar manager. i hear lou pinella might be out there. ever see how he yells at umpires? now, that's a guy who won't take no crap and gets the best out of his players. we need a change!

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 4:13pm

Do you suppose he complains to other coaches "I can't figure out why we're not scoring runs - I mean I am batting the guy with the .500 OBP 8th, and my 3-5 hitters are hitting .200. What else can I do?!"

Maybe you're right - all these guys are equally stupid. At least Dusty didn't insist on keeping the kids on the roster so he could bench them for no reason.

Submitted by Ahone Ahtwo Ahthree
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 4:32pm

I just looked at the schedule of games we have already played (28 so far) and realized that we have never been over .500 so far this season... And with the schedule we've had so far? WOW!!

Submitted by crunch
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 4:49pm

i'm just playing around anyway.

beyond the ways a manager uses to not have players kill each other while working for 200+ days a year a lot are just pretty damn similar. some people do that with a hugs-and-candy lockerroom and some do that putting up with serious static in the clubhouse without it spilling out on the field (RIP Billy Martin).

there is no reason on this planet joe torre should make the money he does (or has in the past). this guy runs 5-7+m a year.

this ain't football. they're not sitting around with a crew of trusted coaches creating massive playbooks even if they are exploiting weaknesses of the other team. we all know the game can almost run itself with only a few variations as far the actual in-game strategy goes. we might not (and generally don't) get everything the way we'd do it in a game, but for the most part things follow a general logical flow.

Submitted by Rob Richardson
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 4:26pm

Including number one with a bullet!

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?c...

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 5:06pm

Not a terribly good article, in that these contracts are being viewed through the present market's eyes rather than when they were signed. If the economy rebounds and attendance and TV contracts go on the upswing, then these contracts will be moveable.

Submitted by crunch
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 6:10pm

yesterday's attendance: 11,053
tuesday's attendance: 10,972

wow. i know it's PIT and all, but wow. these were both good weather games, too.

Submitted by crunch
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 6:15pm

randy wells, 8 pitches, 8 balls, 2 walks...0 outs.

Submitted by crunch
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 6:25pm

this game is dildos...

1 out in the 1st...man on 2nd...cubs down 0-5

awesome.

Submitted by Cubster
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 6:27pm

and we're facing some rookie pitcher who we're making look like Cy Young.

Submitted by The E-Man
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 7:18pm

Cubs all-time against rookie pitchers: 276-493

Submitted by rokfish
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 7:42pm

The cubs are doing a great job lowering Pirates team era,what are the chances we face Cy Young three nites in a row.

Submitted by Ahone Ahtwo Ahthree
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 8:31pm

Wow, we have 5 regulars hitting .320 or higher and none of them are in the 3-4-5 slots in our lineup... move the guys who are currently producing (Soriano, Byrd and Soto) into the RBI slots now and then move them back down when Lee and Ramirez start hitting. You might as well try something that makes sense, Lou!

Submitted by crunch
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 8:26pm

a soriano no-hop catch on a pop-fly he camped under...neat.

why the hell am i still watching this?

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 8:31pm

why the hell am i still watching this?

Masochism?

Submitted by Old and Blue
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 8:28pm

Now what, Lou?

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 8:31pm

Dear Cubs. It's not working. Try something else.

Submitted by The E-Man
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 8:52pm

"What can I say?"

"Go ask the players."

"We'll have some surprises for you..."

Submitted by jacos
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 9:37pm

Lou is anything but suprising.

Submitted by Ryno
on Fri, 05/07/2010 - 8:03am

"We'll have some surprises for you..."

Clearly the only course of action for the Cubs is to trade Derrek Lee for Jack Cust.

Submitted by Cubster
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 9:04pm

We'll have some surprises for you..."
---
Iowa manager on a flight from New Orleans to Cincy?

Lou starts him at 2B tonorrow?

Submitted by Cubster
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 9:30pm

surprises?
---
Iowa: Caridad gets a loss as he gives up a solo HR to put New Orleans Zephyrs in the lead 2-1. Darwin Barney has two more hits to get his avg over .300. Yep, he'll be ready this weekend.

Tenn, looks like a doubleheader split: Cashner pitches5.2 innings and a 2 hit shutout, 3 BB, 8 K's in a 5-0 win. In game one, Castro goes 2 for 3 including his fifth triple, .376

Submitted by QuietMan
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 10:38pm

Landmarks commission approves it. Still needs further approval.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-m...

Sorry, if this was mentioned earlier.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 05/06/2010 - 11:48pm

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Ahq8McP...

“The process has started. We’re together with Milton and his agency group and we’re forming a partnership to help him get through this thing,” Zduriencik said. “The timeframe has yet to be determined. I don’t know the answer to this because I’m not a professional in this field.”

Submitted by Cubster
on Fri, 05/07/2010 - 4:57am

late last night, LaTroy Hawkins fell to 0-3 after...

giving up a walk-off Grand Salami to Andre Ethier.

Hawkins in the 9th = Big bang theory

or

the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Submitted by Cubster
on Fri, 05/07/2010 - 5:04am

the more things change, the more they stay the same...
---
Ol' #22 speaketh...been there, done that:

"Obviously,” Mark Prior said, “this is all eerily similar.”

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/may/0...

Submitted by jacos
on Fri, 05/07/2010 - 8:22am

So last time Pirates swept Cubs was in 2006. Dusty's last year. How appropriate for Lou.

Did Pirates sweep Cubs in Baylor's last year?

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Fri, 05/07/2010 - 8:42am

Probably several times.

I suddenly don't want Ryno to be manager, because then I am going to grow to hate him too.

Submitted by jacos
on Fri, 05/07/2010 - 8:49am

Baylor was there for half of 2002, but Cubs got swept two game series by Pirates in April.

~a reach I know~

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