Archive - Jul 23, 2008
The Signs Point To A Cub Victory
Submitted by Cubnut on Wed, 07/23/2008 - 11:30pm.
- Alfonso Soriano returning to the lineup with an RBI and a double; Alfonso Soriano returning to the lineup, period
- Mark DeRosa being able to leave his outfielder's glove in the locker room
- Derrek Lee hitting his first home run in more than a month
- Aramis Ramirez and Geovany Soto breaking their respective 0-for-forever hitless streaks
- Kosuke Fukudome walking three times
- Ted Lilly sliding into third base without breaking his leg or his neck
- Carlos Marmol snapping off some nasty sliders and working a scoreless ninth inning (I choose to overlook the double, the base on balls, and the fact that on Thursday, Kerry Wood will be off to meet another hand specialist and probably get a new ointment prescription)
- Ronny Cedeno striking out as a pinch hitter on a head-high pitch—the familiarity of it is comforting
Game 101 Thread / Cubs @ Diamondbacks (3 of 3)
Submitted by Rob G. on Wed, 07/23/2008 - 6:13pm.
Game Chat | Press Pass | BR Preview
| SP | *Ted Lilly |
SP |
*Doug Davis |
| 9-6, 4.49 ERA, 114 K, 43 BB, 122.1 IP |
3-4, 4.14 ERA, 61 K, 38 BB, 74 IP | ||
| LF | Alfonso Soriano |
SS | *Stephen Drew |
| SS | Ryan Theriot | 2B | #Augie Ojeda |
| 1B |
Derrek Lee | LF |
Conor Jackson |
| 3B |
Aramis Ramirez | 3B |
Mark Reynolds |
| C |
Geovany Soto | CF | Chris Young |
| RF | *Kosuke Fukudome | 1B | *Tony Clark |
| 2B |
Mark DeRosa | C | Chris Snyder |
| CF |
Reed Johnson |
RF | Chris Burke |
| P |
*Ted Lilly |
P | *Doug Davis |
Before the game, the Cubs activated Alfonso Soriano and Scott Eyre and demoted Kevin Hart and Micah Hoffpauir. May your bat be blessed with many a run-scoring hit, Mr. Soriano.
During the game, Lilly and Davis will face-off again after their epic Game 2 duel from last October. May you not throw down your glove in anger this time around, Mr. Lilly.
Please win!
Slumpbuster
Submitted by Rob G. on Wed, 07/23/2008 - 7:45am.
Top of the 7th, two on and two out and Derrek Lee steps up to the plate and I'm thinking to myself, "Well, at least he can't hit into a double play here". (Sigh).
The Cubs find themselves just one game ahead in the Central and their offense hasn't been able to buy, rent or even lease a big hit. Besides hoping for the comforts of Wrigley, I'm not sure what they can do to get out of this funk. I'm usually not a big fan of catering to the hot hand, when that hot hand usually doesn't do much, but it might be time to let Mike Fontenot move up to the two spot for a few games until he cools off. His 1.240 OPS in July needs to be somewhere where it can do a little more damage and Fukudome and his .555 July OPS can figure out why he's no longer awesome at the bottom of the order.
Otherwise, I think the a team-wide slumpbuster (see definition #3) might be in order. My source at Sky Harbor airport is keeping an eye out to see if Rosie O'Donnell, Kirstie Alley, and Camryn Manheim show up for a little team remedy.
