Cubnut's Archives
Game 14 Thread / Reds @ Cubs (2 of 3)
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SP | Josh Fogg |
SP |
Carlos Zambrano |
1-1, 7.00, 6 K, 3 BB | |
1-1, 3.20, 18 K, 2 BB | |
CF | *Corey Patterson | 2B |
*Mike Fontenot |
SS |
Jeff Keppinger | SS |
Ryan Theriot |
RF |
*Ken Griffey |
1B |
Derrek Lee |
2B |
Brandon Phillips | 3B |
Aramis Ramirez |
LF |
*Adam Dunn | RF |
*Kosuke Fukudome |
3B |
Edwin Encarnacion | LF |
Mark DeRosa |
1B |
*Joey Votto | C |
Geovany Soto |
C | #Javier Valentin | CF |
Reed Johnson |
P |
Josh Fogg | P | #Carlos Zambrano |
As reported by the Trib's Paul Sullivan, the Soriano-less Cubs will have Mike Fontenot leading off, Mark DeRosa will be manning left field, and Eric Patterson will be in the wings. (This will be the first time in Fontenot's Major League career he has been penciled into the leadoff spot.)
As for E-Pat, he was hitting just .222 at Triple-A, with 1 HR, 3 RBI and 12 K/3 BB in 36 at-bats for the I-Cubs. He stole one base.
Tonight's head-scratchers and eye-openers:
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Soriano Out; E-Pat In
Wrigley Field will be drowning in Pattersons tonight as the Cubs' Eric will be in the dugout opposite the Reds' Corey. E-Pat has been called up from Triple-A Iowa as Alfonso Soriano and his strained right calf muscle go on the 15-day DL.
More momentarily in the Gameday Thread.
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Bigger Than "The Thrilla In Manilla" or "The Rumble In The Jungle," It's "The Reunion At Wrigley!"
Do you remember that supercharged night back in 1999 when former Cub manager Jim Lefebvre, then manager of the Brewers, returned to Wrigley Field for the first time as skipper of another club, in a much anticipated showdown with Jim Riggleman?
I don't either.
But Johnnie B. Baker, Jr., is no Jim Lefebvre, and Lou Piniella is no Jim Riggleman. These guys are managerial heavyweights, and as much as Baker and Piniella claim there is nothing special about Baker's return to Wrigley beside the fact that both the Reds and Cubs will be trying to get a leg up on an NL Central rival, we all know much, much better.
Here, then, is a comparison to help you distinguish the combatants:
Cubs Hits Of The Week (For the Week of 4/7 through 4/13)
The five hits that did the most to enhance the Cubs' chance of winning during the past, exhausting, extra-inning-filled week, as measured by FanGraphs' Win Probability Added (WPA):
#5 Big Hit: Sunday v. Philadelphia, 3rd inning--Derrek Lee socked a two-run double off 67-year-old Jamie Moyer to give the Cubs a 3-1 lead they would eventually surrender. WPA .182
Game 12 Thread / Cubs @ Philllies (3 of 3)
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SP | Jason Marquis |
SP |
*Jamie Moyer |
0-0, 6.75, 2 K, 1 BB | |
1-0, 4.66, 4 K, 4 BB | |
LF | Alfonso Soriano | RF | *Geoff Jenkins |
CF |
Reed Johnson | CF |
Jayson Werth |
1B |
Derrek Lee | 2B |
*Chase Utley |
3B |
Aramis Ramirez | 1B |
*Ryan Howard |
RF |
*Kosuke Fukudome | LF |
Pat Burrell |
2B |
Mark DeRosa | 3B |
Pedro Feliz |
SS | Ryan Theriot | C |
Chris Coste |
C | Henry Blanco | SS |
Eric Bruntlett |
P |
*Jason Marquis | P | *Jamie Moyer |
Marquis was bypassed in the rotation on Friday because of a strep throat. His only 2008 appearance was last Saturday, when he pitched 5 1/3 very bumpy innings against the Astros (8 hits, a walk and 4 ER). He's 4-3, 4.64 lifetime against the Phils and beat them last year in his only start against Philly since joining the Cubs.
Moyer pitched for Lou Piniella's Seattle teams and went 98-48 between 1996 and 2002. He actually had two stints with the Cubs. After they released him in the spring of '92, the Cubs were kind enough to offer him a coaching job within the organization.
He has gone on to win 197 Major League games since then.
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Game 11 Thread / Cubs @ Phillies (2 of 3)
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SP | Ted Lilly |
SP |
*Cole Hamels |
0-1, 9.72, 5 K, 2 BB | |
1-1, 1.20, 10 K, 5 BB | |
LF | Alfonso Soriano | CF | #Shane Victorino |
CF |
Reed Johnson | RF |
Jayson Werth |
1B |
Derrek Lee | 2B |
*Chase Utley |
3B |
Aramis Ramirez | 1B |
*Ryan Howard |
C |
Geovany Soto | LF |
Pat Burrell |
RF |
Mark DeRosa | 3B |
Pedro Feliz |
2B | Ronny Cedeno | C |
Carlos Ruiz |
SS | Ryan Theriot | SS |
Eric Bruntlett |
P |
*Ted Lilly | P | *Cole Hamels |
Lilly is coming off his shortest outing as a Cub, that is, in games that weren't meaningless end-of-season affairs or didn't involve his getting a quick thumb from the home plate umpire. In Monday's game, you'll recall, the Cubs staked Lilly to a 7-0 lead, then the lefty couldn't make it out of the fourth inning. Eventually the Cubs won 10-8 in 12 innings. Thank God for Jon Lieber and Evan Meek.
From the cubs.com report about the outing:
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Dusty Baker—Doing It for the Kids
According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Dusty Baker may juggle the Red Legs' pitching rotation heading into next week's visit to Wrigley Field.
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Game 8 Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (2 of 3)
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SP | Ryan Dempster | SP |
*Zach Duke |
1-0, 1.50, 5 K, 2 BB | |
0-0, 3.18, 1 K, 1 BB | |
LF | Alfonso Soriano | CF |
*Nate McLouth |
CF |
Reed Johnson | 2B |
Freddy Sanchez |
1B |
Derrek Lee | LF |
Jason Bay |
3B |
Aramis Ramirez | 1B |
*Adam LaRoche |
RF |
*Kosuke Fukudome | RF |
Xavier Nady |
2B |
Mark DeRosa | C |
#Ryan Doumit |
C | Geovany Soto | 3B |
Jose Bautista |
SS | Ronny Cedeno | SS |
Brian Bixler |
P |
Ryan Dempster | P | *Zach Duke |
It's true--the Cubs are unbeaten this season in games started by Ryan Dempster and Jason Marquis. (I know, we're talking about two games, but still, I'm pleasantly surprised.)
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Closure For Billy Buck?
Former Cub Bill Buckner threw out the first pitch before the Red Sox home opener Tuesday against the Tigers. In a tearful press conference--lot of that going around this week--Buckner said he had finally been able to forgive the media for the brutal treatment he and his family had received following Buckner's fateful error in Game Six of the Sox' 1986 World Series loss to the Mets.
For a whole generation of fans, Buckner's connection to that Mookie Wilson-hit ground ball has obscured the fact that the guy was a terrific baseball player. The onetime Dodger played seven full seasons on the North Side after the Cubs had acquired him and Ivan DeJesus in a January, 1977 trade for Rick Monday.
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Cubs Hits Of The Week (For The Week Ending 4/5)
The five hits that did the most to enhance the Cubs' chance of winning this week, as measured by FanGraphs' Win Probability Added (WPA):
#5 Big Hit: Saturday v. Houston, 3rd inning--Derrek Lee cracks a solo home run off Roy Oswalt to tie the Astros, 2-2. Lee would later employ his game-tying skills to more good use. (See #4 Big Hit.) WPA .120
Game 5 Thread / Astros @ Cubs (2 of 3)
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SP | Roy Oswalt |
SP |
Jason Marquis |
(2008) |
0-1, 5.06, 6 K, 1 BB |
(2007) | 12-9, 4.60 |
CF | *Michael Bourn |
LF | Alfonso Soriano |
RF |
Hunter Pence |
CF |
Reed Johnson |
1B |
#Lance Berkman |
1B |
Derrek Lee |
LF |
Carlos Lee |
3B |
Aramis Ramirez |
SS |
Miguel Tejada | RF |
*Kosuke Fukudome |
3B |
Ty Wigginton | 2B |
Mark DeRosa |
2B | Mark Loretta | C | Geovany Soto |
C | Brad Ausmus | SS |
Ryan Theriot |
P |
Roy Oswalt |
P | *Jason Marquis |
So here's where we are:
The Cubs need to win a game started by Roy Oswalt or be assured of having lost the season's first two series, at home, to division rivals Milwaukee and Houston.
Yeeech!
The good news is, the Cubs have had at least a few productive offensive games against Oswalt (11-10, 3.97 lifetime v. Cubs), which is more than they can say about their encounters with Chris Sampson.
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Game 4 Thread / Astros @ Cubs (1 of 3)
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SP | Chris Sampson |
SP |
Rich Hill |
(2007) |
7-8, 4.59 |
(2007) | 11-8, 3.92 |
CF | *Michael Bourn |
LF | Alfonso Soriano |
RF |
Hunter Pence |
SS |
Ryan Theriot |
1B |
#Lance Berkman |
1B |
Derrek Lee |
LF |
Carlos Lee |
3B |
Aramis Ramirez |
SS |
Miguel Tejada | RF |
*Kosuke Fukudome |
3B |
Ty Wigginton | 2B |
Mark DeRosa |
2B | Mark Loretta | C | Geovany Soto |
C | J.R. Towles | CF |
*Felix Pie |
P |
Chris Sampson |
P | *Rich Hill |
Profiling the Astros:
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Game 2 Thread / Brewers @ Cubs (2 of 3)
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SP |
Jeff Suppan |
SP |
Ted Lilly |
(2007) |
12-12, 4.62 |
(2007) | 15-8, 3.83 |
2B | Rickie Weeks |
SS |
Ryan Theriot |
CF |
Gabe Kapler |
LF |
Alfonso Soriano |
1B |
*Prince Fielder |
1B |
Derrek Lee |
LF |
Ryan Braun |
3B |
Aramis Ramirez |
3B |
Bill Hall | RF |
*Kosuke Fukudome |
RF |
Corey Hart |
2B |
Mark DeRosa |
SS | JJ Hardy |
C | Geovany Soto |
P | Jeff Suppan |
CF |
*Felix Pie |
C |
Jason Kendall |
P | *Ted Lilly |
The sun is shining over Lakeview, The Cub Reporter made it through April Fool's Day without hearing from a single corporate attorney, and the Cubs are only one game out of first. A good day to be alive.
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Fukudome's First Was Fabulous, But He's No Kaz Matsui
Kosuke Fukudome's Cub debut was so riveting Monday afternoon, it was almost enough to distract from Kerry Wood's ninth-inning failure and the larger disappointment of losing the opener to the Brewers.
But terrific as it was, Fukudome's plate performance didn't quite match up to what one of his countrymen, Kaz Matsui, did when he first took the field for the Mets four years ago. On that evening, Matsui slugged the first pitch in his Major League career 429 feet, well over the center field fence in Atlanta's Turner Field, and set his new team off on a 7-2 season-opening victory. In addition to the homer, Matsui ripped a pair of doubles and walked twice, so he reached base five times in five PA's.
Given the way Matsui eventually stunk up New York, it could be argued that his Met career went straight downhill following that first game.
In any case, here's a review of the most prominent Japanese hitters to cross the Pacific and how they fared in their first regular season games on American soil:
It's All About Us: Opening Day 2008 From A Cub Perspective
For an Opening Day loss to a bitter in-division rival in which our ace had to leave the game prematurely, our leadoff man looked overmatched, and our new closer was tagged for three runs in an inning, that was a pretty satisfying game. All the credit goes to you, Kosuke. Thanks.
But former and perhaps future Cubs had a hand in games all across the land, and there were other Cub connections evident on this, the true Opening Day 2008.
Here is a Cub-flavored summary of today's already completed games:
D-Backs 4, Reds 2. Dusty loses his first game in the Cincy dugout. Corey Patterson goes 0-for-4, but doesn't strike out. Not once. In the whole game.
Nats 11, Phillies 6. Following their one-game home series against the Braves, the Nationals traveled to Philadelphia to play the Phils. I can't find any way to connect this game to the Cubs, except for the fact that scheduling a Cubs-Brewers game in Chicago in late March when there's a perfectly adequate domed stadium 90 miles north of Chicago is asinine...much like scheduling the Nationals for a one-game home stand and then sending them on the road.
Recent comments
Childersb3 (view)
Things I've been wrong about:
-Tauchman is fine as a 4th OF. I knew that. I just want a better LH DH option and he was really the DH for us until Seiya got hurt. I'm glad Mervis is getting a chance at it. Caissie is coming for that job for sure. But Tauchman continues to be highly useful as a 4th OF with Seiya being hurt
-I wanted Yency to go to get guys at Iowa a chance. Guys like Palencia and Sanders or RileyT. Maybe even Hodge! But Yency has been better the last two plus weeks. He did hit 96 the other day. He was 93 in Texas to open the season.
-Leiter has his split working enough. It just needs to stay there
-I was surprised Jed picked Wisdom over Cooper. I wonder if this happens if Seiya wasn't hurt. Wisdom has more power. Cooper is the better hitter. Jed picked Wisdom and Wisdom had an option left as well.
-Palencia just doesn't miss enough bats. Similar to ManRod, just two yrs younger. ManRod is killing AAA for TB right now!
Things I got right so far:
-Hendricks. Sorry Kyle. You got paid though!
Jed, you missed there.
-Smyly. If Jed could've traded him before or during ST, then he should have and saved some cash.
-Mastro. Not a LH DH. Pinch runner. Defensive utility. Maybe he's better than Madrigal but didn't get a legit chance to prove it.
-Luke Little is good. He's had one bad outing. That's it. Needs to get better entering with guys on base. But he needs to stay in MLB.
-Oh yeah....Morel is doing fine at 3B! He'll get better as well!!
crunch (view)
bellinger "right rib contusion"
Childersb3 (view)
South Bend just lost the lead in the bottom of the 9th on the weirdest scenario, ever.
It's absolutely pouring rain....men on 1st and 2nd, 1out....JPatterson asks for a new ball, but no time out was called....he throws the old ball toward the dugout (not sure if it rolled out of play).....the ump declares the runners get two bases each so one run scores. Then a single up the middle ties the game.
The rain was coming down in buckets at this point.
Just weird
crunch (view)
...and bellinger is gone in the 7th because of that 2nd blown chance and the wall he bounced off of...
hopefully his rib cage/shoulder feels better tomorrow, we just got happ back.
Childersb3 (view)
Phil,
Any thoughts on Y. Rojas' stuff and Y. Melendez's game (I believe I've asked about him before, sorry)?
crunch (view)
wow, things are moving fast. hopefully it continues.
crunch (view)
morel with 4 clean plays in 4 innings...showed off his 100000000mph arm a couple times.
cody bellinger not having a good 4th, though...5 run leads are handy when your CF is making your pitcher have a 5-out inning. 2nd blown chance was ruled a hit even though it went in/out of his glove...1st was lost in the lights, also ruled a hit.
crunch (view)
welcome back happ! double off the wall 1st PA back.
crunch (view)
oh yeah, totally, i was just chiming about why i fan like i fan.
i would like nothing more than hendricks to keep on hendricks'ing. guys with his stuff can throw for a long, long time as long as it works.
he velocity is actually up a minor amount this year. it's really "damn" when a guy like him not only has gas in the tank, but it's looking like it was years ago. he added a curve a few years ago and it helped a little bit, but he's throwing it less and less while the fb/change combo are less effective.
Alexander Dimm (view)
CRUNCH—There is no one person in this community I’m talking about. My remarks were not directed at you or anyone, but at a tone I’ve noticed lately.
You have a great, dry sense of humor and there is thought behind your comments. You and I don’t always agree but I always understand your position.
Lastly, and I’ll be quiet, I agree with you on Hendricks. We can dislike the recent performance but still love the guy. Lots of questions about his future.