The Easter Bunny comes early to Wrigley Field

 

This was truly an enjoyable afternoon of Cubs vs Dodgers action at Wrigley Field, although some of the stuff I saw didn't make sense in the real world.

Like when the Easter Bunny hopped up in the chair next to me.


"Watch this." he said in the 3rd, "Barney and Byrd are gonna double steal."
They did. 
"Do you believe that?" says Easter Bunny.
"No." I say. 

In the top of the 5th, Ryan Dempster did not look good at all, giving up homers to Blake and Kemp and now the Cubs' lead was only one. And I'm thinking probably Dempster is done.
But in the bottom half, there are two out and the bases are loaded and WTF?
Dempster comes up to bat? 
That's when the Easter Bunny says, "Don't worry, man. Quade knows what he's doing."
Even the guy in front of me says, "No he doesn't."
And Demp strikes out.
Bunny says, "It's cool. You gotta wait til the 8th."

Which was good because then Demp gives up the tying home run, he's relieved by Sean Mashall, Andre Ethier doubles scoring 2 more and by the end of the 7th the Cubs are down 5-8.

"Okay ya stupid rabbit, it's the 8th." says me.
He goes, "You gotta believe."

Soriano singles, Johnson safely and beautifully bunts, Fukudome walks, Castro singles, Soriano and Reed score, Barney hits a grounder to short and Fukudome scores, Ramirez singles, and freaking Jeff Baker hits a double that drives in Barney and Ramirez and the Cubs win 10-8.

So do I believe in the Easter Bunny?
Well I do now.

The last thing he said as he was hopping away: "If you're reeeaaaaaallllly lucky, I'll hang around til October." 

Submitted by CubbyBlue on Sun, 04/24/2011 - 12:34pm

Comments

Submitted by crunch
on Sun, 04/24/2011 - 1:29pm

3-0, 0 outs in the top 1st. men on 2nd/3rd.

go Z go.

Submitted by crunch
on Sun, 04/24/2011 - 1:34pm

3 outs later...5-0.

Submitted by navigator
on Sun, 04/24/2011 - 1:50pm

what's yer point?

Submitted by crunch
on Sun, 04/24/2011 - 1:51pm

12er in 4 games vs. 5er in 1 inning, mostly.

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Sun, 04/24/2011 - 1:50pm

We're chasing so many outside pitches off Kuroda.

Submitted by JoePepitone
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 3:52am

The Bunny, the bunny,
Yeah I love the bunny
I gave everything that I had for the bunny...

Submitted by Old and Blue
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 10:22am

Project .500 really has become quite the success, with the goofy .500 record the Cubs have managed to get into the books. If they win tonight their new, impressive record will be Maris-like. Er, wait. Never mind.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 10:54am

..and hopefully The Farm System will get his first win as a Cub tonight.

Submitted by crunch
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 12:02pm

it was just archer, a 19 year old SS, and some spare parts.

at least "the farm system" should lead MLB in Ks after the night is over.

btw, 3 games for archer so far...

12.2ip 21h 6bb 12k 6.39era...and "1/2 the farm" is still looking for his 1st win.

odd he's giving up so many hits. he didn't walk anyone in his last outing, but he gave up 10 hits in 4ip. he's yet to throw 5ip. he goes again tonight, fwiw.

Submitted by Old and Blue
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 12:30pm

haven't had a chance to get on this site much lately, but that's a great nickname

Submitted by Eric S
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 12:45pm

The Farm System reminds me of the Rich Harden experience so far, 5-6 innings of Ks and then get the hell off the mound (substitute electric slider for Harden's changeup)

Submitted by SheffieldCornelia
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 2:15pm

This is something that needs to change, pronto, for all of the Cubs starters. Hard to win ballgames consistently when the pen throws 4 or 5 innings per game.

Also, it's absolutely inexplicable that they've allowed James Russell to make 2 starts on a reliever's pitch count.

Submitted by Dr. aaron b
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 2:48pm

Totally agree about Russell. Coello and Diamond are on the 40 man. 2 open spots means that ABD, Ortiz, Wellemeyer, Doug Davis or whoever can be brought up to pitch.

How can a team with 130 in Payroll just punt 3 games by using the bullpen starter method?

Submitted by QuietMan
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 4:12pm

1 spot open on the 40 man. Brian Schlitter was returned to it.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 12:52pm

2 blown saves by Marmol this year against Pirates and Padres

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 1:16pm

You mean the worst two offenses in the league, Pirates and Padres?

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 1:21pm

yes, Marmol blew 2 saves against the two worst offenses in the league at the moment costing Garza 2 wins.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 1:55pm

Really he should be 4-0 then, since the Cubs offense blew those other games.

So, maybe The Farm System will not get knocked around by a decent hitting team tonight, and get his first win.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 2:32pm

I'd say 2-1 or 2-2, the 0-2 pitches he threw to Fielder were all his own doing.

Rockie game is 50/50, Byrd should have caught the ball that led to the first 4 runs (one run would have still scored), but he still might have loss since the offense got shutout.

a guy with 34 K/8 BB/0 HR in 24.2 IP with a near 5.00 ERA and .471 BABIP is a guy I'd be picking up in all my fantasy leagues.

Submitted by Ryno
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 2:37pm

Thanks for the reminder about that. He threw some boneheaded pitches to Fielder. And also, Fielder was really mashing that night.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 12:40pm

+31, +13, +17, -23, -24, -26

guess which group the Cubs are in ?

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 12:43pm

Cubs are 14th in Runs allowed per game, 10th in Runs Scored per game, 15th in defensive efficiency

Submitted by Ryno
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 2:38pm

In the NL or MLB? Hopefully MLB.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 2:50pm

NL, I almost never do MLB numbers

Submitted by Ryno
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 2:55pm

In that case... *puke*

Submitted by navigator
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 3:31pm

Cubs are 1st in all of MLB in BABIP at (.331) but the Cubs pitching has a BABIP against of (.341)

The Cubs have 5 stolen bases, Sam Fuld has 10 (leads the major leagues).

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 12:48pm

Fukudome's Mr. April line

415/529/439 (968 OPS) with 1 XBH, 10 BB to 5 K

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 1:14pm

Despite post #11, I like our chances if Fukudome continues on at that rate.

Submitted by SheffieldCornelia
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 2:13pm

That's always been Fukudome's problem..."if Fukudome continues on at that rate" never comes true.

Submitted by Ryno
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 2:39pm

Believe.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 3:30pm

I don't know about that.... I really think he's figured it out this year. I like his chances to have the 7th best OBP of all time . He would slot nicely there right between Babe Ruth and Barry Bonds on the list.

Submitted by navigator
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 3:34pm

Q-Ball has parlayed all this FukeOBP into 3 runs.

Submitted by jacos
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 3:38pm

He looks thicker this year, and not the good kind.

Submitted by VirginiaPhil
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 5:38pm

I'm curious, is there another hitter whose hits are 94% singles?

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 6:15pm

over the course of 52 PA's? probably.

Submitted by crunch
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 6:22pm

over/under on d.barney finishing the season with a higher ob% than slugging %

=p

Submitted by Dr. aaron b
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 6:25pm

over/under odds that his OPS is under .670 at season's end?

Submitted by crunch
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 6:29pm

im impressed at what the guy is doing, but im a little weirded out we got theriot back...in 2nd baseman form...

at least d.barney can field...and play SS, too...

either way, having him around the next 3+ seasons for next to nothing is nice.

Submitted by Dr. aaron b
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 8:14pm

He should be a utility guy. At least Mike Fontenot offered a little power. Barney is going to have to hit .330 to be an offensive benefit.

Submitted by JoePepitone
on Tue, 04/26/2011 - 1:59am

"over/under on d.barney finishing the season with a higher ob% than slugging %"

Of course, Barney hit his first home run of the year almost immediately after that was written.

Submitted by crunch
on Tue, 04/26/2011 - 11:51am

that's happened to me twice in the past week or so...

that said, over/under on 5 cubs hitting at least 25HR. and uh...over/under on 4 15-game winners for the cubs. and umm...i want a pony.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 7:00pm

Marlon Byrd managed to go 22 PAs before his first XBH, and aside one game he hasn't walked all year.

Submitted by VirginiaPhil
on Tue, 04/26/2011 - 1:23pm

If your point is that even a slugger can go a long time between XBH'es, Byrd is no slugger. His swing is so truncated . . . one of these days, he'll swing at strike three and the ump will say, No, he checked it in time. Byrd has to pump iron all winter to even hit a double.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 2:56pm

Is Aramis hurt?

RF Fukudome, 2B Barney, SS Castro, 3B Baker, 1B Pena, CF Byrd, LF Soriano, C Soto, P Garza,

Esmil Rogers (a righty) going for Rockies

Garza needs no worse than 1 ER in 7 IP to get his ERA under 4.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 3:27pm

Don't know on Aramis, but it's probably just a day off. 3K's over the last two days just about doubling his season total.

Submitted by jacos
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 3:35pm

Rest

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/sports/c...

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 3:38pm

So Baker batting 4th against a rightly is actually a voluntary decision?

guess it don't matter, Cubs are 10-11, games already been won.

Submitted by Newport
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 5:46pm

That's the dumbest ass lineup I've ever seen. Would make as much sense to do it backwards....or random.

Submitted by crunch
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 3:39pm

baker hitting 4th. the guy leading the club in HR hitting 7th (t.colvin with the 2nd most HR...at 2). soto bringing up the 8 hole...

neat.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 3:42pm

Fowler8, Herrera4, Gonzalez7, Tulowitzki6, Helton3, Smith9, Lopez5, Iannetta2, Rogers1

and

Esmil Rogers, facing the #Cubs for the 1st time, hasn’t allowed a single HR in his last 13 outings on the road (7 starts).

Submitted by navigator
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 4:45pm

That's OK, the Cubs don't hit home runs off anyone.

Submitted by Ryno
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 5:20pm

It's a small-ball team that doesn't bunt often and doesnt steal many bases.

Submitted by jacos
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 6:52pm

ha

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 04/25/2011 - 6:21pm

light rain suppose to be falling throughout...

at least Garza can't complain about it being dry

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