Cub Rally Falls Short at Papago Park

Sean Jamieson and Max Stassi rapped RBI triples to highlight a three-run 1st inning and RBI singles to key a four-run 2nd, and Jordan Tripp and A. J. Kirby-Jones slugged solo home runs to provide the eventual margin of victory, as the Athletics withstood a late rally to edge the Cubs 10-9 in AZ Instructional League action at Connie Mack Field at the Papago Park Baseball Complex in Phoenix this morning.


The Cubs took a brief 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning, as lead-off man Rubi Silva lined a single over the shortstop's head, advanced to second on a sac bunt, and scored when the catcher threw the ball into the LF corner on a delayed steal where the third-baseman forgot to cover 3rd.


But Cubs starter Amaury Paulino was battered in the bottom of the 1st, as four of the first five men he faced ripped hits (two singles and two triples) before the young Dominican right-hander settled-down and struck out the last two A’s hitters to strand a runner at 3rd.


Tarlandus Mitchell made his first mound appearance in about five months, taking the hill for the Cubs in the bottom of the 2nd inning. Mitchell induced the first A’s batter he faced to hit a routine two-hopper to 3rd, but third-baseman Jeimer Candelario fumbled the ball for an error. Then after the next two batters were retired (a 5-4 FC and a K), Mitchell fell apart and surrendered four unearned runs on two hits, a walk, and a HBP, while also throwing two wild pitches that moved runners up into scoring position.


LHP Zac Rosscup (on the Daytona Cubs DL since June) pitched the third inning and two outs into the 4th, allowing two runs, including a Jordan Tripp solo HR. Rosscup also pulled the bonehead play of the day, allowing a run to score from 3rd base on a foul pop up out to the first-baseman. The ball came down near the Cubs on deck circle (first-base side) as both 1st baseman Dan Vogelbach and catcher Yaniel Cabezas chased the pop up, but Rosscup forgot to cover home as Sean Jamieson scored easily from 3B. Rosscup was then immediately pulled from the game.


Down 9-3 (with a Micah Gibbs double and a Shawon Dunston, Jr RBI single in the 2nd having plated the Cubs second run, and a Gibbs RBI single following consecutive singles by Yaniel Cabezas and Dan Vogelbach having knocked-in the third run in the 4th), the Cubs mounted a comeback with a five-run 6th off RHP Ryan Doolittle.


Rubi Silva (who had three hits today) roped a single through the box and into CF to lead off the inning, stole 2nd base (his second SB of the day), and, after Yaniel Cabezas walked, scored on a Dan Vogelbach RBI ground single to right. Taiwan Easterling then lined a one-out two-run triple over the centerfielder’s head to drive-in Cabezas and Vogelbach, before scoring on a Micah Gibbs sacrifice fly. Jeimer Candelario kept the inning alive with a two-out opposite-field hump-back single to left, and scored on a line-drive RBI single to right-center by Jeffrey Baez (in what was his U. S. debut). Down 10-8 after A. J. Kirby-Jones took Frank Del Valle deep in the bottom of the 7th, the Cubs scored what would be their final run of the day in the 8th to narrow the deficit to 10-9.


Javier Baez sliced an opposite field double into the RF corner to lead-off the inning, and took third when the A’s second-baseman fumbled the relay throw for an error. After Justin Marra (making his pro debut) struck out swinging (and looked over-matched doing it), Baez raced home on a Carlos Penalver 1-3 ground out (high chopper fielded by the pitcher, with the only play at 1st base). The Cubs then went down 1-2-3 in the 9th.


The defensive gem of the day for the Cubs was a sliding run-saving catch in short left-center (in traffic) by LF Taiwan Easterling. I've seen him make catches like this before, and it's the type of move a punt returner will make when fair-catching a short punt. It's probably fairly easy and comfortable for Easterling to make catches this way, since he did return punts when he played football at Florida State.


Here is today’s abridged box score (Cubs players only):


LINEUP:
1. Rubi Silva, 2B: 3-4 (1B, K, 1B, 1B, 2 R, 2 SB, PO)
2. Javier Baez, DH #1: 1-3 (2-3 SH, K, K, 2B, R)
3a. Yaniel Cabezas, C: 1-1 (BB, 1B, BB, 2 R)
3b. Justin Marra, C: 0-1 (K)
4a. Dan Vogelbach, 1B: 2-3 (K, 1B, 1B, R, RBI)
4b. Carlos Penalver, SS: 0-1 (1-3, RBI)
5. Taiwan Easterling, LF: 1-4 (6-3, K, 3B, 2-3, R, 2 RBI)
6. Micah Gibbs, DH #2: 2-3 (2B, 1B, F-9 SF, 1-3, R, 2 RBI)
7. Jeimer Candelario, 3B-1B: 1-4 (3-1, 6-4-3 DP, 1B, P-6, R)
8a. SLOT WAS SKIPPED 1st TWO TIMES THRU BATTING ORDER
8b. Jeffrey Baez, DH-RF: 1-2 (1B, F-9, RBI)
9. Shawon Dunston, Jr, CF-DH: 1-3 (1B, 3-1, K, RBI, PO)
10. Eliecer Bonne, RF-CF: 0-3 (K, F-9, F-9)
11. Danny Lockhart, SS-3B: 0-3 (4-3, 4-3, 5-3)


PITCHERS:
1. Amaury Paulino: 1.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 25 pitches (17 strikes), 1/0 GO/FO
2. Tarlandus Mitchell: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 4 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 2 WP, 29 pitches (17 strikes), 2/0 GO/FO
3. Zac Rosscup: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 1 GIDP, 30 pitches (17 strikes), 2/2 GO/FO
4. Jose Arias: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 19 pitches (15 strikes), 1/1 GO/FO
5. Frank Del Valle: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 26 pitches (18 strikes), 3/0 GO/FO
6. Andrew McKirahan: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 17 pitches (12 strikes), 0/3 GO/FO


ERRORS: 2
1. 3B Jeimer Candelario - E5 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely)
2. 2B Rubi Silva - E4 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely)


CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Yaniel Cabezas 0-2 CS


ATTENDANCE: 19 (including Shawon Dunston, Sr)


WEATHER: Partly cloudy & breezy, with temperatures in the 90’s

Tags: 
Cubs Minor Leaguers
Micah Gibbs
Taiwan Easterling
Rubi Silva
AZ Instructional League
Submitted by Arizona Phil on Sat, 09/24/2011 - 4:42pm
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Comments

Submitted by John Beasley
on Sat, 09/24/2011 - 9:17pm

Soriano bitchy about hitting 7th. As Rob G. pointed out, he's lucky he even hits at all against righties these days.

http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/701...

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Sat, 09/24/2011 - 11:39pm

Sounds more like he's bitching about getting moved around, which he's always said he didn't like.

Submitted by Charlie
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 12:36am

That's what I thought from the first quote, too. But the quotes that follow sound like he's really annoyed that he's hitting lower in the lineup. He talks about never having hit lower than 6 after his first few seasons.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 1:07am

Cubs 1 game away from the 5th spot in the draft and 1 game away from the 11th spot in the draft...currently in 7th.

No idea how the tiebreakers work.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 1:14am

if wikipedia is to be believed, then the team with the worst record last season would get the higher draft pick.

Cubs in 2010 had a worse record than Padres, A's, Rockies, Marlins

better record than Royals, Pirates, Orioles, Mariners

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 7:56am

Not offense to certain commentors here, but there's a huge shift in value from drafting 5th or 12th in the draft. It's not a fantasy baseball draft, that adds up round after round after round (though there's hopefully a good chance we lose our 2nd and 3rd picks).

Submitted by Charlie
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 10:37am

Isn't there also (more) hopefully a chance that we pick up comp. picks for Ramirez and Pena?

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 10:40am

Probably both type B. AramRam may have gotten to Type A if not for his latest injury.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 11:20am

they're never 100% accurate, but the latest best guesses

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/elias-rankings/

Pena barely a B, Ramirez in the middle of the B rankings, Dempster in the middle of the A rankings

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 12:16pm

They shouldn't offer arbitration to Pena, he might accept it. He's not worth $10 mil and certainly not worth more than $10 mil.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 12:21pm

they can release him during spring training

Submitted by Charlie
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 12:24pm

The fear that he would accept shouldn't stop them from offering, if he does in fact reach type B status. As Rob said, they could release, they could trade him, or they could keep him in the event that they don't sign another 1B (which I'm guessing they won't). I don't have anything against giving LaHair a shot in that case, but you don't just hand a LaHair type the job.

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 12:54pm

Which would be a crap move. Commit to someone or don't. The Players Association will remember b.s. moves like that.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 1:19pm

the MLBPA will forget after the next $100M contract the Cubs give out

None of us know what the Cubs 1b plans are quite yet this offseason, but Boras and Pena would be pretty dumb to accept it if the Cubs are pursuing Fielder and Pujols. They should know they have a better chance of getting a job in the winter than spring training. And I presume the Cubs would let them know what their intentions are.

Submitted by DavidP
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 11:25am

We don't get picks if we don't offer arbitration. And we almost certainly won't offer arbitration.

And I don't believe we CAN offer arbitration to Ramirez. We have a club option, and I believe that precludes arbitration.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 11:28am

I don't think that's true about Ramirez and club options, but I could be wrong.

also, the Cubs can pick up Ramirez's option and have him opt out and then offer arbitration. It saves them a $2M buyout and he's made it clear he's shopping around.

Submitted by Arizona Phil
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 7:25pm

Submitted by DavidP on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 10:25am.
We don't get picks if we don't offer arbitration. And we almost certainly won't offer arbitration.

And I don't believe we CAN offer arbitration to Ramirez. We have a club option, and I believe that precludes arbitration.

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

DAVID P: There is nothing in the CBA or any MLB rule that would prohibit the Cubs from offering arbitration to Aramis Ramirez (and picking up a draft pick if he declines and then signs elsewhere) should he become a free-agent post-2011. And that is whether he becomes a FA as the result of the Cubs declining their $16M 2012 club option and paying the $2M buy-out, or as the result of the Cubs exercising their 2012 club option and then Ramirez opting out.

The ONLY way the Cubs would not be able to offer salary arbitration to Ramirez (and therefore not get a draft pick as compensation if he signs elsewhere) is if there is a specific clause in his contract that prohibits the Cubs from offering arbitration to him should he become a free-agent.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 11:26am

#Nats GM Mike Rizzo said he is looking for an impact starting pitcher and another bat this offseason.

Cubs are only looking for 2-3 of each.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 11:38am

according to Wittenmyer tweets...

Ninja could close today, planning a "kids" lineup for Monday, Ramirez 50/50 to get a start before the end of the season.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 11:44am

looks like Moneyball will finish #2 behind Lion King 3-D and just ahead of Dolphin Tale, all north of $20M

http://www.deadline.com/2011/09/first-box-off...

Submitted by Charlie
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 12:26pm

Oh my god dolphin tale and lion king 3-D brats rule the world.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 6:49pm

Lion King probably isn't driven by kids.

Submitted by Charlie
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 10:48pm

That's even more depressing to me.

Submitted by crunch
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 12:26am

***WARNING - JOKES ENCLOSED - WARNING***

While almost as accurate as Moneyball with the truth, I'm surprised this baseball flick isn't #1.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/deadb...

...and you're damn right I'm gonna see Deadball. YEAH! ...well, as soon as it hits DVD with english subs.

***DANGER IS OVER, BACK TO SRS BZNS***

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 12:57pm

4 more games and then Mike Quade can take his rightful place in Cubs history next to Gene Michael, John Vuckovitch, Jim Essian, Rene Lachmann, Bruce Kimm, Frank Lucchesi, and the other bozos of the last 20 years that Cubs fans try to blot out of memory.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 1:21pm

Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that last offseason the Cardinals offered Albert Pujols a nine-year deal worth $22-$22.5 million per season and aren't expected to increase their proposal this offseason.
Not only that, Strauss thinks the Cards might be thinking about keeping the average annual value of the offer the same but shortening the number of years. It's hard to imagine they would entice Pujols to stick around with that kind of offer, though Strauss does indicate the team could change their bid depending on what other teams propose. Strauss lists the Cubs, Angels, Rangers, Marlins and Nationals as teams that could make a run at Pujols. It will certainly be interesting to track the offseason bidding war for arguably the game's best player.

Submitted by crunch
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 3:05pm

how many 1st basemen do the Angels need?

they already got a ROY-candidate kid at 1st and k.morales returns next year...unless they want to shift morales or DH him.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 3:33pm

you're kidding right?

you think M. Trumbo or a guy that hasn't played in 2 years should keep them from Pujols? plus they have a DH spot to use for one of them.

Submitted by crunch
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 3:46pm

kendry morales has to play somewhere and it's DH or 1st.

you can stick the kid in the OF, but a RF'r is all they really need next year and he's got a meh arm for it...a 1st baseman seems to be the least of their worries.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 3:48pm

Morales has to be able to play first and it's Mark Trumbo. There are also these things called trades and options.

Submitted by crunch
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 3:56pm

there's also blowing 25 million on a player when you have holes elsewhere

-edit-

forgot they have v.wells covering LF now with bourourourourjos CF...OF is pretty much full. they really need a 3rd baseman, though.

pujols could happen...seems like a weird way to blow loot for that team, though...they got more OF help coming once m.trout finishes up his minor league polishing next year.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 3:59pm

I wouldn't call that covered by those two. One kind of sucks and one is a question mark of healthiness.

The only real hole they have is 3b, might make a run at Ramirez, but doesn't really play the defense they like.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 3:49pm

Cubs lose, Cards move within a game of WC.

Royals win, Cubs move into tie for 6th, but lose the tiebreaker.

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 5:02pm

Same dumb stuff Soriano has said before, which makes no sense. Hitting 5th-7th has no difference in approach.

Leading off one day and hitting cleanup the next might mess with someone's head, but again, only if they're not a focused player to begin with.

Submitted by The E-Man
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 5:31pm

I am so fucking jealous of the Packers talent.

Geez...

Submitted by Jace
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 7:49pm

Simple solution - come over to our side! It is a BEAUTIFUL TIME to be a PACKER FAN!!!! Had been for the better part of the past 20 years!

Submitted by The E-Man
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 8:58am

Nah. Thanks anyway. Cubs and Bears go hand-in-hand with my misery tolerance.

Fortunately, we have more than two professional sports played here.

Submitted by Raisin101
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 7:58pm

They have had so much success drafting and procuring talent. And we counter with Jerry Angelo. Sigh.

How lucky does an organization get from going from one franchise QB to another without missing a beat?

Submitted by The E-Man
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 9:17am

I was thinking the same thing yesterday: 12+ years of Favre, and now Rogers. Another NFL elite QB.

This is eerily similar to the intra-division organizational superiority of the Cards to the Cubs.

In any case, I like Jay Cutler, but to surround him with #4's and 5 receivers, just is not working.

That's what I mean about organizational mindset.

Submitted by garsky
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 10:19am

Not only #4 & #5 receivers, but offensive linemen who would be excellent backups on good teams.

Submitted by VirginiaPhil
on Tue, 09/27/2011 - 7:48pm

I wouldn't call it lucky. It took serious guts to commit to an unproven QB and tell a still viable Favre to deal with it.

Along those lines, I notice there's not a lot of sentiment around here to commit to LaHair and tell a still viable Pena that he's not needed.

All I'm suggesting is that if the Cubs did do that, and LaHair succeeded, it would be more than luck.

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Wed, 09/28/2011 - 6:17am

I notice there's not a lot of sentiment around here to commit to LaHair and tell a still viable Pena that he's not needed.

Who on this board has said that the Cubs shouldn't commit to LaHair because of Carlos Pena? I'd like some links to those comments.

Submitted by crunch
on Wed, 09/28/2011 - 4:26pm

i dont think we should commit to lahair because of lahair, myself.

Submitted by Charlie
on Wed, 09/28/2011 - 4:52pm

I think we should commit to inviting LaHair to spring training, giving him a legit shot at a bench role, and considering him for first base if the Cubs are not going for it in 2012 (which they probably shouldn't, but will probably half ass trying to be competitive).

Submitted by crunch
on Wed, 09/28/2011 - 5:24pm

given the lack of AAA 1st options...i'm not considering colvin seriously after this horrid season...i dunno if the cubs would go into 2012 without a 1st signed.

lahair off the bench should be a gimmie...if he isn't in some weird competition for 1st or RF depending on where the cubs blow their loot in the offseason....SP? 1st? RF? 3rd?

Submitted by VirginiaPhil
on Fri, 09/30/2011 - 12:17pm

I said "there's not a lot of sentiment around here to commit to LaHair."

If you disagree with that, you should be providing me with links, not the other way around.

Just an example or two of someone saying that LaHair should be our first baseman next year.

Stupid or not, it would take guts to commit to LaHair, just like it took guts, not luck, for the Packers to commit to A. Rodgers.

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Fri, 09/30/2011 - 3:37pm

Actually, you said this:

"I notice there's not a lot of sentiment around here to commit to LaHair and tell a still viable Pena that he's not needed."

Somehow you conveniently left off the second part (the Pena part) this time around. Your implication is very clear - that some folks around TCR don't want to commit to LaHair because of Pena.

So again - who has said that?

There are a variety of reasons (he's a 4A player, his defense may be questionable, the Cubs should go after Fielder/Pujols, etc) that people have given for their reluctance to commit to LaHair. I don't recall ever seeing Carlos Pena being one of those reasons. But maybe you can point out where I am wrong.

And do you seriously think that you are only the only person on TCR that thinks the Cubs should with LaHair at first next year? Really?

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 8:51pm

good news is if Cubs lose 2 of 3 to Padres, they'll tie them and Cubs own the tiebreaker

if the Cubs can manage that, they need Royals to win 2 of 3 or sweep the Twins for the 5th spot in the draft

the contenders for the 5th spot
Padres vs. Cubs
Cubs @ Padres (cubs are 1 back)
Royals @ Twins (tied, but own tiebreaker over Cubs)
Pirates @ Brewers (Pirates 1-game back but own tiebreaker)
Marlins vs. Nationals (1-game back, Cubs own tiebreaker)

A's and Rockies are 2-back and Cubs own tiebreaker over both

Submitted by Charlie
on Sun, 09/25/2011 - 10:50pm

This is the most exciting close to a season since 2008.

Where did I leave that Vicodin, again?

Submitted by Hrubes20
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 9:01am

A day without an AZPhil update on Instructs? Going.....into.....withdrawal.....

Submitted by Cliffy
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 10:02am

Give a shout out to Rock Shoulders @RockBigFly24 on twitter today is his 20th birthday. He is part of the Cubs Fab Five from 2011 draft. Baez, Maples, Vogelbach, Dunston Jr. and Rock Shoulders we could be in great shape in 2 or 3 years.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 10:44am

You mean the Daytona Cubs, right?

Submitted by Charlie
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 11:17am

lol. Yeah. One aggressive draft does not a dynasty make. A series of aggressive drafts would be pretty awesome, though. Each aggressive draft will probably take 4-5 years to payoff through player development and/or trades.

Submitted by The E-Man
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 11:50am

You mean a potential of $40,000 in Season Ticket Holder possible "investment"?

Submitted by Charlie
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 1:18pm

Sounds about right. Or you could be like the rest of us and watch on TV and follow on the internet.

Submitted by The E-Man
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 1:20pm

- sigh -

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 1:10pm

mmm...tasty Cubbie Kool-Aid you're drinking.

Submitted by jacos
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 12:01pm

According to ESPN 1000 "sources" Ozzie Guillen will be gone as early as "end of this week".

Submitted by crunch
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 12:10pm

marlins could use a guy like him...something to make some noise down there and get people to the new park.

for a state that produces so many players, baseball is a hard sell there...it doesn't help that both stadiums either suck for baseball or are inconveniently located.

Submitted by The E-Man
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 12:14pm

I am under the impression that the 'Caines draw for baseball.

Submitted by Charlie
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 1:19pm

As do the Seminoles, I think, up in the panhandle.

Submitted by jacos
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 12:22pm

I believe he will end up with Marlins.

Radio up here are trying to stir up Ozzie going to Cubs.

No.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 12:27pm

Not sure if Ozzie and his son can be trusted around the Marlins Go-Go dancers, though, can they?

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 12:36pm

I don't think Ozzie and a new ballpark will get butts in the seats for the Marlins. It's Florida. They've proven over 10+ years that they don't turn out for games, period. TB and Miami need to relocate.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 1:00pm

What's the logic here, Cubanos and retirees don't like baseball?

Anyway, I will take that bet.

Submitted by Charlie
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 1:21pm

Retirees may like baseball. Does that mean they are going drive to a ballpark and then sit there in the sun for three hours in July in Florida?

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 1:24pm

Oh, I thought the new park had a retractable roof, which was basically the problem with the old park. Cubs games wouldn't draw very well either if the fans felt they're likely to be rained on every time they went.

Submitted by jacos
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 1:29pm

Retractable roof, smaller actual baseball park=there will be better attendance.

The Tampa dome was outdated when it opened.

Submitted by crunch
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 2:16pm

the dome is horrible...and it smells like an abandoned warehouse when vendors aren't cooking the hell out of stuff there.

Submitted by Charlie
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 1:33pm

If the new park is climate controlled to the point where comfort is not a consideration for people bringing small children or for old people, that could make a big difference. I mean, they play games in Arizona, which is a pretty big retirement area and a place where the climate can be dangerous.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 1:57pm

In Houston the ball parks are air conditioned. I'd be surprised if Miami is any different.

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 3:44pm

TRN:

What's the logic here, Cubanos and retirees don't like baseball?

Anyway, I will take that bet.
--------------

And I have years of actual proof people don't go to the games. You lose.

Not even MLB can figure out why. Is it that there are too many retirees in Florida? Don't know, the college football games still draw crazy crowds. But MLB games in two different cities have attendance at/near the bottom of the league. Even TB, competing for a playoff spot until the end of the season, has had horrible attendance this season (and previous years).

2011:

Tampa - 29th
Florida - 28th

2010:
Florida - 28th
Tampa - 22nd - 1st place, lost lcs

2009:
Florida - 29th
Tampa - 23rd

2008:
Florida - 30th
Tampa - 26th - 1st place, lost world series

2007 + 2006:
Florida - 30th
Tampa - 29th

And so on, and so on, and so on. Winning makes no difference. A new stadium isn't going to change squat.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/attendance

Submitted by The E-Man
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 3:46pm

Wow! Noce Beats TRN in factual data!

Unprecedented!!

What did you guys bet?

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 3:59pm

That is sort of like saying you have actual proof Corey Patterson is going to the Hall of Fame. I mean he hit .320 as a 19 year old his first season.

Let's see how the people of Florida react to not having to go to the 29th or 30th worst ballpark in the majors for a year.

It's good to see him go down with his guns blazing.

Just say he wanted to give it some actual thought, and look at the last time a team moved from an out-side stadium in God awful weather to a dome stadium... like the Astros did.

1964: Colt Stadium · Attendance: 725,773 (10th of 10)
1965: Astrodome · Attendance: 2,151,470 (2nd of 10)

I guess it was the 65 win Astro Team that was drawing all the fans.

Submitted by Tito
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 4:33pm

Part of the problem, IMHO (at least in Tampa's case) is that so many people in Florida are transplants. That's why you see spikes in the Rays' attendance when the Red Sox, Yankees and Cubs play there. (I believe all three Cubs games in '08 were sellouts.) No real allegiance to the local team combined with a shitty ballpark.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Tue, 09/27/2011 - 12:25am

That's true, and another part of the problem is that neither franchise has made much of an effort, previously, to hang out to players. The Cubs have Kerry Wood and Zambrano, and the Marlins haven't had Josh Beckett for four years.

But most of the problem is people don't want to go to a ballpark built for 1988 or sit in 95% humidity and get rained on.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 12:29pm

Unfortunately, I'll be enjoying the last of my $2 tickets, cheering on the Astros over the Cardinals tonight.

Coleman should have a good chance to get his ERA under the magic 6.50 bar tonight at Pets-R-Us Park.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 2:52pm

http://twitter.com/SDUNSTONJR/status/11833181...

When you get money all you want is more an more of it! #onegoal #cubsbaseball

Submitted by Hrubes20
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 4:02pm

Dunston's twitter account has been fun to follow. He is a very confident young man. Honestly, I love it, assuming he backs it up on the field. A HR in his first taste of professional baseball doesn't hurt his cause though.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 4:19pm

http://yfrog.com/z/mej3rxj

name the Cubs rookies

I get Barney, Hannibal Lechter, Avatar, referee, penis, gladiator, Cashner, Campana, Dolis, the other 4.

besides LaHair, LeMahieu and Clevenger, I'm not sure who else is considered a rookie.

Submitted by jacos
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 4:30pm

Does the Gladiator have some sort of mental disorder?

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 4:20pm

Campana CF, Barney 2B, Castro SS, Peña 1B, LaHair LF, Clevenger C, LeMahieu 3B, Colvin RF, Coleman P

Cubs need to lose 2 of 3 this series...YOU CAN DO IT!!!

Submitted by Charlie
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 5:10pm

Wow. That's a pretty legitimate kids' day.

Submitted by crunch
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 5:14pm

at least q waited til an away game to pull some crap like this...not like it's odd, but i'd be pissed if i paid MLB-ticket-price money to see the iowa cubs + pena/castro.

Submitted by Charlie
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 5:38pm

I'd be pissed if I showed up and had to watch Soriano, Johnson, Baker, and DeWitt.

Submitted by Charlie
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 5:12pm

If you're looking for something to watch tonight before the Cubs game, I'd like to plug a show I have a family member working on: Check out Terra Nova on FOX at 8 Eastern Time. The dinosaurs ought to be pretty cool. I have no opinion on the rest of it. (My family member works in visual effects lately.)

Submitted by jacos
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 6:44pm

Why are they living with dinosaurs?

Submitted by Charlie
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 6:47pm

To draw a crowd.

Also something about pollution and time travel.

Submitted by jacos
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 6:49pm

my family and I are watching it

Submitted by Charlie
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 8:11pm

Yep. My big sister made that dinosaur bite off that guy's head. Nice.

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 8:23pm

I watched that show in the 70's when it was called Land of the Lost.

OK, 2 mins into flipping over and I see that this rag tag group of people who time traveled or whatever they did are living in a fancy building. Apparently they've already created factories to make fluorescent lighting, have mastered construction and sourcing materials, glasswork, etc. Really drives home this pre-historic world they're living in.

Submitted by Charlie
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 8:24pm

Yeah. That idea has lapsed into total irrelevance and disinterest the way that shows like Charlie's Angels and Hawaii Five O have.

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 8:27pm

The premise of the show would be easier to believe if they somehow claimed dinosaurs time traveled to the future. It would also be fascinating to watch Carl Everett guest star one week.

Submitted by Charlie
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 8:35pm

lol. Yeah.

All I'm expecting of it is a big budget for special effects. I'm sure it will have plenty of mainstream appeal, but we'll see if it's enough to justify its expense and whether it can compete with Dancing with the Stars and Monday Night Football.

Submitted by Newport
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 9:27pm

Yeah well my friend works/worked on Playboy Club. Makes his wife very happy.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 8:30pm

premise is that Earth in 150 years is overpopulated and overpolluted...and they've found some portal to go back 85 million years and fix it, but only like 1000 people can go through.

The modern stuff you they've all brought with them supposedly.

Anyway, they wanted to do Jurassic Park meets Avatar for television and Spielberg threw his name on it to make sure it gets made. Fox is usually good about giving their sci-fi shows a chance to find an audience, so it should at least make a full season.

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 10:25pm

Hopefully it gets better, only watched a few mins tonight and that was enough. That one that was on TNT this summer that Spielberg also had something to do with wasn't that bad, definitely watchable. Falling Skies. Waiting for something as good as Battlestar Galactica to come out.

So about 48 hours left in Quade's Cubs career. Woohoo!

Maybe Quade can guest star on Terra Nova and be eaten by a dinosaur. And Ozzie, too.

Submitted by navigator
on Tue, 09/27/2011 - 1:09pm

Dinosaur sits on his head and tries to hatch it.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 6:32pm

Steve Stone and Hawk Harrelson don't care for Moneyball.

oh did they read it? nope. (well it says harrelson didn't at least)

Steve Stone was probably too busy writing "Steve Stone on Steve Stone" ghost written by Steve Stone with a foreword by Steve Stone

http://www.csnchicago.com/09/26/11/Sox-Drawer...

Submitted by Charlie
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 6:39pm

You should read his blurbs on the back cover. Wow. Steve Stone really recommends himself highly.

There were times that I really liked listening to Stone. But his venom for others (like the venom he has Beane in that article) always smacks of his own sense of self importance and entitlement.

Submitted by crunch
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 6:44pm

if they actually saw the movie they'd be more horrified by how they took "artistic license" with a lot of the real-life people.

scott hatteberg gave an interview recently about it (he was amused, not pissed)...they could pick a bunch of characters in the film and do the same thing.

ultimately it's good for baseball with all the casuals seeing it.

Submitted by Charlie
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 6:48pm

I'm sure neither Steve Stone nor Hawk care about anything that doesn't have to do with "I'm better than Billy Beane and I can't stand that he's gotten praise."

Submitted by crunch
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 7:01pm

pretty much...it's weird having those 2 egos paired together in the booth and even weirder that they've meshed into 1 being rather than battling each other.

Submitted by Newport
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 9:29pm

From what I can tell by listening to Stone on the radio, he can't fucking stand Hawk. Maybe they can trade Hawk to the Miami Marlins too.

Submitted by crunch
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 10:20pm

neat...all i ever see of them is ganging up on others or the topic of the day in the tv booth.

what a f'n clusterfuuu...

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Tue, 09/27/2011 - 12:26am

Almost like a South Park skit with two, three toothed rednecks talking about the absurdities of evolution.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 8:07pm

seems about ready to go down, allegedly his last night managing tonight.

Submitted by jacos
on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 10:26pm

Released from contract

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