Cubs 2012 Opening Game Thread

Here it is, Opening Day 2012, where optimism reigns...until you see Jeff Baker starting at 1B.

Nationals Cubs
Desmond, SS *DeJesus, RF
#Espinosa, 2B Barney, 2B
Zimmerman, 3B Castro, SS
*LaRoche, 1B Soriano, LF
Werth, RF *Stewart, 3B
DeRosa, LF Baker, 1B
*Bernadina, CF Byrd, CF
Ramos, C Soto, C
Strasburg, P Dempster, P

Bryan LaHair is out today, but claims he should be available off the bench Saturday and ready to start by Sunday, so doesn't look like the disabled list and doesn't look like Tony Campana will be up with the team.

How many strikeouts for Soriano today?
  
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I'm going to attempt to be in Parachat later, but make no promises. I'll keep the prediction contest open up until first pitch.

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Submitted by Rob G. on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 11:20am
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Comments

Submitted by jacos
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 11:25am

It begins....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c10REBi26hU&fe...

Submitted by jacos
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 11:39am

Local idiot Rick Telander

http://m.deadspin.com/5899317/rick-telander-c...

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 1:31pm

He is on my shitlist, but I don't even remember why.

Submitted by The Joe
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 2:00pm

Wow, that was some bad theological analogism.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 12:51pm

to Rays on waiver claim, Mateo to 60-day DL.

Submitted by Rob Richardson
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 12:52pm

How does that work?

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 12:53pm

losing Gaub?

must have outrighted him and Rays made a claim.

Submitted by Rob Richardson
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 1:04pm

Sorry, I guess I missed were we cut him.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 1:14pm

news to all of us I believe

outrighting isn't really cutting them though, it's just trying to get them through waivers and off the 40-man and end of spring training is usually a good time to attempt that.

nonetheless, Gaub has some serious control issues, tough to get too hot and bothered about it, unless you look at Camp's numbers last year :)

Submitted by Rob Richardson
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 1:16pm

Sorry again I am mixing up Gaub and Mateo. I misread your post as saying the Rays had picked up Mateo as the Cubs put him on the 60-day DL.

Submitted by Jim Hickmans Bat
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 1:46pm

And with that, the Cubs now have nothing to show for the DeRosa trade. Yay?

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 1:49pm

Sure... if you don't count Matt Garza

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 12:53pm

#Cubs officially select contracts of DeWitt, Mather and Camp. Coleman and Campana optioned to Class AAA Iowa.

Submitted by Charlie
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 1:16pm

Wait. So the Cubs claim a guy off of waivers that is redundant to/makes DeWitt redundant, but they keep DeWitt, and they lose Gaub, one of the potentially useful bullpen pieces they have when they are probably looking for another lefty reliever?

Color me purple-exed.

Submitted by Charlie
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 1:15pm

Ryan Dempster looks more like Koyie Hill every year. I had a brief moment of panic when the camera first panned to him.

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 1:32pm

Kinda jealous of the Nat's lineup. Sigh.

Submitted by Rob Richardson
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 1:36pm

Just look at Jayson Werth's contract and you will feel better.

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 1:52pm

Straus on pace for a 63-pitch game.

Submitted by Rob Richardson
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 1:53pm

Strasburg at 14 pitches through 2 innings.

Submitted by 10man
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 2:04pm

Who's carrying the broadcast for this?

Submitted by crunch
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 2:04pm

wgn

Submitted by 10man
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 2:07pm

cool. thanks!

Submitted by garsky
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 2:22pm

Soriano hitting .500 -- trade him while he's hot!

Submitted by garsky
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 2:25pm

...and there goes that opportunity

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 2:29pm

I believe that SB attempt added an out and costs a run?

Submitted by JoePepitone
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 3:01pm

New feature in Gameday called "Scout" in the Game Summary feature. Here's a quote from today:

"Scout: Stephen Strasburg is trying to tie up Ryan Dempster with fastballs inside, where Dempster is hitting .000 this season compared to .000 overall."

Must automated without human oversight. I hope.

Submitted by Rob Richardson
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 3:02pm

Dempster earned his pay check today. Should we expect Wood in the 8th?

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 3:06pm

I'm not watching the game... is Demp struggling? If not, why would Wood come out for the 8th?

Submitted by Rob Richardson
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 3:10pm

Early in the season, near 100 pitches, but the point is moot.

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 3:20pm

Wood in the 8th

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 3:27pm

But now kind of wishing we hadn't seen wood in the 8th...

Submitted by Rob Richardson
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 3:31pm

Am I the only person who thinks that Wood has been overrated most of his career?

He just doesn't throw enough strikes.

Submitted by Ryno
on Fri, 04/06/2012 - 1:41pm

Joking, I presume?

Submitted by jacos
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 3:52pm

and cue the Marmol loss

Submitted by crunch
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 3:59pm

so...much...cubbery...

Submitted by Michaelweaselo
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 4:01pm

Soriano stealing 3rd cost them an out and a run, Woody couldnt get a strike call to save his life, Stewart runs on a hard enough hit ball to the 3B and gets thrown out by a mile with 1 out in the 9th? I already HATE the New Jan Brady style by Dale

Submitted by artskoe
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 4:29pm

Joe Mather was pinch running for Stewart...

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 4:31pm

so that happened....

Submitted by The E-Man
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 4:34pm

Sitting between home and 3rd today we said WTF on Soriano's SBA. Wondering if it was a hit and run. Several people in the stands said he was safe - but at the time...same old shit.

That said, Soriano did not lose the game today for them and made a tough catch with really crazy winds out there.

There were not any real chances at all for either team...until the bullpen came in.

This is going to be a repeating theme, so I am sorry to say, we will have to get used it for 2012.

Ian Stuart, for that matter, caused an additional 15-20 possible extra pitches due to his error as Demp got undone there early on.

However, he pitched terrifically well and deserved a better fate.

I have hated Marmol since last year.

Hopefully he can learn how to pitch with confidence again so we can trade him.

Submitted by billybucks
on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 5:25pm

Why didn't they use Sean Marshall in the 8th? He's usually pretty reliable....

As has been said -- you can save yourself a lot of time this season, and just watch the replay of this game when you want to see the 2012 Cubs.

Few things more agonizing than knowing the bullpen sucks, hoping maybe they won't suck the day you are at the game, then watching them actually suck like you knew they would all along.

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