So Far, So-So...
Four games into their season-opening eight game homestand the Iowa Cubs are off to a sputtering 1-3 start.
THE GOOD NEWS: Both Seans [Marshall and Gallagher], Neal Cotts, Eric Patterson and Matt Murton.
THE BAD NEWS: Micah Hoffpauir, Sam Fuld and Matt Murton.
Marshall started the opener and retired all nine batters he faced, six of them on strikes, as he pitch-counts his way back from an ill-advised audition for a spot in the Chicago bullpen.
The next night Gallagher tossed five economical innings, allowing only two hits and a run with one walk and five strikeouts.
Cotts went two perfect innings and fanned three in his only appearance so far.
In Saturday's day-night doubleheader you might say that Patterson rode a tandem cycle. After notching a single and a double in the matinee, he spanked a triple down the left-field line and pulled a homer over the scoreboard in right in the nightcap. He's been playing at second base.
Murton makes both lists because he's hit safely in every game and drawn a couple of walks to open at a .357/.471 clip, but all five hits are singles. He's scored once without driving in a run.
Hoffpauir tweaked an oblique in an exhibition tilt versus the University of Iowa and headed straight back to Arizona. He's expected back in another week or so.
Fuld is on the active roster but has played in only one of the first four games, going 1-4 when he patrolled CF in the opener of Saturday's DH. Probably not coincidentally, the weather Saturday afternoon offered easily the best playing conditions of the week.
Mark Holliman starts tonight in the opener of a four-game set with Albuquerque.
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Comments
Oh, Good
on Mon, 04/07/2008 - 11:36am Permalink
Mike - I have been wondering about those minor league posts, and whether they wuld be still on mvn, or if they had made the move, too.. It was very good to see that you guys are on the new site.
Thanks for the update!
Re: So Far, So-So...
on Mon, 04/07/2008 - 11:44am Permalink
Off topic but Johnson and Cedeno are starting today.
Welcome Mike Wellman!!!
on Mon, 04/07/2008 - 12:10pm Permalink
Mike jumped the gun a bit, but he'll be providing us with occasional wrap-ups after Iowa homestands.
Re: So Far, So-So...
on Mon, 04/07/2008 - 12:12pm Permalink
Welcome Mike! This will be another great addition.
Re: So Far, So-So...
on Mon, 04/07/2008 - 1:47pm Permalink
Good job Mike!
Re: Murton's hits all singles
on Mon, 04/07/2008 - 2:42pm Permalink
When is it going to dawn on Matt Murton that his ticket to the big leagues is POWER not batting average?? He has to show he can hit home runs not just singles. Everyone KNOWS he can hit singles. Everyone knows he can hit for average. But when you have the limited versatility of a Murton, you've got to slug to save your job.
And it's not like he doesn't have the ability. He hits towering blasts in batting practice but that swing evaporates when the game actually begins.
Re: Murton's hits all singles
on Mon, 04/07/2008 - 10:08pm Permalink
He's hit some towering blasts in games too, especially some impressive power to right field. But I'm with you--he hits an alarming number of ground balls and it seems that because of that he gets a lot of singles and a surprising number of infield hits. I'd like to see him hitting the ball in the air more often.
Re: So Far, So-So...
on Mon, 04/07/2008 - 7:46pm Permalink
Well done Mike.