Massive Memorial Day Weekend Cub Bullpen Failure is nothing new

Ahhhh, boy...
Well look, Rafael Dolis is only 24, it's his first go-round in the bigs and under more normal circumstances his responsibilities would probably be much less.


Circumstances including fielding a normal team with a bullpen not created out of such...randomness and maybe desperation, I guess.
Given his age and experience, Dolis might be a jewel if his job was to take care of the 7th, and then have a couple monsters for the 8th and 9th.
So don't get too down on the kid - think of the pressure he's under.
Besides, the Cubs having their asses handed to them by the Pirates because of massive bullpen failure on Memorial Day weekend is nothing new.
This drawing is from a Cubs/Pirates game played on May 26th, 2003.
Kerry Wood pitched 7 innings, struck out 10 and gave up one run.
Then, the bullpen.
Phil Norton came in and gave up 2 runs followed by (current Pirate) Juan Cruz who gave up 4 followed by the extra-digited Antonio Alfonseca who gave up 3.
Cubs zero Pirates 10.
Ouch.
As you recall, this was also a weekend without Sammy Sosa, who'd whacked his toe. 

Okay last thing: Memorial Day.
Think about the people who take care of us sometime this weekend.
A good time is conveniently located right before the next game, complete with musical accompaniment.

 

Submitted by CubbyBlue on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 8:44am

Comments

Submitted by John Beasley
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 10:12am

There was also a "true" doubleheader on May 28, 2004, aka Rob Mackowiac Day. He hit a walk-off grand slam off Borowski in the 9th inning of the first game, then a game-tying 2-run pinch-hit homer in the 9th off Hawkins to send it to extra in the second game (Craig Wilson got the walk-off jack off Francis Beltran in the 10th).

Also, Mackowiac's first child was born earlier in the day in addition to his on-field heroics.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/P...

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/P...

Submitted by CubbyBlue
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 11:07am

I remember it, well...not that well, John.
That's why I keep a journal.
http://www.cubby-blue.com/photos/2004/cj04028...

Submitted by Old and Blue
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 11:34am

I just got an alert on my phone that the Rafael Dolis era is over, at least as far as closer is concerned.

Dolis wasn't ready for the role, but now I'm wondering who takes his spot.

Submitted by John Beasley
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 11:38am

Looks like Camp and Russell are in the lead.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball...

Submitted by jacos
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 1:28pm

Heh lead, closers.
Very amusing

Submitted by crunch
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 2:09pm

camp can't get in his 100 appearances and 120ip if he's only closing.

hell, he'll only pitch about 10 more innings this season. huge waste.

Submitted by The Joe
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 2:55pm

There's still room for close and tie-game meltdowns at home, fear not.

Submitted by crunch
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 3:12pm

im actually waiting for tim (.1ip) byrdak to get like 100 appearances this year. he's got 28 after today.

they're pushing him hard for appearances.

Submitted by The Joe
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 4:25pm

I think Dolis and Camp have about the same amount, don't they?

/don't care enough to look

Submitted by crunch
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 5:25pm

close enough last i looked...that was last week so i doubt it's too far apart.

camp's a guy that can go back to back days and work a ton...it just seems like he's up in the pen warming or pitching in almost game.

Submitted by The Joe
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 2:54pm

This team was kinda fun to watch even when they were just treading water...my interest has mirrored LaHair's production, personally. It's good to have Samardzija and Castro producing, but whatever.

This is a bad bad not good team.

In soon to be dominating my fantasy league news, I dropped Dolis for Camp. Title, here I come.

Submitted by crunch
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 3:09pm

"- R. Dolis relieved M. Garza"

yeah, that was a great idea.

"- M. Bowden relieved R. Dolis"

even better...

at least the cubs will have the most well-rested SP crew come October...wait.

Submitted by John Beasley
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 3:11pm

I guarantee this team will play October baseball this year.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/schedule/index.js...

Submitted by crunch
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 3:24pm

lulz.

HOPE IS ALIVE!

Submitted by crunch
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 3:29pm

- K. Hill singled to shallow right
- B. Lalli singled to shallow left, K. Hill to third
- T. Campana hit for D. DeJesus

men on 1st/3rd...sub campy for dejesus?

what am i missing here? ...aside from the fact 2 crappy catchers set this up.

...and a RBI groundout to 1st. lalalalialilaili on 2nd.

...and a castro homer...3-10, top 8...COMEBACK!

Submitted by crunch
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 3:42pm

12 in a row...

15-32. amazing.

Submitted by The Joe
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 4:26pm

Sadly...I now just wanna see how many they can go in a row. It's kind of exciting.

Submitted by springs
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 5:01pm

We have the Padres coming to Wrigley...we will see if the Cubs are contenders or pretenders for the #1 draft pick.

Submitted by BobbyD
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 6:23pm

Just got home from my favorite San Diego sports bar (yes, there are a couple of them) ... saw the end of the Padres game, shutout by the Mets, haven't scored a run in 26 innings ... but, they spun it as good news that they're off to play the Cubs, and so a really suck team has a chance to beat the Uber-suck team ... amazing. I've hated the Padres since the '84 Garvey fest (won't repeat my Garvey hate rants, promise) but the lack of knowing how to be a baseball, or sports fan in general here, is amusing.

Submitted by Old and Blue
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 7:20pm

So, wait, this is the same Padres team the Cubs hired their GM from? So, the record of his last two teams in the first months of the season must set a world record of hurt of some kind or another. I've never taken the motto of this site as seriously as I do right now. These guys better have one helluva draft.

Submitted by Charlie
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 7:36pm

Gonna find a Pujols, Mauer and Halliday in there somewhere, just you wait and see.

Submitted by Dusty Baylor
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 8:23pm

Sure..Luis Pujols, Eddie Mauer, and Billy Halliday...

Submitted by John Beasley
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 6:14pm

The saddest part is that, at 15-20, this team looked like it was finally putting things together and playing its best ball of the season.

Submitted by MikeC
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 8:27pm

The sad part was LaHair was hitting the snot out of the ball to help us win games and since he has been silenced the team has taken a nose dive.

Submitted by Old and Blue
on Mon, 05/28/2012 - 7:58am

That's very true. His window has become a crack. I'm sure that once the service time thing is reached on Rizzo, that window will slam shut.

There's LaHair, but, also, Campana has started about, what during this streak? Three games? I'm among those not convinced Campana will turn into much long term, but he is a spark plug so far, and I think the team was playing about .500 ball when he was starting. He's pretty much the only player I've ever seen who steals first base.

Submitted by VirginiaPhil
on Tue, 05/29/2012 - 12:48pm

"[LaHair's] window has become a crack."

LaHair has been a streak hitter for as long as I've been watching him. Beginning last April 17 at Iowa, LaHair went 17 games without a home run. Then he hit them consistently until the end of the season, and on into the Venezuelan winter league. (FanGraphs has minor-league game logs.)

If you'll recall around the time of the winter meetings last year, when LaHair met with Theo and Jed in Texas(?), he had been in a prolonged slump in Venezuela. Then he went back and started mashing again, finishing with 15 HRs.

Submitted by crunch
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 5:58pm

fat capps blows it for MIN in the 9th...still tied for last place in MLB.

Submitted by Cubster
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 7:55pm

The future infield is solved (Lake, Baez, Castro and Rizzo), we need an ace pitcher...not likely this draft.

Submitted by springs
on Mon, 05/28/2012 - 1:10pm

That might turn out to be the worst defensive left side of the infield ever.

Submitted by VirginiaPhil
on Tue, 05/29/2012 - 12:50pm

Try to remember Theriot and Ramirez.

Submitted by jacos
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 7:57pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtDh0d-1IH4&fe...

Submitted by Cubster
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 8:10pm

Ruh-Roh...
Nate Sampson pinch hits for Rizzo in the top of 6th, I-Cubs still ahead of Redbirds in Memphis, 3-1.

Not sure what that's about.

Volstad still pitching, 1 run on 8 hits so far thru 6 IP.

Submitted by crunch
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 8:44pm

i hope they're not planning on trading service time vs. stopping a last place club from being overly pathetic.

it all seems to land out of the playoffs at this point, anyway. =p

i imagine it's just rest..who can tell what's on the table after 12 losses in a row, though.

Submitted by QuietMan
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 8:48pm

owa Cubs‏@IowaCubs

Radio report: Rizzo exit did not appear to be due to injury. In other news, Iowa leads 3-1 in top 8 at Memphis.

Submitted by QuietMan
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 8:52pm

David Kaplan‏@thekapman

Excellent source in Des Moines tells me that Rizzo is not getting called up to the Cubs. Repeat: NOT GETTING CALLED UP.

Submitted by QuietMan
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 9:13pm

Iowa Cubs‏@IowaCubs

Chicago Cubs report: "Anthony Rizzo left tonight's game with right wrist soreness. He is currently listed as day-to-day."

Submitted by Old and Blue
on Mon, 05/28/2012 - 7:51am

"Doc, all those home runs are killing me!"

Submitted by Cubster
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 8:47pm

billie halliday scheduled to sing in the 7th inning

Submitted by Cubster
on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 8:57pm

4-1 I-Cubs in the bottom 8th

Volstad pitched 7.

marmol strikes out first hitter then walks Lou Montanez in the 8th, then strikes out 3rd hitter, then wild pitch sending Montanez to 2nd.3-2 count on 4th batter before 2nd wild pitch, sending runner to 3rd.
Then strikes out Mark Hamilton to end the 8th.

Stirs up memories of 8th innings from the past.

Submitted by Cubster
on Mon, 05/28/2012 - 9:31am

@BruceMiles2112: #Cubs Memorial Day lineup: DeJesus RF, Castro SS, Mather CF, LaHair 1B,. Soriano LF, Stewart 3B, Barney 2B, Lalli C, Wood P

Submitted by Dusty Baylor
on Mon, 05/28/2012 - 12:40pm

Is this the year that Joe Mather saves us? Yeah, I know 5 games into the experiment, he's 6/19 with 1 double, 0 HR's, 1 SB. I'm jsut not sure sitting Campana was the right call....yet.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 05/28/2012 - 1:10pm

fwiw, Campana's number since the beginning of the 12-game losing streakk

200/304/200 with 2 runs scored in the first 7 games which he started

182/280/182 with 2 runs scored over the 12 games

same crap, smaller package...

Submitted by Arizona Phil
on Mon, 05/28/2012 - 10:06am

Not including DSL Cubs #1, DSL Cubs #2, and AZL Cubs (club owned), and AA Tennessee (signed through 2014), the Cubs Player Development Contracts with AAA Iowa, Hi-A Daytona, Lo-A Peoria, and SS-A Boise expire after this season.

Especially noteworthy is "Hi-A," where the Cubs and Brewers are the only two MLB club with Spring Training and their minor league HQ In Arizona whose Hi-A affiliates are in the Florida State League, and where the Houston Astros are the only MLB club with Spring Training & minor league HQ in Florida that have their Hi-A affililiate in the California League.

So don't be surprised if the Cubs and Astros switch places in 2013, with the Cubs moving their Hi-A affiliate to the California League, and the Astros moving their Hi-A affiliate to the FSL.

One big benefit for the Cubs Hi-A players (and pitchers) would be to eliminate all of the rain-outs they get at Daytona.

Submitted by Raisin101
on Mon, 05/28/2012 - 10:22am

While I'd love seeing the Cubs move their high-A affiliate to California, I doubt any pitcher in the system would like the move.

Submitted by Cubster
on Mon, 05/28/2012 - 10:11am

@BruceMiles2112: Carlos Marmol back with #Cubs. Roster move coming

Submitted by Rob G.
on Mon, 05/28/2012 - 11:55am

Can they demote an entire roster?

Submitted by Cubster
on Mon, 05/28/2012 - 12:43pm

Dolis to Iowa

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