There's been a lot of hand-wringing in Cubville about where exactly the highest paid Cub should be batting on an everyday basis. Of course, he probably wouldn't have been the highest paid Cubbie had he not been labeled a lead-off man and filled a role on the team that the organization has had trouble filling over the years. Early on, Lou decided that Alfonso Soriano will move down in the order. A move met by most fans with applauds, as visions of runners circling the bases danced through their heads with every Soriano extra-base hit. When you look at his line of 33 home runs last year and only 70 RBI's, you understand how that looks like a problem.
It didn't take Lou long though to change his mind but the question remains, where is the best place for Soriano to bat? And if he does get moved back down in the order, will the resultant batting order shuffling actually help the team? Undoubtedly Soriano's personal RBI totals will rise, but will the teams overall run production increase? Because, while it's certainly reasonable to expect Soriano to drive in 100 if he bats in the five spot all year, how much more production is that over the Cubs other options?
"But whatever players put into their bodies today to fight fatigue, it no longer includes amphetamines — or at least it doesn't unless those players want to risk getting slapped with a stiff suspension."
hahahahahhaha...oh my...my sides...phew, good one.
Hitters swing at more bad pitches as the season goes on, and a group of scientists at Vanderbilt University believe it's because they're not sleeping long enough or well enough. http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/...
the DP would have most likely been turned...castro had a decent amount of time and was in good position to throw.
robinson's take-out slide was a bit silly...he was way off the bag.
Would they have gotten the DP anyway?
Also, while I tend to be a pretty big supporter of pitch counts, I can definitely see why they kept ninja in so long with our bullpen and Gregg pitching so much.
lololol...interference by robinson on a crappy slide going for castro (well off the bag getting ready to toss to 1st after stepping on 2nd) rather than bag forces a double play.
k.gregg gave up a 1 run single...got the "weird" double play...cubs win. STL fans are pissing themselves in rage.
it was a fair call, fwiw...robinson was no where near the bag on the slide.
...and 2 singles later (men on 1st/2nd) he's done after 115 pitches. almost...
ninja going into the 9th, 104 pitches.
3 96mph fastballs in a row to start the 9th...followed by an 84mph off speed pitch for the ground out.
and Javier Baez has a Grand Slam tonight in the 7th inning.
Z (AAA, PHI) tonight..
7ip 5h 1bb 6k, 0r
...according to a news/blog blurb about his last start he's not even hitting 90mph (at least that night), but he might be up in the bigs soon...especially with pettibone sucking hard in the rotation for PHI
Wavin' Wendall Sandberg....
Delmon Young becomes the 10th Phillie thrown out at home this year. Only Diamondbacks (11) have had more outs at home.
thanks obama.
...typical whitesox fan.
Juan Carlos Paniagua has pitched in one game this season for the Cubs Dominican Summer League team. Who knows when his visa issues will be resolved. If ever.
awesome play @3rd by valbuena, bottom 3rd
cubs up by 4 (all scored with 2 outs), top 1st...wainwrong.
ransom and r.sweeney homers.
another announce crew complaining about how long it takes for castro to walk back to the dugout after earning an out at 1st...it was the angels announce crew a couple weeks ago.
lovely, put up a post on potential trade candidates for Feldman and Garza and it ate the bulk of the text much like it does with some of the comments...sigh.