TCR: Over-analyzing the Cubs since July, 2001.


Gameday Open Thread

Game 101 Thread / Cubs @ Diamondbacks (3 of 3)


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SP *Ted Lilly
SP
*Doug Davis
  9-6, 4.49 ERA, 114 K, 43 BB, 122.1 IP

3-4, 4.14 ERA, 61 K, 38 BB, 74 IP
       
LF Alfonso Soriano
SS *Stephen Drew
SS Ryan Theriot 2B #Augie Ojeda
1B
Derrek Lee LF
Conor Jackson
3B
Aramis Ramirez 3B
Mark Reynolds
C
Geovany Soto CF Chris Young
RF *Kosuke Fukudome 1B *Tony Clark
2B
Mark DeRosa C Chris Snyder
CF
Reed Johnson
RF Chris Burke
P
*Ted Lilly
P *Doug Davis

Before the game, the Cubs activated Alfonso Soriano and Scott Eyre and demoted Kevin Hart and Micah Hoffpauir. May your bat be blessed with many a run-scoring hit, Mr. Soriano.

During the game, Lilly and Davis will face-off again after their epic Game 2 duel from last October.  May you not throw down your glove in anger this time around, Mr. Lilly.

Please win!

Game 100 Thread / Cubs @ Diamondbacks (2 of 3)


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SP Jason Marquis
SP
Yusmeiro Petit
  6-5, 4.44 ERA, 53 K, 39 BB, 99.1 IP

0-1, 3.06 ERA, 11 K, 1 BB, 17.2 IP
       
SS Ryan Theriot SS *Stephen Drew
RF *Kosuke Fukudome
LF Conor Jackson
1B
Derrek Lee 2B
#Orlando Hudson
3B
Aramis Ramirez 1B
*Chad Tracy
CF
*Jim Edmonds 3B Mark Reynolds
C Geovany Soto C *Miguel Montero
LF
Mark DeRosa CF Chris Young
2B
*Mike Fontenot RF *Alex Romero
P
*Jason Marquis P Yusmeiro Petit

The Cubs reach the century mark of the season that may mark their century-long run of futility. A little known fact is that they've lost the 100th game of every season since 1909 foreshadowing their 100-year drought (don't bother looking it up, I've posted it on the Internet, so it must be true)

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Game 99 Thread / Cubs @ Diamondbacks (1 of 3)


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SP Rich Harden
SP
*Randy Johnson
(NL & AL) 5-1, 2.48 ERA, 102 K, 34 BB, 82.3 IP

6-7, 5.23, 95 K, 28 BB, 98 IP
       
SS Ryan Theriot SS *Stephen Drew
LF Reed Johnson LF Conor Jackson
1B
Derrek Lee 2B
#Orlando Hudson
3B
Aramis Ramirez 1B
*Chad Tracy
C
Geovany Soto
3B Mark Reynolds
RF Mark DeRosa CF Chris Young
CF
*Jim Edmonds C Chris Snyder
2B
Ronny Cedeno  RF *Alex Romero
P
*Rich Harden
P *Randy Johnson

The Cubs return to their personal Crystal Lake as they take on the Diamondbacks for the first time since the horrors of last October. Hopefully there will be less bloodshed this time around as they'll miss Brandon Webb and Dan Haren in this series. Of course, the Cubs missed Roy Oswalt the last series and look at the good that gone and did them. Wednesday's game will be the much anticpated Ted Lilly vs Doug Davis rematch though, sure to be carried on all major media outlets.

So while the Brewers and Cardinals beat up on each other in a four-game set, the Cubs get a chance to improve on their 22-8 record versus the NL West and a struggling Diamondbacks club, albeit a first-place club.

Game 98 Thread / Cubs @ Astros (3 of 3)


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SP Ryan Dempster
SP
Brandon Backe
  10-4, 3.25, 104 K, 350 BB, 124.2 IP

6-9, 4.76, 83 K, 50 BB, 111.2 IP
       
SS Ryan Theriot
2B #Kaz Matsui
RF *Kosuke Fukudome CF *Darin Erstad
1B
Derrek Lee 1B
#Lance Berkman
3B
Aramis Ramirez LF
Carlos Lee
CF
*Jim Edmonds
SS Miguel Tejada
LF Mark DeRosa 3B #Geoff Blum
C
Geovany Soto
RF Hunter Pence
2B
*Mike Fontenot
C J.R. Towles
P
Ryan Dempster
P Brandon Backe

 

The Cubs' NL Central lead is down to +2 over the Cardinals and +3 over the Brewers as the Lou Crew tries to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Astros.

Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Geovany Soto, and Kosuke Fukudome are a combined 3-for-32 (.094) in the series, and as a team, the Cubs have fanned 14 times and walked once.

Or, as Lou Piniella explained so elegantly after Saturday night's 4-1 fall, "We're not getting much hitting anywhere in the lineup."

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Game 97 Thread / Cubs @ Astros (2 of 3)


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SP Carlos Zambrano SP
*Wandy Rodriguez
  10-3, 2.84, 78 K, 38 BB, 120.1 IP

4-3, 3.48, 65 K, 23 BB, 75 IP
       
SS Ryan Theriot
2B #Kaz Matsui
CF Reed Johnson
CF *Darin Erstad
1B
Derrek Lee 1B
#Lance Berkman
3B
Aramis Ramirez LF
Carlos Lee
C
Geovany Soto
SS Miguel Tejada
LF Mark DeRosa 3B Hunter Pence
RF *Kosuke Fukudome
RF Ty Wigginton
2B
Ronny Cedeno
C Brad Ausmus
P
#Carlos Zambrano
P #Wandy Rodriguez

 

The Cubs and Astros meet in the middle game of their three-game series at Minute Maid.

Kosuke Fukudome, who is just 7-for-46 (.152) since the first of July and is hitting just .254 AVG/ .351 SLG/ .377 OBP/ 728 OPS since his average was a season high .357 back in late April, 72 games ago, drops down to the seventh spot in the order against the lefty Rodriguez.

Otherwise, Jim Edmonds sits against the southpaw, Reed Johnson starts in center, and once again, we all get to pretend that Mark DeRosa can play the outfield.

Zambrano is making his third start since his visit to the DL. In the first two, against the Cards and Reds, he allowed just one run and five hits over 14 innings.

 

Game 96 Thread / Cubs @ Astros (1 of 3)


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SP *Ted Lilly
SP
Brian Moehler
9-6, 4.68, 108 K, 41 BB, 115.1 IP

5-4, 4.28, 44 K, 24 BB, 75.2 IP
SS Ryan Theriot
2B #Kaz Matsui
RF *Kosuke Fukudome CF *Darin Erstad
1B
Derrek Lee 1B
#Lance Berkman
3B
Aramis Ramirez LF
Carlos Lee
C
Geovany Soto
SS Miguel Tejada
CF *Jim Edmonds 3B Hunter Pence
LF Mark DeRosa RF Ty Wigginton
2B
*Mike Fontenot
C J.R. Towles
P
*Ted Lilly P Brian Moehler

 

The second half is upon us and the Cubs trot out Ted Lilly to start it...for some reason. I assume it was to give Z and Dempster an extra day after their All-Star appearances and to limit Rich Harden as much as possible before he goes on a 27 inning scoreless streak in the playoffs. Nonetheless, Lilly's homer-happy ways will be on display tonight with the ever-present Crawford boxes looming in short left field. If he can manage a win, he'll join Dempster and Zambrano in the 10-win club.

Before the game, the Cubs put Jon Lieber on the disabled list with a right foot strain (same foot that cost him most of last year) and recalled Micah Hoffpauir. 

All-Star Game Thread


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SP Ben Sheets
SP
*Cliff Lee
  10-3, 2.85, 108 K, 28 BB, 123 IP

12-2, 2.31 ERA, 106 K, 20 BB, 124 IP
       
SS
Hanley Ramirez (FLA)
RF
*Ichiro Suzuki (SEA)
2B
*Chase Utley (PHI)
SS
Derek Jeter (NYY)
1B
#Lance Berkman (HOU)
CF
*Josh Hamilton (TEX)
DH
Albert Pujols (STL)
3B
Alex Rodriguez (NYY)
3B
#Chipper Jones (ATL)
LF
Manny Ramirez (BOS)
RF
Matt Holliday (COL)
DH
#Milton Bradley (TEX)
LF
Ryan Braun (MIL)
1B
Kevin Youkilis (BOS)
CF
*Kosuke Fukudome (CUBS)
C
*Joe Mauer (MIN)
C
Geovany Soto (CUBS)
2B
Dustin Pedroia (BOS)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ASG comes to The House That Enrique Wilson Built for the fourth and final time as the National League tries to win the damn thing for the first time since 1996. Our man Fukudome and young Geo bring up the bottom of the NL order.

Come gametime, join all the cool kids in Parachat. I hear they're just going to be hanging out, drinking beer, and shooting off fireworks.

Game 95 Thread / Giants @ Cubs (3 of 3)


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SP Tm Lincecum SP
Ryan Dempster
  10-2, 2.66, 126 K, 46 BB, 121.2 IP

10-3, 3.13 ERA, 98 K, 47 BB, 118 IP
       
LF
*Fred Lewis
SS
Ryan Theriot
3B
Jose Castillo 2B
*Mike Fontenot
2B
#Ray Durham
1B
Derrek Lee
C
Bengie Molina 3B
Aramis Ramirez
CF
Aaron Rowand RF
Mark DeRosa
RF
*John Bowker
CF
*Jim Edmonds
1B
Rich Aurilia
LF
Reed Johnson
SS
#Omar Vizquel
C
Henry Blanco
P
Tim Lincecum P
Ryan Dempster

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A great pitching matchup between two All-Stars to end the pre-ASG schedule for 2008.

Lincecum has been everything the Giants hoped he would be; Dempster has been more than the Cubs could ever have hoped. Dempster remains undefeated this season at Wrigley (10-0, 2.58); Lincecum was undefeated on the road until losing to the Mets at Shea this past Tuesday. He's still a none-too-shabby 7-1, 2.23 away from AT&T Park.

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Game 94 Thread / Giants @ Cubs (2 of 3)


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SP Kevin Correia
SP
Rich Harden
  1-5, 4.96, 31 K, 22 BB, 49 IP
(AL) 5-1, 2.34 ERA, 91 K, 32 BB, 77 IP
       
LF
#Eugenio Velez
SS
Ryan Theriot
3B
Jose Castillo
RF
*Kosuke Fukudome
RF
#Ray Durham 1B
Derrek Lee
C
Bengie Molina 3B
Aramis Ramirez
CF
Aaron Rowand C
Geovany Soto
RF
*John Bowker
CF
*Jim Edmonds
1B
Rich Aurilia
LF
Mark DeRosa
SS
#Omar Vizquel
2B
*Mike Fontentot
P
Kevin Correia
P
Rich Harden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Game 93 Thread / Giants @ Cubs (1 of 3)


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SP Matt Cain
SP
Jason Marquis
  5-7, 4.30, 112 K, 50 BB, 119.1 IP

6-5, 4.78 ERA, 49 K, 37 BB, 92.1 IP
       
LF
*Fred Lewis
SS
Ryan Theriot
2B
#Ray Durham 2B
*Mike Fontenot
RF
#Randy Winn
1B
Derrek Lee
C
Bengie Molina 3B
Aramis Ramirez
CF
Aaron Rowand C
Geovany Soto
1B
*John Bowker
LF
*Daryle Ward
3B
Rich Aurilia
RF
Mark DeRosa
SS
#Omar Vizquel
CF
Reed Johnson
P
Matt Cain
P
*Jason Marquis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Rich Harden Debut Eve, the Cubs have made a roster move as they open a three-game set against the Giants.

Michael Wuertz, who allowed four runs in an inning-and-one-third against the Reds on Thursday, was sent down to Iowa. Kevin Hart, 2-1, 3.35 for the I-Cubs with 48 K's against 15 BB and a BAA of just .205, gets the call-up.

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