…Or so it seems that way. Today was the first televised game I was able to catch and I have a few personal notes from the game:

–Robnett is either incredibly quick–or–has great baserunning instincts–or–is the only Cub to realize that A.J. has a weak arm at this point in his career and was determined to take advantage of it. I don’t know where Robnett will eventually fit into the system, they seem to have an over abundance of maybe Minor League outfielders these days(Fuld, Robnett, Snyder, Colvin) as well as viable Major league choices(Gathright, Johnson, Fukudome, Taguchi?). Len did mention that Robnett has only stolen twenty bases in five minor league seasons, so I don’t know if he has:

A) Never taken advantage of his speed

-OR-

B) Stole on Pierzynski’s weak arm.

But he looked to be quick beating out an infield single before his second of the two stolen bags. Maybe he has the instinct to steal bases, I don’t know. If he does pan out then we got something for a sometimes nothing in Wuertz who for the record was effective when:

His slider was on

Which was more off than on in the past year.

Mike Fontenot and Ryan Theriot can hit. These guys may be the hokey joke about short and white with no range, but these guys CAN hit. I know Fontenot has the questionable record against left-handers, but, as long as Miles can produce(if Mike fails against left-handed pitching) then Derosa shouldn’t be missed regardless of the numbers he puts up this year.

Micah Hoffpauir can also hit, but his swing still has a bit too much of an uppercut to it at times, which leaves it susceptible. Is he a solution for when Derrek leaves?  Doubtful. Even with the bat, is his glove good enough? I don’t think Lee’s glove will be fully appreciated(even if it is just slightly above average now) until a real butcher is installed there. Will Micah be that? Don’t know, but Theriot’s arm and Ramirez’s penchant for throws in the dirt could become alot more glaring once he leaves.

Chad Fox can still get outs. Is he going to make the team? I doubt it. He lacks any real dominant stuff, or from what I saw today. I’ve seen him before, but in such a small sample size, that today I really paid attention. He has the ability to get outs, but if there is even a slightly better option I don’t see anyway they can justify taking him.  He’s Borowski stuff, without Borowski numbers.

They lost.

7-6, but it doesn’t matter. Spring Training.

I caught about an inning of Smardzija, but from that and the ongoing commentary he was off. I say he goes down to AAA and stretches out, works on his pitches, and the Cubs ignore their tribune-ish urge for marketing and do it the INTELLIGENT way, drop the hype and let the kid pan out or not.

We might lose Angel Guzman. He just doesn’t look sharp enough to make the team as it is and he’s out of options. Kind of sad for a kid who has been built up as much as he has and has some incredible pitches.

Lilly pitched four innings today for Team USA, two hits, a run, and awesome ensued.

That’s what I pulled from today’s game that I was actually able to watch. The  major pieces(Fontenot, Theriot, Bradley with a double in the other split)look good, and barring a complete fucking collapse from alot of players then we should be in good shape for the season.

Here’s the Box.

First Pitch is at 3:05 pm central time in Las Vegas VS. The White Sox. Game is On WGN America.

Heilman takes the ball in the first.

Don’t Blog Drunk!

What is that?

The best field sobriety test picture I could come up with at this time(and I’ve re-typed this line like five times now).

Moving on: (more…)

Take a Seat Please

Today we are going to eschew what has become the “Original” format to talk about the three different types of major league baseball players, at least I believe, should be on every team:

The Super Star(Soriano, Zambrano)

The Fan Favorite(Ramirez, Theriot)

The Grinder(which is not my favorite term, but F*&k it, it serves my purpose here–Johnson, Fontenot) (more…)

Rangers Shocked/Offended! Drop game 10-4:

To the Cubs Friday afternoon in Surprise… (more…)

…Or maybe not.

I was trying to post video directly to the page, thereby avoiding linking you to an outside source–BUT, as it turns out, I have no clue how to do that.

So here you go.

Onto Cub related news.

CUBS WIN!…SOME MORE…

The team rolled into spring training the way they rolled out of last season–winning( There was no October in 2008. Weird, I know.)

And the team that they beat?

Yep. (more…)

The Chicago Cubs won their eighth straight game on the road as they pounded out a 11-7 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday night. The Cubs once again scored a ton of runs and got to the Braves bullpen early in the ballgame. When you knock the opposing teams pitchers out of the game before the fifth inning three games in a row, good things are going to happen and that is exactly what happened for the Cubs as they swept the Braves.

Ted Lilly didn’t have his best stuff as he was charged with four runs but it was good enough to get the win and improve to 12-6 on the year. Bob Howy had some trouble as he allowed a three run home run that got the Braves back within four runs. Carlos Marmol and Kerry Wood then finished up the Braves in the final two innings.

Aramis Ramirez hit a three run home run to lead the Cubbies at the plate with three rbi. Alfonso Soriano added a two run shot of his own as well. Geovany Soto had another great game at the plate as he had three walks and two rbi. Mark DeRosa, Reed Johnson, Daryle Ward, and Ryan Theriot all had one rbi each as well.

The Cubbies will try to make it nine in a row on the road Friday night as they take on the Florida Marlins. Big Z will be taking the mound for the Cubs.

Cubs Baseball Blog

Yeah, it has been a while since this Cubs blog as been updated.  Murphy was doing a great job with his game recaps and I hope he will continue writing as he does a very good job.  Right now I will be trying to cover the games during the week atleast.

Right now I’ll just give you a short recap of game one of the double header against the Braves.  The Cubs bats were swinging and knocking in runs as they crushed the Braves 10-2.  Jason Marquis tossed 5 1/3 innings to pick up the win.  Marquis didn’t pitch too badly as he gave up six hits and two runs, but his pitch count really got up there and that is why he only lasted a little over five innings.  Marquis had to work out of jams quite a few times and that is why the pitchcount was so high.

Neal Cotts, Jeff Samardzija, and Bob Howry all seen action out of the bullpen.  All three pitched great and allowed the team to save Kerry Wood and Carlos Marmol for the second game which will kick off at 6 p.m. central time.

Geovany Soto led the offense by going 3-4 with four rbi.  Soto had a two run double in the second inning and then added a two run home run in the ninth inning.  I would expect to see Soto sit out the second game and Henry Blanco to get the start.  Jim Edmonds also had a good game at the plate as he had three rbi in the game.  Aramis Ramirez, Mark DeRosa, and Ryan Theriot all added one rbi each as well.

Let’s go get game two and hopefully see a Brewers loss later tonight. GO CUBS!

Cubs Baseball

Giants ace, Tim Lincecum, kept Cub’s bats at bay as the Giants prevented the sweep with a 4-2 victory over the Cubs on Sunday afternoon.  Lincecum showed again why he is on the NL All-Star team and a CY Young candidate.  Lincecum threw 8 innings giving up 1 run on 6 hits.  He added to his league leading total of strikeouts by whiffing 9 Cub’s batters. 

The Giants started their scoring in the 3^rd inning when Lincecum helped his own cause by tripling in Omar Vizquel for the game’s first run.  A two out single from Ray Durham would give the Giants 2 more runs in the inning and a 3-0 lead.

The Cubs would plate a run in the 4^th inning on a double from the hot-hitting Cub’s centerfielder Jim Edmonds.  He has proven to be a very valuable and low-risk midseason pickup for Jim Hendry.  The Cubs needed another left-handed batter in their lineup and Edmonds has proved very serviceable.   

The Giants would take a 4-1 lead to the 9^th inning after an RBI triple from Fred Lewis.   The Giants then went to closer Brian Wilson for a chance at a league leading 25^th save.  Edmonds would walk and score leaving a pinch hit chance for Geovany Soto with one out and two on.  Representing the tying run, Soto struck out on a called third strike.  Cub’s shortstop Ryan Theriot, who had extended his hitting streak to ten games earlier, ground out to in the game.   Ryan Dempster was credited with his first loss at home this year giving up four earned runs, seven hits, and striking out six.  Dempster now falls to 10-4 on the season.

Special Notes:  Cub’s reliever, Carlos Marmol, will replace Cub’s closer Kerry Wood in the All-Star game due to a minor blister that Kerry wants to give a chance to heal. 

Cub’s fans got exactly what they expected out of newly acquired pitcher, Rich Harden, but it would take an 11^th inning RBI single from Reed Johnson to secure the Cubs second straight victory.  Harden was effective through 5 1/3^rd innings giving up five hits while striking out ten batters and giving up no runs.  It was the third time in his career that Harden had double-digit strikeout totals and the second this year.  He would leave to a standing ovation in the 5^th inning with a smile on his face that was shared throughout the electric crowd on hand at Wrigley. 

The Cubs would give Harden plenty of run support early led by Jim Edmonds 2-run homer in the 3^rd and then a two-run double in the 4^th.  He would finish the day 2-4 with four RBI’s and 2 runs.  The Cubs would then take a 7-0 lead into the 8^th inning before Giant’s catcher, Bengie Molina, doubled in Ray Durham for the Giant’s first run.  They would score once more to make it 7-2 heading into the 9^th inning. 

In the 9^th, with a five run lead, Lou Piniella gave the ball to Carlos Marmol, who has struggled of late.  After a lead-off double to Giant’s shortstop, Ivan Ochoa, things would begin to unravel for Marmol.  After another single and two Cub’s misplays in the infield, the game was quickly tied 7-7.  Cub’s closer, Kerry Wood was unavailable in the game due to a blister so Lou went with Sean Marshall in the 10^th.  Marshall pitched two solid innings before leading off with a single in the 11^th.  Then, with Mark DeRosa at 2^nd and Mike Fontenot at 1^st, Reed Johnson hit a one out, game-winning single which scored Derosa on a very close call at home plate. 

Expect the presence of broomsticks in Wrigley for the series closer Sunday afternoon as the Cubs look for the sweep.  They will be facing Giant’s ace and All-Star, Tim Lincecum (10-2), who has looked like a Cy Young winner despite pitching for a team below .500.  The Cubs will bring Ryan Dempster to mound who has yet to lose in Wrigley Field this season.

Special Note….  Cubs shortstop, Ryan Theriot, went 3-4 on Saturday extending his hitting streak to nine games and upping his batting average to .322 on the year.

A brilliant effort from Jason Marquis, and an 8^th inning homerun from “Mr. Clutch”, Aramis Ramirez, got the Cubs back on track with a 3-1 victory Friday afternoon.  Marquis, who pitched like a starter fighting to keep his rotation spot, threw 7 scoreless innings giving up 3 hits and no runs.  Giant’s pitcher Matt Cain was just as brilliant through 7 as he gave up 3 hits, no runs, and struck out nine Cub batters. 

With the flags barely moving, it was evident early in the game that we would not see the same type of day that led to 7 Red’s homeruns just a day before.  Both starting pitchers were dominant on the mound and through 7 innings the game was scoreless.  After a double from Cub’s leftfielder Daryle Ward, Piniella put in Ronny Cedeno to pinch run, and decided to pinch hit for Marquis in the bottom of the 7^th despite the low pitch count he had attained.  The move would cost Marquis a chance for the win as Kosuke Fukudome failed to plate the run.  It was obvious that Marquis was well aware of the looming probability that he might lose his rotation spot with the acquisition of Rich Harden, and he pitched well enough to earn another start.  With one out and nobody on, Giant’s manager Bruce Bochy decided that Matt Cain’s day was done and pinch hit for him in the 8^th.  Bob Howry pitched a perfect 8^th inning that set the stage for the ensuing drama that was about to take place.

Cub’s shortstop, Ryan Theriot,  kept his eight game hitting streak alive on a bloop play in the 3^rd and then led off the bottom of the 8^th inning with his second single of the game.  Mike Fontenot then bunted Theriot over to second to put the go ahead run in scoring position.  Giant’s pitcher, Tyler Walker, then proceeded to intentionally walk Derrek Lee to pitch to Aramis Ramirez with runners at first and second.   Ramirez then took the very first pitch and hit a hooking bomb towards the leftfield foul pole and out onto Waveland Ave to give the Cubs a 3-0 lead.  The homerun was the 17^th of the year for Ramirez and drew a curtain-call from the 41,000 fans in attendance. 

Cub’s closer, Kerry Wood, got the call in the 9^th and got into immediate trouble when he let the first three batters he faced reach base.  Ray Durham would score for the Giants making it 3-1 and leaving runners at 1^st and 3^rd with no outs.  Wood then caught Aaron Rowand looking for strike three, as Bengie Molina stole second putting the tying run in scoring position with one out.  John Bowker then flew out to Kosuke Fukudome and the runners held.  As the fans got to their feet, Rich Aurilla hit a ground ball to Derrek Lee, who then tossed it over to Wood for the 3^rd and final out.  The save would be Wood’s 24^th tying him for first in the National League with Giant’s closer Brian Wilson. 

Cub’s fans get ready to welcome in Rich Harden tomorrow as he will face Giant’s pitcher Kevin Correia who is 1-5 with a 4.96 ERA.  Make note that the game time has been moved to 12:00pm Central time so get their early!