What is it with foul balls and cats?
In an obscenely-offesnive montage that tested the sanity of even the most centered Cubs fans, a fan leaned over the wall in left field and prevented Alfonso Soriano from grabbing a fourth-inning foul ball. The scene, and the location, were eerily similar to THAT moment in Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS.
If it didn't happen in a game attended by Dusty Baker, it just wouldn't have felt right.
Shortly after, a cat was seen prancing around the field, a sure-fire tribute to the black cat that streaked in front of the Cubs dugout in 1969. While 2009's four-legged version of terror wasn't black, didn't pull a Tom Cruise and fly by the dugout, and didn't occur in New York, it rekindled beliefs in omens all over again.
Wonderful. ESPN is going to love this one. Ron Santo is strangling his microphone.
Somehow, someway, the Cubs overcame any semblance of spiteful Godly intervention and surged ahead for a 7-2 win over the surprisingly mediocre Reds. Apparently Micah Hoffpauir doesn't believe in ghosts.
Hoffpauir, making the most of his recent string of at bats, tied the game early with his first home run of the season. He added a tie-breaking sac fly in the fifth inning. Filling in for Milton Bradley, Hoffpauir is hitting .375 in limited action when compared to the amount of at bats he had in Spring Training. However, the drop off hasn't hurt the 29-year old rookie, who's showing signs of being a big piece of this team's offense.
Rich Harden was also worthy of world wide web praise, efficiently cruising through six innings and holding the Reds to two runs. Harden picked up his first win of the season and ran his strike out total up to 26. Not bad for three outings.
The bullpen was flawless. The offense was clicking. Any relevant curses were brought back to the country's forefront and quickly downplayed by the "W" flag. My heart registered a few healthy beats for the first time since February.
Altogether, very un-Cub. I like that.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Why Does It Always Rain On Me?
If the rain must fall, then why can't it happen on someone else's time?
On Sunday, I was slated to make my Wrigley Field debut as the Cubs looked to take the series 3-1 from the Cardinals on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball. The tickets were a birthday present.
First career Sunday Night game. First career rainout. Hardly joyfull and triumphant.
The unfortunate brake in the baseball action gives us a chance to catch up on some other topics, most notably the Bulls surprising/shocking/altogether scintillating Game 1 victory over Boston at the Garden. Behind Derrick Rose's 36 points and 11 assists, the Bulls held on for the crucial 105-103 overtime win. This was the first time in 11 tries that the Bulls have beaten the Celtics in the Playoffs, something that even Michael couldn't do.
[Somewhat related note: Larry Bird famously noted after Jordan dropped 63 on Boston in Game 2 of the 1986 Playoffs, “I think he’s God disguised as Michael Jordan.” Needless to say, Derrick Rose and the kids just etched a place in the Bulls Pantheon right next to the man that can only be described as the closest thing to God that God would allow. Good for them.]
Rose was otherworldly, shunning any doubts that his rookie status would prevent him from shining on the NBA's brightest stage. He outdueled his point guard counterpart, Rajon Rondo, and single-handedly stiffled a Celtic rally in the third quarter by hitting five straight shots, several of which belong on his season highlight reel.
Not on Rose's level, but still impressive nevertheless, was Joakim Noah. The former college star returned to the postseason for the first time since his championship season at Florida and didn't disappoint, working awfully well with Rose and stiffling the Boston attack on the glass. Yes, Noah's affectiveness was due in large part to the absence of Kevin Garnett, but Boston went 18-7 this year without the Big Ticket. It's safe to say Noah didn't grab 17 rebounds against a YMCA grade school team.
Don't pencil in the Bulls for the second round just yet, but heading back to Chicaog up 2-0 or even 1-1 gives them a fighting chance for advancing. Game 1 showed that the Bulls DO want it and the Celtics aren't infallible. Also, don't be surprised if KG shows up should the Bulls take a two-game lead, either 2-0 or 3-1. Can anyone say Willis Reed?
Additionally, the Blackhawks opened up a 2-0 series lead against the Calgary Flames. Combined with the growing fuss over Jay Cutler's nightlife, Chicago has become THE sports hub of known world.
Let's just hope the Cubs can beat the rain and keep up.
On Sunday, I was slated to make my Wrigley Field debut as the Cubs looked to take the series 3-1 from the Cardinals on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball. The tickets were a birthday present.
First career Sunday Night game. First career rainout. Hardly joyfull and triumphant.
The unfortunate brake in the baseball action gives us a chance to catch up on some other topics, most notably the Bulls surprising/shocking/altogether scintillating Game 1 victory over Boston at the Garden. Behind Derrick Rose's 36 points and 11 assists, the Bulls held on for the crucial 105-103 overtime win. This was the first time in 11 tries that the Bulls have beaten the Celtics in the Playoffs, something that even Michael couldn't do.
[Somewhat related note: Larry Bird famously noted after Jordan dropped 63 on Boston in Game 2 of the 1986 Playoffs, “I think he’s God disguised as Michael Jordan.” Needless to say, Derrick Rose and the kids just etched a place in the Bulls Pantheon right next to the man that can only be described as the closest thing to God that God would allow. Good for them.]
Rose was otherworldly, shunning any doubts that his rookie status would prevent him from shining on the NBA's brightest stage. He outdueled his point guard counterpart, Rajon Rondo, and single-handedly stiffled a Celtic rally in the third quarter by hitting five straight shots, several of which belong on his season highlight reel.
Not on Rose's level, but still impressive nevertheless, was Joakim Noah. The former college star returned to the postseason for the first time since his championship season at Florida and didn't disappoint, working awfully well with Rose and stiffling the Boston attack on the glass. Yes, Noah's affectiveness was due in large part to the absence of Kevin Garnett, but Boston went 18-7 this year without the Big Ticket. It's safe to say Noah didn't grab 17 rebounds against a YMCA grade school team.
Don't pencil in the Bulls for the second round just yet, but heading back to Chicaog up 2-0 or even 1-1 gives them a fighting chance for advancing. Game 1 showed that the Bulls DO want it and the Celtics aren't infallible. Also, don't be surprised if KG shows up should the Bulls take a two-game lead, either 2-0 or 3-1. Can anyone say Willis Reed?
Additionally, the Blackhawks opened up a 2-0 series lead against the Calgary Flames. Combined with the growing fuss over Jay Cutler's nightlife, Chicago has become THE sports hub of known world.
Let's just hope the Cubs can beat the rain and keep up.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Fishfood: Marlins, Pitching Induce Nausea
Yesterday's loss was tough. Seeing my girlfriend in a Marlin's jersey was worse.
[Side note: let's talk about the Marlins. This obsessive hatred goes so far beyond 2003, which I'm sure most of you can attest. First and foremost, they've picked up two World Series in seven years. After each title, they dismantle the team, rebuild, and are ready for another title bout. And this most recent rebuilding phase? Well, they've started 2009 10-1.
You do the math.
They had Dontrelle Willis when he was still Dontrelle Willis, a former Cubs prospect. They fleeced us for Juan Pierre, who left/was run out of town after only one year. They gave us Kevin Gregg for one of the most promising prospects in our minor league system. They did give us Derrek Lee, but we haven't won a postseason game since. And yes, they capitalized on one of the worst collpases in sports history. That, ladies and gentlemen, is why my girlfriend in a Marlin's jersey made me nauseus.]
Fortunately for me and the future of my relationship, Alfonso Soriano intervened. Soriano provided some more late-inning heroics, hitting a two-run shot in the eighth inning to put the Cardinals away for a come-from-behind 8-7 victory.
Our very own lighning rod continues to shine late in games, and memories of his three previous strike outs were quickly erased. For people who have spent the past 100 years pining, we seem to have short memories when it comes to our left fielder.
But before we annoint Soriano and the Cubs as saviors of sanity on the North Side, let's explore the journey they took to get to the eighth. Carlos Zambrano struggled mightily, giving up all seven runs and blowing an early 3-0 lead. However, since the bullpen was so depleted, Zambrano had to suffer through seven innings and 109 pitches. The home run proved to be his undoing, as he gave up two to Ryan Ludwick and another to Brian Barden.
And for our next activity, please pick out Brian Barden from this lineup. Can't? Yeah, that's what we thought.
But enough about Zambrano. Our offense saved us, refusing to acquiesce. Derrek Lee continued to impress, as did Micah Hoffpauir, and Kosuke Fukudome continued to set the table at the top of the order. Aramis Ramirez and Geovany Soto also got in on the action, coming up with the kind of situational hitting that the Cubs rarely seem to possess.
Simply put, the offense showed more character than James Cromwell, and Soriano put the Cardinals away on a no-doubter.
Carlos Marmol and Aaron Heilman also deserve their Kudos bars, as Heilman bridged the gap to the ninth, and Marmol continued to make us second guess this Kevin Gregg experiment. After walking the lead off batter and plunking Albert Pujols, Marmol resumed filthiness and evened the series at 1-1. Nausea, and potential ealry-onset insanity, avoided.
Too bad the morning's fish food beat the Cardinals to the punch.
[Side note: let's talk about the Marlins. This obsessive hatred goes so far beyond 2003, which I'm sure most of you can attest. First and foremost, they've picked up two World Series in seven years. After each title, they dismantle the team, rebuild, and are ready for another title bout. And this most recent rebuilding phase? Well, they've started 2009 10-1.
You do the math.
They had Dontrelle Willis when he was still Dontrelle Willis, a former Cubs prospect. They fleeced us for Juan Pierre, who left/was run out of town after only one year. They gave us Kevin Gregg for one of the most promising prospects in our minor league system. They did give us Derrek Lee, but we haven't won a postseason game since. And yes, they capitalized on one of the worst collpases in sports history. That, ladies and gentlemen, is why my girlfriend in a Marlin's jersey made me nauseus.]
Fortunately for me and the future of my relationship, Alfonso Soriano intervened. Soriano provided some more late-inning heroics, hitting a two-run shot in the eighth inning to put the Cardinals away for a come-from-behind 8-7 victory.
Our very own lighning rod continues to shine late in games, and memories of his three previous strike outs were quickly erased. For people who have spent the past 100 years pining, we seem to have short memories when it comes to our left fielder.
But before we annoint Soriano and the Cubs as saviors of sanity on the North Side, let's explore the journey they took to get to the eighth. Carlos Zambrano struggled mightily, giving up all seven runs and blowing an early 3-0 lead. However, since the bullpen was so depleted, Zambrano had to suffer through seven innings and 109 pitches. The home run proved to be his undoing, as he gave up two to Ryan Ludwick and another to Brian Barden.
And for our next activity, please pick out Brian Barden from this lineup. Can't? Yeah, that's what we thought.
But enough about Zambrano. Our offense saved us, refusing to acquiesce. Derrek Lee continued to impress, as did Micah Hoffpauir, and Kosuke Fukudome continued to set the table at the top of the order. Aramis Ramirez and Geovany Soto also got in on the action, coming up with the kind of situational hitting that the Cubs rarely seem to possess.
Simply put, the offense showed more character than James Cromwell, and Soriano put the Cardinals away on a no-doubter.
Carlos Marmol and Aaron Heilman also deserve their Kudos bars, as Heilman bridged the gap to the ninth, and Marmol continued to make us second guess this Kevin Gregg experiment. After walking the lead off batter and plunking Albert Pujols, Marmol resumed filthiness and evened the series at 1-1. Nausea, and potential ealry-onset insanity, avoided.
Too bad the morning's fish food beat the Cardinals to the punch.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Ladies and Gentlemen, Milton Bradley
Well, Milton Bradley gave the Cubs what they wanted. Sort of.
Bradley, pinch hitting, was ejected in the sixth inning after arguing balls and strikes during his Wrigley Field debut. Going up in the count 3-0 with the bases loaded, Bradley saw the count shift in Adam Wainwright's favor. Wainwright's 3-2 pitch was low, called a strike, and Bradley didn't hesitate letting home plate umpire Larry Vanover know how he felt. Bradley was immediately tossed.
Fantastic.
Last year's team was outstanding. Great starting rotation. Great offense. Solid bullpen. Still, outside of Carlos Zambrano, where was the intensity? Quick hint: it wasn't there.
Now, I'm not questioning the passion of these players. Derrek Lee is one hell of a competitor. Center field walls have come to fear Reed Johnson. And Kerry Wood can strike out some batters with a stare. But to win at a championship level, you need that Dennis Rodman. You need that Ozzie Guillen [did I really just say that?]. They put up great numbers, but also bring that intangible, always-on-display demeanor that enchants fans and makes opponents question themselves.
Piss and vinegar. Vim and vigor. It's not an exact science, but there are proven results. You need that visible, outspoken tenacity. Bradley brings that, and we saw it today. Is it just a distraction though? No, not at this point. Bradley hasn't been hitting this season in limited time, but he's getting on base. That's what he was brought in for. And as far as ejections go, one here or there, especially if it comes in a pinch-hitting situation, isn't going to kill a team.
Sure, the 2008 Cubs displayed a great sense of camaraderie, and the last thing we need is another dugout boxing ring match, but there wasn't a "win now at any cost" mentality, and Bradley brings that to the team. Thus, his Wrigley Field debut had the sold-out crowd on its feet.
However, I'm sure both Bradley and the Cubs wanted a different outcome.
Bradley's strike out had lasting effects on the game. With the score tied 4-4, Alfonso Soriano followed up Bradley with a pop out to left field. Scoring opportunity wasted, St. Louis battered the Cubs bullpen some more, surging ahead for a 7-4 win.
Sean Marshall, making his first start of the season, gave us what we expect from a back of the rotation starter: five innings of three-run ball. That isn't Cy Young stuff, but it should be good enough to get the win. Given the misadventures of the bullpen though, it's hard to imagine Jeff Samardzija sitting around in the minors for too long. Whether that means he starts and Marshall is shifted to the bullpen, or vice versa, I don't know. Stay tuned.
Kosuke Fukudome bailed Marhsll out and put the Cubs in position to win with a three-run homer in the fifth inning, erasing an early 3-1 deficit. Aaron Heilman promptly gave that lead away, courtesy of a Khalil Greene home run in the sixth inning. The Cubs never recovered in the opening game of a crucial, four game early season series. David Patton added to the damage, issuing two walks and giving up two runs in his first poor outing of the season. Angel Guzman wasn't too sharp either.
Things weren't much better on the other side of the ball. Micah Hoffpauir got the start in right field, but wasn't able to do much at the plate, finishing 0-for-4. Outside of Fukudome, Aramis Ramirez was the only player with two hits.
But at the end of the day, you have to walk away knowing that the best thing that could've happened in a loss was learning about the character of this year's Cubs. While Bradley may be suspended, that's a tenacity that we want, as long as it doesn't hurt us too much in the long run. That's a fine line, but one that I'm sure Bradley and Lou can walk at this stage of their careers.
Bradley, pinch hitting, was ejected in the sixth inning after arguing balls and strikes during his Wrigley Field debut. Going up in the count 3-0 with the bases loaded, Bradley saw the count shift in Adam Wainwright's favor. Wainwright's 3-2 pitch was low, called a strike, and Bradley didn't hesitate letting home plate umpire Larry Vanover know how he felt. Bradley was immediately tossed.
Fantastic.
Last year's team was outstanding. Great starting rotation. Great offense. Solid bullpen. Still, outside of Carlos Zambrano, where was the intensity? Quick hint: it wasn't there.
Now, I'm not questioning the passion of these players. Derrek Lee is one hell of a competitor. Center field walls have come to fear Reed Johnson. And Kerry Wood can strike out some batters with a stare. But to win at a championship level, you need that Dennis Rodman. You need that Ozzie Guillen [did I really just say that?]. They put up great numbers, but also bring that intangible, always-on-display demeanor that enchants fans and makes opponents question themselves.
Piss and vinegar. Vim and vigor. It's not an exact science, but there are proven results. You need that visible, outspoken tenacity. Bradley brings that, and we saw it today. Is it just a distraction though? No, not at this point. Bradley hasn't been hitting this season in limited time, but he's getting on base. That's what he was brought in for. And as far as ejections go, one here or there, especially if it comes in a pinch-hitting situation, isn't going to kill a team.
Sure, the 2008 Cubs displayed a great sense of camaraderie, and the last thing we need is another dugout boxing ring match, but there wasn't a "win now at any cost" mentality, and Bradley brings that to the team. Thus, his Wrigley Field debut had the sold-out crowd on its feet.
However, I'm sure both Bradley and the Cubs wanted a different outcome.
Bradley's strike out had lasting effects on the game. With the score tied 4-4, Alfonso Soriano followed up Bradley with a pop out to left field. Scoring opportunity wasted, St. Louis battered the Cubs bullpen some more, surging ahead for a 7-4 win.
Sean Marshall, making his first start of the season, gave us what we expect from a back of the rotation starter: five innings of three-run ball. That isn't Cy Young stuff, but it should be good enough to get the win. Given the misadventures of the bullpen though, it's hard to imagine Jeff Samardzija sitting around in the minors for too long. Whether that means he starts and Marshall is shifted to the bullpen, or vice versa, I don't know. Stay tuned.
Kosuke Fukudome bailed Marhsll out and put the Cubs in position to win with a three-run homer in the fifth inning, erasing an early 3-1 deficit. Aaron Heilman promptly gave that lead away, courtesy of a Khalil Greene home run in the sixth inning. The Cubs never recovered in the opening game of a crucial, four game early season series. David Patton added to the damage, issuing two walks and giving up two runs in his first poor outing of the season. Angel Guzman wasn't too sharp either.
Things weren't much better on the other side of the ball. Micah Hoffpauir got the start in right field, but wasn't able to do much at the plate, finishing 0-for-4. Outside of Fukudome, Aramis Ramirez was the only player with two hits.
But at the end of the day, you have to walk away knowing that the best thing that could've happened in a loss was learning about the character of this year's Cubs. While Bradley may be suspended, that's a tenacity that we want, as long as it doesn't hurt us too much in the long run. That's a fine line, but one that I'm sure Bradley and Lou can walk at this stage of their careers.
Marquis Shines, Causes Dugout Indigestion
Jason Marquis? Really?
The oft-maligned, former back of the rotation starter for the Cubs returned to Wrigley Field in Cy Young form, helping the Rockies avoid the two-game series sweep with a 5-2 win over his former employers.
Marquis dazzled from the outset, holding the Cubs to one run over seven innings. The victor [Jason Marquis? Really?] only issued two free passes, which probably gave Lou a serious bout of indigestion since Marquis' M.O. last year was turning the base paths into a carousel of walkers. That's my theory at least. Even worse, he was responsible for the Rockies first two RBIs. Yes, Jason Marquis has more RBIs than our starting catcher and reigning Rookie of the Year.
Jason Marquis? Really?
The eye-searing devastation didn't end there though. Enter Rich Harden. Harden barely escaped three innings, topping out at 92 pitches before he was pulled for the so-far-really-reliable David Patton. With two appearances under his belt now, Patton has cruised through four innings, giving up only one run, a meaningless solo home run that came against the first major league batter he ever faced. The feel-good Spring Training sensation continues.
But back to Harden. I'm not letting him off that easily. Did you see that first inning? Harden looked as if he had a personal vendetta against the Rockies, as if they knocked him out of the postseason, not the Dodgers. Harden struck out the side with stuff so filthy, disgruntled Rockies mothers labeled it pornographic.
The second inning was a bit different, however. Harden struck out the first tbatter he faced, but found himself in trouble after two walks and an infiled single. True to form, Harden struck out the next batter he faced, bringing Jason Marquis to the plate.
Now, Marquis is a great hitting pitcher, the 2005 National League Silver Slugger winner at his position. And frankly, Reed Johnson should have made that catch in center on Marquis' flare hit. But c'mon Rich. The pitcher? Jason Marquis? Really? Harden was terrific in Milwaukee, showing the same form that put him in the conversation as the best trade in baseball last year. But Harden got himself into trouble by putting runners on and running up his pitch count, not exactly music to Lou and Larry's ears. Hopefully, nothing more than a blip on the road.
[Before you laugh that statement off, Sabathia fans out there will want to look at the numbers. While Sabathia threw more innings and finished with seven complete games, Harden sported a 1.78 ERA over 12 starts that compares favorably to Sabathia's 1.65 ERA over 17 starts. While both floundered in the postseason, they both were HUGE midseason acquisitions. Thus, we hold Harden to an incredibly high standard.]
Harden's short outing wasn't the only games only noticable occurence. The other was Derrek Lee. I think, just maybe, we're seeing Lee come to life. It couldn't have come at a better time for both Lee and the Cubs. With Lous strapping on Micah Hoffpauir's batting gloves, Lee went 3-for-4 with a ninth inning home run that helped put the Cubs in position to win this game [more on that later].
As I've said, we need Lee to drive the ball, and that home run was a good sign, especially since it came at a key situation in the game. "Clutch" is a hard statistic to define, but that's where Lee's performance would rank. On a day when the offense was stagnant, Lee roared. Hopefully, this is only the beginning.
[Side note: True to form, Hoffpauir chimed in with a pinch-hit double. Lee's timing couldn't have been any better.]
This loss was a lot toughrer to stomach after watching the ninth. Angel Guzman gave up a run in the top-half of the inning, and after Lee's home run to lead off their half of the ninth, Mike Fontenot walked and Johnson singled to put two on with nobody out.
Enter hysterics.
Fontenot was then thrown out at third on a base running gaffe, and our hard-luck catcher Geo Soto reintroduced Cubs fans to the game-ending double play. Like I said, "clutch" is a hard statistic to define, but I can make an exception here. This was about as close to clutch as Meg Ryan is to her golden years. Yeah, I went there.
So, to recap: Harden got his bad start out of the way and will resume his Cy Young campiagn next week. Instead of slamming his helmet into the dirt, Derrek Lee is hammering pitches into the bleachers. Geo Soto? Frigidly cold. Luis Vizcaino , the man the Rockies shipped us after we begged them to take this game's MVP off of out hands? A scoreless inning. And Jason Marquis? The game's MVP on the mound and at the plate. Yeah, that about sums up a 5-2 loss. Well, there is one more thing:
Jason Marquis? Really?
The oft-maligned, former back of the rotation starter for the Cubs returned to Wrigley Field in Cy Young form, helping the Rockies avoid the two-game series sweep with a 5-2 win over his former employers.
Marquis dazzled from the outset, holding the Cubs to one run over seven innings. The victor [Jason Marquis? Really?] only issued two free passes, which probably gave Lou a serious bout of indigestion since Marquis' M.O. last year was turning the base paths into a carousel of walkers. That's my theory at least. Even worse, he was responsible for the Rockies first two RBIs. Yes, Jason Marquis has more RBIs than our starting catcher and reigning Rookie of the Year.
Jason Marquis? Really?
The eye-searing devastation didn't end there though. Enter Rich Harden. Harden barely escaped three innings, topping out at 92 pitches before he was pulled for the so-far-really-reliable David Patton. With two appearances under his belt now, Patton has cruised through four innings, giving up only one run, a meaningless solo home run that came against the first major league batter he ever faced. The feel-good Spring Training sensation continues.
But back to Harden. I'm not letting him off that easily. Did you see that first inning? Harden looked as if he had a personal vendetta against the Rockies, as if they knocked him out of the postseason, not the Dodgers. Harden struck out the side with stuff so filthy, disgruntled Rockies mothers labeled it pornographic.
The second inning was a bit different, however. Harden struck out the first tbatter he faced, but found himself in trouble after two walks and an infiled single. True to form, Harden struck out the next batter he faced, bringing Jason Marquis to the plate.
Now, Marquis is a great hitting pitcher, the 2005 National League Silver Slugger winner at his position. And frankly, Reed Johnson should have made that catch in center on Marquis' flare hit. But c'mon Rich. The pitcher? Jason Marquis? Really? Harden was terrific in Milwaukee, showing the same form that put him in the conversation as the best trade in baseball last year. But Harden got himself into trouble by putting runners on and running up his pitch count, not exactly music to Lou and Larry's ears. Hopefully, nothing more than a blip on the road.
[Before you laugh that statement off, Sabathia fans out there will want to look at the numbers. While Sabathia threw more innings and finished with seven complete games, Harden sported a 1.78 ERA over 12 starts that compares favorably to Sabathia's 1.65 ERA over 17 starts. While both floundered in the postseason, they both were HUGE midseason acquisitions. Thus, we hold Harden to an incredibly high standard.]
Harden's short outing wasn't the only games only noticable occurence. The other was Derrek Lee. I think, just maybe, we're seeing Lee come to life. It couldn't have come at a better time for both Lee and the Cubs. With Lous strapping on Micah Hoffpauir's batting gloves, Lee went 3-for-4 with a ninth inning home run that helped put the Cubs in position to win this game [more on that later].
As I've said, we need Lee to drive the ball, and that home run was a good sign, especially since it came at a key situation in the game. "Clutch" is a hard statistic to define, but that's where Lee's performance would rank. On a day when the offense was stagnant, Lee roared. Hopefully, this is only the beginning.
[Side note: True to form, Hoffpauir chimed in with a pinch-hit double. Lee's timing couldn't have been any better.]
This loss was a lot toughrer to stomach after watching the ninth. Angel Guzman gave up a run in the top-half of the inning, and after Lee's home run to lead off their half of the ninth, Mike Fontenot walked and Johnson singled to put two on with nobody out.
Enter hysterics.
Fontenot was then thrown out at third on a base running gaffe, and our hard-luck catcher Geo Soto reintroduced Cubs fans to the game-ending double play. Like I said, "clutch" is a hard statistic to define, but I can make an exception here. This was about as close to clutch as Meg Ryan is to her golden years. Yeah, I went there.
So, to recap: Harden got his bad start out of the way and will resume his Cy Young campiagn next week. Instead of slamming his helmet into the dirt, Derrek Lee is hammering pitches into the bleachers. Geo Soto? Frigidly cold. Luis Vizcaino , the man the Rockies shipped us after we begged them to take this game's MVP off of out hands? A scoreless inning. And Jason Marquis? The game's MVP on the mound and at the plate. Yeah, that about sums up a 5-2 loss. Well, there is one more thing:
Jason Marquis? Really?
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
"That's what the game needed, more guys like him"
Just when you thought it couldn't get any tougher, the Baseball Gods intervened. Again.
This season has gotten off to a rough start, not because the Nationals haven't won a game or the newly renovated Yankees trail the Blue Jays AND the Orioles, but because of everything that baseball has lost.
Today, baseball lost two of its most interesting personalities, Harry Kalas and Mark "The Bird" Fidrych.
As someone who grew up outside of the Philadelphia area, I didn't know Kalas as the voice of the Phillies, but rather the voice of NFL Films. Kalas found a way to make every team, regardless of their accomplishments, interesting for their fans [As a Bears fan, let's just say we made life tough for Kalas]. His program was an offseason necessity, right up there with the NFL Draft and a training camp holdout.
Still, it was a seasonal right of passage, a necessity. The Hall of Fame broadcaster endeared himself to millions throughout his career, and as ESPN analyst and former Phillie John Kruk noted, Kalas is to sports fans in Philadelphia what Ben Franklin is to local historians. He left an indescribable mark on their culture, and his prowess behind the mic will be sorely missed.
Fidrych was something else. His on-the-field antics stand out as some of the oddest, even in 2009. Nicknamed The Bird because of his lanky demeanor and throwing style, Fidrych became an instant classic and helped revive baseball in Detroit by vehemently talking to the ball during games and getting down on his knees and playing with the dirt on the mound.
Fidyrch was more than a goof though.
Any teammate will tell you that he was genuine, a terrific personality to have in the clubhouse. He was someone who wasn't afraid to put himself out there, even if it was really, really far out there. Additionally, he had the numbers to back it up. In his 1976 Rookie of the Year campaign, Fidrych went 19-9 with a 2.34 ERA, numbers which helped earn him the start at the All-Star Game. The real jaw-dropper was this nugget though: that season, Fidrych finished with 24 complete games. Finding starters who can START 24 games is impressive.
Injuries derailed his career, and he spent only five years in the majors, going 29-19. However, those numbers didn't derail his popularity. During a comeback bid in the minors years later, he was still selling out games. Immortalized by his animated personality, there isn't a more famous 29-game winner in baseball history.
This season has gotten off to a rough start, not because the Nationals haven't won a game or the newly renovated Yankees trail the Blue Jays AND the Orioles, but because of everything that baseball has lost.
Today, baseball lost two of its most interesting personalities, Harry Kalas and Mark "The Bird" Fidrych.
As someone who grew up outside of the Philadelphia area, I didn't know Kalas as the voice of the Phillies, but rather the voice of NFL Films. Kalas found a way to make every team, regardless of their accomplishments, interesting for their fans [As a Bears fan, let's just say we made life tough for Kalas]. His program was an offseason necessity, right up there with the NFL Draft and a training camp holdout.
Still, it was a seasonal right of passage, a necessity. The Hall of Fame broadcaster endeared himself to millions throughout his career, and as ESPN analyst and former Phillie John Kruk noted, Kalas is to sports fans in Philadelphia what Ben Franklin is to local historians. He left an indescribable mark on their culture, and his prowess behind the mic will be sorely missed.
Fidrych was something else. His on-the-field antics stand out as some of the oddest, even in 2009. Nicknamed The Bird because of his lanky demeanor and throwing style, Fidrych became an instant classic and helped revive baseball in Detroit by vehemently talking to the ball during games and getting down on his knees and playing with the dirt on the mound.
Fidyrch was more than a goof though.
Any teammate will tell you that he was genuine, a terrific personality to have in the clubhouse. He was someone who wasn't afraid to put himself out there, even if it was really, really far out there. Additionally, he had the numbers to back it up. In his 1976 Rookie of the Year campaign, Fidrych went 19-9 with a 2.34 ERA, numbers which helped earn him the start at the All-Star Game. The real jaw-dropper was this nugget though: that season, Fidrych finished with 24 complete games. Finding starters who can START 24 games is impressive.
Injuries derailed his career, and he spent only five years in the majors, going 29-19. However, those numbers didn't derail his popularity. During a comeback bid in the minors years later, he was still selling out games. Immortalized by his animated personality, there isn't a more famous 29-game winner in baseball history.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Return of the Ted
I would love to talk about Ted Lilly. After all, it's my goal this season to see how many headlines I can force Theodore's name into. But sometimes, the Baseball Gods intervene and present you with a story so odd, so jarring, yet so fitting, that you have to give it precedence.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Cub fan.
Regardless of what baseball's most masochistic delusionists do to open the season, it's hard to outperform a Ted Lilly outing like this one. Lilly went 6 2/3 without giving up a run, carrying a no-hitter into the seventh. It was a drastic departure from the homer-happy performance that Lilly put up in Houston, probably due to his lack of run support on a dreary, the wind-is-blowing-in-and-I-dare-Glenallen Hill-to-try-to-drive-one-out-in-this-crap home opener.
[Side note: please, check out that Glenallen Hill video. On May 11, 2000, Hill became the only player to hit a pitched ball onto the roof of a building across the street from the left field wall of Wrigley Field. That's skill kids.]
Lilly was exceptional, giving us the kind of showing that we needed in the postseason [I stand by the decision to start Dempster, Zambrano, and Harden, but you have to wonder if our hottest big-game pitcher could've won us a game]. That was a mid-season form performance, which begs the question, how did Lilly and Soriano finally figure out studliness at the beginning of the season? Suddenly, never smiling and hopping have become in vogue on the North Side.
Speaking of Soriano, the Cubs lead-off aficionado went 2-for-4 with a [gasp!] walk and a run in another solid offensive performance. Soriano is doing everything we expect from him at the plate, sporting an OBP of .389 and limiting himself to seven strikeouts while coaxing four walks. While Soriano has never walked more than he's struck out in a season, if he can keep that ratio close to one, we're going to have a great top of the order. Now, if only the middle could get it together.
[Yet another side note: just to put Soriano's career performance in perspective, Soriano walked 67 times in 2006, his highest single season total. He struck out 160 times that season, which was also a career high. Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn only struck out more than he walked once - 1982, his rookie year. Gwynn's career numbers include a staggering 790 walks and only 434 strikeouts, including only one three-strike out game in his career. Until Soriano scratches those numbers, I'm not willing to dub him as "disciplined," but he's certainly trying this year.]
The middle of the order, hampered by the loss of Aramis Ramirez, Milton Bradley and Geovany Soto, was a makeshift creation brought to you by Lou Piniella. Lou's scramble proved affective, as Lee finally broke out of his slump with a 2-for-3 performance that also included two walks and an RBI. Fukudome continued to erase or memories of the screwdriver maneuver with a 1-for-2 performance that included an RBI and three walks [yes, Fukudome almost eclipsed Soriano's seasaon walk total in one game].
Outside of Lilly, Lee's performance was the most crucial. While Hoffpauir can certainly hit with the best of them, Lee brings a defensive presence to the team that Hoffpauir never will. Why do you think Ramirez has turned into a Gold Glove caliber third baseman? Yeah, he's made remarkable strides at third, but he's also throwing to Lee. The same goes for Theriot, the pitching staff, and whoever we have plugged in at second. If Lee's hitting, Lou's going to rest a bit easier at night knowing that spot in the order is solidified.
While on the subject of Lee, there's something else I want to address. Derrek Lee will never have another 2005 season. That was a remarkable year, and it set the bar a bit high. Still, we need an improvement in his power numbers. By that do I mean home runs? Not necessarily. Lee is at his best when he's driving the ball, and if that means doubles into the gaps, I'll be thrilled.
We need Lee's RBI totals to jump, as well as his average and OBP, especially when we have so many guys getting on base ahead of him. Lee's high double play total from last season was due in large part to having so many baserunners on before he hit. So Lee driving the ball into the outfield is a win-win: more RBIs, fewer double plays. Hopefully this is a positive sign.
Still, there was one awfully distressing aspect of the game: we left 26 runners on base. While you can attribute this to the loss of our thumpers, it's still a gaudy number. We're not going to get outings like this every game, so we need to capitalize on having that many baserunners. Yes, the wind was playing games with the ball, and yes, Ubaldo Jimenez isn't a bottom of the barrel starter, but these are the kind of numbers that lose you games.
If you strand that many runners, you're not going to win in the postseason, if you even make it there. After all, Soriano can't bail you out if he's on base.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Cub fan.
Regardless of what baseball's most masochistic delusionists do to open the season, it's hard to outperform a Ted Lilly outing like this one. Lilly went 6 2/3 without giving up a run, carrying a no-hitter into the seventh. It was a drastic departure from the homer-happy performance that Lilly put up in Houston, probably due to his lack of run support on a dreary, the wind-is-blowing-in-and-I-dare-Glenallen Hill-to-try-to-drive-one-out-in-this-crap home opener.
[Side note: please, check out that Glenallen Hill video. On May 11, 2000, Hill became the only player to hit a pitched ball onto the roof of a building across the street from the left field wall of Wrigley Field. That's skill kids.]
Lilly was exceptional, giving us the kind of showing that we needed in the postseason [I stand by the decision to start Dempster, Zambrano, and Harden, but you have to wonder if our hottest big-game pitcher could've won us a game]. That was a mid-season form performance, which begs the question, how did Lilly and Soriano finally figure out studliness at the beginning of the season? Suddenly, never smiling and hopping have become in vogue on the North Side.
Speaking of Soriano, the Cubs lead-off aficionado went 2-for-4 with a [gasp!] walk and a run in another solid offensive performance. Soriano is doing everything we expect from him at the plate, sporting an OBP of .389 and limiting himself to seven strikeouts while coaxing four walks. While Soriano has never walked more than he's struck out in a season, if he can keep that ratio close to one, we're going to have a great top of the order. Now, if only the middle could get it together.
[Yet another side note: just to put Soriano's career performance in perspective, Soriano walked 67 times in 2006, his highest single season total. He struck out 160 times that season, which was also a career high. Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn only struck out more than he walked once - 1982, his rookie year. Gwynn's career numbers include a staggering 790 walks and only 434 strikeouts, including only one three-strike out game in his career. Until Soriano scratches those numbers, I'm not willing to dub him as "disciplined," but he's certainly trying this year.]
The middle of the order, hampered by the loss of Aramis Ramirez, Milton Bradley and Geovany Soto, was a makeshift creation brought to you by Lou Piniella. Lou's scramble proved affective, as Lee finally broke out of his slump with a 2-for-3 performance that also included two walks and an RBI. Fukudome continued to erase or memories of the screwdriver maneuver with a 1-for-2 performance that included an RBI and three walks [yes, Fukudome almost eclipsed Soriano's seasaon walk total in one game].
Outside of Lilly, Lee's performance was the most crucial. While Hoffpauir can certainly hit with the best of them, Lee brings a defensive presence to the team that Hoffpauir never will. Why do you think Ramirez has turned into a Gold Glove caliber third baseman? Yeah, he's made remarkable strides at third, but he's also throwing to Lee. The same goes for Theriot, the pitching staff, and whoever we have plugged in at second. If Lee's hitting, Lou's going to rest a bit easier at night knowing that spot in the order is solidified.
While on the subject of Lee, there's something else I want to address. Derrek Lee will never have another 2005 season. That was a remarkable year, and it set the bar a bit high. Still, we need an improvement in his power numbers. By that do I mean home runs? Not necessarily. Lee is at his best when he's driving the ball, and if that means doubles into the gaps, I'll be thrilled.
We need Lee's RBI totals to jump, as well as his average and OBP, especially when we have so many guys getting on base ahead of him. Lee's high double play total from last season was due in large part to having so many baserunners on before he hit. So Lee driving the ball into the outfield is a win-win: more RBIs, fewer double plays. Hopefully this is a positive sign.
Still, there was one awfully distressing aspect of the game: we left 26 runners on base. While you can attribute this to the loss of our thumpers, it's still a gaudy number. We're not going to get outings like this every game, so we need to capitalize on having that many baserunners. Yes, the wind was playing games with the ball, and yes, Ubaldo Jimenez isn't a bottom of the barrel starter, but these are the kind of numbers that lose you games.
If you strand that many runners, you're not going to win in the postseason, if you even make it there. After all, Soriano can't bail you out if he's on base.
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