This Might Be the Cubs Big Break

July 31st, 2007

Cubs; CSN Chicago; August 1st, 8:05 PM ET; vs. Phillies; Moyer, 9-8, 4.75 ERA vs. Hill, 6-6, 3.59 ERA

It is July 31st, the day of the deadline deals, and the free-agents-to-be being traded. In 2007 some big deals were Mark Teixeira going to the Braves, Eric Gagne to the Red Sox, and, surprisngly, Matt Morris went to the Pirates.

Jim Hendry lay silent until 4 PM ET yesterday, the date and time that the trade deadline passed. The fact the Carlos Zambrano remains a Cub still tells me 2 things: a) They are going to try to re-sign him come the offseason, and b) He will help the Cubs come October, and he's been the biggest help to this point as it is.

Carlos has done a phenomonal job this year, not counting the season before June 3rd. Imagine that he had played as well then as he is now. Give the Cubs 4 or 5 more wins, lower his ERA to about 2.20, and Give him a 17-4 record instead of 14-7. I think his chance of a Cy Young are still good, with a 3.47 ERA and leading a playoff contending team to the playoffs with the most wins in the Major Leagues. He is ahead of 6 players who have 13 wins, none of whom start tomorrow, and none won today. His next start is Friday, August 3rd, against the New York Mets' Orlando Hernandez. Then, Ted Lilly faces off against John Maine, and Jason Marquis faces what is presumed to be Tom Glavine on Sunday.

The Cubs won today, 7-3, Marquis got the win as the Cubs scored 3 in the bottom of the inning he gave up his 3rd run, to give the Cubs a 5-3 lead, which was unanswered. Carlos Marmol-ade went the 7th and 8th, and Bobby Howry went the 9th to close it out, a non-save situation.

Tommy G. (Glavine) was shutting down his opponents in Milwaukee, 2 hits, 1 run. Unfortunately, no more, as Guillermo Mota blew the game in the bottom of the 8th, 2-2. The game is now going in to extras, and if the Brewers lose, the Cubs are (tied) in first place. Let's go Mets!! Well, until Friday that is, when the y come over to Chicago.

Thanks,

Ryan

ESPN, The Nationwide Leader in Sports

July 30th, 2007

Cubs; ESPN; 7:05 PM ET; vs. Phillies; Hamels, 11-5, 3.63 ERA vs. Lilly, 11-4, 3.46 ERA

Today, in game 1 of the 7-game home stand, Ted Lilly faces off against the hot Cole Hamels. Hamels has pitched well all year, and while some what inconsistent, Lilly has been very good lately.

The Brewers have an off day today, and are only 0.5 games ahead of the Cubs. If the Cubs win tonight's game against Cole Hamels, then they share possesion of 1st place in the NL Central with the Brewers, which would be a very large divisional comeback, if I may say so myself.

Thanks,

Ryan

Rubber Match

July 29th, 2007

Cubs; WGN 9; 1:00 PM ET; vs. Reds; Zambrano, 13-7, 3.69 ERA vs. Belisle, 5-7, 5.28 ERA

Today the Cubs take on the Reds in game 3 of this series in Cincinnati. It is a pivotal game for the Cubs as they can gain ground on the Brewers who are at risk of losing 3 of 4 to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Carlos Zambrano, who was promised an NL Cy Yound by Jim Hendry by the end of THIS season may be well on the road to get it. If he wins today he will lead the MLB in wins, and also his ERA isn't too shabby.

The Cincinnati Reds took game 1 of this series, only to have Aaron Harang leave the game after 1 inning yesterday and take the loss, his 3rd of the season, and today face a rubber match against the red-hot Cubs, who I think have a good chance, as Matt Belisle, (5-7, 5.28) takes on Carlos Zambrano (13-7, 3.69).

Thanks,

Ryan

Losing is News for the Cubs

July 28th, 2007

Cubs; CSN Chicago; 7:10 PM; vs. Reds; Marshall, 4-4, 3.25 ERA vs. Harang, 10-2, 3.45 ERA

The Cubs lost to the Reds 5-4 yesterday after a 2-run 9th inning comeback that tied them at 4. Bobby Howry then came on to pitch and with 1 out in the 9th, he gave up the walk-off run. That's dissapointing because we played a good defensive, offensive, and pitching game. Hill surrendered 2 over 5 throwing 104 pitches, 63 for strikes.

If we lose another game, expect it to be this one. Harang is a pitcher who wasn't great in Oakland and really came into his own in Cincinnati, where he has a chance to sign as a premier pitcher. He can help the Reds return to glory if the Reds can stabilize their rotation with some other quality pitchers.

No matter what happens, today's game promises to be a good one, so enjoy the game.

Thanks,

Ryan

Hill vs. Arroyo

July 27th, 2007

Cubs; CSN Chicago; vs. Reds; Hill, 6-6, 3.58 ERA vs. Arroyo, 4-11, 4.58 ERA

Well, yesterday the Cubs finished off the series against the Cardinals by losing 11-1. The good news is that they won the series, 2-1. Marquis had an awful start, and he's lucky that his ERA remains 4.20.

Today the Cubs start the 3 game series against the Reds, with Marshall pitching tomorrow, then Zambrano. Today though, Rich Hill faces off against Bronson Arroyo, who's ERA is 4.58, exactly 1 run higher than Hill's. Let's hope that this stat comes to life in today's game.

Thanks,

Ryan

The Cardinals Really Do Suck

July 26th, 2007

Cubs; CSN Chicago; 8:10 PM ET; vs. Cardinals; Marquis, 7-5, 3.92 ERA vs. Looper, 7-8, 5.09 ERA

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Tonight Jason Marquis, having a fair year, faces off against the Cardinals 2nd best starter? Compared to last year's Carpenter's, and Mulder's, and Suppan's, their Looper's, Reyes's, and K. Wells's suck. Their hitters aren't the best in the world either.

Not to say they can't beat Marquis. Afterall, he is the Cubs worst starting pitcher, Marshall being arguably the best, next to the flaming Carlos Zambrano, the streaking Ted Lilly and the tall Rich Hill.

Well, fans, I also have encouraging news. Yesterday the Padres lost, the Brewers, lost and, heck, throw one more loss on the pile for the Brew Crew today and you have the Cubs 1.5 back in the Central, 0.5 back in the Wildcard.

Enjoy the game and I'll post tomorrow.

Thanks,

Ryan

Lilly vs. Wainwright

July 25th, 2007

Cubs; ESPN 2; 8:10 PM ET; vs. Cardinals; Wainwright, 9-7, 4.18 ERA vs. Lilly, 10-4, 3.51 ERA

The Cubs enter play today 3 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for first place in the NL Central. They also enter 1.5 games back of the San Diego Padres in the Wildcard. Not too shabby considering how much time the Cubs have to actually overtake these teams in the standings.

There are no teams standing in the way of the Cubs in the Central, and in the Wildcard it appears that only the Braves will make a ripple through the quiet water. Not that I am begging for excitement, far from it, I want this to be as easy as possible.

With yesterday's win, Zambrano ties himself for the major league lead in wins. With 13, he is tied with 3 other pitchers. Tonight Ted Lilly aims for his 11th win, which would put him ahead in the un-official stat 'Most Wins With New Team', which just gauges how he's doing with the Cubs so far wins-wise.

Thanks,

Ryan

Wells vs. Zambrano

July 24th, 2007

Cubs; CSN Chicago; 8:10 PM ET; vs. Cardinals; Zambrano, 12-7, 3.69 ERA vs. Wells, 4-12, 5.75 ERA

Today the Cubs begin a 3-game series against the Cardinals by sending their ace, Carlos Zambrano against an ace-hole, former Pirate, Kip Wells. Last year Kip was traded from the Pirates to the Rangers, where he would spend most of his days in AAA. Over the offseason he was signed by the Pirates as pitching help for their rotation. With Mulder and Carpenter STILL out, and Carpenter not returning until after the start of '08, he's been more key than I thought he would be.

Not to say he has been good, because after his first 3 starts, all quality starts, he would've been better off shoveling coal for a ship sailing away to Norwegian territories. Zambrano, however, has been pitching awfully good this month, a 1.42 ERA, and has just been pitching above amazing since very his 3rd start in June.

The Cubs enter play today with a 1.5 game deficit of the San Diego Padres in the Wildcard, behind the Braves, also, who have play 3 more games than the Cubs. The Brewers, who lost yesterday, hold a 3 game lead against the Cubs entering play this afternoon. There are 2 double-headers today, 1 between the Tigers and White Sox, 1 between Seattle and Texas. Also, Craig Biggio announced his retirement today, making this a sad day for Major League Baseball, and ensuring that in 2013 at the latest, he will be a hall of famer. Enjoy the game.

Thanks,

Ryan

Off Day Topics

July 23rd, 2007

Cubs; CSN Chicago; 8:10 PM ET; vs. Cardinals; Zambrano, 12-7, 3.69 ERA vs. Wells, 4-12, 5.75 ERA

Instead of doing a preview of the Cardinals vs. Cubs series, like I had originally planned, I am going to cover a lot of topics relating to the Cubs.

Carlos Zambrano in July this year is 3-1 with a 1.42 ERA, having 4 quality starts in 4 starts. His loss came against the Pirates and Shane Youman. At night, like tonight, his ERA is 2.38. On the road his ERA is 3.13, and against the Cardinals career he is 6-4 in 115 innings with a 2.43 ERA.

The Cardinals are 5-5 in their last 10, and are 21-22 at home. The Cubs are 7-3 in their last 10, and 24-22 on the road. Versus teams in the Central, the Cardinals are 21-15, the Cubs 20-18. The Cubs are 11th in the league in batting average at .269. This is 5th best in the NL and best in the NL Central. The Cardinals are 15th in the league with a .268 team batting average. The Cubs are also 4th in the MLB in team ERA at 3.86, and 2nd best in the NL, trailing the Padres. The Cardinals are 26th in the league in ERA at 4.80, giving up almost 1 more run than the Cubs a game.

The Cubs haven't faced Kip Wells this season yet. The Cardinals hitters have faced Zambrano once this year, getting 7 hits, 1 run, a homerun by Albert Pujols. Total this year, in 178 at-bats against Cubs pitchers, Cardinals hitters have a .258 batting average, 18 runs, 7 homeruns. The Cubs hitters against Cardinals pitchers this year have 181 at-bats against the Cardinals, hitting .276 with 6 homeruns and scoring 29 times.

The Brewers, who lost to the Reds 2-1 today, carry a 3 game lead into play tomorrow, in which Yovani Gollardo, 2-1, 2.34 ERA, faces off against Matt Belisle, 5-6, 5.13 ERA. The Brewers are hitting .229 with 16 runs against the Reds this year, while the Reds are hitting .297 with 18 runs off of Milwaukee pitchers this season.

Matt Murton is hitting .326 with 5 homeruns and 21 RBI in 36 games with the Iowa Cubs. Neal Cotts is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in 7 games, 6 starts at AAA Iowa, as well. Since returning to AAA following the All-Star Break, Felix Pie is hitting .354 in 48 at-bats. The Iowa Cubs are 57-46 and are 2nd place, as the AA Tennessee Smokies are 14-17 and tied with the Cubs previous AA team, now belonging to the Mariners, the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx.

The Cubs are 2nd in the league in WHIP behind the Padres, with a 1.27 Walks+Hits per Innings Pitched statistic. Cubs pitchers have given up 56 stolen bases, 18th most on the list. The highest is 106 by the San Diego Padres. The Cubs lead the league in batting average against at .238. They are 2nd in the league behind the Dodgers in Ks per 9 innings with 7.51 opposing hitters K'd per game. They have a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.22, which is 9th in the league.

In the series against the St. Louis Cardinals, the Cubs have Carlos Zambrano going up against Kip Wells, Ted Lilly against Adam Wainwright, and then Jason Marquis vs. Braden Looper. After finishing the series at Busch Stadium, the Cubs play the Reds, and then return home to play the Phillies. Also, Derrek Lee returns from his 5 games suspension today which he didn't have a chance to appeal, although he did ask to appeal the suspension after a brawl against Padres starting Pitcher Chris Young in June.

The San Diego Padres lost to Colorado yesterday, putting themselves 2 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West, and 1 game ahead of the Atlanta Braves in the Wildcard. The Cubs are 3rd place in the Wildcard at 1.5 games back.

The Cardinals enter play today against the Cubs to begin a 7 game homestand that includes facing the Cubs and Brewers. They then fly to Pittsburgh to face the Pirates. Albert Pujols has heated up lately, hitting .429 in his last 10 games with 6 homeruns.

Thanks,

Ryan

We Lost 2 of 3

July 22nd, 2007

Cubs; CSN Chicago; Tuesday, July 24th; 8:10 PM ET; vs. Cardinals; Zambrano, 12-7, 3.69 ERA vs. Wells, 4-12, 5.75 ERA

Nothing worse could've happened. We beat their ace and then get kicked in the nuts by the other 2 starters. I don't care about the game 2 loss because the Brewers, NL Central leaders, and Padres, Wildcard leaders both lost. The game 3 loss, though, the Brewers won. The Padres are losing 2-0 right now, so we might not lose a game in the Wildcard, but I'd rather win the Central than have to be the underdogs every series.

The good news? Jason Kendall had his first hit as a Cub today. Also, Derrek Lee comes back from his 5 game suspension Tuesday to face the Cards. Honestly, he chose the best time ever to take his suspension. The Brewers lost just as many times as we did, so we are now 3.5 games back again, but hey, it's only 3.5 games. That's all I have to write today, so have a good day and enjoy the 1 day break, as tomorrow I will do an in depth preview of the Cardinals-Cubs series.

Thanks,

Ryan

For One Night, Everything Clicked

July 21st, 2007

Cubs; WGN 9; 1:05 PM ET; vs. Diamondbacks; Owings, 5-5, 4.92 ERA vs. Hill, 6-6, 3.70 ERA

Today I will lay back on my fuzzy couch with my Ernie Banks jersey on, watching the Cubs play on channel 19, Superstation WGN. I will relax, knowing that everything that I had wanted to happen in baseball world happened. Every team that needed to lose to make the Cubs better in the NL Central and the Wildcard lost.

Yesterday, the Cubs won 6-2 after getting down 2-1 on a Chris Young homerun off of Marquis, who had a great start by the way. The Cub game yesterday was at 2:20 PM ET, and there were no other games until 7:05. This gave me plenty of time to check standings, probable starters, stories, and still have time to play with my kitten.

I wanted the Padres or Dodgers to lose. If 1 of them wins, the NL West has 1 sole possessor, and so does the Wildcard. Well, by sheer luck, both of them lost, letting the Cubs be 2 back in the Wildcard. I wanted the Braves to lose also. They lost 4-2 to the Cardinals, a team that hardly matters at all at this point.

Finally, the most important of them all, the Brewers lost, pulling the Cubs to withing 2.5 games of the NL Central lead. The Cubs are 51-44, and have a 3 game win streak, winning 7 of 8 sinc the all-star break. So, back to the title, for one night everything clicked.

Thanks,

Ryan

Bonds vs. Cubs; Webb vs. Marquis

July 20th, 2007

Cubs; WGN 9; vs. Diamondbacks; Webb, 8-7, 3.42 ERA vs. Marquis, 6-5, 4.03 ERA

In Bonds' first and only game against the Cubs in the 4 game series, he sure made it very interesting. In the 2nd inning Bonds connected off of Ted Lilly for a solo shot, his 18th of the year, Giants down 4-1. His next at-bat was in the 3rd inning, when he had a 2 RBI single. Giants down 4-3.

His at-bat after that, he walked, but then in the 7th inning, with Will Ohman on the hill, he went deep again. A 3 run shot in the center field basket. 9-8 Cubs. That was the final. 8 runs for the Giants, he drove in 6. He hit 2 shots, 18 and 19 on the year for him, 752 and 753 on the past 2 decades for him.

How'd the Cubs do in all this mess? No homers. Still won, but oddly enough no homers. Players that did good yesterday include Alfonso Soriano (3-5, 2 R, 1 RBI), Aramis Ramirez (3-5, 2 R, 2 RBI), Mike Fontenot (2-4, RBI), and especially Jacque Jones (4-5, RBI), who I can say is doing OK for the first time since 2006. His numbers aren't great, but 2 weeks and 4 days ago he was hitting .227, now he is hitting .244, which is good seeing as he is getting more playing time now.

The bad news is that Daryle Ward, Lee's replacement, and Cliff Floyd went down yesterday. Ward with a calf injury, Floyd was dizzy. Now Jake Fox will probably take over at first, and Pagan will surely play. The game starts at 2:20. The game is on Superstation WGN.

Thanks,

Ryan

Jim-bert Hendry-stein

July 19th, 2007

Cubs; CSN Chicago; 2:20 PM ET; vs. Giants; Morris, 7-5, 3.86 ERA vs. Lilly, 9-4, 3.51 ERA

The rumors are true, Jim Hendry is a genius. He finally got rid of that son of a short stop Cesar Izturis. The best part, though, is that he went within the division. The Pirates gave up minor league crap that they never used for Izturis, and now their crap that they never used is our crap that we'll never use.

On a serious note, however, this could be what Lou's been waiting for. He can now call up that 12th pitcher he wants. He said he wants 13 hitters and 12 pitchers, and right now it's 14 and 11. Actually, with Izturis gone and Lee suspended, it's 12 and 11. So, Jake Fox was recalled to the majors, probably until D-Lee gets back. Then it will be 13 hitters, and the Cubs can call up that 12th pitcher.

But wait, what do you mean the Cubs have 12 pitchers already? Yes, that's right, Rocky Cherry is off the DL and Dempster will be shortly. But that means that the Cubs will have to option someone. I would hate it to be Gallagher after he wasted those innings for us yesterday, but it has to be him or Petrick, seeing as they are the same type of pitcher, a right-handed long reliever/mop-up pitcher.

Let me tell you something though. If having too many pitchers is a bad thing, then the Cubs are in bad shape, but it isn't. Last year was torture not having enough pitching. We had to call up people that ended up sucking like JKU, well that's how you say it, though it is spelled Jae Kuk Ryu, Juan Mateo, and so on.

Have a nice day and enjoy the game as the Cubs go for 3 out of 4 against the Giants. Bonds is back today and hitting in the 4 slot in the Giants order. Maybe he'll make this game a little more interesting than it already is, as this game is sort of a rubber match, the Cubs trying to win the series in the last game of the series.

Thanks,

Ryan

Well He Really Barretted That Play, Didn't He?

July 18th, 2007

Cubs; WGN 9; 2:20 PM ET; vs. Giants; Cain, 3-10, 3.53 ERA, vs. Zambrano, 11-7, 3.83 ERA

When I say that Kendall Barretted* it, I mean not once, not twice, but 3 times. First, he drops the throw from Soriano that scores a run. Next he goes and drops that pop-up that ended up scoring the game winning run. Finally, a "wild pitch" that he certainly should've gotten to rolls away and lets the Giants have someone in scoring position. On offense he went 0-3.

I'm not so worried about THAT though. I'm worried about Barry Bonds returning to the lineup today. Who am I kidding, it isn't today, it's 7 minutes from now. If the bullpen has the kind of night it had yesterday, we are cruising for a bruising. For the Cubs to keep winning and have a shot at the playoffs, the pen needs to be more consistent and have their bad days when we have huge leads or are already getting killed.

In preview of today's game, Cain doesn't give up many runs, he has an ERA of 3.53. However, he doesn't get many either. With that ERA, your record should be great, but 3-10 it stands. On the flip side, Zambrano has a 3.83 ERA, which I would expect him to then carry a record of about 8-8, but he is 11-7, leading the NL in wins, showing that the Cubs give more than adequate run support. If the stats from 2007 were always correct though, the Cubs may have won more games than they have. Let's hope that Matt Cain gets that slow run support today and that Zambrano gets the goods.

*- When I say "Barretted", I am referring to the sloppy defense that Barrett had shortly before he departed from the Cubs.

Thanks,

Ryan

You say, "Good Buy," I say, "I Know,"

July 17th, 2007

Cubs; CSN Chicago; 8:05 PM ET;vs. Giants; vs. Zito, 6-9, 4.90 ERA, vs. 4-3, 3.48 ERA

My title is speaking of the Jason Kendall and cash for Rob Bowen and minor league trash. Overall, Hendry is having a good year. It goes to show you that 300 million spent is 300 million earned. If you weren't singing it when reading the actual title, it was a take on the Beatles song "You say goodbye, I say hello."

I have some pictures of what Kendall will look like as a Cub, and what Bowen will look like as an Athletic. Here they are.

Today should be a good game as Barry Zito has been pitching like last year's Sean Marshall, and Sean Marshall has been pitching like Cy Young Barry Zito. With the Cubs on a 4 game win streak, let's see how they can do against Zito, in a battle of the southpaws. Also, Bonds returns tonight, as he didn't play yesterday with swollen ankles and knees.

Thanks,

Ryan

Bonds vs. Cubs

July 16th, 2007

Cubs; ESPN; 7:05 PM ET; vs. Giants; Lincecum, 4-2, 4.63 ERA vs. Hill, 5-6, 3.81 ERA

The title, I feel, is fitting, as the Giants have been having an off year to say the least. Barry Bonds may be the only reason people go to Giants games. I don't know, and I don't care. I care about the Cubs and how we may be damaged by Barry. The good news about this 4 game series? 3 lefties start against a slumping lefty. Throw a Zambrano in there and you have yourself a decent chance of a sweep.

From there we go to the Arizona Diamondbacks, who nobody even seems to be giving a chance in the 2nd half. They are 49-45 now, and something that will help them in this series is reigning NL Cy Young winner Brandon Webb. He starts against the Cubs in game 1 against Jason Marquis. Game 2 is a sub-par 5-5, 4.92 ERA Micah Owings. He faces Rich Hill, who starts tonight. That game feels even to me even though Hill has the better stats.

Those are my 2 series previews wedged into a paragraph each. They aren't the best series previews in the world, but we don't have an off day so I can't break out the stat sheets and do my detailed previews just yet.

Thanks,

Ryan

Big Second Inning

July 15th, 2007

Cubs; ESPN; 7:05 PM ET; vs. Giants; Lincecum, 4-2, 4.63 ERA, vs. Hill, 5-6, 3.81 ERA

Today the Cubs completed a 3 game sweep of the Astros, although I hardly think they deserved it. Jason Marquis pitched a horrific game in which the Cubs won by the grace of God. In the first 3 innings of the game he gave up 6 runs. It wasn't just 1 bad inning, either. He had a flurry of bad innings. His final inning was the 4th, the only inning he didn't give up a run.

Any other day and I think the Cubs lose the game. The reason they didn't, in case you didn't hear, was a 6 run 2nd inning. The Cubs then scored the eventual game winning run in the 4th inning, creating a 3 game winning streak that puts them 3.5 games back of the Brewers.

Good things did happen today despite the fact that Jason Marquis decided to bring his F game to the ball park today. Derrek Lee hit his 1st homerun since June 3rd today. That is his 7th of the year. In other news, Alfonso Soriano hit 5th today. He went 0-4, while Ryan Theriot who led off today went 2-5 with a dinger. Overall I believe it was a well played game and look forward to any more good baseball the Cubs want to play.

Tomorrow Rich Hill starts against San Fransisco Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum. There are a few good things about this game.

1. The offense is red hot again, and it looks like D-Lee may have his power stick back.





2. The game is on ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports.





3. Barry Bonds is stirring thing up by coming to town.

We shall see, my friends and readers, we shall see. I hope all goes well in this upcoming series vs. the Giants so the Cubs can remain contenders in the NL Central.

Thanks,

Ryan

Power Outage

July 14th, 2007

Cubs; FOX; vs. Astros; 3:55 PM ET; Roy Oswalt, 8-5, 3.53 ERA vs. Ted Lilly, 8-4, 3.67 ERA

Yesterday was a game that made me feel good about the Cubs chances. The Cubs scored 6 with out a homerun. That makes the 10th straight game the Cubs haven't homered in. They are 6 and 4 in that stretch. That's OK, but imagine what the Cubs will be able to do when they start actually hitting the ball 400 feet every now and then!

The pitching was good, too. Zambrano went 6.2 innings walking 3, giving up 3 base hits, and 0 runs. Then Carlos Marmol came on for 1.1 innings of shutout baseball. Finally, for the top of the 9th, Bobby Howry came on for a 2 hit inning, though he got out of the jam and retired the side. Cubs win, 6-0.

Tonight an established and better than ever Roy Oswalt pitches against the streaky, inconsistent Theodore Roosevelt (We call him Ted) Lilly. Ted's past 2 starts have been real great ones, and if the Cubs can get the hot bats they have to hit fly balls, then maybe Lilly can give up a few and still win.

Thanks,

Ryan

Cuban's Cubbies? 2 In A Row?

July 13th, 2007

Cubs; CSN Chicago; 2:20 PM ET; vs. Astros; Jason Jennings, 1-4, 4.07 ERA vs. Carlos Zambrano, 10-7, 4.03 ERA

This is my first and probably only doubple-post for a while, but I thought I should just to spare myself of postiong four times in the past two days. Since the first thing you saw coming here was the pitching match ups, so I'll do story one first. If you hadn't noticed already, Zambrano is starting two games in a row.

Last Sunday, on Big-Z and the Cubs' last game before the break, Zambrano had an OK start. 7 innings, 3 runs, 3 walks, 4 hits, 5 strikeouts. He had the loss though, something I didn't expect to see going to PNC Park, home of the Pirates, to watch him. The good news? His momentum wasn't ruined by the break, it was ruined by the Bucs, so the break was good for him after all. Now he can start over now as a new pitcher.

Story number two. Mark Cuban is more than just interested in buying the Cubs. He already turned in his application. With the bidding expected to go to 1 billion, I would consider him a hero to buy the Cubs. That said, he tries to buy evey team that is up for sale; the Mavericks, the Penguins, and now the Cubs.

My only fear is what if he moves us. I remember him on the hot seat on SportsCenter earlier this year and him saying he wants a team in Las Vegas. Las Vegas. Meaning that if he gets control over the field of the Cubs, he might move us, and not take Wrigley Field with him. I hae mixed feelings about this so far, and maybe it'll change, after all, no saying he'll even win the bidding.

Thanks,

Ryan

Overload Error... Overload Error

July 12th, 2007

Well, normally I don't post twice in one day, so I thought I'd give it a try. Actually folks, I've come here today at 9:28 PM ET with a cause. It is to talk about the inevitable, the undeniable, the Pie demotion.

After I finished my blog today with the bullpen previews, I went to milb.com just to check on some of the blooming prospects the Cubbies have in their system. I checked Samardzija, Murton, Cotts, Novoa, Colvin, and Geovany Soto.

Little did I know that later in the same day would I have to start checking Felix Pie on milb.com and Geovany Soto on the mother board. For those of you who don't follow, milb.com is minor league baseball.com, run by those goons* at MLB.com.

Just thought I should let you all know.

*They aren't goons. I was kidding. Without that website my life would be in pieces. I deeply care for them all.

Thanks,

Ryan

Chicago Cubs Player Previews [Part 3 of 3]

July 12th, 2007

The 6 relievers, Rocky Cherry, and Billy Petrick is on today's menu. Petrick and Gallagher have sort of been switching back and forth with each other, so I'm doing both previews, and Cherry is on the DL, but was currently with the club when injured, so I'll do his preview, too. Also, I'm going to do Dempster's preview, as he's also injured, and most likely will be back with the Cubs in about 1 week.


Bobby Howry: After 2004, when he had a 2.74 ERA, and 2005, when he had a 2.47 ERA, and even 2006, when he had a 3.17 ERA, you had to think that Bobby would be an asset to any bullpen. Well, sort of. His ERA is 4.68 at the break. I couldn't have guessed that it'd be this high. Relievers don't log a lot of innings, Howry's longest appearance of the year is 2 innings, which he did 3 times. If you look at it, most of his ERA comes from 4 appearances in which he went 3.1 innings, surrendering 13 earned runs. Take away those innings and his ERA is 2.07. Look for his ERA to go down, and for those shaky, ERA raising innings to decrease.

Scott Eyre: Scott Eyre was never a lights out reliever. He only had 1 season at a Bob Howry-Esq ERA, which was 2005, and he had a 2.63 ERA. Then last year, Scotty had a 3.38 ERA, which came from 2 appearances at the end of the year after he had an injury. In the 2 appearances his ERA was upped from 2.85 to 3.23, and then finally 3.38. This year his ERA is 6.60. Neal Cotts was sent down when he had an ERA in the 4s, and Lou wants to add another pitcher, and with Dempster, Cherry, Gallagher and Petrick in the mix, don't look for Eyre to be.

Will Ohman: His ERA this year is 4.15 which shouldn't surprise anyone for 2 reasons. His career ERA is also 4.15. Reason #2 is that last year's ERA of his was 4.13, so almost identical. He isn't a perfect reliever, but he gets the job done. He notched his 1st career save this year against the braves, and has pitched so phenomenally During the Cubs' hot stretch of baseball, a 3.86 ERA during his last 10 games. Look for his innings to go up, as he's been a solid reliever this year, and look for his ERA to go down as he gets more comfortable being a frequently used reliever.

Michael Wuertz: As late as June 14th, Mike was a saint. His ERA was 3.03. Then it went up a lot, and by June 29th, he was at stellar status again with a 2.95 ERA. In his 3 innings since then, his ERA has gone up to 3.40. He's a little inconsistent, but with his fastball and slider the way they are, expect to see 2006's Mike Wuertz, who led the team in ERA with a 2.66 in that stat. Look for more consistency, and less runs from Michael.

Carlos Marmol: This is Marmol's 2nd year, and his 2007 ERA is 0.96. Then how is his career ERA all the way at 4.71? Last year Carlos' ERA was 6.08. When he got his chance this year he was a changed man. He hasn't thrown mistake pitches, and he has 40 strikeouts in his 28 innings. His fastball is reaching 98 mph, and walks haven't even been an issue this year for him. Look for hitters to figure him out a little bit, thus the ERA will go up, but look for him to still be the best reliever in the Cubs bullpen to years end.

Sean Gallagher: 4 games. 7 innings. 6 earned runs. 7.71 ERA. He has been very inconsistent this year to date. His game log tells me he gave up 2 in his first appearance. Then 0, then 4 runs, and then 0 in his last appearance. This is a little troubling, and I know it is going to be a problem come the playoffs, so look for Sean to go back to Iowa whether it be now or closer to the playoffs.

Rocky Cherry: 9 games. 11.1 innings. 3 earned runs. 2.38 ERA. He is the kind of reliever that the Cubs need to be in contention to win the Wild Card, or even the NL Central. He has been very consistent to this point, giving up the 3 runs in 2 appearances, 7 shutout appearances. Look for his innings to slowly inflate as he returns from an injury if he is in the mix at all.

Ryan Dempster: 16 of 18 in save opportunities is the main stat that I am looking at. Those saves are key to his confidence as last year he blew 9 games and had a 4.80 ERA. He lost the Cubs 9 games last year. This year is different. In his 2 blown saves, he came out in his next appearance and notched a save, something he failed to do last season. Look for him to get back to the closers role after the injury and look for him to be a little shaky at first, as his most recent appearance was June 22.

Billy Petrick: In 5.2 innings this year, Billy's ERA is 3.18. This is virtually just a sample, as it is the amount of innings it takes Zambrano to get to 100 pitches, which is less than 1 start. So far I've liked what I've seen so far from the kid. He hasn't allowed a run since his major league debut, and well, that is to me at least, understandable. Look for him to finish the year in AAA, due to the overload of pitchers coming back from injuries in the second half.

The Cubs have 5 starters, and want to have 7 relievers. I did the 5 starters, and 9 relievers. 2 of them will not fit in this puzzle. My choices to go would be Sean Gallagher and Scott Eyre. To me they seem inconsistent and just when they get on the right track, especially for Eyre this year, the wheels fall off. That's just my previews. I have no idea how things will turn out, I just hope I didn't jinx anybody.

Thanks,

Ryan

Chicago Cubs Player Previews [Part 2 of 3]

July 11th, 2007

Today, as promised I am going to do my 2nd half previews of the starting rotation. I'm doing them in this order: Zambrano, Lilly, Marquis, Hill, and Marshall. Also, remember that tomorrow, in part 3 of 3, I will be doing the 6 relievers on the 25 man roster, Billy Petrick, and Rocky Cherry. Now to the good stuff.


Carlos Zambrano: 10-7 with a 4.03 ERA at the break is good as it is. The weird part about it though is that until June 6th, we had the worst Ace in major league baseball. Since then, we have the best. On June 6th, he went 6.2 innings, yielding 2 earned. Including that game, in his last 7 starts, he has given up 10 runs in 54.1 innings. That is a 1.66 ERA. That isn't even considering that in his most recent start, he went 7 innings giving up 3 earned. Without that start, his ERA over the previous 6 starts would've been 1.33. Look for him to stay hot for most of his last 15 or so starts.


Ted Lilly: Through 18 starts in 2007, Lilly is 8-4 with a 3.67 ERA. His record shouldn't be what it is today and wouldn't if it wasn't for the untouchable offense. He should probably be 7-5, because 1 of his wins came during a 7 game winning streak, in a game where he went 6 innings and gave up 4 earned runs. His ERA on May 18th was 2.69, and then 7 starts later it was up to 4.03. The good news is that he is back to good old Ted Lilly. His last 2 starts he's gone 14 innings and given up 2 earned runs. Look for him to get a little more consistent, whether it be good or bad, and also look for him to get more wins and less losses if the Cubs offense keeps up the way it was in June.


Jason Marquis: He hadn't won since May 9th, until July 1st that is, and as late as June 4th, his ERA was 2.84. In the 6 starts after that, his ERA is up to 3.67, giving up atleast 3 runs in all but 2 of them. 1 of the 2 starts he only went 1.2 innings. The other 1 was his only quality start since May 24th. Could we be seeing the Marquis of 2006? Hopefully we aren't seeing that type of Marquis. Until now, Jason has been a great pitcher for the Chicago Cubs. Look for him to stay inconsistent in ERA and quality starts.


Rich Hill: In his last 2 starts he has gone 9 innings, surrenduring 11 earned runs. His ERA on the year is 3.81. It appears to be only that low because in April his ERA was 1.77. In May it was 4.66. June was a little better at 4.32, and after 1 July start so far, he's got an ERA of 9 this month. A lot of his struggles appear to be in the 1st inning. In 17 starts and 17 first innings, he has allowed 10 earned runs, a 5.29 ERA. He is giving the other team the lead early, and I can see that as being a problem, assuming the other 4 starters don't win EVERY time out. The offense may be stronger than ever so far, but it can't come back from a 3-0 deficit in the first inning every time, and it isn't expected. Look for Hill to return to form in the 2nd half, as this was a well needed break for him. Last year in the first half he had an ERA of 9.31, and in the second half had an ERA of 2.92. Look for his ERA to go down, and his big overhand curveball to be in tip-top shape.


Sean Marshall: This year, Sean is 4-3 with a 3.48 ERA. Last year in the first half, he was 5-7 with a 4.80 ERA. It's the second half that worries me. After the break last year, Marshall went into a deep funk, going 1-2 with a 7.88 ERA. Let's hope that Rothschild tweaked something, or that Sean is just, plain and simple, more confident. There isn't a lot to base this on because this is only his second big league year, but look for him to remain consistent- for now atleast- as the splits show that he doesn't struggle much with righties, lefties, home or away so far, he's just pitched good.


Tomorrow I plan to do the relievers unless I get sick or die or something. As I've mentioned before, tomorrow is the 6 relievers, Petrick and Cherry.

Thanks,

Ryan

Chicago Cubs Player Previews [Part 1 of 3]

July 10th, 2007

Today I am going to do 14 player previews. They are going to be the 14 hitters in the major leagues, although Lou said he plans to take it down to 13 hitters. Tomorrow I'm doing the 5 starting pitchers, and then the 6 relievers, and Billy Petrick, as I see him as the top candidate to be called up to the majors, atleast until Dempster gets back. Right now, I'm going by positions, catchers, infielders, and then outfielders.


Rob Bowen: Before the 26-year old catcher came to us in a trade for Micheal Barrett, he was hitting .268, going 2-4 in his most recent game, the 17th, against the Cubs. Since then, he has gone 2 for 27, a .074 average, with 2 RBI. To explain how bad that 2 for 27 is, let me tell you this: Ted Lilly this year is 4 for 27. Bowen is weakening the lineup, and the 8 spot at the least. I'd look fir his playing time to drop, and drop, and drop in the 2nd half.


Koyie Hill: In his first playing action since 2005 with Arizona, he is hitting .148, 9 hits in 64 at bats, with 1 home run and 6 RBI. He is the "starter", although if I was the Cubs I'd shop a catcher or call up young prospect and 2006 September call-up Geovany Soto, who is hitting .341 in 226 at bats. Look for Hill or Bowen to get traded or sent down for this guy.


Derrek Lee: This year, Lee was an all-star, and he played from the 5th to the end of the game. D-Lee hasn't homered since June 3rd, but look at the bright side; Pujols hasn't homered since June 14th, so the "best hitter in baseball" has almost nothing on Lee. In the 2nd half of the season, I expect his average to go down and his homers to go up.


Daryle Ward: This year , in his first year with the Cubs, Daryle has gone 18 for 55, a .327 average. The power bat fro the bench is gone this year though, as there is a big donut in the home run column. He also has had a couple key hits this year for the Cubs, I can remember 1 or 2 game winners, at least 1 was a walk-off. He isn't going anywhere unless he gets injured, so look for more clutch at bats of the bench.


Mark DeRosa: DeRosa was hittingin the .250s earlier this year, until my birthday, June 8th, when he gave me a present. He finished June hitting .337 in the month, raising his average to .284. In July so far, he is still terrorizing pitchers, hitting .345, his average now up to .291, almost his career best 2006 number, .296. Also, did I mention that he is beating D-Lee in HR [7], and RBI [49]. Look for the average to hang around in the low .290s or high .280s in the 2nd half.


Ryan Theriot: Afer hitting .338 in 2006, his average stooped to .251 on June 23rd, when he was stirpped of his starting role. Since then, he's been on a tear, hitting in all but 2 appearances since then, both pinch hit at-bats. His average now rests at .276, which is where I expect it to stay. If he keeps getting regular at-bats, look for his average to continue to rise, as his average seems to go down when he plays off the bench.


Mike Fontenot: In 2005, he was 0 for 2 in September as a call-up, and last year was completely overlooked. Maybe the year away from the heat of the MLB was good. So far in 104 MLB at-bats this year, Fontenot is hitting .356, with 3 home runs, 16 RBI and 2 stolen bases. Lately, he has been starting at 2B, Theriot at SS, and DeRosa in RF. For the Cubs to stay hot, look for that to stay the same, and expect Fontenot's average to drop a lot and land somewhere in the .280s.


Cesar Izturis: Used sparingly since June 25th, only making 1 start since then, he's hitting .242, pretty much what we've been seeing him put up his whole career. He is a defensive asset, but can be easily replaced by a solid SS like Theriot, and is so much worse offensively. The best role for him is to be on the bench, and expect him to stay there, at least until Fontenot cools off.


Aramis Ramirez: This year so far, Aramis is hitting .312 with 15 homers and 51 RBI. In my eyes, he was the key component to the Cubs hot streak in June. He hit .375 in June, 14 for 48, had a walk-off home run against the Brewers that eventually sent us to a rubber match, which the Cubs won, and still missed 15 days of the month. If he's that good playing half a month, I'd like to see him play like that in a full month. Expect the average to drop off a little bit, maybe into the .290s, but expect him to start hitting more homers now that he is back to full strength.


Alfonso Soriano: Hitting .309 with 15 dingers and 33 RBI is just the beginning. He also has 24 doubles, and 13 stolen bases this year. He has definitely been a key part of the Cubs success, and signing him for 8 years help the Cubs chances in the future years as well, but for now expect a few things. Expect his home runs to pick up, as he is known for the long ball. Also expect for more stolen base attempts in the 2nd half, as Lou is finally comfortable with all that Soriano can do. Finally, look for his average to dip a lot, as he is a career .282 hitter, and the past 2 years he has hit .268 and .270.


Felix Pie: Hitting .216 this year, when he first came up, he was hitting better, playing more comfortably. Pagan is getting most of the time in center, and with good reason. Pie is dynamite in the field, but in the box he just isn't ready at the MLB level. Look for his average to go up as he get s more at-bats at the major league level.


Angel Pagan: In 47 games this year, he is hitting .267, better than his .247 average last year in 77 games with the Cubs. He is good defensively in center, he has good speed, and is clearly the choice over Pie for now. Look for him to lock up a starting role in center for at least the rest of the year, as the only others who can do it are Pie and Jones, both of which might get sent down to Iowa when Lou calls up the 12 pitcher, which he said he definitely will do.


Cliff Floyd: This year Cliff is hitting .292 with 4 home runs and 30 RBI. While lately DeRosa has been getting more playing time in right, Cliff has played solid this year, but is definitely not much to boast about defensively. A lot of his recent at-bats came when Aramis was injured and DeRosa played 3rd. Look for his time to go up if Fontenot or Theriot cool down. Until then, he is mostly valuable bench, with an occasional start in line for him.


Jacque Jones: The career .277 hitter is hitting an uncharacteristic .233 in 215 at-bats. Lou has been rooting for him, but he has had a price tag on him since last year. He is always getting criticized and over-analyzed by people that think the Cubs are wasting their time on him. GM Jim Hendry is big on the future, so look for him to deal Jacque away for a few prospects, as he's been already in some talks this year.

Those are my previews for the 14 hitters currently on the Cubs 25 man roster. Although Lou said there would soon be 13 hitters, I did all 14. I told you my guesses on how people would do, who'd be dealt, and who could be sent down for a pitcher like Billy Petrick. Tomorrow is for the starting rotation, Zambrano, Lilly, Marquis, Hill, and Marshall. Wait for it, it's coming soon.

Thanks,

Ryan

My 2nd Half Predictions [Teams]

July 9th, 2007

No need for me to put a game time and station for you today, as the Cubs don't play until their 10 game homestand against the Astros, Giants, and Diamondbacks. The homestand begins on Friday, and starting tomorrow, excluding Tuesday due to my All-Star-Game coverage, I will analyze the Cubs 25 man roster and predict the 2nd half. Today, like I said, is my 2nd half preview.

NL

NL EAST FIRST HALF SECOND HALF PREDICTION


METS 48-39 43-32 STRENGTH: STARTING PITCHING

WEAKNESS: INJURIES


BRAVES 47-42 42-31 STRENGTH: BULLPEN

WEAKNESS: PITCHING INJURIES


PHILLIES 44-44 40-34 STRENGTH: POWER HITTERS

WEAKNESS: BATTING AVERAGE


MARLINS 42-47 33-40 STRENGTH: YOUNG TALENT

WEAKNESS: INCONSISTENT PITCHING


NATIONALS 36-52 28-46 STRENGTH: BULLPEN

WEAKNESS: INJURIES

NL CENTRAL FIRST HALF SECOND HALF PREDICTION


BREWERS 49-39 38-36 STRENGTH: STARTING PITCHING

WEAKNESS: YOUNG HITTERS


CUBS 44-43 43-32 STRENGTH: BATTING AVERAGE

WEAKNESS: INCONSISTENT PITCHING


CARDINALS 40-45 41-36 STRENGTH: CARPENTER/MULDER BACK
WEAKNESS: PUJOLS/ROLEN SLUMPS


PIRATES 40-48 39-35 STRENGTH: STARTING PITCHERS

WEAKNESS: JASON BAY .256 AVG/13 HR


ASTROS 39-50 30-43 STRENGTH: POWER HITTERS

WEAKNESS: BULLPEN


REDS 36-52 25-49 STRENGTH: FEW INJURIES
WEAKNESS: POWER HITTERS


NL WEST FIRST HALF SECOND HALF PREDICTION


PADRES 49-38 50-25 STRENGTH: STARTING PITCHING

WEAKNESS: INCONSISTENT HITTING


DODGERS 49-40 43-30 STRENGTH: BATTING AVERAGE

WEAKNESS: PITCHING INJURIES


DIAMONDBACKS 47-43 36-36 STRENGTH: BULLPEN

WEAKNESS: UNEXPERIENCED


ROCKIES 44-44 39-35 STRENGTH: STARTING PITCHING

WEAKNESS: BATTING AVERAGE


GIANTS 38-48 30-46 STRENGTH: BATTING AVERAGE

WEAKNESS: FOCUS ON 756/ ZITO BUST

AL

AL EAST FIRST HALF SECOND HALF PREDICTION


RED SOX 53-34 49-26 STRENGTH: STARTING PITCHING

WEAKNESS: SCHILLING ON DL


BLUE JAYS 43-44 35-40 STRENGTH: BULLPEN

WEAKNESS: STARTING PITCHING


YANKEES 42-43 43-44 STRENGTH: MIDDLE OF THE ORDER

WEAKNESS: STARTING PITCHING


ORIOLES 38-49 35-42 STRENGTH: 2006-2007 FREE AGENT SIGNINGS

WEAKNESS: TEJADA/TRACHSEL ON DL


DEVIL RAYS 34-53 26-48 STRENGTH: OUTFIELDERS BATTING AVERAGES

WEAKNESS: UPTON/BALDELLI ON DL


AL CENTRAL FIRST HALF SECOND HALF PREDICTION


DETROIT 52-34 42-34 STRENGTH: STARTING PITHERS

WEAKNESS: ZUMAYA/RODNEY ON DL


INDIANS 52-36 40-34 STRENGTH: STARTING PITCHING

WEAKNESS: POWER HITTING


TWINS 45-43 40-34 STRENGTH: JOHAN SANTANA

WEAKNESS: 8 OUT ALREADY


WHITE SOX 39-47 34-42 STRENGTH: BUERHLE EXTENSION

WEAKNESS: REST OF ROTATION


ROYALS 38-50 30-44 STRENGTH: STARTING PITCHERS

WEAKNESS: POWER HITTING


AL WEST FIRST HALF SECOND HALF PREDICTION

ANGELS 53-35 48-26 STRENGTH: OUTFIELD HITTERS

WEAKNESS: COLON/SANTANA STRUGGLES


MARINERS 49-36 40-37 STRENGTH: STRONG PITCHING/ HITTING

WEAKNESS: MORE ROAD GAMES THAN HOME


ATHLETICS 44-44 40-34 STRENGTH: STARTING PITCHING

WEAKNESS: MAJORITY OF SCHEDULE VS. WEST


RANGERS 38-50 41-33 STRENGTH: MORE HOME THAN ROAD GAMES

WEAKNESS: LACK OF PITCHING/ AVG.


NL EAST DIVISION WINNER: METS


NL CENTRAL DIVISION WINNER: CUBS*


NL WEST DIVISON WINNER: PADRES


NL WILD CARD WINNER: DODGERS


*Cubs have advantage in one game playoff (7-5 vs Brewers this season)


AL EAST DIVISION WINNER: RED SOX


AL CENTRAL DIVISION WINNER: TIGERS


AL WEST DIVISION WINNER: ANGELS


AL WILD CARD WINNER: INDIANS

Those are just my predictions, not any baseball analyst's. Comment if you feel any differently or have any other opinions.

Thanks,

Ryan

Shiver Me Timbers, It's the Pirates! [Part 4 of 4]

July 8th, 2007

Cubs; Friday, July 13th; 2:20 PM ET; Starters unkown

I'm befuzzled. I went to the Cubs game today, expecting a win, as it's been automatic these days when Big Z takes the hill. Well, not so much today. He pitched a good game. Quality start if you ask me. In fact, 3 runs, 3 walks, 4 hits over 7 innings is the stats. I was there, and I watched him leave in the 8th inning down 3-2.

With Bobby [Howry]coming on for the 8th, I thought our chances were good. Unfortunately the unexplainable happened. A good reliever- our best a year ago- couldn't fool the hitters he faced. Single. Single. Single. Then Jason Bay comes to the plate with the bases chucked, and Bobby said to himself, "Only 3 in a row? Hey, let's make it 4!" So he tosses a pitch in there, and much to the delight of Bucco fans at PNC, Bay had himself a 2 RBI single, 1st and 3rd, 0 outs.


Then, he got a sacrifice fly to take place, 1 more run. 6-2 Pirates. He then got out of the inning, pitching like 2007 Scott Eyre, or April version of Howry. The thing that caught me though was this: Big Z: 7 innings, 4 hits, 3 runs, Howry: 1 inning, 4 hits, 3 runs. 6-2 final. The good news? The Brewers lost 7-2, and 2 out of 3 to the Washington Nationals.


That leads me to my next point. While it is becoming increasingly clear to me that the Brewers have no chance at the division title, the Pirates do. The Cardinals, Astros, and Reds just don't seem to have it this year. The Cardinals are not the jubilant team that had pitchers with actual talent. The Astros and Reds seem to have fallen off the face of the Earth.


The Pirates though, get better, and better and, well, better. If the Cubs want to win this division, they'd better watch out for the Pirates. That is the only thing keeping the Cubs and Brewers at a disadvantage. The Pirates can beat anyone in this division. That'll help them in the long run.

Thanks,

Ryan

Shiver Me Timbers, It's the Pirates! [Part 3 of 4]

July 7th, 2007

Cubs; CSN Chicago; 1:35 PM ET; Carlos Zambrano, 10-6, 4.04 ERA, vs. Shane Youman, 1-0, 3.00 ERA

Well, today Ted Lilly had another strong outing, pitching 7.1 innings, surrendering just 1 run, in a 7-1 rout of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Tomorrow is the rubber match, and it should be an interesting game.


Youman, career 1-2 with a 2.93 ERA faces off against the ace, Zambrano, who has a career 3.37 ERA. The good news? The Cubs, after winning tonight, are once again just 4.5 games back of the Brewers, who could not be any more in shambles at this point, virtually handing the Cubs the division lead as of late. I'll have more tomorrow.

Thanks,

Ryan

Shiver Me Timbers, It's the Pirates! [Part 2 of 4]

July 6th, 2007

Cubs; WGN 9; 7:05 PM ET; vs. Pirates; Ted Lilly,7-4, 3.84 ERA, vs. John Van Benschoten, 0-2, 4.35 ERA

The Pirates beat us today. I can't understand it, and you shouldn't be able to, you're still learning, it's OK. It's their 4th win in a row, and now we are ONLY 8-3 in our last 11. If you can't figure out the loss, let me break down the for you.


Maholm, after giving up 2 in the 2nd to tie the game, threw the sinker, and then the sinker, and then a couple more sinkers. The Cubs response? Let me just hit that into the ground for you. Man, was it bad. We didn't score again until the top of the 8th, when we were down 7-2. Bases loaded, nobody out. Shawn Chacon leaves a fat fastball hanging with A-Ram up, and A-Ram just swings and hits 1 into the river.


Actually he hit a sacrifice fly. And then, so did DeRosa. And then the Cubs managed to get out of a bases loaded nobody out situation with only 2 runs. So top 9th comes, and to end the game, Theriot is doubled off second base. Ouchies! 8-4 Final. Cubs now 5.5 back of the Brewers, who won 6-2.


That isn't the worst part yet though. It was Marquis. He goes 4.2 innings, gives up 6. Holy crap. If he has a quality start, the Cubs win. And his ERA is still under 4! It looks like he is having a great year. No he isn't. The ERA lies in this case. I can only remember mediocare starts from he and Ted Lilly for the longest time, except for Lilly's previous start.


I think that the Cubs pitching has to improve, the hitting has to remain hot, and hot as can be, and Lilly better win tomorrow so we can win the rubber match on Sunday. Also, I hope to see Big Z win on Sunday because, well, I'm going to be in PNC on that day, watching the game with my nachos and soft drink, wearing my Alfonso Soriano jersey and Cubs cap, which will hopefully be loaded with autographs from the greatest team in the world, the Cubs.

Thanks,

Ryan

Shiver Me Timbers, It's the Pirates! [Part 1 of 4]

July 5th, 2007

Cubs; WCIU; vs. Pirates; Jason Marquis vs. Paul Maholm

Honestly, I'm a little nervous about this series against the Pirates. They just won 3 out of against the Brewers, and the streaky Marquis starts tomorrow. The Cubs did win 3 out of 4 also, and 2 out of 3 vs. the Brewers just before that, but I feel like while the Pirates don't win a lot of games, they win the games that crucify the contenders. We're 4.5 back now, the Brewers have lost 3 in a row, and the world is at peace.

Maholm is 4-11. He gets no run support. If he did, the Pirates would have a 15 game winnner. That's not the scary part. Marquis should be a 10 game winner as it is right now. Also gets not a lot of run support. That's just game 1. Game 2 I feel like our chances are good, Lilly vs. Van Benschoten, and Sunday Zambrano starts. What more can you ask for to atleast not get swept? We're winning (43-41)and it feels so good!

I'll post more tomorrow, have a good day cub fans!

Thanks,

Ryan