Game 132: Pirates 7 – Cubs 6 (11)

box
Cubs drop to 54-78
Pirates rise to 52-81

POTG: 3B A RAM (3 H, 3 BB, 3 R, played some 3B)
Runners Up: 1B D. Lee (3 H, RBI), C Michael Barrett (2B, 2 H, RBI), LF Matt Murton (2 H, R, RBI, BB)

So.

Feely told me on Sunday “at least it wasn’t a walk off walk.” Having now had both a walk off walk and a walk off grandslam in the matter of three days, I’m not sure one is much better than the other. You lost it a horrible way either way.

This walk, though, you could totally see coming. And it’ll be all not Dempster’s fault and he’s totally fine as a closer and on and on. I guess my position on Dempster’s usefulness seems to flip around – I think he’s better than Novoa and Ohman but may be in the same strata as Wuertz and Aardsma and gets overpaid since he’s got all the big numbers under “S” instead of “H”. Dempster’s goes thru stretches of losing all control, and walking the bases loaded there was just asking for the game to end like it did.

Duffy, the guy they gave the IBB too, is an easy out, and they could’ve gotten a double play without walking him. The intentional walk was a horrible decision, and as bad as any in game move Dusty’s made this year because it directly cost the game.

I know they were saying Zambrado was yelling at himself after the two errors, and he sure was yelling, but I think it was more Z the pitcher yelling at Z the fielder. Because Z the fielder cost him a win tonight.

Speaking of errors – how does Ronny double clutching on a ball and throwing way low to second become an error on Bynum? I didn’t realize this till I saw the box score, and I’m still not believing it. That’s just insane.

Theriot’s error was deserved, but I think he mostly looked fine. Of course, would you really expect any blogger to say different at this point? Ryan leads the league in not being Neifi, not being Ronny, and not be Cesar.

This was quite the demoralizing game, and there’s another coming quick. The only other things I can think to say are

– Bobby Howry’s “if I’m a little run down after pitching 5 games out of 6 in September, maybe I’ll take a day off, but I’m fine” comment is exactly why pitchers shouldn’t be allowed to manage their own workload.
– Phil Rogers actually doing the math (or calling someone to do it for him) is mindblowing; the “Lee is worth 15 games line” was so ludicrous to me that I ignored it like I try to ignore all crazy Dusty lines, but it’s surprising to see someone point out how crazy it is for those who haven’t given up on Dusty. Most of the time, they just let it stand.
– It sucks when a Z start goes bad, because what else do you got?

If the Cubs lose today, the Pirates are only 1.5 behind them. I’m not a big fan of the Cubs finishing last, but it’d be about right this year.

30 to go.