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Cubs start playing good about 4 months late, 62-89
Philles probably should start playing good again, 77-73
POTG: 3B A Ram (2 HR, 4 H, 7 RBI, 2 R)
Runner Up: RP Michael Wuertz (2 IP, 0 R, W [3/10]), 2B Ryan Theriot (2B, 3 H, BB, 3 R, SB), CF Juan Pierre (HR, 2 R, SB), SS Ronny Cedeno (2 H, 3B), 1B Scott Moore (HR, 2 H, 2 R, RBI)
About 9 out of 10 games the Cubs have won lately, I’ve been waiting for them to lose.
It’s because that’s what they’ve been doing lately, and I was actually relatively confident until Sean Marshall came unglued. Something’s obviously wrong with him, because he’s not having just bad starts, he’s having disaster starts constantly.
07/16: 5.1 IP, 7 R (5 ER), 3 HR
07/22: 4.0 IP, 2 R, 1 HR + injury
(DL)
09/02: 5.2 IP, 4 R, 3 HR
09/07: 4.0 IP, 5 R, HR
09/12: 3.2 IP, 7 R (3 ER), HR
09/18: 3.1 IP, 6 R, 1 HR
In any other situation, he’d be out of the rotation by now. As is, I wouldn’t be opposed to skipping a start and giving JKR a shot, because it can not be worse.
By the time Marshall’s gone, the leads down to 2, and all the momentuem is heading the Phillies way. It sure looked like they were going to capitaize, but Ohman barely made it out of the inning, and then Wuertz did a great job of bridging the gap. (Probably would’ve been POTG if not for 7 RBIs, and probably wouldn’t have gotten the same job if Dusty used Novoa like normal.) I was still worried when it looked like Ryan Dempster was going to have to attempt a save, and those 9th inning runs were good.
After this game, I’m thinking ther’s a 45% chance A Ram’s coming back. He’s certaintly voiding the deal. He’s come on so strong after the all star break, it’d be silly not to, and will be among the more highly sought free agents, so I don’t know if the Cubs will make enough of an effort to get him back. And that’d leave a bad hole at 3rd – maybe Theriot or Murton are moved there if their spots are taken?
Speaking of Ryan, I died laughing reading this quote
“We gave [Theriot] every opportunity to play,” Baker said.
(cubs.com)
There had to be some qualifier before or after, because Dusty can not even believe they’ve been trying that for the full season. They’ve only really playing him everyday since Bynum’s three error game forced them into it. I can not believe Dusty really said that as written with a straight face, and no one laughed at him.
Call me crazy, but I give 0% that the Cubs will be playing Soriano in CF next season, seeing as 2B and LF would be opened for him first. Strange that we’re half way thru the month, and there’s been zero word on the supposed Pierre extension.
If Wade Miller doesn’t get lit up tonight, I will be completely shocked.