Cubs 10-14
Pirates 12-12
POTG: SP Rich Hill (7 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, BB, 6 K)
Runner Up: LF Soriano (2 H), SS The Riot (3 BB), 1B D Lee (2B, 2H, R), 3B A Ram (2B, 2H, RBI)
How can the top four guys get on twice each, and only score 1 run combined? That’s tough to do.
A 1/3rd filled stadium in Pittsburgh was not the way to get back in in the groove of things. After what was 48 hours off – a day game on Saturday, a night game on Monday – everyone seemed to be a bit out of it. I know I was – I paused the game 6th and tried to take a nap, but it didn’t really take till game was over. It didn’t really pick up when I started watching again.
I figure Cedeno is getting sent down, whenever Angel’s spot finally comes up in the rotation. I think they should make another move, though – Murton needs to head to Iowa. He needs regular at bats, just like Pie, and he’s not getting in Chicago. He doesn’t deserve to go down, but he also doesn’t deserve to turn into dust sitting on the bench. Last night, he was anxious and batting everything down in the ground, so he may already be screwed, and I’m worried about him going full on Jason DuBios. At some point, Floyd will get hurt or Jacque will get traded and more ABs will open up, but Murton’s not effective as a pinch hitter and it’s hurting his long term value. Give him MLB meal money if it’ll make him happy, but send him back to Des Monies.
I’m not sure who you’d call up, but that’s another roster construction problem. Look at the outfielders on the 40 Man
Bats
L Coats
L Floyd
L Jacque
L Pie
L Ward
R Murton
R Soriano
S Pagan (but he can’t hit either way)
How do you have only 2 Right Handed OF on your 40 man roster? That doesn’t leave many alternatives; when I was thinking Murton needed to go, I was thinking Pagan should be the call up because he’s a much more protypical 5th OF type (can play all 3 OF positions, can be used as PR, switch “hitter”), but that leaves the team extremely vulnerable to left specialists out of the bullpen – Cesar, Blanco and Pagan wouldn’t scare you from the right side.
The more games into the season we go, the more I’m sure Hendry has to go after the season. He lunged for the biggest pieces he could find in the off season, and didn’t think a bit about how they’d work together.