Category: chicago national league ball club

SDP --- v LAD (2.5 out in NL West)
CHC 2.0 v PHI
SFG 2.0 @ STL
FLA 5.0 v MON (3.5 out in NL East)
PHI 5.0 @ CHC (3.5 out in NL East) 

Way to COMPLETELY CHOKE, Phillies. I beg of you, do not stop now.

I’ve never personally run a real baseball team, but I’m thinking it might be too late in the season to fire Larry Bowa and expect a reversal of fortunes for the Phillies. My guess is it takes about a month for a new manager to get his players on the same page he is, and the Phillies don’t really have time to tread water. They’ve got this far with Bowa, and they might as well finish it out.

Plus, they don’t have to play the Marlins till 9/21. And the last series – 4 games – of the year. I have a sick desire to see the Phillies need just one win going into that series needing just one win and losing three times just to see people explode.

I think now we’ve got to start rooting for the Cardinals. Sucks. But it’d be nice to get a secure grip on at least second, since everyone else is fading away.

As much as I complain about Baseball Tonight (and rightfully so, sometimes!), Peter Gammons bringing the potential Kris Benson to NYM trade and it devolving into an annabenson.net discussion was one of their finer moments of the season.

It was a nice break from the trades themselves, because this is the part of the deadline where you really get sick of hearing Gammons mention 30 possible trades, none of them which have or will happen.

I did call Oakland getting to first yesterday. Let’s forgot what I’ve done wrong. If Boston would’ve won, the AL playoff teams would’ve been the group the majority expected at the start of the season: NYY, MIN, OAK, BOS (tied with TEX).

Looks like the game is on, but I may or may not have tickets. Eh.

Only scoring on home runs? It’s this season’s theme.

SDP --- v SFG
SFG 1.0 @ SDP
CHC 2.0 @ MIL
PHI 4.0 @ FLA (2.5 back in NL East)
FLA 5.0 v PHI (3.5 back in NL West)
HOU 5.0 @ ARZ

I’ll be so glad when the Padres/Giants series is over. It’s kinda annoying to know that if you lose, you’ll almost always lose ground; we’ve already got that in the Central.

Instead of Pittsburgh winning and moving all the way to third, they lost and dropped all the away to last. Those last four teams (at least) probably will bounce around a few more times. The Reds are sinking to the bottom like a penny into fountain.

Way to suck, White Sox!

Way to suck, Phillies! Phillies have another chance to suck today some more. 1-10 vs one team, that’s horrendous.

Winning % for teams with 9 or more loses against one other team

PHI (vs FLA) 1-10 .090
CIN (vs STL) 2-11 .154
ARZ (vs LAD) 2-11 .154
SFG (vs SDP) 3-9  .250
NYM (vs FLA) 3-9  .250
MON (vs PHI) 4-9  .308
FLA (vs ATL) 4-9  .308
MON (vs ATL) 3-10 .300
COL (vs SFG) 5-9  .357
CHC (vs STL) 8-11 .421

Quite strange how NL East teams with similar records got there by skewed performances against one team or another.

This could be the last day of the season the Rangers are in first place…but I don’t think it will. They’ll lose today and A’s will temporary pass them, but I believe they’ll stick close enough around at least for a few more weeks. Feels real strange that Beane hasn’t made his trademark move yet.

Feels strange that no one’s made a move yet, even if I thought that might happen.

ESPN’s MLB Standings Graphs are totally unrelated and fun to stare at. (Click on RACE)

Chip got on my nerves last night by talking up Cubs pitching prospects by mentioning their Win/Loss record. If you even slightly believe a Major League’s pitchers W/Ls are affected by hitting, fielding, and other things they do not control, than you’ve got to realize those factors are going to be as strong or stronger in minor leagues. I wasn’t expected Chip to start dropping VORP – ERA’s right there and understandable by the barely educated fan they aim television towards; if you’ve only got five seconds and the choice is between ERA and W/L, I would have thought he knew which one to pick.

Today’s game is Carlos (36.2) vs Hendrickson (-6.4). It’s too soon to even think about critical games, but probably not too much to project this as a turning point. It’s a game the Cubs are supposed to win, and need to win to make this series worthwile. A win puts them either one game out or in second place, with a possible tough series vs the Phillies next.

I’m not sure if I’ll do this tommorow; I’ll be busy dodging falling cement, I hear.

SDP ---
SFG 1.0
CHC 2.0
PHI 3.0

Off the list: CIN (6Ls in a row), HOU (lost to ARZ to end their losing streak.) That’s about as short as it’s been, which is an effect of the Padres getting hot (7-3). They’ve actually lost ground in the West because the Dodgers are hotter.

Maybe if the Astros get swept, they’ll deal Beltran? They should just fold if they get swept by the Diamondbacks right now.

Quiet deadline so far. I’m thinking it’ll say that way. For all the conversation, RJ’s not going anyhwere. It sounds like the Twins are going to actually pick up salary by taking Benson. I got a strong feeling some bat is going to LA, but after that, probably no A-level players before July 31.

The news on Hollandsworth’s recovery is inconsisent and not too promising. If the Cubs make any more, I expect it to be in getting a left handed power OF for the bench and move Borowski to the 60 day DL to create roster room.

Tonight’s Cubs game is Greg Maddux vs Ben Sheets (FSC), which should be pretty good.

15 for 17 years UPDATE
With a win, he’s on a pace for 16.2 wins
Without a win, he’s on a pace for 14.58 wins

I may be going to the CHW/MIN game tonight. I know, I know.

(Listening to KRUA out of Anchorage)

When they only got two runs in the top of the 9th, I had a bad feeling. A correct one, but a bad one. It was still nice not to get no-hit. Someone should send Doug a nice present, because he didn’t look so good on that double either. And at least Prior looked okay.

SDP --- v SFG
SFG --- @ SDP
CHC 2.0 @ MIL
PHI 2.0 @ FLA (0.5 out in EAST)
CIN 4.5 v STL
HOU 5.0 v ARZ

The loss ends up costing the Cubs some ground between them and Philadelphia, the ground they made up on St. Louis, and 1 game in the Wild Card. Now that the Padres and Giants are playing again, it’s another series of going nowhere.

I’m thinking hoping the Cubs can score more in Miller Park than they did last time, but yesterday did put the questions back on the offense. So who knows. It’s Clement vs Santos tonight, and I bet Matt’s just hoping not to get loss 10. He hasn’t won since June 8th, though it’s usually not his fault.

There’s some mumbling about changing up the closer to Kyle. I don’t expect anything to happen until LaTroy serves his suspension, when they’ll have to try him (or someone else) out of necessity and see how it works out.

Philadelphia looks to have the chance to drive to push the Marlins (4.5EAST, 6.0WC) far out of the picture. I think it’s too soon to be the definitive end between the two teams, but the Marlins won the division by winning these kinda of series last year again the Phillies. These two teams don’t meet again till the last days of the season for a four game series.

This does feel like a good place for the End for the Reds. Cardinals are still playing super, Cincy’s lost it’s last 5 and is bordering on .500. They’re giving up a lot of runs (5, 13, 6, 14, 6) and facing the best hitting team in the NL.

It’s probably just a matter of right team, right time, but I don’t think Carlos Beltran’s going anywhere. A series against the Diamondbacks should keep them close enough to a playoff spot that they won’t move him before the July deadline, and he’ll be impossible to move in August. Which sucks for the rest of the Central.

Why are the Fox games late today? And all the same time? Saves me, but is strange.

SDP --- @ LAD
SFG --- @ STL
CHC 1.0 @ PHI
PHI 3.0 v CHC (0.5 out in the East)
CIN 3.5 @ PIT
MIL 4.5 @ HOU
FLA 5.0 @ MON (2.0 out in the East)

The best NL HR hitting team in one of the best HR hitting parks in the NL. A great combo! Kerry didn’t look great – I mean, 1 ER in 6 IP is nice, but he walked 4 guys and probably got lucky/good to get out of some bad situatios. He’s not all the way back is all I’m saying. I’m guessing the pitch count is off for next game.

I forgot about Wood’s suspension till they brought it up. The whole strange series of events with him trying to serve it as DL days was the most bizarre attempt to circvent a rule this year. But he’s (probably) got a miss a start and Carlos (probably) has to miss a start, and someone needs to take theirs so they don’t happen the same timethrough the order.

It’d be nice if someone unmudded Stone’s microphone. I don’t know if it was a CIU thing. The color hasn’t always seemed as good on WCIU (and really, non-WGN) broadcasts, but there was a defiite clarity issue.

Mags Ordonez going to the DL is going to hurt. Quite a bit. Ken Williams will make another crazy move, though.

If the announce team made any note of the comments in the newspaper from Thursday, I didn’t notice it. It was a very pleasant surprise. I figured it out later – while reading Dusty backing up his player (which is what Dusty does) – Alou was ripped for forgetting how many outs there were and getting doubled up early this week, and I’m sure that’s what he was upset about it. Complaining about being ripped for making a stupid baserunning move doesn’t look as good in print, though.

Today’s a National Game, but since it’s an away FOX game, the announcers will have prepped only by reading the Philly papers. We may get a reprieve.

Always pretty neat to end a no-hitter with a home run. I can’t wrap my head around rooting for the Cardinals yet, though.

Slow. Slow.

Feely’s SD! recap will go up within the hour. I’m waiting for something unrelated to get done. Which is slow.

Let’s go to the big board.

SDP --- (@ LAD)
SFG 1.0 (@ STL)
CHC 2.0 (@ PHI)
ATL 3.0 (@ NYM) tied NL East
PHI 3.0 (v CHC) tied NL East
CIN 3.5 (@ PIT)
FLA 5.0 (@ MON) 2.0 NL EAST

So, if the Cubs win, they either make up some ground on the Wild Card or on the Cardinals. Sounds likes a great idea.

If I’m CIN or FLA, this looks like a great weekend to make up some ground.

That broken elbow yesterday looked ugly. I don’t know how you come back from that. And like Texas needs to lose a hot pitcher at this point.

Prior starting Sunday (let’s hope) or not, the Cubs are bordering on some post-modern six man rotation situation, as he may pick up another start during Carlos’ pending suspension. Everytime Rusch gets sent to the bullpen, he ends up in the rotation again.

Alou went off on the media yesterday for not giving enough credit to the hitters and just talking about the (starting) pitchers.

Runs scored, by game
7/1 5 (W)
7/2 6 (W)
7/3 4 (W)

7/4 2 (W)
7/5 0 (L)
7/6 2 (L)
7/7 0 (L)
7/9 1 (L)
7/10 2 (L)

7/11 8 (W)
7/15 4 (W)
7/16 2 (L)
7/17 5 (W)

7/18 2 (L)
7/19 4 (L)
7/20 8 (L)
7/21 5 (W)
7/22 13 (W)

At least he picked the 13 run day to say it.

What’s always bad about this situation is he particularly mentioned Chip and Steve. If you critize the Media in general, TV guys will mention it early, and then later if it the particular situation comes up or they’re really bored. But if you critize the TV Guys, the TV Guys will always talk about it for half the game. And you don’t want that.

Obviously, I need a quote category.

“You don’t want sympathy,” Baker said, “but at least some understanding to what’s happening and where we are. I looked at it today and we’re two games out of the playoffs if we stop today. That’s a pretty good position as badly as things have gone.” – cubs.com

The whole article is great, because Dusty uses a metaphor (always great fun) and we stay up to the same time thinking about these things. Maybe he should give me a call – I’d totally come in the city to talk lineups.

This is quite a game. Too soon to celebrate because of Tuesday. But quite a game. It’s raining pretty bad at moments everywhere around here, but not long enough to end this game early.

To whoever asked – Wendell Kim already had the bad rep. People were writing things when he came over from the Giants, and then he made his typical 3-4 really bad calls last season to the point where everyone starts to worry whenever there’s a possible play at home. He’s knew he was going to get ripped – because of the Tuesday game and people moving on to giving up the season, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be – and the apology before the radio starts picking it up is always a good move in those situations.

Today, I think all the papers had a Jim Hendry quote about waiting till off season before coach decisions are to be made, as to explain why he wasn’t fired, say, Monday night. But everyone’s presuming he’ll now be quietly let go over the winter – it’s probably take a WS appearance and some massive pull from Dusty to keep him around.

There are kids singing the 7th inning stretch. They actually did a bit harmony. They can actually sing. They actually know all the words! Who let them in here.

Remember when I said staying up far too late on Tuesday would cause me to sleep Wednesday away? SCORE ANOTHER PREDICTION RIGHT. Thanks for day games.

Let’s see how many days in a row I can remember to do this before relevant games start (an 11AM CST game? What the heck)

NL Wild Card (5 games)

SFG **** vs SDP
SDP **** @t SFG
CHC -2.0 vs CIN
CIN -2.5 @t CHC
ATL -3.0 vs PIT
MIL -4.5 @t STL
FLA -5.0 vs PHI
NYM -5.0 vs MON

You can pretty much throw out the NL East teams at this point, since they’re all two games close to first than than to wild card lead. But five games is five games.

I hear the Mets got their own messiah yesterday. Big ups to them. Hope he doesn’t get crucifxed in New York.

A Cubs win today (Lidle vs Maddux going for 298) puts them 1 game out of the Wild Card. (Edit: Huh? No. 2 back. I confused myself.) Not bad for the low point of the season.

I still can’t believe Beltran for Leister and Wellemeyer getting out of a two men on in a critical part of the game situation happened yesterday. I’m just happy we got out of it.

They really should’ve stopped the game before Sammy’s at bat – the home run was all due to the footing or non footing Von Poppel got, and it cost them the game.

I must remember to thank the spam people for sending me prozac ads today.

If you could design two games to utterly demoralize an opponent, I’m not sure you could do any better than what the Cards came up with last night and this afternoon. It was September ’03 in reverse, a revenge fantasy by way of John Ford, Quentin Tarantino, and Charles Bronson. – Redbird Nation

Okay, Francis Beltran has an issue with walking people of late. It’s not a good thing, but it’s a perfectly predictable thing from a young kid with overpowering stuff – sometimes it’s going to overpower you.

BUT, it’s not a shock to anyone paying the slightest attention to the Cubs that he’s going to walk people if you put him in, and probably the first guy. It’s part of his name now: “Francis Beltran, who’s struggled with his control of late”

So, Rusch gets into trouble, not getting anyone out of the first three he faces in the sixth. It’s a five run game, Rusch having just allowed one, and you’ve got a man on first and second and no out. Here are your options:

Leave Rusch In (nah)

LHP Kent Mercker
RHP Kyle Farnsworth
RHP LaTroy Hawkins
LHP Mike Remlinger
RHP Todd Wellemeyer
RHP Francis Beltran
RHP Mark Prior hahahaha :(

Kyle, Hawk and Remy, you probably want to either save till the 8th, or hopefully get some innings from the rest of your guys so you don’t use ’em at all. So they’re out of play.

Dusty likes to use Mercker in the 7th, and this being the 6th, which is not the 7th, he’s not going to use him here. So you’ve got Beltran and Todd.

Here is Wellemeyer’s ML Game Log after being brought back off a rehab assigment (IOW: assigned to AAA till we decided we needed him)

07/17 no action
07/18 no action
07/19 no action

You may say “Hey, that’s how Dusty treats the rooks! Don’t be surprised.” And you’re right. EXCEPT: Todd was brought up (and current thecubsfan.com fav Brendan Harris was sent down) for the sole express purpose of being able to eat innings if Rusch or Prior checked out early today. THE SOLE EXPRESS PURPOSE. That’s it! That’s the list!

Two on, no out. 5 run game. Guy who was brought up for this reason and this reason alone vs Guy who walks the first person he sees. I think you know how this goes.

WALK (bases loaded)
WALK (one run in – 4 run game)
INFIELD SINGLE (one run in – 3 run game, and welcome back ‘slick fielding’ Alex Gonzalez)

To his credit, Dusty does decide the 7th innning needs to come a little early. Mercker in
SF (2 runs in)
K
FO-9

From a six run lead to a two run lead.

I know Puljos is going to get his HRs and you’re just happy if you have no one on when they occur, but when So Taguchi – SO TAGUCHI! – hits a tying homerun, bringing the Cards all the way back from 7-1 to a 8-8 tie, well…

It kinda makes you wish the season was less than 162 games long.