Game 141: Cubs 5 – Pirates 1

Cubs 71-69, +0.0 Pirates 62-80, -10.5 POTG: SP Z! (6+ IP, 2 H, R, 5 BB, 8 K, W [15/79]) Runner Up: LF Alfonso Soriano (HR, 2 RBI), RF Jacque Jones (3B, 2 RBI, BB, R), RP Bobby Howry (.1 IP, 3 marooned) Yea, they all needed this one. POWER = WIN. Z wasn’t perfect … Continue reading “Game 141: Cubs 5 – Pirates 1”

Cubs 71-69, +0.0
Pirates 62-80, -10.5

POTG: SP Z! (6+ IP, 2 H, R, 5 BB, 8 K, W [15/79])
Runner Up: LF Alfonso Soriano (HR, 2 RBI), RF Jacque Jones (3B, 2 RBI, BB, R), RP Bobby Howry (.1 IP, 3 marooned)

Yea, they all needed this one. POWER = WIN.

Z wasn’t perfect on this night. He was quite wild, in his pitches and his attitude. The trick was, he somehow kept his pitch count from blowing up. He was in position to make it thru 7 innings if he had gotten some better home plate calls, and I’m just glad those looks he gave the ump while leaving the mound were just looks and not something suspendable.

Rotation down the stretch, as they’ve been talking about it
09/09 @t PIT: Trachsel
09/10 vs STL: Lilly
09/11 @t HOU: Marquis
09/12 @t HOU: Hill
09/13 @t HOU: Kevin Hart
09/14 @t STL: Z
09/15 (1) @t STL: Lilly
09/15 (2) @t STL: Marshall
09/16 @t STL: Trachsel

They still might have Z go on his normal rest, but I think it’s the wise move to bump him back. I can’t believe the guy we got for FREDDIE BYNUM might end up starting a critical game down the stretch. If he’s any good at all, that’s another strange trade the Cubs won from Baltimore.

That order leaves some weird gaps between starts, so I could see not going with it. It’s going to be a tough decision. I wonder if they’ll get Hart some time in today to get one more look at him. Hopefully the game’s going a good way where that’s possible.

Game 140: Pirates 6 – Cubs 1

Cubs 71-69, +0 Dodgers 62-79, -9.5 POTG: C Geovany Soto (2H, 2B, R) Runner Up: 1B Derrek Lee (2 H, 2B) They’re still not behind, so that’s good. Little else, but it doesn’t make sense to freak out about the Cubs not making the playoffs when they’d at least get a playoff game at this … Continue reading “Game 140: Pirates 6 – Cubs 1”

Cubs 71-69, +0
Dodgers 62-79, -9.5

POTG: C Geovany Soto (2H, 2B, R)
Runner Up: 1B Derrek Lee (2 H, 2B)

They’re still not behind, so that’s good. Little else, but it doesn’t make sense to freak out about the Cubs not making the playoffs when they’d at least get a playoff game at this point. If the Cubs weren’t involved, I’d totally be rooting for the chaos of a three way tie, so I can’t be totally upset when it keeps getting closer and closer.

Rich Hill has had two bad starts in a row, which wouldn’t be a big deal if this wasn’t September. I do wonder if he gets rotated out on a start at some point for Marshall. He’s got to make his next one, because it’ll be a six man rotation with the double header, so he can still force the decision.

I didn’t think the Cubs took a bad approach against Gorz. He was just having a good night, what with the balls flying back at his glove and all. The fielding let something to be desired.

Geovany’s about a couple CS away from making this team next year. It seemed like they were going to give him a very limited opportunity, like always, but he’s had the good timing to make something of it. I don’t think it’s out of the question he’d make the playoff roster ahead of Henry Blanco, but that’s far in the future.

Biggest Z start of the season, but we’re going to be saying that for every start for a while.

Game 87: Pirates 6 – Cubs 2

Cubs 44-43, 4.5/4 Pirates 40-48, 9/8.5 POTG: 2B Mark DeRosa (2 H, RBI, 2B) Runner Up: SS Ryan Theriot (2 BB, SH) I should do this, huh? I kinda waited till after the break to do it, because I wanted a break and they were taking one. Mostly, it was because this was a pretty … Continue reading “Game 87: Pirates 6 – Cubs 2”

Cubs 44-43, 4.5/4
Pirates 40-48, 9/8.5

POTG: 2B Mark DeRosa (2 H, RBI, 2B)
Runner Up: SS Ryan Theriot (2 BB, SH)

I should do this, huh? I kinda waited till after the break to do it, because I wanted a break and they were taking one. Mostly, it was because this was a pretty disappointing loss. A winning road trip is nice, but they really ought to have won 2 of 3, and now a bad start to the second half could put them right where they were 3 weeks ago.

And at the same time, they’re only 4 back in the Wild Card. I still have no idea what to make out of this team.

As much as Jacque and Eyre seem likely mostly wasted roster spots, I really think Cesar is worse. The other two have more recent success you can point to – Izturis had one good season, and a lot of misery. Cedeno’s earned another shot, but he’s not the one with ~$2mil left on his deal.

Game 86: Cubs 7 – Pirates 1

Cubs 44-42 – 4.5/3.0 Pirates 39-48 – 10/8.5 POTG: SP Ted Lilly (7.1 IP, 8 H, ER, BB, 6 K, W [8/67]) Runner Up: RP Carlos Marmol (1.2 IP, BB, 2 K, 2 Marooned), LF Soriano (3 H, 2 R, RBI, SB), SS-2B (3 H, R, RBI), 3B A Ram (2 H), 2B-3B Mark Derosa … Continue reading “Game 86: Cubs 7 – Pirates 1”

Cubs 44-42 – 4.5/3.0
Pirates 39-48 – 10/8.5

POTG: SP Ted Lilly (7.1 IP, 8 H, ER, BB, 6 K, W [8/67])
Runner Up: RP Carlos Marmol (1.2 IP, BB, 2 K, 2 Marooned), LF Soriano (3 H, 2 R, RBI, SB), SS-2B (3 H, R, RBI), 3B A Ram (2 H), 2B-3B Mark Derosa (2 H, R, RBI), RF Daryle Ward (H, RBI, R, BB)

3.0 out of a playoff spot, wow. They’re actually tied in losses with Arizona and Atlanta, and only two behind in the lose column behind the Dodgers. How have the Cubs played 3 less games? That seems odd, there hasn’t been that much rainouts.

This game was the complete opposite of the last game. Half the team had really good games, making it just as hard to figure who should be picked. Despite giving up 8 hits, Lilly was pretty dominant and only really got into trouble in the last couple of innings, so I went with him.

The lack of power is still concerning me – only one extra base hit of 14. But I guess if you’re getting 14 hits, and pushing them all together, you can live with them all being singles. They sure could for this game.

I was wondering how Ward would do in RF, and I guess I’m still wondering. He got no putouts, and I don’t remember balls he was unable to get to.

The Cubs will end the first half of the season happy whatever the finish, because they’re going to be in the race in the second half and that didn’t look so likely in early June. However, if they can grab a win today, they’ll finish at their high water mark and position themselves even a little bit better for the second half. I was worried earlier this week that they might mail in this game, but I know the guy on the mound won’t.

Game 85: Pirates 8 – Cubs 3

Cubs 43-42 – 5.5/4.0 Pirates 39-47 – 10/8.5 POTG: LF Soriano (H, R, RBI, SF) Runner Up: There goes being 3.5 back at the break. It was struggle to figure a POTG for this one. 4 runs scored should mean someone’s had good night, but the hits were pretty spread out, and there were some … Continue reading “Game 85: Pirates 8 – Cubs 3”

Cubs 43-42 – 5.5/4.0
Pirates 39-47 – 10/8.5

POTG: LF Soriano (H, R, RBI, SF)
Runner Up:

There goes being 3.5 back at the break.

It was struggle to figure a POTG for this one. 4 runs scored should mean someone’s had good night, but the hits were pretty spread out, and there were some double counter plays. Pagan being overly cautious to not try for third on his double – he had a pretty good shot – and then getting caught stealing third soon after didn’t make any sense. The Cubs should just ban stealing third base unless the ball gets far away from the catcher, because they’ve been horrid at it.

Marquis was bad, and the rest of the team wasn’t good enough to make up for it. I was wondering why it seemed like Wuertz had been buried when he came in, and then his performance gave me a clue. Pinella’s split up the bullpen into guys he’ll use if they’re winning (Marmol, Ohman, Howry) and guys he only uses in losses or desperation (whichever rookie’s up, Eyre, and Wuertz.) The way things worked today, you can’t say he’s wrong. At least they were able to finish the game off, given only 4 2/3rds of a start.

Not that it mattered, but if Theriot doesn’t take second in the 9th on defensive indifference, I wonder if the Pirates double him up. By trying to move out of the way of a double play, I guess he moved in the way of one. Not that it mattered, Koyie Hill pinch hitting meant it was over.

My guess is, if Jacque doesn’t get traded by Thursday, Pie gets sent down when Dempster gets activated. Pie has nothing left to prove at AAA, but he’s not being used and Theriot is, and that’s probably all that matters.