Archive for July, 2008
July 31st, 2008
The Cubs may have a completed the four-game sweep of the Brewers today, but there was a key moment from Wednesday’s game that kept the momentum on the Cubs’ side.
With the Cubs up by just one run in the fifth inning of a 2-1 game, Henry Blanco made his biggest contribution of the season: nailing down a perfect missile to second base to send a stealing Jason Kendall back to the dugout. The very next batter went on to triple.
Score: still 2-1 Cubs, who then went on to use Blanco’s inspiring game-preserving display to score three runs in the next inning and seal a game 3 victory, and ultimately, the sweep of the season.
And that’s why the man has his own fan club.
July 31st, 2008
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It only seems fitting for Rich Harden to get his first win as a Cub during the same series that CC Sabathia throws his worst game for the Brewers. And Harden didn’t even have his best stuff in Cubbie blue, falling one K short of his fourth consecutive 10-strikeout performance. What an awesome thing to complain about.
To make the four-game sweep that sends the Brewers back five games even better, while Ryan Dempster and Harden looked like royal Canadians, the series’ other north-of-the-border pitcher just looked like a Canada Goose.
July 31st, 2008
What it takes to get Scott Eyre in a game: a 10-run Cubs lead. Let’s hope he leads the league in appearances the rest of the way.
July 31st, 2008
As the trade deadline approaches I hope Jim Hendry takes the day off. I like the Cubs the way they are put together. None of the proposed deals I’ve read or heard about make any short or longterm sense, that includes Tony’s Manny for Fonzy suggestion.
The only thing I might agree with is dumping Scott Eyre for another reliever. I don’t think Eyre fits into Lou’s plans. Eyre must lead the majors in innings warmed up without entering a game.
The White Sox deal for Ken Griffey Jr., waiting for Grif’s approval, doesn’t make sense. I don’t want to see the Cubs make a similar deal just to make headlines. The team can make plenty of headlines by sweeping the Brewers today and taking it to the Pirates over the weekend.
Jim, stick with what you’ve got. They do have the best record in the NL and the second-best record in the majors. They must be doing something right.
July 29th, 2008
… CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets, were not able to get the Brewers past the Cubs.
Now Milwaukee’s hope lies with Manny Parra (9-3, 3.72 ERA … not shabby) and Dave Bush (shabby), who will take on the Cubs’ Canadian Connection of Ryan Dempster and Rich Harden.
Somehow, I foresee more celebrations from Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez, who, I have found out, are not Canadian.
July 29th, 2008
Felix Pie has gone 6-for-12 (.500) for the Iowa Cubs the past three nights in their trek to Las Vegas’ Cashman Field, a very favorable hitter’s park.
Still, with Jim Edmonds AGAIN sitting against a right-hander Tuesday, sending Kosuke Fukudome to CF and Mark DeRosa to RF, perhaps it’s time to get Pie back to the parent club to add some much-needed energy to the Chicago National League Ball Club.
July 29th, 2008
Brewers fans have been challenged, and they answered the call.
Miller Park has turned into Wrigley North for Cubs-Brewers contests for many seasons. (And I suspect that most of these games were scheduled for weekday series to give Commissioner Bud Selig’s “former” team rare sellouts.) But faithful Milwaukeans (Milwaukeeites? Milwaukans?) answered the challenge with their wallets, snapping up tickets not only for this season, but several other games.
It’s a blast.
July 29th, 2008
I’ve been on vacation and during my time off the Cubs were 3-7. I got back Sunday and the Cubs have won two straight. Coincidence? Surely, but I’m glad I was spared the agony of that stretch.
I’m still trying to figure out who’s on the DL, who’s on the active roster, who’s hot and who’s not.
I wonder if Kerry Wood will set a record for most time on the DL by a guy with a blister. Anyone out there ever hear of a pitcher missing this much time with a blister? Given that the Cubs have been rather tight lipped and some would say misleading about past injuries to Wood and Mark Prior, you have to wonder if it really is a blister problem.
July 29th, 2008
Fellow C-Notes blogger Gareth Sleger asked me if I thought the Cubs could win 3 for 4 in Milwaukee if they beat big, bad CC Sabathia on Monday night.
I said the Cubs were set up to win 3 of 4 even if they lost to the Brewers’ rent-a-hurler.
And I KNOW I shouldn’t think things like that, especially after the Cubs offense forgot how to hit after the All-Star break.
But I got faith in the Cubs’ next three: Zambrano (he may homer), Dempster and Harden (the Canadian double).
July 28th, 2008
Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez is irritating the Boston brass. I know this because ESPN reminds me every minute on the 8s.
Could Sam Zell try to sell Boston on the merits of Alfonso Soriano lining shots off the Green Monster, therefore getting out of the next six payroll-draining years, and add the lunacy of Manny-being-Manny to the lunacy which is Clark/Addison/Waveland/Sheffield?
I don’t think either team would lose anything fielding-wise.
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