Last night, it was supposed to be cold. It wasn’t.
Last night, the Cubs were supposed to lose. They didn’t.
Last night, the Sox were supposed to suffer a letdown after a tough set of wins. They didn’t.
So, let’s take a look at what actually happened last night. PAUL SULLIVAN (Tribune) takes a look at how the Cubs fared once they benched Soriano.
After Derrek Lee hit .189 with one home run in April, some Cubs fans cried for his benching.
But Lee has been on fire since, and he hit two home runs with a career-high seven RBIs Thursday night in a 9-5 victory over the Brewers in the opener of a four-game showdown.
“Keep going,” Lee said. “Just about trying to help the team win. Tonight’s a great night, but we’re right back here [Friday afternoon] and it’s another big game.”
The Cubs moved back to .500 at 38-38 and are now within 2 1/2 games of the Brewers and Cardinals, the division co-leaders after Thursday’s action. The 11-game homestand against Milwaukee, Atlanta and St. Louis could be a pivotal point of the season, so it was crucial for the Cubs to get out on the right foot.
So, that was good. Hopefully some, if not all, Cubs’ fans will come in off that ledge for a while. Oh, and the Soriano benching, it was done just because Lou said so.
Coming off a 3-7 trip, Piniella decided to do something he hasn’t done before in his 2 1/2 years as Cubs manager.
He sat Alfonso Soriano for the second straight game even though Soriano was healthy and said before the game he was ready.
Rookie Sam Fuld, Soriano’s replacement in left field and in the leadoff spot, reached base three times, going 2-for-4 with one walk and two runs scored.
Piniella said Soriano would play Friday but didn’t discount the idea of moving Fuld to center or right field.
Pitcher Randy Wells has called this year’s model of the Chicago Cubs the I-Cubs, as in the Iowa Cubs. As the rookies continue to hit, field and pitch and the veterans don’t, Jim Hendry may end up having the excuse he needs to get some head room in the budget after all. Assuming there are any takers, that is.
On the south side, A.J. Pierzynski asked Mark Buehrle to alter the grip on his sinker since it was cutting too much. The result? 8 1/3 innings of nearly perfect baseball.
DOUG TUCKER (Sun Times) brings us up to date.
‘’I had everything working,’’ said Buehrle (8-2), who raised his career mark against Kansas City to 20-8. ‘’I changed my sinker grip in the bullpen because the last two or three games, it’s been cutting instead of sinking. So I moved my fingers closer together, and I think it was probably one of the best sinkers I’ve had in a while.’’
Buehrle failed to get his first complete game since May 2, 2008, when Alberto Callaspo doubled and scored on David DeJesus’ one-out double. He was relieved by Bobby Jenks, who got the last two outs for his 19th save in 21 chances.
The White Sox have won 10 of 12 and 14 of their last 19 on the road.
That was good too.
Last night, the play that held my attention happened in the 8th. Thome doubled and moved to third on Konerko’s single. A.J. hit into a double play but Thome scored to make it 2-0 Sox at the time. However, it really looked as though a squeeze play of some sort was on. Hit and run? Voodoo something? I don’t know. I don’t care. Whatever it was, Thome was off at the crack of the bat. Even if the Royals had thrown home I think he would have made it. So, I guess what Ozzie said is true; “If they don’t run, they sit.”
If Ozzie is going to run Thome on a possible steal of home, then it really is going to be an interesting season on the south side, that’s for sure. Oh, and just FYI, both the Cubs and the Sox are 2½ games out of first.
We’re going to take the weekend off to be with our families and loved ones and, in some cases, both. So, from all of us to each of you, have a Safe and Happy Fourth of July!
Yesterday, a little after 4 PM, I stopped by a local watering hole to get some ..... water. It took me a second to reconcile what I was seeing with what my mind was expecting. There was a TV on, but instead of the news, they had interrupted it to update everyone on the Hawks’ free agency dealings. YOU CAN DISCUSS what you think of the moves themselves by clicking the afore-posted link.
But, seriously, no Afghanistan, no Turkestan, no Stan’s at all except for Polish guys with broken teeth and fiery slap shots. If you did miss the memo, then yesterday was a blunt force reminder; hockey is back in Chicago and its fans are relevant again.
After watching Dale Tallon answer question after question and realizing that the questions were actually meaningful, I just sat back to let it all soak in. Yesterday was a testament to just how far the Hawks have come in 2 years and how much further they plan on going. Get used to it Hawks fans, your team doesn’t suck any more.
Speaking of suck, ‘ow bout dem Cubs?
Okay, sorry, that was a cheap shot.
Last night the Cubs finally won a series. Yes, it was against the bottom feeding, perennially overmatched, 3A Pirates, but wins are wins no matter who they are against. One thing that caught my attention during the broadcast was when the idea of whether the Cubs will be buyers or sellers come trade deadline was mentioned. I can’t see how they can seriously be either.
There are only four contracts the Cubs can unload that would allow them to make any real changes; Soriano, Fukudome, Bradley and Zambrano.
The first three, as of this writing, aren’t worth a bag of balls combined. No team in their right mind, not even the Orioles, is going to take on any of those huge contracts. Especially with players who are not exactly impressing anyone this year. Not even their families. Like it or not Cubs’ fans, they aren’t going anywhere. That leaves Big Z.
Now, no matter what you think of him, he has posted a winning record season after season. If you give him up you are giving up 14 wins, or more, each year. It isn’t like there is a plethora of unsigned, or free agent, Cy Young contenders waiting for a call from Jim Hendry. These guys are on teams and, for the most part, those teams aren’t going to give them up. Peavey for Zambrano? That is one I have heard from fans a few times. But, it’s a non-starter since that puts San Diego right back in the financial hole they are trying to get out of. The only way it could work is if the Cubs eat about half, or more, of Big Z’s contract, and we all know that ain’t gonna happen.
In other words, the team you see now is pretty much going to be the team you get. Yes, there may be more call ups or benchings, but there will not be any substantial changes this year.
On the south side, things are slightly less stressed. Over a crucial 16 game stretch the Sox have gone 12-4. They are rapidly becoming one of those teams that can have a team average of around .260 and beat you anyway. Defense and pitching have been really stepping up (for the most part) and each day seems to find a different use for situational hitting that works. Ozzie’s promise to make this team run more on the bases is exactly what they need to do.
Hell, he threatened to run A.J. last night. If this keeps up, look for Thome to get his second steal during the regular season as a member of the Sox. He got his first last year.
More importantly, this is a team that has gone from 10 under .500 to 3 games out of first place in, just over, a month. In baseball terms, that is a Hollywood styled U-turn in a chase scene, complete with squealing tires, non-specific gun fire and braless eye candy in the passenger seat. Yes, it is that exciting.
MATT O’DONNELL (MLB.com) fills us in on the facts.
Sweeps, especially on the road inside your division, aren’t supposed to be this easy.
But for the third consecutive game, the White Sox breezed past the Indians on Wednesday. This time, it was a 6-2 victory at Progressive Field. The South Siders got another good start from Jose Contreras and, led by his battery mate, Ramon Castro, continued their offensive outburst to extend their winning streak to a season-high five games.
Just how dominant were the White Sox? Chicago outscored Cleveland, 23-9, and outhit them, 37-17, in the first sweep of the Indians since 2005.The White Sox are now a season-best two games over .500 and have won seven of their last eight games to creep back within three games of the division-leading Tigers.
“Since 2005.” **sigh** Yeah, that made me smile too.
Also bringing a smile to my face was this gem from a buddy last night; “Now both teams on Madison just got better than Detroit.”
I ASKED THIS QUESTION earlier in the forums, but thought that it might be a good piece of water cooler fodder for you folks who just read the front page.
Why can’t women play professional baseball?
While there is a lively discussion going on inside, I brought this up to a friend of mine who works as a scout for MLB. After some chuckling he gave it some thought.
“Well, certainly a woman could play any infield position, assuming she could hit. And, given some of the loser arms I see playing the outfield these days, I doubt that there would be a drop off there either. Pitching and catching might be an issue, but only because we don’t develop young women. I would guess that they would stand a decent chance given some training.”
We talked some more about how women tend to play “Ozzie-Ball” (lots of bunts and running) and noted that the steroid monsters are slowly fading away, so it might happen in our lifetimes.
So, my question still stands. Or, maybe it should be rephrased to “Why don’t they?”
Oh well, enough about the kind of game baseball could be and on to the kinds of games we actually witnessed last night.
The Cubs got beaten by future Cy Young winner, Ross Ohlendorf (don’t let his gaudy 4.41 ERA fool you) last night in Pittsburgh. The Pirates, who posted their first winning record in June since 1996, got out of the month with a 14-13 tally on the register thanks to the Cubs. While the Pirates needed the win to achieve their goal, the Cubs chances of posting a winning record in June were nil when they got to Pittsburgh. They posted an 11-14 record this month. Two wins wasn’t going to cut it.
The Cubs added to their woes by getting shut out for the 8th time this season, matching their entire total for 2008. WAYNE STAATS (MLB.com) fills us in.
Offensively, the Cubs were dominated by Ross Ohlendorf. In his first career start against the NL Central rival, Ohlendorf held the Cubs to four hits. Chicago finished with six on the night and went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position, stranding seven on base.
“I think we’ve forgotten how to hit,” manager Lou Piniella said. “I think that’s the problem. I think we’ve forgotten how to hit, especially with men on base.”
But, since the Cubs are the Cubs, they did not give up the wining run on a home run or nifty single or anything like that. Nope, the runner scored from second on a passed ball.
The only run the Pirates needed came in the fourth inning, when Freddy Sanchez scored on an error. With two out and a runner on first, Andy LaRoche singled to left to set the stage for the atypical play. Although Brandon Moss struck out swinging, the ball got away from Geovany Soto on a wild pitch from Ted Lilly, and Sanchez raced home from second. The Cubs almost got the out at the plate, but Soto’s throw got away from Lilly.
On the south side, the Sox faced a legitimate Cy Young contender in Cliff Lee. His 2.21 home ERA is one of the lowest in the league and he is a dominating pitcher 99% of the time. Yesterday was his 1%. MATT O’DONNELL (MLB.com) fills us in.
The South Siders defeated the Tribe, 11-4, on Tuesday at Progressive Field after waiting through three rain delays before the game was finally called in the top of the seventh. It was their second blowout of Cleveland in as many nights.
Every player got a hit for the Sox, and starter Clayton Richard did enough to hold off the Tribe offense to give Chicago its sixth win in seven games. The White Sox are now a game over .500 for the first time since May 2.
WOW! A whole game over .500 and people were buying me drinks. Well, that is a perfectly acceptable way to celebrate as far as I’m concerned. But, I am not sure celebration is called for just yet. Nevertheless, this win guarantees their third winning series in a row and is the first showing of consistent signs of life we have seen this season.
Oh, and just for fun, I should note that Ozzie sat almost all his big bats last night so he could get a game of Ozzie-Ball in.
Lastly I am going to take a look at the horribly flawed Sports Illustrated poll that came out. It lists Lou and Ozzie as the two managers players would least like to play for. What is the flaw you ask? They sent the questionnaire to 380 players. Not all responded. Moreover, of those that did respond, some are saying that was the one question they didn’t answer. Had they posted the number of respondents versus the number of questionnaires sent, then the poll could be taken with some measure of seriousness. As is, it is just another example of why sports fans are dropping SI as their source for sports information (they have lost 31.3% of their online readership in the last year alone).
CAROL SLEZAK (Sun Times) today gives Lou Piniella 2 weeks to keep his job. Well, as long as no one is overreacting ......
They might catch fire any day now and reel off a streak that shoots them straight to the top of the National League Central. But let’s not kid ourselves. To date, the Cubs have been the biggest underachievers in baseball.
We’ve watched them stumble all season long, showing more spark while bashing a Gatorade dispenser than they ever have on the field. They are a bunch of hotheads prone to mental mistakes. They are desperate for leadership. Unfortunately, Lou Piniella, the man charged with providing that leadership, seems as lost as his players. He just isn’t getting the job done. If the Cubs can’t turn it around before the All-Star break, it will be time for a change at the top.
Okay. Let’s assume for a moment that I have completely lost my mind and agree with her. HEY! You didn’t have to do it that quick. Anyway, if Lou goes, who comes in? It isn’t like there are a ton of experienced managers with winning records just waiting for that call.
Maybe Bob Brenly. Sure, that would be fun from a performance art perspective, but I am not sure how good it would be for the team. After that you get a lot of 3rd base coaches who would be shots in the dark. Maybe one is the answer, maybe not.
Or, do you give Ryne Sandberg the chance he has always dreamed of? I ask you to keep in mind that he has a losing record as a minor league coach, no matter how much or how many fans love him. But, Carol is not here to offer solutions, just to toss crap against the wall and see what kind of pretty pictures it makes as it slides down.
Piniella didn’t assemble this group of underachievers. Not officially. But you can be sure he had a hand in helping general manager Jim Hendry shape the Cubs’ $140 million roster. From his vocal desire for a left-handed bat, which resulted in the acquisition of the troubled Bradley, to his apparent willingness to part with Mark DeRosa, Piniella has the team he wanted. Supposedly, it was built for October. But at the rate the Cubs have been losing, they won’t even make the playoffs.
Well, close enough for modern journalism I guess. While it is true that Piniella asked for a left handed bat, he never once asked for a complete head case who plays defense like he has holes in his glove. Though he said all the nice things when Bradley got signed, you had to wonder then if he wanted to throttle Hendry. Lou has never liked problem players. He is akin to Ozzie in that regard.
Inner fire? Yes. Molten lava spewing rampant destruction at random targets? Nope.
Carol does note that it is not Lou’s fault that the team can’t seem to find a baseball with a guide dog, then notes that it kind of is since, after all, he was once a hitting coach. I should note that he also played some infield in high school. Maybe he should just demote himself and concentrate on his strengths.
But clearly, all facts aside, what has happened is that the team has given up on Lou since the club has such a long history of post season success ..... I’m sorry, not even I can go further with a straight face. But she can.
When Piniella arrived in 2007, there was no doubt he was in charge. When he led the Cubs to 97 wins last season, there was no doubt he was in charge. But he has seemed lost this season. Is he burned out, sick of the managerial grind? Has he failed to recover from the Cubs’ second straight three-and-out postseason experience? Has the pressure of trying to lead the team to a World Series taken its toll on him?
I can’t answer these questions. But I know for certain that the 2009 Cubs shouldn’t be struggling to play .500 baseball. If c can’t motivate this team, the Cubs need to find someone who can.
These questions, and many others, could have been answered simply. She could have asked Piniella, or talked to couple players off the record. Of course, that would require work, which is clearly beyond her.
In closing, the Cubs and the Sox both beat bottom dwellers yesterday, which is a good sign. Those are the teams you have to beat.
First off, a quick shout out to TONI GINNETI (Sun Times). She is rapidly becoming one of my favorite writers. And, while we are not referencing her today, I didn’t want that little fact to get lost in the shuffle.
Now, on to the fun.
Yesterday saw the Sox accomplish something they have not done in over a month; they won 2 home series in a row. More importantly, they gained a little ground on the division lead which no longer looks like it is lost over some distant horizon.
It also saw the ‘perfect mixture of maturity and fire’ implode again and drop two games below .500. You do remember that this was the package Cubs fans were sold this year as the team became odds on favorites to win their third division title in a row? RICK TELANDER (Sun Times) takes a look at the “big dog” status of the Cubs.
Sox pitcher John Danks was smoking (no, not Geovany Soto-style smoking), the Sox pounded out 13 hits—including home runs by Alexei Ramirez and Jermaine Dye—and the South Side boys did enough little things to drive the Cubs half-crazy with anxiety and frustration.
A metaphor comes to mind: The Cubs are a big, nervous, pedigreed dog snapping its jaws frantically; the Sox are a sly alley cat, claws out, riding the dog’s back.
My wife and I are owned by a couple of cats. I have seen one of them rip a pit bull apart by doing exactly that. So, while mildly imperfect (no one really thinks of Thome when they think of ‘feline grace’) it is an apt analogy overall.
As the National League’s first ever DH, Milton Bradley, continues to make people wonder what kind of photos he has of Jim Hendry, the team seems to have even more pressing issues.
A bigger issue is that the Cubs have two high-maintenance, high-strung head cases at their core—Sunday’s starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano being the other—while the Sox have an all-for-one mentality of near-equals.
A display of this came in the sixth inning, when Sox manager Ozzie Guillen called a suicide squeeze that sent Chris Getz flying toward home plate. The play unnerved Zambrano, who threw wildly to his unsuspecting catcher Soto, with the ball getting away and Getz scoring easily. Big Z then hit Dewayne Wise and walked Scott Podsednik before Piniella could yank him from the game.
Or, as my wife asked; “Aren’t they supposed to miss the bat person?” Why yes, honey, they are. But Big-Z doesn’t seem wired that way. For all his barking and finger pointing he seems to lose focus of the game pretty easily. And we all know that every scout is now telling their teams how to rattle him.
Yeah, I know, more good news for northsiders.
In keeping with the ‘add insult to injury’ theme that seems to be going on here, the (tied for first place) Cardinals just upped the ante by snagging Mark DeRosa from the Indians. For a manager like Tony Larussa, who likes to make fielding moves, this was a gift from the gods. DeRosa can play every infield position and, as noted last night on ESPN, will play anywhere but pitcher if asked.
Don’t yell at me. You can write to Jim Hendry in care of the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field, 1060 West Addison, Chicago, IL. 60613-4397.
So, for now, the Crosstown Classic is behind us and we can get back to the business of watching our teams vie for their respective division titles. Only time will tell if our favorites hit the post season as Big Dogs or in the Dog House.