August 2009 Archives

Game One Hundred Twenty-Nine - Cubs 3 Astros 5
WP - Roy Oswalt (8-5) LP - Rich Harden (8-8) Save - Jose Valverde (20)

The Chicago Cubs began August a half game back of the Cardinals in the division and seven games over .500. After their fourth loss in seven games on this homestand, Lou Piniella's crew finished August with an 11-17 record, 10 ½ games behind the division leaders and just a game over .500 with a 65-64 record.

Roy Oswalt picked up his first win against a team not in the NL West this season. Oswalt beat the Cubs for the first time in nearly a year with a solid performance. Oswalt held the Cubs woeful offense to two runs on six hits in seven innings.

Roy Oswalt, LaTroy Hawkins and Jose Valverde held the middle of the Cubs' order (2-6) to just one hit (1-for-19 with a walk), a solo home run by Derrek Lee in the eighth. Lee reached base three times on the night.

Jeff Baker continued to make a case for being in the Cubs' plans for next season. Baker finished 2-for-4 with a run scored. Koyie Hill doubled in Baker in the fifth and scored on a two-out RBI single by Ryan Theriot. Theriot finished the game 2-for-4 with a RBI.

Rich Harden picked a bad time to have his worst start of the second half. Harden was erratic at best. He walked a season-high six batters in five innings with nine strikeouts. The six walks is just one short of his career-high of seven set back on August 21, 2003 against the Boston Red Sox. In his previous three starts Harden allowed a combined four earned runs ... but on Monday night Harden allowed five runs on just five hits with four of the runs driven in by the biggest Cub killer of them all, Carlos Lee.

Carlos Lee had another huge game at Wrigley Field. Lee knocked in two with a bases loaded single in the third and hit his 22nd homer of the year ... a two-run shot in the fifth that proved to be the difference in the game.

The Cubs' bullpen did their job once again. Aaron Heilman, Kevin Gregg and John Grabow tossed four innings of shutout ball, allowed just three hits with a walk and struck out six. Cubs' pitching recorded 15 strikeouts on Monday night.

The Astros won for just the sixth time in their last 23 games outside of Minute Maid Park after jumping out to a 5-0 lead in the first five innings.

On Monday the Cubs did not trade either Rich Harden or Aaron Heilman, which signaled to many they do not feel like their post-season aspirations are over. Too bad their play on the field does not reflect the same desire ...

Game One Hundred Twenty-Nine: Cubs (65-63) vs. Astros (62-68)
Game Time - 7:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: WGN TV - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 185
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago

Rich Harden (8-7, 3.99/1.25) vs. Roy Oswalt (7-5, 3.86/1.21)

The Cubs enter play on the final day of August ten games back in the division, with the Brewers on their heals, and five and half games behind the Rockies and Giants in the NL Wild Card (the Braves and Marlins both three and half back) Could the Cubs make a run at the final playoff spot in the Senior Circuit, yes, but they would have to do something they have not done for the first 128 games ... play consistent, winning baseball.

The Cubs are 11-16 this month and by the time the first pitch is thrown, may be without Aaron Heilman and Rich Harden. While moving Harden at this point is highly unlikely, trading Aaron Heilman for a PTBNL at this point would mean one less move Jim Hendry must make over the winter.

The Cubs will face the Astros for the final three times this season. Lou Piniella's crew is 9-5 this year against Houston. Wandy Rodriguez was slated to start the opener against the Cubs but Cecil Cooper decided to use Rodriguez on Sunday against the Diamondbacks and will begin the series in Chicago with Roy Oswalt.

The Astros traded Ivan Rodriguez to the Rangers, so the Cubs' pitching staff will not have to deal with him during the series, but the Astros have more than enough offense to make this series more than challenging. Many are looking at the Houston Astros sub-.500 record as three 'easy wins' for the Cubs, but in many ways they are a better team than the one on the North Side of Chicago.

Lou Piniella indicated on Sunday that Koyie Hill would receive more playing time than Geovany Soto for the remainder of the year. Piniella said they have done everything they could to get Soto going offensively. The reigning NL Rookie of the Year has played his way into a back-up role ... just one of the many reasons the Cubs have underachieved all season.

Alfonso Soriano received a cortisone shot in his knee on Sunday and will miss at least tonight's game. Reports have indicated Soriano will return to the starting lineup on Tuesday ... look for Jake Fox in left tonight.

Tonight it all starts with Rich Harden and one hit and one run at a time ...

Game One Hundred Twenty-Eight - Cubs 1 Mets 4
WP - Nelson Figueroa (2-3) LP - Carlos Zambrano (7-6) Save - Francisco Rodriguez (28)

Lou Piniella's crew completed a disappointing six-game stretch against the Nationals and Mets with a 3-3 record ... at Wrigley Field. Carlos Zambrano and the offense did not show up on Sunday afternoon on the day their manager indicated they could make a run at the NL Wild Card. The Cubs won the series but winning two of three at this point of the season is not good enough.

Carlos Zambrano made his last start of the month, which is the good news. Zambrano has struggled for the last three years in August and the fifth month of the baseball season is the only month in which Zambrano has a losing record in his career. After his horrible performance on Sunday, Zambrano is 0-2 in three starts with a 10.13 ERA and a 2.53 WHIP (14 runs, 12 earned, on 22 hits with six walks and nine strikeouts). Zambrano gave up a season-high 11 hits in 3 1/3 innings ... all 11 came after the first inning, Z retired the Mets in order to start the game.

The Cubs' bullpen shutdown the Mets' offense, the way Lou Piniella thought his number one pitcher would on Sunday. Tom Gorzelanny, Sean Marshall, John Grabow and Angel Guzman allowed only one hit with no walks and struck out six. The bullpen gave the offense plenty of time to mount a comeback.

The lone highlight for the Cubs came in the first inning. Milton Bradley walked with one out. After a single by Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez gave the Cubs a short lived 1-0 lead with a single to left center.

The Cubs' offense allowed Nelson Figueroa to set a new career mark in strikeouts on Sunday. Figueroa struck out 10, walked just two and surrendered just six hits in seven-plus innings. Sunday was Nelson Figueroa's first career win against the Chicago Cubs (1-4).

The Cubs put the leadoff runner on in the final three innings but followed with double plays in the seventh and eighth ... and a fielder's choice in the ninth.

With the wind howling in on Sunday, the Cubs simply could not manufacture any runs on a day they could not hit any home runs.

The loss pushed the Cubs ten games back of the Cardinals in the division and of this writing they are six games back of the Rockies for the NL Wild Card ... chasing four teams.

Game One Hundred Twenty-Eight: Cubs (65-62) vs. Mets (58-72)
Game Time - 1:20pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: WGN TV - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 188
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago

Carlos Zambrano (7-5, 3.80/1.38) vs. Nelson Figueroa (1-3, 5.40/1.80)

Can the Chicago Cubs win three in a row? The last time Lou Piniella's crew won on three consecutive days was from July 22 - July 27 when they posted five straight wins.

Alfonso Soriano had an MRI on his left knee Saturday. The tests showed no damage and Soriano is expected to receive a cortisone shot ... which will keep him out of the lineup for a couple of games. Look for Jake Fox in left this afternoon as the Cubs try to complete the sweep against the Mets.

Jeff Baker was scratched from Saturday's starting lineup after he took a ball off the hand during batting practice. Baker was slated to give Aramis Ramirez a day off. X-rays on Baker's hand came back negative and he should be available this afternoon.

The Cubs are asking a high price from the Twins for Rich Harden. According to a report from the Tribune, "the Cubs would like one or two top prospects for Harden, but the Twins believe that is too steep a price without having Harden signed long term." Rich Harden is scheduled to start the opener on Monday night against the Astros.

As for Aaron Heilman, the Cubs continued to talk to the Giants about the reliever ... no additional details have been released.

According to a report from the Tribune, Aramis Ramirez will not have surgery in the off-season. His shoulder is fine ... rest and strengthening the muscles around the shoulder this winter will be all Ramirez needs to return in 2010 at full strength.

It all starts with Carlos Zambrano, a lot of run support ... and after nine innings for Ron Santo to have a smile on his face.

Game One Hundred Twenty-Seven - Cubs 11 Mets 4
WP - Ryan Dempster (8-7) LP - Bobby Parnell (3-7) Save - None

Jake Fox told Lou Piniella before the game, "I've got your back today skip" and the Cubs' rookie delivered with a career day at the plate. Jake Fox broke a 4-4 tie in the fifth with his first career grand slam, on a 0-2 pitch, and for good measure added a RBI double in the seventh. Fox finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs scored, his tenth home run and five RBI ... subbing for the injured Alfonso Soriano. Soriano had an MRI Saturday on his left knee that showed no damage. Soriano is expected to have a cortisone shot and miss a couple of games.

The offense picked up Ryan Dempster with an 11 run, 14 hit afternoon against Mets' pitching. Milton Bradley had another huge day at the plate. He was 3-for-4 with a walk, a double, two runs scored and a RBI. Aramis Ramirez was not in the original lineup. After Jeff Baker took a grounder off his hand in pre-game warm-ups. Baker went to the hospital for X-rays and they revealed no broken bones in his hand. Ramirez was inserted and delivered at the plate ... and in the field.

Aramis Ramirez finished his afternoon 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and two RBI. Ramirez tied the game in the fifth with a two out RBI single to right.

Derrek Lee was the only starter that did not reach base on Saturday afternoon. Ryan Theriot (2-for-5 with a run scored), Kosuke Fukudome (2-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored) and Koyie Hill (2-for-4 with a double and a RBI) each delivered multi hit games ... and Mike Fontenot drove in two of the Cubs eleven runs. The biggest at bat of the game came from Kosuke Fukudome in the fifth. Fukudome quickly fell behind Bobby Parnell 0-2 with runners on second and third with two outs. Fukudome ended up working a walk to load the bases for Jake Fox.

Seven of the Cubs eleven runs were scored with two outs ... on the afternoon the Cubs were 3-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left four on base.

Ryan Dempster struggled with his command in the first inning ... and again the fourth after the offense gave him a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third. Jeff Francoeur drove in the first two runs of the game with a double off Dempster and was in the middle of the scoring in the fourth.

Dempster loaded the bases in the fourth with no outs after a lead off single by Jeff Francoeur, a four-pitch walk to Cory Sullivan and a single to left by Fernando Tatis. A slumping Brian Schneider gave the Mets a 4-3 lead with a double to right. But the Mets ran themselves out of a bigger inning and changed the game.

Fernando Tatis stopped at third on the double by Schneider but Bradley's throw to Ryan Theriot was a little off line and he decided to try to score. Theriot threw him out at the plate for the first out of the inning. Instead of second and third with no outs, the Mets were reduced to runner on second with one out ... and Ryan Dempster settled down.

Dempster won his eighth game of the year after giving up four runs on eight hits in six innings with two walks and seven strikeouts.

Mike Fontenot made two excellent defensive plays on Saturday ... one in the second and one in the fourth that changed both innings. His diving stop of a grounder off the bat of Anderson Hernandez in the fourth saved a run.

Aaron Heilman pitched two scoreless innings against his old team ... and Sean Marshall sat the Metropolitans down in order in the ninth.

The Cubs improved to three games over the .500 mark with their first back-to-back win in two weeks ...

Game One Hundred Twenty-Seven: Cubs (64-62) vs. Mets (58-71)
Game Time - 3:10pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: FOX Saturday Baseball - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 184
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago

Ryan Dempster (7-7, 4.07/1.36) vs. Bobby Parnell (3-6, 5.08/1.63)

Can the Chicago Cubs win two games in a row? The last time Lou Piniella's crew posted back-to-back wins was August 14 and August 15 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Lou Piniella indicated in his post-game press conference Friday that Alfonso Soriano will likely miss today's game. Look for Jake Fox in left and Kosuke Fukudome back in center against the right-hander Bobby Parnell.

Alfonso Soriano will have an MRI on his left knee on Monday. Soriano indicated on Friday he has been playing with pain and something is not right with his knee. Soriano feels he must get it checked out.

The Cubs are expected to call-up seven to eight players on Tuesday when the rosters expand. Among those thought to be on their way back up to the show ... Jeff Samardzija, Justin Berg, Bobby Scales, Micah Hoffpauir, Andres Blanco, David Patton and Esmailin Caridad.

Milton Bradley and day games is the latest from the Cubs' right fielder in a week full of one story after the other ... or should that be one drama after the other?

It all starts with Ryan Dempster, a lot of run support ... and after nine innings for Ron Santo to have a smile on his face.

Game One Hundred Twenty-Six - Cubs 5 Mets 2
WP - Kevin Gregg (5-5) LP - Brian Stokes (1-3, BS 1) Save - Carlos Marmol (6)

The Chicago Cubs avoided the mediocrity mark once again this week with a come-from-behind win against the New York Mets. Ted Lilly put together another quality start but ended up with nothing to show for it. Lilly allowed just one run while he was on the mound (two runs on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings) and if Alfonso Soriano could have held on to Fernando Tatis's double in the eighth off of Kevin Gregg he would not have been in line for a loss.

Milton Bradley had another big day at the plate but misplayed a ball in the field that led to the Mets first run. After Bradley scored the game's first run on a single to left by Derrek Lee in the first inning, Bradley appeared to call off Jeff Baker on a pop up into shallow right in the second. Jeff Francoeur scored on what was ruled a bloop single by Omir Santos.

Bradley and Soriano both made up for their gaffes in the field in the bottom of the eighth. Milton Bradley doubled down the right field line on a 3-1 pitch from Brian Stokes. Derrek Lee flied out deep to right, Bradley tagged and advanced to third on the productive out ... which made a difference.

Aramis Ramirez singled to left past the drawn in infield on the first pitch from Brian Stokes. Bradley scored and tied the game at two. After falling behind in the count 1-2, Jeff Baker ended up working a walk to put two on with one out for Alfonso Soriano.

Alfonso Soriano launched a 0-2 pitch from Stokes into the first row of the bleachers in left center ... his 20th home run of the season and his first since July 29. A very gimpy Soriano circled the bases and will likely be held out of Saturday's game according to Lou Piniella.

The Cubs defense both helped and hurt the cause on Friday afternoon. While Milton Bradley and Alfonso Soriano had adventures in the outfield, Derrek Lee and Jeff Baker made two fine plays to take hits away from the Mets early in the game.

Kevin Gregg was solid and should have escaped without allowing the inherited runner to score. Most big league outfielders would have made the catch to end the eighth that Soriano could not haul in. Soriano recovered quickly after the miscue, fired the ball to Ryan Theriot who's perfect relay to Geovany Soto cut down Daniel Murphy at home plate to end the inning ... and keep the Cubs just a run down at the time.

Carlos Marmol picked up his second save after being named the team's closer. Marmol walked Omir Santos to start the inning but after a deep fly out to right by Cory Sullivan, and a nice catch by Milton Bradley, Marmol struck out Jeremy Reed and Gary Sheffield to end the game.

The Cubs rewarded their skipper with a win on his 66th birthday and improved to two games over the .500 mark on the year ...

Game One Hundred Twenty-Six: Cubs (63-62) vs. Mets (58-70)
Game Time - 1:20pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 183
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago

Ted Lilly (9-8, 3.40/1.11) vs. Pat Misch (0-1, 4.09/1.68)

Weather permitting ... When this season began, none of the 'experts' forecasted theses two teams to be where they are when they met up for the first time on August 28. While injuries have killed the Mets season, it has been mostly underachieving on the North Side of Chicago ... the Cubs enter play this afternoon just a game above .500 and nine games back of the Redbirds in the division.

Oliver Perez was slated to start today's game, but his season ended earlier in the week when he had knee surgery. Perez joined a long list of teammates on the DL that includes Carlos Delgado, Alex Cora, Jose Reyes, David Wright, Carlos Beltran, Johan Santana, John Maine and J.J. Putz ... The Cubs will see a familiar face in the Mets' outfield in Angel Pagan this weekend.

While the Cubs wait to either trade Aaron Heilman and Rich Harden or pull them off waivers, it all starts with Ted Lilly, a lot of run support ...and after nine innings for Ron Santo to have a smile on his face.

Game One Hundred Twenty-Five - Cubs 4 Nationals 5
WP - J.D. Martin (3-3) LP - Randy Wells (9-7) Save - Mike MacDougal (14)

The daily drama of the Chicago Cubs continued to make headlines on Thursday while the play on the field continued plummeting with each passing day. Before the series began with the Nationals everyone in the Cubs organization talked about the importance of this 10-game homestand ... then they promptly lose two of three to the Nationals as they try to figure out whom to blame for the season, instead of how to win ballgames.

The game did not get off to a positive start and before the Cubs ever swung a bat they found themselves in a 3-0 hole. Randy Wells issued a lead off walk to Nyjer Morgan, then a run scoring double to Cristian Guzman before serving up a two-run homer to Ryan Zimmerman. The Nationals built a 5-0 lead with the last run scoring on Adam Dunn's 40th career home run off of Chicago Cubs' pitching.

Randy Wells settled down but the Cubs' offense could not do enough against the Nationals' pitching staff. Aramis Ramirez cut the Nationals' lead to 5-2 with his 11th homer of the year, a two-run shot in the third off of J.D. Martin. Derrek Lee hit his 25th longball of the year in the fifth that accounted for the Cubs third run of the game, but it was a play at the plate in the seventh involving Lee that kept the Cubs from tying the game.

Jeff Baker led off the seventh with a walk. Derrek Lee advanced him to second with a two out single and Aramis Ramirez followed with a single to center that plated Baker with the Cubs' fourth run.

Jim Riggleman went to his pen and replaced J.D. Martin with southpaw Sean Burnett. Burnett uncorked a wild pitch on 2-2 pitch to Kosuke Fukudome. Lee tried to score but was tagged out by Burnett to end the inning ... replays showed Burnett tagged Lee with his glove while holding the ball in his hand.

Sam Fuld worked a lead off walk in the ninth on the seventh pitch of the at bat. After Jeff Baker failed to advance him to second with a sacrifice bunt, Fuld advanced on a wild pitch with Ryan Theriot at the plate. Theriot grounded out to third for the second out.

With a chance to tie the game and send it into extra innings, Milton Bradley grounded out to second on the third pitch of the at bat (2-0 count) to end the game. A day after telling the media, "All I'm saying is I just pray the game is nine innings, so I can be out there the least amount of time as possible and go home," Bradley was the 27th out of the game.

Lou Piniella's crew lost two of three to the Washington Nationals and showed no fire or urgency during the series ...

According to a report from Ken Rosenthal, Rich Harden and Aaron Heilman were both claimed off waivers on Thursday. The Cubs will have until Monday to trade both players or pull them back.