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Game One - Cubs 3 Brewers 4 - 10 innings
WP - Eric Gagne (1-0, BS 1) LP - Bobby Howry (0-1) Save - David Riske (1)
Despite the cold and the rain, it was Opening Day at Wrigley Field and the it had everything.... except for a Cubs win. The game started 40 minutes late and not even the weather dampened the spirits in and around the ballpark. The Ernie Banks Statue was unveiled a few hours before the first pitch, and it is a beautiful tribute to Mr. Cub.
Once the game began, it was a good ole fashion pitchers duel. Two of the game's best starting pitchers held both offensives to a combined 2 hits in the first 5 innings. Carlos Zambrano started out his season on a positive note before leaving with a cramp in his forearm with 2 outs in the 7th. Kerry Wood gave up the first runs of the game in the 9th. Wood hit Rickie Weeks to start the inning before allowing a 2-out, 2-run double by Corey Hart. Bobby Howry took the loss after giving up a leadoff double to Craig Counsel and a sacrifice fly to Tony Gwynn, Jr.
Those in attendance witnessed arguably one of the greatest debuts in team history by the Cubs first Japanese ballplayer. Kosuke Fukudome was Lou Piniella's offense. He reached base all 4 times to the plate and hit a game tying 3-run homer in the 9th off of Brewers' closer Eric Gagne.
While one game does not make a season, these two teams will have match-ups like the one on Opening Day throughout the year.
Lou Piniella preached the importance of a quick start to the season all spring, but the Cubs offense sputtered out of the gate against Ben Sheets. The Brewers ace pounded the outside corner and had a great game plan against the entire Cubs team, with the exception of Kosuke Fukudome.
For those that doubted the mindset of Carlos Zambrano, he pitched like a man on a mission. Zambrano worked fast, showed very good command and most importantly....he threw strikes. Big Z walked only 1 batter in 6 2/3 innings while striking out 5 and of the 3 knocks he allowed, only the double by Bill Hall was a clean hit.
Zambrano paid the price for picking off Bill Hall at 2nd base with Corey Hart at the plate. Big Z's forearm cramped up and he had to give way to Carlos Marmol with a 2-2 count. Marmol threw one pitch....Senor Nasty, and struck out Hart to end the inning.
Marmol returned to the mound in the 8th and struck out 2 of the 3 batters he faced. Kerry Wood came in to the game in the 9th (and for those interested, they played TNT by AC/DC over the PA system) and hit Rickie Weeks on his first pitch. Tony Gwynn, Jr. sacrificed Weeks to 2nd and Lou Piniella decided to intentionally walk Prince Fielder. Ryan Braun stepped in and blooped a single over Ryan Theriot's head at short....Weeks scored.
Kerry Wood then struck out Bill Hall but Corey Hart doubled down the right field line and both Fielder and Braun scored on the play....intentional walks should not be issued. J.J. Hardy grounded out to short to end the inning.
After Kosuke Fukudome's dramatic 3-run blast in the 9th, Bobby Howry took the mound and promptly allowed Craig Counsel to hit a leadoff double to left center. Jason Kendall sacrificed him to 3rd and Howry hit Weeks to put runners on 1st and 3rd with 1 out. Tony Gwynn, Jr. came through for the Brewers again....a sacrifice fly to center took the air out of Wrigley and cost Lou Piniella's crew the first game of the 2008 season.
David Riske retired the Cubs in order in the 10th and the Brewers' fans celebrated at Wrigley.
There were a couple of other bright spots on a cloudy day, besides Kosuke Fukudome. Felix Pie's defense was excellent and Carlos Zambrano had one of his best career outings against the Brewers.
The right field bleachers welcomed Kosuke Fukudome with a loud ovation when he took the field for the first time. And he responded with a tip of the cap....a classy move. When he took the field in the 10th, the applause from right field was amazing as everyone in the crowd let him know, in unison, they were not worthy.
As far as the changes to Wrigley....
The new drainage system passed its first test. The grounds crew did a great job and the field itself looked great. There are actually holes in the field where the water is pushed in shallow left just behind the shortstop area. "CBOE" letters were placed on the brick, and on the seats, to indicate where the new section is located down the 3rd base line. The increased warning track, they added 4 feet and it will really help the outfielders and it was very noticeable down the left and right field foul lines.
Lou Piniella's crew did play particularly well on Monday, but it is just one game of a long season. The same type of performance will be a lot more concerning at the end of the first week.
The Cubs have a scheduled off day on Tuesday. Ted Lilly will face Jeff Suppan on Wednesday when play resumes.
Trips to the Northside
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I wonder how differently the game would have played out if the Cubs had acquired Brian Roberts? 2 for 2 with 1 run and 2 BB. Oh, and picking Kerry Wood as our closer over Carlos Marmol? Ingenious. I know it's only one game, but of the potential closers during spring training, who had the best history of performance?
- Few things. Sori does not perform well outside the leadoff spot; we saw this a few times last year and obviously today.
- Theriot sucks anywhere you put him. Just because you try your hardest doesn't mean you deserve shit. His effectiveness is void, that is all. He didn't have a high OBP last year, he doesn't have range, he doesn't have power..need I say more?
- Wood had a bad game...get over it. He will be back to form the next time out.
- Dean, your analysis of Wood is 20/20 hindsight. If you saw what everyone else did during spring training, Wood was clearly the correct choice basing it off the sample size.
Hubert, I think you might be right about Soriano, but if Fuku can keep it up, I know where I would put him.
I can't beleive how many people are ready to turn the closers role over to Marmol after the 1st outing of the year in the first game of the year. Wood will be fine.
This might be a little off topic, but one thing that really bothered me about yesterday's game was watching Fielder and Gagne, the way those two wear their uniforms absolutely disgust me, hell even one point in the game the Ump had to tell Gagne to tuck his uniform in, they look like slobs out there. I am very glad no one on the Cubs wears their uni's like that.
Dean, I'm with ya, Wood sucks!!! It's embarrassing that we pay this guy 1 million $ after all the crap he's done for us, then give him one of the most important jobs on the team. I can't believe how many, "Cubs fans" still back this guy. He's done! Get him out of here! Turn the page!
Scoot over Mr. Derosa I have a new man-crush for FUK!!!!
I'm not too worried about yesterday's ballgame but if we come out tomorrow and lay an egg then I might be a little concerned...161 to go and it was just one game..take care all
nice call nick. i noticed the shirts and even their pants as well when the ump made Gagne tuck his shirt in....disgraceful. I couldn't believe i was looking at professional ball players with that attire. it just looked very sloppy and very unprofessional.
Mark, you have no logic to your thinking.
And it is people who jump to frickin extremes when ONE thing goes wrong. How much could Wood have gotten on the open market? How much loyalty has he shown taking pay cut after pay cut? Who went into Hendry's office saying "pay me what's fair."? HIM.
Name one closer last year that didn't have a bad outing.
No, Wood doesn't suck. You sure don't have a 98mph fastball or a high 80's slider.
Express your opinion when you have some decent evidence to back up what you're saying. Otherwise, shove it.
Mark, You are way off base with that statement. Wood has been nothing but loyal to this organization. He could have taken better offers the last TWO years, but said he owes it to the Cubs. And because he has one bad outing, you say he Sucks. Did he personally offend you or something? I would say you are in the minority of people who thinks he sucks, especially after one outing.
Apparently Mark is either 12 years old or knows very little about baseball. Comments like that are worthy of an ass kicking.
I agree it was frustrating to witness Wood's preformance yesterday but one bad outing does not make the pitcher. Besides at least it was the top of a potent offense that got him,(albeit probably some serious nerves, but to me more maddening was Howry giving up the lead off double to a 55 year old Craig Council who'd been freezing his ass on the bench the last five hours that eventually led to the loss!
People are complaining about Wood. What about the OFFENSE. Fukudome was it. No one else has shown up yet. Soriano looks lost. Lee and Aram look like there still tring to find there timing. I am more worried about Howry and his really slow starts to seasons than Wood.
Kind of fitting that Mr. Cub threw out the first pitch to Woody.
Looking ahead, Suppan is very hittable and throws a lot of strikes. Hopefully the offense is ready to go and they give Lily his first win of the year.
Yea, Suppan stinks bad. He'll probably shut us down though since I'm trashing him. Yesterday I was in mid-sentence trashing Council then he smoked a line drive to the wall...but, before the inning started I said Fukudome would hit a 3 run bomb to tie it...but then again I also said Pie would hit a bomb yesterday and that didn't happen either...do foul ball homers count??
Soriano reminds me of someone, oh yeah thts it sosa, free swinger stricks out alot and hurts you more than he helps you with the stick. Im tired of hearing he is better in the lead off spot, if he is such a good hitter he could hit anywhere in the line up, thats a bunch of crap. He looked lost yesterday swinging at anything that was thrown, we have over paid for this guy
Is there an echo in here?
All you Wood fans make me laugh. I admire the guy for sticking with the Cubs. I also think he could be a valuable reliever. But let's be real for a second and think about what's in the best interest of the Cubs (take off your Kerry Wood goggles!). Carlos Marmol was lights out last year. He has more time pitching in the closer spot than K. Wood (in Winter league he was lights out again as a closer - I cant remember what team). Then, he's lights out in Spring Training. Now, Kerry was injury prone last year, did fairly well when he pitched in the relief role, and did very weel during spring training. Until spring training, I do not remember a single time that Kerry Wood pitched as a closer. So, experience goest to Marmol, statistics goes to Marmol, and, above all else, health goes to Marmol. You Wood fans can wear your goggles all season long if you want. As for me, I'm looking forward to the day they start giving Marmol the ball in the 9th inning. When that happens, I know we'll have a better chance of winning the game.
I think the best Cubs debut was Tuffy Rhodes. He hit three HRs in his first game.
My first thought after the last out was recorded in yesterday's game was "who's pitching Wednesday", and that is the way everyone should be thinking right now. Sure is was a tough loss, and I did find myself saying "here we go again" quite a few times in the late innings. But is it the first game of the year, and there are some bright spots to focus on too, with Fukudome's performance being foremost.
I also have to say that Wood's performance yesterday does not worry me at all. Why does everyone want Marmol as the closer? I would want the reliever with the nastiest stuff available at any time I needed him, not just the 9th inning. Especially when you consider the consistency of our starting staff from inning to inning.....I want Marmol available when we are up by 1 and our starter just ran out of gas, leaving the bases juiced with no out. That is when "Senor Nasty" is the most valuable. I couldn't care less how nasty the closer's stuff is as long as he has the nerves and the mindset to succeed in the final frame. It doesn't take the sickest stuff, you just have to be able to get three outs (think Todd Jones, Joe Borowski).
Kerry Wood should be the closer unless he keeps blowing up, and even then I would give Howry or Wuertz shot before I sacrfice Marmol.
Just a different way to think about it......
My first thought after the last out was recorded in yesterday's game was "who's pitching Wednesday", and that is the way everyone should be thinking right now. Sure is was a tough loss, and I did find myself saying "here we go again" quite a few times in the late innings. But is it the first game of the year, and there are some bright spots to focus on too, with Fukudome's performance being foremost.
I also have to say that Wood's performance yesterday does not worry me at all. Why does everyone want Marmol as the closer? I would want the reliever with the nastiest stuff available at any time I needed him, not just the 9th inning. Especially when you consider the consistency of our starting staff from inning to inning.....I want Marmol available when we are up by 1 and our starter just ran out of gas, leaving the bases juiced with no out. That is when "Senor Nasty" is the most valuable. I couldn't care less how nasty the closer's stuff is as long as he has the nerves and the mindset to succeed in the final frame. It doesn't take the sickest stuff, you just have to be able to get three outs (think Todd Jones, Joe Borowski).
Kerry Wood should be the closer unless he keeps blowing up, and even then I would give Howry or Wuertz shot before I sacrfice Marmol.
Just a different way to think about it......
I think some of you are being too tough on Kid K. He gave up 2 hits and had one intentional walk and beaned Weeks because De Rosa was beaned the inning before. It was good that he stood up for his teammates. If I was him i would have done the same thing.
The only bad part of the game wass that their big bats still were not acting "big".
I look forward to watching the Cubs tear it up this year.
Go Fuk!
Steve, with all due respect. Tuffy Rhodes played 15 games with the Cubs in 1993 and while his Opening Day performance in 1994 was probably the greatest Opening Day performance, it was not his Cubs' debut.
People...forget the bad outing by Woody...Lets talk about Sweet Lou changing his bullpen in the first game..Wood should not have even been brought into the ninth with a tie game...should have been Howry... Sweet Lou set the pen up with Marmol, Howry and Wood closing...last time i looked zero zero in the ninth is not a close situation... And what about Pie standing on first for 8 pitches in the bottom of the ninth with Fontenot pinch hitting..Pie should have gone on the first pitch especially with Kendall behind the plate who couldn't throw out your grandmother!!! So i my eyes Sweet Lou didn't do a very good job of managing from the ninth on....
Jason, Wood did not hit Weeks intentionally and if he did, he's an absolute moron. Anyone with any type of baseball knowledge would know that you don't hit a guy in a tie game, with no one out, in the 9th inning!! come on!....about Marmol closing and having more experience...experience in the winter league, yes, for the Cubs, no. I like the role he is in, he is a rally stopper who Ks a ton of guys. You don't need that in a closer. A closer's job is to get 3 outs in the 9th with the lead. The other day that wasn't his role. It was to keep a tie in the 9th, he wasn't able to do that, it just happened to be the first game of the year and people are shitting themselves over it. "He cant be the closer, hes too old, not good, blah blah..." Well for one, it wasn't a save situation, and two, the guy throws 98mph and still have great breaking pitches with above average command and a great mindset. His job was to keep the tie and win it in the 9th, didn't happen, let's move on. I would have personally thrown Wuertz because he is throwing great right now and you can't say that very often about him. Wood is fine, Cubs are fine, and if one games is making you think otherwise, you're a fan of the wrong sport.