Game Two - Cubs (0-1) vs. Brewers (1-0)
Game Time - 1:20pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 184
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago
Ted Lilly (0-0, -.--/-.--) vs. Jeff Suppan (0-0, -.--/-.--)
The Cubs will look to rebound today from their disappointing Opening Day loss to the Brewers. Ted Lilly will make the start against Jeff Suppan. Lou Piniella's offense struggled against Ben Sheets, with the exception of Kosuke Fukudome. Ryan Theriot and Alfonso Soriano must set the table for the middle of the lineup today in order for the Cubs to win their first game of the new season.
The weather should be a lot more cooperative and is expected to be partly cloudy with temperatures in the low 50's. Which should make for a better day for both offenses....unfortunately for Ted Lilly, the Brewers rarely need help scoring runs.
Ted Lilly tied a career high in wins a year ago and had an excellent first season with the Cubs. Lilly was arguably Lou Piniella's most consistent pitcher last season. If the Cubs are to return to the post-season this year, they will need a similar performance from Lilly.
Lilly had a solid start last year and posted a 2-2 record in 5 starts in April with a 2.18 ERA and a 0.79 WHIP that included a win against the Brewers on April 25th at Wrigley. Lilly is 1-1 in 4 career games, 3 starts, with a 5.09 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP versus the Brewers.
- Jason Kendall - 3-for-10 with a double
- Prince Fielder - 3-for-7 with a double
- Ryan Braun - 3-for-6 with a home run
- Bill Hall - 0-for-6
Lou Piniella's crew will face an old nemesis today in Jeff Suppan. Suppan continued his dominance of the Cubs last season and was 1-1 in 3 starts with a 2.84 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. Suppan did not have a good first year in Milwaukee expect for when he faced the Cubs and Cardinals. Suppan is 5-5 in 15 career starts against the Cubs with a 3.15 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP.
Hopefully Gerald Perry and Lou Piniella figured out over the winter how to stop allowing the Cubs offense to make mediocre pitchers look like Cy Young Award winners. The Cubs have struggled mightily against pitchers like Suppan in recent years, today they must prove those days are long gone.
- Ronny Cedeno - 4-for-8 with a double, a triple and 2 walks
- Derrek Lee - 16-for-36 with 5 doubles, 3 home runs and 9 walks
- Felix Pie - 3-for-7 with a double and a triple
- Aramis Ramirez - 9-for-32 with 3 double, a home run and 3 walks
- Alfonso Soriano - 7-for-33 with 2 doubles
- Ryan Theriot - 1-for-8 with a double
Every game is important, no matter what month it is.
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
I am ready for the game and ready for a winner. Yesterday really stunk not having a game, now lets take todays game and get on a roll at set the tone for the rest of the year.
"Every game is important, no matter what month it is."
Absolutely.
Today's lineup:
Theriot - SS
Soriano - LF
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Fukudome - RF
DeRosa - 2B
Soto - C
Pie - CF
Lilly - P
Let's go get 'em today Teddy!!! Boy it looks like a beautiful day to be at the ballpark. I wish I was there.
I see that there's a new Steve that been posting lately so I'm switching to Palatine Steve.
Go Cubbies!!!
wind is blowing out to left... hopefully none of the brewers can pull Lilly today (fielder only lefty in lineup i believe).
Not a great start.
Good job Lee, now lets get him in.
Lily gave up a first inning run again I see. Hows it goin everyone?
Come on Cubs!
Goin good Matt, even better after the win.
Dome keeps his OBP at 1.000
Let's see...everyone ran on Kendall last year (including the grounds crew I believe), and we don't put the runner in motion in the 2nd.
How about a steal or hit and run, and try to manufacture a run. My gosh! And while it's only game 2, Soriano looks just terrible so far at the plate.
get out of here! a balk?
Sori will be fine, maybe even a HR right about now.
I second that Cary.
Kosuke would look like the road-runner on Kendall.
As for the batters, give em a bit. I trust that Soriano and the others will get their share.
Okay, maybe next at bat, haha.
Does Soriano have any sense of the strike zone...another pitch at his ankles (at best) that he dribbles to third.
As usual, we let a Suppan look like Cy Young....but watch what the Brewers do to Dempster tomorrow.
haha even our groundscrew is sponsored by somebody
siggghhhhh
Well lets see if we can score 3 runs before the ninth now.
D-Lee got that power stroke! Gwahaa!
There ya go D-Lee!!! Hopefully that'll wake up the rest of the bats.
Go Cubbies!!!
There we go Lee!!!
Dang it, could of been a run, now come on Soto wake up and do something.
Aint over yet. This bullpen aint pretty. And won't be all season, I'd be willing to bet,
man, I am really getting tired of Braun.
What the heck, throw him out.
This is just getting ugly.
Yup..
Man looks like we have to get rid of Lilly and Hart too ;)
The offense just looks horrible.
I hate to start second guessing Lou but shouldn't our offense look like
Theriot
Fukudome
Lee
Soriano
Aram
Derosa
Pie
Soto
Seems to me that would give us more runs. Really don't like the slow start. Soriano seems to be a bit lackadaisical to start the season. Was he told to take it easy still? When will his legs be 100%????????
GET SOMEBODY OUT PLEASE!!!
Jim - I couldn't agree more. Lou has to concentrate on manufacturing runs. IF and/or when the power comes that should be gravy. Does that make sense?
Get FUK in the 2 hole!!!
So we are down to Z, Rich Hill and 2-3 iffy starters... Suddenly the rotation aint lookin so hot anymore...
Better hope this ain't the 5.56 ERA Ted Lilly of 2005..
Soto is alive!! Jim, I like that lineup and it still gives Soriano protection.
Jim....I certainly agree with a lineup change, but I'd propose:
Fukodome
DeRosa
Lee
Aram
Soto
Soriano
Pie
Theriot
Every year the same thing...this team can never get out of the shoot quickly. No energy, no urgency.
Cary, like the idea. But why Soto ahead of Soriano? Just curious?
We pay Soriano how much to be 0 for 9. Does the guy not think "opposite field" sometime. He let's two manageable pitches go untouched, and then swings at the ankles again. He looks so much like Andruw Jones at the plate (no discipline, no comfort on what is the stike zone). How sad!
Matt, I think Soto has more plate discipline than Soriano and I think he'll heat up really soon. He'll also bunt and hit and run if needed. And I also think Lou needs to send a clear message to Soriano. This again is the problem with long-term fat contracts. Soriano has nothing to play for. His money all's there already for him.
Indeed. Good points, I like it.
You know guys, I'd go trade Soriano for Roberts straight up and eat a majority of his contract. Then move DeRosa to left.
Soriano may (and I underscore may) be the worst contract the Cubs have ever crafted. Time will tell, but he looks sad so far.
Okay, it was a bad contract. But we're not in the playoffs last year without Soriano's monster September.
The problem is, Sori is so damn streaky. If you were to hypothetically trade Sori, dont move Dero to left! Bring back Matt Murton.
But its a fair criticism about the contract. McDonough and Hendry wanted to make a win now statement. They just made it a little too loud and misplaced.
Bryan,
Somebody brought that up a couple weeks ago and got crusified by the Jihadic wing on this site but I agreed with him then and I agree with you now. Soriano for Roberts would greatly improve this team.
Matt, perfect comments. And Bryan, I share your frustration with the contract and Soriano's performance so far.
And while it is only Game 2, I am just amazed that Pinella can't get this team to play with some life. I just see us 3 games back tomorrow after Dempster (the savior) gets his whacks.
I would love to see a Soriano for Roberts trade. And feel free to throw in Gallagher as well to sweeten it for the O's.
Bryan - dude... the guy hit .320, knocked 14 HR's, and drove in 27 in SEPTEMBER! He was the MAJOR reason we won our division. Are you serious? That may have been the most ludicrous statement I have read on this site.
Trust me... he is not the problem. The fact that Lou is batting him in the 2 hole is a problem but Alfonso as a player is not the problem.
If you're going to blow the wad do it on a complete ballplayer that plays with pride or do something really novel; have an organization with talented management that can draft and develop. Ownership in this town is pathetic.
Cliff, that's the problem with guys like you. You look at a 30 game window and think this guys "the world". Oh, so he's the major reason we won the division...and where did that get us? How many runners did Soriano leave stranded last year? How many times did he strike out? How many hit and runs did he execute (or even attempt)? The guy (and his attitude) is flat-out sulking over being in the #2 spot. But it's ok, he was our hero last September. Big deal. The guys makes how much money?
This game's gettin' ugly...
That would be some of the jihad. One could argue that if there was even one decent team in our division last year we still would've missed the playoffs even with Sori's numbers and I'm pretty sure he didn't factor in us getting swept in the first round. Good God can't anyone on this site express an opinion without getting attacked?!
Bryan - You are talking like this guy came out of nowhere to have a big September. He has hit at least 33 HR's in each of the past 6 seasons except 1. He has stolen 30 or more bases in 5 of the last 7 seasons. Yeah, he strikes out and strands runners but he has MAJOR LEAGUE talent. I think you are misplacing your anger and frustration on him when you should be angry/frustrated with the guy penciling him into the 2 hole at the moment.
I wonder why everyone always thinks Soriano's "sulking", or that he has a bad attitude. From what I've seen, he's been nothing but a team player.
And he's one of the top 10 players in the entire world. This talk about getting rid of him is ridiculous. There will be two or three times this year where he'll put the entire team on his back and carry them for 10 straight games. Then we won't be wanting to get rid of him.
Wow the Cubs look bad so far, but remember everyone it is only the second game. I don't know if you can start passing judgement on Soriano and Lou's lineup after 2 games. Have to at least go 30 or so before you can start bashing too much.
Adam in Iowa, I second that. Everyone, it will be okay. 160 left to go.
Sori is a good clubhouse guy too. Everyone from all accounts likes being with the guy. High energy guy thats repeatedly said he will play where Lou wants him to play. Last season he even said he'd play whatever position Lou wanted him to.
All in all, I like having Soriano on this team. Especially if in a few weeks we see that his legs are healthy. Its early in the season, and Lou's gotta figure out where everyone belongs in the lineup.
Even with a slow start last year, Lou put together a lineup that figured it out in the second half. Twenty dollars says it won't take him as long to do it this year.
No need to call people names. We're all good. Theyre good. This team is good. Have faith.
Adam in Iowa, I second that. Everyone, it will be okay. 160 left to go.
Sori is a good clubhouse guy too. Everyone from all accounts likes being with the guy. High energy guy thats repeatedly said he will play where Lou wants him to play. Last season he even said he'd play whatever position Lou wanted him to.
All in all, I like having Soriano on this team. Especially if in a few weeks we see that his legs are healthy. Its early in the season, and Lou's gotta figure out where everyone belongs in the lineup.
Even with a slow start last year, Lou put together a lineup that figured it out in the second half. Twenty dollars says it won't take him as long to do it this year.
No need to call people names. We're all good. Theyre good. This team is good. Have faith.
Piniella just said in his press conference that Soriano will be back in the lead-off spot on Thursday.
YES!!!!!!!! SO good to hear, Neil. Hopefully Theriot hits 8th
Cliff, Adam, and Matt, I couldn't agree with you more, NO way we get rid of Soriano, not only did he have a great September last year, but he did it on a bum leg, a lot of players would have been out two months with his injury, he came back in a month and played great. Not too mention how many runners he threw out last year. I forgot, he also made the All-Star team.
Oh, Ramirez doesn't have a hit yet this year either, is it time to trade him now?!!?
Trust me,I hate losing just as much as everyone else does, but lets think about this once, it is two games out of 162, that is the great thing about baseball, the season isn't decided in the first month, let alone the first two games.
As for Soriano batting 2nd, I agree he needs out of that spot. Should he be a leadoff hitter, I don't know, but lets face it, he hit .295 with 33 hr last year. Put Fukudome 2nd and I really like the top of that order.
Guys, in all due respect to all the posters here, I don't see Soriano back in the leadoff spot being the answer. He's not fully healthy, and his OBP is really not of leadoff caliber. Yes, you get the all or nothing with him. What we need is a table setter who can bunt his way on, hit for average, steal some bases, etc. That's not Soriano. I was hoping it was Theriot, but he seems a bit overmatched, atleast early, but I still have faith there.
I think the matter with Soriano is the size contract for the return on investment. A decent average, low OBP, and marginal RBI's just doesn't justify the dollars. So now Lou will pacify him by putting him back to #1 (after he's gone 0 for 9). I could have seen this move if he was hitting and Theriot wasn't, but 0 for 9, so set him up in the 1 spot. Please!
How about Bob Howry starting off his season giving up 5 hits and 3 runs in 2 innings???
One more comment. What makes this site so great are the diverse opinions but consistent passion. We should respect the right to agree to disagree. Nothing is "ludicrous", so let's treat everyone in the right manner, regardless of our own personal perspectives.
AMEN to Soriano in the leadoff spot--for the reasons I mentioned several days ago. He is a prima performer (donna) who has the ability to be sensational as a soloist. He will go where Lou tells him to go. He just won't perform well unless he is in the box first at least once a game.
It's too late to be talking about his contract. It's time to watch him hit a double, home run or strike out, and then watch our other eight play (mostly) team baseball. Fukudome, or Theriot (or a present or acquired table setter)should bat second--unless Fukudome shows consistent power.
I too don't like the lack of apparent energy. Our big timers excluding Z are not emotional. But they have to make the routine plays and have their heads in the game. Tomorrow, we win and the up and down Dempster has an upper.
Hey Guys,
Im not trying to bash any of you guys because Cub fans should never hate on other Cub fans but come on with the Soriano comments. Like "worst contract in Cubs history" or "Trade Him" are you serious? Look, we obviously did not play very good and Sori was terrible and I along with you guys want to win every game but lets remember something, after two months last year we were 8.5 games out and Sori didnt look good at all, then June came and we became the hottest team mostly because of one guy - Alfonso Soriano. I dont care what anyone says when he gets going he can flat out rake and may be the best hitter in the league. To be dead honest, I think he his bothered by the cold weather. Again, last year he heated up when the weather heated up and this spring he was hot and looked really good at the plate. I will even go back to his days in Texas where he played almost all games in warm weather, he did nothing but kill the ball. Look all I am trying to say is we have played two frickin games and have 160 to go so before you come out and start talking about trading our all-star left fielder lets let this thing play out a little bit. The other thing that makes me mad is, and you guys that are bashing Sori cant deny it, if he goes 4-4 tom. and hits 2 HRs the same guys that bashed him today will be singing his praises. Every hit has 0-9 streaks but they many times go unnoticed because they come in the middle of the year. So how about we take it easy on him because he WILL prove he is worth his money and could EASILY throw our offense on his back and carry us if he gets hot.
Go Cubs!
Hey Guys,
Im not trying to bash any of you guys because Cub fans should never hate on other Cub fans but come on with the Soriano comments. Like "worst contract in Cubs history" or "Trade Him" are you serious? Look, we obviously did not play very good and Sori was terrible and I along with you guys want to win every game but lets remember something, after two months last year we were 8.5 games out and Sori didnt look good at all, then June came and we became the hottest team mostly because of one guy - Alfonso Soriano. I dont care what anyone says when he gets going he can flat out rake and may be the best hitter in the league. To be dead honest, I think he his bothered by the cold weather. Again, last year he heated up when the weather heated up and this spring he was hot and looked really good at the plate. I will even go back to his days in Texas where he played almost all games in warm weather, he did nothing but kill the ball. Look all I am trying to say is we have played two frickin games and have 160 to go so before you come out and start talking about trading our all-star left fielder lets let this thing play out a little bit. The other thing that makes me mad is, and you guys that are bashing Sori cant deny it, if he goes 4-4 tom. and hits 2 HRs the same guys that bashed him today will be singing his praises. Every hit has 0-9 streaks but they many times go unnoticed because they come in the middle of the year. So how about we take it easy on him because he WILL prove he is worth his money and could EASILY throw our offense on his back and carry us if he gets hot.
Go Cubs!
God..most of you have the worst case of "Monday morning quarterback" ever. It is easy to see the problem: Sori sucks outside leadoff. He isn't in his comfortable spot, so he is going to struggle.
Screw Theriot at leadoff, all he is, is a slap hitter with average speed that shouldn't even be on the MLB roster. Put Sori where he belongs..back in the leadoff spot.
Mike....well said.
Buck Coats is in Toronto's OF tonight vs NYY.
Jihad wing? Really? Not sure if its ever necessary to compare baseball passion and opinion to the extremists in the middle east.
And count me in the camp that stands solidly behind Soriano. So much so that I can't even believe it is being described as an issue. This team has weaknesses, but Sori is way more the answer than the problem.
Have a little patience, this team WILL hit and put up runs.