Drew - You are correct. He starts out everytime before seeing the signs with the splitfinger grip because it is the most difficult one to use... it is also the most obvious when a pitcher is spreading his fingers around if he does it after receiving the sign... SO... he starts out with that grip and if the sign is for fastball, slider, etc he simply moves his fingers. IF... he gets the splitfinger he keeps the fingers where they are. He shakes the glove so that to keep consistent and not tip his pitches.

Other Jim here too. Dempster looked great. That 2-seam fastball and changeup looked great. same movement 10 mph difference. Looked nasty.

Why does Soriano wear black tape with a bright white logo on it. IT DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF THE BLACK TAPE. There is a chance that the white from the black eye stipes is giving him trouble seeing the white ball. In 2005 Brian Roberts was wearing red tinted contacts so he could pick up the seams on the ball better. Not sure if he still wears them. Same goes for the black tape it takes the glare away so you can see the ball better but not if there is a white logo for your new bat company that covers most of the black area. But oh well he is 1 for 13 and lookin great at the plate.

Austin and Drew, Dempster is doing that so he does not tip his pitches. He changes the grip on the ball in his glove when he is going to throw his slider.

For all the times I've critical of Dempster, I was very impressed with him today. He bounced back from a tough first inning and pitched very well. If he can give us 6+ quality innings consistently the move to put him in the rotation will pay huge dividends. Loved the way Woody bounced back. Showed the poise and dominance of a top-notch closer today (here's to him staying healthy and pitching at this level throughout the year). Not sure you can consider game 3 of the season a must win, but it was big one in getting our confidence up and knowing we can play at a high level.

GO CUBS GO!

P.S. I did notice something was different with the way Dempster went into his windup, but I couldn't figure out exactly what it was. I agree though he definitely fidgeting with his glove and I've never seen it before....then again I haven't seen Dempster be that effective starting in years!

Phew! The offense looked a little more relaxed out there today, great to see. And I am very impressed with Dempster. Did anyone watching the game notice what he was doing with his glove before he would wind up? He kind of jerked it around, I dont think ive ever seen that??

Right here, I'm on the the train from 4:00 till 5:00

(Need a laptop)

NATION REPRESENT!

CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!

Hilarious baron! Good day to win!! Where is Jim [Nation Represents?]

Kloser K!!

Council was running and we didn't throw down to second, basically an uncontested steel.

This was Yahoo Sports last box score update --

Last Play: C. Counsell to second on fielder's indifference

Fielder's Indifference.... ??????

Good Job Woody!!! The first of many. Good alround game today!!!

Being critical of not making the hustle plays, not being focussed from inning one and not executing plays like a pro should is our way of reminding the players we know what's called for when they put on the uniform. The Cubs several plus perfomances (including Soriano's)overcame some deficient efforts today (including Soriano's).

The deficient efforts will get us losses some days. If we have four or five more of those kinds of losses than the elite teams do--we won't be playing in October. But right now there's nothing to dwell on other than that WE HAVE ONE THE FIRST OF MANY!!! And it looks like we'll be playing the Royals in the Series. They just swept the Tigers in a 3 game set. Go Cubs!!

It is good to see us have 4 stolen bases this game, that is something we need to do all year.

Yep, Cliff, we're still out there. So kudo's to Soriano. Great to see.

We got two more (6) strong innings from Dempster. Aram hit one out. Fontenot gets a pinch hit. We're playin ball. Alfonso is Alfonso. He muscles a bloop hit, trots what would have been a double into a single on the outfield misplay, steals second to make up for it and scores on Theriot's hit. Come on bullpen! Go Cubs.

Now this what we call good baseball, very good outing by Dempt today exactly what we needed.

Soriano haters? you there?

2 RBI's

base on balls

stolen base

1 Run

[crickets]

AND a Stolen Base and a Run...

[crickets]

THE RIOT!

A hit is a hit....good job Soriano!

Hey, hey Soriano got a hit. Nice baserunning by Fontenot.

Go Cubbies!!!

Hey, hey. Soriano knocked one in! Sa-weet.

As much as I love Theriot, does anyone think a SS platoon with Theriot and Fontenot could work?

Very solid effort by Dempster...

FUK on base again...

Gotta give Dempster his props. Very nice job thru 5!!

Look at Ramirez! Haha! HAHA!

ARAMIS!!!

I thought Soriano was going to hit one off the wall or out of the park in the 4th. That would have been S being S. Dempster has settled in on the mound. Hope he has 2 innings left. If he does, Cubs win. The maddening Soriano will do something positive later today as will Aram.

well at least we have a lead for the first time this season. shut em down Demp.

Go Cubbies!!!

GOOD EYE SORIANO!!!

Felix Pie's swing right now is not major-league quality... He is free-swinging away with his eyes closed and could not possibly look more clueless..

1969!?!? Thats all. Look, I dont like that either. But that wasnt the Mets doing, haha. Those Cubs choked worse than the 04 bunch did.

Pie just looked ugly there..Geesh

Good eye Soto. Let's capitalize on this!

Go Cubbies!!!

Liking or not liking Soriano isn't the issue I don't think with any of the posters here. The guy makes $14-16m a year. Hitting .000 after 2 1/2 games isn't very good, no matter how you cut it. And as Jim mentioned, he then dogs a ball which turns into an extra base.

But it's only Game 3. Plenty of time for him to turn it around.

hmmm... Fuk is on base again.

Wouldn't that OBP make a lot of sense in the 2 hole? Even now more than ever with Soriano leading off to break up the strong righty's in the top of the order.

Fuku is making a huge case in my eyes to hit closer to the top of the order. Hes doing NOTHING BUT getting on base. He needs to be in front of Lee, Rami, and Sori.

Matt...1969

Good afternoon gents. Got in around the second. Would someone care to share Ron Santo's angst toward the Mets for me?

Okay, we get the point, you don't like Soriano.

Edge, attitude and luck in 2nd. Dempster sharp. Aram walk (attitude), Domay misplayed double in left (luck) Soto a 390 ft sacrifice (attitude and edge after 1st cheap shot) Bad hop hit past third (luck)Pie hit up the middle (attitude) Dempster 3 foul ball bunt strikes and out(not ready to contribute edge), Soriano weak ground out to short--but he's stylin'. He has a minstrel like black and white paint under his eyes that looks like a second set of eyes--on a cloudy day when no eye black is needed. But he b stylin, and we score 2 of the 3 or 4 we should have.

Finally!! Runs without a home run

Hmmm...0 for 11 (two runners stranded). Very clutch! Atleast he didn't strike out.

Nice job Dome (man crush) and DeRosa.

Nice job Dome (man crush) and DeRosa.

Good job to tie it up, but that should've been a much bigger inning.

Go Cubbies!!!

I have finally realized why Soriano doesn't hit in the middle of the order. Over the past three years, he has a batting average of .255 with runners on base, .237 with men in scoring position, and .211 with men in scoring position with two outs. With bases empty, he bats .296. It's clear that he does not understand how to hit in those situations, and probably tries to overswing or do too much. While people may not like it, he is most suitable to hit in the leadoff spot, where there are fewer opportunities to hit with men on base. In comparison, Aramis Ramirez hits .305 with runners in scoring position, and Derrek Lee hit .341.

Edge, attitude and luck in the 1st. A walk (not yet sharp and having the edge), a bloop hit fair by a foot (luck), not alert to making a hustle throw to 2nd (Soriano-attitude), Weeks edgy play at plate that might have been interference with S who was not obstructing the plate (having an edge and an aggressive attitude), bad hop throw from F to plate. Cubs down 2-0. We must play with an edge and an attitude.

Just listeing to the game, what happened Jim?

There was no need for Weeks to truck Soto like that. He didn't have to run him over the ball wasn't there. Legal but bullshit.

If that doesn't lite a fire under these guys I don;t know what will.

Weeks better look out... somebody's gonna try to take his head off sliding into 2nd...

Siggggghhhh

There was no need for Weeks to truck Soto like that. He didn't have to run him over the ball wasn't there. Legal but bullshit.

If that doesn't lite a fire under these guys I don;t know what will.

Glad to see Soriano back in his old comfort part of the lineup. 0 for 10, and counting.

WOW?!?!?!?!?!

Siggggghhhh

Weeks is a dick. Soto WAS in the basepath, but the ball wasn't even to him yet. And what the hell kind of flip was that by Dempster? Weeks better look out.

are you kidding me?!?!? let's get it together Cubbies!!! Come on now.

Go Cubbies!!!

Lineup for this afternoon:

Soriano - LF

Theriot - SS

Lee - 1B

Ramirez - 3B

Fukudome - RF

DeRosa - 2B

Soto - C

Pie - CF

Dempster - P

I know that Sori is batting first today but is the Dome second? I like having Theriot bat 8th and Pie 7th. Pie isn't patient enough to wait for a walk while Riot will get on however he can.

Also, why isn't Soto batting behind Rameriez instead of DeRosa? Soto has much better power though less patience just thinking out loud.

I know that everybody is concerned about the hitting but what about our relief pitching. That was going to be a strength and everybody beside Marmol is getting lit up. That's what concerns me the most since it is cold (pitching) weather. The hitting will come around but the relievers need to step it up.

Hopefully the wind is blowing in today. If Demps gets off to a rough start, we may see Lieber.

Today...is a very good day to win. Apparently players other than Fuku should try Big Z coffee; Wake up call @1:20 pm.

Vamos Cachorros!

We as Cub fans need to start bringing bananas to the park for Z. HOw much coffee was he drinking?

I really hope Dempster can get us a good 6 in. so we can get a damn win. Don't want to start the season trailing the brew-crew by three games. No big deal just not the way you want to start the seaon.