Game Five: Cubs (1-3) vs. Astros (2-3)
Game Time - 12:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 184
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago
Jason Marquis (0-0, -.--/-.--) vs. Roy Oswalt (0-1, 5.06/2.25)
Bruce Miles put the Cubs poor play into the proper perspective on Saturday morning, it is not time to panic....it is time to hit the ball. Unfortunately for Lou Piniella's offense, it will not get any easier today with Roy Oswalt on the mound. The 'Big Three' have not hit the ball, period, and until they do this team will continue to struggle. While quality at-bats have escaped a majority of the lineup in this young season, they just need to relax and find green.
Lou Piniella's crew is playing tight right now and the only thing that will help is a couple of wins....but to throw out a cliche, they must take it one game at a time.
Jason Marquis will take the mound today after a very good spring. Marquis earned a spot in the rotation and whether he remains there the entire season or not is up to him. Marquis' early season success has been discussed ad nauseam and his team needs one of his trademark April starts today.
Marquis had solid first year in Chicago. He was 12-9 in 33 starts with a 4.60 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP....however, his team posted 20 wins in the games he started. Marquis was 3-1 in 5 starts last April with a 2.35 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP while holding opponents to a .204 batting average.
Marquis is 8-5 in 23 career games, 18 starts, versus the Astros with a 5.12 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP....last year Marquis was 1-1 against Houston with a 6.10 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP in 4 starts. Today will be a big test for Marquis.
- Lance Berkman - 19-for-37 with 5 doubles, a triple, a home run and 11 walks
- Carlos Lee - 8-for-26 with a double, 2 home runs and 4 walks
- Hunter Pence - 3-for-7 with a double and 2 walks
- Ty Wigginton - 5-for-14 with a triple and 2 walks
- Mark Loretta - 3-for-17 with a double
Roy Oswalt is coming off a bad performance in San Diego on Opening Day. The Padres pounded out 11 hits and scored 3 runs off the Astros' ace in 5 1/3 innings. Oswalt has been very successful against the Cubs in the past and will look to show today that his first start of the year was a fluke.
Oswalt is 11-10 in 24 career games, 23 starts, against the Cubs with a 3.97 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP. Last year he posted a 1-1 record in 2 starts with a 6.35 ERA and a 1.94 WHIP....but the numbers are very deceiving. On August 8th, Oswalt shutout the Cubs in Houston and allowed only 6 hits in 6 innings as the Astros routed the Cubs, 12-6. The other start came in the first series after the All-Star break at Wrigley. The Cubs scored 9 runs, 8 earned, on 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings.
- Mark DeRosa - 9-for-17 with 4 doubles
- Derrek Lee - 11-for-42 with 3 doubles, 2 home runs and 5 walks
- Jason Marquis - 2-for-10 with a double
- Aramis Ramirez - 15-for-54 with 3 doubles and 3 home runs
- Alfonso Soriano - 5-for-24 with 2 home runs
According to a report in the Tribune on Friday night, the reason Alfonso Soriano was at second base at the end of the game....Mike Fontenot was unavailable, his back locked up.
And finally....don't be surprised if Lou's lineup tinkering continues today.
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
ESPN 1000 just announced Reed Johnson will hit second day and Ryan Theriot will hit 8th.
With Johnson batting second today I would assume that Pie is sitting. I hope that aren't giving up on him yet. If I was making out the line up I would go with:
LF Soriano
CF Pie
1B Lee
RF Fukudome
3b Ramirez
C Soto
2b DeRosa
ss Theriot/Fontenot
* Not that I would expect traditional power numbers from Fukudome He would be another guy that would get on base for Ramirez.
* Pie needs to hit at the top of the order to be effective.
Today's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Johnson - CF
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Fukudome - RF
DeRosa - 2B
Soto - C
Theriot - SS
Marquis - P
Jim, ESPN 1000 said Pie being out of the lineup had to do with him getting hit on the hand yesterday. They did not elaborate on the injury.
Smart play by Marquis starting the DP
I'm listening to this on the radio, Ron is saying Marquis is throwing fastballs right down the middle. Is that about right?
Trevor, Marquis is elevating his pitches. Poor location in the 2nd inning. His second dp just helped but the offense missed a great opportunity in the 1st.
Soto and Marquis with the sticks....triple and double. First career triple by Soto.
Pie got hit on the hand in Thursday's game, right? I'm thinking his benching has more to do w/ Lou's impatience than his hand injury, especially since he played the whole game yesterday...
Damn Direct Tv, they are moving my dish so I have to listen to the game on the radio. How does Johnson look so far?
Jim, is the game on regular DirecTV, or are you watching the MLB package? I'm getting blackout messages out here on the west coast...
Johnson looks fine, 1-for-2 just popped out. Good play on a shallow pop and nice throw to hold runner on 2nd in the 2nd.
Derrek LEEEEE!!!!
Thanks Neil, always there to give me a a great description.
Anyone want to complain about how Lee's bats speed has slowed or he hasn't recovered from his wrist. Still finding his timing and has 2 Hr's.
Marquis needs to go. There is no room for a guy like that on the team. Soriano may be a bad signing but giving Marquis what he got was inept. Lieber would be better than Marquis and that makes me sick to my stomach to think about.
Marquis is leaving everything up. Berkman is out of the game with neck spasms.
Nice double plays turned. Now if Jayce can just keep the ball down and in in the park.
jim - good call on DLee. He got good wood on that pitch and drove it to the opposite field bleachers. That looked very much like the pre-2006 Derrek.
Tim, hello and welcome!
Piniella said in his pregame show, the reason Johnson was playing is because he has to play his bench....but I'm kinda with you. He also added Blanco would start in the next couple of days...my guess is tomorrow with Z on the mound.
Jim, you are welcome and good call on D-Lee.
What the hell is up with Marquis? that was a bone-headed move
Jason was trying to make something happen. I liked seeing that, even if it didnt turn out right.
I bet Lou won't like it... (marquis base running decision).
Two pitches to Lee, a home run and a double.
This should be Marquis' last batter.
The bottom line is a team is not going to win many games scoring just 2 runs with errors in the field and on the bases.
Great catch by Dome-AY!
5 IP 8 H, 1 BB, 1 bone-headed base running play
salary for 2008: $6.375 million
salary for todays start: ~ $187,000
If Lee can continue to hit those outside pitches to right, he will soon get some inside he can turn on.
Ramirez....unproductive out!
wow...Fukudome looks v. good indeed
Man-Crush alert. (fukudome)
2 hole...?
A perfect bunt single by Dome-AY!! Wow, was that beautiful.
FUK is amazing. You have to love this guy. Soto and Fuk may battle for ROY.
From what I have seen so far, Pie is far better defender than Johnson.
Is it me or does Len and Bob seem to always say the wrong thing. Like Hart looks unhittable, then The Bourne Identity hits a triple.
Tim I feel your pain and welcome. I used to have to watch via the package but moved home to Chicago. I am watching regular Direct Tv. They blackout Sat. games because of Fox Sat. games but that shouldn't happen yet.
Good result, but why was Fontenot not bunting?
Jim, I agree with Pie's defense being better.
jim - lol... Bob commented last inning how Pence gets more patient the deeper he gets in the count.
!?!?!?!?!?
BTW - if Tejada would have thrown out Theriot at 2nd on Fontenots hit in the hole I would have gone nuts. He looks great defensively. I don't watch as much American League ball and the caliber of his defense today is amazing (thought i read he had been dropping off in that aspect of the game, obiously not).
D-LEEE!!! Huge 2-out single. Cliff, Tejada is a great ballplayer and injuries slowed him last year. I saw the same reports....
And you just got Fuked.
anybody else's hair's stand up in pure giddyness when the crowd chants Fuk-U-Dom-e???
WOW!!!
Forget the ROY of the talk... he is playing MVP caliber ball through 4.5 games.
DOME-AY!!!!!!!! What an at-bat!!!!
FU-KU-DOME!!! (Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap)
Are you serious? Hot Damn! Great Job -- Great Patience -- Hitting the other way against a leftie -- sees like 9 pitches...
Great!
why is piniella pitching howry? marmol needs to be pitching in this scenario. Howry sucks!
Get Howry out of there!!!! Marmol needs to be in, right on Chad.
What is Piniella thinking? Marmol didn't pitch yesterday.
Thank goodness for Marmol. I've been arguing with my friend ever since last year that I've been impressed with Howry. It seems he only has one pitch...the elevated fastball. Unfortunately he's been proving me right this year. Hopefully Woody can shut the door again. Does anyone know why Cedeno came into the game?
Man Sori needs a day off!
Sorry I meant to say not impressed with Howry...I agree Soriano needs a day off or something...good to have Lee back though
I shouldn't post before it's over but... Wood was spotting his pitches incredibly well against Cruz. Cruz was lucky not to get the backwards K on ball 2 and ball 3 on the inside corner.
Book it.
Solid come from behind win.
Jim, we are waiting....
Cubs Win Cubs Win
also Johnson's green light has been officially turned to yellow. Caught stealing with 2 outs and D.Lee is at the plate when he is 4 for 4. That was really really stupid.
Sorry I am late....
My son had T-Ball practice.
I had my radio with me.
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!