Game Thirty: Cubs (17-12) vs. Cardinals (19-11)
Game Time - 2:45pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: FOX Saturday Game of the Week - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 187
Location - Busch Stadium, St. Louis
Ted Lilly (1-4, 6.46/1.50) vs. Kyle Lohse (3-0, 2.36/1.17)
Updated - 2:32pm C.T. - Hill Optioned and Gallagher Recalled
According to a report on Cubs.com, Rich Hill was optioned to Triple-A Iowa and Sean Gallagher was recalled to fill his roster spot. No official word on who will take Hill's spot in the rotation.
The Cubs will try to avoid their first three game losing streak of the season for the third time in the last 10 days. Lou Piniella's crew is coming off two tough losses and needs Ted Lilly to step up and deliver a victory....not only for his team but for his fellow pitchers in the bullpen. Piniella needs at least a quality start out of Lilly or he might have to "take one for the team."
A report in the Sun-Times on Saturday morning indicated that Aramis Ramirez did not suffer a broken wrist on Friday night but his wrist is swollen and he could miss today's game. The same report mentioned Scott Eyre could return from the DL in the next four or five days which would give the Cubs the possibility of starting Sean Marshall against the Reds on Wednesday.
It is only the third day of May, but every game counts....especially the ones against the Cardinals.
Ted Lilly is clearly coming off his best start of the year, despite the fact the Cubs lost the game. After a horrible start to the season, Lilly has put together solid starts in back-to-back outings. He held the Mets to 1 run on 4 hits with 4 walks and 4 strikeouts in 6 innings and threw with a lot more confidence in DC last Sunday. The Cubs lost the game 2-0 because they could not score any runs off of John Lannan, not because of Ted Lilly's performance. Lilly held the Nationals to 2 runs on 4 hits in 6 innings and recorded a season-high 7 strikeouts...and tied a season-low in walks allowed with 2.
Lilly is 3-2 in 6 career starts against the Cardinals with a 2.93 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP....last year, 2-2 in 5 starts with a 3.55 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP.
- Rick Ankiel - 1-for-6 with a double
- Chris Duncan - 2-for-6
- Troy Glaus - 1-for-8
- Cesar Izturis - 2-for-6 with a double
- Adam Kennedy - 3-for-11 with a double and a home run
- Yadier Molina - 1-for-12
- Albert Pujols - 5-for-16 with a double and a home run
After spending the entire off-season on the unemployment list, the Cubs former 29th round pick back in 1996 signed a 1-year deal with the Cardinals and appears to be out to prove he is worthy of a big, long-term contract. Scott Boras was reportedly looking for at least a 5-year deal for his client worth at least $10 million annually. No one bit and the Cardinals are reaping the reward.
Kyle Lohse started the season by not allowing a run in his first two starts (12 innings) and has only allowed more than 2 runs in his first 6 starts....April 22nd in Milwaukee, Lohse lasted only 4 innings after giving up 4 runs on 8 hits.
Lohse is coming off a good win his last time out against the Astros. He held the dangerous Astros' offense to only 1 run on 4 hits in 6 innings.
Lohse has always possessed the talent to be successful at the big league level....and it appears he is finally taking his career to the next level. At Busch Stadium this year, Lohse is 2-0 in 4 starts with a miniscule 1.08 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP.
In 4 career starts against the Cubs, Lohse is 1-1 with a 3.93 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. The Cubs always hit Lohse hard (a .303 batting average, 23 hits and 4 walks in 18 1/3 innings, but just 8 earned runs) but have trouble plating those runs.
- Mark DeRosa - 6-for-11 with a home run
- Reed Johnson - 2-for-6 with a walk
- Derrek Lee - 2-for-6 with a double
- Aramis Ramirez - 5-for-5 with 2 doubles and a home run
- Alfonso Soriano - 12-for-28 with 2 doubles and 2 home runs
- Ryan Theriot - 4-for-7
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
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I see Gallagher got the call up today, no surprise there. It'll be interesting to see whether they give him a shot in the rotation or insert Lieber. I guess we could even give Marshall another crack once Eyre comes back or we call up Cotts. I'm all for giving Gallagher a chance to prove himself and provide a much needed boost.
I just saw the lineup and A-RAM is not in it...DeRo is in his place at 3B...and Fukudome is hitting in the fourth spot....I think Soto should be in that fourth spot...he is a much bigger power threat than Fukudome
Where is Soriano batting today? Hopefully he is not leading off again. In fact, hopefully he is not in the lineup, period!
hopefully Rich Hill goes down there and figures out what is wrong. I remember him saying in an interview at the beginning of the year that they (him and Rothchild) had changed up his delivery a bit.
Well the "Neil Ticket" is right again. Gallagher is up and indicated as the starter today. Re. talk about Samardzjia, he is getting beter at AA, but needs further improvement with 18 walks, 16 strikeouts and 27 hits in 31 innings. He pitches tonight too. In Lou's mood, you wouldn't want the guy to walk a couple in one inning.
David... I keep trolling the minors for players--and currently lefty relievers. Any prospect info on the Giants Alex Hinshaw (26) at AAA Fresno, whose line reads 11 inn., 5 H, 4 W, 15 SO and a 0.77 ERA? He's not on any top prospect list I've seen. Not as good, but similar stats for Geno Espineli (25), a converted starter on the same team. They both seem better than what we have in the high minors.
No luck Andy Alfonze is back at the top today :(
Todays Line Up.
1. A Soriano, LF .164 3 8 2
2. R Theriot, SS .321 1 8 7
3. D Lee, 1B .356 8 23 2
4. K Fukudome, RF .336 1 10 3
5. M DeRosa, 3B .278 3 20 1
6. G Soto, C .333 5 21 0
7. M Fontenot, 2B .283 1 7 1
8. R Johnson, CF .279 0 10 1
9. T Lilly, P .143 0 1 0
Hey that's Neil's job
Lou can't justify keeping Cedeno out for Theriot. I realize Theriot's numbers are solid, but Cedeno is hitting everything he sees right now.
Sorry Cory, I was slacking.
Lilly looks like he is toeing the rubber diferently.
Hey, whatever works.
This is funny - Lou's stupid comment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ3wTqClhQg
Maybe im crazy and its early but Lilly's fastball seems to have a lot of movement today...and Jim i also noticed he was standing much more off to the right of the rubber but not sure if that would affect the movement on his fastball
that's our designated GIDP man at work again. Fukodome sees 4 pitches, and he swings on the first, and grounds into a double play. WOW
Everybody turn down the sound and find Pat and Ron....Cardinal love in full effect. These two should not be allowed to call Cubs-Cardinals games.
Soriano has to start hitting.
At least Ken Rosenthal is there.
FUKUDOME!!!!
Fukodome is our MVP, no matter what Lee or anyone else does this year...he's seen more pitches, and been more clutch than anyone else
Hey Neil...is Soto still eligible for ROY, or does he have too many appearances?
man, SOTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MIDGET boy!!!!!!!!!!
SOTO AND FONTENOT!!!!
Aaron, Soto is considered a rookie by rule. So is Fukudome
I love it! I'll tell you what, and Aaron I loved all of your posts last night, but there were two things critical to today's game. First and foremost, Lilly HAD to pitch well and at least 6 innings. And second, and almost as important, this team needed to hit AND plate some runs to take all the attention off the ridiculous Soriano situation.
BOTH have been accomplished, although it's still pretty early.
Aaron, I completely agree that Dome is our MVP to this point.
Cubs could have the top 2 rookie of the years. Fukudome and Soto.
Two comments...
Soto is a darn hitting machine. Everything he hits is solid.
And Soriano is now 0-3 (again). How long does Lou hang onto a .150 hitter in the leadoff spot. You almost feel like batting him 9th behind the pitcher, he's that bad. Not trying to promote the Soriano bash again, but he truly is bad.
Aaron, Soto is eligible but so is Fukudome. Maybe they already do, but if I owned a bar in Chicago I would start selling a shot called Soto Bombs, that and Marmolade!
Neil, I agree I can't stand listening to Buck and McCarver. I especially hate it when they are allowed to do the World Series when the Cardinals are in it!
How about this 4th inning break-out from our funk. Soto we kinda expect to do magic. Fontenot homers. Cubs lead 6-0. Last night was theraputic. We laid the basis for playing as a team--in addition to the bad eggs.
I was listening to a national sports talk show, maybe Fox Sports?, someone called in and asked what he thought of Soto of the Cubs. The guy says he is pretty decent, but what you see is what you are going to get. He felt Soto had reached his top side potential.
I tell you what, I'll take what were getting!
C'mon Lilly don't get rattled now...
The RIOT!!! What a nice catch!
From the in-game interview with Lou, it sounds like Soriano will be our lead-off man for a while. Appologies to Reed Johnson who should be in this role!
The Cub's 4th was the best argument yet for Soriano batting leadoff. He would have killed that big inning if he had been in the middle of it. Since Lilly's AB does not count because it was a sac, I wonder if Soriano was embarrassed to make all the outs in that inning.
Gary, I disagree. I think it's the best argument yet for Soriano TO NOT BE IN THE GAME AT ALL. He needs to go down the double or triple A ball and work on his hitting and fielding.
Lilly gave up the dinger to Molina but got out of it.
These turds (Buck and McCarver) on Fox are the John Maddens of baseball. They say stupid sh*t just to fill dead air time, and alot of pro Cardinal sh*t at that.
Unfortunately Soriano's $136m ego won't go down to the minors. So we have to put up with him "working it out" at the majors level..and account for 3-5 outs a game, not including the extra baserunners he provides in the field.
I'd rather see Z hitting than Alfonso. Just a sad state with this guy currently.
Even Fontenot has more RBI's than Soriano.
DAMMIT POO-HOLES!
The offense has gotta get it cranked back up. Need tack on runs.
Maybe Soriano can bunt....or better yet, replace him with Z.
Lilly with the double.
That was a good at bat by Soriano. He laid off the breaking ball and got a pitch he could handle. Maybe this will get him going.
lilly and soriano heard you neil...
Sori doesn't deserve half the flack he catches from fans who lack perspective and get on him the second he hits a cold streak. He was the offense yesterday and his SLG will be crucial w/o Rami in the lineup...
I'll take Sori over Theriot's 3-4 groundouts a game and DeRosa's GIDP ability.
I'm running out to pick up a pizza.
Talk to you guys later.
FUKUDOME with the hustle double
Good catch by Pie
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!
Man it feels so good when the Cubs beat the Cardinals!
Finally...Cubs win