Game One Hundred Fourteen: Cubs (67-46) vs. Astros (54-57)
Game Time - 1:20pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 183
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago
Rich Harden (6-2, 2.04/1.09, 1-1, 1.11/0.90) vs. Wandy Rodriguez (6-4, 3.61/1.31)
Updated - 12:28pm C.T. - Scott Eyre Designated for Assignment - Kerry Wood Activated
Lou Piniella's crew will try to figure out the riddle that has become the Astros' pitching staff today behind Rich Harden. After a disappointing, wet and delayed loss on Monday night, the Cubs offense will try to put up crooked numbers this afternoon against Wandy Rodriguez.
A win today is a must against a division rival at home after dropping two of the first four on the current homestand.
The Cubs could activate Kerry Wood before today's game according to several reports. A report on Cubs.com mentioned that Wood would be used in middle relief for at least one outing before Lou Piniella will use him in the closer's role again. The report stated that Carlos Marmol, Bobby Howry or Jeff Samardzija could fill in for Wood one more time.
A report in the Sun-Times suggested the Cubs could still be looking to trade Scott Eyre in order to make room for Wood on the active roster....and mentioned Eyre, along with a million dollars, could be sent to either the Red Sox, Rays, Phillies or Yankees in a waiver trade for a prospect. The other option could be to send Sean Marshall down to Iowa, a move the Cubs do not want to make according to the Sun-Times.
In other news, Rich Hill was put back on the Minor League DL with back spasms. And Jason Marquis' next turn in the rotation could be skipped....stay tuned.
Rich Harden will make his 5th start for the Chicago Cubs today and could easily be 4-0 as a Cub, instead of 1-1. Harden has done his part and has allowed just 3 earned runs on 14 hits with 8 walks and 39 strikeouts in 24 1/3 innings. Harden is coming off his first win since being traded to Chicago in the first week of July.
Harden held the Brewers high powered offense to just 1 run on 6 hits in 7 innings, a solo home run by Prince Fielder, with 9 strikeouts and no walks. Harden was very efficient on the mound, kept his pitch count down and completed 7 innings for the second time in 4 games....the key was, he threw strikes and for the first time in a Cubs' uniform he did not walk a single batter. Harden must throw strikes once again today and not give the dangerous Astros' offense any help. At Wrigley this season, Harden does not have a record in 2 starts with a 0.87 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.
Today will be Harden's first career start against the Houston Astros.
- Geoff Blum - 1-for-4 with a double
- Darin Erstad - 5-for-26 with a double, 3 walks and 7 strikeouts
- Carlos Lee - 3-for-9 with a triple
- Miguel Tejada - 0-for-3
Alex Eisenberg sent the CCO an article on Rich Harden's mechanics. The article is posted on Baseball-Intellect.com and Eisenberg writes for the Hardball Times and Baseball Digest as well. Eisenberg used side-by-side video comparisons of Harden's delivery and there is also a link that discusses both Chad Gaudin and Sean Gallagher. This is an excellent article and well worth the read....
Rich Harden Article from Baseball-Intellect.com
Chad Gaudin/Sean Gallagher Article from Baseball-Intellect.com
Wandy Rodriguez will make his second start since the All-Star break against the Cubs. He shutdown the Cubs offense in Houston and the only mistake he made was a solo home run to Carlos Zambrano in 6 2/3 innings. The Cubs hit Rodriguez well but did not walk once and could not come through with a clutch hit when they needed it.
Rodriguez built on his start against the Cubs and beat the Brewers in Milwaukee with just as dominant a start. He held the Brewers to only 1 run on 3 hits in 6 innings of work....but, Rodriguez is coming of his first loss since June 21st. The Reds lit him up in Houston and scored 6 runs, all earned, on 9 hits in 4 2/3 innings....a rare bad start for Rodriguez at Minute Maid Park.
Rodriguez was 3-1 in 6 starts in July with a 5.45 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP while opponents hit .313 against him. In June, his best month of the season, he was 2-2 in 5 games with a 2.30 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP.
Rodriguez is 3-1 away from Minute Maid this season in 7 starts with a 4.03 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP.
Rodriguez has had the Cubs' number in his last 4 starts against Lou Piniella's crew. He is 4-4 in 9 career starts versus Chicago with a 4.12 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. Today will be his 5th career start at Wrigley Field and Rodriguez is 1-3 in his first 4 with a 7.58 ERA and a 1.84 WHIP.
- Henry Blanco - 1-for-5 with a double
- Ronny Cedeno - 1-for-10
- Mark DeRosa - 2-for-11 with a double and 3 walks
- Jim Edmonds - 1-for-7
- Kosuke Fukudome - 1-for-3
- Reed Johnson - 1-for-6
- Derrek Lee - 8-for-19 with 2 doubles, 2 home runs and 5 walks
- Aramis Ramirez - 4-for-21
- Alfonso Soriano - 0-for-6 with 2 walks
- Geovany Soto - 1-for-5
- Ryan Theriot - 8-for-14 with 3 doubles and a home run
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
Update - According to a report from the Sun-Times, Scott Eyre was designated for assignment on Tuesday morning by the Chicago Cubs in order to make room on the active roster for Kerry Wood. Wood was actived from the 15-day DL on Tuesday morning.
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Today's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Johnson - CF
DeRosa - 2B
Fukudome - RF
Blanco - C
Harden - P
While I certainly wanted Woody back, I feel sorta bad for Eyre. The report indicated he was pretty shook up about this, and it's too bad he couldn't find his form again.
That said, LET'S GO CUBS! The 'stros have had our number recently, but I think Harden is up to the task. Let's get our bats talking again! Really hoping that Theriot and DeRo have benefited from the time off.
And how does Bob Howry still have a job?
Nice quick inning by Harden, now lets jump all over Rodriguez right away.
There you go Lee, come on Aramis.
Just like you asked Nick?
Walk and a double!!
Damn, Rami..
Another HBP for Johnson! I love it!
now a few runs here would be nice.
DE-RO!!!!
There you go DeRo!!
"Captain DeRo, he our hero..."
I'm only able to watch on gameday, but it seems like Harden's pitches are missing up quite a bit. Neil, are you watching in on TV?
Man! Hank and Harden!!!! LOVIN IT!
Everyone else out there working too hard??? We've got action against Rodriguez!
Harden helping his on cause, and Soriano driving in the run!
No DP, D-Lee!
meant "own" not "on"
Scott, parroting Neil:
Let's go Rammy, let's go! (clap-clap-clap-clap-clap)
good job Reed.
Blow it wide open boys!
DeRo strikes again!!
hello guys! score looks pretty good right now. I have to give props to Hank, he has come up big time in little time. Harden can fly! and looks like the stros' did hit rush street last night.
Nice to see Rami break out of his slump, and Derek has three hits already. So far so good!
Harden was missing high in the 2nd.
Offense needs to crank it back up
Neil,you said it...he has missed way too much. No need for him to be still pitching.
Come on! Blum's frik'n batting .220 something! A single and 2 run dong??!!
How about a few more runs next inning.
How bout us getting outta this inning!
Oh no...
Its Bobby..
Good Point Cory, I read the outs wrong on Gameday.
Not Howry!!
Howry.? PSYCO music please chuin chuin chuin!
Howry.! now some ALELUYAH music!!!!!
Phew..
Good job.
Now, sit him down.
PPHHHHEEEEWWWWWW!!!
Man, would have been nice to get at least one there.
Oh god..He's still out there..
Bob Howry does it again!!!!!!!!!
Why did Lou leave him out there?
Why in the world is howry still pitcjing in MLB? another lead down the drain!!!!!!
Lou Pinella is a lunatic sometimes.
...worthless.
Should have walked the SOB when first is open...
This has got to stop at some point man. He can't miss a bat, I feel sorry for the guy but Lou has to know better.
Unreal!! Please god tell me this is the last we have seen of Howry.
Go figure. Bob effing sux. What a joke. SHould released his stupid ass.
Is that a senior moment?
The media had better call him out.
Howry has lost his spot on his roster. He is serving a HR about every 3 ABs...
You reap what you sow.
I hate Bob Howry....glad we went out and got some bullpen help at the deadline....Howry sucks. Oh well it's only a game, just like to take advantage of playing bad teams. Also glad we could get that run home with first and third with nobody out, great execution.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Cubs for firing SCOTT EYRE and not BOB HOWRY. Hope it was worth it, because you got rid of an average pitcher and kept around the one who will most likely cost us a pennant.
What are Pat and Ron saying?
My neighbor came over and needed a hand and when I left we had 1st and 3rd with nobody out and DLee up....I come back to see frik'n Carlos Lee hit a homer to put them up 7-6???!!!
Do I even want to know WTF happened??!!
We DFA'd the Wrong guy.
1st and 3rd no out and our 3 and 4 hitters make three outs on 3 pitches. Unbelievable. Is it even possible anymore for Bob Howry NOT to give up either a game tying or go ahead home run?
Tied! new ball game.
Yep, they might have DFA'd the wronng pitcher.
if you have never listed to a game on the radio you have to at some point. Santo is so funny to listen to especially when things go wrong. you can tell he wants to curse but can't. it's great.
Now 2nd and 3rd no outs. For the love of everything Harry Carrey, we HAVE to get some runs here.
DeRo came to play today.
Good job by Fukudome to get the run in.
::sigh::
Fresh start..
Lets get some more.
I'm right there with you nick.
Thank God. If Howry somehow qualifies for the win I'm going to vomit.
Just wait for them to bring in LaTroy. I can't believe how bad Bob Howry has been. What a douche.
Well that's one spot where "flyout Fukudome" can actually help you. New game and as long as Howry is out our bullpen should give us the edge.
Randy is fun to listen to.
I say make it a three man booth.
I'm not even kidding, haha.
Come on Geo!
I wouldn't worry about Fukudome. Yeah he's not great now, but come playoff time the guy will be a huge asset.
no surprise there with the strike out. as great as Soto has been he has been even worse with 2 strikes and down in the count.
I was just breaking his balls but for the money he's making he better be an asset GETTING us to the playoffs as well.
I duno about the three-man booth, but Randy is hilarious.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?! SORIANO!!!!
CHANT IT NEIL!!!
WOOHOO!!!
First Cub to 20 and he's even missed half the season!!!
BIG SHOT!!! THat a boy Sori!
SORIANO!!!!!!
I love you Soriano!
SO-RI-ANO (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap)!!!!
Keep tacking on!
Soriano is hitting out of his mind right now. 0-2 pitch, watching on gameday so someone tell me where that pitch was and where it landed. Insane.
Ryan,
It was middle in, and Sori cranked on it, planted it in left center about 15 rows up. From my vantage point in my living room, anyway!
I've been thinking...Soriano in the lead-off spot issue is a non-issue right?
DLee with the second bloooooooop! and great jump there by Theriot with the SB!
Stolen base...scoring on a single...very nice.
Ryan R I think your gonna have to vomit.
I just realized Howry qualified for the win, so I'm going to the bathroom to puke.
Couldn't take the Howry thing too long Cory. I may have ruined the carpet. LOL
Woody is in to throw some flames. I take it Marmol will finish the game? Last season Marmol appeared in 59 games. This year it is already 57. Last year he ran out of gas. Are they trying to kill him this year? Does anyone understand Lou's thinking regarding the constant use of Marmol?
I think the pinch hitter or runner should be given the win...
Somehow I dont think Marquis or Ward will mind a W on their pitchig record.
Hell, Ward just wants something positive wherever he can get it.
7 pitches 6 strikes and 3 outs, even giving up a hit. Good comeback outing for Wood.
Tom,
I agree about Marmol. I'd like to see them throw the Shark again.
Tom,
I can't remember, but was Marmol up for the whole year last year? Nobody has yet to convince me that sending a 20 something pitcher out there every other day to throw 15-20 pitches really wears him down.
Here comes Marmol, so I guess we'll find out at least for today.
Marmol really needs to find a way to keep Lee in the On-deck circle. 1 down, good so far.
Also note that as a closer Marmol just pitches one inning instead of his regular two as a set up.
CUBS WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cubs WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good total team effort, well except for Howry.
Great to see this! Only in baseball can numbers be so skewed from one game to the next. Sometimes we get 44 AB and sometimes 32 AB. Sometimes 2 runs and sometimes 13 runs. Sometimes 4 hits and sometimes 16 hits.
BTW, if the Cubs win a weather-shortened home game, do they still play "Go Cubs Go"?
I can see the teams behind us falling flat apart this month and make this division race a non issue come September. Can I buy a Kosuke Fukudome is my homie t-shirt in South Carolina? I can't seem to find one in any MLB store. Is it only a local thing?
What a rollercoaster today! Awesome that we came out on top on that Sarionao 3-run HR...Lou said a few weeks ago that Sori was our biggest HR threat..and he was right! If our offense keeps coming back after relievers give up leads (Gaudin did the same two days ago), pretty soon the relievers will want to give up the lead so they can get the win....
It's ironic that we couldn't win Harden's first two starts when he was lights out, but we won today when he didn't have it!
Lou just said during his postgame presser that Rich told him he was tired when Lou went to the mound. He said it was the first time so far that Rich has told him he'd had enough.
Great win today! ... Much better outcome and weather wise than the game I was at last night.
On an unrelated note, it looks like the O's called up our old friend Luis Montanez today ... wasn't he supposed to be our star SS for 15 years?!?
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!
I know everyone wants to say it, but is afraid to say it, so I'll just go ahead and say it. The cubs magic number is 44 in the division vs. Brewers and 43 vs Cardinals. That's right...I said it!!!
man, Harden pitches all world style, and we can't score runs, then struggles, and we score more than 10!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!! This team is seriously retarded some times, but I'll take this win anyday.
Howry, while he sucks, and does NOT belong on this team with his low 90's fastball with no movement...he's still the BETTER option than Eyre....
Look, I feel awful....seriously awful about Eyre. The dude has overcome a lot. He has ADHD, takes meds for that, and he's struggled through a lot. He was a starter with the Sux, switched to relief, and turned his career around...However, he has never really pitched that great out of the pen, save for two years where he flat out dominated. Howry, on the other hand, has had more success than Eyre.
Man, it's heart-wrenching to see that, in all honesty though....A good clubhouse guy, really kept guys loose, was instrumental in Gallagher's development, and just an overall good guy.....man, I feel bad, but that's baseball, and the Cubs still have Demp and Wood---two very good clubhouse guys, so they should be fine...hopefully.
Man, I wish I could've seen this game live...I'll settle for the re-run on mlb.tv. It sounded like a crazy game to watch judging by all of your comments on here
Does anyone remember the waiver rules? I believe the Cubs can actually bring him back, can't they? I mean, even though it's a DFA, that's the same thing as placing a guy on waivers, right? So, therefore, since he slid through waivers, he has 7 days to be traded. If the Cubs can't find a trade partner, then can't they bring him back, rather than losing him for nothing? In all honesty, I love Marshall----------in the rotation---------but not really in the pen, so it doesn't really make sense than Eyre was DFA'd...but who knows?
Wow great win! Does this offense need Soriano, or what?!?
Eyre is still a good guy, and he will be remembered by the team if/when there is post season money to share. He said himself that, while it's tough to take, he had a fair shake with the Cubs. He knows that his skills have eroded and that the team has better alternatives. He's made about $8 million the last 3 years, including $3.8 mil this year.
I don't think it's impossible for a dfa'd guy to eventually come back. But you have to free up a roster spot or sign him to a minor league deal--which teams don't do very often. Maybe, he now signs for a pro-rated minimum salary with another team (with the Cubs paying his remaining contract salary) as a high risk low cost stop gap one out pitcher. But, it seems to me, that Eyre is done.
hey guys...
I scoured the net to find prospects that might help in relief for us later in the year, and I was reminded of Petrick...and also found a cool site for minor league transactions:
http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=1401
It's weird, because Petrick is listed as "suspended", which I have no clue what that means, given no article online talks about this, and last I knew, he was on rehab. I did an additional search, and this guy was talking about how his parents golfed with Petrick's in Morris, IL recently, and evidently they said he's looking at returning to the club this year.......hmmmmmmmmmm
Guzman would certainly come to mind, and with Chad Fox a possible DFA candidate, and Eyre already being DFA'd, there are certainly spots on the 40-man to be had.
I think in September, the most likely to get calls would be: Hoffpauir, Pie, Hart, Ascanio, Wuertz (if he improves more than recent outings), Guzman, Hill (again, like Wuertz, if he can get it together very soon), and possibly Petrick if that guy was right about him being on his way back
As stated before, I think Chad Fox should be looking at a DFA soon, and if you saw Lieber's performance tonight....yikes!!! He got torched. I think Lieber might join him as a DFA. Additionally, minor league guys that don't figure into future plans and could be DFA candidates would include: Harben (currently posting 2-5 record, 5.01 ERA, 20 games, 7 games started, 55 innings, 52 BB, 51 K's, 1.87 WHIP), Pignatiello (horrible this year with close to 6+ ERA), Jake Fox (Wellington Castillo has passed him by now for sure), and Sam Fuld (if he's not brought up for defense)
Now, as for non-40 man guys that could be added, I'd probably say: DuBois, Kroeger, Torres, and Ceda probably have the best chance of anyone to replace DFA'd guys.
Guys, how awesome would this pen look:
Cotts
Gaudin
Guzman
Samardzija
Ceda
Marmol
Wood
If that happens, I'd just replace Marquis with Marshall in the rotation, as Lou seems intent on skipping him a few times in the near future anyhow.
If we had that pen, that would virtually guarantee a postseason for us, and success beyond. I mean, any useful parts for the future (meaning single-A non-40 man guys) that we can get for Eyre, Howry, Lieber, Chad Fox, and Marquis would be gravy.
I bet anything Howry would pass just as well as Eyre did, and with Joba Chamberlain being injured, perhaps the Yankees look to Marquis? hmmmmmmmmmmm
anyways, just thinking out loud
I just got back from the Chiefs game, and I agree, Lieber was pretty bad. The first two innings there were a few hard hit balls but he didn't give up anything, the third inning on the other hand was a disaster. He ended up giving up 3 runs in 3 innings. All 3 in the third inning.
IS MY COMPUTER MALFUNCTIONING. I CAN'T SEE TO POST MY LAST COMMENT?
OUR BROTHERS ON THE FIELD WERE SUPER! SCORE 11 RUNS EVERY GAME AND WE SHOULDN'T LOSE.
DOES ANYBODY BESIDES ME LOVE NORTHWESTERN? HERE IS OUR 2008 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE:
AUG 30 SYRACUSE
SEP 6 AT DUKE
SEP 13 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
SEP 20 OHIO
SEP 27 AT IOWA
OCT 11 MICHIGAN STATE
OCT 18 PURDUE
OCT 25 AT INDIANA
NOV 1 AT MINNESOTA
NOV 8 OHIO STATE
NOV 15 AT MICHIGAN
NOV 22 ILLINOIS
FOR ANYBODY INTERSETED, VISIT NUSPORTS.COM
GOD BLESS YOU!
Aaron, thanks for the link, that is pretty cool.