Game Sixty-Four: Cubs (32-31) vs. Indians (29-40)
Game Time - 12:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: WGN TV - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 175
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago
Ted Lilly (7-4, 2.94/1.06) vs. Tomo Ohka (0-1, 4.24/1.18)
Can the Cubs win three in a row? The Cubs have shown they can hit late in games over the last two days, it is time for them to get out in front early and give one of their starters a win.
Ted Lilly will face a very good Indians' offense this afternoon led by an ex-teammate. Mark DeRosa lit up Ted Lilly in Mesa during Spring Training and many thought Lilly tipped his pitches that afternoon. When he was questioned about it back in March, Lilly promised there would be different results if he faced DeRosa during this series.
Carl Pavano was originally scheduled to start today for the Tribe but was pushed back to next week due to a sore neck. The Cubs will face former Brewer, Tomo Ohka instead. Ohka is coming off his first big league start since June 6, 2007 when he was with the Blue Jays. Ohka put together a solid outing in a loss to the Cardinals ... his only mistakes, two solo home runs by Albert Pujols.
So while the Cubs' offense tries to build off the last two games ... it all starts with Ted Lilly.
Ted Lilly is coming off another impressive outing ... without a decision. In his last start against the Twins, Lilly put together one of his longest outings of the year. Lilly allowed only two runs on nine hits in 7 2/3 innings with six strikeouts and no walks. The Cubs scored only two runs while Lilly was on the mound. After Carlos Gomez tied the game in the sixth with a home run, Lilly was long gone by the time Derrek Lee went from first to third and scored on a single by Ryan Theriot ... Lilly helped put an end to the Cubs four-game losing streak.
The Cubs have won Lilly's last four starts and on the year they are 9-4 when Lilly takes the ball.
'The Bulldog' has been very good at Wrigley this season (4-1 in six starts with a 1.48 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP) and the Cubs will need a similar performance this afternoon. One of the keys to Lilly's success this year has been his ability to throw strikes. Lilly has walked only 20 batters in 85 2/3 innings to go along with 69 strikeouts ... and at home, just five walks in 42 2/3 innings with 38 strikeouts. The Indians figure to hit a couple of longballs this afternoon and Lilly must limit them to solo shots.
Ted Lilly is 1-0 in his last three starts with a 1.27 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP with just three walks in 21 1/3 innings (three earned runs on 18 hits with 17 strikeouts).
Lilly is 4-3 in 11 career games, nine starts, against the Tribe with a 4.28 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP.
- Jamey Carroll - 3-for-10 with a double and a home run
- Mark DeRosa - 2-for-10 with a home run and a walk
- Ryan Garko - 0-for-3
- Travis Hafner - 2-for-12 with a double and a walk
- Victor Martinez - 3-for-8 with 2 walks
- Jhonny Peralta - 0-for-3 with a walk
The Cubs will get their first look at Tomo Ohka today in an Indians' uniform. The last time they faced the veteran right-hander he was in a Brewers' uniform. A very different Cubs' roster beat Ohka on August 8, 2006. Carlos Marmol picked up his fifth win as a starter and Ryan Dempster recorded his 22nd save of the year ... Jacque Jones and John Mabry both went deep in the 6-3 win. But that was then...
Ohka will make his second start of the year for the Indians after missing the entire 2008 season. Ohka gave up on two runs on seven hits in seven innings to the Cardinals without a walk and two strikeouts. Today will be Ohka's fourth game of the year. Before his start against the Cardinals he put together two five-inning relief appearances for Eric Wedge.
The Cubs should be familiar with Ohka. While he did not fool the Yankees or Twins in his two relief outings (six runs, all earned, on 11 hits in 10 innings with two walks and three strikeouts), his start against the Cardinals is concerning. For a pitcher that has not fared too well in his career to hold the Cardinals to only two Albert Pujols home runs he must have found something that worked ... at least for one day.
Ohka is 1-2 in five career starts against the Cubs with a 7.30 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP.
- Koyie Hill - 0-for-3
- Reed Johnson - 0-for-6
- Derrek Lee - 7-for-20 with 3 home runs and 5 walks
- Aaron Miles - 0-for-2
- Alfonso Soriano - 2-for-2 with a walk
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
Today's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Bradley - RF
Lee - 1B
Fontenot - 3B
Fukudome - CF
Hill - C
Blanco - 2B
Lilly - P
So Fox gets one game???? Thats it!!!!????
Reportedly they are going to play Fox at third against southpaws until Ramirez gets back...
They face a lefty tomorrow and three next weekend against the Sox. Right now Vazquez, Edwin Jackson and Rick Porcello, all righties, follow Jeremy Sowers to start the week.
From his AAA #'s he has no problem with righties but oh well. Atleast he will start to see the field. Thanks for the info Neil.
Also...I believe he will be used as a DH
this week against Detroit/WS.
Suzy, Lou has mentioned that as well as using Hoffpauir in a DH role or both at first base to spell Derrek Lee.
I would be surprised if Milton is not their DH next week. Many position players have trouble 'just hitting' it breaks their routine. Bradley thrived in that role last year. Just my two cents...have not read/heard.
Good point...we'll see if you right.
It would be interesting to see Fox/Hoffy/and Bradley in the lineup
together.
On the Cubs website...under transactions,
on 6/17 the Cubs signed 3 undrafted
Pacific Rim players...I can't find any info on them...does anyone have the scoop on them?
Not yet, I will do some digging.
Suzy...the Boise Hawks opening day roster was announced yesterday and some of those signings are just details.
Here's info on Hak-Ju Lee...
http://chicagocubsonline.com/archives/2008/05/cubs_lee_hakju.php
Hak-Ju Lee looks like an interesting prospect...he will bear watching.
Thanks for the info Neil.
Kosuke's hitting coach from Japan is expected to be in Chicago over the next couple of days.
Santo is not doing radio today...
Is Santo sick?
Santo was briefly on the pre-game show...but is not doing his segment with Lou Piniella.
They said he was fine...did not give details.
Good to hear. Hopefully he can help Fukudome and maybe some of the other as well.
Let the speculation begin...
Mark DeRosa is not in the starting lineup today.
Nice dream.
Did you hear him on Sports Central last night?
sounded like he still wanted to be a cub to me.
Yep...did not want to leave. Cannot imagine his comments about the Cubs and Wrigley went over well in Cleveland.
He's probably just getting a day off. Wasn't he kind of gimpy yesterday?
He did hit the wall kinda hard yesterday but he was looking forward to facing Ted Lilly today.
Said he was fine last night when he was on with Kaplan.
My greatest bummer scenario with DeRo...is he goes to the Cards.
That would be horrible.
According to Kaplan and Bruce Levine, the Indians are looking for Major League ready starting pitching for DeRosa. For as good as the Cardinals are, they do not have the prospects to trade.
But I more than agree with both of you.
http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/wire/sns-ap-bbo-indians-derosa-scratched,0,874231.story
Here you go
Thanks Draven.
Thanks...
WOW! That was quick, back to back doubles
Where did the 2-2 pitch to Francisco miss?
Nice DP
LET'S GO OFFENSE! LET'S GO!!!!
maybe it's me, but much of Bradley's contact from the left side always just seem to be weak..grounders, liners, pop ups, fly balls. I'd like to see him hit righty more often.
it's a shame that Cy Ohka is on top of his game today. if he wasn't the Cubs would be knocking him around I'm sure.
I know the Cubs are in a stretch of playing many games in a row, and they need to rest guys, but since Geo was starting to heat up, I would like to have seen him hitting at # 5 today. Fontenot is struggling to baddly to be hitting there.
Gary, I agree. Fontenot is more than struggling with the bat right now.
5th inning...let's change the scenario and take the lead NOW.
Almost...
Going to have to crank up the bats. They are making Ohka look good
DLEEE....WHEEEE!!!!!
hey i remember this guy. D Lee. When did we get him back?
DLEE!!!
En Fuego!!!!!!!!
Check him for Steroids.
Im joking.
D-Lee is not that stupid to do that.
Maybe that will get Kosuke going,
I can't believe Lou. Would he sit D Lee and play Hoff already.
Maybe trade him for a bag of baseballs to the Giants. He has a no-trade, but I'm sure he'd waive it to go the west coast.
While he's at it, get rid of Bradley because he had a horrible April. June has been ok, but who cares about that.
Squeeze?
MICAH MONEY!!!!
HOW ABOUT HOFFY!!!!!!!
LILLY IN LINE FOR WIN!!!
i don't recognize this team...is this the 2009 Cubs?...18 Runs in 3 games?
That could have been much worse...Be nice to see Marmol have an inning without a walk again.
And now that the offense is picking up, our big problem for the majority of this year and last year is popping up: the pen.
Bospeh, just because the offense has been there the last 3 games doesn't mean it has returned. if they can sustain this over a few weeks at least then maybe we can say the offense has returned.
Three walks...loaded bases
Lilly did not give up a single free pass, Marmol, Ascanio and Heilman...five in less than 2 innings.
Three of Heilman's best breaking balls of the year ... he got of it!
Nice sac bunt by Koyie Hill ... two productive outs for him today.
And, again, this will come down to Lee and Theriot.
And against Kerry again.
After today if Guzman is still sore, they might have to make a move.
I cannot stand intentional walks.
Well...there's Angel. Where was he in the seventh?
Wouldn't it have been nice if Bradley could have finally hit one out in the 9th and won the game? That's what I was sitting here thinking, but Milton just seems to be missing whatever it was that made him such a clutch hitter with the Rangers last year. Boy oh boy could it make a huge difference if he started hitting like he is being paid the big bucks to do. Hope springs eternal!
Charles, On several occasions I've had that thought....still waiting.
Guzman is wearing Glasses. Is today the first. Don't think I have seen those before today.
I have not seen them before. I was thinking the same thing.
Maybe he was looking at Gregg and thought "now that is a look I need" lol.
Maybe he had a Rick Vaughn problem.
Is he still available?
May be cheaper than Pedro.
I'd take rookie Willie Mays Hayes in a heartbeat, right now.
and turn Soriano into Sorano or maybe all Soriano needs is a little Jobu
"I stick it up for you Jobu. You no help me now...I say fuck you Jobu. I do it myself."
^^
The Cubs bullpen:
And then there were two.
Jake Fox better get this atbat for Rick Vaughn here
How does Jake Fox not get this at bat??????????????
Save him for RISP
Again Jim, I agree.
It must be that old righthander vs. lefthanded batter mindset by Piniella...not a good omen to keep losing the scoring chances in these extra innings.
Z pinch hitting?
I would have used Patton with the way he was pitching the other day.
Those bases on balls are playing with fire and just asking for trouble. Better not give the Indians a run here. K. Wood is itching to make up for that blown save yesterday.
If Bradley wants some love from the fans well then hit a walk-off HR and you will see the appreciation MB.
Well, we're back to scratching for offense again...against another great
pitching staff.
Did I hear some boos as Bradley struck out one more time when the Cubs needed him to get a hit badly? I hope so; I would have joined in had I been at Wrigley! The disappointment in him continues.
No way...
Ugh =(
Who in the blank is this kid? Three home runs in two games. Unreal!
Alright.
Just get a ball into the outfield.
Real easy. Just get it there..
ANDY WHITE!!!
God I love throwing errors.
If Blanco can't get it done...I'm really excited to have left up to Mini Miles.
Thankyou Blanco!
That'll work.
Look at Blanco. All clutch lately.
Welcome home, Woody, haha!
Thank you Kerry "Balls" Wood.
Kerry Wood is still Mr. Cub...but I don't think he feels really good about it just now.
YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!! WHAT A FINISH!!!!!!
Hell yes!
This is silly fun. =)
The 2007 Cardiac Cubs are back!
KERRY WOOD SUCKS
Classy
I still wish Woody was still on the team.
I'm with you Waldo.
Kerry always buckled under pressure, someone get him a beer, I'm buying.
If the gifts keep coming, the Cubs will take them. Isn't it great to see a guy like Blanco, brought up from the minors, come through in a very big situation. Nice to get another win, anyway, anywhere!
I feel sorry for Woddy. The catcher lost the game for them.
Also nice game for the Cubs.
JH should call the Indians and ask about Wood maybe they will pay a quarter of contrace. He is getting 20 million over 2 years ask if they can pay 7-8 million of the 12 million.
Then the Cubs only have to pay 2-3 million this year with the ownership not done and 10 million next year when ownership is in place to take on his contract.
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!
any other pitcher and i would feel fine.. glad they won, but feel horrible for wood.. though i would blame the C and SS more than wood.. you just know that wood and derosa would rather be on this team, a part of the rallies the last few games
even after that HR in the top of the inning, still thought they had a chance to win.. a much different feeling than i would've had last week
This is the first winning streak we've had that actually seems like progress. Unfortunately, there is still the very real threat that the bullpen can blow any game at any given time, like we saw today. As good as this win is, we still had to tie it up before we won it in the 13th. And Brenley pointed it out: Patton's not hiding his pitches; Bob said it was going to be a fastball by looking at his hand, it was, and it wound up over the fence. It's the kind of move a guy gets fixed in the minors...where Patton needs to be. He's just a pitcher we're going to have to allow to leave, because his lack of good mechanics are going to cost the team more than help them. If our offense wasn't waking up, this would have been a loss.
Patton needs to be in the minors but will eventullly be up in the majors at some point.
Boseph, There are still a lot of problems.
Our 28 million investment (Soriano/Bradley) was 1 for 10 with 1 walk. That cannot continue.
If the Cubs havn't sent Patton back to Colorado at this point...they are not going to. I suspect they will carry him and play him as little as possible...
and then give him a ton of winter work.
The bullpen did not do that badly.
It was encouraging to see Kosuke come alive....Fox, Hoffy and their bats contribute.
Lou still needs to sit Sori for awhile
to get him straightened out...and we
keep waiting to see something from Uncle Milty...more consistantly.
Brenly was commenting about how you can tell when looking from behind i.e. the center field camera, seeing into Patton's glove what he is going to throw, something not clearly evident to the hitter unless he has x-ray vision. Patton's not tipping anything..
Patton's a righty, so a third base coach could easily pick up what he's about to throw with enough film time simply by looking at arm angles and hand positioning. A good third base coach would notice a difference in arm and/or wrist angle (and there is a slightly noticeable difference) and signal either the batter (if a lefty) or the first base coach (if a righty). Yeah, it seems like too much work, but the speed at which these guys can signal each other is very under-appreciated.
I am not ready to give up on Patton. He's every bit as good as Marmol right now. Sure, he gives up a HR now and then, but so does Marmol. And Patton walks a lot less batters. I'm in no hurry to ship him out, and hope the Cubs hold him all year.
I'm with rip, I think Patton has good stuff, including a mid 90s fastball. Considering he gets to pitch only once a week, he does pretty well. Most of you know he's Rule 5 and can't go to the Cub's minor league system. I say, good relievers are hard to find and the Cub's have gone this far with him, might as well as ride out the rest of the year.