Game Seventy-Eight: Cubs (39-38) vs. Brewers (42-38)
Game Time - 12:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: WGN TV - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 175
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago
Rich Harden (5-4, 4.57/1.40) vs. Braden Looper (6-4, 4.90/1.40)
Happy 4th of July from the CCO!
Weather permitting ... Will Soriano or Fuld his lead off for the Chicago Cubs this afternoon? Following the Cubs walk-off win on Friday, Lou Piniella said the Cubs would be making adjustments to the lineup. Dave Kaplan reported his sources indicated Soriano would be in the lineup, hitting sixth against the Brewers today ... possibly with Sam Fuld in the top spot in either center or right field. Milton Bradley has only one hit in eight-career at bats against Braden Looper (a home run) while Kosuke Fukudome is 5-for-16 with a double and a home run ... it might be a good time to give Bradley a day off.
The Cubs enter play today two and a half games back of the Cardinals, third place in a very tight NL Central ... five teams are within four games of the top spot.
The Cubs are on the verge of several roster moves. Aramis Ramirez and Reed Johnson are expected to be activated on Monday. The Cubs will have to send down two players and the speculation is Mike Fontenot could be one of those players. Kevin Hart appears to be the odd man out when Angel Guzman returns. Andres Blanco has impressed the Cubs with his glove and his bat. Blanco gives the team a legitimate backup at short and has shown more offense than Fontenot of late. Paul Sullivan mentioned during Sports Central Friday night that either Micah Hoffpauir or Sam Fuld could be sent down when Ramirez is activated.
The offense must not help out Braden Looper this afternoon ... but it all starts with Rich Harden and one win at a time.
Rich Harden is coming off his best outing of the year against the Pirates. Harden allowed one run on a season-high nine hits in seven innings but looked much more like the pitcher the Cubs traded for nearly a year ago. Harden found an early grove and mixed his fastball with his tremendous change up and struck out nine ... with only one walk. Harden must limit his free passes again today because the Brewers will hit a few out, the key is to limit them to solo shots.
Harden's last start was only the second time all season he did not serve up at least one home run (May 1 against the Marlins).
Rich Harden has struggled at Wrigley this year and the last time he posted a win at home was back on May 12 against the Padres. The Cubs offense did not help a couple of times but for the most it has been all Rich Harden. He is 2-3 in seven starts at the Friendly Confines this season with a 6.31 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP.
Today will be Harden's second start of the year against Milwaukee. He received a no-decision on April 10 in a Cubs 4-3 loss at Miller Park. Harden allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits in six innings with a season-high 10 strikeouts and only two walks.
In three career starts against the Brewers, Harden is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP.
- Ryan Braun - 2-for-9 with a double
- Mike Cameron - 0-for-10 with a walk
- Frank Catalanotto - 1-for-4 with a double and 2 walks
- Craig Counsell - 0-for-4 with a walk
- Prince Fielder - 1-for-7 with a home run and 2 walks
- Jody Gerut - 1-for-8 with a double and 2 walks
- Bill Hall - 1-for-2 with a double
- J.J. Hardy - 0-for-8 with a walk
- Corey Hart - 1-for-4 with a home run
- Jason Kendall - 0-for-6 with a walk
- Braden Looper - 0-for-2
Braden Looper has put together a good first half for the Brewers ... that includes a dominating start against the Cubs on April 10. Looper is coming off an impressive win against the Mets in which he gave up three runs, one earned, on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Looper posted a 1-1 record in June (six starts) with a 6.06 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP and his struggled on the road this year to the tune of a 2-3 record in six starts with a 6.67 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP.
The Cubs allowed Jeff Suppan to have a lot of success on Friday and they must make Braden Looper elevate his ball this afternoon ... or it will be another frustrating day at the plate. Looper has put together very good numbers against the Cubs despite a losing record (3-6 in nine career starts, 41 games, with a 2.57 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP).
- Andres Blanco - 1-for-1
- Milton Bradley - 1-for-8 with a home run
- Mike Fontenot - 2-for-11 with a walk
- Kosuke Fukudome - 5-for-16 with a double and a home run
- Koyie Hill - 0-for-4 with a walk
- Micah Hoffpauir - 1-for-3 with a double
- Derrek Lee - 7-for-26 with a double, a home run and 2 walks
- Alfonso Soriano - 3-for-17
- Geovany Soto - 4-for-10 with a double, a home run and 2 walks
- Ryan Theriot - 6-for-21 with a double and 2 walks
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
Today's lineup:
Fukudome - CF
Theriot - SS
Lee - 1B
Bradley - RF
Fox - 3B
Soriano - LF
Soto - C
Fontenot - 2B
Harden - P
OK, it is good that Soriano was dropped.
However, the pschotic jerk-off is batting clean up. The line up s/b:
CF Fuld
SS Theriot
1b Lee
3b Fox
RF Fukudome
LF Soriano
c Soto
2b Fontenot
Harden
Happy Fourth of July to all. I may miss today's game if they play...but hope for a win.
GO CUBS!!!
SuzyS:
Have a nice day off, bring a radio.
From MLB trade rumors:
Royals GM Dayton Moore has heard from multiple teams about Mark Teahen, including the Red Sox, Cubs, Angels and Giants.
Trading for Teahen is good...if this was two months ago. I can totally see now that the I-Cub guys are pulling it off Hendry trading Fox and some good prospects for him...at this point, it's kinda worthless to trade for him, in fact, it's counter-productive to trade for him, especially if they're intent on getting Bradley in there every game.
With baseball as a suitable metaphor for life and the understandings essential to the good life, we pause to remember:
Strike 1. The two Georges of political fame who came to prominence in the late '70's. One was a below the Mendoza line player--who played to the excesses and mis-placed esteem of his Kingship. The other was a stellar performer in any park, was Ruthian with arm and with bat and has a capitol named after him.
2. Strike 2. It is a given that, as players in the sports of our choice (or a lot of other endeavors for that matter), we are all much better performers now (upon reflection of performing) than we were in actuality. Thus, on a day when we celebrate the birth of our freedoms, a stonger indication of humility is likely in order--to include the freedom of speech. And there's this about "having it" whether it be giving up 5 runs in the first inning or humility. If you think you have it--you don't.
3. My sense is that some of us are pushing our luck as we've begun to mix a little sexual inuendo with a lot of baseball on site. It's probably enough to just quietly acknowledge that man/woman do not live by bread alone. They must have peanut butter.
4. It could be....It is!! We could all benefit from the examples set by Neil in matters of practice regarding baseball and sex. We know his honest reportorial approach to baseball, along with occasional emotion. Not so well known (in the other ballpark) was his reponse to an attractive Hooters girl offering anything he wanted for $100. He quickly accepted the offer--and then added, "Paint my house." Quite an exemplary model, our Neil.
I'm guessing it's past time for the game at Wrigley. Go Blue.
For the record, it was $200.
Huh?
I think they'll send Hoffpauir down. He's outperforming Bradley, Soriano, and Funko, so he's the obvious choice.
I can't believe they are leading off with Funko. I'd give Fuld a chance to play CF and let Funko sit.
They've got that rally-killer Bradley batting cleanup again. His RBI totals are really climbing hitting #4, as he now has 17. If this hot streak continues, he's going to get 34 by the end of the year. Believe it or not, Bradley hit .273 in June with 3--count 'em--3 RBI. And he only missed 3 games in June.
I think Lou is trying to blow the Cubs' chances for the playoff with these lineups. Yesterday the Cubs won despite Lou and Bradley and Sorry-oh-no. But sooner or later they'll catch up to us if Lou keeps them playing.
Looking at Sorry-oh-no's stats . . .
Hit .198 for June with 2 HR, 7 RBI, 106 ab.
If anyone cares i went to the cheifs game last nite Ramirez looked good hit a double of the right feild wall. also does anyone kno anything about Nelson Perez he gave me and my brother each a bat and signed them just wondering what kind of prospect he is.
Grant, we all care and I am glad Ramirez and Johnson both looked good.
As for Nelson Perez, nice prospect. He has struggled this year.
http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?pos=&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=521656
But you never know ... keep hold of that bat.
Thanks! but one thing was in batting practice he was hitting to right most of the time. Also thanks for the info!
I am ok with Fuku leading off. As long as Sori is leading off.
I predict Fuku will lead off with a bunt base hit.
Sending Hoffpauir down would be the stupidest thing they could do. He hasn't been swinging the hottest bat latley, but to keep his hot bat Lou has to PLAY HIM. Send Bradley down. I'm pretty sure he must OK it, and if he doesnt that is one of the most selfish things he can do. Hoffpauir has performed and you havent. Deal with it. Swallow your pride and go to Iowa and learn how to hit right handed pitching.
Cap. Obvious says, "Harden doe not have it today!!
Hardin is only throwing 83-88 mph.
Well, that was quick. Intentional walks, and Harden is struggling at Wrigley once again.
5-0. Put in the I-Cubs!
I think it's time to cut ties with Harden. If you can get anything for him, do it now. For a while, I thought he might be able to salvage things, but it's looking like he's not going to perform at Wrigley ever again, so just go ahead and trade him now. Heck, if we can get the equivalent of what we traded for him, that's even better.
Speaking of which, how have Patterson and Gallagher done with the A's?
Eric Patterson has played 73 games at AAA this year, hit .308. Only 2 games with the A's he's 1-8. Sean Gallager is 1-2 with a 8.16 ERA in 6 big league games this year, 1-0 with a 1.74 in 5 games at AAA.
Len Kaspar says Blanco ain't going down because he's outta options. Hoffpauir or Fontenot, Fuld or Fox have options. OUCH!
Did you see DLee in a coma on 2B? 2 out single to left doesn't score a run because he's asleep at the switch.
Sorry-oh-no is CLUTCH!
I will have to disagree on Lee ... Fox hit the ball hard, no chance for him to score. Soriano has to come through in that situation and he did not.
Okay, Fontenot should have been sent. I did not agree with Quade holding Fontenot in that spot.
Hardin a FA? He's working on a big contract.
Kaspar also admitted that, when it comes to roster spots, "it isn't about who deserves to be on the team, but who has options left." In other words he is preparing us for when Hoffpauir gets sent out.
If Hoffpauer gets sent down I will be done with this team this year.
Jim, get ready. That was the talk last night and again today. I would rather them go with an 11-man staff that Len mentioned.
Soriano could be placed on the DL but I doubt it.
Nice DP by the Brewers.
I actually think Hoffpauir would profit by getting a chance to knock the rust off. He's languished on the bench for so long.
It is easy to see why the Cubs waived McGehee. He's hitting only .320 with 23 RBI in pattime play for the BrewCrew.
I remember at the time I wonder why they put him on waivers. They raved about his leadership for years.
Sorry-oh-no! Somebody rescue the Cubs from this guy!!!!
I would want my money back if I went to this game.
ha! yeah right Jim..
This would be the type of game i would take a date to. my luck.
how frustrating. even though we have given up seven runs. we had all the opportunities to be right in this one..
I like Patton. He should pitch more.
Sorry-oh-no gets another chance to show why he's worthy $138 million.
Neil, what happened to the Down on the Farm Report? I enjoyed Nate's work!
Nate had to take a break, trying to figure out the next step for the CCO's minor league coverage.
OK, thanks.
On the plus side: this game could very possibly get rained out before the 5th. Here's hoping.
I'm almost glad I missed the start of the game...WOW...Lou is the most inept manager this year....unbelievable. "we're going to make some changes to the lineup"...LOL How laughable is this, really?!? I mean, it's the same damn lineup Lou...just different spots. ONLY difference is Soto in for Hill (and Hill had 2 hits yesterday). It's just unbelievable how this idiot has lasted all year without much criticism from the media (though he's been getting some of late).
Bradley, struggling like he has with Looper. Same for Soriano. The logical thing to do would be to put Hoffpauir in RF for Bradley, and Fuld in for Soriano in LF and at lead-off. I don't get Piniella this year. His actions are inexcusable.
Fuld was hot, so what does he do? Sits him in favor of a .230 hitter. Hoffpauir has almost double the RBI that Bradley has...so what does he do? Sits him. It's unwatchable at this point...utterly ridiculous...just when we start thinking, "okay...maybe this team can get something going"...Lou is actually the one that kills it
Perhaps Phil Rogers can write an article to criticize Harden and create a poll about trading Harden too.
I'm just back home from Dallas after seeing the Rangers/Rays game last night. It was so friggin hot it was miserable, even for a baseball fanatic like yours truly. One thing that stands out in my mind from the game, won by the Rangers, was the performance of their closer, Frankie Francisco. He came in the game, immediately started throwing strikes (as usual) with big time heat (in the mid 90's) and didn't give the Rays hitters any chance to make any comeback...1,2,3 and it's over. I thought to myself, now wouldn't it be nice to have a guy like that to take control for the Cubs....well one can dream, can't one!
I'm not watching nor listening to this sham of a game this afternoon. I will read the comments of all of you and be as informed as I want to be. I'm sad to hear that Micah H. might get sent down...almost wish they would just trade him to a team who will better utilize his talents (which are several). He deserves regular playing time instead of a few of those "jokes" in the lineup now and we all know who I mean. Oh well, maybe he'll be around when I plan to visit relatives in Colorado in early August and take in the Cubs at Coors Field. Maybe not.
MILTON! Great to see...
Nice DP by the BrewCrew.
Bradley hits a HR???? Maybe the guy will get ontrack after all. He can't get worse. I'd like to see him bat leadoff. He walks enough to justify batting him there.
Lee singles and Bradley crushed it left-handed just right of dead center. Others making contact recently too. Joshua for President!! Overcoming 7-2 is lot much to hope for. But what the heck!
Did you see Patton's curve buckle the knees of Ryan Braun? Reminds me of Angel Guzman. Nice movement.
Really...Soriano and Bradley should NOT be in the lineup. Though Bradley hit a bomb, you have to say that NEITHER has proven ANYTHING to remain in the lineup. You play the hot hand...YOU PLAY TO WIN...not to appease veterans. YOU PLAY TO WIN!!!!!!!!!!Get that through your senile head Piniella!!!!
Aaron, unless Bradley or Soriano take a trip to the DL, I do not see this changing.
What is Lou doing play the infield in??? He never ceases to amaze me.
Soto's passed ball helps 'em out--Fox's poor fielding got it all started. Sorry-oh-no misplayed a ball hit right at him. This ain't MLB quality.
Patton is not anything special. for a rookie that the league has not seen and has a 1.59 whip. not impressed.
Charles n Texas....You saw young Tommy Hunter win one for the Rangers. Like Jake Fox, Tommy is another horse from here in Indianapolis. Same high school, Cathedral.
With the Brews scoring at will against Harden and now Patton, I'm sorta glad my duty ends at 3 p.m, (Eastern) here today. We will get a good look at Samardija next inning it appears.
Yeah, Jim. I did get to see Tommy Hunter start the game and win it on his birthday, no less. He pitched very, very well in near 100 degree heat. Glad to know he is from Indianapolis. Thanks for the note.
Hoffpauir needs some ABs to get back on track.
patton, hoffpauir, and hart should be sent down
Hart will go for sure. I expect Hoffpauir to go also, and I think he needs ABs in Iowa to get back on track. Patton stays, imho, because they'd lose him if he is sent down.
my thing with Lou this year...and toward the end of last year is that he has someone hot (a Hoffpauir, Reed Johnson, Fuld, etc.), and he'll say all the right things, "they've been hitting well, earning a look, blah blah blah...prototypical lead-off hitter" and then, out of the blue, he sits them. That's confounding to me. I have never seen a manager so stupid before...when your team struggles to score, and those guys are getting it done...Why in the HELL would you sit them?!? Oh, I'm sorry, I guess you need to play .230 and under hitters, or guys in deep funks in hopes they'll "play their way out of it....in the 4th month of the damn season!!!" And, you call on Hoffpauir to hit once a game, pinch hitting, and that's it, and you expect him to do well? Try doing the same with Soriano, and you'll see he'll be even worse. Everyday players tend to be poor pinch hitters, as they need to get in a groove. Hoffpauir was even better in the field than Bradley. It's just amazing to me that they'd do this.
Nice DP by the BrewCrew.
can't fault Fox for the GIDP...he crushed it...hats off to Hardy
McGehee is 4 for 4, HR, triple, two singles. I see why JHendry waived him.
Casey McGehee 4-4 just homer! Why did they let him go?
From the way I understand, they thought no one would claim him off waivers and they would just assign him to Triple-A ... and remove him from the 40-man roster.
What I did not understand at the time is they had plenty of room on the 40-man roster ... and they still do.
Are you noticing that the Cubs, if they get a hit, is a single, but the BrewCrew, if they get a hit, it is a double or a HR? POWER makes a huge diffo. The Cubs had 3 singles in each of the first two innings and could not score in either inning.
speechless....yet another reason why Hendry should be fired. Neil and I mentioned this before...remember in the fall, Neil? How I said Hendry would regret not keeping him? LOL...my oh my, how we were right.
It made no sense then, because we still could've kept him as insurance.
Isn't it amazing how Macha plays the hot hand instead of the veteran Hall? And Piniella just doesn't get this.
They panned to Lou and Rothschild in the dugout...the look on their face was priceless, like, "did we seriously let that guy go for nothing?"
Aaron, I do remember that. Without 'tooting our own horn' we were in the minority of people that did not understand that move at the time...
Ok, so I decided to write another post after watching the Cubs go down 9-2 in the first couple innings. This post is a comparison of Kevin Gregg and Kerry Wood if anyone is interested.
http://gear-grindings.blogspot.com/
Ok, so I was bored after watching the Cubs get down early so I decided to write another post to my blog. This one compares Kevin Gregg and Kerry Wood if anyone is interested.
http://gear-grindings.blogspot.com/
Samardzija is still a work-in-process.
McGehee, I'm recalling didn't do much with the Cubs in limited chances. He was pretty good at AAA (again recalling) but so were a half dozen others like Scales. He did play a position, 3B, where need developed and hindsight reveals a mistake.
Neil, see if you can get an email address for Ricketts....Maybe we can
start a ground roots petition to rid ourselves of Bradley and Soriano...As a fan I'm sure he knows...as an owner...he needs to hear from us.
Sorry-oh-no strikes out! What a surprise!!!!!!
Let's see what Hart can do . . . .
the biggest question of the day, is....do you think Piniella will finally be embarrassed enough to make good roster decisions? His lineup "changes" clearly bombed...it's high time he make ACTUAL changes
Fuld
Theriot
Lee
Bradley (let's face it...Lou will be blinded by his hr today)
Fox
Fukudome
Soto
Baker
3 things are most evidently clear....Soriano and Fontenot are NOT going to come out of their funks anytime soon, and FUNKODOME is the same as last year. If I had my choice, it'd be Hoffpauir instead of Fukudome, with Fuld taking over in CF instead...but it ain't going to happen.
See, Lou will justify not playing Hoffpauir and Fuld by saying in their pinch hitting opportunities, they haven't done much. It's almost like he's doing it to spite the fans and media alike, if you read between the lines of his comments about Fuld. He was almost sarcastic at times, saying fans want to see him in the lineup, and he's the prototypical lead-off hitter, blah blah blah, then he sits him on the bench almost as if to prove a point like he's smarter than everyone else....which he's proved he obviously isn't, even admitting that he was partially to blame by not calling for Jake Fox when he was hot early on
In one word, nope.
I saw that...re not bringing up Fox earlier...and chuckled...if this site
had sound the screams for Fox for a month would havwe been deafening.
Aaron, maybe you should aspire to being a beat reporter...lol how long do you think you could last in the same room with "Sweet Lou" and Jim Hendry...before
they get po'd...But you'd aske the right questions I'm sure.
Sori and Bradley for the DL.
I couldn't....I'd want to strangle them both. They're both colossal morons, and if they had an actual boss...there's no way in hell they would've lasted this year. By June, they would've both been fired. Hendry, for his idiotic offseason moves, and no single acquisition of note since ARAM in 2003, and Piniella for falling asleep at the wheel.
For Hendry, here's a few sample questions:
1) What did you see in Bradley that 29 other teams apparently did not...and didn't want to touch him with a 10 foot pole. Furthermore, if Bradley was so great, how come the Rangers didn't even want him back? How come the only team to even inquire seriously about Bradley (Nationals), has the worst record in the league, and their GM has been fired?
2) If indeed Bradley recruited you more than you did him, as Crane Kenney bragged about during the convention...then why would you pay top dollar for him? If he really wanted to play in Chicago, then you say, "okay, prove your worth...prove you're healthy, and can perform consistently...we'll give you the same salary as you made last year, and if you play 140 games, which is what we need from our right fielder, then we'll give an option for market value according to your stats. In other words, it will be pay for performance, with the following scale:
for every home run, you get $_____, and every RBI, you get $________. If your average is over .300, and you have an OBP above .400, that results in a bonus of $1 million. If you fail to reach any of those bonuses, your salary will revert to $5 million, and your 3rd year won't kick in" Why wouldn't you do something like that Jim, with an obvious problem child?
3) Why did you essentially spend the same amount of money on Vizcaino, Miles, Gregg, Bradley, Gathright, Gaudin, and Bako's severance than you would if you had just kept Wood, DeRosa, and gotten a decent lefty bat? Dunn, Abreu, and Hudson were still available when you signed Bradley, weren't they? We can all add up the salaries Jim...you don't have to give a PR sort of answer saving your ass...just say you made a mistake. Really, you say it wasn't a mistake?!? Tell me Jim, how did you propose to replace 20+ hr, 80+ RBI with Bradley who has just one 20+ hr campaign, and NO 80+RBI campaigns to his credit?!? Furthermore, why did you then sign a miniature infielder that combined with Bradley, could barely produce COMBINED what DeRosa gave you? Jim, did you also take into account the 19 hr, 50+ RBI Edmonds gave you, along with his leadership? What happened to that production.
See, Jim, we like to analyze things a little bit more than you do. We like to ask questions like, "what if?" and "are they consistent hitters/pitchers over their careers" and "are they injury prone" and "what are their comparables?"
to Piniella...
1) Have you lost your mind? He replies, "what are you referring to?" I rattle off several contradictions such as lineup changes, "playing to win" and "we're not here to do on the job training" sort of quotes. I'll also reference the Mike Fontenot game last year where he forgot that he blasted 2 home runs already, and pinch hit for him. I'll reference the poor pitching and substitution decisions, as well as his refusal to play the hot hand this year. I will then ask him if it's best to hand over the reigns to someone like Brenly, who can get the most out of his players.
Aaron, I don't disagree with your thinking...Re point # 2...baseball should adopt some type of performance
contracts all around...the current business model is not viable for the long term health of the sport...and both the union and owners should realize this.
3 -4 weeks ago...I read an article somewhere...where the author suggested MLB pick up the worst contract of each team and give each team relief from its
decision making mistakes.
I'm not an advocate of that...but the Cubs are not alone in overcommitting
for poor performance...and the sport
all over...suffers from this.
I think for the moment, you,I, and Neil
all agree that Sori and Bradley should hit the DL (in lieu of an impossible trade).
But that is not the total solution either.
Hi guys, Looks like "A Bad Day at Black Rock" (Spencer Tracy movie)and a better day to watch the movie instead of the game.
A lost game like this brings home all the wasted opportunities with well pitched games...Thankfully...this is only the second game this season I can
remember being out like this.
Nice to see Bradley hit his homer for the month. Couldn't have come in a more timely fashion.
No surprise with Soriano with a weak
groundout with the bases loaded.
Theriot more of a surprise in the same situation.
What's with Harden?...He's struggling again?...Ship him to Philly for a prospect or 2. Don't demand much...just insist that Miles go with him...it would give us 5 mil to play with.
Plug Marshall back to the rotation and stretch out Ascanio to take his spot when ready.
Hardin has no velocity. That's what's wrong with him.
Is it an arm problem? Do you know?