Talkin’ Cubs Live – Cubs vs. Reds – 06/08/11

June 8, 2011 By 66 Comments

Game Sixty: Cubs (23-36) vs. Reds (32-29)
Game Time – 11:35am CDT
Coverage – TV: Comcast SportsNet – Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 187
Location – Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati

Ryan Dempster (4-5, 6.32/1.54) vs. Bronson Arroyo (4-5, 5.37/1.49)

The Cubs are tying to win a game every day … and maybe that’s their problem, they are trying. The Cubs are finding ways to lose day in and day out but maybe they should stop trying and just play baseball. After all it is a simple game, right?

Several streaks will either continue today or be broken. The Cubs have lost eight in a row and 10 of 13 and are 7-21 against teams in the central division. Q’s squad has dropped five straight at Great American and are 5-18 (1-6 this season) against the Reds the last two years … and the last time a Cubs team beat Bronson Arroyo was back in 2007.

With all of those numbers out of the way, if Ryan Dempster can notch the first win of his career at Great American, the flight to Philly will be much more enjoyable.

In other news … Angel Guzman has left extended spring training and has been added to the Peoria Chiefs roster. Back in March, Guzman was shooting to be on a full rehab assignment by the end of May … so he’s not too far behind his self imposed timeframe.

According to a report Tuesday night, Alfonso Soriano, Jeff Baker and Reed Johnson will soon be joining the Iowa Cubs. The trio will begin their rehab stints soon and Reed Johnson is hoping to be back by the weekend. The Cubs face Cliff Lee on Saturday afternoon.

Today it all starts with Ryan Dempster … After spending the month of May trying to turn around his season, Ryan Dempster slipped back to his April ways in his last start.

The Cubs were coming off a sweep at home to the Astros and a positive start to the long road trip was a must … and Dempster delivered a dud. The Cardinals knocked Dempster out of the game after just five innings. Dempster put his team in an early hole by serving up a three-run homer to Lance Berkman and for good measure Dempster put the first of Pujols’ four homers on a tee.

Dempster allowed six runs on eight hits (two home runs) with three walks and five strikeouts in five short innings.

Ryan Dempster has been beyond horrible on the road this season. The Cubs’ Opening Day starter is 1-2 in six starts with an 8.79 ERA and a 1.92 WHIP.

Dempster lost to the Reds at Wrigley back on May 8 … Johnny Cueto picked up the win in 2-0 shut out victory. Dempster did his part and held the Reds to two runs on five hits in seven innings of work. The Cubs will need that type of performance today to avoid losing their ninth in a row.

Today will be the 15th start of Dempster’s career against one his former teams. Dempster is 5-7 in 38 career games, 14 starts, with a 4.10 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP … but he’s never posted a win at Great American Ball Park.

Dempster is 0-7 in 25 career games, 12 starts, at the Reds’ home park with a 6.06 ERA and a 1.80 WHIP.

Reds Career Numbers against Ryan Dempster

  • Bronson Arroyo – 0-for-2 with a walk
  • Jay Bruce – 3-for-11 with a double and 3 walks
  • Miguel Cairo – 1-for-11
  • Jonny Gomes – 1-for-7 with a double and 2 walks
  • Ryan Hanigan – 1-for-4
  • Ramon Hernandez – 7-for-15 with a double, a home run and 2 walks
  • Fred Lewis – 1-for-8 with a triple and 2 walks
  • Brandon Phillips – 3-for-24 with a home run and 2 walks
  • Edgar Renteria – 8-for-26 with 2 home runs and 4 walks
  • Scott Rolen – 6-for-34 with 2 doubles, a home run and 4 walks
  • Drew Stubbs – 3-for-9 with a double and a home run
  • Joey Votto – 3-for-18 with 2 home runs and 2 walks

Bronson Arroyo has owned the Cubs ever since he came over from the Red Sox for Wily Mo Pena prior to the 2006 season. The Cubs simply do not beat him.

Arroyo is coming off a win against the Dodgers. Arroyo allowed one run on five hits in six innings. Arroyo walked one and struck out two.

Arroyo has really struggled this season and was horrible in May to the tune of a 0-3 record in six starts with a 7.64 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP. Arroyo figures to feel a lot better about himself by the end of the day … just like Mike Leake and Edinson Volquez did Monday and Tuesday.

The Cubs have already lost to Arroyo once this season (Cubs scored one run on seven hits in 7 1/3 innings) and they have not beaten the veteran right-hander since 2007. Arroyo is 9-7 in 23 career games, 21 starts, with a 2.72 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP.

Cubs Career Numbers against Bronson Arroyo

  • Darwin Barney – 1-for-4
  • Starlin Castro – 0-for-8
  • Tyler Colvin – 1-for-12
  • Ryan Dempster – 0-for-2
  • Blake DeWitt – 6-for-19 with a double and a home run
  • Kosuke Fukudome – 5-for-22 with a double, a home run and 2 walks
  • Koyie Hill – 2-for-7 with a double and a walk
  • Carlos Pena – 3-for-12 with a double
  • Aramis Ramirez – 9-for-48 with a double, a home run and 4 walks
  • Geovany Soto – 2-for-11 with 4 walks

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Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …


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  • http://chicagocubsonline.com/ Neil

    Today’s lineup:

    Fukudome – RF
    Barney – SS
    DeWitt – 2B
    Pena – 1B
    Ramirez – 3B
    Snyder – LF
    Campana – CF
    Hill – C
    Dempster – P

    • paulcatanese

      Interesting lineup. Of the two, Castro deserves the rest more than the “energy bunny” Barney as Barney is slumping a little less. That being said, I hope the ankle of Campana is solid as speed is his primary factor,but I dont think they would put him out there if it wasnt. Also appears that the experiment with Colvin is over as he would be out there either in center or left and he is not.

      • Cheryl

        Finally Castro gets a day off and Snyder is in LF while DeWitt takes over at 2B. I still would have switched Fuku to bat 3rd, DeWitt to bat 8th and Campana to leadoff.

        • gocubs

          Cheryl, yes!  Fukudome has proven to be a good #3 hitter for us, and that is where he hit his whole career in Japan.  Castro should be our #5 or #6 hitter.   

  • http://chicagocubsonline.com/ Neil

    No Pat Hughes on WGN Radio Wed for #Cubs broadcast. He’s a little under the weather.

    • Aaron

      I’d be sick too if I had to watch this garbage every single day…LOL

    • John_CC

      So I have to listen to Dave Otto and Zonk call the play by play for today’s train wreck?  Great.  Not to diss Otto, but Pat is really the only reason left to listen to these games.

      • http://chicagocubsonline.com/ Neil

        It’s actually Keith and Judd

  • http://chicagocubsonline.com/ Neil

    Reed Johnson, Jeff Baker to join Triple-A Iowa Thursday to rehab. Soriano to join Minor League team on Sunday

    • John_CC

      Then we’ll get these guys back and everything will be fine! 

      • Kojak Osborne Jr.

        No the team will get worse

      • paulcatanese

        Reminds me of the Holland fairy tale. The little Dutch boy that stuck his finger in the hole in the dam to save the village. We could stick all of these guy’s heads in that hole and it still wouldn’t stop the leak with the Cubs.

  • Kojak Osborne Jr.

    Hopefully the Cubs will end the losing streak today but this team is killing me softly because they are so awful.

  • Aaron

    just saw a quote on Levine’s blog from Quade, who essentially was blaming injuries for the Cubs’ poor performance. 

    Not sure if he knew this or not, but while Cashner and Wells went down early, the Cubs were the epitome of mediocrity with a .500 record at the time, and went back and forth until the end of April when they started their slide, and have never recovered. 

    Since that point, they’re now 13 games under .500, but since the “rash” of injuries happened to Soriano, Johnson, Byrd, Baker, Garza, and Soto, they’re not much worse off than they were before. The point is, they were losing with those guys too, and Soriano was in the midst of a horrible funk, and Soto really has never picked it up. Meanwhile, Quade has basically sat their replacements on the bench. 

    Snyder-strictly pinch hitter…only 4 AB’s thus far (equivalent 1 game started)
    Campana-34 AB’s (equivalent 7 games started)
    Montanez-16 AB’s (equivalent 4 games started)
    LeMahieu-7 AB’s (equivalent 1 game, plus 3 AB’s started)
    Castillo-13 AB’s (equivalent 3 games started)

    I kind of want to punch Quade in the face for his comments….I really do, and I want to punch Hendry in the face for selecting this dumb-ass as manager. 

    Do both of them really think Cubs fans are that stupid? We’re not in the print newspaper age where you have to wait to get your news and stats until the next day. Everything is at our fingertips, and we can call bullsh$t when we see it.

    Quade is feeding us a bunch of bullsh$t with his excuses. Instead of playing the rookies that were full-time players called up to replace veterans that were placed on the DL, Quade proceeded to sit them on the bench, using ALL of them almost exclusively for pinch hitting or in Campana’s case for awhile…as a pinch runner.

    He allowed a slumping Fukudome to play everyday in RF, refused to give Castro or Barney a day off, and wouldn’t allow a true OF to replace Soriano in LF, instead opting for putting a 2B out in LF that has already cost the Cubs a couple games on defense.

    He has nobody to blame but himself and the ONLY reason he is playing the veterans, is they were the ones that got him the job down the stretch last year, and he feels he owes it to them. Make NO mistake about this. He is beholden to them now…and they completely own him. You see that with the way he’s treated young players like Castro and Castillo last year and Campana this year, putting them in his doghouse for mistakes, while he says nothing to the veterans and refuses to bench them.

    And contrary to what some people have said on here regarding Colvin, I absolutely blame Quade for destroying the kid. Keep in mind that Colvin wasted away on the bench, and just like the rookie replacements for injured veterans, he used him almost exclusively as a pinch hitter, thus destroying his confidence. Then, Colvin gets sent down, gets a little bit of his timing back, gets called back up, and sits immediately, then is thrown to the wolves, expected to magically start hitting again. 

    Baseball is a game of timing when you’re hitting. If you sit young players that aren’t used to being pinch hitters, and expect them to be game-ready off the bench when called upon in the 8th and 9th innings, you’re only going to destroy their confidence. What makes matters worse, is that when you all of a sudden decide to give them starts after sitting them on the bench for the better part of a month, it’s like Spring Training all over again for these kids, trying to get their timing back. 

    That’s why veterans like John Mabry, Lenny Harris, Matt Stairs, etc. made careers out of being pinch hitters….They were veterans that already had timing down, because they’d been in the league for awhile. You CANNOT do that to young players. What part of that does Quade not understand?!?!? 

    • paulcatanese

      Ok Aaron,agree with youre post 100%

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Richard-Hood/100000706523521 Richard Hood

      All in all I agree with you but….. Montanez is a pinch hitter. He is a career pinch hitter. He is not young and is nothing more. That is his role. If he can’t do his role he needs to be somewhere else.
      Snyder we do not know but he is not young either. DeWitt is 25 years old and still trying to find himself as a major league player. If you want to say they have to find a role for him to get something back for Theriot and Lilly that is fine but if I had to choose I would rather experiment to find out what we can do with DeWitt than have either of those guys in the OF.

      Just because they are young deserve playing time over a 25 year old kid
      that needs a position?  DeWitt is batting .315 with an OPS of .785. He
      needs to play because he is doing a good job with the bat. He is hitting
      his stride while some of the other youngsters are starting to get a
      little flat. Would I rather see him on the IF somewhere? Yes but he has
      played well enough to keep in the line up.

       The perfect combination would be Campana, Fukudome (who is still hitting .350 with guys in scoring position and still getting on base), and a Colvin who was there last year. But that is not reality. Colvin is now damaged probably beyond repair. So if that means we have to deal with the growing pains with  DeWitt so be it.

       

    • cubtex

      Have to disagree 100% on the Colvin issue. The reason he played last year under Pinella was he produced in limited playing time and pinch hitting. He forced his way in the lineup. That is what good young players do! He is hitting under .100 because he is flawed! He has been awful because he has too many holes in his swing and hasn’t adjusted. Nobody to blame but hinself.

      • Aaron

        I agree that he’s flawed, and I said that at the time he was drafted, and even said that after his good year last season, where I tempered any enthusiasm around him by saying he’s due for a typical sophomore slump as the league figures him out.

        HOWEVER….Colvin is NOT a sub .100 hitter….and he’s NOT a sub .200 hitter either. He’s just not that bad, even though I’ve been critical of him in the past.

        Young players need reps….it’s a disservice to them to sit on the bench most of the time, and it shows with this team. 

        • cubtex

          That is the way most young players break in…..slowly with limited playing time. It is not like these kids are not getting swings everyday and instruction. They get to pick the brains of major league vets and understand what it takes to stick in the show. If they do well in their opportunities…..they will get more. Look at the White Sox….Lillibridge is forcing Guillen to play him by playing well in his opportunities. Adam Dunn and Alex Rios will stll play because of contracts and a successful track record….but Lillibridge will play more because of success. Colvin has not deserved to play. Barney won the job at 2nd as a rookie and he is producing. Do you think if he was hitting like Colvin he would still be playing everyday?

        • Tno13

          You talk out of both sides of your mouth. He’s flawed but he deserves more playing time. 0 for 30 doesn’t tell you anything? What does? Quade ruined him? When, in Spring Training when he couldn’t earn a starting spot. He hasn’t deserved a starting spot and he hasn’t performed off the bench like he did last year. He has not played better than Soriano, Fukudome, Byrd, Johnson, Baker or DeWitt. I wish he had, but he hasn’t.
          You have the “stats at your fingertips”, read them.

          • Aaron

            hmmmmmmmmmmmmm…. I will just say that you’re part of the problem…NOT the solution…with that type of thinking:

            2011 Spring Training stats:

            Fukudome: .173/.333/.192, 52 AB’s, 11 runs, 9 hits, 1 double, 0 hr, 4 RBI

            Byrd: .431/.477/.586, 58 AB’s, 13 runs, 25 hits, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 1 hr, 7 RBI

            Soriano: .219/.231/.406, 64 AB’s, 7 runs, 14 hits, 3 doubles, 3 hr, 12 RBI

            Johnson: .224/.291/.347, 49 AB’s, 10 runs, 11 hits, 3 doubles, 1 hr, 5 RBI

            Colvin: .258/.329/.455, 66 AB’s, 8 runs, 17 hits, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 3 hr, 11 RBI

            ………………..

            First of all, I don’t put a whole lot of stock in Spring Training stats, but you’re so incredibly intellectually dishonest with your post, I just had to dissect it so everyone can see how off-base you are.

            If you want to say you don’t like my posts, just come right out and say it, but don’t try to make up stuff.

            What part of 20+hr, 50+RBI as a rookie, thus outperforming his counterpart in Fukudome last year, PLUS, the stats I just listed above do you not understand? How did that somehow make him a bench player?!?!?!?!?!?

            That’s why I’m saying YOU are part of the problem NOT the solution, just like Hendry, because he cited the same reason for demoting Colvin, even though he didn’t get regular AB’s out of the gate. I don’t get the logic behind what you’re arguing. Plain and simple.

            And just to further illustrate this point……Colvin has 18 starts all season, and I can think of at least 6 or 7 (possibly more) of those being since he was re-called from Iowa. He’s been used as a pinch hitter 19 times, and only had 1 hit….

            If I sound upset, it’s because I am….what’s wrong with you? Do you honestly think that it’s fair to bring young guys up and use them as pinch hitters. 

            If that’s your logic, then I guess Casey McGehee is a failure….oops…no he isn’t, is he? And yet that’s what the Cubs used him as.

            I guess Welington Castillo is a failure….

            How about LeMahieu?

            This is why fans like you, and management like the Cubs have are part of the problem, and NOT the solution.

            If you had your way, I guess AROD never would’ve gotten to where he is today. After all, his first brief call-up of 17 games, he had a slash line of .204/.241/.204 with 11 hits in 54 AB’s and just 2 RBI with ZERO extra base hits…

            or how about his second season with an extended look of 48 games, .232/.264/.408, 142 AB’s, 33 hits, 6 doubles, 2 triples, 5 hr, 19 RBI

            There’s plenty of players like that, where until they received an extended look, they looked like failures, but they’d finally get their chance to play everyday and lo and behold, a lot of players have gone on to become All-Stars. Imagine that….

            No, wait…you can’t imagine that, because you’re just like Hendry in believing the Cubs have to snag All-Stars from other teams, only to watch them crash and burn after signing huge contracts.

            Again….PROBLEM NOT SOLUTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!

          • Aaron

            oh….and to further prove my point….

            Despite being incredibly awful at the plate this year, Colvin still managed to have 3 doubles, 2 hr, 8 RBI in just 89 plate appearances

            Byrd: 182 plate appearances,  8 doubles, 3 hr, 11 RBI 

            Fukudome: 193 plate appearances, 8 doubles, 2 hr, 6 RBI

            So, while Byrd and Fukudome have great averages, they do NOT produce….In more than HALF of their plate appearances, Colvin has outproduced Fukudome, and damn near outproduced Byrd.

          • Tno13

            Byrd is slugging 419. Fukudome 407, Colvin 198.  Fukudome has the team’s best average with RISP and a 423 OBP (He bats leadoff you know, which is typically not an RBI spot. Go ahead, ask around.)

          • Tno13

            You’re pathetic. You mix everyone into a stew, pick out the pieces you want, and think you make sense. For starters, no I don’t like your posts. You’re a keyboard tough guy, ” I wanna punch Quade in the face”.
            I do admit though your use of all caps is intimidating.
            Last week you made a comment about Le Maiheu I believe, and when Neil said he thought it was excessive, you whined that he shouldn’t criticize you. You whined that he was being unfair because you usually support the younger players.
            You can criticize, but you yet you cry like a little girl when you hear it.
            My reply to you was about you complaining about Colvin not playing and then an hour later saying he is a flawed player. I pointed out that he is having a poor year, and his ST performance was not enough to unseat proven veterans making big money. The breakdown of ST stats you provided shows that. Marginally better but not good enough. When he did get his chance this year, he did not earn a starting position. I wish he had. I like the kid and his potential. But he is 0 for 30. Where do you draw the line? 0 for 40? He needs to go to Iowa and stay there until he proves he can handle AAA pitching.
            That was what I was posting about. As to the other garbage you threw in to  try and make your point:
            LaMahieu  should be playing here on a regular basis or sent back where he can play. Same for Castillo when he was here.
            Your comparison of an 18 year old A-Rod and Colvin is brilliant. The similarities are stunning!
            And while “there are plenty of players that looked like failures and went on to be All Stars” there are thousands that didn’t. Know why? They didn’t produce when they got their chance.
            Again, I HOPE COLVIN FINDS IT, but I’m not going to punch anyone in the face if he doesn’t. After all he is flawed.

    • studio179

      Mike ‘Bruce Kim’ Quade is really making a mess of things. He has no clear direction, is going against what ownership said they wanted to do and has little to no managing skills. He wants to be a friend to all. In doing so, he is destroying this roster and organizational progression. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Richard-Hood/100000706523521 Richard Hood

    OK here is my what I expect moment.

     The next 3 weeks to a month will be a showcase period. You will see Dewitt play everywhere as a super sub. You will see Baker and Johnson get serious time as soon as they are healthy to get as much expose for trades as possible. I bet that Pena does not get a AB against a lefty in June just to get Baker enough exposure that some team that needs a guy to take lefties will bite. You will see Grabow, Marshall and Ortiz get in as many games as possible just to see if anyone will grab at them.

    We may not have a lot of guys we can move without begging them to except a trade but the guys we do have got some value. Not top prospect value but not garbage either. I think that if we can get Pena and Fukudome to get traded soon we are going in the right direction. My only hope is that Byrd comes back healthy enough to be traded by the deadline.

    • cc002600

      None of those guys you mentioned above will bring back anything more than a mid-level garbage prospect.

      BAsed on the money owed, age, poor performance,. etc, they all have ZERO value.

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Richard-Hood/100000706523521 Richard Hood

        Midlevel return is what I am thinking that we are getting. Not Garbage just not top prospects. Most of the guys I mentioned (other than Fuku, and Pena) are not paid much. Garbow for us is expensive but in comparison to what most Relievers got last season he is a right about average as a rental.

        • cc002600

          I think you would be real lucky to get mid level for any of these guys.

          Either way, it’s insignificant.   When was the last “mid-level” prospect that turned into anything ?   I wouldn’t stay up at night thinking about it.

          By comparison, look at what we got for Lilly and Theriot last year, who are useful players.  Very little. 

          If you think you are getting anything more than bag of balls for guys like Fuk, Reed Johnson, Baker, please call me, I have a bridge I want to sell you.   They are all worthless.

          • http://theboardridersuite.wordpress.com/ Theboardrider

            McGahee was mid-level

          • Gary J

            Here’s a good way to look at “mid-level prospects.  The guys on the MLB roster along with the “top” prospects within an organization make the 40 man roster and the remainder (service time as a factor) are exposed to the Rule 5 draft.

            Take a look at the list from wikipedia (I know – but it was an easy google search)

            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_5_draft#Notable_Rule_5_draftees

            Granted that there are dozens of players that generally swap teams, but there’s usually 1 or 2 guys that stick and every couple of years somebody becomes an all-star that another team essentially had given up on.  

            I don’t even think that’s a comprehensive list (it is wikipedia after all) but I’m fairly sure Big Poppi was also a Rule 5 pick and I don’t see him on there so there are likely others.

            So yeah – it’s a crap shoot – but just because you’re not a top prospect at the time, doesnt’ make you worthless.  Chris Archer was one of those mid-level prospects a couple of years ago… so there’s gold to be mined but you have to sift through the dirt.

          • cc002600

            Well, sure. and I could get hit lightning by tomorrow, too. Anything’s possible.

          • http://www.facebook.com/people/Richard-Hood/100000706523521 Richard Hood

            The one I keep thinking of as a “throw in” or fringe prospect is Shane Victorino. I think he has helped Phillie quite a bit. But then again Angel Pagan was a garbage for garbage and he has worked out ok as well. One guys garbage is another guys fresh air.

  • cubs1967

    I predict………

    cubs lose today
    cubs lose 12 in a row during this stretch
    cubs lose 100 games this year
    we have the worst record and # 1 pick in 2012
    by mid august there will be 15,000 ACTUAL fans in the stands
    thatr 10% of season ticket holders will not be next year(no longer can they be sold to offset the cost for a year)
    hendry will be fired at year’s end
    quade will be fired at year’s end
    wilken will be fired at year’s end (NO superstars does he draft and simpson/colvin take well other their slotted spot and it shows plus vitters is a .265 AA bust)
    fleita will be kept………only the international kids do good…….Z, Castro, Marmol
    there will be a BASEBALL president
    kenny crane will be kept…….on the OPERATIONS side
    new GM
    new Mgr
    new director of baseball scouting
    a public apology from Ricketts in the newspaper…….where he promises the goal is to win a WS
    he’ll never get public money to fix Wrigley until they win a WS or he comes up w/ half
    booing will be at alltime highs at wrigley beginning w/ the next homestand
    fans will NO longer sing Go Cubs Go after a win
    pujols and fielder will NOT be cubs
    the convention will NOT sell out again and Ricketts will be booed heavily
    Cubbie Armageddon 2011 will hit this offseason………Ricketts must show a direction and plan to a WS……..and w/ 2 yrs of spring training till new Mesa is built now is the time……….
    Soriano will be traded…..w/ $30M of Cubbie money…….either at the deadline tied to big Z to the Yanks or in the offseason w/ $35 M
    Ricketts is praying for the football strike/lockout to end more than fans are…….so the media (all froms) STOP the utter destruction of his lack of aptitude as owner………

  • Aaron

    31st round, Cubs take Ronnie Richardson, UCF, smallest player I’ve seen in the draft year at 5’6″….draft eligible sophomore, they have video of him, and he does not look like a very good prospect

    • jw

      Hendry wants to try a Bill Veeck and go real small? Veeck used a midget Jimmy H!

    • Ken Hubbs

      Aaron, just wanted to take a moment to that you for the draft update and analysis.  Most I have seen on it anywhere.  Thanks for all of your posts.

      • Aaron

        You’re welcome….just a hobby of mine on the side, looking at stats, prospects, and the draft. 

        I look a lot at local papers and school websites (if college) with the draft, as they often have more accurate insight into the draftees, then I turn to scouting services, and finally, I turn to legitimate blogs on ESPN, Foxsports, etc. Neil is also a great resource, as he is connected with a lot of different people.

        Sometimes I’ve been able to get info from friends that are scouts, or friends that are in pro ball either MiLB or MLB. This has also helped shape my view of Hendry, Cubs management, and their players.

  • Stu_studdly

    If this was a winning year, it be the perfect season to sit in left, wear a fake beard, and start a Blake Dewitt fan club.  But the way its going, I sit on my couch with a bag on my head instead.

  • Kojak Osborne Jr.

    Cubs losing again

  • http://chicagocubsonline.com/ Neil

    Pena with a 2-run shot …

    Back-to-back jacks … Ramirez goes deep

  • studio179

    I might be wrong, but I think this is only the second time this year the Cubs went back to back. I seem to remember them doing it earlier.

  • http://chicagocubsonline.com/ Neil

    More great fundamentals …

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Richard-Hood/100000706523521 Richard Hood

    How did Fukudome not score on a ground out to Phillips by DeWitt? I am just doing the sim on MLB and not actually watching the game.

    • http://chicagocubsonline.com/ Neil

      Infield in

  • John_CC

    The Cubs are winning!!

    Koiye Hill got intentional walked?!!

  • John_CC

    If Demp is gonna lose it, this is the inning.

    90+ pitches, Votto and Bruce coming up…

  • John_CC

    Wow. Nice inning, Demp!

  • http://chicagocubsonline.com/ Neil

    Excellent outing for Dempster .. just struck out the side in the sixth to end his outing.

  • cc002600

    Just thinking out loud

    Hendry said he was in the “production business”

    The great Doug Davis is now 0-5, with a 6.38 ERA. 

    What type of “production” was he referring to ?  Does anyone know ? :-)

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Richard-Hood/100000706523521 Richard Hood

      He is producing antacid in Quade. Hendry is trying to give that guy a heart attack.

  • http://chicagocubsonline.com/ Neil

    Good at bat by Pena against the southpaw

  • http://chicagocubsonline.com/ Neil

    Cubs’ fourth run scores on a balk …

    • paulcatanese

      21 hours old with my response,but,,, Even the umpires have a soft spot for the Cubs. Even I could call that balk.Was a good game though Neil, enjoyed every minute.

  • http://twitter.com/WindyCitiSports The Mayor

    Law of averages says the Cubs have to win soon.  Today is that day. http://windycitizensports.wordpress.com/2011/06/08/lock-of-the-century-mlb-edition-3/

  • http://chicagocubsonline.com/ Neil

    Cubs beat the Reds 4-1 Wednesday afternoon. Dempster’s line: 1R, 3H, BB, 8Ks in 6IP; Pena 2R HR; Ramirez HR; #Cubs pitching Kd 12

  • Cloycub13

    Ummmm what happened…I can’t remember what that is called when you score more than the other team and you get all 27 outs….wait it is coming back….hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm….Oh yeah A WIN!!!!!!!!

  • paulcatanese

    Who were these masked riders of the Chicago skyline? This could not have been the same team we have been watching the last month. This had to be the best game they played all year, good hitting(surprising what can happen when corner hitters do what they are supposed to do),I think I will continue to keep on Aram
    and Pena, they do a little better when I do.

    This was a pretty good lineup today, hope we dont have to look at another mess when the “vets” come back. Barney looked great at short today, nice to feel comfortable when groundballs are hit in that direction. Hopefully Castro will bounce back with the rest.

    Know what guys, DeWitt is hitting the ball and looked good at the three spot.
    One cannot deny it Fuko is doing well at leadoff. still would like to see
    Campana there, and he is starting to look more comfortable at the plate,and he
    did display a little more power with that flyball to left center, at least 200 ft..

    • paulcatanese

      Sorry about the two posts in a row,guess all the excitement about the win made me click happy.

  • paulcatanese

    Who were these masked riders of the Chicago skyline? This could not have been the same team we have been watching the last month. This had to be the best game they played all year, good hitting(surprising what can happen when corner hitters do what they are supposed to do),I think I will continue to keep on Aram
    and Pena, they do a little better when I do.

    This was a pretty good lineup today, hope we dont have to look at another mess when the “vets” come back. Barney looked great at short today, nice to feel comfortable when groundballs are hit in that direction. Hopefully Castro will bounce back with the rest.

    Know what guys, DeWitt is hitting the ball and looked good at the three spot.
    One cannot deny it Fuko is doing well at leadoff. still would like to see
    Campana there, and he is starting to look more comfortable at the plate,and he
    did display a little more power with that flyball to left center, at least 200 ft..

  • http://chicagocubsonline.com/ Neil

    The recap will be posted later tonight.

  • Zonk

    I wonder if Barney is going to sit more, and DeWitt get more playing time at 2B.

    DeWitt probably isn’t the answer at 2B, but I know Barney isn’t.  It’s not like the Cubs sacrifice a youth movement, as DeWitt is a whopping 10 weeks older than Darwin Barney.  He just has more Major League experience, because he has more hitting talent.

    Barney is a good backup, nothing more.  DeWitt might be an OK, stop-gap kind of 2nd baseman.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Richard-Hood/100000706523521 Richard Hood

      DeWitt is actually hitting very well. He has played all over the field and not been horrible anywhere. He needs to get better at the OF but not bad for a guy just thrown out there for the first time. If he starts walking more and hitting for power he will be as good of piece as any. Is his offense going to hold up for a while? Who knows but right now he has earned a right to at least be in the conversation.

    • cc002600

      Dewitt is a horrible second baseman defensively.

       

      His best position is 3B.  Maybe he should play there next year. There are no
      FA’s out there worth a darn and ARAM is done.
       

    • Baron_S

      Sit Barney. for DEWITT.. you must be freakin kidding — – because he has hit .309 in 81 at bats after batting .260 last year and .204 the year before????

      Barney has the highest average of ANY regular 2nd baseman in the National League
      http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/batting/_/position/2b/league/nl/type/expanded

      Barney has 19 hits (leading the Cubs) and hits .358 with runners in scoring position
      http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/stats/batting/_/name/chc/cat/hits/split/39/chicago-cubs

      Barney is the best 2 strike hitter on the team:
      http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/stats/batting/_/name/chc/cat/hits/split/66/chicago-cubs

      Barney is 2nd to only Pena and Soriano on the team in pitches per plate appearance
      http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/batting/_/position/2b/league/nl/sort/pitchesPerPlateAppearance/type/expanded

      All in his rookie season.

      sometimes i really wonder about some Cub fans! Are you Mike Quade writing under a Pseudeonym?

      • paulcatanese

        I agree, while DeWitt is deserving of a spot because of his hitting so far, it’s a big stretch having him play second over Barney, there is no comparison, Barney by far has better range and hands there. It would be a huge mistake to move Barney out of there for DeWitt,and if yesterdays game was watched it was very apparant to that fact. I would go so far as to say Barney could and I say could be ROY.