Thoughts on the Chicago Cubs and other topics in baseball. E-mail Tom at: tomsmithcubs@ hotmail.com

 
FRIDAY'S GAME AT ATLANTA: I am of split mind on last night's 2-1 over Atlanta in 15 innings. The good news is the Cubs were able to come back from losing 1-0, with 2 out in the top of the ninth and John Smoltz on the mound for the Braves to tie the game on a solo home run by Todd Hollandsworth. Then take the lead 2-1 in the top of the 15th. The Cubs had numerous chances against ex-Cubs Antonio Alfonseca and Juan Cruz. We have seen enough of them to know our hitters should be able to handle them easily. But the Cubs could not score against either of them despite many opportunities. The bullpen was a little shaky but got the job done in the end. They just as easily could have blown it for us though.


RUDY MEOLI AWARD: The Rudy Meoli Award for awful performance by a Cubs infielder to Ramon Martinez. In the top of the eleventh inning, with Aramis Ramirez on at second and Derrek Lee on at first, and no outs, Martinez came into the game as a pinch hitter. Martinez tried to bunt the runners over but could not, so with a 3-2 count Martinez hit into a double play. In the thirteenth inning, Martinez was up with one out. Derrek Lee was on a first base and stole second. Martinez struck out. In the top of the fifteenth inning, Martinez came up with Aramis Ramirez on third and Derrek Lee on first with no outs. Martinez hit a ground ball to short and Ramirez was thrown out at the plate. Despite not coming into the game until the top of the 11th, Ramon Martinez was still able to go 0 for 3 (1 strikeout), with 5 runners left on base.


BAD FACT CHECKING REPORT: In today's Chicago Sun-Times, Mike Kiley writes,


Phil Cavaretta, 87, will attend tonight's game against the Braves. Still listed in the Chicago record book in many top 10 categories, the former Cubs first baseman is making the trip to Atlanta from Snellville, Ga. He is the only living player remaining from the 1945 Cubs, who lost four games to three to Detroit in the World Series. (Italics mine). The organization hasn't been back since.


Actually four other players from the 1945 Chicago Cubs are still alive. Outfielder Andy Pafko, shortstop Lennie Merullo, infielder Cy Block, and pitcher Hank Borowy are still alive.


It should not have been too hard to remember Andy Pafko is still alive. Last season, Pafko threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 2 of the 2003 NLCS at Wrigley Field.
posted by Thomas at 4:26 PM

 
WEDNESDAY'S GAME AT CINCINNATI: SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- You cannot win them all but the Cubs never seemed to be in last night's game. Greg Maddux made his first regular season start in his return to the Cubs, and the results were mixed. Maddux pitched six innings, giving up only four hits, with two walks, and two hit batters (both in the first inning). Unfortunately two of those hits were home runs (solo by Adam Dunn in the second, two-run HR by Ken Griffey, Jr. in the third) to give the Cincinnati Reds three runs. The only Cub highlight came in the top of the ninth when Derrek Lee homered off of Danny Graves. Cubs lose 3-1.
posted by Thomas at 7:23 AM

 
MONDAY'S GAME AT CINCINNATI: SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Cubs offense looks like it is going to be able to put up some runs as expected. Corey Patterson is obviously ok after having knee surgery last season. After having a great spring training, Kerry Wood in Monday's game looked like the Wood we have seen too much of. Wood dominates at times, then struggles at others, winds up having a high pitch count by the end of the fifth inning and has to come out of the game. The bullpen did its job, although Joe Borowski made it interesting in the bottom of the ninth by getting the first two batters out, then walking two batters, before striking out Barry Larkin to win the game for the Cubs 7-4.


RUDY MEOLI AWARD: SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Rudy Meoli Award for poor play by a Cubs infielder to Alex Gonzalez. Gonzalez went 0 for 4 and made an error when he booted a routine ground ball.
posted by Thomas at 7:36 AM

 
2004 PREDICTIONS: SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- I know the season has already begun with the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays splitting a two-game series in Tokyo, Japan last week and Baltimore beating Boston last night, but I wanted to wait until the exhibition season was over until I made my 2004 predictions. These are usually mediocre, but here they come.


AL EAST: NEW YORK YANKEES, BOSTON (WC), TORONTO, BALTIMORE, TAMPA BAY

AL CENTRAL: KANSAS CITY, MINNESOTA, CHICAGO WHITE SOX, CLEVELAND, DETROIT

AL WEST: SEATTLE, OAKLAND, ANAHEIM, TEXAS

NL EAST: PHILADELPHIA, ATLANTA, FLORIDA, NEW YORK METS, MONTREAL

NL CENTRAL: HOUSTON, CHICAGO CUBS (WC), ST. LOUIS, CINCINNATI, PITTSBURGH, MILWAUKEE

NL WEST: SAN FRANCISCO, ARIZONA, LOS ANGELES, COLORADO, SAN DIEGO

ALDS: NEW YORK YANKEES OVER KANSAS CITY; BOSTON OVER SEATTLE

ALCS: NEW YORK YANKEES OVER BOSTON

NLDS: HOUSTON OVER PHILADELPHIA; CHICAGO CUBS OVER SAN FRANCISCO

NLCS: CHICAGO CUBS OVER HOUSTON

WORLD SERIES: NEW YORK YANKEES OVER CHICAGO CUBS
posted by Thomas at 5:16 AM