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

 
FRIDAY'S GAME VS. COLORADO: Kerry Wood pitched a good game; 7 innings, 2 earned runs. Angel Echevarria and Sammy Sosa with 7th inning home runs off of Mike Hampton, who actually pitched ok for the Rockies. Alfonseca blows 4-2 lead in the ninth by giving up a 2 run home in the ninth inning to Jack Cust. Moises Alou hits a two run home run in the bottom of the 12th inning to win the game for the Cubs.

MEL ROJAS AWARD: The Mel Rojas Award for worst performance by a Cubs relief pitcher in Friday's game vs. Colorado goes to Antonio Alfonseca. Alfonseca entered the ninth inning with a 4-2 lead and gave up a 2 run home run to Jack Cust to get the blown save and the Mel Rojas Award.

CHIPMUNK: During the game on Friday Chip said that Colorado pitcher Mike Hampton "has not been the same since he left Houston." Hampton's records in Houston were 9-8, 10-10, 15-10, 11-7, then Hampton went 22-4 and had a 2.90 ERA with Houston in 1999. Afte the 1999 season Hampton was traded to the New York Mets. In 2000 with the New York Mets, Hampton went 15-10 with a 3.14 ERA. Hampton's year in New York was about average for him so unless one is going to say that Hampton should have a career year every year then it is wrong to say that Hampton has not been the same since he left Houston.


CUP OF JOE: Joe said on Friday, "The Colorado Rockies have an advantage playing their games at Coors Field because they know that the game is not over until the final out." Which teams games end before the final out is recorded Joe?

TURN OUT THE LIGHTS: The city of Chicago on Friday killed the bleacher expansion and more night games at Wrigley Field. This is more bad news in a season full of bad news for the Cubs.

posted by Thomas at 12:17 PM

 
THURSDAY'S GAME VS. SAN DIEGO: Jon Lieber pitched a good game after a poor outing last time. Relief pitching continues to be very poor. Cubs blow 3-2 lead to trail 7-3 but come back late to win 8-7.

MEL ROJAS AWARD: The Mel Rojas Award for worst performance by a Cubs reliever to Kyle Farnsworth.

FLASH POINTS: After Tom "Flash" Gordon gets a big out to end an inning he will often point to the sky. In the ninth inning the Cubs were trailing 7-6 and Flash points to the sky after getting Phil Nevin to strike out looking. Hey Flash, don't point to the sky and put on a big act when
we are losing!
posted by Thomas at 5:05 PM

 
CUBS-PIRATES TRADE: The Chicago Cubs have traded outfielder Darren Lewis to the Pittsburgh Pirates for outfielder Chad Hermansen. Not much of a trade. We get rid of a somewhat better 34 year old outfielder who is not in our plans long term for a 24 year old outfielder who is not in our long term plans.
posted by Thomas at 4:58 PM

 
TUESDAY'S GAME VS. SAN DIEGO: Sammy Sosa hit a 2 run home run in the first inning. Mark Bellhorn and Bill Mueller also homered in the game. Mark Prior pitched well at times but not so hot at other times. With the Cubs up 5-2 Prior allowed the Padres to score 3 runs to tie the game. Jeff Fassero came into the game in relief with the score tied 5-5 and was booed. Tom Gordon also made a relief appearance and the boo birds were out again. Gordon got more boo birds for allowing the Padres to get the go ahead run. The Cubs go down to defeat 6-5. Todd Hundley was truly atrocious on Tuesday night going 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts. On one strike out Hundley swung and missed at strike three that was far outside and bounced in the dirt. Awful performance again by Hundley.

MEL ROJAS AWARD: The Mel Rojas Award for worst performance by a Cubs relief pitcher in Tuesday's game vs. San Diego goes to Tom "Flash" Gordon. In 1 1/3 inning Gordon gave up 2 hits and 1 earned run.
posted by Thomas at 11:05 AM

 
ROLEN TRADED TO CARDINALS: The Philadelphia Phillies have traded Scott Rolen and a minor leaguer to the St. Louis Cardinals for Placido Polanco, Mike Timlin, and Bud Smith. Rolen for a good utility infielder, a mediocre middle reliever, and a pitcher who has been exiled to Memphis? It is hard to believe the Cubs could not have come up with a better offer than this. Supposedly the Phillies wanted Corey Patterson and Juan Cruz. Sounds like the Phillies were seeing if rookie GM Jim Hendry would overpay for Rolen.
posted by Thomas at 5:05 PM

 
SUNDAY'S GAME AT ST. LOUIS: Disgusting finish as the Cubs blow leads of 6-0 and 9-4 to lose to the St. Louis Cardinals 10-9. Matt Clement pitched another outstanding game. Corey Patterson looked like he might be coming out of his slump going 2 for 5 including a home run. Bruce Kimm's managing was bizarre. The most bizarre was lifting Matt Clement, who was pitching very well and had only thrown 81 pitches, to bring in the truly awful Jeff Fassero in the bottom of the sixth after Mark Bellhorn made an error allowing a run to score. Fassero continued to pitch poorly and was yanked. Kyle Farnsworth came in and pitched great for 2 2/3 innings. Tom "Flash" Gordon stunk and Antonio Alfonseca pitched poorly after he pitched an 1 2/3 on Saturday. Alfonseca gave up a game losing 3 run home run to Edgar Renteria in the bottom on the ninth to give the Cardinals a 10-9 win.


PRESTON GOMEZ AWARD 1: The Preston Gomez Award for stupid managing to Bruce Kimm for starting Delino DeShields at second base on Sunday night. ESPN's Rick Sutcliffe said that Kimm told him DeShields was starting because he wanted to give DeShields some at-bats. Kimm pay attention. Do not play Delino DeShields unless it is an emergency!


PRESTON GOMEZ AWARD 2: The Preston Gomez award for stupid managing to Bruce Kimm for pulling Matt Clement in the sixth inning. Clement was pitching a great game mowing down the Cardinals through the first five innings. In the sixth inning Jim Edmonds singled. Then Pujols grounded to Bellhorn for what should have been a double play. But Bellhorn made a poor throw to second which DeShield barely went for, the throw goes into right field, the throw is made home where Todd Hundley, ran up to catch the ball in front of the plate when he did not have to, allowing Edmonds to score. In no way is this Matt Clement's fault. Clement is pitching great and he has thrown only 81 pitches. So what does Bruce Kimm do? He takes Matt Clement out! Stupid! The bad news was the stupid moves were not over because.....


PRESTON GOMEZ AWARD 3: After lifting Matt Clement for no good reason Bruce Kimm brought in Jeff Fassero. It should be clear to everyone that Fassero is terrible so why bring him in? Fassero pitched poorly again giving up two doubles and a single in 1/3 of an inning.


MEL ROJAS AWARD NOMINEES: The nominees for worst performance by a Cubs relief pitcher Sunday night are: Jeff Fassero, 1/3 of an inning 3 hits, 2 earned runs; Tom "Flash" Gordon, 0 innings, 3 hits, 3 earned runs, and Antonio Alfonseca, 1/3 inning, 2 hits, 3 earned runs, 1 walk, game losing home run given up.


MEL ROJAS AWARD WINNERS: The Mel Rojas Award for worst performance by a Cubs reliever is a tie! Jeff Fassero, Tom "Flash" Gordon, and Antonio Alfonseca all get the award for terrible relief pitching Sunday night.


THAT 70s SHOW: The Atlanta Braves have been wearing their 1974 uniforms at home and on the road these last few weeks. Back on July 15th the Braves and the Cubs played at Wrigley Field on 70s night but the Braves wore their regular uniforms Why did the Braves not wear their 1974 uniforms that night as well since they had to know they were going to start wearing the 1974 uniforms on Friday July 19, 2002? Would have been an added attraction to fit the groovy mood.




posted by Thomas at 3:58 PM