THURSDAY'S GAME AT ST. LOUIS: A rather unimpressive performance by the Cubs yesterday. Ryan Dempster was the one highlight going six innings giving up just four hits, three walks, and one run. The Cubs had their chances against Chris Carpenter but did not take advantage of them. Dusty Baker continues his bizarre managerial style by putting Derrek Lee in the sixth spot and bringing in Mike Remlinger to face Larry Walker with Walker hitting .444 against him. In all a rather disappointing 4-0 loss to the Cardinals.
MEL ROJAS AWARD: The Mel Rojas Award for bad relief pitching by a Cubs reliever to Mike Remlinger. Remlinger was brought in to face one batter (Larry Walker). Walker homered.
PRESTON GOMEZ AWARD 1: The Preston Gomez Award for bad managing to Dusty Baker. Derrek Lee has been red hot this season so Wednesday Dusty bats him third and drops Nomar Garciaparra to sixth. So where does Dusty bat Lee on Thursday? Back in the sixth spot of course.
PRESTON GOMEZ AWARD 2: The Preston Gomez Award for bad managing to Dusty Baker. In the bottom of the eighth inning, with one out and with the score 1-0 Cardinals, Dusty Baker brings in Mike Remlinger (who struggles against left-handed batters) to face Larry Walker. Walker was hitting .444 in his career against Remlinger. Walker promptly homered to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead. Unreal.
STONEY RIGHT AS USUAL: When Dusty brought in Mike Remlinger to face Larry Walker. Steve Stone on ESPN said it was a mistake. When Walker homered the Cubs fan in me was disappointed. The Steve Stone fan in me was laughing and enjoying the moment of once again seeing Stoney proved right.
I sure hope Dusty and the whining faction of the Cubs hear the tape of what was said on the broadcast. Stone first guessed the situation (correctly), in his usual thoughtful but kind way. For all the talk about how "negative" Stone and Chip Caray were last year they were never anywhere nearly as harsh as play-by-play man Gary Thorne was on Dusty Baker afterward calling it an "inexplicable move by Dusty Baker." That is real and deserved criticism of Baker's managing. And a lot more critical than any comments made by Chip or Steve on the broadcasts last season.
posted by Thomas at 9:42 AM
WEDNESDAY'S GAME AT ST. LOUIS: It was the best of times (beating St. Louis at Busch Stadium, hearing Steve Stone do a Cubs game on ESPN) and the worst of times (Nomar Garciaparra going down with a serious groin injury). Carlos Zambrano was very impressive in shutting down the Cardinals. LaTroy Hawkins once again showed he should not be closing games as he allowed a 400 foot blast to center which was thankfully caught by Corey Patterson to preserve a 3-1 Cubs win.
RUDY MEOLI AWARD: The Rudy Meoli Award for poor play by a Cubs infielder to Nomar Garciaparra. Not to be cruel but before leaving the game Garciaparra was 0 for 2 (1 strikeout) and made a throwing error.
posted by Thomas at 9:48 AM
RUDY MEOLI AWARD: The Rudy Meoli Award for poor performance by a Cubs infielder to Nomar Garciaparra. Garciaparra went 0 for 5 (1 strikeout) and made a throwing error which allowed the Reds to score their one run of the game.
posted by Thomas at 4:22 PM
TUESDAY'S GAME AT CINCINNATI: That was more like it. Corey Patterson going 2 for 5 with a home run and playing spectacular defense. Derrek Lee staying hot by going 2 for 4 with a home run. Michael Barrett looking like he is coming out of his early season slump by also going 2 for 4 with a home run. Mark Prior pitched good again going 7 innings allowing just 4 hits and one unearned run
. All of which contributed to an impressive 7-1 Cubs victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
posted by Thomas at 3:58 PM
MONDAY'S GAME AT CINCINNATI: A game we led 4-0 and 5-1 which we blow and let the Reds win 7-6. Kerry Wood once again showed he is not an elite pitcher by letting the Reds get back into the game. Jon Leicester was not impressive in the eighth inning either. What really annoyed me was the poor pitch selection the Cubs showed at times. In the first inning after the Cubs had hit three home runs off of Matt Belisle, Todd Hollandsworth had a 2-1 count on him and grounded out on a pitch which would have been ball three. In the second inning with two outs and Belisle struggling again Corey Patterson swung at the first pitch he saw and grounded out. Ugh. Throw in Derrek Lee getting thrown out a second base trying to stretch a bloop hit into a double which he had little chance of doing and one got the feeling the Cubs thought they had this game won and could afford to be lackadaisical.
posted by Thomas at 3:52 PM
