It is wrong to wait too long between updates, massive or not.
Flew back from Perineum, FL last night, so missed the game. Doesn't sound like I missed much, although it reads like Marquis pitched well again. Hard to win the close ones without your primary hitters in the lineup. Soriano and Ramirez would have accounted for at least a chance to win the game. Lee is a lot less fearsome these days (Saturday notwithstanding) and a lot less powerful -- especially without someone behind him. And I know you all like Soto, but I still find his plate discipline atrocious. Yes, he hits some mistakes hard. Good for him. He needs to learn to hit good pitches, too, if he wants to hit in the five spot in the major leagues.
Was a steal of home really our undoing? Shame. Hard to blame that, though...we are supposed to be an offensive team and we should score more than one run in every game. Here's a question for you. DeRosa has a huge game in the five spot or six spot the night before. Huge. So why move him to the two hole where it's a change of batting philosophy? Why not let him stay in the middle of the lineup and try to drive in some more runs? Maybe it works, maybe not, but why not stick with it for another night?
Fukudome is no longer an unknown. I like the guy, but he's striking out a lot more now than he did early because the league is building a book on him. I prefer Theriot at the top of the order and Fukudome further down.
Non-Cub related note. I stayed at the same hotel in St. Pete that the Red Sox were at. Spoke to Manny and Mike Lowell yesterday morning and was surprised that Manny isn't bigger. I thought he was big, but he's not. Compact, yes, big, no. Lowell on the other hand, is a mountain. Big dude. Good guys, actually. Talkative and jocular. I half expected Manny to throw me down, but he was pleasant. I told them that I know a guy who knows Jose Canseco. They weren't impressed. They did want to know when Smitty would be updating his blog. Not really.
Back to Cub baseball. I am hoping that this is our midseason rut. That we've taken all the injury hits that we will take and that we will start to click again soon and pull away from the division. We need the big guns back and we need to make an intelligent deal or two after the break. Don't give away the future for a rent a player, but we need a guy or two that can push us over the top. Let's discuss, or argue about who those players are. Do we still want Brian Roberts? Is Sabathia the one? Do you want Maddux back for the stretch run? Randy Wolf? Brian Fuentes?
Here's what I think. I think we should have gotten Barry Bonds back when I first said it. Think we'd have lost last night with him in the lineup? I don't. Think we get swept by the Sux with him in the lineup? I don't. Think we get swept by the Rays with him in the lineup? I don't. You get my drift. It might be too late now...but I'd still like to have him on our bench and playing occasionally. But that's sour grapes at this point.
Speaking of sour grapes. Why didn't anyone else want Kyle Lohse? Why didn't we?
We need another starter. The young guys are doing well (the Seans) but we need another biggie. Get Sabathia if you can without mortgaging the next ten years. If you can't, find someone you can afford. But get another starter.
That's all for now. I have to go check Smitty's blog and see if it's been updated. Right.
js
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3 comments:
Just a quick note as I am busy this morning. Last nights low scoring game was the product of a giant Pony league sized strike zone. It was both ways, but sheesh...I could have thrown and gotten guys out. Ankles to ears, and six inches in and out. No wonder nither team could score. Cain is the best started ever with that guy behind the dish.
Also, the 2nd SF run was the product of the Cubs centerfielder not being able to cover enough ground on his hobbled, geriatric legs (Lewis' double). Reed J., Fukodome, or Pie (who homered last night for Iowa) put that ball in their back pocket, but Jimmy Sherman couldn't quite get there. Meaningless homeruns at garbage time don't win games, getting to balls in center do. The steal of home was a fluke. A 1st and 3rd situation...a foul tip that Soto caught and should have never thrown. He's young and an all-star, so its hard to get pissed at him. Also, Derosa got very lucky in the 8th, on Durham's bloop to center (another play Edmonds should make)...it is the pitchers job to cover 2nd on that play. If Durham continues, he gets 3rd easily, 'cuz no one was there. Is Soto going to win a 90 foot race in his gear with Durham? No. That's the problem with Derosa playing everywhere...he's not good anywhere, just stop-gap. Let's hope Aramis' cock wins his fights on Hispanola, and he gets his ass back to 3B where its supposed to be.
For more on Aramis's cock, I imagine you'd have to go to Smitty's website.
Apparently it really is Aramis's Cock ( I don't have that picture, Smitty might)that took him down south. It appears his spouse (? mistress) had a baby that may have been his.
Gotta cut the guy some slack on that one.
The ball over Edmonds' head hit the track on the fly. Pie likely catches it, but doesnt hit like pooch boy has. More slack needs to be cut.
Th steal of home was the second leg of a double steal. Pitch was foul tipped into Soto,s glove and was awkward. He should have ate it. The guy likely would have scored on the ground out that followed. Gotta cut Marquis some slack, he pitched well (for a new yorker with an accent so thick it scares children).
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