Sometimes things just go your way and it doesn't make any sense and when that happens... well, you just smile and take it, and be happy.
The Cubs had absolutely no business winning today's game. But here it is, clickable: the Cubs beat the Phillies 6-5 in 10 innings, their third extra-inning win of the season.
Read that carefully, too. Third extra-inning win of the season -- in twelve games. All of last year, the Cubs won only two extra inning games (of ten played). Had they split those games, they'd have been 88-74 instead of 85-77, and would have been only one game worse than the other playoff teams, and we wouldn't be hearing about how "weak" the NL Central was in 2007.
That's an aside to today's game, but has a point, too: in 2007, the Cubs, good as they were, would have probably found a way to lose it. Instead, despite a tremendous amount of really bad play today, they won anyway.
Just how much bad play? Let us count the ways:
Instead, the Cubs took advantage of every single break that happened in today's game:
What can you say? Some days the breaks just go your way, and here's how I feel about it: we have 99 years of breaks coming to us. We'll take them.
Some good things came out of this mess of a game, the fourth already this year to go over 3 hours (and opening day's time of game was 2:59, and the duration was longer with the rain delay that day):
There are problems that still need to be solved, and some of them were extremely evident today. For one day, they don't matter, because even with all the problems, all the not-so-great-play... the Cubs won anyway. They can use the day off to regroup and recover and think about ways to fix what's wrong.
In the meantime, enjoy.
Finally, on Tuesday, baseball will again celebrate the legacy of Jackie Robinson by having players wear his #42 jersey, which is retired for all teams. Derrek Lee, Daryle Ward, and coaches Gerald Perry and Lester Strode will wear #42 when the Cubs face the Reds... and Dusty Baker... and Corey Patterson... for the first time this year.
0 recs | 103 comments
Yes the
definition of winning ugly today.
I thought Wards AB was bad today also, he never saw a strike and then struck out with two on.
I give Marquis credit, he should of been knocked around, but got out the first two innings with just the one run.
I know a lefty was throwing today, all be it at tops of 82 MPH, I would of started Pie today, yes I know Johnson has favorable numbers against Moyer, but Pie is sitting to much. Would love to see a run of games for him, 10-12 in a row, see what he can do.
Hey you take the win, and at 7-5, not to bad considering they really haven't played well at all.
Grockcubs - April 13, 2008
Breaks? How about mistakes?
That HR was a blown call, pure and simple. And you didn't mention
the failed "double steal."
I'm still worried about what these extra-inning messes are doing to
Santo's stamina and mental health.
santo4hof - April 13, 2008
Yes, it was a blown call.
That's a break. Right?
Al Yellon - April 13, 2008
Did
you mean wood pitched the 8th and 9th, not the 10th?
luv4cubs2 - April 13, 2008
Yes, of course I did.
I'll fix that.
Al Yellon - April 13, 2008
Problems
Al, you mention that there are problems with the team and they were evident today. What was it in particular that you saw as the problems with this team that were shown today?
okiecubbie - April 13, 2008
I would imagine that the biggest issue...
...is the inability of the rotation to pitch deep into games.
cwyers - April 13, 2008
I agree
And the bullpen has been inconsistent. Each seem to be great one day and then not so good the next.
okiecubbie - April 13, 2008
Bullpens are always inconsistent.
cwyers - April 13, 2008
Always?
I'd say not "always".
But yes, the biggest issue is the lack of starting pitching going deep into games.
Al Yellon - April 13, 2008
Lou
I think he has been quick to pull starters this early in the season. I suppose it worked today.
okiecubbie - April 13, 2008
Good point
But, some of the appearances just seem horrible. I guess consistency is not the problem, but we cannot continue to have guys come in that simply cannot get anyone out.
okiecubbie - April 13, 2008
To be fair Marquis was coming off the flu and strep
LT - April 13, 2008
It's not about any one starter in particular.
But the starters haven't been going for a lot of innings, and we've had three extra inning games already. We absolutely cannot go the bullpen as much as we have all season.
I'm not sure that there's anything that can - or should - be done about it yet. But it is an area of concern.
cwyers - April 13, 2008
My point exactly.
Actually, we've had FOUR extra-inning games already (including Opening Day).
The Pirates also have four, and the Phillies have three. No one else has more than two, and ten teams haven't played any yet.
Eventually, this will even out. The off-day comes at a very good time.
Al Yellon - April 13, 2008
Marshall
I was surprised that Marshall wasn't left in for more than two outs in the fifth. I thought that, being a recent starter, he might have been the long man for this game to give the bullpen a break.
Also, I thought at the beginning of the game I heard the broadcasters say that Rich Hill was ready to be a long man if Marquis couldn't stay out there with his flu. Any truth to that?
TC Cubby - April 14, 2008
Anyone else think that's Pink Hat Guy
sitting behind home plate in the Yankees/Red Sox game wearing a Cubs hat?
buckmulligan - April 13, 2008
Yes.
I thought it was him.
Fraggin Judge - April 14, 2008
Didnt the Cubs play the Reds at home last year..
...on Jackie Robinson day?
I assume that is just the irony of scheduling..
JB 23 - April 13, 2008
Yes, they did.
Strictly coincidental.
Al Yellon - April 13, 2008
I am tough on Ronny...
...I am happy for him that he didn't mess up today, hopefully his confidence will build and mistakes will be fewer when he plays.
DudeVf11 - April 13, 2008
Didn't Ronny
drop a foul pop-up early in the game? Or was that someone else?
Kegler - April 14, 2008
That was saturday i think...
HIGGY - April 14, 2008
did the ball deflect off fukudome's glove? i thought he misplayed it a bit and got hit in the head after watching the replay...but i was also amidst grilling and knew howard was getting the IBB, so i ran out to check on my sausage and caught the end of the replay...
anyone else notice that?
bgsiggy - April 13, 2008
It was too high
off the wall for him to catch. It then hit him in the back (somewhere) and stayed by his feet. He didn't have any chance of catching it.
dr stabbingworth - April 13, 2008
4-2 road trip
is very nice to have considering the team hasn't really looked too good. I'm a little worried about the rotation....and if this keeps up for another week or two I would give lieber and marshall opportunities to get a start and see what they can do.
cubsmania - April 13, 2008
As bad as this team has looked at time,
and they have looked bad at times, they're still in good shape. Gotta play better baseball against an improved Reds squad, though.
gary varsho - April 13, 2008
I missed most of the game
but it looked like theriot had a pretty good game....his AB's have been looking a lot better recently and hopefully he'll hit a hot streak.
cubsmania - April 13, 2008
Missed the game again today... Ugh.
But, I keep reading about problems.
Here's how I see it: last year we played like absolute crap for all of April got off to a horrible start. This year, we're playing like absolute crap after two weeks, and at least we're 7-5.
That's a positive, because at some point (I hope) we'll actually start to play good baseball.
SackMan - April 13, 2008
I completely agree with this
but the thing that worries me is that we can't rely on us having a season like we did last year where we started off so horrible than went on that ridiculous run. I just hope we start to play better and have a consistent season and not an up and down like last year.
McRipper - April 13, 2008
I really see a major need at SS for this team.
We need a slick glove in the middle infield to make this team better. Period.
We're already expecting average production at best from Theriot, both at the plate and in the field. I'm sure we can find a guy from somewhere who's glove is an upgrade from Theriot. Then, get Theriot back on the bench, where he'll help this team more.
SackMan - April 13, 2008
Absolutely!
No question SS is a major need. I still would like to see us get a bonafide #2 SP as well. Those are really the only holes we have (maybe CF, let's see how Johnson plays until the deadline).
McRipper - April 14, 2008
BTW... Angel Pagan on Sportscenter today
They trashed him for failing to score from 2nd on a single to RF... where the right fielder was actually conceding the run. Pagan merely jogged his way to third base.
I always liked his athleticism, but he has a baseball IQ of zero. Put his name on the back of Cedeno's jersey, and you wouldn;t be able to tell the difference.
SackMan - April 13, 2008
what was the 3rd base coach doing ?
that doesn't sound like Pagan.
coral - April 14, 2008
I don't think
Ronny has ever hit .380 in any 10 game stretch in the big leagues. I could be wrong..
wicubfan - April 14, 2008
I love baseball-reference.com!
Here's a 24-game stretch in 2005 when Cedeno hit .367.
Al Yellon - April 14, 2008
Agreed
There i so much fun stuff to do on that site!
gwood - April 14, 2008
He did it in 2005
From July 31 to Sept 8, Cedeno played 10 games and went 12-30 (.400).
That said, a 10-game stretch is not really a meaningful sample. I'd expect you can find MANY mediocre/poor players who've had 10-game stretches like that.
Pagan has had a nice hot start, but I wouldn't get too excited about it.
SouthernCub - April 14, 2008
Actually...
that stretches to a 20-game stretch from July 15-Sept 8. He hit .400 (20-50) over that stretch.
SouthernCub - April 14, 2008
not a surprise I was wrong..
just ask my wife
wicubfan - April 14, 2008
Another neat thing
is that all of those extra inning wins came away from home - where not batting last and having the ability to end the game suddenly both work against you.
I know that historically, the home team wins most games, but can anyone tell me, stat-wise, how often the home team wins an extra inning game? That's a stat I'd love to see.
jcg996 - April 13, 2008
That's a question for Bill James
SackMan - April 13, 2008
Or cwyers!
n/t
Al Yellon - April 13, 2008
Just your friendly neighborhood sabermetrician.
The answer is apparently 52% of the time. (Warning: PDF file.) That's actually smaller than the home field advantage during regulation, counterintuitively.
cwyers - April 13, 2008
Thanks!
Great stuff in that attachment.
jcg996 - April 13, 2008
I see Daryle Ward will be wearing #42
To honor the 42 hot dogs he will eat on the off-day tomorrow.
SackMan - April 13, 2008
You could've kept that one
in your sack, man. Especially considering he's wearing it to honor Jackie Robinson.
gary varsho - April 13, 2008
Shame on you.
sue369 - April 13, 2008
Agreed.
n/t
Al Yellon - April 13, 2008
Everyone jokes at Prince
but a joke against our own resident fatty and it is frowned upon? Come on now...
GoCubbies34 - April 13, 2008
It was the twisting
of the Jackie Robinson into a "joke" (really, it wasn't even funny, or creative, or witty. just a straightforward fat slam.) about DWard's portly body type that prompted this response. I'd have had the same reaction if he'd said it about Fielder.
gary varsho - April 13, 2008
the Jackie Robinson tribute, that is.
gary varsho - April 13, 2008
Ah... come on. It was funny. You know it.
Laugh a little.
SackMan - April 13, 2008
No, no it wasn't.
The Jackie Robinson issue aside, it was just a cheap shot. If you're going to be crude, be creative. I laugh plenty. But not at jokes made at the expense of a tribute to Jackie Robinson.
Think a little. Before you type.
gary varsho - April 13, 2008
Plus...
Daryle Ward is probably one of the nicest guys out there. So he's a big man, that equals big hits !!!
coral - April 14, 2008
Agreed.
This was one "joke" that should not have been made.
Al Yellon - April 14, 2008
I just now found the time
to read all the posts. SackMan, you must be one miserable SOB.....
crazymountain - April 13, 2008
Seems to me
that last year we had very few close calls go our way....DeRo's homer may be a sign of good things to come...We need the breaks cause we are playin' like S*IT!!!
crazymountain - April 13, 2008
I would disagree
Of course, I spent hundreds of dollars flying up to Chicago last year specifically to sit two rows behind D-Lee to watch us get bent over by the Marlins to the tune of 9-0. That is playing like S*IT. Thankfully, the next day I witnessed *the fight* in a Skokie bar, and the rest of the season is history.
sanantonecub - April 13, 2008
Well, I sure hope they play better otherwise
my 5 foot nuthin' ol woman gonna be dragging my 230 pound corpse to Chicago this July....
crazymountain - April 13, 2008
Hopefully...
..Soriano spends the day off in the batting cages!
calicubfan - April 13, 2008
Marquis stat
Someone might want to look into this but I think Marquis had the odd stat in 2007 of The Cubs winning the most amount of games when he started no matter how good/bad he pitched.
So far that stat is following into 2008.
Regardless love/hate him, Marquis had the flu and you could tell on TV that he wasn't feeling 100% yet but he went out there and did his best and kept the Cubs in the game.
ak123 - April 13, 2008
Yeah, gotta say he was fighting hard today and it is good to see...
crazymountain - April 13, 2008
That's true!
Last season the Cubs were 20-14 when Marquis started. 19-15 when Lilly started, 18-16 with Z and 17-15 with Hill.
The Lip - April 13, 2008
Just throwing this out there...
But lookin at the standings, we are in thetoughest division in baseball.. WE would have #2 most wins in AL, and we're sittin 3rd in our division. fyi...
LPLancer23 - April 13, 2008
Lou's smart move
I have been very frustrated by some of Lou's managerial decisions in the past, but I loved his left-right switch pinch hitting today with Soto and Pie. We may have lucked out, but BRAVO nonetheless.
OKC_Hornet2006 - April 13, 2008
Let's not only mention his good moves but
he needs to learn when a pitcher does not have it on a certain, such as Wuertz didn't on Sunday not to wait until you are losing before you get someone warming up and bring them in. He has struggled with that all season as well double switching way to early in games..
cubdreamer - April 14, 2008
We DO have 99 years of breaks coming to us.
I'm sure there have been more than what I remember, but other than today's game, I can think of only one other Cubs game I've watched where they got a break that won the game for them (a Rockies game years ago, where the Rockies could have tied the score in the 9th, but for the ball rolling into some drain pipe past the bull pen, resulting in a ground rule double - the next batter made an out). I've lost track of the number of games I've watched where they had a break go against them, and they lost.
Having said that, the 99 years of futility, we all know, is the product of ownership that didn't care about winning. I really don't understand our ownership right now, but we seem to have management that cares about winning. For that, we have the '03 Cubs to thank, who somehow broke the contentment with "getting close."
This team really hasn't played well. Our starting pitching hasn't gone very deep in games (have we had a starting pitcher make the eight inning yet?), and Soriano and Ramirez (both batting in spots we need to have be productive ones) aren't hitting close to their career averages.
Yet, we are 7-5. We've got good talent on this team, and certainly, on paper, they are better than last year. I just want to see them win it once.
Cubfansince1957 - April 13, 2008
Soriano and Rami will heat up with the weather....
but I know what you mean. I saw my first Cubs game in 1958 and never winning or even getting to a World Series in my 50 years of Cub fandom is just really getting old. This is a very good team and there should be no reason that this team misses the Series this year....
crazymountain - April 13, 2008
Looks like Ryan Harvey has finally figured it out. He's hitting 345 with 6 RBI.
He could be good value at the deadline, or he could come up and we could move Fukudome to CF.
ARAM FOR MVP - April 13, 2008
He's 8 for 25 (.320) in AA
Saying he's figured out anything in 25 AB's is a little premature.
rlpete - April 13, 2008
Agreed...
It's WAY too early to declare that Harvey has figured it out. In fact, I'd argue the opposite based on the rest of his stats. Despite the .345 with 6 RBI, Harvey has 12 Ks in 29 AB.
Harvey has always been a streaky hitter. When he's on, he crushes the ball. But he's quite frequently not on, and thus usually ends up with a sub-250 average and around a strikeout every 4 AB.
SouthernCub - April 14, 2008
its too early in the season
for heart stoppages like the one howry gave me. we need this off day baddddd. nice road trip 4-2 i believe and now were going home for 8. go cubbies.
cubsluver22 - April 13, 2008
I agree
however, we need to defend the home ivy a little better. .500 at home is not going to cut it.
bap - April 13, 2008
4 wins out of 6 road games this trip
Like winning two series - I'll take it.
JFCubFan - April 13, 2008
I'll take a 4-2 road trip
any time of the year. I stated in another post, last years' squad (at the same time of the season, not Jul/Aug when they got hot) could easily have gone 1-5 on that same trip.
Things are better and there's still lots of room for improvement. I'll go out on a limb and say that not only will the existing players improve (specifically those needing it most) Jimbo will refine this club during the month of July.
blackhawk24 - April 14, 2008
In Jason's defense
he had to work a lot harder in the 2nd inning because of Blanco's PB and Theriot's rag arm on Bruntlett's IF hit. Long innings take a lot out of any P, especially one who has been ill. Perhaps he could have gone 6 if the 2nd would have been easier?
BTW, DeRo has as many HR as his good buddy Chipper Jones right now. (Doubt if I'll be able to say that on May 1st.)
DeRoMyHero - April 13, 2008
I promised myself....
....that I would try and be as even keel about this season as I could, and judging by the responses I got when I overreacted last week to a loss, I'm not the only one. So I'll say the cubs are 7-5, despite:
-Our 3rd baseman has been an absolute abortion, at the plate and in the field. Has he made one good throw? Derrek Lee is now 7'4"
-Our Left fielder
hasn't been much better.
-We've had exactly 4 good starts this season, out of 12. Maybe 5 if you count Hill's against Houston. Either way, this isn't good, and the one scary thing about this club, because an overworked bullpen in April WILL result in a tired one come September.
-Our defense has been....let's call it "abstract."
Those last two are worrisome, though the defense should at least be average by seasons end. But the team is 7-5, and the rotation should straighten out. Al's analogy of Lilly to Arroyo is interesting, but not accurate, as Arroyo blew in the AL except outside of his first year, and lilly's thrown up several good seasons, whereas now he's just throwing up. Still, I forsee us considering ourselves very fortunate we didn't move Gallagher in the near future.
SamFels - April 14, 2008
Derek Lee has been the Cubs' savior so far this season.
I know other players have contributed a lot and I don't want to diminish their importance nor their accomplishments. But Lee's bat and especially his glove have been magnificent.
Today's circus catch to end the ninth inning was a perfect example of how Lee makes the club better. But think about the game-winning play. Ryan Howard is so terrible on defense that he cost his team the game. Had it been a slick fielder like Lee playing first base instead, he steps out of the base and blocks Utley's bad throw, limiting it to a one-base error. Instead, the ball got away and Cedeño reached home.
Fraggin Judge - April 14, 2008
It was a successful road trip.
Although I would have rather won both series, 4-2 is a very good outcome. We need to improve and beat contenders like the Phillies more often, though, but the season is young and a few adjustments will acheive that goal.
The biggest adjustment the team needs is in the starting rotation. Marquis was suspect before the season started, but with Hill's and Lilly's shaky starts so far, the rotation is weak to succeed in the long run. This may tax the bullpen if the bad starts continue and then the losses will pile up. Let's hope it doesn't get to that.
Finally, Soriano's very slow start shouldn't last all season long but it doesn't look to me that it will end soon. He appears unable to hold on when pitched low and away. He is also starting his swing consistently late, which suggests the guy is unsure about what the pitchers are throwing at him. Therefore he is late on fastballs and slow pitches alike. It seems Soriano is going to have to work on his mind as welll as his hitting mechanics if he wants to get out of this prolonged slump.
Fraggin Judge - April 14, 2008
Another glass chew at the ol'ball game.
Can I just start off by saying what a Joy it wasn't to hear Skip Caray call a Cubs game again....Eeegads. and to work with someone as un-nasally and un-bitter like Buck Martinez. Well, it just made for a hell of a telecast. Still, that's the one in HD, so I guess I should shut up.
Problem I'm having is the wins have been incredibly more painful to watch than the losses. I'll have to check and I know Cweyers will know, but I believe the average length of a cubs win is somewhere around 8 and a half hours. And it usually involves me thanking the baseball lords that nobody named Niger or So plays for the Cubs. By the way, is it me or is the (He is) So taguchi line not nearly as funny now that he's a Phillie?
I think Lou's been a little hook happy and not just with his starting pitching. Probably sulking because he doesn't have his precious leadoff man. Would love to see Hendry go public and say "We believe Felix is our CF.We just need to find him some more AB's...." But he won't. Hey,at least we're winning while we aren't playing well.
yahoodi - April 14, 2008
Were they informed about the two teams?
I remember one of the primary criticisms of TBS' playoff coverage last year was they knew utterly nothing about the teams they were covering.
northsider - April 14, 2008
We need to get a few guys going but
When you think about it this team is playing well for the production they are getting. We have gotten 1 quality start(a game we lost) from Lilly, Marquis and Hill in seven total starts. Plus Bob Howry has started off even worse then the did in 06 and 07 and it has caused us to overuse Marmol and Wood a little bit. As for the offense Lee has been very good, Fukudome has been good and Soto/DeRosa have been solid. But Soriano is hitting 175, Ramirez 234, Theriot 244 and only getting a 213 average from the CF postion with Pie struggling and getting 22 of the 50 AB's from CF this year. So to be 7-5 with getting subpar starting pitching and only half your line-up really hitting is kinda impressive IMO. This team is playing with confidence and finding ways to win ballgames right now. For example a year ago this team was getting much better offense production and much better starting pitching but were only 5-7 at this point(even fell to 5-9). It just makes me think how good they possibly could be if or when Lilly and Hill pitch the way their capable of, and when Soriano and Ramirez get hot. Lets hope those guys can get it going soon so this team can get on a roll.
cubsfan25 - April 14, 2008
I agree completely...
For the most part, in spite of sub-par starting pitching... the Cubs are very competitive. I think these closer ballgames will be come blowouts when the big boppers start bopping. I am greatly encouraged by Soto! He is the real deal. His bat is just so quick and he really can make you pay with power when you make a mistake over the plate, I LOVE IT.
bap - April 14, 2008
How lucky are we...
...to have D-Lee? Every sports report (especially those on audio) would have you believe Utley did a Dunston and threw it so far off the bag, not even with assistance of a fishing net on a long pole would have helped. Oh, how incorrect. That throw was off the mark but not that difficult to catch. If Ryan Howard would drop a few pounds (sort of like a smaller brother of Prince Fielder) and learn how to stretch, he catches that ball. D-Lee? Just a slight lean and grab. Yeah his 6'5" frame helps but like I said the throw was not that bad.
I'm looking at the previous 69 posts before I write and there's wayyyyyy to many panic'ers. It's 12 games in. In the NFL that's 75%, in MLB that's 7.5%. There's a few concerns (less than last year) but it's not time to panic. We're due for these breaks. Hey, last years' team would have gone 1-5 on this trip, losing all the games except the last one in Pgh.
blackhawk24 - April 14, 2008
I love Lee.
He's a tremendous athlete. And the fact that he's such a class act makes it even easier to root for him. (He may or may not want that Chris Young incident back though.)
northsider - April 14, 2008
True...
but there comes a time in your life when the only thing you can do is stick up for yourself and DLee did so.
bap - April 14, 2008
wins
Ugly wins are better than pretty losses. Would be nice to have a few coasting wins in here somewhere and we never seem to have those against the Reds. This team must play better. Soon.
IndyDiehard - April 14, 2008
Agreed
All wins count the same. The good thing is that the team won and that all parts of the team are clicking - just not at the same time. D-Lee has been fantastic of late. I love the guts of having Big Z pinch hit!
sdurst - April 14, 2008
bottom line is...
he is a tremendous athlete and a great competitor. When you see your ace hauling it down the first base line to prevent the double play, you gotta love it. You certainly can't fault Z for his effort. I'd like to see a little more poise on the mound when Z doesn't have his "good stuff" but other than that, I like his approach out there.
bap - April 14, 2008
I thought
the broken up double play was well done by both Soto and Zambrano. Soto went barreling into Utley, while Zambrano's hustle forced a quicker throw. Grant Howard probably should have come up with that throw . . . but I thought Soto and Zambrano did a great job preventing the double play.
gwood - April 14, 2008
Mark Grace
Anyone catch Grace doing the D-Back game over the week
end ?
He had a lot to say about the Powerhouse Western Div.
and their great pitching......... I think he is right ...we are no
match for these guys .... we proved that last year
nimblenikelfoos - April 14, 2008
Thanks for stopping by.
Let's just call the whole season off right now and save everyone the trouble!
northsider - April 14, 2008
Right now, it will be difficult to compare
but see the postseason isn't starting tomorrow, it starts 24 weeks from tomorrow.
The key word here is 'relax'. They're 7-5. I'll take that through that magic 53-game mark from last season - when all hope appeared lost - and they were 22-31. 7-5 extrapolated over 53 games is 31-22; not bad.
They'll have to improve and/or make changes. Hendry will get his ear chewed off by Lou if moves aren't made come 31Jul. Just 'cuz we don't hear what's going on within the organization, doesn't mean they aren't making a plan to improve; and plan B and plan C and plan D.....
blackhawk24 - April 14, 2008
A win is a win...
...but I could go for a nice clean win on Tuesday. I'll be at the park Tuesday so I'm glad to see the weather is warming up a bit.
Side note, Randy Johnson will be starting tonight for the D-backs, if he stays healthy they could be a scary team in the playoffs.
slocs55 - April 14, 2008
I don't consider Utley an elite defensive 2B...
that part of his game has improved a lot, but he is a run-producer who happens to play 2B.
That being said, I argue this end with all my non-Cub fans. DLee is significantly better defensively than any other 1B in the league and has been for a few years. It becomes obvious when we watch Prince Fielder and Ryan Howard try to play the position. Night and day difference.
Seriously, who else can you put in DLee's category in the whole league? Just in terms of defense.
smitster2008 - April 14, 2008
Mark Texeira
has better range than DLee, but he's the only one I can think of in the NL.
DeRoMyHero - April 14, 2008
Great play by DLee in 9th, Good Work by Wood and Howry
Former Memphis Chick DLee sure made a nice play on that smash from Carlos Ruiz in the 9th that got the game to the 10th. Wood was able to go two innings (very encouraging) to shutout the Phillies in the 8th and 9th. Howry got a save in the 10th that should build his confidence. That DeRosa home run was fair all the way looking through my Cubbie blue colored Harry Caray glasses.
memphiscub - April 14, 2008
Sorry, but I'm confused.
DLee is a "former Memphis chick"? Funny, I don't see any mention of this in his player file.
daver - April 14, 2008
DLee played for Memphis Chicks (Chickasaws) in 1995 and 1996
Don't worry, DLee did not have a sex change operation. DLee has his best year in the minors for the Memphis Chick(asaws) in 1996 when he hit 34 HRs and had 104 RBI. There were the AA affiliates of the Padres back then in the Southern League. The Chick(asaws) moved to Jackson, TN in 1998 and became the West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx, now the AA affiliates of the Mariners. I wish the AAA team we have now was called the Chicks instead of the Redbirds, but they are affiliated with the dreaded Cardinals.
memphiscub - April 14, 2008
Ah, I see.
For a second there, I thought maybe DLee was overcompensating with that new beard. Thanks for clarifying!
daver - April 14, 2008
It's interesting to see...
...a lot of people here feeling/thinking the same way I am. That is, a year ago at this time, we were all tearing our hair out about the fact that the Cubs weren't winning close games and weren't hitting home runs.
Now here they are with three of four extra inning wins, and don't forget the 3-2 win over Houston on 4/6. In addition, the Cubs are ranked fifth in the league in home runs, if I'm reading baseball-reference.com correctly.
Yeah, the guys have gotten more than few lucky breaks lately, but there's still plenty of talent on this team -- much of which has yet to come to fruition. I have my concerns, naturally, but I'm pretty far from hitting the panic button.
daver - April 14, 2008
Z batting
I didn't realize that Lou ran out of position players when he batted Z. Thank you for mentioning that, as I thought Lou got a little crazy there. (But only a little crazy, given Z's batting average and athleticism.) Still, Z looked like a runaway train on the way to first. :D
Great, if ugly, win guys! Put those brooms away, Philly fans!
Dave
Dave in the basement - April 14, 2008
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