Today, my son Mark, of whom I have written often here, "became a man" in the Jewish tradition, by celebrating his Bar Mitzvah. Although I was at the ballpark today, there's a party tonight and I don't have time to write the usual complete recap of today's 5-2 Cub loss to the Phillies. Thus, I've provided everything you need here to create your own.
0 recs | 47 comments
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LT - August 30, 2008
That's the story.
Rick B - August 30, 2008
Ye gods, the Pirates are bad...
Milwaukee 2, Yucks 0, top of 4th…
NotSure - August 30, 2008
santoswoodenlegs - August 30, 2008
Fist time in a long time I haven't gotten to lower the # on my avatar....
let’s hope I can after the Brewers game.
santoswoodenlegs - August 30, 2008
There is no "Magic" in Number 22....
…Let’s get away from “Prior” and onto “Marquis” (NOT Sosa) ASAP.
GO PIRATES!
NotSure - August 30, 2008
Who's Prior?
santoswoodenlegs - August 30, 2008
Exactly....
NotSure - August 30, 2008
Sorry, I meant "Popovich"...
NotSure - August 30, 2008
Doesn't look like that is going to happen score :(
Madison Cub Fan - August 30, 2008
8-2 in the 9th inning is what I meant to put
Madison Cub Fan - August 30, 2008
Your Cotts choices were dead on
(You did script this before the game, right ??)
TORCO - August 30, 2008
Wouldn't surprise me if he didn't
Cotts and Howry are the two bullpen pitchers with the most Gas Can Potential, imho.
Tough game for our cubs, let’s start a new winning streak tomorrow, then go after the Carlos Lee-less Astros.
spoiledcubbage - August 30, 2008
It almost seems as if it would take longer to make that little chart thing then do a recap
Just messin around! Tell your boy welcome to manhood!
SouthsideCUBSfan - August 30, 2008
Is there a catcher in the house?
I played outfield, 1b, and the occasional mop-up on the mound. And MDB was a second baseman right? Mikey was all-world something down in Georgia and I know we’ve got at least a couple umps in the audience, But I’m hoping somewhere in BCB-land there is someone who has worn the tools of ignorance and can speak intelligently to the matter at hand, which is…
On a play at the plate, why do catchers go out to catch the ball instead of letting the ball come to them? I understand the need to do that if the throw is off line. And I also understand the need to NOT let yourself be a sitting duck in front of the plate when somebody the size of Ryan Howard comes barreling in if you don’t have the ball.
But Dome’s throw today (forget what inning) WAS on line. And Soto had plenty of room to spare before any chance of collision. Yet he still went up several feet to catch the ball and then wasted a lot of time by having to turn around and move back towards the plate to try and tag a sliding Howard.
I watched the replay and it sure seemed to me that had Soto just stationed himself on the first base side of the plate and let the ball come to him, he would have had plenty of time to turn around, put the glove down and let Howard slide into it. Anyone else see it like that or am I missing something?
I like Soto, so no problems there. This is just one of those baseball plays, like sliding headfirst into first, that I see a lot of and just don’t get. I know there are certain situations where it makes sense, but those are few and far between, and today sure didn’t seem like one of those.
ballhawk - August 30, 2008
He was out of position
Geo’s been great, but there have been a handful of plays this year where he’s done a poor job of blocking the dish. He’s relatively new to catching and I’m pretty sure that he’ll work on that.
Shanghai Badger - August 30, 2008
I would agree that Soto genrally seems to avoid
collisions, when possible. Today, it did seem that blocking the plate and letting the ball come to him would have been the better move…but the game is so “bang-bang,” it is hard to fault split second judgements like this.
My bigger gripe is with the ump on the HBP that loaded that bases on the 0-2 pitch on the batter before this play. It sure looked like the batter literally had his hands in the strike zone and he was leaning into the plate. It should have been strike 3. What an odd play. I know that is what Lilly was griping about. That HBP on the 0-2 count caused all the problems.
LAcarl519 - August 30, 2008
The stranded early runners were the real problem
But yes, that looked like strike 3.
Soto hung in there for a collision against Fielder on May 1. I don’t think it’s fear, I think it’s inexperience leading to bad positioning.
Shanghai Badger - August 30, 2008
Yep
Can’t strand that many early in the game. I think it sucked the momentum out of them
chitownhawkeye - August 31, 2008
I know that sometimes the type of hop that you are going to get will dictate where you try to get the ball. It looked like if Soto had stayed back, the ball might have bounced again and gotten him into a short hop situation. It is very hard to tag a sliding runner off of a short hop because to play it correctly, you have to bring your glove up off of the ground with the ball to catch it cleanly and then get your glove back down to the ground quickly to tag the runner.
Just guessing, but I wonder if that is why Soto came towards first a bit to field that ball…
Archie - August 30, 2008
I thought he moved up because he didnt expect a play at the plate
once he realized Howard was coming it was too late
californiachicagoan - August 31, 2008
I think the natural instinct is
to go to the ball. It’s a difficult habit to break. Being told to wait back and actually being able to in a game situation, are two very different things. It took my pitcher getting badly spiked covering home for me while I went out to take a throw from centerfield to break me of that particular habit. My guess is, that it is something Geo and Matt Sinatro will work on extensively, maybe next spring. I’m sure they’ve told him to wait back….this isn’t the first time I’ve noticed him creeping up….but it’s not an easy remember in the heat of the game. Geo looks like a pretty quick study. He’ll get it. All in all I think he’s doing a fabulous job.
MOCubsfan - August 30, 2008
It's the catcher's call as to whether there's a play at the plate,
and if not, he is to move to whatever position necesary in order to make anyother potential play at any other given base.
Not saying that was the case here (as I did not see the game), but having caught my whole life through college, that’s the general rule.
lostinthevines - August 31, 2008
thanks to all the back-seat catchers out there
Good, well-thought out replies. I thought about the “avoiding the in-between hop” factor after I posted my original query. Can’t tell if that was the case in this particular play, but as many of you pointed out, that’s another legitimate reason to move up and catch the ball.
ballhawk - August 31, 2008
+1
He was out of position. Period.
(I caught, but I sucked.)
santo4hof - August 30, 2008
I watched that play
on TV a few times…Soto seemed to be moving in slow motion…I thought he was going to be out by 5 steps when the throw was coming in..
cozmotaylor123 - August 30, 2008
After a few reviews,
as best I can tell Soto was a little too far in front of the plate AND THEN decided to play the bounce. The throw came in low and was at the point of bouncing again in front of the plate when Geo snagged it early and went for the reach around tag. He may have gotten handcuffed by the ball in the dirt if he had let it go closer to the plate. It’s one of those bang-bang calls a player makes on the play, and hopefully he learns from it for next month.
SpudV - August 31, 2008
I agree with Carls post above. Things went south when Victorino stuck his arm out there and took one for the team. I hope the next time it happens we put somebody on their back.
O'Cub - August 30, 2008
+1
Ultey has intentionally gotten hit two days in a row. I’m not an advocate of intentional HBP and have said that many times here, but I think it’s time to send him a message that if he’s going to get hit on purpose, there will be a bruise.
Definitely below the shoulders, though!
Shanghai Badger - August 30, 2008
*Utley
Shanghai Badger - August 30, 2008
we'll get them tomorrow.
drewishdrewid - August 30, 2008
+1
….lost one to a good team, so many breaks have gone our way in this series so far, karma caught up today.
JB 23 - August 30, 2008
I was surprised
when Soto struck out in the 8th, ending the threat with the bases loaded.
Alas, I was NOT surprised when Cedeno struck out. :(
drewishdrewid - August 30, 2008
I was surprised
when Reed Johnson struck out. We really let Romero off the hook in that inning. He had no idea where the strike zone was. Only Dome seemed to notice this…
Goodie1969 - August 30, 2008
The home plate ump
didn’t have any idea where the strike zone was either.
ChipSet - August 31, 2008
More and more of the personal strike zone lately.
It’s been awful
lostinthevines - August 31, 2008
Soto
That ball was not a strike. Terrible strike zone all game.
dr stabbingworth - August 31, 2008
Most people thought, it'd be 3-of-4 right?
Might as well win tomorrow and make us all look smart…
Bill Potter - August 31, 2008
And it's always tough to watch a guy like Romero celebrate
as if he just threw an inning like Sandy Koufax when in fact the Cubs got themselves out. Z’s gotta pick it up tomorrow but I like the Cub chances of beating Moyer even if Z gives up some runs.
the nth - August 30, 2008
I didn't think Z was going tomorrow?
He in the midst of the dreaded “dead-arm” period right now and so Marshall was spot starting in his place.
DTJchris - August 31, 2008
I hated watching him celebrate too
but because we failed to convert that inning. Romero had good stuff, and he struck out three side after coming in with a bunch of baserunners. He is entitled to celebrate.
californiachicagoan - August 31, 2008
Fox Jinx
The Cubs have better learn how to win when the Fox banner is flying if they want to go far in October. The last two (maybe more?) have been dismal. I sure don’t want to put up with another year of billygoat crap if the Fox jinx continues.
SpudV - August 31, 2008
I don't want to see Cotts in the playoffs.
Don’t we have a lefty in the minors that can get somebody out.
Rick B - August 31, 2008
Jim
I’m sorry…but that was a really FUNNY recap.
jimvanders - August 31, 2008
cubs
gotta lose sometimes.let,s hope z gets his act together and pitches a good game.has,nt been very good lately.a split would probably leave us with a 4 and a half game lead since the pirates dont look like they,ll ever win again. there,s still time for the brewers to catch up so let,s not get crazy here.but if the cards keep tanking then it will be the brewers cubs no matter what with us getting the mets in the postseason
NOMAR - August 31, 2008
Right now the Cubs would play Arizona. The D-Backs are 5.5 behind the Mets.
If you’re predicting that the NL East winner will have a worse record than the West winner, you might be right — but I’m not convniced the Mets will hold of the Phillies.
Shanghai Badger - August 31, 2008
Absolutely Hilarious
Al, you’ve out done yourself here. I haven’t been around the site lately because of work but this was a great post to come back to and read after a lackluster game. You’ve cheered me up considerably, especially the Dick Stockton part, and the Neil Cotts part… so true!
lswaidz - August 31, 2008
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