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It's A Beautiful Day For A Ballgame -- NOT: Cubs vs. Rockies, Monday 4/13, 1:20 CT

On April 7, 2003, the day in Chicago dawned cold, with a forecast of snow. The Cubs called their scheduled home opener -- which was to have been played on a Monday after a six-game road trip to open the season -- at seven o'clock in the morning.

While there may be a break in the rain later today, I wonder about the purpose of opening the gates, making everyone -- fans, vendors, players -- sit there waiting for something that's not going to happen, especially with the Cub players having returned so late last night from Milwaukee. Perhaps it'd be best to call the game early and play tomorrow.

In the meantime, you can have some fun with the photo here; make up your own caption and post it in the comments.

Bruce Miles was prescient in his blog post yesterday:

Lou was talking before [Saturday] night's game how he and his staff were of "the school" that says let the other team beat you late by hitting the ball, not by walking. Fewer things drive Lou crazier than his relievers issuing walks.

On the flip side, Lou is the anti-Dusty when it comes to his batters taking walks. In other words, he doesn't mind walks "clogging the bases." He also points out how walks can turn the lineup over and bring up the good hitters more quickly.

The walks helped kill the Cubs on Friday -- but won the game for them yesterday. The 29 walks drawn so far this year are nearly five per game; at that pace they'd walk 783 times this year. That average will come down, but perhaps later this spring I'll be able to post a "Walk Watch" box. The club record for a single season is 650, set in 1975. Last year's team walked 636 times, coming very close. Maybe this year's edition will break the record -- and score a ton of runs as a result.

Speaking of Dusty, check out his quote regarding the triple play the Pirates turned against his Reds yesterday:

"That’s the first one I’ve seen in person," Baker said. "There was one when I was with the Dodgers, but I was in the bathroom. I came out and asked what happened, and they told me there was a triple play."

The mind boggles. Incidentally, the only triple play turned during Baker's time with the Dodgers was by the Astros on April 21, 1978. It ended the game -- it was in the bottom of the ninth.

Today's Starting Pitchers
Ted Lilly
Ted Lilly
Cubs
vs. Ubaldo Jimenez
Ubaldo Jimenez
Rockies
1-0 W-L 1-0
9.00 ERA 0.00
3 SO 8
0 BB 3
4 HR 0
vs. Col -- vs. Cubs

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2009 - Ted Lilly 1-0 1 1 0 0 0 0 5.0 8 5 5 4 0 3 9.00 1.60


W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2009 - Ubaldo Jimenez 1-0 1 1 0 0 0 0 7.0 4 0 0 0 3 8 0.00 1.00

The four homers allowed by Ted Lilly in his first start last week are a little disturbing, but consider that they were given up in the Juice Box, with the roof open and the wind blowing out, and I'm sure you can see that today, with temperatures in the 40's, rain and the wind blowing in, will likely be very different. Lilly has not faced any current Rockie more than 7 AB (Garrett Atkins, 3-for-7).

Ubaldo Jimenez, similarly, has no Cubs batter who has faced him more than seven times (Ryan Theriot, also 3-for-7). The hot Alfonso Soriano is 3-for-5 with a homer; Soriano appears to have come out of the gate in one of his patented hot streaks, let's hope it continues.

Today's game is on WGN-TV, FSN Rocky Mountain, and at the MLB.com Mediacenter.

MLB.com Gameday

Discuss amongst yourselves.

0 recs  |  279 comments

Comments

Uncle Ted

NO GUFF FROM THE ROCKIES!

the title of that article

is wrong. Pirates LOST to the Reds. Silly Yahoo.

Opening the gates brings revenue in

Beer, soda, hot dogs, etc.

Not saying I agree with doing it or that is the reason, but . . . .

and I see they've already opened access to the bleachers
Man, I hope they can get the game in...

I need a diversion from all this paperwork today!

yo Jimmay!
Morning drew....

You ready to open the home schedule?

A day game at Wrigley Field...

It doesn’t get any better than this.

Especially since it means a 7pm start for me… now if only it wasn’t Passover so I could have a few beers :(

Yes! My compatriot!

Doesn’t matzah make cardboard taste just delicious?

Got a little Captain in ya?
SWL, outstanding.
I had just finished making this when I started reading the recap from last night and saw Sackman's post about it...

great minds think alike.

even if you don't publish these into a book

you should still make us a PDF. For funzies.

Fantastic!!
Can we just turn the clock ahead two hours...

and get this show on the road?

any of you folks with access to Gordo

gotten any updates since the last one?

nope.
and because the universe is sadistic...

Twittermeyer: Lou says Bradley’s better, but Rami has a sore back. Fonty is playing third, which means our infield is Lee, Miles, Riot, Fonty.

Egad.

Egad is right...
I'd be happy

with a rainout right there.

wow

that sucks

I feel like

imitating the ostrich behavior of sticking my head in the sand would be better than watching this infield try and play defense. Lee has his work cut out for him today.

Water

That’s what they stick their heads underground for.

Just random trivia for you.

Hey I named by BCB fantasy team after that infield

“Wrigley Midgets”. Wet ground should help keep the bounces nice and low for our kiddie sized group.

maybe

we can put a tee on home plate for them, too.

They could play in that mini Wrigley Field.
P.S

Wrigley Midgets has been is in first place. It is early but it is awesome team and but for a problem getting on before round one where I was “stuck” with David Wright as always NO METS, CARDINALS, YANKEES OR WHITE SOX on the team. I will dispose of Wright in due time.

he just said

Bradley’s feeling better. Rami sore back

As mentioned, Aramis out with sore back - LBR will play third.

The lineup:

Soriano LF
Theriot SS
Dome RF
DLee 1B
Fontenot 3B
RJ CF
Miles 2B
Hill C
Lilly P

If there was ever a day to move Fonzie down the lineup...

…today would be it.

Yeah, that would be an intriguing move.

And this game does have a spring training aura about it. But I’m guessing Lou doesn’t want to do anything to mess with how hot Soriano’s been.

Oh, I know, you don't mess with him when he's hot, but...

…..we are so devoid of power with this lineup. Guess we play small ball today.

Considering the weather

small ball is a good choice anyway

True.

Let Gathright get the start and lead-off.

+1

C’mon Lou, too early for me to be mad at you.

eh....I hate that lineup
Anyone think Soto might get in the later innings?
Probably to pinch hit again
Anything is possible.
Well looks like Lee finally got moved down...

: /

possible captions for the three outfield amigos..

That’s got to be the most poorly coordinated jump and bump i’ve seen—captions could be:

“Reed’s booty is left hanging in the wind”
“No one likes a wall scaling showboat”
“the bash brothers retired long ago—someone tell Johnson”

I think Soriano

deserves more praise than what we give him. Hope he gets a nice ovation when he comes up to bat.

best LF in the league.
and............

best lead off hitter in the league

I think Manny is up there though.

But yeah… he’s up there.

new Twittermeyer

if they play, the lineup is:

Sori
Riot
Dome (in right)
Lee
Fonty
Reed (cf)
Miles (2b)
hill
Lilly.

It's not reed, it's

Spider Man.

Yikes!

Personally, I’m hoping – nay, praying - for a rainout after seeing that.

rain out please

rain out please

Up until the first pitch

the Cubs have control. Theoretically, they could say its unplayable and give themselves a day to rest.

Just a thought, given that lineup.

They should do that then

They are making their money right now on beer sales and stuff, close it down at 1:20 and lets play at the same time tomorrow. That way Aramis’ back is better, Milton can play and I don’t have to watch Aaron Miles try and hit.

That's what I was thinking

I can’t see the radar, but I had 3 “friends” bail on me for making the trip up from Indy today for the game, so selfishly I want the game to be postponed.

But if it would help Ramirez’s back to get a day off and the Cubs can get a day off out of it, I’m all for it.

Yep

Why make an already miserable, cold, and wet crowd watch crappy baseball when we can wait a day and they can watch awesome baseball with all the real players

Exactly.

2 days of concession receipts, plus tickets have been paid for already, so it makes sense to let this one go.

Though Skilling says the rain will break up throughout the afternoon.

plus maybe Soto could start tomorrow
another advantage.
Why not Hoff at 3B?

He needs to prove he’s an everyday player! And Lee should be moved to 12th in the lineup!

Micah Hoffpauir

could make a better lineup than that.

I have solved all our lineup problems!

1. Hoffpauir, LF
2. Hoffpauir, CF
3. Hoffpauir, 1B
4. Hoffpauir, RF
5. Hoffpauir, 3B
6. Hoffpauir, 2B
7. Hoffpauir, C
8. Hoffpauir, SS
9. Hoffpauir, P

Who

is going to play DH???

Guess hack Bugs Bunny ripoff.
Absolutely right - consider -

if we made Hoffpauir the new assistant (to the) manager, then Trammel could become our backup IF. I also bet Trammel could plate a run on a bases loaded 0 outs pinch-hit situation, against Milwaukee middle relief, at least.

As Evil BCB pointed out

a bloody mannequin could.

That's the

scariest thing I have seen today

Scariest or Dumbest???
Take your pick
C.) All of the Above
well

it’s not like we have depth in the infield. SOMEONE has to play, if the game goes on.

d'oh - sorry for the redundancy above
no problem

we all know bad horror movies get remade over and over again…

Lou stopped by......

the Captain Morgan Club before he penciled this line-up

just a sec...

Who’s playing Short if Fonty and the Riot are in the lineup?

Fontenot will probably be at 3rd

………I came to get down, I came to get down
So get out your seats and jump around
Jump around
Jump up Jump up and get down.
Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump!……….

On behalf of all the Badger fans here: +1
Hell...lets make it +2
They ain't going to be playing today

Go to weather.com and look at the radar. Ugly, ugly, ugly thunder clouds rolling in fast and furious. And they are going to last well into the evening.

Thank you Tom Skilling...
They will play.

It’ll be clear by 2:45.

on a hazy, hot, humid

dog day in august, we will long for weather like this…

That would make my day.
What radar are you looking at?

I’m looking here and I see all the heavy stuff pushing north with a big pocket after it. Very little rain behind that. I think this game gets played. Hoping for a delay though so I can see more of the game after class/work.

Radar?

is that like Stats? We’ll have no guff from a weathermagician like yourself! BLOUDAR is where it’s at!

Tom Skilling = Bill James?
Skilling just dropped a McCarverian quote, BTW
“56 percent of Cubs opening days have temps in 30’s, and that’s more than half.”
Joe Morgan

couldn’t have put it any better.

Nor Yogi Berra.
Yes, but

McCarver could’ve milked a solid two or three minutes out of trying to say that.

(Also, is it just me, or is that a really depressing statistic?)

it's chilling, i know that much.
Since the middle of the order doesn't want to play today

I want the rainout. Home opener can be tomorrow when we are healthy and don’t send a minor league lineup out.

my guess is.....

……Lou knows they won’t play today and is getting a kick out putting out that lineup.

If that is true

he should have just put Hoffpauer in at 1st and given us all heart attacks

I get off at 3:30.

Let it rain, let it rain…then let the skies miraculously clear at 2:45 or so.

Caption: “Might as well…”

What time do you figure they'll make a decision?

n/t

Just watching the WGN News...

In their pre-game coverage we got treated to The Human Air Raid Siren…

EPIC FAIL WGN!!!

Going to the game SLOWLY

Greetings from internet cafe at Broadway & Barry. I guess I have to get the bleachers in the next hour or so. Coat is warm, feet are already soaking wet. So what if I get really sick. It is my first Opening Day in 20 years.

Go Cubbies!!!!!!

Lets sweep the Rockiessssssssss!!

Ted Lilly is pissed...

With Soto still out, ARam and Bradley both not playing, Lee still missing his power stroke and Soriano still batting leadoff…

…Lou still won’t move Lilly up in the order.

I pity the Rockies hitters today…

I pity the Rockies catcher.

Lilly angry…Lilly smash.

It's too bad

they can’t just pull the catcher, the way you can pull the goalie in hockey.

Why would you want to pull Reed "Goaltender" Johnson?
I cna just picture

Lilly repeatedly hitting the umpire in the chest with his pitches since the Cubs decided to install an extra infielder instead of putting Hill behind the plate

Ted Lilly

3-3 with a homer today

that's the good news..........

home many homers does he allow?

Depends

where is the wind blowing today?

wind is blowing in.
He might let them get one or two

just to be nice

Who is up by the park, and can give us a first person account of the weather & skies?
Just look at the live Cams.....

http://web.live.weatherbug.com/LiveCameras/2/LiveCameras.aspx?zcode=Z5764&camera_group=1&camera_id=CUBBY&lid=CNXCC

http://www.cubworld.com/category/a_cubworld_cam

here's another webcam view

http://www.cubworld.com/category/a_cubworld_cam

oops

same one above…

I cannot view live cams at work. Any first hand knowledge would be great. The radar looks kind of promising, like the storm is breaking up

andy?

is that you?

Indeed
nice

you want to play some magic the gathering after this?

HAHA
im watching you mutz...

watch your back.

This may not be all that helpful

I’m at Western and Roosevelt and it’s raining pretty good here. I can see Wrigley’s general vicinity out my window and it doesn’t look any better up there.

I know I'm on the SL, but here's my caption entry anyway......

I’ve got, no I’ve got it, no I’ve got it. You take it!

Bleachers are full

Skilling wont give a straight answer
He doesn't want to ruin that "Weathermen are always 100% correct" streak they have....
agreed

he says the radar looks promising, but as soon as that sentence ends, he replaces it with ‘looks like showers could fill that promising gap’

Is he straight?
I think he just got married, actually.
Gotta keep the potential viewers locked into WGN
WGN's camera is covered with rain during the pregame...
Lou....

…“kind of a different lineup. Going to have to play small ball. I knew in spring training we’d have to use this lineup on occasion, so get used to it”.

I don't wanna get used to it Lou
Despite what we want

Since they haven’t called it yet they will do everything possible to play baseball today.

It looks horrible on WGN....

they said at least a 1/2 hour delay

Kenney says 30 minute delay, more than likely
After taking another look at the radar...

…I think it’s a good bet this game gets played. I guess we get to see how well Wonder Hamster handles 3B after all…

Crane Kenny says that 700 can fit into the new Captain Morgan Club

Did anyone tell the fire marshal?

He's been briefed.

My work is done here!
midgets?

oops…….height challenged human beings

last night

RJ went to right (thank goodness as it turns out) and Fuk stayed in center. Today it’s reversed? Although, I believe RJ in center is the smarter move, why the flip/flop from Lou?

Because like you

Lou believes its the smarter move.

it was the smarter move last night too

unless Lou had a vision about RJ’s catch.

The reason that RJ went to right, and Dome stayed in center...

Simply because Hoff would be the first bat off the bench, and Lou wanted flexibility b/c Hoff can’t play CF. Less switching, even though the Cubs didn’t need to switch anything…

Because it's Wrigley not Miller Park, I would think....
Because Dome is a freakin' good right fielder.
better today than yesterday?
No walls to climb at Wrigley.
Looking at this radar

How are the Sox playing in Detroit right now? It looks like the storm is about to hit them.

Caption

“Reed, did you have to jump this high to make that catch?”

From left to right...

“¡Muy bien!”
“私達は勝つ!”
“What?”

caption

“Unable to speak to one another, Cubs Outfielders are seen utilizing nonverbal communication to express happiness”

I love how the bleachers are always full

no matter the crappy weather, while the rest of the stadium is empty

Ahh, the joys of protecting your unassigned seat.
CF bleachers are empty....when they show them on WGN.
Al looks cold....
Where is he?
He's the one in the rain gear...
Can you pick him out here?

Blue poncho dude I think.
back row

under the umbrella.

That's his Big Gulp cup.

He just turned it upside down.

Umbrella?

I’m going to give him hell if he even utters “braving the elements” in his recap.

sucks to have bleachers today, you run for cover and you lose your seat

Friend of mine

at the game. Says it’s still drizzling hard, tarp is still on. She just got a soriano autographed ball, dangit!

They just showed Biittner's 1978 opening day walk off HR....

……ONE person to greet him at home plate. LOL. So different back then.

Larry had bad teeth

made teammates feel awkward

Sucks not having WGN today...

I love the opening day specials. About to turn on MLB.tv even though there’s no baseball for a little bit probably

So I take they are going to try and get it in

I have plans for tomorrow afternoon. But I could cancel and reschedule but I’ve have to do it now. I wish they would have made up their minds

they said at least a 1/2 hour delay while a front moves in....

….then maybe. It looks horrible on the field. I’m thinking they don’t get it in today.

Watching pre-game interviews

looks pretty miserable at field level

Lou on 720 just now:

“you can’t forecast the weather”

Yeah, heard that, too.

Classic.

Classic.
Now he just called Prince Fielder "Cecil Fielder"...

…but then corrected himself.

I'm just surprised...

those Santo-Piniella interviews don’t invariably boil down to a discussion on the merits grilled cheese and tomato soup.

Tom Skilling...

“O Rly?!”

Poor kid's autographed ball

all the rain is washing out the sig

greatest sports voice of all time

Harry Kalas passed away, in the booth,

Wait, he died on the job?
That's what ESPN said

 Before the game.

Passed out in the booth, died at the hospital
Thanks for the clarification.

 Sad new. I love listening to him and his HR call "It’s outttta HERE!!

Harry Kalas, for those who don't know

 Does the Phillies games and also I think “Inside the NFL”

Wow.

Just heard that too — he was a Naperville native as well, and a voice we’ll never see again.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4064793

Oh yeah...he lost consciousness in the broadcast booth. Wow.
Rest in peace

Died doing what he loved. What a way to go.

He got to see the Phils win one more title last year...

…Still, can’t believe he won’t be around anymore.

http://onthedlpodcast.com/clips/phils_champs_harry.mp3

sad news

great baseball voice that I will miss hearing

I think I'd be at a nearby bar before I'd wait out this weather....

The outfield warning track looks horrible.

That can be fixed

You’ve got to wait until the rain stops before you can start using quick-dry and squeegeeing the water into the drains…it will be a while though.

doesnt look as bad as last year
this fuckin sucks

no chance they play today

I guess it'll be a cold day in hell before they get this game in, eh Satan?
Looks like they'll get the game in, then.

Radar breaks up in a bit.

They’re gonna try.

BLou already guaranteed they arent getting it in

so I dont understand why everyone is still at the park…

LOL...

…we’re just here for the Matlock play by play after they call it.

Or the Maury Show...

“He is NOT the father!”

I don't see any puddles on the warning track

I see Al

under his blue and white, tho!

is that a live picture or something?
Wrigley Field webcam

You can access it through Cubs Club I think.

Or through a secret portal, like I do
why isn't A-Ram in the lineup?
back tightness

slash soreness

bad?
hope not

from what they’re saying it’s just precautionary

Correct.

He finished the game last night after he felt it.

MLB.tv just had a great moment

Len and Bob cued a weather report, which I’m assuming was a cut to the studio but the MLB.tv camera stayed live so I got to hear a little banter between everyone and organ music.

Over-under on game-time...

2:30?(cent)

Wednesday 1:30
your optimistic.
Are you watching WGN? It doesn't look good.
I'm watching the radar.

The rain should stop soon.

If it was 70 degrees, it might be different...

….but it’s 36 and windy. But, hey, like Lou says, “You can’t forecast the weather”.

and yes.

I’m watching WGN also.

That's not nice

 Brenly is a very nice man.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

AHAHAHA
’AHAHAHAHA
AAZHHAHAHHAHAXJKSCXDIV UBFDV

Oops, Tuesday.....so I guess it would be "over"
A little puddle in center

"Little"?

I could bog my 4×4 down in that…

Hahaha...

Seriously, when WGN showed a live shot, right center was all puddles…

That's a live shot

It’s all soaked. If they do play after the delay, I just hope no one gets hurt.

cmon, let's go let's go!
Pat just said "between a half-hour and an hour" delay

Oh well…

Ritchie Valens?

Lou...just say it...

“I made this lineup solely based on a rainout”…

Lou... just say it...

“I did it for the lulz”

With MB and ARam out

this lineup is the perfect opportunity to bat Soriano lower down…. i’d love to see it!

Agree completely.
I'm mad that MLB Audio isn't active

Through my ipod yet. oh well.

You don't want to listen to Gary Meier on WGN

…trust me.

I just called MLB Audio

They reset my password and audio is now working. I asked how that should affect the feed and the tech just told me to be grateful that it’s working.

I did clear my Internet cache several times before I mention this because calling tech support and am using Adobe Flash 10. I mention this because they will ask you to do this before proceeding.

Just started up for me in both computer and ipod.
oops

I did clear my Internet cache several times before calling tech support and am using Adobe Flash 10. I mention this because they will ask you to do this before proceeding.

Standing O as the groundscrew takes the field!
Grounds crew!
are they taking off teh tarp?
Tarp is off
Yeah, take that tarp off, baby.
TAKE IT OFF! TAKE IT OFF!
This great, the MLB radio feed is just dead air with the Wrigley Field organ playing

in the background

That is one of life's simple pleasures, for sure.
in-a-gadda-da-vida?
is that legal?
There's some lonely souls in the First Pitch thread

If you wanna JUMP

Telecasting Z's no-no

“Oh baby!”

If you wanna watch it

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