Happy Father's Day to all BCB dads, including mine. I'll have my son with me at the game today.
If the Cubs win today and the Brewers and Cardinals lose, the Cubs will have the fewest losses in the NL Central. Further, if the Phillies also lose, only the Dodgers will have fewer losses in the entire National League. This bodes well for contention not only for the division title, but for the wild card (current leader: the Brewers).
Much as I thought the firing of Gerald Perry and hiring of Von Joshua was window dressing and an attempt to show the Cubs were "doing something, anything" about the hitting slump -- Bruce Miles talked to Joshua recently and maybe there IS something to changing the approach:
"We like to work the count and make the pitcher work," Von said. "But as we all know, you get some of these guys like (Cliff) Lee or some of these guys get ahead, if they throw strike one, a fastball strike one, it’s bad if you pop it up. It’s great if you square it up. You only get three strikes.
"It’s a twofold. You like to see them work the count, but if they groove that fastball, square it up. A lot of guys will say, ‘It was on the outer third of the plate.’ Well, square it up to the opposite field and try and go the other way. It’s still the fastball. I cannot stand to see guys take a fastball for a strike."
It sounds a little scary, almost Dusty Baker-like, to be too overaggressive. On the other hand, Joshua has been on the job less than a week and you can already see guys doing this, and at the same time, most of the Cubs have been having better at-bats. Whatever it is, let's hope it continues.
And if you missed this on Baseball Tonight last night, Mike emailed me this:This is the first time that there have been three consecutive walkoffs by anyone since 1998, and the first time for the Cubs since 1946.
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Jeremy Sowers is a soft-tossing lefty -- the Cubs usually have trouble with guys like this (think of him as a poor man's Doug Davis). However, Sowers has a 5.14 ERA this year, which matches his career ERA, and has walked 17 in 35 innings. He has never faced the Cubs, and the handful of Cubs (Reed Johnson, Milton Bradley and Andres Blanco) who faced him in their AL time are a combined 0-for-8 against him. So the bottom line is -- who knows?
Randy Wells is coming off his worst start to date as a major leaguer. It'll be interesting to see how he reacts to that, especially against a good-hitting team like the Indians. He has never faced them nor anyone on their current roster.
Cable only today in Cleveland (STO) and Chicago (CSN). For other games today see the MLB.com Mediacenter.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Overflow comment threads will post today at 2:15 pm, 3:15 pm and 4 pm CDT.
Please visit our SBN Indians site at Let's Go Tribe.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
0 recs | 70 comments
Let's get a sweep!
Reddevil - June 21, 2009
Go Cubs!!
Bring out the broom!
cubbiefanTN - June 21, 2009
Lets Get a sweep
Love going to work on Monday knowing the Cubs have won.
nji232 - June 21, 2009
Good matchups today in Cub land.
We’ve got Wells (2.55 ERA) vs Sowers (5.14 ERA). Although… every game with our rotation is a good matchup (as you hear me say quite often these days)! And, every game for Cleveland is a bad matchup with the league’s worst pitching staff.
Cardinals got Wainright (3.33) vs Meche (3.31). Meche is on fire right now. He’s only given up 1 run this month in 3 starts, with a CG shutout his last time out.
Brewers got Gallardo (2.93) vs Verlander (3.39). Verlander through a CG vs the White Sox two starts ago in a 2-1 win.
SackMan - June 21, 2009
Which means we get to miss Verlander this week in Detroit
YES!
nji232 - June 21, 2009
Dude
Sweet
Reddevil - June 21, 2009
I was kinda hoping to see him pitch in person this week against the Cubs, but so be it...
Zeke - June 21, 2009
It's funny that
lots of people gave Hendry crap for signing Lilly. He was basically a .500 pitcher when he came over to the Cubs. Meche was in the same off season class of free agents and he’s turned out to be pretty good too.
cubswynn - June 21, 2009
one of jh's best signings
there were two other big name arms that year. both have had, uhhhhh…, limited success
tim815 - June 21, 2009
Sweep would be sweet!
How’s the rain forecast in Chicago? We had about 3 hours of rain in Des Moines with more for this afternoon.
mrcubsfan - June 21, 2009
Dear Cubs,
Score first and score often.
Thanks!
sue369 - June 21, 2009
FUN FACT
SackMan - June 21, 2009
Only 6 teams ever to do this too!
mrcubsfan - June 21, 2009
elias must be wrong
joe morgan was on the 1975 reds. i’m certain his teams never got down by four runs.
tim815 - June 21, 2009
Just checkin' in from scenic Door County, Wis.
The Cubs are 2-0 since I got here, so I am prepared to stay as long as necessary to ensure continuous victory. Ecstatic about the consistently good starting pitching combined with DLee’s nuclear power surge. Feel just a little bad for Woody – but not bad enough to give back either of the wins.
Hope Cubs hitters show patience vs. Sowers today – stay back on his pitches and hit them hard. Also hope Wells has a redemption start after his last outing. I’ll be wearing out my cell phone battery keeping tabs on the game.
Go Cubs!
daver - June 21, 2009
If you have time
take the ferry to Washington island. Very cool place.
JFCubFan - June 21, 2009
Alright a lefty
Hopefully Milton can feast off him. Speaking of which, he’s clearly better right handed, I wonder how he would do strictly as a right hander
bren - June 21, 2009
that defeats his purpose in hendrys eyes though
jesus christos - June 21, 2009
I would love to do play by play for the game today
but I just got three bleacher tickets! My first game of the year, and I get to go with my family!
drewishdrewid - June 21, 2009
Have a great time!!!
sue369 - June 21, 2009
Awesomeness
We’ll try to pick up the slack for ya. Have fun at the game!
Clutch16 - June 21, 2009
soft excuse
enjoy
tim815 - June 21, 2009
Wells is due.
Make it so, Cubs.
Goodie1969 - June 21, 2009
OT: I heard this guy do a eulogy at a funeral in LA (about 15+ yrs ago).
Best eulogy I ever heard. I was only friends with the daughter of the guy who died and I found it very moving.
LAcarl519 - June 21, 2009
Cool story. I always though Patrick Stewart was a cool guy.
CaliCub - June 21, 2009
Let's getem today boys and girls!
I’ve timed my drive back to Des Moines to coincide with the Cubs game. Hopefully I don’t drive off the road.
Can you imagine what it would be like to be on the road with Santo driving during a Cubs game?
IowaCubs- - June 21, 2009
Remember the SNL sketch where Dana Carvey (as Ross Perot)
is driving with Ret. Adm. Jim Stockdale (his VP candidate)?
Perot stops the car and asks him to look at something in the adjacent field. When Stockdale gets out to investigate, Perot slams the car door, floors it and ditches the poor fellow by the side of the road.
Why does this sketch come to mind after driving 3 hours in a car with Ronnie while listening to a Cubs game? (and don’t misunderstand me, I love Santo dearly, but I can see where this situation might test anyone’s fortitude…)
Zeke - June 21, 2009
quick --
someone tell me where the best place to park is!
drewishdrewid - June 21, 2009
Rubber side down...
Zeke - June 21, 2009
Chucrh parking lot on west side of Halsted four blocks south of Irving Park
Clutche - June 21, 2009
park at the lawrence redline lot...it's like 5 - 7 dollars, there is always parking...and u can ride the train 3 stations down to the game
desmoCubbie - June 21, 2009
I wish this guy were a righty
After the day Dome had, plus the fact that he brings a lot of patience to the plate, I’d like to see him starting again.
But against a lefty, it’s not going to happen.
chitownhawkeye - June 21, 2009
Well, when we get into their bull-pen, Dome can come in!
Jimmyeatworld - June 21, 2009
Alright!
Off to the game! GO CUBS GO!
drewishdrewid - June 21, 2009
Going to the game today!
Hopefully this will bring my record back to 500!
desmoCubbie - June 21, 2009
Guzman to the DL
just saw it on the ESPN. not sure who is called up.
TJ3117 - June 21, 2009
NOOOO
jesus christos - June 21, 2009
Kevin Hart is called up from Iowa
gwl17 - June 21, 2009
Maybe he will be back in 2007 form?
ak123 - June 21, 2009
This also might be in response to
the heavy bullpen usage the last few days, plus the prospect of no days off for a while.
Might as well give Guzman enough time to get completely healthy, plus get a fresh arm in the pen.
Not Bruce Froemming - June 21, 2009
Hart called up
In response to the Guzman on the DL.
I think he was very underrated and hopefully will be back shortly. His presence will be missed.
ak123 - June 21, 2009
what's that i smell?
i know i smell something. oh, yeah, that’s it.
we’re showcasing hart.
tim815 - June 21, 2009
Could be
But its a shame we have to put Guzman on the shelf when he seemed fine yesterday.
ak123 - June 21, 2009
I like the lineup
Soriano
Theriot
Bradley
Lee
Soto
Fox
Fukudome
Blanco
Wells
lexmarklover - June 21, 2009
Here's Cleveland's lineup
J. Carroll, 2B
M. DeRosa, LF
V. Martinez, C
S. Choo, RF
J. Peralta, 3B
L. Valbuena, SS
C. Gimenez, 1B
B. Francisco, CF
J. Sowers, P
flachimesa - June 21, 2009
don't let valbuena beat you
tim815 - June 21, 2009
Go Cubs!
a 4th consecutive win would be huge going into the road trip!
cubswgnrocks - June 21, 2009
Nice
I’ll take that.
Clutch16 - June 21, 2009
Does anyone know why
the White Sox play the Dodgers this year???
LPLancer23 - June 21, 2009
Just crazy inter-league scheduling I guess...
…but it is a rematch of the ’59 Series.
Jimmyeatworld - June 21, 2009
My in-laws went to one of the games at the LA Coliseum
They just moved out here from Cicero. Not native Chicagoans, unfortunately – they’re from Nebraska.
CaliCub - June 21, 2009
Scores
2-0 Sox
1-0 Brewers
lexmarklover - June 21, 2009
Let's win in something other than a walkoff.
It would save our bullpen for the brutal road trip coming up:
1 @ Atlanta
3 @ Detroit
3 @ White Sox
3 @ Pittsburgh
Vermont Cubs Fan - June 21, 2009
Whats with your signature?
LPLancer23 - June 21, 2009
It references the Cubs' record at games I've been at since April 2004.
The Cubs record in every game I’ve been at is 5 wins, 0 losses.
Vermont Cubs Fan - June 21, 2009
Then you need to get to more games!
Al Yellon - June 21, 2009
Can we get this game started already?
Jimmy’s gettin’ impatient!
Jimmyeatworld - June 21, 2009
Aren't we all.
How has your day been?
Vermont Cubs Fan - June 21, 2009
So far, so good Vermont...
Slept in, got up made breakfast, coffee, fed the dog. I’m ready for our boys in blue complete the sweep.
Jimmyeatworld - June 21, 2009
I couldn't sleep in.
Had to work at 8 this morning (better than Saturday, when I have to start at 7 am), but I got off at noon so I can watch the Cubs, too.
Vermont Cubs Fan - June 21, 2009
no reed johnson today he has a tight back
jesus christos - June 21, 2009
So do I.
I can relate.
Goodie1969 - June 21, 2009
Regarding Von Joshua's approach
There are two things as far as changing the approach of the club. When the Cubs led the league in BB it was a change from previous times that they were swinging early in the count and not taking any BB. Last year the league didn’t adjust until the playoffs. Now as a league if I know the Cubs were sitting on early pitches as a design I would challenge them and get a head in the count on fat fastballs.
Now Joshua is saying recognize fastballs and hit it where it is pitched be 0-0 or 1-0 or 3-2.
If the league doesn’t want to pitch to you than take a walk
Ivy Walls - June 21, 2009
It's a very good approach...
Basically get yourself a pitch to hit, and if ya don’t get something you can square up- take a walk.
Jimmyeatworld - June 21, 2009
Sori
needs to hear this more than anyone else on the roster.
Reddevil - June 21, 2009
hes taken his walks lately
jesus christos - June 21, 2009
He's been getting better as of late.
Albeit, it’s at a slow pace.
Vermont Cubs Fan - June 21, 2009
Oh no, not again!
There be rain on the way.
hip2bsquare - June 21, 2009
Not again!
We’ve had more than enough rain delays this year. Hopefully, that either misses Chicago or it holds off long enough so the Cubs and Indians can get the game in.
Vermont Cubs Fan - June 21, 2009
1PT is up
Jump!
Clutch16 - June 21, 2009
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