It was a day for celebration. Jessica joined us in the bleachers to celebrate her birthday (she also got a birthday baseball from Ballhawk Ken), and BCB's drewishdrewid answered my last-minute plea for someone to take three extra tickets I had. He brought his son Max -- whose baseball exploits you have read about here -- and Max kept score for the first time. Quite well, in fact, and he'll have a souvenir scorecard to remember, a 6-2 Cubs win over the Indians, their fourth win in a row. And for the first time this homestand, the Cubs won a game without walkoff dramatics, although Jose Ascanio forced Lou to go to his closer, Kevin Gregg, to finish it off, even though this was the fourth straight game for Gregg.
Needing some form of drama to end this game, Gregg got pinch-hitter Trevor Crowe to ground up the middle -- requiring a neat stop by Andres Blanco and an excellent swipe out of the dirt by Derrek Lee to retire Crowe to finish it.
It's the Cubs' first sweep in five weeks, since the sweep of the Padres in mid-May, and gives the Cubs, at 21-13, the best home record in the NL Central. They'll have ten games on the road, starting tomorrow with the makeup game in Atlanta, to try to improve the woeful 13-18 road record.
I cannot say enough good things about Randy Wells. He has had only one bad start in eight. He has outstanding mound presence, throws strikes (60 in 98 pitches today) and works quickly, something all fielders love. He got a few pitches up today and they were hit hard; fortunately, most of them were converted into outs in the outfield -- a couple of nice grabs by Kosuke Fukudome helped. The only run that scored while he was in the game was after a wacky high bounce on Jamey Carroll's ball into the LF corner allowed Carroll to go to third (and it seemed that Alfonso Soriano perhaps wasn't as quick as he could have been getting to the ball). Mark DeRosa drove him in with a sacrifice fly. For the series DeRosa was 1-for-7 with one RBI and four strikeouts. Who would want such a guy on their team? Seriously, I suspect DeRo was, like Kerry Wood, trying too hard on returning to a place where he specifically said he had his best times in baseball. I'd still take him back, and the Cubs do need another hitter, and after the sweep put the Indians 10 games behind the streaking Tigers, they may be sellers sooner rather than later. With Wells pitching as well as he has, and with Sean Marshall available to step in, there's no reason Rich Harden couldn't be shopped for a hitter. Perhaps a third team would need to be involved. Just so those who think I am one of the "DeRomantics", it doesn't necessarily have to be him. Mark Teahen would be another attractive target.
Derrek Lee extended his hitting streak to 18 games with a fifth-inning single; Geovany Soto hit his fifth home run in his last 90 at-bats; Milton Bradley had two doubles and is starting to hit the ball with much more authority (it seems he has more power from the right side, too). Even the odd double play he hit into in the first inning was a ball smacked right down the 3B line; it just happened to be hit right to Jhonny Peralta, who was standing right next to Ryan Theriot. Theriot had taken a short lead off third and had zero time to react and was an easy out -- you can't blame him for that one. And, Jake Fox drove in three runs with a sac fly and a double and again, handled three chances flawlessly at third base (though, one of them was closer than it had to be because he double-clutched on the throw). Playing him there against LHP is the right call.
It's a bit worrisome that Angel Guzman had to go on the DL today with Kevin Hart recalled, because Guzman had established himself as the 8th-inning alternative to the somewhat shaky Carlos Marmol. Hart has been starting at Iowa, with decent results (a 1.41 ERA in his last six starts); let's hope he can throw better than he did in his stints with the Cubs in 2008.
So the Cubs head to the first of their four makeup games 2.5 games behind the now-division-leading Cardinals, but even in the loss column with them -- and yes, that does make a difference, because presumably, you have caught up in wins with them by the time the games played difference is equalized, and have lost fewer. This team is, at last, starting to play as many of us had envisioned it as the season began. Keep up the good work, onward to Atlanta.
0 recs | 154 comments
First!!
By Santo's Grace - June 21, 2009
But seriously....
Great weekend of ball for the boys! Let’s go get one in Atlanta tomorrow! Go Cubs Go!
By Santo's Grace - June 21, 2009
Woo I saw Randy Well's first win
and also those 2 fans getting drilled with foul balls.
great day at the park tho for sure.
desmoCubbie - June 21, 2009
I'm as Happy...
as I have been all season long. Amazing what winning does to a person. Let’s keep it going! Go Cubbies!!!
cubsluver22 - June 21, 2009
Just got home from a weekend away
I guess I need to be gone more often.
So glad that the cubs were able to bring Wells his first major league win. I am gonna go ahead and say that Wells is as good as he has looked, and I love it and hope to see it more.
jkobus - June 21, 2009
What a difference a week makes!!
Great win today, let’s keep it going tomorrow. And Happy Father’s Day to all you BCB dads out there!
ambrosiadreams - June 21, 2009
Worf
Didn’t he leave??? Maybe he needs to take a extended leave of absence! Something like…say… 3-4 months!! I knew he was lucky…….
cubsluver22 - June 21, 2009
He's been working on his new album...it's gonna be huge.
Goodie1969 - June 21, 2009
OH. MY. GOODNESS.
Vermont Cubs Fan - June 21, 2009
My eyes
Ze googles!! Zhey do nuthing!
Allie - June 21, 2009
Fox's double-clutch
Came on a slow ground ball with a runner on second. He checked the runner before barely making the throw over to Lee. It wasn’t a bad play, overall, just a little closer than the fans would have liked.
Clutch16 - June 21, 2009
Since the 8th inning of Thursday's game against the White Stockings
this team has looked so much more relaxed and focused. The pitching is finally getting picked up by the offense when it’s needed, and of course today Wells didn’t need much help from the bats. I have now resumed setting the DVR for day games. About time, too—I was beginning to wonder why I had the darn thing.
Goodie1969 - June 21, 2009
santoswoodenlegs - June 21, 2009
Didn't see the game
but number one, happy that Randy FINALLY got his first ML win. If he continues with only one bad start in eight, I’ll take it.
Number two, happy that the bats are coming around. I did notice in yesterday’s game that Dome is staying on the ball a lot better instead of bailing like he does. You can’t hit with authority if you are puling away from the ball. We know he can hit to LF pretty well, but he’s got to be able to turn on the ball when the pitch is middle in. Those kind of hits get you triples.
And third, happy for the sweep. Cards and Brewers could have played keep away when we were in our slump, but they had theirs to a degree as well, and we are right where you want to be.
Let’s keep this momentum going and have a great road trip!
BigJohnAZ - June 21, 2009
Al, have they announced a make-up date for the rainout vs. the White Sox?
Vermont Cubs Fan - June 21, 2009
Not officially.
TENTATIVE date: September 3.
Al Yellon - June 21, 2009
That should be interesting.
Cubs vs. White Sox in the heat of a pennant chase. Emotions may run higher than usual.
I hope Harrelson and the Umpires use separate entrances.
Goodie1969 - June 21, 2009
Harrelson should use a separate entrance from everyone.
Al Yellon - June 21, 2009
And he should be
barred from using it.
Not Bruce Froemming - June 21, 2009
if this was discussed earlier, I apologize
But why wasn’t Reed starting against a lefty today?
elgato - June 21, 2009
Stiff lower back
He’s day-to-day.
Clutch16 - June 21, 2009
BTW, Clutch,
I hope you approve of my new avatar.
Not Bruce Froemming - June 21, 2009
I do indeed :D
Clutch16 - June 21, 2009
thanks
elgato - June 21, 2009
With the Cubs' pitching (which just may be the best Chi-N staff in my lifetime...
[b: 03-04-1956]) all we need to do is stay within striking distance until September. This year, the Cubs are the type of team that used to scare the poo out of…, well, the Cubs! Only the guys who should be scared now are in Milwaukee and St. Louis (okay, and Cincy.) There still could be a few rough patches ahead but I’m hoping we’ve got all the miserable baseball out of our system.
copingwiththecubs - June 21, 2009
What I thought was
going to be the best staff ever (Wodd-Prior-Z-Maddux-Clement) wasn’t as effective as this one.
tomas21 - June 21, 2009
Don't be too concerned about Guzman
They said on TV it would be about 5-6 days, but with all the games in a row coming up, they couldn’t wait on him that long. In 15 days he should be plenty healed, and it gives Hart a shot.
Not Bruce Froemming - June 21, 2009
That's good news.
Guzman needs the rest anyway, and they needed a fresh body in the pen today. I hope Hart shows us what he did in late 2007 when he was first called up.
Al Yellon - June 21, 2009
Hope so, too
Hart regressed last season, but it sounds like he’s been OK at Iowa.
Not Bruce Froemming - June 21, 2009
Hart still walks too many.
Allie - June 21, 2009
He's been pitching well lately.
Calling up the hot hand from Iowa seems to have worked this season (Fox, Blanco, Ascanio), so hopefully this continues the trend.
Bill Potter - June 21, 2009
Thats good to hear
Hope the extra days help him for the stretch, too.
Allie - June 21, 2009
For our own emotional protection, here's a rule of thumb about the Cubs and injuries:...
when the team says it isn’t too bad, think bad. When they say it’s bad, think dead.
copingwiththecubs - June 21, 2009
I don't think that's as true anymore
Now that the Wood-Prior Injury Circus has left town.
Not Bruce Froemming - June 21, 2009
Speaking of Harden
We’ve all been discussing trading him and the fact the fact he won’t be back on the Cubs next year. Well I read an interview with him online today (don’t have the link). He put over the medical staff and trainers of the Cubs saying he feels healther he’s ever been because of them. He stated he wants to play here as long as possible as he believes Chicago can keep him the healthiest. Quite interesting. He shouldn’t talk to Wood and Prior I guess.
ak123 - June 21, 2009
Remember
Who Wood and Prior had managing them.
cubfred - June 21, 2009
Remember it was a different medical staff is more like it...
Jimmyeatworld - June 21, 2009
I think there's been a total turnover
in that department since the Wood-Prior days.
Not Bruce Froemming - June 21, 2009
Yep. That's my point.
Jimmyeatworld - June 21, 2009
You are correct.
The Cubs now have one of the best training staffs in MLB. Mark O’Neal and his staff were voted (by their peers) as the best training staff last year.
cowsarecool220 - June 21, 2009
Meanwhile
wasn’t one of the Wood-Prior-era trainers found to not have had proper certificiation or some such thing?
Not Bruce Froemming - June 21, 2009
I believe so.
I think there was some kind of messy trial where one of the trainers that was fired sued the Cubs.
cowsarecool220 - June 21, 2009
True
ak123 - June 21, 2009
Yes, all true. But I'm not referring to the treatment of injuries...
just the PR department dissemination of information about them. MLB teams have a long tradition of obfuscating about injuries. The Yankees in the late 70s were fanatical about controlling the flow of info and massaging (pardon the pun) it to their needs. The Cubs picked up the habit earlier this decade – under essentially the same front office regime that runs things now.
copingwiththecubs - June 21, 2009
Actually, no.
The front office regime is completely different. The CIA-type secrecy was a MacPhail trademark. Since he left things have been markedly different.
Al Yellon - June 21, 2009
at some point
if we get successful, we will have to decide where the corner was turned.
even casey mcgehee is playing well. maybe our coaches have finally taught our kids how to do something. (baserunning exempted from this comment))
tim815 - June 21, 2009
Casey
While it’s getting harder to make this point, he’s still at a small sample size.
ak123 - June 21, 2009
I hope Harden can get and stay healthy, but
if not, I still have a theory that he would be a very good late-inning reliever/closer.
DisCUBbobulated - June 21, 2009
Al,
Perhaps you are not a “DeRomantic” but rather a “Markromantic”. Who’s next? Mark Kotsay? Mark Loretta? Mark Reynolds? :)
Hilary Lee - June 21, 2009
mark reynolds is TEARING IT UP
it would be nice to have him. of course, there’s not a chance.
CubbyBlues - June 21, 2009
He strikes out way too much
Cub fans would not have patience with him. He strikeouts way too much. Soriano has the lead in that play now. He doesn’t need an understudy.
Not to mention Reynolds is not good defensively.
He does have above average speed and some pop in the bat when he makes contact.
flachimesa - June 21, 2009
Plus, Mark Reynolds hits righthanded.
Lou wouldn’t stand for that.
Al Yellon - June 21, 2009
mark bailey mark thurmond
mark mclemore mark davis
tim815 - June 21, 2009
Marky Mark
and the funky bunch
Reddevil - June 21, 2009
Wells gave me a nice Birthday present
Not as dominaging as Lieber many years ago but still pretty good. Highlight of the day was when my mom who came to wanted to know " why did the Cubs trade Mark DeRosa ?" I told her to ask Al who got a big laugh out of it.Initially Mom who has a pretty good understanding of baseball was disappointed that she would be seeing " the 5th starter" but she enjoyed the game.
Thanks to Ballhawk for my ball. Not as good as Lee HR ball but you can’t have everything
My record in games I have attended is now 13-5. ( one in Milwaukee the rest at Wrigley) Pretty impressive.
Doggie Stalker - June 21, 2009
Why are you not at every game?
Geez. The team needs you! :-)
chitownhawkeye - June 21, 2009
Well, that's what I told her.
She asked me who would pay for the road trips. Anyone want to take up a collection?
Al Yellon - June 21, 2009
I'm undefeated!
:-)
Allie - June 21, 2009
Get to more games!
Al Yellon - June 21, 2009
I would love to
Someday…
Allie - June 21, 2009
actually
Max and I are 2-0 at Wrigley.
drewishdrewid - June 21, 2009
Get to more games!
Al Yellon - June 21, 2009
sell me more tickets!
drewishdrewid - June 21, 2009
Anytime I have extras!
Al Yellon - June 21, 2009
2-0
Talk about your “small sample size”. Sorry Drew doesn’t count. My games have been pure chance considering II do have to fly in from New York to go. However the big test will come when I go to all 10 of the next home games.
Doggie Stalker - June 21, 2009
hah
I’m also 4-1 with Laura, and something like 10-2 total.
We can’t all be season ticket holders. Unless you want to sell yours to me. Which would be fine.
drewishdrewid - June 21, 2009
I would like to see that 10-2 list
To get more bleacher seats you need to harass all your friends, relatives co-workers etc to do the wristband.Mom "won’ two years running and she says she will NEVER do it again. As for season tickets, well there all you needed to do was decide to spend all your disosable cash on the Cubs as soon as you graduated from college. You might have made the cut. No waiting list when I got mine and they sucked.
Doggie Stalker - June 21, 2009
the 10-2
goes back several years. But one of the losses was last year, a game I went to with Al in May. I went to a bunch of forgettable games in the mid-90s.
I’m hoping to maybe do a 9-pack next year. But I always say that.
drewishdrewid - June 21, 2009
Um it is now a 13 pack
You get to buy about 9-10 bad games in April/May to get a few good summer games.
Doggie Stalker - June 21, 2009
I'll have to see.
but. any game is a good game at Wrigley. :D
drewishdrewid - June 22, 2009
Drew, I might have an opening in a season-ticket syndicate for 2010
email me if you’re interested.
Bill Potter - June 22, 2009
sent
drewishdrewid - June 22, 2009
thanks.
Bill Potter - June 22, 2009
So am I!
My lifetime record at Cubs games is 5 wins, 0 losses!
Vermont Cubs Fan - June 21, 2009
Me too!
slcathena - June 22, 2009
you know
who would have been best to come in when Ascanio was struggling?
Carlos Marmol.
:P :P :P :P :P
drewishdrewid - June 21, 2009
That 13-5 record
Is this season only. Don’t actually have a clue as to my lifetime record but since I started going to games pretty regularly since the mid 70s it is probably not that good but this year so far so good.
Doggie Stalker - June 22, 2009
Missed the whole weekend’s games, being up in Duluth running Grandma’s Marathon. Read all the recaps just now, great recaps, Al. Dad loved the “Cubs By the Numbers” book for Father’s Day—recommended for all! Glad to see DHL is coming around and starting to hit.
Dan
dtpollitt - June 21, 2009
You missed several dramatic games.
Never heard of “Cubs by the Numbers.” I’ll look at it the next time I’m in the Chicago area.
P.S.: Did you run the whole marathon?
Vermont Cubs Fan - June 21, 2009
Or just check the right-side bar here
Clutch16 - June 21, 2009
Good point.
Thanks.
Vermont Cubs Fan - June 21, 2009
Thanks to all who have bought the book.
For those who haven’t, what are you waiting for?
Al Yellon - June 21, 2009
No idea.
In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve lost my mind!
Vermont Cubs Fan - June 21, 2009
mine was a father's day gift......
CubfaninRaleigh(869milestoWrigley) - June 22, 2009
Yes, 26.2 mile race.
dtpollitt - June 21, 2009
What time did you get?
I ran cross-country in college, and completed my first marathon in 2005 in 3:40.
Vermont Cubs Fan - June 21, 2009
That's quick
I ran a 1/2 mile in 10th grade in 2:12. :P
Clutch16 - June 21, 2009
3 hours, 40 minutes,
And I was 20 years old at the time.
Vermont Cubs Fan - June 21, 2009
I PRed, but I'm still an hour behind you.
I’m not a runner. I just wanted to do something that was very challenging and three marathons later, I’m not a lot better at it, but it is rewarding. Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth is one of the best races in the country—it is packed with volunteers and supporters every step you take, and you’re running with the largest freshwater lake in the world about 200 yards off your left shoulder. It’s just a gorgeous race.
dtpollitt - June 22, 2009
Hart over Samardjiza...
Any reason for this? I don’t pretend to understand the option clock and all that, but based on options and talent, wouldn’t Jeff have been a better option?
kanderber - June 21, 2009
samardjiza wasnt that good when he was here earlier
jesus christos - June 21, 2009
No
Shark still has 1 1/2 pitches… and iffy command at best.
Plus, eventually he’ll be a starter. Let him work and get better without changing roles again.
Allie - June 21, 2009
shark
pitched last night…8 innings…probably cant be used for a few days…hart makes sense
cozmotaylor123 - June 21, 2009
Milton
did anyone notice he forgot how many outs there were again ???
he advanced to 3rd then after the 3rd out slid into home for no reason….
Lou was in the dugout laughing about it…
cozmotaylor123 - June 21, 2009
He remembered.
It was a dropped third strike for out number 3 in the 6th. Well, “dropped” is a little deceptive – the ball kicked way away from VMart. Lee didn’t realize he had gone around on a check swing, and so got a late jump in running to 1st, and was out by about 30 feet. However, Bradley saw the ball kick away and started for 3rd base. Upon making it, he realized that Lee was running toward first and that’s the direction the play was heading, so he continued home.
It really was a heads-up play. Sure, the 2-3 was a simple thing since Lee got a late break, but if Lee had been quicker on the uptake, or Gimenez had dropped the ball, we would have scored an insurance run on a dropped third strike. I have no issue with MB’s hustle on that play at all.
Clutch16 - June 21, 2009
Agreed... it was a hustle play
I give Bradley credit. He could have just jogged to third and stood there, but he chose to make a play. Didn’t hurt to try.
Ross - June 21, 2009
Rules question.
If Bradley had crossed the plate before Martinez’s throw reached first, would the run have counted?
Al Yellon - June 21, 2009
It's a force play at first
So my guess would be no.
Clutch16 - June 21, 2009
Wouldn't that be "yes"?
If Milton scored before he got the ball to record the force at first, wouldn’t that count?
(The rulebook confuses me. I could be completely wrong)
Allie - June 21, 2009
As Wikipedia puts it
“No run can be scored during the same continuous playing action as a force out for the third out, even if a runner reaches home plate before the third out is recorded.”
From here.
As Lee was forced out at first for the third out, my assumption is that Bradley’s run could not have counted. I’m open to any other interpretations (or actual quotes from that unwieldy rulebook) that would prove me wrong, though.
Clutch16 - June 21, 2009
Ah
You win! :-)
Allie - June 21, 2009
You are correct
since it’s a force play, it isn’t a timing play and the run would not count. It wouldn’t be any different than if you had a runner on third with two outs, batter hits a ground ball to short, and the runner at third crosses the plate before the batter is retired at first. The run would not count (I’m a high school umpire, albeit a lousy one).
qccub - June 21, 2009
I'm still betting
Milton didn’t know that.
Reddevil - June 21, 2009
Thanks for having so much faith in him. Really supportive.
willie mays hayes' gloves - June 21, 2009
Can you
make a good-faithed argument that it is likely I’m wrong?
Reddevil - June 21, 2009
He made
what sounds like a great effort on a routine play… and you’re just chalking it up to stupidity?
Gah.
Allie - June 22, 2009
No, it wasn't stupidity.
There were two out. If the throw gets away, Bradley scores. It was a very smart play, actually.
Al Yellon - June 22, 2009
As noted during the game
in our section, Milton out hustled Lee on that play who obviously did not know the ball got away but should have been running anyway. A very GOOD job from Milton.
Doggie Stalker - June 22, 2009
You won't hear me complaining about Lee on that play
He checked his swing – my thought at the time was that he didn’t know that he had gone far enough around until the ump called strike 3.
Think of the roasting he would have gotten had he sprinted to first base on a dropped ball 1.
Clutch16 - June 22, 2009
I agree
but Reddevil makes it sound like Bradley didn’t know what he was doing so he should get no credit for the effort.
Allie - June 22, 2009
bet rather
that Milton was being heads up and recognizing that a catcher can throw a ball away when the third strike is dropped.
It was a smart play. He knows what he’s doing.
drewishdrewid - June 22, 2009
1st thing I thought as well
was great hustle….
Lou’s reaction was funny….
cozmotaylor123 - June 21, 2009
I agree
no one can say Milton Bradley doesn’t push hard playing baseball…
drewishdrewid - June 21, 2009
Milton Bradley doesn't push hard playing baseball.
There I said it.
Jimmyeatworld - June 21, 2009
LIES! LIES!
:D
drewishdrewid - June 21, 2009
Gregg
I thought this was an important weekend for Kevin Gregg.
There are quite a few fans that will not accept him because he replaced Wood.
He had 3 great games while Kerry blew 2 games for other team.
He came into a very tough situation.
Not only the usual pressures of closing but he is replacing the most popular player on the Cubs in the last 10 years.
puckishcubsfan - June 21, 2009
You must admit, though
that Wood is now playing for a very bad team. That doesn’t excuse his performance….but…..the Tribe seems to be in a tail-spin, with nothing at all going right for them.
San Diego Smooth Jazz Man - June 21, 2009
the Indians board on BCB
is… brutal. Lots of Indians fans left in the 8th inning today.
drewishdrewid - June 21, 2009
I disagree
I don’t think there was any sort of extra pressure for Gregg. There really shouldn’t be. It’s always been his job this year to close for the Cubs and he’s done a good job at it.
Wood on the other hand…I just feel bad for him this weekend. But hey, if he’s healthy all year then that’s more important.
By the way, Friday’s game makes up for the 5-0 lead blown to the Braves earlier in the month :)
ak123 - June 21, 2009
I thought the exact same thing..
He doesn’t come in very often with runners on, and getting out of the inning with no runs after guys on 2nd and 3rd and one out was a big positive. The WP sucked, but the runners would probably have stolen 2nd and 4rd on pitcher’s indifference regardless. He locked in, threw strikes, and got it done nicely.
DisCUBbobulated - June 21, 2009
I think the daily work has been good for him
A closer expects to be in at least every other day. Getting more work than that means that the club is doing well and his services are needed to nail down more victories.
This was a little higher-leverage situation than your typical close, but I think the fact that he had pitched well for a few games in a row prior to this helped him come out, do his job, and get the S.
Clutch16 - June 21, 2009
I wish we stole 4rd more often
Sounds like fun!
Allie - June 22, 2009
+ .00001 :P
DisCUBbobulated - June 22, 2009
So happy to see the sweep
After the Friday game, I said to my fiancee and cousins that they would sweep. I didn’t know the second game would be so tough, but they won that too, and this had to be a win today. This is a good team. Players and pitchers are coming around. And Randy Wells, I’m not sure who told me he didn’t, but I still stand by my stance that he has great stuff. I’m hoping others are getting sold on him now.
Onward and forward. One game at a time, and if they keep doing their thing, they’ll be alright. It bears repeating, but this team does want to win. They may try to hard, but each and every person on this team wants to win, and a lot of these guys are winners. We can’t always doubt them, sometimes you just have to keep hoping for the best. “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” I hope this team keeps winning. I hope they have many repeat performances of the ones they had this weekend. I hope they win the Wild Card or the Division. And, I hope to keep having fun watching them. Tremendous turnaround.
Craig in South Bend - June 21, 2009
Your point about these guys wanting to win was very clear
in the way they celebrated after the walk-offs. These guys absolutely care.
DisCUBbobulated - June 21, 2009
Anybody take notice of Jake Fox's post-game comment?
He told the Comcast field reporter — “…it’s easy to hit with runners in scoring position!!!”
If only a host of other players thought that way…..
San Diego Smooth Jazz Man - June 21, 2009
It would be nice.
I think it goes back to mind-set. Fox is a very aggressive hitter, which is why he sees a steady diet of off-speed pitches. When he adjusts to them, he’s pretty darn good – what held him back in 2007 (besides his defense), was his anxiousness at the plate.
Hopefully he continues to hit – I think he will – he’s a good kid and seems intent on making the most of his opportunity this time around.
Bill Potter - June 21, 2009
Good analysis
In 2007, fox was a kid. in 2009, he’s seems like a different man – a seasoned professional. I have a great deal of confidence every time he comes to the plate.
DisCUBbobulated - June 21, 2009
A great father's day.
This was last minute — we saw Al’s offer, and jumped at it. Parked at the lot opposite the Vic, nice easy walk up to the stadium, great seats, my lovely wife attended, and Max asked to do the score-card before we even got there. And it was a good, easy, no-doubt game, which was nice to see.
Here’s Geo’s home run:
Final score:
Max’s score card:
drewishdrewid - June 21, 2009
Nice pictures, Drew!
I hope you had a great time there.
Vermont Cubs Fan - June 21, 2009
it's always a good day at the park
when the Cubs win.
Fly it!
drewishdrewid - June 21, 2009
Yes, it is.
The last time I went to Wrigley, I had a blast as the Cubs won 11-7 over the White Sox.
Wildest ball game I’ve ever been to, and I was completely surrounded by Cubs fans.
Vermont Cubs Fan - June 21, 2009
there were some Indians fans
in the LF bleachers. Including one very loud angry dude a few rows in front of Jessica. LOTS of yelling at the indians’ manager. Don’t think they heard him, tho…
drewishdrewid - June 21, 2009
Is Max winking?
Or giving Dad the stink-eye for wanting to take his picture when there’s a game going on?
Clutch16 - June 21, 2009
with that kid
who the heck knows? :D
drewishdrewid - June 21, 2009
What a father's day memory!
I will go to my grave envious of you.
santoswoodenlegs - June 21, 2009
Sounds like a
you all had a great time. Can’t beat spending time with your family and watching the Cubs win.
sue369 - June 21, 2009
My son was there with me, too.
Al Yellon - June 22, 2009
I have enjoyed
reading in the past when Mark has been able to attend the games with you. These times will always be great memories for both of you.
sue369 - June 22, 2009
Definitely so.
He’ll be at more games later in the summer.
Al Yellon - June 22, 2009
What a great series
this was. Hope their winning ways continue.
sue369 - June 21, 2009
Every kid who plays baseball should learn how to keep score
Madison Cub Fan - June 22, 2009
Agree 100 percent
I do it as part of my job, so I don’t do it at games — too much like work. But it’s a good skill for any baseball fan to have.
Not Bruce Froemming - June 22, 2009
My son started keeping score mainly because I do...
… but he does it every time he comes to the game now, and enjoys it. It’s definitely a good skill.
Al Yellon - June 22, 2009
I think it's safe to assume you had great Fathers Day!
And we finally got Wells a W!
SackMan - June 22, 2009
I know I learned more about baseball b/c of it.
Madison Cub Fan - June 22, 2009
I'll start keeping score at the game in San Diego in August.
Vermont Cubs Fan - June 22, 2009
I learned to keep score in HS
but mainly because I was third in the depth chart for 2nd baseman. And we had only had 13 guys on the team.
My hitting may have been lacking, but my statistics were impeccable!
wallrock - June 22, 2009
I think we've found Aaron Miles new job.
santoswoodenlegs - June 22, 2009
Never kept score...
and am curious why those who do it, do. Just as a souvenir type of thing or do you genuinely enjoy keeping score?
kanderber - June 22, 2009
I do just in case the game is postponed and the official scorer loses his scorecard
then maybe they’ll call me.
All kidding aside, I do it for both of the reasons you asked above. I find it a good way to keep track of the game – where batters have hit the ball in previous at bats, stuff like that. In the event of a historic event happening at the game (no-hitter, cycle, 4 homerun game), it’s a cool souvenir to have.
I was lucky enough to be at Derek Lowe’s no-hitter for Boston in 2002, keeping score. I have the scorecard and ticket framed as a souvenir.
Bill Potter - June 22, 2009
I think it's fun
I don’t tend to do it when I’m with my friends (since they don’t understand) but if I’m at a game with my Dad or by myself it’s a great way to keep track of the action.
Hilary Lee - June 22, 2009
I enjoy it, have been doing it since I was a kid.
I find it keeps me more into the game, quickly able to look back at plays that happened earlier, etc.
Al Yellon - June 22, 2009
I've also noticed
(thanks to my good friend Jimmyeatworld, who scored games religiously) that when you have a properly filled-out scorecard in your lap, you immediately become the live version of the internet for at least a dozen people around you.
Commonly heard phrases include, “Hey, who made the last out in the last inning?” or “What did Lee do in his last AB?”
Goodie1969 - June 22, 2009
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Bleed Cubbie Blue to post a comment.