Though perhaps we should temper our enthusiasm somewhat in that the Cubs are playing a really bad team in the Arizona Diamondbacks, a team which is on a pace to set some sort of unbreakable record for batters striking out and which actually has at least two hitters who are on a pace to strike out more than 200 times and likely more than a third of their plate appearances. Also, their bullpen is a joke and their closer is actually the Cubs reject Aaron Heilman who was only good enough for mop up duty with the Cubs last season.
But it was good to see Ramirez break out with two home runs and also good to see Fukudome lead off and show some pop as well. The Cubs played pretty well all in all. Theriot's attempt to stretch a double into a triple was another example of how a once heady player has degenerated. Not only was it the wrong thing to be thrown out at third base with no outs in a tie game, but he made the egregious mistake of turning around and looking back to see where the throw was when he was half-way to third base and absolutely committed to the attempt. Maybe it is quibbling, but this kind of thing seems to happen every day.
Another, maybe more serious quibble. Does anyone think that Lou has the look of a guy who is managing for his baseball life? He has determined that the only two people he trusts in the bullpen are Marshall and Marmol, but he seems intent on using them to cover the final three innings nearly every day. Between them today, they three 57 pitches over three innings, compared to Silva's 74.
Speaking of Piniella's strategy, you have to question removing Silva after six innings for a pinch hitter unless there was something wrong with him, which did not seem to be the case. Similarly, one must question not pinch hitting for Marshall in the 8th and passing on a chance to plate an insurance run. Dempster had better we ready to go nine tomorrow.
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