Another Stinker

The Cubs wasted another excellent start from Travis Wood.  This time he lasted until the eighth inning of a then 1-0 contest.  Of course, master strategist Dale Sveum pulled him after he issued a one-out walk in favor of Sean Camp.  Camp was apparently distraught over blowing Sunday's game, so Sveum rather thought it was necessary to get him back on the horse.

Of course, Camp proceeded to self-distruct again, throwing away a pickoff attempt against a runner who didn't even have a lead, etc., etc.  So the table was set for another futile comeback attempt once they were down 4-0.  With two men out, the Cubs did manage to score two runs and end the game on a spectacular catch by the Texas center-fielder that, had he missed, would have ended the game in the Cubs favor.

But lets not get too optimistic here.  The Cubs rallied behind a weekly hit flyball that fell in, a walk, an infield hit that would have ended the game had the Texas third baseman covered third base.  This was followed by a double that the Texas left-fielder, our old friend Jeff Baker, really misplayed.  Then a hit batsman loaded the bases for Darwin Barney.  Barney had the only really intelligent at-bat in the whole inning.  He spoiled a bunch of close pitches before he hit a screaming liner that was caught to end the game.

So what the game proves is just that this is not a competitive team, especially against left-handed pitching.  The Cubs made a series of strange roster moves this morning.  Besides the obvious callup of Barney, we saw Lillibridge DFAed.  OK, that makes sense.  Lillibridge probably should not have made the team anyway.  I think he had one hit all year and the only reason he made the team in the first place was that he was versatile, being equally bad at playing many positions.  It should be noted, however, that he was really a pale substitute for the aforementioned Jeff Baker, who at least could hit right-handed pitching.  Maybe this is a measure of how bad a team needs to get to improve?

The other callups are deeply puzzling.  Cameron Loe - six home runs in six plus innings before Seattle cut him.  Kevin Gregg - enough said.  Didn't this guy fail hopelessly when he was the closer on the 2009 Cubs?  To make room for these guys, the Cubs sent down Dolis and cut Takahashi.

Finally, to replace Lillibridge the Cubs called up 37 year old waiver claim Cody Ransom, who was 0 for 11 with the Padres.  Hope is on the way.