Inauspicious start to the inning for Burnett. Resin bag explodes before he throws the first pitch, but he gets an easy out on DeJesus. Castro called out on questionable pitch. Well, I was wrong about getting Burnett on the ropes. Easy inning. I'm guessing now he pitches into the seventh unless the Cubs get men on base next inning.
Samardzija looks like he is in complete control. Hard to think either of these teams will score again in this game.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Live Blog - Fourth Inning
Scherholtz showed unexpected patience in drawing a leadoff walk to start the Fourth. Nice piece of hitting by Castillo to double on the hit and run. The Cubs have a chance for a big inning, although they have the bottom of the order coming up - and I mean the bottom pretty literally with Barney out of the lineup.
Valbuena has a terrible at-bat, strikes out without seeing a hitable strike. Lillibridge completely overmatched again. These guys strike out way to much. Eight of the last nine outs for the Cubs are strikeouts. Maybe they can do some damage next inning when their major league hitters come up.
Samardzija has settled in well. Starting to get a lot of easy grounders. 63 pitches to Burnett's 75. Now or never for Cubs to break out in the fifth.
Valbuena has a terrible at-bat, strikes out without seeing a hitable strike. Lillibridge completely overmatched again. These guys strike out way to much. Eight of the last nine outs for the Cubs are strikeouts. Maybe they can do some damage next inning when their major league hitters come up.
Samardzija has settled in well. Starting to get a lot of easy grounders. 63 pitches to Burnett's 75. Now or never for Cubs to break out in the fifth.
Live blog - Third Inning
DeJesus doesn't look good against Burnett. Castro singles, steal second, but Rizzo strikes out. Soriano looks bad striking out.
The Pirates have started taking aggressive ABs, which is going to help Samardzija a lot. He's been sharp since the first inning
Pitch count after three innings: Burnett 53, Samardzija 50. I'd have to give Samardzija the edge so far, especially with a 2-0 lead. If the Cubs stay reasonably patient, they are likely to get a shot at Burnett as the game progresses.
The Pirates have started taking aggressive ABs, which is going to help Samardzija a lot. He's been sharp since the first inning
Pitch count after three innings: Burnett 53, Samardzija 50. I'd have to give Samardzija the edge so far, especially with a 2-0 lead. If the Cubs stay reasonably patient, they are likely to get a shot at Burnett as the game progresses.
Live blog - Second Inning
Valbuena called out on strikes. Never looked comfortable, but he saw seven pitches. Lillibridge overmatched. Burnett stikes out the side, but he had to throw a lot of pitches, 34 through two innings.
Speaking of throwing a lot of pitches, though, Samardzija needed 22 in the first, should have been a lot less. Samardzija looks good so far, strikes out last two hitters after a leadoff single.
Speaking of throwing a lot of pitches, though, Samardzija needed 22 in the first, should have been a lot less. Samardzija looks good so far, strikes out last two hitters after a leadoff single.
Live Blog - Opening Day - 1st Inning
Cubs lineup: DeJesus, Castro, Rizzo, Soriano, Scherholtz, Castillo, Valbuena, Lillibridge, Samardzija.
DeJesus strikes out. Burnett is throwing a little harder than I remember. Pitched DeJesus inside. Fooled him with a high fastball for called Strike Three.
Castro gets a single on first breaking ball Burnett has thrown.
Rizzo homers on first pitch. Looked like a high change-up, but I could be wrong.
Soriano an easy out. Scherholtz gets a bloop single, but Castillo grounds out to first on hit and run. Burnett doesn't look sharp.
Samardzija throwing hard, but wild. Walks Marte to start the game. First chance for Lillibridge. Botches up routine double play ball. Bad news here. McCutcheon hits a double play ball that Lillibridge fails to convert. Bad luck here. Samardzija comes back to strike out the next two hitters, which si jsut as well given the defense behind him.
DeJesus strikes out. Burnett is throwing a little harder than I remember. Pitched DeJesus inside. Fooled him with a high fastball for called Strike Three.
Castro gets a single on first breaking ball Burnett has thrown.
Rizzo homers on first pitch. Looked like a high change-up, but I could be wrong.
Soriano an easy out. Scherholtz gets a bloop single, but Castillo grounds out to first on hit and run. Burnett doesn't look sharp.
Samardzija throwing hard, but wild. Walks Marte to start the game. First chance for Lillibridge. Botches up routine double play ball. Bad news here. McCutcheon hits a double play ball that Lillibridge fails to convert. Bad luck here. Samardzija comes back to strike out the next two hitters, which si jsut as well given the defense behind him.
Play Ball!
Getting set up for the road opener. I regret to say my expectations for this season are pretty low. The Cubs open the season with their third baseman, second baseman, and two of their three best pitchers on the disabled list. Not good.
As for today's game, who knows? Most of these early season games boil down to pitching. Samardzija has looked good this spring and ordinarily I would give the Cubs the edge here, but Burnett always gives the Cubs fits.
Snowed this morning in Pittsburgh.
As for today's game, who knows? Most of these early season games boil down to pitching. Samardzija has looked good this spring and ordinarily I would give the Cubs the edge here, but Burnett always gives the Cubs fits.
Snowed this morning in Pittsburgh.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Spring Training
Well, we're half way through Spring Training and nothing much is new. Stewart, Vitters, and Castro are hurt or were hurt. Junior Lake is out four to six weeks. Garza and Baker, two of the three proven major league starting pitchers, are likely to start the season on the DL. With these two guys healthy, the Cubs have a decent enough rotation that is rounded out by Jackson, Wood, and Samardzija. Without them, adding Feldman and Villanueva into the mix, they are mediocre at best.
Epstein and Hoyer have tried to improve things here, but they tried last year as well. You know that, for some largely inexplicable reason I may have time to address later in another piece, they are determined to trade veteran pitching at the break even if they get nothing or next to nothing back in return. So look for trouble if they start slow, which is almost guaranteed to happen.
As for other spring training news, Soler, Baez, Christian Villanueva, and Lake look good, but, of course, they are two years away at best. Cubs fans know that Felix Pie and numerous other talents looked good at this stage only to fizzle when they hit the majors. Brett Jackson's swing also looks good, better than in the past. However, he has struck out five times in fourteen at-bats, so the results so far are fairly consistent with past performances.
Actually, all of the guys mentioned above strike out too often. Sveum gave a pretty good assessment of Lake which might in turn apply to most of these young players and many of the young talents cropping up with other teams as well. This from a Chicago Sun-Times article:
None of the youth news at this stage really matters all that much except to note there is no real surprise phenom either among the relievers or the position players to create the impression of hope for this season. So far, you can conclude their pitching ought to be a little better if they can get healthy. Also they have improved at catcher and somewhat with the likely outfield platoons. They still do not have a major league third baseman.
Epstein and Hoyer have tried to improve things here, but they tried last year as well. You know that, for some largely inexplicable reason I may have time to address later in another piece, they are determined to trade veteran pitching at the break even if they get nothing or next to nothing back in return. So look for trouble if they start slow, which is almost guaranteed to happen.
As for other spring training news, Soler, Baez, Christian Villanueva, and Lake look good, but, of course, they are two years away at best. Cubs fans know that Felix Pie and numerous other talents looked good at this stage only to fizzle when they hit the majors. Brett Jackson's swing also looks good, better than in the past. However, he has struck out five times in fourteen at-bats, so the results so far are fairly consistent with past performances.
Actually, all of the guys mentioned above strike out too often. Sveum gave a pretty good assessment of Lake which might in turn apply to most of these young players and many of the young talents cropping up with other teams as well. This from a Chicago Sun-Times article:
“[He has] all the tools,’’ Sveum said. “Swinging the bat, he’s obviously got a lot to learn. He’s a very premeditated swinger. He’s not getting good pitches to hit. He’s swinging at arm action a lot. And he’s a guy with a lot of bat speed who doesn’t have to be a premeditated swinger.“It’s a nice player to have, but there’s still development there.”
None of the youth news at this stage really matters all that much except to note there is no real surprise phenom either among the relievers or the position players to create the impression of hope for this season. So far, you can conclude their pitching ought to be a little better if they can get healthy. Also they have improved at catcher and somewhat with the likely outfield platoons. They still do not have a major league third baseman.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)