Geez, Jackson is just not pitching very well, wind or no wind. Two more balls off the wall. 5-0. 48 pitches through two innings.
Nice at-bat by Castillo who waited for a pitch to hit and finally hit a two-run homer. I like Castillo as a hitter and his defense seems to be coming along. 5-2.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Home Opener - Live Blog
Home opener today. The wind is blowing out, which might give us some insight into Jackson's capabilities at Wrigley Field. The Brewers have been hard hit by injuries, notably to Hart and Ramirez. Braun is back in the lineup today, which is not good news for the Cubs.
I see Lillibridge is back in the lineup, showing significant lack of range missing a ground ball in Aoki's first at-bat. Jackson's getting ground balls, but the only one well-played thus far was Valbuena's chance where he caught Aoki trying to score from third base.
Well, Jackson is just pitching so tentatively, two straight walks, then a three run double not his all that hard but carried by the wind. This is shaping up as a really ugly day for the Cubs. I'd say that the wind had gotten into Jackson's head, but it seems to me he pitched rather tentatively in his start against the Pirates as well.
Cubs show nothing in their half-inning. 4-0 Brewers. Don't know how long I will be able to keep the live blog going.
I see Lillibridge is back in the lineup, showing significant lack of range missing a ground ball in Aoki's first at-bat. Jackson's getting ground balls, but the only one well-played thus far was Valbuena's chance where he caught Aoki trying to score from third base.
Well, Jackson is just pitching so tentatively, two straight walks, then a three run double not his all that hard but carried by the wind. This is shaping up as a really ugly day for the Cubs. I'd say that the wind had gotten into Jackson's head, but it seems to me he pitched rather tentatively in his start against the Pirates as well.
Cubs show nothing in their half-inning. 4-0 Brewers. Don't know how long I will be able to keep the live blog going.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Marmol!!!
Actually, the Cubs played pretty well in Pittsburgh. They got good pitching throughout the series, especially from starters Jeff Samardzija and Travis Wood. The sole exception was Carlos Marmol, who, despite recording the save in Thursday's game, was just plain awful.
Just a couple of thoughts. As we had advised our followers throughout the off-season, this team cannot hit a lick, strikes out too often, seldom walks, and doesn't score runs. I don't care how cold it was in Pittsburgh, this lineup, both versions, is not designed to score runs ever.
The Cubs took some steps over the winter to remedy the ancient curse of their right-handed hitting lineup. Mainly it was a result of signing Scherholtz and Hairston to platoon in right field. On paper it looks good. And in practice, the platoon has produced a few runs. By my count, five in all, which is a lot since the Cubs have scored only seven runs all year.
Still, especially missing Barney at the bottom of he order, if I were an opposing manager, I would throw every lefty I could find up against that lineup. In fact, that is what the opposing teams are doing. It was no accident that both the Pirates and the Braves brought in their left-handed relievers first in the games they won. They want this lineup out there because they know the Cubs will never score a run.
As far as Marmol goes - and I have been inclined to defend him occasionally in the past - his time is over. I know the Cubs would like to showcase him looking toward the inevitable trade, but as long as he performs as he has performed thus far, you have to ask yourself just how dumb or how desperate you think others teams are because neither you or Marmol are fooling anyone.
As the Cubs are currently constituted, they have a good chance of winning when Samardzija and Wood pitch, a fifty-fifty chance when Jackson and Villanueva pitch, and no chance when Feldman pitches. When Garza returns to the rotation, assuming they drop Feldman, they have yet another winning opportunity.
However, even when Barney returns to the lineup and the weather warms up, they will still be lucky to score three or four runs on any given day, which means lots of close games, which means Marmol closing in tight spots, which means a lot of tough losses unless the Cubs cut their losses and dump him or change his role.
Just a couple of thoughts. As we had advised our followers throughout the off-season, this team cannot hit a lick, strikes out too often, seldom walks, and doesn't score runs. I don't care how cold it was in Pittsburgh, this lineup, both versions, is not designed to score runs ever.
The Cubs took some steps over the winter to remedy the ancient curse of their right-handed hitting lineup. Mainly it was a result of signing Scherholtz and Hairston to platoon in right field. On paper it looks good. And in practice, the platoon has produced a few runs. By my count, five in all, which is a lot since the Cubs have scored only seven runs all year.
Still, especially missing Barney at the bottom of he order, if I were an opposing manager, I would throw every lefty I could find up against that lineup. In fact, that is what the opposing teams are doing. It was no accident that both the Pirates and the Braves brought in their left-handed relievers first in the games they won. They want this lineup out there because they know the Cubs will never score a run.
As far as Marmol goes - and I have been inclined to defend him occasionally in the past - his time is over. I know the Cubs would like to showcase him looking toward the inevitable trade, but as long as he performs as he has performed thus far, you have to ask yourself just how dumb or how desperate you think others teams are because neither you or Marmol are fooling anyone.
As the Cubs are currently constituted, they have a good chance of winning when Samardzija and Wood pitch, a fifty-fifty chance when Jackson and Villanueva pitch, and no chance when Feldman pitches. When Garza returns to the rotation, assuming they drop Feldman, they have yet another winning opportunity.
However, even when Barney returns to the lineup and the weather warms up, they will still be lucky to score three or four runs on any given day, which means lots of close games, which means Marmol closing in tight spots, which means a lot of tough losses unless the Cubs cut their losses and dump him or change his role.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Live Blog - Ninth Inning
Hugs and high-fives for Samardzija. Oh-oh. That means it will be Marmol time.
Lucky break. Scherholtz safe on an error, steals second, but Castillo strikes out. Valbuena flies deep to center, Scherholtz to third. Gonzalez strikes out.
Bottom of the ninth. Not for the squeamish, though the Pirates are swinging at everything. Hope for the best. It would be a shame to waste such a dominant starting performance.
Jones strikes out on a really bad pitch that bounces in. McCutcheon hit by a pitch, steals second, which is weird down three runs, but that is modern baseball, I guess. Alvarez knocks in a run. Glad to see Russell and Fujikawa warming up. Lets get somebody in there before the game gets out of hand.
Another walk. Get this guy out of there now! At least one hitter too many.
Russell pitching. Nice job to get Walker out.
Fujikawa in to hopefully get the final out. Two pitches. Game over.
Nervous ending turned a laugher into a nail-biter, but all's well that ends well.
Last note: I didn't think I would like the new color guy, but he wasn't bad at all.
Lucky break. Scherholtz safe on an error, steals second, but Castillo strikes out. Valbuena flies deep to center, Scherholtz to third. Gonzalez strikes out.
Bottom of the ninth. Not for the squeamish, though the Pirates are swinging at everything. Hope for the best. It would be a shame to waste such a dominant starting performance.
Jones strikes out on a really bad pitch that bounces in. McCutcheon hit by a pitch, steals second, which is weird down three runs, but that is modern baseball, I guess. Alvarez knocks in a run. Glad to see Russell and Fujikawa warming up. Lets get somebody in there before the game gets out of hand.
Another walk. Get this guy out of there now! At least one hitter too many.
Russell pitching. Nice job to get Walker out.
Fujikawa in to hopefully get the final out. Two pitches. Game over.
Nervous ending turned a laugher into a nail-biter, but all's well that ends well.
Last note: I didn't think I would like the new color guy, but he wasn't bad at all.
Live Blog - Eighth Inning
I'd like to see the Cubs add on here to keep Marmol in the bullpen.
New pitcher for the Pirates, Jared Hughes. Soriano gets a good matchup, starts out 2-0, but lets Hughes back in with two over-agressive swings. Strikes out on a 3-2 pitch.
Samardzija back out to start the eighth. I like that. Also like putting in Gonzalez to play second base. Samardzija still in complete command.
New pitcher for the Pirates, Jared Hughes. Soriano gets a good matchup, starts out 2-0, but lets Hughes back in with two over-agressive swings. Strikes out on a 3-2 pitch.
Samardzija back out to start the eighth. I like that. Also like putting in Gonzalez to play second base. Samardzija still in complete command.
Live Post - Seventh Inning
Easy innings for both team's pitchers. Samardzija still strong. Backed up by nice plays from Rizzo and Castro to end the seventh.
Live Blog - Sixth Inning
Soriano takes a home run swing, hits the ball about three feet. One down. I have to say that I expected Scherholtz to be a big swing and a miss guy from his stats, but he has had three good ABs. Hit be pitch this time. Burnett looks as if he is losing steam, close to 100 pitches now.
Castillo comes through with another hit and run double, though he makes a base running error to get caught between second and third. 3-0. I can't say the mental error is likely to cost the Cubs since the likelihood of either Valbuena or Lillibridge making contact is pretty remote. Maybe that's why he took the big turn. Burnett done.
Samardzija still sailing along. I have to admit Lillibridge made a nice play to take a hit away from Jones. McCutcheon gets the only solid hit so far, a double down the left field line, but Samardzija comes back to get Alvarez. Looks like McCutcheon is the only guy opposing teams are going to fear.
Samardzija at 84 pitches, which means he is likely to pitch at least seven today.
Castillo comes through with another hit and run double, though he makes a base running error to get caught between second and third. 3-0. I can't say the mental error is likely to cost the Cubs since the likelihood of either Valbuena or Lillibridge making contact is pretty remote. Maybe that's why he took the big turn. Burnett done.
Samardzija still sailing along. I have to admit Lillibridge made a nice play to take a hit away from Jones. McCutcheon gets the only solid hit so far, a double down the left field line, but Samardzija comes back to get Alvarez. Looks like McCutcheon is the only guy opposing teams are going to fear.
Samardzija at 84 pitches, which means he is likely to pitch at least seven today.
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