smell that? it's called swagger (some Brewer meanderings)

So  did anybody think that we would be here after the first three games of this series? Not me. And while we’re at it did anybody think that Ryan Dempster would be this effective? Not me.  And is anybody ready to talk about the Cubs being in the World Series yet? Not me. But it might be fun to begin to think about it.

I had the privilege of going to the first two games of the series at Miller Park (which I love) and I want to take some time to bring up some of the things that I noticed.

The Brewers are a fun team to watch

In case you did not notice the Brewers are a tough team to beat. With Sabathia, Sheets, and Parra at the top of the rotation they are fornidable. But their line up is dangerous. With Durham, Hardy, Braun, Fielder, and Hart you could stack those guys up against almost anybody’s top five….offensively.

The Brewers have holes

Those five guys are strong offensively and weak weak defensively. Multiple bad plays have allowed the Cubs to dominate this series the way they have. The throw away on the double play ball in the first game, misplays in the outfield in the second game, the wild pitch ball that got away from Kendall and was thrown awaying allowing the Cubs to score the first run in game three and the Cubs score big runs on all of them.

Their weaknesses vs. our strengths Creature from the Black Lagoon divx

The Brewers bullpen is noticably bad. In game one the Cubs  fans were actually cheering when Erik Gagne came into the game. You might ask how I know it was Cubs fans and not Brewers fans who were cheering him? I’m not sure, but I know it was.  The Brewers need bullpen help and we will see if they  get any before the deadline.

I feel like the Brewers have a tremendous weakness when it comes to their manager. I think Ned Yost left Sabathia in too long in game one (and definitely waited too long to warm someone up), left Sheets in too long in game two, and Parra in too long last night. With Sheets and Parra the game was almost lost once the reliever was brought in. Because the cities are so close, and because the teams have been close for a couple years I have watched a good amount of Brewer baseball and I am shocked at many of Yost’s decisions. That has been apparent in this series.

The catalyst

The last time I wrote I gave a mea culpa on my thoughts about Soriano. I was wrong. He is the catalyst or the Cubs offense. I think it is interesting that our most explosive hitter is Soriano, our most consistent hitter is probably D-Lee, and our most clutch hitter is A-Ram. That’s nice that the three are different. Since Soriano returned he has ignited the offense. I think he as also taken more pitches and walked more. He has undoubtedly been more of a threat to steal a base as well. He seems to be all healed now and this could be deadly.

The bats

I like how Lou is using DeRosa everyday and rotating Fukudome, Johnson, Edmonds, Cedeno, and Fontenot. Just another way that I think we have the best manager in baseball. Fukudome seems to be rested and is hitting smarter and better again. By the way I was surprised to hear that D Lee is among the league leaders in hits and other consistent offensive categories. Hits are hits and I guess he comes through more than I thought. People used to say that Sammy only hit home runs when it didn’t matter. I don’t know how you hit 600 meaningless home runs. Lee gets hits and they matter. Theriot continues to shine with another multi hit game- something like 45 multi hit games now.

The starters

What can you say- amazing. Except Lilly did the home run hop twice the other night. And I have never seen a pitch hang like the one he threw to Ryan Braun in the first game. Remember last year when Lilly was our number two going into the playoffs? Hello number four (if necessary).

The Pen

I think Bob Howry has given up a  solo home run in every appearance this year. How big does the addition of Chad Gaudin look? I like that Lou used Cotts to close the game last night. Now that Marmol is rested more he seems to be sharper again. How bad can a blister be? Can you believe the Samardzija love? What has he done to deserve it? He might be good, but he isn’t there yet. How bad can a blister possibly be?

The Rivalry

The first two games were playoff like but I think the crowd was quieter last night because the Cubs hit them hard the first couple games. The first two games were 45,000 plus seemingly split half and half. The rivalry is a lot of fun and it doesn’t seem as hated as others. It is just good and the toe to toe of the first game was something to behold.

The trade deadline

Today is the day and there is rumor that the Cubs are looking at Raul Ibanez from Seattle. I doubt it will happen. However, it might make sense because Ibanez is a better option than Ward and can play outfield positions. I guess to me it seems like Ibanez is really a replacement for Ward depending on all of the permutations of the thing. It might be interesting. I think the Cubs might look at making a run at a bullpen guy because I think they are becoming less confident in an imminent return for Woody. Everyone seems to think that Eyre will be traded today.

Hopefully the Cubs can score some runs and get Rich Harden a win and a sweep of he Crew.

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Tap the Keg

Yesterday, a co-worker came up to me and expounded on his hatred for Ryan Braun.  He hates his cockiness, to which I agreed. He comes off as smug, especially his penchant for watching his handy work when he goes yard. I recall a certain Mr. Bonds that did that, he’s not well liked to much either. Although he has a few hundred more homers than Mr. Braun, so it’s a little easier to swallow. Let’s just say, it was nice to see old Ryan get a workout in Left Field tonight. Hey Ryan, there’s two sides fo the game, and you looked silly on one side of it, tonight.

Obviously, the big story of this whole series was that first place was on the line. Notice I say was, because with tonight’s win, the Cubs cannot leave Milwaukee without it. The second are the pitching match-ups. The above mentioned co-worker also stated he felt the Cubs would do him proud if they split the series. Not the worst case scenario, but I felt they could do better. After last night’s win, which I missed due to a game of my own, I felt really good about the Cubs’ chances grabbing three, going into tonight.

Zambrano looked sharp from the get go. The Brewer’s Ben Sheets, not so much. He was effectively wild through five innings, but it looked like he was on the cusp losing control at any moment. That happened in the sixth, as the Cubs’ kept finding holes in the defensive and a missplayed ball by Ryan Braun in Left. A big crooked number of five runs, set my mind at ease. With Z cruising, this one was in the bag, and it was never in question from that point on. A three game lead. Phew.

Since I’m into bashing Ryan Braun, he was quoted earlier this week, as saying the pressure was all on the Cubs, and the Brewers just have to play good baseball. Correction, Ryan. The pressure is on the Brewers. They didn’t show they could take the heat last season, and after these two games, I’d say the same. You had your two aces up the bump, and came up empty. Now the back end of your rotation still faces Dempster and Harden. Ouch. Ouch. And more ouch. Momentum seems to be in the Cubs favor. At least in the short term. I’ll take it, and I know my co-worker will too. It’s rough talking baseball at work.  

 Come on Cubbies, let’s go get two more!

• One Man’s Treasure rip Did anyone see all the handshakes Zambrano has with other Cubbies. It makes my head spin. I’d never remember which one to do.

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Now That Was a Game

That game lived up to the hype that has surrounded this series. I actually expected it to be moved to ESPN, but it wasn’t. It was important for us to jump all over CC Sabathia early as he was clearly the favorite in the matchup with Ted Lilly. We did just that and appeared to be off to a semi-easy win before Lilly ran out of gas in the 6th. I was leaning toward Lou pulling Lilly after the back to back homers by Hardy and Bruan, but he stuck with him. Lilly was able to get out of the inning, but not before coughing up the lead. Sometimes you have to be proactive in games like this one and I don’t think Lou took that approach. Here were some other notes.

• Bobby Howry must go. I’m not sure what’s wrong with him, but he has no business being in the back end of a ballgame that matters at this point. You simply can’t trust him right now. Obviously I’m not calling for his release, but rather a different use for him. Last night we pulled back in front, gaining back the momentum in the 7th only to see Howry give it right back on a solo home run.
• Derrek Lee comes away the “hero” yesterday with a double that scored the winning runs in the 9th, but I go back to the 7th when he again essentially grounded into a double play in a key situation. If it wasn’t for a great slide by Reed Johnson at second that forces a bad throw, Lee grounds into an inning killing double play. I’m tired of the DP’s by Lee. It needs to stop.
• Big props to Chad Gaudin who came in and was lights out in the 8th, striking out the side. Between him, Samardzija, and Marmol, the end of the game is sufficient right now, but not as dominating as I’d like. Then again, at least we’re not forced to bring in Eric Gagne.
• Mark my words right now. Alfonso Soriano is going to explode in August. Watch for him to win the player of the month. Just watch.

Around the Internet

Hellbound: Hellraiser II video

• Lou Piniella mentioned that Kerry Wood is still a bit of time away from returning to action for this team by saying “‘I wouldn’t say [he's] close. I’ve been saying all along and we’ll leave it at that. When he’s ready, he’ll let us know.”
• Jason Stark mentioned on his blog that the Cubs are looking to move Scott Eyre before the deadline. With the success of Neal Cotts and Sean Marshall being moved to the pen, the Cubs have three lefties in that pen. Eyre becomes expendable, but I’d hate to see him go.

Farm Recaps

Tennessee 7, Mobile 1 – The Tennessee Smokies (47-59, 20-17) got a gem of a start from Grant Johnson and used it to beat the Mobile Baybears (46-59, 17-18) 7-1, at Hank Aaron Stadium Monday night in front of 1,802. The win helps Tennessee stay one game behind Carolina for first place in the Southern League North.

The Smokies scored twice in the top of the first for an early lead. Doug Deeds doubled high off the rightfield wall and scored on a line drive double from Jake Fox. Tyler Colvin then followed with a two-out hit of his own and the single scored Fox.

Tennessee then plated two more in the fourth frame. After one was retired Kyle Reynolds drew a walk and moved to third on a Matt Camp single. Pitcher Grant Johnson then faked a bunt to draw in the corner infielders and then quickly took a full swing. Johnson bounced the ball into right field scoring Reynolds. Nate Spears used a bunt single with two outs to score Camp for a 4-0 lead.

Kyle Reynolds smashed a solo homerun in the sixth inning which gave Tennessee a 5-1 lead.

Mobile also scored a run in the sixth. Bryan Byrne singled home Guillermo Reyes with Gerardo Parra gunned down behind him on a throw from Fuld in centerfield.

Jake Fox slammed a solo homerun in the seventh to make it 6-1.

The Smokies then added another score in the ninth on a Colvin double making it a six run lead.

Iowa 11, Las Vegas 9

Daytona 8, Palm Beach 5

Peoria 2, Fort Wayne 4

Boise 9, Salem-Keizer 7

AZ Cubs 0, AZ Mariners 4

DSL Cubs 6, DSL Yankees 4

~ View the complete breakdown courtesy of First Inning

Minor League Player Tracker

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Cubs vs. Brewers Team Comparison

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Welcome to Monday

As you head into work, I want to provide you with a trip around the news and offer some commentary on it.

• Kerry Wood’s blister is going to keep him out of the Milwaukee series – This has me bummed. We could really use him in the 9th for this series, but if it means that it will be completely healed when he comes back, then by all means rest it until it’s fully healed. I just hope that after all this rest, he doesn’t try to come back to soon, irritate it, and then have to be shelved essentially for the year. It’s quotes like this that have me worried. “Woody’s the kind of guy – that if he has to – he’ll throw through it.” Let’s not do that unless we absolutely HAVE to.
• Cubs will probably be fined $500,000 – This stems back to the violation in the draft this year. They apparently signed two players over slot, which is the recommended amount set by MLB for the particular pick in the draft, and then failed to report the signings in a timely manner. I wonder if the over the slot thing makes MLB a little more angry and less likely to be merciful to the Cubs. They seem dictatorish like that some times.
• Jeff Samardzija could be a gift from above – Looking at him yesterday compared to his first outing, he seemed a good deal more composed and much more dominant. Could he be the answer to the bullpen need? Is he enough to curb the idea that Jim Hendry needed to go out and get another arm for the pen? I think so. He’s got great stuff if he can just harness it. Control has been the main issue for him as he’s progressed. If working with Larry Rothschild can help fix that, look out!!! Baseball America had this to say about Samardzija

Almost exactly a year ago, I wrote a column about the enigma that was Jeff Samardzija Premium At the time, he wasn’t doing much to distinguish himself in high Class A, where opponents batted .323 against him while he averaged a mere 3.8 strikeouts per nine innings. For a guy with mid-90s velocity and plus sink, not to mention a $10 million major league contract, this just didn’t compute.

At the time, the Cubs maintained their faith in Samardzija’s huge upside. He was more famous for his football exploits at Notre Dame, where he set every notable receiving record, and he didn’t become a full-time pitcher until 2007. The Cubs believed that once he refined his delivery, his slider and an offspeed pitch, hitters wouldn’t be able to sit on his fastball. Ed Wood movie

Samardzija continued to struggle with those tasks in Double-A at the start of this year. He went 3-5, 4.86 in 16 games (15 starts), and his velocity and sink still weren’t enough to miss bats. Opponents hit .252 off him, which was an improvement, but his 44-42 K-BB ratio in 76 innings wasn’t inspiring.

His secondary pitches started to click in June, earning him a promotion to Triple-A, where he suddenly took off. He had a 40-16 K-BB ratio in 37 innings over six starts, and when he allowed just six hits while fanning 18 over 12 innings in his last two outings, the Cubs summoned him to Chicago.

Though Samardzija gave up a game-tying run to the Marlins in his major league debut on Friday, he rebounded two days later to record a two-inning save. He also looked spectacular, topping out at 99 mph and pitching in the mid-90s with his fastball with ease. He also showed a mid-80s slider and mixed in a splitter, and retired 12 of the 14 batters he faced during the weekend, striking out five.

With Kerry Wood on the disabled list again and Carlos Marmol struggling, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Samardzija could emerge as the Cubs’ closer down the stretch. That formula of a rookie closer coming out of nowhere worked pretty well for the other club in Chicago three years ago. (Source)

• Jim Hendry elects to stay – No hitting for the Cubs means no hitting for Hendry in the game of 21 down the stretch. Sorry, I just watched 21 yesterday so I had to try to work in a reference. Dave Van Dyke mentioned that Hendry doesn’t plan to add before Thursday’s deadline, but if you know anything about GM’s, what they say and what they think are always two different stories.
• Oakland makes a switch – Eric Patterson has been recalled and Matt Murton demoted for the A’s. Murton had been royally stinking up the joint and deserves to be back in AAA.

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Cubs Recall Jeff Samardzija

CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today recalled right-handed pitcher Jeff Samardzija from Triple-A Iowa. He will take the roster spot of right-handed pitcher Kerry Wood, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list yesterday with a blister on his right index finger.

Samardzija, who will wear uniform No. 29, will be available to make his major league debut this afternoon against the Florida Marlins at Wrigley Field.

The 23-year-old Samardzija joins the Cubs after going 4-1 with a 3.13 ERA (13 ER/37.1 IP) in six appearances with Iowa, the lone six outings higher than Double-A in his professional career. With Iowa, Samardzija struck out 40 batters in 37.1 innings, an average of 9.6 strikeouts per nine innings, and limited opponents to a .241 batting average. He has a 2.37 ERA (5 ER/19.0 IP) in his last three starts, striking out 25 and walking only five in 19.0 innings. Overall, he has pitched at least six innings in all six of his Triple-A outings.

Samardzija began the season with Double-A Tennessee and went 3-5 with a 4.86 ERA (41 ER/76.0 IP) in 16 appearances, all but one as a starter. The righthander has gone 7-6 with a 4.29 ERA (54 ER/113.1 IP) in 22 outings, all but one as a starter, in 2008 between Tennessee and Iowa.

The first member of Chicago’s 2006 Draft class to reach the big leagues, Samardzija signed a five-year major league contract with club options for 2012 and 2013 on January 19, 2007. Selected in the fifth round, Samardzija combined to make seven minor league appearances between Single-A Boise and Peoria in 2006 prior to signing the major league deal.

Ed Wood dvdrip

After pitching in Boise and Peoria in the summer of 2006, Samardzija returned to the University of Notre Dame for his senior football season as a wide receiver. The 6-foot-5, 218-pounder completed his Notre Dame football career with a school-record 179 receptions, 2,593 receiving yards and 27 receiving touchdowns, earning First-Team All-America honors in his final year.

Samardzija committed fully to baseball upon signing his major league deal (declining entry in the NFL Draft) and split the 2007 season between Single-A Daytona and Double-A Tennessee, combining to go 6-11 with a 4.57 ERA (72 ER/141.2) in 30 appearances, 26 as a starter.

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It’s About Freakin’ Time….For Jeff Samardzija?

In case you were not aware, the Cubs have had some struggles lately with the Marlins so the series opener had me a bit worried. With the lack of offense we had been seeing I worried that perhaps those struggles would carry over into our home field, where we’ve played so well all year. Instead, we get a win out of the team and a 125 pitch outing out of Carlos. I came away from the game last night with a few thoughts.

1. Lou Piniella does not trust this bullpen right now – nor should he. Take a look at the pen of late and you are bound to get a little case of the willies. Bobby Howry can’t get outs, despite going 2/3 of an inning yesterday. People are worried that perhaps he’s insured. Kerry Wood went on the DL for the 12th time in his career with a blister that just won’t heal and Carlos Marmol is a few pitches from his right arm falling off. Those are the aces of the bullpen. Those guys struggling has Lou considering, and I believe strongly, Jeff Samardzija from AAA. To me, this is a big mistake. He hasn’t show consistency at any level. He moves up, shines, and then begins to struggle. On top of that, he’s been starting and has a future as a starter. What is this obsession with bringing guys like that into the bullpen? Let the starters come up as a starter and the relievers come up as relievers. Case closed.
2. I’m still worried about Derrek Lee – He had another rough night at the plate. Don’t give me the crap about how he hit a home run the other day. The fact is that his bat has not been clutch at any time this year. Think of a time where he has put the team on his back and carried them. Soriano has done it. Aramis has done it. Fukudome has done it. If Lee is going to be a “star” in this league, it’s about time he does it too. I wrote earlier in the year that I felt like Lee was the most overrated Cub and I stand by that.

I’ll keep you updated when the roster move happens. Let’s get another win today.

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Cubs vs. Marlins – Series Preview

Probable Pitches for the Series

Thursday
Scott Olson vs. Carlos Zambrano – 8:05pm EDT

Friday
Josh Johnson vs. Ryan Dempster – 2:20pm EDT

Saturday
Chris Volstad vs. Rich Harden – 1:05pm EDT

Sunday
Rick VandenHurk vs. Jason Marquis – 2:20pm EDT

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No Way to Treat a Friend

Joe and I are friends and we have been good friends for a long time. But when he asked me to do the recap of this game I had no idea that he could be so cruel to a close friend. The game is currently in the fourth inning. It has lasted about an hour and a half already and Doug Davis and Ted Lilly are working at a snail’s pace…a lifeless dead snail. Some of you are currently watching this and are suffering through this as well. This is a boring suckfest. So I am going to write this recap during the game to keep me interested and ensure that I do not get so bored with it that I write the game off.

To make  matters worse the Cubs again have only two hits through four innings. Alfonso Soriano who has returned tonight is hitless as are almost everyone else. The Cubs do have a run on a Derrek Lee solo shot in the first. This was his first home run since June 20. I was surprised to hear the big Lee is hitting .329 in  July. The seems like a quiet .329 but that’s subjective.

Ramirez and Soto continue to be mired in 0 for 20 somethings slumps. And the bats are asleep- although Mark DeRosa just got a hit to lead off the fifth. Maybe this blogging during the game will break us out of our slump and I will be committed to doing this for the rest of the year out of superstition. As I wrote that sentence Reed Johnson  hit a ground rule double- runners at second and third nobody out for Lilly.

In the bottom of the fourth the Cubs were leading 1-0. Chris Young hit his second double to lead off an inning in the game…maybe Lilly will learn how to pitch to him some day. Following this Tony Clark clubbed a home run to give the D-Backs the lead. Have you noticed the stupid hop Ted Lilly does  after giving up a home run. I hate that hop.

Now Ted Lilly just hit a ground ball that bounced over the head of a drawn in infield to tie the game. First and third with Soriano up. “Very  superstitious…writing on the wall (blog).”

The Brewers won again today. They have not lost since the break. C.C. Sabathia threw his third complete game since joining the Brewers. Good news- Monday night I am going to see the Cubs-Brewers and Sabathia is pitching. Bad news- I want the Cubs to win and Sabathia is pitching.

Soriano hit a ground ball and the go ahead run scores. Ted Lilly just stole third base…no joke. Lilly scores on a Theriot ground ball and the Cubs lead 4-2.

In the bottom of the inning Ojeda walks and scores on a triple by Conor Jackson. Jackson is thrown out in a run down and Chris Young, who reached during the run down, is caught trying to steal third with two outs on a real pretty play by Aramis. We dodge a bullet and still lead 4-3.

While we are in a lull in the game- this game has been a giant lull – I want to comment on what was discussed yesterday and is everybody’s favorite topic…potential trades…YES!!!! So I agree with the thinking that the Cubs do not need another infielder but could use another outfielder. The Cubs have great potential to improve in center- if there is a center fielder out there. Edmonds and Johnson have been good and I am comfortable with them, but you could improve. I know the number five starter is not a gigantic issue but I wonder what the Blue Jays want for A.J. Burnett. Supposedly, the Cubs have had scouts at his past couple games. Again I know it is the fifth starter spot, but Marquis is mediocre and I don’t like Sean Marshall at all. And you don’t have to  worry about a number five starter if you have two one’s and three three’s. A reliever might be a good add especially with Kid K’s blister issues and achy tired Marmol. It might be beneficial to go out and try to get another bat off the bench that can play the field as well. Daryle Ward is a pretty good pinch hitter- or he has been in the past- but he cannot play anywhere in the field adequately and this is a problem.

We are in the top of the seventh of this epic battle and Cedeno will bat for Lilly and the lead will be entrusted to the ‘pen.  While I am at it, why are the Cubs not putting Kerry Wood on the DL? He is days away from returning and they are a guy short for as long as this lasts. I don’t get it.

In the top of the eighth A-Ram got a single to break an 0 for 26 and put Ryan Theriot at third with one out. Soto follows and breaks out of an 0 for 21 to drive in Theriot and give the Cubs a 5-3 lead. Fukudome then took his third walk of the game to load the bases with one out for Mark DeRosa. DeRosa walks and the Cubs lead is 6-3. Johnson hits a fly ball to left that keeps carrying for a slam and the  bats have finally come through 10-3. Soriano doubles and the inning ends a batter later.

While I am here I think I must do a mea culpa about Soriano. I guess it is just you have to take the bad with the good. He is what he is and there will be times that this is not good, but he is the most explosive hitter in the line up. While I have said before that I think that signing will go down as one of the worst in team history, I think this is wrong. While I don’t know that he will ever live up to the contract,  I think it will not be an embarrassment and will give us pop for at least a couple more years.

Howry and Marmol come in and pitch a shaky eighth and ninth but the Cubs win it.

They stay a game up on the Brewers and return home with Big Z pitching tomorrow. The bats come alive but they were more patient taking five walks and working into deep counts. Hopefully, they rediscover this element.

The time of the game was like 3:20. The time seemed like three days. But we get the win. And we can sleep easier tonight.

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Disgusting

I’m angry with this team. We can’t score. Jason Marquis is complete garbage. It’s time to move him from the rotation and give the shot to Sean Marshall. It’s time to call up Soriano for tonight’s game. I’m sick of getting swept by the Diamondbacks. It’s complete garbage.

I’ve got nothing else to say. Instead, watch a video put out by my friends Rhett & Link. I loved the crushed rosemary idea.

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What is it about Arizona that makes the bats go cold?

We always hear the excuse that cold water shrinks a penis. We hear the excuse that cold weather curbs hitting. How do you explain not being able to hit in a hot weather environment? The Cubs wasted a gem of an outing that I really felt had the making of a no-hitter. So much, in fact that I set the Tivo in the 5th so I could record the last few innings and have them on DVD. Rich Harden was that good last night. Unfortunately, Randy Johnson got it done and the Cubs went down 2-0.

If you throw out the 9 run explosion in Houston on Sunday, the Cubs have put up the following numbers over the last few games: 0, 1, 1, 2. That’s not gonna get it done. It’s become very clear that this team, specifically this offense, sorely misses the bat of Alfonso Soriano. Now the key is to try to get some offense over the next few days in his absence and try to keep this lead in the division.

News & Notes

• Cubs draft corp. gets fined – According to ESPN.com, MLB has fined the Cubs for “failure to notify the League office prior to signing a player.” Seriously, if this is really that big of a deal that MLB has to fine a team, they’ve got to get out more. Why not try to figure out a better solution to the All Star game fiasco that almost turned into a complete farce. Fix things like that rather than fine teams for forgetting to let you know they signed a player. (Source)
• No DL for Kerry Wood? – I’m crossing my fingers that this is the case, but the more I think about it, the more I feel like maybe it would almost be the best scenario for Woody to go on the DL and let the blister fully heal. If you’ve ever had a blister, and who hasn’t, it’s hard to do anything without aggravating it. It might be a better idea to have him let that thing really get better and then come back around August 1st. That would give him, essentially, 2+ weeks of heal time.
• Rehab Start # 1 for Soriano – Alfonso Soriano played yesterday with the AZ Cubs and went 0-2 with a walk. The most amusing part was that he was brushed back off the plate in his first at bat. I wonder if the pitcher did that on purpose or if he really had a lack of control. You’ve got to wonder with a kid that low facing a guy that big.
• The One That Got Away? – Brian Dopirak, one of the most talked about prospects in the system over the last few years is currently playing DH in the Toronto organization in Dunedin (A+). He’s finally having the kind of breakout year in the power and overall offensive area that many believed he was capable of when he was with the Cubs. The only problem is that it’s in an area that’s lower than AA and he’s 24. It’s nice to see him doing well, but I’m not quite sure why Baseball America keeps highlighting it every time he hits a HR.

Farm Recaps

Peoria 7, Great Lakes 1 - The Peoria Chiefs won the final game of their three-game series with Great Lakes today with a score of 7-1 in front of 5,607 fans at O’Brien Field. The win puts the Chiefs at 21-10 in the second half and at 51-48 overall.

The Chiefs put up the first run of the game in the second inning off Loons starter Josh Lindblom. Lindblom walked Jovan Rosa to lead off the inning, and after Rebel Ridling flew out to left, Luis Bautista singled. Brandon Guyer doubled to left to score Rosa and put the Chiefs up 1-0.

Great Lakes matched the Chiefs with a run of their own in the fourth. With one out, Andrew Lambo hit a solo home run to right field off Jay Jackson to tie the teams 1-1.

The game didn’t stay tied for long as the Chiefs answered back in their half of the fourth with two more runs to again take the lead. Bautista singled with one down off Loons reliever Justin Miller, and Guyer reached on an error by Great Lakes third baseman Brandon Taylor. Luis Flores added a base hit to score Bautista and put the Chiefs ahead 2-1. Elvis Lara then reached on a fielders choice as Flores was thrown out, and Guyer scored to extend the lead to 3-1.

Peoria pulled even further ahead in the sixth thanks to a three-run homer from Guyer. Rosa was put into scoring position courtesy of Miller, as he walked and then moved to second on an error by the pitcher. Ridling followed with an infield single, and Bautista advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt. Guyer hit a three-run homer, his eighth of the season, over the left field wall and out to the street to make it 6-1.

Bautista led off the eighth inning with a solo home run, his 11th of the season, to left field off Loons reliever Miguel Ramirez to extend the Chiefs lead to 7-1.

Jose Pina started for the Chiefs and threw three innings, keeping the Loons scoreless and allowing only one hit. Jackson (2-0) came in to throw four innings and allow one run on four hits while striking out seven. Ashwood pitched one inning, giving up one hit and no runs.

Boise 9, Everett 5 - A six-run third inning helped guide the Boise Hawks to their eighth victory in nine games and their sixth-straight home win, knocking off the Everett AquaSox, 9-5, before 2,187 fans at Memorial Stadium.

Ten men came to plate in the third, as the Hawks got an RBI fielders choice from Josh Harrison, a bases loaded walk from Ryan Keedy, and RBI infield single from Carlos Perez, a Kyler Burke sacrifice fly, and a Drew Rundle RBI double to build the big lead.

Everett would make it tight late, as Welington Dotel’s second homer of the night in the ninth made it 9-2, with the Frogs closing to 9-5 on a wild pitch with two outs in the inning. However, John Muller got Nate Tenbrink to ground out to first with the tying run on deck to end the game, notching his eighth save.

Harol Tolentino got the win, throwing five shutout innings, becoming the first Hawk pitcher to win as a starter this season. Marwin Gonzalez and Keedy each had three hits in the game, while Harrison drove in three. Dotel went 4-for-4 in the loss for Everett.

Game 3 of the series is tomorrow night, with James Leverton of Boise meeting Steven Hensley of Everett.

While I’m thinking about it, if you haven’t had a chance to watch the ESPY’s, which I never do, you missed this courtesy of Justin Timberlake, who I now have new respect for.

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Cubs vs. Diamondbacks

Series Tale of the Tape

Probable Pitchers

Monday - Rich Harden vs. Randy Johnson (9:40pm EDT)

Tuesday – Jason Marquis vs. Micah Owings (9:40pm EDT)

Wednesday – Ted Lilly vs. Doug Davis (9:40pm EDT)

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Monday Notes

Question of the Day

Which team that currently trails us scares you more? Milwaukee or St. Louis? Why? For me, I’ve maintained that it’s Milwaukee, who appears to be going all in. They know they can’t resign CC Sabathia or probably even Ben Sheets. They just added Ray Durham, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them make another move for the bullpen. St. Louis doesn’t appear to be looking into anything, which has Tony LaRussa frustrated. All that considered, I look for the Cards to begin to fall off as the year wears on into August. Milwaukee is the team to catch us in my opinion. What do you think?

News & Notes

• Apparently A.J. Burnett has slowed on his trade demands and no longer wants to leave Toronto, let alone come to the Cubs. – (Source)
• Kerry Wood appears to be headed to the DL, which would be the 12th time in his career. The good thing is that it’s just due to a blister and not arm trouble. In addition, because the Cubs haven’t used him in a few days, the DL stint can be back dated, which shortens the trip if needed.
• Rich Hill mentioned that he seems to have figured out what has caused the control issues. He blames it on back pain, which I can attest can mess you up big time. I don’t pitch, but I’ve tweaked my back on two separate occasions and they’ve been quite painful and debilitating for a few days. I really hope that’s the issue because that would be a great insurance addition if Rich Harden were to flop down the stretch. At the same time, if Hill starts to come back strong, does that mean Dempster is gone after this season?
• Alfonso Soriano is set to play the first game of his rehab stint tonight for the Arizona Cubs. My fear is that he hits a home run tonight and thinks he’s back for good. Rookie league is a lot different that big league pitching. Please be patient and get your cuts in and come back for the Florida series this weekend.

Farm Recaps

Iowa 2, Nashville 1 - Jeff Samardzija tossed six solid innings as the Iowa Cubs defeated the Nashville Sounds 2-1 at Principal Park Sunday afternoon.

Samardzija (4-1) allowed just three Sounds to reach base in his six innings of work, including two hits, to pick up the win.

After striking out two in the top of the first inning, Samardzija worked
with a 1-0 Cubs lead when Andres Torres roped a lead-off home run to left field off Nashville starter Chris Narveson.

Third basemen Casey McGehee made it a 2-0 lead with a solo home run to right field. Originally ruled a triple, umpires later overturned the call.

That was all Samardzija needed, as the right-hander went on to retire eight in a row from the third to fifth inning. He allowed hits to Brendan Katin in the first and pinch hitter Mel Stocker in the sixth. Stocker would score the Sounds lone run that inning after stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch. Vinny Rottino brought Nashville to within one when he drove Stocker in with a two-out sacrifice fly in the sixth inning.

Narveson took the loss (3-12) giving up the two runs on four hits, while
striking out seven in five innings on the mound. Iowa reliever Michael Wuertz pitched a perfect ninth inning for his first save of the season.

Samardzija, Hector Carrasco, and Wuertz combined to strike out 12 on the day. Samardzija’s nine strikeouts tied a season-high for the right-hander.

Peoria 7, Great Lakes 1 – The Peoria Chiefs bounced back to beat the visiting Great Lakes Loons 7-1 in the middle game of a three-game series on Sunday afternoon at O’Brien Field. The win improves the Chiefs to 20-10 in the second half and will give them at least a two game lead over second place Beloit in the Western Division. Peoria jumped on Great Lakes starter Bryan Morris to claim a first inning lead. Jonathan Wyatt hustled his way into a double on a ball blooped into center field. Nate Samson followed with an opposite field double to score Wyatt from second and put the Chiefs in front 1-0. After Samson stole third base and Jovan Rosa struck out, Rebel Ridling hit a ball back up the middle to score Samson to make it 2-0. Samson helped spark the Chiefs offense in the third inning after drawing a one-out walk against Morris. He picked up his second stolen base of the game when he swiped second to move into scoring position. Rosa’s league-leading 31st double of the season scored Samson from second to extend the Chiefs lead to 3-0.

Kreier retired the first ten batters in the Loons batting order before giving up a one out double to Erik Kanaby in the fourth inning. A fly out to the warning track in center field by Andrew Lambo moved Kanaby to third base, but Kreier got Eduardo Perez to fly out to left field to end the inning.
The Chiefs chased Morris from the game in the fifth inning. Jake Opitz walked to start the inning, and Wyatt followed with his second hit of the day to put two on with no outs. Samson moved bother runners into scoring position with his 19th sacrifice bunt of the season. With two outs, Ridling dropped a base hit into left field that scored both Opitz and Samson and give the Chiefs a 5-0 lead.

Peoria broke the game open in the sixth inning against Loons reliever Miguel Sanfler. Opitz reached on a fielders choice and stole second base to move into scoring position with one out. Wyatt collected his third hit of the afternoon with a single up the middle to score Opitz and make it a 6-0 Chiefs advantage. After a walk to Samson, Rosa laced a single into left field to score Wyatt and make it a 7-0 game.

Great Lakes broke up the shutout in the ninth inning against Chiefs reliever Jordan Latham. Kanaby got his third hit of the game with a leadoff base hit and moved to second on a ground out by Andrew Lambo. A passed ball moved Kanaby to third base, and Eduardo Perez grounded out to score Kanaby and make it 7-1.

The 20-year old Kreier tossed six scoreless innings for the second time this season. The right-hander allowed just two hits, both to Kanaby, while striking out one and walking just one as he notched his fifth win of the season. Jake Muyco worked two scoreless innings out of the Chiefs bullpen while allowing just one hit. Latham allowed an unearned run in the ninth inning on one hit, and he struck out one.

Player of the Game – Kevin Kreier (P) – Kreier held the Loons scoreless for his six innings pitched, completing this feat for the second time this season. He allowed only two hits while striking out one and walking one as he took the win, his fifth of the season.

Tennessee 7, Huntsville 3 – The Tennessee Smokies (45-58, 18-12) snapped a three game slide to the Huntsville Stars (58-42, 17-13), by winning 7-3 at Joe W. Davis Stadium Sunday night in front of 1,532. The win gives Tennessee a one game lead for first in the Southern League North division over the Stars. The Smokies tagged a pair of two-run homeruns in the third inning for an early 4-0 advantage. Sam Fuld followed a Mark Holliman single by launching a missile of the right field wall. Jake Fox then singled with two outs and Blake Lalli crushed another ball to right and out of the park.

Mark Holliman was fantastic in the start going 5 innings of shutout baseball. He would issue a walk along with four strikeouts. Tennessee added to their lead in the sixth. Fuld singled with two outs and scored on a Nate Spears double. Lorenzo Cain helped get Huntsville on the board. He tripled past a diving leftfielder Jake Fox. Cain scored on an Alcides Escobar groundout to short. The Stars took advantage of four walks in the eighth inning which plated two more runs to make the score 6-3. Fox then celebrated his 27th birthday in style by connecting on a solo homerun in the ninth.

Boise 9, Everett 6 – Drew Rundle gapped an RBI triple in the seventh inning to break a 6-6 tie, as the Boise Hawks won their fifth straight home game with a 9-6 victory over the Everett AquaSox before 1,891 fans at Memorial Stadium. The win for the Hawks was their seventh in eight games and pulled Boise within five games of first-place Spokane in the Northwest League’s Eastern Division. The Hawks scored three in the second inning to take an early lead, as RBI doubles from Michael Brenly and Josh Harrison, along with a Kurt Calvert RBI single gave Boise the 3-0 lead.

The AquaSox would rally, getting back-to-back RBI doubles from Luis Nunez and Kevin Reynolds in the third to cut the lead to 3-2, then take the lead in the fifth on a Nunez RBI single, building a 5-3 advantage. Boise would retake the lead in the sixth on a bases loaded walk to Kyler Burke and a Harrison two-run single, but a Reynolds RBI single in the seventh re-tied the game, setting up Rundle’s heroics. Luke Sommer got the win for the Hawks, tossing three innings of two-hit relief, retiring the final seven men in order. Calvert went 3-for-4 in the win, with Harrison, Rundle, and Burke each recording two hits. Nunez went 3-for-4 in the loss for the Frogs.

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Gotta Blame the Offense

First Star – Brian Moehler

Second Star – Ted Lilly

Third Star – Geoff Geary

Offense: -.502

What does that mean? Well look at it this way. When you start a game, each team has a 50/50 chance of winning that game. The -.502 means that our hitting essentially gave the game to the Astros. Not only did the offense not add any chance of winning to the team, but they were so bad that they essentially gave that 50% to the Astros. The easiest way to look at it is like a tug of war. Each team starts with the same amount to pull to win the game. That amount is 50%. By the Cubs offense going negative essentially 50% due to the offense, it’s not the pitching’s fault. At the same time, you could argue that the Astros pitching had some hand in the win, but it’s hard to argue that it was more due to someone like Brian Moehler than it was our lack of hitting. Props to Jimmy ballgame for coming up with another home run. That was all we could muster.

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