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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.”
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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
I know whats wrong with Howry, and its been clear for about 2 seasons now. Howry needs another pitch. Howrys fastball is straight and at top speed of 92-93 mph, is not good enough to get out good fastball hitters, particularly left-handed hitting fastball hitters. His slider is so weak he dares not throw it for a strike in a tough situation, so hitters sit on the heater. The result is a lot of late inning homers. The solution is obvious: a good change-up or split fingered fastball, to replace the slider. Dave Duncan would have been all over this problem long ago. Where is Larry Rothschild? Why has Rothschild survived TWO manager firings? Howry could still be effective with some good coaching.
I too have preached here that DP’s have been the bane of the Cubbies. I too have said Lee has simply not been as clutch a hitter as we need or as much as he used to be. But I did see an interesting stat on ESPN last night that had Mr. Lee tied (with 11) in the NL for most game winning RBI’s. I have my doubts as it is one of those stats that can be manufactured if need be. Likewise, I think Aramis seems a bit more streaky then ever.
Good to have Alfonse back.
Howry has shown me that perhaps something is wrong that he is not fessing up to the coaching staff. I can count at least three games blown by this fellow…he just is off kilter (physical thing?) and has gotten little success to improve upon (mental).
I too would hate to see Scott Erye go. But Let’s see what we can get. I would rather see Howry leave us obviously.
I reserve judgement on new aquisition Chad Gaudin. I have not seen this kid pitch enough to make a proper judement (my travels didn’t take me to Oakland and I missed him in all the spring training camps).
Cubbies to me will take tis series. Let’s hope Arizona won’t load up with Texiera as they seem to be our achilles heal.
6-1 Tonight (”Karnak the great” has spoken). Cubbies play on ESPN on Wednesday night baseball! See ya bbbboys!
Yes, the DP was frustrating, but come on – he was 3-5 and knowcked in two other runs (if you want to discount the RBI he got on the FC). You can’t expect him to bat 1.000 in all the important ABs. That is an impossible standard.
I’m not sorry to see Erye go. His contract is up after this season (as is Howry’s). If the rumor is true, then he is obviously not part of future plans. Lou hasn’t been using him much of late. This shows he has little confidence in him. His first season with the team was the only good year he’s had under his current contract (which was considered to be a big contract for a reliever at the time). We might as well see what we can get for him even if it is a decent low level prospect. I would rather have Marshall as our lefty specialist because he has a good curve ball.
Yes, Howry seems to throw nothing but fastballs. It’s only effective when he’s able to place it low and away to right-handers. I think he has been demoted already. Gaudin pitched the 8th last night. When Wood returns I think Howry’s role will be reduced even more.
I’m surprised anyone gives Soriano anything over the plate near the knees. Everyone knows it’s his wheel-house. Sabathia kept throwing it in there and Soriano made him pay.
Lou hasn’t been using him much of late.
That is an understatement.
He hasn’t been used once since coming off the DL.
Last time he saw action in a major league game was over a month ago (June 26th).
My usual smattering of things:
-Lee’s propensity for hitting into the DP is flummoxing, but he’s still hitting darn near or at .300 and that’s after a period of a slump (if you think the slump is over…and I hope it is). It seems he’s gone back to being a little (wee bit) more patient at the plate. Clearly, his “lead glove” is still an issue [SARCASM]. Reed Johnson should continue to get extra special mention for his slide to cause that errant throw. DPs happen, especially when the guys ahead of you (Soriano, Theriot, Fukudome [past and present]) are pretty good about getting on base, you’ll have that. It could just as easily have been Theriot…were he a #3 hitter.
-Sabathia had over 120 pitches last night. He was at 66 in the fourth inning. The workhorse got worked. The Cubs were so good at making pitchers work for every out they got in the first half. They really made Sabathia work last night. I think that’s the right call by Lou (or whomever). We’ll say Lou.
-Howry…is…a…run…machine. Send him to Detroit. Send him to Iowa. Just send him away. Please. I think Dave is right- the guy doesn’t have much in his bag of tricks. Sure, speed is great. But until teams like the Brewers and Cardinals start constantly missing at fastballs thrown down the middle of the plate, Howry is a lead killer.
-Good call on giving Gaudin his props. Three strikeouts in one inning in a tight game on the road. Well done, kid.
It was one of the best games of the season for the Brewers, despite the outcome. Well, I should say one of the most exciting, thanks to the comeback.
Gaudin looked awesome; Howry? Not so much. Can’t believe that the Brewers were fooled by Lilly’s stuff–Lilly worked it well, however, following low strikes with low inside pitches that fell just below the knees, enticing Brewers to chase them.
First things first, the whole D. Lee is over-rated thing has got to stop. Everyone is authorized a slump here and there, and if just so happens when your are 3rd in the line-up and it causes some DPs…then so be it. He has clearly shown that he can administer some serious offense as well as defense…being that he is one of the few batting over .300; come one now…get off it already!
Now on to other more important things…don’t you just love shutting down the Brewer’s 2 aces? Ain’t life grande?