Archive for July, 2009

I love it when I see news about hill:

It’s only July, but the Dodgers got the message when the Phillies acquired Cliff Lee: The NLCS race is on.

Any response to Phillies’ call to arms heard loud and clear?

Every day should be opening day when you open up your checkbook and see the logo of your favorite MLB team proudly displayed. All 30 teams available. Matching labels and cover are also available. These baseball checks are only $27.90 at DesignerChecks.com

My vote for MVP this year goes to Cecil -

The Astros will face the Cubs this afternoon with a depleted pitching staff. Ex-Cub LaTroy Hawkins, who is already in trouble with MLB for his comments made about the umpiring crew after Monday night’s game, will go on the disabled list today with shingles. Much as I don’t like Hawkins, I wouldn’t wish shingles on him — it can be extremely painful.

Doug Brocail, who is 42 years old and who had, among others, as teammates his rookie year in San Diego in 1992 Mike Maddux, Tony Gwynn Sr. and Larry Andersen (who is 56 years old), will be recalled to take Hawkins’ roster spot. The Astros will also be without Wesley Wright (who likely wouldn’t have pitched anyway today after throwing 51 pitches last night), because he was “rushed to the hospital following Tuesday’s win because he was experiencing discomfort in the area around his appendix.”

Bruce Miles blogs about the Cubs’ continued interest in Pittsburgh’s John Grabow and Washington’s Joe Beimel as Lou continues to overwork his bullpen for no particular reason:

Worse yet, Lou had to use lefty Sean Marshall for a third straight game, making Marshall doubtful for Wednesday.

A number of us (yes, I hear you, Jessica) have been shouting real loud at Lou about this, but let’s try it again: Hey, Lou! Sean Marshall is a starting pitcher. If you have to use him early in a game, why not use him the way Cecil Cooper used Wright last night — for multiple innings? Marshall can get both LHB and RHB out.

The Cubs have more motivation to keep Houston from scoring today: shut them out and it costs Astros fans money. How? The Astros are discounting tickets for their next home series based on how many runs they score in Chicago:

For every run that the team scores during its July 27 to 30 series on the road against the Chicago Cubs, the team will drop the price on its field box tickets by $1 for the next home stand against the San Francisco Giants. The Giants play at Minute Maid Park Aug. 3 to 5.

So far Astros fans can save $12 per field box ticket. Let’s keep it that way. Onward to this afternoon’s matchup. (Hat tip to Big League Stew for the link.)

Today’s Starting Pitchers

Randy Wells Cubs vs. Mike Hampton Astros 6-4 W-L 6-7 3.10 ERA 4.74 59 SO 64 19 BB 38 8 HR 9 vs. Hou – vs. Cubs

---

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2009 - Randy Wells	6-4	14	14	0	0	0	0	87.0	82	31	30	8	19	59	3.10	1.16

---

---

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2009 - Mike Hampton	6-7	17	17	0	0	0	0	95.0	101	54	50	9	38	64	4.74	1.46

---

Randy Wells threw the first six innings vs. the Astros on May 16 at Wrigley Field, giving up no runs but winding up with a no-decision after Kevin Gregg blew the lead — Sean Marshall got the win when the Cubs came back in the last of the ninth. Wells gave up only four hits in that game, his only career appearance vs. Houston, all singles.

Mike Hampton might have been a Cub had Andy MacPhail been willing to spend as much as the Rockies did when they signed him in 2001. Good thing he didn’t — Hampton’s been pretty mediocre since signing that eight-year deal (save one decent year with Atlanta in 2003), which finally expired at the end of last year. The Cubs jumped all over him in the first inning on April 6 in Houston and he’s gotten pounded in his last three starts (7.80 ERA). Derrek Lee is only 7-for-31 (.229) vs. Hampton, but three of those hits are homers.

The Cubs are on WGN again today, and also on FSN Houston. For other games today see the MLB.com Mediacenter.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

SB Nation game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Astros site The Crawfish Boxes.

Overflow comment threads will post today at 2:15 pm, 3:15 pm and 4 pm CDT.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

.

Tell us your opinion!

Want to give yourself an edge? Want the same type of professional equipment that the professional athletes use? Want a great deal? Get $0 shipping on orders over $99 when you shop at BaseballRampage. These guys have nearly everything you could need, from bats balls and gloves to cleats, bases, even pitching machines.

For the record, Saints QB Drew Brees still has a “nonexistent” relationship with his mother, so he probably didn’t sign off on her recent plan to dupe Texas restaurants into paying her for the name of their own business.

The situation is a little confusing, but apparently Mina Brees, who is a lawyer in Austin, sent of a series of letters to Houston restaurant owners informing them that she had purchased their “assumed business names” from the county clerk. Her company, Chicksports Inc. (seriously?), was gracious enough to offer the names back to them for the low, low price of $20,000. This is basically like cybersquatting on a domain name, only without the fun of the internet.

Of course, things work differently in the real world. Technically, the business names do expire, but if you’ve already been doing business under that name then no one can make you change it. A lawyer for the restaurant owners’ association said the whole thing is bunk and added, “I’m a member of the bar, and it’s embarrassing for someone in our profession to do something like that.” In other words, “Nice try, nut job.”

Ms. Brees plan for financial glory has worked almost as well as her campaign strategy of improperly using her estranged son’s face to try and get elected to the Texas Court of Appeals. It’s true the rural Texan voters love anything associated with quarterbacks from New Orleans, but perhaps she should give her schemes a little more thought.

NFL QB’s mom demands money from Houston restaurants Houston Chronicle

.

I have always been a fan of camp, but I have to say, seeing news like this gives me mixed feelings.How do you think this news about camp will affect the rest of the team this season?

Every day should be opening day when you open your check-book and see the logo of your favorite Major League Baseball team prominently displayed. All 30 teams available. Matching labels and cover are also available. These MLB checks are only $27.90 at DesignerChecks.com

Last night’s 11-6 Cubs loss to the Astros, which dropped them back into second place by 1/2 game after the Cardinals beat up on the Dodgers, turned on two plays.

The first was Kosuke Fukudome’s inexplicable decision to try to stretch a routine single to center field into a double. The play was right in front of both him and Astros CF Michael Bourn; it was the leadoff play in the bottom of the first inning; why would you risk taking a runner off base when your team is already trailing 1-0? It wasn’t a good idea at the time and it seemed to take a lot out of the Cubs; the next nine hitters went down in a row until there was one out in the fourth inning.

The second bad play was Ryan Dempster’s decision to try for a double play with the score 2-0 and runners on first and third with nobody out in the top of the third. Miguel Tejada hit a comebacker that Dempster snagged in front of the mound. It was clearly a contact play — Bourn, who was on third base, broke for the plate. He would have been out easily had Dempster thrown to Koyie Hill, who, according to Paul Sullivan, was yelling for the ball:

Catcher Koyie Hill was yelling at Dempster, who paid him no heed.

“I did hear him, and I think that’s why I threw it in center field. When I went to throw to second, I heard ‘home.’ I should have known to go home. … Bad baseball.”

Don’t know whether that was the rust of not pitching for four weeks or what — even if Dempster doesn’t throw the ball into CF and gets the double play, there was nobody out. A run would have scored anyway. If he throws home and gets Bourn, there might have still been time to turn a DP by getting Tejada at 1B, and even if that didn’t happen, the next two hitters were routine outs. That would have left the score 2-0 instead of 4-0, because one of those outs became a sacrifice fly.

And the Cubs would have had a better shot at the game that way. Roy Oswalt left the game in the second inning with a lower back strain. Reliever Wesley Wright retired the first five batters he faced but then completely lost his control. This isn’t totally surprising — Wright is generally used as a LOOGY and the 13 batters he faced last night was the most in his major league career. Five walks, a sacrifice fly and a single later, the Cubs were back in the game trailing only 4-3. The single was by Reed Johnson — a very early use of a PH in the fourth inning if you’re not going to leave him in the game. This, and a double-switch made in the sixth after Lou again failed to understand that Sean Marshall could actually throw to more than four batters, left the Cubs short of bench players quite early in the game.

Dempster gave it back in the fifth, allowing a two-run HR to Tejada, but the Cubs tied it in the last of the fifth on Aramis Ramirez’s three-run shot.

And then the bullpen failed. They got out of the sixth with no damage, but Angel Guzman gave up a HR to Geoff Blum and then in the eighth, Kosuke Fukudome just missed a diving catch on a Jeff Keppinger ball that wound up as a two-run triple. It wouldn’t have been an easy play, but if Fukudome can grab that ball, the score remains 7-6 going into the last of the 8th — an entirely different game.

The Cubs’ five-game winning streak is over; it happens. The Cubs had enough baserunners, despite having only five hits; Astros pitchers issued ten walks — all unintentional — but the Cubs really took advantage of them only in the fourth inning, when the five walks given led to three runs. Dempster’s pitching and defense showed the rust from his layoff; maybe a rehab start wouldn’t have been such a bad idea. Speaking of rehab, B.J. Ryan made his first appearance for Iowa (OK, technically, it’s not a rehab assignment, but the Cubs are trying to “rehabilitate” him), throwing 11 pitches (five strikes) in a scoreless inning with one walk. It’s a start, anyway. He’ll make up to six appearances there before the Cubs decide what to do with him; he has to be recalled within 15 days of last night or be released.

With Ted Lilly on the DL, they may need him before the 15 days are up. Today’s pregame thread will post at 11:30 am CDT.

.

I have always been a big fan of Ryan, I have to say, seeing stuff like this gives me mixed feelings.How do you think this news will affect the team this season?

Searching for autographed baseball memorabilia? There is only one place you can go to ensure that the signatures are real - IronClad Athetics. These guys have lots of selection, and pretty low prices, plus they have an Iron Clad Signature Authenticity guarantee, ensuring that every signature is 100% real, no imitations and no forgeries. Get great autographed baseball memorabilia now.

I wonder how Ryan’s fans feel: “

The Cubs five-game win streak doesn’t make it to six and and the loss coupled with the Cardinals win over the Dodgers, drops the Cubs back to second place. Ryan Dempster returned from the disabled list and was nothing short of awful. 5 IP, 9 H, 3 K and 5 ER, 6 total and the error was his own. But at least he didn’t walk anyone! With the Cubs catching a huge break when Roy Oswalt left in the second inning with a back injury, the Cubs just needed some decent pitching to stay in this one and they sure didn’t get it from Dempster or the bullpen.

Armchair Managing: The Cubs first comeback started in the fourth when Wesley Wright just completely lost it and missed the strike zone on 10 straight pitches and quite a few more before and after as well. He walked the bases loaded on two occasions with a sacrifice fly in-between and with lefty Mike Fontenot in the original lineup with Oswalt starting, Lou went to the bench early and called on Reed Johnson to pinch-hit and he came through with a 2-out, 2-run single. Then a nicely executed double steal put runners on 2nd/3rd but also gave the Astros the opportunity to intentionally walk Koyie Hill and force Lou’s hand with Dempster due up. Lou didn’t take the bait and let Dempster hit and he naturally struck out. If you’re already going for the big inning by pinch-hitting for Fontenot, I think you have to do the same with Dempster there. And if Lou called for the double steal, he basically ended the Cubs inning if he wasn’t going to pinch-hit for Dempster, since you know Cooper would walk Hill there. This all leads me to believe that Lou is a terrible chess player. Dempster then rewarded Lou’s faith by giving up a 2-run HR in the top of the fifth that gave the Astros a 6-3 lead.

Ramirez’s three-run dinger int he bottom of the fifth neutralized the damage though and then the bullpen proceeded to flush the game and first place with it.

Half-Ass Parachat Recap:

• Miggy’s 3-run HR in the first
  • well it looked like a HR, sac fly instead
• Debating Top 10 defensive plays of the decade
  • Was Giambi safe?
    • no
• laughing at the Astros misfortune with Roy Oswalt
• Valverde with Fulchino is delicious
• Transmission’s date with his sister
• Following Buehrle’s quest for back-to-back perfectos and congratulations on the new record…now go die!
  
  • “Ryan Dempster is NOT pitching a perfect game” - Ryno
• Finding Trans a date on craigslist
  • We wouldn’t have to do this if you weren’t having dates with your sister.
• I get bored doing the Parachat recap…
  • stupid blackout rules, bring Trans back to us

And congratulations to the Angel Fan Wife on being married to me for 8 years…I imagine it’s been just as insufferable as being a Cub fan sometime over the last 100. Lots of expectations, but neither of us deliver….

“

what do you think?How do you think this news will affect the team this season?

Every day can be opening day when you open your checkbook and see the logo of your favorite MLB team proudly displayed. All 30 teams available. Matching labels and cover are also available. These MLB checks are only $27.90 at DesignerChecks.com

I love it when I see news about Ryan,

I’m in the middle of moving right now, so I can’t promise tomorrow’s wrap will be on time.

.

What do you think.

Every day can be opening day when you open up your checkbook and see the logo of your favorite MLB team proudly displayed. All 30 teams available. Matching labels and cover are also available. These MLB checks are only $27.90 at DesignerChecks.com

I wonder how Camp’s serious fans feel: “

Iowa Cubs

The I-Cubs lost the Albuquerque Isotopes, 4-2.

Esmailin Caridad kept the ball in the park, but allowed six doubles on the way to allowing four runs in five innings. Cardiad gave up eight hits total. He walked three and struck out three. Caridad saw his record fall to 5-10.

Catcher Chris Robinson was 2 for 4 and scored once. Second baseman Aaron Miles was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI.

Tennessee Smokies

Sunday is a day of rest, isn’t it?

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs blacklisted the Sarasota Reds, 3-1.

Starter Chris Carpenter pitched tonight after having his last start bumped back two days and allowed only one unearned run over four innings. He didn’t walk anyone and struck out three.

Jose Pina threw a perfect seventh inning to get the win. He didn’t strike out anyone.

David Cales pitched the final two innings without allowing a run for his 12th save.  Cales allowed one hit. He didn’t walk anyone and struck out two.

Center fielder Tony Campana hit a bases-loaded triple in the eighth inning to account for all of Daytona’s scoring. Campana was 1 for 4.

Peoria Chiefs

The Chiefs skinned the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, 12-5.

Aaron Shafer started and got the win with five innings of work. He allowed two runs on five hits. Shafer walked one and struck out three.

First baseman Rebel Ridling hit his 11th home run today in the first inning. Ridling was 1 for 2 with three walks this afternoon. Ridling scored three times and had two RBI off of the HR.

Third baseman Jovan Rosa hit a grand slam in the third inning. It was his second home run in the Midwest League. Rosa was 2 for 5 with a double and six RBI total.  He also scored twice.

Right fielder Kyler Burke went 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. Burke scored twice and had one RBI.

Center fielder David Macias was 2 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base. Macias scored once.

Boise Hawks

The Boise Hawks expelled the Eugene Emeralds, 7-4

Jeff Antigua earned the win today with an impressive relief outing. Antigua pitched 4.2 innings and allowed one run on two hits. That’s pretty good, but the impressive part was that he struck out eleven. Antigua walked two.

Ryan Sontag pitched a scoreless ninth and got his second save. He gave up one hit and struck out one.

Shortstop Hak-Ju Lee and right fielder Jose Valdez both were 2 for 5 with a run scored and an RBI. Valdez also had a steal.

Center fielder Brett Jackson was only 1 for 5 with a run scored and an RBI, but that was good enough to extend his streak of reaching base to 22 games. He has a seven-game hitting streak.

AZL Cubs

Lost to the Angels, 7-5.

DJ LeMahieu was 3 for 5.

“

what do you think?This will be shocking news for Camp fans, but some of you who will say that you saw it coming from a mile away. I can’t say I’m all that surprised though. Camp is neat, I really hope this doesn’t affect the rest of the team.

Take a look at a video of Camp doing his best work:

Band Camp Baseball

Every day should be opening day when you open your checkbook and see the logo of your favorite Major League Baseball team proudly displayed. All 30 teams available. Coordinating labels and cover are also available. These baseball checks are only $27.90 at DesignerChecks.com

My vote for MVP this year goes to hill:

A man who was attending a bachelor party at a bar next to the Philadelphia Phillies’ ballpark has been beaten to death during a melee outside. Police say a group from the bachelor party got into a fight with other patrons at a sports bar and restaurant in the Citizens Bank Park complex Saturday night.

Post your thoughts below!

Every day could be opening day when you open your check-book and see the logo of your favorite Major League Baseball team proudly displayed. All 30 teams available. Matching labels and cover are also available. These baseball checks are only $27.90 at DesignerChecks.com

I can’t get enough of camp:

T.O. drives the Buffalonians bananas on his first day at mini-camp. You get the impression that this is the one place in the NFL universe where his spectacle isn’t only welcome, but desperately needed. (PHOTO: H/T William V.) Buffalo News

.

I’m willing to bet nobody saw that one coming!

Want to give yourself an edge? Want the same type of professional equipment that the professional athletes use? Want to steal a few dollars off the price? Get $0 shipping on orders over $99 when you shop at BaseballRampage. These guys have just about everything you might need, from bats balls and gloves to cleats, bases, even pitching machines.

Noone’s better than Ryan these days -

Rich Harden’s day/night splits this year are well known, but just so you don’t have to look them up again:

Day games: nine starts, 1-5, 7.38, 11 HR in 42.2 innings
Night games: seven starts, 5-1, 2.23, 6 HR in 44.1 innings

So what the Cubs should do is: turn the lights on today, even though it’s supposed to be sunny most of the afternoon, give Harden sunglasses so it looks darker, wear the blue alternate jerseys (the Cubs’ record while Harden pitches and the team wears pinstripes is 1-3; it’s 7-5 with the alt jerseys), and reset all the clocks in the clubhouse so that it will seem to Harden as if the starting time is 7:05.

Yes, I know. It shouldn’t make any difference, but for some reason, this year it does. And for his career, Harden’s day/night splits aren’t nearly as extreme (career day-game ERA: 3.83; career night-game ERA: 3.13). Still, splits that extreme over the course of 16 starts have to mean something.

The Tribune’s real estate section today tells us that Ryan Dempster is becoming a North Side real estate mogul:

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Ryan Dempster, who currently is on the disabled list, has paid $480,000 to buy a two-bedroom condominium on the North Side, giving him a third piece of residential real estate on the Cubs’ side of town.

Dempster’s newly-built unit has Brazilian cherry hardwood floors throughout, recessed lighting, high ceilings, crown moldings, walk-in closets in both bedrooms, and a kitchen with an island, granite counters and stainless steel appliances, according to listing information. Other features include a large private deck and a master bath with a Jacuzzi, a double vanity and a steam shower with jets. The unit had been listed for $499,900.

Dempster is scheduled to be activated from the DL and start Tuesday night vs. the Astros. Hope he’s used that Jacuzzi to help heal that broken toe.

Today’s Starting Pitchers

Rich Harden Cubs vs. Micah Owings Reds 6-6 W-L 6-10 4.76 ERA 5.33 96 SO 59 38 BB 50 17 HR 16 vs. Cin – vs. Cubs

---

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2009 - Rich Harden	6-6	17	16	0	0	0	0	87.0	85	51	46	17	38	96	4.76	1.41

---

---

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2009 - Micah Owings	6-10	32	17	0	0	0	0	99.2	111	63	59	16	50	59	5.33	1.62

---

The last time the Cubs saw Micah Owings in Chicago, he was facing Rich Harden on April 21, one of Harden’s better outings at home this year. That game resulted in the first-ever homer by a Micah (Hoffpauir) off a Micah (Owings). Owings pitched a little better against the Cubs in Cincinnati on June 5, but the Cubs won that game anyway. Owings has allowed 16 HR this year, but Hoffpauir is the only player on the active Cubs roster who has homered off him… time to change that today. It may be more important to watch out for Owings’ bat: he is a .294 lifetime hitter and has hit three homers this year. (His games played total above, 32, includes 14 pinch-hitting appearances, in which he’s gone 3-for-14 with two doubles and a HR.)

As noted above, the April 21 game — a night game — was one of Harden’s few good outings at Wrigley Field this season. He is 3-0, 2.95 lifetime vs. the Reds and even the dreaded Joey Votto, who is becoming a Cub-killer (10 of his 42 career HR have been against the Cubs), is 0-for-5 vs. Harden.

The Cubs are on WGN today, also on FSN Ohio for those of you who have EI. For other games today see the MLB.com Mediacenter.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

SB Nation game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Reds site Red Reporter.

Overflow comment threads will post today at 2:15 pm, 3:15 pm and 4 pm CDT.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

.

Post your thoughts below!

Want to give yourself an edge? Want the same professional equipment that the professional athletes use? Want to steal a few dollars off the price? Get free shipping on orders over $99 when you shop at BaseballRampage. These guys have everything you might need, from bats balls and gloves to cleats, bases, even pitching machines.