Open Thread: Cubs vs. Angels, Wednesday 3/26, 3:05 CT

by Al on Mar 26, 2008 9:59 AM CDT in Game Threads

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona -- The Cubs, who have won seven of their last ten (two losses, one tie), will attempt to even their spring record at 14-14 when they take on the Angels this afternoon.

Stuff of interest this morning:

In 2000, Jay Mariotti wrote a column slamming MLB's season-opening games in Japan. That time, at least he was there (I saw him at the Tokyo Dome). This time, he's writing the same garbage from Chicago.
Sean Marshall gets the first shot at injured Scott Eyre's bullpen slot. Bad idea, Lou. Give it to Carmen Pignatiello, who's been great this spring, and send Marshall to Iowa, where he can start every fifth day and be ready to take over if anyone gets hurt.
I'm not into the whole "100 years" thing. But if you are, you can join Ernie Banks and others who are trying to revive a century-old group called the "West Side Rooters Social Club" (the Cubs, as most of you know, played on the West Side at Polk & Wood Streets until 1916).
I'm not quite sure what to make of this seance which channeled former Cubs shortstop Billy Jurges. Nice writing, though.

Carlos Zambrano will face the Angels' Jered Weaver, who has had a great spring (5-0, 1.33, 14 K and only 3 BB in 20.1 IP). Weaver has to step up now that both John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar are out for the Angels.

Today's game will be on MLB Audio via the Angels' station, KLAA (and I believe once again, you can listen free), on MLB.TV, and at the MLB.com Mediacenter. Starting tomorrow, the next four games -- exhibitions on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and Opening Day on Monday -- will be on WGN-TV. Monday's opener will also be on ESPN2, if you are somewhere that you don't get WGN.

MLB.com Gameday (2007 version)

MLB.com Gameday (2008 version)

Discuss amongst yourselves.

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Perhaps The Cubs Should Start...

...Marquis, so the Angels can visualize him in their rotation.

Jacque Jones is gone, and I doubt Ivan DeJesus would mind this!

by initram on Mar 26, 2008 10:04 AM CDT 0 recs

How can we listen to KLAA?

I must have missed this.

Damn Nutrisystem...I'm freakin dyin for some Italian beef!

by Kinky Reggae on Mar 26, 2008 10:06 AM CDT 0 recs

Likely Through...

... GameDay Audio from mlb.com?

Jacque Jones is gone, and I doubt Ivan DeJesus would mind this!

by initram on Mar 26, 2008 10:06 AM CDT up 0 recs

Yes, and...

... the Angels are giving away their ST games free via audio -- that's what I recall reading earlier this month -- so you don't need an account to listen.

Don't shoot the messenger if I'm wrong, but I believe that's the case.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Mar 26, 2008 10:16 AM CDT up 0 recs

Sorry Al

But the messenger always gets shot.

There is no place like Nebraska - Go Huskers!

by sanantonecub on Mar 26, 2008 10:31 AM CDT up 0 recs

You mean

waterboarding isn't an option.

If you like Selig's handling of the steroid issue, you'll love his choice for next Cub owner.

by tharr on Mar 26, 2008 1:24 PM CDT up 0 recs

Too Soon?

j/k

by PirateDan on Mar 26, 2008 1:28 PM CDT up 0 recs

Yeah :)

This free mlb audio is working!!!! Yet another reason to not do anything more on my to do list.

by Madison Cub Fan on Mar 26, 2008 3:05 PM CDT up 0 recs

Egrazia...

Damn Nutrisystem...I'm freakin dyin for some Italian beef!

by Kinky Reggae on Mar 26, 2008 10:16 AM CDT 0 recs

I agree...

...send Marshall to AAA and let him continue to work as a starter. What does Pignatiello have to do to get a spot in the bullpen? I say give him a shot until he proves he cannot get the job done.

Lets do it Cubbies

by slocs55 on Mar 26, 2008 10:19 AM CDT 0 recs

I assume some sensitive ears do not want

today's take on Mariotti?

As for Marshall, spot on Al. He needs more work soon.

Damn Nutrisystem...I'm freakin dyin for some Italian beef!

by Kinky Reggae on Mar 26, 2008 10:22 AM CDT 0 recs

I just won't

actually click on those links anymore. I won't feed his hitcount.

2008: The year we put it all together.

by drewishdrewid on Mar 26, 2008 10:35 AM CDT up 0 recs

I read Mariotti every morning

I just take everything he says w/ a grain of salt. (Ok, more like a gram)

"In all the categories that you pay the most attention to, except the loss column, we're doing very well" - Jim Hendry

by Jayo525 on Mar 26, 2008 11:04 AM CDT up 0 recs

My problem is

that I don't hate Marriotti like it seems 99% of the city does-every once in awhile he makes sense to me-i also hate the whole thing about opening the season in Japan. He also points out that after the Red Sox open the regular season in japan, they actually go back to playing exhibition games before the season resumes-that just seems crazy to me.

by bluekoolaide on Mar 26, 2008 2:55 PM CDT up 0 recs

The last thing Marshall needs is MORE work

Marshall shouldn't pitch more than 160 innings this year, so why waste starts down in Iowa. Starting him in the 'pen and working him up to starting later in the year is ideal.

by DGU on Mar 26, 2008 11:15 AM CDT up 0 recs

I don't know

He's always been a starter and it seems foolish to try and convert him into a loogy at this late stage of the spring. I just don't understand why Piggy isn't getting any respect at all. Perhaps Bruce has some insight on this.

If you like Selig's handling of the steroid issue, you'll love his choice for next Cub owner.

by tharr on Mar 26, 2008 1:28 PM CDT up 0 recs

I'm not suggesting you convert him into LOOGY

I'm suggesting Marshall use all of his above average innings in the major leagues. Until Eyre comes back, he can pitch one inning stints. When Eyre comes back he becomes the long-man for 2 -3 inning stints, and then when someone is injured or ineffective, he goes into the rotation.

by DGU on Mar 26, 2008 3:58 PM CDT up 0 recs

I don't get

What makes the decision to send Marshall to AAA so difficult. We need Marshall to keep his stamina up so that he can start if (read as "when") we need a fresh arm in the rotation.

Others have pointed this out before, Piggy should have a 0.00 era this spring. There is no reason Marshall should get a first shot at the bullpen spot, he is a starter.

by gwood on Mar 26, 2008 10:26 AM CDT 0 recs

I thought...

that Lieber was in line to slip into the rotation if you need a fresh arm. So what happens then? Marshall to the pen? See... we're back at square one.

Stats spelled backwards is statS!

by digitalbenjamin on Mar 26, 2008 10:56 AM CDT up 0 recs

Thats true

I hope this won't be the case, but we may need Marshall too. I just think Marshall would be better served by staying loose and practiced by starting in AAA rather than throwing a batter or inning at a time a few days a week in our bullpen.

I think Piggy has always been in the bullpen, so there is no adjustment needed for him.

by gwood on Mar 26, 2008 11:09 AM CDT up 0 recs

Piggy was a starter

for a number of years and he was converted in the past few. But it seems that the likelihood of a trade of Marquis or Dempster is possible. That means Lieber moves to starter and Marshall goes long man.

If you like Selig's handling of the steroid issue, you'll love his choice for next Cub owner.

by tharr on Mar 26, 2008 1:31 PM CDT up 0 recs

Yes

That is one option that can be inferred from Lou's decision. Interesting.

"I got a PBS mind in an MTV world"...Jimmy Buffett

by The Ryno and I Know on Mar 26, 2008 1:56 PM CDT up 0 recs

Widescreen!

THANK YOU to the SBN2 guys for adding thenarrow/wide buttons to the sidebar... seems to work great at first try. Just noticed it today....

There is no place like Nebraska - Go Huskers!

by sanantonecub on Mar 26, 2008 10:30 AM CDT 0 recs

I second that sentiment

by cubsonWGN4ever on Mar 26, 2008 10:33 AM CDT up 0 recs

hey, cool!

is that a sticky setting? Will it keep that?

2008: The year we put it all together.

by drewishdrewid on Mar 26, 2008 10:35 AM CDT up 0 recs

I just closed out my internet window and reloaded the page, and it kept the setting so it appears to stick. :)

There is no place like Nebraska - Go Huskers!

by sanantonecub on Mar 26, 2008 10:38 AM CDT up 0 recs

just did the same thing

props to the guys behind the curtain

by cubsonWGN4ever on Mar 26, 2008 10:39 AM CDT up 0 recs

I agree...

Nice touch. Also love the other BCB blog improvements. This is a much more robust platform. Nice work.

Stats spelled backwards is statS!

by digitalbenjamin on Mar 26, 2008 10:58 AM CDT up 0 recs

"Today's game...on MLB.TV"

That remains to be seen. Yesterday, we got 20 minutes of the Cosby Show on WGN instead of the Cubs on CSN, then 2+ hours of......nothing.

Thanks for taking my money again this year, MLB!

Why does everybody stand up and sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" when they're already there? ~Larry Anderson

by JohnM on Mar 26, 2008 10:33 AM CDT 0 recs

Looks like they aren't picking up someone else's feed today

and are going with an MLB.com crew, so I don't suppose they can screw that up.

Why does everybody stand up and sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" when they're already there? ~Larry Anderson

by JohnM on Mar 26, 2008 10:36 AM CDT up 0 recs

I must be crazy

After hearing all the glitches but I just bought a year's subscription to MLB.TV. I have no other choice since I can't listen to the radio (hearing impaired) while at work. I do have TIVO capability but I've already stayed up till 3 am the last two nights watching the game and that's no fun the next morning.

by cubsonWGN4ever on Mar 26, 2008 11:05 AM CDT up 0 recs

Actually, it's usually pretty good during the regular season

I have to keep reminding myself that the Internet itself is a "best efforts" service, so someone selling a service that rides on top of it can't guarantee perfect performance. That said, the glitch yesterday was obviously human error.

During Spring Training, both the MLB audio and MLB.TV products, just like GameDay, seem to be warming up for the season. During the regular season, MLB.TV has been pretty reliable the last year or two.

Why does everybody stand up and sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" when they're already there? ~Larry Anderson

by JohnM on Mar 26, 2008 12:23 PM CDT up 0 recs

Cubs Released Cintron?

Does this mean the Cubs are sticking with Cedeno (e.g., no Roberts deal), or are they perhaps satisfied with Fontenot as a SS/2B?

Jacque Jones is gone, and I doubt Ivan DeJesus would mind this!

by initram on Mar 26, 2008 10:52 AM CDT 0 recs

Where does it say Cintron was released?

Not seeing it anywhere

by PirateDan on Mar 26, 2008 11:02 AM CDT up 0 recs

Cite your sources, please

by John Q Freejazz on Mar 26, 2008 11:04 AM CDT up 0 recs

Deep Goat...

... no, seriously, Bruce Levine.

Jacque Jones is gone, and I doubt Ivan DeJesus would mind this!

by initram on Mar 26, 2008 11:07 AM CDT up 0 recs

Interesting

I assume the Cubs had a deal with him when he signed that if he didn't make the major league team out of spring training, he'd be granted release.

by John Q Freejazz on Mar 26, 2008 11:09 AM CDT up 0 recs

I Thought He Looked Good....

... enough to make the team. Perhaps his injury is more than what was led on to believe. Or, Cedeno/Fontenot tandem is better.

Maybe utility guys like that are a dime a dozen?

Maybe "D. All of the above"?

Jacque Jones is gone, and I doubt Ivan DeJesus would mind this!

by initram on Mar 26, 2008 11:11 AM CDT up 0 recs

Thanks for clarifying

by PirateDan on Mar 26, 2008 11:09 AM CDT up 0 recs

Woo

Cintron is just Cedeno with a weaker bat (though more baseball IQ), IMO. Cedeno can back up all the IF positions too, and we'll have a for-real backup SS if Theriot struggles.

by berselius on Mar 26, 2008 11:11 AM CDT up 0 recs

Don't Banish Me...

But for the most part, I actually agree with Mariotti's take on opening day. Bad idea from my perspective. It's silly and it's a lame start to the season... not fan focused at all.

Stats spelled backwards is statS!

by digitalbenjamin on Mar 26, 2008 10:54 AM CDT 0 recs

Call me old-fashioned,

but I preferred it when the Red always started the season, and it was the only game, and it was always a day game. God, I'm old.

by davidalanu on Mar 26, 2008 11:48 AM CDT up 0 recs

Call me old-fashioned,

but I think we should worship the sun and moon as powerful Gods, and fear them.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Mar 26, 2008 12:03 PM CDT up 0 recs

The State!

awesome.

by agameofyou on Mar 26, 2008 3:20 PM CDT up 0 recs

I agree

by crazymountain on Mar 26, 2008 4:12 PM CDT up 0 recs

I agree 100%

with you. Terrible idea. What's worse IMO is the fact that they played two "regular season" games but now come back to the states where they will resume their spring training schedule. WTF?

by giddyup on Mar 26, 2008 12:46 PM CDT up 0 recs

It allows them to get their rotation back in order after jetlag, but yeah... exactly. It's crap.

There is no place like Nebraska - Go Huskers!

by sanantonecub on Mar 26, 2008 2:02 PM CDT up 0 recs

I think its kinda cool

Just sucks from the player's perspective and it has to be done right, which so far it hasn't. But everything has kinks, I guess.

by cubsonWGN4ever on Mar 26, 2008 10:59 AM CDT 0 recs

Cubs Released Cintron

Where did you see this? I was kind of hoping he would have made the team

by 23Ryno on Mar 26, 2008 10:59 AM CDT 0 recs

Tiring of Lou...

Lou was a breath of fresh air last year following the Dusty debacle. He actually seemed to understand hitting splits, a platoon system, double switches, etc.

But a lot of his decisions this spring training have been frustrating.

Dempster in the rotation over Lieber? I know it won't last long but it may cost us a few games early on.

Marshall over Pignatiello? This may not have much importance, but it just doesn't make much sense.

Theriot leading off? I know he's mentioned other options, and there may not be any great options, but having our worst hitter leading off and getting tons of ABs is not very smart.

I'm far from a Lou hater, and I recognize that managers are inherently going to draw criticism, but some of the decisions made this spring have been frustrating, to say the least.

by ms9av on Mar 26, 2008 11:12 AM CDT 0 recs

I agree

I'm a huge fan of Lou, and he's made some poor decisions so far this spring. Marshall over Pignatiello is a Dusty like move, so is Dempster over Lieber, and Soriano batting second instead of Fukudome. But Lou sometimes makes bad decisions, and realizes it a few days or weeks later, so hopefully thats the case here. I was pretty bad about the Marshall over Pignatiello yesturday but Eyre is suppose to be back within the first week or two of the season, so Marshall or Pignatiello probably wouldn't have pitched much anyways.

by cubsfan25 on Mar 26, 2008 12:57 PM CDT up 0 recs

Dusty Move?

I don't know if I would call it a Dusty Move unless Pignatiello's spot was being taken by a 37 year old Journey Man. Marshall is better served starting in the majors or AAA

by PirateDan on Mar 26, 2008 1:15 PM CDT up 0 recs

ugh

Marshall has 150 innings in him in 2008. You can't go over that by too many or he'll break. So, why waste 50 of those innings in AAA, when, instead, you can get major league use out of him in the 'pen. He can always be stretched back out.

by DGU on Mar 26, 2008 4:00 PM CDT up 0 recs

The problem here is

Not that Lou will make a change but that he made the wrong decision in the first place. No data supports that Dempster should start over Lieber or that Marshall should be in the pen over Piggy.

Ok, Marshall has ML experience, but I'm talking about current ST performance. I just don't want the errors of the manager to be the difference between making and missing the postseason.

"I got a PBS mind in an MTV world"...Jimmy Buffett

by The Ryno and I Know on Mar 26, 2008 2:03 PM CDT up 0 recs

Cubs lineup

Theriot, SS
Pie, CF
Soriano, LF
Ward, 1B
Fukudome, RF
DeRosa, 3B
Fontenot, 2B
Soto, C
Zambrano, P

by Bruce Miles on Mar 26, 2008 11:15 AM CDT 0 recs

interesting . . .

anything we should read into this? e.g. Soriano being moved in the lineup again, or he hitting third since Lee and Ramirez have the day off?

by gwood on Mar 26, 2008 11:17 AM CDT up 0 recs

I Would Think...

... that Soriano would bat 3rd like last year if D. Lee is out for a period of time.

Jacque Jones is gone, and I doubt Ivan DeJesus would mind this!

by initram on Mar 26, 2008 11:29 AM CDT up 0 recs

I really...

...wouldn't take Lou's lineups at this point too seriously. I would even extend that thought into the first couple weeks of the season.

Whatever happens, I highly doubt Soriano will see more than a few games in the 2-hole and definately not Pie.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Mar 26, 2008 12:47 PM CDT up 0 recs

No big deal

probably just wanted to
- see what Pie looks like with a good hitter behind him
- split some lefties up
- keep Dome in his regular spot

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Mar 26, 2008 11:29 AM CDT up 0 recs

That, plus...

... no Ramirez today, so time to experiment a little.

I don't want to see Pie hitting second very often, though.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Mar 26, 2008 12:33 PM CDT up 0 recs

Thanks

"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry "I strongly dislike Steve Stone." ---Hammer

by Hammer on Mar 26, 2008 11:33 AM CDT up 0 recs

really like

the roster and the flexibility when it comes to putting together a line up. Hopefully we can strike gold eventually and find one that works best, but until then I'm with Lou most of the time.

"We're going to turn this team around 360 degrees." -Jason Kidd

by tony412 on Mar 26, 2008 11:53 AM CDT up 0 recs

Just wonderin'...

Why not play Fontenot at 3B? He is supposed to be the utility IF -- i.e., he is supposed to be utile. Lou has been crowing about his "versatility" all spring. We're getting close to show time now. How about demonstrating Fontenot's versatility for real? DeRo is the veteran -- make the young guys move around.

"I've never complained about it. I'm thankful to have a jersey." Mark DeRosa, 22 Aug 2007

by DeRoMyHero on Mar 26, 2008 2:00 PM CDT up 0 recs

My reaction to this line up

It's obvious that Lou hates names that do not end in vowels, because there's three of them. I mean, this is a TERRIBLE line up. We need D Lee in there for starters. Cedeno would be nice, too, then we could limit it to one.

I've told you a million times never to exaggerate!!

by pscrblazer on Mar 26, 2008 2:30 PM CDT up 0 recs

Wouldn't read too much into this

A couple regulars are off today.

by Bruce Miles on Mar 26, 2008 11:26 AM CDT 0 recs

cool, thanks Bruce

by gwood on Mar 26, 2008 11:28 AM CDT up 0 recs

Reed Johnson Negotiations lasted all of 10 minutes

Johnson, a 31-year-old right-handed hitter who will play center field against left-handers and spell Kosuke Fukudome in right, signed a one-year, $1.3 million deal Tuesday after negotiations that lasted all of 10 minutes.

That's how badly Johnson wanted to become a Cub.

"You guys don't know how happy I am to be here," he said.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-080325-cubs-reed-johnson-chicago,1,722236.story

by cubsonWGN4ever on Mar 26, 2008 11:40 AM CDT 0 recs

Karros Part II?

Can't help but root for a guy that comes in with so much enthusiasm. You always wonder how players truly feel about certain things and it's good when a player not only gives some insight into that, but when it's good like this.

"We're going to turn this team around 360 degrees." -Jason Kidd

by tony412 on Mar 26, 2008 11:56 AM CDT up 0 recs

good.

happy ball players are motivated ball players.

2008: The year we put it all together.

by drewishdrewid on Mar 26, 2008 11:58 AM CDT up 0 recs

Mariotti... Why even link his article?

...you're just encouraging him and giving him more traffic, Al.

Hector Villanueva's Career Stolen Bases: 1

by IowaCubs- on Mar 26, 2008 12:01 PM CDT 0 recs

TWTSNBM

The Writer That Shall Not Be Mentioned? Any other suggestions? Clean ones?

"We're going to turn this team around 360 degrees." -Jason Kidd

by tony412 on Mar 26, 2008 12:10 PM CDT up 0 recs

LMAO

Not a bad idea.

However, I am now collecting all these links under the BCB tag "mariotti idiocy". Let's see how many of those I can post before the end of the season.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Mar 26, 2008 12:34 PM CDT up 0 recs