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We Interrupt Your Afternoon To Bring You This Bad Baseball Game

At 12:30 this afternoon, I sat down to watch today's game, enjoying watching the sunshine in Pittsburgh and figuring that by 3:00 or so, I'd be able to go run the errands and do the rest of the things I needed to do today.

Four hours and forty-seven minutes later, I finally went out to quickly drop some mail off. That was OK, because... I really didn't have anything to do today.

Oh, wait. Yes, I did.

The Cubs beat the Pirates 10-8 in 12 innings in a game that perhaps is best not described at all, because both teams crammed enough bad baseball into this afternoon to last at least a month.

There were errors. Of omission and commission. There were walks. There were stolen bases (four by the Cubs). There were walks. Did I mention there were walks? Eighteen of the freakin' things, for heaven's sake.

And finally, it was walks that undid Pirates rookie pitcher Evan Meek, and as bad as Carmen Pignatiello threw in his brief appearance in the sixth inning (when the Pirates tied the game at seven, and Piggy threw eight pitches, none of them near the strike zone), Meek's appearance cost the Pirates the game. In order: walk, stolen base, walk, wild pitch, groundout, intentional walk, sacrifice fly, wild pitch, intentional walk, walk with the bases loaded, two runs on NO hits.

Man, that's bad. Fortunately, that all was FOR the Cubs.

However, before all that, we got a BCB exclusive. After all the photos you've seen of the first homestand, we got this exclusive photo of Ronny Cedeno's bases-clearing double in the third inning that gave the Cubs a 7-0 lead:

Ronny Cedeno clears the bases!

Today was WGN-TV's first road HD telecast, and it was pretty much a TV disaster. First, the audio wasn't synced with the picture; for most of a sporting event that doesn't matter because the faces speaking aren't on TV. But Len and Bob looked odd in the pregame show, lip-flapping their way through the game intro. Then they lost audio altogether and had them on a phone line... and then they lost the picture. Inertia took over; I could have switched to Pat & Ron on WGN radio, but left the phone-line quality audio (it sounded like the basketball games I used to call for my college radio station 30 years ago) up and that image on the screen.

Almost to the minute when the video feed returned, the Pirates started knocking the ball around PNC Park. Ted Lilly got knocked out and Kevin Hart wasn't much better. It took the Pirates till the 7th inning, off Michael Wuertz, to tie the game -- mostly as a result of a Mark DeRosa error.

And on it went into the late-afternoon shadows in Pittsburgh. The Cubs left RISP in the 10th and 11th innings before basically letting Evan Meek give them the game in the 12th.

Kudos -- BIG ones -- to Jon Lieber, who came in the game in the 9th inning and slammed the door shut. He threw three innings and gave up two harmless doubles and two walks (both intentional). He threw an efficient 35 pitches (23 strikes) and probably could have thrown five more innings if the Cubs had needed him to (and thank heavens they didn't, because I still wouldn't have run my errands!). Carlos Marmol finished up, and looked the best I've seen him all year, including the spring. That's good news, too.

There will be calls for Lieber to go into the rotation, and I can see this. But in some ways, he's more valuable to the team as a long-man like this; even though he threw three innings today, I'll bet he could do it again on Wednesday night, he throws so effortlessly. In 1998, the Cubs had Terry Mulholland fill a role like this -- check out his gamelogs from that year; he started six games but relieved in 64 others, often throwing two innings. That's a very valuable guy to have in your bullpen. Obviously, if one of the current rotation really starts throwing bad on a consistent basis, you'd have to think about putting Lieber in the rotation. But I'd give it at least four times through the rotation before even thinking about doing this.

I finally went out to run my errands when the Cubs scored the two runs in the 12th, and listened to the rest of the game on the radio. Pat Hughes said, "The best thing to do after a game like this, after you win, is to completely forget about it."

Sound advice, I think. It was ugly. The Cubs won. They've got tomorrow off, and most of Wednesday till the night game. Be happy.

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I can't figure out...

is this one of the 60 wins we were supposed to get (before the 4th inning), or one of the 42 we had to figure out for ourselves?

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

by santoswoodenlegs on Apr 7, 2008 6:09 PM CDT   0 recs

I say one of the 42

Always one of these stuck somewhere in the bunch, just wouldn't expect it so early!

"The Cubs can't be stopped" -- Me

by lilkimmer77 on Apr 7, 2008 6:18 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I say...

Regardless this is one game we'll be thankful we got a win for if we're neck to neck with the Brewers in September.

by ak123 on Apr 7, 2008 6:33 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I'll gladly

forget about that game and take the W.

A win's a win I guess.

The bats looked good though.

"Why do you always point to the sky when Zambrano starts?" My girlfriend.

"You just wouldn't get it...it's a Cubs thing..." Me.

by cubs2k8isnxtyear on Apr 7, 2008 6:14 PM CDT   0 recs

Today was a case of

more money winning a ballgame. I coulda told ya what that Meek kid was gonna do before that inning started. WINNING STREAK!!!!

"The Cubs can't be stopped" -- Me

by lilkimmer77 on Apr 7, 2008 6:17 PM CDT   0 recs

Sweet As Apple Pie!

Image and video hosting by TinyPic

"The Cubs can't be stopped" -- Me

by lilkimmer77 on Apr 7, 2008 6:21 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Why don't you link to other SBN

sites, from the thread, anymore?

"I think Hendry still has a few years to serve on his 'grand larceny' sentence before he can shop in Pittsburgh again" - ballhawk

by NittanyCub on Apr 7, 2008 6:22 PM CDT   0 recs

I should do that.

I'll try to remember to start doing that on Wednesday.

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

by Al on Apr 7, 2008 6:48 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

just want to point out

that my self-induced-bcb-ban winning streak is now at 4 victories.

i'll gladly let lieber have the game ball, though.

by billywan on Apr 7, 2008 6:23 PM CDT   0 recs

Well thanks for coming back and ruining that for us.

LOL...

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

by santoswoodenlegs on Apr 7, 2008 6:25 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

only counts

during games threads. i'm allowed to post inane comments in all round up threads and fan posts...

by billywan on Apr 7, 2008 6:26 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

As long as they win, that works for me.

n/t

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

by Al on Apr 7, 2008 6:48 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I have a similiar streak going myself.

I bought a new Cubs cap for this season. Before this year, I'd been relying on a free cap I got at a Cubs game in, IIRC, 1999. Man, that thing is torn to shreds.

Anyway, I wore my new cap on Opening Day and, though the Cubs lost, it was still a pretty incredible game. I didn't wear it again until this past Saturday -- wore it all day and ... Cubs win! I wore it again, all day, on Sunday ... Cubs win! And, yes, I wore it again yesterday ... the streak continues!

Like the Cubs, my new cap has the day off today, but I will have it on again tomorrow.

Nanika Ga Okoru!

by dat cubfan daver on Apr 8, 2008 9:31 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Let the new one get ripped to shreds if necessary.

Wear it EVERY game day until they lose!

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

by Al on Apr 8, 2008 9:36 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Ugly or Not,

a win is a win. Besides, this is the kind of game we have to take. Can you imagine the effect a loss like this would have on everyone?

When WGN gets their HD stuff figured out, I'd love to see if they can get it on cable. This Christmas I finally got into the 21st century and bought a great big LCD HDTV. The problem is the quality of the non-HD stations is not as good as on my old Sony Trinitron. Oh well, eventually all will be HD, right?

And so it goes.

by Luigi on Apr 7, 2008 6:28 PM CDT   0 recs

I'll be the first guy with the negative side note

Pie's AB was Horrible with a capital 'H'.

"The Cubs can't be stopped" -- Me

by lilkimmer77 on Apr 7, 2008 6:28 PM CDT   0 recs

what did he do

2008: The year we put it all together.

by drewishdrewid on Apr 7, 2008 6:32 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I agree completely.

But let's give him a bigger sample size eh? The ball Johnson butchered in Center could have cost them the game too.

by Kornchex on Apr 7, 2008 6:35 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Anyone else...

think that Pie would have gotten that?

I'll take defense over offense (if I have to choose) from my CF and SS.

Haiku-a-Day for Fukudome, helping Fuku understand the American game, 17 syllables at a time. Visit cubshaikus.blogspot.com!

by Bildo1805 on Apr 8, 2008 8:17 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

defenitely horrible...

he was way to anxious to try to be the hero and drive in the winning run....He was going to swing at anything he saw.

by cubsmania on Apr 7, 2008 6:47 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Aramis

Someone needs to help him with his foot work... even routine throws are an adventure for him these days.

by dmlichte on Apr 7, 2008 6:32 PM CDT   0 recs

Win "W" flag, better Japanese version...

As promised...

You can get bigger image to click on above.

I have sample signs for Dome in Japanese here, and if you guys want your own message in Japanese, I can make it and add it here. That's easy to do for me.

by dragonsfanatic on Apr 7, 2008 6:35 PM CDT   0 recs

cool!

what does "Satsuma Hayato" mean?

2008: The year we put it all together.

by drewishdrewid on Apr 7, 2008 6:45 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

ah, I didn't click

on the pictures itself.

Very cool.

2008: The year we put it all together.

by drewishdrewid on Apr 7, 2008 6:57 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

These are great!

Thanks for the W for win sign, in particular.

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

by Al on Apr 7, 2008 6:50 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I also added...

The *correct* Japanese version of "It's gonna happen"...

Click on the picture above to go to my flickr page.

by dragonsfanatic on Apr 7, 2008 7:04 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I think dragonsfanatic should have his own

Little section on BCB with all his translations and such.

" I want to point something out in the quickly-becoming-tiresome Old Media vs. Bloggers debate: most stuff sucks. All stuff. In all forms. Most books suck. Most movies suck. Most magazines suck. Most trees likely suck if you get to know them. Fish, bugs, various metals -- they all probably mostly suck". - FJM 4/6/8

by lemon20pie on Apr 7, 2008 10:22 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Official Foreign Correspondent!

Alan Trammell: Assistant (to the) Manager

by northsider on Apr 7, 2008 11:58 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Thank you for these images!

I hope you don't mind, but I think I'm going to make one my avatar. (Yes, my man-crush on Dome is getting ridiculous.) This is really interesting stuff!

Nanika Ga Okoru!

by dat cubfan daver on Apr 8, 2008 9:34 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

As bad as this game was...

...I take it as a good omen for the year. I've been a Cubs fan for a long time and, as most of you probably know, they almost always lose these types of game in heartbreaking, devastating fashion. This one was sweet, even though it was hard to digest.

by Mike Vails Evil Twin on Apr 7, 2008 6:41 PM CDT   0 recs

I didn't think Hart pitched poorly.

He got out of Lilly's mess then gave the Cubs a good inning. I just think he was left in for too long, although when your starter doesn't last till the fifth inning I suppose you need to get the most out of your relievers.

"Clogging up the bases isn't that great to me." -Dusty Baker on OBP

by vtcub on Apr 7, 2008 6:43 PM CDT   0 recs

Right.

He probably shouldn't have batted, either, but as you note, when you go to your bullpen that early, you can't be taking them out after a fraction of an inning.

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

by Al on Apr 7, 2008 6:50 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Agreed

And if not for Piggy's two walks, Hart's line may have looked better.

by John Q Freejazz on Apr 7, 2008 7:20 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I agree.

Hart looked good overall but appeared to run out of gas in that last inning. He seems to be well-suited to the mid-game stopper role, but maybe he's not quite ready to be a long man just yet.

Fortunately, Lieber was fantastic in the long-man role yesterday and, I think, will continue to be so. Overall, I was pretty happy with the way Lou handled the bullpen. It was sooooo sweet to see Carlos Marmol standing tall and imposing on the mound in 12th inning. GAME OVER.

Nanika Ga Okoru!

by dat cubfan daver on Apr 8, 2008 9:37 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

BRUTAL

Al, couldn't agree more that the less said about this mess the better.

Yesterday we had a lovely fundamentally sound game -- today the opposite. As awful as it was at least we came out with the W.

Leading the league in unearned runs is a cause for serious concern .... I'll leave the rest of my worries for tomorrow's comments.

If It Takes Forever ....

by wrigley1 on Apr 7, 2008 6:49 PM CDT   0 recs

True, but

It may be easier to fix than leading the league in earned runs eh?

by Kornchex on Apr 7, 2008 6:52 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Maybe So ....

but these problems have already cost us 2 games where we've had quality starts. So fixing these errors, baserunning, throwing and mental mistakes is still by no means easy. By the time players reach the majors the mold is mostly, if not completely, cast in regard to fundamentals -- you either have them or you don't. And team play reflects this for better or worse.

If It Takes Forever ....

by wrigley1 on Apr 7, 2008 7:05 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Fine.

But then you win a game where your starting pitcher gives up five runs and gets knocked out in the fourth.

These things do even out over the course of a long season.

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

by Al on Apr 7, 2008 7:07 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Yes ...

certainly we all hope so, Al.

This is my 40th season of seriously watching Cubs baseball. Wouldn't be able to have made it this far, much less be willing to stay at, if I wasn't an optimist! Loving good baseball so much though, ugly baseball like today can warp one's perspective a bit.

GO CUBS GO !!!!!

If It Takes Forever ....

by wrigley1 on Apr 7, 2008 7:18 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

cubbies so far

it may be obvious but it just looks to me that about 80% of this team is over-trying and over-thinking. we got the W and thats all that counts. maybe the off-day will calm everyone down and we can start getting into a rhythm.

Go Cubbies Go!!!!!!

by cubsluver22 on Apr 7, 2008 6:55 PM CDT   0 recs

Kudos to Howry

He came in with the bases loaded and nobody out and only gave up a sac fly. That was HUGE.

by Luis on Apr 7, 2008 6:55 PM CDT   0 recs

I think Howry benefitted from some good luck yesterday.

Pirates hitters still seemed to be hitting him pretty hard. Cedeno really bailed him out on that leaping grab.

Nanika Ga Okoru!

by dat cubfan daver on Apr 8, 2008 9:39 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Well, I'm out of town again... didn't get to see the game

And by the sound of it... I'm glad I couldn't see it.

Probably won't catch a game the entire week, so I'll rely on everyone's recaps!

Cubs 2008 (3-3)
Home (3-3) | Road (0-0) | 1-Run Games (1-2) | Extra Innings (0-1)
Updated on April 6, 2008

by SackMan on Apr 7, 2008 6:55 PM CDT   0 recs

The FSN Pittsburgh

feed was fine for people who had MLB EI. Of course, people in Chicago would be blacked out on that feed.

You all missed Bob Walk and Steve Blass arguing who had the most opening day starts for the Pirates. Both said the other one did. Walk was right. (He only started on opening day once. Blass did three times.)

It's a girl! Born 1-18-08. 2246 PST. 8 lbs. 1 oz.

by Josh77 on Apr 7, 2008 6:56 PM CDT   0 recs

You'd think...

... that the WGN folks would have thought about picking up the FSNP video feed to go with their audio, while they were figuring out the problem. Doing this is pretty easy.

Oh, well.

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

by Al on Apr 7, 2008 7:06 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

they allowed to?

2008: The year we put it all together.

by drewishdrewid on Apr 7, 2008 7:09 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I'd think that under the circumstances...

... they'd probably be able to get permission.

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

by Al on Apr 7, 2008 7:24 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Interesting

I actually was going to post a question to you today since you're in the business over if you knew whether they could use the other team's feed.

We are all waiting for that glorious October night when we finally win it all. Until then we will continue to cheer, never do the wave and hope.

by cubstoseriesby100 on Apr 7, 2008 7:27 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Didn't WGN use the other teams feed

for away games about 25 years ago? I seem to remember Arne Harris sitting in the broadcast booth with Harry and Steve for a lot of away games. I think the graphics were WGN's, but the camera shots were from the home team.

"My bed is pulling me, gravity, daysleeper. Daaaysleeper."

by markleonette on Apr 7, 2008 10:59 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

DeRo

can "aw shucks" is way through all the interviews he wants...just start fielding your position. This is the guy who couldn't understand the interest in Roberts. The guy who was so proud of his "average" season last year. The guy who as been a back-up the majority of his big league career. But he smiles and says all the right things, so we all love him.

by Comfortably Numb on Apr 7, 2008 7:05 PM CDT   0 recs

Cant say

he didnt understand the trade for roberts..I have heard him say mutliple times that he understands why the cubs would try to get someone like roberts. Derosa is a good guy who wants as much as any fan to win.

08 Cubs record 2-0
Updated April 5th

by Rudey on Apr 7, 2008 7:11 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

he was a critical piece

of getting to the post season last year.

He gets a little slack. He's hitting better than either Aram or Soriano, and he's fielding just as well.

2008: The year we put it all together.

by drewishdrewid on Apr 7, 2008 7:12 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

As of yesterday...

...both Theriot and DeRosa were the worst fielders on the team, according to zone rating data. (Well, except for Mike Fontenot, who missed the only ball in zone recorded.)

What does that mean? Well, pretty much exactly what I said. I wouldn't take it to indicate anything about future performance, however - we're talking about 10 BIZ opportunities, and you need about 100 to be confident in what the data is saying.

by cwyers on Apr 7, 2008 7:18 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

He does deserve a little slack...

But his errors already cost us one game, and almost another today.

"The one that invent the light tried 2,000 times and finally he did it, we have light...I don't want to spend 2,000 times to win Opening Day" Carlos Zambrano

by CubsBullsBears on Apr 7, 2008 7:50 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

DeRosa is a good ballplayer

.293 BA, .370 OBP, 70 RBIS and a good second base in 2007 are nothing to sneeze about. He is a big asset to this ballclub. And next to Kosuke he is our most fundamentally disciplined (and I might add intelligent) hitter.

by MDBNIU on Apr 7, 2008 9:41 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

No way...

I would put Lee way ahead of DeRosa in this category. He hits the ball to all fields and tends to always go with the pitch, unlike DeRosa who has been swinging for the fences lately.

"The one that invent the light tried 2,000 times and finally he did it, we have light...I don't want to spend 2,000 times to win Opening Day" Carlos Zambrano

by CubsBullsBears on Apr 7, 2008 10:12 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I agree with you...

....on DeRosa. I like the guy, but there is no way I want him up during an important part of the game before Lee or Ramirez. DeRosa is a nice hitter, but he rarely goes the other way, and that makes him very vulnerable to breaking stuff on the outside corner. He also tends to swing at his share of breaking balls about 6 inches outside.

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

by MPH73 on Apr 7, 2008 11:00 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

and what do you know

a nice three game winning streak. They earned this victory today. Somehow they were able to clutch defeat from the jaws of victory and do vice versa in the same game!

Finally!

by Chanman25 on Apr 7, 2008 7:15 PM CDT   0 recs

Lieber/Mulholland

Al I also thought about that today. Lieber becoming a very Terry Mulholland like figure this year. Start, relieve whatever is needed.

I was trying to remember. In 1998 Mulholland had to go to the pen to replace a pitcher who was injured and the only lefty so they brought up Kerry. Who was that pitcher?

We are all waiting for that glorious October night when we finally win it all. Until then we will continue to cheer, never do the wave and hope.

by cubstoseriesby100 on Apr 7, 2008 7:20 PM CDT   0 recs

Leiber/Mullholland

One of these guys I guess..

44 Tony Fossas 6-00 187 Left Left 1957-09-23

44 Chris Haney 6-03 195 Left Left 1968-11-16
35 Felix Heredia 6-00 160 Left Left 1975-06-20

35 Bob Patterson 6-02 192 Left Right 1959-05-16
58 Ben Van Ryn 6-05 185 Left Left 1971-08-09

"I lost it in the sun"

by Bump Bailey on Apr 7, 2008 7:57 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Just reading the name

"Felix Heredia" made me angry. Man, that guy was about 10 gallons of bad in a 5 gallon sack.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Apr 7, 2008 8:44 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Felix Heredia

LOL....He would have fit right in with all the walks today...

"I lost it in the sun"

by Bump Bailey on Apr 7, 2008 9:03 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

It was Patterson

and I always thought it was contrived . . . they've been known to play games with the DL.

by Shanghai Badger on Apr 7, 2008 9:25 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Quick question for the assemblage

Do you think it's better if they had lost to have tomorrow off or worse?

I think you want to play right away to get it out of your system.

I had a bad feeling they were going to lose and it was going to smart. Glad I was wrong.

We are all waiting for that glorious October night when we finally win it all. Until then we will continue to cheer, never do the wave and hope.

by cubstoseriesby100 on Apr 7, 2008 7:21 PM CDT   0 recs

honestly

I don't get this schedule. Why go directly from a day game to a day game away, and THEN give them a day off... in PITTSBURGH???

Why not have the day off be between the two series?

2008: The year we put it all together.

by drewishdrewid on Apr 7, 2008 7:29 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

The day off is for the home opener

just incase there was a postponement

"The Cubs can't be stopped" -- Me

by lilkimmer77 on Apr 7, 2008 7:33 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

wasn't that Last tuesday?

Didn't they have last tuesday off for that?

Oh, this is Pittsburgh's home opener. I get it.

2008: The year we put it all together.

by drewishdrewid on Apr 7, 2008 7:35 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

:)

"The Cubs can't be stopped" -- Me

by lilkimmer77 on Apr 7, 2008 7:36 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

It's "Opening Week"!

There's only ONE April!

Haiku-a-Day for Fukudome, helping Fuku understand the American game, 17 syllables at a time. Visit cubshaikus.blogspot.com!

by Bildo1805 on Apr 8, 2008 8:22 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

it's for the home opener

they almost always have a day off after a home opener, so that if the game is rained out, they can play it the next day. People who paid for the first home game want to be at the first home game, not the 20-somethingth a month later.

------ TheRiot Squad ------

by RightFieldSucks on Apr 7, 2008 7:33 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

yeah I figured it out.

there should still be an exception for Pittsburgh, tho. :P

2008: The year we put it all together.

by drewishdrewid on Apr 7, 2008 7:38 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Good teams win these type of

crappy games. Bad teams find a way to lose, and the Buccos did so, on cue. Nice to be able to win when things really didn't go your way until whe it counted.

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Apr 7, 2008 7:48 PM CDT