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Open Thread: Cubs vs. Diamondbacks, Saturday 5/10, 2:40 CT

Yelloncard_tiny by Al on in Game Threads

Arizona @ Chicago


Presto!

I, the magical Fox wizard, hereby decree that only privileged people who live in the following TV markets will be able to view today's Cubs/Diamondbacks game. A Fox Pox on the rest of you!

Abilene TX, Albany GA, Albuquerque NM, Alexandria LA, Amarillo TX, Atlanta GA, Austin TX, Bakersfield CA, Baton Rouge LA, Bend OR, Biloxi MS, Birmingham AL, Boise ID, Butte MT, Casper WY, Cedar Rapids IA, Champaign IL, Chattanooga TN, Cheyenne WY, Chicago IL, Chico CA, Cincinnati OH, Colorado Springs CO, Columbus MS, Columbus GA, Corpus Christi TX, Davenport IA, Dayton OH, Denver CO, Des Moines IA, Dothan AL, El Paso TX, Eugene OR, Eureka CA, Fort Wayne IN, Fresno CA, Grand Junction CO, Great Falls MT, Greenwood MS, Harlingen TX, Honolulu HI, Houston TX, Idaho Falls ID, Indianapolis IN, Jackson MS, Knoxville TN, Lafayette LA, Laredo TX, Las Vegas NV, Lexington KY, Lima OH, Lincoln NE, Louisville KY, Lubbock TX, Macon GA, Medford OR, Meridian MS, Missoula MT, Mobile AL, Monroe LA, Monterey CA, Montgomery AL, Nashville TN, New Orleans LA, North Platte NE, Odessa TX, Oklahoma City OK, Omaha NE, Peoria IL, Phoenix AZ, Reno NV, Rockford IL, Sacramento CA, Salt Lake City UT, San Angelo TX, San Antonio TX, San Diego CA, San Francisco CA, Santa Barbara CA, Savannah GA, Sherman TX, Shreveport LA, Sioux City IA, South Bend IN, Springfield IL, Tri-Cities TN, Tucson AZ, Twin Falls ID, Tyler TX, Victoria TX, Waco TX, Wichita Falls TX, Yuma AZ

The game time is, in fact, 2:40, having been pushed up five minutes by the Wizard. Why five minutes makes such a big deal to them that they'd actually announce it, I have no idea.

Why did Kerry Wood look so lights-out yesterday? He's got a new grip on his slider.

Sean Marshall's demotion to Iowa is to stretch him out to be a starter now that Scott Eyre is back.

Today's Starting Pitchers
Ryan Dempster
R. Dempster
Cubs		 vs. Max Scherzer
M. Scherzer
Diamondbacks
4-1 W-L 0-1
2.72 ERA 5.40
29 SO 12
20 BB 2
3 HR 0
vs. Ari -- vs. Cubs

This is Max Scherzer's third major league appearance. In his first one, he was lights-out, throwing 4.1 scoreless innings in relief and striking out seven. Then he started five days ago against the Phillies and got pounded. He throws hard.

Ryan Dempster has to stop walking people. 20 walks in 43 innings is too many. Dempster's last start in Cincinnati, his first loss of the year, wasn't his fault: errors made all five runs he gave up unearned. No Diamondbacks hitter playing today has more than five career AB against Dempster (the D'back who has the most is, of all people, tomorrow's starter, Randy Johnson, who is 3-for-11 against Dempster).

Fox blackouts be damned: here's the rest of today's TV/radio schedule at the MLB.com Mediacenter.

MLB.com Gameday (2007 version)

MLB.com Gameday (2008 version)

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Today's overflow comment thread will post at 4:15 pm CT.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

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Comments

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Overflow..

Al…double check the overflow comment thread time above..I would assume 3:40pm?

Perhaps the Fox Wizard put in the xxxx’s?

Felix Pie must play everyday!

by JB 23 on May 10, 2008 10:33 AM CDT reply reply   0 recs

Must have been, yes.

It’ll be 4:15, not 3:40.

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

by Al on May 10, 2008 10:50 AM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I can't get the broadcast.

I pay for MLB.com video/audio but that doesn’t matter to them—I can’t get the game from MLB either.

Now I have to spend time looking for a proxy server. What a bunch of greedy and idiotic lamesters.

Pretty annoying. I’m not even going to mention that I can’t seem to get the MLB video stream under Linux, and have to boot into Windows. My Ubuntu mplayer plugin for Firefox must be getting confused with the SilverLight player they offer as an option.

by zevkalman on May 10, 2008 11:05 AM CDT reply reply   0 recs

you can still listen to the radio feeds. those are never blocked.

"I'd rather win ugly than lose pretty," -- Lou Pinella

by anormal on May 10, 2008 11:58 AM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I am shocked

that we are getting the game out here in San Diego. Definitely makes my day.

However Woody is holding the ball, if it allows him to throw first-pitch breaking stuff for strikes he’s going to make life very difficult on hitters the rest of the season. He made the DBacks’ 3-4-5 hitters look silly yesterday. Let’s hope he keeps it up.

by paulucla on May 10, 2008 11:14 AM CDT reply reply   0 recs

Sigh

Not getting the game in Ohio… :(

by AceCubbie on May 10, 2008 11:19 AM CDT reply reply   0 recs

Amazing...the Yuma AZ market gets the game but not Ohio

...totally absurd.

Felix Pie must play everyday!

by JB 23 on May 10, 2008 11:39 AM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Well...

... Yuma gets it because it’s the Diamondbacks.

Ohio is probably getting the TIgers/Yankees game.

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

by Al on May 10, 2008 11:41 AM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Umm

The Diamondbacks are playing. How the hell is it absurd that Yuma AZ gets the game?

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

by Josh77 on May 10, 2008 11:42 AM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Good point...I was thinking of the remote location

...as opposed to large populated area. But clearly I jumped the gun there…my bad

Felix Pie must play everyday!

by JB 23 on May 10, 2008 11:47 AM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Perhaps because it's a D-backs ROAD

game rather than home game?

Also, regarding some of the other comments here - as long as an affiliate is in a non-black out zone of any given team - I believe they have the option of games. Palm Springs carrying the Yankees - there are a lot of NY transplants there. And, if the affiliate does have a say, I guarantee you it comes down to what the station’s General Manager or Program Director would personally like to view, ratings be damned - especially in small TV markets such as Palm Springs. In TV and radio, decisions are made without rhyme or reason, much of the time.

Same thing for LA—the local decision maker probably feels ANY Yankees game would draw better numbers than Cubs/D-Backs.

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on May 10, 2008 2:35 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

game

I live in Dayton and I am getting the game. Thank goodness.

Wendyzman

by wendyvhz on May 10, 2008 12:21 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

You are very lucky

I guess Columbus is just so much closer to Detroit that we get Yanks/Tigers…

by AceCubbie on May 10, 2008 2:42 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

For some reason

we are getting the Yankees game on Fox and the Cardinals/Brewers game on Fox Espanol out here in LA.

Which spanish speaking citizens here in LA gives a hoot about the Brewers or Cardinals????

by JFCubFan on May 10, 2008 1:37 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Speaking of weather...

...I saw this morning that it’s gonna be ugly tomorrow in Chicago. Could be a looooong day for these 2 teams as they will try everything in their power to get the game in. These 2 teams do share 4 of the same off days.

Over time, your quickness with a cocky rejoinder must have gotten you many punches in the face - Al Swearengen

by lemon20pie on May 10, 2008 1:42 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Scherzer didn't get pounded.

I don’t know how or why those runs were counted as earned runs. He gave up one run and had two outs in the inning when Stephen Drew made an error on what would have been the final out. Then 4 runs scored. Seriously, how were those charged as earned?

Point is, if that error weren’t made, his line wouldn’t have been that bad. Scherzer is money, I just hope that he’s not today.

by kanderber on May 10, 2008 11:19 AM CDT reply reply   0 recs

I looked at...

... the boxscore & PBP for that game.

There’s no error in that inning, according to the PBP. Further, Scherzer faced 23 batters and gave up eight hits (six singles and two doubles), walked two and hit a batter. I’d say that’s getting “pounded”.

I agree with you that he is a top-rank prospect, but his first ML start was pretty poor.

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

by Al on May 10, 2008 11:46 AM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

The scoring decision was changed

Initially it was ruled an error. Then two or three days ago the official scoring decision was changed from an error to a single, making those runs earned.

by John Q Freejazz on May 10, 2008 12:01 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Scherzer

I’m not too worried about facing Scherzer if he’s a hard thrower like you said, Al. Seems like sometimes our hitters have more problems facing a soft tosser with a lot of breaking stuff.

by inukjim on May 10, 2008 12:17 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Scherzer

is going to be great one day (although I think it will be as a closer) but that day is not today.

I’d much rather face Scherzer than Webb or Haren. That’s what was exciting about yesterday—that was our worst pitching matchup and Teddy Roosevelt came through.

Webb just kills us, if I remember correctly.

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

by Josh77 on May 10, 2008 12:26 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

It's not personal, he does that to everybody.

But since Peavy plays in a pitcher’s park and Webb plays in a launching pad, Peavy gets all the press.

I has a blog.

by cwyers on May 10, 2008 12:31 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Webb is the best pitcher in the game, period.

He’s starting to remind me more and more of Maddux circa Braves, it’s scary. He’s perfected the 2 seam backup fastball to lefties and as if he didn’t need another pitch to go along with a great curveball, he’s throwing an absolutely filthy change up now, which he throws more than that curve. He doesn’t throw anything straight.

Over time, your quickness with a cocky rejoinder must have gotten you many punches in the face - Al Swearengen

by lemon20pie on May 10, 2008 12:53 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

You're right

I checked Webb’s stats by opposing team and while he does shut us down, he really doesn’t do much better against us than most other teams.

The weird thing is that the one team he has trouble with is the Marlins. Weird.

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

by Josh77 on May 10, 2008 1:27 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

As long as Woody...

Gets the job done I really don’t care what he does. I hope Tim McCarver isn’t included in the broadcast today, I can’t stand him. And is there really a reason to have Marshall as a starter? You still have Lieber and Hill to fill the final spot in the rotation, unless of course Marquis does bad and leaves the rotation, then they’d need a backup.

by wrigleyrocker12 on May 10, 2008 11:22 AM CDT reply reply   0 recs

McCarver

I like him more than Joe Buck. I really hate it when I have to watch Buck do a game. It seems like he doesn’t even try to hide the fact that he loves the Cardinals and can’t stand the Cubs. He doesn’t seem to realize on national broadcasts that you’re suppsed to call a game as evenly as possible to not piss off a portion of your audience.

by inukjim on May 10, 2008 12:15 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

That doesn't bother me as much

because I don’t think he’s as biased as you say. But what I hate about Buck is 1) his smugness and 2) the fact that he really doesn’t like baseball that much. He’s said on several occasions that he’d much rather be calling a football game.

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

by Josh77 on May 10, 2008 12:28 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

What B.S.!

They get the game in Honlulu but not NY???

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on May 10, 2008 11:37 AM CDT reply reply   0 recs

Nope

Let’s see…..Two of the best teams in the NL are playing…..Two sub .500 AL teams are playing. Which gane does most of the country get?

Hint: One of the sub .500 teams is the Yankees.

by rlpete on May 10, 2008 11:40 AM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

What I don't understand...

... is why Fox is wasting an entire crew to do the Cardinals/Brewers game, which is going to only 8% of the country.

The only possible explanation is that they are worried about rain this time of year, and if both the Cub and Tiger games got rained out, they’d have a guaranteed game in Milwaukee.

Still not worth the resources, if I were doing it.

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

by Al on May 10, 2008 11:42 AM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

That's why

If you notice, they pretty much always have one saturday game in a domed stadium or in a place like Southern California where it never rains this time of year.

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

by Josh77 on May 10, 2008 11:44 AM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I guess.

I assume that game was probably to go to more of the country before Fox decided they wanted the D’backs/Cubs game a couple of weeks ago.

They should have dumped the game between the sub-.500 teams. :)

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

by Al on May 10, 2008 11:47 AM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Sucks for me

because I’m getting stuck with the Cards/Brewers.

by inukjim on May 10, 2008 12:10 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I'm in the same boat

in Middleton.

Why Fox, Why?

"Saying ‘I’m sorry’ is the same as saying ‘I apologize.’ Except at a funeral."

by Soup on May 10, 2008 2:47 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Interesting

Just checked out CubsCam and I see they’re taking some extra infield practice at 2nd base. Fontenot and Cedeno for sure. I think the third guy is Theriot – he seems to have more hair than DeRosa these days.

Not trying to read too much into it, but if the third guy is indeed Theriot, Lou could be laying the groundwork for some changes, namely Cedeno at short, move Theriot to 2b, and DeRosa starts into his supersub rotation. I like the Cedeno part, and I’d prefer DeRosa at 2nd over Theriot, but am willing to go with the hot bat, and right now, Theriot is still hitting.

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

by ballhawk on May 10, 2008 11:39 AM CDT reply reply   0 recs

Conversely...

if the third guy is DeRosa, I would take that to mean Theriot is solidly entrenched at short. Oh yeah, and Lou is one stubborn old cuss… ;-)

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

by ballhawk on May 10, 2008 11:42 AM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

eh, pay no attention to the babbling ballhawk...

now they’re taking groundballs at short. Fontenot is nowhere to be seen. Somebody wearing a 21 jersey has joined the group (Marquis? taking infield???) and somebody else has their pants up high a la Reed Johnson, but this guy has hair. So I have no idea what’s going on. Maybe they’re just clowning around on a cool but sunny Saturday in Wrigley….

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

by ballhawk on May 10, 2008 11:59 AM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

don't read too much into this

Z sometimes fields some balls during practice too, but i doubt he’s gonna be the ss of the future!

"I'd rather win ugly than lose pretty," -- Lou Pinella

by anormal on May 10, 2008 12:05 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Lowdown on Max Scherzer

Many of you know of him and remember when he was drafted by the DBacks that many thought it was a risky pick because not many figured they could sign him, with the size of contract he was looking for. Well, they did sign him, literally minutes before the signing deadline. The DBacks have high expectations for this kid.

As Al said, he throws hard. Not only does he throw hard, 95-97 MPH, but his delivery is so smooth and free and easy, that it doesn’t appear that he’s throwing as hard as he is. In that respect, he does remind me of Mark Prior as Mark had the same quiet delivery.

He also throws a very good change up, especially for his age. The DBacks had him throw a lot of change ups in Tucson and he’s proven to be a quick leaner as well, as the organization realized that his change progressed enough to justify the call up. He throws a hard sharp slider too.

He didn’t do as bad as the numbers indicate in his first MLB start, but he wasn’t as sharp as he usually is and I chalk that up to a case of jitters. This kid has a very bright future ahead of him and I just hope that he still has some leftover jitters today and the Cubs can hit him hard, but it won’t be an easy task, that’s for sure. He’s in the top 3 MLB pitching prospects in the game. I think that highly of this kid.

I said yesterday that the Cubs would take 2 of 3. Unfortunately, I think this is the game they lose in the series. Hope I’m wrong, it’d be great to head into tomorrow’s game with an opportunity to go for the sweep. I think Scherzer will strike out 8 and go 7 Innings.

Over time, your quickness with a cocky rejoinder must have gotten you many punches in the face - Al Swearengen

by lemon20pie on May 10, 2008 12:31 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

Hopefully the future doesn't start today!!

Over time, your quickness with a cocky rejoinder must have gotten you many punches in the face - Al Swearengen

by lemon20pie on May 10, 2008 1:44 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Max gets (what we call down here) "Domed out"

If you make an error (which it should have been in his last start) or a bad play in the field he loses it. He is VERY competitive and if you don’t do your job to help him he tries to over pitch. Like most pitchers when they are throwing their hardest they lose movement. A 96 mph fastball is much easier to hit than a 94 that moves.

The key to today will to be jumping on him early. If we can get guys on or capitalize on an error if it happens we should be ok. If we can’t get good at bats it could be a long day. I promise you if you let Max get in a groove he can go 9 and strike out 15 in a game (which I truely feel he will someday). Lets hope we can chase him by the 5th and get 5 runs off him.

by dus22 on May 10, 2008 1:59 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

well gameday for me today

stupid Fox…

2008 Cubs: Why Beat A Team in Regulation, when you can beat them in extras?

by Chanman25 on May 10, 2008 12:50 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

It will be interesting to see after Lou's comments about defense

if he learned a lesson from Dempster’s last start. You need the best defense possible out there every time Dempster pitches – that means Cedeno at SS, DeRosa/Theriot at 2B and Pie in CF.

by DGU on May 10, 2008 1:12 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

LA...Fox is showing Stankees v Tigers

and Cardinals v Brew-Crew on Fox/Espanol. Why would Fox think that two American League teams that don’t play in the same division as the Angels would be of more interest to fans here than the D’backs—the team the Dodgers are trying to catch. The people at Fox are tuly Yankee-centric idiots.

It will be the radio-webcast for me. Ugh. I so dislike Rupert. I hope he eats a bad batch of prunes today and gets a nasty case of the runs!!

THIS IS OUR CENTURY!!

by LAcarl519 on May 10, 2008 1:19 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

Wow...that's total idiocy.

Not only 2 AL teams but like you said, the DBacks are in the Dodgers Division. That makes absolutely zero sense. This FOX saturday busszit still pizzes me off. I get to see the game today, but I figured out by looking at the DBacks schedule and the Cubs schedule, that the next possible time after today that I can even see a Cubs game on FOX is in early August.

Over time, your quickness with a cocky rejoinder must have gotten you many punches in the face - Al Swearengen

by lemon20pie on May 10, 2008 1:24 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Just checked the weather in Detroit and......

....not a cloud in the sky.

Over time, your quickness with a cocky rejoinder must have gotten you many punches in the face - Al Swearengen

by lemon20pie on May 10, 2008 1:27 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I know

and it’s weird because it looks like every other market in California (except Redding, I guess) is carrying the Cubs and D-Backs.

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

by Josh77 on May 10, 2008 1:30 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

And bizarrely enough

Palm Springs is carrying the Yankees game, which is weird considering how close they are to Arizona. I forget they have their own market.

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

by Josh77 on May 10, 2008 1:35 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Here in New Mexico

we are Rockies and Diamondbacks shared territory. To show the idiocy of this territorial BS, the only way we can get a Diamondbacks game is when they play on Saturday. NO station carries the Diamondbacks but we do get the Rockies on FSN Rocky Mountain…...

by crazymountain on May 10, 2008 1:31 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

At least one advantage

of being over here on the other side of the Atlantic is that we don’t have to deal with ridiculous black-outs. Not counting the all too frequent occasions when the mlb.com feed decides to snarl up, of course. But hearing of the lunacies everyone else is facing I shan’t complain.

Here’s hoping the Cubs can play as solidly these next two games as they did yesterday. That must have been one of the Cubs best-played games of the year and was a joy to behold.

by simonuk on May 10, 2008 2:02 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Just wondering when the lineups will be posted.

Over time, your quickness with a cocky rejoinder must have gotten you many punches in the face - Al Swearengen

by lemon20pie on May 10, 2008 1:37 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Uh...how?

Evey Hammond: Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici. V: By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

by dtpollitt on May 10, 2008 1:54 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Weee.. I can watch it on Fox

Oh thank you glorious Fox wizard, it’s been a long time since you’ve allowed me to watch the Cubs two weeks in a row.

Actually I’m just excited to watch it in HD. Sad that DirecTV isn’t carrying WGN in HD any time soon.

by NOLA_Cub_Fan on May 10, 2008 1:56 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

The really sad thing, though, is that in Chicago the Fox feed is just a widescreen standard def feed. I don’t pay for cable, so it really stinks on the days I can watch in HD not looking like they should.

by Negman42 on May 10, 2008 5:23 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

OT: marlins lock up Ramirez

6 years 70 million… Interesting move. I thought that boy was going to make a lot of money… At least 200 million dollars type of money

"I played with one of the best pitchers in history, Greg Maddux," Zambrano said"

by fischisgod on May 10, 2008 2:03 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

Same lineup as yesterday for the Cubs

"Is there anything he can't do?" ~Len Kasper, 4/5/08, on Kosuke Fukudome

by JohnM on May 10, 2008 2:18 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs