and Gallagher’s and Marshall’s performances in their last starts, I don’t know if Jason did enough to keep his job. It’s going to be an interesting week….

In other wins, Northwestern eliminated DePaul in the NCAA softball regional championship today. Woo-hoo! (I was on the call.)

we can pick up the pace on the road and bring some of our home game as visitors

when they looked so flat. No one was really ripping the ball, though the two sac flys (Soriano’s and I think, Onedec’s) were hit really well. Other than that, the hitters looked tired. It didn’t help that Dumatrait was all over the place, and was impossible to get a read on.

But, they did what good teams do, they took what they could get and made the most of it.

I hope Aram and DLee can wake up tomorrow night.

r u kidding me??? 8 out of 10 babyyyy!! i will take that every one this year and guarantee a shot at the you know what if we do this. beat em bad,beat em barely,claw or scratch em out.
just get the W and move on. extremely happy about this homestead.

i know its early and i’m gonna get flamed big time for this but this just may be the most pivotal time in this 2008 season. the other teams in the division are starting to struggle and for lack of better words. its time to put are foot on the divisions throat and kill em dead. we need distance and breathing room and nows the time.

lets get on the train to houston and stomp their little small fire right on out.

i wanna see just what the 2008 cubs got and i hope like heck its a killer instinct. so lets take care of business and start singing ding dong the centrals dead.

go cubbies!!

fun right now.

Probably the most boring game out of the five or six I’ve been to this year. I understand that it’s baseball, but every time Jason Marquis pitches it just feels so looooong.

Or maybe I’m just scared that he’s gonna implode every time he pitches, and it makes the game feel longer. Who knows?

but yep it is fun. Just makes the day a lil brighter :)

catchers fielding stats.

I am reading it correctly that Jason Kendall is throwing out about 50% of the runners? That seems INCREDIBLY high.

when it ain’t pretty, and today was one of them. I agree with above once Lee and Ramirez get going this will be even a better hitting team. I like the idea of Cedeno gettting some starts.
Pirates announcers are borderline unlistenable, correction, don’t listen to them. Woody strikes out Paulino looking and the comment from, I believe Jim Rooker, ” That ball was at least an inch outside” An inch Jimbo, nice work. Woody strikes out Bixler looking to end it, and nothing for at least 10 seconds, then ” well Marquis gets his second win of the year….
Just horrible, And I thought the D-backs annoucners were bad .
Lets get 2 out of 3 in Houston fellas!!

8 out 10 is a good homestand. After coming into the homestand not playing well, this is what the Dr. ordered. Even better 8 out of 9 vs. Pitt. With Pitt being only 2 games under .500, this is even better. This team is finding ways to win and fun to watch.

With a week on the road, 4 and 2 would be a great road trip. Just keep winning series.

but he pitched ok today. a few shaky innings but kept us in the game and we won. that’s what we need.

Marquis was o.kish but I was glad the wind wasn’t blowing out, and a few of their batters missed connecting on the screws by a few millimeters….... would few liked to have seen a few more ground ball outs or two….. Not looking a gift horse in the mouth however….

Guys my friend’s sister lost her battle with cancer today. It has been a very tough day but it also emphasized baseball’s ability to take your mind off things even just for a few hours while putting wins and losses in perspective.

I want to take Soriano’s bat and bash cancer with it. I’ll settle for participating in various walks and such.

Outstanding homestand. Things are really starting to click.

Observations…

Looks like Marquis has held onto his job in the rotation, at least for now. Good gritty performance on his behalf today.

I like Gallagher a lot. I think Piniella and Rothschild do too. If he can keep chipping away like he has then he just might be on the cusp of becoming “permanent” member of the rotation.

The sour news on Hill is disconcerting. The Cubs need Hill to get things sorted out at Iowa, as well as obviously stay healthy. I was hoping he could be back after the All Star break helping this team, but now I’m not so sure.

Regardless developments with Marquis, Gallagher and Hill I still strongly believe this team needs to be actively searching for a quality starting pitcher leading up to the deadline. Despite what too many of you think to the contrary, I want the drums for Rich Harden to beat loudly.

Thank you Soriano for waking up. I still can’t stand you in a Cub uniform, but at least the team has finally benefitted for a stretch from its $136 million investment. Write yourself a note to do this again come playoff time.

Big, big test for this ballclub coming up. The schedule has been bizarre to this point and the Cubs have played too big a crapload of home games already.

even though you forgot the Overflow Thread I still don’t think you’re human.

I would love to get Harden at the all star break as well. Would they bite on Hill (Zito), Gallagher (Hudson) and Cedeno?

I hope Johnny Cakes doesn’t leave to manage the Brewer. I wonder who would step in to do color on WGN?

...even though five of six of the games are night games, meaning I won’t be able to watch.

I like the Cubs’ chances for this road trip. In Houston, the Astros will be facing a different Ryan Dempster, Ted Lilly firing on all cylinders, and Gallagher, who they’ve not faced and who is picking up steam as well (the Astros, for their part, are throwing Moehler, Sampson and Chacon). Either A-Ram or Lee is bound to break out of their slump, and I recalled A-Ram jacking many a HR over that short LF fence at Minute Maid (not to mention his Cub career dominance over his former team in Pittsburgh). For the Pirates series, Lou might skip Marquis again due to the off day, making it a Z-Train, Lilly and Dempster series. I’ll be disappointed if they don’t go 4-2 on this trip.

Alright i have to ask why compare the walk numbers to 2006 instead of last year? I know i know Dusty and his clogging the bases, but honestly how many guys in the starting lineup are the same from 2006???

Aramis? You really cant even say DLee played that year he was hurt most of the season. I just think it is silly to continue to go back to Dusty and his team. THEY ARE DIFFERENT TEAMS WITH DIFFERENT PLAYERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Samardzija has struggled mightily this year: 43 1/3 IP, 47 H, 27 R, 27 ER, 29 BB, 24 SO and a 5.61 ERA. Those numbers include the results of his two outings this week, in which Samardzija lasted a combined six innings, allowing 16 hits and 13 runs (all earned) for an 18.87 ERA with three strikeouts and an alarming nine walks.

i have tried to get the c or z to work. it doesnt move anything.

is there something one has to do to get it work

now c works z still doesnt work. but i’ll settle for c working.

thanks for the idea.

also im curious… Offensive stats I have a pretty good understanding of. i’ve never been much into defense stats besdies the basic ones. i’d like to learn more about them.

is there anyone who knows somethings i could read about it. or even someone who won’t mind me peppering them with some questions.

thanks

heidi