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Of Jinxes And Homers And Losses

Yelloncard_tiny by Al on in Recaps

Shake this one off.

What else can you do after a loss like this one, 9-0 to the Reds, a game that was over after the second inning?

The Reds slammed seven home runs off the Cubs, including four in that second inning. The last time the Cubs gave up four home runs in an inning was nearly eight years ago, on August 8, 2000 in Los Angeles, which also happens to be the last time a pitcher -- Darren Dreifort, if you must know -- hit two home runs in a game. The four homers in the fourth inning that night were off Phil Norton, who -- and if I'm a regular ol' writer I'm supposed to say "ironically", but it really isn't -- eventually wound up pitching a couple of years of mediocre middle relief for... the Reds.

There's nothing to say about this game. The Cubs never really had any chance of getting back into it, despite drawing seven walks and leaving twelve (!) men on base; their six hits were all harmless singles, and despite having RISP in the third, fourth, fifth and ninth innings, the Cubs never got a man past second base.

I'm not worried about Jon Lieber. Sometimes you just get hit, and he did today. I'm not really worried about Sean Marshall, Sean Gallagher or Michael Wuertz, either, and all but Wuertz were touched for at least one home run. Joey Votto hit three of them, one each off Lieber, Marshall and Gallagher, and now has four HR in six games against the Cubs this season, and five of his eleven career HR against the Cubs.

Maybe it's a good thing the Cubs don't see the Reds again till July.

I hesitate to write this, because of the way such things are often viewed, but my copy of Sports Illustrated with Kosuke Fukudome on the cover arrived in the mail last Wednesday. You know, this one:

0505_mid_medium

via i.timeinc.net

The Cubs won 19-5 that day, but since then -- starting Thursday, the day the magazine went on general sale on the newsstands, the Cubs are 2-5, and Dome is hitting .296 in those seven games with only one walk, after hitting .327 with 19 walks in the 26 previous games.

So it can't hurt to say this: Hey, SI. Could you keep the Cubs off the cover? Say, like, forever? Or until after they win the World Series?

It won't be a fun plane ride home for Lou, the coaching staff and the ballplayers this afternoon, but you can bet Lou and Jim will be discussing potential roster and/or lineup moves for the important 10-game homestand (the longest of the season) starting Friday against the Diamondbacks. At 19-15 the Cubs are three games better than they were after 34 games in 2007. But there is still much work to do.

Everybody take a deep breath, blow the stench of this game out of you, and enjoy the day off tomorrow.

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A nice lineup change

will hopefully bring some spark to this team.

My 08 Cubs record 4-0
My 08 W.Sox record 0-2 (I havent seen a sox win in 3 years)
Updated April 26th

by Rudey on May 7, 2008 3:18 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

They're due...

...and the D-Backs have been playing average, the Padres have been bad and the Pirates are you know….bad. I’ll predict an 8-2 homestand. (2-1 against AZ, 3-1 against SD and 2-0 against PIT)

"I'm petrified of nipple chafing. Once it starts, it's a vicious circle." Andy Bernard

by TXCub on May 7, 2008 3:19 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

oops

3-0 against PIT

"I'm petrified of nipple chafing. Once it starts, it's a vicious circle." Andy Bernard

by TXCub on May 7, 2008 3:19 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Hope your right!

My 08 Cubs record 4-0
My 08 W.Sox record 0-2 (I havent seen a sox win in 3 years)
Updated April 26th

by Rudey on May 7, 2008 3:21 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Oh wow that would take more luck than anything

I’d say we go 1-2 vs az, 2-2 vs sd, and 2-1 vs pittsburgh

by CubsBall2202 on May 7, 2008 3:26 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

That sounds about right to me

At this point, I would take a 5-5 stretch. We will go through stretches like this and then we will be world beaters for a week or two again. We got teased with that stretch a couple of weeks ago and were winning everyday. We are really inconsistent right now, look great one day, sucky the next.

"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse

by BigJohnAZ on May 7, 2008 6:13 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

The problem is the pitching folks

It’s not good enough.

Sobering thought….take away our 6 for 6 record against the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates and examine the results, to include pitching performance. It’s the stuff of a 4th or 5th place ballclub.

Lou, stop being obstinate...bat Soriano # 6.

by MDBNIU on May 7, 2008 3:26 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

Sobering thought

Take away all of their losses and they are amazing….....this isnt nintendo, the Pirates count.

"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry
"Swung on belted!!!"---Chip

by Hammer on May 7, 2008 3:39 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

The point is

we beat up on the bad teams early on and, with the exception of the short series against the Mets, have been geting beaten consistently by the better ones . With the exception, of course, the last two out of three with Cincy-now we’re starting to struggle with the bad teams too.

by bluekoolaide on May 7, 2008 3:42 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

the point is

you and MDB keep making “exceptions” to make the teams record look unimpressive. this is a good team, quit the doom and gloom people seriously. and MDB, i will take Z and Demp with era’s under 3, knowing that Lilly is righting the ship and that Hill will be back after he gets his head straight, much in the same way he did after looking like a little girl against the South Side in 06, only to come back from that demotion to dominate.

"Anytime I want to throw 95 or 96 (m.p.h.), I can throw it. But it's not how hard you throw in the big leagues. It's how you locate your pitches and learn to pitch the game." - If Zambrano has truly figured out how to pitch, look out.

by kylejo on May 8, 2008 9:31 AM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I'm actually glad

I was unable to watch or listen to this game. I was hoping for a decent start by Lieber so we could stay away from our bullpen a bit to give most of them a 3-day break including yesterday and tomorrow. So much for that plan. Lieber will turn it around, I have faith.

The Cubs need to take a deep breath, enjoy the day off and get after it starting Friday.

Lets do it Cubbies

by slocs55 on May 7, 2008 3:28 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

This game was a perfect storm.

Lieber had nothing. Marshall probably wasn’t ready to pitch that early in the game and, who knows, maybe he was so unnerved at what happened to Lieber that he was bound to fail anyway. Gallagher is still relatively inexperienced enough to expect him to give up some big hits. Meanwhile, Reds batters were obviously locked in and Volquez was completely, utterly filthy.

The only thing I have a hard time agreeing with, Al, is not being worried about Jon Lieber. I mean, a bad outing is a bad outing. But giving up four home runs in one inning? That’s profoundly disturbing.

Nanika Ga Okoru!

Oh, and remember, folks: Alfonso Soriano is NOT batting leadoff. He's batting first.

by dat cubfan daver on May 7, 2008 3:29 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

GABP is a launching pad, always has been.

I’m still not worried. Let’s see what happens in his next start.

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

by Al on May 7, 2008 3:31 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Launching pad?

I guess the Cubs had a failure to launch

"My body is a temple.... a temple of doom." -source unkown

by Basman on May 7, 2008 3:37 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

That's fair

Jon Lieber is an okay pitcher. One lousy day does not an indictment of him make.

Lou, stop being obstinate...bat Soriano # 6.

by MDBNIU on May 7, 2008 3:39 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

that and

lieber couldnt hit the catchers mit to save his life. lieber does not normally mis his spots with that consistency. this looks like a blip in the radar, though he obviously isnt as good as he was in the games leading up to this one. he’s still a solid major league pitcher.

"Anytime I want to throw 95 or 96 (m.p.h.), I can throw it. But it's not how hard you throw in the big leagues. It's how you locate your pitches and learn to pitch the game." - If Zambrano has truly figured out how to pitch, look out.

by kylejo on May 8, 2008 9:33 AM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

it really did seem like the baseball gods

decided to make an example of us, didn’t it?

I mean, losing 9-0, that happens, but seven home runs in one game, off four different pitchers? FOUR HRs in one inning?

Rare, man. Very rare.

2008: The year we put it all together.

by drewishdrewid on May 7, 2008 3:36 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

lol

You’re another one of those who always makes an excuse or rationalization for Sean Marshall. Newsflash for you….he’s not very good. 10th or 11th guy on a pitching staff is his probable highest and best use. The guy you bring in during a game like this.

Lou, stop being obstinate...bat Soriano # 6.

by MDBNIU on May 7, 2008 3:40 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I don't have a problem with the Cubs getting blown-out once in awhile.

Yes, it happens. I’m more concerned with the 5-3 losses. I’ll trade a weekly blow-out for three or four close wins any day.

by bluekoolaide on May 7, 2008 3:44 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

the blowouts

are more indicative of inherent flaws

the closer a game is the more luck is involved. Most teams record in 1 run games over the course of the season will be very close to .500

I’d rather us lose a lot of close games and win a lot of blowouts. It would show we were a good team who was getting rather unlucky.

by DartmouthCubsFan on May 7, 2008 3:48 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Last year...

... the D’backs made the playoffs doing the opposite, winning close games and losing blowouts, which is why they wound up with a negative run differential.

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

by Al on May 7, 2008 4:49 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

So far this year they have a positve run differential

and that scares me. Al, we both said in ST that we were ready for the D Backs to fall back a bit, but these guys are amazing. This team can hit and they have speed. Haren, Owings and Webb are the studs, but Randy is looking better each start and Lyon is pretty solid as the closer. I am trying to see what you need to do to beat this team and there aren’t too many chinks in the armor yet. No lead is safe against them for the most part.

"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse

by BigJohnAZ on May 7, 2008 6:17 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

yeah

that’s not exactly the norm though… I mean if I told you a team won every game giving up 9 runs throughout the year you’d take it but would you expect all other teams giving up 9 runs to win?

by DartmouthCubsFan on May 7, 2008 6:51 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Arizona's Pitching staff..

Is FAR better than the Cubs staff as well. Makes a huge difference. You can win more close games when your staff is so strong.

"I love this world. I hope hell is as much fun!"

by HIGGY on May 8, 2008 7:24 AM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I'm too exhausted to argue with the likes of you.

Suffice to say, if he were that bad, the Cubs would’ve traded or DFA’d him long ago. Plenty of major league teams would love to call Marshall their fourth or fifth starter. Look at his numbers last year. Hell, even this year—he came into today’s game with a 2.70 ERA (albeit in only 6.2 IP). He went from being a starter to a LOOGY in about 2.5 seconds and, overall, has responded pretty well. Your irrational biases toward players make anything and everything you say suspect.

Nanika Ga Okoru!

Oh, and remember, folks: Alfonso Soriano is NOT batting leadoff. He's batting first.

by dat cubfan daver on May 7, 2008 3:48 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

MDBNIU may have irrational biases

but at least his head is still up his a$$....

by crazymountain on May 7, 2008 5:54 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Location, location, location

You throw fastballs over the heart of the plate, they get hammered a long way. Lieber had an off day. It happens. Tip your cap to the Reds.

And Al, enough of this jinx stuff. There is no jinx, no curse, only occassional, even frequent, incompetence and ineptitude. We human beings love to find patterns in life, don’t we?

In the middle of a good time, Truth gave me her icy kiss. Look around, you must be joking. All that way, all that way for this -Oysterband

by Ross on May 7, 2008 3:40 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

Like I said...

... I hesitated to mention that. But I’d still just as soon not have any Cubs on the SI cover. Wouldn’t you agree?

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

by Al on May 7, 2008 4:49 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

No.

No. I don’t agree. I don’t believe in curses or jinxes. I want the Cubs on the cover because it means they are doing well, and because it ticks off Brewers, Cardinals and White Sox fans.

People who believe in them are looking for excuses to justify or explain ineptitude. When something bad happens to somebody who was on the cover of the magazine, it is always thought of as a curse.

But seriously, if there really were a SI jinx, Michael Jordan would be long since dead, having been hit by a falling speaker at the United Center.

In the middle of a good time, Truth gave me her icy kiss. Look around, you must be joking. All that way, all that way for this -Oysterband

by Ross on May 7, 2008 5:53 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

LSA

"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 May 7, 2008 9:11 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

if there are any excuses for Marshall

its the fact he’s being used as a lefty specialist and all of the sudden he was called on as a long man

he hadn’t even pitched a full inning in over 2 weeks

by DartmouthCubsFan on May 7, 2008 3:45 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

Sean Marshall sucks...there I said it

Marshall tasted success last year because the league didn’t have a book on him. He throws two non-descript pitches as his bread and butter. Fortunately, Lou is smart enough to realize that you don’t dare have him go through a lineup more than once.

Marshall is not an option for the rotation. Not now, not ever. Unless of course we are destined to be a very lousy ballclub and have no other options to plug into the rotation.

Lou, stop being obstinate...bat Soriano # 6.

by MDBNIU on May 7, 2008 3:49 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

book on him?

he threw 125 innings in 2006 and 103 innings in 2007

so the book they had on him when he struggled in the first 125, they then lost for the next 103?

by DartmouthCubsFan on May 7, 2008 3:52 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Whatever

If you want to love Sean Marshall and think he is a fine young pitcher who should be in the rotation, then go for it. He’s not. But if it makes you happy then I won’t stand in your way. I can only argue with sabermetrician robots for so long. Tell you what, maybe you should examine Marshall’s pitching repetoire before you spit out historical numbers up the wazoo.

Lou, stop being obstinate...bat Soriano # 6.

by MDBNIU on May 7, 2008 3:54 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

"sabermetrician robots", lol

I’m starting to think you don’t even really know what “sabremetrics” even means.

Nanika Ga Okoru!

Oh, and remember, folks: Alfonso Soriano is NOT batting leadoff. He's batting first.

by dat cubfan daver on May 7, 2008 3:56 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

you suck... there i said it

If you want to think you know what you’re talking about then go for it. If it makes you happy we won’t stand in your way. you spew nonsense and if you can’t see it with your own trained professional scout eyes i just dont know what to say, I can only argue with uneducated muppets for so long. Tell you what maybe you should examine what actually happens on the field and is recorded with measurable numbers before you go spitting out nonsense up the wazzo

by DartmouthCubsFan on May 7, 2008 4:01 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

You are wildly uninformed.

He’s not an option for the rotation? Really? That’s funny because Lou has mentioned him as an option for the rotation on many occasions. For instance, when he sent Hill down, Marshall’s name was one of the first ones he brought up. Do you even know how many major league games Sean Marshall has started?

Nanika Ga Okoru!

Oh, and remember, folks: Alfonso Soriano is NOT batting leadoff. He's batting first.

by dat cubfan daver on May 7, 2008 3:56 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Whatever

So if Lou mentioned Sean Marshall as rotation option (which yes he did do) then tell me why isn’t Sean Marshall in the rotation? I’ll tell you why. Because it’s a REAL, REAL bad idea. Marshall has two pedestrian pitches as part of his repetoire to the plate. He is not going to make it as a starting pitcher in this league. He is Neal Cotts redux.

Lou, stop being obstinate...bat Soriano # 6.

by MDBNIU on May 7, 2008 3:59 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Lou knows best

he sure seems to have figured out the best rotation so far! Heck I’d be willing to bet everything Lou does is right and he’s gotten the absolute most production out of the rotation so far

by DartmouthCubsFan on May 7, 2008 4:02 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

He's not in the rotation because...

...a veteran pitcher named Jon Lieber was standing in his way. And, by the way, when you say, “whatever,” it makes you sound like a teenager. (No disrespect intended to any actual teenagers reading this.)

Nanika Ga Okoru!

Oh, and remember, folks: Alfonso Soriano is NOT batting leadoff. He's batting first.

by dat cubfan daver on May 7, 2008 4:08 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

where were you yesterday?

when the cubs won? do you still think Wood sucks?

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

by Chanman25 on May 7, 2008 4:25 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

He wasnt posting but he WAS watching

"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry
"Swung on belted!!!"---Chip

by Hammer on May 7, 2008 4:28 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Thank god....

.... that we have your astute and unbiased scouting and observational ability to tell us which of these players are good and not good.

Could you also tell me who will make the best president? My friend says Ron Paul, but I don’t think so because I don’t think his curveball is White House ready. What say you?

In the middle of a good time, Truth gave me her icy kiss. Look around, you must be joking. All that way, all that way for this -Oysterband

by Ross on May 7, 2008 3:56 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

death spiral

eject, eject, eject!

(This response contains as much substantive content as the above post)

2008: The year we put it all together.

by drewishdrewid on May 7, 2008 4:00 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

The problem

is not that blowout loss today, but rather, the give-aways of Friday and Tuesday. You win those two games and you can more easily set aside today’s game. Lou recoginizes that and is probably more disappointed in Wood’s blown save and the defensive lapses of the last few days than a day like today. Of course when it happens in the midst of a bad stretch it looks a lot worse. They’ll be fine. A day off is needed and a good homestand would be the perfect elixir.

Ups and downs happen all the time in baseball. It’s not easy to see through them but the Cubs have been down worse roads than this. Take a deep breath and get back after them Friday. Nothing else you can do.

Eighty-five percent of the f*ckin' world is working. The other fifteen percent come out here. -- Lee Constantine Elia, 1983.

by krummy12 on May 7, 2008 3:52 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

Absolutely agree

I would throw in Monday’s game against the Reds as a giveaway. Dempster pitches a great game (eight strikeouts, no earned runs), but because of two errors, he loses. The Cubs should have won that game 3-0, just like Tuesday.

by Not Bruce Froemming on May 7, 2008 10:20 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

OK i will match your SI magazine...

and raise you Soriano came back into the line-up. We have scored in order, 3,3,9,3,3,3,0 in those games. Spread the wealth if you believe in jinxes.

"I love this world. I hope hell is as much fun!"

by HIGGY on May 7, 2008 3:54 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

to be fair

he wasnt in the lineup today

by DartmouthCubsFan on May 7, 2008 4:03 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Yes you are correct...

Buuuutttt you catch my point. I was just saying, if you believe in jinxes you also have to look at what also happened at the same time.

You have this fun stat too:

The Cubs are 16-1 when they score four or more runs, only 3-14 when they get
less.

"I love this world. I hope hell is as much fun!"

by HIGGY on May 7, 2008 4:06 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

we did win

one of those three run games.

2008: The year we put it all together.

by drewishdrewid on May 7, 2008 4:40 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

yea - with our ace...

our ace doesnt throw everyday.

"I love this world. I hope hell is as much fun!"

by HIGGY on May 7, 2008 4:48 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

just saying.

we can win the close ones.

2008: The year we put it all together.

by drewishdrewid on May 8, 2008 10:12 AM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

just a hunch

but i think over the stretch of the season having soriano in the lineup will lead to more runs scored.

"Anytime I want to throw 95 or 96 (m.p.h.), I can throw it. But it's not how hard you throw in the big leagues. It's how you locate your pitches and learn to pitch the game." - If Zambrano has truly figured out how to pitch, look out.

by kylejo on May 8, 2008 9:42 AM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I dont care how they get wins

we just need to get some wins here.

//stating the obvious

---AC 00 00 00 - Believe

by mjk83 on May 7, 2008 4:05 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

Thank you Al!

I haven’t even read the first paragraph of this post yet, but I had to stop and give you a BIG THANK YOU.

One of my biggest pet peeves is the over-use of the words irony and ironic. I have this crazy theory that Alanis Morrsette is to blame for the current crazy over-use. NOTHING IN HER SONG IS IRONIC. Sorry for yelling.

Most of the time people should simply use the word “coincidence.”

So please, everyone reading this, know the definition of a word before using it.

End of mini-rant.

by soonerbered on May 7, 2008 4:13 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

I thought irony was like silvery or coppery:)

Literally is another one that drives me nuts.

Photobucket

"The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball"

by Bump Bailey on May 7, 2008 10:41 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

What bothers me the most

is the possibility of falling 3 1/2 games behind the stinkin Cardinals and their butthead fans.

by Itchy on May 7, 2008 4:22 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs

Yeah

time to put a stinkin’ birdo on an SI cover.

by JFCubFan on May 7, 2008 5:22 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Yeah! Why hasn't Ankiel been on the cover yet?

ESPN can’t make the circle jerk big enough for that guy.

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

by santoswoodenlegs on May 7, 2008 5:34 PM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

classic

"Anytime I want to throw 95 or 96 (m.p.h.), I can throw it. But it's not how hard you throw in the big leagues. It's how you locate your pitches and learn to pitch the game." - If Zambrano has truly figured out how to pitch, look out.

by kylejo on May 8, 2008 9:43 AM CDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

and now for some new news on an old subject...

Looks like the For Sale process is getting ready to actually begin. According to this article, financial books are set to go to MLB very soon, and from there, out to six potential ownership groups.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-wed-cubs-sale-may07,0,4151881.story

Interestingly enough, Don Levin doesn’t seem to be in the mix, unless he’s a silent backer behind one of the groups. Besides the group headed by John Canning (Bud’s crony), the other five are:

Five other groups are expected to receive the packets as well, sources say. The groups are believed to be those headed by Omaha’s Ricketts family, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, the partnership of attorney Thomas Mandler and businessman Jim Anixter, MVC Capital Chairman Michael Tokarz and private-equity investor Thomas Begel.

Another interesting concept raised in the article is that of “equity seat rights” as a financing tool as opposed to “personal seat licenses”. Intriguing concept – haven’t heard of anything like this before in the sports world.

IMO, there was not much good news in this article, but interesting stuff nonetheless.

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

by ballhawk on May 7, 2008 4:35 PM CDT reply reply   0 recs