Pregame Thread: Cubs vs. Astros, Sunday 7/20, 1:05 CT
by Al Yellon on Jul 20, 2008 11:30 AM CDT
in Game Threads
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PrintChicago Cubs at Houston Astros, Jul 20, 2008 1:05 PM CDT
Once again, this box is telling us the weather conditions outside the Juice Box. There's no way the roof is going to be open with weather like that.
Rick Morrissey, whose columns are often headscratchers, wrote this mishmash today. Can any of you tell me what the point of this is?
You may remember that for the last month or so of the 2003 season, Eric Karros had a home video camera with him, recording the memorable events of that time. Now he's not sure what he's going to do with them:
"I have not edited them at all, and nobody else has seen them," said Karros, a first baseman on the '03 team and currently a baseball analyst for Fox. "I don't even let my buddies see them. No other player has seen them. But I don't know what I'm going to do with them. It's not all for public consumption."
...
"It wasn't because I was trying to chronicle the Cubs," Karros said. "It was more or less, 'I don't think I'm going to play after this year, so I'll just do the last month for the heck of it.' That's how it started.
"It has not only the players, but Eddie Vedder is on there talking, and Michael Jordan spraying champagne in Atlanta (after the division series clincher) and acting like a little kid. And Ron Santo giving an emotional speech."
Don't know about you, but I'd love to see some of that.
Today's Boston Globe has has a long article on Boston-area native Rich Hill and even asked him about Steve Blass Disease:"I don't even know what Steve Blass Disease is," said the 28-year-old Hill. "I hurt my back. You can ask anyone who's ever played the game that when you suffer an injury, especially a pitcher, it throws your mechanics off. That's what's happened to me. I don't have anything structurally wrong with my back, but I've had back spasms and I've had to do my rehab and stretching. I'm much better."
The problem isn't mental?
"Absolutely not," he said. "I can still throw strikes. When I had the back issues, I couldn't throw my changeup where I wanted. I was just off. Now I'm getting my rhythm back. I'm becoming more aggressive. I know I'm only pitching at A ball, but that doesn't matter. It feels better. I'm more in control. I just feel like I'm getting back to where I was."
If he's telling the truth -- that it's all due to a back injury -- then maybe we will see the "old" Rich Hill back soon.
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Ryan Dempster has been a revelation this year, as you know. Here's one of the best numbers: in 66.2 IP last year he allowed 8 HR. In almost twice as many innings so far this year -- 124.2 -- he's allowed 11. I know, I know, the type of pitching isn't really comparable. His WHIP is a solid 1.179. He struck out the side in the 9th inning on Tuesday in the All-Star Game. One of those 11 HR was by Hunter Pence on May 20 in Houston, one of Dempster's three road losses so far this season.
Brandon Backe threw a fairly solid six innings at Wrigley Field on April 6 in a game the Cubs won 3-2 off Houston's bullpen. They haven't had much chance to get into the Astro pen this weekend yet. He is working on a 10-inning scoreless streak. WAY past time for this Cub team to have an offensive outburst, particularly the slumping Aramis Ramirez, who is .438/.500/.625 (7-for-16, 1 HR) lifetime vs. Backe.
I've given up predicting the result based on TV channel. You can watch on WGN, or check the MLB.com Mediacenter.
MLB.com Gameday (2007 version)
MLB.com Gameday (2008 version)
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Today's first pitch thread will post at 1:00 pm CT and the overflow comment threads will post at 2:15 pm and 3:15 pm CT.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
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Comments
Farce
"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08
woo-hoo!
"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08
by drewishdrewid on Jul 20, 2008 11:30 AM CDT up reply actions
and now, in honor of my first first achievement
a Filk, by Dwer
To the tune of Ms. Robinson, by Simon and Garfunkel.
And here’s to you, Soriano
Santo loves you more than you will know (Woo-woo, woo-woo, woo-woo)
Lou bless you please, Soriano
The Hall of Fame holds a place for those who play
(Hey, hey, hey, hey… hey, hey!)
We’d like to know a little bit about you for our cards
We’d like to help you learn to help the Cubs
Look around you, all you see are sympathetic eyes
Stroll around the field until you feel at home
And here’s to you, Soriano
Santo loves you more than you will know (Woo-woo, woo-woo, woo-woo)
Lou bless you please, Soriano
The Hall of Fame holds a place for those who play
(Hey, hey, hey, hey… hey, hey!)
Hit it over the basket where Ernie never goes
Put it in your glove with your hoppy-hop
It’s a little goat, just the cheezburger affair
Most of all, you’ve got to do it for the kids
Coo, coo, ca-choo, Soriano
Santo loves you more than you will know (Woo-woo, woo-woo, woo-woo)
Lou bless you please, Soriano
The Hall of Fame holds a place for those who play
(Hey, hey, hey, hey… hey, hey!)
Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon
Watching all the players swing the bat
Laugh about it, shout about it
When you’ve got to choose
Ev’ry way you look at it, Astros lose
Where have you gone, Alf Soriano
A nation turns its lonely eyes to you (Woo-woo, woo-woo, woo-woo)
What’s that you say, Pat and Ron Santo
Airin’ Alf has left and gone away
(Hey, hey, hey, hey… hey, hey, hey)
"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08
by drewishdrewid on Jul 20, 2008 11:32 AM CDT reply actions 2 recs
Does anyone else's eyes twitch from time to time?
My lower eye-lids have been twitching for almost a week now. WTF
"I think Hendry still has a few years to serve on his 'grand larceny' sentence before he can shop in Pittsburgh again" - ballhawk
Rich Hill
Rich pitched Friday night and he was fairly good through 4 innings. He had given up 4 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk and had struck out 6. Then he came out for the fifth and only got one more out. So he’s got a long ways to go.
Here’s a link to the box score
and a link to the recap that shows Hill finished his evening with back to back walks:
Lineups
Cubs
Theriot, SS
Fukudome, RF
Lee, 1B
Ramirez, 3B
Edmonds, CF
DeRosa, LF
Soto, C
Fontento, 2B
Dempster, P
Astros
Matsui, 2B
Erstad, CF
Berkman, 1B
Lee, LF
Tejada, SS
Blum, 3B
Pence, RF
Towles, C
Backe, P
by Bruce Miles on Jul 20, 2008 11:51 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
same as Friday's
lineup, innit?
"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08
by drewishdrewid on Jul 20, 2008 11:56 AM CDT up reply actions
thanks Bruce!
"We have a pretty strong belief that we are going to win those types of games. It's our confidence. "--Cubs pitcher Ted Lilly
by Madison Cub Fan on Jul 20, 2008 12:02 PM CDT up reply actions
Just made a fanpost about it...
but the Brewers finalized a trade with the Giants to obtain Ray Durham. WOuldn’t that be kinda of weird for him today, going to the visitors locker room rather than the home one. I’m sure he isn’t in the lineup or on the bench today but just making the point.
"Go Cubs Go"
Rumor is...
Durham and Taschner for A Outfielder Darren Ford and AAA pitcher Steve Hammond, in either one or seperate deals.
Nobody cares about your fantasy league team
by carmen_fanzone on Jul 20, 2008 12:26 PM CDT up reply actions
Ugh
Ray’s been hitting the Cubs pretty good this year.
by salparadise23 on Jul 20, 2008 12:37 PM CDT up reply actions
I'm pretty sure this is what was going through Morissey's head
Keep in mind this fellow tends to let his mind wander
“Huh. The Cubs and Bears have the most popular articles on chicagosports.com. I should write an article about them. Ok, what to say about the Cubs, I havn’t seen them play in years. O wait! Didn’t they draft that kid who played football at Notre Dame a couple of years ago? Notre Dame football’s pretty popular, right? Ok I’ll throw that in there. I’ve noticed Brett Favre’s also been a pretty popular story as well. I think I’ll make a reference to him, even if I can’t do it coherently. What about Brian Urlacher? A lot of people like him, right? Well there we go. All right, I’ve mentioned the Cubs, Bears, and Notre Dame football…o wait. People might start to think that Chicago only has the Cubs and the Bears. I should list the rest of the major sports teams in Chicago ranked in popularity, just so people don’t get that idea. Moving on, I saw that Brett Favre in a Bears jersey picture today…I love it when those youngsters mess around with that photoshop business. O no, I’m talking about the Bears again. Better make a quick reference to the less popular White Sox. Hmm, I wonder why I have to keep mentioning the less popular teams. I think it’s because I actually like to write about good stories, and not just what’s most popular (thus disregarding this entire goddamn column). And just for the hell of it, I’ll mention Favre and the Cubs one more time. Another great column!”
"Sharks are as tough as those football fans who take their shirts off during games in Chicago in January, only more intelligent." --Dave Barry
Sorry I got
kinda carried away there.
"Sharks are as tough as those football fans who take their shirts off during games in Chicago in January, only more intelligent." --Dave Barry
BCB look different to anyone else today?
I’m not seeing anyone’s avatars.
"Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball." - Jacque Barzun
me either.
"We have a pretty strong belief that we are going to win those types of games. It's our confidence. "--Cubs pitcher Ted Lilly
by Madison Cub Fan on Jul 20, 2008 12:34 PM CDT up reply actions
I'm seeing some of them
but others are “small Cubs Jersey” or “W Flag”...
"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08
by drewishdrewid on Jul 20, 2008 12:35 PM CDT up reply actions
bump, I don't see yours at all.
"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08
by drewishdrewid on Jul 20, 2008 12:35 PM CDT up reply actions
All I see are those generic ones...
"Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball." - Jacque Barzun
SBN clearly has graphics problems today
the fan shot display on the right side are also messed up
What doesn't destroy you makes you stranger -- The Joker
And the BCB logo isn't there in the upper left hand corner
''Listen, losing Soriano is no box of chocolates.'' ~Lou Piniella
bah
where IS everybody? The game starts in 15 minutes!
"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08
well
no one said they liked my song.
pout.
"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08
by drewishdrewid on Jul 20, 2008 12:52 PM CDT up reply actions
:)
thank you.
"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08
by drewishdrewid on Jul 20, 2008 1:01 PM CDT up reply actions
awww
I like your song, Drew!
::and here's to you, Sor-i-an-o::What doesn't destroy you makes you stranger -- The Joker
I always like it
when people turn my posts green. :D
"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08
by drewishdrewid on Jul 20, 2008 1:01 PM CDT up reply actions
I liked it too...
Just glad it wasn’t “and here’s to you Ryan Theriot”....:)
"Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball." - Jacque Barzun
I would
NEVER…
"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08
by drewishdrewid on Jul 20, 2008 1:54 PM CDT up reply actions
Some people we
know very well lost their 13 year old son last night. He was playing football with friends and collapsed. So tragic.
Carlos Zambrano and Rich Harden. Now that's a pair of Aces.
heavy heart indeed
I can’t think of a worst tragedy. My heart goes out to you and your friends.
What doesn't destroy you makes you stranger -- The Joker
Just a little note
Felix Pie is working an 11 game hitting streak
by cubsonWGN4ever on Jul 20, 2008 12:59 PM CDT reply actions
Good for him.
I hope he can make it back to Chicago.
Carlos Zambrano and Rich Harden. Now that's a pair of Aces.
Lou's really groping around for an answer...
Dropping Soto to 7th? Moving Dome back to 2nd?
"I've never complained about it. I'm thankful to have a jersey." Mark DeRosa, 22 Aug 2007
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