Biting The Hand That Once Fed You: Cubs 6, White Sox 7

by Al on Mar 5, 2009 9:03 AM CST in Recaps Comment 38 comments

I'll freely admit I didn't see the last half of this game -- the West Coast starts wind up ending far too late for someone whose work schedule starts at 4 am -- but three former Cub farmhands were primarily responsible for the Cubs' 7-6 loss to the White Sox in Las Vegas late last night.

Michael Restovich, who Jim Hendry signed in 2006 to provide a potential platoon partner for Jacque Jones (and then Dusty Baker refused to play him), homered off Angel Guzman in the 8th inning to tie the game. Then, Ben Broussard and Josh Kroeger, who were teammates at Iowa in the Cubs' organization last year, teamed up in the ninth for the winning run, Broussard driving in Kroeger, who had singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch by David Patton.

During the part of the game that I did see, Jeff Samardzija gave up three runs in three innings, issuing no walks. That's good, but the two batters he hit isn't. The Shark seemed up in the zone throughout, and the Sox got 14 hits off Cubs pitching, five of them for extra bases. John van Benschoten, a one-time first-round pick of the Pirates who has never been able to stick in the majors, was responsible for six of those hits and allowed four of the Cubs runs. At 28 and with a 9.20 career major league ERA in 90 innings, I might gently suggest that van Benschoten try another line of work.

Good things from Cubs players: Ryan Theriot had three hits and Mike Fontenot (a triple) and Aramis Ramirez had two each. That's about it -- Cubs pitching wasn't that great, except for the scoreless innings thrown by Chad Fox and J. R. Mathes, neither of whom has much of a chance of making the 25-man roster.

Len & Bob spent quite a bit of time on the air with a PR flack touting the virtues of spending vacation time and money in Las Vegas, which gave me the impression that hotel bookings in Vegas are way down and they're getting a little desperate in these tough economic times. The attendance of 11,459 was pretty good on a cool night. We'll see if the day game attendance today is as good. I'll have a game preview/thread up at 1 pm CST.

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the riot can just hit

www.wrigleyexpansion.com

by drodd on Mar 5, 2009 9:10 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

He actually hit a double last night.

He had only 19 all last year, after having 30 the year before. If he could get his XBH level up to 2007 levels while keeping his BA over .300, he’d actually be a useful hitter.

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

by Al on Mar 5, 2009 9:14 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Plus, he's spraying the ball to all fields right now

If he’s able to turn on some more pitches, he may find some more extra base hits.

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg

by Trey2317 on Mar 5, 2009 9:20 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly.

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

by Al on Mar 5, 2009 9:24 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Credit where credit is due...

…I did see him turn on a ball and send it down the left field line last night. I agree with Al – if he can turn his singles power into doubles power, he’d probably get a lot more guff from people.

My sig line is out for jury duty.

by dat cubfan daver on Mar 5, 2009 12:20 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd be easier on him if

he’d learn how to run the bases (I don’t mean just the steals).

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Mar 5, 2009 12:33 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That would definitely help, too.

My sig line is out for jury duty.

by dat cubfan daver on Mar 5, 2009 12:35 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I can get over the singles power

and the occassional stupid baserunning error if we can get rid of the need to double clutch every throw to 1B to turn what should be a routine grounder into an exhibition of DLee’s gold glove skills.

by halfblindcubbiegirl on Mar 5, 2009 1:57 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That's a priming mechanism

Otherwise, he can’t throw that far.

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Mar 5, 2009 2:02 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Ryan Theriot can flat out hit

His defense is average, but his critics need to realize his value as a hitter. He is a sparkplug. No question about it.

by BLou on Mar 5, 2009 9:37 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Guzman is not making a strong case for himself...

He gave up 3 runs the other day and a HR today. His ERA is at 12 so far in spring. For a guy fighting for a spot in a crowded bullpen, he’s not showing himself well.

For some, he still has the luster of being a former top pitching prospect, and he had the decent start to the 2007 season before cramps and then a major arm injury derailed him (again). He’s yet to show he’s really back from yet another major arm injury.

by SouthernCub on Mar 5, 2009 9:26 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I'd agree

Hopefully, he’ll find himself and bounce back. For all we know, the Cubs are asking him to work on secondary pitches or specific locations, and that’s what is causing some of his problems. I think he can be a solid bullpen arm if he gets it together.

Plus, the Cubs have another month of games to play – it’s plenty of time for Guzman, but he does need a confidence-building appearance or two.

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg

by Trey2317 on Mar 5, 2009 9:29 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Guzman is shaping up to be playing for another organization by the time April 1st rolls around

by BLou on Mar 5, 2009 9:38 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

It's still early, but...

.. he’ll have to pitch better to make the team.

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

by Al on Mar 5, 2009 9:38 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

agree

He looked awful.

wccubfan

by wccubfan on Mar 5, 2009 11:26 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I've heard similar things about Las Vegas' economy

4 and 5-star hotels on the strip can be booked for under $100/night currently. I was out there Super Bowl weekend for work, and it wasn’t nearly as packed as I thought it would be.

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg

by Trey2317 on Mar 5, 2009 9:27 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I concur

guys here at work are getting ~$30-40 a night deals at the nice hotels on the strip. These are weekday rates, but still pretty low. My sis in law works at a casino, I should call her and see how things are at her place. That’s another nice thing about living out here, I’m only 5 hrs away from a free room in Vegas ;)

I’ve read that even though it makes sense to put a MLB team in Vegas, the gambling aspect still causes MLB to be a bit gun shy.

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

by BigJohnAZ on Mar 5, 2009 4:31 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The little part I did catch last night....

..felt like a Vegas.com infomercial.

Nice little two out single by Taguchi. Does he accept a spot at Iowa, ya think? I didn’t realize the guy turns 40 this summer.

Nobody cares about your fantasy baseball team

by carmen_fanzone on Mar 5, 2009 9:37 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I think he does accept a spot at Iowa.

Might be a good insurance policy.

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

by Al on Mar 5, 2009 9:38 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Good insurance policy for sure.

Also, has 2 World Series rings…

Brian McRae's 5 o'clock shadow

by PurpleLineToWrigley on Mar 5, 2009 10:14 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That’s where I remember Michael Restovich from! I had the game on last night and could not place my finger on how or why I knew the guy. I totally remember Jimbo signing him and Dusty not playing him at all. Thanks for the memory jog.

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

by dtpollitt on Mar 5, 2009 10:00 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

The Cubs and WGN have a tourism deal with the City of Las Vegas

According to Bruce Levine’s blog:

The Cubs’ and White Sox’s match-ups in Vegas March 4th and 5th will gross the Cubs $1 million and net the White Sox $150,000. In reality, both teams are being paid $150,000 for their two-day excursion, but the Cubs and WGN-TV have a tourism deal with the city of Las Vegas that ups to ante for the north siders with a continued connection between Las Vegas tourism and Cubs advertising.

Hey, it's a new century!

by cowsarecool220 on Mar 5, 2009 10:15 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Van Benschoten

You do realize that Van Benschoten was highly regarded as a hitter when Pittsburgh drafted him to pitch. I will presume that soon enough Van Benschoten may follow the leads of Rick Ankiel and Adam Loewen and switch over to hitting in order to salvage whatever may be left of his baseball career. He may not need to switch lines of work quite yet.

Who needs a stinkin' tag line? What are they for anyway?

by krummy12 on Mar 5, 2009 10:16 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

He should have done that four years ago.

I got his age wrong. He’ll be 29 next month. Maybe he’s the next Micah Hoffpauir.

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

by Al on Mar 5, 2009 10:21 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

He set the MAC records for RBI, hits, walks and total bases in a season while at Kent State.

So there is some talent there; I don’t know what the shoulder surgeries have done to his power, though.

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg

by Trey2317 on Mar 5, 2009 10:23 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Tough

You’re pretty tough on the guy Al. He’s had arm injuries and while I’m not usually defending guys without major league ability but I’m not sure a random Pirate farm hand should draw particular interest.

Who needs a stinkin' tag line? What are they for anyway?

by krummy12 on Mar 5, 2009 10:24 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

He's hardly a "random Pirate farmhand".

He was once a #1 draft pick. Maybe injuries have hurt him, but he’s been pretty bad throughout his professional career.

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

by Al on Mar 5, 2009 12:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Come on Al

He’s a random farm hand in the White Sox organization now, I don’t think anyone would dispute that. And even so, that’s not the point. No matter whether he was a first round pick or a 50th round pick, the point was that you were a little hard on a guy that hasn’t had much success at the major league level, mostly due to arm injuries.

Who needs a stinkin' tag line? What are they for anyway?

by krummy12 on Mar 5, 2009 1:50 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

My question, then, is...

… why is he in a major league spring training camp?

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

by Al on Mar 5, 2009 1:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

On another note

It should be noted that Soriano was particular brutal in LF last night. Shying away from balls, failing to come in and call off Theriot on a ball that dropped. He was not good last night in the field for certain. Nothing new though.

Who needs a stinkin' tag line? What are they for anyway?

by krummy12 on Mar 5, 2009 10:26 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I thought Kroger sounded familiar last night

Broussard not so much. I still remember when I went to an Iowa Cubs game a few years back and Restovich put one into the drink behind the ball park. It bounced but if any of you have been there, that’s a long way even if it was hell of a bounce.

"You just don't know understand how frustrating this is"- Kevin Borseth

by TkGoUWGB on Mar 5, 2009 12:29 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Gotta love spring training

Love to see all these happy Cub fans enjoying the return of baseball.Seems we are always finding something or someone we dont like on the team.As for Theriot I have to agree he does not get the credit he needs with the bat.A 300 avg. with almost 180 hits and only 85 runs.Yeah it would be nice for some extra bases,but maybe we need someone hitting behind him to move him up on the bases.As for Soriano everyone needs to understand we signed him to hit not to play outfield.God knows he cant field to save his life.But i take it the Cubs must be enjoying that idea,now we are gonna put Milton Bradley out there also.I sure hope Fuckudome or Johnson whoever is in center can cover a ton of ground.

Telling it how it is

by Telling it how it is on Mar 5, 2009 12:57 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I hope that was an unintentional typo

By the way, what’s with your user name in the sig line? Isn’t that redundant? Or at least repetitive?

Shanghai Badger

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Mar 5, 2009 2:04 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd hope it was unintentional

And your sig as your username is going to get irritating if you hand around a lot.

And put spaces between your sentences, otherwise you turn into a teal deer (tl;dr).

by halfblindcubbiegirl on Mar 5, 2009 2:07 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

was a typo

sorry bout that.I love Fukudome as much as the next. Just a typo..

When my time on earth is gone,and my activities here are passed,I want they bury me upside down,and my critics can kiss my ass! Bobby Knight

by Telling it how it is on Mar 6, 2009 7:07 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Televised?

Was this game televised? I was home sick yesterday, and I’ll be ticked off if I was watching the Mariners play Australia when I could have been watching the Cubs. LOL

Any idea when the next televised game is? Link would be just fine. Thanks as always!

Dave

by Dave in the basement on Mar 5, 2009 1:02 PM CST reply actions 0 recs