Who Gets Bumped From The Rotation When Carlos Zambrano Comes Back?: Cubs vs. Astros, Sunday 5/17, 1:20 CT
by Al Yellon on May 17, 2009 12:30 PM CDT
in Chicago Cubs Game Threads
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PrintAmong other events today, Carlos Zambrano will be making a rehab start for Daytona at Dunedin this afternoon; the game begins at noon CT. You can follow the game via the milb.com scoreboard page.
Meanwhile, I think it was a smart idea to move Sean Marshall to the Cardinal series, where he and Ted Lilly will both start: the Cardinals are hitting .220 vs. lefthanders.
So, what will happen when Z returns on Friday? Lou says he likes Marshall in the rotation, but with Randy Wells also throwing well, Lou will have a choice to make. It's a nice problem to have: too many good starting pitchers. I'd stick with Marshall -- he's done a good job and it's always nice to have more than one lefty in your rotation. Wells can become a long reliever -- that is, if Lou ever figures out how to properly use guys like that.
Chris DeLuca writes, almost in the Telander vein, about the current steroid controversy fueled by the Manny suspension. Unbelievably, he quotes former Giant and Cardinal Jack Clark on the issue:
"You want to pay to watch something special," Clark said in a rant relayed by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "But now you watch these guys, and it's not special, it's not fun. And you never know where [the next revelation] is coming from."
Well, I dunno. If the mainstream sports columnists want to keep doing "flavor of the month" columns and continue to rant that "everyone" is under suspicion, let them go ahead. Somehow, though, Jack Clark isn't the guy I want to hear it from.
Lou listened to Alan Trammell regarding his infielders:
[Bobby] Scales started at second after playing two games at third, with Mike Fontenot going back to third. Manager Lou Piniella made the switch at bench coach Alan Trammell's suggestion.
"Alan feels more comfortable with Fontenot at third," Piniella said. "[Trammell] is our infield coach, and I listen to him on where we should play our players."
Smart thinking. I saw Scales play third in spring training. He wasn't good there. Second base, he can handle.
Oh, one more thing. There's a hockey game this afternoon, too. Go Hawks!
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Here's what I wrote about Moehler on Friday:
Brian Moehler's ERA is 8.44. That's really bad, but the good news for him is that it has actually come down steadily with each of his starts. He threw seven good innings in his last start -- against the Padres, who as we just saw, have trouble hitting. His previous start vs. Washington, decent results, same thing, bad-hitting club. He started against the Cubs on April 8 in Houston and they drilled him for eight hits and seven runs and he used 37 pitches to get five outs. Moehler is 37 and when he was a September callup for the Tigers in 1996, one of his teammates was... Cubs bench coach Alan Trammell. If that isn't a signal to retire, I don't know what is.
All of that is still true. Let's beat him.
Rich Harden has a long history with a lot of current Houston players -- but not while they were Astros, instead facing many of them during his AL days. He has only two career starts vs. the Astros, the last one being 11 days ago in Houston, when he threw seven good innings and the Cubs won 6-3. Just to prove that it can be done, Kevin Gregg actually threw a scoreless inning that night.
Today's game is on WGN -- at last, available nationwide. For today's other games see the MLB.com Mediacenter.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Overflow comment threads will post today at 2:15 pm, 3:15 pm and 4 pm CDT.
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Excellent analysis, thanks.
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money."
--Ernie Banks
Personally, I disagree with his claim that Lou's managing is similar to the strategies of Sun-Tzu.
But I guess he had to summarize it with “First”….
"I'm not much of a chemistry guy, you know. Chemistry to me is a pinch-hit double with the bases loaded"--Jim Frey, Chicago Tribune, 1985.
Let's start the game already!!!!
First 1/2
"They say we don't look good on paper. Well, we don't play on paper." Joe McCarthy (1926)
by Bricks and Ivy on May 17, 2009 12:34 PM CDT reply actions
I don’t really see this one being close. Harden’s a much, much better pitcher than Moehler. Line-ups haven’t been posted by Gordo or Bruce yet.
MIL & STL have Parra & Wellemeyer going, if we win and MIL loses we are in sole possession of first place.
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money."
--Ernie Banks
As I sit in the Victory Field press box
I can see Corey Patterson outside the Syracuse dugout, signing autographs. I’m tempted to ask him “Weren’t you Corey Patterson?” but I don’t think I can outrun him.
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
LINEUPS
Soriano, Theriot, Fukudome, Lee, Bradley, Soto, Fontenot (2B), Scales (3B), Harden
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money."
--Ernie Banks
I'm assuming this is our best lineup until Aramis gets back.
Odd that Al cites Alan preferring LBR @ 3B but Scales starts there today.
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money."
--Ernie Banks
hard to say if its best
Hoff is out hitting Lee, seems a toss up there (glove to Lee, bat to Hoff)
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
I'm sorry, I just can't favor Hoffpauir over anybody.
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money."
--Ernie Banks
even with his bat
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
Despite the fact that he's
much, much better than Lee this year? 300 points of OPS better?
That’s just silly.
Bitching about an argument that's been rehashed on this website dozens of times bores me.
Lou’s not gonna change his mind. Micah’s already played in more games than Milton Bradley, any of our pitchers (obviously), any other bench players. He’s played a lot. 26 of 35 games already.
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money."
--Ernie Banks
if it bores you, why do you enter into it?
I’ve never understood the people who complain that something is being talked about too much on a website such as this. It’s ioncredibly easy to avoid the conversation. If you see someone start it, just don’t read or respond to it.
by WanderingWanderer on May 17, 2009 1:03 PM CDT up reply actions
I said it bores me, not that I don’t mind talking about it. I understand I don’t have to participate if I don’t want to.
I think it’s a rehashed argument that people fall in one of two camps—and there’s nothing we can do about it. Lee’s not gonna be traded, he’s the veteran and Lou favors that, Micah is having a great start but IMO is a flash-in-the-pan 29 year old rookie. Cubs fans LOVE to overreact too quickly.
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money."
--Ernie Banks
i didnt bitch
and if i seemed to, was not meant that way
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
Yeah, that's fine.
You can’t break out of a slump on the bench.
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money."
--Ernie Banks
Who gives a shit about breaking out of a slump?
It’s about winning games. And Micah Hoffpauir undeniably gives the Cubs a better chance of doing so.
Well, I do, for one.
For a guy that’s making $13,000,000 this year, is a team captain, and one of our best defensive players, I actually care “a shit” about him breaking out of a slump. With a NTC he’s not going anywhere, remember?
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money."
--Ernie Banks
We're done here.
No need to call me stupid or swear at me. Have a good day.
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money."
--Ernie Banks
???
I didn’t swear at you, and I said that your focus on a player rather than the team is stupid… not that you’re stupid.
Didn't Lou just said he put Scales at 2nd y'day because of Trammel's advice?
WTF is he starting at 3rd today?
Nobody cares about your fantasy baseball team
by carmen_fanzone on May 17, 2009 1:13 PM CDT up reply actions
Randy Wells for Hanley Ramirez ?
Ok just kidding but the Marlins must be DESPERATE for anything resembling a starting pitcher. Our old friend
Jon Koronka is starting again. So far he has given up 3 runs , including starting the 2nd inning by giving up a home run to the # 8 hitter and walking the pitcher. So maybe Wells AND Jake Fox Hanley ( yes still kidding).
"I daydream just like everybody else, I just do it with my body facing the field, so everybody thinks I'm paying attention."- Greg Maddux
by Doggie Stalker on May 17, 2009 12:45 PM CDT reply actions
Chris Carpenter is scheduled to start on Wednesday against us.
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money."
--Ernie Banks
What, for 2.1 innings?
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 Bill Potter on May 17, 2009 12:49 PM CDT up reply actions
isnt that called
extended BP?
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
Either that
or “injury-prone”
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 Bill Potter on May 17, 2009 12:53 PM CDT up reply actions
Yawn.
Lee’s not going anywhere. He needs to work through his struggles this year. I’m fine with playing Hoffpauir enough so his value is increased and we can trade him the hell away from our bench to the AL, where he can DH and keep his crappy glove in his gym bag. Micah is a liability in the field, plays two positions crappily, and essentially hurts a bench spot we could use for some more versatility. Let Micah play in spot starts so we can trade the bum and keep Lee as the starter so he can figure out what the hell’s wrong.
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money."
--Ernie Banks
Why call him a bum?
"I'm not much of a chemistry guy, you know. Chemistry to me is a pinch-hit double with the bases loaded"--Jim Frey, Chicago Tribune, 1985.
Because I don't like him and want somebody else on our bench?
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money."
--Ernie Banks
I have no problem with Lee playing (okay, not a HUGE problem)
but batting him fourth is just asinine.
by WanderingWanderer on May 17, 2009 1:04 PM CDT up reply actions
Yeah I can agree with that. Not clean-up.
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money."
--Ernie Banks
Where to begin on your Micah rant.....
Meh, never mind.
Nobody cares about your fantasy baseball team
by carmen_fanzone on May 17, 2009 1:16 PM CDT up reply actions
LOL, did Hoffpauir deny you for an autograph or something?
Your dislike of him is just… well, weird.
yeahit was great yesterday too.
reminds me off Ut’s campus here in Austin, just top notch talent all over
Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living."
youa re in Austin?
where about? I am off Riverside
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
up near the arboretum
Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living."
small world
Two of my bros work at the Michaels there. You go to see UT often?
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
went to one game this year
looking forward to football season
Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living."
we should meet up for a game sometime
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
Not his best outing
Looked like he was overexcited early (first two batters walked), and then got burned in the 4th by a walk and a couple doubles.
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
Think this will at all change the plan to bring him up for the Friday game at SD?
I would doubt it would……
it's a tough call...
I agree though, although our starting pitching has been really good lately, Wells doing a great job.
Drive, Monkey Drive!
he'll throw a bullpen between now and then
I’m sure if he throws without discomfort and hits some spots, he’ll make his start.
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
Never
judge a pitcher’s rehab start by how they did. Major league starters aren’t trying to get minor leaguers out. They’re working on commanding their pitches and throwing pain-free. Sometimes that means throwing the same pitch six, seven or even eight times in a row. Even a guy in class A can hit a pitch that he knows is coming.
by Josh Timmers on May 17, 2009 1:21 PM CDT up reply actions
So did he throw pain free, I take it?
"Chicago baseball fans, who are composites of scar tissue and mortifying memories..." - George F. Will
Anyone watching on MLB TV?
Probably not – I am probably the only person who’s cable package doesn’t include WGN.
But MLB TV just switched from commercial to show a guy running across the field. He was in a suit – black jacket, black pants, and he was bookin’ it from RF across the pitchers mound and into the dugout. Two grounds crew guys were chasing him. It gave me quite the chuckle.
That was Conan O'Brien doing a lame PR stunt.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Moehler's BAA: .389
GREAT!
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money."
--Ernie Banks
http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2009/5/17/877544/first-pitch-thread-cubs-vs-astros#comments
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money."
--Ernie Banks
i think wells should replace patton in the bullpen, and wells and marshall should take turns in the pen/rotation, depending on the upcoming series (if lefty would be needed the marshall, if righty is needed than wells. i dont think itd be fair to marshall to get kicked out of the rotation but it would be also unfair to wells who has been spectacular so far
by CubsFanInWisconsin on May 17, 2009 1:33 PM CDT reply actions
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