Chicago Cubs vs. Cincinnati Reds Preview, Friday 3/18, 3:05 CT: Two Weeks To Go
by Al Yellon on Mar 18, 2011 1:00 PM CDT
in Chicago Cubs Game Threads
Email
PrintSCOTTSDALE, Arizona -- Opening Day at Wrigley Field against the Pirates is two weeks from today. Most of the Cubs' roster spots are settled; the only real decisions remaining appear to be fifth outfielder and some of the bullpen spots. (We can hope for a real competition for backup catcher, but unfortunately, that decision appears to have been made already.)
A few notes:
- Alfonso Soriano is healthy this year, perhaps 100% for the first time since he's been a Cub. The Cubs expect more power from him. Maybe yesterday's long home run is an indicator.
- Cubs starting pitcher ERAs have been quite good so far this spring. Ryan Dempster talks about what that means, and doesn't.
- Gordon Wittenmyer on some of the roster battles. And here's more from Patrick Mooney at CSN Chicago on the second base job in particular.
- Phil Rogers has another one of his wacky ideas: make Carlos Marmol a starter. Right, Phil, because he was so good in that role in 2006, and all those walks would make him a great starting pitcher. ::: facepalm ::: to this one.
Carlos Zambrano will start today against the Reds' Sam LeCure, who is in line for a Cincinnati bullpen slot, not their rotation. Other Reds scheduled to throw today: Matt Maloney, Daniel Ray Herrera and Jared Burton. The other side of the coin is the Cubs' Carlos Silva, who will appear in relief today to see if he can handle a bullpen slot. Barry Rozner says the Cubs should just cut him and eat the contract.
Complete lineups after the jump.
Cubs lineup:
Colvin RF Castro SS Byrd CF Ramirez 3B Pena 1B Soto C Soriano LF DeWitt DH Barney 2B
The reason for the DH: Big Z has a sore left wrist, which obviously won't affect his pitching, but they've decided to hold him out from hitting today.
Reds lineup:
Stubbs CF Phillips 2B Votto 1B Rolen 3B Bruce RF Gomes LF Hanigan C Janish SS LeCure P
Here's all the media information for today.
MLB.com Gameday for today's game
Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today. The game is on MLB.com audio with Len Kasper and Mick Gillispie.
Please visit our SB Nation Reds site Red Reporter. Be careful over there, though.
There will be an overflow thread posting at 4:30 p.m. CDT. As usual, the overflow thread will NOT post on the front page but will be in the "Recent Stories In Game Threads" box on the right sidebar. If you need an extra overflow thread beyond that one, post it in the FanShot section.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
79 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
March is so looooooooonnnnggggg!!!!!!
I am so ready for opening day already!
"I'll tell you what's helped me my entire life. I look at baseball as a game. It's something where people can go out, enjoy and have fun. Nothing more." - Harry Caray
first?
Wow I think this is my first first! Lol….like using the new mlb app works great while um at work
by nmcubsfan on Mar 18, 2011 1:06 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
first - Arnold sez wrong
By all that's holy, I am going to attend the 2012 Randy Hundley Fantasy Camp.
Remember, Sully, when I promised to kill you last?
"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root
"Blow off some steam, Bennett."
"I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die." - Anonymous
With the offensive
struggles last year and some re-appearances of it this spring you would think they would want to DH every day…
Maybe I've had too many shamrock shakes lately, but it seems to me that Soriano has been batting 7th a lot lately...
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
The fact that Hill is given a job despite everything is simply amazing!!!!
The Cubs always make excellent decisions!!!!
In the articles Quade is quoted as saying "the players make the decisions for you"....
Really?
I think Hill has made a decision for everyone….But it does not count.
it all depends on who the cronies are I guess!!!!
Hill did make the decision...
he made the decision to sign that $850,00.00 contract. When he made THAT decision, the decision for him to a member on this team was already wrapped up for Quade.
"There had to be a place where the game could be fun again….that place is called Wrigley Field"---Andre Dawson
Hill can be 2 things at the plate.
Can you figure it out?
by ubercubsfan on Mar 18, 2011 2:01 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
The decision to give him that contract was by Hendry!!!!!!!
Smart move considering we don’t have anyone at all who could possibly fill his shoes!!!
Money well spent!!!
Hill
Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill Hill
By all that's holy, I am going to attend the 2012 Randy Hundley Fantasy Camp.
You rolled the damned odometer
Now we have to get a new truck
"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root
In theory
I think the best lineup the Cubs could put out there would be letting Castro play second base and making Barney the shortstop.
But in reality, I don’t think you can ask Castro to move to second base on the fly like that. He’d need a lot more practice. And it’s not like Barney is going to significantly outhit DeWitt. So the expected gain really wouldn’t be worth the cost of moving Castro to second on the fly.
Agreed
Although you would also be hurting any development that Castro would be making as a SS. Most scouts/evaluators say he will be a very good SS in time. The tools are there, they just need refining.
However, for this year only, I would guess that it would be the optimum lineup.
I agree...but his value at SS is much more than his value at 2B.
Everyone seemingly has a good 2b prospect, Castro is of a dying breed, a good hitting SS who can pick it.
"What do you think, I just dunked my whole career?" Jordan asked Henderson after making a 3.
"You’ve got to miss eventually," Henderson told him.
"That’s what Cleveland said," replied Jordan
Brilliant!!!
"Chicago baseball fans, who are composites of scar tissue and mortifying memories..." - George F. Will
Avatar provided courtesy of AndrewJStone.
Phil clearly didn't have enough to write about this week.
That’s called stretching — and Marmol will never be a closer again. Remember when the Reds tried to convert Danny Graves? The guy was never the same after that bonehead experiment.
Didn't the Cubs
Try and convert one of there starters to a reliever last year? i cant remember….
"There had to be a place where the game could be fun again….that place is called Wrigley Field"---Andre Dawson
grrrrr...
*their
"There had to be a place where the game could be fun again….that place is called Wrigley Field"---Andre Dawson
Marmol becoming a starter would go about as well...
as Rodgers becoming a journalist.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Mar 18, 2011 4:38 PM CDT up reply actions
Tickets Still Available for April 1 Opener
I think it will sell out, but the tickets haven’t been selling like they have in the recent past.
2011 - The 103rd time is the charm.
The Mets let Luis Castillo go today...
The Cubs have to be interested in signing him, just to keep the string of signing ‘former Marlins who ripped our hearts out in 2003’. I’m on board, c ya Dewitt!
Honestly?
Offer him a minor league deal. I wouldn’t be opposed. He’s almost certainly done, but given the lack of a clear favorite at second for us, I wouldn’t mind having another option.
He's 35 with no range on defense...
I don’t think we need that.
I just thought it would be cool to have another Marlin (D Lee, Dempster, Pierre)
Then again… why not? The Mets are eating his contract anyway – sign him up
How bad is his defense at this point?
I honestly don’t know.
Speaking of Fox...
has anyone noticed JAKE Fox’s ST numbers?
"I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die." - Anonymous
A better option
I think Soriano moving back to 2B is a better option than signing Castillo…no thanks.
How About Getting Sandberg Back at 2B?
He’s only 51 years old. Sandberg might have more range than Castillo at this point.
2011 - The 103rd time is the charm.
Why do I want to call Brandon Phillips "BopCo"?
It doesn’t fit his initials or abilities, but that self-imposed nickname sticks in my head every time I see his name. Weird…
"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root
Blake DeWitt did something good!
Nobody tell BCB!
"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root
Good job getting that run in!!!!!!
But without a hit….Avg down to .167…..
Still over a 100 points higher than Hill!!!!
Scored one, too
"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root
Scott Rolen just hit fastball to Prescott
"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root
Bruce TOOTBLAN
"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root
I come in and the Cubs tie it up.
Wo0t!
A lovely story:
One day, long, long ago, there lived a woman who didn't whine, nag or bitch. That would be me....
But that was a long time ago and it was just that one day.
The end
Sam LeCure
There’s a reason you’ve never heard of this guy.
"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root
Aw, Tyler
Beautiful inning, anyway
"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root
Just joining. Update?
There are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. Who says baseball isn't a religion?
Rolen mashed Z
And then we knocked LeCure around the park. He’s gone now. Cubs lead 6-4
"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root
Yeay.
There are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. Who says baseball isn't a religion?
Followed by a lot of ground-outs in the 4th
Same score, bottom 4.
"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root
guess not...
There are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. Who says baseball isn't a religion?
Everybody but Castro has either a hit or an RBI..
by DisCUBbobulated on Mar 18, 2011 4:22 PM CDT up reply actions
Hill stays
The 20-year-old phenom? He’s outta here!
"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root
Barney and Castro have played together in the minors, right?
May not be a bad idea…
"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root
I don't think they did
I believe Castro replaced Barney on the Smokies roster when Darwin was promoted to Iowa. But even if they did play together there, it was for a very short time.
The time they played together the most would have been in Chicago last September.
by Josh Timmers on Mar 18, 2011 4:45 PM CDT up reply actions
Clogged for Sori
Please not the dreaded slider, Dan!
"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root
There's, like, 12 comments in here
You just like that new thread smell, don’cha?
"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root
Thank goodness for MLB audio, video, and Gameday
I can’t say it enough times. We who live in the hinterlands would be lost without these wonderful Internet apps. And, they are affordable! ;-)
--Zip
Even those of us who live right in Chicago...
… appreciate those things. Except for the blackouts, MLB does them very well.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
how have colvin and pena
Looked today? I still don’t get how colvin isn’t the full time starter. What’s the kid gotta do
Pena had three hits, now hitting .297.
Colvin, two hits, looked better at the plate.
Check out Chicago sports coverage at SB Nation Chicago
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Bleed Cubbie Blue
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recommended FanShots
Recent FanShots
Cubs By The Numbers
Cubs By The Numbers is a history of the ballclub by uniform number, but the biographies help trace the history of our beloved team in a new way. For everyone who's a Cubs fan, anyone who ever wore the uniform is like family. Cubs By The Numbers reintroduces readers to some of their long-lost ancestors, even ones they think they already know.
Click here to order your copy, available now!
Recent Stories in Chicago Cubs Game Threads
Recent Stories in Ticket Exchanges
Baseball Nation Recent Stories
In Association With
Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
- College player makes impossible over the fence catch to save tournament game (Video)
- Security!: Camden Yards guard collides with Royals’ Mike Moustakas
- The Juice: Nelson Cruz matches career high eight RBIs, Pujols stays hot in Seattle
- Benches clear at Fenway as Red Sox-Rays rivalry heats up
- Keeping good company: Albert Pujols becomes fourth-youngest player to hit 450 home runs
