A Homer Night: Cubs Homer Off Homer, Then Lose To Reds On Walkoff Homer
by Al Yellon on Sep 16, 2011 7:30 AM CDT
in Chicago Cubs Recaps
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The Cubs hit two two-run home runs off the Reds' Homer Bailey in the first inning -- one by Carlos Pena, one by Marlon Byrd -- and took a 4-0 lead into the second.
Piece of cake, right? Easy win? Series split, enjoyable early plane ride home? Time to celebrate Byrd passing the magical 30-RBI plateau?
Not so fast. The Cubs apparently had that plane warmed up and waiting and forgot how to hit after that. The unfortunately-named Bailey settled down and gave the Cubs just two more hits and completed work through the sixth inning -- longer than Cubs starter Randy Wells, who had his worst outing since early August and didn't finish the fifth. The Reds eventually took a 6-4 lead.
The Cubs, in fact, had just those two hits until the ninth inning, when they had a very nicely done game-tying rally against Reds closer Francisco Cordero.
Tony Campana worked a full count before slashing a single to left. Alfonso Soriano had a pinch-hit double, scoring Campana easily. Soriano, left in the game, advanced to third on a fly ball by Starlin Castro.
Then Darwin Barney defeated the Reds' pulled-in infield by bouncing a ball high in the air off the ground in front of the plate; it eluded Brandon Phillips into center field for the tying run.
Sean Marshall pitched two shutout innings in relief, striking out four.
All good, right?
Not so fast, again. All this accomplished was delaying the Cubs' flight home for today's afternoon game, because after the Cubs pinch-hit for Marshall, James Russell came into the game in the bottom of the 11th and lost the game by an 8-6 score in seven pitches to Joey Votto and Jay Bruce, which went:
Called strike, ball, ball, ball, called strike, double by Votto, home run by Bruce.
That was one of Russell's worst, if not the worst, outings he's had as a reliever this season. It happens. Sometimes pitchers who do well in a role have a bad day. He picked the worst possible time to do it. The Cubs dropped to 20 games under .500 and their flight home was due to get in at almost 1 a.m. I remember hearing decades ago that some Cubs players, when faced with arriving at the ballpark from a road trip that late to pick up their cars, with a day game the next day, would just sleep in the clubhouse.
They'll face the Astros in just a few hours. Today's preview thread will be up at 11:30 a.m. CDT.
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Homer?
If the Cubs still have a chance, no matter how small, it’s still Go Cubs, damn the math and pass the KoolAid.
by eths on Sep 16, 2011 7:44 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
ran out of position players
shouldn’t we call up a few more guys since we can?
When the Southern League playoffs end...
… I’d think Steve Clevenger would be called up. I could be wrong, but that would make sense, to have a third catcher.
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Yeah, it kind of is.
Robinson isn’t really a prospect. But the Cubs could have used a third catcher, and there are plenty of people on the 40-man roster who could simply be released.
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oops - I meant can I make the obligatory 'why hasn't Wellington Castillo been called up' reference
Cue someone pointing out (for the 23rd time) that’s he’s on the DL
by doofus cubs guy on Sep 16, 2011 8:10 AM CDT up reply actions
Correct...
Of course Robinson is probably better than Hill and Quade does not want to do that to him.
Soon maybe Clevenger will be up to sit and watch Soto and Hill play.
I am more concerned with why
Jake Fox is not on this team when we need him most.
by cozmotaylor123 on Sep 16, 2011 8:13 AM CDT up reply actions
For the folks that watch this stuff day in and day out
I tip my cap or feel sorry for you, or both. I just read the recaps and I get pissed at this team. Yes, the season has been over since Easter, but it’s the same old story.
Could be worse, I thought the W Sux were going to do better with their lineup at the start of the season, so getting spanked pretty much at will the last month when they could have made the AL Central a two team race has to feel worse for their fans. The Cubs weren’t expected to contend so a lost season doesn’t hurt as much.
This off season for the Cubs is their most critical in a few years, what they do will set them up for a good run in a couple of years or keep them at the bottom and losing more fan support. Personally, this is the most down I have been on this team in many years. It’s one thing to be a few players away or a manager away from serious contending, but the entire Cubs organization except maybe their farm teams is in serious trouble.
Fire Jim Hendry. Injuries aren't the problem.
Yep. I agree.
At least Cashner threw 97 mph yesterday. And Shark was OK. And Tony got a hit in the 9th to start the rally. What else is good news? Hmmm….
"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.
Like you say
if that’s the Good News Today for this team, where do you start? lol
Fire Jim Hendry. Injuries aren't the problem.
37,000 plus today!
3 million is in reach – and as Wally Hayward noted ‘the run of 3 million in attendance started the year Crane Kenney was named Prez’!
by doofus cubs guy on Sep 16, 2011 7:52 AM CDT reply actions
37,000 plus may be the announced attendance.
It’s cloudy here and probably won’t even hit 60 degrees today. I’d expect fewer than 15,000 actually in the house.
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AL
Just curious…do you keep track of hits to this site during a baseball season? if so, what has the tally been this year vs. past years?
by cozmotaylor123 on Sep 16, 2011 9:07 AM CDT up reply actions
It's down somewhat, as you might expect.
But until about mid August it was pretty close to previous years. One of the biggest days ever was the day Jim Hendry was fired.
FWIW, the biggest day in the history of this site was the day Ron Santo died.
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I would expect
it to pick up this Oct. with rumors and GM stuff.
by cozmotaylor123 on Sep 16, 2011 10:08 AM CDT up reply actions
We come here when we're ecstatic, we come here when we're depressed.
Seeya Jimbo! Good job, Tommy Boy!
The very definition of asshat
Wally Wayward attributing the increase in attendance to Clown Kenney being named Prez is akin to Mark McGuire attributing his HR binge to lasik eye surgery !!!!
I was thinking that it must be tough for some of the players
that they ended a potential good road trip in a crap season with a major fail and have to play extras on top of it, and then be bright-eyed for a day game after riding the red eye from Cincy. They probably can’t get the season over fast enough and today they’ll be dragging.
Fire Jim Hendry. Injuries aren't the problem.
I am pretty shocked Al did not bring up the three LF going out for the bottom of the 9th.
The Reds announcers were enjoying it.
This team is a circus.
I couldn't even figure that out myself.
The circus ends after 12 more games.
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Both papers did not mention it either...
A simple question…..
“Hey Mike, why did you have 3 LF go out for the bottom of the 9th inning?”
Is this that hard?
I missed that.
I was busy doing other things. Did 3 players actually go out to leftfield at the same time?
Please tell me no.
They did....
Soriano and Campana were shown on the Reds feed coming off the field. Both had PH in the top of the 9th. Both went to LF along with LaHair…..
Soto was the double switch, not any of them.
Like I said the Reds announcers enjoyed this. Said they had never seen anything like it.
Quade really was burning through players last night, needlessly.
Boy if this doesn't sum up the year.
I mean there are a lot other situations that shows the lack of understanding, lack of direction on how to run a club. But this just shows Quade has:
1. Can not manage at this level
2. Given up.
Russell should have intentionally walked Bruce (30 homer guy).
What was Quade thinking?
"Hey-Hey! Home Run! Attaboy Ronnie!" ~ Jack Brickhouse
What was Quade thinking?
I think you’ve answered your own question here.
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Of all the ways to lose. Russell has been pretty reliable,
and I can’t really put the blame on the same ‘ole same ’ole ways we usually lose. I thought the game would go on further. but like Al said, sometimes it happens and Russell took the loss. I guess we could have made errors, not tied it in the 9th, had more RISP that didn’t score, Marmol could have blown another save, Grabow could have given up the runs. That seems like the usual ways we lose. So, Russell took the heat with the loss. I’m kinda numb after all these losses anyhow. Let’s finish up our last home stand on a high note just for fun.
We'll miss you Big Boy. #10 for Hall of Fame.
Honestly TJ, don't you know that...
If the Cubs still have a chance, no matter how small, it’s still Go Cubs, damn the math and pass the KoolAid.
Robby Slaughter?
Is that Quade’s pseudonym?
by Jody Jody Davis on Sep 16, 2011 10:29 AM CDT up reply actions
"This is simply unfair to the Cubs, even though a flight from Cincinnati to Chicago is less than an hour. What if tonight's game goes into long extra innings?"
Al: I absolutely knew last night’s game was going into extra innings when I read your pre-game yesterday!
Why did Quade give the quick hook
to Shark and then to Cashner when Wells got busted out in the 5th inning? And why was Wells kept in when everyone but Quade knew he was having a terrible day. Was it more imprtant to get him the win rather than the team victory? Just another memory to recall when the Quade apologists tell us it wasn’t his fault.
If it wasn't for the injuries, we'd be printing WS tickets right now.
Was it more important to get him the win rather than the team victory?
Based on what we’ve seen, apparently, yes.
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I had a school meeting last night
So I was home for 4-0 Cubs and 4-2 Cubs. Then I got in the car to head home and heard 6-4 Reds. Ugh! It was nice to see the 9th inning comeback. Good experience for Campana and Barney.
"Just shut up and play" - Matt Garza
I don't know what Tony Campana's future value is
But if Dave Roberts can be used effectively for boston in the 2004 ALCS, TC will probably have an mlb career. Not a guy you build a roster around, but a good 24th or 25th man.
"Just shut up and play" - Matt Garza
by RiskyBusiness on Sep 16, 2011 10:02 AM CDT up reply actions
Except Roberts walked frequently.
Campana is barely a 25th man with a .300 OBP. Just like Colvin and Barney, Campana’s future is very limited due to horrible plate discipline. I think some Cubs fans have gotten so used to it that they don’t see the huge flaws in these young players.
John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.
Does Campana need to take more walks - Yes
I’m doubtful he’ll hit is way into a starting job. So if he doesn’t take more walks, he may not have much of an mlb career. If he can take some walks and his speed continues, he can have a career as a 5th outfielder.
But Dave Roberts was probably the same. He didn’t get more than 400 PAs until he was 30. And he didn’t take enough walks at the mlb level before he was 30.
"Just shut up and play" - Matt Garza
by RiskyBusiness on Sep 16, 2011 12:22 PM CDT up reply actions
We basically agree
but Roberts didn’t take many walks before age 30 because his career didn’t start before age 30. He had less than 200 AB’s but you are right , he didn’t walk in those 200 AB’s. However, Roberts did put up a line of ..271 / .390 / .379 at age 24 in A and AA and 336 / .431 / .489 at age 26 in AA and AAA. Roberts walked in the minors and once he started playing in the majors he continued.
Bottom-line, we both agree Campana needs to walk. I’m just not a believer that many players can change their approach by the time they make the majors. I know Al likes to mention Sammy Sosa. For various reasons, that is not a good comparison.
John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.
I think you and I would agree on this also
There’s a difference on how guys get walked.
Tony Campana – he needs to learn to work the count, see more pitches, defend the plate, etc. And that probably requires at least some approach change along with learning mlb pitchers.
Sammy Sosa – he learned mlb pitchers, became a HR threat, and got pitched around.
"Just shut up and play" - Matt Garza
by RiskyBusiness on Sep 16, 2011 1:27 PM CDT up reply actions
So wait.
You were home during the Cubs lead, and then got in the car to head home?
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home during the lead - it was dinner
Then headed to school. I got left the school and started to head back home. I turned on the radio and it was the bottom of the 8th. I’me only 5 minutes from home so I turned on the TV for the top of the 9th.
"Just shut up and play" - Matt Garza
by RiskyBusiness on Sep 16, 2011 9:50 AM CDT up reply actions
the coveted 30/30 club
The best news of year, by far, is Byrd is now within screaming distance of the much coveted 30/30 club … 30 walks and 30 RBI …
Eight more walks in only 12 games?
Unlikely.
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Unlike the other Chicago team, the Cubs have spared themselves the indignity of falling out of a pennant race in September.
Only Gordo the Wit-less could write something so brain dead. They’ve been out of it since the end of May !!!!!
I think you are missing the sarcasm.
That is his point, the Cubs are falling on the race in September because they were out of it well before September.
John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.
Sigh...typo
That is his point, the Cubs are not falling on the race in September because they were out of it well before September.
John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.
Free ticket if anyone wants to go the game today
Just got in town for my last games of the season. Have an extra for today. Very short notice but if you want to skip work and see Garza email me at maddux2014 at gmail dot com.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either
by Doggie Stalker on Sep 16, 2011 11:02 AM CDT reply actions
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