Chicago Cubs vs. Houston Astros Preview, Sunday 9/18, 1:20 CT: A Little More History
by Al Yellon on Sep 18, 2011 11:15 AM CDT
in Chicago Cubs Game Threads
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October 3, 1976.
That's probably not a day that you remember well, even if you're old enough to do so. It was a Sunday, the final day of baseball's regular season that year. The 1976 Cubs were not a very good team; it would be the final game of Jim Marshall's Cubs managing career.
Why am I mentioning this today? Because before today, that was the last time the Cubs hosted a team at Wrigley Field that came into the day with 100 or more losses. On that 1976 date, the Cubs came in at 74-87; the Montreal Expos were 55-106. The Cubs finished a three-game sweep by defeating the Expos 8-2.
There's one more possibly significant thing that could happen today. On July 30, the Cubs lost their fifth game in a row to reach a season-low 23 games under .500 (42-65). The Pirates were 54-51, 13 games ahead of the Cubs when that day's action was completed.
Since then the Cubs are 25-20 and the Pirates 14-33. If the Cubs win today and the Pirates lose, the two teams will be tied for fourth place in the NL Central. The Cubs haven't been in fourth place since May 16. It's a small thing. I, for one, will take it.
Cubs lineup:
Castro SS, Campana RF, LaHair LF, Pena 1B, Byrd CF, DeWitt 2B, LeMahieu 3B, Hill C, Dempster P
Astros lineup was not available at posting time. Brett Myers is the starting pitcher.
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Ryan Dempster has had a rough year, no doubt about it. He and Brett Myers matched up on August 16 in Houston and Dempster actually outpitched Myers that day, giving up just two runs in seven innings, and just four hits. It would be nice to see Dempster finish the home season strong; he comes in with a home ERA (3.83) two runs lower than his road mark (5.83).
Brett Myers has always been tough on the Cubs. In three starts this year he has a 2.70 ERA and 1.05 WHIP. The Cubs finally got to him in that August 16 game, scoring four runs in seven innings. The Cubs should have won that game, and would have if not for Carlos Marmol. Anyway, I digress: perhaps this will be the day that the Cubs can finally defeat him.
Today's game is on CSN Chicago; no Houston TV (except online via MLB.TV). Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation Astros site Crawfish Boxes.
Today's first pitch thread will be up at 1:20 p.m. CDT and the overflow threads will post at 2:15 pm, 3:15 pm and 4 pm CDT. If you need more overflows due to extra innings or rain delays, post them in the fanshot section.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
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Love the kids in the lineup
But I have to say, where’s Tyler Colvin? Only 4 starts in September.
I would have liked to see Byrd, Hill and DeWitt replaced for a day too....just for the hell of it
"Well-behaved women seldom make History"---Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
by cooliogirl47 on Sep 18, 2011 11:32 AM CDT up reply actions
Do the Cubs not have a winning record in Hill's starts?
I believe they do…
by Limey Cub Fan Jay on Sep 18, 2011 11:40 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
I know...but like I said...just for the hell of it I think it would be fun to watch a whole new lineup, for me anyway
"Well-behaved women seldom make History"---Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
by cooliogirl47 on Sep 18, 2011 11:47 AM CDT up reply actions
The handling of Colvin baffles me
And, that is being polite. We’ve never seen fully what he can do at the MLB level. He has holes in his game, we know that. But, can he work through them and improve? He has the ability to play all three OF positions capably. Not great in CF, but he won’t harm you. He has legitimate pop at the plate. So, why won’t Quade play him? Why didn’t Quade find 4 starts a week for him early in the year? No reason he couldn’t have pitched in with a day off for Soriano or Byrd a little early on. Plus some RF games. Was there some power struggle to put him on the roster I am unaware of, and Quade just won’t play him? Pinchhitting every few days doesn’t tell us anything about what Colvin can do.
I think we have seen what he can do
and sadly, it appears he just can’t do it.
by Not Bruce Froemming on Sep 18, 2011 11:42 AM CDT up reply actions
He started 20 games in August.
He has shown no improvement. He went down in AAA and walked 5 times while striking out 55 times. He needs to start 2012 in AAA and see if he can learn some plate discipline.
John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.
That's not accurate, ripete
He had a .715 OPS in August. While that is not outstanding, it shows remarkable improvement from his previous numbers this year. That’s higher than Byrd (.647),
I meant in plate discipline.
You are right, his slugging was up but I’m still convinced he will not succeed without improved plate discipline. He swings and misses at too many pitches. High strikeout guys can succeed if they have a good eye and only swing at their pitches. Adam Dunn was a good example. High strikeout guys that swing at everything rarely succeed. Soriano did based on great speed and athleticism. As that is disappearing you see what is happening to him.
John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.
dunn didnt swing at everything
I'm a happy panda.
by jesus christos on Sep 18, 2011 12:30 PM CDT up reply actions
That was my point.
I used him as an example of a high strikeout guy who only swings at his pitches. He misses a lot obviously but at least they are pitches he thinks he can handle. Colvin swings at everything.
John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.
we do know what he can do
hit a home run 4% of the time and look like he’s never held a bat before 96% of the time
I'm a happy panda.
by jesus christos on Sep 18, 2011 11:53 AM CDT up reply actions
No Houston TV? Is that normal or just because the team blows?
It’s the 4th largest TV market in the country. This baffles me.
Oh, and I for one don’t care if Colvin never plays again, even if it means my enemy Byrd gets the starts.
"I'm not a broadcaster! I'm me!"--Ron Santo
It appears the Cubs think Colvin is beyond repair.
Why else would he languish on the bench? It also appears that LaHair is the flavor of the month. They are giving him a long look as a left handed bench player for 2012. If he can hit this way for an entire season why not?
We'll miss you Big Boy. #10 for Hall of Fame.
by mrcubsfan on Sep 18, 2011 11:47 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
And they should.
I Think LaHair can claim that spot and save the $2-3 million that a veteran might cost.
John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.
Because they can do both
Try to get Colvin’s problems worked out AND play LaHair. The problem is Quade refuses to give Pena significant time off. Colvin and LaHair could easily BOTH play every game.
Colvin's problems are not going to be solved in the next two weeks.
He needs a whole new approach. The major leagues is not the place for that.
John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.
Colvin probably needs a lot of sideline work with a better hitting coach than anyone now in the organization
He has to improve his strike zone discipline. Sending him out now may just be grooving the same mistakes.
why in the bench?
LaHair should start. He deserves it!
We'll win... Someday!
by karlitodj79 on Sep 18, 2011 1:19 PM CDT via iPhone app up reply actions
39,500 today but...
worried a bit about the rain – if this game doesn’t go then 3 million isn’t possible. I’m predicting they get it in with about 3 and a half hours of rain delays!
by doofus cubs guy on Sep 18, 2011 11:47 AM CDT reply actions
October 3, 1976
Growing up in Muncie, In before cable, I was as a 12 year old a huge fan of the Big Red Machine. In 1975 we went to both home playoff games and Game 3 of the series. In ’76 we could not get postseason tickets, so on October 3 myself, my family and about 40,000 others were at Riverfront to watch the Reds smash the Braves for win number 102 on their way to a postseason sweep. And I had my picture taken with the eternally awesome Pedro Borbon before the game.
God I love baseball!! Go Cubs!!
When you are going through hell, keep going- Winston Churchill 1940
Colvin not in the kiddie lineup.......Good to see Byrd in there....We need to see what he can do....
I was almost able to root for them today….
But then I see Hill. DeWitt, Byrd, and Pena in the “Kiddie Lineup”
So ignorant…..Back to rooting for certain players….
TJ, I have to admit you've become one of my most respected posters here.
"I'm not a broadcaster! I'm me!"--Ron Santo
The sad thing, TJ
is that Byrd is a class act. But Quade trotting him out there this much pisses me off. Byrd hustles and in the right situation could be a useful 4th or 5th outfielder. But its my contention that he has less value going forward than Campana or Colvin. I know that’s a huge leap of faith, but there it is.
Well...
Some speed, athleticism, power. Don’t get me wrong, I agree completely with what you said above about plate discipline. I don’t think he can be a productive player without it. In 2010, his slash line was .316/.500/.816. That’s pretty promising for a first-year player. I think if he could (and obviously the jury is out on this) raise his on-base up from that 20 points, and retain his power, we have a very productive player at low-cost. Can he do it? Some here say definitely not, some say possibly so. The point is, there was zero reason not to see if it were possible in a lost 2011 season. There was little risk, with some substantive reward.
A bit MORE history
33 years ago today, WKRP in Cincinnati debuted.
WWOZ.org - New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Station
God as my witness,
I thought turkeys could fly.
Step Two: Develop an organizational plan
by Shanghai Badger on Sep 18, 2011 12:10 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Loved KRP!
Hang onto your brains, fellow babies, this is Doctor Johnny Fever and have I got a contest for you! First prize is, you don’t have to die! Second prize, a pocket comb!
that is one of the best sitcom lines....EVER!
"Chicago baseball fans, who are composites of scar tissue and mortifying memories..." - George F. Will
Avatar provided courtesy of AndrewJStone.
Loved that show.
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the ground each morning the devil says, "OH CRAP, SHE'S UP"!
Campana in RF??
why not flop with with LeHair? I don’t think either is best suited to RF, but Campana has no arm at all, and LeHair has played more RF than LF since joining Cubs. A minor thing but I don’t quite understand Q’s thinking….
Dumbest blackout rule yet.
The CSN Chicago feed and EI broadcast is blacked out here in Houston even though no Houston channel is carrying the game. How does that make sense?
Nope.
Hughesnet medium speed internet with Fair Access Policy is not friendly at all.
Colvin or Byrd?
Who has worse plate discipline, especially with RISP? Just saying, Byrd hacks at every first pitch he can with RISP. Quade hasn’t helped with the development of Colvin, and in a lost year a manager needs to look to the future.
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