Tonight is the first official Cubs Social Media night, where the Cubs are actively courting twitter nerds. They’re having a fancy panel at the Captain Morgan Club, and get to hobnob in the right field bleachers, trying to out-tweet each other while enjoying their free t-shirts, baseball cards and one hot dog. Make sure to follow Julie (@JulieDiCaro), as she’ll be keeping us abreast of any and all advancements on and off field tonight.

As for the on-field action, the Phillies limp into Chicago tonight. Vance Worley was supposed to start for the Phils, but due to elbow soreness, he’ll be replaced by Kyle Kendrick (0-3, 7.32). On the mound for the Cubs is Matt Garza (2-1, 2.56). Garza struggled through 5 innings in his last start, which was his first since his courageous battle against the flu. Hopefully he’ll have his rhythm back tonight and mow through the Phillies.

» Continue reading “Live Game Thread: Cubs Social Media Night (7:05 Central)”

MLB Hall of Famer Harry Wright invented the infield shift. He's one of Dale Sveum's greatest heroes.

Cubs manager Dale Sveum played the numbers in the ninth inning with Yadier Molina at bat. Darwin Barney shaded Molina up the middle, but the evil one hit a ball just out of Darwin’s reach and into right field for the game winning hit.

“It’s unfortunate,” Barney said. “One quarter of a step from maybe saving a run. … That’s kind of how we play ‘Yadi.’ He’s such a talented hitter and can hit to all fields.

“He tends to hit the ball up the middle to the pull side early in the count. If there were two strikes, I probably would have shifted over a little more. But with Dolis’ sink, I committed to playing the middle.”

Oh yes, Rafael Dolis. Dale Sveum, any thoughts or suggestion for your young interim closer?

“He can’t keep throwing fastball after fastball,” he said. “He has a good slider and he has to use it. Not that that was the place or anything, but I think he’s learning to use that pitch more.”

Please don’t confuse him like this, Dale. While we’re on the subject of the bullpen, any suggestions for Kerry Wood, whose streak of effective outings stopped at two?

The Cubs bullpen was the Achilles’ heel again. Kerry Wood walked two and blew a one-run lead in the seventh. Sveum said Wood may have to throw more in the bullpen warming up.

“It’s one of those things,” Sveum said. “The ball is coming out of his hand well, but (he issues) four-pitch walks right away.”

That’s sort of been a thing around here for years, Dale.

» Continue reading “Cubs Wednesday Headlines: St. Louis Split”

The Cubs earned a hard-fought victory last night in St. Louis. Ryan Dempster got some run support but then gave up a four run lead. The Cub offense had enough in the tank to pull out a win against the Cardinal bullpen. How does it feel to have won, but still be winless, Mr. Dempster?

‘‘That’s all right. Baby steps,’’ said Dempster, who pitched the first six innings of the Cubs’ 6-4 win over the first-place Cardinals in the opener of a two-game mini-series at Busch Stadium. ‘‘We got a win when I started a game. So that’s nice. You feel like you did your part.’’

You did your part in making sure that Shawn Camp was awarded a win. Alfonso Soriano came through in the eighth with the game-winning RBI. Has Dale Sveum considered moving him down in the order due to his lack of production?

‘‘One of the reasons is we don’t really have anybody else to put in that spot,’’ said Sveum. ‘‘You try to mix things up a little bit as far as left-right in that area. We talk about home runs, but it doesn’t have to be home runs. It’s just a matter of driving the runs in and doing a lot of things with the top of the order getting on base.’’

Said Soriano: ‘‘I don’t have the home runs, but when my team needs a big hit, I’m there. I know my power is coming sooner or later, so for right now, it’s big hits and help the team win. That’s more important than homers.’’

Yeah, but it would be nice to see some homers, too.

» Continue reading “Cubs Tuesday Headlines/Game Thread: Meet Me In St. Louis (12:45 Central)T”

I feel your pain, my friend.

Ryan Dempster has an ERA  of 1.02 and a WHIP of .85 thus far this season.

He also doesn’t have a win.

Granted, I know that when I say “Ryan Dempster has a WHIP of .85,” many of you say “I don’t understand those words in that order,” but still. Five games with an ERA of just over 1.00 and a WHIP below one is a long way to go for no wins.

The Cubs hope to remedy Demspter’s win record tonight, when they head to St. Louis to take on Jake Westbrook (4-2, 1.76) at Busch Stadium. Tonight’s game is the first of a short two-game series before the Cubs come home to take on Philly mid-week and the White Sox over the weekend.

The Cubs may currently be the sole resident of the NL Central basement, but they’re only 6.5 games behind the Cards, who are fresh off a 3-game losing streak. Could the Cubs come out of the series 8.5 games back? Sure. They could also come home to face Philly 4.5 back.

Some optimism, please.

» Continue reading “Cubs Live Game Thread: Will The Cubs Screw Dempster Again?”

The Cubs were on the verge of ruining Mother’s Day, facing a sweep by the Brewers. Jeff Samardzija and crew managed to band together to defeat the Brewers on the strength of the bullpen and late-inning offense. Spellcheck had only given up one run in five innings, but having thrown 91 pitches, Reed Johnson was sent to the plate to pinch hit for him.

“They caught me pretty quick there coming down the dugout,” Samardzija said. “But when you have guys like Reed and them to pinch hit for you, especially with the top of the lineup coming up it’s the way it goes sometimes.”

Johnson’s home run briefly put Samardzija in line for the victory, until reliever Shawn Campcoughed up the lead in the bottom of the inning. Camp then got credit for the victory when the Cubs went ahead for good in the seventh inning.

“It’s always good to be able to affect the game like that,” Johnson said. “I knew that he was up there pitch count wise so anytime we have a leadoff situation that’s usually my at-bat as well. Just go in there and put a good swing on it is all I was trying to do.”

Oh, Shawn Camp. Always looking to steal wins from the starters. Was pinch-hitting for Spellcheck the hardest decision Dale Sveum has ever had to make?

“I wouldn’t say it was a tough one,” Sveum said. “He was at his 90 pitches, he pitched well numbers wise, but the ball was up. You can tell it wasn’t coming out of his hand like it can. It was a time to pinch hit, a time to take a shot and the bullpen was rested. It wasn’t that tough of a decision, no.”

Oh, okay.

» Continue reading “Cubs Monday Headlines: Escape From Milwaukee”

Cubs starter Chris Volstad was cruising through yesterday’s game. He had given up three hits in the first five innings, then something named Edwin Maysonet came to the plate. He hit a grand slam.

“It’s been really hard, frustrating,” said Volstad, winless in his last 18 starts. “I’m working my [backside] off and don’t have a lot to show for it.”

(snip)

“That’s the way it’s been for every game,” Volstad said. “I’ve done so well except for one inning. It’s hard to pinpoint the difference. I’ve got to keep working.”

Dale Sveum, any ideas?

“He was doing well and it just got away from him again,” Sveum said. “The slider got him in trouble again. It’s a pitch he needs but it’s getting hit too often and too hard. He was put in a situation to get a ground ball and couldn’t get out of it and close that thing down. It just got out of hand again.”

So… any changes in the works?

“You’re going to consider it,” Sveum said. “There are options and things you can try and other people you can try. We’re all frustrated with the starts and the innings and the five shutout innings and one big inning. Whatever, six, seven starts in, we can’t get a grip on it.”

Ladies and gentlemen, your newest Cubs starter, Casey Coleman!

» Continue reading “Cubs Sunday Headlines/Game Thread: Happy Mother’s Day!”

I don’t want to talk about last night. Let’s move on.

The Cubs and Brewers are back at it today ats 12:05 pm CT on FOX. Which means there’s a pretty good chance that I’ll get to be aggravated by the Cubs, the Brewers, AND the broadcasters, all at the same time. JOY. Also, I will never, ever, EVER complain about Geo Soto again. Castillo turned about 30 strikes into balls by his horrible framing of pitches last night. Just . . . GAH!

And today Chris Volstad (0-4, 6.55) is pitching against Shaun Marcum (1-1, 3.41). DOUBLE JOY.

I’ll be back around game time.

Yet another fashion masterpiece from Ryan Braun

Before the game tonight, I’d like to take an informal poll:

Ryan Braun—fake lashes or no fake lashes?

Because I think he has fake lashes.

As we all know, this is Dale’s big return to to Miller Park. I’m pretty sure he’s going to say something about how much he loved his time in Milwaukee, how great the fans are, and how much he loves Nyjer Morgan and Ryan Braun. At that point, I will spend several moments in the bathroom being sick. But AFTER that, the Cubs will take on the Brewers in a battle royale not to be dead last in the NL Central.

On the hill for the Cubs tonight is Matt Garza (2-1, 2.67), who is back on the mound for the first time since the zombie apocalypse took out half the team. Oh, it was the flu? Whatever.

For the Brewers, it will be the aged Randy Wolf (2-3, 6.68). I’m sure I’m not the only one to express shock and awe that Randy Wolf managed to get signed by someone at his advanced age. You’re only as old as you feel, Randy! Don’t break a hip out there tonight.

» Continue reading “Cubs Live Game Thread: Ryan Braun Still Designs Terrible Clothes.”

Life-size sausages run for their lives from hungry Brewers fans.

I’ve really grown to hate the Brewers. I hate the team. I hate the fans. I hate the stadium. I hate the sausage race. I hate all Ryan Braun’s clothes and his stupid eyelashes. I hate Corey Hart. I REALLY hate Nyjer Morgan. I hate it when Dale Sveum says nice things about any of them.

I’m pretty sure I hate the Brewers more than the Card, at this point. And this started even before the whole Ryan Braun circus, but that certainly didn’t help. Lo, I am hopeful that the Cubs will be able to whomp all over the Northern Beer Team tonight, in a manner that will leave them curled up in a ball on homeplate, whining for their mothers.

How will the Cubs do this? Why, with advanced stats, of course!

Today, the Cubs have amped up their prep work. Listach spends so much time in the video room that the staff there taped his baseball card to a monitor to reserve his seat. The Cubs also employ two full-time advance scouts who rotate series and meet with the players in person to deliver their reports.

Manager Dale Sveum used video when he was with the Red Sox and Brewers, and he would review a player’s last 100 ground balls to pick up tendencies. If a batter hits the ball to the left side of the infield 90 percent of the time, that’s how they’ll defend against him, most likely employing a defensive shift.

The Cubs’ strategy worked perfectly on Wednesday. The Braves had runners at first and third with two out in the sixth, and Chipper Jones lined the ball to center, nearly clipping pitcher Paul Maholm’s head. But the Cubs anticipated that and had moved Darwin Barney behind second base. Barney snared it, and the Cubs won, 1-0.

It was a different story on Monday. Atlanta’s Tyler Pastornicky hit two balls in the hole, something he hadn’t done in the video Listach watched. On Tuesday, Listach asked Sveum if he wanted to move shortstop Starlin Castro against Pastornicky, but the Cubs manager stuck to what they’d seen on video. Pastornicky went 0-for-3.

» Continue reading “Cubs Friday Headlines: Sausagefest, Anyone?”

In Paul Maholm’s first two starts of the season, he gave up six runs in each game. In his last four starts, he’s given up a total of three runs. How do you feel when heading out to the mound to start for the Cubs, Mr. Maholm?

“Whenever I take the ball I’m going to expect to go deep into the game and let the defense pick me up and win games,” Maholm said. “Whether you’re the No. 1 or the No. 5, the day you pitch is your day. You’re the No. 1 guy and you have to get the job done. I think the last four games I’ve pitched well.”

We also think the last four games you’ve pitched well. Should we expect you to keep up this Sandy Koufax streak all year?

“I’m going to have another rough outing at some point; it’s part of baseball,” Maholm said. “But I’m going to ride this as long as I possibly can and hopefully for a good while. I’ll keep getting after it and expect to win games.”

I think that’s a perfectly reasonable attitude. And Dale Sveum, what do you have to say about the starting rotation so far this season?

“Going into the season we knew that it’d be one of our strong suits and up to this point it’s been probably as good as anybody’s in baseball for the most part,” Sveum said. “We’ve had 30 games, whatever we’ve played, we’ve had a lot of quality starts and guys going six, seven, seven-plus consistently. Even some of the tough outings we had, the pitchers ended up settling down and getting six innings out of it too. Starting pitching has been great.”

Now we just need someone to get Chris Volstad to start pitching like a real major leaguer…

» Continue reading “Cubs Thursday Headlines: Mahalo, Maholm”