Chicago Cubs Wednesday Headlines: Cubs Win, Cards Still Jerks

If you had four in the “how many runs will the Cubs score in the first inning” pool last night, you’re in luck. They managed a two-out rally, good for four runs against the Cards’ Adam Wainwright. That’s all the Cubs would score last night, but it was enough as Jeff Samardzija pitched into the ninth and Kevin Gregg managed to get the save. The save didn’t come without drama, as the Cards’ Shane Robinson was called for interference for sliding out of the baseline on a double-play. If you haven’t seen the play, you can watch it here. That wasn’t the first time that a Cardinal has tried to take out Starlin Castro in St. Louis with a not-quite-clean slide (Matt Holliday, anyone?), and Starlin didn’t take too kindly to this one.cubs-slug-cards

“I understand where you can try to break up the double play in that kind of situation, but not like that,” Castro said. “(That was) not even close. I couldn’t throw the ball because he tried to kill me.”

(snip)

“I didn’t know right away,” Castro said, “but when I saw the replay, it’s unbelievable.”

Though Starlin still doesn’t consider the Holliday slide a dirty one, even though I do.

“Not even close,” Castro said. “(Holliday runs) hard, but it’s professional, like everybody does on the team, trying to break up the double play. But (be) professional. Don’t try to hurt nobody.”

As for the Shark, his performance was welcome against the team with the best record in baseball.

“It’s the best-hitting team in baseball and he shut them down to a solo home run. He was as good as he has been all year, and when you can do that against that offense, you’ve had one heck of a game,” Sveum said.

“He wanted to finish and I gave him the chance, it didn’t work out. Those guys are good hitters. (Yadier) Molina is taking hitting to another level.”

Samardzija only allowed one fly ball out in the game, which ended the eighth inning.

» Continue reading “Chicago Cubs Wednesday Headlines: Cubs Win, Cards Still Jerks”


Podcast Tonight!

reedjump.jpg

 The oddest thing happened to me today. I went away for the weekend for my little brother’s wedding, had a great time, got a wonderful new little sister-in-law, and came back to find the Cubs in first place.

Mind you, all this appears to have happened with Uncle Milty AND Soriano finding ways to contribute to the game, Harden pitching well at Wrigley in warm weather, and Groggles saving games instead of blowing them.

Everything’s coming up Milhouse!

In order to celebrate whatever cosmic alignment has caused this latest win streak to take place, and to make whatever ritual sacrifices may be necessary to the baseball gods (I’m thinking we offer them millertime or summerguy), Matt and I will be hosting an abbreviated podcast tonight.

Grab your party hats and join us.

The call in number for questions, making fun of Julie, snarky comments, and threats is  (347) 884-8570.


Get to Know Your Cubs: Kevin Gregg

Chicago Cubs at Detroit Tigers.
That’s how we feel about you, too, sometimes.

Name: Kevin Marschall Gregg
Date of Birth: June 20, 1978
Hometown: Corvallis, Oregon
Position: Relief Pitcher/Closer
Hotness Factor (1-10): 6.8


» Continue reading “Get to Know Your Cubs: Kevin Gregg”


Chicago Cubs Headlines for Thursday, July 23

Cardinals vs. Cubs
The Cubs’ celebration looked
something like this, only
in Philadelphia

» Continue reading “Chicago Cubs Headlines for Thursday, July 23″


Chicago Cubs headlines for Thursday

Chicago Cubs at Detroit Tigers.
Why wasn’t this photo taken from the opposite direction?

» Continue reading “Chicago Cubs headlines for Thursday”


Chicago Cubs Headlines for Wednesday

Chicago Cubs at Detroit Tigers.

Screw you, Groggles!

I do not like Kevin Gregg:

After Cubs closer Kevin Gregg served up a two-run, walk-off home run Tuesday night to pinch-hitter Ryan Raburn in a 5-4 loss to Detroit, Piniella’s answers were brief.

“Look, one-run leads on the road,” he said. “Not the easiest thing in the world.”

The Cubs are 3-10 in one-run games on the road after losing a game that seemed to be in hand. Gregg came in with a 1.15 earned-run average in his previous 15 appearances and looked like he finally was settling into the closer’s role.

But a leadoff walk on a full count to start the ninth spelled doom. One out later, Raburn sent a slider rocketing into the left-center-field bleachers.

“I could have hit that ball out of the park,” Gregg said. “It slipped out of my hand. One of those you kind of hope he pops up. He popped it up right over the fence. It sucks.”

Indeed it does suck, Groggles. Whose fault is that?

$@!*#!$#!@#!#!!!

» Continue reading “Chicago Cubs Headlines for Wednesday”


Chicago Cubs Headlines for Friday

Am I alone in being suprised that DLee is still so spry?

For those of you who missed the big comeback (like I always say you WILL if you stomp off early), a recap:

It was only one game, and all it did was get them back to .500 for the season, but the nature of the Cubs’ 6-5 victory over the White Sox in Thursday’s Game 2 of the City Series — they trailed 5-1 after 7 1/2 innings — made it feel like a pretty important triumph.

Or maybe the feeling was one of relief. If they had lost 5-1, undone by another round of anemic hitting, their dispiriting descent into mediocrity would have continued.

Instead, Derrek Lee delivered one of his biggest home runs as a Cub, a three-run, eighth-inning basket traveler off Scott Linebrink that made it a 5-4 game. Then Geovany Soto followed with a left-field blast off Linebrink, and just like that the game was tied and Wrigley Field was alive again.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but each and every day, I try to set aside a little quiet time to thank the Big Guy that Scott Linebrink exists in my universe. If my kids’ school ever mandates a moment of silence, this is what I will teach them to use that time for, as well.

» Continue reading “Chicago Cubs Headlines for Friday”


Thursday Headlines/Open Thread

New Orleans Second Line Parade Hits Streets Of New York City
Parade celebrates first Cub road win in 7 years

» Continue reading “Thursday Headlines/Open Thread”


Ted Asserts Dominion Over Dodgers, Cubs Win.

He lasted 7 innings, giving up only four hits, one run (a solo blast by Matt Kemp), and striking out 5. Koyie Hill drove in one run on a solo homer, and the rest of the Cubs lineup spent the entire game trying to get an additional run across the plate. After a stern talking-to from Ted, they succeeded. 
For his part, Groggles (Kevin Gregg) managed not to amass anymore death threats as a result of this game.
Tomorrow Ryan Dempster steps up for his turn against the Dodgers. Will he be able to convince me to give up calling him “Dumpster?” Tune in tomorrow to find out!

Sunday Headlines