The Cubs have begun the season with 3 very good starts from Ryan Dempster, Matt Garza and even Jeff Samardzija. It's hard to believe, but Samardzija's was the most impressive of all of them. Chris Volstad gets the ball tonight against the Shaun Marcum and the Brewers.
Brewers Lineup
- Rickie Weeks, 2B
- Nyjer Morgan, CF
- Ryan Braun, LF
- Aramis Ramirez, 3B
- Corey Hart, RF
- Mat Gamel, 1B
- Alex Gonzalez, SS
- Jonathan Lucroy, C
- Shaun Marcum, P
Cubs Lineup
- David DeJesus, RF
- Darwin Barney, 2B
- Starlin Castro, SS
- Alfonso Soriano, LF
- Ian Stewart, 3B
- Bryan LaHair, 1B
- Geovany Soto, C
- Marlon Byrd, CF
- Chris Volstad, P
I'd really like to know what the hell Barney is doing batting 2nd against a right handed batter.
Source: FanGraphs
We also have a series preview, I’ll put this behind the game thread
http://www.obstructedview.net/previews/series-preview-milwaukee-brewers-1-2-at-chicago-cubs-1-2.html
Marlon Byrd batting 8th is different.
In a good way.
Zach Cates (the other guy in the Cashner trade) is going tonight for Daytona. He’s one of the cross your fingers and hopes he breaks out SP prospects we have this year. Travis Wood tries to get back on track in Iowa and thats pretty much it.
Iowa Cubs are in Round Rock this weekend. I’m going to try to hit up a game or two to see BJax and Rizzo
Berselius wrote:
also, according to AZ Phil the big $ Cuban we signed threw 3 shutout innings and looked good doing it in AZ. He has now been added to the Daytona roster. Robert Whitenack made his first apperance since last years TJ and threw 1 inning.
@ dylanj:
Good to see Whitenack throwing. We’ve gotten tens of hits in the past week or two with people looking for Whitenack info.
Nice to hear Whitenack is throwing again.
WTH is Barney doing that high in the order vs. a RHP? Or in the order, period, vs. a RHP? Too much transformation to languish on the bench?
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
When your four best hitters all have projected wOBAs in the .330s, it becomes more of a moot point (dying laughing). And the alternative is Blake DeWitt at 2b, if his back is okay.
honestly, you guys should just pool some money together and hire AZ Phil away from TCR. That and I can just make my minor league recap a link to the dude from BCB who does it. Less work and more content.
Tonight’s game is the free game on mlb.tv, provided you’re not in the blackout zone.
@ Berselius:
Sorry about that. I figured you passed on the series preview today though I probably should have checked the posts rather than keeping the new post window open for several hours. You can move the preview ahead of this if you want.
@ Berselius:
On ESPN3 for those in the blackout zone, as well.
Gameday: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2012_04_09_milmlb_chnmlb_1&mode=gameday
Also Darvish is pitching tonight vs. the Mariners
@ Berselius:
This roster…SMH
@ mb21:
I’ll just make it the new thread after the game. I had it half-written but had to run out to pick up my dogs from the vet.
Also Ben Wells who could be a quick riser is starting in Peoria. All in all not a bad night for SP
Zito just pitched a shutout in Coors. Must have been inspired by Samardzija
Berselius wrote:
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
@ WaLi:
Just one bitch. The other one spent the entire day running around the house wondering where the hell the other dogs went.
Sounds like the wind is howling out today.
@ Berselius:
Just showed a graphic that said 38 mph gusts
Cates who was throwing mid nineties last year is at 88 mph. First two batters get hard hits and Matt SZRR misses the cutoff man.
Catch the Fever
I hate how Len pronounces veteran with two syllables.
@ WaLi:
Jeebus, good thing the Cubs have the GB pitcher and the Brewers have the FB pitcher today
@ Berselius:
(dying laughing)
I think Volstad might be mb’s new favorite pitcher, with how fast he works.
I must be 12. I can’t read this without snickering. http://www.thelocal.se/40122/20120405/
Bob thinks Volstad is a tall drink of water. (dying laughing)
I have high hopes for Volstad.
@ Berselius:
But isn’t she your main bitch?
@ Berselius:
About a pitch per minute so far.
Sounded like more applause than boos to me for Ramirez. Should have gotten a huge applause, but better than being booed.
Good throw by deJesus. Bad bounce.
WCIU can’t sell any ads for the ad board behind home plate?
(dying laughing) @ Brenly complaining that his homeboys (Theriot and Fontenot) got more of a reaction than his lazy latino Ramirez
I only heard tepid applause. Apparently the reaction was bigger when his name was announced before the game. Even Brenly was castigating Cubs fans for the size of the cheers compared to the Cajun Connection
@ WaLi:
That was interesting all right. He was disappointed that Ramirez didn’t get booed or cheered.
(I’m disappointed he didn’t get cheered, but it doesn’t look like much of a crowd there)
Why is LaHair still hitting behind Stewart?
Yeah looks like the place is empty.
If this is true, I’d like to know what the hell is going on too.
DeJesus swings and misses at an 87-mph fastball. Hayden Simpson approves.
(dying laughing) @ Barney saying suck it OV
Guess who leads the team in home runs?
Barney is in the best shape of his life.
(dying laughing) Barney hits first home run for Cubs.
Suck it, MO
The first HR is by Barney, Samardzija throws a complete game* in his first start. The world is upside down.
If Barney can continue to hit it hard down the line like that the walks for him should come. Pitchers will have to be more careful with him. I’m not holding my breath, but that’s a good sign.
Castro is trying to help Marcum go 8 innings tonight.
@ Berselius:
The Cubs are going to win 94.
Has Castro seen two pitches in an at bat this season?
@ Berselius:
@ mb21:
It’s gonna happen. This is a year!
I hate Cub fans.
The Cardinals are kind of good at hitting baseballs.
TRANSFORMATION. ALL THE FACTS I KNOW ARE WRONG. AM NOW PROCEEDING TO DRINK BLEACH BECAUSE IT CAN ONLY AID IN MY OWN TRANSFORMATION.
@ ACT:
Because Samardzjia. QED
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
I can’t see the downside in this
@ mb21:
Mark McGuire Hitting Coach = Steroids = Good at hitting baseballs
http://www.insidethebook.com/ee/index.php/site/comments/maddon_up_to_his_old_tricks_again/
Wow Lahair
LaHair saying fuck you WaLi and your team 75 HR prediction (dying laughing)
LABOMB
@ Berselius:
Thanks.
Why does MLB.tv want me to verify my account for their “free” game?
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
I hear hydrofluoric acid helps you transform better.
Can someone tell me why I should care what Ozzie Guillen said about Fidel Castro?
Holy LaHair.
@ WaLi:
I’ll stick to Jameson and craft beer.
Mat Gamel is going to make Prince Fielder’s defense look like Derrek Lee’s.
That’s an easy scoop.
The streaming quality of this ESPN feed is an embarrassment. I had better video quality back in the dialup days.
For those talking about Aramis’ applause before the game, FWIW, I passed Wrigley on the Red Line about 20 minutes ago and I had to really try to find people in the stands (dying laughing)
@ Akabari:
There aren’t many people there tonight. Attendance is going to be terrible this year.
@ mb21:
You shouldn’t.
That was a laser beam by Weeks.
@ Mish:
Good. I felt like I was missing something.
Yeah, I looked at Stubhub for the hell of it earlier and you can get decent seats for like $10. Doesn’t help they changed the time of the game, I bet. At 6:30 people were still getting off the train and lining up to get in.
Nice. MLB feed, Len and Bob. Windows open, room temp MIrror Pond in hand, feels like home. Almost.
I like this shift thingy they have going on right now.
Volstad has a nice hard breaking ball.
5 strikeouts already for Volstad
@ mb21:
Unless it’s hilarious, I ignore everything Ozzie says about anybody.
Bryan LaHair: Let It Happen To You.
Cory Hart can’t count.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
I just don’t get why it’s on the espn bottom line nonfuckingstop. Who cares?
Looks like the Cubs are really going to work this optimal defensive positioning thing Sveum and Theo love so much.
its early April guys. On a Monday during school. Your attendance is always down this time of year. Cubs will get their 3 mill mark.
@ mb21:
Because it’s ESPN. If you don’t already care about it, they’ll make you care about.
@ mb21:
a shitload of cubans in miami. also, espn needs content for their daily episodes of outside the lines
DeJesus now 0-18 vs. Marcum lifetime. (dying laughing)
First JefF7 breaks out, then Barney HR, then LaHair HR.
I say we bitch more and more about how incompetent all Cubs are, so they can repeatedly prove us wrong, and therefore the team will win the World Series.
Next topic has to be how useless the back end of the bullpen is. Absolutely useless. No talent whatsoever. We’ll be lucky to get 15 saves and 20 holds collectively. The sample size so far this year is absolutely instructive.
/Reverse karma’d or something.
Oh, eat shit, Bob. You fucking luddite.
Mercurial Outfielder wrote:
Mat Gamel is a LULZercoaster over there.
@ Suburban kid:
Poor Grimey.
as he liked to be called
SKoutffaces!
Someone tell Alex Gonzalez it isn’t 2003.
Why did Dejesus pull up on that?
Is there anything Barney can’t do?
That’s a great play by BArney. He’s really a sharp defender.
63 pitches in 3 innings for Volstad, 2BB and 5K. Guess he doesn’t pitch to contact. Maybe he’s not confident in the D–or is it Zambrano syndrome?
Dammit.
Volstad has some sick movement on his slider today
Mercurial Outfielder wrote:
He is already in mid-season douchebag form.
Ben Wells gets a lot of groundballs. But his defense sucks.
Yu Darvish ——> bust
Ian Stewart is a dirty-looking guy.
Ugh. LaHair. Don’t make a habit of that shit.
@ Aisle424:
Not transformed.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Decepticon
@ mb21:
ok, i thought of an analogy. imagine dale sveum (or bruce bochy, maybe) said in an interview that he loved Fred Phelps. would you care then?
Vitters has done well in Iowa so far
(dying laughing) (dying laughing) (dying laughing) (dying laughing) (dying laughing) (dying laughing) (dying laughing)
Nice triple by Soto.
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing) @ brewers defense
I don’t know what was funnier: Morgan and Braun losing the ball at night or Soto only getting a triple out of that.
you are worthless Marlon Byrd
Volstad pulled at 87 pitches?
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
They were only planning on using him for 90.
Also, it was the right thing to do, but I think that’s just a coincidence.
First career hit for DeJesus vs. Marcum. Transformation!
@ ACT:
Ah, I see.
(dying laughing) @ aaron boone backtracking
@ dylanj:
They didn’t get to 3 million until their final home game last year. They’ll be closer to 2.8 million this year. They’re not touching 3 million this year.
I bet Marcum could see the signs better if he didn’t have his cap pulled down to the bridge of his nose.
TOOTBLAN
First hit, first TOOTBLAN.
WTF was that? I don’t think anybody but the catcher knew he was stealing.
(dying laughing) and he was still out by a yard
2 TOOTBLANS for Peoria as well.
AGGRESSIVE BASERUNNING!
@ Mucker:
I think they tried a delayed steal, but DeJesus got an awful jump.
Fucking Brenly just loves harping on guys for not hustling. We get it, moron, you want to go back to the dugout. So shut it, nimrod.
David DeJesus has played OF before, right?
Man, Gamel has a nice-looking swing.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Yeah, I rewound it and looked and that’s definitely what happened. Looked weird the first time. So much for improved defense from the Cubs.
I wonder if teams are going to be wondering on DeJesus like this all year. I know Nyjer Morgan can run, but that ball wasn’t that deep. The one this inning wasn’t either and DeJesus missed badly on the throw. He has a strong arm though.
@ mb21:
i wonder while I wander
@ GW:
But Ozzie is crazy. He says all kinds of shit. I assume Ozzie holds every nutty view there is.
Wow. That was an awful at-bat by Castro.
That was a pretty dreadful AB from Starlin.
Marcum throwing pitches way outside, daring Castro to swing. Castro accepts.
@ GW:
(dying laughing) I mean running (dying laughing)
@ ACT:
Marcum could have thrown it into the Brewers dugout and Castro was going to swing.
Nice work by Soriano.
@ mb21:
Yeah, but then Castro would have made it to first on the “dropped third strike” rule.
Seriously, Ian Stewart looks like he just slept off a bender in the bed of Jeff Kent’s pickup.
@ ACT:
He would have extended his streak of reaching base, which by the way, is pretty damn impressive.
That was Zito’s first shutout since 2003? i wonder what the longest time between shutouts is.
mb21 wrote:
I wasn’t paying close attention but did they say Castro’s on-base streak is 49 games?
@ mb21:
43 straight games coming in, yes?
@ mb21:
I dunno. Does reaching that way count?
@ cwolf:
MO is right. It’s at 43 and ranks as the 2nd best in Cubs history. I think he can tie the record if he gets on base tonight. For someone who is 22 that’s tough to believe.
@ mb21:
hmm… ok. so what if someone with all kinds of crazy opinions like luke scott said it?
@ GW:
Good point.
That’s a nice pickoff move from Camp.
Dear Bob,
When you’re leading by 2 runs, it’s not a rally, ass.
Sincerely,
Fuck You
rami is clutch
Camp is lucky that ball wasn’t hit 500 feet.
More not hitting when it counts from Ramirez. Right, Bob, you fucking moron?
mb21 wrote:
Randy sounds drunker than Todd.
Travis Wood with a solid night: 6 IP, 1 BB, 6 K. (3 R).
The less of HD Randy Hundley in my life, the better.
Rizzo having a great night. 2-2 with a walk and his 2nd home run on the season. Travis Wood also hit a home run.
The Rangers managed to tie it up. Darvish might win this one yet.
I really like the bedazzling on the Brewer unis. I assume Ryan Braun had the best tailor in the RemeTees shop apply that detail.
Kim DeJesus is hot.
So…this bullpen…
Someone tell Lucroy you don’t get to be mad when you stand there like a Greek statue.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Not hot.
@ ACT:
And just pulled ahead with a 2-run blast by Moreland
@ WaLi:
Correct.
Darvish now has the lead.
The Rangers are pretty good at hitting.
Darvish is now in line for the win.
Drew Storen ———–> James Andrews
Brenly on Darvish saying good thing he is in the AL because he would be out of the game in the first inning in the NL. Why would he be out of the game in the first inning????
Izturis! Man, I HATED that guy.
@ WaLi:
For the same reason that it’s odd to Bob that Manny Parra didn’t have major success after double-digit win seasons, i.e. because Bob Brenly is a fucking moron.
Why the hell was Stewart trying for a double?
Stewart is hitting the ball pretty hard to so far this season.
We need baserunners, damn it.
@ mb21:
Change of scenery.
@ mb21:
Transformation.
@ ACT:
HUSTLE!!!!
I missed most of the game, did Castro extend his streak?
For a team with so many transformed players, they’re playing .250 ball. A couple days ago I was thinking small sample and all that, but this is half a week of games. It’s now a huge sample. They’ve transformed into a team that is one of the worst ever. (dying laughing)
@ josh:
Negative.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
That’s awesome.
@ mb21:
You’re going to eat those words when the Cubs come from behind to win this shit.
Bob Brenly is spewing unimaginable stupidity right now.
@ josh:
Of swinging at everything? Pretty much.
@ josh:
Negative.
@ mb21:
He could get another chance if Byrd hits one over the wall here.
Good god, Darvish is still pitching.
@ ACT:
That’s because he’s not in the NL.
@ ACT:
He’d have been taken out after the first batter in the NL.
Axford looks like an extra from Joe Dirt.
are samardzija, russell and axford starting a damn yankees tribute band?
Byrd is having a good at-bat for a change.
E-Ramis
Rami with his trademark boot.
Ramirez!
Ramirez needs to move to 1st base.
Thanks Aramis!
GW wrote:
mb21 wrote:
@ GW:
Yes, along with Mitch Williams and John Kruk.
Gotta love the Brewer defense (dying laughing) (dying laughing) (dying laughing)
(dying laughing) defense
Wow (dying laughing)
Also, isn’t it surprising that Clevenger took that AB? Don’t backup C never PH
Pat didn’t explain it well, did Gomez dive and miss it or something?
Early returns on DeJesus are not encouraging.
WTF?
WTF (dying laughing)
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
So you DON’T want your leadoff guy striking out 3 times a game?
@ WaLi:
They usually don’t, but I’ve always thought that was kind of crazy.
@ josh:
It was a dying quail, Gomez went for the old scoop-and-come-up-throwing and just whiffed.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Gotcha.
Did the Cubs call up Abner Abreu today, or is that a CBS sportsline screw up?
@ mb21:
Yeah I always figured if he was your better hitter, go ahead and have him PH. What are the chances your C would get hurt late in the game?
Holy shit. How can you not romanticize these situations?
Nice patience from Barney. CAMON CASTRO!
josh wrote:
They’ve come a lot closer to winning this one than I thought they would.
Win or lose, it’s just awesome that Starlin got his chance.
UGH
Castro chases again.
Castro is swing happy tonight.
He doesn’t look like he’s seeing the ball well
Damn.
And Castro swings at first pitch (dying laughing)
There is no joy in Wrigleyville. Mighty Cassie has struck out.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Kim DeJesus is hot.
Well that was anticlimactic.
@ ACT:
At least he didn’t chase the last two.
And watches strike 2 and 3. Fucking A
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Doesn’t CCD call it the obligatory 9th inning rally?
@ mb21:
Yeah, he’s looked out of sorts at the plate all night long.
That was a good game.
The hope monster had me there for a little bit, then the Cubs finished the Cubs way. This is a Year!
@ mb21:
(dying laughing) I think so
Castro’s confidence was shot to hell in that last AB.
@ WaLi:
I’m trying to just enjoy the good moments, myself. It was cool Cassie got his chance. He blew it, but it was fun getting there.
@ ACT:
Seems like he had a couple stretches like that last year, but bounced back.
Old new thread up
http://www.obstructedview.net/previews/series-preview-milwaukee-brewers-1-2-at-chicago-cubs-1-2.html