Successful Weekend
So after a tough loss on Friday, the Cubs bounce back to take 2 of 3 from the Brewers. Saturday's game featured a brilliant effort by Carlos Zambrano, who pitched 7.1 innings of one hit ball, had two hits, drove in a run, scored a run, sang the National Anthem, and sold beer in the stands between innings. The press can hammer Big Z for his emotional outbursts all they want, but that doesn't change the fact that he's the best damn pitcher in the National League, and the absolute joy he demonstrates whether he's stiking a guy out, hitting a home run or making a horrifyingly bad headfirst slide into 3rd base is a thing of beauty.
Today's win got the Cubs back to .500 on the season, and it also featured another solid outing from the Cub bullpen. Glendon Rusch looked like last year's version, hitting the corners with his fastball, throwing strikes and keeping the hitters off balance. The Cubs won 6-5 in extra innings, and hopefully will continue to win one run games, because I'm sick of hearing about their record in one run games from last year. I'm not one of those people who think that losing one run games is due to some sort of character deficiency on the part of the players. I want them to win all the games, regardless of the score.
The only down side now is the injury to Todd Walker. Walker was hurt when Carlos Lee took him out at 2nd base to break up a double play in the 10th inning. Kind of ironic, since part of the reason Lee was supposedly traded by the White Sox was that he didn't drill Minnesota's 2nd baseman in a similar situation following Tori Hunters forearm shiver to the head of Sox catcher Jaime Burke. The current word is that Walker will be put on the DL with a sprained knee, which will open up playing time for Jerry Hairston. It's kind of weird though, as I wanted Hairston to get some more AB's, but not at the expense of Walker, who had been the Cubs best hitter so far. Also, part of me is afraid that instead of Hairston, Dusty Baker is going to trot Jose Macias out there in Walker's absence. Let's hope that Macias stays on the bench, where his versatility* can be better exploited. Let's also hope that Walker's injury is only a sprain, as I believe that this usually the initial diagnosis on all knee injuries.
*versatility in this case is defined as the ability to strike out in every plate appearance while playing mediocre defense at a number of positions.
Today's win got the Cubs back to .500 on the season, and it also featured another solid outing from the Cub bullpen. Glendon Rusch looked like last year's version, hitting the corners with his fastball, throwing strikes and keeping the hitters off balance. The Cubs won 6-5 in extra innings, and hopefully will continue to win one run games, because I'm sick of hearing about their record in one run games from last year. I'm not one of those people who think that losing one run games is due to some sort of character deficiency on the part of the players. I want them to win all the games, regardless of the score.
The only down side now is the injury to Todd Walker. Walker was hurt when Carlos Lee took him out at 2nd base to break up a double play in the 10th inning. Kind of ironic, since part of the reason Lee was supposedly traded by the White Sox was that he didn't drill Minnesota's 2nd baseman in a similar situation following Tori Hunters forearm shiver to the head of Sox catcher Jaime Burke. The current word is that Walker will be put on the DL with a sprained knee, which will open up playing time for Jerry Hairston. It's kind of weird though, as I wanted Hairston to get some more AB's, but not at the expense of Walker, who had been the Cubs best hitter so far. Also, part of me is afraid that instead of Hairston, Dusty Baker is going to trot Jose Macias out there in Walker's absence. Let's hope that Macias stays on the bench, where his versatility* can be better exploited. Let's also hope that Walker's injury is only a sprain, as I believe that this usually the initial diagnosis on all knee injuries.
*versatility in this case is defined as the ability to strike out in every plate appearance while playing mediocre defense at a number of positions.
posted by CT at 5:29 PM
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