Looking at the Game of Baseball from all ends of the Spectrum
Cub fans, On the 34th anniversary of his no-hitter in 1972 (the last by a Cub), Milt Pappas will be interviewed by the folks at Cubscast for a special Saturday edition of the Cubs-oriented podcast. I’ll be out of town but will anxious to download that show as soon as I get back. Update: I … Continue reading “Pappas interviewed on Cubscast tomorrow”
Cub fans,
On the 34th anniversary of his no-hitter in 1972 (the last by a Cub), Milt Pappas will be interviewed by the folks at Cubscast for a special Saturday edition of the Cubs-oriented podcast.
I’ll be out of town but will anxious to download that show as soon as I get back.
Update: I just listened to the Cubscast interview with Milt Pappas. It is well worth the listen. The direct link to the download is here.
I know it’s only been a few days but I thought I’d check in on how former Illini and newly acquired Cub catcher Chris Robinson was faring in Daytona. Well, he’s already making his presence known. In his first game at Daytona, “the new guy” had 3 hits and 3 rbis. Through four games, he … Continue reading “Nice start for Robbie at Daytona”
I know it’s only been a few days but I thought I’d check in on how former Illini and newly acquired Cub catcher Chris Robinson was faring in Daytona.
Well, he’s already making his presence known. In his first game at Daytona, “the new guy” had 3 hits and 3 rbis.
Through four games, he is 6 for 17 with a double and a homer.
Cub starter and Springfield, IL native Ryan O’Malley left the fifth inning with a strained elbow in his second MLB start and his Wrigley Field debut today. O’Malley looked good in his first start pitching 8 shutout innings against Houston. The game is still in progress but there isn’t much hope as the Phils have … Continue reading “Can’t blame Dusty for this one”
Cub starter and Springfield, IL native Ryan O’Malley left the fifth inning with a strained elbow in his second MLB start and his Wrigley Field debut today.
O’Malley looked good in his first start pitching 8 shutout innings against Houston.
The game is still in progress but there isn’t much hope as the Phils have a 6-3 in the 9th.
This is probably one of the best news I’ve heard regarding the Cubs in a long time. They’ve shipped off infielder Neifi Perez to Detroit for a minor league catcher. Yes, I know a lot of Cub fans are happy to rid the team of Neifi but I’m happiest about who they got… 22- year … Continue reading “U of I catcher alum heading to Cubs organization”
This is probably one of the best news I’ve heard regarding the Cubs in a long time. They’ve shipped off infielder Neifi Perez to Detroit for a minor league catcher.
Yes, I know a lot of Cub fans are happy to rid the team of Neifi but I’m happiest about who they got… 22- year old Chris Robinson.
Robinson is a former Illini player . I got a good look at him two seasons ago (his senior year). He definitely was an impact player with the bat. He wasn’t what I would call a “slugger” but he had occasional pop. Mostly a line drive doubles hitter, though. His batting averges for the three years with Illinois were .306, .359, and .353. Not only that both his OBP and Slg improved each year.
His defense is good (he’s got a great arm!) and he was a real leader on the Illinois team. He was chosen to the All-Big 10 First Team in his senior year.
He had a period of adjustment in the minors but this year, he seemed to had hit his stride. He’s hitting .282 in A ball.
Realistically speaking, I don’t know what the plans are for Robbie. Most likely he will report to Daytona, the Cubs’ A affilliate. I’ll be keeping an eye on him from time to time.
Ichiro Suzuki On Monday night August 14th Justin Duchscherer picked Ichiro off first base to end the game and preserve a 5-4 Oakland A’s win over the Seattle Mariners. Suzuki is such a heady ballplayer that I’m banking this was the first time something like this happened to him, with 2 outs in the 9th … Continue reading “RARE FEATS IN BASEBALL”
Ichiro Suzuki
On Monday night August 14th Justin Duchscherer picked Ichiro off first base to end the game and preserve a 5-4 Oakland A’s win over the Seattle Mariners. Suzuki is such a heady ballplayer that I’m banking this was the first time something like this happened to him, with 2 outs in the 9th and him carrying the tying run.
Jose Reyes
August 15th saw the Philadelphia Phillies defeat the NY Mets 11-4, despite Jose Reyes hitting three homers for the Metropolitans. Earlier this year the Mets lost a game in which Reyes batted for the cycle.
Ryan O’Malley
August 16th saw the Chicago Cubs win two against the Houston Astros. The first win came in 18 innings (the game started 8/15), with Rich Hill picking up the victory 8-6 in relief. Hill was supposed to have started the next day. As luck would have it, the Cubs minor league team was playing in Texas, so the Cubbies called up Ryan O’Malley who threw eight innings of shutout ball, as Chicago defeated Houston 1-0.
David DeJesus
Thursday the 17th of August saw David DeJesus homer on the 1st pitch of the ballgame to give KC the lead over the White Sox. The Royals went up 2-1 when the first batter in the 2nd inning Emil Brown hit a home run.
Pablo Ozuna
Remarkably ChiSox leadoff man Pablo Ozuna knocked one over the fence to tie the game in the 1st and Jermaine Dyes knotted the game in the 2nd when he hit a leadoff homer for the Good Guys in the bottom of the 2nd.
It was the first time in the history of baseball that leadoff hitters for both teams in the 1st & 2nd innings went yard. The White Sox went on to win the game 5-4 over the Royals.
3 for 5, 2 HR, 3 runs, 5 rbis Let’s face it, I’m a sucker for rbis, especially when they come in bunches of five. 3B Miguel Cabrera was a big part of Florida’s 15-4 win against the recently hot Dodgers. Cabrera was 3 for 5 with 2 dingers and 5 rbis. Teammate Cody Ross … Continue reading “8/16/06 Linescore of the Day: Miguel Cabrera”
3 for 5, 2 HR, 3 runs, 5 rbis
Let’s face it, I’m a sucker for rbis, especially when they come in bunches of five. 3B Miguel Cabrera was a big part of Florida’s 15-4 win against the recently hot Dodgers.
Cabrera was 3 for 5 with 2 dingers and 5 rbis. Teammate Cody Ross banged in 4 ribbies against his former ‘mates despite an injury.
Did I mention the Dodgers have been hot? They were on a 17 of 18 streak. Best in franchise history since 1899 when they were the Superbas.
I should take my coffee break more often. See, all the professors in the department where I work were congregating for their normal 10am coffee break. Knowing my interest in baseball and my blog, they waved me in like they had something really important to tell me. Turns out one prof has a cousin whose … Continue reading “Rookie Watch: Ryan O’Malley”
I should take my coffee break more often.
See, all the professors in the department where I work were congregating for their normal 10am coffee break. Knowing my interest in baseball and my blog, they waved me in like they had something really important to tell me.
Turns out one prof has a cousin whose kid is going to make his debut for the Cubs today. Ryan O’Malley? Turns out he’s a Springfield product from Sacred Heart-Griffin. He says O’Malley was an All-Stater while there.
Of course, if you paid any attention to the boxscores you know what he did against the Astros. Oh what the heck. Let’s post them, anyway.
8 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 6 BB, 2 K (Win)
If he can keep this up for the foreseeable future (read: next year and beyond), this is a shot in the arm for the Cubs’ pitching staff. But one game at a time. And this is a great start.
Here are his college and minor league numbers. They look real good except for the first two times he played at Iowa (he didn’t pitch a lot either time so it just may be indicative of small data sampling). His Iowa numbers looked better in ’06.
Anyway, I’m looking forward to seeing more of Ryan. With the loss of Wood and Prior, now is the time to evaluate the Cubs’ pitching talent. From what he did against the Astros, O’Malley has shown he may some.
3 for 3, 3 HR, 4 rbis Tough choice today. I mean the Cubs and Astros battled for 18 innings. I stayed awake past midnight, long enough for them to play Chicago’s (I’m talking the band now) “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” then konked out. Happily I found out this morning that … Continue reading “8/15/06 Linescore of the Day: Jose Reyes”
3 for 3, 3 HR, 4 rbis
Tough choice today.
I mean the Cubs and Astros battled for 18 innings. I stayed awake past midnight, long enough for them to play Chicago’s (I’m talking the band now) “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” then konked out. Happily I found out this morning that we got the win. That’s number 3 for Rich Hill. Did anyone think that Hill would get three wins this year a month ago? I’m not sure I did.
But 18-inning games were in vogue yesterday. Arizona and Colorado had their own late nighter. Anyone with Dback or Rockie pitchers on their fantasy staff must be happy this morning after the D-back 2-1 win.
Let’s not forget the shutouts. Chris Carpenter, Pedro Astacio and a combined effort by the Dodgers (give Billingsley some credit, he pitched 7 innings) all pitched shutouts.
But no, let’s give Jose Reyes the LSOTD today. 3 for 3 with 3 homers with 4 rbis. Unfortunately, it was a wasted effort as it the entire offense for the Mets. The Phils won 11-4.
Just last week, I had inquired to the availability of Reyes in the Illowa APBA League. Yes, I have Lugo but I have interest in Reyes. Some might say I’m interested because I have Lugo. Whatever.
Reyes happens to belong to Zealot writer DonS. We bantered back and forth a few offers but after last night’s performance, I got a one line email:
Reyes hit 3 home runs tonight.
I think he wants to stay here.
Maybe JRoll is available.
From the AP article Wood done for year, will return as reliever, there are two important lines: He (Wood) hopes to come back next season as a reliever. and Wood hasn’t been able to discuss his future with Cubs general manager Jim Hendry yet. “I haven’t. A lot of stuff going on his end and … Continue reading “Does Hendry Know?”
From the AP article Wood done for year, will return as reliever, there are two important lines:
He (Wood) hopes to come back next season as a reliever.
and
Wood hasn’t been able to discuss his future with Cubs general manager Jim Hendry yet. “I haven’t. A lot of stuff going on his end and stuff on my end, we haven’t talked about that, but I think I would rather stay here, but I think it something we need to talk about when the time is right,” said Wood.
Ok, what I am missing here? Since when does a pitcher, especially one in Wood’s precarious situation, go to the media about his plans for the future…
…without even talking about it with his GM or manager?
I smell an overeager sports reporter here. The headline is especially misleading. Wood is coming back as a reliever? But SHHH! Don’t tell Hendry.
And while were on the topic, I’ve been on the bandwagon to make Wood a reliever for a while now. I hate to say it but with all his injuries, it may just be too late. I would love to see Kerry come back and be an effective pitcher but if he does so, he will have to really earn his spot on the roster.
4 for 4, 4 2B, 5 rbis Murton tied the MLB record for doubles in a game. The last player to do it was Billy Williams in 1969. Murton has been doing well as of late. His BA since the All-Star break is .395. Perhaps of more importance to the Cubs, Juan Mateo won his … Continue reading “8/3/06 Linescore of the Day: Matt Murton”
4 for 4, 4 2B, 5 rbis
Murton tied the MLB record for doubles in a game. The last player to do it was Billy Williams in 1969. Murton has been doing well as of late. His BA since the All-Star break is .395.
Perhaps of more importance to the Cubs, Juan Mateo won his very first start. He wasn’t dominating (3 runs, 2 earned in 5 innings with 2 Ks and 3 walks) but it was good enough.
The Cubs can use any good news regarding their pitching staff they can get. Here’s a quick writeup on Mateo.