April 2011
You are browsing the archive for April 2011.
Rehabbing and Other Bullets – April 14, 2011
Obviously it was great to get a series win against the Astros, but after starting the season against the Pirates, Diamondbacks, Brewers, and Astros, none of us can say we would have been happy with the Cubs coming out of that stretch at just .500. Still, here we are. I told you to be afraid [...]
There’s No Beef Between Carlos Zambrano and Mike Quade
Allow this post to serve as your reassurance: Carlos Zambrano is not retreating into former bad habits, and there’s no bad blood between Zambrano and Cubs manager Mike Quade. To what am I referring? When he was yanked last night in the 6th inning after giving up five runs, capped off by a two-run homer, [...]
Enhanced Box Score: Cubs 9, Astros 5 – April 13, 2011
Well, the Cubs did what they do – score a lot early, and then do nothing for a long time; starting pitcher starts off looking good and then falls apart – but they pulled out the win. I suspect that Carlos Zambrano was just uncomfortable having the first good start among the Cubs’ top three [...]
Jeff Samardzija May Move Into the Rotation and Other Terrifying Bullets – April 13, 2011
In a way, it was good that the Cubs were facing a guy who always dominates them last night in Brett Myers. They were indeed dominated, but even if they’d had a solid offensive performance, they would have lost anyway. So why waste the good offense, right? Boom – bright sided! But it ain’t all [...]
God’s Wrath Watch: Early Estimates on Randy Wells and Andrew Cashner
After watching the slow-moving disaster that was the all-bullpen experiment last night, I’m guessing you’re itching to hear some good news about pitchers Randy Wells and Andrew Cashner. Well, I don’t have good news. God is wrathful, after all. But I do have news. In his weekly chat, Bruce Levine casually dropped the first estimates (that [...]
Enhanced Box Score: Cubs 2, Astros 11 – April 12, 2011
Well, that was just a fluky game you’ve got to chalk up to “who could have possibly predicted such a disaster?” Right? Oh. Wait. Although he was horrible, I actually feel bad for James Russell. As I said before, he was a lamb being led to the slaughter – and he was slaughtered. Hopefully the [...]
The Cubs Have Signed Doug Davis
Today the Chicago Cubs signed pitcher Doug Davis – remember how he used to vexate us? – to a minor league deal. He’ll head to extended Spring Training, and, if he makes the big club, he’ll get the prorated portion of $900,000 (with a possibility of another $1.1 million in incentives). The signing is all about depth, given the [...]
Worst Closer Facial Hair: Brian Wilson, Ryan Franklin, or John Axford?
Facial hair can be a wonderful thing – if done correctly. Done incorrectly, facial hair can be a flashpoint for ridicule, generating joke after barb after insult, until my wife’s voice is sore. And three guys doing it incorrectly? National League closers Ryan Franklin, Brian Wilson, and John Axford. The only question, aside from wondering [...]
