Another game in which the Cubs had a lead, and another late loss. The heart can take only so many.
Ryan Dempster did his best Matt Garza impression, by which I mean he was dominant save for a throw-away. Dempster’s throw-away cost the Cubs a run, as did a Darwin Barney error and an ugly walk by Rafael Dolis. The Marlins had a few gaffes of their own, but they were outweighed by the Cubs’ mistakes.
The offense offered base runners, but sacrificed them to the double-play gods (the Cubs grounded into four of them).
Dale Sveum is going to get shredded for his decision to stick with a visibly shaky Rafael Dolis in the 8th inning (after a luckily scoreless 7th – you could argue he shouldn’t even have come out for the 8th, but, keep in mind, the Cubs’ pen is currently missing their normal 8th inning guy). Sveum was trying to get Dolis through Hanley Ramirez so he could bring in lefty James Russell, but it was Ramirez who hit the deciding three-run bomb. Dolis opened the 7th by getting a ground ball, which Barney booted. From there, he was clearly rattled, and walked the next batter (looking ugly in the process). Sveum probably should have pulled the plug there, though I can understand why he didn’t. I don’t think I’m going to rip him too hard for it, but, yeah, he’s going to get blasted in some corners.
How was Ozzie received tonight?
They buried him. He didn’t even bring the lineup card out. He argued a couple calls, but the boos could have been for him or the call.
And the Cubs can’t even beat a bunch of clowns in a circus tent….
He came out to argue the call at the plate and got a pretty big ovation. He wasn’t really being heckled at all.
KING Jeff. What was the attendance?
24,544 according to MLB box score. Damn, 13,000 empty seats for the fifth game in a new stadium? You think they regret the Ozzie hire yet?
You think they regret the gaudy-ness of the stadium yet? My money is on the Marlins moving somewhere else by the end of the decade.
This team has 100 loss potential right?
Sure, with 90-losses a near certainty. Feel free to get your hopes up (down).
Im starting to wonder if we can be historically bad. Can we go 105 plus?
The Cubs are currently on pace to go 44-118.
There is some good news, though. Their Pythagorean Winning Percentage indicates that the Cubs have been somewhat unlucky. That formula predicts a 49 win season.
It’s early yet, and the sample size is small. Both the pace and the projection could change radically with a single good series.
Doc???
Luke,
I want you to know that your comment about the Cubs being unlucky and the Pythagorean Winning Percentage indicating a 49 win season vs. a 44 win season inspired a GREAT deal of laughter at my house. Thanks!
Moo.
Hey Luke the draft this year look like a pretty strong pitching class… Who do u think the cubs take at 6th overall???
It’s too early for me to get into forecasting specific players, but I do strongly suspect the Cubs will take the best college pitcher on the board, even if they have to reach slightly to do it.
Why the best college pitcher Luke? Do you think they want a more polished prospect versus a kid that’ll take longer to reach the Show?
One other thing to remember is that all the teams that the Cubs have played up til now are playoff calibre teams. The Marlins are basically a 0.500 type team, which is as bad as the Cubs have faced all year. The Cubs will get to play a few games against other bad teams before the year is done, which will bring things up.
yeah—-all one has to do is look at the April schedule…….
Just heard that the Rangers are destroying the Red Sox…at least there is some justice in this world.
The pirate ship in Tampa Bay looks brilliant compared to that cheap, plastic monster.
I think for every HR hit by opposing teams one lucky fan gets to toss a molotov cocktail at it, and no one can extinguish the flames for one full inning.
This team doesnt deserve EBS. They look more like the result of IBS.
Meanwhile, Byrd had another excellent 0-3 evening. And Sveum’s decision was bullshit.
Byrd looked awful at the plate, but that play in center was ridiculous. I had some choice words for Marlon on his way back to the dugout, he glanced my way, put his head down, and walked back to the dugout. His struggles are clearly getting to him. He got a lot of cheers from Marlins fans when he came to bat the third time.
Time to just release Marlon Byrd no one is going to be dumb enough to trade for him now.
Here’s an idea, we add another lefty to the pen so James Russell can pitch more often and be one of our primary set-up men. I don’t care whether he’s a lefty or not, at this point he may be our most reliable pitcher in the pen. Or maybe I just have a soft spot for him cause he tossed me a ball during BP last year in Pittsburgh
THIS!!! I agree. Russell is no Sean Marshall, but he’s the closest thing this team has. Push him to the later innings and add a situational lefty to the ‘pen to take his current role.
Scott Maine has looked pretty good so far, and preformed well in spring too.
So far, so good. We’re back in 1st place, for the #1 pick.
I’ve been using the ‘you never know what can happen’ line on the cub haters for now, but it’s getting harder when this is looking like a 50-60 win team.
I just hope Sveum has enough confidence in his job security that he doesn’t feel too much pressure to win now as the season goes on, rather than focusing on building the team for 2013/14. I don’t want a repeat of last year when Quade was not playing guys like Colvin long after the season was already a lost cause.
Byrd cough cough
Sorry for no advance box score today. I do not have access to CSN in my apartment. I will not be able to cover the ABS until friday. Sorry for the inconvenience. I can post it late tomorrow and thursday if everyone wants it?
Post it Zogie!
It’s always enjoyed and appreciated, but don’t stress yourself.
Johnson offered a great case for why groundball pitchers are in demand. The Cubs 4 double plays reflect this: and it’s important to note that when the Cubs did get hits, they generally were grounders. So often, back-to-back grounders are 2 outs: one at a time, or a single and a DP.
However, Johnson seems almost wasted in this park!
I think Svuem was hired more for his belief in fundamentals and his ability to push it on the players to imprint it into their brains to play the game the right way and fundamentally sound; more over his actual managing abilities, but I believe he’ll get better over time.
I sure hope so, because right now he has been suspect at best. His lineups and use of the bench makes me wonder whether the word has come from the top to play for the pick!
how many games have the Cubs lost in the 7th or 8th inning this year so far?
Kinda sad when you are looking at NEXT years draft, and we haven’t even had THIS years. I’ll be biding my time till Rizzo, Jackson and ________ are called up. That being said…when things are on the downturn, it does motivate me to research players that might be on the Cubs draft radar. Less than 2 months away… The excitement is already girding my loins.
[...] that error clearly rattled Dolis (and it was obvious), why not yank him in favor of James Russell? As I said in the EBS, it was all an understandable set of decisions. I’m not sure I agree, but that’s [...]
oh gee, another day, another typical worthless-beat-ourselves cubs loss. There is no question or speck of doubt that this pathetic team will lose at least 100 games. I only hope we don’t set the record for most losses in a season, but the smart money is that we will. our pitchers are the worst collective group of fielders in the league, our infield struggles consistently to make the most routine of plays, what a trainwreck, you just can’t help but watch in amazement and bewilderment that this is actually a professional sports team. another great suck ass performance by byrd last night but hey lets give it time so he can work his way out of it………………….