Friday, July 18th @ Houston L 2-1
Howry (L, 3-3), Geary (W, 3-1)
Saturday, July 19th @ Houston L 4-1
Zambrano (L, 10-4), Rodriguez (W, 5-3), Valverde (S, 25)
Sunday, July 20th @ Houston W 9 -0
Dempster (W, 11-4), Backe (L, 6-10)
Monday, July 21st @ Arizona L 2-0
Harden (L, 5-2), Johnson (W, 7-7), Quails (S, 2)
Tuesday, July 22nd @ Arizona L 9-2
Marquis (L, 6-6), Petit (W, 1-1)
Wednesday, July 23rd @ Arizona W 10-6
Lilly (W, 10-6), Davis (L, 5-5)
Thursday, July 24th vs Florida W 6-3
Olsen (L, 6-5), Zambrano (W, 11-4), Marmol (S, 4)
Friday, July 25th vs Florida L, 3-2
[Justin] Miller (W, 3-2), Howry (L, 3-4), Gregg (S, 21)
Saturday, July 26th vs Florida L 3-2
[Justin] Miller (W, 4-2), Gaudin (L, 5-4), Gregg (S, 22)
Sunday, July 27th vs Florida W 9-6
Hendrickson (L, 7-8), Gaudin (W, 6-4), Smardzjia (S, 1)
Monday, July 28th @ Milwaukee W 6-4
Gaudin (W, 7-4) Torres (L, 5-3) Marmol (S, 5)
Frustrating baseball.
That's about the easiest way to summarize the first nine games after the all star break. Bullpen bad, offense impotent, starters throwing really well with nothing to show for it. Games have never come easy for the Cubs in Houston or Arizona, or vs the Marlins anywhere, and I suppose given that 3-6 in 9 games vs those 3 clubs can almost be considered holding serve, but with the Brewers steamrolling through the national league, watching a 6 game lead evaporating to a tie while you're not getting blown out and you're giving up leads late is just eminently frustrating.
I believe baseball teams are what they are. Injuries not withstanding, teams don't get significantly better or worse. They play really well at certain points and really poorly at certain points, but things even out in the end. I also believe this Chicago Cubs team is a collection of excellent talent, coming together to form a great-borderline-excellent baseball team.
Sunday and Monday the Cubs looked and felt like the team they were earlier in the season when they were rolling off long winning streaks, crushing the baseball, and locking down leads late. Bobby Howry is probably not long for this team, but Chad Gaudin has stepped up, he may prove to be almost an important as Rich Harden down the stretch. Jeff Samardzija is probably going to be a starting pitcher in 2009, but he is going to be an invaluable cog in the bullpen if the Cubs are going to go deep into October.
And maybe, just maybe, Carlos Marmol has learned to pitch again.
Maybe.
Howry (L, 3-3), Geary (W, 3-1)
Saturday, July 19th @ Houston L 4-1
Zambrano (L, 10-4), Rodriguez (W, 5-3), Valverde (S, 25)
Sunday, July 20th @ Houston W 9 -0
Dempster (W, 11-4), Backe (L, 6-10)
Monday, July 21st @ Arizona L 2-0
Harden (L, 5-2), Johnson (W, 7-7), Quails (S, 2)
Tuesday, July 22nd @ Arizona L 9-2
Marquis (L, 6-6), Petit (W, 1-1)
Wednesday, July 23rd @ Arizona W 10-6
Lilly (W, 10-6), Davis (L, 5-5)
Thursday, July 24th vs Florida W 6-3
Olsen (L, 6-5), Zambrano (W, 11-4), Marmol (S, 4)
Friday, July 25th vs Florida L, 3-2
[Justin] Miller (W, 3-2), Howry (L, 3-4), Gregg (S, 21)
Saturday, July 26th vs Florida L 3-2
[Justin] Miller (W, 4-2), Gaudin (L, 5-4), Gregg (S, 22)
Sunday, July 27th vs Florida W 9-6
Hendrickson (L, 7-8), Gaudin (W, 6-4), Smardzjia (S, 1)
Monday, July 28th @ Milwaukee W 6-4
Gaudin (W, 7-4) Torres (L, 5-3) Marmol (S, 5)
Frustrating baseball.
That's about the easiest way to summarize the first nine games after the all star break. Bullpen bad, offense impotent, starters throwing really well with nothing to show for it. Games have never come easy for the Cubs in Houston or Arizona, or vs the Marlins anywhere, and I suppose given that 3-6 in 9 games vs those 3 clubs can almost be considered holding serve, but with the Brewers steamrolling through the national league, watching a 6 game lead evaporating to a tie while you're not getting blown out and you're giving up leads late is just eminently frustrating.
I believe baseball teams are what they are. Injuries not withstanding, teams don't get significantly better or worse. They play really well at certain points and really poorly at certain points, but things even out in the end. I also believe this Chicago Cubs team is a collection of excellent talent, coming together to form a great-borderline-excellent baseball team.
Sunday and Monday the Cubs looked and felt like the team they were earlier in the season when they were rolling off long winning streaks, crushing the baseball, and locking down leads late. Bobby Howry is probably not long for this team, but Chad Gaudin has stepped up, he may prove to be almost an important as Rich Harden down the stretch. Jeff Samardzija is probably going to be a starting pitcher in 2009, but he is going to be an invaluable cog in the bullpen if the Cubs are going to go deep into October.
And maybe, just maybe, Carlos Marmol has learned to pitch again.
Maybe.
No comments:
Post a Comment