Cubbyblue's Archives
Sunday Funnies: How's your faith hanging there, Cub Fans?
Click to see the gif.
Ryan Dempster waiting at the baggage claim from hell.
It's so cruel watching Ryan Dempster pitch one outstanding game after another and still not get his first win of '12.
Well, I guess he did give up 4 earned runs so his ERA ballooned to 1.97, but still.
Please give to the Score Some Runs for Ryan Foundation, Cubs.
As you read the following, furrow your brow and in your head use your sappiest, most serious voice.
Matt Garza's 9th inning hair
What a dominant performance by Matt Garza.
The Philadelphia Phillies get one eensy weensy perfectly placed bloop single from Jimmy Rollins to lead off the game.
Then it's just Garza magic for 7 innings - one walk, no runs, Cubs 3 Phils zeeero.
Rafael Dolis gets 3 straight in the 8th.
And then it's Carlos Marmol.
- Read more about Matt Garza's 9th inning hair
- 20 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
Randy Wells' Monty Python act.
Oh Randy Wells.
You can't do this any more, brother...
Is Theo Epstein working a Marlon Byrd trade with Boston?
Of course that's an imagined conversation between Theo Epstein and Boston GM Ben Cherington, but...
Sunday Funnies (sort of): Cubs watch Cardinals' ring ceremony.
I get that Dale Sveum was trying to be all high-roady (and I even admire that) having his Cubs watch the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals have their ring cememony.
But for the Cubs it had to be pretty galling.
I didn't have the tv on.
Maybe they showed it, maybe the Cubs were all perfect gentlemen..
And maybe this is what they were all actually thinking.
LaHair's grand slam made it by a hair.
When the Chicago Cubs were up 9 (nine!) to nothin' over the St. Louis Cardinals, the best word I could come up with was "exotic".
Because that's how it felt.
Two days in a row of massive Cub bat-damage?
That's like being on some island in National Geographic where the lizards all have fur and bring you rum drinks.
- Read more about LaHair's grand slam made it by a hair.
- 6 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
A round of applause for Arizona Phil and his Cubs ST coverage!
I thought I knew a little about baseball til I started reading your posts here at TCR, Arizona Phil.
The depth of your knowledge and your frank, watchful eye have kept us all deeply in the loop of our favorite team.
Thanks.
And now...2012!
Whatever the hell it turns out to be.
Should be gorgeous weather on Opening Day.
Seriously, can't believe how fabulous the weather's been.
- Read more about Should be gorgeous weather on Opening Day.
- 9 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
Some new apps for your iCubs.
If you're a modern, savvy human, then you gotta keep up with the times.
That means always getting the latest and newest stuff.
- Read more about Some new apps for your iCubs.
- 23 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
Happy St. Pat's Day. As in Hughes.
After the season of the Bear
There are Hawks games and Bulls games to spare
But you can't wait for the day
When you hear Pat Hughes say,
"Chicago Cubs baseball is on the air"
(Sorry if I got a little deep there.)
Happy St. Pat's, everyone!
- Read more about Happy St. Pat's Day. As in Hughes.
- 8 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
Jeff Beliveau's pitching pause.
That was the first time I'd seen Jeff Beliveau pitch.
Len and Bob made a big deal about this little pause Beliveau employs right when he rears back to throw.
(In the illustration I say "windup", but he was throwing from the set position.)
I didn't think much about it.
But then he proceeded to strike out all 3 Dodgers he faced, and two more the next inning.
With Garza not looking so hot (dry AZ air?) the Cub bats getting just 5 hits and no runs, Beliveau was the most exciting thing about Sunday's zero to five loss.
- Read more about Jeff Beliveau's pitching pause.
- 60 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
A Chart of the Soler System
- Read more about A Chart of the Soler System
- 59 comments
- Log in or register to post comments
Recent comments
Arizona Phil (view)
The Reds trading Joe Boyle for Sam Moll at last year's MLB Trade Deadline was like the Phillies trading Ben Brown to the Cubs for David Robertson at the MLB TD in 2022.
Arizona Phil (view)
Javier Assad started the Lo-A game (Myrtle Beach versus Stockton) on the Cubs backfields on Wednesday as his final Spring Training tune-up. He was supposed to throw five innings / 75 pitches. However, I was at the minor league road games at Fitch so I didn't see Assad pitch.
crunch (view)
cards put j.young on waivers.
they really tried to make it happen this spring, but he put up a crazy bad slash of .081/.244/.108 in 45PA.
Childersb3 (view)
Seconded!!!
crunch (view)
another awesome spring of pitching reports. thanks a lot, appreciated.
Arizona Phil (view)
Here are the Cubs pitchers reports from Tuesday afternoon's Cardinals - Cubs game art Sloan Park in Mesa:
SHOTA IMANAGA:
FB: 90-92
CUT: 87-89
SL: 82-83
SPLIT: 81-84
CV: 73-74
COMMENT: Worked three innings plus two batters in the fourth... allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits (six singles and two doubles) walked one, and struck out six (four swinging), with a 1/2 GO/AO... he threw 73 pitches (52 strikes - 10 swing & miss - 19 foul balls)... surrendered one run in the top of the 1st on a one-out double off Cody Bellinger's glove in deep straight-away CF followed one out later by two consecutive two-out bloop singles, allowed two runs (one earned) in the 2nd after retiring the first two hitters (first batter had a nine-pitch AB with four consecutive two-strike foul balls before being retired 3 -U) on a two-out infield single (weak throw on the run by Nico Hoerner), a hard-contact line drive RBI double down the RF line, and an E-1 (missed catch) by Imanaga on what should been an inning-ending 3-1 GO, gave up another run in the 3rd on a two-out walk on a 3-2 pitch and an RBI double to LF, and two consecutive singles leading off the top of the 4th before being relieved (runners were ultimately left stranded)... threw 18 pitches in the 1st inning (14 strikes - two swing & miss, one on FB and the other on a SL - four foul balls), 24 pitches in the 2nd inning (17 strikes - three swing & miss, one on FB, two SPLIT - six foul balls), 19 pitches in the 3rd inning (13 strikes - seven swing & miss, three on SL, two on SPLIT, one on FB - three foul balls), and 12 pitches without retiring a batter in the top of the 4th (8 strikes - no swing & miss - four foul balls)... Imanaga throws a lot of pitches per inning, but it's not because he doesn't throw strikes... if anything, he throws too many strikes (he threw 70% strikes on Tuesday)... while he gets a ton of swing & miss (and strikeouts), he also induces a lot of foul balls because he doesn't try to make hitters chase his pitches by throwing them out of the strike zone... rather, he uses his very diverse pitch mix to get swing & miss (and lots of foul balls as well)... he also is a fly ball pitcher who will give up more than his share of HR during the course of the season...
JOE NAHAS:
FB: 90-92
SL: 83-85
CV: 80-81
COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day... relieved Imanaga with runners at first and second and no outs in the top of the 4th, and after an E-2 catcher's interference committed by Miguel Amaya loaded he bases, Nahas struck out the side (one swinging & two looking)... threw 16 pitches (11 strikes - two swinging)...
YENCY ALMONTE:
FB: 89-92
CH: 86
SL: 79
COMMENT: Threw an eight-pitch 5th (five strikes - no swing & miss), with a 5-3 GO for the first out and an inning-ending 4-6-3 DP after a one-out single... command was a bit off but he worked through it...
FRANKIE SCALZO JR:
FB: 94-95
CH: 88
SL: 83
COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 6th inning... got the first outs easily (a P-5 and a 4-3 GO) on just three pitches, before allowing three consecutive two-out hard-contact hits (a double and two singles), with the third hit on pitch # 9 resulting in a runner being thrown out at the plate by RF Christian Franklin for the third out of the inning...
MICHAEL ARIAS:
FB: 94-96
CH: 87-89
SL: 82-83
COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and allowed a hard-contact double on the third pitch of the 7th inning (a 96 MPH FB), and the runner came around to score on a 4-3 GO and a WP... gave up two other loud contact outs (an L-7 and an F-9)... threw 18 pitches (only 10 strikes - only one swing & miss)... stuff is electric but still very raw and he continues to have difficulty commanding it, and while he has the repertoire of a SP, he throws too many pitches-per-inning to be a SP and not enough strikes to be a closer... he is most definitely still a work-in-progress...
ZAC LEIGH:
FB: 93-94
CH: 89
SL: 81-83
CV: 78
COMMENT: Was called up from the AA Tennessee group at Minor League Camp for the day and tossed a 1-2-3 8th (4-3 GO, K-swinging on a sweeper, K-looking on another sweeper)... threw 14 pitches (11 strikes - one swing & miss - eight foul balls)... kept pumping pitches into the strike zone but had difficulty putting hitters away (ergo a ton of foul balls)... FB velo is nowhere near the 96-98 MPH it was a couple of years ago when he was a Top 30 prospect, but his secondaries are better...
JOSE ROMERO:
FB: 93-95
SL: 82-84
COMMENT: Was called up from the Hi-A South Bend group at Minor League Camp for the day and worked the 9th (14 pitches - only six strikes- no swing & miss) and allowed a solo HR after two near-HR fly outs to the warning track, before getting a 3-1 GO to end the inning... it was like batting practice when he wasn't throwing pitches out of the strike zone...
crunch (view)
pablo sandoval played 3rd and got a couple ABs (strikeout, single!) in the OAK@SF "exhibition"
mlb officially authenticated the ball of the single he hit. nice.
he's in surprisingly good shape considering his poor body condition in his last playing seasons. he's not lean, but he looks healthier. good for him.
crunch (view)
dbacks are signing j.montgomery to a 1/25m with a vesting 20m player option.
i dunno when the ink officially dries, but i believe if he signs once the season begins he can't be offered a QO...and i'm not sure if that thing with SD/LAD in korea was the season beginning, either.
crunch (view)
sut says imanaga getting the home opener at wrigley (game 4 of the season).
crunch (view)
cubs rolling out the who's who of "who the hell is this guy?" in the last spring game.