Christian Ruzich's Archives
2008 Ex-Cub Factor Update
Philadelphia Phillies: 3 -- Scott Eyre, Jamie Moyer, Matt Stairs
Milwaukee Brewers: 1 -- Jason Kendall
Chicago Cubs: None
Los Angeles Dodgers: 3 -- Nomar Garciaparra, Greg Maddux, Juan Pierre
Chicago White Sox: None
Tampa Bay Rays: 1 -- Cliff Floyd
Boston Red Sox: None
Los Angeles Angels Etc.: 2 -- Gary Matthews Jr., Justin Speier
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Living On a What, Now?
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Chicago Re-Acquires Aging Writer
In a move that will surely change the landscape of Cubs blogging, one-time TCR writer Christian Ruzich announced that he was moving back to Chicago. A new job has necessitated a call-up from the minor leagues (Harrisburg, PA), and Ruzich and his family should be back in the city before the playoff roster deadline.
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Batting Stances
This guy has a whole series of batting stance videos up. A nice diversion on a day off.
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Don't Quit Your Day Job, Carlos
From a link on the new blog by Paul DePodesta (really), here's Carlos Zambrano helping out "career minor leaguer Ron Stilanovich" and his Hardball video series.
Lesson #19: Taking One For the Team
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Micah Owings In Context
The Cubs catch a break this weekend, as the Diamondbacks come through town and the Cubs don't have to face two of their best pitchers. Brandon Webb pitched last night, and with all due respect to today's starter Danny Haren, the Cubs have to be happy to miss Micah Owings as well.
Even though Owings isn't pitching, though, we still might see him in the series. He's gotten quite a bit of press this year, but unlike Webb it's mostly been for his bat. Last week against the Astros, he hit a home run. To the opposite field. As a pinch hitter. In the sixth inning. After the opposing team brought in a reliever specifically to face him. Using a sawed-off piano leg as a bat.
OK, not that last one, but still. It was quite a feat. ESPN ran a great chart after that game. Here it is updated through today:
Highest Career OPS (min 75 PA):
1. Babe Ruth 1.164
2. Ted Williams1.116
3. Lou Gehrig 1.079
4. Micah Owings 1.056
5. Barry Bonds 1.051
6. Albert Pujols 1.041
7. Jimmie Foxx 1.037
8. Hank Greenberg 1.017
9. Geovanny Soto 1.011
9. Rogers Hornsby 1.011
While this isn't necessarily a candidate for inclusion in the next edition of How to Lie With Statistics, setting the bar at 75 PA is just the tiniest bit misleading. I mean, look who's tied with Hornsby! Still, that's pretty heady company, and there's no denying that Owings is an excellent hitting pitcher. With the help of the amazing BaseballReference.com Play Index, I pulled up a couple of other charts that put Owings' accomplishments in a bit more context:
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The 2007 Ex-Cub Factor
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Game 103 Thread / Cubs @ Reds (3 of 3)
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Talking Out Of Tampa
"How about Chicago? Is it cold there now or not? Talk me out of Tampa" -- Joe Nichols, "Talk Me Out Of Tampa"Following in the footsteps of Derek Zumsteg's Seattle-based look at Lou Piniella's managerial stylings, I have two links from Tampa Bay Devil Rays bloggers regarding Sweet Lou.
Recent comments
crunch (view)
no days off til may 9th. moves may happen if the pen gets too worked tomorrow.
Cubster (view)
On top of all that…Wicks scratched for Sunday due to “forearm soreness.” Bullpen day again starting with Mervis or Wisdom (or Wesn).
crunch (view)
"Morel told reporters after the game that he felt alright, just a little banged up — specifically noting his right hip and both elbows. He did say that he was optimistic about his ability to play on Sunday, though manager Craig Counsell may have other plans."
crunch (view)
rsox putting pablo reyes up to pitch...an infielder...cranking 70+mph stuff.
...and of course he gets out of it with no runs scored...that kind of day for the cubs.
crunch (view)
...and wisdom replaces mervis on the mound to try to get the last out.
busch is at 3rd, but i wouldn't read too much into that.
wisdom's thrown a couple in the 80s (one of them 88mph), but both missed the strike zone badly.
crunch (view)
matt mervis is no david ross on the mound.
cubs run differential getting destroyed.
crunch (view)
matt mervis pitching...wisdom replaces morel at 3rd.
he's featuring some high-50s thunder on the fastball.
through 15 pitches, he's straight up throwing BP...all mid-high 50s lobs. no way he's going to jose canseco himself out of a job.
on pitch 21 he railed a 75mph fastball missing high on a 0-1 count. ha.
crunch (view)
he's hugging canario in the dugout cuz morel will shrivel up and die if he doesn't hug at least a dozen people a day.
crunch (view)
and morel is injured...nice.
morel trying to play LF from 3rd...runs into canario while leaping and comes down ribs/arm-first.
hopefully he sticks around to finish this terrible game, or at least is going to avoid the IL.
TarzanJoeWallis (view)
Amen to that last point!