SB Nation User Blog: 08Cubs

Boswell: Seize the Moment

08Cubs — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 15:29:51 -0000

Boswell: Seize the Moment

"Reverse Psychology"

If you're surrounded by negativity and looking for something to raise your spirits for tonight, this is it.

Kosuke Fukudome gets turned all the way around by - Marco Estrada of the Nationals. August 23,...

08Cubs — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 02:25:44 -0000

Kosuke Fukudome gets turned all the way around by - Marco Estrada of the Nationals. August 23, 2008.

It's not visible in this particular shot, but Dome is using Geovany Soto's bat here.

Aramis Ramirez (first) home run - Augist 23, 2008

08Cubs — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 02:22:15 -0000

Aramis Ramirez (first) home run - Augist 23, 2008

NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley

08Cubs — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 04:03:48 -0000

Not officially confirmed yet, but the report out of Minnesota is that the NHL will indeed hold the Winter Classic at Wrigley on New Years Day between the Hawks and the Red Wings.

Link

According to a knowledgeable source, it’s official. The NHL’s second outdoor Winter Classic will take place New Year’s Day at the storied Wrigley Field when the Blackhawks take on the Stanley Cup-champion Detroit Red Wings.

An announcement is expected next week in the days leading up to the three-day inaugural “Blackhawks Convention” at the Chicago Hilton.

I'm really looking forward to this. My immediate question, of course, is whether Cubs season ticket holders will have an opportunity to buy tickets.

Declaration of Independence - July 4 Notes and Photos

08Cubs — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 03:38:45 -0000

Well, Z certainly looks alright.

On the Fourth of July, the Cubs rode a strong return from Carlos Zambrano and home runs by Kosuke Fukudome and Geovany Soto to declare independence from the Cardinals, opening up a 3 1/2 game lead in the division with a 2-1 victory. It's a good thing America's a melting pot, because without Japanese and Venezuelan players not much would have happened tonight.

The game was pretty much about Carlos, who handcuffed the Cardinal offense for six innings. For the most part, he either stayed well ahead of the hitters or induced them into quick outs. (In reviewing my photos during the game, I noted "Pujols strikes out. Check. Pujols pops up. Check.") Actually, there were only a few moments of tension during the game, as Kosuke homered on the ninth pitch of his first at bat for the early lead. (And I say domo arigato to Kosuke, who hadn't previously done very much at any games I've attended this year.) Geovany Soto also had a great game, with the aforementioned homer, a walk, and two singles. Two runs might not have been enough for most of this week, but tonight it was just enough. Jim Edmonds got a very nice and very loud standing ovation and doffed his helmet to the Cardinals fans, and then proceeded to strike out three times and meekly fly out.

The main threat from the Cardinals didn't come after Albert Pujols hit his 300th career home run in the eighth (meh) to bring them within a run. It came in the second, when Yadier Molina reached on exactly the type of infield hit that occasionally sends Z mental. With two runners on, however, genius Tony LaRussa had his pitcher in the 8th slot, ending the threat.

Although the end of the game was exciting after the Pujols home run (Howry - strong start, but meh), fortunately no one was on base ahead of him, and Neal Cotts and Kerry Wood held onto the lead for four more outs. Actually, the bottom of the ninth was one of the stranger things I've seen in a ballpark, with the St. Louis fireworks display beginning as Kerry warmed up on the mound and continuing throughout the inning. Didn't bother Woody, though.

A fine evening at the ballpark, and a fine way to spend the Fourth.

Z on the mound.

Dome with Pujols

In-game fireworks

Wood closes it out.

Pouring (Game Notes & Photos @ WSH 4/26)

08Cubs — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 03:07:07 -0000

It poured almost all night at Nationals Park - but the rain didn't start coming down until after the game.

Despite the dire weather predictions, there wasn't a drop until the fans hit the parking lots. The Cubs, however, poured on the offense tonight, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning enroute to an easy 7-0 victory. Happily, it's a fairly simple storyline. Cub hititng came through on its end of the cliched baseball advice that a good team has to do its job against bad pitching.

For the Nationals, starter Matt Chico simply hasn't been a very good pitcher this year. In fact, he probably will be sent down to the minors in the not too distant future. But Chico was only half of the equation. The good news (Geo, can you step out into the hall for a second?) is that the rest of the offense continued to show that they can take advantage of such weakness. Put that behind a very effective performance from Carlos Zambrano, and that's about all she wrote.

The 8 Cub strikeouts stood out a bit on my scorecard, but I suppose that's largely understandable with a big lead against pitching you're not expecting to be very good. I'm not sure, however, that that explains Dome's performance. He struck out twice and was actually down in the count a fair bit tonight - I hope he's not pressing.

Overall, a very nice - if largely workmanlike - night at the ballpark. Really, the only two milestones were Mark DeRosa's 2 RBI single to give the Cubs the early lead, and the completion of the bottom of the 5th inning that ensured the game would stay in the books regardless of the oncoming storm. The crowd was largely quiet all night, except for the noise from Cub fans whenever they scored. I have to say I was stunned, though, at the sheer volume of pro-Cub cheering and clapping with two outs in the ninth - especially since the Nationals haven't been cheered that loudly to close out a ballgame in their own ballpark all year.

Given the relatively straightforward nature of the action tonight, I thought I'd try to give you some slightly different photos from yesterday, including some flavor for the ballpark. I would expect the Nats to be a lot more competitive tomorrow. John Lannan, tomorrow's starter, didn't make the club out of spring training, but he has pitched extremely effectively all year after coming back up. Given Ted Lilly's performances so far, the Sunday game should be far less predictable than the outcome tonight.

Cubs BP, and a view of Nationals Park

Big Z hard at work.

Deuces Wild: Derrek Lee motors to second base on his 2 RBI double in the second inning.

Dome heading out to field

The President's Race. Perennial loser Teddy Roosevelt had the early lead, but was tackled on his way to the finish. I think the whole thing is fixed.

Reed Johnson with Cubs lineup 4/25 at Washington

08Cubs — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 04:31:31 -0000

Reed Johnson with Cubs lineup 4/25 at Washington

Cubs dugout 4/25 at Washington

08Cubs — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 04:30:20 -0000

Cubs dugout 4/25 at Washington

Center of Power (DC Photos and Notes 4/25)

08Cubs — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 03:42:53 -0000

A good, close, ballgame tonight unfortunately went the wrong way for the Cubs as backup catcher Wil Nieves hit his first career home run off Bob Howry - a walk-off, to boot . If the win itself wasn't unexpected (the Sun Times story on the bullpen this morning is certainly looking well-timed), getting it via power certainly was. Other than Ryan Zimmerman's walk-off to open the park the place has been virtually a homer free zone for the Nats before Felipe Lopez's hit the first grand slam in the stadium last night. This certainly should have been a winnable game (should have capitalized in the 8th), but those are the breaks.

It's late so I don't have profound analysis, but wanted to put up some photos and quick notes from the game tonight.

1) After opening night, tonight's game had the best crowd and atmosphere of any at Nationals Park. The weather was beautiful and the seats were largely full. As the park's not new to me, I'll leave it to others to describe their impressions, but a ballpark that really hasn't quite settled in yet really started to do so tonight.

2) I haven't seen the replay, but Reed Johnson's catch absolutely stunned me. I have no idea how he got to that ball.

3) This is the first time I've been able to see the Cubs in person all season, but Dome is absolutely as advertised. Two notes: First, I've posted a picture below of A-Ram batting with Dome in the on deck circle. I may have taken about 20-30 similar photos, and what I immediately noticed flipping through them is that Dome's head is up watching what is going on intently in every one of them. I don't recall ever seeing that before. Second, the last Cub off the field, well after the walk-off? Fukudome, who seemed to stride in very slowly taking it all in.

4) I don't absolve him, but after tonight I understand the Bartman thing a lot better. I sit in the front row next to the dugout. Nick Johnson caught Theriot's foulout in the 9th literally in my lap, over the rail. The funny thing is - I was watching the ball the whole way and had absolutely no idea Johnson was four inches in front of me. Of course, the difference is I didn't try to touch the ball, either. If I'd been thinking, I suppose I should have since it was in the stands.

Photos:

Aramis bats, Fukudome watches.

Lastings Milledge breaks for second.

Aramis Ramirez beats Odalis Perez to the bag in the third.

Dome's single in the eighth.

Let's hope Carlos brings us 10,001 tomorrow.

As a test, a repost of my photo of Soriano homering in St. Louis last year.

08Cubs — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:25:08 -0000

As a test, a repost of my photo of Soriano homering in St. Louis last year.