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 If you missed this game because you had better things to do, you are going to be kicking yourself. Wow! What an ending. A 3-6-1 double play to end the game after they had a runner on 3rd with no outs!?!? I'm not even certain I would have believed it had I not seen it with my own eyes. I nearly had a heart attack, twice. Holy crap. Did you see Piniella after the game? I thought he was either going to punch every player on the team or give them a bear hug. He was out of control. This was, of course, right after he came out to the mound and told everyone to 'Relax!' Do as I say and not as I do, I guess....Wow!
Ok, ok, calm down. The Cubs are back in first after the wildest ending to a game since Mitch Williams was in the fold. Rich Hill threw seven spectacular innings and Cliff Floyd had a home run and a triple as the Cubs got a much needed victory and moved into a first place tie with Milwaukee. Yeah, that's right, the Brewers lost earlier in the day to the Pirates, who are seemingly out to screw up everyone's season at this point.
The Cubs were in control of this game until the ninth inning when Lou brought in Dempster to close out the game. He gave up a single to Mark Loretta that hit the freaking first base bag right when it looked like D-Lee was going to field it and then he gave up a triple to Mike Lamb, that Felix Pie couldn't get to in the alley, to get the score to 3-2 and all of this without any outs. At this point I hated Ryan Dempster and was ready to kick his ass. He seriously has to go. I know it's late in the season, but put Carlos Marmol in there to close things out. Anyways, Dempster got a weak grounder for the first out, he walked Orlando Palmeiro and then the stage was set....
Sweet Lou walked out to the mound as slow as ever and the whole infield converged on it. I thought for sure he was coming out there to rip someone's head off. He looked at them all and said, "Relax". He then looked at Jason Kendall and said, "You O.K.?" and after Kendall nodded yes, he asked Dempster the same thing and received the same nod. He then said, "Let's get two here," and walked off the mound as cool, calm and collected as a man can be in that situation.
Eric Munson came on to hit and he hit a sharp grounder to Lee. Lee bobbled it a bit, but threw to Theriot in time to get the force at second.....anyone who's watched the Cubs over the past few years know that their pitchers have had difficulty covering first base on these plays, but Dempster was right there as Theriot's throw was right on the money and the Cubs won in exciting fashion.
I'm not even sure what else to say right now. Hill was awesome, Marmol has to become the closer, and Lou may have a stroke in these last two weeks.....I have to get some sleep. I may or may not be going to work tomorrow. I don't know how much more of this I can take. I can't wait to see Lou's post-game press conference and read the quotes tomorrow. Wow! If you missed this game...you may have missed the most important moment of the entire season for the Cubs.
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can't even watch the last three innings of games anymore. Too friggin stressful. I love Marmol but no way you put him in the closer role now. He's never done it and it you just change now. You weaken the team in two areas by doing that. You lose the 6th/7th inning guy and put someone with no experience in big games to close. Just can't flip flop them and expect the same or better results. We've all known Dempster is a powder keg and they could have made the change midseason when Dempster was out with the injury.
I don't know what the long term plan is for Marmol but they can make him the closer next year and not during the tightest race in MLB.
Dempster sucks sometimes - most times in the last week- but had converted his last ten opps prior to Sept 5 and is 26/29 for the year. It ain't that bad.
I wrote that last night.....I've already changed my mind. Dempster stays
How to stick to your guns. I was all geared up for a morning of Marmol/Dempster. However, it was the most coherent group of ideas put forth by me in several months. I wish work was like thinking about sports, it be fun and I'd give a crap.
I agree, I like to argue, but you are right. It's just too late in the season to switch. Plus, it sounds like Lou thinks Dempster did his job and just had a bad break.....
well - maybe last night he had bad luck but last Thursday and this past Tuesday he did blow.
Good stat from Tuesday was how few pitches Marmol and Howry threw in their two respective innings. I believe it was 23 and 24. I guess that was reason Howry pitched last night. tonight it will be Wuertz and Marmol or pray for a big lead. Did see another good stat abou how good Wuertz is with inherited runners - top 5 in the league. Howry and Dempy can't go 3 in a row.
I think everyone is available for every game at this point. I think Lou is going to look for 5 good innings from Trachsel...1-2 from Marshall and then Marmol/Howry/Dempster....
Hopefully they get out and score some runs so they can get kerry wood/wuertz/eyre/etc. some time and rest the big 3 in the pen
I think Dempster just had bad luck last night. I was figuring in my head that if that ball didn't hit the bag, there would have been 2 outs, none on, and 1 run ahead (lamb scores on the squib).
Yeah, he's really been hanging that breaking ball though. He needs to get back to relying on his fastball more like he was when he was dominating earlier this season before he was hurt.
Cobra, Marshall is pitching the 2nd game on Saturday so he won't pitch tonight. Woods might need to do actually contribute.
I thought Lou had said he wanted Marshall to get into at least one game before starting him again. I figured this might be the game instead of his side session.