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Do they still play the blues in Chicago,
when baseball season rolls around?
When the snow melts away do the Cubbies still play
in their ivy-covered burial ground?
When I was a boy they were my pride and joy
but now they only bring fatigue
to the home of the brave, the land of the free
and the doormat of the National League
For those who aren’t familiar with Steve Goodman’s classic talking blues piece above, well first of all, shame on you. Secondly, listen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xBxZGQ1dJk
Goodman was a fun-loving favorite son of the Chicago folk-blues scene and a Cubs fan on borrowed time when he wrote this song and several others for and about the Cubs. And, like most Cubs fans born after the Allied invasion of Normandy, Goodman had bad timing. Born in 1948 just two and a half years after their last WS appearance, Goodman died from Leukemia in September 1984 at the age of 36 just days before the Cubs clinched the NL East and a few weeks prior to their first post-season baseball since that ‘45 series. He had been scheduled to sing the national anthem during that series.
Cubs were 83-78 last season (2nd in NL Central) and split six games with the awful Aug/Sept version of the ‘09 Mets.
This year, they’re 5-7 as they come to CitiField for a 4-game showdown - all night games - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday
The Cubs somewhat shaky start (5-7 can you imagine?!?) is causing swan dives into green rivers and deep dishes not just because they’re in a hole but because they were counting on a fast start seeing as how they don’t even face a 2009 playoff team until mid-May.
They haven’t exactly been getting blown out - only a (-6) RS/RA and that’s essentially all from Carlos Zambrano getting gang-raped by the Braves on opening day. But their record is what it is while not exactly facing a murderer’s row of opponents.
- Lost 2 of 3 to Atlanta
- Lost 2 of 3 to Cincinatti
- Won 2 of 3 from Milwaukee
- Lost 2 of 3 to Houston
And just to clear up one ugly rumor before we start on the Chicago roster, there’s no truth to the one that says if we get Ike into the lineup tonight that the Cubs are therefore required to add someone named ‘Adlai’ to theirs, or even bring back Shawn Estes or Otis Nixon.
C - Geovany Soto -- [2010 stats to date] (.308/.455/.462)
Great rookie year in 2008, not so hot a follow-up in ‘09
1B - Derrick Lee (.282/.391/.538)
Getting a bit older and a lot more injury-prone, but still dangerous
At one point in ST he hurt himself bending over ... now that’s like old man stuff
2B-SS -- the ‘French Connection’ combo of Mike Fontenot (.321/.367/.357) & Ryan Theriot (.235/.273/.255)
I put them together because no one can really tell these two apart and I assume them to be pretty much interchangeable on every level. OK probably not to their wives ... but, then again, maybe they’ve got some kind of Kekich/Peterson thing going on between road trips where they take turns at each other’s “position” while the wives alternate as to which one plays the role of “keystone” that night.
3B -- Aramis Ramirez (.170/.245/.404)
Rumored to be the only player named after a cologne, he’s off to a slow start this year
LF - Alfonso Soriano (.263/.282/.447)
Still dangerous, still swings at everything, still overpaid, still a lousy outfielder. Talk is that his act is wearing thin out in Chi-town (1 HR & 1 BB on the season) and that he could be the first piece of ballast thrown overboard if the Cubs decide to “shake things up”.
CF - Marlon Byrd (.244/.261/.533)
FA signing for the north-siders this winter. Once a prize prospect of the Phille system, eventually became a full-timer with Texas at age 31.
RF - Kosuke Fukudome (.306/.341/.444)
May or may not be in Lou Piniella’s doghouse, depends on what day it is, but off to a good start.
Bench - Xavier Nady !?!?!?! Almost forgot this boy was alive.
Also Chad Tracy (1B), Tyler Colvin (OF), Jeff Baker (IF), and Koyie Hill (C)
Bullpen:
Carlos Marmol is the closer. Got a lot of KRod in him: very few hits mixed with far too many walks (65 BBs in 74 IPs last year w/only 43 hits)
Also three LHPs out there (LaRussa would crap his pants): Sean Marshall, John Grabow, James Russel.
From the right side former Notre Dame tight end Jeff Samardzija is not exctly living up to the huge bonus the Cubs gave him to jump to baseball (5.76 ERA & 1.66 WHiP over parts of 3 seasons). Of course, coming from Notre Dame, he probably took a pay cut once he started playing baseball.
- Monday 7:10 EDT (SNY & ESPN):
Randy Wells (RHP;1-0; 2.95 ERA; 1.541 WHiP) vs Jonathon Niese
Wells, no relation to, and not nearly as fat as, David Wells, is coming off a good rookie year in 2009 after coming up through the Toronto system.
He got a win vs Atlanta (no runs over 6.0 IP) and a ND vs Milwaukee (4 ER over 6.1)
Mets beat him last year when Pelfrey tossed a gem: http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes ... 9060.shtml
- Tuesday 7:10 EDT
Carlos Zambrano (RHP; 1-1; 9.45; 2.045) vs Mike Pelfrey
An excitable boy (they all say), Zambrano was bombed on opening day (8 ER in 1-1/3 IP) and then came back with 0 runs over 7 vs Reds (W) and a ND vs Brewers (5 IP, 3 ER). Good hitter
He’s 4-2; 3.71 in 10 starts agains the Mets lifetime. Started twice against them last season, including once when we ran his ass out by the 4th inning: http://ultimatemets.com/gamedetail.php?gameno=7687
and then an ND a week later when he was good but his pen got beat up.
Neither Reyes or Wright have ever hit him well (both .167 in 18 ABs)
- Wednesday 7:10 EDT
Carlos Silva (RHP; 1-0; 0.69; 0.615) vs Oliver Perez
Following two horrid seasons in Seattle after signing a big FA contract, Silva was dealt to the Cubs over the winter for Milton Bradely in an exchange of overpaid disasters.
Had a ND vs Reds (1 ER thru 6 IP) and beat Houston (0 ER thru 7) but there are senior citizens beating Houston these days
- Thursday 7:10 EDT
Tom Gorzelanny (LHP; 0-1; 1.93; 1.071) vs Johan Santana
Aside from being the best pitcher in ML history named Gorzelanny, Tom was acquired in mid-2009 from Pitt for a trio of minor leaguers. He both started & relieved last year.
Has started twice this season (0 ER thru 6.1 vs Reds; 2 ER thru 3.0 vs Astros)
8 games (4 starts) against the Mets lifetime; 2-2, 5.68
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