Pitching matchups:
CHI: Greg Maddux, 1-2, 5.65 ERA
STL: Jason Marquis, 1-1, 3.73 ERA
The lineups are in:
CUBS
2b Todd Walker
CF Corey Patterson
RF Sammy Sosa
LF Moises Alou
3B Aramis Ramirez
1B Derrek Lee
SS Alex Gonzalez
C Paul Bako
P Greg Maddux
CARDINALS
2B Tony Womack
LF Ray Lankford
1B Albert Pujols
CF Jim Edmonds
3B Scott Rolen
SS Edgar Renteria
RF Reggie Sanders
C Mike Matheny
P Jason Marquis
When are they going to switch Lee and Patterson? It’s such a better order that way. I can’t believe Dusty can’t see it.
I give it another month of Corey’s 260/300/450. Is it possible for his pitches per plate appearance to be less than 1? I bet if he was leading off he’d swing at the last warmup pitch.
You won’t find me here….
We’re at it again! Man we suck.
I didn’t get the memo that Chip got regarding the pronounciation of Mar-kees. So I’m going to say it right, instead.
Get ready to update the Paul Bak-o-meter. I smell an 0-4 with a with passed ball or two coming up.
2004 Pitches per plate appearance:
TW-3.91 (career average-3.73)
CP-3.15 (3.38)
SS-3.95 (3.87)
MA-3.33 (3.39)
AR-3.63 (3.70)
DL-4.01 (4.05)
AG-3.46 (3.73)
PB-4.32 (3.76)
Disregarding Bako, this lineup would seem to make the most sense with the most patient hitter in the 2 hole (Lee) because he’s followed up by the guys that drive in the runs in Sosa, Alou and Ramirez. Lee would also see better pitches to hit in front of Sammy.
Whoo Hoo!! I avg 3.91 pitches per plate appearance.
I think I may have just lowered my average a bit.
Man Corey loves me
Remember guys, this is Dusty Baker we are talking about. Love him or not, he’s the guy who put in Dave Veres in a two-run Game 7. Who then, of course, promptly put gasoline all over the game and gave up two more runs, essentially ending the game and the season.
I’m giving him until June 1st to figure out this lineup mess.
Cards 2004 Pitches per PA
TW-4.13 (3.74)
RL-4.08 (4.10)
AP-3.71 (3.81)
JE-4.45 (4.04)
SR-3.70 (4.00)
ER-3.64 (3.57)
RS-4.05 (3.83)
MM-3.63 (3.53)
You can draw your own conclusions.
What am I doing here?
I’m 0-8 lifetime against Maddux. You would think I would have faced him more than that.
What is surprising about that is Jim Edmonds (albeit barely) looks at more pitches over his career than Rolen and Pujols and Renteria.
Somebody please get Farnsworth to figure out how to throw strikes. That is all.
Hey Dusty, how about letting me hit 2nd?
Who wants to take bets that The Farns will be dealt?
After the Cruz deal worked out so well for them….I doubt it. at least not this year.
Sorry guys, I was out all night with some of St. Louis finest hookers.
Don’t I always get caught looking?
Will I ever get another hit?
Kyle, come on… You should be more professional than that.
You should just go to the finest eating establishments St. Louis has to offer. You know, like Denny’s.
where do you think I picked them up at?
Question…
Would you still be as down on A-Gon if he was only making 2.5 mil as opposed to the 5.75 mil he’s making now?
We watched a replay of the game with Kyle last night. He said that he’d kiss us on the strikes, and we’d kiss him on the balls.
We’re in first..
Double for me
TW, for me, my attitude towards A-Gon isn’t really about his salary. The thing about the guy is that he has shown that when he goes up to the plate focused, like with the game on the line, or during the playoffs, he can work the count, get his pitch, and drive it to any field. This tells me not so much that Gonzo is "clutch" but that he does not go to the plate focused unless the AB "means something". I don’t know if this is true, but in my mind, I sort of equate this with slacking off.
We’ll walk Paul Bako. Am I looking the sheet right?
Worst . . . Gamecast . . . Ever.
Whew I thought I was gonna look stupid
Bako doesn’t advance the runner. Gonzo gets hung up on the bases.
Somebody teach these professionals how to play the f—ing game.
Now I look stupid
I see where you’re coming from CT. I just think that at 2 mil or 2.5 mil, Alex is a good deal. You don’t expect much for those type of players. .240 w/ 20 HRs and above avg D is a pretty good year for a cheap guy. Other 2.5 guys are Adam Kennedy, Jimmy Rollins, Bill Mueller, Shea Hillenbrand.
Otherwise your options are paying out the arse for Nomar or gettig a nefi Perez….
At almost 6 mil it seems as if everyone is paying him on what he was expected to be. I don’t think anyone expects that anymore…
I heet the ball vewwwy hard! I hit home run! But then Moises Alou catch it, so I run all the way to third base so I can call Angel Hernandez a motherf@#$er again!
Jim Edmonds has a very wide stance, almost like he’s taking a dump at home plate. Which reminds me, Andy Masur will be along in the top of the sixth…
Ron Santo said I’m "all hips and hands." Sounds like he’s spent a night with me.
Can we bat Sosa in the 8 spot?
I came back to reality
Why do mediocre pitchers make us look like complete asses?
Well to answer my own question, I would say that we tend to relax when we have a good pitcher on the mound… and since that is 4 out of 5 starters… yeah.
Has anyone noticed what a prick Albert Pujols has become? When he hits a home run, he flips the bat and acts like that should happen every time up. It’s not so much showboating as it is a "stick it in your ass" type of strut. Then, he pulls that crap with Angel Hernandez yesterday. Who gets thrown out of a game after he draws a walk? I’d say it’s time for one or two in his ear.
I’m the best player ever. Ask your own anouncer Chip Caray. I demand respect.
When I was a kid I learned from Enos Slaughter how to play the game. Then when I break in with Cardinals, I get to play with Stan Musial, and he make me act nice. So now that I’m in my 60s, I act like I want to.
God bless this guy that is swinging me.
I nominate that Paul Bako double play for the Most Predictable Play of 2004 award.
I think Andy needs to post the Lindsay Lohan nipple photo on this gamecast since the vaunted Cubs offense is on fire again today.
I rule.
I’m baaaack!
Am I the only guy on this team with a sack?
My k was a predictable play too.
Now back to your regularly scheduled sucking…
Me fall down and hurt my snatch
I contend that any flyball to center that I can’t slow down on and then dive for should automatically be a ground rule double.
See? Somebody on this team can hit.
a go…..i must go…..
This is my favorite part during the game!
I can’t hear myself today, but did I go into a verbose explanation that Sammy hit a "rule book" double and not a "ground rule" double, because it’s a rule in any park that a fair ball that bounces into the stands is a double. It’s not a ground rule, because those are rules particular to any park, like if a ball gets caught in the ivy in Wrigley or if a fan tackles an umpire like at Comiskey.
Wait, I’m too dumb to know that. Never mind.
The Cubs need to take my advice and trade Farnsworth straight up for Jose Valentin. That way, we’d have a shortstopt that strikes out from the LEFT side of the plate, and can’t field his position.
Have I given up a home run in every game right after the Cubs gave me the lead? I think I have.
I can’t believe there’s no toilet paper in here. What is this corn cob doing here?
What is this huge fork sticking out of my back?
Why give the bullpen a chance to blow my lead? I’ll just do it myself and save them the trouble.
I’m warming up right now?
Can I pitch now??????????
Andy Mazur sucketh.
Don’t worry Greg, we can take of the lead for you!
Can I pinch hit for Bako????????
Andy Masur knows what the infield fly rule is. He’s so smart! Chip doesn’t ever tell us when it’s happening. I love Andy Masur!
The infield fly rule is so easy. Why can’t Chip tell us? Of course, since it’s easy, I should probably know it’s happening anyway.
I have tied Mark Grudzielanek’s home run mark for the entire 2003 season on May 1st.
Fear me!
If Farnsworth can’t start throwing strikes we might as well trade him for anything.
Paul Bako just got a double. Granted, it was a bloop double but a double nontheless. Wow.
Bloop? Jeez…How far back were they playing the powerless wonder?
My first extra base hit of the year!
My first extra base hit of the year!
Fear me too????????????
Here I come!
Move that meter back to sucks.
Hey Greg, maybe you could show me how you do that thing where you just knock the ball down slowly in fair territory to advance a runner. What’s it called again? Bunking?
You idiot it’s a bunt
Not so fast on the meter…..
Move to meter back to god-awful
What kind of play did I just get thrown out on? Was it close?
Never mind. You can leave the meter at lousy.
Do I need to mention how dumb contact plays are?
Paul, it wasn’t close. You were out by about two steps. You were on third, Walker hit a slow roller to first, Pujols threw home since you were going on contact.
Am I still on the team or do I only pitch in blowouts?
I think Bako was trying to hurt himself. He screwed that up too, looks like he is ok.
Who’s coming in to pitch to Sosa?
Have I decided to not hit on the road this year?
Oh, for a long one!
Read this carefully, because you almost never see it:
Sammy Sosa walked when there was a runner in scoring position.
I don’t match up very well with the Cubs offense.
Time for some two-out magic!
Does this incarnate look familiar?
Do we play the Pirates soon?
Does everyone love my hanging slider?
No walks for Maddux today
Think he’ll go in the 8th with only 84 pitches?
someone looking for me?
How about a hit that matters?
It’s not April any more!
I’ve got your trade pic right here.
I pitch the eighth
I think Derrek Lee just ended that Desipio.com graphic.
5-2 Cubs.
How about that sucka!
OK, now I’ll pitch the 8th.
Can everyone get off my back now?
Why am I pinch hitting?
Why am i coming out?
There’s your Allstate Insurance runs.
Folks, we’ve already seen 2 stolen bases by the pitchers in today’s game.
Could we possibly see a hit by each of the two of the least effective major league players in the game today?
Sorry, guys.
Couldn’t join Bako with a hit today.
If somebody is watching the game, who’s warming up in the Cubs pen?
So, now the bullpen gets to come in and blow it again, right?
Jose Macias and Kyle Farnsworth for what? They arent worth much.
Francis Beltran in to face Pujols.
Did someone say blow it?
is the answer?
How close was my ball to leaving?
Now, see Kyle, it’s not THAT hard to get Pujols out.
Granted, he hit it to the warning track, but at least Francis didn’t walk him.
Is that my 2nd or 3rd homer I’ve given up?
That home plate ump deserves to be fired after that 2-2 call on Rolen. That was strike three and that guy blew it.
Mercker coming in to walk Marlon Anderson.
Am I coming in?
Where is the strike zone?
Throw strikes!
I’m ready……0-3.
I got an out!!!
Thank you.
Kent Mercker has just totally redeemed himself.
Ready set Joe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just threw out my arm in the bullpen.
Am I the regular 2nd Baseman now?
I can bunt better than Patterson
Am I trade bait?
Patterson can’t bunt the ball? Yikes. At least he’s patient at the plate. Oh, wait, he’s not. Double yikes.
That’s an option we’re looking into
testicles
I need some ice, I’m extremely sweaty. I just heard a pop in my shoulder, is that good?
Did someone say pork chops?
I hit ball very far.
I heet the ball berry far
How about that buddy
I think Kyle is in a Cardinal uniform today.
Sammy puts the nail in the coffin hopefully with a long two-run homer.
I only hit them when we’re up by ten runs, remember?
Screw you, buddy!
You think I can hit 86mph today????
An update. I’m still dead!
I love you Cal Eldred-Buddy! Remember when I heet three homers off you in one game?
Why do I get a sickening feeling the tying run will get to the plate at some point in this inning?
Cal Farnsworth or Kyle Eldred????
Anyone else notice we did not hit one single solo home run? Each had men on base. How about that?
The scary part is, I read in the paper that Patterson has been working on his bunting. Of course, it did say that he was working with Wendell Kim.
See… I’m still better then Farnsworth. At least I thew one strike before walking Matheny.
Who has given Cub fans more heart attacks…me or brats
How come it took you until today to hit the Cardinals? I have nine homers against them in my last 30 at bats.
Yes, NINE homers in my last 30 AT BATS. I love St. Louis.
Is that you, Joe? We meet again.
I will be pitching to Poo Holes this inning.
I’m clutch alright. I just double clutched one right into the Vince Coleman Memorial Tarp. Oops.
I love 2-0 counts
Chip Caray is giving the post-mortem on the series before the game is over. Yeesh.
Another easy inning…
It’s over now, smartass.
Cubs win!
I’d like to give your post-mortem, BC.
Hey, I’ve never tried necrophelia. Might be fun. Let’s see!
I will fix this bullpen
I raised my average today
291!!!! 9 more to go!
I warmed up today. This is progress.
Isn’t it?
i can’t believe that baker and his bullpen ass clowns didn’t blow another one today. when is baker going to quit thinking he is on the casino queen gambling and going with the odds.
baker is predictable as bako is going 0-0-0-0-0-0-oh i actually got lucky and god felt sorry for me and gave me a hit today.
one thing is definite-we got three guys-bako,farnsworthless, and macias that couldn’t even make my neice’s nursery school fingerpainting team. these guys are about as talented as a virgin doing it for the first time.