Game 2 of 3
Well, what ELSE could I call this pair after this game?!?
We came into this game mighty fearful (c’mon, you know it’s true!), facing the Rox whilst they sported a formidable 7-game winning streak and enjoying the best W-L record in the MLB. This streak was effectively blasted by the fighting Cubbies…the Rockies went 0-for-12 with RISP, Casey Coleman pitched 5.2 very good innings, and Starlin Castro…really?!?
AJ Walsh is probably not sure why I don’t LOVE Castro yet, but as we joked during this game, I am enjoying this period of lust…I’m afraid if I express my LOVE, the relationship might go ‘foul’ and I am really enjoying this ride a bit too much to break up the party!
Troy Tulowitzki wasn’t exactly reserved but he wasn’t exactly hot either (2-for-4, R, 2 flyouts)…my private tears fell for Ian Stewart, the current lump on my fantasy league roster. Chris Iannetta pwned the Rockies offense today with a solitary 1 out 2-run HR (the Rockies’ only other run driven in by Seth Smith).
Casey Coleman (4H, ER, 3BB, 3K, 2HB, 96 pitches total; 51 strikes, 7 balls in the air, 7 on the ground) was near-deadly during his outing but not exactly lights out…and that’s just fine with me, he challenged the best team in baseball and he WON. With help from the Rockies, who stranded 13 total in the game. And with help from the CUBBIES.
He hit 2 batters, Rockies starting pitcher hit 1 in response. That’s OK, it’s baseball. And the benches didn’t clear. NICE. I love this stuff.
As for this guy, Starlin Castro…if there’s one Cub on the roster that’s going to get me off of my Carlos Marmol Tums Addiction, maybe he really will be the one. Dude went 4-for-5 with a run scored, 3 driven in (on a most excellent 3-run HR), and a groundout in his final plate appearance. BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE: Darwin Barney with back-to-back doubles and Alfonso Soriano with a solo HR! Kosuke Fukudome came up with a dazzling Broken Bat RBI Single. Was I pinching myself? Quite.
I love the CUBS. I really like this team…it’s only April, but you know what…I’ve already began the process of believing that there’s more to Castro than the “Cuban Hustle Crisis,” I have re-acclimated myself to the fact that Carlos Zambrano is a great pitcher, I still believe that Matt Garza is AWESOME, and I don’t find myself caring about Carlos Pena’s Mendoza numbers right now (mostly because I think I didn’t expect them to change). The Cubs are NL Central contenders in April…they weren’t in April last year, so THIS is an improvement. I am still worried about the Cardinals…I am a Cubs fan, that’s the way it goes. This is a marathon.
I just realized I forgot to tally the Pena Shift on my scoresheet; the shift was on in 4 of his 5 plate appearances, but was not effective in his first at-bat, a single to (where else?) the second baseman.
Strike up the band…no doubt about it…the CUBS are on their way.
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