5/8/12 Atlanta Braves 3, Chicago Cubs 1

Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Game 2 of 3

Nick Devlin needs to watch more Cubs games! On a recent episode of the excellent Central Message Podcast, Nick (a Cubs fan) confessed to his Cardinal fan co-host Nick Selby (yes, two Nicks…that’s a great deal of #want) that he really hasn’t been watching the Cubs at all this year. Well, who can blame him? All of us have been told, and for the most part expect, that this season is going to be another losing season while new management works out the kinks in the current roster. See how I artfully dodged the “R” word? For what it’s worth, I’ve been pleasantly surprised so far…for a team that is supposed to suck, they are playing a little bit better than you’d think. This early on, we are still discussing all of this in terms of very Small Sample Size, but with the first week in May almost in the books, I would have thought the Cubs would be the worst team in baseball, and they aren’t.

Sure, there’s heartbreak…sure, there’s hand-wringing and sanctimony about this and that…sure, there are plenty of armchair GMs pleading for the callup of Rizzo and Jackson…sure, there is this Bryan LaHair guy who is riding a Small Sample Size tunnel into certain baseball damnation…but all that aside, I’m saying that if you are “ignoring” the Cubs this season because they are bad and you know they are going to be bad, you should still be watching. If for no other reason, than for pitching, particularly starting pitching. Set Chris Volstad aside (sigh) and as a Cubs fan, you’re seeing the best stuff you could ever HOPE for from Jeff Samardzija, the kind of Matt Garza you expect (even when the team is lousy), improved performance from Paul Maholm after a shaky start, and yes, the proverbial icing on the cake…the most wonderful Small Sample Size season start with the most bitter aftertaste for everyone’s favorite punching-bag pitcher, Ryan Dempster.

Okay, maybe not everyone’s, but certainly mine...so much over the past few years that my kids have learned to call him “Ryan Dumpster” under my influence, so much that over the past few years every time I see any pitcher throw 3-4 great innings and then completely fall apart, that pitcher morphs into a doppleganger of Ryan Dempster as seen through my eyes. But I’m not going to subscribe to this anymore; Ryan Dempster, you have my seal of Cub fan approval.

What is true, is that Dempster is enjoying the best season start as a start in his entire 14-year MLB career, with an ERA of 1.02 after tonight’s game. This season, Dempster has only started 5 games, due to his recent DL visit (where he usually would have started 7 or 8 by now), but if you remove his partial 2004 season and his 2006 and 2007 seasons as the Cubs’ closer, the best Dempster has done in terms of ERA but the close of this date (plus or minus a few calendar days) is 2.39 in 2000 with the Marlins (as a Cub, it was 2.72 in 2008). Where the bitter aftertaste lies is in the knob-worthy W-L statistic still oh so important in pitching performance metrics; in 5 games, Dempster has a 0-1 record and has only earned a whopping 5 runs in support of each of his starts, never pitching less than 6 innings and only allowing 6 runs total (4 of them earned). At age 35, he’s starting out literally on fire…but the Cubs are letting him down, and that’s where the Small Sample Size really comes into play. Sure, it’s early, but for the luvvapete, if the bats are there to support Samardzija, why not Dempster?

We can’t forsake the Cubs’ offense for Dempster’s W-L woes, not entirely. Tonight, the Cubs helped Dempster leave the game with a tie. In gruesome shades of the memorable Cubs home opener on April 5, there’s another culprit involved.

His name is KERRY WOOD.

The situation was different (on the 5th, Dempster was the pitcher of record with a one-run lead) but the question I’m still asking myself is, “Whither Kerry Wood?” I ask this philosophically, and in a manner as delicate as I can to avoid committing Cub fan blasphemy, but I will be more direct: what is the point? On record, Wood is more than likely just as effective in any given situation as the rest of the Cubs bullpen (Marmol: don’t even go there) but as recently as a month ago, we’ve seen this before. Kerry gets the ball in the 8th inning and wastes very little time in allowing the Braves to add 2 more runs on the board with only one batter retired in the process, and 2 getting free passes.

Oh, and HOORAY we are all supposed to be elated when Wood picks off Brian McCann at second base to abruptly end the inning and prevent more run damage, but the only emotion I’m experiencing is mental anguish. I’ve already said the Cubs are better this season than I expected; Wood’s hysterical manipulation of a lead (or the threat of a lead) is not very humorous, given the situation. I would rather laugh at Carlos Marmol (who is hilarious and does really look like a cartoon character) than see Kerry Wood at his worst, even at a time like this when the front office is adamant about the importance of “not winning.” It gets worse when after the pick-off, Wood throws his glove and cap into the stands in disgust on his way back to the dugout. I suppose somebody has to carry the “pout torch” vacancy left by Carlos Zambrano, who better than one of his beloved former teammates?

But, I digress...perhaps Nick Devlin was watching tonight, he does follow the Braves as he lives in the Atlanta area…so Nick, now that I have your attention: HEY, why is this the first time I’m hearing about this Randall Delgado fellow?

I can’t tell you how I missed him last year (I will rely on the old scorekeeper standby “wasn’t watching” in lieu of a reasonable explanation) but I’m watching him now. The 22-year old from Las Tablas, Panama (ah! I’m a fan of Panamanian Braves prospect Christian Bethancourt, so that’s two wacky Panamanians I know in the Braves system!) has been a little bit erratic in 6 games this season, but tonight he handcuffed the Cubs with a gruesome change-up; allowing only 3 hits, 1 run, walking 3 and striking out 5. So young, so good…so what?? We shall see!

Go CUBS!

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4/5/12 Washington Nationals 2, Chicago Cubs 1

Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Game 1 of 3
Cubs Home Opener (on Opening Day Number 3)

Ah, yes…the sun is out, the grass is green, and BASEBALL SEASON has arrived! It was cool and the wind was blowing in at Wrigley, but you just couldn’t wipe off the smiles of the Chicago faithful as the Cubs host the Nationals to start the 2012 regular season. Not unless a pitching change out of “left field” comes along…



Fans were hopeful for a pitcher’s duel, with Ryan Dempster starting for the Cubs and the phenom Stephen Strasburg on the mound for the Nationals…and we got to see a pitcher’s duel! But we ultimately ended up seeing a pitcher’s fool instead.



Each starter’s lines didn’t look anything like what I had expected, actually quite the inverse. Strasburg didn’t record a K until the 5th inning, throwing heat and throwing it well but throwing it to contact today. Dempster, on the other hand, was ballistic, recording 10 Ks in 7.2 IP. He topped 9 Ks in a game only once in 2011, against the San Francisco Giants in Chicago on May 13th.

The Nationals were shockingly handcuffed by Dempster, who allowed one hit in the first inning and no more until the 8th. Strasburg was nearly as effective, yet had allowed 5 hits and 1 earned run through the 7th. The first of those hits was an amazing infield pop-up single by Starlin Castro in his first at bat, on a ball that Strasburg quickly identified with his index finger in the air, then inexplicably ran out of the way, allowing it to drop and Castro to reach first on his tippy toes.

Dempster and the Cubs had that one-run lead sharply penciled in through the 7th. In the 8th inning, Dempster struck out former Cub PH Chad Tracy, allowed a single from Ian Desmond, and then struck out Danny Espinosa. 2 out, 1 on, 105 pitches so far (71 for strikes), and with only one out left to escape the inning…uh oh. Sveumus heads to the mound, at first I thought to talk to Dempster on how to pitch to Ryan Zimmerman, and then…then he took the ball!!! Huh???!???

”Sveumus” is new Cubs manager Dale Sveum; for non-Cubs fans the “Sveumus” is a play on something else you probably don’t care about…

I can’t seem to figure out why this happened. Dempster was still cruising, and 105-plus pitches isn’t an unusual chore from this guy. Dempster threw 105 or more pitches 19 times in 2011, the Cubs were 9-7 when he did if that matters to you. I don’t like to pass myself off as an armchair GM, but at this moment, when Kerry Wood comes charging onto the field, I am literally pulling my own ears off, one ear at a time.

Why did this happen? Was it Sveum’s plan to have Wood walk Zimmerman and Adam LaRoche (who had struck out swinging against Dempster in all 3 of his plate appearances, he LOVES to swing at the 84 mph split-finger FB!!) to pitch to Jayson Werth (who is 0-for-7 in his career AB against Dempster)??? That must have been the plan, and well-executed too. With only one strike left to retire Zimmerman, Wood walks him as well as the agitated LaRoche and the bags are full of Nats. With the count full, Wood’s fastball rises too late, and Werth walks in a run. The game is tied, and God help me, I can’t stop the bleeding from my ear-holes.

I feel all the love a Cubs fan can feel for Kerry Wood, but I feel extreme pain in the spots where my ears were over his entrance into this game. I asked my friends on twitter if they had any ideas as to why this move was made, and I didn’t get a response.

In the top of the 9th but the Nationals do something more…Tracy doubles off of Carlos Marmol with 2 outs and the pesky Nat Ian Desmond scratches his 3rd base hit of the day in 5 at-bats. Tracy scores, and even a timely triple from Ian Stewart (who could only dribble a ground ball 2 feet in front of him in 2 of his 3 at-bats against Strasburg) wasn’t enough of a rally.

I laughed dismissively at first, but after Byrd struck out looking against Brad Lidge to end the game, my only consolation was to replay the pre-game excitement, featuring Bill Murray’s ceremonial first pitch, which in turn was preceded by a fearless huff around the bases. Watching the second time around, I felt that I loved this.

Murray sang the 7th inning stretch (along with Big Head Todd, WTF?!?), and talked to Len and Bob for the bottom of the 7th as well as the top of the 8th, while Wood was working his magic. Len commented on how much of a “true fan” Murray was for keeping score during the interview segment.

Go CUBS!




If you enjoy my work, I encourage you to spread the word via Twitter
(I am @yoshiki89), and also please leave a comment!

6/3/11 Chicago Cubs 1, St Louis Cardinals 6

Busch Stadium, St Louis, MO
Game 1 of 3


Image borrowed from this famous post on “A League of Her Own”

Yes, he’s a CARDINAL now…



STL highlights:
• Ryan Theriot continues his 17-game hitting streak with a lead-off double to start the Cardinals’ 1st inning
• Albert Pujols hits his 100th HR at Busch Stadium 3 with 1 on and 0 out in the 5th inning; his 418th career HR, his 48th HR vs. the Cubs, his 7th HR courtesy of Ryan Dempster
• Lance Berkman is charged with a throwing error yet knocks a 3 run HR in the first inning, also against Dempster
• Jaime Garcia pitches like, alas, Jaime Garcia

CHC highlights:
• DJ LeMahieu gets his first MLB hit (a single) in the 8th inning
• Lou Montanez’ RBI double is the only other significant Cubs offense
• Cubs do not win

5/29/11 Pittsburgh Pirates 2, Chicago Cubs 3

Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Game 3 of 3



Yes, the Pirates continue to pwn the Cubs in 2011, but the good news here is ”Yes, Virginia, there is an Aramis Ramirez…” and he can hit Home Runs now and then.



“Cubs Nemesis” Neil Walker remained more silent than usual, with the Pirates’ sole source of offense being Lyle Overbay’s 1st inning 2RBI double (following back-to-back bases on balls by Ryan Dempster). This early inning dump would be the only time in the game the Pirates would score.

Walker does hit safely in his 15th straight Cubs game in the 6th inning…he is still CUBS NEMESIS Neil Walker.

Fortunately, the Cubs responded quickly with 2 more runs in the 2nd inning, incited by Aramis’ lead-off solo shot…his first HR since April 6th of this year. It was a BEAUTY.

Starlin Castro is a fantastic shortstop. Watch this amazing defensive play as he charges a wobbly ground ball to assist in the second out of the top of the 9th with one on and one out.

5/3/11 Chicago Cubs 4, Los Angeles Dodgers 1

Dodgers Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Game 2 of 3

Buy your Carlos Peña jersey NOW!!! …while he’s HOT!!



The Los Angeles Dodgers, even though nobody seems to care much for them this year, are pretty good at playing baseball. The Cubs not only played well, but a couple of REALLY FANTASTIC things happened during this game:

Carlos Peña hits his first Home Run as a Cub!

Ryan Dempster pitches more than 4 good innings (7 great innings actually!)



It was Dempster’s 34th birthday and his first start since getting particularly sliced up by the Diamondbacks in his shortest career start ever on 4/29/11. If that isn’t a motivator for the ‘next time around’ I don’t know what is, but we are talking about Ryan Dempster and I know this isn’t the first year I’ve wondered how much gas he has left in his tank as a better than average starting pitcher. 7IP, 6H, 1ER, 2BB, 5K, WP, 27BF, 114 pitches, 75 strikes…that’s a pretty snazzy line for a guy who’s pitching in his mid-30s. If you don’t think so, then just compare it to his line from 4/29/11, and now…how can you disagree? His first Quality Start of the 2011 season. Dempster left with the game tied, however, so Kerry Wood gets the W in relief.

Dempster’s 6 hits and 1 run (earned) will be the only allowed in the game by Cubs’ pitching; Demptser, Wood, and Carlos Marmol combined did not allow any extra base hits.

But HEY…Carlos Peña finally gets his first tater of the season, a solo shot with one out, courtesy of Chad Billingsley, who also pitched very well. The Dodgers can blame this loss on Jonathan Broxton, but by golly…the Cubs did very well today!!

Andre Ethier extends his consecutive game hitting streak to 29.

Congratulations to Darwin Barney, National League Rookie of the Month for April 2011.

Go CUBS.

4/23/11 Los Angeles Dodgers 8, Chicago Cubs 10

Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Game 2 of 3

You gotta love the top of the order…



Starlin Castro and Darwin Barney (batting #1 and #2 respectively) combine for 6RBI, 7H, 4R, and even 2SB (Barney’s was part of a double steal with Marlon Byrd…it’s so good to see that kind of stuff again!).



Pre-game hype was all about the clash of the TITANS, Ryan Dempster against former Cub Ted Lilly. Meh. Neither were great, neither lasted more than 5.2 innings…they combined for 12ER, 20H, 4BB and 6K facing 52 batters total.

Jeff Baker’s 2RBI double in the 8th capped off a 5-run inning that gave the Cubs the kind of lead they needed to keep on top of the Dodgers for the rest of the game.

What Lilly let go of, Matt Guerrier made it worse for the Dodgers. Sean Marshall did his best Carlos Marmol impression, really leaving us nearly to vomit…shockingly, Jeff Samardzija (YES, that same guy!) came in to pitch a stellar 1.1 innings with 3 consecutive strikeouts on the 8th inning. WHOA!! And then the real Carlos Marmol enters to only freak us out half as much as he usually does, but does very well.

Andre Ethier hits safely in his 20th consecutive game.

Scorekeeper’s Note: in the bottom of the 4th, while attempting to steal second, a pick-off attempt on Darwin Barney by Lilly > James Loney is called “Obstruction” (on Loney, for not clearing the basepath). The obstruction call is subsequently ruled an Error, charged to Loney, on your scoresheet.

Go CUBS.

4/2/11 Pittsburgh Pirates 3, Chicago Cubs 5

Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Game 2 of 3

So, the Pirates pwned the Cubs last year…and they pwned us on Opening Day, thanks to Ryan Dempster and “Cubs Nemesis” Neil Walker. Certainly, this pwnership just cannot last. And what of Carlos Pena?



Believe it.



The Pirates score one run each in the 1st, 3rd, and 7th innings. Carlos Zambrano does very well (he is a GREAT pitcher, fact…) but when he leaves the 7th inning after giving up the solo shot to Garrett Jones, the Pirates pwn us again and the Cubs are scoreless.

Enter Evan Meek…and a wild 8th inning…5 runs are scored by the Cubs and what do you know…we WIN!

Len and Bob, recalling his grand salami on Opening Day, refer to Neil Walker as “Cubs Nemesis Neil Walker,” so I will too.

Starting this season, I will welcome Carlos Pena to the team by documenting the Pena Shift…you can see on my scoresheet, for every plate appearance, look for the circled “22,” that means the shift was on. The shift was on for 2 out of 4 plate appearances. The shift is REAL.

Alfonso Soriano received a considerable amount of flack from the Wrigley crowd on what was seen as a baserunning blunder in the 7th inning on a perceived dropped 3rd strike. Soriano stuck out swinging, and the ball was dropped on a wild pitch. No need to boo Fonzie here, the ruling and play are as follows, per Bob Brenly:

With less than 2 outs, 1st base covered, the batter is out automatically, regardless of whether…the pitch gets by the catcher. With 2 outs, this is not the case. Fans were encouraging Soriano to RUN, but he was OUT.

The 7th Inning Stretch was led by Ferguson Jenkins. Go CUBS.

5/9/10 Chicago Cubs 3, Cincinnati Reds 5

Great American Ball park, Cincinnati, OH
(Game 3 of 3)

The rubber match of this infamous series modestly showcased the talents of the lad Mike Leake of Cincinnati, he with enough skill to skip the Minor Leagues entirely, pitted ferociously against his ally, the mature and experienced Chicago Cubs Ace Ryan Dempster.

OK, not with as much ferocity as in velocity.

CHC 3 5 1
CIN 5 6 0

Leake pretty damn near no-hit the Cubs on this day, in one of the better pitching performances yet seen this season. He did make it look fairly easy in making the Cubs look fairly incompetent at the offense, and even when trouble reared its head for him in the 7th (with 2 outs already recorded...and Marlon Byrd behind in the count...he was that close to shutting us out for 7 innings) his composure was as solid as tempered steel. It was Byrd's double with 2 outs that started a spark the Cubs thought they could fan into flames; Aramis Ramirez makes it on base with a crack single to 3rd, then with Colvin at bat a wild pitch scores Byrd and moves Ramirez into scoring position.

As if to respond to the rookie theme of this series...well, at least of the first and third games...Colvin crushes a tater to right field and just like that the Cubs have a one-run lead over the Reds. Leake gets Starlin Castro to ground out to short, ending the top of the 7th with 6 strikeouts and 1 walk. The Reds respond in the bottom of the 7th with a 3-run homer from Votto that pretty much underlined the question of the day: "why, with 2 on and 2 out, and with 0-3 Scott Rolen on deck, why do you pitch to Joey Votto?"

In case you're wondering, the answer really is: you do NOT pitch to Joey Votto in this scenario. NO. I'm using Joe Posnanski italics to emphasize this point.

Yes, Dempster strikes out 7, yet walks 3 and allows 5 ER and gets an L besides. he throws 114 pitches in 7, Leake throws 90. He just made it look so damn easy, that's all.

Best play of the game was the shocking "Fake Bunt/Stolen Base" play executed by Drew Stubbs at the plate and a very elated Scott Rolen literally walking to third as Stubbs' "I'm going to bunt" scquare draws the infield towards the bunt zone and Stubbs takes Demptser's strike with his eyeballs.

As it was Mother's Day, players who used pink bats are noted as such for each at bat.





I scored this game on 2/28/11.

4/12/10 Milwaukee Brewers 5, Chicago Cubs 9

Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Cubs Home Opener (Game 1 of 3)

A wonderful home opener game, complete with the Ricketts family singing the 7th inning stretch.

MIL 5 8 1
CHC 9 13 0

After the Braves and Reds series, I had some uneven expectations for this game but it's all true...offense when we need it, defense when we need it (well, the near-collision of Baker and Nady was nearly ruled an error). Dempster had me very worried as he started to roll on his characteristic 'unraveling inning,' this time in the 5th when the Brewers threatened to catch up. And why on earth would you pitch to Braun with a runner on?!?

Fortunately, the damage done to Doug Davis (whose super-slow from-the-stretch delivery added 20 minutes to the game) was enough to keep the Cubs above the red and our bullpen (even Samardzija!!!) kept the lead clamped down.

4/7/10 Chicago Cubs 2, Altanta Braves 3

Turner Field, Atlanta, GA
Game 2 of 3

ARRRRRGHGHHHGHGHHHH

I was worried (mostly) about Ryan Dempster's performance...5-point-plus ERA in Turner Field, 0-8 record there as well.

Dempster was GREAT, a truly solid performance and he deserved at least one RBI, but didn't get it. The 5th inning was astounding, I felt vindicated as a Cubs Fan 2010 when that inning ended. Soriano's bloop double was awesome. I was even hooting Sean Marshall after his stellar performance in relief.

Good Grief, here comes Chipper Jones. Just when I felt like 'hey, our offense may be on its way up' the future HOF-er chops a reminder that this is only 'Opening Week' (hey, we dropped a BUNCH of games early on in 2007 as well) and that adjustments need to be made.

I'm also developing a bad taste for the Braves, but that's only envy right now.