Game 3 – Recap

Brewers – 3

Cubs – 6

W: Dempster (1-0)

L: Bush (0-1)

S: Wood (1)

 

The Cubbies finally broke into the win column today, with a 6-3 victory over the Brew Crew. Former closer Ryan Dempster started a game for the first time since May 4, 2005, and picked up his first win as a starter since April 16, 2005. Conversely, former starter turned closer Kerry Wood picked up his first career save. The bats also woke up with Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez finally picking up their first hits of the year. Overall the cubs put together a solid team effort to avoid the sweep and fly the white flag for the first time of the year.

The Brewers opened the scoring in the top of the first inning, scoring two runs on Prince Fielder’s sacrifice fly to right. With runners on second and third, Cubs right feilder Kosuke Fukudome moved towards the line to catch the drive by the Brewers vegetarian first-baseman. After making the catch Fukudome made a strong throw to the plate to attempt to catch Rickie Weeks who was trying to advance from third. Unfortunately, Weeks got to Cub catcher Geovany Soto before the throw did and the resulting collision took Soto out of the play and let the throw go all the way to the backstop. Alertly Tony Gwynn Jr., who had been advancing from second to third, kept running and came in to score. Fukudome was unfairly charged with a throwing error on the play, resulting in the second run being unearned. 2-0 Brewers

After going 1-2-3 in the first inning, the Northsiders finally showed some life in the second. Ramirez started the inning with a walk and then Fukudome, kept his bat hot start going with a double off Brewers’ starter Dave Bush. Mark DeRosa followed with a single to left scoring Ramirez and sending Fukudome to third. 2-1 Brewers. Soto then hit a deep fly to center and Fukudome was able to beat Gwynn Jr’s throw home. 2-2 Brewers. After a Felix Pie single, Dempster struck out on foul bunt attempts, and Soriano grounded to short to end the inning.

The Cubs picked up the scoring again in the fouth when they loaded the bases on two walks (Fukudome and Soto) and a hit batter (DeRosa). Pie and Dempster struck out before Bush walked Soriano to force in a run. 3-2 Cubs. Ryan Theriot grounded out to end the inning. Then in the fifth inning Ramirez hit a 1 out, line drive home run to left to double the Cubs’ lead. 4-2 Cubs. The Cubs closed out their scoring in the sixth. Fontenot, pinch hit for Dempster with one out and doubled. Soriano followed with his first hit of the year, an R.B.I. single to chase Bush from the game. 5-2 Cubs. Theriot, then greeted Brewer reliever Seth McClung, with an R.B.I. double bringing home Soriano to close out the scoring for the Cubs. 6-2 Cubs.

After giving up the two runs in the first Dempster settled down and pitched well the next five innings. In total he threw 91 pitches 60 for strikes and held the Brewers to 3 hits and 2 runs (1 earned) over the 6 innings he pitched. Carlos Marmol, came in to start the seventh, and pitched two shaky innings in which he threw 42 pitches, only 24 for strikes. Carlos managed to escape the 7^th with only a walk but was not so lucky in the 8^th. Weeks led off with a double and came in on a Fielder single to close out the scoring. 6-3 Cubs. Wood then struck out two while earning the first save of his career and help the Cubbies get their swagger back.

 

Most Valuable Cub: Ryan Dempster 6.0 IN, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K.

 

Notes: Tony Gwynn Jr. left the game in the after the fifth with a tight hamstring.

Fun and Names

As the Cubs’ season gets rolling and my friends and I talk baseball we start to develop nicknames for our favorite (and not so favorite) Cubbies. For the most part nicknaming players is an organic process, we don’t really think of them in advance the nicknames just show up in conversation. Also not all of the nicknames are our creations (but most are). Some of the nicknames are good; others… well, not so much. So in an attempt to spread the good nicknames, replace the bad ones, and gain nicknames for those who don’t yet have one I am posting our list; and asking that you comment with any nicknames you may have for our boys in blue. For the most part the nicknames followed by an explanation are those created by my buddies and I, the others are those we’ve heard and adopted. Without further ado the 2008 Chicago Cubs:

Starting Pitchers

Carlos Zambrano – Zorro (Z is his last initial, and he carves up opposing batters just like the famous swashbuckler)

Ted Lilly – The Prez (his full name is Theodore Roosevelt Lilly)

Ryan Dempster – Demps

Rich Hill – Capitan Hook (because of his big curve)

Jason Marquis – Marquis de Sob (because of his spring comments)

Relief Corps

Kerry Wood – Woody

Carlos Marmol – Pig-Pen (because Marmol’s pitches are always filthy, just like the Peanuts comic strip character)

Bob Howry – Jack Ross (the name of Kevin Bacon’s character in “A Few Good Men” who Howry looks a lot a like)

Michael Wuertz –

Kevin Hart –

Jon Lieber – Little Jon (because that what he give opposing hitters… very little)

Carmen Pignatiello – Where in the World (a take off of the show “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego”)

Catchers

Geovany Soto – The Conquistador (because of Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto)

Henry Blanco – Hank White

Infield

Derrek Lee – D-Lee

Daryle Ward – Psych (as in Psych Ward)

Mark DeRosa – The Doctor (because of the capital “D” and “R” in his last name, and his steady hands regardless of what position he plays)

Mike Fontenot –

Ryan Theriot – The Riot

Ronny Cedeno – Cola (R.C. are not only Ronny’s initials but the common name for Royal Crown Cola)

Aramis Ramirez – Rammi

Outfield

Kosuke Fukudome – Fuku

Reed Johnson –

Felix Pie – Felix the Cat (because of his speed, the ability chase down the ball, and the famous cartoon cat)

Alfonso Soriano – The Fonz

Cubby Corner – April 3

Editor’s Note: The Cubby Corner posts will primarily feature quick news items related to the Cubs.

Me fail English? That’s unpossible!
Thousands of Chicago-area teachers breathed a collective sign of relief today as the Cubs finally affixed an apostrophe to the new statue of Ernie Banks outside of Wrigley Field. The statue, which was unveiled during a ceremony before Monday’s Opening Day game against the Brewers, lacked a vital punctuation mark in legendary Cub’s trademark saying. Initially, the statue’s inscription read: “Lets Play Two.” However, after someone noticed the grammatical error, the statue’s engraver was called in and the mistake was fixed. The inscription now (correctly) reads: “Let’s Play Two.”

Chicago Tribune story

Yosh To Retire
Long-time Cubs equipment manager, Yosh Kawano, will hang-up his trademark floppy hat and retire from his post after a 65-year career with the club. Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry told ESPN that the Cubs plan to honor Kawano, 87, later this season.

ESPN story (included in game recap)

Cubs story

Eat a Banana!
Carlos Zambrano’s cramping issue, which forced him to leave Monday’s game early, is due to a low potassium level, according to manager Lou Piniella. Zambrano, who experienced cramps much of last weekend, was told to increase his water and potassium intake, and cutback on the amount of caffeine he consumes, according to ESPN.

ESPN story (at the end of the recap)

Cubs story

Game 3 – Preview

Brewers (2-0) @ Cubs (0-2)
Thurs. April 3, 1:20 p.m. CT
TV: WGN
Radio: WGN 720 AM

Probables:
Brewers: RHP Dave Bush (0-0)
Cubs: RHP Ryan Dempster (0-0)

The Cubs come into the game still looking for their first win of the 2008 season. The club will also look to salvage something out of its opening series against division-rival Milwaukee.

RHP Dave Bush will get the ball for the Brew Crew. Bush was 12-10 with a 5.12 ERA in 2007. Against the Cubs, Bush is 0-3 with a bloated 7.00 ERA in 18 innings of work. The Cubs may also take solace in the fact that April is typically Bush’s worst month. He is 2-2 with a 6.23 ERA in the month over the course of his career. Additionally, Bush is 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA in six innings of work at the Friendly Confines in his career.

The Cubs counter with RHP Ryan Dempster. Dempster, who spent much of the past four seasons in the bullpen, will make his first start as a Cub since 2005. Dempster had a 4.73 ERA in 66 relief appearances with 28 saves last year for the Cubs.

In other Cubs news, manger Lou Piniella said he’ll move LF Alfonso Soriano to the leadoff spot after he started the season 0-9. Soriano, who has been a leadoff man much of his career, told MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat that he’s comfortable with the move.

“I’ve batted leadoff all my career,” Soriano said. “I feel comfortable batting leadoff. It’s my first time batting second this year. But I’m seeing the same pitches. It’s not a big deal for me. I’m the same guy, batting leadoff, batting second, I’m the same guy.”

SS Ryan Theriot, who hit leadoff in the first two games, will be dropped down to the second spot in the order.

Game-time weather weather looks iffy. Weather.com says rain showers will move into the area in the afternoon, with a 90 percent chance of precipitation (try saying that three times fast). Hopefully, the rain will hold off and the whole game can be played uninterrupted. The mid-day high should be around 52 degrees.

On a side-note, the CS Editorial Board (both of us) will be in attendance at Thursday’s game. Come look for us in the right field bleachers and we’ll buy you an Old Style.