4-7-06 Cubs/Hated Birds, Maddux/Suppan 1:20 WGN

[Flames24Rulz]

the first Dusty lineup of the year, and this is only the 3rd game...

 

Neifi batting 2nd is ridiculous. Busty will never learn...Corey and Neifi batting 1-2 last year throughout the summer and already Neifi is batting 2nd in the 3rd game of the year. Let's hope that this will be the only time we see Perez starting for, oh say, the next month or so :wink:

[Jon]

Well, the radar looks good right now. I can't say the same for those in Wisconsin and Michigan, but the storm has moved on.

 

Let's just hope the stuff to the west stays away.

Edited April 7, 2006 by Jon

[ltb]

Let's hope that this will be the only time we see Perez starting for, oh say, the next month or so :wink:

 

hahahahaha - good one! i wish that was even a remote possibility...

[rawaction]

I'm betting that if Neifi has a good game, he will start tomorrow at SS for Cedeno.

[USSoccer]

If Baker thinks that the weather is so bad that we need Neifi and his black hole of a bat in the 2 hole because he has the ability to bunt, we're in for a long day. I don't really buy the defensive excuse for his being the 2B today, since Maddux isn't a strict groundball pitcher. He's a line drive pitcher at this point, so unless Neifi has a ladder and a net he can take with him to the IF, his defense isn't going to help a bit.

 

Maybe Bruce can pop in and provide us some insight.

[UMFan83]

This is nothing, I remember when Sammy went down in 2003 (it was either the cork suspension or the injury), Dusty simpy replaced Sosa at #3 in the order with......Trinadad Hubbard!

 

BTW, amazing the radar looks like we will miss a big bulk of the storm.

[nick23]

If Baker thinks that the weather is so bad that we need Neifi and his black hole of a bat in the 2 hole because he has the ability to bunt, we're in for a long day. I don't really buy the defensive excuse for his being the 2B today, since Maddux isn't a strict groundball pitcher. He's a line drive pitcher at this point, so unless Neifi has a ladder and a net he can take with him to the IF, his defense isn't going to help a bit.

 

Maybe Bruce can pop in and provide us some insight.

 

I could be completely wrong, but I thought I read in a thread the other day that Maddux gives up the most ground balls of all our starters. I remember being suprised because I thought for sure it would be Z.

[USSoccer]

If Baker thinks that the weather is so bad that we need Neifi and his black hole of a bat in the 2 hole because he has the ability to bunt, we're in for a long day. I don't really buy the defensive excuse for his being the 2B today, since Maddux isn't a strict groundball pitcher. He's a line drive pitcher at this point, so unless Neifi has a ladder and a net he can take with him to the IF, his defense isn't going to help a bit.

 

Maybe Bruce can pop in and provide us some insight.

 

I could be completely wrong, but I thought I read in a thread the other day that Maddux gives up the most ground balls of all our starters. I remember being suprised because I thought for sure it would be Z.

 

My prevailing memory of the 2004-5 version of Maddux is that he gives up a lot of balls that end up hitting a drunk in the head in left field, or slamming up against the ivy.

 

You may be right, but I'd be shocked if it were the case.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Doesn't sabermetrics tell us that batting order matters very little? OK then stats people. Quit your complaining. :D

[UMFan83]

Wow...

 

Maddux:

GB - 380

FB - 194

GB/FB - 1.96

 

Zambrano:

GB - 300

FB - 185

GB/FB - 1.65

 

Prior:

GB - 165

FB - 180

GB/FB - .92

[USSoccer]

Wow...

 

Maddux:

GB - 380

FB - 194

GB/FB - 1.96

 

Zambrano:

GB - 300

FB - 185

GB/FB - 1.65

 

Prior:

GB - 165

FB - 180

GB/FB - .92

 

 

That's suprising.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Wow...

 

Maddux:

GB - 380

FB - 194

GB/FB - 1.96

 

Zambrano:

GB - 300

FB - 185

GB/FB - 1.65

 

Prior:

GB - 165

FB - 180

GB/FB - .92

 

 

That's suprising.

 

Why?

[USSoccer]

Wow...

 

Maddux:

GB - 380

FB - 194

GB/FB - 1.96

 

Zambrano:

GB - 300

FB - 185

GB/FB - 1.65

 

Prior:

GB - 165

FB - 180

GB/FB - .92

 

 

That's suprising.

 

Why?

 

Because I recall more hard line drives than ground balls last season. That and Z has a much "heavier" 2 seamer.

 

Z must strike more guys out, thus skewing his ratio :D

[Ding Dong Johnson]

The difference between Maddux's fly balls and Carlos's fly balls is that a much higher percentage of Maddux's end up rolling down Kenmore.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Wow...

 

Maddux:

GB - 380

FB - 194

GB/FB - 1.96

 

Zambrano:

GB - 300

FB - 185

GB/FB - 1.65

 

Prior:

GB - 165

FB - 180

GB/FB - .92

 

 

That's suprising.

 

Why?

 

Because I recall more hard line drives than ground balls last season. That and Z has a much "heavier" 2 seamer.

 

Z must strike more guys out, thus skewing his ratio :D

 

:lol:

[LoneStarCubFan]

The difference between Maddux's fly balls and Carlos's fly balls is that a much higher percentage of Maddux's end up rolling down Kenmore.

 

Now that's really not fair to Maddux.

 

A lot of them hit the houses on Sheffield.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Cubs Press Notes.

 

 

A few things from the notes:

 

The Cubs today play their 91st home opener at

Wrigley Field … Chicago owns a 49-40-1 record in home openers at Wrigley Field

dating back to 1916.

© The first Cubs home opener at Wrigley Field (then known as Weeghman

Park) took place on April 20, 1916, against the Reds … the Cubs beat the

Reds 7-6 in 11 innings and a bear cub was in attendance at the game.

© The Friendly Confines were built in 1914 as the home of the Chicago Federal

League franchise.

 

 

Chicago is 21-12-2 in home openers against the Cardinals, including a 13-

10-1 record at Wrigley Field … the 21 victories are the Cubs’ most against

any club.

 

The Cubs are hitting .375 (3-8) with 2 home runs with runners in scoring

position and 2 outs in an inning.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Cardinals Game Notes

[CubinNY]

Two hours from game time.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I'm going to pick up lunch and then get ready for the pre-game.

 

Go Cubs!

[Mizzou]

Have the lineups been announced? I'm really disappointed that I'm going to miss this game.

[Coach C]

Man, you know there are going to be alot of mis-managing going on, especially between Baker and LaRussa.

 

This is going to be pretty painful to watch, I would imagine.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Lunch was good. Mmmmm! Shrimp Fetuccini!

 

Now a Cubs victory will make the afternoon complete.

[Pistolcub42]

An hour until game time and no starting lineups announced yet? Are LaRussa and Baker playing head games already?

[ltb]

my guess:

 

pierre / neifi / lee / aram / jones / barrett / murton / cedeno / maddux

 

wouldn't be surprised to see murton sitting this one out, though