4/14 Cubs (Marshall) @ Pirates (Santos) 6:05 PM CSN+

[UMFan83]

There is no way this is anything close to a must win series. The Astros were 10 games under .500 in late May and they did fine. Just relax and enjoy the fact that baseball is around. Start getting anxious and worrying in July and August.

 

so, you'd like the cubs to not win as much as possible early on?

 

Yes, it is obvious that this is exactly what I was saying.

[bc2k]

There is no way this is anything close to a must win series. The Astros were 10 games under .500 in late May and they did fine. Just relax and enjoy the fact that baseball is around. Start getting anxious and worrying in July and August.

 

Beautiful. It's a 75 degree April day in Chicago and the Cubs are playing baseball.

[C.C.]

There is no way this is anything close to a must win series. The Astros were 10 games under .500 in late May and they did fine. Just relax and enjoy the fact that baseball is around. Start getting anxious and worrying in July and August.

 

Beautiful. It's a 75 degree April day in Chicago and the Cubs are playing baseball.

 

Time to crack open a beer or two or three or four etc.....

[badgercub]

Whew, I got my Extra Innings ordered today and got them to still knock off the $20. I told them that it was supposed to be automatically charged to me since I had it last year. Apparently they don't do that here because they don't know if they will have it year in and year out.

[erik316wttn]

There is no way this is anything close to a must win series. The Astros were 10 games under .500 in late May and they did fine. Just relax and enjoy the fact that baseball is around. Start getting anxious and worrying in July and August.

 

The Astros were the exception, not the rule. Games in April count the same in the standings as ones on July, August, or September.

 

If the Cubs fall to 10 games under in May, they're done.

 

The White Sox proved last year that a good April is nice if you're going to tank in September.

 

Pittsburgh is playing like crap right now. The Cubs need to make sure they stay like that, and don't suddenly look like world beaters in this series.

 

Expecting 2 out of 3 on the road against one of the worst teams in baseball is not an unreasonable expectation.

[TheDude]

Well, I didn't get to see much of yesterday's game, but I'm assuming there is something really wrong with Zambrano... :x

 

The only thing that is wrong with Zambrano is what's between his ears.

 

Zambrano gave up more runs than hits. He was a few pitches and one anger management issue away from giving up only 1 run.

[TrueBlueCubFan]

Pittsburgh is playing like crap right now. The Cubs need to make sure they stay like that, and don't suddenly look like world beaters in this series.

 

Expecting 2 out of 3 on the road against one of the worst teams in baseball is not an unreasonable expectation.

 

Even though the Pirates are 3-8 to start the season, they are one of the top 3 offense's statistically so far in the NL. The Cubs have to pitch well & they need Aram back in the line-up to have any chance to win this series. Expecting a sweep on the road, no matter who you play or what team you are is unrealistic.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Cubs Game Notes

 

The Cubs have won their last seven games against

the Pirates at PNC Park, and are 11-1 in Pittsburgh dating back to May 30, 2004.

© Chicago pitchers are 11-1 with 9 saves and a 2.83 ERA (34 ER/108.0 IP) in

their last 12 games in Pittsburgh … the staff has held the Pirates to three or

fewer runs in nine of those games while walking a total of 35 and striking

out 101.

© The Cubs’ last loss at PNC Park was April 15, 2005 in an 8-5 defeat …

Chicago reliever Mike Remlinger took the loss … Chicago went on to win its

next seven games at PNC Park.

 

Michael Barrett – who has an RBI in six of seven games

this season – ranks fourth in the majors with 13 RBI … he’s driven in at least one

run in each of his last five games, tying his career-high done two other times

with Montreal.

 

DEMPSTER’S ONE AWAY: Dating back to last season, Cubs closer Ryan

Dempster has tossed 26.1 consecutive scoreless innings and converted his last

21 save situations.

 

Pirates Game Notes

 

THE LAUNCHING PAD: In the first four games played at PNC Park, there have been 18 home runs hit, nine by the

Pirates and nine by the opposition...The 18 long balls hit in the four-game series against the Dodgers were the most in

any series ever played at PNC Park, as well as the the most hits (98).

[erik316wttn]

Pittsburgh is playing like crap right now. The Cubs need to make sure they stay like that, and don't suddenly look like world beaters in this series.

 

Expecting 2 out of 3 on the road against one of the worst teams in baseball is not an unreasonable expectation.

 

Even though the Pirates are 3-8 to start the season, they are one of the top 3 offense's statistically so far in the NL. The Cubs have to pitch well & they need Aram back in the line-up to have any chance to win this series. Expecting a sweep on the road, no matter who you play or what team you are is unrealistic.

 

I didn't say a sweep. I said 2 out of 3.

[TrueBlueCubFan]

Pittsburgh is playing like crap right now. The Cubs need to make sure they stay like that, and don't suddenly look like world beaters in this series.

 

Expecting 2 out of 3 on the road against one of the worst teams in baseball is not an unreasonable expectation.

 

Even though the Pirates are 3-8 to start the season, they are one of the top 3 offense's statistically so far in the NL. The Cubs have to pitch well & they need Aram back in the line-up to have any chance to win this series. Expecting a sweep on the road, no matter who you play or what team you are is unrealistic.

 

I didn't say a sweep. I said 2 out of 3.

I apologize for the misunderstanding.

[A New Era]

Pittsburgh is playing like crap right now. The Cubs need to make sure they stay like that, and don't suddenly look like world beaters in this series.

 

Expecting 2 out of 3 on the road against one of the worst teams in baseball is not an unreasonable expectation.

 

Even though the Pirates are 3-8 to start the season, they are one of the top 3 offense's statistically so far in the NL. The Cubs have to pitch well & they need Aram back in the line-up to have any chance to win this series. Expecting a sweep on the road, no matter who you play or what team you are is unrealistic.

 

I didn't say a sweep. I said 2 out of 3.

I apologize for the misunderstanding.

 

Yes I agree we need atleast 2 out of 3. Anything less than that is unacceptable. The Cubs need to prove they can beat the Pirates, Brewers, and Reds in series matchups and they need to prove it NOW! They need to prove it to the fans, they need to prove it to St. Louis, and they need to prove it to themselves. .

[Jon]

Well, I didn't get to see much of yesterday's game, but I'm assuming there is something really wrong with Zambrano... :x

 

The only thing that is wrong with Zambrano is what's between his ears.

 

Zambrano gave up more runs than hits. He was a few pitches and one anger management issue away from giving up only 1 run.

Can't that be said about any pitcher?

 

Z didn't have great stuff or command. It even took him a while before he actually started getting ground balls. The pitch to Lopez was a meatball and the one to Dunn wasn't much better. They were both poorly located with little to no movement.

 

He fell behind Lopez 3-0, I believe, and even at 3-1, he had to throw a strike. You can't load the bases with Dunn coming up.

 

The error on the pickoff throw wasn't a mental error. Neifi called for it. It was just a bad throw.

 

As for the HBP, Z isn't exactly the only pitcher to overthrow a fastball. And let's not forget that he made a nice play on a sac bunt attempt right before the balk.

 

The outing was not a result of anger issues or mental problems. It was just ineffective pitching that happens to just about every pitcher out there. It really isn't fair to him to blame things that go wrong on his emotion while they're just mistakes for other pitchers. Lapses in concentration and focus are not uncommon, but you also can't tell how much of an effect those kinds of things have in a given AB.

 

Even if the HBP was a result of such a thing, that was still just a HBP. And while he "only" gave up four hits, only one was a single.

[Mizzou]

The Cubs better take 2 out of 3. The Pirates are not a good team and it would be embarrassing to lose a series to them.

[TrueBlueCubFan]

Name AVG HR RBI SB

1. J Pierre, CF .235 0 2 2

2. T Walker, 2B .400 0 3 0

3. D Lee, 1B .348 3 7 3

4. A Ramirez, 3B .174 1 2 0

5. M Barrett, C .385 3 13 0

6. J Mabry, RF .600 1 2 0

7. M Murton, LF .300 2 5 0

8. R Cedeno, SS .393 0 1 0

9. S Marshall, P .000 0 0 0

 

ARAM's back!

[Shilzzz]

Name AVG HR RBI SB

1. J Pierre, CF .235 0 2 2

2. T Walker, 2B .400 0 3 0

3. D Lee, 1B .348 3 7 3

4. A Ramirez, 3B .174 1 2 0

5. M Barrett, C .385 3 13 0

6. J Mabry, RF .600 1 2 0

7. M Murton, LF .300 2 5 0

8. R Cedeno, SS .393 0 1 0

9. S Marshall, P .000 0 0 0

 

ARAM's back!

 

flair needs to eat his vegetables. otherwise i like the lineup.

[soccer10k]

If it starts off poorly against a crummy team it could continue all the way to the STL series next weekend.

 

In which of course we sweep the Cards and Cub Nation gets back on the bandwagon. :lol:

 

I would love a sweep of the Cards more than anything else. Except for Barry Bonds shredding his knee of course.

[soccer10k]

There is no way this is anything close to a must win series. The Astros were 10 games under .500 in late May and they did fine. Just relax and enjoy the fact that baseball is around. Start getting anxious and worrying in July and August.

 

The Cubs aren't necessarily known for strong finishes though.

[soccer10k]

Pittsburgh is playing like crap right now. The Cubs need to make sure they stay like that, and don't suddenly look like world beaters in this series.

 

Expecting 2 out of 3 on the road against one of the worst teams in baseball is not an unreasonable expectation.

 

Even though the Pirates are 3-8 to start the season, they are one of the top 3 offense's statistically so far in the NL. The Cubs have to pitch well & they need Aram back in the line-up to have any chance to win this series. Expecting a sweep on the road, no matter who you play or what team you are is unrealistic.

 

I didn't say a sweep. I said 2 out of 3.

I apologize for the misunderstanding.

 

Yes I agree we need atleast 2 out of 3. Anything less than that is unacceptable. The Cubs need to prove they can beat the Pirates, Brewers, and Reds in series matchups and they need to prove it NOW! They need to prove it to the fans, they need to prove it to St. Louis, and they need to prove it to themselves. .

 

Agreed. Losing 2 out of 3 is acceptable against a good team on the road. But the Pirates are hardly that. We don't need a sweep, although it would be very nice. Our problem in past years has been our inability to beat the crummy teams in our division. I know we took 11 out of 16 from the Pirates last year and that needs to continue.

[Flames24Rulz]

Name AVG HR RBI SB

1. J Pierre, CF .235 0 2 2

2. T Walker, 2B .400 0 3 0

3. D Lee, 1B .348 3 7 3

4. A Ramirez, 3B .174 1 2 0

5. M Barrett, C .385 3 13 0

6. J Mabry, RF .600 1 2 0

7. M Murton, LF .300 2 5 0

8. R Cedeno, SS .393 0 1 0

9. S Marshall, P .000 0 0 0

 

ARAM's back!

 

i like this lineup 100% more than yesterday's lineup.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Name AVG HR RBI SB

1. J Pierre, CF .235 0 2 2

2. T Walker, 2B .400 0 3 0

3. D Lee, 1B .348 3 7 3

4. A Ramirez, 3B .174 1 2 0

5. M Barrett, C .385 3 13 0

6. J Mabry, RF .600 1 2 0

7. M Murton, LF .300 2 5 0

8. R Cedeno, SS .393 0 1 0

9. S Marshall, P .000 0 0 0

 

ARAM's back!

 

I like it.

[E.J.]

Name AVG HR RBI SB

1. J Pierre, CF .235 0 2 2

2. T Walker, 2B .400 0 3 0

3. D Lee, 1B .348 3 7 3

4. A Ramirez, 3B .174 1 2 0

5. M Barrett, C .385 3 13 0

6. J Mabry, RF .600 1 2 0

7. M Murton, LF .300 2 5 0

8. R Cedeno, SS .393 0 1 0

9. S Marshall, P .000 0 0 0

 

ARAM's back!

 

i like this lineup 100% more than yesterday's lineup.

 

I like the lineup. Would have liked to see Murton in the 6-hole and Mabry in the 7. That'd be the only thing I'd change.

[Mizzou]

Nice lineup; good to see Aramis back in there.

[killthegoat06]

Name AVG HR RBI SB

1. J Pierre, CF .235 0 2 2

2. T Walker, 2B .400 0 3 0

3. D Lee, 1B .348 3 7 3

4. A Ramirez, 3B .174 1 2 0

5. M Barrett, C .385 3 13 0

6. J Mabry, RF .600 1 2 0

7. M Murton, LF .300 2 5 0

8. R Cedeno, SS .393 0 1 0

9. S Marshall, P .000 0 0 0

 

ARAM's back!

 

flair needs to eat his vegetables. otherwise i like the lineup.

 

 

 

I probably should know this, but who's flair? Pierre?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I like that line-up much better than yesterday.

[Mark Priors Calves]

win please.