7/4 CUBS (Hill) vs. Nats (Chico), 11:05am CT, WGN-TV, XM 183

[98navigator]

So what's Lou's excuse for keeping Hill in there?

 

He still has a short bullpen

[Iceblink]

Wooo. A good curve. All faith restored.

 

A sharp fastball on the hands - 0-2 to Logan.

 

It's all goodness now.

[98navigator]

Logan looks at a K to end the inning

[Iceblink]

And strike 3. Enrico Palazzo!

[TruffleShuffle]

while rich pitched like crap, it'd be really nice if the cubs would actually score some runs for him, so that every mistake he makes and every run he gives up isn't the end of the world. Their offensive support of him has been a complete joke since the first three weeks of the season.

Yeah, but he is a cub. He should expect that. Ask Kerry Wood, it happens.

 

Zambrano: 5.64

Marquis: 5.63

Marshall: 5.63

Lilly: 4.70

Hill: 3.49

 

 

Maybe Hill will have to get used to it, but nobody else on the staff seems to be having this problem with any regularity.

[soccer10k]

If Hill and/or Marshall continue to struggle, what sort of options do we have in AAA and AA?

 

None. And Hill should have a pretty long leash, seeing as he's *still* the Cubs second best pitcher this season.

 

You could easily make a case for both Lilly and Marquis being better than Hill this year. But they're all pretty close so any difference between the three is a small one.

[illiniguy]

while rich pitched like crap, it'd be really nice if the cubs would actually score some runs for him, so that every mistake he makes and every run he gives up isn't the end of the world. Their offensive support of him has been a complete joke since the first three weeks of the season.

Yeah, but he is a cub. He should expect that. Ask Kerry Wood, it happens.

 

Zambrano: 5.64

Marquis: 5.63

Marshall: 5.63

Lilly: 4.70

Hill: 3.49

 

 

Maybe Hill will have to get used to it, but nobody else on the staff seems to be having this problem with any regularity.

Every team has that one guy each year it seems. Have Hill talk to Matt Cain.

[Iceblink]

Come on, bottom of the order rally.

[TruffleShuffle]

while rich pitched like crap, it'd be really nice if the cubs would actually score some runs for him, so that every mistake he makes and every run he gives up isn't the end of the world. Their offensive support of him has been a complete joke since the first three weeks of the season.

 

run support doesn't change the meatball to Young.

[98navigator]

Pagan out 6-3

 

1 down

[Exile on Waveland]

while rich pitched like crap, it'd be really nice if the cubs would actually score some runs for him, so that every mistake he makes and every run he gives up isn't the end of the world. Their offensive support of him has been a complete joke since the first three weeks of the season.

Yeah, but he is a cub. He should expect that. Ask Kerry Wood, it happens.

 

Zambrano: 5.64

Marquis: 5.63

Marshall: 5.63

Lilly: 4.70

Hill: 3.49

 

 

Maybe Hill will have to get used to it, but nobody else on the staff seems to be having this problem with any regularity.

 

Crazy how close Zambrano, Marquis and Marshall's run support are to each other's.

[Guest]

So what's Lou's excuse for keeping Hill in there?

 

That was definitely the right move by Lou (and I felt that way before he had a relatively smooth inning).

[98navigator]

Fontenot pops out to Lopez in shallow LF

[Iceblink]

Meaningless 2-out single, coming up.

 

Oh, wait...it's Bowen. 4-3 coming up.

[anabiono]

this is awesome...someone posted about no heartbreakers recently...

 

well...getting shutout by chico is a bit of a heartbreaker

[Guest]

If Hill and/or Marshall continue to struggle, what sort of options do we have in AAA and AA?

 

None. And Hill should have a pretty long leash, seeing as he's *still* the Cubs second best pitcher this season.

 

You could easily make a case for both Lilly and Marquis being better than Hill this year. But they're all pretty close so any difference between the three is a small one.

 

Heh, I actually have Marquis as the best starter this season so far but there's definitely a good argument for Lilly ahead of Hill now. Z still has a bit of work to go.

 

But hey, that's just my opinion.

[98navigator]

Bowen K's looking to end the inning

[Chocolate Milk]

Bowen is brutal.

[CubColtPacer]

If Hill and/or Marshall continue to struggle, what sort of options do we have in AAA and AA?

 

None. And Hill should have a pretty long leash, seeing as he's *still* the Cubs second best pitcher this season.

 

You could easily make a case for both Lilly and Marquis being better than Hill this year. But they're all pretty close so any difference between the three is a small one.

 

Marquis has definitely been better after you put this start from Hill in. His ERA is half a run lower. His opponents OPS is probably 70-80 points lower than Hill's. The only thing Hill would have on him is WHIP, which isn't the best indicator when you consider that Hill is a fly ball pitcher who gives up lots of extra base hits and Marquis is a ground ball pitcher who gives up lots of singles.

[Iceblink]

Bowen and Soto should swap places.

[abuck1220]

oh well, better to have a bad start and no offense on the same day, i suppose. should have seen an offensive letdown coming with hill on the mound...

[illiniguy]

oh well, better to have a bad start and no offense on the same day, i suppose. should have seen an offensive letdown coming with hill on the mound...

Yeah but we have to hit Matt Chico. It wouldn't be so bad a start if it was by itself, but he has done this in three of his last four now. He needs to make some adjustments.

[98navigator]

this is awesome...someone posted about no heartbreakers recently...

 

well...getting shutout by chico is a bit of a heartbreaker

 

Chico pitched 6 shutout innings in his last start. He's a rookie who has been inconsistent but he's better than his overall numbers show to this point.

 

I am not surprised that he pitched well. I predicted it.

[abuck1220]

Bowen is brutal.

 

yeah, we'll see what the catcher era people have to say about this terrible tandem when the cubs start losing games 4-2.

[TruffleShuffle]

maybe uncle larry will spend the all-star break figuring out what 90% of major league baseball knows about rich hill