6/17 Cubs(Dempster) @ Rays(Kazmir) 6:10CT CSN

[UMFan83]

I'm quite mad at Hoff for failing to come through.

 

Me too. I don't think I like him too much.

 

Our minor leaguers haven't helped us the way they did last year.

Edited June 18, 2008 by UMFan83

[erik316wttn]

Well, if you're going to go down like that, I can't exactly blame you for it. That was a hell of a play at the end.

 

It was a hell of a lot better than going down weakly on 3 grounders.

[RedFlash]

How awesome would that have been if we'd tied on the suicide squeeze?

 

This loss doesn't really anger me. It just strikes me as one of those games we weren't meant to win. Z will get us back in the win column tomorrow.

 

Agreed. I believe the Cubs will leave TB with 2 wins.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Id like to say at least the Cards lost, but it would be nice to gain on them.

[C.C.]

I hate loses like this! I'd accept it better if we went down 1,2,3. We should've at least tied this game.

[UMFan83]

That 9th inning had so many chances

 

-Soto's hit is a double most games

-The second passed ball hit the backstop perfectly

-Took an absolutely perfect play to get Reed out

[otis89]

Id like to say at least the Cards lost, but it would be nice to gain on them.

 

Gain on them? I think you mean pull away from them.

[CubbieBum]

Lou had another lefty on the bench. Granted, it was FOntenot, but hes better against righties than Johnson, and has been known to come up with hits in key spots.

 

It makes you wonder if that no name hadnt robbed Soto of a double on what will no doubt be the play of his career.

 

can't use up your whole bench when it looks like it could go extras

[Little Slide Rooter]

How awesome would that have been if we'd tied on the suicide squeeze?

 

This loss doesn't really anger me. It just strikes me as one of those games we weren't meant to win. Z will get us back in the win column tomorrow.

 

Agreed. I believe the Cubs will leave TB with 2 wins.

 

I'll settle for 1 and a .500 road trip.

[Mizzou]

I don't like Micah Hoffpauir. I really don't like the stupid faces he makes either.

 

Tough way to end the game. If Longoria doesn't make the perfect play that he made, we'd be all tied up.

[chuckywang]

Rays just made the top 2 web gems of the day in that 9th inning.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Lou had another lefty on the bench. Granted, it was FOntenot, but hes better against righties than Johnson, and has been known to come up with hits in key spots.

 

It makes you wonder if that no name hadnt robbed Soto of a double on what will no doubt be the play of his career.

 

can't use up your whole bench when it looks like it could go extras

 

Why not? You dont have to worry about the pitcher hitting, and you essentially have all your best guys out there. move Edmonds to center, Kosuke to right, DeRosa to 2nd Soto to catch.

[CubbieBum]

Rays just made the top 2 web gems of the day in that 9th inning.

 

eh Theriot's grab is probably about the OF's. The guy made a good play but not phenomenal.

[Flames24Rulz]

How awesome would that have been if we'd tied on the suicide squeeze?

 

This loss doesn't really anger me. It just strikes me as one of those games we weren't meant to win. Z will get us back in the win column tomorrow.

 

Agreed. I believe the Cubs will leave TB with 2 wins.

 

I'll settle for 1 and a .500 road trip.

 

Hmm, you've certainly turned over a new leaf the past couple of weeks.

 

I agree with you 100%. I'm only expecting to win 1 of 3, but I'll take a .500 road trip against the likes of Toronto and Tampa. I wasn't expecting to win this game, so I'm not too upset about it. The Cardinals' loss definitely took the sting out of this one.

[Choonch]

I don't like Micah Hoffpauir. I really don't like the stupid faces he makes either.

 

Tough way to end the game. If Longoria doesn't make the perfect play that he made, we'd be all tied up.

 

I've been wanting to mention that. It's not as annoying if he's hitting, but when he sucks, it really grates on my nerves.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I'm quite mad at Hoff for failing to come through.

 

Me too. I don't think I like him too much.

 

Our minor leaguers haven't helped us the way they did last year.

 

I wouldnt give up on Hoff. He was just trying to be the hero when he should have tried to mke contact.

[CubbieBum]

Lou had another lefty on the bench. Granted, it was FOntenot, but hes better against righties than Johnson, and has been known to come up with hits in key spots.

 

It makes you wonder if that no name hadnt robbed Soto of a double on what will no doubt be the play of his career.

 

can't use up your whole bench when it looks like it could go extras

 

Why not? You dont have to worry about the pitcher hitting, and you essentially have all your best guys out there. move Edmonds to center, Kosuke to right, DeRosa to 2nd Soto to catch.

 

if it turns into a marathon you will have guys getting 10 at-bats and playing the field all day. They will be tired for days. Plus you always have to keep someone back in case you have a injury. Would you want to have to throw one of pitchers in the field because Lou wanted a slightly better hitter in the 9th. Key being slightly if Fontenot is great and Reed is bad against righties then yeah I say go for it because you have to get to extras to have a chance.

[UMFan83]

How awesome would that have been if we'd tied on the suicide squeeze?

 

This loss doesn't really anger me. It just strikes me as one of those games we weren't meant to win. Z will get us back in the win column tomorrow.

 

Agreed. I believe the Cubs will leave TB with 2 wins.

 

I'll settle for 1 and a .500 road trip.

 

Hmm, you've certainly turned over a new leaf the past couple of weeks.

 

I agree with you 100%. I'm only expecting to win 1 of 3, but I'll take a .500 road trip against the likes of Toronto and Tampa. I wasn't expecting to win this game, so I'm not too upset about it. The Cardinals' loss definitely took the sting out of this one.

 

It always stings a little bit when you accept a loss, only to see a fake rally and see how close your team was to tieing it. But then I realize that we are 19 games over .500 and in first place :)

[Little Slide Rooter]

In the end, it comes down to 2 plays:

 

Cotts making a stupid throw, and whoever that was robbing Soto of an easy double.

[CubColtPacer]

Lou had another lefty on the bench. Granted, it was FOntenot, but hes better against righties than Johnson, and has been known to come up with hits in key spots.

 

It makes you wonder if that no name hadnt robbed Soto of a double on what will no doubt be the play of his career.

 

can't use up your whole bench when it looks like it could go extras

 

Why not? You dont have to worry about the pitcher hitting, and you essentially have all your best guys out there. move Edmonds to center, Kosuke to right, DeRosa to 2nd Soto to catch.

 

You do have to worry about the pitcher hitting. Soto would have had to come in to catch, so the Cubs would have lost the privilege of using the DH for the rest of the game. The pitcher would be slotted into the 8th slot.

 

From what it sounds like, Johnson's bunt had a 30% or better chance of succeeding. Normally, that's not very good odds. But when you need 1 to tie like that and a runner on 3rd (making a single a much better outcome than it normally is), it's better to try it than to continue batting against a tough closer.

[UMFan83]

In the end, it comes down to 2 plays:

 

Cotts making a stupid throw, and whoever that was robbing Soto of an easy double.

 

Are you sure it didn't come down to Floyd hitting a HR, and Reed Johnson getting thrown out at 3B?

[UMFan83]

Lou had another lefty on the bench. Granted, it was FOntenot, but hes better against righties than Johnson, and has been known to come up with hits in key spots.

 

It makes you wonder if that no name hadnt robbed Soto of a double on what will no doubt be the play of his career.

 

can't use up your whole bench when it looks like it could go extras

 

Why not? You dont have to worry about the pitcher hitting, and you essentially have all your best guys out there. move Edmonds to center, Kosuke to right, DeRosa to 2nd Soto to catch.

 

You do have to worry about the pitcher hitting. Soto would have had to come in to catch, so the Cubs would have lost the privilege of using the DH for the rest of the game. The pitcher would be slotted into the 8th slot.

 

From what it sounds like, Johnson's bunt had a 30% or better chance of succeeding. Normally, that's not very good odds. But when you need 1 to tie like that and a runner on 3rd (making a single a much better outcome than it normally is), it's better to try it than to continue batting against a tough closer.

 

Actually I would say its close to 50-60%. The bunt was really well timed, but hit a little too hard. Longoria had to make a pretty great barehanded grab/throw, and Aybar had to catch it on a long bounce and hold on with Reed about to run into him in order to make the play.

[NYF]

reality check.

 

can you win 'em all boyz and girls?

 

get over it. this was their best pitcher, and until lately, the Rays shared the best record in the game.

 

.500 on the road gets it done. any better than that, see you in October with this team...

[chuckywang]

As soon as i saw Longoria throw that ball while falling, I thought he had no chance of getting Reed. Urgh ... but that's what good teams do.

[Little Slide Rooter]

In the end, it comes down to 2 plays:

 

Cotts making a stupid throw, and whoever that was robbing Soto of an easy double.

 

Are you sure it didn't come down to Floyd hitting a HR, and Reed Johnson getting thrown out at 3B?

 

Home runs happen. You never know what would have happened had Reed not tried to steal or been safe.

 

However, the way the rest of the inning played out, had Cotts not made an awful throw, Iwamura would have been at 3rd. Maybe he would have scored on Hinske(or whoever)s base hit, maybe not.

 

If Soto had gotten that double, or even a single, the way the inning played out, he would have scored.