05/06 COBS (Wells) @ Pittsburgh (Burres) 6:05 CDT, WGN

[Laura]

Let's face it, it will take a miracle to beat the Pirates at this point.

 

Randy Wells

 

http://delusionalcubsfan.com/wp-admin/images/miscellaneous/randy-wells_60209.jpg

 

3-0, 3.45 & Fred will provide the rest of the stats

 

vs.

 

Brian Burres

 

GIS reveals:

http://kecute.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/the-three-musketeers.jpg

 

1-1, 6.05

 

With these nearly insurmountable odds, the best hope is some voodoo magic. Or maybe rain, lots o rain.

 

http://detectovision.com/pics/jobu2.jpg

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Cobs suck. They'll win just to [expletive] with us.

[ctcf]

This team is hopelessly mediocre.

[weis21]

Prediction: Cubs win next two, lose the third.

 

I see the Cubs pounding them tonight. Cubs win 9-3.

[TruffleShuffle]

any team that gets swept by the pirates should be relegated to AAA.

[champaignchris]

They'll score 10 or 11 tonight so that their aggregate numbers continue to look mediocre.

[erik316wttn]

Let's hope Laura is Lady Luck!

 

Go Cubs!

[Old Style]

Lineup per Muskat Twitter:

 

Theriot SS

Byrd CF

Lee 1B

Nady RF

Ramirez 3B

Soriano LF

Soto C

Baker 2B

Wells P

[Sammy Sofa]

Soto up a spot?!?

[Jake]

Pirates:

 

1. 1. Aki Iwamura, 2B

2. 2. Andy LaRoche, 3B

3. 3. Andrew McCutchen, CF

4. 4. Garrett Jones, 1B

5. 5. Ryan Doumit, C

6. 6. Ryan Church, RF

7. 7. Lastings Milledge, LF

8. 8. Ronny Cedeno, SS

9. 9. Burres, P

[Guest]

Soto up a spot?!?

 

Apparently the day off yesterday was to rest him up for such a monumental leap.

[NotSoSober]

At this point, I'm not even shocked that Xavier Nady is batting 4th, and find it kind of odd that Lou dropped Soriano below Ramirez after 1 game. At least Soto is moving up I guess

[bushwoodcc]

Nady in the cleanup spot?

[jersey cubs fan]

At this point, I'm not even shocked that Xavier Nady is batting 4th,

 

He knows how to hit in PNC, or something.

[Sammy Sofa]

At this point, I'm not even shocked that Xavier Nady is batting 4th, and find it kind of odd that Lou dropped Soriano below Ramirez after 1 game. At least Soto is moving up I guess

 

It is sad. It's also sad that I'd be happy with a manager at this point who knew how to put together a lineup based only on common sense and even a rudimentary understanding of stats.

[sneakypower]

it'd be really nice if we could get Byrd out of the lineup for a little while, he just hasn't looked the same of late, makes you wonder if he's somehow hurt

[Old Style]

At this point, I'm not even shocked that Xavier Nady is batting 4th, and find it kind of odd that Lou dropped Soriano below Ramirez after 1 game. At least Soto is moving up I guess

 

It is sad. It's also sad that I'd be happy with a manager at this point who knew how to put together a lineup based only on common sense and even a rudimentary understanding of stats.

Would you need ANY stats to put together a more intelligent order?

[Sammy Sofa]

At this point, I'm not even shocked that Xavier Nady is batting 4th, and find it kind of odd that Lou dropped Soriano below Ramirez after 1 game. At least Soto is moving up I guess

 

It is sad. It's also sad that I'd be happy with a manager at this point who knew how to put together a lineup based only on common sense and even a rudimentary understanding of stats.

Would you need ANY stats to put together a more intelligent order?

 

Sure. When I say rudimentary, I mean it. As in, "oh, I know what OBP is, so let me put Fukudome at the top when he starts and bat Soto 2nd."

[Old Style]

it'd be really nice if we could get Byrd out of the lineup for a little while, he just hasn't looked the same of late, makes you wonder if he's somehow hurt

Is this a serious post? In the last 7 days he is hitting .381 with an OPS of 1.173. He's 1 for his last 6, but I think you may be jumping the gun a little (assuming you are serious).

[Old Style]

At this point, I'm not even shocked that Xavier Nady is batting 4th, and find it kind of odd that Lou dropped Soriano below Ramirez after 1 game. At least Soto is moving up I guess

 

It is sad. It's also sad that I'd be happy with a manager at this point who knew how to put together a lineup based only on common sense and even a rudimentary understanding of stats.

Would you need ANY stats to put together a more intelligent order?

 

Sure. When I say rudimentary, I mean it. As in, "oh, I know what OBP is, so let me put Fukudome at the top when he starts and bat Soto 2nd."

I get your point, but I think anyone paying attention to the game could figure that out without even looking at any numbers.

[Andy]

it'd be really nice if we could get Byrd out of the lineup for a little while, he just hasn't looked the same of late, makes you wonder if he's somehow hurt

Is this a serious post? In the last 7 days he is hitting .381 with an OPS of 1.173. He's 1 for his last 6, but I think you may be jumping the gun a little (assuming you are serious).

He's probably poking fun at IMB's ongoing "Byrd is hurt" storyline.

[PackLandVA]

Lineup per Muskat Twitter:

 

Theriot SS

Byrd CF

Lee 1B

Nady RF

Ramirez 3B

Soriano LF

Soto C

Baker 2B

Wells P

 

 

 

I hate this lineup because the only "righty" off the bench to PH is Koyie Hill. If Soto was gonna miss a game in the series, I would've had him miss tonight.

 

If the Cubs need a PH at a critical point later in the game, it's gonna be a lefty (or Hill). Doesn't make a BP decision very difficult for the Pirates manager .

[BeerHere]

I hate this lineup because the only "righty" off the bench to PH is Koyie Hill. If Soto was gonna miss a game in the series, I would've had him miss tonight.

 

If the Cubs need a PH at a critical point later in the game, it's gonna be a lefty (or Hill). Doesn't make a BP decision very difficult for the Pirates manager .

 

Good point. It really didn't make much sense to sit Soto yesterday unless he was sick or was nursing an injury or something.

[Guest]

I hate this lineup because the only "righty" off the bench to PH is Koyie Hill. If Soto was gonna miss a game in the series, I would've had him miss tonight.

 

If the Cubs need a PH at a critical point later in the game, it's gonna be a lefty (or Hill). Doesn't make a BP decision very difficult for the Pirates manager .

 

The only time the Cubs would need a RH pinch hitter is if they brought in a LH reliever just for the pitcher's spot.

[bushwoodcc]

Anyone else just watch Steve Stone on CSN? Basically said that Ramirez doesn't go to Jamarillo for advice on hitting. Kaplan then commented that it is "known" that Ramirez had a talk with Jamarillo and told him that he was a veteran player and he knew what he needed to do to get out of his slump. Interesting....

 

Would it kill Theriot to get a hit to lead of the game?