08/31 Pittsburgh (Karstens) @ CUBS (Dempster) 7:05 CDT, CSN+

[Fred Hornkohl]

http://a.espncdn.com/i/headshots/mlb/players/65/28552.jpg Jeffrey Wayne Karstens (2-10) ERA = 4.98, WHIP = 1.44

 

 

vs.

 

 

http://a.espncdn.com/i/headshots/mlb/players/65/3845.jpg Ryan Scott Dempster (12-8) ERA = 3.42, WHIP = 1.25

 

 

 

Go CUBS !!

[J.R.]

2B DeWitt

SS Castro

CF Byrd

3B Ramirez

1B Nady

LF Soriano

RF Colvin

C Hill

P Dempster

[seattlecub]

any clue what the wind is doing at wrigley for the game tonight?

[Guancous]

Man, you know game threads are dead when not even the irrational Dempster hater shows up when he gets shelled.

[TruffleShuffle]

i'm still holding out hope that he shows up

[Guest]

Man, you know game threads are dead when not even the irrational Dempster hater shows up when he gets shelled.

 

No one's at the game either: http://twitpic.com/2k2l5n

[SouthSideRyan]

The 1:20 game tomorrow will have like 8 people at it

[BeerHere]

Dempster was brutal

[TruffleShuffle]

after the pirates finish winning this game, they'll be 5-3 at wrigley this year. their road record against the rest of baseball is 9-49.

 

way to go, cubs.

[Guancous]

There's still a silver lining: the Cubs don't have $50 million coming off the books with this free agent class coming up.

[UMFan83]

Koyie Hill (yes KOYIE HILL) is on absolute fire over the last few games .545/.545/.909/1.454 over his last 3 games (6-11, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 4 R).

 

.695 OPS over his last 16 games as well, which for Koyie Hill is a tear.

[Geech]

Is Soto sore or something? Why is Hill starting consecutive games?

[Guancous]

Is Soto sore or something? Why is Hill starting consecutive games?

 

Because Hill can call such a great game... oh wait, the Cubs gave up 14 runs to the Pirates.

[woodchip2153]

Is Soto sore or something? Why is Hill starting consecutive games?

he hurt his knee or something, i believe.

[Geech]

he hurt his knee or something, i believe.

 

Well, that's bad, but at least we aren't being subjected to more managerial incompetence.

[muntjack]

Just organizational, as Koyie Hill getting ABs does the Chicago Cubs no good. When you consider that Chirinos has the ability to be a fantastic backup C it hurts even more.

[Geech]

What about Fukudome? This is the second game in a row in which he has not appeared in any capacity.

[Tryptamine]

What about Fukudome? This is the second game in a row in which he has not appeared in any capacity.

 

The Cubs decided they couldn't allow the opportunity to pick up a game or two on the Pirates go past.

[J.R.]

Man, you know game threads are dead when not even the irrational Dempster hater shows up when he gets shelled.

 

No one's at the game either: http://twitpic.com/2k2l5n

 

Sullivan's hand-wringing over the crowds strikes me as silly.

 

Look at Tampa, San Diego and Cincinnati for attendance stories. The contending Sox are a nice study as well.

[jersey cubs fan]

Man, you know game threads are dead when not even the irrational Dempster hater shows up when he gets shelled.

 

No one's at the game either: http://twitpic.com/2k2l5n

 

Sullivan's hand-wringing over the crowds strikes me as silly.

 

Look at Tampa, San Diego and Cincinnati for attendance stories. The contending Sox are a nice study as well.

 

I think it's noteworthy, especially when you consider all the nonsense about Wrigley being full and fans being happy regardless of record and outcome. Jim Hendry's failures are costing the team money in the form of empty seats.

[J.R.]

I think it's noteworthy, especially when you consider all the nonsense about Wrigley being full and fans being happy regardless of record and outcome. Jim Hendry's failures are costing the team money in the form of empty seats.

 

Except that fans reacted in much the same way at the end of 2006, and at the very end of last year. What does he expect?

[UMFan83]

Man, you know game threads are dead when not even the irrational Dempster hater shows up when he gets shelled.

 

No one's at the game either: http://twitpic.com/2k2l5n

 

Sullivan's hand-wringing over the crowds strikes me as silly.

 

Look at Tampa, San Diego and Cincinnati for attendance stories. The contending Sox are a nice study as well.

 

I think it's noteworthy, especially when you consider all the nonsense about Wrigley being full and fans being happy regardless of record and outcome. Jim Hendry's failures are costing the team money in the form of empty seats.

 

I don't think it was every really a shock to anyone that has followed the team more than casually. It wasn't until 2003 when the stereotype that "The Cubs sell out every game no matter what" was born. In 04 and almost all of 05, Wrigley was near or at capacity. In 06, after labor day there were only 20-25k fans in the stands at games. My friend and I had a whole row of bleachers to ourselves in 06. 07 and 08 were nearly all sold out again. In 09 I was able to buy tickets to a September game that were 5-6 rows directly behind home plate for $25 a ticket, with a $110 face value.

 

When the Cubs are bad and/or expectations are low the Cubs will draw 30-38k for weekday games before memorial day, come within 1-2k of a sellout in every game between May and August, then mid-August if the Cubs are bad, attendance drops sharply during the weekdays. Weekend games are almost always at or near capacity.

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't think it was every really a shock to anyone that has followed the team more than casually. It wasn't until 2003 when the stereotype that "The Cubs sell out every game no matter what" was born.

 

Not true at all. That storyline was alive and well before 2003.

[J.R.]

I don't think it was every really a shock to anyone that has followed the team more than casually. It wasn't until 2003 when the stereotype that "The Cubs sell out every game no matter what" was born.

 

Not true at all. That storyline was alive and well before 2003.

 

The 3 million mark in annual attendance wasn't breached until 2004.

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't think it was every really a shock to anyone that has followed the team more than casually. It wasn't until 2003 when the stereotype that "The Cubs sell out every game no matter what" was born.

 

Not true at all. That storyline was alive and well before 2003.

 

The 3 million mark in annual attendance wasn't breached until 2004.

 

So what? The reputation of Cubs fans filling the stadium regardless of record was around well before then.