4/6 Arizona (Galarraga) @ Chicago (Dempster) 1:20PM WGN

[StarlinOnYou]

Dempster is so painful to watch.

[Little Slide Rooter]

is the wind blowing out?

 

no, Dempsters just blowing.

[apete6]

Dempster has given up an abnormally large number of hard-hit balls in his first two starts this year.

To clarify, 9 of the 14 hits Dempster has allowed this year have gone for extra bases. Aside from that, he's actually been moderately effective.

 

If my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle.

[Guest]

Soto gets the error? Are you kidding me? This is why errors mean absolutely nothing for an outfielder.

 

It's correct to give him an error. If he would have caught the ball, Young would have not been able to advance to 3rd. The ruling is correct.

 

No. It's a bad call. The ball landed right in front of his catcher's mitt while he was in need of performing a sweep tag. Asking a catcher to field that ball cleanly with a catcher's mitt while also trying to make the tag is not an error.

 

You can give Soriano an error for not catching the ball or Castro on the relay or thowing it at all before you can blame the catcher for trying to perform a miracle.

[Schwarber Fan]

is the wind blowing out?

 

no, Dempsters just blowing.

 

Well I felt like Colvin and Young's fly balls carried.

[Tryptamine]

Soto gets the error? Are you kidding me? This is why errors mean absolutely nothing for an outfielder.

 

It's correct to give him an error. If he would have caught the ball, Young would have not been able to advance to 3rd. The ruling is correct.

 

No. It's a bad call. The ball landed right in front of his catcher's mitt while he was in need of performing a sweep tag. Asking a catcher to field that ball cleanly with a catcher's mitt while also trying to make the tag is not an error.

 

You can give Soriano an error for not catching the ball or Castro on the relay or thowing it at all before you can blame the catcher for trying to perform a miracle.

 

Exactly. How Soriano doesn't get an error despite the ball hitting him in the middle of the glove I don't know. Yes, he was up on the wall, but the ball hit him in the glove. 4 years and Soriano is still terrified of that wall.

[justin23iu]

Soto gets the error? Are you kidding me? This is why errors mean absolutely nothing for an outfielder.

 

It's correct to give him an error. If he would have caught the ball, Young would have not been able to advance to 3rd. The ruling is correct.

 

No. It's a bad call. The ball landed right in front of his catcher's mitt while he was in need of performing a sweep tag. Asking a catcher to field that ball cleanly with a catcher's mitt while also trying to make the tag is not an error.

 

You can give Soriano an error for not catching the ball or Castro on the relay or thowing it at all before you can blame the catcher for trying to perform a miracle.

 

Well I see it differently. It should have been caught by Soto. The official scorer agrees. But whatever, doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. It was bad all the way around.

[bukie]

Dempster has given up an abnormally large number of hard-hit balls in his first two starts this year.

To clarify, 9 of the 14 hits Dempster has allowed this year have gone for extra bases. Aside from that, he's actually been moderately effective.

 

If my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle.

You're missing the point, his BABIP is normal, he's getting strikeouts, his K/BB ratio is good, just everything is being hit hard. Results are out of whack with the peripherals.

[apete6]

Dempster has given up an abnormally large number of hard-hit balls in his first two starts this year.

To clarify, 9 of the 14 hits Dempster has allowed this year have gone for extra bases. Aside from that, he's actually been moderately effective.

 

If my aunt had balls, she'd be my uncle.

You're missing the point, his BABIP is normal, he's getting strikeouts, his K/BB ratio is good, just everything is being hit hard. Results are out of whack with the peripherals.

 

Still, not a good sign that he's leaving several pitches in very hittable areas.

 

That original sentence sounded like Wanny after a bad Bears game. "Besides those 3 50 yard touchdowns we gave up, I think the defense played well."

[Ballgame64]

With defensive miscues and Dempster not being real good, it is taking the focus off the offense for not doing much against a guy who barely beat out Aaron Heilman for the 5th starter on a bad team. Edited April 6, 2011 by Ballgame64

[Guest]

Soto gets the error? Are you kidding me? This is why errors mean absolutely nothing for an outfielder.

 

It's correct to give him an error. If he would have caught the ball, Young would have not been able to advance to 3rd. The ruling is correct.

 

No. It's a bad call. The ball landed right in front of his catcher's mitt while he was in need of performing a sweep tag. Asking a catcher to field that ball cleanly with a catcher's mitt while also trying to make the tag is not an error.

 

You can give Soriano an error for not catching the ball or Castro on the relay or thowing it at all before you can blame the catcher for trying to perform a miracle.

 

Well I see it differently. It should have been caught by Soto. The official scorer agrees. But whatever, doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. It was bad all the way around.

 

The hardest ball for a catcher to field is one that hits in the dirt at his glove. He might be able to trap it there better than actually field it, but it's a hard ball to field. Besides being forced to field it cleanly, he also has to get his glove 2 feet to his left immediately in order to try to make the tag.

 

The official scorer is known for changing his mind occasionally. Don't go patting yourself on the back too soon. :D

[apete6]

With defensive miscues and Dempster not being real good, it is taking the focus off the offense for not being able to do anything against a guy who barely beat out Aaron Heilman for the 5th starter on a bad team.

 

Chris Young has a lot to do with that.

[Sammy Sofa]

With defensive miscues and Dempster not being real good, it is taking the focus off the offense for not doing much against a guy who barely beat out Aaron Heilman for the 5th starter on a bad team.

 

Nothing? They're being very patient, putting up a number of deep counts, have scored 2 runs on only 3 hits and have had 3 hits robbed singlehandedly by Chris Young.

[Guest]

With defensive miscues and Dempster not being real good, it is taking the focus off the offense for not doing much against a guy who barely beat out Aaron Heilman for the 5th starter on a bad team.

 

It would be nice if our bats got going a bit. It's not like we are facing the Phillies and Giants pitching staffs. We should be punishing people named Saunders and Gallaraga.

[Sammy Sofa]

With defensive miscues and Dempster not being real good, it is taking the focus off the offense for not doing much against a guy who barely beat out Aaron Heilman for the 5th starter on a bad team.

 

It would be nice if our bats got going a bit. It's not like we are facing the Phillies and Giants pitching staffs. We should be punishing people named Saunders and Gallaraga.

 

Just FYI, going in to today the Cubs had the most hits in the NL (tied for the 3rd most runs).

[Guest]

With defensive miscues and Dempster not being real good, it is taking the focus off the offense for not doing much against a guy who barely beat out Aaron Heilman for the 5th starter on a bad team.

 

It would be nice if our bats got going a bit. It's not like we are facing the Phillies and Giants pitching staffs. We should be punishing people named Saunders and Gallaraga.

 

Just FYI, going in to today the Cubs had the most hits in the NL (tied for the 3rd most runs).

 

Never would have guessed that and I've basically seen every game so far. They've had some really good contact today, but between the foul balls and Chris Young, not much to show for it.

 

That's actually a bit deceiving. Only 6 teams have played 5 games so far, with the Cubs being one of them. But, they are top 5 regardless, and that's still good. I'm referring more to the power department. I'd like to see Pena, Byrd and Soto join the HR club.

[bukie]

Yeah, the Cubs have scored 3, 5, 4, 4, and 6 runs so far, and had 11, 9, 9, 8 and 10 hits. Scoring, hitting and getting on base hasn't really been much of an issue.

 

Pitching, though, has struggled overall. Dempster alone has given up 11 runs. The rest of the team has surrendered 14 runs in 38 innings.

[inari]

Honestly I don't think there's been much to complain about with the Cubs offense this year. They've looked very patient, they've scored some runs, and they've hit a lot of balls well.

[NotSoSober]

If James Russell has to make a start or two? :shock:

[Sammy Sofa]

Yeah, the Cubs have scored 3, 5, 4, 4, and 6 runs so far, and had 11, 9, 9, 8 and 10 hits. Scoring, hitting and getting on base hasn't really been much of an issue.

 

Pitching, though, has struggled overall. Dempster alone has given up 11 runs. The rest of the team has surrendered 14 runs in 38 innings.

 

Yeah, offensively they've looked pretty damn good (going in to today). 3rd in the NL in BA, OBP, OPS and 2nd in slugging. 2nd in doubles and 6th in RBI.

[Sammy Sofa]

If James Russell has to make a start or two? :shock:

 

That's not so horrifying.

[bukie]

The Cub offense, coming into today, led the NL in hits and walks, was second in runs and SLG, and third in AVG, OBP and OPS. The only reason they aren't leading the league in everything is that the Reds are hitting collectively as a team like Albert Pujols.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Yes Stacy, its 1-2-3 for the Cubbies.

[Guest]

Yeah, the Cubs have scored 3, 5, 4, 4, and 6 runs so far, and had 11, 9, 9, 8 and 10 hits. Scoring, hitting and getting on base hasn't really been much of an issue.

 

Pitching, though, has struggled overall. Dempster alone has given up 11 runs. The rest of the team has surrendered 14 runs in 38 innings.

 

Yeah, offensively they've looked pretty damn good (going in to today). 3rd in the NL in BA, OBP, OPS and 2nd in slugging. 2nd in doubles and 6th in RBI.

 

Probably didn't see my edit above, but I was referring more to HR's. I'd like to see Pena, Byrd and Soto get in on the act.

 

Horrible 7th inning stretch. Learn the words, dammit.

[sneakypower]

man, Stacey King's 7th inning stretch was a minor disaster