4/12 Cubs (Russell) @ Astros (Myers) 7:05 pm CSN

[Andy]

Amazingly, the Cubs managed to win a game. As if that weren't enough, they won a game in which I started the thread, which is the first time in like 4 years they've pulled off that feat. They will have to beat some long odds to do it again, because due to the DL-loving rotation we have, we're pulling out another emergency starter.

 

This time it will be ex-reliever James Russell, who seems to enjoy the company of some odd people

 

http://cdn1.sbnation.com/fan_shot_images/112081/20100416_astrosvscuba_0191.jpg

 

against the great and powerful Brett Myers.

 

http://thatreenagirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/bobby-brown-my-prerogative.jpg

 

Whoops, that's not him.

 

http://static.igossip.com/photos_2/february_2011/how_cute_so_cute_Chris_Brown.jpg

 

Crap, that's not him either.

 

http://www.techbanyan.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/charlie-sheen-arrested.jpg

 

Hmm, I'll get this eventually...

 

http://www.jimmyscottshighandtight.com/files/Kim_Myers.jpg

 

There he is.

 

So anyway, the Cubs will be playing on CSN, which bodes well since they are incapable of winning on the superstation, WGN. To celebrate that point, here's a dog wearing a Superman cape.

 

http://dogs.thefuntimesguide.com/images/blogs/superman-dog-wearing-cape.JPG

 

Go Cubs!

[UMFan83]

Man I was just looking at James Russell's minor league numbers and wow are they mediocre. How does someone with a 4.68 ERA over 4 seasons in the minors even make a Major League roster, much less get chosen to spot start?

[ctcf]

Man I was just looking at James Russell's minor league numbers and wow are they mediocre. How does someone with a 4.68 ERA over 4 seasons in the minors even make a Major League roster, much less get chosen to spot start?

 

Be a third generation player?

[TruffleShuffle]

i think maybe his stuff plays better in the bullpen? plus he has a bulldog mentality or some [expletive] like that.

[sweetpeteman]

Man I was just looking at James Russell's minor league numbers and wow are they mediocre. How does someone with a 4.68 ERA over 4 seasons in the minors even make a Major League roster, much less get chosen to spot start?

 

 

 

 

http://images.pubcrawler.com/logos/l618-11052001-880.jpg

[bcl412]

Blow someone out please.

[erik316wttn]

I guess I'm going to be the first to say it:

 

Brett Myers beats his wife.

[UMFan83]

I guess I'm going to be the first to say it:

 

Brett Myers beats his wife.

 

First to say it but you aren't the first to elude to it if you look at the OP

[NCCubFan]

Absolute must win. Lose this game, season over.

 

(It worked tonight; may as well try it again.)

[TruffleShuffle]

I guess I'm going to be the first to say it:

 

Brett Myers beats his wife.

 

First to say it but you aren't the first to elude to it if you look at the OP

 

i think the proper word alluded you.

[Prizefight]

Fantastic montage of Myers pictures. I was planning something similar today if they had lost last night.

 

At the start of this series, this is the game you had to think you were facing pretty long odds to win.

 

Brett Myers is 10-3 against us lifetime with a 2.21era and .94WHIP in 101.2IP. :(

[wekim81]

Good thing we won last night since tonight is a definite loss based on the starting pitching matchup. :roll:

 

I mean, why even bother playing?

[CubColtPacer]

Man I was just looking at James Russell's minor league numbers and wow are they mediocre. How does someone with a 4.68 ERA over 4 seasons in the minors even make a Major League roster, much less get chosen to spot start?

 

He's really good against left-handed hitters. Last year in 20 2/3 innings against left-handers he had 29 K's to only 4 BB's and only 19 hits given up (pretty much the only bad thing was that he gave up 5 HR's against them). I'm not much of a fan of him starting though but because the Cubs chose to go with Cashner and let go/traded the other two starting options on the major league squad (Gorz and Silva) it has left them only Coleman as an alternative starting option. In 3 months they'll probably have more potential starting options but right now it's slim pickings for the 7th spot.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I still say that Id rather have brought up someone liked Diamond or whoevers on the 40 man to eat maybe 5-6 innings than Russell for 3-4 maybe solidish innings and then probably Samardzjia to give away 4-5 runs in the next 3-4. At least its the Astros, and Brett Myers is beatable. I have to say Im impressed with the offense considering the fact that Soto and Pena, who wed been depending on as well as Colvin, who wed kind of been depending on have been black holes to this point. Ill give Quade this much credit, Lou would have implemented the Soto/Hill platoon by now. At least this isnt a must win game...or is it :shock:

[Little Slide Rooter]

Fantastic montage of Myers pictures. I was planning something similar today if they had lost last night.

 

At the start of this series, this is the game you had to think you were facing pretty long odds to win.

 

Brett Myers is 10-3 against us lifetime with a 2.21era and .94WHIP in 101.2IP. :(

 

Is this going too far?

 

http://i.cdn.turner.com/trutv/trutv.com/graphics/photos/notorious_murders/family/drew_peterson/drew-and-stacy-peterson.jpg

[otis89]

Fantastic montage of Myers pictures. I was planning something similar today if they had lost last night.

 

At the start of this series, this is the game you had to think you were facing pretty long odds to win.

 

Brett Myers is 10-3 against us lifetime with a 2.21era and .94WHIP in 101.2IP. :(

 

Well, then I'd say the Cubs are due to destroy him.

[Rob]

Early lineups:

 

1. Starlin Castro ® SS

2. Darwin Barney ® 2B

3. Marlon Byrd ® CF

4. Aramis Ramirez ® 3B

5. Carlos Pena (L) 1B

6. Alfonso Soriano ® LF

7. Geovany Soto ® C

8. Tyler Colvin (L) RF

9. James Russell (L) P

 

1. Michael Bourn (L) CF

2. Angel Sanchez ® SS

3. Hunter Pence ® RF

4. Carlos Lee ® 1B

5. Jason Michaels ® LF

6. Bill Hall ® 2B

7. Chris Johnson ® 3B

8. Humberto Quintero ® C

9. Brett Myers ® P

[apete6]

Apparently Kosuke not healthy again. That's slightly annoying.

 

I expect Carlos Lee to have at least 6 RBI tonight.

[CubColtPacer]

Apparently Kosuke not healthy again. That's slightly annoying.

 

I expect Carlos Lee to have at least 6 RBI tonight.

 

It doesn't sound like it's likely at all that Fukudome will be available for anything but pinch-hitting duty for several days.

[apete6]

Apparently Kosuke not healthy again. That's slightly annoying.

 

I expect Carlos Lee to have at least 6 RBI tonight.

 

It doesn't sound like it's likely at all that Fukudome will be available for anything but pinch-hitting duty for several days.

 

That's a big loss. Our best OBP guy and best defensive outfielder going into the cavernous outfield in Colorado.

[ctcf]

Could really use a Cubs win today...

[PrimeTime]

So what is the latest on Angel Guzman? Is he throwing and rebuilding his strength? Having him in the bullpen and healthy would really help since Samardzija is completely useless and we need another reliable righty in there.

[pitchcs]

5-3 Astros

[Omar]

Cubs Vs. Myers

                   PA  AB  H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO   BA  OBP  SLG   OPS SH SF IBB HBP GDP missG
Aramis Ramirez     38  37  8  2  0  2   6  1 11 .216 .237 .432  .669  0  0   0   0         0
Alfonso Soriano    31  30  6  0  0  3   3  1 13 .200 .226 .500  .726  0  0   0   0         0
Marlon Byrd        23  20  6  1  0  1   4  2  2 .300 .348 .500  .848  0  1   0   0         0
Kosuke Fukudome    15  14  2  0  0  0   0  1  1 .143 .200 .143  .343  0  0   0   0         0
Tyler Colvin       14  14  4  2  0  1   1  0  6 .286 .286 .643  .929  0  0   0   0         0
Starlin Castro     13  12  2  1  0  0   2  0  3 .167 .154 .250  .404  0  1   0   0         0
Koyie Hill         10  10  1  1  0  0   1  0  7 .100 .100 .200  .300  0  0   0   0         0
Carlos Pena         9   7  0  0  0  0   1  1  2 .000 .222 .000  .222  0  0   0   1         0
Geovany Soto        9   8  3  0  0  0   1  1  3 .375 .444 .375  .819  0  0   0   0         0
Carlos Zambrano     7   7  1  0  0  0   0  0  3 .143 .143 .143  .286  0  0   0   0         0
Blake DeWitt        5   5  0  0  0  0   1  0  1 .000 .000 .000  .000  0  0   0   0         0
Jeff Baker          3   3  2  0  0  0   1  0  0 .667 .667 .667 1.333  0  0   0   0         0
Matt Garza          3   2  0  0  0  0   0  0  2 .000 .000 .000  .000  1  0   0   0         0
Darwin Barney       2   2  0  0  0  0   0  0  1 .000 .000 .000  .000  0  0   0   0         0
Kerry Wood          2   2  0  0  0  0   0  0  1 .000 .000 .000  .000  0  0   0   0         0
Reed Johnson        1   1  0  0  0  0   0  0  0 .000 .000 .000  .000  0  0   0   0         0
Total             185 174 35  7  0  7  21  7 56 .201 .234 .362  .596  1  2   0   1         0

 

Astros Vs. Russell

                 PA AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO   BA  OBP  SLG  OPS SH SF IBB HBP GDP missG
Michael Bourn     3  3 0  0  0  0   0  0  1 .000 .000 .000 .000  0  0   0   0         0
Matt Downs        1  0 0  0  0  0   0  0       0          1.000  0  0   0   1         0
Carlos Lee        1  1 0  0  0  0   0  0  0 .000 .000 .000 .000  0  0   0   0         0
Jason Michaels    1  1 0  0  0  0   0  0  0 .000 .000 .000 .000  0  0   0   0         0
Hunter Pence      1  1 0  0  0  0   0  0  0 .000 .000 .000 .000  0  0   0   0         0
Total             7  6 0  0  0  0   0  0  1 .000 .143 .000 .143  0  0   0   1         0

[ctcf]

So what is the latest on Angel Guzman? Is he throwing and rebuilding his strength? Having him in the bullpen and healthy would really help since Samardzija is completely useless and we need another reliable righty in there.

 

Good question. The last update from rotoworld (as always) is from the 28th of March which said:

 

Angel Guzman (shoulder) threw 20 pitches over two-thirds of an inning in a minor league game Monday.

Guzman is still working his way back from shoulder surgery and was sent to minor league camp last week. Assuming he feels OK following the outing, he's expected to go on a schedule of pitching every five days.

 

I wonder what's happened since.

 

EDIT: Actually..... From the Fitch thread in Minor Leagues (April 4th):

 

Chris Robinson and Max Ramirez are the only catchers on Iowa's roster - no Welington Castillo. Is Castillo hurt? I read he was DHing at Fitch yesterday.

 

Looks like Tim is right about Jay Jackson being hurt:

 

In Iowa Cubs roster news, RHP Jay Jackson (shoulder fatigue?) will be remaining at Fitch Park, joining fellow I-Cubs DF Brad Snyder (oblique), INF Augie Ojeda (back), RHP Todd Wellemeyer (hip), and RHP Angel Guzman (2010 shoulder surgery rehab) on the 7-day day DL. While the other four are limited as to what they can do, Angel Guzman is progressing very well, and is on a rehab pitching schedule where he throws sim games at Fitch Park every 5th day. Over the weekend Gooz threw especially well, getting his fastball velocity up to 92 MPH for the first time since his surgery (he threw consistently 94-96 in 2009).

 

http://www.thecubreporter.com/2011/04/04/maxram-celebrates-end-minor-league-camp

 

Also, Ty'Relle Harris is staying back at Fitch and going on Daytona's 7-day DL.