5/8 Reds (Cueto) @ Cubs (Dempster) 1:20 PM CST, WGN

[CubmanPi]

Cueto (season debut) vs Dempster (1-3, 8.05 ERA)

 

Johnny Cueto begged to wait one more day to make his season debut. "After getting knocked around so badly down there [in AAA-Louisville, where he posted a 0-2 record, 6.28 ERA, and .311 baa], the last thing I need is to start this season being so clearly overmatched," he told reporters today.

 

"I completely understand where he's coming from," said Dempster. "My 8.05 ERA is the highest among NL starters, and frankly, I deserve to be kicked out of the league, but with Cueto's debut coming against the Cubs, that means that it'll take at least 6 more starts for his numbers to recover enough to get better than mine are now. After the game, he's going to wish he spent his mother's day with a pacifier safe inside a uterus somewhere."

 

Random good mojo gifs:

 

http://drippet.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Hockey.gif

 

http://chzgifs.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/aviewp1.gif

 

http://www.watercoolerwit.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/one-player-table-tennis.gif

[Guest]

Knock Cueto around, please, Cubs offense.

 

And if Dempster could have an outing similar to last time, that would be superb.

 

GO CUBS!!

[Derwood]

It's Pink Bat day, right?

[CubmanPi]

Day off for Barney.

 

Fuku RF

Castro SS

Byrd CF

Aram 3b

Baker 2b

Sori LF

Pena 1b

Soto C

Demp P

[Derwood]

baker 5th and pena 7th? guh?

[otis89]

baker 5th and pena 7th? guh?

 

If Cueto was a lefty, that might make sense, but he's not. Why is Baker even starting against a righty? Why not reward DeWitt for the day he had yesterday?

[Sammy Sofa]

Quade is baffling. How about:

 

Fukudome

Castro

Pena

Aramis

Soriano

Soto

DeWitt

Byrd

 

 

Better hitters further up the lineup, still a nice mix of righty and lefty hitters...IS THIS REALLY SO HARD?

[Derwood]

...IS THIS REALLY SO HARD?

 

HAVE YOU EVER PLAYED BASEBALL IN THE MAJORS?

[Sammy Sofa]

HAS QUADE?!?!

[Derwood]

HAS QUADE?!?!

 

he had 6 more minor league HR than YOU

[Sammy Sofa]

Touche.

[Rob]

The Cubs are not so secretly auditioning Jeff Baker to see if he can hit righties well enough to be attractive trade bait / insurance against a Barney collapse. While the evidence supporting previous estimations of him as a platoon player is very strong, there is a bit of a sample size issue. It's not a bad idea to give him a shot to prove us wrong.

 

However, this means the Cubs have pretty much given up on DeWitt being more than a bench player. Given his defensive issues and questions about his power output, this isn't surprising... even if it is a bit disappointing.

[Guest]

Demp get the ERA under 8.

[rocket]

props to dusty for the free out

[CubmanPi]

Leadoff double against the highest ERA in the NL, and Baker uses his .327 batting second hitter to sac him over to third, where he gets stranded. Someone must have pooped in the dugout.

[PrimeTime]

Is Castro slower lately or is it just me? He normally has th speed to beat that out

[CubmanPi]

That was the second time this week I expected him to beat a DP throw and didn't.

[PrimeTime]

Dumpster

[CubmanPi]

Why isn't Cairo attempting a sac bunt here?

[laurens]

Did one of the announcers just say "Sterling Castro"?

[CubmanPi]

I remember Greenberg taking that beanball, but I didn't remember that was the only pitch in the majors he ever saw.

[Magnetic Curses]

just go away cairo

[Ballgame64]

3-2 with two outs and Pena gets a perfect pitch to line into the left field corner - instead he takes it for strike 3. Do they pay attention to the calls Davidson has made so far? I am all for being patient and not making outs, but that was far too close to take after Pena got the benefit of the call on the previous pitch.

[Sammy Sofa]

Yes, boo Soriano for not diving headfirst into the [expletive] sidewall. Idiots.

[CubmanPi]

Dempster ripped a single almost as hard as the ones he gave up.