8/29 Dodgers (Houlton) vs. Cubs (Williams), 7:05pm CSN, ESPN

[CaliforniaRaisin]

TWalk homers

 

8-3

 

I hope Hendry trades him.

 

Agreed but does that mean Hairston is our everyday second baseman next year?

 

I was being sarcastic. It would be a waste of resources for the Cubs to trade him and make another hole on the team. Hairston isn't healthy enough to play everyday.

 

I dont know... Walker has a great bat but his defense (along with Nomar and Aramis) is shaky at best. He also has limited range. If the Cubs have the opportunity to get a more defensive oriented infield (at short and second) then I think they should move in that direction. This team has to improve defensively.

 

Improving IF defense is all well and good, but the offense is easily the biggest weakness of this team. Walker brings more to this team in his offense than he takes away with his defense - trading him away and creating another hole would be counter-intuitive.

 

Only 4 more solo HRs to tie the game, guys!

 

I'm not so certain that Walker's offense has outweighed his lack of defensive prowess especially when you consider he was disabled for part of the season. The Cubs need to strengthen their infield defense; they are near the bottom in DP's and high on the list of errors. All that results in extra outs and extra pitches.

 

Having said that, I agree that the team lacks offense therefore, it behooves Hendry to find a legitimate LF (and possibly a new RF if Burny doesn't return). I'd much rather have a less powerful infield if they are steady defensively.

 

Walker is the third best offensive player on the team, there likely is no one available who will provide as good offense at second as Todd can. The Cubs defense is above average by most metrics, their offense not so much. The reason the Cubs are so low in DPs is because they have many strikeout pitchers, giving them fewer opportunities to turn DPs. Add to that, Todd Walker has a cheap option, and it really would be a bad move by the Cubs to trade away a cheap, good option for next season.

 

Burnitz better not be back next year.

[Derwood]

Oh good, Woody is warming up in the pen less than 48 hours before surgery.

 

Yeah, Hendry said he'd be available tonight. I'd actually like to see him one last time before he's shut down.

 

one question...why?

 

Because he's been exciting out of the bullpen.

 

yes he is, but it just seems very stupid to me why a guy would pitch not even 2 days before he has surgery. He better not be out there for the 9th...

 

Oh, he will be.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Oh good, Woody is warming up in the pen less than 48 hours before surgery.

 

Yeah, Hendry said he'd be available tonight. I'd actually like to see him one last time before he's shut down.

 

one question...why?

 

Because he's been exciting out of the bullpen.

 

yes he is, but it just seems very stupid to me why a guy would pitch not even 2 days before he has surgery. He better not be out there for the 9th...

 

Yes, it seems really stupid to risk a more severe injury when the Cubs have determined they are out of it and Wood needs to go to the operating table.

[imb]

trade burnitz before he gets back to the dugout.

[Derwood]

It's DIE HARD time!

[CaliforniaRaisin]

trade burnitz before he gets back to the dugout.

 

Agreed.

 

YAY! DIE HARD! Reaching on the error.

[Blueheart05]

Oh good, Woody is warming up in the pen less than 48 hours before surgery.

 

Yeah, Hendry said he'd be available tonight. I'd actually like to see him one last time before he's shut down.

 

one question...why?

 

Because he's been exciting out of the bullpen.

 

yes he is, but it just seems very stupid to me why a guy would pitch not even 2 days before he has surgery. He better not be out there for the 9th...

 

I understand the jist of your point but Wood can still pitch he just can't get up to 50-60 pitches without pain. His season has officially ended now that he's being pinch hit for.

 

8-5

 

Cubs trying to rally!

[Derwood]

There's the Neifi we all love!

[imb]

Hahahahahahahaahahahahhah Neifi. Why stop sucking now, I guess.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

In a shocking turn of events, Neifi GIDPs.

[Fred Hornkohl]

BOTTOM OF THE EIGHTH INNING

 

Carrara in to pitch for Los Angeles

Lee grounded out to third, 5-3

Burnitz doubled down the right field line

Garciaparra singled to center field, Burnitz to third

McClain, pinch hitting for Wood, grounded to third, safe at first on a throwing error, E5, Burnitz scored, Garciaparra to second

Perez grounded into a DP, 6-4-3, McClain out at second

 

1 runs, 2 hits, 1 errors, 1 men left on base

 

            1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9    R H E
Los Angeles 0 6 2 0 0 0 0 0      8 9 2 
CUBS        0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1      5 9 1 

 

Home run: CUBS: Burnitz (20 & 21), Garciaparra (3), Walker (10)

Edited August 30, 2005 by Fred Hornkohl

[eburgcub]

Cubs trying to rally!

 

 

And Neifi kills that rally.... :x

[Derwood]

Wait, Wood isn't out there? Maybe Hendry jumped on the Bat Phone to the dugout and cut that idea short

[NYF]

have not been paying attention lately. why is McLain on this team instead of Murton?

[Mark Priors Calves]

I know was already discussed a bit, but its stupidity defies me. Why the hell was Kerry Wood brought into this game??? Absolutely nothing comes out of having him pitch after its decided that he'll be shut down for the year.

[Blueheart05]

TWalk homers

 

8-3

 

I hope Hendry trades him.

 

Agreed but does that mean Hairston is our everyday second baseman next year?

 

I was being sarcastic. It would be a waste of resources for the Cubs to trade him and make another hole on the team. Hairston isn't healthy enough to play everyday.

 

I dont know... Walker has a great bat but his defense (along with Nomar and Aramis) is shaky at best. He also has limited range. If the Cubs have the opportunity to get a more defensive oriented infield (at short and second) then I think they should move in that direction. This team has to improve defensively.

 

Improving IF defense is all well and good, but the offense is easily the biggest weakness of this team. Walker brings more to this team in his offense than he takes away with his defense - trading him away and creating another hole would be counter-intuitive.

 

Only 4 more solo HRs to tie the game, guys!

 

I'm not so certain that Walker's offense has outweighed his lack of defensive prowess especially when you consider he was disabled for part of the season. The Cubs need to strengthen their infield defense; they are near the bottom in DP's and high on the list of errors. All that results in extra outs and extra pitches.

 

Having said that, I agree that the team lacks offense therefore, it behooves Hendry to find a legitimate LF (and possibly a new RF if Burny doesn't return). I'd much rather have a less powerful infield if they are steady defensively.

 

Walker is the third best offensive player on the team, there likely is no one available who will provide as good offense at second as Todd can. The Cubs defense is above average by most metrics, their offense not so much. The reason the Cubs are so low in DPs is because they have many strikeout pitchers, giving them fewer opportunities to turn DPs. Add to that, Todd Walker has a cheap option, and it really would be a bad move by the Cubs to trade away a cheap, good option for next season.

 

Burnitz better not be back next year.

 

I understand the strikeout pitcher argument however, I also know that Walker has been one of the worst (if not the worst) defensive second baseman in the league especially as it relates to turning DPs. Perhaps its an issue of perception. Personally, I can think of a few games off the top of my head where Walker's defense cost the Cubs the game. On the other hand, I don't remember him singlehandedly contributing to many wins.

 

Williamson serves up the solo shot.

 

9-5

Edited August 30, 2005 by Blueheart05

[Derwood]

This just in: Williamson is officially not the Bullpen Messiah that everyone was hoping for.

[Balsa]

This just in: Williamson is officially not the Bullpen Messiah that everyone was hoping for.

Not this year at least. I give him another half a season to see if he returns to form. Took Dempster a while, etc.

[Fred Hornkohl]

TOP OF THE NINTH INNING

 

Williamson in to pitch for the CUBS

Phillips struck out swinging

Werth homered to left center field

Navarro grounded out to short, 6-3

Cruz struck out swinging, 2-3

 

1 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors, 1 men left on base

 

            1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9    R  H E
Los Angeles 0 6 2 0 0 0 0 0 1    9 10 2 
CUBS        0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1      5  9 1 

 

Home runs:

 

CUBS: Burnitz (20 & 21), Garciaparra (3), Walker (10)

Los Angeles: Werth (7)

 

pitcher     IP  H  R ER BB  K HR PIT
Williams   1.7  5  6  5  3  0  0  45 
Wellemeyer 3.3  3  2  2  3  0  0  54 
Wuertz     2.0  1  0  0  1  4  0  39 
Wood       1.0  0  0  0  0  1  0  06 
Williamson 1.0  1  1  1  0  2  1  17 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

have not been paying attention lately. why is McLain on this team instead of Murton?

 

A player can't be promoted back for 10 days since his demotion, and Matt hadn't finished his 10 days when McClain was promoted. Also, theoretically, Scott can play 3B.

 

Matt will be back when rosters expand.

[NYF]

This just in: Williamson is officially not the Bullpen Messiah that everyone was hoping for.

 

this just in :

 

Williamson Sox, but who cares?

 

why is McLane/ McLain on this damn team? why is he taking AB's away from Murton? because it's not Sep. 1st? personally at a loss...

[Fred Hornkohl]

Funny how things turn sometimes..... a couple innings ago our staff had given up 7 walks with 0 strikeouts. Now we have 7 walks and 7 strikeouts.

[Derwood]

Hey CUBS: "Welcome to 5th Place, Population: You"

[Blueheart05]

have not been paying attention lately. why is McLain on this team instead of Murton?

 

A player can't be promoted back for 10 days since his demotion, and Matt hadn't finished his 10 days when McClain was promoted. Also, theoretically, Scott can play 3B.

 

Matt will be back when rosters expand.

 

McClain can also play 1B and is suppose to be Lee's backup. Murton will be activated to take Wood's spot on the roster. Murton will be with the team tomorrow:

 

Roster moves: The Cubs will call up outfielder Matt Murton from Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday to take Kerry Wood's spot on the roster. Wood was scheduled to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder Wednesday in Cincinnati.

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050829&content_id=1188797&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Steve Lyons won't let go about Bartman. Vin Scully better be doing the FSN West 2 TV broadcast tomorrow.