rawaction

Izturis is tied for the lead among NL shortstops with 5 Errors and has the lowest SS fielding percentage in the majors. We already know that he can't hit. Why the hell is he in the lineup after an off day? Because Izturcrap is Hendry's pet. Sure would be nice to have Maddux as a #5 starter right now. Yeah. The Dodgers got the better of that trade. Not only did they get a good pitcher for them but they got rid of dead weight and salary! Hendry is such a damn fool. Excellent trade.....for LA. Can't believe Hendry actually sought after Izturis.

Not a bad idea to get him a start against the Nats. Winnable game to get back on track. That was my original thought, but his AAA starts really muddied the waters. I'm hoping he threw the ball well, just had a couple location problems. He hadn't really pitched a game that poorly all year.

Not a bad idea to get him a start against the Nats. Winnable game to get back on track.

Start Felix or send him down. Send him down is probably the best option as this is the best OF available at this point.

Yep. Russ Ortiz assumed his rightful place on the DL.

What is the playoff format for the league? Top 3 in each division, with the #1 seed getting a bye in the 1st round. BTW, NSBB is 2.5 points behind NC Cubbies, with 2 high scores for the week and also 2-2. Buddiga and I are neck and neck for 3rd in points.

It's still Guzman's job to lost, but I think he just lost it until May 12th.

Ah, there's where the league stupidity comes in.

Any chance Marshall gets the callup over Guzman? Lou won't be able to break up the lefties!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It'll be interesting to see who gets the call. I'm guessing they'll go without a 5th this weekend, then wait for the 12th and see who looks best. Iowa has a game Monday, which would allow Marshall to come back on 4 days rest and get one more outing before the 12th, when he'd be on 4 days rest again. That's my thinking too.

4-1 start advantage will cause the score to look worse than it is. I'll lose 7 from Marquis (still a 29-point start), and a couple from Capuano, and you are very fortunate he got hurt. Cards offense did nothing today, and against lesser pitchers for the final 6 innings.

Any chance Marshall gets the callup over Guzman?

should have stuck to the 5 pitch perfect innings, Jason.

Yeah I fixed it. Let me know if the new one is too big. Too racist.

IFs are gonna be busy today. I like the Cubs D better than the Pirates. A defensive play could be the difference if this keeps up.

Marquis should pitch like that every inning.

Murton is better than Pie right now and more deserving of a starting job. Although I'm not any less annoyed that Pie is sitting, he has been getting a ton more playing time than Murton. I understand he's better. But I think it's much more important for Pie to be playing everyday. Pie shouldn't even be up here with this OF situation. I'm sure Murton, Theriot or Derosa could handle CF, the 1 time a week Jones sits.

More outrage that Murton isn't starting than Pie? Even if Soriano was still in CF, the plan was to NOT start Murton vs. tough RHPs. Snell has been as tough as they come this year. And you know after Floyd and Jones just homered last game, that he wouldn't start over either of them.

Nice to see the 22-year old rookie, who needs to play everyday, sitting again.....during a streak where he has swung the bat very well. Including Sunday, that makes 3 of 4 days he has sat, after hitting about .370 for the previous week.

I agree that you have to do what you have to do to win the first. I just think it's pretty clear this will affect Dempster, and kind of ridiculous to suggest there is no difference. I don't understand how it's ridiculous to think 5 more pitches is gonna make that big of a difference. If he could have gotten out of the 9th with 15-17 pitches, I don't think there would have been any problem going in game 2. Warmup pitches are overrated. He'll be warm having already pitched, and doesn't need to throw actual game pitches to get warm again. A: The fact that he had to pitch in the 8th just increased the odds that he'd struggle more in the 9th. Dempster is a 1 inning pitcher, throwing him off that routine throws off everything. B: Warm up pitchers are not overrated. A manager who routinely gets guys up and sits them down before finally bringing them in taxes those arms, see Dusty Baker. It's tough enough to ask a closer to go more than 1 inning, or to pitch in more than one game in the same day. Asking for both would be pressing things quite a bit. It's absurd to think there is no difference. I like how quick you are to throw out words like "absurd" and "ridiculous". Why is my opinion that it doesn't matter much so wrong and yours isn't? You have provided no proof otherwise. Also, what does your "B" have to do with this situation. It's quite obvious Dempster won't be up in Game 2 before the top of the 9th regardless, so that doesn't even remotely apply. He would be warming up 3 times, in the course of what is likely 3-4 hours. Your example applies to short-term. Day off tomorrow. I dont' see why Dempster couldn't pitch in the 2nd game, provided he didn't throw 31 pitches in the first game.

There's a joke in there someplace... :oops: :roll: ROCKY GOT HIS CHERRY POPPED?

I agree that you have to do what you have to do to win the first. I just think it's pretty clear this will affect Dempster, and kind of ridiculous to suggest there is no difference. I don't understand how it's ridiculous to think 5 more pitches is gonna make that big of a difference. If he could have gotten out of the 9th with 15-17 pitches, I don't think there would have been any problem going in game 2. Warmup pitches are overrated. He'll be warm having already pitched, and doesn't need to throw actual game pitches to get warm again.

Is there really a significant difference between asking him to get three outs or four? Magic 8-ball says not likely. Actually yes. Dempster had to warm up to pitch this inning. He threw 5 pitches. He will warm up again next inning, then throw how ever many pitches. Considering that the vast majority of the time Dempster will warm up and throw one time a day. I don't see him being expected to come back 3-4 hours from now and pitching again. You'll have to forgive me if I disagree that it will make a difference. I think it'll make a difference, and Dempster will likely be unavailable for the second game. But I think trying to lock down the first game is more important than perhaps needing Dempster for the second game. Wuertz is available, and he's more than capable. But, what is "it"? If he is unavailable later, I think it's because he closed out the first game and Lou doesn't want him pitching more than once in a day. I don't think it makes one bit of difference whether he went 1.0 or 1.3 to get the save. That's just silly, IMHO. The number of pitches he throws, cumulatively, will probably preclude Dempster from coming into the second game. He's at 15 now, plus warming up in the 'pen and before this inning. Not a good idea to tax him with another outing much later in the day. ' Now's he's probably done for game 2. Gonna likely go over 30 pitches here. Still, I think it's worth the risk to win this game. Just have to win the 2nd by more than 3.

Is there really a significant difference between asking him to get three outs or four? Magic 8-ball says not likely. Actually yes. Dempster had to warm up to pitch this inning. He threw 5 pitches. He will warm up again next inning, then throw how ever many pitches. Considering that the vast majority of the time Dempster will warm up and throw one time a day. I don't see him being expected to come back 3-4 hours from now and pitching again. You'll have to forgive me if I disagree that it will make a difference. I think it'll make a difference, and Dempster will likely be unavailable for the second game. But I think trying to lock down the first game is more important than perhaps needing Dempster for the second game. Wuertz is available, and he's more than capable. But, what is "it"? If he is unavailable later, I think it's because he closed out the first game and Lou doesn't want him pitching more than once in a day. I don't think it makes one bit of difference whether he went 1.0 or 1.3 to get the save. That's just silly, IMHO. I don't think it makes any difference unless he throws a ton of pitches here in the 9th.

Hey, if you look.....Will Ohman is good again.

Yep. May David hit 30 more this season, 5 more this week. And Soriano hit 40 more this season, no more this week!