Outshined_One

Agreed. I'm officially worried about Zambrano.

He had some shoulder problems that had to be worked out in extended spring training. He's currently down in Iowa getting his pitch count built back up. He has done pretty darn well so far. If problems arise with the Cubs' pitching staff, he should be able to fill in and do reasonably well.

Box Scores Iowa won 11-5 Box Score 2B E. Patterson 2/4, BB, 2 R, 2B (4) CF F. Pie 3/5, 2 R, 2 K SS M. Fontenot 3/4, 3 R, 5 RBI, 2 3B (3), HR (5), K, HBP 1B M. Hoffpauir 1/5, R, 2 RBI, HR (6), K RF B. Coats 1/4, 2B (6), CS (1) 3B S. Moore 1/3, BB, 2 R, 2B (7), K C G. Soto 2/4, 2 RBI, 2B (6) LF C. Walker 0/4, 2 K SP L. Walrond 6 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 5/2 K/BB, HBP, 4-9 GO-FO RP R. Wells 2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3/1 K/BB, 1-2 GO-FO RP C. Rapada .1 perfect, 1/0 K/BB Tennessee lost 4-3 Box Score LF J. Fox 1/3, HBP DH M. Craig 2/3, R, HBP C C. Robinson 1/4, RBI, K 3B J. Simokaitis 0/3, K SP D. Veal 6 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 6/1 K/BB, HR, 7-5 GO-FO RP A. Mendez .1 scoreless, 0/1 K/BB, 0-1 GO-FO Daytona won 9-4 Box Score 3B M. Matulia 3/5, 2 R, K CF T. Colvin 2/5, 2 R, RBI, 3B (2), K LF J. Valdez 1/2, BB, 2 R, RBI, SB (1), CS (1), HBP, E (2, fielding) SS R. Chirinos 0/2, BB, R, RBI, K, HBP 2B N. Spears 1/4, R, 2B (5), E (6, fielding) C M. Reed 1/3, BB, 2 RBI, K SP J. Samardzija 3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2/3 K/BB, 3-4 GO-FO RP M. Avery 1 perfect, 1/0 K/BB, 1-1 GO-FO Peoria won 2-1 Box Score CF Y. Carter 2/5, R, 2 K 2B M. Camp 1/4, SB (8) RF A. Joseph 2/3, BB, RBI, K 1B R. Canzler 0/4 3B J. Lansford 1/4, K, E (6, throw) LF DJ Lewis 1/3, BB, R, 2 K DH W. Castillo 1/4, K SS D. Johnston 1/4, 2 K, SB (7) SP J. Ceda 4 scoreless, 3 H, 4/2 K/BB, 2-5 GO-FO RP A. Maestri 3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4/1 K/BB, 3-2 GO-FO RP J. Papelbon 1 perfect, 3/0 K/BB OVERALL: 3-1

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/4784/ghostbust71qh6.jpg You rang?

Looking at the basic numbers through 41 IP... K/9: 6.59 BB/9: 1.76 HR/9: 0 (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) BAA: .217 GO/FO: 1.14 His numbers such as BABIP and LD% don't exactly seem to be grossly out of whack, either. You can't even say that he's benefiting from a pitcher-friendly park because of the fact that he has been markedly more successful on the road than at home this season. Now, I'm curious to see what would happen to him if he got bumped up to AAA at some point this season. We've seen plenty of pitching prospects in this organization catch fire in AA only to sputter out in AAA. At the rate Holliman's going, we might very well find out this season.

Mucho props to Marquis for this outing! This team needed that after yesterday's debacle.

Box Scores Iowa won 8-5 Box Score SS M. Fontenot 4/5, 2 R, RBI, 3 2B (9), K 2B E. Patterson 2/4 1B M. Hoffpauir 1/5, R, RBI, 2B (10) 3B S. Moore 0/4, E (5, throw) RF B. Coats 2/4, R, 2 2B (5), SB (1) CF A. Pagan 1/3, BB, 2 R, RBI, HR (3) PH C. Walker 0/1 PH G. Soto 0/0, RBI SP R. O'Malley 4.2 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 4/3 K/BB, HR, WP, HBP, 2-7 GO-FO Tennessee won 9-0 Box Score CF S. Fuld 1/3, 2 BB, 3 R, 2B (3) 1B J. Fox 0/4, R, K, HBP 3B M. Craig 1/5, 3 RBI, 2B (6), K C C. McGehee 1/5, 2 K SS J. Simokaitis 0/3, BB, R, K SP M. Holliman 8 scoreless, 7 H, 4/2 K/BB, 9-11 GO-FO Daytona won 5-3 Box Score 3B/SS M. Matulia 2/3, R, 2 RBI, 3B (4), K, HBP CF T. Colvin 0/4, 4 K (ole!) SS R. Chirinos 1/2, K 3B M. Reed 0/1, BB, R, K 2B N. Spears 0/2, BB, R, K SP M. Atkins 5.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 6/3 K/BB, 3 HR, 3-5 GO-FO RP G. Johnson 1.2 scoreless, 1 H, 3/1 K/BB, 1-1 GO-FO RP D. Downs 1 scoreless, 1 H, 3/1 K/BB Peoria lost 10-7 Box Score 2B M. Camp 2/5, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR (1), K DH A. Joseph 1/5, 2 R, SB (5) 1B R. Canzler 1/5, R, K, SB (5) 3B J. Lansford 2/3, BB, R CF Y. Carter 2/4, RBI LF DJ Lewis 0/3, BB SS J. Mota 0/2, BB, R, K SP B. Muldowney 1.1 IP, 3 H, 5 ER, 0/2 K/BB, 2 HR, 3-1 GO-FO RP M. Carrillo 2.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3/1 K/BB, HR, WP, HBP, 4-1 GO-FO OVERALL: 3-1

I still can't figure out why Lou called that. Jones racks up plenty of strikeouts as it is and that was a pitch he couldn't do anything with. The best result he could have gotten with that pitch was a foul ball out of play; that's pretty much it. I'm concerned with Lou's style of managing. While I don't think he's as prone to stupid and head-scratching decisions as previous managers, I think he tries too hard to micromanage the game. Part of this might have to do with a lack of familiarity with his players' strengths and weaknesses, which is understandable, but if this trend continues, I won't be too happy with it.

Pretty much, yeah.

Quick, someone check and make sure no one on the Pirates has a wife who's just given birth.

Rod Beck, imo.

Apparently the Yankees' best pitching coaches in the minors are down in Tampa.

Box Scores: Iowa won 7-5, box: CF C. Walker 1/5, R 2B E. Patterson 2/5, R, RBI, 2 K 1B M. Hoffpauir 0/4, RBI, K 3B S. Moore 2/4, 2 R, 2 2B (6), RBI SS R. Cedeno 0/0, BB - left game with a sprained ankle PR-SS M. Fontenot 2/3, R, 3B (1), RBI SP JR Mathes 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 10 H, 4 K/1 BB, 8 GO-5 FO, 95 pitches (59 strikes) RP C. Rapada 1.1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 K/2 BB, 1 GO-2 FO, 18 pitches (7 strikes) Tennessee lost 12-1, box: CF S. Fuld 2/4, R, BB, SB (2) DH J. Fox 2/5 RF J. Kroeger 3/5, 2B (6), RBI, CS (1) 1B M. Craig 1/4, BB 3B C. McGehee 0/2, 2 BB, E (1, missed catch) SS J. Simokaitis 2/3, 2B (4), BB, K SP K. Hart 4.2 IP, 8 R, 4 ER, 5 H, 5 K/4 BB, 1 HR, 1 GO-8 FO Daytona: PPD - Other (smoke from wildfires) Peoria won 5-1, box: SS D. Johnston 0/4, BB, 3 K RF A. Joseph 2/5, 2 R, 2 2B (4), RBI, K, E (3, fielding) 1B R. Canzler 1/3, R, RBI, BB, K 3B J. Lansford 2/4, RBI, E (5, fielding) CF Y. Carter 1/3, R, RBI, BB, K, SB (6) LF DJ Lewis 2/4, RBI, CS (2), E (2, fielding) SP J. Renshaw 6 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 4 H, 8 K/0 BB, HBP, 8 GO-2 FO RP R. Roquet 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 K/1 BB, 0 GO-1 FO - 15.2 scoreless innings this season

I have a huge exam tomorrow morning. I'll update some time tomorrow.

Box Scores Iowa won 7-1 Box Score CF C. Walker 2/5, R, 2 K 2B E. Patterson 2/5, R, 2B (3), 2 K SS M. Fontenot 2/5, R, 2B (6), 2 RBI, 2 K 1B M. Hoffpauir 2/5, 2 R, 2B (9), HR (5), 2 RBI 3B S. Moore 1/4, R, 2B (4), K, HBP SP S. Marshall 6.1 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 3 K/1 BB, 1 HR, 1 WP, 10 GO-7 FO, 87 pitches (58 strikes) RP R. Wells 2.2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 4 K/0 BB, 2 GO-2 FO, 41 pitches (29 strikes) Tennessee lost 2-1 Box Score LF J. Fox 1/4, RBI DH C. McGehee 1/3 CF J. Kroger 0/4, K 1B B. Dopirak 2/3 SS J. Simokaitis 2/3, R, 2B (3), K SP J. Berg 7 IP, 2 ER, 8 H, 1 K/2 BB, HBP, 10 GO-9 FO RP P. Schappert 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 K/0 BB, 1 GO-2 FO Daytona won 3-2 Box Score 3B M. Matulia 3/4, RBI, BB, K, CS (3) CF T. Colvin 1/5, R, RBI, K DH R. Harvey 1/4, RBI SS R. Chirinos 3/4 1B A. Garcia 0/4, 2 K SP J. Santo 6 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 7 H, 3 K/4 BB, 4 GO-10 FO RP M. Avery 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 K/0 BB, 2 GO-0 FO Peoria won 10-4 Box Score SS D. Johnston 0/3, R, BB, 2 K LF A. Joseph 2/4, R, 2 RBI, HBP, E (2, fielding) 1B R. Canzler 3/5, 2 R, 2 2B (4), 3 RBI 3B J. Lansford 2/5, 2 R, 2B (4), RBI, CF Y. Carter 3/5, R, HR (2), 3 RBI, K C W. Castillo 0/5, 2 K, E (8, pickoff), passed ball (5) SP R. Dolis 4.1 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 5 K/4 BB, WP, 2 GO-4 FO RP A. Maestri 2.2 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 1 K/0 BB, 1 HR, 2 GO-5 FO OVERALL: 3-1

You do realize there's a secret menu for In-N-Out, right?

Wuertz in the past three years: Lefties - .230/.341/.399/.740 Righties - .216/.292/.332/.624 Ohman in the past three years: Lefties - .165/.274/.286/.559 Righties - .239/.349/.369/.718 The numbers surprised me, but there you go.

Fair enough. Let's see if there was one. Looking back over the inning... Washington - Top of 7th Scott Eyre pitching for Chicago K Casto flied out to left. J Wilson walked. R Belliard hit for S Hill. M Wuertz relieved S Eyre. R Belliard walked, J Wilson to second. W Ohman relieved M Wuertz. F Lopez grounded out to first, J Wilson to third, R Belliard to second. D Young hit for R Langerhans. J Jones in center field. M Murton in right field. B Howry relieved W Ohman. D Young singled to center, J Wilson and R Belliard scored. R Zimmerman struck out looking. Ohman and Wuertz were warming up to start the inning. Eyre had his troubles in the previous inning with the leadoff double and has Remlinger-like R/L splits. He faced a lefty (out) and a righty (walk) and was promptly pulled. My guess? Wuertz and Ohman were warming up in case Eyre ran into trouble with anyone. Wuertz was never going to face the lefties. If Eyre got two outs and walked Lopez, Ohman would have gone in to face Lopez and turn him around, as he was a switch hitter who was less effective from the right side and Piniella likely planned on using Ohman to turn him around. With Langerhans (lefty) in line after Lopez, he could leave Ohman on the mound for a few batters if trouble came up. Since Eyre got in trouble with Wilson (righty) and Belliard (righty) was on deck, in came Wuertz. The problem is, I don't think Lou realized that Acta would PH for Langerhans with Young (switch) or that the inning would get to Zimmerman (righty) in the first place. By the time trouble came up, he got Howry up in the pen to face the righties. The rest is history. Honestly, after all of that analysis, I don't think he did a very good job of planning ahead. I sure don't think it was some sort of fiery statement about how the bullpen should start throwing strikes or whatever.

Call up another scrub from AAA who will promptly hit .320 with 15 HRs?

I still can't make sense of this point of view considering that Eyre came into the 6th and promptly gave up a double on the first batter. He had Wuertz and Ohman warming up at the same time. I'm convinced his plan was to use Wuertz only for a batter or two rather than the entire inning. Howry started warming up when Ohman came in, to boot. I don't think any messages were sent. I think Lou didn't have a plan in the 7th inning.

McCovey Chronicles has been hilarious this week simply because of Lincecum.

Go Cubs Go!

Lou singing Guzman's praises in the post-game press conference. Nice.

He would've had ZERO chance to throw out Murton from where that landed. He knew the game was over and just gave up on it. He initially came in on it, though. I grant you that he would have had little chance of throwing Murton out, but even on the off chance Murton falls down or something, you still have to make that play.

Ahhhhh, the double cream pie. Who was the other guy that got him?