There You Have It, 100 Losses for the Cubs

That didn’t take very long, as the Cubs record their 100th loss of the season in a shade under three hours at Wrigley tonight.  For the second straight time, Lucas Harrell absolutely dominated the Cubs on their home field.  The Cubs could only manage two hits all night, and had a number of quick, thoughtless at bats, maybe they wanted to make sure they were done in time for the second half of the Bears game.  Jason Berken got the start for the Cubs tonight and pitched well enough given the fact he wasn’t allowed to go very deep into the game.  Berken lasted 4.2 innings giving up two runs on four hits while walking one and striking out two.  The loss drops Berken to 0-3 with the Cubs and ends his 2012 season.  David DeJesus led the game off with a single, then Anthony Rizzo got a hit, and that was it, nothing else happened tonight.  The Cubs could only manage one walk, and struck out 11 times, I can’t think of a more perfect game to lose for number 100.  Meaningless baseball for most continues tomorrow, where the Cubs look to avoid loss number 101.

FULL BOX SCORE

Game Highlights:
It was the 100th loss of the season, there are no highlights.

Thanks for reading,
– George

Cubs Pull Off Nearly The Impossible In Loss

That’s right, the Cubs not only lost last night in Colorado, but they were shut out in the process, that’s not easy to do.  The Cubs, like their fans seem ready for the season to end given their effort the last couple of nights.  Last night was a sleepwalk effort if I have ever seen one as they could only muster five hits in the loss.  I can’t really blame them as these games really don’t matter, but I still would like to see a better effort and of course a better result.

Jason Berken got the start for the Cubs, and struggled through his Coors Field debut, as many pitchers usually do.  Berken only lasted four innings giving up six runs on nine hits while walking two and striking out two, the loss dropped Berken to 0-2 with the Cubs.  As I mentioned the Cubs offense left a lot to be desired but they did have their chances as they earned five walks on the night.  Unfortunately the Cubs couldn’t get a hit when they needed it as they were 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left eight guys on base in the loss.  Dave Sappelt got a chance to lead off again, and for the second straight night was productive as he went 2-for-4 with a double.  Sappelt is making a very strong case to be a fourth outfielder on the Cubs 2013 roster with his September performance.

FULL BOX SCORE

Game Highlights:
Soriano Makes a Nice Play
Vitters’ Great Play

Thanks for reading,
– George

September 26, 2012 – Cubs Lineup vs. Rockies

The Cubs look to play a full nine innings tonight, and even up the Series against the Rockies.  Jason Berken will get the ball for the Cubs tonight as he continues to vie for a spot on the 2013 roster.  Here’s how the Cubs will line up.

1. Sappelt – RF
2. Barney – 2B
3. Rizzo – 1B
4. Soriano – LF
5. Castro – SS
6. Castillo – C
7. Vitters – 3B
8. Mather – CF
9. Berken – P

Go Cubs!
– George

September 25 – 27, 2012; @ Rockies – Series Preview

It’s a battle for second worst!  Okay, that doesn’t sound so great but this series will go a long way in determining who gets the number two pick in the draft next year behind the Astros.  Coming into this series the teams are deadlocked at 59-94, and the winner of this series has a great shot at losing out on the second pick.  I for one would prefer to play as hard as you can and if you lose, you lose, no tanking it here.  The Cubs, to their credit, have done just that as many players and front office staff have made it quite clear that they do not want to lose 100 games.  It’s nice to have goals, but as a team you really never want to say that your goal is to stay under 100 losses, but it is what it is right now.  The Cubs tend to struggle in Colorado regardless of the record of the Rockies, and this series might be more of the same as the Cubs don’t exactly have a lights out staff, but you never know.  Of course the Rockies can score runs in this park, the Cubs will have to keep up if they want to win this series, I’m expecting a lot of offense over these three games.

Here are the pitching matchups for this week.

Tuesday September 25, 2012
Cubs:  Chris Rusin (1-2, 6.00 ERA)
Colorado:  Jorge De La Rosa (0-1, 12.27 ERA)

Wednesday September 26, 2012
Cubs:  Jason Berken (0-1, 1.80 ERA)
Colorado:  Drew Pomeranz (1-9, 5.30 ERA)

Thursday September 27, 2012
Cubs: Chris Volstad (3-10, 6.22 ERA)
Colorado: Jhoulys Chacin (2-5, 4.73 ERA)

Season Series:  Cubs lead 2-1

Prediction:  Rockies win series, 2-1

Thanks for reading, go Cubs!
– George

Cubs Waste Berken’s Solid Outing

 

After six innings this afternoon the game was scoreless, and looked like it was impossible to score runs given the missed opportunities.  Fast forward three innings and the Reds were 5-3 winners and clinched a spot in the 2012 playoffs.  Jason Berken made his second start as a Cub and this one was fantastic, and a really nice bounce back after his first start.  Berken went six strong innings only allowing two hits while walking two and striking out five.  Berken was in command all day, throwing 86 pitches, 54 of them for strikes.  Unfortunately the Cubs couldn’t solve Johnny Cueto, but they had a number of chances as they finished the day just 1-for10 with runners in scoring position and left 11 guys on in all.  Five different Cubs had two hits in this one, the only issue was only one other player had a hit in the game, usually makes it tough to score runs.    The Cubs were able to score singular runs in the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings but it wasn’t enough as the Reds put a five-spot on the board against Manny Corpas in the seventh to build what turned out to be an insurmountable 5-0 lead.  Anthony Rizzo was 2-for-5 with a double, and two RBI’s giving him 45 on the season.  Starlin Castro also continued his hot hitting September going 2-for-4 with a triple.

FULL BOX SCORE

Berken’s Solid Outing

Game Highlights:
Full Video Recap
Welington Castillo Goes Deep
Rizzo’s RBI Single
Castro’s Triple

Thanks for reading,
– George

September 20, 2012 – Cubs Lineup vs. Reds

Jason Berken takes the ball for the Cubs today as they look to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Reds.  I see that accountability, actually I should say the LACK of accountability is on full display today as Valbuena is playing a night after getting picked off while playing with his batting gloves.  Here is how the rest of the Cubs will line up.

1. DeJesus – CF
2. Barney – 2B
3. Rizzo – 1B
4. LaHair – RF
5. Castro – SS
6. Valbuena – 3B
7. Castillo – C
8. Sappelt – RF
9. Berken – P

GO CUBS!
– George

Cubs Rally Falls One Run Short

Sure these games don’t matter much to the Cubs, but watching them battle to the final out is at least fun to watch, for those of us who are still watching.  Jason Berken, who was claimed from the Orioles made his Cubs debut today and didn’t have his best stuff but he didn’t get any help from his defense.  Berken lasted four innings giving up six runs, only two earned, on eight hits, while walking one and striking out two.  The Pirates were able to build a 6-1 lead by the fifth inning and that’s when the Cubs started to turn the tide in this one.  The Cubs were able to push across two runs in the bottom of the fifth to make it 6-3, but the Pirates were able to get one back in the seventh on Clint Barmes solo shot to push the lead to four runs.  Refusing to quit the Cubs scored once in the eighth and two more times in the ninth to cut the Pirates led to one.  Unfortunately the Cubs couldn’t tie it up in the ninth as Dave Sappelt struck out with the bases loaded to end the threat, and the game. Four different Cubs had two hits in this one, Anthony Rizzo, Alfonso Soriano, Starlin Castro, and Dave Sappelt.  Darwin Barney also had a spectacular day with the glove as he made several fantastic plays to rob various Pirate hitters of base hits.  Game three of this series is tomorrow afternoon, and the series wraps up on Monday Night.

FULL BOX SCORE

Castro’s Trip..Double

Barney’s Great Catch

Game Highlights:
Soriano’s RBI Single
Valbuena’s RBI Single
Barney Great Play
Another Defensive Gem From Barney
Rizzo’s RBI Single

Thanks for reading,
– George

September 15, 2012 – Cubs Lineup vs. Pirates

Jason Berken become the 12th starting pitcher the Cubs have used this year as he faces Wandy Rodriguez and the Pirates in his Cubs debut.  Here is a look at the rest of the lineup.

Mather – CF
Barney – 2B
Rizzo – 1B
Soriano – LF
Castro – SS
Castillo – C
Vitters – 3B
Sappelt – RF
Berken – P

Go Cubs!!
-Mark

September 14 – 17, 2012; vs. Pirates – Series Preview

The Pirates comes to town looking very much like the 2011 version of the club that collapsed down the stretch and finished with a below five hundred record yet again, and nothing like the surging contender earlier in the year.   The Pirates sit just two games over five hundred now and are losers of six straight games, three of those against the Cubs in Pittsburgh last week.  The Cubs on the other hand are playing solid baseball, winning five out of their last six games, all on the road which is really saying something given how bad they have been away from Wrigley this year.  Solid starting pitching and the long ball have paced the Cubs in September as they have ten home runs, 5th most in the National League this month.  No one has contributed more to that total than Alfonso Soriano as he has five home runs in just 12 games this month.  After being pulled in the third inning two nights ago, and missing yesterday’s game it sounds like Anthony Rizzo will be back in the Cubs lineup tomorrow, that collision could have been much worse.

Here are the pitching matchups for the four game series.

Friday September  14, 2012
Pittsburgh: James McDonald (12-7, 3.93 ERA)
Cubs: Chris Rusin (0-2, 5.73 ERA)

Saturday September 15, 2012
Pittsburgh: Jeff Locke (0-1, 4.11 ERA)
Cubs: Jason Berken (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Sunday September 16, 2012
Pittsburgh: Wandy Rodriguez (10-13, 3.72 ERA)
Cubs: Chris Volstad (3-10, 5.99 ERA)

Monday September 17, 2012
Pittsburgh: Kevin Correia (10-9, 4.29 ERA)
Cubs: Travis Wood (6-11, 4.23 ERA)

Season Series:  Series Tied 6-6

Prediction:  Cubs win series 3-1

Thanks for reading,
– George