yesterday 4-4, -350 Why? Jimmy? Why?
overall 64-61, +258
Alright, alright, enough whining..........
With only one day game, I had some extra time to dig around and put up my thoughts.
Cinci+140 x2.5 (Hamilton/Clement)
Even though the Reds got a some help from Jimmy in getting the surprise come-from-behind win yesterday, it seems like they're starting to buy into Boone's philosphy of of playing fundamental baseball, staying close in the game, move one base at a time. With Encarnacion on 1st in the 10th, Dunn attempted to bunt twice to get him over to 2nd, depite Boone shaking off the bunt sign after the 1st strike. "I just kept thinking that if he gets to 2nd, we have 2 chances to get him home". After he gets on with a single after getting 2 strikes, Aaron Boone promptly sacs both to 2nd and 3rd. That game was a huge confidence boost for the ailing Reds, and is exactly what they needed coming into Chicago. All newspaper reports in Cinci is that emotions are high and everyone is looking forward to coming to Chicago, who they went 15-30 against last few years. Hamilton has pitched well early in the season, giving up 2, 1, 2ER in his 3 starts.
Chicago is going in the other direction, however. Leadoff man De-Shields isn't getting on base with regularity, one reason five of Sosa's six homers are solos. Moises Alou was 1-for-10 in Montreal in his season debut and is shaking off the rust from his injury layoff. . Fred McGriff is trying to survive with a .250 average and inconsistent swings. ''Fred told me he feels out of balance, that he's constantly dropping his hands,'' Pentland said. ''He said he's never had a hitch in his swing. Now he's feeling one. He is working on a wider stance to get his legs more involved.'' All I hear in Chicago this young season is that "When Alou comes back things will change, and when Mueller gets healthy they'll be even better" No one is taking responsiblities for the inept offensive output, they have one of the most unselfish players in the game in Sammy who doesn't talk much and leads by example. Cubs offense produced a pathetic 55 runs is 14 games, take out the 10 in Cinci and 8 in Montreal, they have a whopping 37 in 12 games, ouch! Clement has great raw talent and excellent stuff when he's on, no doubt about that, striking out 12, walking none in 7IP in Pitt (from someone who lead the majors in walks 2 years ago), but he had major motivation in that game as 30 of his friends and family came to watch him pitch from Pitt suburbs where he grew up. An asterisk on his stats is that both his starts were vs Pitt, who are LAST in NL in batting! Add to the fact that Clement has a day ERA of over 5.6 in his career, vs 4.5 at night. I'm not betting on him to have an encore performance. Cubbies also had wasted 1/2 of their off day because of mechanical failure in their chartered flight and had to stay iin Montreal an extra day, not getting home until yesterday afternoon.
GOOD LUCK!!
overall 64-61, +258
Alright, alright, enough whining..........
With only one day game, I had some extra time to dig around and put up my thoughts.
Cinci+140 x2.5 (Hamilton/Clement)
Even though the Reds got a some help from Jimmy in getting the surprise come-from-behind win yesterday, it seems like they're starting to buy into Boone's philosphy of of playing fundamental baseball, staying close in the game, move one base at a time. With Encarnacion on 1st in the 10th, Dunn attempted to bunt twice to get him over to 2nd, depite Boone shaking off the bunt sign after the 1st strike. "I just kept thinking that if he gets to 2nd, we have 2 chances to get him home". After he gets on with a single after getting 2 strikes, Aaron Boone promptly sacs both to 2nd and 3rd. That game was a huge confidence boost for the ailing Reds, and is exactly what they needed coming into Chicago. All newspaper reports in Cinci is that emotions are high and everyone is looking forward to coming to Chicago, who they went 15-30 against last few years. Hamilton has pitched well early in the season, giving up 2, 1, 2ER in his 3 starts.
Chicago is going in the other direction, however. Leadoff man De-Shields isn't getting on base with regularity, one reason five of Sosa's six homers are solos. Moises Alou was 1-for-10 in Montreal in his season debut and is shaking off the rust from his injury layoff. . Fred McGriff is trying to survive with a .250 average and inconsistent swings. ''Fred told me he feels out of balance, that he's constantly dropping his hands,'' Pentland said. ''He said he's never had a hitch in his swing. Now he's feeling one. He is working on a wider stance to get his legs more involved.'' All I hear in Chicago this young season is that "When Alou comes back things will change, and when Mueller gets healthy they'll be even better" No one is taking responsiblities for the inept offensive output, they have one of the most unselfish players in the game in Sammy who doesn't talk much and leads by example. Cubs offense produced a pathetic 55 runs is 14 games, take out the 10 in Cinci and 8 in Montreal, they have a whopping 37 in 12 games, ouch! Clement has great raw talent and excellent stuff when he's on, no doubt about that, striking out 12, walking none in 7IP in Pitt (from someone who lead the majors in walks 2 years ago), but he had major motivation in that game as 30 of his friends and family came to watch him pitch from Pitt suburbs where he grew up. An asterisk on his stats is that both his starts were vs Pitt, who are LAST in NL in batting! Add to the fact that Clement has a day ERA of over 5.6 in his career, vs 4.5 at night. I'm not betting on him to have an encore performance. Cubbies also had wasted 1/2 of their off day because of mechanical failure in their chartered flight and had to stay iin Montreal an extra day, not getting home until yesterday afternoon.
GOOD LUCK!!
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