Cubs need some help

I know haven't posted much, but I'm still around, but spending a little time over at with the guys at GROTA.

In the next couple days the Cubs are in a spot where they could make or break the season. On one hand, they're 2.5 games back, but they are still in 4th place.

Stay tuned for more.

Baseball has been out of mind

I've had a tough time since our 2008 season, but I'm ready to get started back up. The Cubs have been up a few moves the last few weeks, and I will start to go over them in depth later on.

I will be back soon.

Game 1: Over and done with

Last night just plain sucked. There isn't anyway around it. Scott Lange, of the Northside Lounge, and I watch the game together. There wasn't much talking after the James Loney's 5th inning Grand Slam.

So, do we panic yet? It sucks to lose, but I'm not ready to panic, because these Cubs have found a way all year. The worst part of the loss is having to sit here all day and think about it. I'm teaching To Kill a Mockingbird, and it is just hard to get into Scout jumping in front of the lynch mob three times in a day with the thoughts of Manny Ramirez golfing a home run out in my mind, but I soldier on.

We still have eight and half hours before Dick Stockton(who is just a step away from death) and crew start calling Game 2, but thankfully I have the XM for Pat and Ron.

The biggest surprise to me was the lack of engery from the crowd. I don't know if MLB took have the tickets, but the crowd just never got into it, even for Mark DeRosa's HR.

Well, we are still the better team, and we can just pray that Good Zambrano shows up for the game tonight.

Marquis?

This week I made an agreement with Mrs. Yarbs that I wouldn't watch the Cubs, because I've basically seen every game since July (Take away maybe 3 games). So, we watched some 24 (trying to catch her up before the new season starts), but after Terri and Kim finally got rescused, I turned the game for a minute. With two runners on in the fourth, Ryan Theriot singled to left to load the bases, then Jason Marquis hammered a pitch over the wall for a Grand Slam to give the Cubs a 6-2 lead. What an amazing sight. There is something about this season, and I can't wait for next week.

I'm in Heaven

There aren't a lot of things that get me excited, but the Cubs making the playoffs is always one of them. I know it has been a little while since I've posted over here at the Yarbage Cub Review, but that's because I've been moonlighting at another blog. I will go into more details a little later, but back to the Cubs.

Since we swept the Brewers back in July, I really haven't been worried about making the playoffs. I wish we would have played better to start the month, but you can't ask for much more than clinching with over a week to play.

I will try and break down the postseason rosters a little before the playoffs start, but I have a few ideas about the rotation.

If Big Z can come out on Wednesday and throw well, he should go Game 1. If not, just slide everbody up 1.

Game 1: Zambrano vs. (Santana/Hamels/Lowe/Webb)
Game 2: Dempster vs. (Pelfry/Myers/Billingslea/Haren)
Game 3: Harden vs. (Martinez/Moyer/Kudora/Johnson)
Game 4: Lilly vs. (??????)

I think we should really go with the four-man rotation throughout to keep everybody healthy. Big Z has already shown that he can't pitch coming off a plane flight, so quick rest probably isn't a great answer, and Lilly has been really solid in September.

Enjoy the rest of the week, and go Cubs.

Post trade thoughts

That was fast Jim, and I have to say I love this deal. There are a few reasons for this feeling, including the fact that you upstage C.C. Sabitha's (Sorry CC, now) first start for the Brewers.

Now onto the deal, first for the Athletics:

Matt Murton: For whatever reason, whether it be his right-handed at bat or his red hair, Murton was never going to play for Lou or the Cubs it seemed. He put up decent numbers over his career (.296/.362/.810), but was off to a slow start this year with no power.

I would've liked to see Murton get time last year, but the powers that be didn't feel the same. So, there really isn't much loss here, since he wasn't going to play.

Sean Gallagher: Sean went 3-4 with a 4.45 ERA this season. He was bounced back and forth between Iowa and Chicago, but was a luxury for a team that is going for it. When healthy Harden is going to be more valuable, but that is a big "if". I would rather have Gallagher than Jason Marquis, but in the end he was younger and cheaper.

Eric Patterson: Patterson is probably the most valuable player the Cubs are giving up, but he is a somebody that can be replaced. The Cubs already have Theriot, Cedeno, Fonenot and DeRosa that can play in the middle infield. Plus, we know that Patterson is no outfielder.

John Donaldson: We already have have Geovanny Soto. Not to mention, John is a former Auburn Tiger, and we don't need any of his kind (Editors note: I'm a Alabama Grad, so that statement might be a little slanted).

As for the Cubs:

Chad Gaudin: In a deal like this, you usually don't get another player in the deal. Well, I guess Rich Harden's injury troubles allowed Jim Hendry to add another quality arm in bullpen or to spot start.

This year Gaudin is 5-3 with a 3.59 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Also, he's only 25 and he doesn't walk many.

Rich Harden: Obviously, Harden was the centerpiece of the deal. Granted, he has an injury field past, but was probably the best player available in all of Major League Baseball.

This season, Harden is 5-1 with a 2.34 ERA in 13 starts. He spent a month of the year on the DL, but since then as been great. Does he stay that way? Only time will tell. Harden is only 26 and will resemble Prior's injury history. I heard somewhere that Harden has a cheap option for next year, so that is a plus if he is healthy.

Overall, I'm real happy with the deal. It is the exact thing that the Cubs needed to match the Brewers. Now we just need to go out and win some games.

Rich come on down...

The Cubs just landed Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin for Eric Patterson, Matt Murton, Sean Gallagher and John Donaldson. I have to say this is a great move for Jim Hendry. More on the deal later.

Live Game Log: Post Soriano

Hello, everybody. It's been some time, since I have posted. Since the last post, school has ended. The Cubs have been on fire, and oh yeah....I got married.

Stay tuned for a running log of today's game. Not sure if I'm going to watch the WGN broadcast in SD, or th Braves broadcast in HDTV, I guess we will see.

Pregame: I'm all for gimics, but the whole black and white thing is a little odd. I might have to watch a little of the Braves broadcast today to get through the first few innings, and I just hate watching in SD.

Top 1: The question of the day is anybody going to get hit? I say no, unless there is a blowout.

Ok, the camera angles and no replays on the WGN broadcast. I understand this is a throwback to WGN, but no replays is a little rough. Big Z. got two quick outs, but Chipper Jones gets an infield hit. You have to get a few of those to hit .400 and that was a gift as Derosa, Lee and Zambrano all went for the ball. Stil. Z gets out of it and game is 0-0

Bottom 1: Two quick outs, but Derrek Lee is battling with a 2-2 count. He has fouled off like 5 or so pitches. Doesn't pay off in this inning, but it might down the road. 0-0 after 1.

Top 2: Zambrano gets ahead of Francour, but he hits it up the bleachers in left to give the Braves a 2-0 lead after 1 and a half.

Bottom 2: Braves already have four hits on Z, including a hit by Tim Hudson.