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Alou, Sosa, Ramirez go yard

Saturday, May 15, 2004

Cubs won today, three in a row! The Final score was 7-5, but it seemed like an easier win than the final score suggests. The Cubs jumped out to a 7-2 lead with a five run fifth inning, but the Padres scored once in the sixth, seventh, and eighth to make it a bit tighter. Alou, Sosa, and Ramirez all hit home runs (Sosa's home run passed Mike Schmidt on the all time list, #549, Ramirez was a three run shot that put the game away.)

Sergio Mitre started, and pitched servicably well. He gave up three earned runs in six innings, lowering his ERA to 4.93 (ouch). The bullpen was generally leaky, with Mercker and Farnsworth both allowing a run apiece. LaTroy Hawkins finished the game and recorded a save. However, Joe Borowski probably doesn't have anything to worry about. I am sure Dusty went with Hawkins because Borowski had pitched in the previous three games. (After the fact note: The Chicago Tribune reported that Dusty wanted to start the ninth off with Hawkins because Borowski had struggled with Brian Giles, and Dusty just let Hawkins finish.)

Chip Caray's contract is up for renewal at the end of this season, and I haven't figured out if I want him back yet. He isn't Joe Carter terrible, but neither he nor his grandfather were great play by play men. Add to the fact that Chip doesn't have the charisma of Harry, and I wouldn't mind a new man in the booth next year, provided that the new fella is better. During today's game, Chip had me laughing at his inconsistent calls. Moises Alou hit a "shot" to center field that was really a bloop hit. However, the next half inning, a Padre's batter "blooped" a hit about 50 feet past Alou's "Shot". In the next inning, another Padre "bloop" was caught ten feet shy of the warning track. All of these are forgivable, but in the middle of the fourth, Chip informed his viewers that they were watching a real "pitcher's duel." At the time, the score was tied at 2. Let me ask this Chip, when two pitchers have a 6.00 ERA and a 4.50 ERA in a game, is it really a pitcher's duel?

In a follow up to my last post, Ramon Martinez mis-played a ball at shortstop today that trickled into short left center field. Martinez tried to field the ball off to his side, instead of getting in front of the ball. Like I said, he looks a bit uncomfortable for some reason at short.

If the season ended today: The Cubs would be in the playoffs. They are currently one game behind the Astros and half a game ahead of the Marlins in the Wild-Card race. The Phillies are leading the NL East on winning percentage, despite being in a tie in the games back column. Even though Billy Wagner just went on the DL in Philly, I am still awefully concerned about the Phillies. I am sticking with my preseason claim that they are the best team in the National League.

Totally unrelalated:

Posted by Byron at May 15, 2004 12:00 AM | | |

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