Cubs Face Lefty In game Seven
The Cubs lost game six last night and now play for the National League pennant tonight against the Florida Marlins in game seven. Whoever wins tonight’s game will be the unlikely winner of the 2003 NL flag. Who did you think would be going to the World Series when spring training started in March?
Did Dusty leave Mark Prior in too long last night? The question for any manager is will the next pitcher give me a better chance to win, then the one I currently have out there.
Prior was clearly not the same pitcher as the inning unfolded. Still his stuff was good, not great, but better than what Kyle Farnsworth could bring on his best day.
Mike Mordecai finished the evening for Chicago with his ringing bases clearing double off Farnsworth, giving the Fish a 7-3 lead.
Tonight, the Marlins throw Mark Redman, a lefty, against Kerry Wood. The Cubs can hit lefties up and down the lineup. You remember games three and four? Can Kerry Wood slow the Marlins down? Certainly, if he has his control, but this is game seven and one mistake can cost you the game. Some of the best pitchers in the game have never faced the pressure of a game seven, and trust me, this game is different tonight.
The Gibsons, Morrises, Koufaxs, and Burdettes have been there and succeeded, cementing their place in baseball history, tonight is Kerry Wood’s chance to put his name with the greats of the game.
Click below for more!The Miami bullpen seems to be cooking very well right now. What has made this Cub team successful in the postseason has been the ability of Wood, Prior, and Matt Clement to go deep into the game. Wood needs to go eight innings tonight to take the heat off of the bullpen. Dusty will manage as he did last night and not let the season end with the game in the hands of Farnsworth or Remlinger if he can help it.
Wood is vulnerable to high pitch counts because he strikes out so many batters, thus throwing five to six pitches per at bat (fouls and balls add up). He would be better off not trying to overpower everyone and instead let them hit the ball which is tough to do anyway.
Bottom line: Wood is alot more dependable than Redman, especially because Redman pitches from the side the Cubs like.
I’ve seen Gibson lose a game seven in the 1968 World Series when Curt Flood misplayed a ball hit by Jim Northrup to center field late in the game. However, the story of that game as it always is, was pitching as Mickey Lolich shut the Cards down and beat St. Louis in the finale.
One last thought, how about the mob scene behind Wrigley’s left field wall on Clark St., looked like Times Square on New Year’s Eve.
The A’s are still denying that Rick Peterson has been given permission to talk to the Mets about becoming their pitching coach next season. All the NY papers are reporting that the Mets already have permission and will be interviewed momentarily, so what gives? Why not just admit Peterson is a goner if that is what is going to happen? Why drag it out in the Bay Area?
With over 2.2 million coming out to A’s games last year and the fans still heartbroken from the game five defeat to the Red Sox, why not sign somebody to a contract, like Jose Guillen or Keith Foulke or anybody for that matter to change the focus from that loss to next season’s chances? The only news coming out of Oakland is the pitching coach is now leaving and probably the ass’t GM (Paul DePodesta) also is departing at the end of the month.
Highly touted A’s minor leaguers Freddy Bynum and Nick Swisher are playing in the Arizona Fall League, how are they doing? What’s wrong with giving some positive news right now?
So, it’s now SBC Park instead of Pac Bell Park. Who cares as long as the games aren’t played in Candlestick Park.
I still can’t believe the Orioles are serious about making the most unfriendly media person I’ve come across in baseball, Eddie Murray, manager of the team next season. 85% of the job is PR, and Murray won’t last through spring training before refusing to talk to the press. Rick Dempsey would be a better choice.
Another doubleheader today and possibly the world series teams will both be in after today’s action (NL for sure).
John Burkett, Andy Pettitte, Kerry Wood, and Mark Redman, does anything jump out at you in trying to pick the winning pitchers today?
That’s why you play the games, anything can happen as we saw last night, no one is safe today.
0 comments
Marty,
Can we trade Peterson like the Mariners traded Lou Pinella? It would be nice to get something in return. Or maybe include Long and Mecir in the deal. Would love to get rid of those salaries so we can sign Tejada.
Glenn Dickey made a comment in his column the other day that the A’s could sign Miggy if both sides could be creative. Because of Dye’s huge salary next season, Tejada would need to take less in the first year and then scale up. I know that Chavez and Hudson come up after 2004, but I don’t expect to resign either one of them. How much flexibility do both sides have in this kind of negotiation? If Tejada really wants to stay, doing something like this would speak volumes to the fans.
I agree that we need some positive press right now. Losing dePodesta doesn’t bother me too much. I expect Beane to stay through at least 2004 when he expects to win the World Series. It will be the team’s last big chance.
looks like deja vu all over again for dusty baker.
game 6 ,ahead in the 8th inning and the roof collapses on the team just as in game 6 with the giants and angels last year. with halloween just around the corner,kind of spooky. gives me chills.
The Red sox need a miracle. Garciaparra,Millar,Mueller,Damon et al must hit the damn ball.Did they fatten their abtting averages against the likes of Tampa Bay and the Texas rangers. Is it all a mirage?
The Yanks have their money guy, Pettite, going today and it’s like the 50’s when Whitey Ford took the mound it’s lights out. I will be shocked
if the Sox make it to game 7, And I am a Red Sox fan but have become immune. I do not ever get too excited about the Sox chances until
they win. I will not let them break my heart ever again.
Jerry F
Perhaps picking up the two minor leaguers from the Mets last week is the compensation for Peterson’s eventual departure.
Tejada will be offered around 50 to 55 million for five years in the market, if the A’s could move Dye’s salary and Tejada backloaded his contract, maybe it would be possible. Who knows, I wouldn’t give up hope until the ink is dry on a new contract. Hudson is here past 2004, but good point on Beane not leaving because this team should be back in the playoffs next season with the pitching leading the way again.
Marty
Regarding the A’s turmoil. Rick Peterson has been here for 6 years. He came here after the A’s fired
Bob Cluck during spring training and has done
a tremendous job. He worked well with Art Howe
and who could blame him if the Mets offer him more money and he would be closer to home.
Every person has the right to make a job change,
especially if the individual is going to better himself. DePodesta is another of the bright young guys in baseball and will do just fine.
The A’s will continue this pattern as long as they have the current ownership. They will be
developing players for other teams. They will have good young players for 6 years and then send them on their way. This club will always
be rebuilding. Their star pitchers will be free agents soon and then what.The club drew 2.2 million but remember they drew 1.2 million in 1996 and made a profit. Looks like the bottom line guys will prevail in Oakland and we will be
entering a new cycle soon. The A’s have been either very good or very bad. If the club enters a down spiral and attendence drops,the owners will be making noise about moving the club.
Jerry F
Marty,
This isn’t about the Cubs, but then, I’m an A’s fan. How do you believe the A’s justify being an organization that relies so heavily on good drafts and developing ball players throughout their system and on base percentage, and yet is so deficient at producing a ball club with good baseball instincts, and is SO fundamentally poor. I’m positive the reason Billy Beane has so much disdain for the bunt is not merely that it gives away precious outs, but because nobody on the frigging team (except Hernandez and Ellis) can execute! It also seems that the entire team is incapable (again, maybe those 2 exceptions) of making a productive out and moving a runner, either. In the playoffs, 3 run homers seem to dry up, and without the ability to play small ball as well, you lose, year after year. It’s too obvious now, but the night they were eliminated, my feeling was: Tejada’s gone, trade Chavez (seems to have NO leadership qualities, never made one adjustment at the plate, continued to swing at pitches above his hands and pop up over and over) and try to sign Mike Lowell. By the way where was Chavez (as the on deck hitter) when Byrne missed home plate? Leaning against the wall with the bat on his shoulder. There is no leadership from any position players on that team. Tejada was the most likely, but he plays too emotionally to stay cool most of the time. I just don’t get the feeling that Chavez has overcome any adversity that would help him develop into a leader. Too bad Hudson doesn’t play both sides of the ball…
Jerome
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