What WAS a pitchers duel between Shark and Cueto through 8 innings, became what we in the cheap seats call a "laugher". 11-1 was the final score. This throttling courtesy of the 2012 NL Central Champs the Cincinnati Reds. Despite my positivity of two days ago. This time, I was glad that it's still Spring Training, and so does Carlos Marmol, our fearless closer, who entered the game with one out and a man on second, to promptly give up a double, a single, a walk, (then there was an error by Jeimer Candelario, whoever the hell that is), then a single, and another single, before he was mercifully lifted from the game. Can anyone venture a guess as to how many games the pitching of Carlos Marmol is going to lose for the Cubs this year? I don't want even to think about it. You are sitting there, watching the ball game, hanging on every play in a 2-1 nail biter, and in comes Marmol, and as my dear departed dad used to say "der go ballgame!". But that wasn't the half of it, because Michael Hamman, who was drafted last year, gave up a walk, a sac fly (at least he got an out), a three run homer, and a wild pitch, before the Red Legs' Corky Miller grounded out. A 9 run 9th. That's rough.
I know this is pure speculation, but the Cubs should have entered the 9th inning tied 2-2. Which could have changed momentum. Here's why. One of my most hated plays in baseball, is when a guy hits a fair ball, he thought was gonna be foul, and is caught flat footed between 1st and 2nd and is easily thrown out, when he should have been standing on first base already. This is exactly what happened when "I put Arsenic in Ian Stewarts Wheaties to keep my job" Luis Valbuena came up in the 7th with no one out and "Beef Wellington" Castillo on first base. Who knows if Valbuena would have eventually scored, but Castillo did, when Clevenger, who better make the team, hit a ground rule double. At least it would have been second and third with only one out. Lillibridge did hit a fly ball next, which could have been a sac fly. Tie game. What is it with these jerks who can't freaking run to first base? If there's even a question whether it might be fair. Freaking run! You're a damned professional athlete, and you can't do the most simple thing? Run to first after you hit the ball!!! It drives me craze balls! I vow to boo, and boo loudly when I see the play again. Soriano caught an earful from me when he did the exact same thing a couple years ago against the Yankees. I booed then, and I'll boo now. BOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
So, is this what your 2013 Chicago Cubs will look like? Marmol, once considered a tradable piece, now the inevitable head case of the Cubs? When we are 18 games out on 8/1 and the players stop running out ground balls, will you boo too? It's embarrassing.
Hey. At least I got me a good old fashioned pitchers duel through 8, and I really loved the drunk fans who hung around at Ho Ho Kam to chant "Let's Go Cubbies" with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th. One of them yelled "Hey Dusty!" a bunch of times to Dusty Baker, and then yelled "Mother Fucker!!!". It was pretty funny. There were some drunk chanting women there too , they sounded skanky and fun. Woulda been fun to be there, and yes, I would have been chanting with them.
So, how we gonna get back to .500 for the Spring? Any hope? Well, maybe not tonight....Tonight we go against the Cactus League's 1st place Kansas City Royals. Scott Feldman vs. James Shields. It's weird, because I haven't really thought of the Royals as an actual team since George Brett and Brett Saberhagen were on the team. That would be a good Wheel of Fortune 'Before and After'...."George Brett Saberhagen". The Royals kind of get lost down there on my radar. And Kansas City the city? I mean, what do they even do there? Everything hasn't been "up to date in Kansas City" since the 1940's when that song was written. Especially the baseball team. Hasn't been updated since the 80's....In your face KC! We Coming for you tonight!!!!
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