Cross Town Rivalry Revisited

Once again frustrated, but I like the DH allowing us to see more Hoffpauir and Fox. I know some of you disagree with this, but they need to be in the lineup or traded. They will be future studs if we get rif of them guaranteed! I wish we could get rid of Bradley and that would take care of one of them. Don't know how we can get Fox in the lineup after Ramirez comes back. I wouldn't even be upset to see them deal Soriano for a stud CF, 2B, closer, or combo of the three at this point. I know it's not going to happen, but I almost like Hoffpauir more than Soriano at this point. When are we going to make a trade? Here's a look at the pitching match-ups and their careers vs. Sox pitchers. I guess with Johnson being the latest casualty, we have to play Kosuke vs. 2 lefties? Maybe Freel? Ouch!

vs. Jose Contreras(R)

LF-Soriano(5-8, 3HR)

SS-Theriot(0-1)

RF-Hoffpauir

1B-Lee(3-16)

DH-Bradley(4-12, HR)

3B-Fontenot(4-8, 2HR)

CF-Fukudome(2-5)

C-Soto(2-5, HR)

2B-Blanco(0-9)

vs. Mark Buehrle(L)

LF-Soriano(.207, 2HR)
SS-Theriot(1-7)
3B-Fox
1B-Lee(.455, HR)
RF-Bradley(.325)

C-Soto(1-3)
DH-Hoffpauir
CF-Fukudome(1-4)
2B-Miles(1-3)

vs. John Danks(L)

LF-Soriano
SS-Theriot(2-6)
DH-Fox
1B-Lee(1-5)
RF-Bradley(3-6, HR)

C-Hill
3B-Freel
CF-Fukudome(2-3)
2B-Miles(1-3)

The Detroit Series (and the Braves)

Congrats to Randy Wells, finally getting a win! 8 starts with a 2.57 ERA and a 1-3 record. I'd be pissed! I'm not too happy with a one game series in Atlanta vs. Vazquez, but since I am a big fan of Hoffpauir and Fox, and they seem to be swinging the bat pretty well, I'm excited to have the DH for the Detroit series. I'm just amazed that Guzman and Johnson also manage to be hurt. When are the injuries going to stop? I guess Ramirez will actually be back pretty soon, then watch out! Lee is back big time and Soto is showing signs of life. Bradley is an idiot, but he's starting to hit a little. Still say we have too much talent and too many immediate needs to not make a deal! I'm moving on without the picture of the hot Cubs fan because we seem to be coming out of it. Just let me know when you think we need it again. Anyway, here are my proposed lineups and their careers against Tigers pitchers(and the Braves). The first 2 Tigers pitchers may not be very good for our bats! Look at the ERAs!

vs. Javier Vazquez(R)

SS-Theriot(3-9)

CF-Fukudome

LF-Soriano(2-9, HR)

1B-Lee(20-50 (.400) 3 HR)

RF-Hoffpauir (Bradley 3-18)

C-Hill (Soto 0-5)

3B-Fontenot(2-5)

2B-Miles(2-5)

vs. Edwin Jackson(R)(2.39ERA)

SS-Theriot

CF-Fukudome

LF-Soriano(0-1)

1B-Lee

DH-Bradley

RF-Hoffpauir

C-Soto

3B-Fontenot

2B-Miles(3-7)

vs. Rick Porcello(R)(3.54 ERA)

SS-Theriot
CF-Fukudome
LF-Soriano
1B-Lee
DH-Bradley
RF-Hoffpauir
C-Hill
3B-Fontenot
2B-Blanco

vs. Armando Galarraga(R)(5.62 ERA)

SS-Theriot
CF-Fukudome
LF-Soriano
1B-Lee
DH-Bradley
RF-Hoffpauir
C-Soto
3B-Fontenot
2B-Miles

Hey Chicago Whatta Ya Say!?

Man I love that song! I think if Harry were alive, this season might kill him! I was thinking as down as most of us are about the Cubs right now I'd atleast post a picture of one of my favorite Cub fans to give us something to smile about. Unlike Dell, I am not willing to agree that we leave Soriano in the leadoff spot. He's now 13th on the team in OB %. He leads the team in HRs and RBIs. I'm going to go nuts if I see Fontenot start at 3B vs. a lefty again. He's now 4-33 vs. lefties. Atleast play Fox there. Who cares if he's a liability in the field? Fontenot is far from a great glove there. Fox might actually get a hit! We need to make a trade...NOW! Get us a power hitting CF, a righthanded hitting 2B, or bullpen help. DeRosa might help the 2B and short-term 3B problem. The Indians series: We send out Harden, Lilly, and Wells. That is usually not the problem. This is my proposed lineups and their careers vs. Indians pitchers:

vs. Cliff Lee(L)-please please tell me they aren't going to start Fontenot who is now 4-33 vs. lefties!

SS-Theriot

CF-Johnson(2-5)

LF-Soriano(3-8, HR)

1B-Lee

RF-Bradley(2-9, HR)

C-Soto

3B-Fox

2B-Miles(1-3)

vs. Tomo Ohka(R)

SS-Theriot

CF-Fukudome

LF-Soriano(2-2)

1B-Lee(7-20 (.350) 3 HR)

RF-Hoffpauir

3B-Fontenot

C-Hill(0-3)

2B-Miles(0-2)

vs. Jeremy Sowers(L)

SS-Theriot

CF-Johnson

LF-Soriano

1B-Lee

RF-Bradley

C-Soto

3B-Fox

2B-Miles

Cross Town Rivalry

Well, now we head to the cross town rivalry. It totally kills me that Fontenot is now our only option at 3B. He'll pretty much have to go against lefty Danks in game 1. He's like 4-104 vs. lefties. So we give his out away along with the pitcher spot without even a fight! Glad we sent Scales and Fox down! I really wish Lou would bat Z 6th. He's got a better chance of getting a hit than Miles or Fontenot! We send out Big Z(coming off a great start), Wells (coming off his worst), and Dempster. Here's a look at the Sox pitchers, my proposed lineups and their careers against them:

vs. John Danks(L)

LF-Soriano

SS-Theriot(1-3)

CF-Johnson

1B-Lee(0-2)

RF-Bradley(1-3, HR)

C-Soto(1-2)

P-Zambrano

2B-Miles

3B-Fontenot

vs. Gavin Floyd(R)

LF-Soriano(1-4)

SS-Theriot

CF-Fukudome

1B-Lee

RF-Hoffpauir

3B-Fontenot

C-Hill

2B-Miles

vs. Jose Contreras(R)

LF-Soriano(5-8, 3HR)

SS-Miles(0-4)

CF-Fukudome(2-5)

1B-Hoffpauir (Lee 3-16)

RF-Bradley(4-12, HR)

3B-Fontenot(4-8, 2HR)

C-Soto(2-5, HR)

2B-Blanco

Where Have The Bats Gone?

Frustrating series vs. Houston. We get great starting pitching and drop 2 one run games. Every time we're in a close game down the stretch it just feels obvious we won't win. Anyone else feel that way? It's like sometimes we can't hit, but get great pitching. Sometimes we hit and have no pitching. We just can't put it together. Unbelievable that we're still only 2.5 out. The Brewers lost again today. It's so painful, but I still say if we manage to be 3-4 games out at the break, we add Ramirez, make a trade, and we can definitely do it. I'm waiting on you guys to give me comments on people we might trade for. I think a closer and a 2B are galring needs. I'm also waiting to hear theories on who we trade. Fox and Hoffpauir are just too good to not be starting. We apparently have a C and RF tearing it up in Iowa too. I suppose Marshall becomes trade bait with Harden back too? Anyway, now we play at home vs. Minnesota. Slowey opens up and he's 8-2. We send out Wells(who has a sparkling ERA and nothing to show for it), Harden makes his comeback start, and Lilly. Here's a look at my proposed lineups:

vs. Kevin Slowey(R)

LF-Soriano

SS-Theriot

CF-Fukudome

1B-Lee

RF-Bradley(2-3 vs. Slowey)

3B-Fontenot

C-Soto

2B-Miles

vs. Anthony Swarzak(R)

LF-Soriano
SS-Theriot
CF-Fukudome
1B-Lee
RF-Bradley
3B-Fontenot
C-Hill
2B-Scales

vs. Scott Baker(R)

LF-Soriano
SS-Theriot
CF-Fukudome
1B-Lee
RF-Bradley(2-6 vs. Baker)
3B-Fontenot
C-Soto
2B-Miles

The Houston Series

Things were looking up. 7-1 win while both the Cards and Brewers lose. 2-1 loss in the bottom of the 9th hurt though. Big Z pitched really well. Guzman who had been lights out lost it too. The Brewers did lose again, but both the Cards and Reds won. Good to see Geo hit a HR. We just have to hang in there with Harden back in a week or so and Ramirez not too far away. If Bradley and Soto would snap out of it, we'd be fine. We send out Dempster for the finale. Looks like Harden has been pushed back atleast from Thurs. to Sat. Not good news. Miles is off the DL Not huge news to me, but nice to get healthy. I don't really see why they didn't send the .250 hitting Blanco down instead of the .417 hitting Fox. We need to make a trade. Fox and Hoffpauir need to either be playing or traded. We have a RF and C tearing it up in triple A too. We should have options. Let's pull the trigger! Here's a look at the pitching match-up vs. Russ Ortiz:

vs. Russ Ortiz(R)

LF-Soriano(1-7) Rest day with Hoffpauir in LF?

SS-Theriot(2-2)

RF-Fukudome(2-2)

1B-Hoffpauir(1-2)*Lee = 3-32

CF-Johnson(4-4)

3B-Fontenot(1-3)

C-Soto(1-1)*Hill = 4-5

2B-Scales

The Good The Bad and The Ugly

Well, we got off to a good start. Great to see Big Z solid(Good). I think he needs to bat higher in the lineup if we're going to have a dud like Blanco(Bad) in there. Can we send him and his .150 avg.(Ugly) back down already? I told my brother that if Lou had Fontenot and Blanco both in the lineup vs. a lefty, I was going to have to call him up and have a chat. Thank God only Fontenot started, but seriously, he's like 4-35 vs. lefties (Ugly)this year. Can we have Z DH for him? Then he makes 2 huge errors(Ugly). I can forgive the errors because he's playing out of position, but we have to do something about 3B! Good to see Fox(Good) get a start. Not hit, but an RBI. Batting .300 thus far. Heilman, Marmol, and Guzman all had scoreless innings(Good). Guzman is down to 2.36 ERA(Good). Somehow Marmol is at 3.33 (Good)even with all his walks! Bradley pinch-hit, so I guess he won't be totally starting over on finding his stroke again(Good). D-Lee has brought his average up to .268(Good). That's pretty impressive for where he was. (Good) to see Soto hit a HR. Harden may start by Thursday(Good). We need to pass the Reds in the standings and hang in there with the Cards and Brewers until Ramirez gets back. We're lucky we're still only 4.5 back(Bad). I could definitely see the Brewers losing in ATL today. Cards are at home vs. CO(Bad), but the Rockies send out Jimenez(Good). Would like to end this series tied with Cincy, one game behind the Cards and 3.5 behind the Brewers. Here's my proposed lineup for the finale and their careers vs. Bronson Arroyo. I really want to see Hoffpauir getting ABs especially with Bradley out. I know Johnson is the hot hand, but Micah needs to be in the lineup! Notice I go with Soriano at 2B in game 3, even though I'm sure it won't happen(Bad)! I imagine it will be Blanco at 2B(Ugly), and in that case would like to see Kosuke sit. I'd rather see Fox at 3B and Fontenot at 2B than that though.

vs. Bronson Arroyo(R)

2B-Soriano(.211, 1 HR)

SS-Theriot

RF-Fukudome(0-9)

1B-Lee(.241, 2 HR)

CF-Johnson(3-11(.273))

LF-Hoffpauir(0-1)

3B-Fontenot(2-3, HR)

C-Hill(1-1)