Bleed Cubbie Blue

Cubs Minor League Wrap: May 30

2012-05-31T03:33:30Z

Let's go Kings. One down, three to go.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs game at the Omaha Storm Chasers was rained out. Apparently, the Storm Chasers are all talk. Double-header tomorrow.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies were failed to launch against the Huntsville Stars (Brewers), 6-4.

Starter Dallas Beeler took the loss after he gave up five runs on nine hits over 4.2 innings. One of the five runs was unearned. Beeler walked two and struck out one.

Catcher Mike Brenly clubbed his first home run of the season in the second inning with a man on. Brenly was 1 for 3 with a walk. He scored twice.

Shortstop Junior Lake homered with the bases empty in the fifth inning. He was 2 for 5 in tonight's game. Lake now has three home runs this season.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs scored three times in the top of the ninth to stun the Brevard County Manatees (Brewers), 6-5.

Starting pitcher Frank Del Valle put the Cubs down early by surrendering a two-run home run in the second inning and a three-run home run in the fifth. Del Valle finished with 4.1 innings, allowing the five runs on four hits. Del Valle walked two and struck out three.

After that, the Cubs bullpen slammed the door. Hayden Simpson pitched 1.2 shutout innings, followed by an inning by Eduardo Figueroa and an inning by Tony Zych. Zych ended up getting the win without allowing a hit. He walked one and struck out one.

After the Cubs scored three runs in the top of the ninth, the two teams had to wait out a rain delay of an hour and ten minutes. After the skies cleared, Scott Weismann pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save. Weismann struck out one.

Right fielder Nelson Perez hit a two-run single in the ninth, scoring John Andreoli and Greg Rohan, to put Daytona up for good. Perez went 1 for 2.

Left fielder Andreoli was 2 for 3 with two walks and his 15 steal of the season. Third baseman Rohan earlier hit his tenth home run of the season in the fourth inning with the bases empty. Rohan went 2 for 5, scored twice and had two RBI.

Catcher Micah Gibbs hit a solo home run in the third inning. He now has two home runs on the year. Gibbs was 1 for 4.

Shortstop Arismendy Alcantara went 2 for 5 and stole a base.

Peoria Chiefs

The Peoria Chiefs were badly stung by the Burlington Bees (Athletics), 10-1.

Ben Wells kept the game close as he allowed only one unearned run over the first 3.1 innings. (Although once again, it was his own error, so how unearned could it be?) Wells allowed four hits and walked one. He struck out four.

But the game was blown open in the fifth inning when Starling Peralta gave up seven runs, although only two of them were earned due to a Javier Baez throwing error. Peralta pitched 1.2 innings and allowed the seven runs on three hits, including a grand slam. He walked five and struck out one.

One bright spot for the Chiefs was recently acquired Hunter Cervenka, who pitched the final 2.1 innings without allowing a baserunner. He also struck out the first six of the seven batters he faced.

Catcher Yaniel Cabezas went 2 for 3 with the lone Chiefs run batted in. Third baseman Wes Darvill was 2 for 4.

Sweep! Darwin Barney's Walkoff Homer Gives Cubs 8-6 Win

2012-05-30T23:10:06Z

"Darwin Barney wins Wednesday's Cubs game with a walkoff home run."

If you had put that in a list of 10 choices of how Wednesday's Cubs/Padres game would end, I'd have ranked that 10th.

And yet, after three hours and 30 minutes of less-than-stellar baseball, that's exactly what happened, and the Cubs had their first sweep and three-game winning streak of the season with an unlikely 8-6 win over the Padres, further proof that the Cubs at last found a team that's worse off than they are.

And if you think it was exciting for fans, here's how exciting it was for Barney:

#Cubs Darwin Barney on HR: "That was 1st walkoff HR I've ever had at any level. I didn't even see it go out."
— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) May 30, 2012

If you were looking for good baseball on this coolish, mostly cloudy afternoon that felt more like September than May, you didn't find much of it before the Cubs rallied from behind in the eighth and ninth innings. Just how bad was it before then?

338 pitches thrown. (The Cubs, surprisingly enough, don't rank near the top of the NL in pitches -- they were eighth coming into Wednesday. The Padres ranked third in most pitches thrown.) 13 walks and what seemed like an interminable number of 3-2 counts. Three more Padres home runs. The Padres hit 30.8 percent of their entire season's worth of home run output in this series -- eight of 26.

But hey! The Cubs won, and there was some good stuff, too. Follow me past the jump for the good stuff.

The best thing that happened -- apart from the walkoff -- to the Cubs Wednesday afternoon was the outstanding double play turned by Barney, Starlin Castro and Bryan LaHair, all three making good plays, in the top of the ninth inning. If not for that, Carlos Quentin's double off James Russell would have scored the lead run for the Padres, there still would have been nobody out and who knows what would have subsequently happened?

Instead, there were two out and just one runner on and Russell struck out Chase Headley to keep the game tied.

The second best thing was the play that tied the game in the bottom of the eighth. Tony Campana pinch-ran for pinch-hitter Reed Johnson, who singled. Campana stole second and drew a throw and then stole third uncontested, all after the first two hitters in the inning made outs. After David DeJesus walked, Castro hit a slow roller to third base and did the thing that every single base coach and manager says you shouldn't do -- slid headfirst into first base.

He might have been out if he'd done that. That was one of the few times when the headfirst slide actually made sense. Castro was safe and Campana scored the tying run, setting up the bottom-of-the-ninth heroics.

Before that, Ryan Dempster struggled, giving up all three homers, two to Quentin and another to Chris Denorfia, and got hit hard in general, even when recording outs. He also issued four walks and threw 98 pitches before Dale Sveum had pity on him and lifted him. The Cubs were treating Anthony Bass just as rudely; Bass also walked four, and when he issued two straight walks with the bases loaded in the fifth, making the score 6-4, Bud Black took him out in favor of Miles Mikolas, who promptly walked in another run.

The Cubs drew four walks in one inning. Can't remember the last time that happened.

Also give some credit to the Cubs' bullpen today: Casey Coleman, Carlos Marmol, Randy Wells and Russell, who threw 4⅔ innings and allowed just three hits and no runs, and "only" two walks. Yes, even Marmol, who was a little wild with a pair of walks -- he got booed after the second one -- but got out of the inning with a routine fly ball and a strikeout.

The announced "crowd" of 38,516 wasn't even close to that many. There were wide swaths of empty seats in both the upper deck and lower deck, though the bleachers were about 90 percent full. It wasn't great baseball, but it was entertaining and the ending was great. We probably won't have too many of these this year, so let's enjoy it while we can, especially since there are more than 48 hours until the next game, Friday night in San Francisco.

First Pitch Thread: Cubs vs. Padres, Wednesday 5/30, 1:20 CT

2012-05-30T18:20:06Z

Go get 'em, Ryan.

Chicago Cubs vs. San Diego Padres Preview, Wednesday 5/30, 1:20 CT

2012-05-30T16:30:03Z

We don't have much this year. So contemplate this:

The last time the Cubs won three games in a row was September 10-12, 2011 -- the last two of a series in New York against the Mets, followed by the first game of a series in Cincinnati against the Reds.

The last time the Cubs swept a series was August 1-4, 2011, against the Pirates in Pittsburgh.

The last time the Cubs swept a series at Wrigley Field was July 22-24, 2011, against the Astros.

They can erase all of those "lasts" with a win this afternoon.

Like I said, it's not much. But it's better than losing.

Cubs lineup:

DeJesus RF, Castro SS, Mather CF, LaHair 1B, Soriano LF, Stewart 3B, Barney 2B, Clevenger C, Dempster P

Hooray! A Steve Clevenger sighting!

Today's Starting Pitchers


Ryan Dempster Cubs	vs.	Anthony Bass Padres

0-3	W-L	2-5
2.14	ERA	3.55
50	SO	3
55	BB	21
3	HR	6
vs. SD	--	vs. Cubs

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2012 - Ryan Dempster	0-3	8	8	0	0	0	0	54.2	43	15	13	3	15	50	2.14	1.06

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2012 - Anthony Bass	2-5	11	9	1	0	0	0	58.1	51	28	23	6	21	55	3.55	1.23

Remember that fantastic baseball day, the final day of the 2011 regular season, September 28? Teams were making the playoffs and being eliminated and putting up amazing individual performances. While all that good stuff was going on, Ryan Dempster was getting pounded by the Padres in San Diego, giving up a three-run homer to Nick Hundley and a grand slam to Will Venable. Overall, current Padres are hitting .340 (33-for-97) against him with four home runs.

One day before the Padres pounded Dempster, Anthony Bass held the Cubs to one run in five innings, but the Cubs won the game off San Diego's bullpen. That's the only appearance Bass has against the Cubs, so no current Cub has more than three career AB against him; altogether current Cubs are 5-for-12, an almost irrelevant sample size. Bass has pitched reasonably well this season, although he got hit pretty hard by the Mets in his last outing.

Today's game is on CSN Chicago.

Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

SB Nation game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Padres site Gaslamp Ball.

Today's first pitch thread will post at 1:20 p.m. CDT and the overflows at 2:20, 3:20 and 4:05 p.m. CDT. If you need more overflows due to extra innings or rain delays, post them in the fanshot section.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Roy Oswalt Signs With The Rangers And Other MLBullets

2012-05-30T11:40:59Z

The latest from around MLB...

Roy Oswalt's protracted free agency is over, as the righty signed yesterday with the Texas Rangers for $5 million over the rest of the season, plus $1 million in incentives. The Rangers were eager to add another arm after Neftali Feliz went down, and they'll hope that the 34-year-old can get back into form in short order. Oswalt has been working out in Mississippi, but most believe he won't be ready to pitch in big league games for a few weeks. As for the signing, some - like Scott Miller, who first reported the deal - think it's a good fit for both sides. Others, like Jon Heyman, think Oswalt might struggle with the Rangers. Either way, most reports agree that Oswalt took less money to sign with the Rangers, partly because of the geographic proximity to his home, and partly because of the relative awesomeness of the team.

Roy Halladay miss six to eight weeks with a strained latissimus dorsi (back muscle, kind of below the shoulder), which could keep him out until late July or August. Halladay's numbers are down this year (for him, anyway), and he lasted just two innings in his final start before hitting the disabled list. The Phillies are already without Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, neither of whom have played all year, as well as Vance Worley, who will be back soon from elbow soreness.
Jered Weaver also hit the disabled list with a back problem. He experienced lower back pain in his most recent start, and was pulled early after showing obvious signs of discomfort. Recovery from back issues is notoriously hard to predict, so it's impossible to say quite yet how quickly Weaver will be able to return. Garrett Richards will take his spot in the rotation for now.
Weaver's Angels are doing well right now, though, having just won their 8th in a row. Thanks to their rough start, that puts them just a game over .500, and still 5.5 games behind the Rangers in the NL West.
Also just a game over .500? The Boston Red Sox, finally, after spending the first two months of the season on the wrong side of that mark.
MLB is kicking around the idea of a centrally-located review team that would watch all games, and on calls that are "clearly wrong," the team would signal the umpires in the at-issue game, informing them of the correct call, and instructing them to fix it. The system could be implemented as soon as 2013, with limited plays eligible for review (fair/foul, home runs, caught/not caught), and then expanding from there in future seasons.
Former big league pitcher Bobby Ojeda wrote a touching, funny, illuminating piece for the New York Times about his experience growing up as a pitcher, and then doing what it took to stick in the big leagues. It's a pretty frightening tale, actually, and makes you wonder what pitchers might be dealing with on a daily basis.
Barry Bonds wants to rejoin the San Francisco Giants as an instructor. If Mark McGwire can become a hitting coach, why can't Bonds become an instructor, right?

Brett Taylor is the Lead Writer at Bleacher Nation, and a Contributor here at Bleed Cubbie Blue.

Cubs Minor League Wrap: May 29

2012-05-30T04:20:31Z

If the I-Cubs could have just played Nashville tonight, then it would have been an all-Cubs versus all-Brewers night tonight. But no, those Triple-A guys have to be different and played a Royals farm club.

One really wild game in Peoria tonight.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs brought the heavens down on the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals), 5-4. Iowa has now won five straight.

Chris Rusin pitched the first six innings and allowed four runs on seven hits, including a pair of home runs. Rusin walked two and struck out three.

Jeff Beliveau got his first Triple-A win in relief. He pitched just the seventh inning and allowed only one baserunner, a two-out walk. Beliveau did not have a strikeout.

Scott Maine faced three batters in the ninth inning and got three ground outs to shortstop Luis Valbuena. It was his third save for Iowa.

For the second day in a row and third time in four games, first baseman Josh Vitters homered. It was a solo home run in the fifth inning and he now has seven this season. Vitters was 2 for 3 with a walk. He scored twice and had just the one RBI.

Right fielder Dave Sappelt was 2 for 4 with an RBI.

Anthony Rizzo did not play for the second straight day.

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies clouded out the Huntsville Stars (Brewers), 3-2.

It was a great start for Nick Struck today as he pitched six scoreless innings to even his record on the season at 5-5. Struck allowed three hits, He walked one and struck out nine.

Kevin Rhoderick entered the game in the eighth inning with one out, runners on second and third and the Smokies hanging on to a 3-2 lead. Rhoderick got the Smokies out of that inning and then pitched the ninth to get his sixth save. In his 1.2 innings, Rhoderick allowed no runs and one one hit. He did not strike anyone out and he walked one, but it was intentional.

Shortstop Junior Lake was 2 for 4 with a double and two runs scored. Jae-Hoon Ha was 2 for 4 and stole a base.

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs were swept by the Brevard County Manatees (Brewers), 4-1 and 5-2.

Robert Whitenack made his first appearance in a year after Tommy John surgery and he understandably struggled. Whitenack gave up four runs on ten hits over 4.1 innings. One of the four runs was unearned. Whitenack walked one and did not strike anyone out.

First baseman Richard Jones was 2 for 3 with a double. He scored the lone D-Cub run in the first game.

In the second game, P. J. Francescon threw a six-inning complete game, but obviously he took the loss after giving up five runs on eight hits. He walked three and struck out five.

First baseman Greg Rohan provided all of Daytona's offense in game two when he hit a two-run home run in the third inning. Rohan now has nine home runs on the year. He was 1 for 3 tonight.

Shortstop Arismendy Alcantara was 2 for 2 with a walk. He was on first base when Rohan homered.

Peoria Chiefs

The Peoria Chiefs outlasted the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Brewers), 4-3 in 14 innings.

Kyler Burke was nearly unhittable through five inning tonight. That's not necessarily a good thing as one of the reasons he was unhittable was that he was wild and he issued five walks. But he only gave up one hit which, unfortunately, was a second inning solo home run. He also gave up one more unearned run in the second for a total of two runs. Besides walking five, Burke struck out two.

Kenny Socorro is a player-coach for the Chiefs who only plays when they need an extra man. He was an infielder last season for the Chiefs. He was on the opening day roster for Peoria this season. Despite that, Socorro had not entered a game yet this season, although he did have a stint on the DL.

Tonight, the Chiefs needed Kenny and he answered the call. Not as an infielder, but making his season debut as an emergency pitcher. And wouldn't you know, he threw two perfect innings and got the win. He even had one strikeout.

Right fielder Oliver Zapata ended the game in the bottom of the 14th when he hit a bloop single to left field, scoring Pin-Chieh Chen. Zapata didn't have a good day before that as he finished the night with a 1 for 7 line.

DH Ryan Cuneo hit a solo home run in the third inning, his fourth on the year. Cuneo went 2 for 5 and was intentionally walked once.

Left fielder Yasiel Balaguert went 2 for 6 with a double and an RBI. Catcher Anthony Giansanti was 2 for 6 with an RBI.

Cubs Win Second Straight Over Padres

2012-05-29T22:15:21Z

Before you get too excited about a baby two-game winning streak, which the Cubs are now on after a 5-3 win over the Padres at Wrigley Field Tuesday afternoon, please recognize that these two wins are in the books because the Cubs finally found a team that's worse than they are.

Seriously. The Cubs scored one of their runs on a balk and a wild pitch, and Darwin Barney hit two doubles, scoring both times. Joe Mather also doubled twice, but also fell down trying to catch what turned into a Padres double. Alfonso Soriano kept up with Albert Pujols by hitting his seventh home run (third in his last four games), sort of a poor man's home-run race. Soriano, incidentally, currently leads Pujols in the following categories: BA, OBP, SLG and RBI. (This won't last, so enjoy it while it's here.)

Soriano also made a nice diving catch on a sinking line drive off the bat of Chris Denorfia and turned it into an inning-ending double play in the sixth inning. Jeff Baker also turned a line-drive DP and also snagged a liner from Yonder Alonso that almost certainly would have scored a run in the eighth inning.

So the Cubs played nice defense, and also got nice pitching from Jeff Samardzija on his bobblehead day, seven-plus innings with eight strikeouts. Shark also singled and walked. It was just the second walk drawn by a Cubs pitcher this season in 102 plate appearances.

The Padres scored first on a Carlos Quentin home run in the fifth, but the Cubs came back with two in the bottom of the inning, the second of those driven in by Samardzija's single, and they might have had more if not for a 3-6-3 double play turned by the Padres. The teams took turns trading runs until Samardzija ran into trouble when he gave up a single and a double to the first two hitters in the eighth. That made it 4-3 Cubs and Dale Sveum called on Shawn Camp, who got out of the inning after inheriting a runner on third with nobody out.

The Cubs put up an insurance run in the last of the eighth and Camp was allowed to start the ninth against Chase Headley.

Now, if you have James Russell as your closer-of-the-week, why not bring him in to face Headley? Camp retired him, and then Sveum called on Russell.

I guess I shouldn't complain, because Russell did finish out the game for his first career save (that is, after a pop fly dropped between three Cubs fielders for a double; to be fair, the wind was pretty tough this afternoon). But Camp had thrown just 17 pitches. Why not let him finish?

At that point, the game was dragging. The first six innings took an hour and 35 minutes; the last three, an hour and 13.

Well, like I said. I guess I shouldn't complain. The Cubs won, it was a beautiful, cooler, less-humid afternoon with an 80-degree temperature and sunshine most of the day, though with a pretty good breeze going. There haven't been that many wins this season, so I suppose I should be glad when they come. BCBer SackMan sat with us today, and ChipSet stopped by to say hello.

The Cubs go for their third straight win, and a series sweep, Wednesday afternoon. They haven't won three straight since last September 10-12, haven't swept a series since last August in Pittsburgh, haven't swept one at home since last July against the Astros.

So it's kind of time for all of those things. Go for it, Cubs. Let us cheer for something, at least, in this lost season.

First Pitch Thread: Cubs vs. Padres, Tuesday 5/29, 1:20 CT

2012-05-29T18:20:01Z

Go get 'em, Jeff.