2009-04-11 Cubs (Zambrano) at Brewers (Bush): 6:05PM CDT [Brewers Lose 6-5]

[SeriesFinale]

As for the outfield celebration by the Cubs, I don't know if that's something they standardly do, but it sure didn't look like it. Soriano and Fukudome seemed to have to direct what they were going to do. It looked to me like an intentional mocking of our guys.

They do it all the time, apprently.

http://www.insidestl.com/Portals/0/morning/edmonds_bumping_soriano_fukudome.jpg

 

Of course, I'm sure Soriano and Fukudome have a lot of awkward conversations.

[Brewer Fever]

Just a reminder for all those adding up missed calls and pointing to the gift run the Cubs got when the ump blew that double play...

 

Bill Hall also scored a run after being incorrectly called safe at first earlier in the game. So umpire gaffes resulting in runs wound up evening out. I doubt that makes anyone feel better but at least the need to assign blame in the wrong direction is lessened.

[Oldcity]

Yeah, I'm definitely more frustrated with the holding of Hart in the first than I am a close play at first. That and the fact that Villanueva grooved one to Soriano. Oh well. If nothing else, I'm very pleased with the offensive approach the first two games of the series.

[nate82]

It was a good game even though it was a loss today I think the Brewers came out ahead with this game. I like the approach at the plate the Brewers have been showing and the defense has improved over last year. A couple of goofs here and there tonight Rickie dropping the ball on the relay and throwing one in the dirt at 1st on the double play and Braun diving for the ball when he should have just had let it fall for a single.

 

It looks like the Cubs are going to go with Marmol as the closer now or at least we can hope that they do this. I bet Lou just put Marmol in because he didn't want to see Gregg pitch to Weeks, Hart, and Braun again.

 

Only negatives I saw was that Hardy still looks lost at the plate for whatever reason. Maybe he needs to be reinstated at the second spot or moved down until he starts to find his swing again. Hall looks good at the plate he looks to have more discipline and he was awesome at 3rd tonight defensively. Another thing Rivera needs to start more.

[pretendastronaut]

Good job with the pic Series. I don't have any issue with it at all if its something they normally do. Maybe the weirdness of it was having to teach Bradley what to do.

 

Overall, it was a really good game to watch, especially for this early in the season.

[DHonks]

Think of it this way...we held Hart foolishly, and the ump gifted them a run when it was a gidp. That's a 2-run swing.

 

Over the course of a season, you win some that you should lose, and you lose some you should win. Really, we're gonna struggle as long as Braun continues to swing through every fat pitch. I'd be tempted to give him a day off tomorrow and start Nelson, as I think Braun's side is clearly bothering him. He normally just doesn't miss those pitches.

 

Good to see Corey laying off pitches. He's on pace to surpass his career high in walks....by June 1st

[Invader3K]

Yeah, it was kind of weird to see Braun out right miss on two balls he probably would normally crush. I hope it was maybe just a mental thing and not a sign of continued injury problems.

[phxMILWfan]

I don't know about Fukudome, but Soriano BARELY speaks English. I x-rayed his hand last spring and asked him what he thought of the Brewers. He struggled to say "they are a good team too, but we will beat them". It was painful. I felt bad for even asking. He seemed nice but, I would pay to listen to him have a conversation with Fukudome.

[Janelle Larson]

I don't know about Fukudome, but Soriano BARELY speaks English. I x-rayed his hand last spring and asked him what he thought of the Brewers. He struggled to say "they are a good team too, but we will beat them". It was painful. I felt bad for even asking. He seemed nice but, I would pay to listen to him have a conversation with Fukudome.

I don't know how it compares to his English, but Soriano speaks Japanese fairly well.

[dlk9s]

Just a reminder for all those adding up missed calls and pointing to the gift run the Cubs got when the ump blew that double play...

 

Bill Hall also scored a run after being incorrectly called safe at first earlier in the game. So umpire gaffes resulting in runs wound up evening out. I doubt that makes anyone feel better but at least the need to assign blame in the wrong direction is lessened.

Hall was safe. His foot hit the bag at the same time Lee caught the ball. If he was out, it was by a couple millimeters.

 

As for the failure to send Hart in the 1st, the one thing I was thinking in defense of the 3rd base coach was that he put up the stop sign before knowing that Bradley's throw was bad. In my opinion, a good throw from Bradley, combined with an average throw from the cutoff, gets Hart at the plate. The problem is, the coach can't wait too long to make his decision, or Corey gets caught in no man's land. I didn't love that Corey was held, but I understood it. The coach had to make a judgment call and didn't know that the throw was going to be so bad.

[rluzinski]

I was at the game but didn't get a great look at where the ball was, relative to Hart. I just EXPECTED Hart to score from first with two outs, on a play that had Fielder jogging into second with a double. Maybe if it was Fielder at first and Hart hitting the double.... it just didn't make any sense.

 

And I'd guess something like 40% Cubs fans. We had about the nicest Cubs fans i've ever met in front of us (one guy admited that he really liked the Brewers and wished they weren't in the Cub's division) but it sucks leaving the park after a Brewer loss and hearing nothing but cheering. Three and a half hours and about $100 (tickets and concessions) for utter disgust. Makes my wish I'd just stayed home.

[WI SPORTS FAN]

I was at the game also last night. Sat in section 233 the seats were in the bleachers by the left field foul pole. Our section I would say the left field bleachers as a whole was around 50/50. The left field bleachers were very rowdy and alcohol had a lot to do with it. There was four fights that involved punches or beer thrown through out the game. The last fight was the worse a cubs fan punched a brewers fan in the back of the head as the last out was made. The two were involved in a arguement prior. The cubs guy was taken out by security and was talking to a police officer as we exited to leave our section after the game The two girlfriends of guys also got into a scratching match as well but was broken up quickly.We had a event services guy in our section all night for control.

 

I felt bad for some of the families with young childern that were in our section and near by. Most left early to get away from the crowd and the bad language being spoken.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

dlks - it's hard for me watching TV to completely gauge whether a good throw would have gotten him...you may be correct and I'll give you that. My beef was more philosophical. The windmill was aggressive last year and I liked it. He may have been out indeed, but put the pressure on the defense to make the throw. It takes two good throws and a solid tag to get someone. Most coaches are too conservative and are worried about making a mistake. Sveum got ripped on a few last year when they made the throws and were out by a mile, but there were even more plays where it forced a bad throw, the run scored and another runner could advance. I say get aggressive and put the pressure on the defense. Channel the windmill!!!