Gents - I had a chance to meet up with LH briefly on Saturday after the game, so now we all know each other. LH, thanks for the text; sorry I had to guzzle a beer and run, but my presence was demanded for late afternoon at home since I was going to miss the day yesterday. Glad we got at least a brief chance to chat, and I hope your flight back to LA was uneventful yesterday.
Sorry to all for jinxing us at Wrigley yesterday, but I see at least three reasons it's not my fault we didn't sweep:
1. As BG noted in a text, that lineup, with no Span, no Cuddyer, and no Crede, "sucks nuts."
2. Speaking of, was Crede totally unavailable today? At at least two different points in the last three innings, he would have been a nice PH insert. I'd think if Gardy needed to give him a day off in the series, then with Harden and Wells going the first two days, he'd pick one of those instead of taking him out against a lefty.
3. If Tolbert's going to play, why on Earth is he batting leadoff? I'd rather have Punto there, for crying out loud. Harris is hitting a hundred points higher and probably has 150 points of OBP over Tolbert. He is totally clueless at the plate. Lilly was blowing 87 MPH fastballs by him like it was me up there.
4. Likewise, Crede catches at least one, if not both of those balls in the 9th. He also definitely does not let Lee slide in under him
or drop the throw on the play at third.
5. Crain should not be on the roster, much less on the hill. Not to mention Nathan had fully warmed up in the 8th. I know you'd rather not use him three days in a row unless it's a save situation, but bringing in Crain to pitch in that high stress a situation is throwing in the towel. Ayala pitched a perfect 8th in about 10 pitches, too - why take him out?
6. I like our chances with two on, one out and Mauer and Morneau up in the 9th. Couldn't ask for much more than that. Justin's officially in a slump; he hit about two solid balls in this series.
Other notes:
- F.O.B. Lucas when Gomez stole third: "It doesn't really matter, though, with two outs." Me after Punto bunts for a single: "Really? Welcome to Twins baseball!" Lucas: "The Cubs have
never had two guys on the team that could pull that off." I pointed out that that's the sort of thing that routinely gives Hawk Harrelson a heart attack, so the Cubs aren't alone.
- Gomez both kept us in it with his bat, and cost us the first run through fear of the brick wall. I'll forgive that one, though. We had no ability to manufacture much yesterday, so he swung for the fences and cleared them when no one else could. Wind was steady from center - Fukudome should have had two dingers but got none, so Gomez smoked that ball that went out.
- Delmon is completely lost. At some point, does he hit bottom and start asking the coaching staff for help? He needs to start all over again. That play in the ninth was not his fault, though - he was playing prevent a double defense and the ball died in the grass in shallow left. He made a strong and accurate throw that Tolbert plain dropped.
