Final Record: 51-74
Games Behind First: 21.5 GB
When it looked like it couldn't get any harder on the schedule, it did. The stretch of tough teams ended with two of the three division leaders in the National League came to Wrigley Field. The Cubs haven't played well against these teams, and it didn't get any better this week.
Tom Gorzelanny and Kevin Correia battled it out in a scoreless game until Correia helped himself out with an RBI double in the 5th. The Padres got five more in the next two innings, and the game appeared to be out of reach. However, the Cubs got two in the 7th and three in the 8th thanks to a Kosuke Fukudome two-run double, an Alfonso Soriano RBI double, and a Blake DeWitt two-run homer. The homer made it 7-5 and an exciting game. Chris Denorfia hit a two-run triple off Andrew Cashner, however, and the four run lead was insurmountable for the Cubs. On Tuesday night there was a series pitchers duel, but the only problem was that the Cubs were behind the entire game. Chase Headley hit an RBI groundout, nothing flashy, in the first inning and that was the only run for either team. Jon Garland, Opening Day starter for the Padres, threw seven shutout innings allowing seven total baserunners. Randy Wells also allowed seven baserunners over seven but it wasn't good enough, the Cubs took the loss. Give Mike Adams and Heath Bell, the best setup-closer combo in baseball, credit for holding a tight game. The Cubs would only get one run the next day, from a Jeff Baker RBI double. Former White Sox Clayton Richard shut down the Cubs, just like Garland did less than 24 hours before. Adrian Gonzalez hit a homer and would later score on a wild pitch in the 5-1 win. The annoying Padres struck again with four in the 7th on Thursday after the Cubs actually had a 2-1 lead. The Padres got their first sweep of the Cubs at Wrigley Field since 2006. I mentioned last week that the Giants are a ready playoff team, and I must say the same about these guys. They were even more impressive with young talent like Will Venable and Chase Headley and all of that young pitching. They were also more frustrating to play against, and I had more respect for the Giants. Maybe I'm just the Cubs fan tired of losing and getting impatient with this month long slump.
The news of the week was that on Wednesday Derrek Lee was traded to the Atlanta Braves for minor league pitchers Robinson Lopez, Tyrelle Harris, and Jeffrey Lorick. With the Cubs hosting the Braves starting Friday, Lee would make his debut against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. It was quite a sad day when the Lee era on the North Side ended after seven great years. Xavier Nady started at first base for the entire Padres series because of the impending trade, but word didn't sneak out until Wednesday a few hours prior to the trade. Ryan Dempster started on Friday afternoon against Atlanta and batting fourth was the first baseman, Derrek Lee. When his name was announced, the Wrigley crowd gave him a big standing ovation. He lined the first pitch he saw to Alfonso Soriano in left to end the inning. Koyie Hill hit an RBI single off Jair Jurrjens in the 2nd for the early lead, but Dempster would give it up with a homer to Omar Infante and a rare ground-rule double scoring a run for Alex Gonzalez. Aramis Ramirez answered right back with a solo homer to tie it. Ramirez would give the Cubs the lead with an RBI double, with what looked like the go-ahead run. In the 9th with Carlos Marmol trying to save a 3-2 game, Martin Prado drew a leadoff walk. Lee struck out, then Brian McCann walked. Then Alex Gonzalez walked. Melky Cabrera showed no plate discipline and a low baseball IQ by swinging at the first two pitches after Marmol had walked the bases loaded! He struck out, setting the stage for Rick Ankiel to bat with a full count. Ankiel lined it down the right field line scoring all three runs in one of the worst outings for Carlos Marmol in a long time. The Cubs offense had no fight left, and lost 5-3. Tom Gorzelanny improved to 7-7 after beating the Braves Saturday, getting five runs early on in what looked like an easy cruise to victory. Andrew Cashner struggled big time and gave up three after Gorzelanny's one and the Braves pulled within one run. This time, however, Sean Marshall and Carlos Marmol shut the door. The Cubbie World was taken by some somewhat surprising news on Sunday morning when Lou Piniella announced his retirement, effective immediately after Sunday's game. The main cause was for his ill mother and Piniella wanted to spend time with his family. There was a pregame mini ceremony to honor Piniella before his last game. Omar Infante hit a homer in the first, but Marlon Byrd answered with an RBI single. Jason Heyward then homered, but an Aramis Ramirez two-run homer gave the Cubs a 3-2 lead. This is when the game got ugly. In the 7th and 8th, the Braves put up nine runs total off the terrible bullpen. Omar Infante hit another homer, a three-run homer, and Derrek Lee added his first hit of the series, a three-run bases clearing double. It was a complete blowout when the Cubs scraped together two in the 8th. The Braves won, 16-5, that being the same score they beat the Cubs on Opening Day. After the game Lou Piniella went right to the clubhouse emotionally and then had his last press conference. In the conference he reflected on his times with the Cubs, all the fun he has had, and sadly realizing this is the end of his baseball career and the last time he will put on a uniform. Piniella began crying at the latter part and looked emotional throughout. Read more about this in my upcoming post about the Piniella era on the Cubs. Also, Derrek Lee's Cubs career will be reflected upon in a separate post. For Cubs coverage, make sure to keep it here for the best analysis on the Cubs Insider Blog!
The news of the week was that on Wednesday Derrek Lee was traded to the Atlanta Braves for minor league pitchers Robinson Lopez, Tyrelle Harris, and Jeffrey Lorick. With the Cubs hosting the Braves starting Friday, Lee would make his debut against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. It was quite a sad day when the Lee era on the North Side ended after seven great years. Xavier Nady started at first base for the entire Padres series because of the impending trade, but word didn't sneak out until Wednesday a few hours prior to the trade. Ryan Dempster started on Friday afternoon against Atlanta and batting fourth was the first baseman, Derrek Lee. When his name was announced, the Wrigley crowd gave him a big standing ovation. He lined the first pitch he saw to Alfonso Soriano in left to end the inning. Koyie Hill hit an RBI single off Jair Jurrjens in the 2nd for the early lead, but Dempster would give it up with a homer to Omar Infante and a rare ground-rule double scoring a run for Alex Gonzalez. Aramis Ramirez answered right back with a solo homer to tie it. Ramirez would give the Cubs the lead with an RBI double, with what looked like the go-ahead run. In the 9th with Carlos Marmol trying to save a 3-2 game, Martin Prado drew a leadoff walk. Lee struck out, then Brian McCann walked. Then Alex Gonzalez walked. Melky Cabrera showed no plate discipline and a low baseball IQ by swinging at the first two pitches after Marmol had walked the bases loaded! He struck out, setting the stage for Rick Ankiel to bat with a full count. Ankiel lined it down the right field line scoring all three runs in one of the worst outings for Carlos Marmol in a long time. The Cubs offense had no fight left, and lost 5-3. Tom Gorzelanny improved to 7-7 after beating the Braves Saturday, getting five runs early on in what looked like an easy cruise to victory. Andrew Cashner struggled big time and gave up three after Gorzelanny's one and the Braves pulled within one run. This time, however, Sean Marshall and Carlos Marmol shut the door. The Cubbie World was taken by some somewhat surprising news on Sunday morning when Lou Piniella announced his retirement, effective immediately after Sunday's game. The main cause was for his ill mother and Piniella wanted to spend time with his family. There was a pregame mini ceremony to honor Piniella before his last game. Omar Infante hit a homer in the first, but Marlon Byrd answered with an RBI single. Jason Heyward then homered, but an Aramis Ramirez two-run homer gave the Cubs a 3-2 lead. This is when the game got ugly. In the 7th and 8th, the Braves put up nine runs total off the terrible bullpen. Omar Infante hit another homer, a three-run homer, and Derrek Lee added his first hit of the series, a three-run bases clearing double. It was a complete blowout when the Cubs scraped together two in the 8th. The Braves won, 16-5, that being the same score they beat the Cubs on Opening Day. After the game Lou Piniella went right to the clubhouse emotionally and then had his last press conference. In the conference he reflected on his times with the Cubs, all the fun he has had, and sadly realizing this is the end of his baseball career and the last time he will put on a uniform. Piniella began crying at the latter part and looked emotional throughout. Read more about this in my upcoming post about the Piniella era on the Cubs. Also, Derrek Lee's Cubs career will be reflected upon in a separate post. For Cubs coverage, make sure to keep it here for the best analysis on the Cubs Insider Blog!
-Special note to Jay Gibbons, outfielder on the Los Angeles Dodgers. Gibbons hit 121 homers in seven seasons in Baltimore in his prime, back a while ago. Having not played in a major league game since 2007, Gibbons worked his way back from injuries and the death trap for washed up veterans known as the minors impressively. I saw this guy in the AAA All-Star Game on MLB Network, and it's inspirational to baseball to watch somebody not give up and fight back even when people had their doubts.
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