That's not the way to start the season

Ivy Walls <nospamrnemanich RemoveThis @sbc.global.net> wrote:
> You have to ask the question was Vazquez that bad or the Cubs that hot.
> In the papers Vazquez said he made some good pitches and the Cubs seemed
> to smoke line drives.

There was also some speculation that Vazquez may have been tipping his
pitches, but that doesn't explain how the Cubs scored 9 runs off the rest
of the staff.

A friend who lives out of state and caught the game on ESPN says that Rick
Sutcliffe didn't think Lopez's breaking stuff was breaking and that it
might be indicative of an elbow problem.

> My problem with the D-Backs is what they are saying with your SS,
> (Royce), I have seen him ply his trade in Milwaukee and ChiSox, he seems
> to be on teams that play well below .500.

Well, that's interesting, but I'm not one for superstition, so unless you
can point to his bat being a huge hole in the lineup as the sole cause of
a team stinking, I'd tend to think there are other reasons he's played for
sub-.500 teams.

> For the D-Backs today Ortiz needs to go 6 plus innings otherwise the
> bullpen will be spent already for tomorrow.

I'm not predicting a stellar start for Ortiz. If the Cubs hit today the
way they did yesterday, it'll be a long afternoon.

If there's any good news, it's that for some strange reason, Maddux has
not pitched as brilliantly against the D-Backs as he has against other
teams. Of course, today, he'll probably pitch 7 strong innings and leave
the game with a 1 hit shutout.

--Paul
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"Paul Wylie" <paul DeleteThis @teamwylie.removemunged.org> wrote in message
news:d2udqc$bgk$1@reader1.panix.com...
> Ivy Walls <nospamrnemanich DeleteThis @sbc.global.net> wrote:
> > You have to ask the question was Vazquez that bad or the Cubs that hot.
> > In the papers Vazquez said he made some good pitches and the Cubs seemed
> > to smoke line drives.
>
> There was also some speculation that Vazquez may have been tipping his
> pitches, but that doesn't explain how the Cubs scored 9 runs off the rest
> of the staff.
>
Again that game I would not focus on the pitching except that it can be
troubling that Vazquez is continuing on the slide that began after last
year's All Star break.


> A friend who lives out of state and caught the game on ESPN says that Rick
> Sutcliffe didn't think Lopez's breaking stuff was breaking and that it
> might be indicative of an elbow problem.
>
Sut would know.

> > My problem with the D-Backs is what they are saying with your SS,
> > (Royce), I have seen him ply his trade in Milwaukee and ChiSox, he seems
> > to be on teams that play well below .500.
>
> Well, that's interesting, but I'm not one for superstition, so unless you
> can point to his bat being a huge hole in the lineup as the sole cause of
> a team stinking, I'd tend to think there are other reasons he's played for
> sub-.500 teams.
>
What it is indicative is that Royce seems to be the choice of teams that are
not true contenders. On the surface he appears to be a good glove guy and a
fair streky hitter who has a long swing for a singles/double guy. I just
think at that position you have to have better talen, either the best glove
guy, or a glove guy who has great baserunning capabilities or a fair glove
guy who is truly an offensive force. Clayton is none of them.

acks today Ortiz needs to go 6 plus innings otherwise the
> > bullpen will be spent already for tomorrow.
>
> I'm not predicting a stellar start for Ortiz. If the Cubs hit today the
> way they did yesterday, it'll be a long afternoon.

that might mean that the Cubs actually listened to Clines (their new hitting
coach) in spring.
>
> If there's any good news, it's that for some strange reason, Maddux has
> not pitched as brilliantly against the D-Backs as he has against other
> teams.

Madduz now notoriously is a poor starter, his movement and command are not
refined so he walks too many in April and May and then has to let the ball
find too much of the plate.

My guess is that Maddux doesn't see much past the 6th inning at best
tonight.
Of course, today, he'll probably pitch 7 strong innings and leave
> the game with a 1 hit shutout.
>
> --Paul
> ** Note "removemunged" in email address and remove to reply. **
 >> Stay informed about: That's not the way to start the season