Derrek Lee must be reading LB
ESPN Boxscore
In what must be the 7th or 8th freak occurrence surrounding the Cubs this season, just days after LB comes out and questions Lee's recent form, he responds in kind, clubbing 2 HRs including the game-winning, come-from-behind 2-run HR in the 9th inning. Jose Mesa, a powerful closer who hadn't blown a save in over a year, decided to pitch to him with 1st base open, and after trying to muscle him with a fastball inside, Lee picked it up and sent it soaring into deep left-center field.
It was amazing, considering the relative frustration the Cubs had endured up to that point - despite out-hitting the Pirates 13-7, they trailed 3-2, leaving 10 men on base and 4 runners in scoring position with 2 outs.
In the 9th, after a Jerry Hairston Jr. double (2-5, 2 R), Lee came to the plate and the rest is history.
We can't win like this all the time - as TheHawk and I talked after the game, he made a good point: the Cubs need to start winning by playing solid games from start to finish, as we can't rely on these come-from-behind, last-gasp wins in the dying innings.
I'll take it for now, however, as it brings the Cubs to 17-20 and tied for 3rd with Pittsburgh in the NL Central. It isn't as bad as it sounds - the Phillies beat the Cardinals again last night 7-5, leading the season series 3-1 and outscoring them 35-19 throughout (we should be studying those tapes! Or trade for Bobby Abreu...)
Small fact before I depart:
The Cubs are currently 7-9 in 1-run games so far this season.
posted by Jim Hendry @ 11:06 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
So how about the Dempster as closer? He looked very solid last night.
There are only 14 teams in the American League, while the National has 16. We need to get the Commish to move the Diamond Backs into the American League West and push the Astros into the National League West. That would even up both leagues and all six divisions. Currently, the NLC has six teams. That's almost as many as the whole National League had in my youth. How dumb is that?
And make the Cardinals play the White Sox this year! Stupid schedule!
Yeah, Dempster did the job. A strikeout, no-one allowed on base, straight up and straight back down.
I think he'll relish growing into that role somewhat, given that it's his to lose. He has seemed increasingly uncomfortable in a starter's role because of his pitch range and selection... always seems to get high into pitch counts within the first 4 innings and then comes out of the game soon after.
How about Will Ohman?!?!
Last 10 days:
2-0 in relief, 0.00 ERA (4 IP, H, 4 K, BAA .083)
He seems to be a valuable guy in those 6-8 innings if the starter's in trouble...
and yeah, I would like to see the Cardinals play the White Sox instead of Kansas City.
However, they do have a nasty run in early June, playing the Red Sox and the Yankees in 2 straight series (although both of those are in St. Louis!!! Meanwhile we have to travel to Yankee Stadium!)
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