Gypsies, Nationals and Thieves (while we're on the theme of stealing)
No sooner than the Cubs kick off a 3-game winning streak does it end and get replaced with a 2-game losing, a small thread of errors, missed opportunities and ominous maybe-injuries.
Washington chose the weapon of the Cubs' destruction, and in these two 1-run losses (bringing the season total to ), errors decided our fate.
On Saturday, a single by 3B Vinny Castilla with 1 out and the bases loaded turned into 2 runs after Dubois' throwing error. After the whoops, both base runners on 2nd and 3rd would eventually come home on RBI singles off an arm-strained Zambrano (more on him later).
Not even RBIs from Jose Macias could revive the Cubs from that 4-1 hole in the 4th Inning, and the Cubs sank 4-3.
On Sunday, Neifi Perez took the bad-play spotlight, swallowing a routine ground-ball and guffing it, sending it trickling into center field and letting what would be the game-winning run score from 2nd base in the 6th Inning. As if that wasn't enough, an infield single to a fumbling Neifi in the 3rd seemed harmless enough, but instead of being the 3rd out, it led to an RBI single from the next man up, Cub Slayer Jose Guillen.
The Cubs get a rest day in Time Out to spend thinking about what they've done recently, and will no doubt be cautious with an ominous week ahead -
Tuesday and Wednesday -- they visit the Pirates (7-3 in their last 10, although a terrible 5-10 at home)
Friday-Sunday -- at home to the best team in baseball, the Chicago White Sox
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So, Zambrano, how's the arm? He left on Saturday after 3 1/3 innings (65 pitches) with an apparent injury to his forearm. According to ESPN, he will have it examined in more detail today and is considered questionable for his next start -- fingers crossed, and LB will play messenger as soon as we find out.
posted by Jim Hendry @ 9:16 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Carlos has left other games due to forearm cramps, and I wonder if his current injury is linked somehow to those cramps. I read that it was a forearm injury. In the past he has pitched through this difficulty, but perhaps it was somehow aggrivated due to the rain delay. I really hope he does not have to miss any starts. The cubs are in rough enough shape as it is, and we need our pitching staff to stay afloat. Being down one starter is bad enough.
Yeah, they were gossiping on ESPN a lot today about the Cubs, and about whether or not Dusty overworks his pitching staffs which leads to minor and yet recurring problems like cramps and overextensions, etc.
I think he'll be fine though, El Toro - his MRIs were negative and he's not about to let something small get in the way of him serving his duty to the team.
He's due to start on friday, correct? Definitely one of the White Sox series, for sure... so let's see what happens.
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