Well, the Cubs resumed their home run hitting yesterday, and Zambrano pitched considerably better than he did on opening day.
Now, I admit, I didn't see the game yesterday as I was busy at my part time job working photo finish equipment at a track meet until 10:30 last night.
Zambrano did give up 3 runs in 7 innings. The Cubs hit 3 homers...Kosuke, Soriano...and the game winning RBI by Jeff Baker as he pinch hit for Mike Fontenot and hit a homer off of Arthur Rhodes.
This is a big advantage to having the platoon at second base, being able to just swap out Fontenot for Baker allows Lou to really let these guys play to their strengths.
Marmol supposedly looked fantastic. That's good. Now if we could just get to the ninth inning with the lead on a consistent basis.
Ok folks...now lets examine these first 5 games now...we all know what happened opening day. But the 4 games since, this team has played quite good baseball except for the bullpen.
This team is good. And the bullpen will get fixed...I always say that the bullpen is a craps shoot...and it takes a little while to figure out who is good and who gets sent back to the minor leagues. The Cubs do have some options in Iowa to call up...someone will step up. And Jim Hendry isn't going to stand by too long either.
The bullpen will get fixed. The Cubs do have the resources available to fix it.
If you want to be concerned about anything, then start being concerned about Geovany Soto...because he is not playing much better than he did last year right now.
Ok...
Today's game,
Sloth is pitching against Mike Leake, who is making his major league debut. Leake was the Red's first round draft pick from last season...and hasn't pitched at all in the minor leagues. He wasn't given much of a chance to make the big league team at the start of spring, but pitched well enough to push Dusty Baker to put him into the rotation. This decision was probably made easier as Aroldis Chapman tweaked his back and forced the Reds to start him in the minor leagues to open the season.
Mike Leake did pitch in the Arizona Fall League this past season and he posted an impressive 1.37 ERA in 5 starts.
Now, assuming Dusty Baker doesn't ruin these guys, the Reds have a system that is just loaded with good young arms.
Let's hope that the Cubs give this kid a rude welcoming to the big leagues today.
