..:Official 2008 NL Central Thread:..Congratulations Chicago Cubs...:

[sickickz23]

Just your typical baseball game, where the Cubs comeback from a 9-1 deficit, and Lou Pinella puts his bench playersin.

October needs to come faster than ever.

 

[curtiscarter23]

If im dreaming dont *+*##*% wake me up! this is the best dream ive ever had! this cubs team just refuses to die! I dont give a +%!@ how i sound but... honestlyi got choked up watching this game! words cant describe this team right now! i know its early but credit has to be given where credit is due. Marmol comes inshuts people down and i loved the fact that kerry gave up a walk but settled down and got out of that @@$%. God in heaven, idk what is going on right now... idont want to jinx it so i will stop there. GREAT WIN!!!!!!

 

[CP1708]

This is one of those games.....

In 89 I remember we had a game against the Stros we were down like 8 or 9 to nothin and came back to win.
98 we had several games we came out in some high drama, like the Sosa 61, 62 game.
84 had Ryno eating Sutter's lunch.

I hope we keep it all going, but we still have work to do. Lilly needs to get right. We need Rich Hill to get back in shape. Marshall. Still a lot to takecare of. But why not pile up some wins while they sort this all out?

My dudes ZO and AM1 lovin the Rockies right now, just lovin em.

 

[arog27]

Cubs Comeback from 8 Runs Down, Shock Rockies
Cubs Win 5th Straight 10-9

CHICAGO -- While so many were overjoyed, Mark DeRosa was in disbelief.
"I was saying as I was walking over here, I'm like, 'I don't even know what just happened,'" he said. "Give me a little headsup on who did what during the game because it just seemed to all of a sudden steamroll into us getting a victory."

About 40,000 mesmerized Cubs fans -- and a few stunned Rockies supporters -- could probably give the infielder a little insight. The Cubs overcame aneight-run deficit to beat the Rockies, 10-9, for their fifth straight win on Friday afternoon.

DeRosa capped the return from 9-1 down in the sixth inning with a two-run homer as part of a six-run seventh. It marked the largest come-from-behind win forthe team since June 22, 1999, also against Colorado, when the Cubs also faced a 9-1 hole. On that day, they won ,13-12.

"Unbelievable, that game from the start, you were just like, 'Oh, it's going to be one of these games,'" DeRosa said, alluding to an8-0 lead the Rockies built up in the first 3 1/2 innings. "The way the wind was blowing [15 miles per hour out to center], you knew it was just a couplefly balls and we were back in the game."

Unlikely sources of power Kosuke Fukudome, Jim Edmonds and Henry Blanco provided home runs as well. Lou Piniella rested Aramis Ramirez and Ryan Theriot fromthe start and took out Derrek Lee and Geovany Soto for defensive replacements Micah Hoffpauir and Blanco in the sixth when down 9-1. At that point, DeRosaadmitted it looked pretty ugly.

But the switch to Hoffpauir and Blanco paid immediate dividends. Hoffpauir, who went 2-for-3, doubled into the left-field ivy to lead off the sixth.Fukudome followed with his third home run of the year and Edmonds made it back-to-back shots.

The homer did wonders for Edmonds' reputation. In the third, Edmonds let a Garrett Atkins fly ball drop through his hands on a miscommunication withAlfonso Soriano. That sounded the all-too-familiar Edmonds boos.

But with his first home run in white and blue, the former Cardinals center fielder may have won over a few Chicagoans.

"I hoped sooner or later [it would happen]," Edmonds said of pleasing the fans. "Sometimes when I'm in the outfield, I think I'mstill wearing red and white."

Edmonds doubled his hit total as a member of the Cubs with a 3-for-4 day after coming into the game batting .125 since being signed two weeks ago.

"I don't read the papers, I don't watch the TV too much," Edmonds said. "I know I'm struggling, and I know I need to pick it up.It's no secret. It's been going on for 12 months now. I'm just trying to keep my head above water and trying to figure out what'swrong."

But the Cubs were still down 9-4 through six. Chicago Blackhawks Hall of Famer Stan Mikita said, "Let's get some runs," to conclude theseventh-inning stretch. The Cubs heeded the call.

Mike Fontenot singled with one out to start a string of six straight hits. Fontenot scored when Blanco went deep for the first time since Sept. 22, 2006.Hoffpauir and Fukudome followed with singles.

Rockies starter Aaron Cook was pulled for Manuel Corpas (0-3) after Hoffpauir's hit. Edmonds then laced a two-run double to center before DeRosa steppedto the plate.

"I was just trying to get a base hit," DeRosa said. "I was 3-2, sitting on a fastball away, a sinker away, and he threw me a slider. I justhappened to get out in front of it. On a normal day, that ball probably doesn't go out."

But the wind howled out at times on Friday. DeRosa launched the ball to left-center. Jim Edmonds turned his back to home plate and raised his fists in theair. The fans echoed his sentiment.

"When DeRosa's ball went out of the ballpark, that's the loudest that this place has been this year by far," Piniella said. "It wasalmost deafening."

Notice the names Soriano, Lee and Ramirez weren't a part of the sixth- and seventh-inning magic. They aren't the only clutch hitters on theroster.

"It speaks volumes to the character of the team and the fact that Lou's not afraid to play everyone," DeRosa said. "Everyone feels likein that clubhouse that they're a part of the team. Everyone's contributed in their own personal way to our victories so far this year."

Scott Eyre (2-0) got the win in one-third of an inning of relief.

In his shortest outing of the season, Ted Lilly was tagged for seven runs -- four earned -- on eight hits in three innings. The Rockies plated four in thefirst, three in the third and one apiece in the fourth and fifth. But that was nearly forgotten a little later.

"The crowd had to enjoy this," Piniella said, "because I certainly did as a manager."

This is just plain unbelievable. I was at work on my lunch, and the score was 8-0. D. lee got pulled, Soto gotpulled.....this game was over. I go back into the breakroom, and the score is 10-9 Cubs...WOW !!!!! 4th straght come from behind win.......i mean, i know itsstill May.....but, cot damn man....

 

[pacmagic2002]

Jesus christ.........why cant we put the pirates away??? We make games WAYYYYY too close than they should be, thats not a good look, but a win is a win iguess.

 

[tylerdub]

Yesterdays game was a defining moment in this season. This may sound absolutely nuts, but i told my wife if the Cubs go to the Series i would spend 10 grandfor tickets, and then i started crying a little just thinking about it. lol. But seriously I did.
That game may have been the game that inspires and catapults this team to greatness. Hell, i cant even say anything bad about Edmonds right now, thats how goodthat felt. I couldnt be anything but happy when DeRosa hit that homer and Edmonds ran the bases with a big smile on his (weaselly) face, with his arms raisedabove his head.

What a game. What a team.

 

[Retroballer]

i feel like the Astros are on the start of a very bad string of games. i hope im wrong.

 

[tylerdub]

Homerun Soriano!!!!!
Great piece of batting by Dempster. I love to see a pitcher scoring and driving in runs!!!!

This team is playing sooooo well.

 

[am 1 fiend]

Originally Posted by tylerdub

Yesterdays game was a defining moment in this season. This may sound absolutely nuts, but i told my wife if the Cubs go to the Series i would spend 10 grand for tickets, and then i started crying a little just thinking about it. lol. But seriously I did.
That game may have been the game that inspires and catapults this team to greatness. Hell, i cant even say anything bad about Edmonds right now, thats how good that felt. I couldnt be anything but happy when DeRosa hit that homer and Edmonds ran the bases with a big smile on his (weaselly) face, with his arms raised above his head.

What a game. What a team.

 

[tylerdub]

^^^
ouch baby very ouch.

It will still feel great if we get there.

 

[am 1 fiend]

Originally Posted by tylerdub

^^^
ouch baby very ouch.

It will still feel great if we get there.

it's all good tylerdub. That Bartman pic is my ultimateemoticon, it can mean anything from

to

to

and even

 

[tylerdub]

LOL i can see how it wuold mean all that, for me it just means

and

and

 

[shabooyah1124]

Best record in baseball

. And much props to my favorite player of all time, Mr. Ken Griffey Jr. 1 away from the 600 club.

 

[arog27]

Soriano Goes Yard, Cubs Win 6th in a Row
Cubs Win 5-4 over Rockies
Alfonso Soriano homered and drove in three runs Saturday to help the Chicago Cubs beat the Colorado Rockies 5-4 for their sixth straight win.

The NL Central-leading Cubs improved to 25-8 at Wrigley Field this season and handed the Rockies their sixth straightloss.

With the wind blowing out at 14 mph and gusting up to 20 mph, balls again had a jet stream to ride over the fence. The teams combined for seven homers Friday-- four by Chicago and three by Colorado -- and four more went out Saturday, three by the Rockies.

Ryan Dempster (7-2) struggled with his command and lasted just five innings, but managed to get the win. He walked four, hit a batter with a pitch and wascharged with three runs and three hits.

Three Cubs relievers combined for three hitless innings before Carlos Marmol worked the ninth for his third save in four chances.

Kosuke Fukudome backed Marmol with a nice catch in front of the right-field wall for the second out on a long drive by Omar Quintanilla. Scott Podsednikfollowed with a homer to right to cut it to 5-4 but Marmol struck out Willy Taveras to end the game.

Rockies left-hander and former Cub Glendon Rusch (1-3), making his first start since July 9, 2006, gave up nine hits and five runs in 4 2-3 innings.

Quintanilla hit his first major league homer, a two-run shot in the second, to give the Rockies the lead one day after they squandered an eight-run cushion ina 10-9 loss.

Chicago responded with three runs in the bottom half. Dempster hit an RBI double and Soriano followed with his 12th homer to make it 3-2.

Geovany Soto's RBI double, a ball that appeared to tip off the glove of center fielder Taveras, made it 4-2 in the third and Soriano added an RBI single inthe fourth.

Todd Helton connected for his second homer in as many games, cutting it to 5-3 in the fifth.

First base umpire Brian O'Nora had to leave the game in the top of the second after hurting the back of his left leg -- apparently after running to theoutfield the previous inning to make a ruling on a catch -- and was taken to a local hospital for an MRI exam. The game continued with three umps.

Rusch pitched three years with the Cubs and was released after his 2006 season was cut short by a blood clot in his lung. He made a comeback with the Padresearlier this season, pitching 12 games in relief, going 1-2 with a 6.41 ERA. He refused an outright assignment to the minors in early May and became a freeagent. His contract was purchased from Triple-A Colorado Springs so he could pitch Saturday's game.

 

[arog27]

....and by the way, that walk-off homer that Bruce hit for the Reds was a complete bomb. That kid looks good.

 

[los angeles fresh]

Cubs win...Junior gets 599, and Jay Bruce is on my fantasy team...what a good day.

 

[arog27]

Originally Posted by Los Angeles Fresh

Cubs win...Junior gets 599, and Jay Bruce is on my fantasy team...what a good day.

.....and I hit 3 homers in softball

 

[pacmagic2002]

Jesus christ...........Do the Pirates ONLY look this good against the cardinals?? Parisi should have stayed in the pen.

 

[tylerdub]

Originally Posted by aRog27

Originally Posted by Los Angeles Fresh

Cubs win...Junior gets 599, and Jay Bruce is on my fantasy team...what a good day.

.....and I hit 3 homers in softball

Did you really? Are you playing 16 inch?

My team could use a guy like you. We are ok defensively but suck at batting. Myself and 3 other guys can hit, everyone else hits dribblers to the shortstopor fly balls every time.

 

[arog27]

Soriano Hits # 13, Edmonds Contributes to Sweep
Cubs Win 7th in a Row, 5-3 over Rockies

CHICAGO -- Jim Edmonds doubled, tripled and walked in a run to help the Cubs beat the Rockies, 5-3, on Sunday to finish off a four-game sweepand extend their Major League-leading winning streak to seven.
Alfonso Soriano homered for the second straight day as Sean Gallagher (3-1) notched the win with 5 2/3 innings of work,surrendering three runs on six hits. The rookie struck out a career-high eight and walked none in front of 41,730, the biggest crowd of the season at WrigleyField.

Ryan Theriot singled and scored on an Aramis Ramirez single in the first to give the Cubs the early lead, but the Rockies moved on top in the fourth whenGarrett Atkins led off the inning with a single and moved to third on Seth Smith's double. Ian Stewart drove in Atkins with a single, and Omar Quintanilladrove in Smith with a sacrifice fly to left.

The Cubs took the lead back in the bottom half of the fourth. Ramirez singled to lead off. After Kosuke Fukudome struck out, Geovany Soto walked and Edmondsdoubled home Ramirez. Mark DeRosa reached on an error to plate Soto and put the Cubs up, 3-2.

Theriot and Micah Hoffpauir singled and Ramirez walked to load the bases with no outs in the fifth. Ubaldo Jimenez (1-6) fanned Fukudome and Soto, butwalked Edmonds to bring Theriot home.

Omar Quintanilla's two-out double in the sixth ended Gallagher's day. Michael Wuertz came in and gave up a run-scoring double and a walk beforestriking out pinch-hitter Willy Taveras to get out of the jam with the Cubs leading, 4-3.

Manuel Corpas relieved Jimenez after the fifth and gave up Soriano's 13th home run, a solo smash to left.

Scott Eyre and Bob Howry kept the lead intact for Kerry Wood, who picked up his 14th save.

Kosuke Fukudome went 0-for-4 and struck out three times in a game for the first time in his rookie season.

The Cubs finish their 7 game homestand at a perfect 7-0. They improve the majors best record to 36-21 and thebest homerecord at 26-8.

 

[arog27]

....almost forgot.......the girls say "hi"

 

[curtiscarter23]

^^LMAO! Go Cubs.

 

[CP1708]

Let the comparisons begin, Cubs best record in baseball on June 1st for the first time since......since.....yep, 1908.

Everytime we have the best record on June 1st, we win the title.

\

Good God that's depressing.

 

[tylerdub]

LOL that is depressing. I am not gonna make comparisons or complain too much. This is a very good baseball team. I need to just sit back and enjoy it.Hopefully something (world series) happens. But it will still be a great season to watch.

 

[truthmain]

[h1]Ex-Cubs hurler Prior to have season-ending surgery[/h1] The Associated Press 8:49 PM CDT, June 1, 2008
SAN FRANCISCO - San Diego Padres pitcher Mark Prior will undergo season-ending surgery on his injured right shoulder, the latest medical setback to a once-promising career.

Padres manager Bud Black announced the decision to operate before Sunday's game against the San Francisco Giants. Prior, one of the top young pitchers in the game for the Chicago Cubs just a few years ago, has not pitched in the majors since Aug. 10, 2006.

He had been trying to make a comeback with his hometown Padres this season, but his rehab process was shut down at extended spring training about two weeks ago when he had more soreness in the shoulder. Prior, 27, had surgery on the same shoulder in April 2007 while with the Cubs.

"I can't imagine how frustrated he is," Black said. "It looked like everything was on course. Then to have this happen I'm sure is extremely frustrating. I'm upset for him just because there was such confidence from him about how he felt."

The operation to repair the anterior capsule in Prior's shoulder will be performed at Scripps Clinic as early as this week by team orthopedics Dr. Heinz Hoenecke and Dr. Jan Fronek.

The Padres won't know when, or if, Prior will be able to pitch again until after the operation.

"I think that will be determined once they go in and see what they have to repair," Black said.

Prior began throwing in January and was slowly making progress in hopes of a return to the majors. As recently as last month, the Padres still hoped Prior could make it back to the mound this season. But he never made it far enough to appear in a game at any level.

"You never know until you really step up the intensity," Black said. "And the fullest test of intensity is game action and he didn't get that far."

Prior, who is 42-29 with a 3.51 ERA in his injury-plagued career, last pitched in 2006 when he went 1-6 with a 7.21 ERA in nine games for the Cubs. He was the second overall pick in the 2001 amateur draft out of Southern California and went 18-6 with a 2.43 ERA in 2003, finishing third in NL Cy Young Award balloting in his first full season in the majors.

But he has made only 57 starts since 2003 because of injuries to his shoulder, elbow, oblique and Achilles.

Black also said that right-hander Cha Seung Baek will start Monday against the Cubs in place of injured lefty Shawn Estes, who broke the thumb on his pitching hand when he fell on the tunnel stairs between the team's clubhouse and dugout Friday in San Francisco.

Baek was acquired last week in a trade with Seattle. He struck out the side in the 12th inning to get the win in his Padres debut on Friday night against the Giants.

Shame what this kid could have been

.