After my trip to Wrigley last year I'll always root against the Cubs. Sweep today.

Geez, what happened in Wrigley?

Sweet map. Tanaka's a bad-ass at any temperature.

stoked. I have some mundane tasks to do which is perfect for watching the game while I work. Also working form home helps. :)

[2] Worst baseball fans I've ever encountered. And its not close. Rude, obnoxious, couldn't give a shit less about the game. It was a giant outdoor beer garden.

Place was kind of a dump too.

Theo inherited a bad, 71-win Cubs team in October 2011. He's turned in 61 and 66-win seasons so far since then. 2014 also does not look good, but hard to be worse. How long does a new GM (with the resources of the Chicago Cubs) have to turn it around? 5 years max, right?

If Billy Beane took over a 71-win Mets team, I can't believe they'd be satisfied winning 60-something games three years later.

The Cubs have talent on the way, but we'll see if Theo can pull another David Ortiz off the scrap heap, or turn c-level prospects into a Curt Schilling to go with them.

[6] Remember when the Yankee front office thought Wilson Betemit was the new David Ortiz?

Boo-yah!

Homer, double is sweet. Double, homer is sweeter.

ok, good start fellas. Tanaka has struggled early in his early starts. I'm curious to see how today goes. First inning was solid except for that unusual walk.

he's safe.

Safe.

But why the bunt against Tanaka strategy? That's the second bunt attempt for a basehit in 2 innings.

Here's my grand idea. Play the replays on the stadium big screens. Plug the decision onto the big screen. Why the umps need to run to the side of the field an put on headsets is a waste of time.

[14] I think they would want the umpires to look like they are still in control on some level. And I can see why that's important. But maybe a wireless head set? I mean, there are definitely ways to make it more efficient. But it's brand new so I don't think it's a big deal they haven't figured that all out yet.

They put the Cervelli play on the big screen

This Cubs lineup is the pits.

When a pitcher can get a batter to stare a 3rd strike fastball down the chute you know he's confused. Atta boy, Tanaka.

I think I channeled that whole scoresheet discussion. I started thinking I should be keeping score and the next thing I know Kay and folks are discussing their scoresheets.

Lol... There it is a again. Siddown ya' chump!

did jete hit his slam off glendon rusch?

hi seamus!!! : )

[21] nostrelarmis! Howdy.

wow, that barely fit in there.

That's what she said.

Would have liked more than one run there.

Tanaka! 6ks so far...

Tanaka is motoring along. He's fun to watch.

i'll take the sun induced hit.

I am thoroughly confused.

well that was interesting.

can you guys spell it out for the gamedayers?

ah ha! "If a play follows the interference, the manager of the offense may advise the plate umpire that he elects to decline the interference penalty and accept the play. "

Nice catch, snozzberry.

[31] Ellsbury swung and hit the catchers glove before hitting the ball. So it's catchers interference and gets first base. Gardner had scored on the play. Apparently you can decline the penalty and take the play. So Girardi took the play, Ellsbury was out at first base, and Gardner scored.

wow, great catch!

[34] Wow. I can't believe he did that. He took a ground out over a walk?

I like Girardi a lot, but be makes a couple of tight-ass decisions a year that drive me crazy. Like the IBB in the 1st inning of opening day to Sean Rodriguez.

TANAKA!

[36] Yeah he opted to take the run basically.

Nice tanaKa!

Tanaka versus the Cubs is like Godzilla versus a Ford Focus.

[39] Currently it looks like each run is about 10 runs vs this Cubs team, so I can understand why he'd think small. But 3 run leads can get really scary any time. I'd play for the big inning with 1st and 3rd, one out and my 4-5 hitters coming up. If you have no faith in Sori, steal 2nd. (tho if you have no faith in Sori, why is he batting 4th?).

6)I was reading the other day how the Rickets (Cubs owners) don't have money. Ironically, the way some clubs generate cash is a modern stadium and the Cubs probably generate $ by selling it as this historic site. They will always sell tickets for that curiosity. Theo is putting together prospects but it is tbd if they will bloom into anything. Still, if they can get a Tampa Bay type of system of young players at low payroll playing in a museum, maybe that works for the Rickets? I don't think Theo is in jeopardy. In fact, it probably lends credibility that they are committed to winning by having him there since he had a hand in ending the Red Sox curse.

[42] I was good with taking the run but your argument is valid. I just think this is not our best offense and a run in the hand is better than two in the bush haha.

[43] I don't know the Cubs situation except they play in a big market. I'm sure they are crying poor, and I guess it could be true that they are poor, but that smells off to me.

Players need to be doing that more. Bunt against the shift.

[46] agreed

I think he is safe.

Looks out to me...

[46] There are plenty of times it makes sense to bunt against the shift. It should be on a card in the dugout, like 2 point conversions or something. Bottom of ninth, no one on, down 2 runs, bunt against the shift. Etc...

Challenges are beginning to be tiresome to us who watch all the games. Pace of already slow game becomes painfully slow.

[51] I agree, and I haven't even watched much yet. The first question to ask before they instituted replay is "how fast can it be determined that a call is correct?" and then second, "how can we make it happen that fast on the field?"

boom! Loving Tanaka!

[50] I agree. It'd be smart to just have a cheat sheet like that. The key thing though is that I think that som eplayers who maybe traditionally didn't practice the bunt, probably should. Lay enough of those down and you might alter field positioning against you.

[52] Yeah but don't you think they tried to achieve that? My experience is it's rare that brand new things (processes especially) work smoothly right out of the box. I just hope they make adjustments before the off season. They are hopefully looking at making updates to the process throughout the year to make it work more smoothly.

I like this Tanaka fellow.

Tanakkkkkkkkkka!

Sweet win

How many pitches did Tanaka toss? They should have left him in to finish up the shutout.

Sláinte! Great game. Tanaka is a real prize. Now if he could only teach CC the splitter. : )

[57] that about sums it up!

[57] that about sums it up.

[59] 117, I believe. Long season and the pen has had two days off. No problem with saving some of his bullets here.