But let's move along to some better news: The first televised game of Chicago Cubs baseball in 2010. I figured I might as well live blog it, even though live-blogging exhibition baseball is sure to get boring fast. Additionally, I assume it will be even more boring for you to read, but let's do this anyway...
Game: Chicago White Sox(0-1) vs. Chicago Cubs(2-0)
Game Time: 2:05 PM CT
TV: WGN
Cubs Lineup:
1. Ryan Theriot, SS
2. Kosuke Fukudome, RF
3. Derrek Lee, 1B
4. Aramis Ramirez, 3B
5. Marlon Byrd, CF
6. Alfonso Soriano, LF
7. Micah Hoffpauir, DH
8. Geovany Soto, C
9. Bobby Scales, 2B
We'll get our first look at pitcher Carlos Silva in a Cubs uniform today, unless he already ate it. Other pitchers scheduled to take the mound include closer Carlos Marmol and hard-throwing prospect Andrew Cashner.
Alright, it's about to get started. Keep an eye out for how Alfonso Soriano and his surgically repaired knee look today. This is his first Spring Training game of 2010.
Top of the 1st
Carlos Silva taking the mound. That's something that always gives you confidence... if you're the other team. Omar Vizquel leading off, takes a first pitch strike from Silva, and another. And that was strike three but the umpire has C.B. Bucknor disease. Silva's sinker moving well, not so much his body though. Vizquel flies out to Fukudome in right.
Single drilled into right-center by some guy whose name I didn't catch.
Carlos Quentin up, and swings through a sinking fastball. Len and Bob say it's supposed to rain tomorrow, when these teams are again on WGN against each other. That guy who I still don't recognize just stole second base. Quentin hits one to Mexico, 2-0 White Sox. So much for that sinker moving well.
Andruw Jones batting. This at bat is the battle of two overpaid fatties well past their prime. It's also a battle of who will resist the urge to leave the field to grab that jelly doughnut. Jones hits a grounder into the hole between third base and shortstop, Theriot gets there, but throws high, infield single. Still, it's a play Theriot should make.
Stolen base from Andruw Jones. That's all you need to know about how long it takes Silva to throw the ball. Now another ball crushed, courtesy of Mark Kotsay. No, this isn't 2004. Off the wall in left-center for an RBI double, 3-0 White Sox. I think it's fair to say Silva's not exactly making his case for the fifth spot in the rotation.
And Brenly with a nice jab at Silva's conditioning. Silva somehow strikes out Mark Teahen.
And another strikeout from Silva. Inning over.
Bottom of the 1st
Interested to see how Theriot looks at the plate. Smaller front leg kick than last year, that's a good sign. Nice compact swing and laces a single into left field.
Fukudome hits into a 4-6-3 double play on the next pitch. This is a fun year already!
D-Lee up. Len mentioned how Derrek came into camp in great shape, and certainly looks that way. Grounds out to short here though.
Top of the 2nd
Rocket right up the middle immediately from the White Sox. Silva isn't fooling anybody.
Perfect bunt single by Lillibridge.
Holy what the hell? Soriano with a diving catch on a low liner in left field. Cannot believe I just saw that. One out, runners on first and second.
Silva with his best pitch of the game, a nasty changeup that gets a swing and a miss on a 2-0 count. 2-2 now. Groundout to Scales.
Quentin destroys one down the left field line... fair ball. Quentin's second homer of the game, five RBI already... 6-0 White Sox.
Bottom of the 2nd
Aramis using an ash bat for the first time that I've seen anyway. Missed what exactly happened, but he's out.
New Cub Marlon Byrd at the plate. Swings through a slider Soriano style. 1-2 count. Rolls a slider to Vizquel, two outs.
Soriano up, takes a fastball, now flies out to left. Looked comfortable at the plate though. Healthy hack.
Top of the 3rd
Lou on the air. Even he's laughing at how bad Silva was.
Carlos Marmol in. Hide the children in rows 1-35. 2-1 slider grounded to Lee at first, one out.
Lou said, "Lilly's going to be out until about the first of May."
Filthy slider from Marmol strikes some dude out. Two outs.
Marmol's fastball actually within a mile of the plate today, and hitting 95 mph on the gun. Another nasty slider for a swinging strikeout. That's the Marmol I want.
Bottom of the 3rd
Micah Hoffpauir cranks one deep to right, but caught at the warning track.
Geovany Soto with a groundball single into left.
Bobby Scales has a 1-2 count. Wild pitch, Soto to second base. Ouch, Scales drilled with a fastball on the arm. He's okay though.
Ryan Theriot doing what I want to see him do: Shoot singles through the right side. Bases loaded.
First pitch to Fukudome, rips it up the middle for a two-run single. 6-2 now.
D-Lee looking fastball on 1-0, swings through a slider. Absolutely ropes one to left but well foul. Lines one hard to fairly deep right, Theriot scores. Lee's sacrifice fly cuts the White Sox lead to 6-3.
Aramis pops out and it isn't happy about it. Inning over.
Top of the 4th
Left-hander James Russell in for the Cubs. I've never seen him pitch. And a walk. I already hate him.
5-4-3 double play. I love you, Russell.
Wow, you can really notice the 40 pounds Soto lost. Moved pretty well on a foul ball pop up. Full count to the 93-year-old Omar Vizquel. Flies out to Byrd in center, inning over.
And the most boring interview in the history of interviews just ended. Thanks Culver's guy.
Bottom of the 4th
Byrd strikes out looking.
Soriano actually takes a slider. More of that please. Takes a fastball high, 2-0. Swings at a slider, pops out to shallow right.
Full count on Hollywood Hoffpauir. Something happened, my friend distracted me. But the inning's over.
Top of the 5th
Russell strikes some guy out.
And another out, followed by an Andruw Jones single.
Jones almost ran again. What year does he think this is? Len says Jim Hendry is coming on the broadcast soon.
Kotsay pokes a single into left, goes through Soriano's legs as usual, Jones scores from first. 7-3 White Sox.
Inning ended somehow. Like you care.
Bottom of the 5th
Soto's stance is more upright as well. Drills one off the pitcher, ball goes flying over the shortstop's head for a single.
Andres Blanco pinch-running for Soto. Bobby Duck Scales walks. Two on, no outs.
Theriot hits into a double play... and of course they immediately start talking about Starlin Castro and show him in the dugout.
Fukudome strikes out swinging. Gotta love a nice Cubs tease rally.
Top of the 6th
Andrew Cashner in to pitch. Jim Hendry in the booth.
Cashner all over the place, as we've heard can be the case with him. Ball four. Ball eight. Two on, no outs. Another ball... but new catcher Welington Castillo picks off the baserunner at second with an incredible throw. However, Andres Blanco spiked badly on the play and has to leave the game.
Starlin Castro in at shortstop!
Hendry talking about how Xavier Nady will start out on the bench, at least until his arm gets better. Hendry talking up the hell out of Castro. Also saying how well Rudy Jaramillo's done as the new hitting coach.
RBI single for the White Sox from somebody, 8-3. I've quit trying to figure out who these no-names on the White Sox are.
Hendry said about Cashner, "He's going to be an outstanding pitcher for us." Line drive run down by Soriano in left, inning over.
Bottom of the 6th
2-1 pitch to Lee that should be a ball is called a strike. Bounces out to Dayan Viciedo at third.
Aramis grounds out the first pitch to shortstop.
Byrd does something bad. Inning over.
Top of the 7th
Ozzie Guillen's having sex with a folding chair.
Cashner with a better inning, including a strikeout to close it out.
Bottom of the 7th
Tyler Colvin at the plate, strikes out. He was drilling the ball the previous two games.
Two down and Starlin Castro up... strikes out.
Top of the 8th
Ah, this is fun. Some little kid hits a homer for the White Sox, 9-3.
Chad Tracy in at third base for the Cubs. Another homer by some guy, 10-3.
A couple more hits. Breaking: This Jeff Kennard fellow is not good.
And a walk. Bases loaded. Blah blah blah blah.
Somehow Kennard gets a couple outs, but then there's a two-run single. 12-3 White Sox.
I don't think I'll be live-blogging tomorrow's game...
Bottom of the 8th
A couple of weak groundouts, the last of which from Welington Castillo. Two down.
James Adduci with a nice piece of hitting and lines a single into left.
Len and Bob are talking about how Ron Santo chipped a tooth last week while eating pizza. Apparently they serve rock pizza in the suburbs of Phoenix.
Top of the 9th
John Grabow getting hit hard. If that continues, there's no hope for this bullpen.
Three-run homer by Jayson Nix, 15-3.
I'm gonna be honest with you... I stopped watching after that. This looks like another fun year in Cubdom!
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