(Cub Fans, celebrating today’s 11-7 win over the White Sox, before the limo parade home)
Lord knows it’s easy to gloat about today’s 11-7 win over the White Sox (and Bleacher Report does so here). But all in all, the Cubs remain status quo with some bad news on the horizon: the Cards beat the World Champion Red Sox, Zambrano is on the DL for two starts, Soriano will stay out the full six weeks doing BP with whiffle balls, and Carlos Marmol has had three shaky appearances in a row — today he threw a wild pitch before Howry came in to officially hand over a run. Still, Jim Edmonds continues to turn his peanuts paycheck into dividends for the Cubs, with two homers alone in today’s 4th inning 9 run rally. It’s also nice to know that all of Sox manager Ozzie Guillien’s whining about the Cubs is just to keep the fans happy, while he enjoys the good life barbecuing at Carlos Zambrano’s house. As Cub’s scribe Carrie Muskat reports:
Guillen and Zambrano had dinner together at Zambrano’s home, dining on Venezuelan dishes such as arepas, and the White Sox manager jokingly suggested the pitcher take the time off.
“I said, ‘I may miss one start,'” Zambrano said. “He said, ‘You better miss two.’ I said, ‘No, just one.’ He said, ‘Why don’t you go on the DL and miss two starts?'”
Zambrano was scheduled to pitch next weekend when the intracity series shifts to U.S. Cellular Field.
“I don’t like to pitch in American League ballparks,” Zambrano said. “I feel it’s boring, and the game is too long. I like the National League and to be competing and do something for yourself and nobody has to come and do the [designated hitter] part. I like to compete, and I like to play against the White Sox.”
(La Russa motivates Molina: “there’s something coming your way with your name on it, sweetheart, an it ain’t my autograph” was all he had to say)
What feels like a stalemate that will be on the Cubs doorstep sooner or later is how amazing the held together with shoe-string and bubble gum Cardinals are doing in Boston, where they beat the world champeens, 9-3. The sweeps both the Cubs and Cards suffered in last week’s interleague play were enough, but now both teams are winning at the same time against AL division leaders. I’m just one of those I-can’t-win-unless-you-lose guys I guess, but sooner or later one team has to give with only three games between the Cubs and Cards. True, Boston doesn’t have David Ortiz, and Daisuke Matszaka returned today for his first start since rotator cuff surgery, although he should sue his doctor for malpractice after today. Still the Cards won these games without Pujols, Izturis, and concussion friendly Yadi Molina as the DH (Dizziness Hitter). Yesterday he hit a home run with full double vision, so take that Doc Ellis.