***Official 2009 N.L. Central Thread*** Congrats to the Cardinals***

[the sauna]

How much longer do I have put up with this guy as our closer?

 

[CP1708]

Oh good, there are other people who follow the NL central.

This is twice I been in here talkin to myself, ya'll makin me think I have bad breath over here or somethin.

I feel like JRain.

 

[joe billionaire]

damn bp

sori and scales come through but still...

for the win

for the way we had to win

 

[wildkycat]

Originally Posted by corwinator3407

=Harang's face at all times. Does the guy show any emotion ever?

did you not see him a few weeks ago when we played Houston? dude was in the dugout beating up water coolers and tossin' bats around.

 

[shabooyah1124]

Originally Posted by THE SAUNA

How much longer do I have put up with this guy as our closer?

As much as I hated on Kerry last season, I do miss him dearly

 

[pacmagic2002]

Another L...........On the bright side, Wainwright finally looked back to his 2007-2008 form.

What is wrong with our offense?.......Namely pujols. Dude had a rookie on base TWICE and couldnt even advance him around the bases.

 

[jdcurt2]

So Votto leaves the game, now Volquez

 

[arstyle27]

Originally Posted by CP1708

Oh good, there are other people who follow the NL central.

This is twice I been in here talkin to myself, ya'll makin me think I have bad breath over here or somethin.

I feel like JRain.

Or even worse...you could feel like Stringer

 

[arstyle27]

Soriano Gets Gregg off the Hook
Cubs Beat Astros 5-4
When he was returning to the Cubs' dugout after pulling Kevin Gregg in the frightful ninth inning Saturday,Lou Piniella stopped long enough to have an animated "chat" with a fan.

"He wasn't very happy I kept Gregg in the game for as long as I did," the manager said. "And I told him just to please enjoy the game andlet me manage ... in a little stronger words than that."

But all's well that ends well -- even if your name is Randy Wells and Gregg denied you your first big-league victory -- because Alfonso Soriano saved 40,548 other fans from hurling their own insults with a game-winning hit.

Soriano singled home Bobby Scales in the bottom of the inning for a harder-than-necessary and odder-than-ordinary 5-4 victory that went tostarter-turned-part-time-reliever Sean Marshall even though he faced only one batter.

Gregg, the Cubs' closer, had what you would call a bad day.

"I think that's a nice way to put it," he admitted. "I think I could have hit myself today."

Wells, in his second start subbing for the injured Carlos Zambrano, pitched six shutout innings. Then Angel Guzman and Carlos Marmol had one each before the Cubs handed over a 4-0 lead to Gregg.

Five batters later, Piniella came out to save him and, ultimately, the Cubs. All five batters reached base, the first two -- Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee -- on home runs.

Then Miguel Tejada singled and so did Hunter Pence, right off the back of Gregg's right hand, which was swollen andbruised afterward. But he stayed in the game -- until he hit Geoff Blum to load the bases.

Aaron Heilman relieved and gave up a run-tying single to Ivan Rodriguez, and Marshall eventually ended the inning on aBerkman bounce out.

"In Gregg's defense, he hasn't pitched in a few days and then a closer has [a different] mentality for saves," Piniella said. "But heneeded to work even if the score was 8-0."

And, yes fans, Gregg is still the closer, even though Marmol struck out all three batters he faced Saturday.

"In a [save] situation, he will be out there again," Piniella said.

In addition to Wells, two other fill-ins had big days.

Subbing in right field for the suspended Milton Bradley, Micah Hoffpauir had a two-run sixth-inning homer.

And filling in in the infield while Aramis Ramirez is on the disabled list, Scales scored the winning run after leadingoff the ninth with a walk, getting to second on Aaron Miles' sacrifice and scoring on Soriano's single into right field.

Scales had hit safely in his first six big-league games but took an 0-for-3 Saturday.

"It ain't about the name on the bat," Scales said. "I maintained all along my only goal was to come up here and help this team try to win inwhatever capacity."

And in whatever way, like Saturday.

I feel bad for Wells, guy has been awesome so far. Too bad that douche blew another lead.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

@ Gregg

@ Fons

 

[jdcurt2]

%^*#&$@ Weathers

 

[arstyle27]

Damn it Reds, just lose already.

 

[jdcurt2]

I think I might be the only person up watching this disaster of a game still.

Owings coming through in the clutch with 5 innings of relief

Damn, The Pads will be breaking out the brooms later on today, we have no chance against Peavy.

 

[tylerdub]

I noticed a few things yesterday.

It would appear Wells can pitch. He has 16 scoreless innings pitched this year.
I will never ever like a closer coming in during a non close situation. These guys seem to be built for the pressure of a close ball game.
Scales is a poor mans Mark DeRosa. A very poor mans, but he is doing well for this stretch.
I never expected Alfonso Soriano to hit an opposite field single in that situation.
Kosuke, I am sorry.
Lou hates relief pitchers alot, I expect to see some shake ups out there.

 

[tylerdub]

Originally Posted by CP1708

Oh good, there are other people who follow the NL central.

This is twice I been in here talkin to myself, ya'll makin me think I have bad breath over here or somethin.

I feel like JRain.

No one should have to feel like that guy. You were starting to look like Stringer in the White Sox thread... Bueller, Bueller??

 

[Retroballer]

Im just waiting till the Astros blow up the roster and rebuild the farm system. Cause we arent going anywhere and the farm system has nothing to offer.

 

[tylerdub]

Seiously, look at this.

http://niketalk.com/topic/165589?page=3

 

[jdcurt2]

Just got swept by a terrible padres team, scored 1 run in the last like 20 innings, the REAL offense is back...

 

[pacmagic2002]

Another L!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carp has a return date tho

 

[DownByLaw]

We were going to win Friday night, !#@%@+! rain

Now it looks like we are gonna be swept, talk about a momentum killer

 

[joe billionaire]

now that was a tough loss yesterday...but i saw a few good things come out of that

 

[tylerdub]

Pretty important series coming up in the greatest rivalry in sports. the Cubs are coming in hot and the Cards are coming in not so hot, who cares, throw therecords out the window when these clubs hook up. My bro will be down there Thursday I think. Best feeling in the world is sitting with a bunch of Cubs fans andsinging "Hey Chicago, what do ya say..." after a W in St. Louis!!! Lets rest up tonight and get em tomorrow! On a side note, get down and see a gameat that new field. Very Nice!!!

 

[DownByLaw]

Hopefully Lohse can get some offensive support tonight. The Cards need to destroy Looper.

 

[mez 0ne]

Ricky Weeks is out for the SEASON, big loss.

The Brewers received bad news on Rickie Weeks Monday, as they learned that their second baseman's injured wrist will require surgery that will put an end to his season.

The club said Weeks had a torn sheath in his left wrist and will likely have surgery this week.

Though "soreness" was the only diagnosis on Sunday, the Brewers acted quickly after Weeks injured his wrist on a swinging strike three in the first inning in St. Louis. After the game, he already had a flight booked to Phoenix to see the same doctor -- Don Sheridan -- who performed surgery on his right wrist in 2005 and the base of his left thumb in '06.

Head athletic trainer Roger Caplinger consulted with team physician William Raasch and assistant general manager Gord Ash, and decided to send Weeks to Phoenix. The club's traveling secretary booked Weeks' flight before the end of the game.

The injury is especially unfortunate since Weeks is having a fine season. He is batting .272 with a .340 on-base percentage, and along with first baseman Prince Fielder, leads the team with nine home runs. Weeks is tied with Corey Hart for the team lead in runs scored, with 28.

The rest of the Brewers remained in St. Louis on Sunday and will play a makeup of Friday's rainout on Monday night. That means the team is about a four-hour drive or a short flight from Nashville, home of their Triple-A affiliate.

Ash was asked if any players made the trip to St. Louis just in case it becomes clear that Weeks will head to the disabled list.

"No. You can't do it," Ash said. "I know clubs do it, but it's against the rules."

Options at Nashville include Hernan Iribarren, a left-handed hitter who played in stints with the Brewers last season and is hitting .311 in the Minors this year while playing exclusively at second base. Nashville is also home to slick-fielding shortstop Alcides Escobar, but with third baseman Mat Gamel promoted to the Majors last week, it's unlikely the Brewers would want both of their top prospects sitting on the big league bench.

With right-hander Kyle Lohse starting for St. Louis on Monday, left-handed hitter Counsell will probably play second base. The Brewers will then travel to Houston to face two left-handers -- Mike Hampton and Wandy Rodriguez -- so righty-hitter Casey McGehee is an option. McGehee played a lot of second base in Spring Training and replaced Weeks there on April 21 in Philadelphia after Weeks collided with shortstop J.J. Hardy.

 

[CP1708]

Originally Posted by Mez 0ne

Ricky Weeks is out for the SEASON, big loss.

The hell? What happened too dude? Sorry to hear that Brew fans, that kid is talented.