CUBS HISTORY-2011 RECAP

[JonahLomu]

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE "AAAAWWWW CRAP ..." BLOG

2011

RECAP
MIKE QUADE FILLED IN WITH SUCH SUCCESS AT THE END OF 2010 CUBS MANAGEMENT GAVE HIM A 1-YR DEAL.

HE THEN WINS THE FIRST CUB WORLD SERIES TITLE IN A ZILLION YEARS - AND PROMPTLY TELLS CHICAGO MANAGEMENT TO SHOVE IT UP THEIR COLLECTIVE ASSES AND LEAVES TO MANAGE TEXAS.

OF COURSE, PLENTY HAPPENED IN BETWEEN.

THE CUBS HIT .363 OVER THEIR FIRST 10 GAMES AS I PLAYED THE FIRST TWO SEASONS ON ROOKIE MODE BEFORE SWITCHING CHICAGO AND ALL LEAGUES TO VETERAN MODE.

I PLAY ALMOST ALL THE CUBS GAMES, FAST-FORWARDING THE PITCHING TO JUST HIT, ALTHO I PITCH IN KEY GAMES AND THE POSTSEASON. IN EARLY BLOWOUTS OR WHAT LOOK TO BE LOW-SCORING AFFAIRS, I WILL SOMETIMES FAST FORWARD TO THE 7TH INNING OR LATER.

THE CUBS MADE A KEY TRADE MAY 12, ACQUIRING 2B ROBBY CANO AND RP BILL BRAY FOR SPs CLIFF LEE AND CLAY BUCHHOLZ.

ROBINSON CANO


NL CENTRAL (THRU APRIL 27)
----------------------------
CHI 33-18 --
STL 30-22 3.5
MIL 28-24 5.5
CIN 25-27 8.5
HOU 24-27 9
PIT 23-29 10.5
---------------------------------------------------

TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2011 PAGE C1


THE BUNCH FACTOR
CHICAGO SCORES, ALLOWS RUNS IN QUANTITY

BY PEDRO GARCIA

SPORTSWRITER

CHICAGO SPECTATOR

CINCINNATI - BIG BUNCHES ARE GREAT FOR BANANA AND GRAPE LOVERS.

NOT SO MUCH FOR PITCHERS AND THEIR EARNED RUN AVERAGES.

AFTER FINISHING MAY ON A 7-1 RUN, THEN BEGINNING JUNE WITH A 3-0 MARK, CUBS FANS THOUGHT THINGS WERE BACK TO NORMAL.

BUT THEN THE "BUNCH FACTOR" RETURNED.

AND NOT IN A GOOD WAY.

AFTER TAKING THE FIRST TWO GAMES IN A SET AT ST. LOUIS, CUB RELIEVERS D.J. CARRASCO AND JUAN RINCON ALLOWED THE CARDS TO "BUNCH" FOUR SEVENTH-INNING RUNS TO BLOW A ONE-RUN CUBS LEAD IN AN 10-8 LOSS SUNDAY.

"IT'S WHAT I CALL 'THE BUNCH FACTOR,'" SAID AN NL CENTRAL ADVANCE SCOUT WHO FOLLOWS THE CUBS EXCLUSIVELY. "WE ALL KNOW THE CUBS SCORE RUNS IN BUNCHES, BUT THEY ALLOW THEM AT TIMES, TOO."

MONDAY AGAINST THE REDS, CHICAGO TOOK AN EARLY 4-0 LEAD, BUT STARTER ALEJANDRO SANABIA ALLOWED A RUN IN THE SECOND INNING AND TWO MORE IN THE THIRD, AND HAD THROWN 91 PITCHES THROUGH THE FOURTH INNING.

"I WAVERED ON LETTING HIM GO FOR THE WIN, BUT WITH THE REDS BRINGING UP SOME LEFT-HANDED BATS IN THE FIFTH, I WENT WITH (JUST RECALLED PEDRO) GUERRA," SAID CHICAGO SKIPPER MIKE QUADE.

GUERRA, 18, ALLOWED FOUR HITS AND A WALK, AND HE AND CATCHER RYAN DOUMIT BOTH MADE ERRORS AS THE REDS SCORED SIX RUNS, THREE OF WHICH WERE UNEARNED.

"I EXPECTED THAT MOVE," THE ADVANCE SCOUT SAID. "QUADE LIKES TO TEST NEW GUYS RIGHT AWAY. IT WAS GUERRA'S REGULAR TURN TO START IN AA, SO I KNOW QUADE TOLD HIM HE'D PROBABLY BE THROWING, BECAUSE HE HAS GREAT COMMUNICATION SKILLS, SOMETHING MANY PEOPLE OVERLOOK.

"IT JUST TURNED OUT THE WRONG WAY FOR CHICAGO, AND THAT'S HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE THIS SEASON."

QUADE SAID SONY NEEDS TO COME UP WITH A METHOD FOR REPLACING PITCHERS WHEN FAST-FORWARD IS BEING USED.

"THERE SHOULD BE AN 'ALERT SYSTEM' THAT LETS US (MANAGERS) KNOW WHEN A GUY'S GETTING ROCKED," QUADE SAID. "AND EVEN THOUGH THE CPU WILL REPLACE A PITCHER GETTING HURT IN THE LATER INNINGS, IT OFTEN DOESN'T EARLY IN THE GAME, WHICH IS WHY YOU SAW GUERRA OUT THERE IN THE SIXTH, EVEN THOUGH HE'D GIVEN UP SIX RUNS IN THE INNING BEFORE.

"OBVIOUSLY, I REPLACE HIM EARLIER IF I'M DOING THE PITCHING OR IF I AM ALERTED TO THE PITCHERS' PROBLEMS."

CUBS MANAGER MIKE QUADE


THE SCOUT AGREED, SAYING "MLB: THE SHOW" NEEDS TO HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE FOR MANAGERS WHO USE FAST-FORWARD, ESPECIALLY FOR A HALF-INNING LIKE QUADE NORMALLY USES.

"IT WOULD DEFINITELY KEEP THOSE BUNCHES OF RUNS FROM SCORING MOST OF THE TIME," THE SCOUT SAID. "OF COURSE, TRYING TO GET AN IDEA TO SAN DIEGO STUDIOS (THE SHOW'S MAKER) IS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE.

"AT LEAST MLB '11 ISN'T HAVING MANAGERS OF THE 2012 GAME SAYING, 'A KICK SAVE AND A BEAUTY' IN REGARD TO THEIR PITCHERS' SOCCER-GOALIE LIKE SKILLS WHEN ON THE MOUND."

GUERRA TOOK THE LOSS, BUT FELLOW LEFTY MARCOS DE LOS SANTOS GAVE UP A PAIR OF RUNS IN THE SIXTH BEFORE RUSS SPRINGER (2.91) AND TAKASHI SAITO (3.86), WHO HAS HIS SET-UP SPOT BACK AFTER THROWING JUST ONE BAD INNING ALL SEASON, EACH PITCHED SCORELESS FRAMES.

"I THINK IT'S OBVIOUS TO EVERYBODY THE CUBS CAN OUTSCORE YOU," THE SCOUT SAID. "BUT IT'S THEIR THREE, FOUR ANF FIVE STARTERS - AND OF COURSE - THE BULLPEN, THAT WILL DECIDE IF THIS IS FINALLY THE YEAR FOR THE CUBBIES."

CHICAGO IS 39-21, LEADING THE NL CENTRAL BY 5.5 GAMES OVER BOTH MILWAUKEE AND THE CARDINALS. THE TEAM HAS UPPED ITS MLB TEAM BATTING AVERAGE TO .321.

IF IT SEEMS LIKE QUADE IS LOOKING SO FAR AHEAD INTO THE FUTURE THAT HE'S HOLDING AUDITIONS FOR THE FINAL TWO SPOTS ON HIS 25-MAN PLAYOFF ROSTER, MAYBE HE IS.

"WATCHING THEM DAY IN AND DAY OUT, THAT'S WHAT IT SEEMS LIKE TO ME," SAYS AN ADVANCE SCOUT FOR AN NL CENTRAL TEAM. "OF COURSE, WHEN YOU'RE PLAYING LIKE THE CUBS DO MOST NIGHTS, YOU CAN DO THAT.

"BUT HE (QUADE) MUST GET THE CUBS THERE (THE PLAYOFFS) FIRST."

THE CUBS CAN START A LINEUP OF ALL .300 HITTERS ANYTIME THEY DESIRE, AS ONLY BACKUPS FRED LEWIS AND VIC HAYWOOD ARE BELOW THAT FIGURE.

NOTES: DISAPPOINTING LEFTY TIM BYRDAK (SPRAINED ELBOW LIGAMENT) WAS PUT ON THE 15-DAY DL MONDAY. GUERRA WAS RECALLED INSTEAD OF FELLOW LEFTY BILL BRAY BECAUSE BRAY HAS ONLY ONE OPTION LEFT AND SOUTHPAW ALFREDO CRUZ (ELBOW TIGHTNESS) WILL COME OFF THE DL IN A DAY.

SHORTSTOP ADRIAN FERNANDEZ, LEADING ROY CANDIDATE, CONTINUES TO SLUMP, WITH HIS AVERAGE FALLING FROM .362 TO .323 THE PAST FEW WEEKS. HE IS SECOND IN THE LEAGUE WITH 20 HOMERS AND SIXTH IN RBIs AT 45.

ROBINSON CANO IS THE LEAGUE LEADER AT 54 RUNS DRIVEN IN AND SEEMS TO FOUND A PERMANENT HOME IN THE NO. 3 SLOT. HE'S MOVED AHEAD OF FERNANDEZ AS THE TOP NL MVP CANDIDATE.

FIRST BASEMAN IKE DAVIS (.357) HAS A 19-POINT LEAD IN THE NL BATTING RACE. ONE-THIRD OF THE LEAGUE'S TOP 18 HITTERS ARE CUBBIES.

ALL-STAR VOTING:
SP-JHOULYS CHACIN (6-0, 2.38) IS SIXTH.
CP-JOEL HANRAHAN (20 SAVES) IS FOURTH.
CT-CARLOS SANTANA (.325, 17, 32) IS FIRST AND RYAN DOUMIT (303, 9, 24) IS FIFTH.
1B-DAVIS (.357, 16, 43) IS FIRST.
2B-CANO (.329, 18, 54) IS FIRST.
3B-PABLO SANDOVAL (.313, 9, 32) IS SIXTH.
SS-FERNANDEZ TRAILS MILWAUKEE'S HANLEY RAMIREZ BY 47K VOTES FOR NEXT MONTH'S EVENT.
CF-DREW STUBBS (.328, 11, 31) IS SEVENTH. JIM EDMONDS IS 10th.
RF-COREY HART (.319, 12, 30) IS FOURTH AND MIKE STANTON (.330, 13, 35) IS SIXTH.
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AUTO-SAVE IS USELESS IF IT SLOWS THINGS DOWN TOO MUCH ...

www.pdproject2020.blogspot.com

www.fhs1982statechamps.blogspot.com

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THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2011 SPORTS, PAGE C1

EVERYBODY YANG-FINN TONIGHT

YOUNGSTERS SPARK CUBS OVER CREW

BY PEDRO GARCIA

SPORTSWRITER

CHICAGO SPECTATOR

CHICAGO - JUST AS THE GAP IN THE NL CENTRAL SHORTENED AFTER TWO STRAIGHT MILWAUKEE WINS, THE CUBS GOT BACK ON TRACK WEDNESDAY NIGHT BEHIND A PAIR OF YOUNGSTERS.

WITH ONGOING RENOVATION AT WRIGLEY FIELD BRINGING CUB FANS BACK TO THE FUTURE, IT WAS 20-YEAR-OLD INFIELDER ROBERT FINN DOUBLING OFF THE IVY IN HIS INITIAL MAJOR-LEAGUE AT-BAT AND DAVID YANG, 24, BACK FOR HIS SECOND STINT THIS SEASON, THAT INSPIRED ANOTHER SELLOUT CROWD.

THE 7-4 WIN LEFT THE CUBS 4.5 GAMES AHEAD OF THE BREW CREW.

"YEAH, YEAH, I GET THE 'WANG-CHUNG' REFERENCE,'" CUBS MANAGER MIKE QAUDE SAID POSTGAME OF THE MUSIC THE PA PLAYED WHEN THE TWO BATTED (YANG ALSO DOUBLED) . "1 AM YOUNG ENOUGH TO REMEMBER THE SONG - OR GROUP - OR WHATEVER IT WAS.

"AFTER ALL I AM YOUNG ENOUGH TO REMEMBER WHEN MTV ACTUALLY PLAYED SONGS ON TV."

NOW, WHO'S YOUNG ENOUGH TO REMEMBER THE CUBS' LAST WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP?
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SATURDAY, AUG. 20, 2011 PAGE C1

PUZZLING PIECES

ROSTER JUGGLING AT ITS FINEST

BY EDDIE ROMERO

SPORTSWRITER

CHICAGO SPECTATOR

CHICAGO - BIT BY BIT, THE CUBS ARE COMING TOGETHER FOR WHAT'S EXPECTED TO BE A DEEP PLAYOFF RUN.

MANAGER MIKE QUADE MAY HAVE ADDED THE FINAL PUZZLE PIECES THIS WEEK WITH THE RECALL OF OUTFIELDERS DREW STUBBS AND JiM EDMONDS.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN HE THINKS THE CUBS' ROSTER FROM NO. 1 TO 25 IS SET JUST YET. AFTER ALL, HE'S GOT A BIT OF AUGUST LEFT TO MAKE CHANGES SO PLAYERS ARE ELIGIBLE TO MAKE THE PLAYOFF ROSTER.

"I'LL BE THE FIRST TO ADMIT SOME OF THE MOVES HAVE SEEMED UNORTHODOX," QUADE SAID AFTER FRIDAY'S 14-INNING 6-5 LOSS TO THE CARDS. "SOME OF THE MOVES, LIKE SENDING JIMMY (EDMONDS) TO TRIPLE-A AND LATER FOR A SHORT TIME TO DOUBLE-AA WERE BASED ON SIMPLY GETTING HIM SOME REST."

EDMONDS, 40, WAS A REVELATION AT THE TOP OF THE ORDER AFTER BEING ACQUIRED EARLY IN THE SEASON. THE VETERAN HAS SHOWN POP (20 HRs) AND KEPT HIS AVERAGE NEAR .340 UNTIL LANDING AT HIS CURRENT .313.
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RECENT TRANSACTIONS INCLUDE:
FRIDAY'S RECALLS OF RELIEVERS RUSS SPRINGER, KYLE KENDRICK AND STARTER IVAN NOVA. DROPPED WERE RP WESLEY MESORACO AND SPs DEREK HOLLAND AND ALEJANDRO SANABIA.

EDMONDS AND STUBBS WERE RETURNED TO CHICAGO AUG. 15 WITH OF SOLOMON BRITT AND UTILITY ROBERT FINN GOING TO DOUBLE-A TENNESSEE.
QUADE HAS NOT BEEN AFRAID TO BRING UP PLAYERS TO GET THEM A BIT OF MLB EXPERIENCE. BRITT, JOHNNIE LIMA, ORLANDO VALDEZ, MESORACO, RP ALFREDO CRUZ, SP AND OLIVER, SANABIA, AND RP ISAIAH TYSON ARE ALL EXAMPLES OF PLAYERS GIVEN CHANCES TO STATE THEIR CASES TO REMAIN IN CHICAGO.

TYSON, A POTENTIAL DOMINANT CLOSER, WAS ACQUIRED IN MID-JULY FOR OF FRED LEWIS, RP TIM BYRDAK AND SP NELSON FIGUEROA, A SEEMINGLY STEEP PRICE TO PAY FOR A TEAM SHORT ON PITCHING.

"WE HAD A NUMBER OF OFFERS OUT THERE TO GET A YOUNG CLOSER WITH POTENTIAL AND WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE GOTTEN MESORACO," QUADE SAID.

THE SAME DAY OF THAT TRADE (JULY 16) ALSO SAW CHICAGO BRING UP FREDDIE FREEMAN, A CORNER INFIELDER WHO QUADE JUST WANTED TO GET A QUICK LOOK AT.

"WELL, FREEMAN QUICKLY CHANGED QUADE'S MIND," SAID DESMOND THURBER, A NATIONAL LEAGUE SCOUT. "FREEMAN HIT HIS WAY INTO THE
LINEUP IN LEFTFIELD AND EDMONDS MAY NOY BE ABLE TO DISPLACE HIM."

IN 80 AT-BATS, FREEMAN HAS 29 HITS (.363) WITH 14 EXTRA-BASE KNOCKS (.738 SLUGGING PERCENTAGE) AND 14 RBIs,

THE CUBS HAVE SEEN THEIR RECORD-BREAKING TEAM AVERAGE FALL FROM .322 TO .317 OVER THE PAST SIX WEEKS, BUT ARE STILL BASHING ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THE STAFF'S 4.36 ERA.

AT 81-44, THE CUBS HAVE THE MAJORS' BEST-RECORD AND LEAD THE NL CENTRAL BY 11 GAMES OVER BOTH ST. LOUIS AND MILWAUKEE.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SEASON REVIEW

A LOOK BELOW AT THE NATIONAL LEAGUE STAT LEADERS TELLS ALL ABOUT A CUB SQUAD THAT HIT .317 AS A TEAM WITH 419 HOMERS. OBV. THE BOOST IN WIND HAD GREAT AFFECT. I PLAYED ALMOST EVERY GAME AND THE CUBBIES WERE MONSTERS.

THE ONLY FLAW I NOTICED IS A TENDENCY TO PLAY DOWN TO THEIR COMPETITION, WHICH SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM IN THE PLAYOFFS. I WILL PITCH AS MUCH AS MY HAND ALLOWS.
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NL LEADERS
-------------

AVG
.364 I DAVIS CHI
.356 M STANTON CHI
.330 R CANO CHI
.317 A FERNANDEZ CHI

HITS
R CANO 206

2B
C FIGGINS SD 56

3B
FIGGINS 13
A McCUTCHEN FLA 13

HR
STANTON 50
C SANTANA CHI 50
CANO 46
A LIND MIL 44
FERNANDEZ 43

RBI
CANO 128
STANTON 122
LIND 118

RUNS
C CRAWFORD PHI 129
CANO 118
STANTON 116

SB
J PIERRE STL 68
FIGGINS 65
CRAWFORD 64

SLUG
STANTON .729
DAVIS .705
FERNANDEZ .657
CANO .619

OPS
STANTON 1.098
DAVIS 1.085
FERNANDEZ .990
CANO .971

WINS
GREINKE NYM 18
J CHACIN CHI 17
J VERLANDER CHI 17
J GUTHRIE SD 17

SVS
H BELL LAD 44
J VENTERS CHI 43

ERA
CHACIN 2.62

SO
GREINKE 223
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SUFFICE TO SAY THE CUBBIES HAD NO PLAYOFF PROBLEMS, LOSING JUST A SINGLE GAME EACH IN SERIES' AGAINST SD, STL AND BAL.

CARLOS SANTANA (THREE HOMERS) WAS WS MVP.

MIKE STANTON WAS NL MVP, SP J CHACIN WON THE CY AND SS ADRIAN FERNANDEZ ROY.

CHICAGO POST-SEASON PLANS INCLUDED SIGNING AS MANY YOUNGER PLAYERS TO BIG DEALS AS POSSIBLE BUT NOT RE-SIGNING ROBBY CANO.
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UP NEXT-2012

[JonahLomu]

2012

NEW MANAGER RON WASHINGTON IS STILL TRYING TO FIND THE MIX THE CUBS HAD LAST SEASON. HE'S GOT HIS HANDS FULL AS A CHANGE IN SLIDERS HAS GIVEN CPU PITCHERS LESS CONTROL, CONSISTENCY AND STRIKE-THROWING THAN THEY HAD IN 2011 WHEN CHICAGO HIT .317 AS A TEAM.


CHANGES WERE RECENTLY MADE AS CUBS' HITTERS WERE POUNDING AN INORDINATE NUMBER OF FIRST-PITCH HOMERS.

THE CLUBS DO LEAD MLB IN TEAM AVERAGE AT .302, FOLLOWED BY DET AT .290.


STANDINGS
THRU MAY 10, 2012
----------------------

NL CENTRAL
CHI 26-5 --
MIL 20-12 6.5
CIN 19-12 7
STL 19-12 7
PIT 7-24 19
HOU 7-24 19
----------------------------------------------------------------------



GIANCARLO STANTON IS SHOOTING FOR CONSECUTIVE MVP SEASONS.


AS MAY WOUND DOWN TO ITS FINAL TWO GAMES, THE CUBS HAD STILL NOT REACHED DOUBLE-DIGITS IN LOSSES.

THAT ALL CHANGED DRAMATICALLY, WHEN GARRETT JONES OF THE METS BLASTED A THREE-RUN WALK-OFF HOMER OFF JONNY VENTERS FOR A 6-4 WIN THAT DROPPED CHICAGO TO 40-10.

"THAT ONE HURT," SAID CUB MANAGER RON WASHINGTON. "WE HADN'T PLAYED REAL WELL OVER THE PAST 10 DAYS AND JONES' SHOT JUST COMPOUNDED THAT."

STILL, CHICAGO WAS 30 GAMES OVER .500, AND 10.5 GAMES UP IN THE NL CENTRAL OVER STL AND 11.5 AHEAD OF THE BREWERS.

IKE DAVIS AND GIANCARLO STANTON ARE RUNNING FIRST AND SECOND FOR NL MVP.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UPDATE TO 7-2-2012

59-20 .302 3.94 +13.5
--------------------------


DESPITE A SECOND CONSECUTIVE SUPERB SEASON, FIRST-YEAR MANAGER RON WASHINGTON CAN'T SEEM TO FIND THE BEST WAY TO GET CHICAGO READY FOR WHAT SHOULD BE A DEEP PLAYOFF RUN.


"HE'S VERY SIMILAR IN STYLE TO (LAST YEAR'S MANAGER MIKE QUADE). HE WANTS TO GET ALL HIS POSITION PLAYERS PLAYING TIME TO KEEP EVERYBODY FRESH AND CONSISTENT," SAID PHILLIES ADVANCE SCOUT TODD TRAGER. "HE ALSO DOESN'T HAVE MUCH PATIENCE FOR HIS BOTTOM TIER STARTING PITCHERS AND WASHINGTON IS MUCH MORE EAGER TO PULL TRADES THAT LOOK FAR DOWN THE ROAD."







CUBS MANAGER RON WASINGTON CONTINUES TO BUILD THE CUBBIES FOR A SECOND STRAIGHT WORLD WERIES WIN.


WASHINGTON HAS CALLED UP PLENTY OF PLAYERS TO GAIN EXPERIENCE AND ACQUIRED SOME BULLPEN HELP.


"AND IT SURE DOESN'T HURT HE'S GOT THEM AT 59-20," TRAGER SAID. "HE MAY NEVER FIND THAT 'MAGIC MIX,' BUT IT MAY NOT MATTER."


STATS
--------------
A CONNOR .293 19 42
C SANTANA .303 29 50
C HART .346 19 422
I DAVIS .337 28 63
M STANTON .365 24 49
R WHITE .394 11 26
P SANDOVAL .288 26 58
A FERNANDEZ .282 15 36
V HAYWOOD 305 15 31


E PATTERSON .348 3 22
E DANIELS .324 2 6
B JOHNSON 556 1 2
W AYBAR .222 0 0


E SANTANA 8-4 3.82
I NOVA 9-2 75
J CHACIN 9-0 2.55
J VERLANDER 9-1 2.76
B DUENSING 6-3 3.38
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THE WAITING IS THE HARDEST PART
37-YEAR-OLD ROOKIE CALLED UP



BY TOD EVERGREEN


SPORTSWRITER


CHICAGO SPECTATOR


ST. LOUIS - NERVOUSNESS IS NOT PART OF HIS GAME - EVER.


SO WHEN PAT DORWIN STEPPED UP FOR HIS INITIAL MAJOR LEAGUE AT-BAT SATURDAY, HE SIMPLY STEPPED HALF-WAY OUT OF THE BATTER'S BOX JUST TO TAKE TWO SECONDS TO SOAK UP SOME MEMORIES.


THAT THE MEMORIES WERE 20 YEARS IN THE MAKING MATTERED NOT TO DORWIN. GETTING ON BASE DID.


WITH A SINGLE UP THE MIDDLE, THE 37-YEAR-OLD CAME FULL CIRCLE IN A JOURNEY 20 YEARS IN THE MAKING.


"I WAS A RICHMOND FLYING SQUIRREL (CLASS AA TEAM FOR SAN FRANCISCO) A YEAR AGO," SAYS DORWIN. "I HAD ACTUALLY RETIRED AFTER THE SEASON, BUT HADN'T NOTIFIED MAJOR LEAGU BASEBALL."


WHEN A LETTER FROM THE CUBS CAME TO HIS HOUSE NEAR GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK AT THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY, IT SAT UNOPENED FOR A WEEK IN HIS VAN.


"HONESTLY, I THOUGHT IT WAS AN OFFER TO COACH, MOST LIKELY IN ROOKIE LEAGUE BALL," HE SAYS. "IT HAD TO SIT AROUND FOR ME TO MULL IT OVER."


DORWIN FELT HE HAD REACHED THE END AFTER A STRONG SEASON IN RICHMOND FOR A DOMINATING FLYING SQUIRRELS SQUAD. HE HAD EVEN REGAINED STRENGTH IN HIS SHOULDER, ALLOWING HIM TO PLAY SOME SHORTSTOP, SOMETHING HE HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO IN A DECADE.


HE WAS SEEMINGLY ON TOP OF HIS GAME- ALTHOUGH THE GAME WASN'T BASEBALL - WHEN HE HURT THE SHOULDER AT AGE 27 PLAYING RUGBY.


A YEAR LATER, HE WAS BACK PLUGGING AWAY IN DOUBLE-AA, A SPARE OUTFIELDER IN THE TIGERS' ORGANIZATION.


"LOSING THE STRENGTH IN MY RIGHT SHOULDER WAS DEVASTING," DORWIN REMEMBERS. "I HAD PLAYED OUTFIELD BEFORE, BUT I REALLY TOOK PRIDE IN MY DEFENSE AT SHORT."


VETERAN AL SCOUT TOMMY OGLE SAYS DORWIN WOULD HAVE LIKELY MADE THE MAJORS BECAUSE OF HIS RANGE AT SHORT AND STRONG ARM.


"IT WAS A MATTER OF WHEN, NOT IF," SAYS OGLE, WHO ORIGINALLY SIGNED DORWIN OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL. "HE WAS BARELY 5-6, 150 POUNDS WHEN HE GRADUATED, BUT HE PROJECTED TO PLAY BIGGER, AND, MY GOODNESS, HE WAS FAST."


BUT DORWIN HAD OTHER OPTIONS COMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, INCLUDING A RUGBY SCHOLARSHIP TO VIRGINIA TECH AS WELL AS A PARTIAL BASEBALL RIDE TO NEARBY UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, WHERE DORWIN WAS A STANDOUT ATHLETE 30 MILES AWAY AT SEVIER COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.


HE WAS ALSO A 33rd-ROUND SELECTION BY THE REDS, BUT NEVER SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED GOING PRO BEFORE GAINING COLLEGE EXPERIENCE AND BUILDING MUSCLE.


"I WENT TO UT, BUT THE PLACE WAS SO BIG, SIZE- AND STUDENT-WISE, I FELT OVERWHELMED," DORWIN SAYS. "I WAS THE SIXTH OR SEVENTH CHOICE SHORTSTOP AND THE COACH WOULDN'T LET ME PLAY RUGBY (FOR STRONG UT PROGRAM)."


VIRGINIA TECH WAS NO LONGER AN OPTION, SO DORWIN BOLTED UT, WORKED HARD OVER THE WINTER AND CONTENTED HIMSELF TO PLAYING HIGH-LEVEL SOFTBALL FOUR NIGHTS A WEEK AND ON WEEKENDS.


AND IT WAS ON A SOFTBALL FIELD OGLE NOTICED HIM.


"HE WAS THE SECOND COMING OF OZZIE SMITH TO ME," SAYS OGLE. "HE'D PLAY 10 FEET BACK IN THE GRASS FOR THE STRONG HITTERS, ADDING YARDS TO HIS RANGE AND HE HAD AN ABSOLUTE SHOTGUN FOR AN ARM."


BUT OGLE SAYS IT WAS A ROUTINE PLAY - FOR PROFESSIONAL SHORTSTOPS THAT IS - THAT HELPED OGLE MAKE UP HIS MIND TO GET THE YOUNGSTER.


"PAT ZIPPED IN ON A SLOW ROLLER, BAREHANDED IT AND FIRED ACROSS HIS BODY TO NIP THE RUNNER," OGLE SAYS. "THAT'S A PLAY YOU SEE IN DOUBLE-AA, NOT SOFTBALL."


DORWIN AND OGLE'S EMPLOYERS, THE TEXAS RANGERS, WORKED OUT A THREE-YEAR DEAL, DORWIN HIT .287 WITH EIGHT HOMERS IN A SHORT SEASON LEAGUE IN 1992, THEN A COMBINED .310 AT THE A AND AA LEVELS AT AGE 18.


DORWIN WAS TOUTED AS A PHENOM, BUT SLUMPED AT CLASS AA AND ENDED UP BEING A ROLE PLAYER OFF THE BENCH.


WITH HIS CONTRACT EXPIRED, AND ASPIRATIONS OF A QUICK RISE TO THE MAJORS FADING, DORWIN INKED A TWO-YEAR DEAL WITH BOURGOIN, A FRENCH RUGBY CLUB, WHERE HE WAS EXPECTED TO EXCEL IN SEVENS, THE SHORTER VERSION OF THE FULL SPORT.


"SEVENS IS A TEAM OF SEVEN PLAYERS PLAYING TWO SEVEN-MINUTE HALVES AS OPPOSED TO 15 PLAYERS AND 30-MINUTE HALVES," DORWIN EXPLAINED. "IT'S A GAME BUILT ON SPEED AND THAT WAS A STRONG POINT FOR ME."


USING HIS 6.5-SECOND, 60-YARD DASH WHEELS, DORWIN HELPED LEAD BOURGOIN TO THE WORLD CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP IN HIS FIRST SEASON, BUT THEN WAS PROMOTED TO THE SECOND SIDE OF THE MAIN CLUB.


"I WAS FINE WITH THAT, IT WAS A GREAT HONOR AND I STILL COULD FOCUS ON 7s," HE SAYS. DORWIN ENDED UP STARTING THREE A SIDE GAMES (TWO AT WING, THE OTHER AT FULLBACK, POSITIONS COMPARABLE TO NFL WRs, DBs AND KICK RETURNERS.


BUT AT 21, HE WAS AGAIN PARKED IN THE CROSSROADS. HIS ATHLETICISM LED TO OFFERS FROM A TRIO OF MLB CLUBS, BUT MORE THAN TWO DOZEN RUGBY TEAMS, INCLUDING AN OFFER FROM THE IRELAND RUGBY UNION.


"I QUALIFIED THROUGH MY GRANDMOTHER TO PLAY FOR IRELAND, BUT I WAS READY TO RETURN TO THE STATES AND TRY MY LUCK WITH THE USA EAGLES," DORWIN SAYS.


ONE PROBLEM, THOUGH. THE COACHES OF AMERICA'S NATIONAL TEAMS, IN BOTH 15s AND 7s, NEVER HEARD OF DORWIN.


HE SIMPLY SHOWED UP AT THE COLORADO SPRINGS TRAINING SITE AND ASKED FOR A TRYOUT.


"I WAS POLITELY TOLD THAT WASN'T THE WAY IT WORKED," SAYS DORWIN. "BASICALLY I HAD TO PLAY AT THE CLUB LEVEL AND PROVE MYSELF TO THE SELECTORS WHO CHOOSE THE PLAYERS FOR TRYOUTS WITH THE EAGLES.


BACK HOME NEAR KNOXVILLE, DORWIN JOINED THE KNOXVILLE POSSUMS RUGBY CLUB - AND IMMEDIATELY WAS THRUST INTO THE CAPTAINCY AND A STARTING ROLE FOR THE CAPE FEAR 7s TOURNAMENT.


"IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST - IF NOT THE LARGEST 7s TOURNEY IN NORTH AMERICA," HE SAYS.


PLAYING IN FIVE OF SIX MATCHES OVER TWO DAYS, DORWIN SCORED 22 TRIES (LIKE TOUCHDOWNS IN FOOTBALL), TURNING THE HEADS OF SOME SELECTORS, AS KNOXVILLE ROCKED LOUISVILLE, KY., IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP 45-10.





PAT DORWIN RACES DOWNFIELD FOR THE KNOXVILLE POSSUMS WITH TEAMMATE BRIAN NIEKERK IN SUPPORT.


"I COULDN'T BELIEVE THIS KID WASN'T HOOKED UP WITH A BIG U.S. TEAM," SAID EMIL SIGNES, A 7s COACH FOR A NUMBER OF TEAMS.


SIGNES ASKED DORWIN TO PLAY WITH AN INVITATIONAL SIDE, ATLANTIS, THE NEXT WEEK IN A TOURNAMENT, IRONICALLY SET IN KNOXVILLE.


SIGNES WAS LOOKING FOR THE BEST 12 PLAYERS TO FILL OUT HIS ROSTER FOR A CAYMAN ISLANDS TOURNAMENT. DORWIN FELT A BIT SLEIGHTED AT BEING NAMED TO THE "POSSIBLES" SQUAD INSTEAD OF THE "PROBABLES."


THAT THOUGHT QUCKLY CHANGED AS THE TOURNAMENT MOVED ON WITH DORWIN TALLYING FOUR SCORES AGAINST VIRGINIA BEACH, SITTING A GAME, THEN CAPPING OFF SATURDAY'S PLAY WITH A SIX-TRY PERFORMANCE AGAINST TOLEDO, OHIO.


IN THAT SUNDAY'S QUARTFINAL ACTION, DORWIN CHIP-KICKED THE BALL AHEAD IN THE WANING MOMENTS OF THE MATCH, GOT A NICE BOUNCE AND TREKKED IN FOR A 60-YARD BREAKAWAY SCORE.


THE POSSIBLES SQUARED OFF WITH LOUISVILLE IN ONE SEMIFINAL WHILE THE PROBABLES MET NASHVILLE IN THE OTHER.


DORWIN STARTED THE MATCH AT SCRUMHALF, BUT MOVED TO FLYHALF WITH JUST A FEW MINUTES LEFT IN A 14-14 MATCH. OFF A LINEOUT INSIDE HIS OWN HALF, DORWIN TOOK A PASS, FAKED AN INSIDE DROP OFF TO HIS CENTER AND WITH THE OPPOSING WING CHARGING HARD TO COVER POSSIBLES' WING FRANK BENNETT, DORWIN DEFTLY CHIPPED AHEAD AND BENNETT CAUGHT THE KICK ON THE FLY TO SCORE THE MATCH-WINNING TRY.


THE PROBABLES' 21-12 WIN SET UP AN ALL-ATLANTIS FINAL. DORWIN WAS SELECTED AT WING TO MATCH UP WITH DAVID "DIXIE" DEAN, A USA NATIONAL TEAM PLAYER AND ONE OF THE SHIFTIEST 7s PLAYERS TO WEAR AN AMERICAN EAGLE JERSEY.


"DIXIE GOT THE BEST OF ME," SAID DORWIN. "HE RAN ME TO DEATH AND ENDED UP WITH THREE TRIES."


BUT DORWIN HAD OPENED THE POSSIBLES' SCORING ON THE OPENING KICKOFF WHEN THE BALL WAS TAPPEDD BACK TO HIM ON THE BURST AND HE KICKED AHEAD AND GOT THE BALL TO GO IN FOR THE TRY.


DORWIN EQUALED DEAN'S HAT TRICK BUT DROPPED A SURE FOURTH SCORE IN THE TRY ZONE AS THE PROBABLES HUNG ON FOR A RIVETING 45-40 WIN.


HE WOULD MAKE THE CAYMAN ISLANDS TEAM, BUT SPENT MOST OF THE TOURNAMENT AS DEAN'S UNDERSTUDY, SCORING JUST ONCE IN TWO APPEARANCES AS ATLANTIS FELL TO TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 22-17 IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH.


HE WAS ON THE NATIONAL TEAM'S RADAR AND WOULD PLAY PROFESSIONALLY FROM AGE 23 TO 27 BEFORE AN INJURY TO HIS RIGHT SHOULDER PUT HIM OUT OF ALL SPORTS ACTION FOR A YEAR.


WHEN HE CAME BACK TO COMPETING, IT WAS BASEBALL AGAIN, SIGNING WITH DETROIT OUT OF AN OPEN TRYOUT. HE WAS NOW A DOUBLE-AA CENTERFIELDER.


DORWIN BECAME A HUMAN "PINBALL" THEN, BOUNCING AROUND AA AND AAA, BUT NEVER EARNING A MLB CALL-UP. HIS STATS FOLLOW:


2012-CHICAGO CUBS ORGANIZATION-AGE 37
AA .322 11 45 17
CUBS (THRU AUG. 29)
15 GAMES 55 AB 21 H (.382 AVG) 13 R 4 2B
5 HR 11 RBI 5 SB .727 SLG .400 OPB


2011-SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS-AGE 36
AA-RICHMOND FLYING SQUIRRELS
.299 15 66 24


2010-SEATTLE MARINERS-AGE 35
AAA .282 4 16 3
AA .331 19 89 25


2009-MILWAUKEE BREWERS-AGE 34
AAA .277 16 54 33

2008-MILWAUKEE BREWERS-AGE 33
AAA .322 14 49 15
AA .355 7 38 9

2007-ST. LOUIS CARDINALS AGE 32
AAA .267 4 35 19

2006-ST. LOUIS CARDINALS-AGE 31
AAA .292 9 41 17

2005-ATLANTA BRAVES-AGE 30
AAA ,302 5 32 7
AA .310 5 27 11

2004-DETROIT TIGERS-AGE 29
AA .317 10 54 27
================================================== ====

WITH VIC HAYWOOD AND FREDDIE FREEMAN BEING RECALLED, AN RP JUAN RINCON COMING BACK FROM A BROKEN HAND, THE CLUB'S PLAYOFF ROSTER LOOKS SET AS OF AUG. 29, 2012
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FINAL UPDATE


CHI 2012 107-55 3.92 .296 +10


IT WAS BOMBS AWAY AGAIN FOR THE CUBS UNDER NEW MANAGER RON WASHINGTON, WHO HAD THREE PLAYERS BELT AT LEAST 50 HOMERS (G STANTON, I DAVIS AND C SANTANA WHILE PABLO SANDOVAL JUST MISSED THAT TARGET BY TWO AND ROY A CONNER KNOCKED 44 OUT OF THE PARK.


STANTON WON TWO OF THREE TRIPLE CROWN CATEGORIES, LEADING THE NL IN HITTING AT .357, BUT HIS 110 RBIs WERE WELL BEHIND THE 128 OF MARK REYNOLDS.


STANTON CAPTURED HIS SECOND STRAIGHT MVP AWARD, WHILE ALSO EARNING SILVER SLUGGER AND HANK AARON HARDWARE.


JUSTIN VERLANDER TOOK THE CY YOUNG AWARD HOME WITH AN 18-5 MARK AND 3.13 ERA


CONNER WON THE ROY WITH HIS .319 44 89 PERFORMANCE.


TEAM STATS
PLAYER G AVG HR RBI SB
P SANDOVAL 139 .307 48 100 2
I DAVIS 136 .340 56 113 9
A CONNER 134 .319 44 89 13
G STANTON 133 .357 57 110 17
C SANTANA 119 .287 50 87 10
C HART 117 .291 25 51 20
V HAYWOOD 113 .272 22 47 10
A FERNANDEZ 104 .274 24 57 4
E PATTERSON 101 .281 6 34 8
R WHITE 91 .315 18 48 9
F FREEMAN 68 .286 15 37 3
B JOHNSON 63 .286 9 23 9
P DORWIN 37 .333 10 25 9


VERLANDER 18-5 3.13 33 22
CHACIN 16-6 3.37 31 14
SANTANA 14-9 3.74 33 18
NOVA 14-9 4.17 31 20
DUENSING 13-3 3.19 31 19
================================================== ======

SEE BLOG FOR PLAYOFFS AND WORLD SERIES INFO.

UP NEXT-2013

[JonahLomu]

THIS IS ABOUT ALL YOU'LL FIND ON THE BLOG AS IT WAS A DISMAL SEASON AND MANY STATS WERE LOST. HELL, I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER THE MANAGER.

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2013 PAGE C1


SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS


CUB SUCCESS SLOW IN COMING


BY BUDDY WOODS


SPORTSWRITER


CHICAGO EXAMINER

THE CUBS REMINDED NOBODY IN APRIL OF THE TEAM THAT HAS WON THE LAST TWO WORLD SERIES.


NOW THAT MAY HAS ARRIVED, CHICAGO HAS SEEMED TO LOSE ANY IDENTITY AT ALL, AS AFTER HEADING TO A 12-11 OPENING MONTH, THE TEAM HAS MADE A NUMBER OF MOVES THAT HAVE LEFT FANS HOLDING ONTO THE INSERTED CURRENT ROSTER SHEETS INTO GAMEDAY PROGRAMS, INFORMATION WHICH SEEMS TO CHANGE DAILY.


THE TEAM HAS ACQUIRED THE LIKES OF SHORTSTOP STEPHEN DREW, WHOSE PLAYING LIKE AN ALL-STAR, STARTING PITCHERS J.A. HAPP, JOHN MAINE CORY LUEBKE AND POTENTIAL SUPERSTAR SHORTSTOP ENRIQUE DOMINGUEZ.


THEY ALSO HAD JOEY VOTTO FOR A WHOPPING FIVE DAYS, WHO WAS TRADED BACK CROSS-TOWN TO THE WHITE SOX AS JUSTIN VERLANDER WAS RE-ACQUIRED AS BOTH WERE INVOLVED IN THE EARLIER DEAL.



JUSTIN VERLANDER HAS RETURNED FROM THE SOUTH SIDE.


VOTTO WENT JUST 3-FOR-15 AS A CUB AND WILL BECOME A FREE AGENT WHILE VERLANDER HAS ANOTHER YEAR REMAINING ON HIS CONTRACT.


BUT GONE ARE THE LIKES OF GIANCARLO STANTON, WINNER OF THE NL's MVP AWARD THE PAST TWO YEARS, PAT DORWIN, WHO HELPED SUPERCHARGE THE CUBS OVER THE LAST SIX WEEKS IN 2012, BUDDING STAR FREDDIE FREEMAN, AND BRYANT JOHNSON, WHO PLAYED WELL LAST SEASON AND WAS EXPECTED TO BE A BIG PART OF THE 2013 TEAM AT SECOND BASE.


THROUGH EARLY MAY, THE CUBS FOUND THEMSELVES AT 16-14, TRAILING DIVISION LEADER CINCINNATI BY 4.5 GAMES AFTER JUAN RINCON AND D.J. CARRASCO WERE TORCHED FOR NINE RUNS IN LESS THAN AN INNING.


BOTH WERE DEMOTED AND SOON TRADED, AFTER THE CLUB HAD ALREDY RELEASED BOTH ITS RULE 5 SELECTIONS, OF PATRICK DURAN AND INF JEFF GOFF.


"THEY'RE SWINGING A REALLY BIG SLEDGEHAMMER THROUGH THAT FRONT OFFICE," SAID DAVIS BURKE, FIFTH-YEAR PHILLIE GM. "THEY ARE LEARNING THE HARD WAY THAT CHANGE FOR CHANGE'S SAKE ISN'T ALWAYS THE WAY TO GO."


CUBS GM LANCE TRAYWICK HAD NO COMMENT.


"IT'S CLEAR THE CUBS ARE TRYING TO GET SOME PLAYERS FOR THE FUTURE AND DUMP SOME SALARY," SAID AN NL SCOUT.


TRANSACTIONS


5-6
ACQ RP T WALKER AND 2B S RODRIGUEZ FROM SEA FOR RPs DJ CARRASCO AND JUAN RINCON


5-5 ACQ SP J VERLANDER AND RF M JOYCE FROM CWS FOR 1B J VOTTO, UTIL P DORWIN AND SP I SANTOS


5-2 ACQ SP C LUEBKE AND 2B A CASTRO FROM CWS FOR 1B R SCANDURIA, 2B B JOHNSON AND SP B SORIANO


5-1 ACQ SP J MAINE FROM BAL FOR 2B S SCHUMAKER AND 1B E DANIELS


4-30 ACQ SP J.A. HAPP, 1B J VOTTO AND RP DJ CARRASCO FROM CWS FOR SP J VERLANDER, RP J SBORZ AND OF G STANTON


4-16 ACQ SS E DOMINGUEZ FROM LAA FOR UTIL F FREEMAN AND 2B S RAMIREZ
ACQ SS STEPHEN DREW FROM KC FOR 1B-OF O VALDEZ, 2B L SAUNDERS AND CF E BUSH


4-15
ACQ CP B PARRA AND SP E DIAZ FROM TB FOR UTIL W AYBAR AND CP W MESORACO


4-12
ACQ CP G LOZANO AND RP B LEAGUE FROM HOU FOR SP K MULVEY AND RPs S DEDUNO AND K TEXEIRA


THE NL SCOUT OFFERED THE FOLLOWING OBSEVATIONS:


--STANTON'S OF SPOT WAS TAKEN BY MATT JOYCE, WHO HAS A DOZEN HOMERS AND CAN HOLD DOWN THE POSITION WHILE SOLOMON BRITT AND COLEMAN EASTON LEARN THEIR WAY AROUND THE MAJORS.


--THE LOGJAM OF VOTTO AND IKE DAVIS, BOTH FIRST BASEMEN, WAS RESOLVED.


--DREW IS A KEEPER - THE SCOUT SAID THE CUBS ARE PURSUING DEALS FOR VIC HEYWOOD AND ADRIAN FERNANDEZ, BOTH KEY MEMBERS OF THE 2011 AND 2012 TEAMS. FERNANDEZ DIDN'T HIT WELL AT SS AND NOW SEEMS STUCK IN AAA WHILE HEYWOOD CAN'T FIND PLAYING TIME IN CENTER BEHIND AARON CONNER, OR THE MIDDLE INFIELD IN BACK OF SEAN RODRIGUEZ AND AUBREY HARRIS.


--SPers J.A. HAPP AND JOHN MAINE ARE HAVING SOLID SEASONS AND CORY LUEBKE, BRAD MILLS AND RUSS OHLENDORF OFFER SECURITY.


--THE TEAM'S 4.75 ERA IS INFLATED BECAUSE THE BULLPEN BLEW UP SEVERAL TIMES. HE EXPECTS TYLER WALKER TO HAVE AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT AND BRANDON LEAGUE TO RETURN TO FORM.


--JUAN RINCON, A STAR OUT OF THE PEN IN 2012, HAD LOST CONFIDENCE AND WILL LIKELY COTINUE TO PITCH POORLY IN SEATTLE AND DESPITE ONLY ONE BAD OUTING FROM CARRASCO, THE TEAM GREATLY IMPROVED BY GETTING WALKER AND SEAN RODRIGUEZ FOR THE TWO RELIEVERS.
----------------------

UP NEXT-2014

[JonahLomu]

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2014 PAGE C1

CUB SWOON MARCHES ON

CINCY TAKES BACK-AND-FORTH GAME

CINCINNATI - IT WAS AN ALL-TOO FAMILAR SCENE FOR CUB FANS.

CHICAGO STARTER MARK BRISBOIS GAVE UP A FIRST-INNING RUN, THEN BATTLED UNTIL HE WAS IN POSITION TO PICK UP THE WIN. HE WENT SEVEN INNINGS AND AFTER THE CUBS TOOK A 2-1 LEAD INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE EIGHTH, BRISBOIS WAS IN LINE TO SCOOP UP THE VICTORY.

A WELL-RESTED SERGIO ROMO ALLOWED CINCY A RUN, AND JOSE REYES THEN LAUNCHED HIS 15th HOMER TO RIGHT TO GIVE THE CUBS A 3-2 LEAD GOING INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH.

CLOSER HONG-CHIH KOU GOT AN OUT THEN GAVE UP A BLOOP SINGLE TO KELLY JOHNSON. CURTIS GRANDERSON FOLLOWED WITH HIS 20th HR TO GIVE THE REDS THE WALK-OFF WIN.

"PRETTY TYPICAL OF OUR PLAY THIS MONTH," SAID CHICAGO PITCHING COACH DEWAYNE STEVENSON. "KOU HAS A BIGGER ERA (3.65) THAN YOU WANT TO SEE FROM YOUR CLOSER."


CUB CLOSER HONG-CHI KUO WAS TAGGED WITH THE LOSS.


THE CUBS WON THE OPENING GAME OF THE SET AFTER COMING IN ON A 4-10 SLIDE.

"WE HAD THE HOME RUN SWINGS WORKING (EIGHT IN THE THREE GAMES) BUT HIT LESS THAN .210 FOR THE SERIES WITH ONLY 11 RUNS DRIVEN IN," SAID CUB MANAGER RON WASHINGTON. "I THINK AT THIS POINT (62-70, 13 GAMES BACK FOR A WILD CARD SPOT) WE HAVE TO PEEK AHEAD TO NEXT YEAR."

THE CUBS SPATE OF TRADES THIS SEASON WILL NOT PAY OFF IN TALENT OR PAYROLL UNTIL 2015, SAID BREWERS ADVANCE SCOUT GIO TATUM.

"YOU MINE AS WELL THROW THEM (YOUNGER PLAYERS) INTO THE FIRE," HE SAID.

INDEED, 20 OF THE THE 25 CURRENT PLAYERS WERE ACQUIRED THIS SEASON VIA TRADE, AND ANOTHER TWO PICKED UP ON WAIVERS.

UP NEXT: 2015 AND PLAYOFFS!