Results tagged ‘ Kosuke Fukudome ’
Cubs Rally One Day And Lose It The Next
Tuesday the Cubs were just piling on the runs, you couldn’t keep them off the bases. Only Bradley and Fukudome went without hits. Carlos Zambrano was pitching a great game until he lost it when the pitcher hit a double off of him and the Brewers came back to put five runs on the board, giving them a one run lead over the Cubs.
Geovany Soto came to the plate and after watching him get frustrated with the way Big Z had come undone, he took it out on the ball for a no doubter homerun tying the game! Derrek Lee and Ryan Theriot both walked four times in this game and even Mike Fontenot got to play and help the team. Earning him a second start, which was fantastic to see.
The next night we just couldn’t get it together. Rich Harden has been struggling which put us in an early hole, then you account for Cubs bad defense and you hand the Brewers a win. I mean, the least we can do right now is tie the series, but I have a good feeling we’ll win today and take the series. 
Ryan Theriot and Mike Fontenot were stealing some bases, too. These two could run a whole lot more and I hope next year Lou decides to play more of the running game. He has some guys on his team that have some serious speed, maybe during spring training he can work on that. I would get these guys running: Ryan Theriot, Mike Fontenot, Sam Fuld (they would be smart to keep him), Reed Johnson and Kosuke Fukudome. Fukudome being the iffy, though he has the speed I’m not sure he can pick the correct spots to run. Theriot leads the team in steals and I think could steal a lot more given the chance.
Congratulations to Aramis Ramirez for his two-run dinger yesterday. Next year will be better just having him in the lineup all year.
The Brewers announcers were saying that there was an article in Chicago’s own paper that Ryan Theriot doesn’t make a good lead off hitter. What exactly are they wanting from a lead off hitter? Theriot is on base a lot, he takes a lot of pitches letting the guys behind him see what the pitcher has and he walks an awful lot. I’m wondering how that is not a good lead off hitter, not to mention that he seems to be going back to hitting a lot of singles, which is what brought him up to the majors in the first place. The Cubs don’t need him to be a power hitter that’s what they pay Lee, Rammy, Bradley and Soriano for. Though only two of those are any good at it. Geovany Soto is also flexing some power again here towards the end. Last year he had a lot of homeruns and this year, not so much, but I think he is packing his whole year into these last few weeks and I say, Go Cubs Go!
Final Score Tuesday: Cubs 13 Brewers 7
Final Score Wednesday: Brewers 9 Cubs 5
~Milli~
Great Pitching and Defense Lead To Win
This was defensively a fun game to watch. With a little lead to work with Dempster couldn’t afford mistakes and he had to trust the defense to make great plays and they were right there to do that for him. Dempster pitched a fantastic game and then left the guys behind him to do the rest. I absolutely LOVED the double play that Ryan Theriot started on the second base side of the bag, throwing to Aramis Ramirez at second base who made a bad throw to first, but there was the amazing Derrek Lee to apply the tag to the runner! That was a fun one to watch. Then you have the dive in the outfield that definitely saved a run with Kendall on third, but Sam Fuld has proven time and time again why he belongs out there in the outfield. I say we keep him next year.
We can put him in one of the corners and Reed Johnson in center then we’ll have two little sparks out there.
The Cubs came together to manufacture a run late in the game with Mike Fontenot pinch hitting in the eighth. Now I know that this whole run took all three guys to complete, but nobody mentioned the fact that it started with Font getting a lead off, pinch hit double (his second pinch hit double in as many days, you would think that would get him a starting game. I miss having him out there). Anyway, so he lead off with a double, they didn’t have a picture of him hitting the ball, but they did of Ryan Braun missing his ball.
It started with that double, then Ryan Theriot laid down a perfect sac bunt and after an at bat for Fukudome that started terrible he was able to sac fly Fontenot home. Run produced. Baker hasn’t had a hit in at least the last two games, I wish they would put Fontenot out there for a start.
Oh and how about that Derrek Lee? Holy crap he is on fire! He is seeing the ball so well right now, there isn’t anything he can’t hit. I hope this hot streak carries him to the end of the year!
Anyway, I missed a few games due to being ill and not actually getting to watch the games so here are the scores. Go Cubs Go!
Final Score Saturday: Reds 7 Cubs 5 (Soto had a great game with two doubles)!
Final Score Sunday: Cubs 5 Reds 2
Final Score Monday: Cubs 2 Brewers 0
~Milli~
Cubs Have Fun In Seven Run First
I am so happy that I got to see this game. The first inning alone was totally worth it! The Cubs, as a rule, do very well against the Pirates. This game proved to be no different. Theriot began the game with a single, Bradley tried to sacrifice himself with a bunt to move Theriot to second, however, he ended up at first with a bunt hit. He hustled it the whole way down the line. Lee, Rammy and Baker followed with singles then Soto and Fukudome followed that with doubles bringing the score to six. Scales hit was ruled a single, but it was a gift call for the Cubbies because he should have been out at first making Ronny Cedeno’s amazing play count for nothing, thanks for the gift call. Dempster came up and sac bunted Scales to second and Fukudome to third. Theriot grounded out, driving in the last run of that inning. Seven runs later, the Pirates were in a big hole.
Later Dempster drove in his fifth RBI of the year with a single and Micah Hoffpauir on his first at bat of the game, first pitch he saw he sent it into the bleachers for his ninth homerun on the year. Yay! This game was fun, so the Cubs have won the series now hopefully today we can sweep the series. My hopes of ever seeing Fontenot again are going out the window as Jeff Baker continues to get multiple hits. I should be happy, but I would much rather see Fontenot out there. Maybe next year… Good luck to Big Z, I’ll have to watch the game recorded as it starts very early here and I’ll be at work. Go Cubs Go!
Final Score: Cubs 9 Pirates 2
Welcome Back, D. Lee
Again, congratulations to Derrek Lee and his wife on the birth of their son, Dylan. He really came back with a bang. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see this game again, but D. Lee hit two homeruns to drive in three RBI’s and Rammy also had a homerun. It’s not a shocker that these two are the power of the line-up. That’s why we have been so off this year, with Rammy’s injury and all. I mean, he has amazing stats and he has missed two months, that just goes to show you what kind of player he is and what he is capable of. Next year is looking much better for us if we can keep these two healthy and on the field.
I was reading an article that said that Ryan Theriot, Mike Fontenot and Kosuke Fukudome were the only part of our starting lineup that did not have an injury that either sent them to the DL or required that they sit out for several games because of it this year. In fact, Theriot still remains as the player who has appeared in the most games. I think he has missed three, two because of the flu. Hopefully next year we wont be plagued by the injury bug and can show what this lineup is truly capable of. I also really hope that Fontenot has a better year because I would much rather see him out there with Theriot, than to see Baker. I get to watch today’s game, but it will be off of recording because I will be at work when it starts. Let’s pound on the Mets today to take the series! Go Cubs Go!
Final Score Friday: Mets 6 Cubs 2
Final Score Saturday: Cubs 5 Mets 3
Avoiding The Sweep In Style!
So it started with some great pitching, man Ryan Dempster sure was on! He didn’t walk anyone until the eighth inning and then they pulled him. It’s obvious that he is a great pitcher and today he got just enough run support and amazing defense for the win.
Jake Fox never ceases to amaze me. He had a four for four game, with a homerun and an RBI single! Sam Fuld also played in this game, he didn’t make the spectacular catch, but he sure ran his little butt off to get there. He did have a single in the first inning to follow Theriot’s single, however they were killed by a D. Lee double play and a Rammy pop to second.
Aramis Ramirez hit his first triple of the year in the sixth inning, followed by Fukudome doubling and then Fox singling him in. Man that was a fun inning. So that accounts for all three runs, but there were some great defensive plays as well.
How about Mike Fontenot? He made two great plays in this game, I was so happy to see him in there. It has been so long that he has started a game and then when he is scheduled to start we either get rained out or I don’t get to see it. 
I really like Mike Fontenot and I
really feel if Piniella gave him the opportunites to work through his slump like he has Soriano, we would have seen improvement, unlike Soriano. Which we can blame his bad playing on his knee and hope that truly is what is wrong. We all know that this team is better than they have been playing and Soriano is one of the main problems right now. Hopefully a few days rest will help him to come back and be able to swing, at this point I would rather pay him his millions to warm the bench.
Piniella is being a bonehead right now saying he is going with his veterans when it is his rookies that are getting it done. Why put Jake Fox and Sam Fuld on the bench when they have proven that they can offer so much more? Jake Fox is my hero as far as his attitude goes. He doesn’t care where he plays or if he plays, he just works hard to be ready when he is called upon. I love this guy! Everyone should take a page out of his book on attitude because I think he has the best one.
I read a lot of comments about how people feel the lineup should look and this is my thoughts, assuming of course everyone is healthy. The first name is the everyday player and the rest are backups. For second base, it really is hard for me to put Baker first because I am a huge Fontenot fan, but while Baker is getting it done he should get most of the playing time. For shortstop, nobody is arguing Ryan Theriot, he is amazing in offense and defense. Though he has played in the majority of the games I suppose he does deserve a game or two off.
First Base: Derrek Lee / Jake Fox / Jeff Baker
Second Base: Jeff Baker / Mike Fontenot
Shortstop: Ryan Theriot / Andres Blanco
Third Base: Aramis Ramirez / Mike Fontenot / Jake Fox
Left Field: Jake Fox / Sam Fuld / Reed Johnson / Alfonso Soriano
Center Field: Sam Fuld-Reed Johnson (platoon) / Kosuke Fukudome
Right Field: Kosuke Fukudome / Milton Bradley / Sam Fuld / Reed Johnson
Catcher: Geovany Soto-Koyie Hill (platoon)
That is just my thoughts. I feel that catcher is such a demanding position and Hill does a nice job at it that we could platoon it. Use Hill when there is a rightie pitcher let him switch hit. Sam Fuld and Reed Johnson play so much alike to me that I love to see both of them out in the field when Johnson is off the DL of course.
This was a much needed win for us, we were definitely losing faith. Maybe we could make a run for the division and if not, this is still always going to be my team! Go Cubs Go!
Final Score Sunday: Cubs 3 Dodgers 1
~Milli~
Cubbies Pound Pirates–Finally A ‘W’
Randy Wells dominates and gets A LOT of run support. It has been 103 years since the Cubs have scored fourteen runs in the first two innings. Everyone in the starting lineup contributed to this win and I wish I could have seen it. It was another blocked game for me along with tomorrow. I get Sunday’s though! Yay!
Derrek Lee had a huge day driving in seven runs on his own. Randy wells even had a great day at the plate that included a double.
Sam Fuld and Koyie Hill both had triples. Kosuke Fukudome had a three run homerun. I wish I could have seen my Cubbies pound the Pirates. Maybe Sunday…
Ryan Theriot continued to get his hits and is batting almost three hundred! I know Fontenot got to play today, but he didn’t have any hits, sadly. I want to see him play, I miss seeing my pocket rocket out there.
Good luck to my Cubbies tomorrow, Go Cubs Go!
Final Score: Cubs 17 Pirates 2
~Milli~
Now Starring…Tom Gorzelanny!!
So, I will be the first to say I was a little skeptical going into this game with a new pitcher on the mound, a pitcher that I admittedly hadn’t heard anything about until he was traded to the Cubs, but I must say I was rather impressed with his outing. He threw shut out baseball…reminds me of another pitcher, Wells. Starting pitching doesn’t seem to be an issue for us, now if we can just get our bullpen pitching to line up, we could be unstoppable. Not only did Tom do an amazing job on pitching, but he singled in a run during the blowout sixth inning!
The Cubs continue to do well against the Reds and I hope that we can continue it through the Rockies series or at least Saturday when I am there to watch.
Derrek Lee and Kosuke Fukudome both had solo shots in this game, Fontenot had another double but he hits so low in the order that it’s hard for the ones behind him to drive him in.
Ryan Theriot went hitless again, which is unusual, however, he was hit by a pitch in the arm so he did reach base once. Jake Fox also took a ball to the arm in almost the exact same spot that Theriot did.
Both looked painful, but they stayed in the game. However, I think the hit threw off Theriot as he over shot Derrek Lee for an error, but he is still amazing.
How about Koyie Hill during this game? I’ve never seen him hit so well before. He had two doubles! It was great to see him getting in some hits, I know they have been few and far between. At least he is still the IRONMAN behind the dish.
This was a great game, I just love my Cubs going out and giving it their all. Go Cubs Go!
Final Score: Cubs 6 Reds 3
~Milli~
4 Days To Game Time!!
Fontenot Gives Cubs Early Lead In Win!
I love when Randy Wells is on the mound for us. This guy can pitch! Nothing over powering, but perfectly placed pitches keep him streaking in the wins. He has eight right now, one behind our team leader, Lilly. The Cubs would not be in first right now without him and I hope that he continues on this way so that next year he can contend for another starting spot in the rotation, there is no reason he shouldn’t get one at this rate. Not only was his pitching fantastic, he hit his first career double in the second inning!
Mike Fontenot got us off on an early lead and it was great to see him get two hits in this game. I love this guy and get frustrated right along with him when he gets good hits on the ball, but someone in the outfield is always there to get it. Hopefully this will help keep him out of the slump and we’ll see the Fontenot we are used to.
In the second inning, Bradley was hit by a pitch and Soriano singled, setting the ground work for Fontenot to hit a 2-2 pitch to almost the deepest part of the park.
Ryan Theriot went without a hit and so did Aramis Ramirez, that was really weird, good thing Fontenot and D. Lee were there to drive the runs in! Theriot did have a sac bunt in the eighth which put Fukudome on second for D. Lee to drive in on the double.
I’m sure Gregg feels bad for his two blown saves so now it’s time to get over it. A closer will blow saves, just like starters will have bad outings. I think as Cub fans we are hard on Fontenot and Gregg because we lost two of our most beloved players from those positions. I’m going to try very hard not to bash Gregg anymore and hope that he gets more comfortable and doesn’t blow too many more saves on the year. As a team, we are loooking fairly good, now if we can get the bullpen pitching going and keep the offense rolling, we might have a shot.
Marmol still looked very erratic, thank you to Piniella for getting out there and barking at him. I don’t know what he said, but he seems to pitch better when he is angry for getting yelled at. He sure cleared up and ended up with the save.
Let’s beat those Reds again today and take the series. Keep it rolling for Colorado when I come watch them beat the Rockies. Go Cubs Go!
Final Score: Cubs 4 Reds 2
~Milli~
5 Days Until Game Time!!
Derrek Lee Once Again Saves Kevin Gregg
Carlos Zambrano was unusally erratic last night and managed just three innings. Later it was said that he had a stiff lower back, which could be why he was having so many problems finding the strike zone. Hopefully his next start, he’ll be a little more sharp and back to the Big Z that we are used to.
The Cubbies started out very strong in the first two innings. Fukudome was walked in the first and later erased on Blanco’s FC (Theriot starting the night with a rare one off). Lee singled and Blanco moved to third. Rammy doubled Blanco and Lee in, with Lee making a great slide to get his hands under the catchers legs. Doesn’t have to be pretty just has to get the job done.
Then Rammy would move to third and score on a wild pitch and throwing error. In the second, the Cubbies tacked on another three runs with Fontenot starting the inning doubling, Hill grounded to second base which moved Fontenot to third. Fukudome walked again, followed by a walk issued to Blanco to load the bases. Lee singled again scoring Fontenot and Fukudome and then Rammy singled Blanco home. Score was quickly 6-0, however the Marlins would fight back in the eighth to come within one run of us.
Ryan Theriot leads the team with the most games played, now sitting at one hundred. I believe he has had one complete game off this year. Talk about Hill being a work horse, Theriot has also been a staple to this team all year. He came in late to this game. Striking out in the sixth, singling in the eighth and then hitting a beautiful two RBI triple in the ninth. So I’m thinking 8-5 we have the game locked down. In comes Gregg, who looked very sharp for the first two batters and lost it tying the game at the end of the inning to take us into extras.
Derrek Lee hit his twenty-first homerun, which is more than he hit last year, to make the score 9-8 and thankfully we were able to hold onto it. Aramis Ramirez was hit by a pitch and later left because he was dizzy. I sure hope he is alright, we can’t afford to lose him again. It’s no joke that the bats started to warm up when he was back in the lineup. I saw cute little Fontenot help him into the clubhouse. Did I mention I am a huge fan of Fontenot’s?
So in a wild game where we saw the lead swap teams a lot in the final innings, Zambrano erractic, Marmol load the bases with one out and somehow manage to keep the lead and Gregg who tied the game blowing the save and still gettting the win for it. The most crazy part being Soriano moved to second…then to third…then to second…hmmm…at least it worked out and no balls were hit in his direction.
Rest Theriot so that he can play on Saturday!! Against the Rockies!! So I can see him and start Fontenot! I must see the Cajun Connection. I won’t get to watch todays game because it isn’t showing on my networks so I will keep track of it via the Cubs website. Go Cubs Go! Let’s beat the Marlins and then go on to beat the Reds.
Final Score (ten innings): Cubs 9 Marlins 8
~Milli~
6 Days Until Game Time!!
Astros Falter As Cubs Bats Stay Red Hot
Bats were still blazing in this series win against the Astros. The Cubs have looked really good at the plate this homestand going 6 and 1.
Behind Kevin Hart, who had some command issues and pinged two batters, the Cubs bats surged. It was learned after the game that Kevin Hart was dealt to the Pirates in a five man trade. He wasn’t fantastic, but he did bring three wins to the Cubs and will probably help the Pirates as he finds a home there.
Derrek Lee has been our hottest hitter as of late, sometimes carrying the team on his more than capable shoulders so today when he went 0-4 all I could think was it was about time that the team carried him for a change.
Just about everyone got in on this one. Fukudome was swinging a really hot bat going 3-3 and pretty close to hitting for the cycle. He was one of two that had a triple, Mike Fontenot also had one today. Theriot had a hit that I believe was ruled a double, but he ended up at third on it. Fukudome and Theriot paced the offense, each driving in four RBI’s.
Every article I’ve read on the double play that D. Lee tagged out Ortiz keeps saying that it was a high throw from Fontenot. Which is true, but they don’t mention the fact that Fontenot was air born as the base runner took him out to try to break up the double play. Now as for the play on D. Lee’s part, we are very lucky to have him on first. I’m not sure many first baseman make this play, that is just his gold glove calibur over there. Lee is a tall guy so everyone says he makes a good target out there for the infielders and Lord knows he has saved many an error with his skills.
It was pretty funny because as the bottom of the third inning started I told my mom that the next three guys up were more than capable of hitting homeruns so we might see some more and just after I said it Jake Fox sent a ball to the bleachers and then Milton Bradley followed it with a homerun of his own. It’s good to see Bradley getting some hits now.
I am so sick of the comments about Mike Fontenot. I have never seen one person ragged on so much for a hitting slump. It makes me mad because there are other players on this team that were in slumps or are still in them and people are sticking behind them as they work through it. I don’t think anyone will be happy with the second baseman no matter who it is because it’s not Mark DeRosa. I loved Mark DeRosa, I think we were stupid for trading him the Cardinals are lucky to have such a great player, but I also feel that we have a great team and we are now starting to show what we are capable of. It has been said that the guys on this team don’t feel that we need to do a lot of trading and I agree. Fontenot had a double and a triple in this game and I was disappointed that Yahoo sports didn’t post a picture of Fontenot.
Good luck to Kevin Hart with the Pirates, I hope that your career is rewarding and thank you for the help that you gave the Cubs in your short major league stay with us.
Let’s go beat the Marlins, I won’t be able to watch this game I am volunteering for the Relay for Life tomorrow, but I’ll be rooting for my Cubs hoping that their bats remain hot. Go Cubs Go!
Final Score: Cubs 12 Astros 3
~Milli~
9 Days Until Game Time!!
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