I can't recall a more exciting three-game stretch. Three come-from-behind, walk-off victories. One against the Sox, two against Kerry Wood and the Indians. Two of them extra inning games. Wow.
I feel bad that Wood has had to endure two blown saves at his old stomping grounds, but them's the breaks. The Cubs finally look like a team that believes it can win every game.
All right, it's time to give some "mad props," as the kids say. Derrek Lee now has four home runs in the last three games, and his multi-homer game Friday was his first since 2006. He has also surpassed Theriot for the highest average on the team (.288), and is creeping his way toward the .300 mark. I don't know where he went for six months, but right now, he looks like the Derrek Lee the Cubs signed to a five-year, $65 million extension in 2006.And props are due to Bob Brenly as well--he called Micah Hoffpauir's pinch-hit home run in the 6th after semi-calling Derrek Lee's home run in the 5th (he said: "You don't have to wait until the 8th to hit a home run, Derrek."). He must have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
This is why Marmol cannot be an effective reliever with all these walks. Bringing him in with the bases loaded was almost sure to result in a run-scoring walk. It's one thing when he starts an inning and can get out of his own jam, but he's made himself practically useless when brought in in a tough situation.
Heilman had similar issues, walking three in his first inning of work. The Cubs' bullpen has walked more batters than only five other major league teams. I still think the Cubs will have to make a move to shore up their bullpen if they're going to win the division.
Cubs notes
-I appreciate the effort from Bradley trying to go first to third on a D Lee single in the 1st, but it was still a bad baserunning play--you can't make the third out at third base.
-Incredibly, the highest OBP on the team is owned by Fukudome (.399).
-Saturday marked the Cubs' 10th extra-inning affair in 64 games.
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