Time For Some Home Cookin: May 2nd-May 4th

A relatively easy first game in the series against the Colorado Rockies as Matt Clement goes 7 strong innings, giving up only one run on 6 hits with 2 walks and 8 strikeouts. A 2-run first inning homer from Sammy Sosa is really that was needed as we cruise to a 7-1 victory. That homer by Sosa is his 16th and just to give you an idea of the lack of power my team is showing right now, the rest of the regulars have 18 combined. 

Before game 2 versus the Rockies, I have an email awaiting me from the Yankees GM. It's a trade proposal, in the form of 3B Todd Zeile straight up for Kerry Wood. Trading a 25 year-old pitcher for a 37 year-old third sacker isn't my ideal trade to improve the team. And seeing as how I already have an everyday 3B, it's not going to happen. I resist the urge to just reply with 'lol' and politely decline saying maybe we can revisit before the deadline. Also before game #2 against the Rockies, one of my assistant GMs calls to tell me that the Rockies have picked up 2B Michael Young from the Texas Rangers in exchange for lefty Brian Fuentes. He tells me that Young will be in town for the game, though he was unsure if he would be in the lineup. He is in there and leading off to boot. And usually when someone gets traded, on Sportscenter they almost always make it seem like that day is the day the player will have a great game and constantly be in the highlight reel for the game. Well, today wasn't one of them, as Michael Young goes 0-4 in his Rockies debut. And for the Cubs, it's another 7-1 victory, this time with Shawn Estes picking up the win. Estes only gave up two hits in his 6 innings, but did walk 3 causing his pitch count to reach over a hundred before coming to the mound for the 7th. Another 2-run shot by Sosa put us out to an early lead, but not wanting to be out done, Moises Alou added a 2-run homer and Corey Patterson added a 3-run bomb too. It was Patterson and Alou's 3rd homers of the year. 

To be honest with you, coming into this game against the Rockies, I've been a bit disappointed in Mark Prior. He's got 3 wins and was tied for the team lead in strikeouts, but with an ERA at almost 5 and half, he just hasn't gotten the job done. But something clicked on Sunday vs Colorado as Prior goes 8 innings, gives up 4 hits and walks 1 while striking out 13. Unfortunately, he gets a no-decision as the Cubs don't score a run until two out in the bottom of the ninth to tie it, give up a run in the 10th and then score one more in the 10th to tie it, again. And after all that, we manage to win the game in the bottom of the 13th with a walk-off single by Alou. Pitching was the name of the game for the Cubs in this 3 game set, giving up only 4 runs in 31 innings and striking out 23 Rockies on Sunday alone. Besides Prior and Alou, the other star of the game is 98 year-old Mike Remlinger, who went 3 innings, struck out 6 before asking to be dipped in embalming fluid to get himself ready for the next series. The sweep against Colorado extends our winning streak to 3 games, matching the season high so far. 

Hopefully we can continue the streak against Milwaukee as they come to town 3 games. They're sporting a 13-18 record and will sending out Ben Sheets, Todd Ritchie and Bronson Arroyo against Carlos Zambrano, Kerry Wood and Matt Clement.