Sim game! Sim game!
In 11 years on the Cubs beat, I've covered enough simulated games to be inducted into the Simulated Writers Wing of the Simulated Hall of Fame.
This morning brought another, and it brought with it a rush of memories.
Today, Kerry Wood threw 26 simulated pitches, 16 for simulated strikes, facing bullpen catchers Edgar Tovar and Corey Miller, who is celebrating his 32nd birthday and was reveling in the birthday gift of being able to face Kerry Wood. Both players made a little contact, with Tovar hitting a single (simulated, of course) to center field. Wood even played along, "shaking off" catcher Tim Buss when Buss flashed a simulated sign.
But seriously, Wood said he was glad to "get the shoulder going" by cutting loose with a few pitches. Wood has been bothered by a persistent blister on his right index finger, and he threw this morning with a pad on the finger. Those, of course, are not legal in real games. When Wood comes back is anybody's guess. But he threw so that he doesn't lose any arm strength while waiting for the blister to finally heal.
"It was wrapped up today, so I didn't feel anything, so we'll probably try to throw without it tomorrow and see how it feels," said Wood, who noted that he threw fastballs, sliders, cutters and "one bad curveball." That curveball sailed over the head of Tovar late in the outing.
"I'm beyond antsy," Wood said. "This is the damndest thing I've ever seen as far as skin. I can't explain it. Nobody here can explain it. I've been to several doctors, and it just hasn't gotten any better. We tried just about everything we can think of and tried some things we probably shouldn't have. Time's going to be the best thing for it."
Today's lineup:
Soriano, LF
Theriot, SS
Lee, 1B
Ramirez, 3B
Fukudome, RF
DeRosa, 2B
Edmonds, CF
Soto, C
Harden, P
Looks like no trades today for the Cubs. That's the signal we're being given anyway.
I'm not surprised. They still have the joy that is the waiver process.
Good to see that Lou got Howry in at the right time....Up 8 in the 8th inning. He's got to be starting over from a confidence stand point, again. Until he finds that "magic", mop up role is all he should be in.
Sullivan is said to have seen Howry giving fist pounds to each member of the bullpen. Has he been traded? If so, I'm going to start constructing my Jim Hendry life size statue.
I read it on the game blog on the trib's site......
We're all waiting with bated breath. We'll know anything in a few minutes.
He's throwing in the bullpen, and you're not trading a guy you're warming up. Nice try on the Trib's part.
Seems like the Cubs stood pat at the deadline, then.
That's all Sullivan getting the hopes up of people on the live blog, that has some crazy woman going over play by play by watching the game on tv. That's a job.
How do you remotivate a guy who might be a little complacent? Float that you are shopping for a left handed bat, and then you get captain red ass all fired up all over again.
Jim Edmonds, 2 hrs, and a 2 out grand slam. He is Rich Harden's best friend.....
Yes, my buddy Tim's head might be getting a bit too big, but his site is money. Check it out: www.mlbtraderumors.com
Big fan. I've been checking it since last trade deadline. Lately, he has been getting a ton of press for it.
He gives credit where it's due, and if he finds out something is bogus, he takes it down. He also isn't afraid to contact club officials if he hears something. Solid.
Even altar boys wear tennis shoes these days..Florshiems on the golf course not allowed on the greens...Dont think they make "soft heels"..
Maybe you should try the Moises Alou method as well, never want blisters on the golf course. Wearing dress shoes playing 18 wont help though..
Bruce-
What are you hearing about the Cubs going after Milton Bradley? I read on a blog that the Cubs don't want to give up on Felix pie, for whatever reason and to rip that thinking apart would take up more paragraphs, for Ibanez? How many lives does Felix have? He may be a AAA hall of famer, but he can't hit at the majors and time has shown that again, and again.
The Bradley thing doesn't make much sense with Edmonds, Johnson, Fukudome, and Bradley all trying to play in 2 spots, and it looks like everyone but Johnson, needs to be in the lineup to be consistent.
Throw in Bradley's temper, and I just don't see this.....
Any takers on Howry? Please tell me he's a hot commodity. Somebody else can watch his belt high 92 mph heaters, get crushed daily.......
Have heard than name only casually. Heard the Padres tried to shop Giles to the Cubs, but Hendry said no.
Since his name is Felix (the Cat), maybe Pie has nine lives.
No, the Cubs aren't shopping Howry. They are shopping Eyre, but I would think it's kind of hard to trade a guy the scouts haven't seen in a month.
Amazingly Kerry Wood actually threw a baseball and not a towel. Reading between or on top of Lou's comments he has about had it with Woods blister. I like the Moises Alou approach. That and Wood should stop chewing off the callous's off his fingers, could have something to do with tender skin prone to a blister. Wonder what that thing was that they probaly shouldnt have ? I see Lou put Fukodome back in the 5 spot again, why not just leave him there ? This is what lineup # 492 for Piniella ? Well at least now Bruce when you sign autographs now you can do so with, 'Bruce Miles, SWWSHOF 08'...
I have simulated interest in your story
Was Lou simulating accusatory insinuations when he talked about pitchers pitching with blisters in his day, or is he really getting upset with Wood himself. Is all this Samardzija as closer talk meant more as a fire under Wood's finger?
I thought the same thing last night. Lou seemed impatient with the whole thing with Wood. That might've been the fire (that would be a Wood-burning fire, wouldn't it?) more than the Samardzija angle. Lou seems infatuated by Samardizja and wants to give it a shot in the ninth with him.
The ONLY silver lining, is that if Wood had been experiencing any discomfort he just got a nice little break. However, I can't see Piniella lasting much longer having to answer about blisters and protective shields, and simulated games. He made that comment last night about coating it back when he played, so that may or may not be a shot at Wood.
Seriously, how big is this blister? Are talking a size of pea? dime? grape?
Amazingly, I get a blister on the back of my foot playing golf that is the size of a nickel, and it takes 2 weeks to heal with a band aid over it, and me wearing dress shoes 6 days a week (church on sunday) yet it heals fine. Discomfort? Sure.
Maybe next time, I'll have a simulated game where I walk around my hallway at home with my wife monitoring my progress as I get up from a sit position, and climb stairs. I'm sure my boss would love that.
What a joke.
...they let you wear casual shoes to church nowadays, don't they?
But the wife insists I wear dress shoes. Classes it up.
As for the golf course, I have soft spikes, but those damn ankle socks didn't help and led to my issue. As for the Moises treatment, if I were double jointed that would work.....
I hear you on Howry. Tough to find a team interested in a guy with a 5.30 ERA. I read the Yankees and Red Sox are in on Eyre. I assume IF they deal Eyre, they then would have some flexibility to get a backup bat? How you trade for a guy that hasn't pitched in a month, I don't get but when you deal for Zoolander, aka Farnsworth, you must be desperate.
So far no national league team has made a huge move, so that's good.