Writing About the Chicago Cubs and Looking at the Team’s Past
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The Cubs continued their Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde act, this time in Tampa, after an 8-3 loss.
It was the first time this season that Chicago had lost three straight games, so the losing streak isn’t that alarming. It’s actually impressive that the team went this long before its first three-game losing streak.
What’s alarming, and has been all season, is the Cubs’ inability to resemble anything close to a competent ball club away from Wrigley Field.
On Tuesday, Cubs manager Lou Piniella decided to tweak the lineup and insert Kosuke Fukudome into the leadoff spot.
Fukudome promptly grounded out on the first pitch of the game.
It’s been that kind of week for the Chicago.
June 17, 1908 at the Baker Bowl
Cubs 3, Philles 2 (31-17)
Chick Fraser threw a solid game as the Cubs went on to win another series in their road trip. Fraser gave up just two runs on six hits and two walks with two strikeouts in the contest.
Harry Steinfeld was the hitting star in the win. He doubled twice and scored one of the Cubs’ three runs.
June 16, 1908 at the Baker Bowl
Phillies 2, Cubs 1 (30-17)
After winning three straight and seven of eight, the Cubs latest run ended in a controversial game. Back in this day, there was only one umpire and in this game, he missed several calls for the simple reason that he couldn’t be everywhere at everytime. There had been a call to have to umpires at every game but to date, nothing had been done about it.
Jack Pfiester took the loss although he hardly deserved. He gave up two runs on three hits and five walks with a strikeout.
Solly Hofman singled twice and he scored the lone Cubs run. On a bad note, it was his error that led to the Phillies game winning run in the fourth inning.
June 13, 1908 at the Baker Bowl
Cubs 1, Phillies 0 (30-16)
It was a different venue but the result was the same as the Cubs continued their June tear with a win in their series opener against the Phillies. The Cubs managed just a single run but it was enough because Three Finger Brown threw a three hit shutout. He walked two and struck out one in a game that took just under an hour and a half.
The Cubs racked up three of their six hits in the seventh inning and that was when they scored the lone run of the game. Harry Steinfeldt singled twice while Frank Chance scored the lone run of the game for either side.
The Cubs won another game, 7-2 over the Braves, in front of a friendly crowd at Wrigley. Ho hum.
The real news of last night’s game was the loss of leftfielder Alfonso Soriano, who broke his ring finger after being hit by a pitch in the second inning. All estimates point to a six week absence for Mr. Soriano.
So, for those of you who can’t stand Soriano I ask you this: are you really comfortable going six weeks without him leading off?
June 12, 1908 at Washington Park
Cubs 7, Superbas 1 (29-16)
The Cubs won for the sixth time in seven games as they took their four game series over the Superbas. Ed Reulbach had a fantastic start and he gave up just a single run on six hits without a walk and he struck out two.
There were plent of hitting stars in this one. Johnny Evers tripled, walked three times and scored twice while Frank Chance went two for three with a double, a walk and a run. Sol Hofman went three for four and he crossed the plate twice.
June 11, 1908 at Washington Park
Cubs 2, Superbas 1 (28-16)
The Cubs got right back to winning in an eleven inning pitchers duel with the Superbas. Carl Lundgren threw all eleven innings and he gave up just a single run on five hits and seven walks with four strikeouts. Lundgren also helped out his own cause with a pair of singles, including an RBI single in the eleventh that proved to be the game winner.
Joe Tinker singled, doubled, scored a run and he also bunted what would be the winning run over to second base in the eleventh inning. Frank Schulte also had a nice game with a single, a double and a walk.
June 10, 1908 at Washington Park
Superbas 2, Cubs 0 (27-16)
The Cubs four game winning streak came to an end in what was an overall poor performance at the plate. The Cubs matched the Superbas with four hits but they were unable to push a single baserunner across for a score. Pat Moran led the way with two hits, a single and a double while Jimmy Slagle reached base twice with a single and a walk.
A solid outing by Chick Fraser went to waste. He gave up two runs on four hits and two walks with two strikeouts.
June 9, 1908 at Washington Park
Cubs 4, Superbas 3 (27-15)
The Cubs blew a three run lead in the bottom of the seventh inning but then rallied to score in the eighth to get the lead back. Del Hofman led off the eighth with a single and he moved to second on a bunt by Johnny Kling. Frank Chance popped out but then Harry Steinfeldt came through with an RBI single in what would be the game winner.
Jack Pfiester threw a good enough game and he picked up the win. He gave up three runs on nine hits with seven strikeouts and he also doubled and scored a run. Jimmy Slagle led the team with three hits, all of which were singles.
June 8, 1908 at the South End Grounds
Cubs 5, Doves 2 (26-15)
The Cubs took the series and made it three straight over the Doves as Three Finger Brown once again held the opposition in check. He gave up two runs on six hits with three strikeouts in the complete game win.
Harry Steinfeldt singled twice and scored a pair in the win. Pat Moran was the other Cubs with a pair of hits.
June 6, 1908 at the South End Grounds
Cubs 14, Doves 0 (25-15)
The Cubs racked up fourteen runs on nineteen hits as they won in grand fashion over the Doves. Frank Schulte led the way and he went four for five with a double, a walk and three runs. Johnny Kling and Del Hofman both went yard while Frank Chance crossed the plate three times.
Lost in all of the offense was a solid start by Chick Fraser. He gave up four hits and two walks in seven shutout innings.
June 5, 1908 at the South End Grounds
Cubs 4, Doves 2 (24-15)
The Cubs snapped their three game losing streak behind a solid outing by Three Finger Brown. He gave up just two runs on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts in another complete game win.
Johnny Evers didn’t get a hit, but he scored three of the four Cubs runs. He did walk twice while Frank Schulte went two for three with a double, a walk and a run.
Let’s cut to the chase. The Cubs are really good this year, at least record wise. Thanks to a 9-6 win over the Padres Tuesday night, the team’s ninth straight win, Chicago has the most wins in the Majors and leads the central division by 3.5 games over St. Louis. The Cubs haven’t won this much since 1908 and we all know what happened that year.
But manager Lou Piniella wasn’t a happy camper last night, and for good reason. His starting pitching sucks. OK, that may sound a little harsh but it’s not top of the line.
June 4, 1908 at the South End Grounds
Cubs 1, Doves 1 (23-15)
The Cubs couldn’t snap their three game losing streak but at least they didn’t extend it to four games as they played the Doves to a seventeen inning tie. Jack Pfiester threw all seventeen innings in what was almost two complete games and he gave up just a single run on nine hits.
Del Howard drove in the lone Cubs run with a solo homer. Frank Chance was the only Cub with a pair of hits.
June 2, 1908 at West Side Park
Pirates 12, Cubs 6 (23-15)
The Cubs suffered their third straight defeat for the time this season as the Pirates once again racked up the hits on Cubs pitching. Don Lundgren was hit hard in his start and he yielded seven of the runs on nine hits but Three Finger Brown and Ed Reulbach were also touched up for runs in relief.
Johnny Evers had a big day at the plate in the loss. He went four for five with a triple and two runs. Del Howard went two for four with a double and a run.
The Cubs would have a day off then they’d begin a road trip that would last them almost three weeks. It was too bad they couldn’t leave town on a winning note.
After not feeling so hot over the weekend I’m ready to get back into the swing of things and there’s not better time than now to pick up where I left off. The Cubs proved once again that you can go home again and that it’s probably a good idea to do so. Chicago finished up its seven-game homestand undefeated, capping it off with a 5-3 win over the Rockies Sunday afternoon.
Sean Gallagher was impressive yet again, going 5-2/3 innings and striking out a career-high eight batters while giving up just three runs off six hits. Methinks he’ll remain in the starting rotation for awhile.
June 1, 1908 at West Side Park
Pirates 8, Cubs 6 (23-14)
For only the second time all season, the Cubs lost back to back games in a shootout with the Pirates. Chick Fraser gave up eight runs on eleven hits and four walks with two strikeouts in eight innings of work. Three Finger Brown threw a no-hit ninth inning to at least stop the damage, unfortunately, the Cubs couldn’t rally in the final frame.
Del Howard went two for four with a pair of singles and he scored a Cubs run. Jimmy Sheckard had the only extra base hit for the Cubs with a double and he also scored.
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