San Francisco Giants 8, Chicago Cubs 3: Rookies Kill Cubbies

Reprinted with permission from Cubbie Nation - Notes from the Front Office

Happy Fourth of July to everyone. I trust the food and drink is flowing, and all is right with your world—well, except for what was an ugly 8-3 loss to the Giants last night.

Rookies. Nothing to like about them, except for the fact that they only go through it once. I get asked about my Baker-esque preference for veterans at least a few times a year, and you need only to look at this game to understand why.

Consider:

Sean Gallagher, who was victim to another single, prolonged inning that ultimately proved too much to come back from. His inability to get the .176 hitting Tim Lincecum out in the second inning was costly, and led to the third run of the inning, when Fred Lewis tripled to drive him in.

Geovany Soto, who dropped a ball that he probably had no business calling for in that same inning, leading to the fourth run of the game.

Kosuke Fukudome, who while I'm confident will be fine, continued his .213/.319/.284 hitting on the road—very rookie-like—with a 1-4 performance at the plate.

Jose Ascanio, who, with the game still within reach in the seventh, entered and retired no one in his appearance, giving up consecutive hits to Jose Castillo and Vizquel.

And that's not even to speak of pre-arbitration Carlos Marmol, who gave up another big home run, this time to pinch-hitter Rich Aurilia, who sent a three-run shot to left that put this game unofficially officially to an end.

Lou Piniella thinks he's tipping his pitches. Folks I've chatted with think he's lost the release on his slider, so hitters are sitting on fastballs—which he's been happy to throw, up and with too much plate. And I'm wondering if he's just lost a bit of confidence.

I'll let Piniella and Larry Rothschild figure that one out, but I hope that at the least we don't see him for a few days. There are worse things in the world than letting him sit out this series, and using the time to figure out what the story is.

Either way, this is the problem with injuries. You're forced to end up playing way too many young players; and in cases, rookies.

Fortunately, this little mess of a streak should be coming to a close. Carlos Zambrano is scheduled to start Friday, activated from the DL, with Piniella suggesting Jose Ascanio is heading back to the minors.

Thank you.

Even better is his desire to send Sean Gallagher to the bullpen, and excellent precaution, in my opinion.

Reed Johnson was activated from the DL yesterday, with Eric Patterson sent down. Aramis Ramirez was back in the lineup Thursday night after his time away tending to family affairs.

And Alfonso Soriano is looking to take batting practice this weekend. Given his desire to play, and management's tendency to allow him short rehab stints, I'd not be surprised to see him in a game or two against San Francisco next weekend. I think it's going to be alright.