Giants 4, Cubs 2; Out like a lamb

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

Tim Lincecum out-dueled Ryan Dempster in a battle of All-Star pitchers, helping the Giants best the Cubs 4-2 Sunday afternoon at Wrigley Field. The win snapped the Giants' six-game losing streak, and ended the Cubs homestand with Ryan Dempster's first home loss this season.

Success makes you greedy. It really does. You're out to perform the hardest task in sport -- the sweep -- against arguably the best pitcher in the National League, and really, didn't you still have the broom ready? I did, and I should have known better.

Tim Lincecum came out smoking, and stayed that way; striking out nine, while scattering six hits over eight innings of work. The Cubs were able to take advantage of what was really the only Lincecum mistake; a one-out walk to Mark DeRosa, that Jim Edmonds followed with an RBI double.

Past that, Tim pretty much did as he pleased for the afternoon, combining a fastball consistently in the mid-90s with a slider that locked up the Cubs hitters often. He's the real deal, and I have to say it's a shame -- and not just because he beat the Cubs -- that he had to start today.

As with Ryan Dempster, his start today makes it very unlikely that he'll see much if any of Tim in the All-Star game Tuesday, especially as both threw 116-plus pitches. With late West Coast games, and a sub-.500 team, it would have been a great chance to showcase what may very well be the next young pitcher to the baseball world at large.

And Dempster? Well, he probably deserved better. However, his inability to spot his curveball -- often either high and way outside, or bouncing in front of home plate -- was really his undoing. He made a game of it, going 6 2/3 innings, while allowing all the Giants runs.

Interestingly enough though, the death blow was really his inability to get Tim Lincecum out in the third inning. Instead, with two out, he hits a triple to right, that just bounced under the glove of Mark DeRosa, and to the wall.

Omar Vizquel scored, and soon after Fred Lewis hits an RBI single to plate Lincecum; that was pretty much the ballgame. The Cubs were able to grab a late run in the ninth on a Geovany Soto pinch-hit single, but facing All-Star pitchers all day, it was really too little, too late.

Now, speaking of All-Star pitchers come news that Carlos Marmol is replacing Kerry Wood on the National League All-Star roster, to which I say huh? I'm ecstatic about what is now the selection of eight Cubs to the squad this year, but considering that likely half -- Ryan Dempster, Alfonso Soriano, Kerry Wood, and Carlos Marmol himself, who I would guess at Lou's request would only be used if needed -- are likely not to play, seems a bit much.

Add Kosuke Fukudome -- a selection much the product of international voting, as opposed to performance -- and I'm sure many eyebrows will be raised this week over the Cubs selections.

Having not had a chance to post in the last few days, I've many thoughts to share about this weekend. Look for many of them in an upcoming "Ten Things I Think I Think" this week. Wuertz optioned to Iowa, the first Rich Harden start, bullpen overuse, etc.

But one thing that I don't think can wait is acknowledgment of this team as we hit the end of the first half of the season. The Cubs are now 57-38, tied for the best record in baseball. Having had a chance to watch most of these games with a critical eye, and keeping an equally watchful eye around the league, I'm very comfortable telling you that they are most definitely for real.

If you're looking for some type of tragic breakdown that Cubdom has been known for, I think you'll be disappointed. They've got some holes to address, some questions to answer still, and a lot more ballgames to actually play. But it's a very good team, capable of going far. Here's to the second half, and what I suspect will be a very fun ride.