2004 Cambridge Cubs Baseball Cards
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Columbus Day Tournament - SUMMARY
Well, 14 innings of baseball were played on Saturday and no one was injured. That is something, right? Sorry about the lag in getting this up here, but prior to this morning, I have been too sore to type.
The weather cooperated with a pleasant and sunny day in the 70s. Game one started a bit after the scheduled 10:00 AM start time, and seemed to feature the Cubs against a blended team of Randolph Grays (18+ & 30+) and Brockton A’s, rather than the expected "Some Team From Maine" who apparently were a no show. The game started promisingly enough, with the Cubs putting up a 3 spot in the first. However, the accumulated rust from a bit more than a month off soon showed itself, most significantly on the basepaths.
The overall sloppiness unfortunately squandered a gem of an outing by Eddie, who racked up 12 Ks. He was relieved by Billy Burton, who pitched effectively, allowing the first game to mercifully come to an end with the Cubs on the short end of a softball-esque 13-7 score.
Game two brought the Cubs up against the Cantab Warriors at Edgars Field and, fortunately, featured an improvement in play commensurate with the infinitely better field conditions. Billy Burton (2-2, BB, RBI in game 2) capped off another 3 run first inning, which also included hits from Joey Doucette (2-3, R, SB!), Tony Preteroti (2-3, R) and Eddie. The Cubs weren't able to add to their first inning runs the rest of the way, due in large part to not being able to take advantage of the Warriors shallow outfield positioning. At least 6 fly outs to outfielders resulted from their defensive positioning. For good measure, the Cubs added a few double plays to help Cantab off the hook. Tony P pitched 6 solid innings, holding the Warriors to 3 runs, and the game ended in a 3-3 tie after a scoreless frame thrown by Jeff Meyer in the 7th, ending with a flourish on an double play off a sinking liner snared by Ish in CF.
Overall, it remains true that a bad day playing baseball still beats a good day doing much else. I guess the big thing to take from the day is the importance of the Cubs scheduling some spring training scrimmages to blow off the rust before the beginning of the regular season for '05.
Oh, and I managed to continue my little one man conspiracy against accurate scoring by somehow misplacing the score sheet for game one in addition to forgetting to bring the damn book in the first place, so the game one summary was written from memory. Please post any corrections, additions, etc in the message board or shoot Colombo an email.
2004 Results
2004 Regular Season Game Summaries
August 29, 2004 - Cambridge Cubs @ Dorchester Yankees (Fallon Field)Dorchester Yankees 4, Cambridge Cubs 18
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Cubs finish season squared at 12-12 (Game Summary by Michael Colombo) The Cambridge Cubs ended their 2004 campaign with a convincing victory over the Dorchester Yankees on a hot and humid afternoon under a brutal sun (in every way a sun can be cruel) at Fallon Field. Persevering through the close early going, the Cubs opened up with consecutive big innings of 5 and 8 runs to put this one in the win column. Jamie Waters, Jeff Meyer, Kevin McGovern and Tony Preteroti pitched two innings each and, for the most part, each put up pitching lines worthy of the MLB All-Star game style of staff management employed for this game. (The good kind of All Star pitching lines, not the Clemens 2k4 with Piazza tipping his pitches kind of lines.) Johnny put the "ace" in Aceto, thowing a strong 9th, ending the game and the season with a strikeout. Many Cubs took advantage of opportunities to shine at new positions, including Ish flashing a nifty turn on a 6-4-3 twin killing started by Jamie Waters. Kevin McGovern exhibited his wheels and leather in right field with his one-handed (ahem) catch of a shallow fly. (He also showed off his very strong arm, hitting a cutoff man somewhere in Connecticut when returning the ball.) The Cubs produced throughout the order. Jamie Waters reached safely in all six of his plate appearances (3-3 with 3 BB), to stand out on a day featuring consistently strong performances. Cambridge finished the season the way they played throughout, having fun and playing the best ball they could. Although they fell short of reaching the postseason (due at least in part to odd playoff qualification rules that will almost certainly result in the inclusion of a team (or two) with a worse record than the Cubs) this team never gave up, rebounded strong from an 0-4 start and showed consistent improvement throughout the season. More than a couple of playoff teams are certainly relieved to not have to face this club. Ending this strongly levaes the team with much positive on which to build. If this team works hard to maintain their momentum in the offseason, the elite of the league will have to move over to accomodate and talented and hardnosed Cubs team in 2005. Next up for the Cubs is a post season party/banquet. Check this space for details. |
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August 22, 2004 - Boston Mets @Cambridge Cubs (St. Peter's Field)Boston Mets 7, Cambridge Cubs 5
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Cubs downed by selves, umpire, Mets (Game Summary by Michael Colombo) On a picture perfect Sunday morning on a perfectly maintained field at St. Peter's, the Cambridge Cubs were less than perfect, losing 7-5 to the Boston Mets, essentially dashing any remaining playoff hopes. The recent early inning difficulties that the Cubs have had continued. Victimized by a brutally inconsistent strike zone, Jamie Waters started the game and was uneven, striking out the side one inning, and getting into trouble via walks and bloop hits the next. After falling behind 4-0, the Cubs chipped away and eventually took a 5-4 lead. The Mets pitcher, who went the distance, kept the Cambridge bats quiet, throwing a decent curveball for strikes (or for what were at least called as strikes), preventing the Cubs from making solid contact throughout the game. Kevin McGovern came on in relief on two days' rest, and the struggles by and with the home plate umpire continued. An bad call on a 3-2 pitch during the top of the 9th gave the Mets new life, which they capitalized upon, aided by Cubs errors, to take a 2 run lead into the bottom of the inning. In the Cubs' half of the ninth, Jeff Meyer nearly took one over the fence in left, ending up with a double. He would end the game standing on second, with the Cubs trailing by two. The final game of the season is against the Dorchester Yankees, scheduled for Sunday, August 29th at Fallon Field in Roslindale. A win in this final contest will square the season record at 12-12 |
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August 20, 2004 - Cambridge Cubs @ Franklin Braves (Chelsea High)Cambridge Cubs 10, Franklin Braves 4
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Cubs ride big inning to victory (Game Summary By Michael Colombo) The night began with players, umpires, Chelsea football teams and cheerleaders huddled beneath an overpass, seeking shelter from an intense thunderstorm. None of the assembled thought there was any chance of a baseball game happening. (Well, the cheerleaders might not have in fact had an opinion on the matter, as they seemed laser focused on their routines, continuing to run through them even as lightening was striking in frighteningly close proximity, with disturbing frequency.) But, as quickly as the storm rolled in, it was gone, leaving a decent number of good sized puddles throughout the infield as keepsakes. The groundskeepers, composed mainly of Franklin Braves (sometimes you have to pay for home field advantage in sweat and mud, it seems), whipped the field into shape admirably. By 8:30, the field was ready, or as ready as it was going to be, and the game was under way, much to the surprise of all. (except for the cheerleaders, who were sadly long gone by this time.) Kevin McGovern took the mound for the Cubs in his inaugural start as a married man and went the distance, fighting wet, heavy, slippery balls all night long. After a shaky first inning that only featured one Brave hit, the Cubs trailed 3-0. Cambridge bats seemed to remain waterlogged throughout most of the early going, entering the top of the 6th trailing by 3 runs. Since the game was scheduled for seven innings, only six outs remained. The offense answered the call in dramatic fashion. When the half inning was done, seven runs had crossed the plate, and the Cubs held an 8-4 lead that they would not surrender. Steve Ceppi sparked the rally, opening the floodgates with a two run triple. Showing again the contagiousness of hitting, almost every Cub that came to the plate in the sixth hit the ball hard. Jamie Waters missed a home run by the proverbial this much, "settling" for a 2 RBI double off the fence in left. Jeff Meyer continued to show his late season power, ripping an RBI double down the 3rd base line. Staked an 8-4 lead, McGovern buckled down for the 6th and 7th innings, gutting out the final 6 outs for the complete game victory in the challenging conditions. Kevin's seven innings were all the more impressive considering the fact that he had to throw slimy shotputs throughout his first game back from the WL (wedding list). Due to the soggy conditions he was unable to rely on his trusty curve, instead drawing upon a Schilling-esque reserve of grit and desire to record one key out after another. (Sorry Kev, I would have drawn a comparison between your performance and a gutsy Yankee starter but, oddly enough, no one that fits that description seems to currently exist.) Rising above the field conditions, Cambridge's infield and outfield defense was solid. In spite of the hard going due to the mostly silent bats though five full, to a man, the Cubs displayed heart and a desire to win. It was clear that the fight in this team would not be doused until the final out was recorded and, by the time it was, the Cubs stood victorious. Next up for the Cubs is a interdivisional match up against the Boston Mets Sunday morning at St. Peter's Park, in another game critical to Cambridge's postseason hopes. |
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August 14, 2004 - Cambridge Cubs @North Andover Thunder (Trum Field)Cambridge Cubs 4, North Andover Thunder 5
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 12 Ks, 2 CS. Discuss this Game in the Message Board |
Cubs pitch well, scrap, claw, fall short (Game Summary By Joe Doucette) The Cubs once again sunk below the .500 mark, but gained respect in a hard fought tilt with the league leading Thunder of North Andover. This was an important game for Cambridge. It served to keep their playoff hopes alive and, with that in mind, the Cubs played like a true playoff contender. Strong pitching, timely hitting and solid defense were on display throughout the game. Johnny Aceto particularly stood out, calling a great game and gunning down two would be base stealers at third. The matchup took place at Trum field in Somerville where, inexplicably, the Cubs were the visiting team. Clearly geography need not play into determining the home team in the MSBL rule book. However, were the Cubs the home team, this one may have ended differently. Matt Giamarco stymied the forceful Thunder attack by notching 12 strikeouts and throwing no-hit ball through the first six innings. Giamarco’s fastball numbed the Thunder like so much Novocaine, rendering them helpless, slack-jawed and drooling. The Cubs took a 2-0 lead with single runs in the 5th and 6th, and threatened with baserunners in most of the early innnings. Jeff Meyer ended up stranded at third following his double to the wall, one of few Cub hits against a tough Thunder pitching staff. Aggressive Cub base running led the Thunder to commit key errors on pitcher pick-off over throws, advancing Cub runners in each inning. The Thunder drew a single run in the bottom of the 6th and three more in the bottom of the 7th. Solid pitching by Giamarco kept the Thunder from blowing the game open. With the score 4-2 in the top of the 9th the Cubs grabbed two runs. John Snyder doubled to right center to drive in Steve Ceppi who had drawn a lead off walk. Then, Jamie Waters, ever the clutch hitter, singled in Snyder to tie the game. In the bottom of the ninth, the Thunder put runners on second and third with no outs. Tony Preteroti, in relief of Giamarco, forced the next batter (number 3 in the Thunder order) to ground weakly to a pulled in shortstop. The next batter (clean-up) was intentionally walked to load the bases. Preteroti then struck out the next batter looking, leading to an ejection. Clearly, taking strike three at the knees with the bases loaded and the game on the line was not the batters fault, at least in his mind. One strike away from extra innings, the Cubs gave up a solid single giving the Thunder a one run victory. The Cubs looked and played like a playoff team and, should they earn a birth in the post season, will face the Thunder in round one. |
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August 8, 2004 - North Reading Vipers @Cambridge Cubs (Rindge Field)Cambridge Cubs 11, North Reading Vipers 10
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  Discuss this Game in the Message Board |
Cubs Finally Reach .500 (Game Summary By Jeff Meyer) After digging themselves a 0-4 hole to start the season, the Cubs' struggle to reach .500 culminated with a huge 11-10 victory over the team they are chasing for the last remaining playoff spot, the North Reading Vipers. In order to make the playoffs, the Cubs will most likely have to go 4-0 to close out the season and hope for some help from North Reading's remaining opponents. North Reading and the Cubs are currently tied with 20 points apiece but North Reading has 9 games left while the Cubs only have 4 games remaining. Sunday's nail biter between the Vipers and Cubs was played under beautiful blue skies and a tough sun at Rindge Field. The sun proved to be an offensive weapon for both teams as many fly balls were misplayed leading to several runs. However, Ish Laboy was able to overcome the sun's devastating rays to make perhaps the biggest play of the game. Late in the game, with the Vipers rallying behind the help of several walks and key hits, Ish snared the warning track blast off the bat of the Vipers big #33 Shawn Hayes. As no runners advanced on the play, the catch saved a minimum of two runs and seeing that the game ended with a one run difference, Ish's effort led to the play of the game. Leading up to the dramatic moments in which Jamie Waters stymied the Viper's rally, the Cub's Tony Preteroti pitched a marvelous six innings by only giving up three runs to a powerful Viper team. To help build a sizeable 11-3 lead upon Tony's departure, the Cubs were helped by the sun, walks and several timely hits and solid defense. Key defensive highlights include Johnny Aceto throwing out a would-be base-stealer; Jamie Waters gunning down a runner at the plate from second base; and Matt Giamarco snaring a hard hit grounder, which caught the runner on second in the middle of no mans land creating a short lived hot box as Billy Burton chased down the runner. Next up for the Cubs is another huge game in the Cubs quest for the playoffs against the first place North Andover Thunder at Trum Field this Saturday night at 8:00. |
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August 4, 2004 - Cambridge Cubs @ Cantab Warriors (St. Peters Field)Cambridge Cubs 6, Cantab Warriors 2
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 Discuss this Game in the Message Board |
Jamie Waters Wills Cubs to Victory (Game Summary By Michael Colombo) On a Wednesday evening under the lights of St. Peters Field, Jamie Waters pitched the Cubs to a tough complete game victory. After putting up 3 runs in the top of the 1st, the Cubs were unable to pad their lead despite moving runners into scoring position in almost every inning of the game, consistently coming up one hit shy of a run in frame after frame. Working out of trouble in inning after inning, Waters made pitches in critical situations to make the slim Cubs lead continue to hold. Not distracted by having his windshield smashed by a foul ball, Jamie struck out 7 while spreading 7 hits over his 9 innings of work. John Snyder led the Cubs offensively with a 3-4 effort. Robert Belinky and Chris Eagan both had 2 hit nights. Billy Burton stroked a double in his only plate appearance that actually featured strikes thrown his way, ending the night a perfect 1-1. Emblematic of the evening, the Cubs turned a memorable Triple Play on a "textbook" F8, 5-4, 1-6 (Appeal) affair to get out of a middle inning two on no out situation. (Proving that fortune smiles on those that work hard and scrap...) Throughout the night, the Cubs stayed at least a run better, testament to their desire to win. A very satisfying victory in a well played rematch of an early season loss to the Warriors. The marked improvement of both squads over the season was on display throughout this game. |
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August 1, 2004 - Cambridge Cubs @ North Reading Vipers (Ryan)Cambridge Cubs 4, North Reading Vipers 11
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 (Photo Credit: Ismael Laboy III) Discuss this Game in the Message Board |
.500 Continues to Elude Cubs (Game Summary By Michael Colombo) Unable to overcome a disastrous 5 run fifth inning, the Cubs drop to 8-10 with an 11-4 loss to a solid Vipers squad. The Cubs played well in the early going, carrying a 3-1 lead into the middle of the 3rd. North Reading responded with 3 runs on 2 hits in the bottom of the inning. After a scoreless 4th, the floodgates opened in the bottom of the next frame. The meat of the North Reading order made the Cubs pay dearly for not recording the 3rd out of the inning. When the inning was finally over, the Vipers held a 9-3 lead that they wouldn't relinquish the rest of the way. Although the Cubs tallied 12 hits, they weren't as timely as they could have been, adding up to only 4 runs. Cubs errors, however, were both (un)timely and costly, consistently resulting in Viper runs. Kevin McGovern and Matt Giamarco split the pitching duties against the hard hitting Vipers, with McGovern taking the loss. Joe Doucette had 3 hits and Michael Colombo went 2 for 3 to pace the 12 hit effort for the Cubs. Tony Preteroti just missed out on a home run, settling for a triple. Jeff Meyer and Robert Belinky had a triple and a double respectively. In spite of the outcome, the game was played hard, and the Cubs didn't lose this one for lack of effort or turnout. (I know... that, and $3.50 will get you a cup of coffee, but it is something...) |
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July 26, 2004 - Wellesley Orioles @ Cambridge Cubs (Trum Field)Cambridge Cubs 14, Wellesley Orioles 8
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 Discuss this Game in the Message Board |
Knock, knock, knockin on the playoffs door? (Game Summary By Michael Colombo) The Cubs draw once again within a game of .500 with a solid victory to sweep the season series with the Orioles. A gutsier win than the final score might indicate, Wellesley was up 4-0 in the early going until the Cubs squared things with a 4 run inning. Cambridge opened the floodgates the following frame, putting up an 8 spot, with many of the runs coming on clutch two out hits, including a smash to left center by Robert Belinky. The Cubs hit well up and down the lineup. Michael Colombo continued his recent curious streak of emulating Manny Ramirez (unfortunately, his baserunning) by getting picked off at first following a single. Jamie Waters started and pitched well for five to get the win, and was effectively relieved by Matt Giamarco. Jeff Griggs worked the ninth to finish it off. Unsure if the linescore at the top of this (taken from bostonbaseball) is finished. Seems like the Orioles scored in the top of the ninth. |
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July 25, 2004 - Brockton A's @ Cambridge Cubs (St. Peter's Field)
Brockton A's 5, Cambridge Cubs 2
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 Discuss this Game in the Message Board |
Cubs can't quite pull back to .500 (Game Summary By Michael Colombo) A shorthanded Cubs squad couldn't overcome a rough start, ultimately dropping this one 5-2. Kevin McGovern pitched a strong 8.2 innings before his knee gave out. Jeff Meyer stepped up and moved over from third to get the final out. Ismael Laboy went 3-4 (and likely would have been 4-4, if not for his odd desire to watch the infielder play his grounder during his first at bat). Ultimately, the hits didn't come consistently enough throughout the rest of the lineup for the Cubs to capitalize. Jeff Meyer played a great 3B, including turning a nifty 5-3 double play. Ish also flashed a little leather at SS, highlighted by doubling a runner off at 2B after snaring a liner. It was a somewhat frustrating loss, as K Mac held the victorious A's to only 3 hits. But they were opportunistic, capitalizing on Walks, Stolen Bases, baserunning hustle and errors to generate their runs. Tomorrow brings another game... |
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July 18, 2004 - Franklin Braves @ Cambridge Cubs (Rindge Field)
Cambridge Cubs 14, Franklin Braves 10
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Game summary to come... (any volunteers?) |
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Trouble from the Hot Stove?
It seems that Varitek, Pedey, and Meuller/Youkilis might not be in the Sox's 2005 plans after all.