ANOTHER 1-0 LOSS IN THE BITTER COLD

I missed a post yesterday because I was busy as all get out.

The day before yesterday we managed to squeak out a win in Houston and yesterday the guys were in Chicago. The bats were as cold as the weather (they went from 83 degree weather in Houston to a low of 34 degrees with the wind blowing at Wrigley Field in Chicago).

Due to the excellent pitching on both teams and luke-warm at bats there was absolutely no score until the bottom of the tenth inning. Then a problem releasing the ball by Orlando Hudson that failed to get an inning ending double play set other things in motion.

The end result was a 1-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs in game one of the series.

Amongst the cold bats was that of 1st baseman Jorge Cantu. Fans on twitter grouped him in with Hawpe, Ludwick and Venable as being a dead weight (at least at the plate) player.

But in the guy's defense I want to remind everyone that the day before he had flu-like symptoms and sat the game out wrapped in a blanket in the clubhouse.

Yesterday, in almost freezing temperatures, he came out and played because we do not have another 1st baseman that can actually hit the ball. He was diagnosed with tonsillitis and this man still came out to play in freezing conditions- in the late innings it actually started to snow!

So I think instead of bashing him we should be applauding him. Yes he didn't have successful at bats last night, but would you if you felt like crap, had tonsillitis and had to play in near freezing temperatures after just leaving tropical feeling Houston, Texas?

Blame was zipping around last night faster then Denorfia's final throw back into the infield (that missed cut off man Hudson) from fans on Twitter.

But Orlando Hudson in a tweet to me and in Bradford Doolittle's piece today would not let the team be blamed.

In Bradford Doolittle's article he said about his failure to make the inning ending double play:

"I didn't have a good grip on it," said Hudson. "I'm not going to throw it if I don't have a good grip. Then we'd be saying, 'Why you'd throw that ball?' Either way, I'm in a no-win situation."

My guess last night was that his hand was cold and he didn't get a good grip on the ball- seems I was right on that one. You can't blame the guy for that. I would rather miss a double play rather then have a ball thrown over the first baseman's head!

And really if we want to finger point, Chad Qualls, who came in to pitch that inning blew it again. The last time he was called in he let two runs (that were still Mat Latos' responsibility) score and the game got out of hand.

Same sort of thing happened last night...so Orlando Hudson should have nothing to apologize about but I do think Buddy Black needs to see what is wrong with Chad Qualls and why teams seem to hit him so well before he calls him in during close games.

Orlando was a bit bummed out by not coming through at bat when we had RISP with two outs on a couple of occasions.

Again in that same article he said more:

"That loss is on me," said Hudson. "I didn't come through twice with runners in scoring position, and I didn't turn that double play. That's my loss."

Ok maybe so but a lot of others didn't come through as well.

Buddy Black is soon going to have to make some decisions about Venable, Ludwick and Hawpe I am afraid.

Meanwhile I still believe that the ever changing line-up has an affect on the players consistency. After Cameron Maybin led off and did a fairly good job the other day he was replaced in the next game by Denorfia and then Venable yesterday- both not doing what a good lead off hitter should do...get on base at least 2 out of 5 times at bat.

I am a firm believer that the lead off hitter is the key in many instances and I just do not understand why a kid like cam Maybin- who clearly can hit the ball when it's not freezing cold like it was last night (with the wind chill factor the the temperature had to be in the high 20's)and has some speed should not get some regular consecutive starts in the position.

Have you noticed Nick Hundley's bat has cooled off a bit as well? When he was batting in the 8 spot he told Cory Brock from mlb.com that he felt really comfortable with his place in the lineup and he was hitting well.

Chase Headley and Orlando Hudson seem to do well in the 2 and 3 spot but they need a guy to lead off that knows how to draw walks and that is patient at the plate.

All the shifting of the lineups have not given these guys stability- so how can anyone expect them to settle in. One day you are playing the next you are not. One day you are batting in the lead off the next you are batting 7th.

Leave the lineup pretty much steady for a while (unless you have to do the righty-lefty) things and I think we will see more of these guys settling in with better at bats.

Headley sucked before he was batting second- his position in the order stayed the same for a few days. Stability in the line up works- that may not be coming from a baseball professional but if you look at the teams that are doing well their lineups are much the same from day to day.

Let the guys settle into a role- let Cam Maybin prove he isn't a good lead off guy in consecutive games otherwise we will still see the inconsistency that we keep seeing at the plate.

Today's game against the Chicago Cubs has been officially postponed...more details tomorrow