High & Inside: NL Notes
You're in or you're out The Giants are trying to keep up with the playoff chase. "Right now we are under fire in a pennant race," San Francisco third baseman Pablo Sandoval said. "Forget the pennant race. We need to win games right now."
You're in or you're out
The Giants are trying to keep up with the playoff chase.
"Right now we are under fire in a pennant race," San Francisco third baseman Pablo Sandoval said. "Forget the pennant race. We need to win games right now."
The Giants knocked off the Central division-leading Reds, 11-2, Monday night.
"It's a definite momentum builder for us," pitcher Matt Cain noted. "We had a bad road trip, not something we wanted. It put us in a bit of a bind. We've got a couple people we're chasing."
The Giants trail the first-place Padres by 51/2 games in the NL West.
The NL Central-leading Reds, wrapping up a nine-game West Coast swing at AT&T Park, had won eight of their last nine and 12 of 16 but couldn't manage much against Cain after falling behind right away. Cain threw a season-high 125 pitches.
The Giants are looking for some momentum. They have lost their last three series all to contenders, so this is another key set against a top team.
"We're by no means out of this thing," Aubrey Huff said. "We've got to go out, breathe and relax, and play baseball."
nolead begins
Quade's challenge
What happens when a third-base coach abruptly becomes a manager? Ask Mike Quade. As interim manger of the Chicago Cubs, he has 37 games to make an impression on management, his players and Cubbies fans.
"I have to do it my way, and whatever happens, happens," Quade said before Monday's game against the Washington Nationals, the first for the Cubs since the abrupt retirement of Lou Piniella on Sunday.
Quade got off to a good start as the Cubs beat the Nationals, 9-1, and Quade was given two game balls as a souvenir.
Still, Quade has competition for Pinielli's old job although bench-coach Alan Trammell isn't a candidate. Trammell, who managed seven games in the last month when Piniella took leaves for family issues, was passed over in favor of Quade because Cubs management doesn't see Trammel as the next manager.
"I'm pulling for him, Trammel said of Quade after he was announced as interim manager. "We're in it together, believe me."
The competition appears to be longtime Cubbie fave Ryne Sandberg, who is managing the triple-A Iowa Cubs. Ryno has made it clear he wants to manage in the bigs one day. In an interview before Pinielli stepped down, he noted, "When the opening is there, it'll be up to the front office to decide who they want to talk to."
Obligatory Strasburg item
It's official.
Washington fan fave Stephen Strasburg is back on the disabled list. This time it's a strained right forearm for the Nats rookie righty. It's also the second time in a month he's on the DL. And the Nats aren't sure when he will pitch again. Is it too soon to start whispering rag arm?