HOUSTON -- Ryan Theriot high-fived Lou Piniella when he returned to the dugout after his ninth-inning walk Saturday.
On Sunday, Theriot can high-five his manager from the bench, since he's getting the day off for Mike Fontenot.
Before the game, Piniella questioned Theriot's comment that he feels going up to the plate with a walk in mind is a "defensive" approach to hitting that he doesn't relate to..
"I think a walk for 1-2 hitters, 7-8 hitters, it turns the lineup over, gets people on base," Piniella said. "So I think if that's the way he's looking at it, he's looking at it the wrong way."
Piniella inserted Kosuke Fukudome back into the leadoff spot after Theriot went 0-for-4 on Saturday. Fukudome is 1-for-7 (.143) in his career against right-hander Brett Myers.
Tyler Colvin and Koyie Hill are also in Sunday's lineup against Myers, with Alfonso Soriano getting the day off and Geovany Soto sitting for a second straight day.
Theriot coaxed his first walk since May 1 on Saturday and made light of it when he went up to Piniella in the dugout and extended his hand in the air.
"It was fun," Theriot said, later adding: "I don't know if Lou realized it or not, but when I hit him with the high five, he got it then."
It was a humorous response to ongoing saga of Theriot walk drought.
"It was a light moment that you can enjoy," Piniella said of the high five. "I'm sure that the monkey is off his back in that regard for him. Now he's just got to figure a way to do it more often, lay off the high pitch, primarily."
No one is laughing at Theriot's .305 on-base percentage, especially for a non-power hitter. And when he flied out on the first pitch with runners on second and third and one out in the third inning of Friday's loss, Piniella was not happy.
On Saturday, however, Piniella rewarded Theriot by moving him back to the leadoff spot. "Assuming he starts getting on base and starts getting a few walks, he's a nice choice for us in the No. 1 hole," he said.
By Sunday, Theriot was back on the bench. He's 3-for-8 (.375) in his career against Myers, but that didn't factor into Piniella's decision. It's the third time in the last five games that Fontenot will get the start at second over his former LSU teammate.
Piniella said he had a talk with Theriot about his lack of walks. Theriot says he's an aggressive hitter and doesn't go to the plate looking for walks.
Either way, he may not want to high-five Piniella after a walk again.
Here's the lineup:
Fukudome RF
Colvin LF
Lee 1B
Byrd CF
Ramirez 3B
Fontenot 2B
Castro SS
Hill C
Wells P
id want to be traded if i was playing for Looser Lou.. Everyone commenting here blasting Theriot.. It s not Theriot fault that Lou has him leading off .. He should be the 2nd hitter in the lineup .. He can Bunt and run.. In fact only hime and Fuku ever try and bunt.. I know LOu dont like that..
So today Theriot 2-4 and 2 walks.. He was third in the NL in hits a week ago.. I dont see the facial exprssion or body language one commentor noted. I dont think hes jealous of Castro .. This move to 2nd will help his career .. I just think Theriot is the scape goat here. . Common people why would Theriot want to walk woth DP Lee and strikeout Rami after him .. I wouldnt .. Lou should bat him 1st anyway. He was the most consistent hitter last year and until last week was a decenty hitter.. I cant say that for Lee,ramo.soto. nady. Let give the hate THeriot a rest and start pounding the real causes of the Cubs problems ... Lee Rami and Soto. and of COURSE LOU is the real problem with his stupid lineups of lee 3 and Rami 4th .
It is no secret that Theriot wants to be traded, and, until he is, he will be a negative drain on this team, no matter how high his BA and OBP are. He is jealous of Castro, and his facial expression and body language betray his feelings. Now that he has disrespected Lou in the media, he has burned his bridges behind him. He had the best of situations, but thinks his glass is half full. We would be better off with the streaky Fontenot, who says that what is good for the team is good for him than with the untalented prima donna Theriot has become.
Who's gonna walk Theriot? The worst he can do is hit a single. Throw 3 strikes down the middle and watch him ground out or fly out weakly. He can't even hit one deep enough to get a run in from 3rd. Major League pitchers know he is an easy out, not unlike most of the line-up.
Soto is pathetic. His swing is the same no matter where the pitch is...sometimes a dumb pitcher will throw the ball right at his bat and he gets a hit.
Typical thoughts for players of nowadays. Ever since Theriot hit 4-5 hrs in a couple games last year he hasn't done anything that is team related. Thought he is a home run hitter so he just goes up there swinging as hard as he can. Watch him he is trying to hit out on every pitch, has no control over what he is doing. he doesn't know what it takes to win and most of them don't. Piniella put his butt on the bench until he starts doing what it takes to win games and for him it is to get on base, steal a base, take walk, hit to right field, and the little things.
Thank you Astros,
You laid down for us in 2005 and you always trip up the Cubbies.
Cubs, thank you, thanks to you I feel like a
villain on Doctor Who just as his plans are about to hatch...I get to tune in to your 100 years plus of futility and it's very entertaining.
One of you fans even called WGN 10th inning said once "hey, at least we're doing better than the White Sox"
LOL
so is rest of the league...
but you can never take '05 away from us...
(or '08 from you)
except ours was 2005, yours was 1908...
we know what it's like, even your grandpas
can't remember what 1908 was like...
Fast-forward to the "pivotal" final game with Houston in this series. It's Sunday about 2:40 p.m. and Ramirez failed took a swipe at a ground ball Brenly noted he normally would have at least tried to block in the past. Result: 6-2 Houston. Lou: Aramis has been "looking at it the wrong way" all season long.
Theriot should be thanking Pinella for giving him as many ABs as he has the past couple years. He's not an every day player! Nobody with that slugging percentage should ever be swinging at the first pitch with runners on base. His job is not to drive in runs!
I'm glad theriot thinks its a joke this clown tried to demand 3.5 million in arbitration and the guy has had ONE WALK in 6 weeks.Gimme a freakin break he's not as good as he thinks.Even soriano is Shaking his head at that walk ratio(sarcasm).He's not a leadoff hitter all he does is hit singles in the hole on the right side of the field.Bench him for weeks the high five the real hitters who show patience then see who laughs last
Could end up being a cute little mistake on Theriot's end. Trying to be funny about something, especially when a team is struggling the way this team is, is foolish, even when you have a manager like Pinella.
I'm wondering who exactly Theriot thinks he is? His attitude is that of some superstar who has earned the right to conduct himself in that kind of manner. To be joking & smiling & having fun with a real deficiency in his game like that tells me this kid really doesn't value his job in a professional mindset. He's acting as though it's a game of fast pitch with his buddies. I understand having fun with the game & not letting failure affect you but thats only if you're doing things the right way which he cleatrly is not. A stern message needs to be sent here. This is the perfect coaching situation for Lou to make it a learning moment.
3 for 8 is too small of a sample size to allow it to factor into any lineup decision. Theriot needs to sit, or only hit at the bottom of the lineup, until he understands the value of on base percentage. He almost refuses to walk and he usually swings at the first or second pitch. While some of the balls find holes,it was an eventuality that he'd start making easy outs more often than not.
Seriously, Lou and Hendry have a big fat mess on their hands.