Game 9 Open Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (3 of 3)
Game Chat | Press Pass | BR Preview
SP | *Rich Hill |
SP |
Matt Morris |
0-0, 3.00, 4 K, 3 BB | |
0-0, 5.40, 2 K, 2 BB | |
LF | Alfonso Soriano | CF |
*Nate McLouth |
2B |
*Mike Fontenot |
2B |
Freddy Sanchez |
1B |
Derrek Lee | LF |
Jason Bay |
3B |
Aramis Ramirez | 1B |
*Adam LaRoche |
RF |
*Kosuke Fukudome | RF |
Xavier Nady |
C |
Geovany Soto | C |
Ronny Paulino |
SS | Ryan Theriot | 3B |
Jose Bautista |
CF | *Felix Pie | SS |
Brian Bixler |
P |
*Rich Hill | P | Matt Morris |
After 27 innings of baseball in two games, I think the Cubs should just get credit for the third game and call it a sweep. It is three full games of baseball afterall.
Lou thought about switching up the rotation a bit and giving Marquis the start tonight, but he was still feeling the effects of the flu. So Rich Hill stays in his spot and as long as the rain stays away, I'm sure there's not a happier guy in Pennsylvania right now. Hill, a flyball pitcher, gets the cozy left field dimensions of PNC Park and the punchless Pirates instead of the hitter-happy Citizens Bank Park and the powerhouse Phillies lineup.
Lou was pondering tinkering with his lineup as well, teasing us with playing Fukudome in center and Ward in right or Pie in center, Fukudome in right, and giving Fontenot a start at second to take advantage of the righty/lefty matchup with Matt Morris on the mound. Eventually he settled on rewarding Pie for his game-winning hit yesterday and giving a spot start to Fontenot, as you can see. Of course, Morris has shown little difference in his three-year splits (775 OPS vs lefties and 769 vs. righties) and was actually better versus lefties in 2007 (784 OPS compared to 828 OPS vs. righties).
The weather block on the left of the site says 30% chance of showers tonight and the map looks even more ominous, although it appears the green blob might stay north of the city the entire time.
Be sure to visit TCR tommorrow, as Mike Wellman of Road to Wrigley will have the first of his eyewitness accounts from Prinicipal Park in Iowa. He'll be stopping by here after each Iowa homestand, and will have some other articles throughout the year.
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