Gameday Open Thread

 

	Rich Harden	vs.		Hiroki Kuroda
	*5-1, 1.77, 89 K, 30 BB, 71 IP	2008		9-10, 3.73, 116 K, 42 BB, 183.1 IP
	1-2, 6.43, 5 K, 7 BB, 7 IP	Post		(None)
	*NL stats only
LF	Alfonso Soriano		SS	#Rafael Furcal
2B	*Mike Fontenot		C	Russell Martin
1B	Derrek Lee		LF	Manny Ramirez
3B	Aramis Ramirez		RF	Andre Ethier
C	Geovany Soto		1B	*James Loney
CF	*Jim Edmonds		CF	Matt Kemp
RF	Mark DeRosa		2B	*Blake DeWitt
SS	Ryan Theriot		3B	Casey Blake
P	*Rich Harden		P	Hiroki Kuroda

 

Our very own Rob G. will be in the stands at tonight's game. Be sure to look for him on the broadcast.

Thoughts on Hiroki Kuroda from "Blue Notes," the L.A. Times blog about the Dodgers:

...when the Japanese import is on, dude typically gets into a serious, sometimes unhittable groove. But he's often the Bizarro-version of that pitcher after the first bit of trouble, more often than not tossing himself further into trouble than figuring a way out of it.

In two starts against the Cubs this year, Kuroda has pitched 15 1/3 innings and allowed one earned run. In other words, we really haven't come across that "first bit of trouble" part.

Read the rest of this entry>>>

 

SP	Chad Billingsley		SP	Carlos Zambrano
	16-10, 3.14, 201 K, 80 BB, 200.2 IP	2008		14-6, 3.91, 130 K, 72 BB, 188.2 IP
	0-0, 0.00, 3 K, 0 BB, 2 IP	Post		0-1, 4.37, 20 K, 6 BB, 22.2 IP
SS	#Rafael Furcal		LF	Alfonso Soriano
C	Russell Martin		SS	Ryan Theriot
LF	Manny Ramirez		1B	Derrek Lee
RF	*Andre Ethier		3B	Aramis Ramirez
1B	*James Loney		2B	Mark DeRosa
CF	Matt Kemp		CF	*Jim Edmonds
2B	*Blake DeWitt		C	Geovany Soto
3B	Casey Blake		RF	*Kosuke Fukudome
P	Chad Billingsley		P	#Carlos Zambrano

 

It has taken a good 21 hours of self pity and a bracing White Sox defeat to clear my head and even let me think about previewing Game Two.

Yes, last night went down harsh, but from reading Rob's post and many of the ensuing comments earlier this afternoon, it is clear that there are still some optimistic souls in Cubdom. All I can say is, God bless you all.

 

Starters' Records Since 8/1/08
	W	L	IP	H/9	K/9	BB/9	ERA	HR/9	No-Hitters Thrown
Billingsley	5	1	62	10.2	8.1	3.5	3.34	.73	0
Zambrano	2	2	47	8.6	6.5	5.0	7.28	1.80	1

 

Billingsley pitched twice against the Cubs this season. On both occasions, he matched up with Ryan Dempster. Once, Billingsley threw well (7 K, 2 ER in 6 IP); the other time, he threw not as well. The Cubs won both contests.

Among Cub hitters, only Jim Edmonds has more than 10 career plate appearances against the 23-year-old Billingsley, though Fukudome, Lee, and DeRosa have all tagged him for homers.

Zambrano, meanwhile, Read the rest of this entry>>>

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SP	Ryan Dempster	SP	Derek Lowe
	17-6, 2.96, 187 K,76 BB, 206.2 IP	(2008)	14-11, 3.24, 147 K, 45 BB, 211 IP
		(Playoffs)	5-4, 3.34, 43 K, 23 BB, 67.1 IP
LF	Alfonso Soirano	SS	#Rafael Furcal
RF	*Kosuke Fukudome	C	Russell Martin
1B	Derrek Lee	LF	Manny Ramirez
3B	Aramis Ramirez	RF	*Andre Ethier
C	Geovany Soto	1B	*James Loney
CF	*Jim Edmonds	CF	Matt Kemp
2B	Mark DeRosa	2B	*Blake DeWitt
SS	Ryan Theriot	C	Casey Blake
P	Ryan Dempster	P	Derek Lowe

 

The calender page flips to October and the Cubs are in the unfamiliar position of being the favorites. Well maybe not the favorites to win it all, I think that honor belongs to the Angels or Red Sox, but certainly the team to beat in the National League. TBS will wax poetic about curses and goats and I'll set the over/under line on a Bartman clip at top of the third. And I'll roll my eyes with each and every mention. 

But here we are, on the cusp of the playoffs with a Cubs team that is as good as many of us have ever seen; on the heels of a season that exceeded even the loftiest of expectations. Is this the team to break the drought? I don't know, but I sure do believe it is. 

As for today's game... 

Read the rest of this entry>>>

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SP	Angel Guzman	SP	*C.C. Sabathia
	0-0, 7.04, 6 K, 4 BB, 7.2 IP	(NL)	10-2, 1.78, 121 K, 24 BB, 121.2 IP
LF	Alfonso Soirano	CF	Mike Cameron
SS	Ryan Theriot	2B	#Ray Durham
1B	Derrek Lee	LF	Ryan Braun
3B	Aramis Ramirez	1B	*Prince Fielder
CF	Reed Johnson	SS	J.J. Hardy
RF	*Micah Hoffpauir	RF	Corey Hart
2B	Ronny Cedeno	3B	*Craig Counsell
C	Henry Blanco	C	Jason Kendall
P	Angel Guzman	P	*C.C. Sabathia

 

First, Paul Sullivan writes that despite his recent travails (5.40 ERA in September), Jeff Samardzija has made the post-season roster and that Chad Gaudin will likely be a spectator.

As for today's game, Mark DeRosa (calf strain) was hoping to get in a few swings so he didn't have to go into the playoffs cold. Alas, he is not in the starting lineup. Geovany Soto (sore hand) is also sitting.

The Brewers begin play tied with the Mutts for the Wild Card, with a one-game tiebreaker tomorrow at Shea in the teams' futures if things don't get settled today. (As I post this, the Marlins and Mets are waiting out a rain delay at Shea.)

 

"It's not going to matter because, well, it is going to matter but it's not going to matter,"

Translated into English, it means that Lou Piniella decided that Carlos Zambrano would not pitch the first inning or two of today's regular season finale at Milwaukee and Angel Guzman will.

Translated into Sullivanese... Read the rest of this entry>>>

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SP	*Ted Lilly	SP	Ben Sheets
	16-9, 4.17, 180 K, 63 BB, 198.2 IP		13-8, 2.98, 157 K, 45 BB, 196 IP
RF	*Kosuke Fukudome	CF	Mike Cameron
SS	Ronny Cedeno	3B	Bill Hall
1B	*Micah Hoffpauir	LF	Ryan Braun
LF	*Daryle Ward	1B	*Prince Fielder
CF	Reed Johnson	SS	J.J. Hardy
2B	*Mike Fontenot	RF	Corey Hart
3B	Casey McGehee	3B	Rickie Weeks
C	Henry Blanco	C	Jason Kendall
P	*Ted Lilly	P	Ben Sheets

 

A Brewers win and a Mets loss (Mets currently up 1-0 in the 3rd) and the Brewers would clinch and the Cubs would know their opponent for the NLDS. To honor the occasion, Lou has trotted out the "B" squad. The game should be on Fox for most of the country I believe.

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SP	Ryan Dempster	SP	Jeff Suppan
	17-6, 2.99, 183 K, 75 BB, 201.2 IP		10-10, 5.06, 85 K, 66 BB, 172.2 IP
LF	Alfonso Soriano	CF	Mike Cameron
2B	*Mike Fontenot	2B	*Ray Durham
1B	Derrek Lee	LF	Ryan Braun
3B	Aramis Ramirez	1B	*Prince Fielder
RF	*Micah Hoffpauir	SS	J.J. Hardy
C	Geovany Soto	RF	Corey Hart
CF	*Jim Edmonds	3B	*Craig Counsell
SS	Ryan Theriot	C	Jason Kendall
P	Ryan Dempster	P	Jeff Suppan

 

The Cubs continue their Spoiler Tour 2008 and will do their best to knock out their division rivals. The only thing that probably really matters for the Cubs is that the races are still undecided on Sunday as the Phils, Brewers and Mets have their aces scheduled. Meaning if they have to use them, they won't be able to go again until Game 2 at the earliest and possibly not until Game 3 of the NLDS. Of course if the Brewers end up winning the wild card, none of that will matter to the Cubs either as they'll see the Dodgers and Derek Lowe in Game 1.

As for personal goals, Dempster goes for win number 18 and will try to keep his ERA under three for the season and Geovany Soto is looking to match or pass up Billy Williams Cubs rookie record of 25 home runs - Soto is at 23.

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SP	Rich Harden	SP	Pedro Martinez
(NL)	5-1, 1.66, 85 K, 25 BB, 65 IP		5-6, 5.50, 78 K, 40 BB, 103 IP
LF	*Felix Pie	SS	#Jose Reyes
SS	Ryan Theriot	LF	*Daniel Murphy
1B	*Micah Hoffpauir	3B	David Wright
CF	*Jim Edmonds	1B	*Carlos Delgado
2B	*Mike Fontenot	CF	#Carlos Beltran
3B	Casey McGehee	RF	*Ryan Church
RF	*Kosuke Fukudome	2B	Ramon Martinez
C	#Koyie Hill	C	Robinson Cancel
P	*Rich Harden	P	Pedro Martinez

 

The Cubs play their last-ever regular season game at The House That Jesse Gonder Built. In 44 years of play at Shea (the Mets played their first two years in the Polo Grounds), the Cubs have a 146-164 record.

Mark DeRosa and his strained calf muscle will enjoy tonight's game from the bench. Rich Harden makes his first-ever start against the Mets and Pedro Martinez, who is making his first start against the Cubs in 11 years, when he was still with the Expos.

A Cub win will give the team 97 wins for the first time since 1945.

WIth last night's extra-inning battle taxing the Mets' bullpen, Jerry Manuel has said he would consider using starter John Maine out of the pen tonight if/when he has to lift Pedro, who has only won twice in his last 11 starts.

I can't wait for all of these exhibition games to end so we can get down to real baseball.

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SP	Carlos Zambrano	SP	*Oliver Perez
	14-6, 3.77, 128 K, 68 BB, 184 IP		10-7, 4.10, 168 K, 97 BB, 184.1 IP
LF	Alfonso Soriano	SS	#Jose Reyes
SS	Ryan Theriot	LF	*Daniel Murphy
1B	Derrek Lee	3B	David Wright
3B	Aramis Ramirez	CF	#Carlos Beltran
RF	Mark DeRosa	1B	*Carlos Delgado
CF	Reed Johnson	RF	*Ryan Church
2B	Ronny Cedeno	C	*Brian Schneider
C	Henry Blanco	2B	#Argenis Reyes
P	#Carlos Zambrano	P	*Oliver Perez

 

After a lifetime spent listening to ballgames on the radio, I have come to associate certain parks with a certain tone, a certain pitch in the crowd sound. Obviously, my ear is well attuned to the way that Wrigley Field crowds come across on-air. Same with Dodger Stadium, Fenway Park, and the Metrodome. (Loved hearing all those Twins fans Tuesday night!)

Shea Stadium is another one of those parks. Unlike what you hear over the radio from those other parks, however, the crowd sound that goes out over the airwaves from a raucous Shea isn't one of collective joy. It's much more coarse, much more dangerous, a wild, unruly roar—like the sound of inmates rooting on two guys aiming to shank each other in the middle of the yard.

Read the rest of this entry>>>

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SP	*Johan Santana	SP	*Sean Marshall
	14-7, 2.65, 187 K, 58 BB, 217.1 IP		3-4, 3.62, 50 K, 19 BB, 59.2 IP
SS	#Jose Ryes	LF	Alfonso Soriano
2B	#Luis Castillo	SS	Ronny Cedeno
3B	David Wright	1B	Derrek Lee
CF	#Carlos Beltran	CF	Reed Johnson
1B	*Carlos Delgado	2B	Mark DeRosa
C	Ramon Castro	3B	Casey McGehee
RF	*Ryan Church	RF	*Kosuke Fukudome
LF	Nick Evans	C	Henry Blanco
P	*Johan Santana	P	*Sean Marshall

 

You'd think Lou would let his regulars get some hacks against Johan, since they may see him in the first round, but he seems to have gone the opposite route and sits most some of his regulars. Curious.

The Cubs want to try and take 2 of 3 or at least 1 of 3 from the Mets and hope the Brewers take 2 of 3 from the Pirates or sweep them. That would set up a tie between the Mets and the Brewers heading into the final weekend and increases the odds of them having to use their aces (C.C. or Johan) late in the season. That's more of a concern with the Mets when it comes to the Cubs playoff situation, but the more innings C.C. racks up now, the better chance he'll be less effective by the time the Cubs may face him in the playoffs. The Cubs also need to win 5 of 6 for 100 wins assuming the Monday make-up versus the Astros is not played.

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SP	*Jon Niese	SP	Jason Marquis
	1-0, 4.09, 9 K, 6 BB, 11 IP		10-9, 4.39, 87 K, 65 BB, 160 IP
SS	#Jose Ryes	LF	Alfonso Soriano
LF	*Dan Murphy	2B	Ronny Cedeno
3B	David Wright	1B	Derrek Lee
1B	*Carlos Delgado	3B	Aramis Ramirez
CF	#Carlos Beltran	C	Geovany Soto
RF	*Ryan Church	RF	Mark DeRosa
2B	#Luis Castillo	CF	Reed Johnson
C	*Brian Schneider	SS	Ryan Theriot
P	*Jon Niese	P	*Jason Marquis

 

Remember when we were all mortified by the schedule and the impending final road trip to New York and Milwaukee? Good times. Now it's nothing more than a really expensive scouting trip and a chance to play spoiler. Looking at the Mets lefty heavy lineup makes it look like Ted Lilly could be a key contributor in a possible playoff series and that Sean Marshall would make the playoff roster if we play them down the road. 

Speaking of spoiler, the best case scenario for the Cubs is that the races stay close until Sunday or possibly extend into tie-breakers so the teams are forced to use their aces late in the season and can't arrange their rotations the way they like. For example, Johan Santana is scheduled to start tomorrow and then again Sunday. Let's say the Cubs take three of four from the Mets and the Brewers can scrap together two of three from the Pirates. They'll be tied heading into the weekend and the earliest either could clinch is Saturday then and more likely Sunday, if not later.

Sit back and enjoy some tension-free baseball, although the Cubs do need a win or a Phillies loss to secure homefield advantage.