Talkin' Cubs Live - Cubs vs. Astros - 06/14/06

Game Sixty-Four: Cubs (26-37) vs. Astros (33-32)
Game Time - 7:05pm C.T. WGN TV, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 188
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago

Greg Maddux (7-5, 4.68) vs. Roy Oswalt (5-3, 3.11)

Greg Maddux was just what the Cubs needed his last time out against the Reds and the Cubs need him to perform like he did this past Friday. He put an end to their 3-game losing streak and got them going in the right direction. The Cubs decided to skip Glendon Rusch and keep Maddux on his regular rest. Maddux has been very inconsistent over the past 6 weeks and has recorded only 2 wins in his last 8 starts. The Cubs must figure out how to beat the Astros, after Tuesday night's loss they are now 1-3 on the season and face the ever-tough Roy Oswalt tonight who is scheduled to be activated from the DL in time for the game....last year Oswalt was 2-1 with a 5.00 ERA in 3 starts against the Cubs.

Will the real Greg Maddux please stand up? Which one will the Cubs get tonight, the one that pitched in April and in only three other starts since then or will they get the one that had over a 7.00 ERA in May and gave up 6 runs on 9 hits against the Cardinals on June 4th? The Cubs would like to see the Ã¢â‚¬ËœOle ProfessorÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ hold class again. Maddux has reportedly taken Carlos Marmol under his other wing....the one not occupied by Sean Marshall and now Maddux must show his students how it is done. The Cubs have to right this ship and they must win the last 2 games of this series with Interleague Play and the Detroit Tigers right around the corner. The Tigers are possibly playing the best ball in the league and the Cubs simply do not play well against American League teams....the phrase now or never should be used.

Oswalt is clearly the ace of the Astros' staff and although he has not recorded a win since May 3rd he has only given up more than 3 runs once in his last 6 starts and has received a no-decision is his last 3 starts giving up only 4 runs in 19 1/3 innings. The Astros have said they will evaluate Oswalt right before the game to determine is he will be able to pitch or not.

The Cubs must figure out a way to score and not allow Oswalt to do what Pettitte did....dominate the ballgame.

Let's Talk Cubbies Baseball....

Jim (Gramps) Schwartz

Amazing how we can look so good (Womack drawing a walk and Barrett hitting to right field) and then how we can look so bad (Ramirez reaching for a pitch and hitting a grounder to short for a double play and Jones swinging at a pitch in the dirt for Strike 3). Cubs are now 5-13 in one-run games. That shows what a weak team we are. I am trying to keep my spirits up until the All-Star game, hoping we can get to .500 by then, but it does not look good. It will be just our luck the Cubs will have a great second half but finish 1 game out of the playoffs. They will reward Dusty with his extension for about 3-4 years and we will have to suffer with this crap another 3-4 years. Disgusting!!!!!!!!!!

Neil

Did Dusty just pinch hit for Neifi? Has he ever done that before? Womack just walked.

Neil

Matt I agree with you on the numbers, I was just saying why Dusty started him. Dusty needs to throw out anything that the team has done in the past because no one is playing like they have...either good or bad.

Matt Haggard

I knew all of that, but, if were gonna play "by the numbers" doesnt Neifi's overall numbers and his ceiling fall far below Walker's...This lineup making on a day-to-day basis is becoming a joke

Neil

Neifi is something like 6 for 15 lifetime vs. Oswalt and Walker is hitting around .200 against him.

The defense looks horrible tonight...that are making Maddux work...error to Ramirez.

Matt Haggard

..and here we go again...We'll need offense tonight and the top of our line up, and in front of our big guys are minus .250 hitters....Godspeed Cubbies

Matt Haggard

Im sure there is a wonderful reason why To Walker is not in the lineup, two nights in a row, and why our No. 1 and No. 2 guys in the lineup are below .250 hitters...What is Dusty B. thinking..

Neil

Tonight's lineup:

Pierre - CF

Perez - 2B

Barrett - C

Nevin - 1B

Ramirez - 3B

Jones - RF

Murton - LF

Cedeno - SS

Maddux - P

Jason B. from AZ

Neil,

In a month, Miller will be healthy, so of course Hendry will ship him out, then.

After all, he is fond of injured pitchers or rookies in our starting rotation, and the Cubs would have no use for a healthy, experienced, and successful starting pitcher.

-Jason (jaded)

Neil

Brad & Steve...I like your thinking on Maddux.

Here is the difference between 1st and 5th...since Pujols went down Scott Rolen is hitting .481 and for the season he is hitting .351 (tops in the NL) with 7 home runs and 40 RBI's.

XM Radio (Kevin Kennedy) is reporting that Wade Miller will not be with the Cubs for another month and several reports on XM today indicated that Prior will make another rehab start before making his first start for the Cubs this season...no official word out of Chicago yet.

Several reports out of Chicago are indicating Michael Barrett will have his hearing on Friday.