Game Thirty-Eight: Cubs (22-15) vs. Padres (14-24)
Game Time - 7:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 183
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago
Carlos Zambrano (5-1, 1.80/1.11) vs. Randy Wolf (2-2, 4.14/1.26)
After an impressive weekend against the Diamondbacks, Lou Piniella's crew opens a 4-game series tonight with the San Diego Padres. The Cubs have not faired too well this season against teams with a losing record and must not give back to the Padres what they just earned against Arizona.
The Padres are a better team than their record indicates. After a rough week that included releasing Jim Edmonds, they won their last two games against the Rockies in San Diego over the weekend. The Padres will be playing in the third different time zone since finishing a series in Atlanta on Thursday. The Padres can throw the ball with the best of them....it is hitting it right now that is the challenge for Bud Black's team.
The Padres have been a thorn in the Cubs side for many years, and to this day the name Steve Garvey still raises the blood pressure of many of the Faithful. The Cubs must not take the Padres lightly and build on the momentum from the last 3 games.
Carlos Zambrano has become the ace of Lou Piniella's staff after being the Cubs number one pitcher for the last several seasons. After the roller coaster ride that was his 2007 campaign, Zambrano appears to have finally put it together. The mark of a good pitcher is the ability to win games on days he does not have his best stuff....and that describes Zambrano's last two outings. In those two outings, however, he has given up a total of 1 earned run in 14 1/3 innings on 10 hits with 6 strikeouts and 5 walks, against the Reds and the Brewers.
The biggest difference in Zambrano this year is his ability to throw strikes, keep his pitch count down and limit all of those free passes that has cut his outings short in the past. In 55 innings (8 starts) he has 38 strikeouts and only 14 walks. The Cubs are 5-3 in Big Z's 8 starts.
Zambrano has pitched very well in the past against the Padres. He is 4-1 in 7 career starts with a 1.94 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP while holding the Padres to a .211 batting average. Zambrano lost his only start against the Padres last season. Zambrano started and finished the Derrek Lee-Chris Young game on June 16th at Wrigley. Zambrano threw a complete game but lost 1-0 after Russell Branyan went deep off Z in the 9th inning.
- Brian Giles - 2-for-12 with 2 doubles
- Adrian Gonzalez - 0-for-2 with 2 walks
- Khalil Greene - 0-for-13
- Tadahito Iguchi - 2-for-11 with 2 walks
Randy Wolf has been solid in his first year for Bud Black in San Diego. After starting only 18 games for the Dodgers in 2007, Wolf had season ending surgery and signed with the Padres this past winter. He has completed at least 6 innings in all but one of his first 7 starts.
Wolf has not posted a win in his last 3 outings and the Padres have lost those games by a total of 13-5. The Padres' offense is what has struggled at the beginning of the season, not their pitching.
Wolf is 2-5 in 12 career starts against the Cubs with a 4.35 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. Wolf beat the Cubs last year in Los Angeles on May 27th. Wolf threw 6 innings of shutout ball and allowed just 3 hits. Angel Guzman hit Juan Pierre in the 11th inning to force in the winning run.
Tonight will be Wolf's 7th career start at Wrigley, he is 1-3 in the first 6 with a 4.21 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP.
- Mark DeRosa - 5-for-25
- Derrek Lee - 6-for-29 with a double and a triple
- Aramis Ramirez - 3-for-13 with a double and a home run
- Alfonso Soriano - 1-for-8
- Ryan Theriot - 0-for-3
- Daryle Ward - 0-for-2
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
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Matt feels another long winning streak coming.
Lets do this!
Go MSZ!
Tonight's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Fukudome - RF
Soto - C
DeRosa - 2B
Johnson - CF
Zambrano (MSZ) - P
Seriously did Cedeno do something to piss off Lou that we don't know about? I just don't understand that when they gave him a shot, he produced and then we promptly stored him on our bench. Also, I'm all for giving Pie a chance to play more. While Johnson provided an early spark, outside of the home run yesterday his offense has been anemic lately. I'm not arguing with the early success we've had, but I just wish Lou showed a little more confidence in our young guys. They only way they're are going to get better is by playing and by playing at the big league level.
When Brian Giles is your 3 hole hitter, you know youre in bad shape.
Neil liked Derrek Lee's scoop on Theriot's throw
Matt loves Theriot, but that throwing arm of his...
Always nice to strike first. The first inning at home has been good to us this year, it seems.
quick note about the Padres, per the Chicago Tribune online:
"Former Cub Mark Prior returned to San Diego to have his shoulder examined after having more problems in extended spring training. The Padres had hoped he would be pitching in minor-league games by now, but he has not appeared in any. ... "
(knowing snort/chuckle sounds)
Good scoop by Theriot on Aramis' throw.
Still can't really hate on The Little Leaguer till he hits his midseason slump.
Hey Jason B. What do you put the chances on the employee ever pitching again?
Matt at least appreciates that you capitalize The Little Leaguer. That much respect is unlike you, haha.
1) I hope you realize you are speaking of yourself in the third person lol.
2) Can't take a guy out that is hitting .330 -_-;
3) Mr. Fuku will be moved up to the 2-hole soon, so basically they should put Theriot in the 9-hole so he can at least get on base for Fonzie...
I think Z should use his 4-seamer a lil' more as opposed to his sinker. Why pitch to contact against a singles hitting contact team w/ no power lol? Strike all their asses out or let them fly out. No power in that lineup except for Adrian.
Matt cant believe that youre out of the know as long as youve been pissing off people here.
Today is Z day. Speaking in third person has become the norm on these days since Trevor started it way back when..
And in another twist of fate, Matt agrees again with your assesment of Z's pitching.
Neil would like to see the same approach against Wolf as they used in the 1st inning....all but DeRosa's fly out to left was hit to the opposite field....now they are trying to pull everything.
Austin says forget Cedeno, we need to get Z more at-bats!!
Z helping his own cause!
Choke on that! =D
SORIANO!!!!!!!!
SORIANO!!!
SO-RI-ANO (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap)!!!!
SORIANOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!
Soriano!
Did yall see that stat about Soriano with runners on, as compared to no runners.
Matt's not saying...
(Cough5holeCough)
I say leave Soriano wheres he's comfortable, I know his average is nice batting 5th, but its such a small sample size, it can't be considered significant. He's not always going to bat with no runners on in leadoff, just as he wont always bat with runners on in the 5 hole. Let him hit where he performs the best.
Scott thinks that the reason Scott and others on this site still like Soriano is because he goes on tears that carry this team. He looks to be coming into one of those hot streaks and should make up for his early struggles. All we need to do as fans is be patient with him.
Scott likes the possibility of a 4+ game winning streak.
Sori is too sensitive to lineup shifts. If he's not comfortable he won't hit.
As I was saying before, Sori heats up as the weather heats up....but fans are too damn impatient..
Just put some OBP ppl in front of Sori if you want to take adv of his SLG.
GEO!
SOTO!
GEO!
SOTO!
I hope this guys understand how well balanced their lineup is when the role players do their thing and the hackers make contact. OBP is a wonderful thing.
Theriot is making Hubert nervous but he obviously could care less...as long as he produces and doesn't try to steal with 2 outs and DLee in the cage!
I, I mean Roland really likes Z's pitch to contact approach. 5 innings 67 pitches thrown. In the past Z would have over 80 pitches after 5.
Trevor likes the way this game is shaping up. Trevor is listening on the radio but thinks he can see Medium Z smiling nonetheless.
Neil agrees with Roland...excellent points
wow. no outs...stilll
And the Cubs have batted around this inning. Too cool!
Nick agrees with Scott.
Nick also really likes the way this offense is going tonight.
Good job Soto and DeRosa!!!
Again, I don't like Theriot, but as long as he produces, hey go for it.
Matt would like to know how many 4+ run innings the Cubs have compiled this season. It has to be a pretty staggering number.
So where the "trade-Sori" morons now? OO;;
Nick thinks Soriano is really starting to heat up, and can't beleive that some peaople actually want to trade him.
Nice lead off double Sori.
Theres another 4+ run inning. Lets just add em up.
Wow..was not expecting this...
*Switches over to Celtics - Cavs*
Maybe it is too early, but I wouldn't minf if they got to the pen now. Bring Lieber in to finish the game. Get a 3 inning save.
Dayummm Z...
I think this might be a good time to get Will Ohman some innings!!!
Trevor thinks that now is a good time to get your bench and rest your stars. Unload the bench and don't risk any injuries, also just a good night to get some rest for those who were looking weary before tonight.
Bring in Cedeno to play centerfield. Give him some experience there.
How about give Ward some playing time.
Zambrano is hitting .296 on the year. (This is Roland talking, not Zambrano)
i am all for giving ward some pt. but there is only one thing he is brutal in the field. he can not play outfield at all. he can not play first considering the low throws our left side sends over there. dero is the only option over there to spell d lee
Matt thinks Roland means give him time tonight just to rest the regulars in the field. Thats all. We all know D-Wards defensive abilities.
What a great play by DeRosa at 3rd....
Roland,
good call...this would make sense for Cedeno to get a few practice innings in CF in a blowout game.
Soriano-meter registering above .230, and climbing...
Shouldn't be long now, before he overtakes the immortal one, Reed "BTS" Johnson!
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!
Nick thinks Howry needs to get an out here.
With the Cardinals' loss in Milwaukee...the Cubs are now in sole possession of first place in the Division!
Go Cubs!!
Matt....here's your stat. The Cubs have scored 5 or more runs in an inning 13 times this year, 10 times at home. Tops in the bigs.
My computer was running a little slow there.
Good game tonight!! With the cardinal lose we are now in First place by ourselves!!
Thanks Neil.
I cant believe that. Its incredible.
How did you grab that stat so fast?
Here's a random thought after checking my fantasy stats: the Indians didn't really WANT Cliff Lee. And they're pretty much out of that division even though the season isn't close to over. They should just give him to us for Felix Pie. Yeah...we'd probably both benefit from that trade.
Matt, they mentioned it in the post game show while I was looking it up. Must give credit where credit is due.
No shame in that.
I heard it on the radio post game. I thought someone up there was reading us. That would be cool!
Cliff Lee was untouchable in the Cleveland organization 2 years ago...was sent down to AAA last year for really really struggling and could’ve been trade material then...but became untouchable once again as the season progressed and probably the new Ace of that staff. I believe e is not going anywhere and much less for an unproven guy like Felix Pie. There is probably a better chance to get Sabathia than him.
I meant Sabathia for Felix Pie...no sarcasm there.
Jeff in AZ can't wait till the newbies to the site start trying to jump back on the Soriano bandwagon.
D. Lee only went 1 for 4 tonight, maybe we should put him on the trading block next. LOL
Jeff agrees with an earlier post by Jason B. that Hendry is just trying to catch lightening in a bottle with Edmonds, I only hope to God it works.