Game Fifty-Six: Cubs (34-21) vs. Rockies (20-35)
Game Time - 12:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 185
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago
Ryan Dempster (6-2, 2.56/1.09) vs. Glendon Rusch (1-2, 6.41/1.68)
After starting the season 17-10, Lou Piniella's crew has a chance to pick up their 18th win of the month today. The Cubs enter the final day of May with a 17-11 record after three dramatic come from behind wins. Piniella needs a quality start today from Ryan Dempster after Ted Lilly's short start on Friday taxed an already over worked bullpen. Dempster will face his former teammate, Glendon Rusch. Rusch made 12 appearances out of the Padres pen before being released earlier in the month....today will be his first start since he was a Cub back in 2006.
In other news.... The Cubs made an addition to their minor league roster on Friday. Right- handed pitcher, Jim Brower, was acquired from the Reds for cash considerations. Brower pitched 3 2/3 innings out of the Yankees bullpen last season with a 13.50 ERA and a 3.00 WHIP. Brower is 33-32 with 5 saves in 354 career big league games, 28 starts, with a 4.67 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. Brower was 0-1 in 17 games with a 2.88 ERA and 2 saves for the Louisville Bats (Triple-A affiliate of the Reds).
Ryan Dempster is coming off an impressive 3-1 win over the Dodgers. Dempster not only ended his team's 2-game losing streak, he gave his skipper 7 solid innings and the bullpen a much-needed rest. Dempster pitched out of trouble in the 7th and allowed only 1 run on 7 hits with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts.
Dempster has been very good at Wrigley this year (6-0 in 7 starts with a 2.84 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP) and must keep the ball down, and in the park, today against the Rockies. Clint Hurdle's team showed on Friday their entire roster can hit the ball and while the dramatic comebacks have been a welcomed sight to see, a well-pitched game is what Lou Piniella needs to today from Dempster.
Dempster is 2-2 in 5 starts in May with a 1.89 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP.
Like Ted Lilly, Ryan Dempster has struggled in his career against the Rockies. He is 3-3 with 2 saves in 14 career games, 7 starts, with a 7.06 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. As always the key with Dempster is to get ahead in the count early and get them to chase the slider in the dirt. If Dempster falls behind, especially early in the game, it could be another long day for Piniella's pen.
- Garrett Atkins - 0-for-3
- Todd Helton - 6-for-17 with a double and 2 home runs
- Scott Podsednik - 2-for-10 with a triple
- Glendon Rusch - 1-for-14
The Cubs will see a familiar face on the mound today in Glendon Rusch. Rusch will square off against his former team for the first time since 2003 when he was with the Brewers. Rusch signed a minor league contract with the Rockies on May 17th after being released by the Padres on May 12th. Today will be his first start and appearance of the season with the Rockies.
Rusch pitched with the Cubs from 2004 to 2006 before a blood clot in his lung threatened to end his career. Rusch missed the entire 2007 campaign but got into playing shape and signed with the Padres during the off-season.
Rusch is 7-3 in 13 career games, 9 starts, against the Cubs with a 4.48 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP.... back in 2003 he was 0-2 in 5 games, 2 starts, versus the Cubs with a 7.20 ERA and a 2.27 WHIP.
The Cubs' offense must be patient with Rusch today and make him work. If they don't....Rusch could match the outing Shawn Estes turned in against the Cubs on May 13th.
- Ryan Dempster - 1-for-12 with a double
- Mark DeRosa - 5-for-7 with a triple
- Jim Edmonds - 13-for-51 with a home run
- Reed Johnson - 2-for-3 with a triple
- Derrek Lee - 9-for-23 with a double and 2 home runs
- Aramis Ramirez - 9-for-32 with 4 doubles
- Alfonso Soriano - 0-for-3
- Kerry Wood - 2-for-3
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
i see dempster pitchiing a 3 hit shutout
Today's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Soto - C
Fukudome - RF
DeRosa - 2B
Johnson - CF
Dempster - P
Hey! Its Glooroo!!!
Anyone still remember that?
Matt, I was waiting for someone to bring up the 'Glooroo' nickname....
Apparently San Diego didnt chant it enough.
And Colorodo hasnt started chanting. Hes starting for them..
O.K., Baker was out but Dempster has to throw strikes. Free passes with the wind blowing out is a recipe for a loss.
You called it Neil...
soto has to star pulling the ball agian
Chant it Neil!!
SORIANOO!!
SO-RI-ANO (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap)!!!!
RY-AN DEMP-STER (clap, clap, clap, clap)!!!!
I agree with Brenly, I think Dempster is pitching around Helton. But it is having huge effects....he is wild, 4 walks, a wild pitch and a hit batsman in 2+.
Very good 'shutdown inning' for Dempster...
has anyone else noticed the facial similarities between Soto and Piniella? Could Soto be his love child?
LOL....I mean, seriously....put their photos side by side, and you'll see...I'm not lying
That was a double switch, right?
DeRo aint hurt, is he?
Could Wuertz actually be Wortz somethin?
Aaron, haha.
Soto is Lou with a tan and goatee!
Matt, that was a double switch on DeRosa...
When Geo's swinging like that he's at his best.
Why is Marmol closing? Is Wood unavailable?
Podsednik the Cub killer strikes again.
Finish it Senior.
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!
Fuk made an MVP defense!!! The leap looked "EASY", but it was not, and it saved a double and a run before the homer@!
Good win on a day they left a lot on the bases.
I know everyone wants to see Hoffpauir in the lineup but Kosuke cannot be moved from right field. His catch in the 9th was the fourth time this week he had a game changing catch.
Piniella just said in his post game press conference that Derrek Lee will have Sunday off and Carlos Marmol will not be available.
Somehow they found a way.
The Cubs reached deep down today, to pull off the impossible.
They defeated the immortal Glendon Rusch.
Often considered "washed-up" even in his prime, Glooroo has shown MLB...nay...the world, that perserverance combined with inept baseball GMs will always equal job security for the aggressively mediocre and the sensationally pathetic.
As long as his heart still beats, Glendon should be making a cool $1M+/yr, for some club in 4th or 5th place in their division. His entrance in the 4th-7th innings will send a subconscious signal to the unlucky fans of his team, that the manager has either given up, or gone insane, and that it is probably a good a time as any to go get a hotdog, or numb your depression with a few more cold beers.
Glooroo, with an impressive 60-90 lifetime record, with an ERA over 5.00, should hit that magic 100 loss mark, possibly even this year.
But he won't stop there folks. He is a dream-crushing terminator, relentlessly destroying optimism and hope wherever he stumbles upon it.
My heart cries out for the fans of his future teams, likely the Reds, Pirates, and Giants. His arrival and subsequent performances will usher in newfound eras of despair, like a rotund, sweaty, sloth-like grim reaper. Foolish and incompetent GMs will add Glooroo to their floundering rosters with free agent contracts that defy any semblance of commonsense. Much like opening a receptacle with 6 days worth of garbage, only to put 2 full loads of dirty diapers on top, the addition of Glooroo proves the adage, that two wrongs don't make a right.
This team is on a roll! Didnt get to see it today since it wasnt on WGN and the Extra Innings Baseball Package didnt carry it because of "fox game of the week rules"...whatever..I paid $200 show me my damn CUBS!! lol Well, I did watch the hi-light clips on cubs.com.
Neil....I agree...I am one of the ones who want Hoffy's stick in the line up...but I wonder what it would do to defense. I would be inclined to try it. I think Hoffy's stick is worth it. Fukodome has played CF in his career most of the time so I have to assume he is pretty damn good there too. As long as Hoffy can handle defense if RF it's worth the test.
Jason B....while I agree that Glendon is not my first choice for a pitcher, I think your post was ridiculous. First off, he's a lefty--so he's in a club of numerous others that will have a job as long as their arm holds on. He is a veteran and a lefty..of course clubs are going to sign him to be a 5th starter, or perhaps a long reliever and hope his knowledge helps the youngs guys.
Further, to have worked his way back from what could have been a life threatening blood clot--I give him kudos. He along with Diamondbacks Doug Davis are great stories.
Hey its cool that he worked himself back to the bigs after the health scare and all but the truth remains....GlooRoo is always a guy teams think may have worth until they actually have him on the team. Then they are reminded that lefty or not, experience or not, he still sucks.