Game Fifty-Seven: Cubs (35-21) vs. Rockies (20-36)
Game Time - 1:20pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: WGN - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 185
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago
Sean Gallagher (2-1, 4.50/1.38) vs. Ubaldo Jimenez (1-5, 5.37/1.70)
A year ago today, the Cubs began play against the Braves with a 22-29 record. Henry Blanco was placed on the 15-day DL and Koyie Hill was called up to take his place on the roster. The Cubs poor defense led to an early deficit and at the conclusion of the 5th inning Carlos Zambrano and Michael Barrett exchanged words....then punches. The Cubs lost the game and appeared to hit a new low on the season. The next day, Angel Pagan was called out at 3rd base, Mount Lou erupted and the turnaround began. What a difference a year makes....
The Cubs enter play today with the best record in baseball and reportedly with great chemistry within the clubhouse. Lou Piniella's crew is playing good ball right now and have a chance to not only sweep the Rockies in a 4-game series but to finish a 7-game homestand with a perfect record. This is a big game for the Cubs today. Not only would a win help the confidence of a young pitcher....but it would put another victory under their belt before hitting the road for basically the next month.
Micah Hoffpauir is expected to give Derrek Lee a breather and Piniella indicated Carlos Marmol would not be available for today's game. This is also the last Cubs-Rockies game of the 2008 season.
Sean Gallagher is coming off the best outing of his young career. The Cubs 22-year old right-hander held the Dodgers to 1 run on 4 hits in 7 innings last Tuesday night at Wrigley. Gallagher threw to contact on a very cold night at Wrigley and many of the balls the Dodgers were able to elevate were knocked down by the wind. Gallagher must continue to throw strikes and continue working on his out pitch today against the Rockies. Clint Hurdle's team has shown the past two games they will take advantage of poor pitching.
Gallagher is 2-0 in 3 games at Wrigley this season with a 3.12 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP while holding opponents to a .213 batting average.
Today will be Gallagher's second career appearance against the Rockies. He pitched two thirds of inning in relief last August in Denver....and for lack of a better word, was rocked. The Cubs lost the game 15-2 (Rich Hill started and gave up 7 runs on 9 hits in 5 2/3 innings) and Gallagher allowed 4 runs on 3 hits with 3 walks and a strikeout.
No one on the Rockies active roster has a hit against Gallagher.
The Cubs will face Ubaldo Jimenez for the first time this season. The Rockies very talented right hander made his first big league start at Wrigley Field on October 1, 2006. The Cubs won the game 8-5 and Andy MacPhail resigned moments after Bobby Howry recorded the final out. Jimenez gave up 4 runs, 3 earned, in 6 2/3 innings with 3 walks and 3 strikeouts.
Jimenez is coming off his worst start of the year after tossing his best game of the season against the Giants on May 21st. The Rockies lost to the Giants 3-2 but Jimenez threw 7 shutout innings and allowed only 3 hits with 2 walks and a strikeout. In his last outing, Jimenez gave up a season-high 7 runs on a season-high 10 hits to the Phillies in 4 innings with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts.
Jimenez is 0-4 in 7 games outside of Coors Field this season with a 6.95 ERA and a 1.96 WHIP. He has given up 43 hits and 22 walks in 33 2/3 innings on the road. The Cubs must make him work and not allow him to get comfortable on the mound.
With the bases empty, opponents are hitting .266 against him. With runners on, opponents are hitting .311 with runners in scoring position, .407 and with runners in scoring position and 2 outs, .414.
Jimenez is 0-1 in 2 career starts against the Cubs with a 8.31 ERA and a 1.85 WHIP....the Cubs have hit a robust .316 against him.
- Mark DeRosa - 1-for-2
- Jim Edmonds - 1-for-3 with a double
- Mike Fontenot - 1-for-2 with a triple
- Derrek Lee - 0-for-2
- Aramis Ramirez - 1-for-3 with a home run
- Ryan Theriot - 1-for-4 with a walk
One last stat.... Geovany Soto entered Saturday's game with the best ERA among National League catchers at 3.61 ERA.
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
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Happy Birthday to BIG Z!
Today's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Hoffpauir - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Fukudome - RF
Soto - C
Edmonds - CF
DeRosa - 2B
Gallagher - P
Soriano dropped another ball, but a good recovery. Threw out Helton.
Almost got it out Hollywood.
It would be nice to see him get hot.
gallagher is throwing strikes and his slider
is starting to look like the out pitch neil mentioned.
That is a great observation from the last couple
of starts where he quickly started 0-2 or 1-2
but couldn't finish.
Patience....they are not making Jimenez work. Soriano and Theriot, 2 outs on 3 pitches
HOLLYWOOD
One of the oddest ways to score a run that Ive seen.
Ill take it!
Nice to see Edmonds heating up at the plate. Double and Triple today. It would be great if he can keep up this acceleration.
Edmonds with a solid double!!!
Cary...agreed!
Way to be a team player, Edmonds.
I have a feeling that this will be Wuertz's last season with us, whether it being not signed next year, or being traded before the deadline (more likely)...We simply cannot have a one pitch pitcher out of the bullpen. If he doesn't locate his slider he gets hammered and/or walks guys. His fastball is below average at 92-ish, so when he's throwing a slider as Bob and Len mentioned, at 87 mph, there's not much difference, and he'll get torched.
I would like to see a move of Wuertz being traded and Ascanio taking his place...I really liked him when he was up with us, and he showed that he was very capable of getting guys out.
I'm kind of getting tired of Wuertz giving up inherited runners
Aaron...I agree with you. Wuertz is really a liability in most situations.
And way to go Soriano. Hopefully he can get hot again heading onto the road.
Soriano crushed it!
FONZIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SO-RI-ANO (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap)!!
Aramis' OPS at .966 makes him easily the most feared hitter on this team..
Where did those 2 pitches miss?
What a nice end to the weekend -- 80 degrees, the Sun is shining and The Cubs on a 7 game winning streak....
With Big Z on the mound tomorrow....
Great!!
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!
CUBS WIN CUBS WIN!!!! What a freaking homestand!! Now on out here to San Diego....I'll be at all 3 games rootin em on!!
GREAT NEWS FOR CUB FANS FROM SAN DIEGO.......
It was just announced that Mark Prior is undergoing shoulder surgery and is not coming back THIS year! They are uncertain if he will ever pitch again.
Its not great news...
Its kinda bumming.
All that potential. At least it wont be used against us. But man, the "employee" could have been something special.
7 wins with 2 sweeps. Will this be out first 116 games since...
I could get used to this! Perfect home stand!!!!
Joe, I know you don't mean it that way....but
an injury to anybody is never good news.
Perhaps a good decision on our part to give
up on him but I feel sorry for the guy reguardless
of how selfish I think he is. Good luck prior.
Anyway....I'm excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1906, and we lost the World Series that year, wow.
Well, I'll be contempt that we made it to the World Series, and anything can happen, of course, with a Centennial Sensation!
I agree that typically it's not fun to see anyone injured. But I feel that when karma bites you in the rear it is indeed funny. Listening to his interviews out here are annoying. At least Kerry had the loyalty to the organization to stay and work through the injury issues and give back to the team instead of taking the money and running. he thought he'd go home pitch in front of the local fans while pitching in the pitcher friendly Petco...put up good numbers and then sock it to someone in the winter for a big contract. Guess it just doesnt work out that way.
you have to think that Prior signed there, knowing he wasn't quite right....if he signed with the Cubs, and got injured, he'd never live it down....now he can be in relative obscurity, and might receive another chance with them...who knows? but he'd be out of baseball, rest assured, if he was injured again with us.
Joe,
First you complain about the nerve of anyway ripping on Rusch because he came back from a career-threatening injury.
Now you gloat about Prior.
You are one inconsistent dude, dude.
Sorry we are teaming up on you Joe S, but I have to agree with others about Prior. While I too grew very tired of Prior's towel throwing, I really feel bad for the guy. He was electric and that collision with Giles may have been a "Cubbie Occurence" that ended his career. Never gloat about injuries or that karma you speak of might come back this way (yikes).
I understand it's all banter, no offense taken to any of it.
Jason...need to quote me correct if you are gonna throw it back at me....I said "life-threatening" not career threatening. I said the blood clots which could have been life threatening..and I also mentioned Doug Davis battle with cancer..also life-threatening.
I certainly do not want to gloat over his injury, and certainly wouldnt say anything if it were more serious (not able to walk again, not able to use his arm) but as a father, as a man, he'll have ni limitations. He just can't pitch again in a game that I believe he took for granted.