Game Seventy-Four: Cubs (45-28) vs. White Sox (41-31)
Game Time - 1:20pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet (Cubs), WGN (White Sox) - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 184
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago
Ted Lilly (7-5, 4.76/1.33) vs. John Danks (4-4, 2.90/1.25)
It's the Crosstown Classic, the Cubs versus the White Sox and the North Side versus the South Side....Round One. Both the Cubs and White Sox are dealing with injuries and both teams have climbed to the top of their division in different ways. The Cubs with offense and good pitching and the White Sox with outstanding pitching....so something's gonna give this weekend. Lou Piniella's crew will be without the services of Alfonso Soriano and could be without both Jim Edmonds and Reed Johnson while the Sox will not have Paul Konerko for the weekend.
The Cubs are in uncharted territory. After becoming the last team in the majors to lose their third game in a row on Thursday, they turn to Ted Lilly to avoid their first 4-game losing streak of the season. The Cubs' offense must turn it up a notch today in their return to the Friendly Confines, where the team is sporting an 11-game winning streak, but it will not be easy against a very good southpaw they have never faced before in John Danks.
Ted Lilly must step up today and pitch the way he did in Toronto last Sunday....minus the season-high 5 walks. Lou Piniella needs a good outing from the 'Bulldog' today and his team needs a win. Not only did they get beat in Tampa, they looked defeated. The Cubs are coming off a very difficult week and a win today would be a great way to start the weekend....especially against their Crosstown rival.
Ted Lilly has picked up wins in back-to-back starts and a solid 2-1 loss to the Padres, and Greg Maddux, in San Diego. Lilly tossed 6 innings of 1-hit, shutout ball against his old team and held the Braves to 3 runs (all in the 1st inning) on 4 hits in 6 2/3 innings. Lilly must keep the ball down today and cut down on walks. In his last 2 outings (12 2/3 innings), Lilly has struck out 14 and walked 8.
Lilly is 5-2 in 9 career starts against the White Sox with a 6.22 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. Last year, 1-0 in only 1 start with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP....Lilly allowed 3 runs on 6 hits in 7 innings with 6 strikeouts and 2 walks in a May 18th Cubs' win at Wrigley, 6-3.
- Orlando Cabrera - 5-for-16 with a double and 4 walks
- Joe Crede - 4-for-15 with a double
- Jermaine Dye - 2-for-10 with a home run
- Toby Hall - 9-for-22 with a double and a home run
- A.J. Pierzynski - 1-for-3
- Nick Swisher - 5-for-15 with a double, 2 home runs and 3 walks
- Jim Thome - 2-for-7 with a double
The Cubs will get their first look at John Danks today. The Sox southpaw has taken his game to the next level this season and is actually better on the road than at the Cell. Danks is coming off a no decision to the Rockies. He tossed 6 innings of shutout ball and allowed just 5 hits with a walk and 6 strikeouts. The Sox lost the game 2-0. The last time Danks was beaten was on May 24th on the South Side. The Angels scored 2 runs on 5 hits in 5 innings of work.
Danks is 2-1 in 6 starts on the road this year with an impressive 1.72 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP....opponents are hitting just .221 against him.
The Cubs must make Danks work today. This will be his first appearance at Wrigley in the city series and if he gets comfortable and confident the Cubs will have a long afternoon at the plate.
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
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There's been interesting views expressed (sometimes exhaustingly) on generalities, stats and records-to-date with top teams here at CCO. Call the views expressed now an attempt at perspective as another important, but not definitive in itself, series against a top team starts in 2 hours.
We all know that we have to compete against top teams in the playoffs (and to get there). Most of us feel, that we need a top of the order pitcher and (I think) a good lefty reliever) to be highly competitive. Most of us understand that, if our big contract guys don't perform (collectively) like the stars they're paid to be, we won't be playing in October. Most of us understand that we have a payroll budget with limited flexibility, and that we've spent most of it. We know that we must win or lose pretty much with what we have. Maybe, we can get a top pitcher on a hired gun or other basis--but maybe we can only make a couple of lesser changes. Most of us realize that it's of marginal value at most to make arguments that imply or assume we should or can add the likes of Beltan and Santana to our mix. And that if we don't we are doomed and might as well switch our hopes and interests to soccer. Most of us aren't going to do that.
Re. the stats and competition with top teams (winning records +). It's true we are 7-11 against teams with winning records. It's also true that we are 3-0 against one of those teams (D-Backs)and 3-0 against the Braves--a consistently top team (which doesn't mean that we win every series against those two teams). Of the 11 losses, Lilly lost 2 of those games in April when he couldn't find his butt with both hands. Marquis lost 2 of them early when he was more than his customary marginal self. Wood lost 1 when he blew a save. Fox and Cotts lost 1 each. And Z lost 2.
It's likely reasonable to presume that Lilly and Wood have elevated their performances to highly competitive levels since their losses. Even Marquis has done better. Z (and all of our big contract guys) have to do better or we don't win. (See above) It's also likely that Fox and Cotts won't be appearing in any late season, short series contests. Accordingly, it's as valid to speculate that most of the time we win 4 of the 11 games we lost, and our record in those games goes to 11 wins and 7 losses. Not bad. Let the good times roll!!
It's true that stats are stats, but it's also true that, as they say about mutual funds, past performance may not be projectable to future results. It's better to say that we have to compete better against the teams we may face if/when we get to the post season than to say a few short series early in the year make us certain winners or losers. It's also good to keep in mind that the Cubs will be competing with something less than a perfect team--just like the other teams. Here's hoping that we have a lot of success--starting today.
Well a new day is upon us, and hopefully a good day, starting with good news about Big Z and Soriano, then kickin the crap out of the White Sux.
Let's go Cubs!
How about Danks saying he was going to bring nose plugs to the game and calling Wrigley a shithole? Don't the White Sox still play at the Cell?
Today's lineup:
Fukudome - CF
Theriot - SS
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Soto - C
DeRosa - RF
Murton - LF
Cedeno - 2B
Lilly - P
Raining at Wrigley, tarp on field.
Has anyone heard anything on Sori or Z yet?
Did it again Neil, haha.
Who is our DH?
2B I mean. Were at Wrigley thank god.
Matt...I have no excuse for this one. I corrected it. Cedeno at 2B
The best have their days! =)
Man, I know Theriot is our SS. But on days when both guys are in the lineup I would prefer Cedeno (the natural SS) to play SS and Theriot (the natural 2B) to play 2B.
Lets go get this one. Going 3 days without winning feels so strange. These are good times.
Whats Cesar Millan doing in the white Sox's dugout?
Good quick inning there Lilly.
Come on Offense, lets jump all over this chump.
Well we're on the board.
For all the troubles they've had throwing runners out and having our #3 hitter up, I can't believe Theriot wasn't running on that 3-2 pitch.
Derek Lee now ranks 2nd in all of baseball in GIDP..
Congratulations Derek! If only James Loney didn't have such a fat arse, you could have been no.1
Well that lead was short lived.
D. Lee hitting .250 in the last 46 games, with only 6 HR.
Is it me or is Ump not giving Lilly anything. he has missed some pretty close calls.
Wow, I can't believe I feel like this, but I am starting to dread Lee and Ramirez coming up in the middle of a scoring opportunity.
I Think De-Rosa read my GIDP comment..... and not to be outdone -- he crapped into his 6th GIDP of the year.... Combine with Theriot's 9 (9x as many GIDP as HR) and Lee's 14,
We are the GIDP kings
GO Cubs GO!
GO Cubs GO!
Hey Chicago what do you say
The CUBS are gonna WIN today
YEAH
Dang it Lilly!!
Upset at being upstaged in the statistical hall of infamy, Lilly serves up HR 15 and 16, catapaulting him into solo 5th position in the NL.
I have to admit that I am becoming very skeptical of D. Lee batting in the 3 spot. I cannot believe that bridgeport is playing this well. My worst fears are becoming reality.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!
LET'S GO WHITE SOX!!!
LILLY WE LOVE YOU!
My take is that the Cubs are experimenting today. The experiment has to do with seeing if they can exhaust baron's enthusiasm and insatiable interest in negative statistics. If not today, our men in blue will return to playing winning baseball in the next day or two. I do expect a rally today to at least build a little momentum.
Hey Gary...I was afraid to say it but that is exactly how I feel too...
Maybe move Fukudome into the 3-hole? And D-Lee up to the 2 hole?
Man, our offense needs to wake up.
LET'S GET SOME RUNS!!!!!
10 DPs for Theriot now...
Lets get some good news on Z to rejuvinate everyone.
That clay like substance theriot got stuck in --> the kool-aid, hardened from festering in JimK's head for a life-time
Could somebody please tell me why in God's name we aren't stealing or sending the runners!??! All i've heard is what a horrible move and how slow to the plate Danks is and how bad Prickzinske is at throwing out runners....what the hell???
How revealing that our 3 season leaders in GIDP all went GIDP today
Let's Go Offense, LET'S GO!!!!!!!
Can managers go into slumps too? Sometime Lou goes into turtle mode when things are not going well. Zero movement on the bases equals 3 DPs. The Cubs are down in the 6th and he lets Lilly leadoff, just so he can pitch the 7th? I love Lou, but he pulls some head scratchers sometimes.
Correction. Lets Lilly lead-off in the 6th only to pull him in the 7th?
great, howry...
we need to keep this close. i believe edmonds and johnson are available for pinch-hitting...so we still have a little help on the bench.
Alright Derrek. We're cool.
BACK-TO-BACK JACKS!!!!
I guess D-Lee and Aramis heard our fears! Way to goooooo!!!
The frustration reduces!!! :)
Well, we got the rally and some momentum. Lee and Rameriz responded to the governors stay of execution with the kind of thank you's we need more of. Now, Cubs let's score so Lou won't dare the devil with both Howry and Eyre. Get a run or two and bring in Dagger Wood.
OK, Bring in Wood in the top of the 9th and score the winner in the bottom of the 9th works too!
AJ didnt swing, but the 3B ump called the K that the home plate umpire missed.
I don't care if he went or not that pitch was strike 3 anyway. The only good thing Barrett did for the team was punch Pierzynski in the face!
I dread when Aramis comes up with the game on the line!
YOU CALLED IT JIMK!!!
CUBS WIN!!!!!!! ARAMIS!!!!
GO ARAM!!!
MUCH NEEDED COMEBACK WIN!!!!
Huge win! Everything is right again! In your ass SoxWin!
The cubbies are back. Oh Yeah!
Yes Again the cubbies are back baby.
Just got home, heard Pat and Ron make the call on the Radio, that place went crazy. Great Game!!!
We got the win, and we go the Mo (mentum)--
And now we're singin' Go Cubs Go!
Forget the Rays, Close the Shutter
Our guys got home for some Peanut Butter!
Man does not live by bread alone--He must have peanut butter!
Carlos apparently has a strain.
No structural damage.
Man that was an AWESOME win!! Let's rip D-Lee and ARAM every game from now on so they'll produce like they are supposed to! All 4 runs scored today with either D-Lee or ARAM at the plate!
Notice the Cubs win when Ron Santo gets back in the booth?
Just saying..
Does anyone know what the Cubs plan with Cory Provus is? I love the guy. Thinking he should get the PBP spot sometime soon.
Matt....you are right.
Zambrano has a minor strain in his right shoulder. No tear or damage to the labrium. The Cubs will decide the next step on Saturday. They are saying the results are encouraging and he will miss his next start.
That is great news on Zambrano. What a great win.
Thanks Matt and Neil,
Have they said anything about how Sori's X-Ray went?
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!
Neil:
Thanks for checking in on me.
If Z comes through this unscathed, I think we should look to Soto and give a big kudos to him.
He really took charge the other day.
Huge win today. We really needed it. I don't care who the opponent was (seriously, our rivals are from STL, not the southside), but stopping the 3 game losing skid and restoring confidence today were paramount in the midst of this stretch of baseball. Big BIG win.
Props to Aramis for coming through as he always does. No one I'd rather have at the plate in a clutch situation on this team.
I would like to see Veal get a call up to AAA. Time to get the guy going. 24 and we really could use as solid lefty.