Game One Hundred Seventeen: Cubs (70-46) vs. Cardinals (64-54)
Game Time - 2:55pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: FOX Saturday Baseball - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 183
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago
Carlos Zambrano (12-4, 2.76/1.21) vs. Todd Wellemeyer (8-4, 4.01/1.29)
It's the Cubs-Cardinals on a Saturday afternoon at Wrigley in August....let the games begin. Lou Piniella's crew will attempt to follow the thrilling 11-innning victory on Friday with a solid win behind their ace in game two. The Cubs need an efficient outing today from Carlos Zambrano.....but most importantly a win against Todd Wellemeyer and the Redbirds.
Kerry Wood was unavailable in game one due to a sore back that was revealed during Lou Piniella's post game press conference on Friday. Piniella was hesitant to answer why Wood was not in the bullpen and once he was pressed and then moved on, he returned to the questions with the answer concerning Wood's ailing back....not the blister. Piniella said on Friday he was not sure if Wood would be available on Saturday or not. If Wood is unable to pitch, coupled with the extra inning game on Friday, there will be more importance in getting a deep, quality outing from Zambrano.
The bat flip by Jim Edmonds following his home run in the 2nd inning on Friday should have gotten the attention of Tony LaRussa, now the question is....not if, but when will LaRussa respond? It will be interesting to see how Carlos Zambrano and the Cubs will react if the Cardinals 'try to prove a point'.
Rick Ankiel is expected to return to the starting lineup today.
In other news.... Jason Marquis' next turn in the rotation will not be skipped according to a report in the Chicago Tribune. Marquis will start the second game of the series in Atlanta next Wednesday. Rich Harden will start the opener on Tuesday and Ted Lilly will pitch the finale on Thursday. That would set up a rotation of Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster and Rich Harden against the Marlins in Miami next weekend....a place where the Cubs have not won since 2005.
Finally....there was a scoring change announced on Friday. According to a report in the Chicago Tribune, the error Carlos Marmol made against the Giants on July 12th at Wrigley was finally changed to an error, which removed 4 earned runs from his season total and made all 5 runs allowed in the 9th unearned.
Carlos Zambrano is coming off a good but short start against the Pirates and was inline to pick up his 13th win of the season. Zambrano departed after allowing 2 runs, 1 earned, on 3 hits in 5 innings but Neal Cotts and Chad Gaudin gave up the tying runs in the 8th before Reed Johnson and Alfonso Soriano went deep in the bottom of the inning....the Cubs won 8-5. Big Z has been very good since the All-Star break, both at the plate and on the mound. In his last 3 starts (Marlins, Brewers and Pirates), Zambrano has allowed 4 runs, 3 earned, on 14 hits with 17 strikeouts and 3 walks in 20 innings. Zambrano's pitch counts were run up against the Marlins and Brewers and that was the main reason Zambrano left after qualifying for the win against the Bucs.
Zambrano beat the Cardinals in his first start back from the DL on July 4th in St. Louis. He threw 6 innings of shutout ball on 4 hits with 5 strikeouts and 2 walks on 83 pitches....Big Z must be as efficient again today against Albert Pujols and company.
Zambrano is 6-0 in 12 starts at the Friendly Confines this season with a 2.25 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP....today will be his second start of the season against the Redbirds.
- Rick Ankiel - 0-for-6
- Troy Glaus - 1-for-6 with a double
- Cesar Izturis - 1-for-9 with a double
- Adam Kennedy - 4-for-8
- Felipe Lopez - 9-for-31 with a double, a triple, 2 home runs and 6 walks
- Aaron Miles - 8-for-28 with a double
- Yadier Molina - 5-for-23 with a home run
- Albert Pujols - 12-for-50 with 2 doubles, 4 home runs and 6 walks
- Skip Schumaker - 4-for-14
The Cubs will get their third look of the season at Todd Wellemeyer today. The former Cub has pitched very well against the organization that picked him back in the 4th round of the 2000 draft. Wellemeyer is one of the many reasons the Cardinals are in the thick of the playoff picture and enter today just 7 games back of the Cubs and 2 games behind the Brewers for the NL Wild Card.
Wellemeyer is coming off a very impressive no decision against the Phillies. He allowed only 1 run on 4 hits in 6 innings and despite not posting a win since July 19th, he has surrendered only 5 runs, all earned, on 17 hits in his last 3 starts (17 innings) with 10 strikeouts and 7 walks.
Wellemeyer has not lost a road start this season. He is 2-0 in 10 games with a 3.28 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP....against the Cubs this season, 1-1 in two outings with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP while the Cubs have hit .308 against him.
As mentioned on Friday, the Cubs must be patient, make Todd Wellemeyer work and get into the Cardinals' bullpen as soon as possible.
- Mark DeRosa - 2-for-4
- Jim Edmonds - 0-for-4
- Mike Fontenot - 1-for-3 with a double
- Kosuke Fukudome - 0-for-2
- Reed Johnson - 4-for-9 with a double
- Derrek Lee - 1-for-6
- Aramis Ramirez - 3-for-3 with a double
- Alfonso Soriano - 0-for-4
- Geovany Soto - 1-for-5 with a double
- Ryan Theriot - 2-for-4 with 2 walks
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
I couldn't be more upset. They are showing the damn yankees vs. angels game in my market here in DC. I'd been looking forward to this game all week.
Thanks to Fox and their assumption that most people in this country would cut off their left arm to spend every waking moment watching the Yankees, I wrote off any hope of watching the Cubs more than 5 times on a Saturday this season.
Has anybody checked out the Brewer's schedule? After the Cubs played them they had the Braves(who have cashed it in), Reds, Nats, Padres, and my son's T ball team. I know the old adage of just win your game and you don't have to worry what the other guys are doing, applies here, but if the Brewers needed a stretch to like their wounds, they surely got it.
Gary, I agree. Ever since the powers that be decided that ther had to be what, 15 interleague games, the schedule for every MLB team has been completely lopsided. Why we have to play 5 interleague series in stead of 2 or 3 is beyond me.
Today's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Edmonds - CF
DeRosa - 2B
Fukudome - RF
Soto - C
Zambrano - P
LETS WIN THE SERIES TODAY! ZAMBRANO NEEDS 7 OR 8 STRONG INNINGS. I JUST CAME BACK FROM BIBLE STUDY TODAY AND ASKED MY INSTRUCTOR TO MAKE IT 1PM OR 4PM FROM NOW ON, DEPENDING ON WHAT TIME THE CUBS PLAY EACH SATURDAY. CLASSES USUALLY LAST 1 TO 3 HOURS, BUT CAN END EARLY OR GET CANCELLED IF THE WEATHER IS SEVERE. IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE SUBJECT. OUR SHORTEST CLASS LASTED 36 MINUTES AND OUR LONGEST CLASS LASTED 3 HOURS AND 19 MINUTES. I'LL SPEAK TO YOU TOMORROW NIGHT. I HAVE SOME THINGS TO SHARE WITH SOMEBODY AT 3PM. HOPEFULLY, I'LL BE BACK IN TIME TO SEE SOME OF THE CARDS/CUBS GAME ON FOX.
IN RESPONCE TO JIMK, THE REASON THE D'BACKS HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF REACHING THE POST-SEASON THAN THE CARDS IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A BETTER CHANCE AT THEIR DIVISION. THE CARDS ARE 3RD AND IN A TOUGH DIVISION. THE D'BACKS ARE 1ST AND IN A WEAK DIVISION. IF THERE WERE NO DIVISIONS, THEN THE D'BACKS WOULD BE JUST ABOUT DEAD AT A PLAY-OFF CHANCE. YOU CAN FIND THIS AT BASEBALL PROSPECTUS.COM/STATISTICS/PS_ODDS.PHP
THESE CHANCES CHANGES AFTER EACH GAME. I DO NOT GAMBLE HOWEVER. I JUST LIKE OUR CHANCES WHICH IS ABOUT 97.6 PERCENT NOW. 83.99735 TO WIN DIVISION, 13.60591 TO WIN WILD CARD, AND 97.60326 TO REACH THE PLAY-OFFS.
TAKE CARE ALL AND GOD BLESS YOU! GO CUBS AND NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS!
Eric Karros just read my mind with his pre-game comments:
"Soriano is the best leadoff hitter in baseball...the best since Rickey Henderson"
"Soriano is an MVP candidate"
"the Cubs are 44-19 when Soriano leads off"
That means the Cubs are 26-27 without Soriano leading off.
Where have all my Soriano-haters gone?
Neil thinks Z must get control of himself....that should help. Struck out Lopez swinging!
Sori tags from 1st!
Keeping out of a Lee dp grounder!
Jason,
Nobody ever said Soriano was not a great hitter. However, did he produce in last year's playoffs? Does he go to the wall on a deep fly or foul ball? Has he ever dove for a ball? Has he played a full season? Has he helped this team win a World Series? I think we can put the coronation on hold until there is some tangible evidence that he's the greatest ever.
Jason,
Nobody ever said Soriano was not a great hitter. However, did he produce in last year's playoffs? Does he go to the wall on a deep fly or foul ball? Has he ever dove for a ball? Has he played a full season? Has he helped this team win a World Series? I think we can put the coronation on hold until there is some tangible evidence that he's the greatest ever.
Gary doesn't like the taste of crow much...
DEROSA!!!! 13th of the year
DeRosa! I predict 4-2 Cub victory. Z won't give up another run.
In 2007 playoffs, Soto was 1-6, Floyd was miserable, and Ramirez didn't get a single hit! Soriano also did poorly, as did Lilly, Marmol, and Rich Hill.
I was at Game 1. Lou never should have taken out Zambrano for Marmol that early...who knows how the series would have gone from there.
While this team is similar, it also is radically different, with the maturity of Soto, the standout season of Theriot (who hit .266 last year) and the addition of Fukudome that has altered the OBP. of the team.
On the pitching side, we are definitely stronger with a more mature Z, the amazing Harden, a solid Lilly, and a completely unforeseen year from Dempster. Dempster's year reminds me of Esteban Loiza, who won 20 games out of nowhere, after developing a new pitch. Dempster didn't develop a new pitch, but his relief stint retrained his brain to take each pitch and each inning more seriously, and a more focused Dempster has been a pleasant surprise.
So I hardly blame Soriano for the playoffs...they wouldn't have been there without him anyway.
wtf...?
Do we start putting Skippy in the same categories as other Cubs killers such as Carlos Lee and Tim Wallach?
I wonder if Z will hit him the next time he is up?
Crap...Skippy rattled Z. Gotta settle down before you pitch to Pujols, Z!
Neil hopes Z can control himself....and Neil would hate to be the bat he takes to the plate if he does not get a hit.
The BAT lives!!!!
Z with his 3rd of the year and 15th of his career
I thought Micah Owens was a freak.
I always knew Z was an above-average hitting pitcher, but he has gone to a new level this year.
Neil,
Any idea how to look up the best offensive years by a National League starting pitcher? I have to believe Z is up there right now.
Ramirez....take PITCHES AGAINST THIS GUY!!!!!
Another blankin' DP!
Jason, if you are talking all-time, I would try Baseball Reference (www.baseball-reference.com).
Z just doesn't have it today....bring in Marshall.
There he is
Top hitting pitchers by year, through 2006:
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/lists/hitting-pitchers.shtml
Z easily has one of the most impressive seasons ever. Unfortunately, while he is hitting like Micah Owens this season, he is also pitching like Micah today.
On a side note, Jason Marquis was the top hitting pitcher for 2004 and 2005.
Wellemeyer with a shutdown inning....c'mon guys!
Piniella needs to get him out. Zambrano does not have it and this game is still winnable. Bring in Marshall, he is there for a reason.
i dont think ive ever seen zambrano lose it this much....not good
Wow.
On the plus side, if/when we come back and win this one, it will be the final nail in the coffin of the Cardinals' season.
Brandon Webb is having a great year, but Z's ERA, going into today, was really solid, and he could have been 13-4.
I am going to go out on a limb and say his Cy Young chances are fairly shot now. Just focus on the WS ring, Big Z...you can get your Cy Young next year. (if Harden doesn't beat you to it)
I was complaining earlier about not getting to see this game and now I'm happy I'm not watching it. It is going to be tough to come back and win this one. I just hope Marhsall can give us a few solid innings.
Was big Z just off today or is there something that we should be worried about???
Damn it Lou. Everybody watching could see that Z didn't have it today. When a "Skip" pounds you, its just not going to be your day. You have a well rested long man ready, a day off Monday to rest anybody that might need it, why did you wait until the game was out of reach?
Greg, Z did not have it. Like Gary mentioned, everyone saw it. I do not think anything is wrong, he had a bad game....a real bad game.
Greg,
I didn't pay attention to his velocity, but his accuracy seemed off.
Skip Schumaker started off the game ready to swing at the first pitch, and he pulled a double. That got Z off to a bad start, as we know he can sometimes be too emotional.
When Schumacher hit his HR in his next at-bat, Z completely missed the plate when pitching to Pujols, and Pujols hit a HR as well. My guess is that Z was still thinking a bit about Skip's HR, and once he lost his focus and confidence, it was downhill after that.
I would write this one off as just a day "he didn't have it".
ok...cutting the grass now. That should provide more excitement than the Cubs offense today.
Hopefully I come back to find that grass cutting = huge Cubs rallies!
First walk of the day by the Cubs' offense....
That stat speaks volumes. Wellemeyer pitched a good game, but the Cubs made it easy on him and did not get into their bullpen.
Will have the recap up later....just one loss and a bad day. Sunday night is important.