Game One Hundred Twenty-Four: Cubs (75-48) vs. Marlins (64-60)
Game Time - 12:10pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: WGN - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 185
Location - Dolphin Stadium, Miami
Ryan Dempster (13-5, 2.92/1.16) vs. Chris Volstad (4-2, 3.03/1.37)
Rain Delay - Expected Start Time - 12:30pm C.T.
The Cubs recent troubles with the weather could continue today. After rain, lighting and strong winds shortened the game on August 8th against the Astros at Wrigley, the Cubs had their first rainout of the season on Tuesday in Atlanta. Mother Nature could play another role in the outcome of today's contest as well.
The weatherman is calling for a 100% chance of rain this morning in Miami, then clouds and rain in the afternoon with a high in the mid 80s. With this being the only trip to South Florida for the Cubs this season, the umpiring crew will figure to do everything they can to get this one in. One benefit for the Cubs is they have a scheduled off day on Monday before opening a 6-game homestand against the Reds on Tuesday.
For the second Sunday in a row, Ryan Dempster will make an important start for his team. Last week he beat the Cardinals and today he will make his first start in Dolphin Stadium since he pitched for the Marlins in 2002. Dempster will try to win the rubber game of the series against one of his former organizations and help his current team finish off the 6-game road trip with a 5-1 record.
In other news.... According to a report in the Chicago Tribune, Angel Guzman will make his second rehab start today for the Iowa Cubs and is expected to be called up to the big league club when rosters expand on September 1st. If Guzman is healthy, he would give Piniella another power arm in the bullpen.
Last week several reports mentioned Koyie Hill could also be a September call-up. Hill has played extremely well for the I-Cubs this season but will have to be added to the 40-man roster in order to return to Chicago. Other callups....Felix Pie and Micah Hoffpauir along with Jon Lieber and Chad Fox.
According to a report in the Tribune, Rich Hill "is stll working out at the Cubs' minor league facility in Mesa after developing biceps tendonitis while rehabbing at Class A Daytona." The Tribune stated Hill is likely not to be called up and could be shutdown soon for the remainder of the season.
Finally.... Words of wisdom from Sweet Lou in the Tribune: "You know, I caution. I don't get too excited. We've still got 39 games to go, and there's a lot of work to be done. Five-and-a-half games is what, a week? We've just got to keep playing, keep winning series."
Ryan Dempster is coming off a win against the Cardinals last Sunday night at Wrigley. He held the Cardinals' offense to 2 runs on 6 hits in 6 2/3 innings with 3 walks and 6 strikeouts. After getting shelled on Saturday, Dempster picked up one of the biggest wins of the season on Sunday night. Dempster beat the Cubs' biggest rival and kept the Brewers from gaining any ground in the standings....and with the way the weather and the schedule unfolded at the beginning of the week, because of Dempster the Cubs began a difficult double header with a 3 game lead instead of a 2 game advantage.
Despite the short outing and 5-inning loss to the Astros on August 4th, Dempster is one of the big reasons for not only the team's success this year, but their surge in the over the last 20 games. With Carlos Zambrano struggling, Dempster has posted a 3-1 record in 5 starts since the break with a 1.65 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP while teams have hit only .202 against him.
After not posting a win in his first 8 road starts of the season, Dempster has won his last 2 and is 2-3 away from Wrigley in 10 starts with a 3.17 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP.
Dempster will be making his second start of the season against one of his former organizations. Dempster received a no decision on July 25th against the Fish at the Friendly Confines after leaving with the lead on a day he struggled with his command. Dempster surrendered a season-high 6 walks but allowed only 1 run on 2 hits with 6 strikeouts in 6 innings of work.
Dempster is 1-1 in 11 career games, 1 start, versus Florida with a 2.40 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP....at Dolphin Stadium, 21-13 with a save, a complete game and a complete game shutout in 62 games, 56 starts, with a 4.32 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP.
- Jorge Cantu - 0-for-2
- Luis Gonzalez - 11-for-19 with 2 doubles, 2 home runs and 5 walks
- Wes Helms - 5-for-10 with a double
- Jeremy Hermida - 0-for-1
- Mike Jacobs - 1-for-3
- Hanley Ramirez - 1-for-6
- Cody Ross - 1-for-3 with a double
- Dan Uggla - 0-for-3
- Josh Willingham - 1-for-4 with a double and 2 walks
Chris Volstad will make his second start against the Cubs in the last month and in his career. Volstad was very good in his first appearance at Wrigley on July 26th and left in the 6th inning trailing 2-1. Rich Harden outpitched Volstad but Jeremy Hermida tied the game off of Sean Marshall and scored the winning run on a double by Jorge Cantu off of Chad Gaudin. Volstad allowed 2 runs on 6 hits in 6 innings with 6 strikeouts and 3 walks....the Cubs' offense should have a better idea of how to attack Volstad today.
Volstad is coming off his first win of the season at home against the Cardinals. He allowed 3 runs on 5 hits in 5 innings and for the second start in a row walked more batters than he struck out. In his last two outings Volstad has walked 7 and struck out 5 (11 innings) and his 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP.
Volstad's success this season has come on the road....he is 1-2 in 3 starts with a 5.63 ERA and a 1.75 WHIP at home while opponents have hit .288 against him. On the road, Volstad is 3-0 in 4 games, 3 starts, with a 1.19 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP....teams have hit .200 against him.
- Mark DeRosa - 0-for-3
- Mike Fontenot - 1-for-2 with a walk
- Kosuke Fukudome - 1-for-1 with a walk
- Derrek Lee - 1-for-3 with a double
- Aramis Ramirez - 2-for-3 with a home run
- Alfonso Soriano - 0-for-3 with 2 strikeouts
- Geovany Soto - 1-for-3 with a double
- Ryan Theriot - 0-for-3
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
Anyone from CCO that did the fantasy football with me.....draft is going on now......
Today's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Fukudome - RF
Soto - C
Fontenot - 2B
Johnson - CF
Dempster - P
DeRosa with a well deserved day off. It will be nice to see him coming off the bench late, rather than Cedeno.
The game is delayed - expected start time at 12:30pm C.T.
Get this game in, pick up the win and get out of Florida for the season.
Regardless of the outcome they are making Volstad work....
Marlins are wanting to not use Lindstrom and Gregg today. Get into that pen....
I'm sure this was addressed her yesterday, so sorry if it was. I'm still upset with Pinella's arrogant line-up yesterday. With Ramirez hurt Lee should not have been on the bench. I realize soto was off because of the day game after the night-cap, but edmonds 3rd, ward 4th, and fuk 5th? Come on. Then when he used Carlos as a pinch hitter, it pretty much said to me that he figure it was time for a loss in order to rest his players before monday off. Every game counts with the Cards and Brewers behind it, and I don't think it sends a good message to the players that it is okay to dog it for a while.
Was at last night's game. Needles to say, I was disappointed that half the starters were sitting, as well as the outcome. I could understand doing that in the middle of playing 20 straight, but they had 2 days off last week as well as this Monday off.
I would like to impart some advice to the Cubs. Try to start rallies with less than 2 outs. Like right now.
Okay, the positive after the first 2 innings. Volstad has thrown 51 pitches. His last 6 pitch totals:
100
87
99
93
103
72
The unproductive out by Reed was the difference in the inning.
Perhaps someone should tell Theriot that he doesn't quite have the speed for stealing 3rd as he thinks he does
Whoever made that call/decision....not good.
Theriot was out by a mile...horrible jump.
Dude...the Cubs are getting all these runners on but they ain't going anywhere...they're just clogging the bases out there
I've decided that I don't want Fokudome up when runners are on base and in scoring position...no confidence at all that he'll be able to do anything productive anymore.
do you think the projected numbers that people were throwing out for Fukodome before the season began were just too unrealistic and thus has led to my disappointment in his season? Yes his defense has been very good but has bat has been horrible for some time now.
First 3 innings, and just stupid baseball so far. I don't know what Theriot's thinking, and it would be nice if Soriano and Fukodome can put the darn ball in play. Fdome has already had two pathetic at-bats with RISP.
And then Soriano pretends he's 10 feet tall that gives up an extra base. Brilliant!
Hanley was OUT!!!!!!
What in the hell is going on here? Last night 8 hits, 7 walks and 1 run? Today in only 4 innings, 4 hits and 3 walks with no runs scored? What? They are only allowed 1 big hit in the series?
When was the last time D.Lee got a clutch hit?
Jim....from off the top of my head, the Brewers series.
When are they going to learn that the football stadium is not Wrigley....gotta hit the ball on the ground.
Did the Domincans and South Americans already board their charter home for the day off? It sure looks like it.
LET'S GO OFFENSE, LET'S GO (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap)!!!!!
Time to do some damage. Let's go DeRo!!!
Sori comes through. Nice work.
Let's go RIOT!!!!
I've got a good feeling about Rami here...
Soriano with the big hit. Cubs caught a break, DeRosa was in no man's land.
Am I going to the well to many times if I say I've got a good feeling about 'Dome here. Oh well, I do.
Bryan, Baseball Prospectus weighted his record in Japan's big league (440 OBP for the last three seasons), and he got a 400 OBP.
Bill James projected him a 368; CHONE and ZiPS got him 382. I projected him a 370.
Fuk's 370 right now, meaning that he got on-base 37% of the time so far. The projections weren't that off.
The biggest problem was his power projection. The fact is Nagoya Dome, where Fuk played for the last of his 10 years, was the most pitcher-friendly park in Japan. He should have more power.
He's underpeforming with a 395 slugging-average and 124 isolated-power. I suspect that's a result of his "shortened swing" that he's been practicing last spring training. And I warned about that.
I hope he'll find out where he's wrong mechanically on his swing, and rebound with more power next season.
No Lew...Fukudome did his job, got the run in.
I second that, Neil.
'Dome made good, solid contact there. I would have loved to see it find a gap. But no complaints here.
And they have em loaded again. Keep it going.
I guess in south Florida when it rains, it pours.
NICE JOB REED!!!!!!
See how Cedeno just walked? He can walk anytime now. He's been walking consistently, which means he gets on base and work the pitchers. That's a big improvement.
Kudos to Gerald Perry, our hitting coach~!
Dorasaga....great points.
The 8 run inning, 4 huge doubles, 1 single and 4 walks, 2 intentional
What an inning that was...the top of the 7th! I see that nobody has mentioned this, so I'll do it...
What an outing by Dempster! 10 strikeouts! He gave our offense a very good chance of getting back in this game, and that's what they did. I think Dempster is proving to be much better than Z this year.
Well I was one game off...I predicted 2 of 3 in both Florida and Atlanta....Cubbies provided a bonus win in Atlanta for the sweep.
Nice road trip and now back home.....we need to stay focused and beat up on the Reds and Nats....games we MUST win.
Dempster with 14 wins.....sweet....
LOVE hearing the crowd sing Go Cubs Go in Florida!!!! Squish the Fish!!!
Duas...don't worry, I will sing Dempster's praises. He won another important game for his team.
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!