Game One Hundred Twenty-Seven: Cubs (77-49) vs. Reds (55-72)
Game Time - 1:20pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 184
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago
Carlos Zambrano (12-5, 3.38/1.25) vs. Josh Fogg (2-5, 7.71/1.64)
Today is an important game for the Chicago Cubs. Not only would a win give them their seventh consecutive series win but could get their ace back on track. Carlos Zambrano has struggled of late and needs a good outing today in front of the home crowd.
Aaron Harang was scheduled to make the start for Dusty Baker today but was scratched earlier in the week because of neck spasms and Josh Fogg will take the hill instead. Today is the last game of the year against the Reds at Wrigley and they are 5-3 versus the Reds at home and 6-5 on the season against Dusty Baker's bunch with three left in September at the Great American Ballpark.
The Reds have played their best ball of the year against the Cubs on 'getaway day'. While two very big bats are no longer on the roster, they beat the Cubs on April 17th, 9-2 on May 7th, 9-0 and on July 12th, 12-7. Carlos Zambrano better bring his 'A' game in a rematch with Josh Fogg from April 16th.
With the Brewers and Cardinals enjoying a day off, the Cubs play two games before the Brewers take the field on Friday night at Miller Park against the Pirates and the Redbirds open a weekend series against the Braves in St. Louis on Friday night....
It is August and Carlos Zambrano is struggling. The Cubs' ace is coming off back-to-back rough outings. After the Cardinals hit the ball all over Wrigley against Big Z back on August 9th (9 runs on 10 hits with 3 strikeouts, a walk and 4 home runs allowed in 4 1/3 innings), he had problems not only with his control in Florida, but with the homeplate umpire. Zambrano issued 5 free passes, struck out 6 and gave up 5 runs on 4 hits in 6 innings.
Lou Piniella needs Zambrano to get on track in August. He is 0-1 in 3 starts this month with a 8.80 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP while opponents have hit .274 with 6 home runs in 15 1/3 innings....by far his worst month of the year and this after posting an 0-4 record in 5 starts last August with a 7.06 ERA and a 1.88 WHIP. Piniella and Larry Rothschild have stated that Zambrano is rushing his pitches and must slow his motion down as well as return to the arm angle that allows him to be more effective. The Cubs need Big Z to return to form....ASAZ.
Zambrano is 6-1 in 13 starts at Wrigley this season with a 3.09 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP.
Big Z tossed a gem against the Reds the last time he faced them on July 9th. The only hit and run Zambrano allowed in 8 excellent innings of work was a solo home run to Adam Dunn.
Today will be Zambrano's 4th start of the season against the Reds. He is 3-0 with a 1.17 ERA and a 0.70 WHIP while the Reds have hit .150.
- Paul Bako - 0-for-5
- Jay Bruce - 0-for-3
- Jolbert Cabrera - 1-for-3
- Edwin Encarnacion - 10-for-37 with 2 home runs
- Josh Fogg - 1-for-6
- Jeff Keppinger - 5-for-21 with a double
- Brandon Phillips - 8-for-33 with 3 doubles and a home run
- Javier Valentin - 7-for-26 with 2 doubles
- Joey Votto - 4-for-14 with 2 doubles
Josh Fogg will face the Cubs at Wrigley for the second time this season. Fogg has been in and out of the Reds' rotation this season (as well as the DL) after a successful stint in Colorado a year ago. Fogg has not posted a win since July 19th at home against the Mets and in his last start on August 13th at Pittsburgh Fogg gave up 4 runs on 6 hits with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.
Fogg is 0-2 in his last 4 games, 3 starts, with a 7.31 ERA and a 1.75 WHIP while opponents have hit .313 against him over that span.
Fogg is 7-8 in 21 career starts versus the Cubs with a 6.33 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP....the former Pirate is 3-6 in 11 starts at Wrigley with a 5.69 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.
- Henry Blanco - 0-for-3
- Mark DeRosa - 5-for-7 with a double
- Jim Edmonds - 9-for-21 with 2 doubles, 2 home runs and 9 walks
- Mike Fontenot - 0-for-4
- Kosuke Fukudome - 2-for-2 with a double
- Derrek Lee - 15-for-34 with 4 doubles and 3 home runs
- Aramis Ramirez - 9-for-27 with a double, 4 home runs and 5 walks
- Alfonso Soriano - 4-for-12 with a double and a home run
- Geovany Soto - 1-for-2 with a double
- Ryan Theriot - 3-for-8 with a double and a triple
- Daryle Ward - 3-for-10 with a home run
- Carlos Zambrano - 3-for-7 with a double
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
Today's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Edmonds - CF
DeRosa - 2B
Fukudome - RF
Blanco - C
Zambrano - P
Just wondering, but where are all the people that wanted to trade Soriano at the beginning of the season?
Dont get me started on that one.
A lot of it, I sure, was venting. We seem to do a lot of that here. Which there's nothing wrong with that.
Good job of getting out of that....but not a good start
Can someone please explain to me how home field advantage is determined in the NLDS and NLCS? It seems that some of it has to do with who has the better record... Did Arizona have a better record than us last year?
The Riot might not be the best defensive SS, but I am a huge fan!!
It looked like Z was yelling at some invisible person on the bench...there wasn't anyone there, but he was still yelling at them anyway...
Well, at least Lee got the run in.
Duas....home field advantage is determined by record. The D'Backs had the best record in the NL a year ago.
DEROSA!!!!
DERO!!
Captain DeRo...he's our hero...
Tinker to Evers to Chance
DeRo!!
Neil...thanks for the info.
Big Z!!!
THAT'S WHAT WE NEEDED!!!
BIG Z!!! Maybe this will settle him down
We've scored one run so far in each inning...maybe we'll finish 9-0?
That kind of DP (strike'm out throw'em out) is my fav kind of DP...it's totally deflating to the opposition
I walk away for two minutes and I miss Z's HR. There you go Z.
nick...how about you go away for the whole game? lol...just kidding
What's with all the called strike 3's?
The HP ump's strike zone is all over the place. Watching the Reds broadcast here in Cincy. The Reds broadcasters just tried to figure out why Corey Patterson is still on the Reds when they are going with the youth movement. Hmmmm, I wonder. Dusty Baker .
In an effort to be funny that should have read....
"cough" Dusty Baker, "cough"
HANK WHITE!!!!
Z definitelly dosen't have Z's best stuff today, but Ryan thinks he's really battled and deserves the win. Lets get some more runs.
This is not a knee-jerk reaction. I think Lou needs to play reed johnson in Right a lot more.
When the rosters expand I wouldnt be suprised to see that Jeff.
did marmol hang a breakin ball or did he just make a good pitch and we have to tip our hat??
How many double plays have we grounded into this series. yikes.
One more Kerry!!
CUBS WIN!!!!
Wheeeeeeeee!!!
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!
I was just wondering. Why do rosters expand? Why do teams not play with a 40-man roster for the whole year? Please explain! I have not followed that aspect of the game, but I do know that we're the 1st team to win 78 games.
I was just wondering. Why do rosters expand? Why do teams not play with a 40-man roster for the whole year? Please explain! I have not followed that aspect of the game, but I do know that we're the 1st team to win 78 games.
Mattoddball; I believe Rosters are not 40man all year beacause Dusty Baker would have a real hard time filling up the line up cards and finding enough Neifi's, Ramones, Novoa's,Hairston's and Latroy's and equally as great players! Sorry I had to!
Really, I believe that it is supposed to give teams the opportunity to see how their "minor system prospects" work out in the Majors in order to determine who will be kept for the rest of the season and/or brought up the following season. It is basicly designed for teams that are out of contention but every now and the a Geovany Soto shows up and stays. Teams that are in contention use this 40 man for the same reason and also to keep their guys fresh and ready for October
Hey Great win, our team rocks and we should have swept Cincy but Arroyo was superb. We keep wining series and we shall win the Central easily. The brewers will loose against the Pirates "Karstens" on Saturday.
Re. 25 and 40 man rosters. One aspect (among many) of the differences between the two is the usual--money. A player in the minors not having a major league contract like Samardzija has, can make as little as $37,000 and be on the 40 man roster. A player called up must be placed on the 40 man roster (if he isn't already) and must make the major league minimum which was $200,000 a year the last I knew.
The collective bargaining agreement established the major league player roster limit at 25--except for September's 40--which is mainly try-out motivated for the non-contending teams. For contenders, the expanded rosters have strategic importance in managing to make the playoffs. I'm not sure if the September call ups keep their minor league pay status or if they must make the major league minimum. I'm also not sure if September callups have other exclusions--like not having to be added to the 40 man roster, but my feeling is that all call ups must be placed on the 40 man roster and earn the major league minimum for their time in the majors.
To protect the 25 major league jobs (as well as team strength) a major league team can operate with a 24 man roster--but only for something like 5 days. The players' union would be happy if the 25 man limit were raised to a bigger number.
Regarding use of call ups, there's supposedly an unwritten understanding that non-contending teams will play their strongest lineups against the contending teams. Sometimes, if call ups or non-regulars are used equally against contending opponents, the fairness understanding is met. But there are usually gripes about whom a couple of non-contenders are playing against one team or another.