Game One Hundred Sixty-One: Cubs (97-63) vs. Brewers (89-72)
Game Time - 1:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: WGN - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 187
Location - Miller Park, Milwaukee
Angel Guzman (0-0, 7.04/1.70) vs. CC Sabathia (16-10, 2.80/1.14, 10-2, 1.78/1.09)
The final day of the 2008 regular season for most teams.... The Chicago Cubs will conclude the regular season portion of their schedule today with game number 161. It has been a long, strange, magically wonderful trip with more to come starting on Wednesday at Wrigley.
Today is the 1-year anniversary of the Cubs beating the Reds in Cincinnati....then waiting around and watching the Brewers play the Padres in the visitor's clubhouse. The Cubs went from worst to first and won their first division crown under Lou Piniella. One week ago, the Cubs were still basking in their first back-to-back post season appearance in 100 years....a lot has improved over the last year on the North Side and the Cubs have their sights set much higher as the regular season concludes today.
Jason Marquis was originally scheduled to start today's game, then Piniella toyed with the notion of Carlos Zambrano making the start and pitching only a couple of innings....but Piniella decided on Angel Guzman instead. Look for Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Alfonso Soriano and possibly Geovany Soto back in the lineup, but not Mark DeRosa. Piniella will use his regular everyday lineup against southpaws while using his bullpen, starting with Angel Guzman, to complete the final 9 innings of the season.
CC Sabathia will make his third straight start on 3 days rest in an attempt to get the Brewers into the post-season for the first time since 1982's Harvey's Wallbangers. If the Brewers beat the Cubs and the Mets lose they are in and will face the Phillies in the NLDS. If the Cubs win and the Mets win, Ron Santo will likely visit Shea Stadium for at least one game in the NLDS....and a third scenario would have the two teams playing Game 163 in the Big Apple on Monday.
In other news.... Lou Piniella announced on Saturday that Jeff Samardzija will join Carlos Marmol, Kerry Wood, Sean Marshall, Neal Cotts, Jason Marquis and Bobby Howry in the Cubs' pen for the post-season. Remember though, with Piniella everything is subject to change.
Finally....There is always a first time for everything. The Arizona Diamondbacks became the first team to fail to win a division after building a 5-game lead at the end of the first month of play. The D'Backs led the Dodgers by 5 1/2 games at the end of April.
Angel Guzman will make his first start of the season for Lou Piniella after missing a majority of the year recovering from Tommy John Surgery. Guzman has shown flashes of how good he can be in 5 games this month out of the pen. Guzman has the 'stuff' to be very successful at the big league level but has struggled with command and injuries for most of his professional career.
Guzman has given up 6 runs on 9 hits in 7 2/3 innings with 4 walks and 6 strikeouts since his call-up on September 1st.
Guzman has not posted a win in 32 career big league games, 13 starts, over parts of the last 3 seasons. He is 0-7 with a 6.13 ERA and a 1.69 WHIP....and a .296 OBA. Today will be his first start in the majors since May 6, 2007 against the Washington Nationals at Wrigley.
Guzman faced the Brewers on September 17th and gave up 3 runs on 3 hits with a strikeout in 2/3 of an inning. For his career, Guzman does not have a record in two appearances against the Brewers....a 16.88 ERA and a 2.63 WHIP. The Brewers have hit .467 against him in 2 2/3 innings.
- Mike Cameron - 0-for-4
- Ray Durham - 1-for-3
- Prince Fielder - 2-for-2
- Bill Hall - 1-for-1 with a double
- J.J. Hardy - 1-for-2 with a double
- Corey Hart - 1-for-3
- Rickie Weeks - 0-for-1
The Cubs will face CC Sabathia for the third time this season since he arrived from Cleveland. Sabathia has more than earned the incredibly large contract he will sign in the upcoming off-season (speculation is between $20-$25 million a year). Sabathia has dominated the National League, with the exception of the Cubs...0-1 in 2 starts with a 4.61 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP with a .310 OBA.
CC was 5-0 with 3 complete games in 6 starts in August but the workload, complete games and overuse by Ned Yost appears to be catching up with him. Sabathia is 1-2 in his last 5 starts with a 2.67 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP.
The Brewers need Sabathia to beat the Cubs today and either clinch a playoff spot or force Game 163 against the Mets on Monday at Shea. Sabathia will see the Cubs' A-team lineup against southpaws with the exception of Mark DeRosa.
Cubs' stats versus Sabathia this season:
- Ronny Cedeno - 1-for-6
- Kosuke Fukudome - 1-for-2
- Reed Johnson - 1-for-6 with a walk
- Derrek Lee - 4-for-8 with a double
- Aramis Ramirez - 2-for-6 with a double
- Alfonso Soriano - 4-for-8 with 2 doubles and 2 home runs
- Geovany Soto - 1-for-5 with a walk
- Ryan Theriot - 2-for-7
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
Is it me, but does Guzman take a lot of times between pitches?
Nooo pressure on the Blue Team, time to get Angel his first MLB Win. How fun is this??? Super Cool baseball day!!!Guzman looking like a pro so far.
Dear offense...make CC work.
My first wife says the golf course is calling on a sunny fall afternoon, but I wish the Cubs a safe journey today. Guzman is deliberate, and I'm impressed with his 3 SO's from the stretch in the first. Good control (so far), a 94-96 mph fastball and a big breaking 80 mph curve is winning stuff. Maybe Angel is finally getting past his injuries and apprenticeship.
Hey...what is up??? Start posting!#@$ now cco.
Ok...I'm going to say this one last time in a friendly manner; START POSTING NOW!@#$
Next time will be ugly...
_I am Agustin Rexach and I aprove this message.
Ok..you asked for it...
I LOVE THE WHITE SOX...and THE CARDINALS.
WTF? unbelievable. That was a strike, but Whertz can't be walking people.
I was watching football and suddenly I heard a voice on CCO say something about loving the Sox and Cards....
Seriously, Bob Howry cannot pitch in the postseason. I don't care who else you pitch. Anyone. Please. Let Larry throw the ball.
As much as I dislike Wuertz -- Piniella's infatuation with Howry is reaching Dusty-Neifi levels of passion.....
I cannot believe he is on the post-season roster... It is BEYOND ridiculous
We have back-doored our way into a VERY LOSABLE series with the Dodgers --- when we had the hapless Mets as a possibility..
#$#$
All:
Every team that is in the playoffs is a reason for concern. The Dodgers have the fewest victories and they played in a very weak division. As for Bobby Howry, he simply sucks ass. No way does he belong on the playoff roster. I would rather go with a 10 man pitching staff than him on it.
Been following the game of the radio.
Has Howry pitched himself off the roster yet.
Last minute reversed decision..
It looks like Manny and company will be making their way to Wrigley.
Derek Lowe versus Ryan Dempster in Game One on Wednesday at either 4:00pm C.T. or 5:30pm C.T.
y so early?
I actually prefer the Dodgers over the Mets. Facing Lowe and staff compared to Santana and staff, I like our chances. Also, Dodgers middle reliever Kuo out for the NLDS. Games 3 & 4 are on Saturday and Sunday, so west coast time change not as affective to the team. I don't think we backed in if you look at who we played over the past week, along with Guzman today as the starter. Watched every game and we gave the Mets and Brewers fits with a B lineup or half of a B lineup. I like the way we have played over the last week and love our chances against a very low quality Dodgers team. Manny is always a factor, but that is it. Look who they have played to get in and their schedule is a joke. As long as Demp, Z and Harden perform, as well as Lilly looking like a stud the last few weeks, I take our pitching staff over any in the NL right now and that is how playoffs are won, pitching and timely hitting...as far as I am concerned that defines us to a tee right now. I know I our history, even out west, but I gotta say again....I really like our chances here. GO CUBS!
JJ, lots of games to get in within a week's time. If the Cubs were to play the Mets it would have been either a 12:30 or 2:30 start time if I remember correctly.
I have not seen an official announcement, just the schedule from TBS.
Hi, quick question, with the Crew guaranteed their wild card spot and the NLDS set, does this mean that we won't play Houston tomorrow?
Dorasaga, the Cubs' regular season is done. The make-up in Houston was cancelled on Friday when the Brewers beat the Cubs.
Ok, so most of us would have preferred the Mets over the Dodgers as our NLDS opponent. I like LA cause they haven't played anyone with a winning record except the D-Chokes and that was early in Sept. Derek Lowe is a hot pitcher, but haven't we had some magic in Wrigley this year? Relax, let it happen, we can do it this year. Go Cubs! Let the REAL magic begin!
Oh really? Dodgers you'd like, huh?
Have you done any research, or you just spout off saying they're in a weak division, which they are....perhaps you didn't know that we might've won the season series, but the guys we're facing: Lowe, Billingsley, and Kuroda, all dominated our lineup. Furthermore, they didn't even have Manny when we played them either.
Save the champagne...seriously, this team looked horrible today, and Derrek "GIDP" Lee was at it again. The guy is a joke, and hasn't done hardly anything this year. I don't like our chances, but I'll root on anyhow, because I'm a lifer
Wow David, you don't like our chances, huh?!
Yes, we might face Lowe, Billingsly, and Kuroda, but they face Dempster, Zambrano, Harden, and Lilly if needed. The last thing I would do is judge how we will do in the post season by this past week.
This team will be ready to go come Wednesday.