Game One Hundred Fifty-Four: Cubs (80-73) vs. Giants (82-72)
Game Time - 3:10pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: FOX Saturday Baseball - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 189
Location - AT & T Park, San Francisco
Tom Gorzelanny (6-2, 5.08/1.18) vs. Barry Zito (10-12, 3.99/1.34)
Twenty years ago today (September 26, 1989), The Boys of Zimmer won the National League Eastern Division Crown by defeating the Montreal Expos. Greg Maddux picked up the win with Mitch Williams (The Wild Thing) notching the save. Dwight Smith drove in Ryne Sandberg for the game winner in the 3-2 Cubs victory.
The Chicago Cubs will play their penultimate road game of the season this afternoon ... just one more left after today before the Cubs head home for their final seven games of the season.
Derrek Lee could be back in the starting lineup this afternoon. Lee missed Friday night due to a sore neck. Lee was expected to receive treatment during the game. Lou Piniella indicated in his pre-game show Lee should be back against the southpaw Barry Zito.
Lou Piniella said Aramis Ramirez would return to the lineup this afternoon. With the cool temperatures Friday night, the Cubs scratched Ramirez after he was in the original lineup. The Cubs cited a sore shoulder as the reason for Jeff Baker taking over at the hot corner.
The Cubs will miss their 'old pal' this series. Edgar Renteria was shutdown for the season on Friday. Renteria will have surgery to remove bone chips in his right elbow.
Tom Gorzelanny will step in for Ted Lilly once again this afternoon. Lilly is expected to start one of the two games of the doubleheader on Tuesday against the Pirates ... in what should be his last appearance of the year.
Today it all starts with Tom Gorzelanny and just winning a ballgame.
Tom Gorzelanny is coming off a good outing against the Brewers. Gorzelanny held the Brewers' high-powered offense to just two runs on six hits in five innings after the Cubs' offense gave him a substantial early lead. Gorzelanny threw strikes, tied a career-high with nine strikeouts and issued only one free pass. Gorzelanny figures to be in the Cubs' plans next season as the fourth or fifth starter in the rotation, depending on what they do with Rich Harden, so it is important that Gorzelanny finishes the season on a positive note.
Gorzelanny is 2-0 in two career starts against the Giants with a complete game shutout. Gorzelanny has allowed just two runs on 11 hits in 16 career innings (1.13 ERA) with two walks and nine strikeouts (1.15 WHIP).
- Bengie Molina - 0-for-4
- Aaron Rowand - 1-for-3 with a home run
- Randy Winn - 1-for-8
- Barry Zito - 0-for-2
The Cubs will face Barry Zito for the first time this season. Zito, and his huge contract, had a rough first couple of years in San Francisco but he has pitched a lot better this season ... especially since the break.
After posting a 5-9 record in 18 starts before the break with a 5.01 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP, Barry Zito is 5-3 in his last 13 starts with a 2.58 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP.
Zito is 1-1 in his last four starts with a 4.43 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP and is coming off one of his worst starts of the second half
The Diamondbacks beat up on Barry Zito to the tune of four runs, three earned, on six hits in 4 1/3 innings. Zito walked three and struck out four. The Cubs must make him work this afternoon and not help him out ... Zito has walked 11 and struck out 20 in his last 20 1/3 innings.
Barry Zito is 1-2 in four career starts versus the Cubs with a 3.96 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP.
- Jeff Baker - 1-for-6 with a home run and a walk
- Andres Blanco - 4-for-6 with a double
- Mike Fontenot - 0-for-2
- Jake Fox - 0-for-3
- Kosuke Fukudome - 1-for-3
- Tom Gorzelanny - 0-for-3
- Reed Johnson - 4-for-13 with a double
- Derrek Lee - 5-for-10 with a double, a home run and 2 walks
- Aaron Miles - 1-for-4 with a walk
- Aramis Ramirez - 3-for-8 with a double
- Geovany Soto - 2-for-3 with a double
- Ryan Theriot - 1-for-9 with a double and a walk
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
Today's lineup:
Theriot - SS
Taguchi - LF
Ramirez - 3B
Fox - 1B
Baker - 2B
Johnson - RF
Soto - C
Fuld - CF
Gorzelanny - P
I know there's little benefit to this exercise in futility, but I still can't help wonder "what if". What if Lou had taken Soriano out of lead-off after the first month and given him more days off. Taken Gregg out of the closer role after his 2nd blown save. Sat nonperforming players for an extended period of time and see if they couldn't find an emerging star. Benched Bradley immediately after every single tirade or screw up. The same should have happened to Zambrano when he threw his fit over that call at home plate this early in the season. In other words, he should have kept the clubhouse in order. I know the players play the games, but I still can't help feel that Lou cost this team at least the 6 games they are back in the WC standings.
wow..here I am in AZ and I'm blacked out of the Cubs game despite them playing in SF and am forced to have the Yankees game from the east coast.
other times when the Giants,Dodgers,Angels, and Padres play at home and the Cubs are playing in Chicago I get blacked out of the Cubs game and am forced to watch a west coast game.
I just don't get it. how is this a good deal for fans? makes no sense to me.
tomorrow will be the first game since last Sunday that fans all across the country could watch a game on tv without having to purchase extra cable channels.
baseball broadcasting makes no sense at times. bring back the days of WGN as the Cubs station!
Working in IE7 here.
is this working yet?
Working fine on IE8 Abby.
Suzy, let me know if you have any troubles. I think I found the problem.
Good job by Baker getting the DP to end the inning.
Jake Fox with a big 2-run single, RBI #42 and #43
Hey everyone, I think we found and fixed the problem with the site. If you have any troubles, let me know.
Thanks to all for their patience and all of the emails.
ARAMIS!!!
Number 15!!!!
Got the gift run back...
I just want the Cardinals to win and finally end this thing once and for all.
Nope Patrick, make 'em earn it. With Wainwright on the hill tonight they should win. He really wants to post 20 wins and he has only 2 starts left.
I am glad the Cubs are playing better.
Hoffpauir with a stolen base ...
never mind?!?!?!
Bad baserunning by Hoffpauir after first career stolen base
Here's Bobby Howry
First time in quite a while I've been able to listen to the Cubs on the internet and read posters; nice to hear a positive Cubs broadcast since they are indeed playing better. I was also wondering "what if" just as Gary was earlier. I was very sorry to read about the troubles with Suzy's little brother...very glad she told us about this since we all want to remember this in our thoughts and prayers.
Solid win...again, if they could have just started playing like they have for the past week in August.
W. Indeed. "Solidness" comes from execution. Baserunning, bunts, pushing the ball while man on first base, regular flyball catch. Even the defensively challenged White Sox would laugh at us.
I felt so good for Jake Peavy winning last night. It was a good game, and once and for all shut down his critics.
The Red Sox picked up so many pitchers, including the Smoltz, and the solid Penny, just in case. But none of them worked as their rotation fell.
The Cubs had no problem with rotation depth this season, but hitting was a dump. Next year, we'll see. When we see pitchers heading south or disabled... Too bad Jake is not with us.
Good points, maybe I'm getting too easy. I do feel earlier in the season they lose on Saturday due to the problems you mentioned.
Back from a fun event and learned that the Blue won another one in this late, impressive run. More surprising, I learned that my long suffering football Hoosiers almost upset the Blue of the U. of Michigan.
It's also nice to just sign in and start sharing wisdom. LOL.
The Cubs young players are stepping up all over the place--instead of stepping in it all over the pasture as we say on the farm. It's clear that some of the veterans are capable being major contributors. And except for those dastardly corner outfield malingerers, it's becoming clearer that we have several credit worthy pieces for 2010.
I'm holding to the idea that others also have that Bradley can be traded. I'm saying to the Rangers--if Washington is still manager next year. And since, Nolan Ryan is president there and understands that 2 of our young pitchers would take the Rangers most of the way to the playoffs next year as a low budget team, I send him Gorzelanny, Caridad and Carpenter (AA) along with Bradley and $6 mil of cash for each of Bradley's contract years.
We get something we don't have in sight, a 35-40 HR slugger with an excellent glove at first and third, Chris Davis (23), and (also) #7 prospect, low A, lefty pitcher Robbie Ross. Davis stikes out too much and needs to elevate his BA to be a standout--but he's young and an athlete. We also get the adequate veteran starter, Kevin Millwood (35) and his remaining one year at $12 mil. The dollars we add in 2010 are unfortunate--but likely necessary.
JimK...While I like your deal...Do you think JH can see something like that...or will his blinders be too focused on Bradley and whomever....
Remember...even he says his head spins when a deal gets too complex.