Game One Hundred Fifty-Five: Cubs (81-73) vs. Giants (82-73)
Game Time - 3:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: WGN TV - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 175
Location - AT & T Park, San Francisco
Randy Wells (11-9, 3.00/1.27) vs. Matt Cain (13-7, 2.99/1.20)
The road portion of the Cubs' 2009 schedule comes to an end this afternoon. One of the reasons for the Cubs playing out the string is their struggle away from Wrigley Field. While the Cubs are 14 games over .500 (44-30) with seven left to play at the Friendly Confines, on the road Lou Piniella's crew has posted a 37-43 record ... and the best they can hope for is to finish the year five games under the breakeven point.
Saturday's win gave the Cubs a 4-1 record in the season series against the Giants. And for the Cubs to pull off a rare four-game sweep on the road they will have to beat one of the best young pitchers in the National League.
Derrek Lee is expected to be held out of the lineup once again this afternoon. Lee aggravated his sore neck stealing second base in the ninth inning on Thursday night ... then was tapped on the top of the head by Angel Guzman congratulating Lee for scoring on Jeff Baker's go ahead two run homer. Reports on Saturday night indicated Lee could return on Tuesday when the Cubs open their final homestand of the year.
Kevin Gregg's season could be in jeopardy ... as well as his Cubs' career. Gregg is a free agent at the end of the year and reportedly the Cubs will not try and re-sign the much-maligned reliever. Gregg is dealing with inflammation in his rib cage. Gregg is expected to throw today and how he feels after his session will determine if Gregg will be available for the final seven games of the season.
Today it all starts with Randy Wells and just winning a ballgame.
Randy Wells will make one more starts this year follwing today's outing. Before posting his first win in three weeks, Wells began showing signs of fatigue in his starts against the Reds and the Brewers at Wrigley. But in his last start at Miller Park, Wells was sharp once again. He gave up his fare share of hits (seven) but did not issue any walks in six innings of work. The Cubs offense gave him a lot of early run support, which allowed him to relax and pick up his eleventh win of the year.
Randy Wells figures to be in the Cubs' plans next season as their fourth or fifth starter. With that said, it is rather surprising the Cubs are still allowing him to pitch after already topping a career-high in innings pitched.
Wells is 5-4 in 12 road starts this season with a 2.49 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. In his last five starts, Wells is 2-2 with a 2.73 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP.
This afternoon will be Randy Wells' first career game against the San Francisco Giants.
On just about any other team in baseball Matt Cain would receive a lot more recognition than he does. Cain is an excellent pitcher but with Tim Lincecum as his teammate, coupled with playing on the West Coast, Cain gets lost in many of the conversations centered on the best pitchers in the game.
Cain is 6-4 in 16 starts at AT & T Park this season with a 2.92 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP.
After a tremendous first half (10-2 in 18 starts with a 2.38 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP), Cain has struggled a little since the break (3-5 in 13 starts with a 3.80 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP) ... and has been horrible in September.
Matt Cain is 1-3 in his last four starts with a 7.17 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP.
The Cubs have struggled mightily in the past against Matt Cain. The soon-to-be 25-year old righty is 4-2 in seven career starts (with a complete game) versus the Cubs with a 2.81 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. The Cubs have been very aggressive against Matt Cain in the past and must change their approach this afternoon.
- Jeff Baker - 2-for-5
- Mike Fontenot - 2-for-8 with a double and 3 walks
- Kosuke Fukudome - 0-for-5
- Koyie Hill - 1-for-1 with a double and a walk
- Reed Johnson - 0-for-3
- Derrek Lee - 4-for-15 with a double, a home run and a walk
- Aramis Ramirez - 3-for-10 with a double and a walk
- Geovany Soto - 0-for-6
- Ryan Theriot - 3-for-10 with a double and a walk
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
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As I'm thinking our winning streak has to be ending any day now, I note from the prior post that no one (chose) to answer the question in the post on the prior thread. I just know that the question was viewed with interest by dozens of the faithful. Or maybe not.
The question was: What legacy player do we have in our syestm (Hi A or higher) whose dad and granddad each played in a major league all star game? Combined the dads had over 25 years of major league experience. I asked that answers not be posted except for an "I know" until high noon Chicago time.
Clearly there is some fault and/or disregard with/for the questioner in this, but the answer follows. First there was the pitcher Joseph Patrick Coleman who pitched in the bigs from 1942 to 1955 and won the 1948 all star game as a Philadelphia A. Then there was Joseph Howard Coleman who played in the bigs from 1965 to 1980 and pitched in the 1972 all star game for the Detroit Tigers. Joe H. pitched for the Cubs in 1976. Both of these pitchers had a couple of good years, but were marginal over their careers.
Then there is our own Joseph Casey Coleman (RSP-22) who, in a family seemingly given to modesty, making your own mark and strong religious leanings, goes (quietly) by the name of Casey Coleman. He was our minor league pitcher of the year at AA, Tenneessee, and he was a 15th round draft choice in 2008. He still may not garner a top 10 prospect ranking this winter--but he is on the way.
Great tidbit Jim, I am sorry I missed your post on Saturday.
I really like what I have seen from Coleman...and the Cubs' organization does as well.
Today's lineup:
Theriot - SS
Fukudome - RF
Ramirez - 3B
Fox - 1B
Baker - 2B
Scales - LF
Hill - C
Fuld - CF
Wells - P
Neil:
Sorry about your other passion today.
It happens, oh well...
Wells struggles a little but gives up only one run ... Ramirez has to turn that double play.
Cain seems to be in charge today. Brenly commented earlier that ARAM should have got a DP on a grounder. It looks like ARAM is just a little cautious when he throws--likely because of his shoulder concerns. His throws have been a split second late a few times.
Too aggresive against Matt Cain on getaway day...
Good play by Fox knocking the ball down to end the inning.
I still haven't heard from my connection to Jake Fox's H.S. coaching connections at Cathedral H.S. or to a family acquaintance. I pulled that chain again this morning. I'm still looking for the answer to Jake's limited time on the field. I don't think that it's defense related--because he makes usually makes the plays no matter where Lou puts him.
Wells gives up run no. 3 in the 6th and another one is at 3rd base with one out. He scores on a ground single against a drawn-in infield. Wells is out and wasn't sharp enough today.
Marshall isn't hyped either--so we get another peak at Stevens. I've thought he could be an effective reliever because his breaking stuff contrasts with that of most relievers.
Stevens gets Uribe and the third out on a pop fly with a breaking ball off the plate.
Cain is getting a lot of swings at high fastballs today. Sometimes after buckles knees with his curve ball. He gets two more K's in the 7th. We're down 5-0 in the last of the 7th, and the guys are thinking about the flight menue.
One of these days the Cubs' offense will make Matt Cain work. When they did in the past they won both games
Make that "after he buckles..." above.
Stevens get 4 outs without allowing a run.
Fuld has a "Neil AB", and get's Cain's first walk of the day. Micah walks too. Cain is being given one more batter-unless he makes the second out.
Theriot goes 3-2 and then flies out deep to CF. Dome K's to preserve Cain's shutout.
Three outs and the road is history for a disappointing 2009.
You don't sweep a contender late in the season, and we didn't do that to the Giants. Baker did have a "statement", rocket, double off Romo over the head of Bowker in left. Scales added a two out triple to the gap in right center. The little people continue to step up. Johnson hangs tough against Wilson, but it ends 5-1.
The Rockies did beat the Cards and Lohse, and that pleases me.
Why would that please you? We are already eliminated in the central we actually needed a rockie's loss for the slim chance at the wild card.
Well, Jim C, Ours is such an impossible situation, with the Rockies and the Braves having to lose nearly all of their games and our having to win them all, to catch up, that I have moved on. Having moved on, I am giving some creds to the team of my "adopted son", Seth Smith.
For me, as you know, the last few weeks have been focussed on whether our several young hopefuls can sustain well enough to make the 25 man roster next year (or someones). I've taken some satisfaction that guys like Lee, ARAM, Z, D and Lilly have risen to upper echelon heights with some frequency. And I also have been thinking about prospective trades. I have turned the page to 2010.
I liked the Baker double and Scales triple, Baker figures into their plans for next year ... Scales should, but a lot depends on the moves Hendry must make this winter.
Re: Scales
He should? Based on what?
His pinch-hitting and the fact he has out produced Mike Fontenot.
Yeah. I heard the show. I'm just skeptical about pinch hitting guys. It's all luck.
Have we not learned from John Mabry and Daryle Ward?
You and Aaron do a great show BTW. We want more!
No way....Scales is nothing. He may have technically outproduced Little Babe but certainly not by much.
Barring trade, I'd like to see spring training comp between Fonty and Baker.
Fonty had an off year like half the team did.
Can people bounce back? Hmmm...seems about this time last year and ALL winter people were talking crap about Derrek Lee and the ton of double plays he hit into and the lack of power and production. We see what D. Lee did this year. But in no way shape or form is Scales a part of this team next year. The reserve utility should go to Blanco if anyone for his defense.