Game Forty-Seven: Cubs (18-28) vs. Braves (24-23)
Game Time – 1:20pm C.T. WGN TV, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 189
Location – Wrigley Field, Chicago
Carlos Zambrano (3-2, 3.53) vs. Tim Hudson (4-3, 3.95)
Updated with Suspension Info and Roster Moves- 10:45am C.T./10:56pm C.T.
The season must start today for the Cubs, what is done is done and they must decide it is time to move on. Everyone knows their struggles, everyone knows their record and the Cubs have to forget about the last month….and start playing ball, the right way. Forget about playoffs, forget about tomorrow….just concentrate on today. Carlos Zambrano has pitched very well in his last 4 starts, including winning his last three in a row. Zambrano has put an end to the Cubs losing streaks his last three outings. Carlos is 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA in the month of May and is facing the Braves and Tim Hudson today. After starting the season 9-14, the Braves have won 15 of their last 24, but are very beatable if you can get to their bullpen. The Cubs are expecting to get the news on the suspensions from Bob Watson concerning last Saturday’s bench clearing brawl against the White Sox today, rumors have suggested anywhere between 6 and 20 games for Michael Barrett. And several reports out of Chicago have stated that a roster move should be done before today’s game and Tony Womack will be in a Cubs’ uniform by game time, which would send Ryan Theriot back to Iowa. Womack was not in the lineup for the I-Cubs on Thursday night and in 5 games he is 7-15 with 3 walks and 3 stolen bases (.467/.556/.533).
The Cubs were 1-6 last season against the Braves and have played much better at Wrigley than on the road to this point of the season. Tim Hudson was very dominant his last start against the Diamondbacks and threw 8 innings of shutout ball and only allowed 6 hits and 3 walks and like the rest of the Braves after a rough start he is 3-1 with a 2.29 ERA in 5 starts in May….his only bad game was against the Mets on May 6th in New York….in his 4 other starts Hudson has only allowed 3 earned runs and two of those games were shutouts, he gave up 6 earned runs against the Mets.
The Cubs have started hitting the ball, now they just need to be patient, take some walks and make the opposing pitcher work….they keep making it easy.
Let’s Talk Cubbies Baseball….
Update – Michael Barrett was suspended for 10 days and fined an undisclosed amount of money. Joey Cora, the White Sox 3rd base coach, was suspended for 2 games, Brian Anderson was suspended 5 games and fined an undisclosed amount of money, A.J. Pierzynski was fined an undisclosed amount of money and will not miss any playing time. All suspensions are slated to begin on Friday, Barrett may appeal.
Article from the A.P.
Update – Roster Moves 10:56am C.T.
The Cubs made the roster move official and selected Tony Womack from AAA Iowa and optioned Ryan Theriot back to Iowa.