Game Seventy-Three: Cubs (28-44) vs. Twins (37-35)
Game Time – 6:10pm C.T. WGN TV, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 183
Location – Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis
Mark Prior (0-1, 17.18) vs. Boof Bonser (1-1, 5.81)
Who does number two work for? Well in this case it is the Chicago Cubs. Mark Prior was taken second player taken in the 2001 First-Year Player Draft right behind Twins’ catcher Joe Mauer who was the top pick in the draft. Mauer leads the American League in hitting and Prior is making his second start of the season. Prior is coming off a horrendous start last week against the Tigers in which he gave up 4 home runs….3 in the 1st inning alone, to say any improvement would be a plus after his last outing is a major understatement. Boof Bonser could be what the Cubs offense needs, besides being the first right hander they have seen start against them in the last three games to say Bonser is hittable would also be an understatement. The last time the Cubs faced a right-handed starter was Monday against the Indians and Jason Johnson. The Cubs won the game convincingly 12-8 and put up 6 runs on 6 hits in 5 innings against Johnson, the Indians DFA’d him the next day and he has since been traded to the Red Sox. The Twins rookie has given up 7 home runs in his last 3 starts in just 15 1/3 innings and could not make it out of the 4th inning on June 17th against the Pirates in Pittsburgh….he gave up 3 runs on 5 hits.
With Derrek Lee starting tonight for the Iowa Cubs (the CCO will report on that game as well) the current Cubs’ roster is playing for jobs and reasons for Cubs’ management to keep them in Chicago. The Cubs are starting to get healthy and Dusty is starting to run out of current excuses for losing. Prior has said he expects to pitch well tonight….it would be nice to see him put the ball where his mouth is/
Let’s Talk Cubbies Baseball….