Game One Hundred Sixteen: Cubs (48-67) vs. Rockies (56-58)
Game Time – 7:05pm C.T. WGN TV, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 188
Location – Coors Field, Denver
Angel Guzman (0-2, 5.68) vs. Josh Fogg (7-7, 4.59)
With Updates on Wade Miller and Sean Marshall
Let the rookie rotation continue….Juan Mateo was scheduled to start tonight’s game but due to pitching in relief for Mark Prior on Thursday in Milwaukee, Mateo will be skipped and Angel Guzman is scheduled to be recalled from Iowa and start tonight for the Cubs in Colorado. Guzman is 0-2 this season for the Cubs and will be looking to record his first Major League victory. This will be Guzman’s third stint with the Cubs this season and he showed improvement the last time the Cubs recalled the young right-hander. Not that long ago the Cubs organization was thought to be filled with some of the top pitching prospects in the game, well…. The Cubs need to see if Angel Guzman fits into their plans and a good performance tonight in Colorado, win or lose, would go along way in determining his future with the organization. Guzman pitched better during his last call-up and allowed just 2 runs in 2 appearances out of the pen, 7 1/3 total innings pitched. Like the entire pitching staff Guzman must throw strikes and cut down on the free passes in 25 1/3 innings this season Guzman has walked 20 and struck out just 29….again not the 3 to 1 ratio you would like to see out of a Major League pitcher. Guzman is 4-4 in 15 games, all starts, for the I-Cubs this season. In 75 2/3 innings he struck out 77, walked 24 and gave up 72 hits.
Josh Fogg has pitched well for the Rockies this season despite coming off a loss against the Dodgers. Fogg pitched into the 5th inning, recorded just 1-out, and gave up 5 runs on 8 hits. Fogg does have control problems and will walk a lot of batters. In 127 1/3 innings this season Fogg has given up 140 hits and 44 walks and has given up 8 home runs in his last 6 starts. If the impatient Cubs can take a few pitches, Fogg will give them plenty to hit and hit hard.
The Cubs are dealing with another rookie pitcher and one with promise. The offense needs to take advantage of a below-average pitcher, give their young hurler an early lead and allow him to collect his first Major League victory.
Let’s Talk Cubbies Baseball….
Wade Miller and Sean Marshall Updates
Sean Marshall is scheduled to make his first rehab start tonight for the I-Cubs against the Memphis Redbirds; Iowa is just 1/2 game behind the first place Nashville Sounds and this will be Marshall’s first start at the Triple-A level.
Wade Miller beat the Jacksonville Suns on Friday night in his first rehab start of the season at the Double-A level. Miller threw 6 innings and allowed 1 run on 3 hits, struck out 4 and walked just 1. Former Cub farm hand Adam Greenberg doubled off of Miller for 1 of the Suns 3 hits on the night.