Game One Hundred Thirty-Six: Cubs (55-80) vs. Giants (66-68)
Game Time – 1:20pm C.T. WGN TV, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 189
Location – Wrigley Field, Chicago
Angel Guzman (0-4, 7.20) vs. Jason Schmidt (10-8, 3.37)
Updated 12:01pm CT with Roster Moves – Barrett Placed on 15-Day DL – Coats Recalled from Iowa
Which Angel Guzman will take the hill for the Cubs today? Will it be the unsure rookie they cannot throw strikes or the rookie that pitched well enough to win but received no support from the rest of his team? Guzman showed against the Phillies on August 23rd that he is capable of throwing strikes and being successful at the Major League level, unfortunately the Cubs could not score more than one run off of Brett Myers and the Phillies eventually won the game in the 9th but the other 2 starts he made in August are reasons for concern and doubt. Against the Rockies and Pirates, Guzman was horrible….there are no other words to describe his performance. In those starts he could not make it past the 3rd inning and he gave up a combined 15 runs on 19 hits in 5 2/3 innings (23.85 ERA). He threw strikes against the Pirates….they were right down the middle and the Pirates treated them as batting practice. Guzman has cut down on his walks, he must work on his confidence and command and have a good outing today against a very hot Barry Bonds and a veteran lineup in the Giants.
What can be said about Jason Schmidt that has not already been said? Schmidt is the Giants ace and it is possible he could end up pitching for the Cubs next season. Schmidt is coming off a horrible performance against his former team, the Braves, on August 29th. Schmidt did not make it out of the 4th inning, the Braves scored 8 runs on 7 hits in 3 1/3 innings and Schmidt gave up 2 home runs and walked 4. In his last 6 starts Schmidt is 3-1 with a 4.10 ERA. Schmidt is 10-5 in 19 career games against the Cubs with a 2.65 ERA, this season he is 1-0 with a 1.00 ERA; he beat the Cubs back on May 9th. That was the game that Juan Pierre robbed Barry Bonds of the home run to straight away center that would have tied Bonds with the Babe….Schmidt allowed just 1 run (Barrett homered) on 5 hits in 9 innings.
It would be nice to see the Cubs take a series at Wrigley against a team from the West but it will be a tough task against Schmidt with Guzman on the mound….
Let’s Talk Cubbies Baseball….
Roster Moves – According to a report on Cubs.com, the Cubs placed Michael Barrett on the 15-Day DL with an intrascrotal hermatoma and recalled Buck Coats from Triple-A Iowa. Barrett suffered the injury in the 5th inning of Saturday’s game against the Giants According to a report in Sunday’s Chicago Tribune Barrett “caught” a foul ball in the groin area and was taken to the hospital for observation after complaining of sickness.
According to the same report concerning Barrett, Henry Blanco could play first base today with John Mabry nursing a sore back and Derrek Lee scheduled to take the day off.