Game One Hundred Forty-Two: Cubs (56-85) vs. Braves (67-73)
Game Time – 6:05pm C.T. Comcast Sports Net, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 185
Location – Turner Field, Atlanta
Wade Miller (0-0, -.–) vs. Chuck James (8-3, 3.65)
Wade Miller will become the 15th different pitcher to make a start for the Chicago Cubs this season. Miller was signed this past off-season after having the same surgery as Kerry Wood. Miller made 7 rehab starts in the Cubs Minor League system and tonight he will make his Cub debut. Miller has said that his agreement with the Cubs was more than for just one season even though the contract he signed was just for this year. With the injuries to Wood and Prior and Carlos Zambrano missing tonight’s start, Miller could figure into next season’s rotation with a strong finish for a team that is struggling to stay out of the cellar of Major League Baseball. Miller was 4-4 with a 4.95 ERA last season for the Red Sox and tonight will be his first Major League start in almost a year….September 11, 2005. The Cubs have reportedly been concerned about the lack of velocity on Miller’s fastball but as long as that devastating over hand curve ball is still there, the one that he used to beat the Cubs with seemingly every time he took the mound (5-3 in 11 starts with a 4.18 ERA in his career against the Cubs), he should have enough to be an effective pitcher at this level. Miller is 2-3 in 6 career games against the Braves with a 5.58 ERA.
The Cubs will face yet another rookie in Chuck James and one they have never seen. The Cubs have not played well against pitchers they have no history against which could prove to be another hurdle for this team to try to overtake tonight. James is coming off the best start of his career against the Mets on Labor Day. He threw 8-shutout innings against the Mets and allowed just 1 hit to their high-powered offense. In his last 7 starts James is 4-1 with a 2.44 ERA.
Let’s Talk Cubbies Baseball and Go Irish!!