Game Sixty-Five: Cubs (29-35) vs. Mariners (35-27)
Game Time – 1:20pm C.T. WGN TV, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 189
Location – Wrigley Field, Chicago
Jason Marquis (5-3, 3.01/1.22) vs. Jeff Weaver (0-6, 12.46/2.27)
The Cubs will go for the win in the rubber game of the series today as former teammates on the 2006 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals face off, Jason Marquis against Jeff Weaver, and this game could easily be decided by the bullpens. The Cubs will play their first day game since the series finale in Milwaukee on June 6th. A report on Cubs.com indicated Koyie Hill will get the start behind the plate today while the same report mentioned Henry Blanco’s rehab assignment has been delayed indefinitely and Daryle Ward will begin his rehab stint on Friday. In other news from Wednesday night, it appears Clay Rapada will be the second lefty Lou Piniella will use out of his pen behind Will Ohman as Scott Eyre has fallen out of favor with his skipper. Jason Marquis has started to revert back to the form that made the Faithful question his signing in the off-season. Marquis has not posted a win since his complete game shutout against the Pirates on May 9th and is coming of his worst start of the season. Marquis gave up 6 runs, 2 earned, on 4 hits with 3 walks in 1 2/3 innings….his second shortest outing of his career. After a tremendous first six weeks of the season, Marquis has not pitched out of the 6th inning in his last 3 starts and in his last 7 innings (2 starts) he has walked (6) more than he has struck out (4).
Marquis is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP in 1 career appearance against the Mariners back in July of 2004. Marquis allowed 1 run on 4 hits in 6 innings of work….a home run by Brett Boone in the 1st inning.
Many of the Faithful have wanted Jim Hendry to sign Jeff Weaver the past two off seasons. After being DFA’d last year by the Angels, he was picked up by the Cardinals and helped them win the series. Weaver signed with the Mariners late this past off-season and has struggled once again in the American League. Weaver recently spent time on the DL with right shoulder tendonitis and many in the Seattle media think his trip to the DL had more to do with ineffectiveness than an injury….Weaver was activated on June 9th.
Weaver’s numbers are unbelievable…. In April he gave up 23 runs in 11 1/3 innings (18.26 ERA) in 4 starts with outings of 2 innings, 6 innings, 3 innings and 1/3 of an inning. In 2 starts in May, Weaver allowed 12 runs in 10 2/3 innings and in his first 6 starts of the season he allowed 35 earned runs on 50 hits in 22 innings. However he is coming off his best start of the year against the Padres last Saturday. Weaver gave up just 2 runs, 1 earned, on 2 hits in 4 innings before leaving with stiffness in his lower back.
Teams are hitting at will against Weaver this season…. .423 average and a .444 OBP while lefties are hitting .400 with a .430 OBP and righties are even better…. .453 average with a .464 OBP.
Weaver is 2-0 in 6 career games (4 starts) against the Cubs with a 4.34 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. In 4 career games (2 starts) at Wrigley, Weaver has posted a 1-0 record with a 4.30 ERA, a 1.50 WHIP and has given up 2 home runs in 14 2/3 innings.
- Michael Barrett – 3-8, with a double, a home run and 2 RBI’s
- Cliff Floyd – 2-9, with 2 doubles and a RBI
- Koyie Hill – 1-3
- Jacque Jones – 9-29, with 3 doubles, a home run and 5 RBI’s
- Derrek Lee – 0-6
- Alfonso Soriano – 2-2, with a triple and 2 RBI’s
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball….