Game Ninety-One: Cubs (47-43) vs. Giants (38-51)
Game Time – 6:05pm C.T. ESPN Monday Night Baseball, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 186
Location – Wrigley Field, Chicago
Rich Hill (5-6, 3.81/1.14) vs. Tim Lincecum (4-2, 4.63/1.25)
Updated – 6:11pm C.T. – Cubs Recalled Billy Petrick from Triple-A Iowa and Designated Rob Bowen for Assignment
Updated – 7:47pm C.T. – Cubs Acquire Jason Kendall and Cash from the Oakland A’s for Rob Bowen and minor league pitcher Jerry Blevins
The circus that is Barry Bonds and the Giants open a 4-game series tonight at the Friendly Confines. Bonds enters play just 4 home runs shy of Hank Aaron’s All-Time Home Run mark of 755, arguably the most cherished record in the history of professional sports. While the Cubs will have to contend with Bonds they will also have to find a way to beat a pitcher that have never faced before and it all starts with Rich Hill. Lou Piniella needs to see a quality start tonight from Rich Hill. Not only does his bullpen need a rest but Piniella must see an improvement from his young, very talented lefty. Hill was just short of unhittable early in the season but after his second loss of the season to the Padres on June 17th, he has reverted back to the form that got him demoted last May. Hill has not posted a win since June 7th in Atlanta and has given up 11 earned runs on 15 hits in his last two starts, 9 innings….11.00 ERA.
Hill is 1-1 in 2 career starts against the Giants with a 3.79 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. After being shelled in the Bay last May (5 runs on 8 hits in 6 innings) he threw a gem against the Giants last September at Wrigley (1 run on 5 hits in 8 innings with a walk and 6 strikeouts).
- Barry Bonds – 0-2
- Omar Vizquel – 4-8
- Randy Winn – 2-7, with a double, a home run and a RBI
The Cubs will get their first look at rookie right hander, Tim Lincecum. Lincecum was the 10th overall pick in the first round of the 2006 draft by the San Francisco Giants and is already in the big leagues. Lincecum was drafted by the Cubs in the 48th round of the 2003 draft out of Liberty High School in Washington, but did not sign.
After being called-up from Triple-A Fresno on May 6th, Lincecum was 2-0 with a 3.24 ERA in five starts in May but struggled through the month of June. He was 0-2 with a 7.71 ERA and allowed 22 runs on 27 hits in 25 2/3 innings. Lincecum has been lights out in his last three starts….just 3 earned runs in 20 innings on 13 hits. On July 1st, he set a season high in strikeouts with 12 without giving up a walk.
Update – According to a report on WGN Radio before Monday night’s game, the Cubs recalled Billy Petrick from Triple-A Iowa and designated catcher Rob Bowen for assignment in order to make room for Petrick on the 25-man roster. Bowen was acquired from San Diego for Michael Barrett.
Update – According to reports out of Chicago and by Jim Hendry on WGN Radio, the Cubs have acquired catcher Jason Kendall and cash from the Oakland A’s for Rob Bowen and minor league pitcher Jerry Blevins.
Will update when more information becomes available….
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball….