Talkin’ Cubs Live – Cubs vs. Dodgers – 09/04/07

Steve Trachsel (6-8, 4.48/1.56) vs. Brad Penny (14-4, 2.88/1.26)

Updated – 5:48pm C.T. with Roster Move – Eric Patterson was demoted to Double-A Tennessee on Tuesday. According to a report on ESPN 1000, Patterson was demoted for being late to the park on Monday and Tuesday.

While the Cubs lost a very disappointing game on Monday afternoon and could not build any momentum after their series win against the Astros on Sunday, today is a new day. Lou Piniella’s offense, however, will get the tall task of trying to put a win on the board against one of the best in the league in Brad Penny. Steve Trachsel will make his first start in a Cubs’ uniform at Wrigley since September 22, 1999 and will try to put his new/old team back on track. Jim Hendry made the surprising deal for Steve Trachsel last Friday and he will make his 2007 Cub debut tonight. Of all the players one might have imagined pitching on the North Side for the second time in his career, Trachsel could not have been very high on that list….but the “Human Rain Delay” is back and his job is to win ballgames.

The Cubs drafted Trachsel in the 8th round back in 1991. He won more games in the 90’s than any other pitcher in a Cubs’ uniform and is famous for giving up #62 to Mark McGuire in 1998. Trachsel won one of the biggest games in Cubs’ history when he beat Dusty Baker’s San Francisco Giants in the 1-game playoff to decide the winner of the 1998 National League Wild Card….Game 163 of the season. Trachsel is #32 on the Cubs All-Time win list with a 60-69 record.

Trachsel missed some time with the Orioles this season. He was placed on the 15-day DL on June 30th with a strained gluteus and was activated on July 21st. Trachsel was 1-1 in 6 starts in August with a 2.37 ERA with 18 walks and 8 strikeouts.

Trachsel is 4-10 (with a complete game) in 21 career starts against the Dodgers with a 4.02 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. Last season while with the Mets he lost to the Dodgers the only time he faced them….4 runs on 5 hits in 2 2/3 innings, a 13.50 ERA.

For his career Trachsel has pitched very well in September, his third best month. In 65 games, 64 starts, he is 22-28 with a 3.96 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. Tonight will be the 102nd career start for Trachsel at Wrigley. In 102 games he has a 33-37 record with 5 complete games, a 4.13 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. Trachsel has allowed 93 home runs in 628 1/3 innings.

In 140 2/3 innings with the Orioles this season, Trachsel has allowed 151 hits, 69 walks and struck out 45…..

• Rafael Furcal – 17-53, with 4 doubles and 2 RBI’s
• Luis Gonzalez – 8-31, with 4 home runs, 7 RBI’s and 5 walks

Brad Penny has been very good the entire season. He is third in the NL in ERA and in the top 10 in most statistical categories for pitchers….and he is as good as advertised. The Cubs missed him at the end of May at Dodger Stadium. Penny is 1-2 in his last 6 starts with a 4.00 ERA and is coming off one of his worst starts of the year. He received a no-decision against the Nationals at Dodger Stadium on August 29th….6 runs on 8 hits in 5 innings and for the 6th time this season he walked (2) more than he struck out (1). The Cubs must be patient against Penny tonight, in his last 16 innings he has walked 11 and struck out 6.

Penny is 2-2 in 7 career starts against the Cubs with a 2.60 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. The Cubs always hit him well (49 hits in 45 innings with 4 home runs) but have trouble putting runs on the board. Penny is 1-1 in 2 starts at Wrigley with a 3.55 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.

• Cliff Floyd – 7-23, with 3 doubles and 3 RBI’s
• Jacque Jones – 4-9, with a home run and a RBI
• Derrek Lee – 4-8, with 2 doubles
• Aramis Ramirez – 9-21, with a double and a RBI

Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball….