Talkin’ Cubs Live – Cubs vs. Giants – 09/22/10 – (2010cubslive151)
Game One Hundred Fifty-One: Cubs (68-82) vs. Giants (85-66)
Game Time – 7:05pm CDT
Coverage – WCIU – Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 187
Location – Wrigley Field, Chicago
Randy Wells (7-13, 4.46/1.42) vs. Jonathan Sanchez (11-8, 3.21/1.23)
Will the Cubs offense show up tonight? Mike Quade ran out his veteran lineup Tuesday night and received no production … and it does not figure to get any easier today. The Cubs slipped to 17-8 under Mike Quade because they cannot hit good pitching and refuse to change their approach at the plate.
Prior to Tuesday’s game, Quade said Kosuke Fukudome and Koyie Hill would see their playing time increase down the stretch with Tyler Colvin and Geovany Soto out for the season. While Mike Quade is trying to win games, the Cubs should be looking at the players that received call-ups instead of just playing the veterans … been there done that and have another losing season to show for it.
In Other News
The Cubs confusing roster management continued Tuesday. Mitch Atkins was designated for assignment just two years after being named the Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Year. The Cubs scouting department is one of the many areas that needs to be overhauled. The Cubs selected Atkins in the seventh round of the 2004 draft.
Releasing Atkins was the right move … but Atkins is just one more example of a wasted pick in the top ten on Jim Hendry’s watch.
With Atkins off the 40-man roster, the Cubs activated Esmailin Caridad from the 60-day DL and optioned him to Double-A.
The Cubs made two other roster moves Tuesday. Tyler Colvin and Geovany Soto were placed on the 15-day DL.
Quade announced Tom Gorzelanny, Casey Coleman and Jeff Samardzija would start the final three home games of the year over the weekend against the Cardinals.
Tonight it all begins with Randy Wells … Randy Wells showed how good he can be in his last start … when he is focused. Wells was dominant against the Cardinals in arguably his best start at the Major League level. Wells threw a season-high eight innings and should have been given a chance to complete the game. Wells allowed only one run on five hits in the Cubs 7-2 win. Wells struck out five and did not issue a single free pass … Randy certainly made the most of his first start at Busch Stadium.
Wells figures to get at least one more start after tonight … and he needs to finish strong in order to begin next spring in position to compete for a starting spot in the rotation. The Cubs figure to have a rotation full of number fours and fives … and based on a full season of work, if everyone is healthy, Wells could be the odd man out at the beginning of the year.
Wells is 1-1 in his last three starts with a 4.12 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP.
The Giants pounded Mr. Wells pretty good in San Francisco back on August 12. Wells gave up seven runs, six earned, on eight hits in five innings with three walks and two strikeouts.
Tonight will be Wells’ third career start versus San Francisco … 0-1 with a 9.58 ERA and a 2.23 WHIP.
Giants Career Numbers against Randy Wells
- Pat Burrell – 2-for-3 with 2 home runs
- Aubrey Huff – 0-for-2 with a walk
- Travis Ishikawa – 3-for-6
- Buster Posey – 0-for-2 with a walk
- Cody Ross – 1-for-3 with a home run
- Aaron Rowand – 0-for-3
- Freddy Sanchez – 2-for-4 with a double and a walk
- Juan Uribe – 4-for-6
Jonathan Sanchez has been unbelievable of late. After giving up five runs in 4 1/3 innings to the Reds backs on August 24, Sanchez has not allowed more than one earned run in any of his starts. Sanchez is coming of a win to the Dodgers in which he allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits with no walks and a season-high 12 strikeouts in seven innings.
Sanchez is 2-0 in his last three starts with a 0.47 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP … 25 strikeouts, eight walks and eight hits allowed in 19 innings.
Sanchez is 0-1 in two career games, one start, versus the Cubs with a 7.20 ERA and a 2.60 WHIP … both games were at Wrigley Field.
- Jeff Baker – 4-for-11 with 2 doubles and 3 walks
- Xavier Nady – 0-for-1 with a walk
- Aramis Ramirez – 0-for-2 with a walk
- Alfonso Soriano – 1-for-3 with a double
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …