Talkin’ Cubs Live – Cubs vs. Marlins – 07/15/11

Ryan Dempster (6-6, 5.01/1.44) vs. Ricky Nolasco (6-5, 3.70/1.28)

Updated 1:27pm CDT – According to multiple reports, Cubs signed Dave Bush to a minor league contract. Bush will report to the Iowa Cubs this weekend.

So how will the Cubs respond after their latest embarrassing loss? Quade’s Cubs enter play today 19 games under .500 and have lost seven of 10. While wins and losses are what teams, players, managers and general managers are judged on, it would be nice at this point just to see the Cubs play a game without any drama.

Mike Quade addressed Carlos Marmol’s struggles following Thursday’s game. Quade said Thursday was as bad as he’s ever seen Marmol. Quade indicated that Marmol would remain the team’s closer. Marmol accepted responsibility for his outing and did not make any excuses. The Marlins won for only the second time this season when trailing after eight innings (1-36 prior to Thursday).

The last time Ryan Dempster pitched in a game, he finished his outing by arguing with his manager in the dugout. Both Quade and Dempster have cleared the air and reportedly everything is okay between the two.

This afternoon is a rematch of the game back on May 18. Both Dempster and Ricky Nolasco received a no decision in a Cubs 7-5 victory.

In other news … Carlos Zambrano will come off the DL and make the start Saturday against the Marlins. Rodrigo Lopez will stay in the rotation and Ramon Ortiz will shift to the pen. If Ortiz remains with the Cubs when Zambrano is activated, it would appear that Chris Carpenter will be the odd man out and sent back to Iowa.

Today it all starts with Ryan Dempster … Ryan Dempster finished the first half with a win against the Pirates … and a ton of controversy. Dempster’s so-so outing (three runs on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts in five innings) was overshadow by his actions in the dugout. Dempster and Quade say everything is ‘peachy’ but Dempster was given a free pass for his actions. If another certain starter would have done what Dempster did, well …

Dempster was in the middle of a solid stretch before an injury to his ‘core’ forced the Cubs to skip one of his starts. Dempster posted a 1-2 record in six starts in June with a 3.13 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.

The Cubs Opening Day starter is 3-4 in 10 home starts this season with a 3.84 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP.

Ryan Dempster faced his old team during the two-game series in Miami back in May. Dempster received a no decision after allowing five runs on eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts in five innings. The Cubs won the game 7-5.

Dempster is 3-1 in 15 career games, five starts, versus the Fish with a 2.54 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.

Marlins Career Numbers against Ryan Dempster

• Emilio Bonifacio – 0-for-10 with a walk
• John Buck – 1-for-3
• Mike Cameron – 5-for-24 with a home run and 2 walks
• Chris Coghlan – 2-for-6 with a double
• Greg Dobbs – 3-for-7 with a double
• Wes Helms – 5-for-11 with a double
• Omar Infante – 2-for-7 with a double and a home run
• Logan Morrison – 1-for-4 with a double and a walk
• Ricky Nolasco – 0-for-2 with a walk
• Hanley Ramirez – 4-for-11 with a double and a home run
• Gaby Sanchez – 1-for-6
• Mike Stanton – 2-for-4 with a walk
• Dewayne Wise – 2-for-10 with a walk

Every time Ricky Nolasco faces the Chicago Cubs the bad trade by Jim Hendry that sent Nolasco to the Marlins for Juan Pierre is brought up. It is hard to believe that trade happened over six years ago …

Nolasco is coming off a dominant nine-inning performance against the Astros. Nolasco put together his second complete game of the season (second in three starts) in a 6-1 victory … and Houston managed only one run on seven hits with a walk and Nolasco struck out eight.

Ricky Nolasco has allowed a grand total of two earned runs in his last three starts (25 innings) and is 1-1 in his last two games with a 1.13 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP.

Nolasco has always pitched extremely well against the Cubs but received a no decision back on May 18 against the Cubs. Q’s offense scored five runs, four earned, on nine hits in six innings.

Ricky Nolasco is 3-1 in six career games, five starts, versus the Cubs with a 3.09 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP … at Wrigley Field, 2-1 in three games, two starts, with a 3.60 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP.

Cubs Career Numbers against Ricky Nolasco

• Jeff Baker – 0-for-3
• Darwin Barney – 0-for-2
• Marlon Byrd – 0-for-6
• Starlin Castro – 3-for-6
• Ryan Dempster – 0-for-3
• Blake DeWitt – 1-for-2
• Kosuke Fukudome – 4-for-9 with a walk
• Koyie Hill – 3-for-6 with a double
• Reed Johnson – 1-for-1 with a home run
• Carlos Pena – 3-for-5 with 2 home runs and 2 walks
• Aramis Ramirez – 3-for-9 with a home run and a walk
• Alfonso Soriano – 4-for-19 with 2 home runs
• Geovany Soto – 1-for-6 with a double

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