Talkin’ Cubs Live – Cubs vs. White Sox – 06/20/12

Randy Wells (1-1, 4.50/1.82) vs. Gavin Floyd (4-7, 5.63/1.34)

It is game three of round two of the City Series and after tonight the Cubs are done with Interleague play for another season. The Cubs are 5-9 against the Junior Circuit this year and a win tonight would not only complete the sweep over the Sox but would give them a one-game improvement over their 5-10 Interleague record from a year ago.

Randy Wells gets the start tonight subbing for the recently DL’d Ryan Dempster. Dempster was placed on the disabled list Monday with tightness in his right lat. Dempster said he expected to miss only a couple of starts but reports have surfaced that Dempster will not throw a ball for ten days and could be out to around the All-Star break.

In other news … Ian Stewart had his wrist examined Monday at the Cleveland Clinic and another MRI on his left wrist did not reveal anything specific. Stewart openly discussed the possibility of season-ending surgery on his wrist but surgery appears to be on hold until the off-season. Stewart received a cortisone shot and his expected to rejoin the team Wednesday. Stewart is eligible to return from the DL on June 28.

Tonight it all begins with Randy Wells … Randy Wells will get yet another opportunity to start while Ryan Dempster is on the shelf. Wells has been handed chances in the past but has not been able to get out of his own way. Wells has backend of the rotation stuff … the trick is getting him to believe it.

Wells has started just two games at the big league level this season and his last start came on April 28 in Philadelphia. Wells lasted just 3 2/3 innings that night (four runs on three hits with four walks and three strikeouts). Wells was sent down not too long after and was brought back at the end of May. Wells longest outing since being recalled was on May 21 in Houston when Matt Garza imploded early. Wells held the Astros to one run on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts in five innings … since then his longest appearance of the pen was a two-inning stint in Milwaukee on June 6. The Cubs have not said what Wells’ pitch count will be tonight but if Dale Sveum can get anywhere near what Franklin Morales gave Bobby Valentine on Sunday night, Wells’ outing would have to be considered a positive.

Randy Wells is 1-2 in three career starts against the White Sox with a 6.38 ERA and a 1.64 WHIP … at the Cell, 1-0 in one start with a 2.57 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP.

White Sox Career Numbers against Randy Wells

• Gordon Beckham – 3-for-8 with a double
• Adam Dunn – 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and three walks
• Orlando Hudson – 0-for-6
• Paul Konerko – 2-for-8 with a double
• A.J. Pierzynski – 5-for-6 with a double
• Alexei Ramirez – 2-for-9 with a home run
• Alex Rios – 3-for-5 with a walk

Gavin Floyd is in the middle of one of the roughest stretches of his career. Floyd is coming off a miserable outing against the Cardinals in St. Louis. Floyd allowed five runs on eight hits with four walks and five strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.

After posting a 2-2 record in five starts last month with a 7.06 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP, Floyd is 0-2 in his last three with an 8.04 ERA and a 1.72 WHIP.

Gavin Floyd has not put together his one good stretch yet and while he has never beaten the Cubs he has fared quite well against them. Floyd is 0-3 in four starts with a 3.67 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP against the Cubs. Floyd did not pitch in the series at Wrigley last month.

Cubs Career Numbers against Gavin Floyd

• Darwin Barney – 1-for-3
• Tony Campana – 0-for-1
• Starlin Castro – 4-for-9 with a triple and a home run
• David DeJesus – 10-for-37 with two doubles, a triple, a home run and two walks
• Bryan LaHair – 0-for-2
• Alfonso Soriano – 3-for-15 with a double
• Geovany Soto – 2-for-7 with a walk
• Luis Valbuena – 0-for-9 with a walk

Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …

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