Game Nine: Cubs (3-5) vs. Giants (6-3)
- Game Time – 1:20pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: Comcast SportsNet – Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channels 184/844
- Location – Wrigley Field, Chicago
Scott Feldman (0-1, 7.771/1.93) vs. Ryan Vogelsong (0-1, 8.44/2.06)
Weather permitting … The Cubs will get back to work this afternoon after an unscheduled day off on Wednesday. Dale Sveum’s team opens a four-game series today against the defending World Series Champions, the San Francisco Giants. The Cubs were just 1-6 in the seven games with the Giants last season.
With Wednesday’s postponement, Dale Sveum decided to push back all of his starters by a day and keep his rotation in order.
The Cubs’ struggling offense will not catch a break over the next four games. After Scott Feldman faces Ryan Vogelsong this afternoon, Carlos Villanueva is scheduled to take on Matt Cain on Friday while Jeff Samardzija will square off against lefty Madison Bumgarner on Saturday. The four game series ends on Sunday with Edwin Jackson opposing Tim Lincecum.
Scott Feldman is in need of a good outing this afternoon. Feldman has not pitched well in quite some time and carried his poor performances from the end of last year into Spring Training then into the regular season against the Braves. Feldman has not posted a win since beating the Royals in Kansas City on August 4. Feldman is 0-5 in those 11 starts while his teams are 0-11.
Can the Cubs post wins in consecutive games?
Scott Feldman’s first start in a Cubs’ uniform was extremely forgettable. Scott Feldman struggled with both his command and control and kept Welington Castillo moving behind the plate. Feldman carried his rough spring into his first start. In 4 2/3 innings, Feldman issued four walks, hit a batter and uncorked two wild pitches. The Braves scored all four of their runs against Feldman on five hits.
Scott Feldman has the stuff to be successful in the big leagues, but he appears to be battling himself as well as his control. It will be interesting to see if the extra day has helped Feldman get on track.
This afternoon marks the third time Scott Feldman will start a game against the Giants. In regular season games, Feldman has never beaten San Francisco and owns a 0-3 record in four games, two starts, with a 5.54 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Feldman faced the Giants last June 9 at AT & T Park. Feldman took the loss after allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits with a walk and seven strikeouts … the seven strikeouts set a season-high for Feldman, he matched it again on August 15 in the Bronx.
Scott Feldman makes his first ever start at Wrigley Field this afternoon.
Giants Career Numbers against Scott Feldman
- Brandon Belt – 0-for-2
- Gregor Blanco – 1-for-5 with a walk
- Brandon Crawford – 0-for-2
- Angel Pagan – 1-for-2 with a walk
- Hunter Pence – 4-for-8 with three doubles and a walk
- Buster Posey – 0-for-3
- Pablo Sandoval – 1-for-6
- Marco Scutaro – 4-for-10
- Ryan Vogelsong – 1-for-2
Ryan Vogelsong is one of the main reasons the Giants are defending World Series Champions. Vogelsong stepped up in the postseason after posting a 14-9 record in 31 starts with a 3.37 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP last year. Vogelsong has quietly become one of the more reliable starters in NL over the past two years since returning from Japan.
Vogelsong is coming off a rare bad outing. The Cardinals beat up on Vogelsong in his first start of the season. Vogelsong was charged with five runs on nine hits with two walks and six strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.
The Cubs have really struggled with Vogelsong since his return to the majors. Ryan Vogelsong owns a 4-5 record in 15 games, nine starts, against the Cubs with a 5.73 ERA and a 1.64 WHIP, but most of that damage was done while he was with the Pirates. After posting a 2-1 record in three starts with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.69 WHIP against the Cubs in 2011, Vogelsong beat the Cubs the only time he faced them last season (two runs on eight hits with no walks and three strikeouts in seven innings). Vogelsong is 2-3 in eight career appearances, five starts, at Wrigley with a 6.23 ERA and a 1.81 WHIP … but again, those numbers are skewed because Vogelsong is not the same pitcher he was back in 2006.
Cubs Career Numbers against Ryan Vogelsong
- Starlin Castro – 3-for-13 with a triple
- Steve Clevenger – 1-for-3
- David DeJesus – 0-for-6
- Scott Feldman – 0-for-1
- Scott Hairston – 2-for-3
- Dioner Navarro – 1-for-4
- Alfonso Soriano – 5-for-12 with a home run and a walk
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …