Game Info:
Records: Cubs 26-25, Braves 26-26
Pitching Matchup: Carlos Zambrano (3-2) VS Jair Jurrjens (5-2)
First Pitch: 6:05 CT
Stadium: Turner Field
TV: CSN Chicago, MLB Network
Series Info:
This Series: The Cubs won last night in extras to even the series. This game is the rubber match.
Season Series: The next time the 2 teams meet will be July 6-8 at Wrigley Field.
All-Time Series: Cubs 1022, Braves 844
Zambrano VS Braves Hitters:
- Brian McCann: 5-9, 2 RBI
- David Ross: 2-12, 2 HR, 3 RBI
- Yunel Escobar: 0-3, BB
- Kelly Johnson: 4-14, BB, RBI
- Chipper Jones: 6-23, HR, 4 BB, 2 RBI
- Greg Norton: 3-9
- Jeff Francoeur: 4-14, 2 HR, BB, 8 RBI
- Nate McLouth: 5-22, 6 BB, 4 RBI
Jurrjens VS Cubs Hitters: Has never faced Cubs.
Atlanta Weather:
- 74 degrees currently
- 70% chance of rain tonight
- Hour-by-Hour Link
Cubs Notes:
- With a win today, Carlos Zambrano will become the 21st pitcher in Cubs History to win 100 games, but only the 4th in the last 50 years. The other 3: Greg Maddux, Fergie Jenkins, and Rick Reuschel.
- Bruce Levine thinks Big Z disrespected his teammates when he missed the team flight on Monday.
- The game went to extra-innings for the second straight night yesterday. This time the Cubs pulled it out to even the series.
- Geovany Soto has been benched for a few days. Lou wants to see how Hill does in his place.
- In an interview with ESPN Deportes, Sammy Sosa hinted that he is going to make a formal announcement soon that he is retiring from baseball.
- Jon Heyman says that the Cubs are still the favorite to land Jake Peavy.
- Heyman also mentioned in that article that Milton Bradley is looking like the worth free agent signing this offseason. Not good!
- Some AL teams are interested in Jake Fox as a cheap DH option.
Injury Report:
- Milton Bradley is out off the lineup again tonight, but according to Gordon Wittenmyer, the Cubs say no DL for Milton for now.
- Bradley had an MRI on his calf yesterday. According to the Tribune, the MRI machine reportedly broke during the exam, forcing a second test to be taken. But it turned out the person being tested before him was suffering from claustrophobia. That's odd.
- Rich Harden will throw today and then head to Iowa for a Sunday rehab start. Barring setbacks, he will return June 12 VS Min.
Minor League Report:
- AAA Iowa Cubs: @Nashville 7:00 CT, SP: Jeff Samardzija
- AA Tennessee Smokies: @Carolina 6:15 CT
- Class A Daytona Cubs: @Charlotte 6:05 CT
- Class A Peoria Chiefs: VS Beloit 7:00 CT
Last week when I went to the Cubs game, I found a great article in the program/scorecard that I got for just $1. Today, I'm going to share it with you.
Another Predictable Season, by Matt Smerge:
Like any baseball season, the Cubs' 2009 campaign has been marked by many unpredictable events. Aramis Ramirez is sidelined for at least 2 months after separating his shoulder. Ryan Theriot led the league in homers during the first half of May (tied with Albert Pujols). Ten-year minor leaguer Bobby Scales, who was called up to replace Ramirez on the roster, made the most of his first major league action, becoming the feel good story of the spring. And the sale of the Cubs still hasn't been completed. Perhaps most surprising, the Blackhawks have supplanted the Cubs and Bears as the most popular team in Chicago, if only temporarily. It may be impossible to predict the unpredictable, but that's never stopped us before. Here are our predictions for the rest of the 2009 Cubs season:
- May 25- The Cubs beat the Pirates 9-8 in a Memorial Day thriller Scales paces the offense with yet another 4-hit game. His batting average climbs over .500.
- June 1- Crane Kenny announces that the sale of the Cubs is almost complete. He also threatens to move the Cubs' spring training home to Idaho.
- June 14- The Blackhawks beat the Penguins to in 56 games to claim their first Stanley Cup in 48 years. The Cubs beat the Twins 6-2 to pull even with the Brewers. Scales hits for the cycle and sells the option for the feature film depicting his life story.
- June 18- The Cubs take 2 of 3 from the dirty White Sox. Denzel Washington is cast in the role of Scales for the movie after President Obama can't clear his schedule.
- June 21- Milton Bradley accidentally chokes an umpire after being called out on strikes. He then claims the contact was incidental.
- June 25- Bradley appeals his 20 game suspension.
- June 28- The Cubs lose two of 3 to the Sox at the Cell, dropping them 4 games behind the surging Brewers. Scales meets Sox fan Mayor Daley before the game and charms him into changing his undying allegiance to the Cubs.
- July 9- Crane Kenney announces that the sale of the Cubs is almost complete. He also threatens to move the Cubs' spring training home to the island where they shoot "Survivor".
- July 12- The cubs sweep the Cardinals in a double header to climb to within 3 games of the division leading Brewers at the All-Star break. Ryan Theriot hits his team leading 23rd home run.
- July 14- Crane Kenney officially changes his name to Kenney Crane after he finds out there's a new character named Crane Kenney on "The Bold and the Beautiful" who happens to be a serial rapist and embezzler. The NL loses the All-Star game 6-5 in 17 innings despite 5 RBIs for Scales, a write in All-Star.
- July 17- Obama presents Scales with the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House. Scales charms Sox fan Obama into changing his undying allegiance to the Cubs. The Cubs beat the Nationals 11-2 later that night.
- August 6- Kenney Crane announces the sale of the Cubs is almost complete. He also threatens to move the Cubs spring training home to the Bermuda Triangle.
- August 16- Scales' batting average dips to .251 after a 0-72 slump. Piniella cites his charming attitude when questioned why he doesn't bench him.
- August 27- The Cubs sweep the Nationals and move into first place. Theriot hits his 40th homer. Scales' average drops to .221. The shocking murder of Kenney Crane's head landscaper forces him to miss his weekly pedicure.
- September 1- Kenney Crane announces that the sale of the Cubs is almost complete. He also threatens to move the Cubs' spring training ho9me to his backyard in Kenilworth. He then puts an ad on Craig's List looking for a new head landscaper.
- September 2- Scales is finally sent down to the minor after his hitless streak reaches 153 ABs. The movie is downscales from feature film to UPN movie of the week. Denzel drops out and is replaced by Jimmy "J.J." Walker.
- September 17- The Cubs sweep the Brewers to open up a 6 game lead. Ramirez returns to the lineup. The result of Bradley's suspension appeal is finally handed down (it is doubled).
- September 29- The Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates to clinch the NL Central. Theriot his his 60th homer hours after testing positive for high levels of Flintstone vitamins in his system.
- October 10- The Dodgers Sweep the cubs out of the playoffs for the 2nd year in a row. Scales announces that he is running for the Illinois senate seat.
- October 31- The sale of the cubs is finally completed. New ownership demotes Kenny Crane to groundskeeper. He is told that if he works hard he might be promoted to the job of Milton Bradley's pedicurist.
I enjoyed the article and thought it was worth sharing!
Cubbie Birthdays:
Arnold Earley (76)
Scott Servais (42)
Rick Wilkins (42)
This Date in Cubs History:
2003- Although his bat may have contained cork in yesterday's game, all five of Sammy Sosa's historic bats housed at the Hall of Fame and the76 of confiscated from his locker by major league baseball revealed no signs of tampering. X-rays and CT scans were used to clear cleared Cubs' slugger remaining lumber.
2004- Mark Prior makes his season debut for the Cubs‚ but the Cubs loses 2-1‚ to the Pirates‚ Prior goes 6 shutout innings. The Cubs hit the million mark in attendance‚ their quickest in history.
Thank You for Reading:
Yesterday's game preview was my 300th post since a started blogging about the Cubbies about 6 months ago. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my work!
Cubs Starting Lineup:
- Soriano, LF
- Theriot, SS
- Kosuke, RF
- Lee, 1B
- Fontenot, 3B
- Johnson, CF
- Hill, C
- Blanco, 2B
- Zambrano, P
Interesting Story:
Carlos Zambrano said this to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Sun-Times: "Look, Geo is going in Lou's office... They closed the door... They're fighting... Be in the paper tomorrow."
That's all I have on this story right now, but I'll keep you posted on it.
Let's forget off the field stuff, and win this series!
No comments:
Post a Comment