Time: 7:05 PM CT
TV: ABC 7, ESPN
Series Preview
Gameday
LINEUPS
Dodgers
Chase Utley, 2B
Corey Seager, SS
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Joc Pederson, CF
Trayce Thompson, LF
Howie Kendrick, 3B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Yasmani Grandal, C
Scott Kazmir, P
Cubs
Dexter Fowler, CF
Jason Heyward, RF
Kris Bryant, 3B
Anthony Rizzo, 1B
Ben Zobrist, 2B
Jorge Soler, LF
Addison Russell, SS
Miguel Montero, C
Jake Arrieta, P
Click on the images below to visit Baseball Savant page and view larger image.
The last time Arrieta faced the Dodgers he no-hit them.
Fowler and Zobrist account for 19 of the 23 official at-bats against Kazmir that the Cubs have had. Ross has the others.
Will the Cubs win? Yes, but it could go either way.
538 Forecast: 69% chance of winning
Comments
Nice.
berseliusQuote Reply
(Argh. New shat.)
Wouldn’t it have been better to report it? I mean, they wouldn’t have to DFA him, and he could rehab more more during his suspension. In fact, it might be in the best interest for a club to get a player suspended to keep from losing him. (dying laughing)
The Mets could also use this tactic to solve their David Wright problems.
This is why I despise the absolutist stance on PEDs. Somebody is going to realize these wrinkles and take advantage of them. It wouldn’t be hard.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Will the Cubs get the game in? The current rainshould have cleared out by the time they are supposed to start, but there is a sizable cluster of thunderstorms that just blew up over Champaign and another might be blowing up over Peoria. I don’t like their chances of avoiding a rain delay altogether. Let’s hope Arrieta pitches a perfect game through five before any interruptions so that we can speculate about what could have been if it weren’t for these damn thunderstorms.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I hope this game gets in without any delays. I haven’t looked at the radar.
dmick89Quote Reply
Huh. I was just wondering what had become of Carl Crawford.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
No 27 I’d today ?
JoshQuote Reply
*K’s
No no no
JoshQuote Reply
Only on pace for 18K’s ??
JoshQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Dodgers are stuck with him
JoshQuote Reply
The top five Dodgers hitters are left-handed. I assume this is partly because of the Puig injury, but it’s still strange.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Also, the Cubs burnt out one of their two bullpen southpaws yesterday.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
To four, I mean.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Ugh, top four.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
What the hell?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Wasn’t Adrian on the DL when Jake threw his no-hitter?
joshQuote Reply
I know the price is too high, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Lucroy wearing Cubbie blue.
joshQuote Reply
josh,
While we’re dreaming, how about Buster Posey?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
White Sox getting beat again. Marlins up 3-0 over the Pirates.
dmick89Quote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
The Giants still think they’re in it though.
joshQuote Reply
Cubs didn’t win their 35th game last year until June 16th.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Keep those stats a-coming.
joshQuote Reply
Fowler is the platonic ideal of a leadoff hitter.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Sigh. I hate when runners try to steal against lefties.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Spoke too soon.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
The Cubs just aren’t a great base-stealing team. Heyward is probably the fastest.
joshQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Considering Heyward’s ground ball tendencies, I’m not surprised he went.
dmick89Quote Reply
What’s with the Cubs’ defense today?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I guess the wet ground makes it hard to grip/throw.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
I think Big Tony saved him.
joshQuote Reply
Nice play by Rizzo, though.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Cutch with a chance to tie it up for the Rats.
joshQuote Reply
White Sox took the lead
joshQuote Reply
Precisely my thoughts.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Reds losing 7–1 in the third. Sounds about right.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Wow. A couple of ugly strikeouts for Zobrist.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
He and Russell have been striking out more lately. Especially Russell b
dmick89Quote Reply
Well the Rats lost.
joshQuote Reply
The Cards are down against the formidable Brew-crew.
joshQuote Reply
Oof. Tough ball four there.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
dmick89,
Fucking regression.
joshQuote Reply
dmick89,
Russell I’m more worried about, for obvious reasons.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Same here.
dmick89Quote Reply
josh,
That’s good. Hope they lose a lot more.
dmick89Quote Reply
Noah Syndergaard would make a pretty good relief pitcher.
#MrObvs
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
He could be the 9th reliever for the Cubs.
dmick89Quote Reply
I hate it when the Cubs forget how to hit.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I wonder if Syndergaard can throw left-handed better than Richard.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
You know Arrieta is on when he’s getting lots of assists.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Score some runs.
dmick89Quote Reply
Yes.
dmick89Quote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
I have always wondered why switch pitchers aren’t more of a thing. Switch hitters are a thing. Skateboarders do tricks switch. I know pitching is hard, but those with great body control should be able to generate good power, though they probably need to start young enough.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I thought that was gone.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Damn.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Sox won one. A come-from-behind victory ecen!
ceruleanQuote Reply
*even
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
Well, Venditte proves you don’t have to do it particularly well to get a Major League job.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
cerulean,
I think pitchers should prove they can hit halfway as decent as a Little Leaguer could before we encourage them to spend even less time working on their hitting. (dying laughing)
dmick89Quote Reply
Stop being wild, Jake.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Clayton Richard is warming up in a 0-0 game? What the fuck?
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Because of all the lefties in the lineup.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
There should never be a situation in which a reliever isn’t near ready any time in the 7th inning or later.
dmick89Quote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
I said stop it. Christ.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Yeah, that’s not a convincing argument since we’re talking about Clayton Richard.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
It’s his only job.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Jake could have gone another inning if it wasn’t for those walks. Oh well, time to score some runs.
dmick89Quote Reply
He should find a different job then.
dmick89Quote Reply
Jake got bored. It happens.
I dig Vin Scully’s rendition of the stretch.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Right—you don’t need to be as good if you are different.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
I think he did another really good one in 1989. Maybe the playoffs.
dmick89Quote Reply
No win for Arrieta today. No loss either. But that sucks.
ceruleanQuote Reply
So, now Arrieta and Kershaw are tied for the league lead in ERA.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
cerulean,
That’s a rare guest conductor I approve of.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Right down the middle.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Clayton Richard pitching in this game requires an immediate call up or acquisition of a lefty reliever.
dmick89Quote Reply
This is like the same thing as quitting.
dmick89Quote Reply
Unbelievable
dmick89Quote Reply
As far as lefties by the name of Clayton, the Cubs are very much not better than the Dodgers.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Thanks, Clayton!
MylesQuote Reply
Clayton Richard will be DFA’d tomorrow
JonKneeVQuote Reply
FWIW, Richard has put up solid numbers against lefties in the past, including last year.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
That said, I would definitely be open to finding a better LOOGY option.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
dmick89,
Ever see a mouse approach a trap?
Caution.
Nibble.
Caution.
Nibble, nibble, nibble.
*Climbs onto trap*
SNAP!
Clayton Richard vs Chase Utley.
ceruleanQuote Reply
I wonder if Roberts was deliberately baiting the Cubs to bring Richard in by structuring the lineup the way they did.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Bring in Rondon right now. This is crazy.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Rizzo the Rat,
Roberts doesn’t strike me as a schemer. I could see Maddon doing it, but only because it’s overthinking it.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Stop being wild, Adam.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Richard has an even 8.00 ERA. That’s pretty good luck in China.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Russell looks terrible right now.
dmick89Quote Reply
I’m starting to get a bad feeling about this game.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Bryant at shortstop? WTF?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Bryant at short ?
ceruleanQuote Reply
Ugh.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Fixed.
ceruleanQuote Reply
And that was before the bullpen came in and made a mess of things.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I can’t wait to play the Reds again.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
On the bright side, at least it’s not a save opportunity.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Remember when the Cubs used to give Jake a 16-run cushion? Those were the days.
ceruleanQuote Reply
You know, the adage that good pitching beats good hitting is one of those vapid witticisms in baseball. You are defining good pitching by the fact that it was not hit, so if good pitching was hit, it wasn’t good. The Cubs had good pitching. And then Richard.
Go get Miller and call up Contreras already.
ceruleanQuote Reply
If ELO knew that Clayton Richard was going to be pitching in a 0-0 game in the 8th inning, those odds of winning would have dropped to about 12%.
dmick89Quote Reply
I’m liking the idea of Miller more than before, but I’m pretty sure I’m still going to be pretty pissed at any trade for him because I still don’t want to give up much. Not for a reliever. The Yankees would have ask for Contreras plus. They wouldn’t get Contreras, but even the fact that’s what the Yankees would ask for makes me want to not even see this happen.
dmick89Quote Reply
I wonder if the Reds are going to lobby for a mercy rule.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
http://obstructedview.net/ladola-5-cubs-0-5-31-16/
berseliusQuote Reply