I was going to write a longer preview for this series, but I saw the Cubs probable pitchers and gave up. Friday: Rodrigo Lopez Saturday: TBA Sunday: Ramon Ortiz Saturday will probably end up being Dempster as he threw a bullpen session yesterday and was reportedly feeling good. Though I guess it's possible he could produce a human infant in …
Starlin Castro is an All-Star
Sean Marshall, Carlos Marmol, or maybe Aramis Ramirez might have been better picks but I’m happy with this selection. Good for the kid. The NL roster: StartersBrian McCannPrince FielderRickie WeeksJose ReyesPlacido PolancoRyan BraunLance BerkmanMatt Kemp PitchersJoel HanrahanRoy HalladayCliff LeeCole HamelsTim LincecumMatt CainBrian Wilson‘s BeardRyan VogelsongTyler ClippardJair JurrjensClayton KershawHeath BellJonny Venters Reserves Justin UptonChipper JonesStarlin CastroBrandon PhillipsJay BruceJoey VottoTroy TulowitzkiGaby SanchezHunter …
Series Preview: Chicago White Sox (40-42) vs Iowa Cubs of Chicago (34-48)
Somehow the White Sox are hovering around .500 despite the vortex of suck that is their offense. As @rotopat pointed out on Twitter yesterday, Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw has more hits against LHP than Adam Dunn does this year. Since everyone cares so much about the Crosstown Cup, the Cubs either need to sweep or win two out of three …
Series Preview: Reigning Champs (44-34) vs Iowa Cubs of Chicago (32-46)
I knew that today’s first game is a makeup game, but I was wondering how that worked out. The “typical” schedule, at least as I have always assumed it, was more or less that each team played a home and away series against the teams not in their division over the course of the season. The rest are filled in …
Series Preview: Iowa Cubs of Chicago (30-44) vs Kansas City Royals (31-44)
For a while there it looked like the Royals might contend in the weak AL central. Much like the Cubs they got off to a decent enough start to the season and had a winning record as recently as May 14. Then they reeled off two five-game losing streaks in the span of two weeks and that was that. They …
Series Preview: Iowa Cubs of Chicago (29-42) at Chicago White Sox (35-38)
I’m surprised to see the White Sox with a near-.500 record. Last I remember seeing any news of them, they were mired in a crappy start to the season, and new acquisition Adam Dunn was redefining the definition of a disappointing free agent signing. They were 10-18 in April, and were completely overmatched by their competition in the second half …
Series Preview: New York Yankees (39-28) vs Hapless Victims (28-40)
Before I get to previewing this bloodbath, I just want to mention that it was fun to watch the Cubs take three of four from their little brothers to the north. Team Overviews Teams stats with respective league rankings in parens. Yankees Cubs wOBA .353 (1st) .318 (6th) UBR -1.9 (9th) -7.1 (16th) UZR 11.6 (3rd) -15.5 (15th) SP FIP …
Aramis Ramirez is Due
With the news that Darwin Barney is now headed to the DL, I thought it would be “fun” to see if the Cubs could field an entire squad of players who have been on the DL this season. SS Darwin Barney 2B Jeff Baker C Geovany Soto 1B Alfonso Soriano LF Marlon Byrd RF Reed Johnson CF Brett Jackson SP …
Series Preview: Milwaukee Brewers (38-28) at Iowa Cubs of Chicago (25-39)
I blinked, and suddenly the Brewers are on top of the NL Central. They’ve won eight of their last ten games and should win a few more in this series. Team Overviews As always, team stats with NL ranks in parentheses Brewers Cubs wOBA .327 (4th) .311 (7th) UBR -0.4 (8th) -7.9 (16th) UZR 2.9 (6th) -15.5 (15th) SP FIP …
Series Preview: Iowa Cubs (24-36) at Philadelphia Phillies (37-25)
It’s too bad the Cubs didn’t lose last night, because this series could have easily pushed the losing streak to thirteen. Of course, despite that we’ll probably see the Cubs win the series by beating both Halladay and Lee and suddenly think they’re contenders, trading Brett Jackson and Trey Mcnutt in a three-team deal to acquire Veterans Who Know How …