ryno4ever
Sep 20th 2007, 11:23 pm
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VS
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I won't be on here, as I have to work, but I wanted to make sure you guys and gals had a place to come talk about the game! Trust me, I'll be thinking of you all as I spend the afternoon with Pat and Ron!
The Cubs got a much-needed day off on Thursday, and Lou Piniella said he wasn't even going to think about baseball.
When asked by a reporter if he could keep his mind off baseball for an entire day, Piniella replied, "No baseball." Then with a smile, he added, "Maybe for a few seconds."
Piniella and the Cubs completed a grueling stretch of 24 games in 23 days with Wednesday's 3-2 win over Cincinnati, which moved them into sole possession of first place in the Central Division. They have nine games left, beginning with the final regular-season homestand against Pittsburgh. Jason Marquis will start Friday against the Pirates, who have won seven of 12 against the Cubs.
"We're a good ball team, and we're ahead in the division, and people are going to come out and try and play us hard," said Chicago's Daryle Ward, who played with Pittsburgh in 2004 and 2005. "For a team like the Pirates, it's all about pride for them. You just want to know that you can beat the first-place team. So for them, it's a lot of fun to come and try and disrupt the plans that we have of winning the division."
The Cubs have one more off-day on Monday before their final regular season road trip to Florida and Cincinnati. The Brewers, however, do not get a break and play straight through to the end of the season.
"You've got to view off-days as an advantage this late in the season," Chicago's Mark DeRosa said. "I know guys are tired, and the bottom line is you're getting by on adrenaline now, and the fact that we are in the division series race. So off-days are very much appreciated."
While Carlos Zambrano and Ted Lilly were asked to pitch on three days' rest against the Reds, Marquis will be on his regular schedule. He's 8-3 at Wrigley Field this year, and 2-0 with a 2.88 ERA this month. He threw a three-hit shutout May 9 against the Pirates at home, and lost in Pittsburgh on July 6, the last time he faced them. Marquis gave up six runs in 4 2/3 innings in the 8-4 loss.
"They've got a good young pitching staff in Pittsburgh, and they've got professional hitters over there," Marquis said. "Teams are going out there, they're not laying down. They've still got goals where they want to improve and build on this year so they can come to next year feeling better about themselves."
Friday's game will be a rematch between Marquis and Pittsburgh's Paul Maholm, who beat the Cubs on July 6. The Pirates' left-hander is 4-0 in five career starts against the Cubs, and 2-0 against them this season.
Closer Ryan Dempster, dehydrated from the flu, is expected back after missing Wednesday's game. Otherwise, Piniella can turn to Bob Howry or Carlos Marmol in a save situation.
Rich Hill, who lost in Pittsburgh on Sept. 7, will face John Van Benschoten Saturday in Game 2 of the series. Carlos Zambrano will go for his career-high 17th win on regular rest in the finale against Tom Gorzelanny on Sunday.
"We've just got to try and stay on top of our game, and keep [the Pirates] from running over us, because those kind of teams, they get a little roll going, and they get excited," Ward said. "They're real scrappy, and they're spraying the ball all over the place. They're not overpowering you, but they're just like a fly -- they just keep landing on you, and you have to try to brush them off."
Pitching matchup
CHC: RHP Jason Marquis (12-8, 4.07 ERA)
In his last start, against the Cardinals, Marquis gave up one run on five hits and two walks over 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander escaped a couple jams, and kept Albert Pujols quiet. Marquis is 2-1 with a 2.91 ERA in three starts against the Pirates.
PIT: LHP Paul Maholm (10-15, 4.76 ERA)
Maholm's first start after sitting out three weeks with tightness in his lower back wasn't exactly the type of return the left-hander anticipated. Struggling because of rustiness and without any command or control of his slider, Maholm was rocked for 11 hits and 10 runs in 2 2/3 innings. The disappointing performance came after the lefty had his best month of the season in August. On a positive note, Maholm felt physically fine and is hopeful that the back problems are an issue of the past. Maholm is 2-0 with a 5.02 ERA in two starts against the Cubs this year.
Player to watch
Aramis Ramirez is 4-for-11 with one home run in his career against Maholm.
and the Pirates preview:
The Pittsburgh Pirates will try to snap their six-game losing streak on Friday when they begin a three-game series in Chicago against the Central Division-leading Cubs.
Paul Maholm will be the first of three left-handers set to pitch against the Cubs this weekend at Wrigley Field.
Maholm tossed a career-low 2 2/3 innings in his last start, a 15-3 loss to the Astros in Houston on Sunday afternoon. He gave up 11 hits and 10 runs. It was his first start since Aug. 28, when he was sidelined with a sore lower back.
Maholm will be opposed by the Cubs' Jason Marquis, who is 2-1 with a 2.91 ERA in three starts against the Pirates.
The Pirates are hoping to have Salomon Torres back in their bullpen. He has been on paternity leave and is expected to join the club on Friday.
Shortstop Jack Wilson is back in California with his wife, who gave birth to their third child on Thursday. He is scheduled to rejoin the Pirates on Sunday for the third game of the series.
However, Wilson is still sporting tightness in his right hamstring and his availability to play could be in question.
Both Wilson and Nyjer Morgan have six hits in each of their last 12 at-bats. Morgan put on a terrific show at PETCO Park against the Padres with his fielding and throwing along with his hitting.
Jason Bay will be hoping that the day after his 29th birthday will be a little more memorable.
Bay "celebrated" his birthday going 0-for-4 and striking out three times on Thursday in the Pirates' 6-3 loss to the Padres.
The three-game series in Chicago will conclude the Pirates' longest road trip of the season (10 games). They will play their final six games at home next week, with Arizona coming in for three beginning Sept. 25 and the St. Louis Cardinals finishing the season with three games beginning on Friday, Sept. 28.
Pitching matchup
PIT: LHP Paul Maholm (10-15, 4.76 ERA)
Maholm made his first start after sitting out three weeks with tightness in his lower back, and it wasn't exactly the type of return the left-hander anticipated. Struggling because of rustiness and without any command or control of his slider, Maholm was rocked for 11 hits and 10 runs in 2 2/3 innings. The disappointing performance came after the lefty had his best month of the season in August. On a positive note, Maholm felt physically fine and is hopeful that the back problems are an issue of the past. Maholm is 2-0 with a 5.02 ERA in two starts against the Cubs this year.
CHC: RHP Jason Marquis (12-8, 4.07 ERA)
Marquis is 2-0 with a 2.88 ERA in September. In his last start, against the Cardinals, he gave up one run on five hits and two walks over 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander escaped a couple jams, and kept Albert Pujols quiet. Marquis is 2-1 with a 2.91 ERA in three starts against the Pirates.
Player to watch
Morgan has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games. He has gone 6-for-12 in his last three games. He also has made some dazzling defensive plays in center field.
VS
http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w224/ryno4ever/Cub%20Logos/m_6209ef49e08c07cd6cd5311e959b96-1.gif
I won't be on here, as I have to work, but I wanted to make sure you guys and gals had a place to come talk about the game! Trust me, I'll be thinking of you all as I spend the afternoon with Pat and Ron!
The Cubs got a much-needed day off on Thursday, and Lou Piniella said he wasn't even going to think about baseball.
When asked by a reporter if he could keep his mind off baseball for an entire day, Piniella replied, "No baseball." Then with a smile, he added, "Maybe for a few seconds."
Piniella and the Cubs completed a grueling stretch of 24 games in 23 days with Wednesday's 3-2 win over Cincinnati, which moved them into sole possession of first place in the Central Division. They have nine games left, beginning with the final regular-season homestand against Pittsburgh. Jason Marquis will start Friday against the Pirates, who have won seven of 12 against the Cubs.
"We're a good ball team, and we're ahead in the division, and people are going to come out and try and play us hard," said Chicago's Daryle Ward, who played with Pittsburgh in 2004 and 2005. "For a team like the Pirates, it's all about pride for them. You just want to know that you can beat the first-place team. So for them, it's a lot of fun to come and try and disrupt the plans that we have of winning the division."
The Cubs have one more off-day on Monday before their final regular season road trip to Florida and Cincinnati. The Brewers, however, do not get a break and play straight through to the end of the season.
"You've got to view off-days as an advantage this late in the season," Chicago's Mark DeRosa said. "I know guys are tired, and the bottom line is you're getting by on adrenaline now, and the fact that we are in the division series race. So off-days are very much appreciated."
While Carlos Zambrano and Ted Lilly were asked to pitch on three days' rest against the Reds, Marquis will be on his regular schedule. He's 8-3 at Wrigley Field this year, and 2-0 with a 2.88 ERA this month. He threw a three-hit shutout May 9 against the Pirates at home, and lost in Pittsburgh on July 6, the last time he faced them. Marquis gave up six runs in 4 2/3 innings in the 8-4 loss.
"They've got a good young pitching staff in Pittsburgh, and they've got professional hitters over there," Marquis said. "Teams are going out there, they're not laying down. They've still got goals where they want to improve and build on this year so they can come to next year feeling better about themselves."
Friday's game will be a rematch between Marquis and Pittsburgh's Paul Maholm, who beat the Cubs on July 6. The Pirates' left-hander is 4-0 in five career starts against the Cubs, and 2-0 against them this season.
Closer Ryan Dempster, dehydrated from the flu, is expected back after missing Wednesday's game. Otherwise, Piniella can turn to Bob Howry or Carlos Marmol in a save situation.
Rich Hill, who lost in Pittsburgh on Sept. 7, will face John Van Benschoten Saturday in Game 2 of the series. Carlos Zambrano will go for his career-high 17th win on regular rest in the finale against Tom Gorzelanny on Sunday.
"We've just got to try and stay on top of our game, and keep [the Pirates] from running over us, because those kind of teams, they get a little roll going, and they get excited," Ward said. "They're real scrappy, and they're spraying the ball all over the place. They're not overpowering you, but they're just like a fly -- they just keep landing on you, and you have to try to brush them off."
Pitching matchup
CHC: RHP Jason Marquis (12-8, 4.07 ERA)
In his last start, against the Cardinals, Marquis gave up one run on five hits and two walks over 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander escaped a couple jams, and kept Albert Pujols quiet. Marquis is 2-1 with a 2.91 ERA in three starts against the Pirates.
PIT: LHP Paul Maholm (10-15, 4.76 ERA)
Maholm's first start after sitting out three weeks with tightness in his lower back wasn't exactly the type of return the left-hander anticipated. Struggling because of rustiness and without any command or control of his slider, Maholm was rocked for 11 hits and 10 runs in 2 2/3 innings. The disappointing performance came after the lefty had his best month of the season in August. On a positive note, Maholm felt physically fine and is hopeful that the back problems are an issue of the past. Maholm is 2-0 with a 5.02 ERA in two starts against the Cubs this year.
Player to watch
Aramis Ramirez is 4-for-11 with one home run in his career against Maholm.
and the Pirates preview:
The Pittsburgh Pirates will try to snap their six-game losing streak on Friday when they begin a three-game series in Chicago against the Central Division-leading Cubs.
Paul Maholm will be the first of three left-handers set to pitch against the Cubs this weekend at Wrigley Field.
Maholm tossed a career-low 2 2/3 innings in his last start, a 15-3 loss to the Astros in Houston on Sunday afternoon. He gave up 11 hits and 10 runs. It was his first start since Aug. 28, when he was sidelined with a sore lower back.
Maholm will be opposed by the Cubs' Jason Marquis, who is 2-1 with a 2.91 ERA in three starts against the Pirates.
The Pirates are hoping to have Salomon Torres back in their bullpen. He has been on paternity leave and is expected to join the club on Friday.
Shortstop Jack Wilson is back in California with his wife, who gave birth to their third child on Thursday. He is scheduled to rejoin the Pirates on Sunday for the third game of the series.
However, Wilson is still sporting tightness in his right hamstring and his availability to play could be in question.
Both Wilson and Nyjer Morgan have six hits in each of their last 12 at-bats. Morgan put on a terrific show at PETCO Park against the Padres with his fielding and throwing along with his hitting.
Jason Bay will be hoping that the day after his 29th birthday will be a little more memorable.
Bay "celebrated" his birthday going 0-for-4 and striking out three times on Thursday in the Pirates' 6-3 loss to the Padres.
The three-game series in Chicago will conclude the Pirates' longest road trip of the season (10 games). They will play their final six games at home next week, with Arizona coming in for three beginning Sept. 25 and the St. Louis Cardinals finishing the season with three games beginning on Friday, Sept. 28.
Pitching matchup
PIT: LHP Paul Maholm (10-15, 4.76 ERA)
Maholm made his first start after sitting out three weeks with tightness in his lower back, and it wasn't exactly the type of return the left-hander anticipated. Struggling because of rustiness and without any command or control of his slider, Maholm was rocked for 11 hits and 10 runs in 2 2/3 innings. The disappointing performance came after the lefty had his best month of the season in August. On a positive note, Maholm felt physically fine and is hopeful that the back problems are an issue of the past. Maholm is 2-0 with a 5.02 ERA in two starts against the Cubs this year.
CHC: RHP Jason Marquis (12-8, 4.07 ERA)
Marquis is 2-0 with a 2.88 ERA in September. In his last start, against the Cardinals, he gave up one run on five hits and two walks over 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander escaped a couple jams, and kept Albert Pujols quiet. Marquis is 2-1 with a 2.91 ERA in three starts against the Pirates.
Player to watch
Morgan has hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games. He has gone 6-for-12 in his last three games. He also has made some dazzling defensive plays in center field.