6/15 Astros [Nieve] @ Cubs [Z] 1:20 pm CT on CSN

[Big Fergie J]

Today we put this guy on the hill :

 

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/050605/050605_zambrano_vmed_5p.widec.jpg

 

His record is 5-3 with a 2.93 ERA....and, oh yeah, he can hit too.

 

 

 

The other team counters with :

 

http://www.caller2.com/specials/2005/hooks/pub2/images/mugs/fernandonieve.jpg

 

His record is 2-3 with a 4.85 ERA.....it seems like his last name rhymes with sieve so his defense will play like that.

 

I like our chances.

 

Go CUBS !

[soccer10k]

Z is going to have to provide the pitching and the offense to win this game.

[sethuel1]

An opposing pitcher I've never heard of, with a bad ERA.

 

I don't like our chances.

[Sammy Sofa]

Carlos' glory will outshine the stench of failure wafting from the lesser beings who dare to share the same uniform as Him. All praise be unto Carlos.

[Jon]

Nieve grew up playing with Cedeno and Zambrano's younger brother in Venezuela.

 

Z will beat him.

[Brian]

Z will beat him.

 

any big World Cup games tomorrow. Z may want to make this one quick so he can get back to the games.

[Fred Hornkohl]

Worthless stats of the day for Thursday......

 

CUBS are 0-5 on Thursdays

CUBS are 1-4 vs. Houston

CUBS are 18-16 vs. the NLC Division

CUBS are 2-5 when they've lost their last 2 game(s) in a row

CUBS are 13-22 when they've lost their previous game

CUBS are 6-15 in games that end a series

CUBS are 11-22 in day games

CUBS are 12-16 at home

CUBS are 16-9 when CSN broadcasts the game

CUBS are on a pace to win 66 games this year..... compared to 79 last year

CUBS are on a pace to score 648 runs this year..... compared to 703 last year

CUBS are on a pace to hit 127 home runs this year..... compared to 194 last year

CUBS are on a pace to draw 395 walks this year..... compared to 419 last year

CUBS are on a pace to ground into 165 double plays this year..... compared to 129 last year

CUBS are scoring 4.00 runs per game compared to 4.34 last year

CUBS are seeing 3.61 pitches per plate appearance compared to 3.61 last year

CUBS are drving in 19.3% of their runners on base compared to 18.4% last year

CUBS are scoring 0.349 runs per baserunner compared to 0.365 last year

CUBS are extra base hit ratio is 28.6% compared to 35.8% last year

CUBS have 5 GIDP's in their last 7 games

CUBS have 2 SB in their last 8 games

CUBS have 2 sac bunts in their last 9 games

CUBS have 2 errors in their last 9 games

CUBS have 2 triple in their last 14 games

CUBS have 6 home runs in their last 8 games

CUBS have drawn 3 BBs in their last 3 games..... 17 BBs in their last 9 games

CUBS have 4 sac flys in their last 9 games

 

CUBS are 8-6 when Zambrano starts

Zambrano is 10 of 14 in quality starts

Zambrano's ERA pitching to Barrett is 3.13 ... pitching to Blanco it's 2.25

CUBS score 4.00 R/G overall.... 4.79 R/G when Zambrano pitches

CUBS hit 0.78 HR/G overall.... 1.07 HR/G when Zambrano pitches

 

CUBS' offensive support of Zambrano.....

 

04/03 - 06/14      AB    R    H   2b   3b   HR   TB  RBI   BB   SO     BA    OBP    SLG    OPS
CUBS w/Zambrano   483   67  117   23    3   15  191   64   40   83  0.242  0.302  0.395  0.698
CUBS overall     2179  256  562   94   17   50  840  239  156  333  0.258  0.310  0.385  0.695

 

Zambrano's previous starts (5-3).....

 

Zambrano                IP    H    R   ER   BB    K   HR    PC  BB/9   K/9  HR/9  WHIP   ERA
04/03  vs. Cincy       4.7    7    5    5    5    5    2   105  9.64  9.64  3.86  2.57  9.64
04/08  vs. St. L       6.0    4    2    0    4    5    0   111  6.00  7.50  0.00  1.33  0.00
04/13  vs. Cincy       6.0    4    5    4    3    8    2   103  4.50 12.00  3.00  1.17  6.00
04/18  vs. L.A.        6.0    4    1    1    5    3    0   112  7.50  4.50  0.00  1.50  1.50
04/24  vs. Flor        7.0    6    3    3    3   12    1   114  3.86 15.43  1.29  1.29  3.86
04/30  vs. Milw        4.0    8    7    7    5    5    1   103 11.25 11.25  2.25  3.25 15.75
05/05  vs. S.D.        7.0    4    0    0    3   10    0   107  3.86 12.86  0.00  1.00  0.00
05/10  vs. S.F.        8.0    5    1    1    5    6    0   110  5.63  6.75  0.00  1.25  1.13
05/16  vs. Wash        8.0    4    0    0    2    8    0   122  2.25  9.00  0.00  0.75  0.00
05/21  vs. CWS         7.0    4    4    4    3    9    3   113  3.86 11.57  3.86  1.00  5.14
05/26  vs. Atla        6.7    2    2    2    6    8    0   124  8.10 10.80  0.00  1.20  2.70
05/31  vs. Cincy       6.0    4    2    2    3    6    1   101  4.50  9.00  1.50  1.17  3.00
06/05  vs. Houst       8.0    1    0    0    2    8    0   126  2.25  9.00  0.00  0.38  0.00
06/10  vs. Cincy       7.7    4    1    1    6    4    1   126  7.04  4.70  1.17  1.30  1.17

Home                  43.7   32   21   18   26   52    5   778  5.36 10.72  1.03  1.33  3.71
Road                  48.3   29   12   12   29   45    6   799  5.40  8.38  1.12  1.20  2.23

Day                   42.3   33   25   22   28   48    8   781  5.95 10.20  1.70  1.44  4.68
Nite                  49.7   28    8    8   27   49    3   796  4.89  8.88  0.54  1.11  1.45

totals vs. Houst       8.0    1    0    0    2    8    0   126  2.25  9.00  0.00  0.38  0.00

season totals         92.0   61   33   30   55   97   11  1577  5.38  9.49  1.08  1.26  2.93

 

Zambrano's starts against Houston last year (1-1)......

 

Zambrano                IP    H    R   ER   BB    K   HR    PC  BB/9   K/9  HR/9  WHIP   ERA
08/17  vs. Houst       8.3    3    2    1    3   10    0   116  3.24 10.80  0.00  0.72  1.08
09/24  vs. Houst       6.3    9    6    6    1    4    2    94  1.42  5.68  2.84  1.58  8.53
09/30  vs. Houst       7.0    4    1    1    3    8    1   116  3.86 10.29  1.29  1.00  1.29

totals  vs. Houst     21.7   16    9    8    7   22    3   326  2.91  9.14  1.25  1.06  3.32

season totals        223.3  170   88   81   86  202   21  3564  3.47  8.14  0.85  1.15  3.26

 

CUBS' bullpen usage for the last week......

 

              Wed        Tue        Mon        Sun        Sat        Fri        Thu           Totals
             14 Jun     13 Jun     12 Jun     11 Jun     10 Jun     09 Jun     08 Jun
             vs Houst   vs Houst   no game    at Cincy   at Cincy   at Cincy   at Cincy
pitcher        IP Pit     IP Pit     IP Pit     IP Pit     IP Pit     IP Pit     IP Pit        IP Pit

Dempster      1.0  11                                     1.0  17    1.0  35                  3.0  63
Eyre                                           1.0  25               1.0  26                  2.0  51
Howry         1.0  15                                     0.3  11    1.7  23    0.7   9       3.7  58
Ohman                    1.0  16               0.3   5                          2.0  26       3.3  47
Novoa                    1.0  15               1.0  12                          1.3  41       3.3  68
Aardsma                  1.0  15               0.7  26                          0.3  10       2.0  51
Guzman                   2.0  31                                                              2.0  31
Rusch                                                                           3.7  78       3.7  78

Totals        2.0  26    5.0  77               3.0  68    1.3  28    3.7  84    8.0 164      23.0 447

 

CUBS' season series vs. Houston (1-4).......

 

Gm#    Date       Opponent         Score  Starter
56  Mon 06/05  @ Houston       N   8- 0  Zambrano      
57  Tue 06/06  @ Houston       N   1- 4  Wood        
58  Wed 06/07  @ Houston           0- 1  Marshall      
63  Tue 06/13    Houston       N   2- 9  Marshall      
64  Wed 06/14    Houston       N   4- 5  Maddux   
65  Thu 06/15    Houston            -    Zambrano     
82  Mon 07/03  @ Houston       N    -             
83  Tue 07/04  @ Houston            -             
84  Wed 07/05  @ Houston       N    -             
92  Tue 07/18    Houston       N    -             
93  Wed 07/19    Houston       N    -             
94  Thu 07/20    Houston            -             
118  Mon 08/14  @ Houston       N    -             
119  Tue 08/15  @ Houston       N    -             
120  Wed 08/16  @ Houston            -             

 

CUBS hitters vs. Houston this year.....

 

vs. Houst          AB    R    H   2B   3B   HR   TB  RBI   BB   SO     BA    OBP    SLG    OPS
Blanco              2    0    1    1    0    0    2    0    1    0  0.500  0.667  1.000  1.667
Mabry               7    1    4    2    0    0    6    1    0    1  0.571  0.571  0.857  1.429
Nevin              13    2    6    2    0    1   11    2    0    2  0.462  0.462  0.846  1.308
Barrett            19    2    7    1    0    1   11    1    1    3  0.368  0.400  0.579  0.979
Bynum               5    1    2    0    0    0    2    0    0    2  0.400  0.400  0.400  0.800
Ramirez            20    0    6    1    0    0    7    2    0    1  0.300  0.300  0.350  0.650
Cedeno             19    3    4    0    2    0    8    0    0    3  0.211  0.211  0.421  0.632
Pierre             19    0    5    0    0    0    5    1    2    0  0.263  0.364  0.263  0.627
Jones              16    1    3    0    0    1    6    3    0    9  0.188  0.176  0.375  0.551
Walker             11    2    2    0    0    0    2    0    2    0  0.182  0.308  0.182  0.490
Perez               9    0    2    0    0    0    2    0    0    0  0.222  0.222  0.222  0.444
Murton             14    1    2    0    0    0    2    0    1    1  0.143  0.200  0.143  0.343
Womack             10    1    0    0    0    0    0    0    1    0  0.000  0.091  0.000  0.091

totals vs. Houst  173   15   45    7    2    4   68   15    8   23  0.260  0.295  0.393  0.688

season totals    2179  256  562   90   17   50  836  238  156  331  0.258  0.310  0.384  0.694

 

CUBS pitchers vs. Houston this year......

 

vs. Houst            IP    H    R   ER   BB    K   HR    PC  BB/9   K/9  HR/9  WHIP   ERA
Zambrano            8.0    1    0    0    2    8    0   126  2.25  9.00  0.00  0.38  0.00
Marmol              2.0    2    0    0    0    3    0    41  0.00 13.50  0.00  1.00  0.00
Howry               2.0    1    0    0    2    4    0    48  9.00 18.00  0.00  1.50  0.00
Aardsma             1.7    0    0    0    0    1    0    22  0.00  5.40  0.00  0.00  0.00
Eyre                1.3    2    0    0    0    0    0    19  0.00  0.00  0.00  1.50  0.00
Dempster            1.0    0    0    0    0    1    0    11  0.00  9.00  0.00  0.00  0.00
Novoa               1.0    1    0    0    0    0    0    15  0.00  0.00  0.00  1.00  0.00
Wood                3.7    7    4    1    2    0    1    75  4.91  0.00  2.45  2.45  2.45
Guzman              2.0    1    1    1    1    1    0    31  4.50  4.50  0.00  1.00  4.50
Marshall           11.0   11    6    6    7    6    2   172  5.73  4.91  1.64  1.64  4.91
Maddux              7.0   11    5    5    0    1    0    90  0.00  1.29  0.00  1.57  6.43
Ohman               2.3    3    3    3    0    0    0    18  0.00  0.00  0.00  1.29 11.57

totals vs. Houst   43.0   40   19   16   14   25    3   668  2.93  5.23  0.63  1.26  3.35

season totals     565.7  524  317  295  277  472   80  9591  4.41  7.51  1.27  1.42  4.69

 

Percentage of baserunners driven in

 

04/03 - 06/14      BDI  LOB   RBI%
Restovich            1    2  0.333
Lee                  7   17  0.292
Walker              26   64  0.289
Barrett             21   69  0.233
Perez               13   43  0.232
Nevin                3   10  0.231
Blanco               6   21  0.222
Jones               22   81  0.214
Ramirez             25   93  0.212
Cedeno              17   82  0.172
Murton              16   82  0.163
Bynum                4   24  0.143
Hairston             4   27  0.129
Pagan                1    8  0.111
Pierre               7   66  0.096
Womack               1   10  0.091
Mabry                3   30  0.091
Theriot              0    2  0.000

CUBS               188  788  0.193

 

Go CUBS !!

 

 

 

Avoid the.......

 

http://sneakykitchen.com/fullerbrush/images/household_broom.jpg

[sethuel1]

Z will beat him.

 

any big World Cup games tomorrow. Z may want to make this one quick so he can get back to the games.

Ecuador vs. Costa Rica

England vs Trinidad & Tobago

Sweden vs. Paraguay

[UMFan83]

The Cubs will lose

 

WC Predictions:

Equador

England

Tie

[CubsInNC]

Worthless stats of the day for Thursday......

 

 

CUBS are drving in 19.3% of their runners on base compared to 18.4% last year

CUBS are scoring 0.349 runs per baserunner compared to 0.365 last year

 

Fred,

 

Not doubting your stats, but aren't those some sort of an anomaly? How can you be driving in more of the runners on base, but scoring fewer runs per baserunner?

 

I must be missing something. It's late, and my brain is fried.

[Fred Hornkohl]

Worthless stats of the day for Thursday......

 

 

CUBS are drving in 19.3% of their runners on base compared to 18.4% last year

CUBS are scoring 0.349 runs per baserunner compared to 0.365 last year

 

Fred,

 

Not doubting your stats, but aren't those some sort of an anomaly? How can you be driving in more of the runners on base, but scoring fewer runs per baserunner?

 

I must be missing something. It's late, and my brain is fried.

 

The anomaly is explained by the the fact that % of baserunners driven in is using the sum of individual LOB totals. That is, if Pierre leads off with a walk, and is LOB as Walker, Ramirez & Barret all fail to drive him in, then each of Walker, Ramirez & Barrett has left 1 man on base, and that sums to 3, when only 1 man was actually left on base. This is a bit counter intuitive, but it is the only way that such a metric can be used to measure individual players and compare them to a team total.

 

The second calculation, runners per baseruner, is using acutal baserunners (H+BB+HBP) measured teamwide, and has no application to individual players, but is great for comparing team vs. team.

 

I'm really gratified that you picked up on that anomaly. Not only does it show that you're a smart guy, but it also tells me that somebody is actually reading this stuff !! :wink:

[CubsInNC]

The anomaly is explained by the the fact that % of baserunners driven in is using the sum of individual LOB totals. That is, if Pierre leads off with a walk, and is LOB as Walker, Ramirez & Barret all fail to drive him in, then each of Walker, Ramirez & Barrett has left 1 man on base, and that sums to 3, when only 1 man was actually left on base. This is a bit counter intuitive, but it is the only way that such a metric can be used to measure individual players and compare them to a team total.

 

The second calculation, runners per baseruner, is using acutal baserunners (H+BB+HBP) measured teamwide, and has no application to individual players, but is great for comparing team vs. team.

 

I'm really gratified that you picked up on that anomaly. Not only does it show that you're a smart guy, but it also tells me that somebody is actually reading this stuff !! :wink:

 

 

Ok, I had to read that a few times for it to make sense... it makes some sense that the individual player's average of driving in runners can go up, especially if you're getting fewer team-wide runners on base.

 

It would be interesting to see where we rank in the league at these 2 metrics, as well as our metrics compared to some of the worst Cubs teams in history.

[A New Era]

In style of Fred H.

 

Cubs are. . .

 

BAD on Mondays

BAD on Tuesdays

BAD on Wednesdays

BAD on Thursdays

BAD on Fridays

BAD on Saturdays

BAD on Sundays

 

SUCK when Dusty Baker is manager

SUCK when Hendry is GM

SUCK when MacPhail is president

SUCK when Tribune is ownership

 

RULE when Mark Cuban is owner

[Andy]

An opposing pitcher I've never heard of, with a bad ERA.

 

I don't like our chances.

He's not a lefty, so we'll at least score 1 off him. I guarantee no more than 2 though, especially not when Dusty sits Walker and Murton (not that the latter is much good these days) for Neifi and Bynum. Putting Mabry at 1st over Nevin too I'm sure.

[Drew Doughty]

Here's my not-so-interesting stat for the day:

 

The CUBS are 0-1 when I choose golf over paying attention to them. Go CUBS !!

 

I will not be golfing tomorrow as far as I know, so we're set.

 

Those other games were just aberrations. Lots of aberrations. berra>

[Fred Hornkohl]

The anomaly is explained by the the fact that % of baserunners driven in is using the sum of individual LOB totals. That is, if Pierre leads off with a walk, and is LOB as Walker, Ramirez & Barret all fail to drive him in, then each of Walker, Ramirez & Barrett has left 1 man on base, and that sums to 3, when only 1 man was actually left on base. This is a bit counter intuitive, but it is the only way that such a metric can be used to measure individual players and compare them to a team total.

 

The second calculation, runners per baseruner, is using acutal baserunners (H+BB+HBP) measured teamwide, and has no application to individual players, but is great for comparing team vs. team.

 

I'm really gratified that you picked up on that anomaly. Not only does it show that you're a smart guy, but it also tells me that somebody is actually reading this stuff !! :wink:

 

 

Ok, I had to read that a few times for it to make sense... it makes some sense that the individual player's average of driving in runners can go up, especially if you're getting fewer team-wide runners on base.

 

It would be interesting to see where we rank in the league at these 2 metrics, as well as our metrics compared to some of the worst Cubs teams in history.

 

Here's your current NL runs per baserunner .......

 

team           R/BR

Atlanta       0.397
NY Mets       0.394
Los Angeles   0.388
Arizona       0.388
Philadelphia  0.386
Milwaukee     0.381
Cincinnati    0.378
St. Louis     0.377
San Francisco 0.371
Florida       0.368
Colorado      0.367
Pittsburgh    0.366
Houston       0.360
Washington    0.360
CUBS          0.348
San Diego     0.348

 

Surprised ?

 

The calculation for % of baserunners driven in requires LOB totals, and I haven't found those published anywhere, so I can only give you what I have for the CUBS, which is currently at 19.3%. I would guestimate the league average to be in the 21 - 23% range.

[CubsInNC]

Those standings are what I expected to see. But the eternal Cubs optimist in me was hoping that there'd be some magical way that the number was about average or above average, and we really weren't that bad.

[gerby23]

Here's my not-so-interesting stat for the day:

 

The CUBS are 0-1 when I choose golf over paying attention to them. Go CUBS !!

 

I will not be golfing tomorrow as far as I know, so we're set.

 

Those other games were just aberrations. Lots of aberrations. berra>

Playing 36 today with two different groups, one AM, one PM, so I will get to play golf and watch the Cubs struggle helplessly against an unheard of player.

Edited June 15, 2006 by gerby23

[Derwood]

A day game and it's not on WGN. That's rich.

[Banedon]

Carlos Bernard (AKA: Tony Almeda from 24) will be doing the 7th inning stretch today! :D

 

Wish I'd taped the game for that....

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Cubs win, 6-1. Carlos Zambrano tears apart Lance Berkman limb by limb in the heat of the battle and eats his heart on the mound. Berkman's right leg hits a solo shot in his next AB.

[C.C.]

Cubs win, 6-1. Carlos Zambrano tears apart Lance Berkman limb by limb in the heat of the battle and eats his heart on the mound. Berkman's right leg hits a solo shot in his next AB.

 

This post was more entertaining then Today's game will be!

[Derwood]

Berkman's right leg hits a solo shot in his next AB....

 

...and finishes the year with a higher OBP then any Cub

[UMFan83]

ESPN 1000 announced the Cubs lineup a bit ago. I'm pretty sure it was

 

4-3, CF

Womack, 2B

Barrett, C

Back from the Dead (Walker), 1B

Ramirez, 3B

Jones, RF

Bynum, LF

Cedeno, SS

Only thing keeping me interested in the Cubs, P

[Ding Dong Johnson]

ESPN 1000 announced the Cubs lineup a bit ago. I'm pretty sure it was

 

4-3, CF

Womack, 2B

Barrett, C

Back from the Dead (Walker), 1B

Ramirez, 3B

Jones, RF

Bynum, LF

Cedeno, SS

Only thing keeping me interested in the Cubs, P

 

Is it illegal in Illinois for Walker and Nevin to play at the same time?