4/6 Cubs (Hill) @ Brewers (Bush) 7:05CST WGN / XM188

[A New Era]

How about like 10 runs for us this game guys...Please???

 

I'd rather they ATLEAST divide the 10 runs between the three games. I honestly don't beleive Hill needs 10 runs. Save some for Miller!

[karenmac]

Is this game going to be inside or outside?

 

I know a few people have mentioned that the roof was broken, though it doesn't really make sense to me that if broken, they would have left it open all winter. I'm guessing the bad boy is going to be closed tomorrow, broken or not.

 

I predict a decent, but not great, outing by Hill, and hopefully some better matchup choices by Sweet Lou.

 

Roof is closed and has been for awhile now. Temps will be in the 60's inside, the ball still flies out in the gaps and short down the line.

 

The roof technically is "fixed" although it has been a mess ever since they installed it 4 years ago.

 

thanks much :D We're going to be there all weekend, so have been trying to decide how to pack for 3 days! Guess I'm going with the long sleeve / turtlenecks under the various Cubs stuff + jacket. Suppose I'll need a blanket? hmmm... Our tickets are 5 rows from home plate today (we splurged for one game), with the other couple of games being back a little. Woo hoo, I'm very excited to see both Hill and Z. Miller we saw a bunch back in Peoria last year, but sounds like he's got his stuff back much more than when we saw him. Go Cubs!

[C.C.]

It's my father in law b-day today. The resturant better have a TV, or my cell phone\BB is going to get a ton of refreshes tonight...

 

Go Cubs and I'm firmly standing behind my sweep prediction.

[CubinNY]

Go Cubs and I'm firmly standing behind my sweep prediction.

 

Cubs or Brewers?

[C.C.]

C'mon Hill show the dominate form you had in late '06!

[98navigator]

C'mon Hill show the dominate form you had in late '06!

 

LOL, I hope Hill does. My fear is he's going to be rusty because he hasn't pitched regularly...

 

It's going to be tough to sweep this series. The offense needs to wake up. Bush, Sheets, and Capuano are all capable of shutting the Cubs down so I hope our pitching is up for the challenge.

[C.C.]

C'mon Hill show the dominate form you had in late '06!

 

LOL, I hope Hill does. My fear is he's going to be rusty because he hasn't pitched regularly...

 

It's going to be tough to sweep this series. The offense needs to wake up. Bush, Sheets, and Capuano are all capable of shutting the Cubs down so I hope our pitching is up for the challenge.

 

Yeah, Hill being rusty is my fear also. Although he showed no rust in ST by walking nobody. Hopefully he gets in a grove and mows them down...

[Twiggy]

Cubs,

 

Please don't suck.

 

Love,

 

Vance

 

LOL that just made my morning right there.

[Exile on Waveland]

Please win.

[Chocolate Milk]

Over/Under Rich Hill Strikeouts: 9

[Andy]

Over/Under Rich Hill Strikeouts: 9

/wagers on the under

[otis89]

Over/Under Rich Hill Strikeouts: 9

 

I'll take the over. I think he'll hit 10.

[Dirt Dog Sparly]

Ill take the under today. In a month I'll lean toward the over.

[CubColtPacer]

I think Hill has a good chance at a good start tonight, but I'll take the under.

[98navigator]

Ill take the under today. In a month I'll lean toward the over.

 

i'm with you

[cjbucks]

Over/Under Rich Hill Strikeouts: 9

 

I'll take under but as I have him one two fantasy teams I'll hope for over!

[RichHillIsABeast]

I'll take the over.

 

I hope his blister problem has vanished.

[10man]

Meh. 9 is too high to begin with to make a good over under. I'll take the under.

[Chocolate Milk]

Meh. 9 is too high to begin with to make a good over under. I'll take the under.

 

Yeah, I should have gone with 7. What's done is done.

[Magnetic Curses]

if a pitcher is having a blister problem, is it legal to have some sort of foreign substance on his hand?

[Balsa]

I'll take the over for 300 Alex.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Game Notes.

 

After dropping 2 of 3 games in Cincinnati to begin their 2007 campaign, the Chicago Cubs tonight play the first of 3 games this weekend in Milwaukee to wrap up a season-opening 6-game road trip in anticipation of the club’s Wrigley Field opener this Monday vs. Houston.

 

With a win tonight, the Cubs would avoid their first 1-3 start since 2005…the club began the 2006 season with 3 wins in its first 4 contests.

 

 

Monday marks Chicago’s 92nd home opener at Wrigley Field, the start of an 8-game homestand…in fact, after this weekend, the Cubs play 14 of their next 16 games at the Friendly Confines from April 9-25, all home games save a brief 2-game, mid-week trip to Atlanta April 18-19.

 

Tonight’s 7:05 p.m. start is the fourth different game time in 4 games for the Cubs this season…in fact, the Cubs play at seven different times in their first seven games of 2007: the Cubs played at 2:10 p.m., 7:10 p.m. and 12:35 p.m. to start the season in Cincinnati…tomorrow, the Cubs and Brewers play at 12:05 p.m. and on Sunday play at 1:05 p.m….on Monday, the Cubs play host to the Astros with a 1:20 p.m. start time.

 

Starting tomorrow, however, the Cubs play 8 day games in a row, 5 of which feature start times of 1:20 p.m.

 

The Cubs play their first 12 games of the season against National League Central opponents before 4 quick games vs. San Diego (April 16-17) and at Atlanta (April 18-19)…the Cubs then play an additional 12 games against division foes…overall, Chicago plays 27 of its first 34 games against its own division through May 10…the Cubs then play 22 games in a row outside of their division from May 11-June 3.

 

The Cubs have managed only 7 runs scored in their first 3 games of the season…in 2006, the Cubs scored their 7th run of the season in the 6th-inning of their 16-7 win in their season opener at Cincinnati on April 3…that frame in 2006 turned out to be a 7-run 6th inning for the Cubs.

 

The 7 runs represent Chicago’s lowest total through 3 games since also scoring a total of 7 runs in their first 3 games in 2000.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

More from the game notes.

 

The Cubs and Brewers will play 15 times this season, with 12 of those meetings taking place before the All-Star Break…after these 3 games, the Cubs return to Milwaukee for 3 from June 4-6, the club’s final 3 games in Wisconsin in 2007…the Brewers make 3 trips to Wrigley Field: April 23-25, June 29-July 1 and August 28-30.

2007 Overall: ............................................0-0

At Wrigley Field: ....................................0-0

At Miller Park .........................................0-0

2006 Overall: ............................................8-8

At Wrigley Field: ....................................4-5

At Miller Park: ........................................4-3

All-Time Since 1997: .............................70-69

At Wrigley Field: .................................36-34

At Miller Park (since 2001): .................27-24

 

UPCOMING MILESTONES

Milestone...............Player (Number Needed)

500 Extra Base Hits......................Derrek Lee (2)

200 Home Runs.....................Aramis Ramirez (4)

250 Doubles...........................Alfonso Soriano (9)

 

 

 

UPCOMING SERIES INFORMATION
Date Opp. Time (CT) TV Radio Probable Pitchers
Fri., April 6 @MIL 7:05 p.m. WGN WGN-Radio LHP Rich Hill (0-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Dave Bush (0-0, 0.00)
Sat. April 7 @MIL 12:05 p.m. WGN WGN-Radio RHP Carlos Zambrano (0-1, 9.00) vs. RHP Ben Sheets (1-0, 1.00)
Sun., April 8 @MIL 1:05 p.m. CSN WGN-Radio RHP Wade Miller (0-0, 0.00) vs. LHP Chris Capuano (0-0, 5.40)
Mon., April 9 HOU 1:20 p.m. WGN WGN-Radio LHP Ted Lilly (1-0, 1.29) vs. RHP Woody Williams (0-1, 5.79)
Tues., April 10 HOU 1:20 p.m. CSN WGN-Radio RHP Jason Marquis (0-0, 1.50) vs. RHP Chris Sampson (0-0, 0.00)
Wed., April 11 HOU 1:20 p.m. WGN WGN-Radio LHP Rich Hill (pitching tonight) vs. LHP Wandy Rodriguez (tonight)

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

And now some information about Hill.

 

Rich, 27, made his Major League debut in 2005 appearing in 10 games (four starts) for the Cubs.

 

Hill established himself as a reliable starter during the second half of last season … went 6-3 with a 2.93 ERA (26 ER/80.0 IP) in 13 games after the All-Star break.

 

Picked up various minor league honors in 2006 … named to the Pacific Coast League All-Star Team and was the starting pitcher in the contest.

 

Also was named the left-handed pitcher on the Topps/Minor League Baseball Triple-A All-Star squad.

 

In 100 minor league games (78 starts), Hill has struck out 626 and walked just 210 in 451.2 innings of work.

 

Was selected by the Cubs in the fourth round of the 2002 draft (scout: Scott May).

 

Graduated from Milton High School in Milton, Massachusetts in 1999 … attended the University of Michigan.

 

PROFESSIONAL CAREER W-L ERA G GS CG SHO IP H R ER HR BB SO
2006 — CUBS 6-7 4.17 17 16 2 1 99.1 83 51 46 16 39 90
Iowa-AAA 7-1 1.80 15 15 0 0 100.0 62 22 20 3 21 135
2007 — CUBS (Spring Training) 1-1 5.17 5 4 0 0 15.2 17 11 9 3 0 16
MAJOR LEAGUE TOTALS 6-9 5.12 27 20 2 1 123.0 108 75 70 19 56 111
MINOR LEAGUE TOTALS 26-20 3.43 100 78 1 0 451.2 336 209 172 37 210 626

[YearofDaCubs]

if a pitcher is having a blister problem, is it legal to have some sort of foreign substance on his hand?

It's not. I remember a pitcher got in trouble for trying to put glue on a blister before he pitched.