6/25 Rockies (Francis) vs CUBS (Marquis), 7:05p, CSN, XM184

[pitchcs]

One promising factor is that Francis has been atrocious @ Wrigley.

 

IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP BAA

 

11.1 16 11 11 1 4 5 8.74 1.76 .333

[IWU_CUBS_FAN]

I hope he doesn't start.

If the Cubs were the Brewers I'd be sure he wouldn't.

 

If the Cubs were the Brewers we'd all be happy campers.

For some reason, this hit me on a big picture level, and it truly saddened me.

You DAD-GUMMED RIGHT WE'D BE HAPPY CAMPERS

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Game Notes.

 

The Cubs have won 13 of their last 21 games and find themselves with a 13-10 mark in June … Chicago’s last winning June came in 2004, when the club went 14-13.

 

Jeff Francis – for just the 19th time this season … that’s tied for the fewest games against southpaw starters in the N.L. this season with Colorado and Houston.

 

 

Chicago is sporting a 7-12 mark in games against a left-handed starter compared to a 28-28 mark against right-handed starters.

 

Overall, Chicago has a .276 batting average against right-handed hurlers and a .238 average against left-handed pitching.

 

CONTROL ARTISTS: Cubs pitchers have allowed just 9 walks over the club’s last 4 games … starting pitchers have allowed 2 or fewer walks in each of the club’s last 4 games … on the year, Chicago pitching has issued 241 walks, eighth-fewest among N.L. clubs.

 

The 241 walks allowed this season translates to 3.3 free passes per game … last season through the team’s first 74 games, Cubs pitchers had issued 4.2 walks per game (309 total).

 

GOOSE EGGS: The Cubs yesterday recorded their fifth shutout of the season with a 3-0 win over the White Sox … the 5 shutouts this season rank tied for third-most in the N.L. (with San Francisco), behind San Diego’s 11 and the Mets’ 6, and is tied for sixth in the majors.

 

This marks the first time the Cubs have recorded at least 5 shutouts prior to the All-Star break since recording 8 before the break in 2005 … since 1957, the most shutouts the Cubs have recorded prior to the break is 18 in 1969.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

More from the game notes....

 

GIMMIE AN ASSIST: Left fielder Alfonso Soriano recorded an outfield assist for the second straight game yesterday, throwing out the White Sox Luis Terrero at the plate in the fifth inning to preserve a scoreless tie … Saturday, Soriano threw out Terrero at second when he tried to extend a single in the second inning.

 

Soriano’s 9 outfield assists rank tied for first in the N.L. this season (with Atlanta’s Jeff Francoeur and Philadelphia’s Shane Victorino and Aaron Rowand) … his 31 outfield assists since the start of the 2006 season (when he moved from second base to left field) rank first in the majors. ©

 

The 9 outfield assists by Soriano are the most by a Cub in a single season since Sammy Sosa and Doug Glanville recorded 17 and 12, respectively, in 1997.

 

STRIKEOUT KINGS: Cubs pitchers have recorded 59 strikeouts over the team’s last 6 games, including 13 Friday at the White Sox that tied the team’s season high (done 4 times) … Chicago has recorded 10 or more strikeouts in a major league-best 22 games this season.

 

Chicago’s staff ranks second in the majors with 556 strikeouts this season (the Dodgers have 577) … the Cubs have led the majors in strikeouts in each of the last 6 seasons.

 

ARMS RACE: Since June 2, Cubs pitching has recorded a 3.01 team ERA (66 ER/197.1 IP), tops in the majors … San Diego is second with a 3.25 ERA.

The Cubs have a .216 batting average against in their last 22 games, far and away the best mark in the majors since June 2 … the Athletics are second with a .240 mark. ©

©

Since June 2, Cubs relievers have stranded 23-of-24 of their inherited runners, good for a 95.8-percent rate of success that ranks tops in baseball (Texas is second with a 86.7-percent mark/26-of-30).

[killthegoat06]

Still no news on the transaction?

[Shilzzz]

The 9 outfield assists by Soriano are the most by a Cub in a single season since Sammy Sosa and Doug Glanville recorded 17 and 12, respectively, in 1997.

 

10 years since an outfielder has had at least 9 assists for the cubs. wow.

[A New Era]

when's Griffey getting here?

[Soriano12]

The 9 outfield assists by Soriano are the most by a Cub in a single season since Sammy Sosa and Doug Glanville recorded 17 and 12, respectively, in 1997.

 

10 years since an outfielder has had at least 9 assists for the cubs. wow.

 

I really had a gut feeling Pierre was gonna take down that record last season. :lol:

[killthegoat06]

when's Griffey getting here?

 

Are you going to say this every day? :wink:

[Soriano12]

when's Griffey getting here?

 

Reds don't come to Wrigley until Aug 14.

[A New Era]

when's Griffey getting here?

 

Are you going to say this every day? :wink:

 

Yes, for reasons us "in the know", understand. yes indeed. 8-) :wink:

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

When's Dunn getting here?

[Iceblink]

Game Notes.

CONTROL ARTISTS: Cubs pitchers have allowed just 9 walks over the club’s last 4 games … starting pitchers have allowed 2 or fewer walks in each of the club’s last 4 games … on the year, Chicago pitching has issued 241 walks, eighth-fewest among N.L. clubs.

 

With 16 teams in the NL, that's some glass half full math. I like it.

[anabiono]

when's A-Rod getting here?

[otis89]

When's the World Series trophy getting here?

[anabiono]

When's the World Series trophy getting here?

 

ewww, that's a good one!

[killthegoat06]

Lineups?

[PrimeTime]

Ok just got home from work..Dissappointed to see Jaque is still here..I just read sumwhere that he's in the clubhouse right now still in uniform..Whats goin on with this surprise at 2nd base?? Anything yet?

[Roast]

Ok just got home from work..Dissappointed to see Jaque is still here..I just read sumwhere that he's in the clubhouse right now still in uniform..Whats goin on with this surprise at 2nd base?? Anything yet?

 

Yea, it was reported on THe Score that Jock is in uniform tonight.

 

Also, we're guessing that maybe Lou is going to start Fontenot at Short tonight and let DeRosa play second, thus the "surprise"

[Sarcastic]

Ok just got home from work..Dissappointed to see Jaque is still here..I just read sumwhere that he's in the clubhouse right now still in uniform..Whats goin on with this surprise at 2nd base?? Anything yet?

 

Most likely thing is that Muskat did a bad job of reporting Lou's comments. Other reporters said that the surprise had to do with where DeRosa would be playing. The things we've heard that seem possible are that Fontenot is being considered for SS eventually and DeRosa will be playing RF tonight to make space for him. We aren't getting any big name players any time soon.

 

Does anyone have the lineups yet?

[CubColtPacer]

Ok just got home from work..Dissappointed to see Jaque is still here..I just read sumwhere that he's in the clubhouse right now still in uniform..Whats goin on with this surprise at 2nd base?? Anything yet?

 

Yea, it was reported on THe Score that Jock is in uniform tonight.

 

Also, we're guessing that maybe Lou is going to start Fontenot at Short tonight and let DeRosa play second, thus the "surprise"

 

Well, Paul Sullivan reported that DeRosa would start in RF tonight, so no surprise tonight. However, he did say that Fontenot might play at SS in some future games with DeRosa playing 2nd.

[E.J.]

Cubs' Lineup:

 

Soriano LF

Fontenot 2b

Lee 1b

Aram 3b

Derosa RF

Pagan CF

Bowen C

Izturis SS

Marquis P

[Lockes Eye Scar]

Soriano LF

Fontenot 2B

Lee 1B

Ramirez 3B

DeRosa RF

Pagan CF

Bowen C

Izturis SS

Marquis P

[rickrolled]

Soriano

Fontenot

Lee

Ramirez

Derosa

Pagan

Bowen

Izturis

Marquis

[Lockes Eye Scar]

damnit, 2nd place