4/10 Cubs (Hill) at Pirates (Morris), 6:05 PM CT, WGN

[soccer10k]

So it's this guy

 

http://assets.espn.go.com/i/mlb/profiles/players/65x90/7578.jpg

4/4 vs. HOU: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 RR, 3 BB, 4 K

 

against this guy

 

http://assets.espn.go.com/i/mlb/profiles/players/65x90/5784.jpg

4/4 at FLA: 5 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

 

A four game winning streak has put the Cubs on the right side of .500 - hopefully for the remainder of the season. While the series has already been won, it would be nice to pick up the sweep going into the series in Philadelphia.

 

And please, Rich, pitch deep into the game - the bullpen could use the day off.

[Flames24Rulz]

Thank God for WGN.

 

Let's sweep these losers.

[Omar]

Cubs Vs. Morris

                    **PA**  AB  H  2B 3B HR RBI  BB  SO   BA   OBP   SLG   OPS  
+-----------------+-------+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+
Aramis Ramirez       50    46  15  3  0  3   8   3   9  .326  .360  .587  .947 
Derrek Lee           35    31  11  3  0  4   8   4   5  .355  .429  .839 1.268 
Daryle Ward          26    24   9  2  0  1   7   1   7  .375  .385  .583  .968 
Mark DeRosa          20    20   2  0  0  0   0   0   1  .100  .100  .100  .200 
Henry Blanco         14    12   1  0  0  0   1   1   2  .083  .143  .083  .226 
Alfonso Soriano      10     9   5  2  0  1   3   0   0  .556  .600 1.111 1.711 
Carlos Zambrano       9     9   2  1  0  0   0   0   3  .222  .222  .333  .555 
Jon Lieber            8     7   0  0  0  0   0   1   4  .000  .125  .000  .125 
Ryan Theriot          6     5   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  .000  .000  .000  .000 
Jason Marquis         5     5   0  0  0  0   0   0   2  .000  .000  .000  .000 
Mike Fontenot         4     3   1  0  0  0   0   1   0  .333  .500  .333  .833 
Reed Johnson          4     4   1  0  0  0   1   0   0  .250  .250  .250  .500 
Kerry Wood            4     3   0  0  0  0   0   0   1  .000  .000  .000  .000 
Ted Lilly             3     3   1  0  0  0   0   0   0  .333  .333  .333  .666 
+-----------------+-------+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+
Total               198   181  48 11  0  9  28  11  34  .265  .306  .475  .781 

 

Pirates Vs. Hill

                    **PA**  AB  H  2B 3B HR RBI  BB  SO   BA   OBP   SLG   OPS  
+-----------------+-------+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+
Jose Bautista        16    13   0  0  0  0   0   3   4  .000  .188  .000  .188 
Ronny Paulino        14    13   6  1  0  1   3   0   0  .462  .500  .769 1.269 
Freddy Sanchez       13    12   3  0  0  0   1   0   2  .250  .231  .250  .481 
Jason Bay            12    11   0  0  0  0   0   1   4  .000  .083  .000  .083 
Nyjer Morgan          7     6   3  1  0  0   0   1   0  .500  .571  .667 1.238 
Ryan Doumit           6     4   1  1  0  0   0   1   2  .250  .500  .500 1.000 
Adam LaRoche          6     6   2  1  0  0   2   0   3  .333  .333  .500  .833 
Zach Duke             5     5   1  0  0  0   2   0   3  .200  .200  .200  .400 
Xavier Nady           5     5   1  0  0  0   0   0   3  .200  .200  .200  .400 
Tom Gorzelanny        3     3   0  0  0  0   0   0   1  .000  .000  .000  .000 
Ian Snell             2     0   0  0  0  0   0   0   0                         
+-----------------+-------+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+
Total                89    78  17  4  0  1   8   6  22  .218  .287  .308  .595 

[Lockes Eye Scar]

Marquis is going to pitch

 

according to Santo anyway

[javy knows my name]

Marmol could really use the day off.

Keep winning, Cubs!

[Andy]

How the hell are we only a game and a half out of first?

[Omar]

Just in case...

 

Pirates Vs. Marquis

                    **PA**  AB  H  2B 3B HR RBI  BB  SO   BA   OBP   SLG   OPS  
+-----------------+-------+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+
Jason Bay            40    34  13  4  1  4   9   5   7  .382  .450  .912 1.362 
Freddy Sanchez       22    22   3  1  0  1   1   0   1  .136  .136  .318  .454 
Adam LaRoche         19    18   3  1  0  1   1   1   5  .167  .211  .389  .600 
Jose Bautista        14    12   3  2  0  0   2   2   2  .250  .357  .417  .774 
Ryan Doumit          14    12   4  2  0  1   2   1   0  .333  .429  .750 1.179 
Xavier Nady          14    13   2  0  0  1   3   1   2  .154  .214  .385  .599 
Nate McLouth         13    11   4  0  0  1   3   2   1  .364  .462  .636 1.098 
Ronny Paulino         8     8   1  0  0  0   1   0   1  .125  .125  .125  .250 
Paul Maholm           6     5   1  0  0  0   2   0   2  .200  .200  .200  .400 
Doug Mientkiewicz     6     4   1  0  0  0   0   2   1  .250  .500  .250  .750 
Matt Morris           4     3   0  0  0  0   0   0   1  .000  .000  .000  .000 
Tom Gorzelanny        2     1   0  0  0  0   0   0   1  .000  .000  .000  .000 
Nyjer Morgan          2     2   2  0  0  0   1   0   0 1.000 1.000 1.000 2.000 
Zach Duke             1     1   1  0  0  0   0   0   0 1.000 1.000 1.000 2.000 
Ian Snell             1     1   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  .000  .000  .000  .000 
+-----------------+-------+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+
Total               166   147  38 10  1  9  25  14  24  .259  .325  .524  .849 

[JimSorgi]

Hey Lou, I liked it when you started Ronny Cedeno over Ryan Theriot. You should do that again. I had a vision and it said if you start Cedeno, the Cubs will win, but if you start Theriot, the Cubs will fall.

[javy knows my name]

Hey Lou, I liked it when you started Ronny Cedeno over Ryan Theriot. You should do that again. I had a vision and it said if you start Cedeno, the Cubs will win, but if you start Theriot, the Cubs will fall.

Yeah, I have that vision a lot. Regardless, Theriot is going to start tomorrow, I'm almost positive

[squally1313]

Hey Lou, I liked it when you started Ronny Cedeno over Ryan Theriot. You should do that again. I had a vision and it said if you start Cedeno, the Cubs will win, but if you start Theriot, the Cubs will fall.

Yeah, I have that vision a lot. Regardless, Theriot is going to start tomorrow, I'm almost positive

Yeah I wouldn't put much stock into tomorrow's line-up. They just played a 15 inning game. I'm sure we'll see Blanco, Pie, Theriot...maybe even Ward at first for all I know.

 

Either way, we need Hill/Marquis to go deep, and if not, then I hope Lieber is ready to go after a couple days off. I know he's used to being a start and getting his 4 days, but if we need bullpen innings tomorrow, we're in trouble if he can't pitch. I don't like Marshall going back to back, Woody can only go an inning, Hart pitched 2, and I'm pretty sure Marmol's on pace to shatter the appearances record. IMO, just throw Marquis, score about 9 in the first off of the shell that once was Matt Morris, and let Marquis go 7 innings, 4 ER and pick up an easy win....yes, those are possible sometimes.

[ctcf]

Letting me get to see Hill, Z, and Lilly in Philly would be totally fine by me Cubs.

[Fred Hornkohl]

Hey soccer..... I didn't yer mojo, did I ????

 

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b137/Hornkohl/CUBS034.jpg

[Guest]

Doesn't appear like you did. We'll find out for sure tonight.

 

GO CUBS!!

[RedFlash]

Marquis is going to pitch

 

according to Santo anyway

 

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/887565,CST-SPT-cubnt10.article

 

Piniella plans to swap left-hander Rich Hill and right-hander Jason Marquis in the rotation the next two days, provided Marquis -- who was sent back to the hotel with the flu Wednesday -- is well enough to start today.

 

The Pirates tend to club lefties (.311 average and .447 slugging entering Wednesday's game) compared with right-handers (.254, .379), and Marquis had two exceptional starts against Pittsburgh early last season.

 

As of right now, it looks like Jason Marquis is going to pitch tonight, with Hill going against the Phillies. I think the Cubs sent Marquis back to the hotel last night, as a way for Marquis to get more rest, knowing he'll prolly start on Thursday night. And it might be the best, seeing as the Pirates have struggled against RHs, and murdered lefties....if you need to see why........go back over the first two games of the series, hit well against Lilly, but struggled against Dempster.

 

So, I believe we can change the "probably starter" from Hill to Marquis.

[CubColtPacer]

Some plans Lou has for today's game.

 

First on Marmol:

 

One pitcher who won't get in the game is Carlos Marmol. He's pitched in six of the Cubs' eight games so far.

 

"I told him, 'Tomorrow, you stay in the dugout,'" Piniella said of the right-hander. "He's not even going out to the bullpen."

 

Also, Piniella is considering several options in the OF tonight. Any one of Pie/Johnson/Fukudome could start in CF tonight. If it's Fukudome in center, that means that Daryle Ward will get the start in right. Fontenot has a decent chance at getting his first start at second as well, and it was hinted that Theriot may start, but not nearly for certain.

[C.C.]

Let's make it 5 in a row. Just play 9 guys.

[otis89]

Go Cobs! Think you can finish this game in 9 innings for a change?

[TruffleShuffle]

wonder if blanco will play. i know soto is young, but he did catch all 15 innings yesterday.

[Soul]

Well whoever the heck starts for us needs to give us some good innings.

[jyoung55]

wonder if blanco will play. i know soto is young, but he did catch all 15 innings yesterday.

 

I played 14 innings of softball yesterday so I don't see what the big deal is. :ninja: But since I don't have a game tonight, Cubs you can go ahead and win this one in 9 innings for everyone else's sake.

[Roast]

I don't see soto starting tonight. 15 innings is a lot for a catcher - young or not.

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't like the idea of Fuku in CF and Ward in right today, coming off 4 consecutive non-starts, Pie needs to get in there. I'm really liking the Reed Johnson against lefties thing though, he reall does remind me of Murton with his approach.

 

Cedeno is playing fairly well, he should either start again today, or get right back in there this weekend.

 

I'm guessing Lieber is first out of the pen today. I was not happy to see Marmol in again last night. That just didn't make sense to me. Why be cautious only with guys who have already been injured? How about a little preventive medicine?

[BigbadB]

Cedeno and Pie should be plenty fresh. Soto better not be behind the plate today. If anyone needs a day off, it's Soto. Reward Pie with a start since he did have the game winning hit last night. Pittsburgh's bullpen should be in worse shape than the Cubs, and the gas can that Matt Morris can be could spell disaster when Pittsburgh elects to leave him in there in an attempt to save the bullpen.

[bcl412]

I would not be against a nice 2 1/2 hour CGSO victory

[Roast]

I would not be against a nice 2 1/2 hour CubsGetShutOut victory

 

 

too bad it'll probably play out like that ^