8/4 Astros(Moehler) @ Cubs(Demp) - 6:05 WCIU/ESPN

[Guest]

Wandy meanwhile still has big H/R splits. 3.31 ERA at home and 4.03 WHIP on the road.

 

4.03 WHIP is a bad WHIP.

 

 

It's catastrophic. Is that really true?

 

I think he meant ERA.

 

Wandy would be back down in low-A if he had a 4.03 WHIP over a sustained period of time.

[UMFan83]

Wandy meanwhile still has big H/R splits. 3.31 ERA at home and 4.03 WHIP on the road.

 

4.03 WHIP is a bad WHIP.

 

 

It's catastrophic. Is that really true?

 

No...I meant ERA :(

[kjfoster 1553]

Demp goes 8, Cubs win

[Little Slide Rooter]

Wandy meanwhile still has big H/R splits. 3.31 ERA at home and 4.03 WHIP on the road.

 

4.03 WHIP is a bad WHIP.

 

 

It's catastrophic. Is that really true?

 

I think he meant ERA.

 

Wandy would be back down in low-A if he had a 4.03 WHIP over a sustained period of time.

 

That would also equal giving up roughly a run per inning. Thats a quick ticket to the minors unless your names Bob Howry.

[kjfoster 1553]

That would also equal giving up roughly a run per inning. Thats a quick ticket to the minors unless your names Bob Howry.

 

And if your name is Bob Howry, it likely means putting you in with a slim lead in the 7th or 8th

[gflore34]

This series scares me. I wouldn't be surprised to see Houston hit Dempster pretty hard. I'm pretty much writing it off as a given they will pound Marquis, as they have typically done in his Cubs career. But the Cubs get the mediocre Backe that day. I don't think anyone can hit Rich Harden, but Wandy scares me vs. the Cubs offense who can never seem to do anything against him.

 

Winner tonight takes 2 of 3 in the series.

 

The Astros honestly don't really scare me at Wrigley like they do at MMP. That park does wonders for them.

 

Brian Moehler has a 4.63 ERA on the road with a 1.41 WHIP, while he has a 3.99 ERA at home

 

Wandy meanwhile still has big H/R splits. 3.31 ERA at home and 4.03 WHIP on the road. Last year he had a 2.97 ERA at home and a 6.37 ERA on the road, so while I guess having a .62 ERA difference between H/R is not a lot, he has been known to pitch less effectively on the road in his career.

 

Also, the Astros hit nearly 100 points better (OPS) at home than on the road. They are 11th in the league in home OPS at .784, while they are 25th in the league in road OPS at .689

 

I'm thinking two of three is definitely possible, looking over the season series the 4 of the 5 Astros' victories are by 2 runs or less - I attribute most of that to luck. This Astros' staff is terrible heck, Marquis would be a 3 for that staff.

[CubInOK]

This series scares me. I wouldn't be surprised to see Houston hit Dempster pretty hard. I'm pretty much writing it off as a given they will pound Marquis, as they have typically done in his Cubs career. But the Cubs get the mediocre Backe that day. I don't think anyone can hit Rich Harden, but Wandy scares me vs. the Cubs offense who can never seem to do anything against him.

 

Winner tonight takes 2 of 3 in the series.

 

The Astros honestly don't really scare me at Wrigley like they do at MMP. That park does wonders for them.

 

Brian Moehler has a 4.63 ERA on the road with a 1.41 WHIP, while he has a 3.99 ERA at home

 

Wandy meanwhile still has big H/R splits. 3.31 ERA at home and 4.03 WHIP on the road. Last year he had a 2.97 ERA at home and a 6.37 ERA on the road, so while I guess having a .62 ERA difference between H/R is not a lot, he has been known to pitch less effectively on the road in his career.

 

Also, the Astros hit nearly 100 points better (OPS) at home than on the road. They are 11th in the league in home OPS at .784, while they are 25th in the league in road OPS at .689

 

I'm thinking two of three is definitely possible, looking over the season series the 4 of the 5 Astros' victories are by 2 runs or less - I attribute most of that to luck. This Astros' staff is terrible heck, Marquis would be a 3 for that staff.

So... do they have anything we need that would clear waivers? I mean, they seem to be adding at this point. :confused:

[David]

If the Cubs can somehow get 33 games over .500 this year, it will be their most over .500 since 1945 :shock:

 

 

At the current pace, they'd finish 32 games over .500. Then again, they'll probably lose a few more games than they otherwise would if they clinch at all early.

[kujay]

^Color me slightly uneasy to see talk about clinching this thing up early.

 

Not that I disagree, just a bit scary.

[Bruce Miles]

Astros

Matsui, 2B (Cubs almost had him)

Tejada, SS

Berkman, 1B

Lee, RF

Pence, RF

Wigginton, 3B

Erstad, CF

Quinteron, C

Moehler, P

 

Cubs

Soriano, LF

Fontenot, 2B

Ward, 1B

Ramirez, 3B

Edmonds, CF

Soto, C

Fukudome, RF

Cedeno, SS

Dempster, P

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Astros

Matsui, 2B (Cubs almost had him)

 

Thank god we didn't.

[DiamondMind]

3 starts in a row for cedeno?

[Bote McBoteface]

Is Ward really hitting third? I guess that makes pinch hitting Lee for him better late in the game, but....not exactly what I'd do.

 

 

It'd be sweet to push the Cards to 6.5 back, eh?

[ctcf]

3 starts in a row for cedeno?

 

IIRC, he's being doing fairly well as of late and also, Riot could probably use a night off.

[otis89]

With all this talk about clinching, I have a quick question. Am I correct in assuming that the Cubs' magic number for clinching a playoff spot, not the division, just clinching a playoff spot, is 44? That's the Cubs' magic number over the Cards, and right now, the Cards are the best team that wouldn't be in the playoffs.

[cubs121]

3 starts in a row for cedeno?

 

IIRC, he's being doing fairly well as of late and also, Riot could probably use a night off.

He didn't start on sunday. Dero played 2B and Theriot was at SS.

[Andy]

With all this talk about clinching, I have a quick question. Am I correct in assuming that the Cubs' magic number for clinching a playoff spot, not the division, just clinching a playoff spot, is 44? That's the Cubs' magic number over the Cards, and right now, the Cards are the best team that wouldn't be in the playoffs.

You would be correct with that guess.

[17 Seconds]

Astros

Matsui, 2B (Cubs almost had him)

Tejada, SS

Berkman, 1B

Lee, RF

Pence, RF

Wigginton, 3B

Erstad, CF

Quinteron, C

Moehler, P

 

Cubs

Soriano, LF

Fontenot, 2B

Ward, 1B

Ramirez, 3B

Edmonds, CF

Soto, C

Fukudome, RF

Cedeno, SS

Dempster, P

 

Didn't Theriot just get a day off? Derosa too

[Andy]

Put the Astros in the

 

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e67/ndistops/Dumpster.jpg

[Fred Hornkohl]

CUBS are 18-12 when Bruce Miles posts the starting lineup in the NSBB game thread.... 49-33 when he doesn't

 

 

Go CUBS !!

[17 Seconds]

3 starts in a row for cedeno?

 

IIRC, he's being doing fairly well as of late and also, Riot could probably use a night off.

 

He just had a day off on Friday

[RedFlash]

Astros

Matsui, 2B (Cubs almost had him)

 

Thank god we didn't.

 

Soto says, "You're Welcome."

[rawaction]

3 starts in a row for cedeno?

 

IIRC, he's being doing fairly well as of late and also, Riot could probably use a night off.

He didn't start on sunday. Dero played 2B and Theriot was at SS.

 

Cedeno may start tomorrow too with a lefty on the mound.

[Fred Hornkohl]

CUBS lineup............

 

03/31 - 08/03      AB    R    H   2b   3b   HR  RBI   BB   SO     BA    OBP    SLG    OPS  BABIP  P/PA   IsoD   RBI%
Soriano           264   48   78   15    0   19   48   19   55  0.295  0.345  0.568  0.913  0.311  3.54  0.049  0.240
Fontenot          170   34   49   16    1    8   30   24   35  0.288  0.383  0.535  0.918  0.323  4.09  0.094  0.196
Ward               62    4   15    5    0    2    9   11   14  0.242  0.356  0.419  0.776  0.283  4.44  0.114  0.149
Ramirez           392   68  109   29    1   19   73   55   70  0.278  0.377  0.503  0.880  0.297  4.03  0.099  0.239
Edmonds           159   26   44   11    1   12   36   27   35  0.277  0.380  0.585  0.965  0.286  4.19  0.103  0.253
Soto              370   43  103   27    1   17   62   45   96  0.278  0.355  0.495  0.849  0.335  3.94  0.076  0.184
Fukudome          380   65  106   21    3    8   40   63   81  0.279  0.381  0.413  0.794  0.337  4.33  0.102  0.166
Cedeno            150   24   42    8    0    2   22   13   29  0.280  0.341  0.373  0.715  0.336  3.85  0.061  0.194
Dempster           45    4    7    2    0    0    2    2   14  0.156  0.191  0.200  0.391  0.226  2.80  0.036  0.100

Totals           1992  316  553  134    7   87  322  259  429  0.278  0.363  0.483  0.846  0.316  4.00  0.736  0.202

 

CUBS lineup at home.........

 

Home               AB    R    H   2b   3b   HR  RBI   BB   SO     BA    OBP    SLG    OPS  BABIP  P/PA   IsoD   RBI%
Soriano           135   26   45    6    0   12   30    8   20  0.333  0.377  0.644  1.021  0.320  3.37  0.043  0.295
Fontenot           88   17   26    9    0    3   14    9   18  0.295  0.367  0.500  0.867  0.343  4.15  0.072  0.175
Ward               26    3    7    3    0    1    7    8    6  0.269  0.441  0.500  0.941  0.316  4.56  0.172  0.250
Ramirez           186   45   64   15    1   12   41   41   34  0.344  0.477  0.629  1.106  0.371  4.16  0.133  0.330
Edmonds            67   16   19    7    1    7   21   14   16  0.284  0.402  0.731  1.134  0.273  4.13  0.119  0.264
Soto              174   23   49   12    1    8   39   25   44  0.282  0.365  0.500  0.865  0.336  3.92  0.083  0.238
Fukudome          179   38   60   11    1    5   23   33   42  0.335  0.441  0.492  0.933  0.417  4.34  0.106  0.184
Cedeno             60   13   18    3    0    2   16    7    9  0.300  0.373  0.450  0.823  0.327  3.99  0.073  0.275
Dempster           26    2    5    1    0    0    2    2    9  0.192  0.250  0.231  0.481  0.294  3.00  0.058  0.133

Totals            941  183  293   67    4   50  193  147  198  0.311  0.408  0.550  0.958  0.351  4.01  0.858  0.245

 

CUBS lineup vs. Houston...........

 

vs. Houst          AB    R    H   2b   3b   HR  RBI   BB   SO     BA    OBP    SLG    OPS  BABIP  P/PA   IsoD   RBI%
Soriano            21    1    1    0    0    1    1    1    6  0.048  0.091  0.190  0.281  0.000  3.09  0.043  0.000
Fontenot           11    4    5    2    0    1    3    0    1  0.455  0.455  0.909  1.364  0.444  3.82  0.000  0.667
Ward                3    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    1  0.000  0.000  0.000  0.000  0.000  3.00  0.000  0.000
Ramirez            35    5    8    0    0    2    4    3    5  0.229  0.289  0.400  0.689  0.214  3.82  0.061  0.143
Edmonds            18    1    4    0    0    1    2    1    2  0.222  0.263  0.389  0.652  0.200  3.58  0.041  0.167
Soto               33    3    6    1    1    1    6    0    8  0.182  0.182  0.364  0.545  0.208  3.36  0.000  0.294
Fukudome           35    6    9    3    0    0    2    3    4  0.257  0.316  0.343  0.659  0.290  3.68  0.059  0.125
Cedeno              4    1    2    0    0    0    0    1    0  0.500  0.600  0.500  1.100  0.500  2.80  0.100  0.000
Dempster            4    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0  0.000  0.000  0.000  0.000  0.000  1.50  0.000  0.000

Totals            164   21   35    6    1    6   18    9   27  0.213  0.254  0.372  0.626  0.221  3.46  0.304  0.167

 

CUBS lineup vs. Moehler..........

 

vs. Moehler        AB    R    H   2b   3b   HR  RBI   BB   SO     BA    OBP    SLG    OPS  BABIP  P/PA   IsoD   RBI%
Soriano             2    0    0    0    0    0    0    1    0  0.000  0.333  0.000  0.333  0.000  3.67  0.333  0.000
Fontenot            3    0    1    1    0    0    0    0    1  0.333  0.333  0.667  1.000  0.500  3.67  0.000  0.000
Ward                0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0  0.000  0.000  0.000  0.000  0.000  0.00  0.000  0.000
Ramirez             6    1    2    0    0    0    0    0    0  0.333  0.333  0.333  0.667  0.333  4.50  0.000  0.000
Edmonds             5    1    2    0    0    1    1    0    0  0.400  0.400  1.000  1.400  0.250  4.00  0.000  0.000
Soto                6    1    2    0    0    1    3    0    0  0.333  0.333  0.833  1.167  0.200  3.17  0.000  0.500
Fukudome            5    1    1    0    0    0    0    1    0  0.200  0.333  0.200  0.533  0.200  4.50  0.133  0.000
Cedeno              0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0  0.000  0.000  0.000  0.000  0.000  0.00  0.000  0.000
Dempster            0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0  0.000  0.000  0.000  0.000  0.000  0.00  0.000  0.000

Totals             27    4    8    1    0    2    4    2    1  0.296  0.345  0.556  0.900  0.250  3.97  0.467  0.200

[Guest]

Good to see Lee and Theriot get a day off (another in the case of Theriot).