6/27 Mets (Niese) @ Cubs (Shark) 1:20 pm CSN

[Andy]

The Cubs' unbeaten streak with Rizzo is ON.

[Brian]

http://l.yimg.com/iu/api/res/1.2/nktKsXHDYAlO8HZLxXUr9g--/YXBwaWQ9eXZpZGVvO2NoPTIzOTU7Y3I9MTtjdz0yMzk1O2R4PTE7ZHk9MTtmaT11bGNyb3A7aD02MDA7cT0xMDA7dz02MDA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/gettyimages.com/york-mets-v-chicago-cubs-20120626-190955-902.jpg

[haubrich91]

Intrigued to see how Rizzo fares against a lefty.

 

Possible sweep. Hopefully Samardzija pitches well.

[UMFan83]

Come on Shark, get it together. Use Rizzo's awesomeness as inspiration.

[brinoch]

I haven't posted in a game thread in ... years? But Rizzo even has us left-coasters all hot and bothered.

[C.C.]

Go RIZZ!

[Guest]

Combined WAR of Johnson, Castillo, Stewart, Mather, Soto, Cardenas, Hill, Lalli, DeWitt: 0.0

Rizzo's WAR: 0.1

 

IT TOOK HIM ONE GAME TO SURPASS THE COMBINED PRODUCTION OF 9 MEN.

[Schwarber Fan]

Niese is a LHP

 

ffffffffffff

[Fred Hornkohl]

Niese is a LHP

 

ffffffffffff

 

So are Happ & W Rodriguez

[Cubswin11]

Rizzo hit fairly well against lefties in AAA this year, didn't he? I would still suspect he gets at least one day off against one of the lefties we face in the coming days.

[Guest]

Rizzo hit .313/.368/.662/1.030 in about 85 PAs against LHP in Iowa.

[Fred Hornkohl]

Fantastic !!!

 

When Rizzo is all done smacking Niese, Happ, and W Rodriguez all over the park, and we beat all three of them......

then we'll be 7-16 against left-handers !!!

 

 

Go CUBS !!

[bukie]

Perhaps the best aspect of the Rizzo callup is no more starting Baker at 1B.

[Guest]

Carrie Muskat ‏@CarrieMuskat

#Cubs lineup: Mather cf, Castro ss, Rizzo 1b, Soriano lf, Baker rf, Soto c, Barney 2b, Valbuena 3b, Samardzija p

[jersey cubs fan]

Rizzo hit fairly well against lefties in AAA this year, didn't he? I would still suspect he gets at least one day off against one of the lefties we face in the coming days.

 

Sveum talked before the game about hoping that Rizzo is in the lineup every day for a long time. I don't think he's going to be looking to get him many days off, unless he looks overmatched or somehow frazzled.

[PrimeTime]

Unless is some real quality lefty like Cole Hamels, just to give him a day off, you gotta play him every day and show confidence in him and let the man hit. I also don't like starting an entire right handed lineup for the reason of it lets a pitcher zero in on one spot of the plate and get into a groove. With some lefties they will have to make some adjustments and switch things up.

[jersey cubs fan]

Sullivan getting snippy.

 

Paul Sullivan ‏@PWSullivan

Mather leading off. That's Joe Mather. For the Cubs. No, really.

 

Chicago Cubs manager Dale Sveum woke up this morning and wrote Joe Mather's name at the top of his lineup card for the final game of the Mets series.

 

Mather will bat leadoff for the first time this season, followed by Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo.

 

David DeJesus and Byran LaHair will be on the bench against Mets lefty Jonathan Niese, with Jeff Baker making his fourth start in right field.

 

I mean, he sucks, but his line against LHP this year is .275/.373/.412. And everybody else sucks anyway. Not sure why now is the time to ridicule Sveum for putting Mather in the leadoff spot.

[SouthSideRyan]

Anyone else realize Baker has played exclusively 1B, LF, and RF this season?

[jersey cubs fan]

Anyone else realize Baker has played exclusively 1B, LF, and RF this season?

 

He's played exclusively 3 different positions?

[SouthSideRyan]

Thanks goony.

[bcl412]

I'm going to assume that Rizzo's 1.250 OPS is going to be the norm.

[Cubswin11]

Rizzo hit fairly well against lefties in AAA this year, didn't he? I would still suspect he gets at least one day off against one of the lefties we face in the coming days.

 

Sveum talked before the game about hoping that Rizzo is in the lineup every day for a long time. I don't think he's going to be looking to get him many days off, unless he looks overmatched or somehow frazzled.

I wasn't saying giving him an off day for the sake of an off day. I agree he needs to be out there almost everyday, even if/when he starts to struggle a bit. But what I was getting at is I wonder if he will be allowed to face all lefties or if they will sit him against some, especially good/decent ones. I wouldn't be overly surprised if they sit him against Wandy.

[El Duderino]

He shouldn't be sit against anybody at this point.

[otis89]

He shouldn't be sit against anybody at this point.

 

Exactly. Rizzo should be starting every game, even if Cy Young was brought back from the dead to pitch against the Cubs.

[23sharks]

I'm going to assume that Rizzo's 1.250 OPS is going to be the norm.

 

Na.....When he get's comfortable, it'll be like 1.50. :D