4/3 CUBS (Jackson) @ Pit (Rodriguez) 6:05 CSN

[GammonsPocketTweets]

Crap, I thought this game was today, I forgot about the day off after opening day :banghead:

[Guest]

I'm still a little worried that DeJesus/Sappelt will at least not start as a straight platoon.

 

I'm worried that we're giving Schierholtz a chance to prove he's an "everyday" player and won't leverage Sappelt effectively.

 

Huh?

 

Are you forgetting about Hairston?

 

I'm thinking instead of going Sappelt in CF and Hairston in RF, they'll go Hairston in CF and Schierholtz in RF.

 

I am severely doubting this happens.

[Gilby]

I bet both Sappelt and Hairston will be in there. I might not be remembering correctly, but it seems like Dale would really stack the lineup with righties last season vs a LHP even in cases where it made sense to sprinkle in some left-handed hitting. Wouldn't shock me if both Lillibridge and Gonzalez start.

[Careless]

Damn the stupid day off in between.

Off-day Tuesday to begin the season needs to be scrapped.

[Guest]

Might be the only time all year, but the Cubs are all alone in first place after Milwaukee's loss to Colorado today.

[FloridaCubbie]

go cubs!

[Smack]

Might be the only time all year, but the Cubs are all alone in first place after Milwaukee's loss to Colorado today.

 

I'm reminding all the Brewer fans of this at work.

[rocket]

I don't remember the Cubs having gone 2-0 since I've been a Cubs fan so I decided to look it up.

 

They haven't gone 2-0 to start a season since 1995. Not that it really matters over the course of 162 games but that just seems strange.

 

there was about a 3 year stretch where the cubs seemed to average 15 runs every opening game only to suck the next 3 games.

[Guest]

I don't remember the Cubs having gone 2-0 since I've been a Cubs fan so I decided to look it up.

 

They haven't gone 2-0 to start a season since 1995. Not that it really matters over the course of 162 games but that just seems strange.

 

there was about a 3 year stretch where the cubs seemed to average 15 runs every opening game only to suck the next 3 games.

 

I remembered this too and wanted to see just how many times we had those huge opening day run totals

 

03 - Beat Mets 15-2

04 - Beat Reds 7-4

05 - Beat Diamondbacks 16-6

06 - Beat Reds 16-7

[SouthSideRyan]

That '05 Opening Day was shaping up to be such a great day...

[jersey cubs fan]

that mets game was cold. as soon as the sun went away it was brutal

[Guest]

Lineup via twitter:

 

Sappelt CF

Castro SS

Rizzo 1B

Soriano LF

Hairston RF

Castillo C

Lillibridge 3B

Gonzalez 2B

Jackson P

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Well, the 7 and 8 hole is depressing, but I suppose that can't be helped right now.

[Guest]

Lineup via twitter:

 

Sappelt CF

Castro SS

Rizzo 1B

Soriano LF

Hairston RF

Castillo C

Lillibridge 3B

Gonzalez 2B

Jackson P

 

So glad to see signs of a straight platoon in CF and RF.

[sneakypower]

Lillibridge at 3B and against a LHP isn't nearly as bothersome to me

[Jake]

Marte 7

Jones 9

Cutch 8

Pedro 5

Gaby 3

Walker 4

Martin 2

Barmes 6

Wandy 1

 

It's like deja vu all over again.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

So glad to see signs of a straight platoon in CF and RF.

 

Yes. As is so often the case, my worries are unfounded.

 

I wonder if we should have considered a Vitters call-up here. We might be better off vs. lefties with Vitters at 3b and Lillibridge at 2b than this configuration.

 

Then again, Gonzalez has vaguely acceptable career numbers vs. lefties, right down to the peripherals.

 

We should be favored to win this game. We have a better pitcher and our anti-lefty lineup isn't half-bad.

[Cubswin11]

So glad to see signs of a straight platoon in CF and RF.

 

Yes. As is so often the case, my worries are unfounded.

 

I wonder if we should have considered a Vitters call-up here. We might be better off vs. lefties with Vitters at 3b and Lillibridge at 2b than this configuration.

 

Then again, Gonzalez has vaguely acceptable career numbers vs. lefties, right down to the peripherals.

 

We should be favored to win this game. We have a better pitcher and our anti-lefty lineup isn't half-bad.

Is Vitters even healthy yet?

[sneakypower]

didn't realize Valbuena had heavy reverse-platoon split

 

65 wRC+ vs. RHP

97 wRC+ vs. LHP

 

well, that does complicate matters

[Guest]

didn't realize Valbuena had heavy reverse-platoon split

 

65 wRC+ vs. RHP

97 wRC+ vs. LHP

 

well, that does complicate matters

 

is that career? 3 year? whichever it is, how does lillibridge look?

[sneakypower]

career

 

Lillibridge is a career 89 wRC+ (vs. LHP) opposed to 51 for righties

 

so they're both (he & Valbuena) historically completely dreadful vs. RHPs, but borderline adequate otherwise

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I think that's just a sample size thing. Valbuena had normal platoon splits in the minors.

 

Lillibridge in the majors has crazy power splits against lefties (15 HR in 305 PAs career). Still no OBP.

 

If he's going to be useful (he isn't), he needs to hit in games like tonight.

[bcl412]

Hope Jackson can get a lot of swing and misses in the cold weather.

[bukie]

Hope Jackson can get a lot of swing and misses in the cold weather.

Ohhhh, Edwin Jackson.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Hope Jackson can get a lot of swing and misses in the cold weather.

Ohhhh, Edwin Jackson.

 

That was my first reaction as well.