7/31 Mariners (King Felix) @ Cubs (Overlord Matusz) 7:00PM CST ESPN

[Clem Fandango]

The Cubs face one of their tougher challenges since the All-Star Break against perennial all-star and Cy Young candidate King Felix Hernandez. That's the bad news. The good news is Felix hasn't been very regal this year and has a modest 3.45 ERA, but that comes with a career worst 6.9 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 (2nd worst since 2008). Felix is not himself this year, and the Cubs can work with that.

 

Here's a preview of Felix's start against the Cubs tomorrow

 

http://i.imgur.com/sp90aPV.jpg?2

 

That's him wincing in pain from all the deep donging the Cubs will give him.

 

Meanwhile we have our new Lord and Savior Brian Matusz, fresh off of the Orioles discarded future Cy Young pile, going for us in his first start in a Cubs uniform. For those who are familiar with Brian, they'll remember him as a wishy-washy reliever and failed starter in the Orioles organization who no doubt was probably forbidden from dancing the lambada/throwing the cutter. So they released him and to the Orioles fans biggest fears, the Cubs picked him up and immediately are dreading how he does. For those who were unaware, Matusz is a former top prospect (#5 in all of baseball in 2010) and 4th overall pick in 2008, ahead of such talent as Buster Posey and... well that's kinda it. Everyone else either didn't sign that year (Gerrit Cole) or has turned to milquetoast garbage (Cashner)

 

While Matusz was getting stretched out in the minors, since joining the Cubs he has delivered these numbers over the course of 4 starts and 5 appearances across 3 levels (Rookie, AA, and AAA):

 

17.2 IP 23 K 6 BB 12.03 K/9 3.13 BB/9 .243 BABIP 2.61 FIP

 

So he's not doing too bad, and considering the Cubs FO claimed they found a flaw in his mechanics and fixed it, and probably let him start dancing the lambada again, he's clearly going to be Jake's BF4L. Here's a photo of him in a Cubs uniform so you can get used to him dazzling us with his amazing feats of ball throwing prowess:

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/images/players/head_shot/451085.jpg

 

That's the only photo there is and it's clearly photoshopped, but that will change tomorrow. MATUSZ TO THE RESCUE!*

 

 

*If Brian Matusz is terrible I'm sorry for getting your hopes up. Remain vigilant.

[Derwood]

That photo of Matusz is the best

[stitchface]

er,

 

Matusz had a 3.20 ERA in 19 2/3 innings over 13 career appearances against the Mariners while with the Orioles, with the first 12 of those games coming in relief. Robinson Cano has hit .316 with two homers against him in 42 plate appearances, while Nelson Cruz has batted .583 with three doubles and two homers in 13 PAs.

[davell]

It looks like he's taking a picture while taking a horsefeathers.

[Sammy Sofa]

He has tiny...uh...upper half of head.

[Pushfrog98]

I'm going to the game. When we bought tickets, it was scheduled as a day game with a possibility of being a night game because of ESPN. My daughters bedtime is usually about 8:30, but it's her first trip to Wrigley and she's excited. We're hoping to get her in on the Kids Corral so she can get some autographs.

 

Kinda bummed to not see Hendricks.

[davell]

He has tiny...uh...upper half of head.

 

I wonder if its a block that ends right above the eyebrows? Think Lucy Liu post Kill Bill swordfight.

[Omar]

Mariners v. Matusz

Name                 PA AB  H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO   BA  OBP   SLG   OPS SH SF IBB HBP GDP missG
Robinson Cano        42 38 12  2  0  2   5  4  7 .316 .381  .526  .907  0  0   1   0         1
Nelson Cruz          13 12  7  3  0  2   5  1  2 .583 .615 1.333 1.949  0  0   0   0         0
Kyle Seager          11 11  4  1  0  1   3  0  4 .364 .364  .727 1.091  0  0   0   0         0
Adam Lind             7  6  1  0  0  0   0  1  2 .167 .286  .167  .452  0  0   0   0         0
Seth Smith            6  6  1  0  0  0   0  0  2 .167 .167  .167  .333  0  0   0   0         0
Franklin Gutierrez    4  4  0  0  0  0   0  0  1 .000 .000  .000  .000  0  0   0   0         0
Chris Iannetta        4  3  0  0  0  0   0  1  1 .000 .250  .000  .250  0  0   0   0         0
Leonys Martin         3  3  1  0  0  0   0  0  0 .333 .333  .333  .667  0  0   0   0         0
Wade LeBlanc          2  2  0  0  0  0   0  0  1 .000 .000  .000  .000  0  0   0   0         0
Nori Aoki             1  1  0  0  0  0   0  0  0 .000 .000  .000  .000  0  0   0   0         1
Mike Zunino           1  1  0  0  0  0   0  0  1 .000 .000  .000  .000  0  0   0   0         0
Total                94 87 26  6  0  5  13  7 21 .299 .351  .540  .891  0  0   1   0         2
Has not faced: Dae-ho Lee, Shawn O'Malley and Luis Sardinas & Has not faced pitchers: Steve Cishek, Edwin Diaz, Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma, Nate Karns, Wade Miley, Vidal Nuno, James Paxton, Drew Storen and Tom Wilhelmsen

 

Cubs v. Hernandez

Name             PA AB  H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO   BA  OBP  SLG  OPS SH SF IBB HBP GDP missG
Ben Zobrist      45 37  5  0  0  0   4  6 11 .135 .244 .135 .380  0  2   0   0         2
Dexter Fowler    14 14  4  0  0  0   0  0  4 .286 .286 .286 .571  0  0   0   0         1
Jason Heyward     7  6  2  0  0  0   0  1  3 .333 .429 .333 .762  0  0   0   0         0
Chris Coghlan     5  5  0  0  0  0   0  0  0 .000 .000 .000 .000  0  0   0   0         1
David Ross        4  4  0  0  0  0   0  0  1 .000 .000 .000 .000  0  0   0   0         0
Miguel Montero    3  3  1  0  0  0   0  0  0 .333 .333 .333 .667  0  0   0   0         0
Total            78 69 12  0  0  0   4  7 19 .174 .244 .174 .418  0  2   0   0         4
Has not faced: Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, Willson Contreras, Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell and Matt Szczur & Has not faced pitchers: Jake Arrieta, Aroldis Chapman, Carl Edwards, Justin Grimm, Jason Hammel, Kyle Hendricks, John Lackey, Jon Lester, Mike Montgomery, Joe Nathan, Hector Rondon, Pedro Strop and Travis Wood

[Clem Fandango]

er,

 

Matusz had a 3.20 ERA in 19 2/3 innings over 13 career appearances against the Mariners while with the Orioles, with the first 12 of those games coming in relief. Robinson Cano has hit .316 with two homers against him in 42 plate appearances, while Nelson Cruz has batted .583 with three doubles and two homers in 13 PAs.

 

That was old Matusz. This is new and improved Matusz. He's gonna poop all over these guys, literally and figuratively.

[davell]

We're sending Grimm down for this? That seems odd, considering how well he's pitched recently. Why not Montgomery?

[wvcbxl]

We're sending Grimm down for this? That seems odd, considering how well he's pitched recently. Why not Montgomery?

 

Montgomery can't be sent down; he doesn't have options.

[davell]

We're sending Grimm down for this? That seems odd, considering how well he's pitched recently. Why not Montgomery?

 

Montgomery can't be sent down; he doesn't have options.

 

I thought he did have one more option.

[rocket]

if we hurry we can trade for lucroy so he can catch tonight

[Agony and Ivy]

Matusz in the Cubs MiLB system: 41% K rate. 11.7 K/9. 3.05 BB/9. 0.51 HR/9.

 

Arrieta in Cubs MiLB system in 2013: 28.7% K rate. 11.57 K/9. 4.75 BB/9. 0.59 HR/9.

 

Safe to say Matusz will be winning a Cy Young in the near future.

[wvcbxl]

We're sending Grimm down for this? That seems odd, considering how well he's pitched recently. Why not Montgomery?

 

Montgomery can't be sent down; he doesn't have options.

 

I thought he did have one more option.

 

TheCubReporter thinks he doesn't: http://www.thecubreporter.com/cubs-40-man-roster

[minnesotacubsfan]

I'm not uber excited about this pitching matchup

[Gilby]

I'm not uber excited about this pitching matchup

 

Neither is Orioles hangout.

[Post Count Padder]

We're sending Grimm down for this? That seems odd, considering how well he's pitched recently. Why not Montgomery?

Considering it was likely this vs sending Edwards down, it's fine for now. Grimm has pitched better of late but I'm not sure he'll even be down that long.

[Clem Fandango]

Matusz in the Cubs MiLB system: 41% K rate. 11.7 K/9. 3.05 BB/9. 0.51 HR/9.

 

Arrieta in Cubs MiLB system in 2013: 28.7% K rate. 11.57 K/9. 4.75 BB/9. 0.59 HR/9.

 

Safe to say Matusz will be winning a Cy Young in the near future.

 

I'm not uber excited about this pitching matchup

 

Neither is Orioles hangout.

 

These two get it. Get on that Matuszmobile, everybody!

[Aaron_Kennelly]

Matusz is going to Arrieta it almost immediately and he'll end up starting Game 1 of the NLDS.

[stitchface]

We're sending Grimm down for this? That seems odd, considering how well he's pitched recently. Why not Montgomery?

Considering it was likely this vs sending Edwards down, it's fine for now. Grimm has pitched better of late but I'm not sure he'll even be down that long.

 

 

I'm guessing after Monday the Cubs will need to sort out their roster for August. Soler will be back. Are they going to leave LaStella down? Lots of choices to be made unless there are more trades (or maybe even more so). Grimm going down is really probably just like letting him rest for a couple days.

[raisetheflag]

This game has a huge possibility of taxing the bullpen. After blowing yesterdays game. I can't imagine how Joe would think today's match up would be favorable for Matusz going against Felix.

[Clem Fandango]

Secretly I really want Matusz to do well because back in a 2009 keeper league that I had yet to understand the rules they had in place I stupidly traded Carl Crawford and Ryan Howard and a bunch of points to keep them for the following season for Miguel Cabrera, who I then promptly and even more stupidly traded to acquire Brian Matusz.

 

So I really need some validation here, Brian. Also the Cubs need you, but me first.

[Liam Neeson]

Matusz had to be called up by a certain date.

[David]

I'm not uber excited about this pitching matchup

 

Felix has been very mediocre this year.