All of you know, I'm sure, that Greg Maddux needs six strikeouts for 3,000.

He has started twenty games and struck out seventy-eight, an average of a little under four per start, so the odds are he won't get the six today.

If he does, the Cubs will become the first franchise to have two pitchers achieve this milestone in their uniform, for what that's worth. If not, he'll get another chance next Tuesday at home.

Today's Starting Pitchers

G. Maddux Cubs vs. E. Milton Reds 8-7 W-L 4-10 4.51 ERA 6.93 78 SO 72 21 BB 32 17 HR 29

Damn, that's a lot of home runs, by both of these pitchers. Milton is on pace to allow 49 home runs this year, which would be just short of the single-season record, 50, set by Bert Blyleven in 1986. The single-season NL record is 48, set in 2000 by Jose Lima.

It's going to be hot and humid in Cincinnati today, the ballpark's a launching pad to begin with, and baseballs always carry better in day games than night games.

This oughta be fun. Let's hope we hit more than they do.

Also, my SportsBLOGS colleague Larry over at Viva El Birdos received a translation of Choi Hoon's Korean cartoon yesterday.

Discuss amongst yourselves.