Bleed Cubbie Blue: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:

Around SBN: Phillies Coast Past Brewers, Face L.A. In NLCS Bar-right-arrows

Pregame Thread: Cubs vs. Reds, Tuesday 7/8, 7:05 CT

Yelloncard_tiny by Al on in Game Threads

Cincinnati @ Chicago


Next Game

Cincinnati Reds
@ Chicago Cubs

Tuesday, Jul 8, 2008, 7:05 PM CDT
Wrigley Field

Aaron Harang vs Ryan Dempster

Partly cloudy with a 40-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing out to center field at 5-15 m.p.h. Game Time temperature: Around 85.

Complete Coverage >

For those of you who are worried about the CC Sabathia effect on the Brewers (and he will start tonight at Miller Park vs. the Rockies, leading to much scoreboard-watching, I'm sure), note that Sabathia replaced not Seth McClung or Dave Bush in the Brewers' rotation, but Jeff Suppan, who was placed on the 15-day DL yesterday with an elbow problem. This makes the marginal impact Sabathia will have on the Brewers' rotation smaller. At least, that's how I see it.

At Baseball Prospectus ($), Joe Sheehan agrees with many here who said that the marginal value of adding Sabathia and subtracting someone else is about 2-3 wins.

Today's Starting Pitchers
Ryan Dempster
R. Dempster
Cubs		 vs. Aaron Harang
A.
Harang
Reds
9-3 W-L 3-10
3.24 ERA 4.47
93 SO 102
43 BB 27
11 HR 18
vs. Cin -- vs. Cubs
W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2008 - Ryan Dempster 9-3 18 18 1 0 0 0 111.0 88 47 40 11 43 93 3.24 1.18
W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2008 - Aaron Harang 3-10 19 18 0 0 0 0 118.2 133 62 59 18 27 102 4.47 1.35

Just a year ago, Aaron Harang was one of the top pitchers in baseball, finishing 4th in NL Cy Young voting. Today, he has a terrible 3-10 record and an ERA nearly a run higher than last year's. There's no real obvious reason for this; his WHIP is up (mostly on hits, he still doesn't walk many) and he is on a pace to allow 35 HR, way up from last year's 28. That's good news for the Cubs, who love to hit HR off him (D-Lee, 5 HR in 41 AB; A-Ram, 3 in 35 AB; and Jedmonds, 3 in 32). The Cubs have beaten him twice already this year; Lee and Mark DeRosa homered off him on April 15 at Wrigley Field.

Ryan Dempster righted the ship in his last start at San Francisco; now it's up to the newly-minted All-Star to keep that going. He was the winning pitcher in that April 15 game but lost to the Reds in Cincinnati on May 5 when some shoddy defense led to five unearned runs.

Today's game is on cable in Cincinnati and Chicago and on EI and at the MLB.com Mediacenter.

MLB.com Gameday (2007 version)

MLB.com Gameday (2008 version)

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Today's first pitch thread will post at 7:00 pm CT and the overflow comment threads will post at 8:15 pm and 9:15 pm CT.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

0 recs | Comment 568 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

1st

Nanika Ga Okoru!

by dat cubfan daver on Jul 8, 2008 4:01 PM CDT   0 recs

you need that little clean freak bot

We never give up -- Aramis Ramirez

by Emelie on Jul 8, 2008 4:03 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

TWSS

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Jul 8, 2008 4:07 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

It's 4 pm...a tad early?

Evey Hammond: Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici. V: By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

by dtpollitt on Jul 8, 2008 4:09 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

TNWSS

Alan Trammell: Assistant (to the) Manager

by northsider on Jul 8, 2008 4:33 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

phhhhhttttttz!

We never give up -- Aramis Ramirez

by Emelie on Jul 8, 2008 4:01 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

third…not bad

Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right.
Henry Ford

by BLW Believes Esq. on Jul 8, 2008 4:02 PM CDT   0 recs

Can someone please tell me

what the CC in Sabathia’s name stands for?

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings. ~Earl Wilson

by tucsoncubsfan on Jul 8, 2008 4:05 PM CDT   0 recs

Cy Cy?

Evey Hammond: Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici. V: By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

by dtpollitt on Jul 8, 2008 4:05 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Carsten Charles

now wonder he prefers CC

We never give up -- Aramis Ramirez

by Emelie on Jul 8, 2008 4:06 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Thank you.

That’s not such a bad name. I’ve heard worse.

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings. ~Earl Wilson

by tucsoncubsfan on Jul 8, 2008 4:07 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Creedence Clearwater

Linus: Life is rarely all one way, Charlie Brown. You win some, you lose some. Charlie Brown: Really? Gee, that'd be neat.

by CyberCyclist on Jul 8, 2008 4:09 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

so the Brewers are getting a "revival"? : )

Alan Trammell: Assistant (to the) Manager

by northsider on Jul 8, 2008 4:33 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

With CC up there, there's now a Bad Moon Rising

''Listen, losing Soriano is no box of chocolates.'' ~Lou Piniella

by JohnM on Jul 8, 2008 4:59 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

more like Bad Jupiter.

P.S. Just kidding CC, please sign here in the off-season.

Alan Trammell: Assistant (to the) Manager

by northsider on Jul 8, 2008 5:00 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

If that's true, then "Who'll stop the rain?"

"Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball." - Jacque Barzun

by Bump Bailey on Jul 8, 2008 5:50 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Rich Harden, on his way, just Up Around the Bend

''Listen, losing Soriano is no box of chocolates.'' ~Lou Piniella

by JohnM on Jul 8, 2008 6:50 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Candy Coated?

Linus: Life is rarely all one way, Charlie Brown. You win some, you lose some. Charlie Brown: Really? Gee, that'd be neat.

by CyberCyclist on Jul 8, 2008 4:53 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

No word on if the Zambrano-to-start-All-Star-game is true or not yet??

Evey Hammond: Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici. V: By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

by dtpollitt on Jul 8, 2008 4:06 PM CDT   0 recs

Al...

Thanks for being the calming influence about this whole CC trade. CC who?!

"Remember each day this year, where you were, what you were doing, who you were with, how you felt as the Cubs win their way through it. Because if this does turn out to be the promised land we have all been waiting for, you will want to remember, savor, cherish every moment..."

by CubsBullsBears on Jul 8, 2008 4:07 PM CDT   0 recs

Rider.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Jul 8, 2008 4:07 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

See what you have done

''Listen, losing Soriano is no box of chocolates.'' ~Lou Piniella

by JohnM on Jul 8, 2008 5:01 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

GAME THREAD!

Soon the lights at Wrigley burn
And Dempster from the mound all stern
Will HURL the ball past Cincy bats
As Cubs defenders wear blue hats
DeRosa, Lee will strike the ball
with bats and then will run their all
to score upon Harang all mopey
(Genetics is why he looks all dopey)
And soon from flag post ‘W’ should fly
Whilst Cincy fans sob “Why, Cubs, why?”
Then 10 and 3 will Dempster stand
A victory held in his throwing hand!

"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08

by drewishdrewid on Jul 8, 2008 4:09 PM CDT   0 recs

Bravo!

Nanika Ga Okoru!

by dat cubfan daver on Jul 8, 2008 4:11 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Then to the scoreboard our eyes will go...

To see CC getting pounded by Colorad-O!!!

"Remember each day this year, where you were, what you were doing, who you were with, how you felt as the Cubs win their way through it. Because if this does turn out to be the promised land we have all been waiting for, you will want to remember, savor, cherish every moment..."

by CubsBullsBears on Jul 8, 2008 4:19 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

oooh, very good.

"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08

by drewishdrewid on Jul 8, 2008 5:11 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

In the second verse

Try to work in some Dusty and Corey.

''Listen, losing Soriano is no box of chocolates.'' ~Lou Piniella

by JohnM on Jul 8, 2008 5:03 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I'll right one for the next series. :D

"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08

by drewishdrewid on Jul 8, 2008 5:11 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

"right" or "write"? ;)

Sorry, it’s the journalist in me

by cocknfire on Jul 8, 2008 5:23 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

dangit

that’s what I get for posting too soon after work.

"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08

by drewishdrewid on Jul 8, 2008 5:24 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Cubs need the All Star break

Marmol pitched better the other day. We need him very badly. Man a sweep in St. Louis would have been awesome. That loss really sucked big. Zambrano should take the four days off and get ready for the second half. Soriano, Z, Lee and Koskue could really use the break.

by sanks on Jul 8, 2008 4:20 PM CDT   0 recs

Well hello

423 and we gotta full discussion brewin

by cubs on Jul 8, 2008 4:23 PM CDT   0 recs

Andrew Cashner's bonus was $1.53 million

He’s expected to throw at Wrigley on Wednesday or Thursday.

Hey, it's a new century!

by cowsarecool220 on Jul 8, 2008 4:28 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Who gets sent down??

j/k, j/k

Alan Trammell: Assistant (to the) Manager

by northsider on Jul 8, 2008 4:34 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

So somebody check my math here…...the brewers lost last night and lost a half game. If the cubs win tonight, that makes it a full game, brewers would be 4.5 back. Now what if the brewers should lose tonight? Do they lose another half game or a full game?

by nmcubsfan on Jul 8, 2008 4:34 PM CDT   0 recs

Maths

Half game. With a cubs win, they’d be 5.0 back.

by sfoulkes on Jul 8, 2008 4:35 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Cubs win Brewers lose its 5.

"Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living." - Alvin Dark

by Fishbone2 on Jul 8, 2008 4:35 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

If the Brewers win tonight

the championship trophy will be delevered to Milwaukee after the victory parade on Thursday.
:D

"Whoo, boy! Next time around, bring me back my stomach!" -Jack Brickhouse

by Goodie1969 on Jul 8, 2008 5:10 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

You would think so!

Sheesh… of course, this didn’t start with CC. I was stuck watching the Brewers TV announcers during the opening series, and their play-by-play guy kept referring to it as game 2 of the “championship season”. Presumptuous, maybe?

by Great Odin's Raven on Jul 8, 2008 5:18 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I was told there would be no math.

"Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball." - Jacque Barzun

by Bump Bailey on Jul 8, 2008 5:52 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

cool thanks…......allright I’m off to bed…it’s 1230am in the morning here in Kuwait. Hopefully when I wake up it’s to a cubs win…....

by nmcubsfan on Jul 8, 2008 4:37 PM CDT   0 recs

Stay safe out there.

Alan Trammell: Assistant (to the) Manager

by northsider on Jul 8, 2008 5:03 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

+1

These are the saddest of possible words: "Tinker to Evers to Chance"

by slcathena on Jul 8, 2008 5:55 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Play Ball
the marginal value of adding Sabathia and subtracting someone else is about 2-3 wins.

We won the division last year by 2 games…. Just saying.

As far as tonights game goes, the way DeRosa is swinging the bat, look for a couple dingers against Harang from him tonight!

I’m ready! Your ready, and I know

THIS GUYS READY!

"What a great call! Your doing a fantastic job, but people expect me to come out here and be upset. So I'm gonna kick some dirt, you understand?" - Lou Pinella

by Lou In Blue on Jul 8, 2008 4:47 PM CDT   0 recs

And how bad did we start off the season last year?

How many games back were we down?

Just sayin’ :)

by Slim1256 on Jul 8, 2008 4:48 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

we're not going to win the division

by only 2 games this year. The margin will be much greater than that. Those two wins MIGHT get Milwaukee past St. Louis for second, and therefore maybe the WC.

"We expect to win. We go out to win. So we're just living up to our own expectations." Derrek Lee, 5/29/08

by drewishdrewid on Jul 8, 2008 5:13 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

TOO EARLY for Milton!!!!

Evey Hammond: Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici. V: By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

by dtpollitt on Jul 8, 2008 5:17 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Gah!

Seriously!!!

These are the saddest of possible words: "Tinker to Evers to Chance"

by slcathena on Jul 8, 2008 5:55 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Well...

at least the sign is covered.

by jbau on Jul 8, 2008 5:57 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

This the point.....

"What a great call! Your doing a fantastic job, but people expect me to come out here and be upset. So I'm gonna kick some dirt, you understand?" - Lou Pinella

by Lou In Blue on Jul 8, 2008 6:24 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

er Thus

"What a great call! Your doing a fantastic job, but people expect me to come out here and be upset. So I'm gonna kick some dirt, you understand?" - Lou Pinella

by Lou In Blue on Jul 8, 2008 6:24 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Care to elaborate?

Alan Trammell: Assistant (to the) Manager

by northsider on Jul 8, 2008 4:54 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

He just discards Sabathia's April stats!

Just… calls them “abberant” and dismisses them entirely! I wish I still had a BP subscription so I could cancel it.

I has a blog.

by cwyers on Jul 8, 2008 4:56 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

LOL

"What a great call! Your doing a fantastic job, but people expect me to come out here and be upset. So I'm gonna kick some dirt, you understand?" - Lou Pinella

by Lou In Blue on Jul 8, 2008 4:56 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

For the lazy:
Sabathia has allowed 54 runs in 122 1/3 innings (3.94 RA), averaging a bit more than 6 2/3 IP per start. That includes Sabathia’s clearly aberrational April; if you consider his true level to be what he’s done in his last 14 starts, it’s a 2.33 RA in 7 1/3 IP per. Regress that, split the difference—let’s not pretend we can predict player performance to two decimal places over half a season—and you can expect that Sabathia is about a 3.00 ERA pitcher giving you seven innings a start.

Alan Trammell: Assistant (to the) Manager

by northsider on Jul 8, 2008 4:58 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Abberational?

I didn’t know CC was an Aussie!

Eat More Katsui

by CaliCub on Jul 8, 2008 6:46 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Pitch a good

game Dempster.

Score first and score often.

by sue369 on Jul 8, 2008 4:53 PM CDT   0 recs

Dare I say...

TWSS?

"What a great call! Your doing a fantastic job, but people expect me to come out here and be upset. So I'm gonna kick some dirt, you understand?" - Lou Pinella

by Lou In Blue on Jul 8, 2008 4:54 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

By sending a lot of batters to the plate?

Alan Trammell: Assistant (to the) Manager

by northsider on Jul 8, 2008 4:55 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I think you will get your wish...

On both Demp pitching well, and scoring early & often.

Jimmyeatworld

by Jimmyeatworld on Jul 8, 2008 4:55 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

HARANG

LIGHT EM UP

"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry
"Swung on belted!!!"---Chip

by Hammer on Jul 8, 2008 4:56 PM CDT   0 recs

Thought you were dead dude? :)

"What a great call! Your doing a fantastic job, but people expect me to come out here and be upset. So I'm gonna kick some dirt, you understand?" - Lou Pinella

by Lou In Blue on Jul 8, 2008 4:56 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

+1

Alan Trammell: Assistant (to the) Manager

by northsider on Jul 8, 2008 4:58 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs