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Pregame Thread: Cubs vs. Cardinals, Friday 8/8, 1:20 CT

St. Louis Cardinals @ Chicago Cubs



Next Game

St. Louis Cardinals
@ Chicago Cubs

Friday, Aug 8, 2008, 1:20 PM CDT
Wrigley Field

Complete Coverage >


Today is, as you no doubt know, the 20th anniversary of the first scheduled night game at Wrigley Field, which, as you also know, was rained out. Shameless promo: if you still don't have a copy of Wrigley Season Ticket, I wrote a long article on the events leading up to the first night game, and the game itself, for that annual. (Order by clicking on the link.) The weather today couldn't be more different from that night. On 8/8/88, at game time it was unbelievably muggy and 99 degrees (and ironically, had they played the 8/8/88 game during the day, they'd have had no problems -- it was dry all day). Today, it'll be in the upper 70's with light winds and bright sunshine.

In yet another manifestation of how bizarre this year's schedule is, today is the first 2008 meeting at Wrigley Field between the Cubs and Cardinals -- one of baseball's biggest rivalries. To put this off for 115 games is just ridiculous. Imagine if ESPN's favorite East Coast teams didn't play at Fenway till early August. They'd have been screaming about it since April.

You're likely to see tons of red-clad fans in Chicago all weekend, as both the Red Sox and Cardinals are in town; the White Sox and Cubs are home on the same day nine times this month. The link above gives some reasons for this, and some of the rest of this year's bizarre schedule:

"It's more of a quirk than anything," said Katy Feeney, Major League Baseball's senior vice president for scheduling and club relations.

Feeney said the 2008 schedule has more teams home or away at the same time in New York, the Bay Area and Washington-Baltimore, in addition to Chicago. She pointed to the Democratic and Republic conventions and the Pope's decision to visit Yankee Stadium in New York and Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., as factors behind the unusual schedule.

If those things are true -- then the 2009 schedule ought to be better. Let's hope so. Enough now -- we have an important series this weekend.

Today's Starting Pitchers
Ted Lilly
T. Lilly
Cubs
vs. Braden Looper
B. Looper
Cardinals
11-6 W-L 10-9
4.35 ERA 4.29
129 SO 65
50 BB 32
25 HR 19
vs. Stl -- vs. Cubs

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2008 - Ted Lilly 11-6 24 24 0 0 0 0 140.2 139 71 68 25 50 129 4.35 1.34


W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2008 - Braden Looper 10-9 23 23 1 1 0 0 134.1 151 69 64 19 32 65 4.29 1.36

Those stat lines are pretty similar -- except for the strikeouts; Lilly has nearly twice as many as Looper. Lilly has thrown two good games vs. the Cardinals already this year, and has a win and a no-decision, the ND coming July 5 in the game Kerry Wood blew in the 9th. Lilly allowed a HR by Rick Ankiel, who has missed 11 straight games and may or may not play in this series. Lilly also has to be careful around Albert Pujols (.381/.458/.762, 8-for-21, 2 doubles, 2 HR.

The day before Lilly's game in July, Braden Looper allowed the Cubs only two runs in seven innings, but thanks to Carlos Zambrano, the Cubs won that game anyway, 2-1. They'll have to hit Looper better today to win. Looper's done pretty well vs. the current Cub lineup; only Geovany Soto has done well (small sample size: 3-for-5, a double, a HR). Kosuke Fukudome and Derrek Lee have also homered off Looper.

Today's game is on cable in the Chicago and St. Louis markets. Check your EI listings. Also see the MLB.com Mediacenter.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

If you happen to visit the SBN Cardinals site Viva El Birdos during this series, play nice. Larry runs a good site and there are good people over there. I enjoy the Cubs/Cardinals rivalry and though I want the Cubs to win every single game they play vs. St. Louis, there's no need to be nasty about it. Thanks.

Once again, a reminder that you can find the overflow comment threads, including the first pitch thread, on the right sidebar of both the front page and any interior page in the box headed "RECENT STORIES IN GAME THREADS". Today's first pitch thread posts at 1:15 pm CT, and the overflow comment threads will post at 2:15, 3:15 and 3:45 pm CT.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

0 recs | Comment 281 comments

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i...

...cant wait to leave the office and get to wrigley!!!!! go cubs!

Brian McRae's 5 O'Clock Shadow

by PurpleLineToWrigley on Aug 8, 2008 9:55 AM CDT   0 recs

Amen

I’m in the same boat. Official office trip to the ballpark, but the boss couldn’t make it. The anticipation level is at an all-time high right about now.

by SuperContext on Aug 8, 2008 10:27 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Now, THAT...

...is about as ideal as possible…

Brian McRae's 5 O'Clock Shadow

by PurpleLineToWrigley on Aug 8, 2008 10:27 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Oh thank a higher power (Cookie Monster?)

new content.

Sorry folks, parks closed. Moose out front should have told you.

by N Oakley on Aug 8, 2008 9:57 AM CDT   0 recs

Are the Spiders off today?

Brian McRae's 5 O'Clock Shadow

by PurpleLineToWrigley on Aug 8, 2008 9:58 AM CDT   0 recs

Yes.

I did note that as many runs as the Spiders scored, its a wonder their record is that bad.

Sorry folks, parks closed. Moose out front should have told you.

by N Oakley on Aug 8, 2008 10:01 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Can someone explain that entire concept to me?

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Aug 8, 2008 10:13 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

SWL is bored at work and very creative.

His addiction to game threads led him to create one for an off day.

He elected to pick an historical opponent, and to make certain the cub bench players won, picked the worst team in history.

Sorry folks, parks closed. Moose out front should have told you.

by N Oakley on Aug 8, 2008 10:15 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Clever idea, actually.

Was just wondering how it all got started.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Aug 8, 2008 10:22 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

He said he followed the PBP of the Sandberg game

True?

"Thank god I threw out my belt & shoelaces."-Bernies Mustache Wax on Evil BCB, 7/31/08

by Bildo1805 on Aug 8, 2008 10:27 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Credit the sick and twisted mind of SWL.

Sorry folks, parks closed. Moose out front should have told you.

by N Oakley on Aug 8, 2008 10:34 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Yup.

Pack a lunch. You’ll be there a while.

Sorry folks, parks closed. Moose out front should have told you.

by N Oakley on Aug 8, 2008 10:39 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Interesting stuff.

I know there’s over 800 comments in there. I may try to get through it at some point.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Aug 8, 2008 10:40 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

you really should. It’s almost a memorial to your site.

BTW – It says you were the guest conductor for TMOTTBG.

Sorry folks, parks closed. Moose out front should have told you.

by N Oakley on Aug 8, 2008 10:42 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

It also says

that he didn’t sing so well….

by Shanghai Badger on Aug 8, 2008 10:44 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

It was one of the most clever thing's I've seen

in a while. It had everything that is right about this website in it. Every LBR-type nickname, the trolls, the references that only a BCB reader would understand.

Priceless stuff that belongs in the BCB hall of fame.

Proud recipient of a hot dog shot from the Iowa Cubs hot dog gun.

by IowaCubs- on Aug 8, 2008 11:19 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

indeed

if there’s any way to preserve it on the site, Al, you should.

’’If somebody had told me we were going to lose Soriano for eight weeks, lose [Carlos] Zambrano and Kerry Wood for a couple of weeks apiece, and then at the same time lose [Reed] Johnson, and then when we played the American League not have a DH [then-injured Daryle Ward], and be in first place by two games, I’d tell you we were pretty fortunate.’’ Lou Piniella (7/23/08)

by drewishdrewid on Aug 8, 2008 12:09 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Thanks

Can’t believe I missed this yesterday, I was so bored at work. Will read through it now though.

Go ahead, Z me.

by tony412 on Aug 8, 2008 10:41 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

It's a thing of beauty.

The other sports are just sports. Baseball is a love. ~Bryant Gumbel

by Blue W on Aug 8, 2008 10:56 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

But how did they "play" the game?

Was it some sort of computer simulation?

As you can tell, I didn’t get the concept either, so I abstained from that thread – especially after it got up into the 100+ comments range.

Nanika Ga Okoru!

by dat cubfan daver on Aug 8, 2008 11:14 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Same here.

Perusing it now it appers SWL just followed the PBP of the Sandberg game and transcribed it batter-by-batter.

make/art

by neverAcquiesce on Aug 8, 2008 11:17 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Which is AWESOME

Brian McRae's 5 O'Clock Shadow

by PurpleLineToWrigley on Aug 8, 2008 11:17 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Dang, now I may HAVE to go back and read it.

Wish I wasn’t so busy at work today…

Nanika Ga Okoru!

by dat cubfan daver on Aug 8, 2008 12:31 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Having a day off as a fan was kinda nice...

while at the same time it was agony. Separation anxiety. Looking forward to the game today, thank goodness it is a day game, I’m not sure I could bear waiting until tonight.

Jimmyeatworld

by Jimmyeatworld on Aug 8, 2008 10:03 AM CDT   0 recs

Having the day off

allowed me to catch up on Brett Favre…I mean, since he hasn’t been in the news or anything lately…

Brian McRae's 5 O'Clock Shadow

by PurpleLineToWrigley on Aug 8, 2008 10:03 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

my question is this

Joba vs Farve….who wins as ESPN top story?

"We've had our ups and downs, but as long as you have a reason, something to fall back on and a plan, that's all there is to it," Soto said.

by Madison Cub Fan on Aug 8, 2008 10:10 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Thats easy

The Red Sox

"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 Aug 8, 2008 10:10 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Their love child, Joba Favre

cue SWL for the baby picture.

Sorry folks, parks closed. Moose out front should have told you.

by N Oakley on Aug 8, 2008 10:12 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Manny being Manny in LA...

tie Manny into that, and I think I smell a sports broadcast emmy.

"...the internet is not something you just dump something on. It's not a truck. It's a series of tubes." - Sen. Ted Stevens

by bobby h on Aug 8, 2008 10:58 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Hasn't SWL worked hard enough this week?

Let’s give the guy a break, eh?

Proud recipient of a hot dog shot from the Iowa Cubs hot dog gun.

by IowaCubs- on Aug 8, 2008 11:12 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Talking to some Cards fans the last few days

They really don’t want to face Lilly. For whatever reason they apparently have a lot of trouble with lefty pitching.

Hopefully that stays true, winning the first game of this series will set a nice tone for the whole weekend.

Missouri Tigers 2008 Cotton Bowl Champs

by nji232 on Aug 8, 2008 10:09 AM CDT   0 recs

ESPN

Turned it on around 9:15 Wednesday night to see if Baseball Tonight was on. Nope. It was a Yankees/Rangers game. Damn – don’t they ever show a non-Yankees game?

And Al is right – imagine the outcry from ESPN if the Yanks hadn’t gone to Fenway by game 115.

"Hey hey, kiss it goodbye! That one's in Milwaukee! Man oh man did he hit it. Isn't that something?" - Lou Boudreau, May 17, 1979

by danimal15 on Aug 8, 2008 10:11 AM CDT   0 recs

and also to be fair...

... i would be happy to never have to watch another cubs game on ESPN

"...the internet is not something you just dump something on. It's not a truck. It's a series of tubes." - Sen. Ted Stevens

by bobby h on Aug 8, 2008 10:59 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

+1

Proud recipient of a hot dog shot from the Iowa Cubs hot dog gun.

by IowaCubs- on Aug 8, 2008 11:27 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

+1000

CRAFTY BEAVER!!!

by lostinthevines on Aug 8, 2008 12:07 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

But to us out-of-towners

without EI or mlb.tv the ESPN games are a (muted) godsend.

make/art

by neverAcquiesce on Aug 8, 2008 12:08 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

even in-town...

even here in chicago, i’m still sometimes forced to watch the cubs on ESPN, but that doesn’t make it suck any less.

"...the internet is not something you just dump something on. It's not a truck. It's a series of tubes." - Sen. Ted Stevens

by bobby h on Aug 8, 2008 12:34 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Sunday night rights, I assume.

But you can at least mute it and put Pat and Ron on.

make/art

by neverAcquiesce on Aug 8, 2008 12:38 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

especially with

Joe Morgan on color commentary. Man, he sucks.

by DWChaney on Aug 8, 2008 12:29 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I was half expecting this to be another Spiders thread...

Proud recipient of a hot dog shot from the Iowa Cubs hot dog gun.

by IowaCubs- on Aug 8, 2008 10:18 AM CDT   0 recs

Carl: I was looping in Nepal.

Kid: Looping?

Carl: You know – A Looper, a caddy, A jock.

"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris

by willie mays hayes' gloves on Aug 8, 2008 10:18 AM CDT   0 recs

....and when I die, I’ll reach total enlightenment, so, I got that goin for me.

Sorry folks, parks closed. Moose out front should have told you.

by N Oakley on Aug 8, 2008 10:20 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

which is nice.

"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris

by willie mays hayes' gloves on Aug 8, 2008 10:26 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Looper

Do you know what the Lama says? Gunga galunga… gunga, gunga-galunga.

Proud recipient of a hot dog shot from the Iowa Cubs hot dog gun.

by IowaCubs- on Aug 8, 2008 11:14 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Hey Lama - How 'bout something for the effort?

"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris

by willie mays hayes' gloves on Aug 8, 2008 11:18 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I love the pitchfork in there for emphasis...

classic Bill Murray!

Proud recipient of a hot dog shot from the Iowa Cubs hot dog gun.

by IowaCubs- on Aug 8, 2008 11:22 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah, during the whole movie he looked stoned to the bejeezus!!!!!!!

"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris

by willie mays hayes' gloves on Aug 8, 2008 11:26 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Cannonball it!

Proud recipient of a hot dog shot from the Iowa Cubs hot dog gun.

by IowaCubs- on Aug 8, 2008 11:28 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

In times like these I rely on superior intelligence and superior firepower!

"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris

by willie mays hayes' gloves on Aug 8, 2008 11:31 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Okay that's it...

I just ordered it on Netflix. You just made my weekend. I thank you sir.

Proud recipient of a hot dog shot from the Iowa Cubs hot dog gun.

by IowaCubs- on Aug 8, 2008 11:37 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

You know, as much as we've complained about the awful scheduling this year

the Cubs have had the best season any of us have ever seen. Maybe there’s something to this.

make/art

by neverAcquiesce on Aug 8, 2008 10:19 AM CDT   0 recs

SHHH!

If that’s the case, don’t tell anyone!

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Aug 8, 2008 10:22 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Thank goodness

baseball is back in town.

Let’s push the Cardinals even farther into our rear view mirror!!!

"Very adroit in the outfield." - Lou, on Dome

by gwood on Aug 8, 2008 10:27 AM CDT   0 recs

OT: Went to Soldier Field last night...

...for the Bears-Chiefs game. It was very…well…pre-seasonish, and no one was overly impressive, but it was still nice to see football…

Although since yesterday was an of-day, and today the Cubbies are back, football takes a backseat. Unless anyone wants to talk Favre…kidding!

Brian McRae's 5 O'Clock Shadow

by PurpleLineToWrigley on Aug 8, 2008 10:32 AM CDT   0 recs

It's going to be

a long, cold and boring winter from the look of things. I’m not much of a hockey fan but that appears to be our best hope. It sure would be nice to have a nice DVD collection of a certain team winning the World Series.

Go ahead, Z me.

by tony412 on Aug 8, 2008 10:36 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

not to mention, the later the Cubs play, the less crappy football to watch.

Sorry folks, parks closed. Moose out front should have told you.

by N Oakley on Aug 8, 2008 10:41 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Are you sure that eas football you saw? It didn't look

like much to me.

"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris

by willie mays hayes' gloves on Aug 8, 2008 10:39 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Ugh football...

Football season makes me sad… It reminds me that baseball is almost over. I don’t want this season to end.

Proud recipient of a hot dog shot from the Iowa Cubs hot dog gun.

by IowaCubs- on Aug 8, 2008 11:30 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Fret not.

We still got three more months.

(fingers crossed)

make/art

by neverAcquiesce on Aug 8, 2008 11:48 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Count me as a football hater as well.

OK, OK…maybe “hater” is too strong a word. I respect the game; I’m just not into it. And I get increasingly resentful as the football coverage starts worming it’s way into every aspect of sports media, pushing baseball into the crowded sideline like an ill-placed mascot. This whole Favre things certainly didn’t help either.

Nanika Ga Okoru!

by dat cubfan daver on Aug 8, 2008 12:34 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I think my tag line says it all......

Football and basketball are just things to do between baseball seasons.

by MetsSuck on Aug 8, 2008 12:57 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs