Chicago Cubs vs. San Francisco Giants Preview, Wednesday 8/31, 2:45 CT: Going For A Rarity
by Al Yellon on Aug 31, 2011 1:00 PM CDT
in Chicago Cubs Game Threads
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The last time the Cubs swept the Giants in San Francisco was in 1993, when they took a three-game set from Sept. 13-15. In fact, that was a pretty good accomplishment, because that Giants team won 103 games and missed the then wild-card-less postseason by just one game; the Atlanta Braves won 104 and the NL West. The 1993 Cubs were the only Cubs team between 1972 and 1995 to finish with a winning record and not make the playoffs. The Cubs have swept a three-game series only two other times in San Francisco since the Giants moved there in 1958: in 1967 and 1977.
Winning pitchers in that series were Greg Hibbard, Jose Bautista (not this guy) and Mike Morgan.
Last year, the Cubs helped the Giants into the playoffs by losing five of seven to them, and also defeating the Padres three of four in the season's final week. If the Cubs win today's game, it will put the Giants in a pretty deep hole in the NL West.
This is why we love baseball. In the immortal word of Joaquin Andujar, "Youneverknow."
Cubs lineup:
Castro SS, Johnson RF, Ramirez 3B, Baker 1B, Soriano LF, Byrd CF, Soto C, Barney 2B, Lopez P
The Giants lineup was not available at posting time. Apparently, they were too busy making roster moves (both Miguel Tejada and Aaron Rowand were DFA'd today).
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Rodrigo Lopez started against the Giants on June 28 at Wrigley Field. He was... not so great. He wasn't so great in four starts against them last year when he was with the Diamondbacks, either. (No, I'm not posting those links.) Current Giants are hitting .354 (67-for-189) against Lopez with five home runs. Even this weak-hitting Giants team might wake up today.
Madison Bumgarner threw six decent innings against the Cubs on May 13 at Wrigley Field and then the Giants bullpen blew the game. Lifetime vs. the Cubs he has a 2.89 ERA in three starts, 18 strikeouts in 18.2 innings, and no home runs allowed. Clearly, we are doomed. Mostly.
Today's game is on CSN Chicago and CSN Bay Area. Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation Giants site McCovey Chronicles.
Today's first pitch thread will be up at 2:45 p.m. CDT and the overflow threads will post at 3:45 pm, 4:45 pm and 5:30 pm CDT. If you need more overflows due to extra innings, post them in the fanshot section.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
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What's going on with Tejada and Rowand?
Rumblings out there….
WWOZ.org - New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Station
by Gibbon Jockey on Aug 31, 2011 1:20 PM CDT up reply actions
They stink
the Giants are struggling so they cut them. What rumblings are you hearing?
by Josh Timmers on Aug 31, 2011 1:35 PM CDT up reply actions
Tejada was easy to cut bait...
he’s done.
Rowand’s contract is a problem.
I’m going out on a limb and say that in the next 10 days Zito is gone….and he might take Aubrey Huff with him.
WWOZ.org - New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Station
by Gibbon Jockey on Aug 31, 2011 1:44 PM CDT up reply actions
It's astonishing that a team that just won a WS has the Front Office people with the nads to look cold hard facts in the face and make tough decisions.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 31, 2011 1:49 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
I am in 100% agreement with this statement.
If only our team would.
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That would be nice....We will see what Ricketts is made out of when the season is over.....
They will be eating some contracts if they really want to improve the team.
I was lurking over on McCovey's Chronicle last night...
WOW!!!…those people were “F this guy” and “F that guy” and “Beltran needs to be shot” and “Bochey sucks:” This is from a fan base that just got to celebrate their team (from SF) winning its 1st ever World Series just 10 months ago. They need to come over to our side for a season or 2 to help them snap back to reality.
Good job, Tom...now on to the manager problem.
Yeah...
… I’d take the afterglow of a WS win the following year, even if that year were a disappointment.
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heck
I wouldn’t mind a few bad years if they ever went after it all and won a series and the signings/trades put us behind the ball for a couple of years.
I wonder if we’d feel differently about this year if they won in 08 for example.
Nothing happens unless it's first a dream
by puckishcubsfan on Aug 31, 2011 3:33 PM CDT up reply actions
is every fanbase expecting a dynasty?
Unless one is a Yankees fan, back to back World Series wins are rare and back-to-back appearances aren’t too common. Even the Big Red Machine had few WS wins for as many WS appearances they had and had a few missed-it years.
The White Sox seemed to handle their post-2005 slump better. I think the Cubs fanbase would appreciate any World Series win, just as long as the 2nd World Series win since 1908 didn’t come another hundred years later.
by ddoubleheader on Aug 31, 2011 6:07 PM CDT up reply actions
In my dream of dreams
If we could steal a GM put Brian Sabean (sp) first in line.
I also would have loved Bruce Bochy.
Nothing happens unless it's first a dream
by puckishcubsfan on Aug 31, 2011 3:32 PM CDT up reply actions
Woops. I missed it.
My bad!
I knew the news came out very close to when this was posted, I didn’t realize he had it included though!
Joaquín Andújar reference... I feel like the country wolf here:
"I'm not a broadcaster! I'm me!"--Ron Santo
Classic cartoon!
Ah, they don’t make ‘em like they used to. MGM’s Spike (the other one, not the Tom & Jerry one) and Droopy’s wolf adversary were the best. ^ That’s a good one too.
Quade has a look on his face like a cartoon character. There’s gotta be a cartoon out there that’s a dead ringer for him. Yeah he looks like Lex Luthor on the surface, but the look in the eyes & face is 180° from Luthor. Not sure what cartoon it would be though.
by ddoubleheader on Aug 31, 2011 9:07 PM CDT up reply actions
And RoLo's face
is saying “look mom someone still thinks I’m a major league pitcher” yipee!!!
Marilyn Monroe "yogi your a pretty cool guy"
Berra " Marilyn you ain't so hot yourself"!
Wow dfa'd
Both Rowand and Tejada. How much money is left on Rowlands contract?
Marilyn Monroe "yogi your a pretty cool guy"
Berra " Marilyn you ain't so hot yourself"!
I believe 1 million left this season
and 12 million for next year.
Should be pretty close.
Cot’s shows he’s due $12M this year and last year.
So it might be closer to $2M left this year (~six month season, ~one month left), depending on how bonuses were paid out.
"Stuff like this is why they should shut off the internet."
by Orval Overall on Dec 17, 2010 1:19 PM CST
Erp. That should've read "$12M this year and next year".
"Stuff like this is why they should shut off the internet."
by Orval Overall on Dec 17, 2010 1:19 PM CST
In other news from MLB Trade Rumors...
“In Sullivan’s opinion, the team’s biggest need is a right-handed bat.”
So maybe we’ll see Soriano (or Byrd) pulled from the game early today? Please?
by Jody Jody Davis on Aug 31, 2011 1:49 PM CDT reply actions
Trading Byrd would be fantastic.
So would trading Soriano, but I don’t see it happening. Marlon going back to Texas makes sense, and it could really be a huge help for the Cubs this offseason.
Where have you gone, Kiko Calero. A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
Texas just lost Nelson Cruz for a few weeks...
GITITDONERANDY
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Aug 31, 2011 1:58 PM CDT up reply actions
Even if it wasn't the Cubs ...
it does take two to Tango.
Where have you gone, Kiko Calero. A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
Many have asked the Cubs for their players over the last month and been told no.....
Byrd should have been gone a long time ago
May not be this move...
but the Rangers traded for Matt Treanor
They still could use Byrd ...
or, has the deadline passed.
Where have you gone, Kiko Calero. A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
Today's the deadline for setting postseason rosters
You can still make trades after today, but the teams that acquire those players can’t put them on their postseason rosters.
by Jody Jody Davis on Aug 31, 2011 2:31 PM CDT up reply actions
No, I know that.
But sometimes the deadline is like at 3 p.m. I wasn’t sure if that was the case.
Where have you gone, Kiko Calero. A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
Sorry I misread your question
I looked it up on MLB.com, and the deadline is midnight (Eastern time, I presume).
by Jody Jody Davis on Aug 31, 2011 2:36 PM CDT up reply actions
Ah. Thanks,
And no apologies necessary.
Where have you gone, Kiko Calero. A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
We're only 3 1/2 games behind Pittsburgh
Fourth place, here we come!
by Jody Jody Davis on Aug 31, 2011 2:29 PM CDT up reply actions
TJ did you not get the news?
You have just been traded to Lone Star baseball (Texas Rangers blog) for someone that is a little more sarcastic. :)
It was a salary dump.
Silva/Bradley style.
I kid, I kid, TJ.
Where have you gone, Kiko Calero. A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.
Bad contract swap
we got some guy named Texas Pete…
Another thing about these Gigante moves....
Sure, they’ve lose 21 of their last 31, the Beard is most likely done for the year, but they’re still only 6 back.
With 2 series against the D-backs still to come.
WWOZ.org - New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Station
Memo on Lopez:
Please take out very early if we have a lead. Third time through the order is a disaster. Second time through the order is not much better. Use bullpen early and often. Off day tomorrow.
We'll miss you Big Boy. #10 for Hall of Fame.
Mike Morgan!!
Is that guy still playing pro ball? He can’t be that old…
Get 'em on, Get 'em over, Get 'em in!
As long as there's a hot tub in the clubhouse
the Good Ship Morgan will Sail.
WWOZ.org - New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Station
by Gibbon Jockey on Aug 31, 2011 2:17 PM CDT up reply actions
Maybe they would like soriano
he is putting on quite the show for them the last two days:)
Marilyn Monroe "yogi your a pretty cool guy"
Berra " Marilyn you ain't so hot yourself"!
Noooooooooo!!
Marilyn Monroe "yogi your a pretty cool guy"
Berra " Marilyn you ain't so hot yourself"!
Musings
The not-so-good Giants lineup vs the not-so-good Lopez, and the Giants have more to lose than the Cubs have to gain.
Surprised about the Rowand DFA. I suppose they didn’t want to take another team’s bad contract. Tejada’s days in MLB are numbered anyway. Rowand has two WS rings.
How long has Zambrano been out? We should be hearing about him soon.
8/13/11
So a couple more weeks until the 30 day period is up. Should be very interesting.
Thanks
I was too lazy to look it up and would have guessed Z’s exit was closer to the beginning of Aug.
by AboutTheCubs on Aug 31, 2011 6:09 PM CDT up reply actions
Giants
Giants are my favorite team in the NL West. I lived out there for a couple of years as a young adult.
Nothing happens unless it's first a dream
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