Or, "Rain Delay Theater".

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What is it about the Cubs and Mother's Day? Every year when the Cubs are scheduled at home on this day, the weather is horrendous. Here are some examples from the last few years alone:

• 2002: The game was delayed by rain over two hours and they might as well have not bothered. The Brewers beat up on Jon Lieber and three other pitchers 13-4.
• 2003: This is what we who were there not-so-affectionately call the "Typhoon Game", played in 48-degree weather with the wind blowing at about 40 MPH and a steady rain. They managed to play four innings with the Cardinals leading 11-9 when the umpiring crew -- headed by who else, Cub-hater Bruce Froemming, finally called it. Here's what I wrote about it at the time on my old blog. The Cardinals' Eli Marrero suffered a severe ankle injury which pretty much ruined the rest of his career.
• 2004: Well, at least it was warmer, 80 degrees at game time. This game had three rain delays and went 13 innings; the result was also better. The Cubs won, 7-5 over the Rockies.

Ugh. That's enough. I think whoever the new ownership of the Cubs winds up being, ought to petition the commissioner's office to never, ever, ever, EVER again schedule the Cubs at home on Mother's Day, especially because the weather's going to be crappy again today. In fact, I'd say there's a pretty good chance that today's game will be postponed. The Cubs and Diamondbacks have common off days on July 7 and July 17 -- look for a possible rescheduling on one of those dates, if there's a rainout today.

In fact, let me get on my BCB soapbox for a moment. At this writing -- 10:15 am CDT -- it is absolutely pouring rain in Chicago, 46 degrees and very windy. Yes, I realize there is a lot of money at stake for a postponed game, and yes, I also realize that the new field at Wrigley has a great drainage system. But it is supposed to rain steadily till at least 4:00 this afternoon, and after that it'll be cold and raw. Why not call the game NOW and play it on one of the open dates in July? Then there's no money lost and they can play in better conditions.

Meanwhile, Ryan Dempster has donated 50 tickets to military families disrupted by the war in Iraq for today's game:

"We always do it for Father's Day," Dempster said on Friday, "but I think Mother's Day is just as important."

Dempster started the ticket program a few years ago, and usually hosts families on Father's Day. Because the Cubs will be on the road then, Dempster decided to switch to Mother's Day. The families invited include some whose moms are serving overseas.

Today's Starting Pitchers

C. Zambrano Cubs vs. R. Johnson Diamondbacks 5-1 W-L 2-1 1.80 ERA 5.06 38 SO 28 14 BB 11 3 HR 4 vs. Ari -- vs. Cubs

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I'm going to write about this pitching matchup as if the game will be played, but of course I'm hoping it won't be.

Since this is probably the last game Randy Johnson will ever pitch in Wrigley Field (barring a postseason Cub/D'back rematch this year), rather than the traditional batter vs. pitcher numbers, I thought I'd talk about Johnson's first appearance in Wrigley Field, nearly 20 years ago on September 20, 1988, when he was a 25-year-old rookie for the Montreal Expos. (Yes, that's right, the Expos. Johnson was shipped to Seattle the next summer for Mark Langston, as the Expos, contenders, wanted a starting pitcher.) Anyway, Johnson, in what was only his second major league start, threw a complete game with 11 strikeouts. But that's not what was remarkable. In the 7th inning, he singled for his first major league hit. And the Cubs' 1B in that game was Manny Trillo. Trillo is generously listed as being 6-1 (he's probably closer to 5-11). Johnson is, as you know, 6-10. I wasn't at this game, but seeing the shot of Johnson on TV, standing at 1B next to Trillo, made Trillo look like a little kid, an indelible memory of Randy Johnson, soon headed to the Hall of Fame.

As for Z, he's been solid all year long, and unlike his last appearance against the D'backs last October, I'm guessing Lou would very much like Z to throw at least seven innings today. He is 1-2, 4.88 in four career regular season starts against Arizona.

Today's game, as Friday's was, on WGN and FSN Arizona. For other games see today's MLB.com Mediacenter.

MLB.com Gameday (2007 version)

MLB.com Gameday (2008 version)

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Today's overflow comment thread will post at 2:45 pm CT.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

If you cannot see this game because of the Magical Fox Wizard, remember to think these words: "No more blackouts... no more blackouts... no more blackouts..."

I, the magical Fox wizard, hereby decree that only privileged people who live in the following TV markets will be able to view today's Cubs/Diamondbacks game. A Fox Pox on the rest of you!

Abilene TX, Albany GA, Albuquerque NM, Alexandria LA, Amarillo TX, Atlanta GA, Austin TX, Bakersfield CA, Baton Rouge LA, Bend OR, Biloxi MS, Birmingham AL, Boise ID, Butte MT, Casper WY, Cedar Rapids IA, Champaign IL, Chattanooga TN, Cheyenne WY, Chicago IL, Chico CA, Cincinnati OH, Colorado Springs CO, Columbus MS, Columbus GA, Corpus Christi TX, Davenport IA, Dayton OH, Denver CO, Des Moines IA, Dothan AL, El Paso TX, Eugene OR, Eureka CA, Fort Wayne IN, Fresno CA, Grand Junction CO, Great Falls MT, Greenwood MS, Harlingen TX, Honolulu HI, Houston TX, Idaho Falls ID, Indianapolis IN, Jackson MS, Knoxville TN, Lafayette LA, Laredo TX, Las Vegas NV, Lexington KY, Lima OH, Lincoln NE, Louisville KY, Lubbock TX, Macon GA, Medford OR, Meridian MS, Missoula MT, Mobile AL, Monroe LA, Monterey CA, Montgomery AL, Nashville TN, New Orleans LA, North Platte NE, Odessa TX, Oklahoma City OK, Omaha NE, Peoria IL, Phoenix AZ, Reno NV, Rockford IL, Sacramento CA, Salt Lake City UT, San Angelo TX, San Antonio TX, San Diego CA, San Francisco CA, Santa Barbara CA, Savannah GA, Sherman TX, Shreveport LA, Sioux City IA, South Bend IN, Springfield IL, Tri-Cities TN, Tucson AZ, Twin Falls ID, Tyler TX, Victoria TX, Waco TX, Wichita Falls TX, Yuma AZ

The game time is, in fact, 2:40, having been pushed up five minutes by the Wizard. Why five minutes makes such a big deal to them that they'd actually announce it, I have no idea.

Why did Kerry Wood look so lights-out yesterday? He's got a new grip on his slider.

Sean Marshall's demotion to Iowa is to stretch him out to be a starter now that Scott Eyre is back.

Today's Starting Pitchers

R. Dempster Cubs vs. M. Scherzer Diamondbacks 4-1 W-L 0-1 2.72 ERA 5.40 29 SO 12 20 BB 2 3 HR 0 vs. Ari -- vs. Cubs

This is Max Scherzer's third major league appearance. In his first one, he was lights-out, throwing 4.1 scoreless innings in relief and striking out seven. Then he started five days ago against the Phillies and got pounded. He throws hard.

Ryan Dempster has to stop walking people. 20 walks in 43 innings is too many. Dempster's last start in Cincinnati, his first loss of the year, wasn't his fault: errors made all five runs he gave up unearned. No Diamondbacks hitter playing today has more than five career AB against Dempster (the D'back who has the most is, of all people, tomorrow's starter, Randy Johnson, who is 3-for-11 against Dempster).

Fox blackouts be damned: here's the rest of today's TV/radio schedule at the MLB.com Mediacenter.

MLB.com Gameday (2007 version)

MLB.com Gameday (2008 version)

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Today's overflow comment thread will post at 4:15 pm CT.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

No glove-slamming, please.

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Morning notes:

• Paul Sullivan says Felix Pie could get sent down -- but not for a pitcher. Instead, Andres Torres, who is hitting well at Iowa, could come up to be a bench player.
• More info on the proposed ISFA/Wrigley Field deal. They say "no tax money" would be used. Others have said a "tax increment financing" deal like this one means that other taxes might have to be raised. I'd like to hear more details about this. Also of interest in that article:

  [Cubs Chairman Crane] Kenney also said the Cubs want to restore Wrigley Field to "its original look," which would include removing exterior chain link fences and concrete panels. The renovations also would include upgraded luxury suites and premium seating behind home plate that would require the destruction of the team's offices.

• Gordon Wittenmyer joins the Dead-Horse-Beating crowd with yet another rehash of TTTSNBN. However, he does raise a good point:

  The guy whose name came up as part of every potential package for Roberts, pitcher Sean Gallagher, pitched so well at Class AAA Iowa in five starts (2-2, 3.10 ERA, .196 opponents' average) that he was called up to take demoted Rich Hill's place on the roster last weekend.

  Now Gallagher and lefty Sean Marshall -- whose name was in and out of the Roberts rumor mill all winter and spring -- are considered part of the Cubs' much-needed starting depth and options for replacing more veteran guys who are scuffling.

  On top of that, Marshall has been invaluable in a converted lefty short-relief role after rookie Carmen Pignatiello stumbled out of the gate and as the team awaits the return of Scott Eyre this weekend.

Enough. On to baseball this afternoon!

Today's Starting Pitchers

T. Lilly Cubs vs. D. Haren Diamondbacks 2-4 W-L 4-1 5.97 ERA 3.12 29 SO 36 14 BB 8 6 HR 4 vs. Ari -- vs. Cubs

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The day that Dan Haren last faced the Cubs, June 10, 2004, was the day that I invented the Tomato Inning, which occurred when I accidentally dropped a piece of tomato on my scorecard:

Howard showed up late, with a sandwich of his own from Jimmy John's (I hadn't asked him to bring me one today) and he ceremonially dropped a tomato piece on my scorecard, right in the fifth inning.

You're saying, no, the Cubs scored the ten runs in the fourth inning, and you'd be right.

But by the time they reached the tomato square, which was at Derrek Lee's position, they had already batted around, and Lee's homer was the tenth run of the inning, and the square that I scored this in, was in exactly that place, in the fifth inning.

So, Howard and I are now completely convinced of the Tomato Luck.

The Tomato Inning worked pretty well through 2004 -- the Cubs didn't always win the game, but they did always score in the Tomato Inning. Perhaps we'll have a ceremonial drop today. In that inning, D-Lee, Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Zambrano, the only Cubs still on the team who played that day, all got hits. Alfonso Soriano is 5-for-13 (2 HR) vs. Haren in their time together in the AL.

When Ted Lilly last faced the Diamondbacks, this is what happened:

via chicagotribune.com

You can see Chris Young rounding the bases after his NLDS Game Two HR and Lilly about to slam his glove down. That enduring image is, unfortunately, one of the memorable ones from last year's NLDS. It was the first hit Young had off Lilly, who threw six decent innings against Arizona last August 25 at Phoenix. After a tough start Lilly is 2-1, 2.84 in his last three starts.

Today's game is on WGN and Fox Sports Arizona. The D'backs are in the forefront of what I think will become a trend among all teams -- all their games are on FSAZ this year, no broadcast outlet. More at the MLB.com Mediacenter.

MLB.com Gameday (2007 version)

MLB.com Gameday (2008 version)

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Today's overflow comment thread will post at 2:45 pm CT.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Sorry this is late. At this point... I can only imagine what's going on inside.

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It's baseball with an early lunch today as the Cubs have one of only two 11:35 am (CDT) starts this year (the other will be August 27 in Pittsburgh). And with Jon Lieber pitching, it's got a fair chance of being over before afternoon rush hour.

A few morning headlines:

• Lou Piniella says changes may be coming. He's particularly unhappy with team defense:

  "The state of the Cubs?" he said before Tuesday night's game with the Reds. "We've got to get better. That's really the state. We got off to a really good start, and we've given some of that back. We need to improve defensively, I can tell you that.

  "That's an area, definitely, that needs improvement, and it's going to be my job to put people out there who can catch the ball. I can't do it in every, every position, but I'm going to do it in as many positions as I can."

• Scott Eyre may rejoin the Cubs on Friday. Please, Lou and Jim, please. Send a pitcher down when Eyre comes back. A 13-man staff is asking for trouble.
• Batting coach Gerald Perry might be fined after his ejection on Monday. I agree with Paul Sullivan's comment:

  Unless a coach or manager is constantly chirping, the plate umpire usually just tells him to pipe down. Are some umpires trigger-happy these days when it comes to hearing a dissenting view from the dugout?

• The MLBPA is still investigating alleged collusion regarding certain free agents who were not and still are not signed for 2008. Free advice: get a life.

Today's Starting Pitchers

J. Lieber Cubs vs. E. Volquez Reds 2-1 W-L 4-1 1.86 ERA 1.27 9 SO 42 2 BB 18 2 HR 1 vs. Cin -- vs. Cubs

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Despite drawing four walks in five innings off Volquez at Wrigley Field on April 17, the Cubs could manage only four hits and a run, in the only game the Reds won in that series, and the only time Volquez has faced the Cubs. Reed Johnson had two of the four hits.

By contrast, Jon Lieber, who's been around forever (one of his teammates his rookie year in Pittsburgh was Lance Parrish), has made 26 career appearances (24 starts) vs. the Reds and is 11-8, 4.04, pretty close to his career averages against all teams. Though Adam Dunn has hit two HR off him (in 27 AB), the remarkable Lieber vs. Dunn stat is that Lieber has never walked Dunn.

Today's game is on CSN Chicago only. More info at the MLB.com Mediacenter.

MLB.com Gameday (2007 version)

MLB.com Gameday (2008 version)

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Today's overflow comment thread will post at 1:00 pm CT.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Just win, baby.

Click on scorecard to open a larger version in a new browser window

Ten years ago today, Kerry Wood tied the major league record for K's in a single game by striking out 20 Astros and shutting them out 2-0 on one hit with no walks. It is arguably the most dominating single-game pitching performance in baseball history.

Bruce Miles has today written a personal memoir of the 20-K game, including some details I had not heard before:

On his first pitch of the game, Wood hit home-plate umpire Jerry Meals in the face mask. It was a ball that catcher Sandy Martinez couldn't quite reach. With Wood having uncorked that pitch, it's difficult to believe he didn't walk a single batter that day.

"First pitch," Wood said as he leaned against his clubhouse folding chair and chuckled. "I threw a fastball. Sandy didn't get it; it just barely nicked his glove, and it hit him in the mask. First pitch of the game."

I asked Wood if he ever talked with Meals about that pitch.

"No, but I remember kind of thinking, 'That's probably not the way I want to start the game off, hitting the umpire in the face with the first pitch,'" he said. "When you see it later on, when you see it on the replay, it's, 'Oh, yeah, I forgot about that.' It was kind of funny."

Wood also told Paul Sullivan that:

"I think I've met everybody at the game," Wood said facetiously. "I've probably met about 26,000 of them. I've met all of them. Every last one."

I know he's kidding, but I was there, sitting through the drizzle that lasted a couple of innings and the excitement you could feel in the crowd. I've never met Kerry Wood. Someday, I'd like to, if only to thank him for this memorable day and for his classiness as a major league player. Who would have guessed that ten years later, he'd be closing for the Cubs?

I hope he closes out tonight's game by striking out the side.

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Today's Starting Pitchers

C. Zambrano Cubs vs. A. Harang Reds 4-1 W-L 1-4 2.11 ERA 2.98 35 SO 41 11 BB 11 3 HR 5 vs. Cin -- vs. Cubs

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I'm opening this game thread early because you guys have been real chatty in the recap thread from last night's game and with over 300 comments at 1 pm CDT, it's likely to start running slow.

This is a matchup you don't often see these days -- ace vs. ace. Z has been outstanding this year, and has already beaten the Reds once, throwing 7 strong innings on April 16. And the day before that, the Cubs beat up on Harang, with D-Lee and Mark DeRosa homering off him. That was Lee's 5th career HR off Harang; he's 13-for-38 (.342) lifetime against him.

The Reds usually hit Z pretty well, especially Dunn (6 career HR) and Griffey (.364/.447/.697). Dunn homered in the April 16 game, but off Kevin Hart. If Z keeps the ball down as he has been this year, the Cubs will break their two-game losing streak.

Today's game is on cable in Chicago and Cincinnati and at theMLB.com Mediacenter.

MLB.com Gameday (2007 version)

MLB.com Gameday (2008 version)

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Today's overflow comment thread will post at 7:45 pm CT.

Discuss amongst yourselves.