Open Thread: Cubs vs. Pirates, Friday 8/4, 1:20 CT

It's a little late now, but here is the game thread that I wrote at 9:15 this morning, saved in my file list, and then forgot to click "Publish Entry" before I left for the game.

This appears on paper to be a mismatch, but that's why they play the games. The Cubs are 3-2 against the Pirates this year; Z hasn't faced them yet in 2006.

Dave & I were talking yesterday about what it might take for Z to win the Cy Young Award. Pitching for a bad team, you have to be even more dominant. He'd have to lead the league in wins (he's currently tied for that with Jason Marquis), lead in strikeouts (check) and probably lead or be 2nd or 3rd in ERA (he's sixth).

Z should get 11 more starts; he'd have to win 8 of them to win twenty. That alone, if he's the only 20-game winner in the NL, might do it; the voters often seem mesmerized by big win totals.

Today's Starting Pitchers

C. Zambrano Cubs vs. T. Gorzelanny Pirates 12-3 W-L 1-2 3.26 ERA 5.84 152 SO 17 82 BB 17 16 HR 1 vs. Pit -- vs. Cubs

Tom Gorzelanny is likely to have a ton of family and friends at the ballpark today; he grew up in Evergreen Park and attended Triton Junior College, which has sent a number of players to the major leagues -- the most famous of whom is Kirby Puckett. Gorzelanny has not yet faced the Cubs in his brief major league career. He's an interesting story for another reason -- he overcame ADHD that he had as a child to succeed. While that's a great story, let him succeed in his NEXT start.

With the Cubs playing a non-contending team this weekend, Dusty Baker has absolutely no reason to NOT play every one of the young players who need playing time.

Notes: Of the 17 players who have hit four doubles in a game, Matt Murton is only the second (Sandy Alomar Sr., 1972) to do it in four at-bats; the Cubs have not played well vs. LHP (Gorzelanny is one) this year, but have won their last five games vs. left-handed starters, the last one being July 25 vs. Tom Glavine.

Discuss amongst yourselves.