The last time the Cubs played the Dodgers, Derrek Lee suffered the injury that ruined his season, and perhaps -- though there were, of course, many other factors -- destroyed the Cubs' season as well.
The last time the Cubs played the Dodgers, Nomar Garciaparra was on the disabled list; he has not yet faced his former team.
| Today's Starting Pitchers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Meanwhile, the last time Derek Lowe faced the Cubs, which happens also to be the last time the Dodgers played in Wrigley Field, more than a year ago, he threw a one-hit shutout. Apart from Lowe, of the 34 active Dodgers on their expanded active September roster today, only seven others (Elmer Dessens, Giovanni Carrara, Jeff Kent, Olmedo Saenz, Oscar Robles, Brad Penny and Jason Repko) were on their club at ANY time during their 90-plus loss 2005 season.
See, Jim Hendry? Remaking a team into a winner CAN be done in one off-season. Just ask Ned Colletti.
If the Cubs can somehow win tonight, they will even-up the all-time series vs. the Dodgers (going back to their creation in 1890 in Brooklyn) at 1004 wins each.
Stat note: When the Cubs score first they are 43-22. When the opposition scores first they are 14-65. That, I think, makes obvious what the problem is -- pitching, pitching, pitching.
Discuss amongst yourselves.