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Open Thread: Cubs vs. Giants, Sunday 9/3, 1:20 CT

By Al Yellon

Well. Now THIS is a mismatch.

Today's Starting Pitchers
Angel Guzman
A. Guzman
Cubs		 vs. Jason Schmidt
J. Schmidt
Giants
0-4 W-L 10-8
7.20 ERA 3.37
46 SO 152
28 BB 67
5 HR 16
vs. SF -- vs. Cubs
Not only is Guzman coming off the worst start of this year, and thus his career, but the Cubs are facing one of their biggest nemeses -- Schmidt is 10-5 lifetime with a 2.65 ERA against them, his best record against any team that he's started against more than seven times.

That includes this 2004 one-hitter against a Cubs club that was far better offensively than the current version.

However. Schmidt is also coming off his worst start of the year, a 3.1 inning, seven-hit, eight-run (four earned), two-homer pounding by the Braves last Tuesday.

Notes: here is the Melissa Isaacson article on Fredi Gonzalez I referenced in yesterday's recap.

Here is today's Rick Morrissey column, on the treatment Dusty Baker gets from fans and media.

From the Tribune Cub notes, we could have a pretty odd-looking lineup today:

With catcher Michael Barrett very doubtful for Sunday's game and John Mabry nursing a sore back, the Cubs may have a problem at first base.

Derrek Lee is scheduled for a day off after playing two straight games, which might leave backup catcher Henry Blanco manning first and call-up Geovany Soto catching.

A foul ball smashed Barrett in the groin area during Saturday's game and he was taken to the hospital for observation after complaining of sickness. He could miss several days.

Blanco has played exactly once at first base in his career, in this goofy Dodgers/Rockies game in 1997. A better choice would be to give Matt Murton a shot, to see if he could handle 1B.

Finally, have yourself some fun today: my SB Nation colleague John Sickels has posted "You're The Cubs GM" this morning. Go over there and fix this mess!

MLB.com Cubs Gameday

Discuss amongst yourselves.

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