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Open Thread: Cubs vs. Marlins, Monday 5/28, 1:20 CT

By Al Yellon

Those of you who are younger than 35 or so won't remember the days when Memorial Day, and other holidays, were big-deal days at the ballpark. Most teams played day games, and many scheduled doubleheaders.

The time of the scheduled doubleheader, of course, is long gone, but today's just another Monday off for six NL teams (Diamondbacks, Padres, Dodgers, Astros, Mets, Giants), and there are only five day games scheduled out of the 12 total games today -- and the Reds/Pirates is likely only a day game because it's getaway day after their "wraparound" weekend series.

Not lamenting the "good old days", just pointing out how different things are now.

Today's Starting Pitchers
Sean Marshall
S. Marshall
Cubs		 vs. Byung-Hyun Kim
B. Kim
Marlins
0-1 W-L 2-2
2.57 ERA 7.02
8 SO 11
2 BB 13
1 HR 5
vs. Fla -- vs. Cubs
Sean Marshall threw really well in his first start last Wednesday. He faced the Marlins twice in 2006, one really good start and one really bad one.

Byung-Hyun Kim is an enigma. In 2001 and 2002 he was a lights-out closer for the Diamondbacks. Then someone got the bright idea, since Kim has such a good arm, to make him a starter. Bad idea, because he has pretty much sucked ever since, for four different teams. As the Yahoo preview of this game states:

Kim is 0-2 with a 7.47 ERA in three career starts against the Cubs. He has, however, been far more effective versus Chicago as a reliever, allowing one unearned run with four saves in 11 appearances in 12 2-3 innings.
Well, the relief appearances are pretty much irrelevant to today's game, right? So why even mention them? Kim hasn't faced the Cubs in relief since August 23, 2002. Not only has Kim been bad as a starter against the Cubs, he's been bad as a starter against just about everyone.

Today's game is on CSN Chicago and FSN Florida, and on EI and at the Mediacenter.

MLB.com Gameday (2007 version)

MLB.com Gameday (2006 version)

Hey, look! J. D. Drew: .234/.353/.324, two HR in 145 AB. Yeah, that $70 million looks well spent. Just imagine how much bitching you'd all be sending Jim Hendry's way if he had signed Drew, as so many of you wanted him to do.

BCB's SBNation sister site for the Marlins is Fish Stripes. Give 'em a visit. They seem a little lonely over there.

Finally, Brad Ziegler is a pitcher in the A's system who is a semi-regular contributor to Athletics Nation. If you think the life of a pro ballplayer is glamorous, check out Brad's description of his travel troubles when he got promoted from Double-A to Triple-A.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

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