Open Thread: Cubs vs. Giants, Tuesday 7/17, 7:05 CT

Well, well, well.

Loudly, many of you said the Cubs should have signed Barry Zito this past off-season. $126 million later, the Giants have six wins from him (the same as the far-less-expensive Jason Marquis) and a 4.90 ERA, which would be by far the worst among the current Cub starters if he were on the club. His WHIP is the highest of his career and his BB/K ratio is poor.

Moral: be careful what you wish for.

Today's Starting Pitchers

S. Marshall Cubs vs. B. Zito Giants 4-3 W-L 6-9 3.48 ERA 4.90 38 SO 66 17 BB 52 6 HR 11 vs. SF -- vs. Cubs

Sean Marshall is on the same 12-day rest plan that Rich Hill was placed on after his last start. Worked pretty well for Hill; perhaps Marshall can work the same way. And let's hope his career numbers against the Giants are no indication -- he made two starts against them last year and got pounded in both of them (12.54 ERA in 9.1 IP). Barry Bonds (yes, it took me this long to mention him) is 1-for-3 off Marshall, a HR.

Zito has faced the Cubs once -- a 5-3 Cub win on June 20, 2004. Look who led off that day. The current Cub he's faced the most is Alfonso Soriano; he's handled him pretty well (5-for-36, 12 strikeouts).

New Cub Jason Kendall caught Zito for two years in Oakland. Maybe he can lend some insight to his new teammates into what Zito might throw tonight.

It's cable-only in the Chicago area; on broadcast TV in the Bay Area; and at the Mediacenter.

MLB.com Gameday (2007 version)

MLB.com Gameday (2006 version)

Discuss amongst yourselves.