- If you thought the Cubs might be able to get C. C. Sabathia, think again... the Indians are even more desperate for pitching now that Jake Westbrook is back on the DL. Come to think of it, maybe they'd take Jason Marquis off our hands. (But c'mon Jason, throw a good one tonight.)
- Tampa Bay may be able to solidify their 1.5 game lead over the Red Sox now that David Ortiz is on the DL with a torn tendon in his wrist.
Today's Starting Pitchers 
J. Marquis
Cubsvs. 
W. Ledezma
Padres2-3 W-L 0-2 4.98 ERA 4.25 32 SO 31 22 BB 21 6 HR 4 vs. SD -- vs. Cubs
Wil Ledezma is making his fourth start of the year. He hasn't started this many games in a season since he made ten starts for the 91-loss 2005 Tigers. I think that tells you where the Padres are heading. The Cubs faced him on March 13 and on March 23 in spring training, and he didn't allow a single earned run in 6.1 IP. The Cubs must have figured him out, because they hit him pretty hard on May 14 at Wrigley Field. Geovany Soto homered off him that day.
Bill James once wrote about the Cleveland Indians of the 1980's, "They don't have any really bad players, but they don't have any good players, either. What can you do?" That's about the size of Jason Marquis this year. He hasn't pitched very well, but he hasn't pitched that badly, either. He is, however, responsible for the only loss the Cubs have had to SD this year, May 13 at Wrigley Field. He does, however, have a 1.76 ERA in two career starts at Petco. Michael Barrett, who didn't play in the May 13 game, is 9-for-23 (.391/.481/.739, 3 doubles, a triple, a HR, four walks, no strikeouts) vs. Marquis.
Same TV tonight as last: CSN in Chicago, Cox Cable 4 in San Diego, and the MLB.com Mediacenter.
MLB.com Gameday (2007 version)
MLB.com Gameday (2008 version)
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Today's two overflow comment threads will post at 10:30 pm CT and 11:30 pm CT.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
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