While most of the rest of you will be watching this marquee pitching matchup, I'll be at Wrigley Field tonight for its first-ever minor league game between the Cubs' Midwest League affiliate, the Peoria Chiefs, and the A's affiliate, the Kane County Cougars. BCB reader Josh77 has written this excellent preview of the game, useful if you're going, or just following it from home. The Cougars' games are carried on Aurora radio station WBIG (1280 AM) -- streaming here. Peoria Chiefs games are carried on Peoria radio station WOAM (1350 AM).
Now, on to tonight's Cubs/Brewers game, where, if the weather forecast in the box above is correct, the roof may be closed at Miller Park (it was open last night).
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Tonight's game is a pitching rematch from Opening Day on March 31, when both Sheets and Z pitched into the 7th without allowing a run, before Kerry Wood gave up three runs in his first relief appearance of the year and Kosuke Fukudome tied it up with a three-run HR off Eric Gagne. Remember that? When Fukudome was hitting?
One of the best things about Z this year is that he's not trying to overthrow everything. This has resulted in fewer K's, but a better ERA and only nine HR allowed -- compared to a career-high 23 last year. That should help him neutralize this HR-happy Milwaukee lineup.
Sheets got the win against the Cubs and Jason Marquis on April 29 at Wrigley Field, a mess of a game that's best forgotten -- except for the seven walks the Cubs drew off Sheets, forcing him out of the game after throwing 108 pitches in five innings. If the Cubs can do that tonight, good things will follow.
Today's game is on WGN, so those of you outside Chicago won't be forced to listen to the Brewers announcers on EI. Also see the MLB.com Mediacenter.
MLB.com Gameday (2007 version)
MLB.com Gameday (2008 version)
Baseball-reference.com game preview
After yesterday's record, today I'll post enough threads tonight -- I hope. First pitch thread at 7 pm CT; overflow comment threads at 8 pm, 9 pm and 9:45 pm CT.
Discuss amongst yourselves.