This is perhaps the biggest game of the year for the Mets -- if they can't win with their ace on the mound, they'll have only one more game he can go -- the last game of the season vs. the Marlins.
Meanwhile, for the Cubs they'll be resting regulars -- Geovany Soto will undoubtedly get a couple of days off to rest that hand that was bothering him -- and tuning up the pitching staff for next week.
Here is TBS' postseason TV schedule if you want to try to play guessing games as to the Cubs' starting times. If they stick to it, the Cub series is "NLA" -- and that link implies the Cubs would be playing two day games. But all of that is subject to change.
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Remember when the Mets were going to breeze to the WS title because of Santana? The way the mass media were talking, he was going to go 34-0 and undefeated in the postseason. He's got a good record, but the Cubs have a couple of starters who are just as good. His only career appearance vs. the Cubs was with the Twins on June 23, 2006. The Cubs lost 7-2; get a load of that lineup! Reed Johnson hits him like he owns him: 10-for-19, a double, a HR.
The Cubs have shifted around the rotation for the rest of the week, which is why Marshall is going today. This is a nice tuneup for him, too; he may be very valuable in the postseason. His only career start vs. the Mets was on July 16, 2006, and I'm not linking to it because that was one ugly game. No current Met has more than four career AB vs. Sean.
Today's game is on cable again, SNY and CSN Chicago. Also see the MLB.com Mediacenter.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Once again, a reminder that you can find the overflow comment threads, including the first pitch thread, on the right sidebar of both the front page and any interior page in the box headed "RECENT STORIES IN GAME THREADS". Today's first pitch thread posts at 6 pm CT, and the overflow comment threads will post at 7 pm, 8 pm and 8:45 pm CT.
Discuss amongst yourselves.