It's a longshot, but the Cubs might, if they have their power-hitting shoes on tonight, be able to help Jamie Moyer break a longstanding major league record.
The record for home runs allowed by a pitcher in a career is 505, held by Hall of Famer Robin Roberts, who passed away last week. Although it's a somewhat "negative" record, take a look at the leaders on the career list -- of the top ten, six are Hall of Famers, another one should be (Bert Blyleven) and another one will be (Randy Johnson). Moyer enters tonight's game with 501 home runs allowed.
As the old saying goes, "You have to be good to do that." It's unlikely that the Cubs will hit five homers off Moyer tonight -- but he's already leading the league in HR allowed (10). Robin Roberts started his career with the Phillies and ended it with the Cubs. Moyer started his career with the Cubs and is ending it with the Phillies -- so a Cubs HR barrage tonight would be a fitting bookend, not to mention that it would likely give the Cubs a win.
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Since Jamie Moyer spent most of his career with the Mariners (and some with the Cubs), he hasn't made that many starts vs. the Cubs despite ranking 17th on the all-time list with 616 games started -- just seven of them have come against the Cubs. This year, his 10 HR allowed leads the major leagues (tied with Ryan Rowland-Smith and Kevin Millwood), and his 5-2 record is mostly reflective of the 6.9 runs he's gotten from his team in run support per start (fourth in the NL). Derrek Lee is 5-for-11 (.455) against him; Alfonso Soriano has four career HR off Moyer, but that's in 53 AB; overall Soriano is just 12-for-53 (.226) vs. Moyer.
Tom Gorzelanny, who seems the most likely candidate to move out of the rotation when Z returns, has made only one career start vs. the Phillies -- almost three years ago, August 17, 2007 when he was with the Pirates. Quite a number of those players aren't with the Phillies any more; current Phillies are hitting a small-sample-size .333 (6-for-18) vs. Da Gorz.
BCB'er elgato, who wanted to see Jeff Baker in right field all spring training, will get his wish tonight. Baker is playing right field. Lineup via Twittermyer:
Baker in right? Cubs lineup vs. Moyer: riot, castro, lee, byrd, rami, sori, BAKER (RF), soto, gorz.
Today's game is on CSN Chicago and myphi17 in Philadelphia. Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation Phillies site The Good Phight/a>.
Tonight's first pitch thread will be up at 6 pm CDT, and the overflows will post at 7, 8 and 8:45 pm CDT.
Discuss amongst yourselves.