Not that I don't love the Blackhawks -- I do -- but I had made plans to go to Milwaukee for tonight's game long before I knew Game 6 would be scheduled tonight.
So, while the rest of you watch the Hawks win the Stanley Cup (and maybe switch over to the Cubs during intermissions), I'll be in Miller Park, hoping to see the Cubs score some runs and win. Yes, I'm a dreamer and an optimist, I know.
Jim Wolf, brother of tonight's Brewers starter, Randy Wolf, was the plate umpire last night. Jim Wolf is permitted to be on the umpiring crew of games his brother starts, but not as the ball-and-strike ump. Still, you'd think the MLB office would simply not assign Jim Wolf to any games involving a team his brother plays for; that should be easy enough to do and would remove any suggestion of bias. Randy Wolf will be 34 in August; Jim Wolf, seven years older, is in his 10th season as a major league umpire and is generally well-respected. He'll be the 3B umpire tonight, the one who likely has the fewest calls to make -- although, he might be asked on appeal of a ball/strike call regarding one of his brother's pitches.
Something to watch for, anyway. If you're watching. And GO BLACKHAWKS!
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Carlos Zambrano has started against the Brewers four times since the start of the 2009 season, but only once in Miller Park, on April 11, 2009. He got a no-decision in a 6-5 Cubs win. In fact, Z has four ND's vs. Milwaukee since 2008, and that April 2009 game is his only start at Miller Park since his 2008 no-hitter there. He did make a relief appearance -- his first this season -- earlier this year vs. the Brewers. If the Cubs are to go anywhere this year, a good start out of Z would be helpful.
Randy Wolf has made five starts against the Cubs since 2008. In two of the 2008 starts -- one with the Padres, one after he got traded to the Astros -- he got hit hard. In the other one, on September 3, 2008 at Wrigley Field, he threw a six-hit shutout. He threw seven one-hit innings vs. the Cubs last August 21 at Dodger Stadium, the only hit being an RBI single by Ryan Theriot. The way the Cubs are hitting lately? Who knows what will happen?
Today's game is on cable, CSN Chicago and FSN Wisconsin, but I'm guessing most of you will be watching the Blackhawks on NBC. Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation Brewers site Brew Crew Ball. As always, be careful over there.
Today's first pitch thread will be up at 7 am CDT, and the overflows will post at 8, 9 and 9:45 pm CDT.
Discuss amongst yourselves.