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There's another Cubs game today. And really, I don't have a lot to say about it. But I did think it important to give a little perspective on what's going on now. Many of you are starting to whisper the words "100 losses", or "worst team I've ever seen", and those things simply aren't true.
While there's no question the 2010 Cubs have not played well -- and have been markedly worse the last couple of weeks, they haven't done nearly as badly as some of these recent performances:
- The 2006 Cubs were a combined 16-40 in May and June.
- The 2002 Cubs had no winning calendar months. (Granted, this year is heading that way.)
- The 2000 Cubs were 16-42 after August 1.
- The 1999 Cubs started 32-23, then went 35-74. (For comparison's sake, the 2010 Orioles are currently 36-73... and that's after winning four in a row.)
- The 1997 Cubs started 0-14, but actually had a winning September (13-12).
Look. (To use one of our manager's favorite words.) I know I'm grasping at straws here, and I know this is an "it could always be worse" kind of post (but that's a fact: it definitely could, and it has been). I'd just like to see the current players -- many of whom we already know won't be back -- play decent baseball for a couple of months, and see good performances out of the young players who are going to be the core of the team for the next several seasons.
I was kind of hoping that wouldn't be too much to ask.
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Edinson Volquez has made four starts since his return from injury and PED suspension. He's had two good starts and two bad ones. Let's hope for another bad one today. He has made two career starts vs. the Cubs, and is 2-0 with an 0.75 ERA and 17 K's in 12 innings pitched. His last start vs. the Cubs was on April 17, 2008 at Wrigley Field; I include that mostly so you can see how many players on BOTH teams in that game aren't on those teams any more. Only one Reds player besides Volquez who played that day is still on the team (Joey Votto). Shows you how quickly you can retool a team.
Randy Wells has made one good start vs. the Reds this year, on July 3 at Wrigley Field, the only game the Cubs won in that series. Current Reds are hitting .253 against Randy (20-for-79) with no home runs.
Today's game is again on CSN Chicago and FSN Ohio. Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation Reds site Red Reporter. As always, be careful over there.
Today's first pitch thread will be up at 12 pm CDT, and the overflows will post at 1 pm, 2 pm and 2:45 pm CDT.
Discuss amongst yourselves.