Over the last 10 days, the Cubs have had enough injuries and other transactions to fill up a whole month's worth of a transaction list. To recap:
May 22: placed CF Marlon Byrd on the 15-day disabled list (facial fractures), recalled RHP Justin Berg from Iowa.
May 24: placed RHP Matt Garza on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 18, 2011 (right elbow bone contusion), called up Lou Montanez from Iowa, transferred RHP Brian Schlitter from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list.
May 26: traded LHP Ryan Buchter to Atlanta Braves for RHP Rodrigo Lopez.
May 27: optioned Justin Berg to Iowa, designated RHP Robert Coello for assignment, RHP Rodrigo Lopez added to 40-man roster and placed on 25-man roster
May 28: activated RHP Randy Wells from the 15-day disabled list, optioned Casey Coleman to Iowa Cubs.
May 29: placed LF Reed Johnson on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 26, 2011 (lower back spasms), activated C Geovany Soto from the 15-day disabled list, optioned C Welington Castillo to Iowa, called up Brad Snyder from Iowa Cubs, transferred RHP Andrew Cashner from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list.
May 30: placed 2B Jeff Baker on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 29, 2011 (left groin strain), called up DJ LeMahieu from Tennessee, designated RHP Jeff Stevens for assignment.
To recap, that's four players from the Opening Day roster placed on the DL, two players activated from the DL, three players sent to Iowa (including one just recalled), two players DFA'd, three players added to the 40-man roster and...
... today, the Cubs added one more to that list when they placed Alfonso Soriano on the 15-day DL with a left quad strain and recalled Tyler Colvin. Now, let's see Mike Quade do the right thing and simply put Colvin in the lineup every day and let him playUnfortunately, not today.
Cubs lineup:
Fukufome rf, Barney 2b, Castro ss, Pena 1b, Ramirez 3b, DeWitt lf, Campana cf, Soto c, Zambrano p
I don't get it at all. If Colvin is here, he needs to start, period.
Astros lineup:
Bourn cf, Barmes ss, Pence rf, Lee lf, Keppinger 2b, Wallace 1b, Johnson 3b, Cancel c, Lyles p
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Big Z started, had a shaky outing (five ER in 5.2 IP) in Houston on April 13. The Cubs scored nine runs and won that day, the only time (so far) they've beaten the Astros this year. Z hit a home run that day, too, but also allowed one (to Matt Downs).
Except for the brief time that the Braves' Julio Teheran (born January 27, 1991) was in their starting rotation this month, Starlin Castro has been the youngest player in baseball since he was recalled on May 7, 2010, quite a long time to have that distinction. That will change again tonight when Jordan Lyles, who was born on October 19, 1990, makes his MLB debut. Lyles is about seven months younger than Castro. Lyles was the 38th overall pick in the 2008 draft and has posted a 3.20 ERA and 1.24 WHIP, with only three HR allowed in 59 innings, this year at Triple-A Oklahoma City.
And I think we may have found someone who looks younger than Tony Campana.
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Baseball-reference.com game preview
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Today's first pitch thread will be up at 7 p.m. CDT and the overflow threads will post at 8 pm, 9 pm and 9:45 pm CDT. If you need more overflows due to extra innings or rain delays, post them in the fanshot section.
Discuss amongst yourselves.