I did not realize this until I read it today, but the White Sox have the best record of any team in MLB in interleague play since 2008. And it's not close: the Sox are 44-18 since then. They were 12-6 in 2008 and 2009, 15-3 in 2010 and 5-3 so far this season. Meanwhile, the Cubs (and most NL teams; the AL is dominating interleague again) are 23-33 over the same period (that includes 6-9 in the 97-win season of 2008) and 3-5 so far in 2011.
The Sox have not lost an interleague series since the Cubs swept them at Wrigley Field in 2008. And the Cubs can deal them an interleague series defeat with a win tonight.
Yeah, I know. That's about as likely as me being named to replace Mike Quade as Cubs manager. The Cubs have won only one series (last week vs. the Brewers) this month. Nevertheless, a win tonight would get this road trip off to a good start.
Cubs lineup:
Fukudome RF, Castro SS, Ramirez DH, Pena 1B, Johnson CF, Soriano LF, DeWitt 2B, Baker 3B, Hill C
Might as well start Hill. As of today his OPS is only 33 points lower than Geo's (.680 to .647).
White Sox lineup:
Pierre LF, Morel 3B, Quentin DH, Konerko 1B, Ramirez SS, Rios CF, Pierzynski C, Lillibridge RF, Beckham 2B
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Doug Davis last faced the White Sox in 2003. So any look at that would be largely irrelevant. Let's instead look at his last four starts; after a poor beginning of his season he's posted a 3.91 ERA and 1.47 WHIP and has averaged almost six innings per start. That isn't great, but he's a fifth starter -- that's not bad for a fifth starter. The one White Sox player who has hit him best is Juan Pierre -- 11-for-28 (.393). That sounds about right -- a pesky slap hitter can probably hit the slow slop that Davis throws. If he can get Pierre out, the rest of the Sox lineup might be susceptible to striking out, especially Adam Dunn, who has struck out 11 times in 37 career AB against Davis and seven times in his last 11 at-bats since Sunday.
Jake Peavy started twice against the Cubs last year and won them both, giving up just two runs in 14 innings and striking out 14. However, he has injured just about every part of his body since then and is making his first start since being activated from a rehab assignment. Alfonso Soriano, who might just be ready for a hot streak (or maybe I'm just wishing), is 7-for-22 (.318) against Peavy with three doubles and three HR.
Today's game is on CSN Chicago (Len & Bob) and WCIU (Sox announcers). Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
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Today's first pitch thread will be up at 7 pm 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.