Today's game is a makeup from a game that was postponed exactly two months ago, on April 27. On a day when it rained most of the morning -- and then stopped. They might have been able to play that day; instead, the Cubs lose their only remaining off day before the All-Star break, and they've got to play another makeup game tomorrow against the Giants as part of a split doubleheader.
And guess what? There's rain and possible thunderstorms in the forecast for this afternoon.
They have to get this game in today, though. The teams have two common off days later this year, but both are in the middle of Rockies homestands -- there's no way they'd be forced to fly to Chicago to play on either of those days.
Cubs lineup:
Fukudome RF, Campana CF, Castro SS, Ramirez 3B, Peña 1B, Soriano LF, DeWitt 2B, Soto C, Garza P
Rockies lineup:
Gonzalez cf, Herrera 2b, Helton 1b, Tulowitzki ss, Smith rf, Wigginton 3b, Blackmon lf, Iannetta c, Chacin p
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Matt Garza has already started twice against the Rockies this year and lost both games (he also lost to Colorado when he was with the Rays in 2009). Current Rockies are hitting just .225 (16-for-71) against Matt, but he gave up four unearned runs to them on April 25 at Wrigley Field, two of those coming on his own throwing error. Garza has allowed eight unearned runs this year, by far the most of any Cubs pitcher.
Jhoulys Chacin, oddly enough, was supposed to start the April 27 rainout that's being made up today. What I wrote about him at the time is still true, so here it is:
Jhoulys Chacin threw a complete-game, six-hit shutout against the Cubs on April 15 in Denver, the first CG shutout at Coors Field in almost three years. Five of the six hits were singles (the only XBH was a double by Aramis Ramirez). Clearly, we are doomed. (Hmm. That sounds familiar.)
Today's game is on CSN Chicago and ROOT Sports Denver. Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation Rockies site Purple Row.
Today's first pitch thread will be up at 1:15 pm CDT and the overflow threads will post at 2:15 pm, 3:15 pm and 4 pm CDT. If you need more overflows due to extra innings or rain delays, post them in the fanshot section.
Discuss amongst yourselves.