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Things could get interesting for the Cubs after the current series ends, especially if they can win the series with the Braves.
After Wednesday, the Cubs' following 19 games will include only two against a team that currently has a winning record (the two in St. Louis next Monday and Tuesday). The other 17 -- a series in Milwaukee this weekend, two at home vs. the Phillies, three vs. the White Sox, a trip to Houston and Pittsburgh followed by three at home vs. the Padres -- are all against teams that have records not very much different than the Cubs' current 12-17.
I'm not predicting any recovery to the postseason this year. That's a pipedream. But the Cubs could do quite well in that 19-game stretch (they're 3-3 vs. the Cardinals this year, so even that could be a split), and find themselves near .500 in early June.
That'd be nice.
Cubs lineup:
DeJesus rf, Campana cf, Castro ss, LaHair 1b, Soriano lf, Stewart 3b, Soto c, Cardenas 2b, Dempster p
Braves lineup:
Bourn cf, Prado lf, Freeman 1b, McCann c, Uggla 2b, Jones 3b, Heyward rf, Pastornicky ss, Delgado p
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Ryan Dempster would be leading the National League in ERA if he had just one more inning to his credit this year -- he's just short of qualifying. He's made four starts, all of them good, a couple that could be considered excellent. Current Braves are hitting .242 (40-for-165) against him with three home runs, one each by Chipper Jones, Freddie Freeman and Dan Uggla.
Randall Delgado will be making his 13th major league start tonight. He has never faced the Cubs or anyone on the current roster. You know what usually happens when Cubs teams face guys like this. Clearly, we are doomed.
Today's game is on WGN. Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation Braves site Talking Chop.
Today's first pitch thread will post at 7:05 p.m. CDT and the overflows at 8:05, 9:05 and 9:50 p.m. CDT. If you need more overflows due to extra innings or rain delays, post them in the fanshot section.
Discuss amongst yourselves.