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What will the Cubs do to replace David DeJesus, who will be out at least three weeks? Paul Sullivan has one possible answer:
Ryan Sweeney and Julio Borbon will replace DeJesus in center, and the Cubs will bring up someone from Triple-A Iowa early next week. [Manager Dale] Sveum said Brett Jackson is still "developing" at Iowa and unlikely to merit a call-up. That leaves Dave Sappelt as the most likely call-up.
It's true that the Cubs are too lefthanded (Irony!), but Sappelt didn't hit well when he started the year with the Cubs and hasn't hit well at Iowa (.254/.306/.369 in 130 at-bats). I'd rather see the Cubs activate Steve Clevenger from the DL -- he gives them flexibility at several positions -- and just give the CF job to Sweeney full-time and see what he can do. The Cubs don't need six outfielders.
Consider the source -- Phil Rogers -- but if this were to come true, I think we'd all be happy (depending on the return):
Kevin Gregg couldn't make the Dodgers' bullpen in spring training, but he has pitched so well for the Cubs that he's on the short list of players the Tigers are considering as they continue to try to solve their closer dilemma. His experience and strike-throwing ability appeal to the Tigers, who would consider Carlos Marmol as part of a package.
Gregg AND Marmol to the Tigers? Sign me up. Let's start with Drew Smyly as part of the return. Who else would you want?
Cubs lineup:
Valbuena 3B, Castro SS, Schierholtz RF, Soriano LF, Rizzo 1B, Navarro C, Sweeney CF, Barney 2B, Garza P
This will be the first time that Dioner Navarro has caught Matt Garza as a Cub. The two were teammates with the Rays from 2008-10, and nearly came to blows in the dugout during one 2008 game. Things were all patched up between them, according to all reports.
Mets lineup:
Valdespin 2B, Murphy 1B, Wright 3B, Byrd RF, Duda LF, Buck C, Quintanilla SS, Nieuwenhuis CF, Hefner P
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Matt Garza hasn't faced the Mets since 2011, so let's look at his overall record so far this year. Or maybe let's not, because that 6.26 ERA and 1.354 WHIP don't look so good. Garza got crushed in his last outing, last Tuesday against the Reds (boxscore link not provided, so as to not give you heart palpitations). He's going to need to do better than that to attract anyone in the trade market. Current Mets are a small-sample-size 9-for-35 (.257) against Garza; his former teammate Marlon Byrd is 4-for-10 with two home runs off him.
The Cubs hit Jeremy Hefner pretty hard May 18 at Wrigley Field, the only game the Cubs won in that series. Hefner has made 12 starts this year and the Mets have won one of them. (Oddly enough, against their crosstown rivals, the Yankees.) A continuation of that losing streak would be nice.
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 Mets site Amazin' Avenue.
Here's the scoop on game threads for 2013. You'll find the game preview -- like this one -- posting as the first link in the StoryStream™, which will then contain all the overflow threads and the recap. The recap will also be on the front page as a separate post; once I post a game recap, the stream for each game will be retitled "Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of Week) Game Threads" so you can go back and find every thread related to that particular game.
In general, game previews will post two hours before game time. Exception: for day games after night games, that will usually be 90 minutes.
You will also be able to find the First Pitch Thread and all the overflow threads in the box marked "Chicago Cubs Game Threads" at the bottom of the front page (you can also find them in this section link). They will also appear in this StoryStream™. As I've done for each regular-season game for several years now, we'll have the First Pitch thread at five minutes before game time (moved up from actual game time per your requests), then an overflow one hour, two hours and 2:45 after game time.
Discuss amongst yourselves.