In keeping with the request to try to jinx players from the Cubs' opponents as I apparently did to Starlin Castro Friday night, I wanted to point out that the Dodgers' Matt Kemp is on a real hot streak: .425/.511/.725 in his last 11 games (17-for-40 with a double, a triple, three home runs and 11 RBI).
There. That ought to do it. You're welcome.
Cubs lineup:
Alcantara 2B, Coghlan LF, Rizzo 1B, Castro SS, Ruggiano RF, Castillo C, Valaika 3B, Lake CF, Wada P
Chris Valaika gets his first start (and appearance) as a Cub, at third base against the Dodgers lefty Ryu.
Dodgers lineup:
Gordon 2B, Turner 1B, Ramirez SS, Kemp RF, Van Slyke CF, Uribe 3B, Crawford LF, Butera C, Ryu P
The Cubs get a bit of a break as Yasiel Puig and Adrian Gonzalez both sit tonight, as well as starting catcher A.J. Ellis, all due to minor injuries.
Today's Starting Pitchers |
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Tsuyoshi Wada's last start, against the Rockies at Wrigley Field last Monday, was excellent and along the lines of his Triple-A Iowa numbers: few hits, few walks. Let's see if he can keep that up against a better offensive club in the Dodgers.
Hyun-Jin Ryu has been quite consistent all year for the Dodgers. His ERA has not been below 3 since April, and not above 4 all year. His only career start against the Cubs was exactly one year ago today, August 2, 2013 at Wrigley Field. Ryu gave up 11 hits, but the Dodgers won anyway. Some of those Cubs are even still on the team.
Today's game is on CSN Chicago.
Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation Dodgers site True Blue LA.
For 2014, we are going to have the same game-thread routine as 2013. Here's how it works.
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.