:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47009890/usa-today-8759459.0.jpg)
The Daily Herald's Bruce Miles spoke to Joe Maddon about September callups:
"You don't want to bring too many guys up, normally," Maddon said Friday. "When you get into the position we're getting into right now, a couple things have to be factored in. Speed has to be factored in. Bullpen has to be factored in. Catching has to be factored in to make sure that you're covered in all these areas. You may get a little bit heavy sometimes based on the fact that you want to be covered. "The other point that I'm very much about is that if it's a bad game, get your regular people off their feet. You have to be covered. Even in a good game, a blowout is a good way to get your regular guys off their feet, get somebody else out there to give them that break."
We are just 10 days away from the date reinforcements can be added to the Cubs' active roster. Based on these comments from Maddon, we can expect additions in the bullpen and with defensive replacements, but I'd guess we'll see no more than seven or eight extra players.
Here are today's particulars.
Cubs lineup:
Fowler CF, Schwarber LF, Coghlan 2B, Rizzo 1B, Bryant 3B, Montero C, Soler RF, Haren P, Russell SS
.@ithrow88 gets the ball today as we go for a third straight win. Game preview: http://t.co/D2O6w1ZLfM #LetsGo pic.twitter.com/28PLZKgypZ
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 22, 2015
Hey, if a lineup's winning... stick with it!
Braves lineup:
Markakis RF, Maybin CF, Freeman 1B, Pierzynski C, Garcia 3B, Swisher LF, Peterson 2B, Simmons SS, Perez P
Today's Starting Pitchers |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dan Haren hasn't been very good since he came to the Cubs: 5.40 ERA and 1.467 WHIP in three starts. However! One of his best starts of the year was against the Braves, April 15 in Atlanta -- seven innings, three hits, two runs. A repeat of that one, please.
Williams Perez has spent six years in the Braves farm system, under the radar, never listed as one of their top 20 prospects. He got Braves management's attention by posting a 1.16 ERA and 1.086 WHIP in eight starts at Triple-A Gwinnett this year. He has made 15 big-league appearances (12 starts) with middling success. His last four starts, though, have been bad: 7.30 ERA, 1.784 WHIP, 14 walks and only eight strikeouts in 24⅔ innings. He has never faced the Cubs or anyone on the current Cubs roster.
Today's game is on ABC7 Chicago. For coverage info in other Midwest markets click here (link opens .pdf).
Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation Braves site Talking Chop. If you do go there to interact with Braves fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
The 2015 Game Thread procedure has changed a bit. Here's how it will work going forward.
You'll find the game preview posted separately on the front page, two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream™ containing the preview will also post on the front page. The First Pitch Thread and all the overflow threads will be published in that stream, as well as the recap. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post, and at the time I write the recap I will rename the stream "Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of Week) Game Threads" so you can go back and find every thread related to that particular game.
You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread, all the overflow threads and recap 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 the game's StoryStream™ as noted above.
The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at one hour, two hours and 2:45 after the scheduled game time.
Discuss amongst yourselves.