Game 35 Thread / Diamondbacks @ Cubs (1 of 3)

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"Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue."

— Steve McCroskey (Lloyd Bridges) in Airplane

 

Timing is everything, and for the Cubs to be playing like hell when the 23-12 Diamondbacks show up at their door, well, the timing could be better.

The good news is, the Cubs will be playing at The Soon-To-Be-Sold Confines, where, in 17 games, the team is 11-6 and has hit .315 with an OBP/SLG/OPS line of .401/.505/906. Think Larry Walker in 2000 as a Rockie. (That's compared to .246 with a line of .340/.368/708 away from Wrigley Field. Think Jerry Hairston, Jr. as a Cub in 2005.)

Cubs starter Lilly will try to continue his climb back from the abyss, last pitching Saturday when he threw seven innings in a winning effort against the Cardinals. In the lefty's last three starts, he has gone 2-1, 2.84, after starting out 0-3, 9.16.

Arizona starter Haren, in his first year back in the NL after a stint with the A's, last threw against the Cubs in 2004, while a Cardinal. Alfonso Soriano hit him hard (5-for-13, 2 HR, 5 RBI) while both were in the AL.

Overall, the Diamondbacks, who lead the NL West by 3.5 games over the Dodgers, have simply been abusive to the rest of the Nationall League, outscoring their opponents 201-148.

Of course, the last time these teams met was in the third game of last year's NLDS. You'll recall that after winning the game to sweep the Cubs out of the post-season, the Diamondbacks met at the 50-yard-line and danced all over the Cubs logo, setting off a brawl between the players, as helmets and shoulder pads were thrown all over the place.

So at least we have that motivation to draw upon.