Gameday Open Thread

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As you've probably heard by now, the Cubs are pretty good at home. 20-8 which seems like the best record, but is actually third behind the Red Sox and Braves and tied with the Rays. One of the many reasons for that 20-8 record, is the collective 308/390/498 batting line by the team at Wrigley.

But that isn't stopping Lou from tinkering with the Cubs lineup today. Ryan Theriot (.154 batting average over the last 7 days) and Mark DeRosa (.381 BA over the last 7 games) sit in favor of Mike Fontenot and Ronny Cedeno. And Geovany Soto (.182 BA over the last 7 days) and Jim Edmonds (.150 as a Cub) flip spots. What does it all mean? Probably nothing more than giving some of the bench players a few at-bats and some time off with the day game following the night game tomorrow. (Of course that theory only holds true if tomorrow was a day game...nuts!)

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The residue from last night's 14-inning loss:

• The Cubs need to win today to take the series and finish with a .500 road trip


• After pitching 8 innings last night, the bullpen is all beat to hell, with a Memorial Day home game on tap tomorrow

• The Wood-to-setup-man and Marmol-to-closer discussion can begin anew

• Alfonso Soriano got to play a 4-hour and 21-minute game on that calf muscle which isn't "injured" but sure looks like it when Soriano runs

• Any Cub fan who stayed up until the bitter end will be haunted the sight of Henry Blanco playing first base

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His leg doesn't hurt. His leg doesn't hurt. His leg doesn't hurt. Just keep repeating it to yourself as you watch Alfonso Soriano run the bases and man leftfield tonight. The guy says his leg is fine despite what your eyes and the television cameras may tell you.

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Yes, the Washington Generals host the Harlem Globetrotters yet again.

The Cubs enter the game with an 8-1 record and 69-38 run differential this season against the Pirates. The lone loss occurred last Saturday at Wrigley Field, when these same two pitchers hooked up, and Zambrano, who has been so stellar in the first couple months of the campaign, went completely mental. Neither pitcher figured in the final decision, a 7-6 Pittsburgh win.

Tonight, Fukudome gets the night off, DeRosa moves to right, and Cedeño, who has hit Duke well (8-for-21), gets a start and gets to hit in front of DeRosa, who can't seem to hit at all on the road this year (11-for-62, .172, 530 OPS).

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After going five consecutive series without a series win, the Cubs will snag their fourth series in a row if they can upend the Houstons.

Lineup changes galore this evening--Theriot hits leadoff, Fukudome moves up to second, and Hoffpauir gets his first MLB start (in left, not as a replacement for Lee at first, as we expected).

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It appears that the Cubs have the edge in tonight's pitching matchup as Dempster continues his march to free agency. The Astros counter with Chris Sampson, who has fallen on some hard times since we last left him . He's given up five or more earned runs in four of his last seven starts and his 6.46 ERA is enough to make Jason Marquis blush.

But it seems the 30-year old saves his best against the Cubs... 

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The Cubs, winners of eight of ten, all at home, meet the Astros, winners of seven of ten, all on the road.

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On the heels of Saturday's loss to the Bucs and the unexpected appearance by Bad Carlos, the Cubs need a win to take this series from the Pirates and finish the homestand 8-2. Cedeño gets a start at shortstop and The Riot sits.

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