Gameday Open Thread

Game Chat | BR Preview

  Some juggling of the 2, 4, and 5 spots in the Cubs lineup today, and Theriot sits for another game.  Ramirez plays for Uribe, otherwise the same lineup for the Sox.  Today also marks the half-way point in the Cubs' season, with a win putting the Cubs exactly on pace for 100.  Cubs beat Vazquez pretty easily last time; this is Gallagher's first time facing the Sox.

AZ PHIL UPDATE: Prior to the game, the Cubs placed LHP Scott Eyre on the 15-day DL (groin), and recalled RHP Jose Ascanio from AAA Iowa. 

Ascanio just recently returned to the Iowa Cubs from Venezuela, after missing about ten days (Bereavement Leave and then visa problems) while attending his brother's funeral. 

Although Ascanio is one of the Cubs top pitching prospects, and while he does have MLB experience, the Cubs probably would have preferred to bring up a pitcher who can throw more than one inning (Ascanio is Iowa's closer), but Kevin Hart (concussion) and Randy Wells (leg) are injured, and MLB veterans Mike Burns and Hector Carrasco threw a lot of pitches the last couple of days. (The Cubs could transfer RHP Chad Fox to the 60-day DL if they need to open a slot on the 40-man roster for Wells, Burns, or Carrasco at some point down the line).

Game Chat | Press Pass | BR Preview

It's time for Round Two of the Cubs versus White Sox, a.k.a. Team Inferiority Complex.

The Cubs go with a lineup that's long on lefties and rich on suck. Fontenot? Cedeño?? Ward in the field??? Lou is clearly trying to win the game with one hand tied behind his back, thus completely demoralizing the hosts.

Dempster, who yielded just one run (though 10 hits) to beat the White Sox on Sunday night, gets the nod against Contreras, who the Cubs undressed last Saturday (9 ER, 10H allowed in 3.1 innings).

Game Chat | Press Pass | BR Preview

Sure, baseball is a 162-game marathon and one individual game generally means very little in the grand scheme of things. But once in awhile a key game comes along that can define a team and a season. The Orioles threaten to take the series today, which would mark the Cubs first series loss at home since the end of April to the Brewers. We shall not stand for this threat against our beloved Friendly Confines So rise up, my beloved Cubbies against this island of misfits led by the Cubs' bespectacled cast-off.

WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE!

Game Chat | Press Pass | BR Preview

Albers gets the emergency start in place of the scheduled O's starter, Brian Burres.

Game Chat | Press Pass | BR Preview

Bah...the Internets ate my preview, so here's the cliff notes version.

• Orioles first trip to Wrigley...ever
• Marshall called up, Reed Johnson to the disabled list.
• Cubs going for 15th straight home win, Orioles are .400 on the road. Do the math.

Go Cubs!

Game Chat | Press Pass | BR Preview

The national ESPN spotlight shines this evening on 1060 West Addison, which can only mean one thing:

The Yankees and Mets aren't playing each other this weekend.

According to the Sun-Times' up-to-the-minute Cubs reports via Twitter, Rob Reiner and his kid are in the house tonight. Could there be any clearer indication what an important contest this is?

Regarding tonight's starters...

Game Chat | Press Pass | BR Preview

First, the Z news:

The Cubs have placed Carlos and his shoulder strain on the 15-day DL retroactive to June 19th (Zambrano's second career trip to the Disabled List, the other coming in 2002), and they have recalled Eric Patterson from Iowa. Patterson is in Lou Piniella's lineup this afternoon, playing left field and hitting second.

As for the game at hand, the first-place Cubs go for their 13th consecutive win at Wrigley and try to improve on their overall 30-8 record at home, while trying to extend a four-game winning streak over the White Sox, the longest streak either team has enjoyed since interleague play began in '97.

The White Sox—with a mark of 17-21 away from U.S. Cellular Fans Beating Up Opposition's First-Base Coach Field—try to avoid their 8th consecutive road loss.

And everybody hopes that those isolated thunderstorms find somewhere else to play besides the corner of Clark & Addison.

Game Chat

Game Chat | Press Pass | BR Preview

Game Chat | Press Pass | BR Preview

Matt Murton has been called up and Eric Patterson has been sent down. Welcome back to the Show Orange Guy, and good luck with Scott Kazmir, who has given up all of one run in four home starts this year (thanks nohit). The entire Rays team has been enjoying the comforts of Tampa, Florida with a shiny 26-11 mark at Tropicana Field. That's good for second best in the home record in the American League and has helped catapult them from the worst overall record in the league last year to the current AL Wild Card leaders. Most of that turnaround can be attributed to their pitching and defense and not that sketchy lineup that I'm looking at. But I guess you don't need good hitters if you can "Execute to the Max".

Game notes fun after the jump...

Game Chat | Press Pass | BR Preview

Happy Father's Day!

Game Chat | Press Pass | BR Preview

Oh dear, I think Lou has the interleague schedule confused with the preseason one. I'll be the first to say it - THIS LINEUP SUCKS!

That should be good for three to four runs off Halladay. They'll probably need five with Marquis on the mound though.

Game Chat | Press Pass | BR Preview

Can the Cubs reach 20 games over by mid-June? They have a chance by winning tonight or this series, and it would be the first time since late 2004. But they'll be on the short-end of the pitching matchups for the most part. By ERA, Gallagher is outperforming Burnett at this point, but Saturday's matchup is Roy Halladay(3.07) vs Jason Marquis(4.54) and Sunday is Jessie Litsch(3.42) vs. Ted Lilly(5.13). Burnett might also have the added motivation of trying to audition for his next team, as he's one of the names certain to be bandied about during the trade deadline in connection with the Cubs.

Game Chat | Press Pass | BR Preview

I believe this is what our ancestors called a pitching duel. They probably called it that in 1948 as well, which is the year they will be honoring with today's "Turn back the clock" event. Both teams will break out the 1948 uniforms in honor of WGN's 60th anniversary. I hope they had a better logo in 1948 then they do now. To keep in the 1948 spirt, the first two innings will be broadcast in black and white with similar camera angles that they used back then and minimal graphics. I believe the plan is to add more graphics and cameras as the game goes on. Len and Bob will be wearing authentic 1948 garb as well.

Game Chat | Press Pass | BR Preview

Jeff Bennett starts for the Braves, after the scheduled starter, Jair Jurrjens, slipped on a dugout step following last night's game and messed up his ankle.

I'll bet it was just like that scene in "Pride of the Yankees," where Lou Gehrig (Gary Cooper) slips on a pile of bats near the on-deck circle, and a gorgeous girl (Teresa Wright) laughs at him and calls him "Tanglefoot."

Yes, I'm certain it happened just like that.