Cubs @ Brewers Game One Preview

With the roll CC Sabathia has been on since becoming a member of the Milwaukee Brewers, it is pretty easy to pencil him in for another dominating performance against the Cubs. In fact Accuscore isn’t giving the Cubs much of a chance tonight at all. The Brewers are a 66% favorite to take out the Cubs tonight.

Whereas none of this surprises anyone…even a diehard Cubs fan like me, I can’t help but to think that the Brewers are set for a huge letdown. Just recently, I heard a quote form Brewers skipper Ned Yost who had made it a team goal to “get within a game or two of the Cubs, before they meet, and then see what happens.”

Goal Accomplished.

Longterm though…is the goal to catch the Cubs, or go to the World Series? The talk of the town in Milwaukee is to “get back to the postseason”, or ”end the postseason appearance streak.”

 The talk in Chicago is to “end the World Series drought”, ”win the World Series”, and to “scratch the 100 year itch.” Much loftier goals to be sure.

CC and the Brewers may win a battle or two, but without the proper goals – can they win the war?

CC Sabathia hasn’t faced the Cubs this year, but here are his career numbers v. the Cubs…

C.C. Sabathia vs. Batters, for Career, Min. 0 PA’s, Sorted by PA DESC, Then by Name, vs. players for CHC

PI Click on the player name for a list of plate appearances between these players.

                    **PA**  AB  H  2B 3B HR RBI  BB  SO   BA   OBP   SLG   OPS   SH  SF IBB HBP GDP G_miss YR_miss
+-----------------+-------+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+---+---+---+---+---+------+-------+
 Alfonso Soriano      31    25   8  0  0  3   5   5   8  .320  .452  .680 1.132   0   0   1   1   0                
 Reed Johnson         22    21   8  2  0  1   3   0   2  .381  .364  .619  .983   0   1   0   0   1                
 Aramis Ramirez        8     7   3  0  0  0   1   1   2  .429  .500  .429  .929   0   0   0   0   0                
 Henry Blanco          7     5   2  0  0  0   2   1   0  .400  .571  .400  .971   0   0   0   1   0                
 Jim Edmonds           6     4   1  0  0  0   0   2   1  .250  .500  .250  .750   0   0   0   0   0                
 Mark DeRosa           3     3   1  0  0  0   0   0   0  .333  .333  .333  .666   0   0   0   0   0                
 Ronny Cedeno          2     2   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  .000  .000  .000  .000   0   0   0   0   0                
+-----------------+-------+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+---+---+---+---+---+------+-------+
 Total                79    67  23  2  0  4  11   9  13  .343  .430  .552  .982   0   1   1   2   1                

Has not faced: Mike Fontenot, Kosuke Fukudome, Derrek Lee, Geovany Soto, Ryan Theriot, and Daryle Ward & Has not faced pitchers: Neal Cotts, Ryan Dempster, Scott Eyre, Chad Gaudin, Rich Harden, Bobby Howry, Ted Lilly, Carlos Marmol, Jason Marquis, Sean Marshall, Jeff Samardzija, and Carlos Zambrano

Ted Lilly has been better than you might expect v. the Brewers this year…

Ted Lilly vs. Batters, for 2008, Min. 0 PA’s, Sorted by PA DESC, Then by Name, vs. players for MIL

PI Click on the player name for a list of plate appearances between these players.

                    **PA**  AB  H  2B 3B HR RBI  BB  SO   BA   OBP   SLG   OPS   SH  SF IBB HBP GDP G_miss YR_miss
+-----------------+-------+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+---+---+---+---+---+------+-------+
 Prince Fielder        3    2   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  .000  .333  .000  .333   0   0   0   1   0
 Gabe Kapler           3    3   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  .000  .000  .000  .000   0   0   0   0   0
 Rickie Weeks          3    3   1  0  0  1   1   0   0  .333  .333 1.333 1.666   0   0   0   0   0
 Ryan Braun            2     2   1  1  0  0   0   0   1  .500  .500 1.000 1.500   0   0   0   0   0
 Bill Hall             2     2   1  0  0  0   1   0   0  .500  .500  .500 1.000   0   0   0   0   0
 J.J. Hardy            2     2   0  0  0  0   0   0   1  .000  .000  .000  .000   0   0   0   0   0
 Corey Hart            2     2   1  1  0  0   1   0   1  .500  .500 1.000 1.500   0   0   0   0   0
 Jason Kendall         2     2   1  1  0  0   0   0   0  .500  .500 1.000 1.500   0   0   0   0   0
 Jeff Suppan           2     2   0  0  0  0   0   0   1  .000  .000  .000  .000   0   0   0   0   0
+-----------------+-------+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+---+---+---+---+---+------+-------+

Has not faced: Russell Branyan, Mike Cameron, Craig Counsell, Ray Durham, and Mike Rivera & Has not faced pitchers: David Bush, Eric Gagne, Seth McClung, Guillermo Mota, Manny Parra, David Riske, C.C. Sabathia, Ben Sheets, Brian Shouse, Salomon Torres, and Carlos Villanueva

No predictions from 100yi – other than to say, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Cubs surprised us.

Cubs @ Astros Game One Preview

Brian Moehler

Ted Lilly

Needless to say, not exactly either teams ace….toss up…w/ starters.

I say Ted Lilly does what Ted Lilly does…give up a run or two early, then settle down. Moehler, I can honestly say I have to rely on the stats. So with out further ado….

Brian Moehler vs. Batters, for 2008, Min. 0 PA’s, Sorted by PA DESC, Then by Name, vs. players for CHC

PI Click on the player name for a list of plate appearances between these players.

                    **PA**  AB  H  2B 3B HR RBI  BB  SO   BA   OBP   SLG   OPS   SH  SF IBB HBP GDP G_miss YR_miss
+-----------------+-------+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+---+---+---+---+---+------+-------+
 Kosuke Fukudome       3     2   1  0  0  0   0   1   0  .500  .667  .500 1.167   0   0   0   0   0
 Derrek Lee            3     3   0  0  0  0   0   0   1  .000  .000  .000  .000   0   0   0   0   0
 Aramis Ramirez        3     3   2  0  0  0   0   0   0  .667  .667  .667 1.334   0   0   0   0   0
 Geovany Soto          3     3   1  0  0  1   3   0   0  .333  .333 1.333 1.666   0   0   0   0   0
 Ryan Theriot          3     3   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  .000  .000  .000  .000   0   0   0   0   0
 Mark DeRosa           2     2   1  0  0  0   0   0   0  .500  .500  .500 1.000   0   0   0   0   0
 Jim Edmonds           2     2   1  0  0  0   0   0   0  .500  .500  .500 1.000   0   0   0   0   0
 Ted Lilly             2     1   1  0  0  0   0   0   0 1.000 1.000 1.000 2.000   1   0   0   0   0
+-----------------+-------+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+---+---+---+---+---+------+-------+

Has not faced: Henry Blanco, Ronny Cedeno, Mike Fontenot, Reed Johnson, and Daryle Ward & Has not faced pitchers: Neal Cotts, Ryan Dempster, Chad Gaudin, Rich Harden, Kevin Hart, Bobby Howry, Jon Lieber, Carlos Marmol, Jason Marquis, Sean Marshall, Kerry Wood, and Carlos Zambrano

 

Ted Lilly vs. Batters, for 2008, Min. 0 PA’s, Sorted by PA DESC, Then by Name, vs. players for HOU

PI Click on the player name for a list of plate appearances between these players.

                    **PA**  AB  H  2B 3B HR RBI  BB  SO   BA   OBP   SLG   OPS   SH  SF IBB HBP GDP G_miss YR_miss
+-----------------+-------+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+---+---+---+---+---+------+-------+
 Lance Berkman         3     3   0  0  0  0   0   0   2  .000  .000  .000  .000   0   0   0   0   0
 Michael Bourn         3     3   1  0  0  0   1   0   0  .333  .333  .333  .666   0   0   0   0   0
 Kazuo Matsui          3     2   0  0  0  0   0   1   1  .000  .333  .000  .333   0   0   0   0   0
 Miguel Tejada         3     3   1  1  0  0   0   0   1  .333  .333  .667 1.000   0   0   0   0   0
 Brad Ausmus           2     2   0  0  0  0   0   0   0  .000  .000  .000  .000   0   0   0   0   0
 Carlos Lee            2     2   1  0  0  0   1   0   0  .500  .500  .500 1.000   0   0   0   0   0
 Hunter Pence          2     2   0  0  0  0   0   0   1  .000  .000  .000  .000   0   0   0   0   0
 Ty Wigginton          2     2   1  1  0  0   0   0   0  .500  .500 1.000 1.500   0   0   0   0   0
 Brian Moehler         1     1   0  0  0  0   0   0   1  .000  .000  .000  .000   0   0   0   0   0
+-----------------+-------+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+-----+-----+-----+-----+---+---+---+---+---+------+-------+

Has not faced: Geoff Blum, Darin Erstad, Mark Loretta, David Newhan, and J.R. Towles & Has not faced pitchers: Brandon Backe, Dave Borkowski, Doug Brocail, Tim Byrdak, Geoff Geary, Roy Oswalt, Chad Paronto, Wandy Rodriguez, Chris Sampson, Jose Valverde, and Wesley Wright

 What does all of this mean? Well, I’m late at getting it all out. Which is why being a one man show kind of sucks sometimes.

Big game for Soto. Fukudome gets healthy against Moehler. Carlos Lee hits a HR. Edmonds continues batting well. Cubs win 7-4.

I will be more diligent, getting the info out to you sooner tomorrow…busy day today.

 

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