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Chicago Cubs VS Houston Astros @ Miller Park

Me_tiny by Stros Bro on

Chicago Cubs @ Houston Astros


Current Series

3 game series vs Cubs @ Minute Maid Park

Fri 09/12 Postponed
Sat 09/13 Postponed

Chicago Cubs
@ Houston Astros

Sunday, Sep 14, 2008, 7:05 PM CDT
Miller Park

Carlos Zambrano vs Randy Wolf

Mostly cloudy with a 30-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing out to center field at 10-15 m.p.h. Game Time temperature: Near 65.

 

Complete Coverage >
Mon 09/15

Jason Marquis vs Brian Moehler

 1:05 PM CDT

Alright, I think we've all got our 2 cents in about how we disagree with the Astros playing their "home" game in Milwaukee, so I'll just get past that and on to what really matters... the game.

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2008 - Carlos Zambrano 13-5 27 27 0 0 0 0 173.1 163 72 69 16 64 117 3.58 1.31

W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP
2008 - Randy Wolf 4-1 9 9 1 1 0 0 54.1 51 25 23 5 20 41 3.81 1.31

Zambrano will be making his 1st start since he last faced the Astros on 9/2/08 in which he gave up 3 earned runs through 5 innings and left the game pretty early(86 pitches) with a "tired arm".  The Evil Z as we like to call him has sit on the pine for 12 straight days in an attempt to rest what was eventually diagnosed as rotator cuff tendinitis in his right shoulder.  

Randy Wolf has been pretty good in his 9 starts as an Astros pitcher this season going 4-1 with a 3.81 ERA.  Overall this season he has a 10-11 record and a 4.45 ERA(split between San Diego and Houston).  Wolf has been much better than many of us expected and has been a welcome addition to the Astros injured rotation.  

The Astros and Cubs appear to be teams going in opposite directions... despite all of the recent Astros injuries(Carlos Lee, Ty Wigginton, Wandy Rodriguez, Brandon Backet etc), the Astros have managed to win 9 of their last 10 games and are currently on a 6 game winning streak.  The Cubs on the other hand have only won 3 of their last 10 and are quickly watching their lead in the NL Central diminish.  The Astros have played very well and watched what at one time look to be an impossible deficit in the NL Wild Card rankings, drop to just 2 games (as of 5:00 PM CST) with the Brewers losing the 1st game of a double header with the Phillies.  

Lineup

Chicago Cubs @ Houston Astros

09/14/08 7:05 PM CDT

Chicago Cubs Houston Astros
Alfonso Soriano - LF Darin Erstad - LF
Ryan Theriot - SS Michael Bourn - CF
Derrek Lee - 1B Miguel Tejada - SS
Aramis Ramirez - 3B Lance Berkman - 1B
Geovany Soto - C Geoff Blum - 3B
Mark DeRosa - RF Hunter Pence - RF
Reed Johnson - CF David Newhan - 2B
Ronny Cedeno - 2B Humberto Quintero - C
Carlos Zambrano - P Randy Wolf - P

0 recs | Comment 150 comments

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Had to pay for MLB.tv to watch this

and also use a Colombian proxy server to avoid the blackout, but I’m watching this damn game. I really wish the Astros just sold their Sunday games to FSN Houston. We actually get that in NOLA.

by Only_A_Lad on Sep 14, 2008 7:04 PM CDT   0 recs

Really?

Dammit. Well, at least I’ll get the other Sunday games now.

by Only_A_Lad on Sep 14, 2008 7:08 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Unfortunately it's only 2 more games

at least for the regular season.

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Sep 14, 2008 7:09 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Ed Wade puts positive spin on missing two days

and on moving the games to Milwaukee.

I almost bought it until the radio guys said the Astros players on the plane ride had more on their minds than the baseball game.
 Radio guys said crowd is dressed un cubbie Blue

And Astros wearing road uniforms!

Astros fan for life

by Joe in Birmingham on Sep 14, 2008 7:07 PM CDT   0 recs

Cubs may be wearing their home uniforms

anyone with better knowldedge than I can tell?

Astros fan for life

by Joe in Birmingham on Sep 14, 2008 7:09 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Astros "home" dugout

is on the Visitors side(in comparison to MMP)

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Sep 14, 2008 7:08 PM CDT   0 recs

chicago writer's twitter earlier

said the Astros had the cubs use the “home” team locker room. Maybe the Astros figured it’d be easier to treat this as a regular road game.

wonder if that extended to dugout as well

by lnewcomer on Sep 14, 2008 7:16 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Maybe

but I have noticed that not all home dugouts are on the right side of the field(when looking towards the outfield).

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Sep 14, 2008 7:17 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Miller Park erupted in very loud cheering with the HR.

Then the fans at the stadium began loud “let’s go Cubs” chanting. This seems like greater fan support for the Cubs than if they were at Wrigley.

by clack on Sep 14, 2008 7:13 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

In case you didn't see my post in another thread

It takes an hour and 45 minutes to get to Miller Park from Chicago…

It takes 19+ to get there from Houston..

If there wasn’t more Cubs fans there it would be a joke… This might as well be a home game for the Cubs

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Sep 14, 2008 7:14 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Miller easier and quicker to get to for many in Chicago area.

by ol Pete on Sep 14, 2008 7:20 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Crowd chanting "Let's Go Cubs"

and the fans behind home plate are dressed in Cubs shirts.

Neutral field – yeah – give me a break

Astros fan for life

by Joe in Birmingham on Sep 14, 2008 7:12 PM CDT   0 recs

Hopefully we'll kick their ass

and this will be a moot point..

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Sep 14, 2008 7:15 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Looks like almost a full stadium

and it is a sea of Cubbie Blue

Astros fan for life

by Joe in Birmingham on Sep 14, 2008 7:15 PM CDT   0 recs

Fortunately

Soriano (and every manager to ever use him) is a dumbass. He has to bat first, no matter what. So a good number of his homers are necessarily solo shots.

by Only_A_Lad on Sep 14, 2008 7:17 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

i hate bud selig

and all his MLB minions.

by lnewcomer on Sep 14, 2008 7:16 PM CDT   0 recs

Phillies lead Brewers 4-0 in the second inning

after winning the first game today.

Phillies still batting

Astros fan for life

by Joe in Birmingham on Sep 14, 2008 7:17 PM CDT   0 recs

so who gets the gate?

i have no idea how gate receipts, concessions are split for a regular game, but i wonder about this one.

by lnewcomer on Sep 14, 2008 7:17 PM CDT   0 recs

As a cubs fan

I have to wonder why these games weren’t played in Atlanta? Wouldn’t that have been more “neutral” then milwaukee? Given anywhere you play there would have been more cubs fans then astros fans, it wouldn’t have been so lopsided, and also its a shorter trip for ya’ll to florida for your set against the Fish

then again maybe it was just me wanting to watch the games in turner

by cubsfaninatl on Sep 14, 2008 7:21 PM CDT   0 recs

Anything makes more sense than Milwaukee

I wasn’t as pissed about it until I mapped it out and realized it was less than a 2 hr drive there..

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Sep 14, 2008 7:23 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Brownie just mentioned that

Lance got up at 4:00 AM today to make the plan trip to Miller park

How refreshing

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Sep 14, 2008 7:30 PM CDT   0 recs

yeah

JD mentioned earlier that they may really feel it tomorrow during the day game.

i hope they slept on the plane. i never can.

by lnewcomer on Sep 14, 2008 7:31 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm sure they are able to

I’m assuming most of them are used to flying..

I wouldn’t know.. I’ve never flown.

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Sep 14, 2008 7:32 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

JD/Brownie both agree

that both of these games might as well be considered away games.

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Sep 14, 2008 7:44 PM CDT   0 recs

c'mon miggy

if you at least make the throw, Zambrano has to get in collision at the plate

by lnewcomer on Sep 14, 2008 7:44 PM CDT   0 recs

sorry miggy

that was on bourn, not you

by lnewcomer on Sep 14, 2008 7:44 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

you can blame Tejada

for trying to barehand the ball like an assclown

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Sep 14, 2008 7:45 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

3-0 Cubs

I don’t like the way this game is developing

Astros fan for life

by Joe in Birmingham on Sep 14, 2008 7:44 PM CDT   0 recs

that was weird

3b coach came down to talk to Ramirez.

picked up Wolf tipping his pitches?

by lnewcomer on Sep 14, 2008 7:45 PM CDT   0 recs

that's just a WAG

i really doubt that’s the case

by lnewcomer on Sep 14, 2008 7:45 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Make it 4-0

RBI single by Ramirez and then he moves to 2nd on what should be an error on Tejada for throwing the ball away

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Sep 14, 2008 7:47 PM CDT   0 recs

this is not good and i cant even watch it on WGN

by garageinc on Sep 14, 2008 7:48 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Wolf getting killed

get rid of him, everyone is hammering him

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Sep 14, 2008 7:48 PM CDT   0 recs

i know it won't

but maybe this will keep our moron GM from offering Wolf a big offseason deal

by lnewcomer on Sep 14, 2008 7:48 PM CDT   0 recs

yep

and let the arbiters look at his 10-11 record

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Sep 14, 2008 7:51 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Sloppy fielding

Somebody should catch the ball in the infield.

Astros are not mentally in this game

Astros fan for life

by Joe in Birmingham on Sep 14, 2008 7:48 PM CDT   0 recs

Case in point:

Tejada’s stupid ass throw

by Only_A_Lad on Sep 14, 2008 7:49 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

All this shit and still 2 outs

by garageinc on Sep 14, 2008 7:49 PM CDT   0 recs

yeah, their implosion has been sweet

hope this kills any TLR as manager of the year talk.

it’s easy to be a good mgr when no-names like Ludwick, Schumacker have career years. now everyone is slumping or hurt.

by lnewcomer on Sep 14, 2008 7:51 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

On the bright side

The Cardinals were swept.

On the other hand, I like the Cardinals fans more than Cubs fans, so the scheudenfreude is not as sweet.

by Only_A_Lad on Sep 14, 2008 7:51 PM CDT   0 recs

Bye Bye Wolf

Nieve coming in.. Wolf doesn’t look too happy

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Sep 14, 2008 7:52 PM CDT   0 recs

looked away a second

did wolf get pulled in the middle of a batter?

by lnewcomer on Sep 14, 2008 7:52 PM CDT   0 recs

no

he walked the last dude

by Only_A_Lad on Sep 14, 2008 7:53 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I was going to the sports bar to watch this

but now I will stay home unless this gets much much better

by garageinc on Sep 14, 2008 7:59 PM CDT   0 recs

Are you sure this game is on FSN Hou?

I really want to watch it at the bar on direct tv

by garageinc on Sep 14, 2008 8:05 PM CDT   0 recs

yep, FSN Houston

that’s what I’m watching on in Austin

by lnewcomer on Sep 14, 2008 8:07 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

there isn't a fan base in the majors that doesn't

including ours.

it’s stupid canard that people use to make fun of other people’s fans.

by lnewcomer on Sep 14, 2008 8:26 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah,

but there’s something endearing about the way Astros fans cheer a Tejada pop-up.

by Only_A_Lad on Sep 14, 2008 8:36 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Nieve doing good

Retired seven straight batters.

Astros fan for life

by Joe in Birmingham on Sep 14, 2008 8:25 PM CDT   0 recs

last I saw, that was true

It helps if the hitter thinks you're a little crazy. - Nolan

by clockwerks on Sep 14, 2008 8:30 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Well - yeah

but Astros have hit into a double play – I don’t think the Cubs have

Astros fan for life

by Joe in Birmingham on Sep 14, 2008 8:31 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Phillies leading Brewers 6-0

If Phillies they will be tied for the Wild Card lead.

That scares me because Phillies have a relatively weak schedule to go.

It also means Astros more or less control their destiny now (if they can win this game)

Astros may have to catch the Mets for the Wild Card playoff slot.

Astros fan for life

by Joe in Birmingham on Sep 14, 2008 8:29 PM CDT   0 recs

lol

hunter doesn’t have any padding back there. ouch

by lnewcomer on Sep 14, 2008 8:30 PM CDT   0 recs

everything going right for cubs

newhan lines right to lee and hunter doubled off.

this one wasn’t really his fault, but hunter may lead our team in getting doubled off bases. him or bourn

by lnewcomer on Sep 14, 2008 8:31 PM CDT   0 recs

As usual

fate is conspiring to screw over the city of Houston. The next Cubs fan I see at this stupid school, I’m going exact some revenge.

by Only_A_Lad on Sep 14, 2008 8:33 PM CDT   0 recs

fernando nieve and some other team employees

stayed at MMP during Ike

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-astros-weatheringike&prov=ap&type=lgns

by lnewcomer on Sep 14, 2008 8:35 PM CDT   0 recs