Current Series
3 game series vs Cubs @ Wrigley Field
| Mon 09/01 | WP: Roy Oswalt (13 - 9) SV: Jose Valverde LP: Jason Marquis (9 - 8) | 3 - 0 win |
Tuesday, Sep 2, 2008, 7:05 PM CDT Brandon Backe vs Carlos Zambrano Clear. Winds blowing out to left field at 5-10 m.p.h. Game Time temperature: Around 85.
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| Wed 09/03 | Randy Wolf vs Ryan Dempster | 7:05 PM CDT |
Starting pitching. Carlos Lee's injury. Hunter Pence and his sophomore slump. Michael Bourn struggling to be the offensive equivalent of Adam Everett. Miguel Tejada playing like he's 44 and not 34. We STILL don't have a catcher.
Ty Wigginton leading the majors in HR's in August, and slugging .806 in the process. Roy Oswalt allowing only 5 HR in his past 88.3 innings pitched, below his career .7 HR/9 innings rate. (Source: Baseball Prospectus). Jose Valverde taking the NL lead in saves. Hunter Pence hits his 20th HR, records his team leading 15th OF assist. LaTroy Hawkins hasn't given up a run since his trade here.
All of the aforementioned story-lines are true. The positives, the negatives, the silver linings and the nagging doubts. Still. The team is a very respectable 72-66 and are playing their best baseball of the year, including their very good stretch of ball in mid to late May. A major roadblock seems to be in their way tonight, as Stros killer Carlos Zambrano takes the mound. Coop is fond of saying it's a different guy every game that steps up for this club. It may need to be several different guys if we're gonna push past Big Z. Does anyone doubt that it can't happen?