CUBS VS GIANTS
Erik,
For some reason, I thought the Giants and Cubs had already played a series this season, and that the Giants had swept or at least won it. I combed the schedule and couldn't find that contest, so I must have been thinking of the Nationals sweep.
What I do remember is the wonderful game back in Scottsdale, during Spring training, where the Giants annihilated the Cubs 10-1. It wasn't wonderful because of the clobbering—it was wonderful because the two teams for whom I have the deepest fondness were having fun in the Arizona sun. Kirk Reuter pitched that day. Unfortunately, I don't recall who pitched for Chicago.
What can we expect from this series? Every time I try to predict anything, I'm flat wrong. But that doesn't stop me from trying to divine the future. The Giants prevented Florida from sweeping them, but were humiliated in Saturday's 16-4 game. They travelled without a break to Chicago, which may take a toll. The bullpen is tapped dry. Despite this, Pedro Feliz is on a roll. Edgardo Alfonso is back, which may or may not mean anything. Grandpa Grissom is also back, which worries me, since he's old enough to be Felipe Alou's little brother.
On the plus side (that's an Erik-style guarded plus side), Jason Schmidt is starting against a Chicago rookie making his big-league starter debut: Rich Hill, who has appeared out of the minors in only three reliefs. It's possible that Moises Alou, Grissom, and Alfonso may eat Hill alive...isn't that usually how it works with veteran batters seeing greenies for the first time?
On the other hand, the Cubs feel great! They're all smiles and pumped up with well-deserved confidence. Hell, I know they had a big old keg party after taking a series from their arch-nemeses. Now, they'll play at home against an inferior team. The math seems straightforward.
So, since I'm so bad at predicting anything, I'm gonna go full-tilt boogie here and predict that the Cubs will sweep the Giants. That's prediction 1. Prediction 2 is that Hill will not have what it takes tonight, allowing the Giants to take the first game. Cubs will rebound by taking games 2 and 3. The latter two games should be cinches for the Cubs since Giants are putting up their erratic, barely adequate starters Lowry and Tomko against Maddux and the Angry Baby Giant™.
I'll be back later to cover the game by the moment.
For some reason, I thought the Giants and Cubs had already played a series this season, and that the Giants had swept or at least won it. I combed the schedule and couldn't find that contest, so I must have been thinking of the Nationals sweep.
What I do remember is the wonderful game back in Scottsdale, during Spring training, where the Giants annihilated the Cubs 10-1. It wasn't wonderful because of the clobbering—it was wonderful because the two teams for whom I have the deepest fondness were having fun in the Arizona sun. Kirk Reuter pitched that day. Unfortunately, I don't recall who pitched for Chicago.
What can we expect from this series? Every time I try to predict anything, I'm flat wrong. But that doesn't stop me from trying to divine the future. The Giants prevented Florida from sweeping them, but were humiliated in Saturday's 16-4 game. They travelled without a break to Chicago, which may take a toll. The bullpen is tapped dry. Despite this, Pedro Feliz is on a roll. Edgardo Alfonso is back, which may or may not mean anything. Grandpa Grissom is also back, which worries me, since he's old enough to be Felipe Alou's little brother.
On the plus side (that's an Erik-style guarded plus side), Jason Schmidt is starting against a Chicago rookie making his big-league starter debut: Rich Hill, who has appeared out of the minors in only three reliefs. It's possible that Moises Alou, Grissom, and Alfonso may eat Hill alive...isn't that usually how it works with veteran batters seeing greenies for the first time?
On the other hand, the Cubs feel great! They're all smiles and pumped up with well-deserved confidence. Hell, I know they had a big old keg party after taking a series from their arch-nemeses. Now, they'll play at home against an inferior team. The math seems straightforward.
So, since I'm so bad at predicting anything, I'm gonna go full-tilt boogie here and predict that the Cubs will sweep the Giants. That's prediction 1. Prediction 2 is that Hill will not have what it takes tonight, allowing the Giants to take the first game. Cubs will rebound by taking games 2 and 3. The latter two games should be cinches for the Cubs since Giants are putting up their erratic, barely adequate starters Lowry and Tomko against Maddux and the Angry Baby Giant™.
I'll be back later to cover the game by the moment.
posted by Andrew at
3:20 PM
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