Series Preview: Chicago Cubs (38-27) at St Louis Cardinals (36-30)

In Series Previews by berselius35 Comments

Another day, another big NL Central series. It’s still only the middle of June, but just like the last series both teams are probably just wanting to get out of this series without getting swept. And to at least score more than three runs in regulation.

Team Leaders

Cubs

Urinals

  • OBP: Jose Martinez (.389)
  • ISO: Paul DeJong (.213)
  • HR: Martinez (10)
  • R+RBI: Tommy Pham (80)
  • wRC+: Marttinez (149)
  • BSR: Harrison Bader (1.7)
  • DRS: Kolten Wong (9)
  • SP K%: Jack Flaherty (26.1%)
  • SP BB%: Miles Mikolas (2.7%)
  • SP FIP: Mikolas (3.11)
  • RP K%: Bud Norris (34.8%)
  • RP BB/9: Norris (3.4%)
  • RP FIP: Norris (2.24)
  • WAR: Mikolas (1.9)

Injuries, transactions, vengenace pacts, etc.

Paul DeJon is still out from a broken hand suffered last month. He’s starting to resume some baseball activities but should still have a ways to go yet. Luke Gregerson and Greg Holland are both out with a case of cantpitchitis, combined with a minor knee surgery and a hip injury. Alex Reyes made it all the way back from TJS only to suffer a torn lat muscle in his first start back, ending his season. Waino is also on the shelf indefinitely after exploratory surgery to figure out what the heck is going on with his elbow.

Eddie Butler has been out since April with what seemed to be a mild groin strain at the time, and the only time his name has popped up since was when the Cubs moved him to the 60 day DL in the past few days. Yu Darvish threw a bullpen earlier this week and will probably do another today, though it still sounds like he will not be back until the ASB. Carl Edwards is beginning to throw again, and injury reclamation project Drew Smyly is working his way back to a possible rehab assignment in the next few weeks.

Pitching Probables

ERA, FIP, Projected K/9, BB/9, FIP listed for each pitcher. I’m nodding off as I write this so no pithy capsules today. No dinner tomorrow.

At least the Cubs aren’t facing Mikolas.

Friday: Jon Lester, LHP (2.22, 3.98, 8.78, 2.74, 3.80) vs Michael Wacha, RHP (2.47, 3.41, 8.25, 3.15, 3.79) 7:15 PM CT,

Saturday: Kyle Hendricks, RHP (3.48, 4.51, 7.80, 2.28, 4.01) vs Carlos Martinez, RHP (2.50, 3.63, 9.19, 3.47, 3.60), 7:15 PM CT

Sunday: Jose Quintana, LHP (4.09, 4.36, 9.15, 2.87, 3.45) vs Jack Flaherty, RHP (2.96, 3.55, 8.59, 2.80, 4.07), 7:05 PM CT

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  1. Ryno

    Gleyber Torres socked his 13th homer Thursday in a win over Tampa Bay. The 21-year-old has slashed a phenomenal .295/.351/.577 since his call-up in late April.
    — Rotoworld

    Yeah, but…

    Even though…

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  2. Paul Heyden

    Chilli was brought here to help Swarbs and JHey. .. Leave Bryan and daRizz alone. 8 homers and 28 Ribbies? There are a bunch of 2nd basemen in baseball with more than that. Joe MADMAN needs to go to the lineup we had in 2016. Instead of Fowler, Almora-CF, Joes obsession with Dexter has me worried. Dammit Joe, he’s GONE. Hitting .177 with the Cards. AA is over 300 and one of the best CF’s in baseball. Get over it. ZeeBee at 2nd, 2nd base or left hitting in the 2 hole, RIZZO hits 3rd, Bryant 4th, Swarbs and Contreras 5th & 6th depending on the pitcher , lefty righty, Jhey RF and 6th, Russell SS 7th, and the pitcher. Baez 2nd, SS wherever needed. He needs more rest due to fatigue. You can see it in his swing at times. It’s MY understanding that professional ballplayers like to have a clue where they will be playing and where they are batting……..Rizzo, Bryant and Swarbs are middle or the order guy, it’s that simple. Stop F****G over them. Theo thinks you can walk on water but me and many others are tired of the b.s. Madman did his best to wrest DEFEAT from the JAWS of VICTORY during game 7. Pulling Hendricks after only 51 pitches with a ineffective bullpen and a used up Chapman. Thank God for Lester. Zoo’s at the ballpark and P.J. parties.?? I feel bad for Bryant. His big looping stroke has him popping up half the time. Let him find the stroke she had when he came here. Don’t try to FIX what isn’t broken.

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  3. Ryno

    SB Nation NFL @SBNationNFL
    Congratulations, you have the power to change the outcome of any one play in NFL history.

    Which moment are you changing?

    That’s easy. https://youtu.be/RFBax7ItE30?t=2h17m14s

    Snap the ball 1 second earlier and SF is up 1 on BAL, going for 2 and kicking to BAL with 1:50 left. They may not win the game, but that’s the play that gives the franchise the best shot at another Super Bowl.

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  4. Ryno

    Paul Heyden:
    Chilli was brought here to help Swarbs and JHey…bunch…in the 2 hole.He needs more rest due to fatigue.You can see it in his…F****G.Theo thinks…God…parties.??I feel bad for Bryant.His big…stroke…popping up half the time.Let him…stroke.

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  5. Ryno

    Dan Devine @YourManDevine 1h
    Dwight Howard said on “The Jump” yesterday, “Half of the reason I wear No. 12 is because I wanted to be the reverse of Tim Duncan,” and I’ve been staring ahead, just quietly blinking and pondering, ever since

    I make a point to never judge the goals of others, but this one is rather curious. The reverse of a Hall of Famer and, by all accounts, a model human being?

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  6. Author
    berselius

    Maybe it’s just their bizarre frontpage algorithm, but I love how on the first full day of the biggest sporting event on the planet, the lead stories at espn.com are a golf tournament and the anniversary of the freaking body issue (dying laughing).

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  7. Ryno

    berselius:
    I love…the biggest sporting event on the planet, the lead stories at espn.com…a golf tournament…and the…freaking body issue (dying laughing).

    This is in the same vein as those old Bud Light tweeeiinnns commercials.

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  8. dmick89

    berselius,

    I can’t wait to see what they do on Netflix. I’m hoping we might get a Sandman show. DC is creating the Sandman universe for their comics so I wouldn’t be surprised if they want to do the same thing for television. I thought HBO would be the ideal place for it, but Netflix would work.

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