Open Thread: Cubs vs. White Sox, Sunday 7/2, 1:20 CT

by Al Yellon on Jul 2, 2006 10:19 AM CDT in Chicago Cubs Game Threads

Today marks the halfway point in the Cubs' season, the eighty-first game.

Since the 162-game schedule was instituted in the NL in 1962 (not counting strike years), the Cubs have been this bad through the first 81 games only twice: in 1966, when they tied the club record for losses (103), they hit the halfway mark at 25-56. In 1962, when they first set that club record for losses, they were 30-51.

They'll have to win today to avoid being the second-worst Cub team in the expansion era at the halfway mark.

Today's Starting Pitchers


C. Zambrano Cubs	vs.	M. Buehrle White Sox


6-3	W-L	9-4
2.95	ERA	3.22
112	SO	47
62	BB	28
12	HR	12
vs. Sox	--	vs. Cubs

Z is the only Cub pitcher to have beaten the White Sox this year; Buehrle also beat the Cubs during the series at the Cell in May. Z should have won his last start, but was the victim of Ryan Dempster's previous implosion.

As I pointed out back then, the Sox ought to start Rob Mackowiak vs. Z, as he is now 10-for-28 lifetime (.357) against him. Conversely, just as he did on May 19, Jacque Jones ought to sit today, since he is 1-for-27 lifetime vs. Buehrle, with 12 strikeouts. Derrek Lee, who missed the May series, is 3-for-3 in his career vs. Buehrle, with a 2B and a HR.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

0 recs | 112 comments

Comments

My advice....

get out, enjoy the day, catch a movie, read a book, go have a picnic, go to the park, do anything else.

Peoria Matt - July 2, 2006 reply

Unlovable Losers

I was a NY Mets fan in the early 1960s. Their ineptness on the field only seemed to intensify Mets fans' rooting for their "lovable losers".

I see nothing lovable about this year's Cubs team.
They're losers, period.

jpalaska - July 2, 2006 reply

It's Baseball....

...it's Wrigley, it's the summer, I'll be watching.

BeerCub - July 2, 2006 reply

It's baseball...

I agree with BeerCub. It's Wrigley, it's summer.
C'mon, you are Cub fans. We are used to this even if we don't like it.

We may lose as many games as the '66 Cubs
but I still like the '66 Cubs better than the current team. Banks, Williams, Santo, Fergie Jenkins, Beckert, Kessinger. (and of course, Ernie Broglio, who we got for Lou Brock).

wccubfan - July 2, 2006 reply

I will be

a Cubs fan til I die. Win or lose I will be there.

GO CUBBIES!!!!!

sue369 - July 2, 2006 reply

And in other news....

Go Mets. With Toronto likely to beat the fading Phils again today, a Mets win could push the Yankees into 3rd place.

With the Tigers and White Sox apparently trying to run away with the wild card and Boston starting to look really good, a Yankee appearance in the playoffs is looking dimmer by the day.

The only downside for Cubs fans is that King George will not like it and spend even more money. Someone like Barry Zito might in the Bronx next year. You know that Hendry will fold under the pressure of trying to outmaneuver the Yankees.

rlpete - July 2, 2006 reply

My money

is on 104 losses.

colossus @ Bleed Cubbie Blue - July 2, 2006 reply

Do you

really think that they can win 58 games this year? With the Royals and Pirates winning yesterday and the Cubs blowing it they've taken another step towards the worst team in baseball record wise. I think they've already reached that honor in other respects.

kessinger - July 2, 2006 reply

I

was being generous.

colossus @ Bleed Cubbie Blue - July 2, 2006 reply

ya right

this team is playing better even though they still suck their not the worst team

china423 - July 2, 2006 reply

Is it possible?

Team W L PCT

Pittsburgh 28 54 .341
Kansas City 27 52 .342
Chicago 29 51 .363

Pittsburgh has Detroit, followed by the Mets and the Phillies. Kansas City has St. Louis, followed by Minnesota and Toronto. Chicago has the White Sox, followed by Houston and Milwaukee.
July 11th, is the all star game. Is it possible for the Cubs to be the worst team in MLB by then?

leeeliasuperfan - July 2, 2006 reply

record is one thing

worst team is another. Do you think KC and Pittsburgh have the same or better talent than the Cubs?

MattThorton - July 2, 2006 reply

Worst Team?

KC plays in either the toughest or second toughest division in MLB. (I would argue the toughest.)

Pittsburgh and Chicago play in what may be the weakest division. (Actually, I would still argue NL West, but that's me.)

You can't go by record, because teams don't play a balanced schedule anymore. Pittsburgh and Chicago clearly "benefit" from a weaker schedule. On paper, the Cubs have more talent than the Pirates. However, the Pirates are also a much younger team with players entering their prime, rather than ahem, "veterans."

Stat line on June 28, 2006.

Pirates' Team Stats:

.259 BA, .325 OBP, .415 SLG, 346 R, 682 H, 86 HR, 226 BB, 546 SO, 526 LOB.

Cubs' Team Stats:

.260 BA, .310 OBP, .391 SLG, 293 R, 653 H, 61 HR, 173 BB, 377 SO, 483 LOB.

Very crude analysis reveals that the Pirates' offense is better at getting on base, but fairly poor at scoring runs (although still considerably better than the Cubs). The Pirates both walk and strike out more often, which means that they probably don't swing at the first pitch as much.

I would argue that the Pirates' line up is performing much better than the Cubs'. Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, their pitching is not as good.

The Luis Salazar Experience - July 2, 2006 reply

It's raining here in Crystal Lake

what's it doing in Chicago?

teacher tom - July 2, 2006 reply

It's really cloudy and looks like....

it will rain. I'm on the North Side.

colossus @ Bleed Cubbie Blue - July 2, 2006 reply

All Star Selection tonite..

..which Cub will make it? Barrett or Z are the only likely choices, right?

Will23 - July 2, 2006 reply

Maybe Jones

BeerCub - July 2, 2006 reply

I don't think

There's a chance in hell any Cub hitter gets on the AS team. Z will be selected.

Bleed Cubbie Blue