It's Up To You, New York, New York: Cubs vs. Mets Preview, Friday 9/4, 6:10 CT

by Al Yellon on Sep 4, 2009 4:00 PM CDT in Chicago Cubs Game Threads

NEW YORK -- There wasn't any traffic coming into NYC -- everyone's leaving for the holiday weekend, and even Manhattan traffic wasn't bad. I'll report from Citi Field on tonight's game tomorrow morning, but let's hope the Cubs have as easy a time with the Mets as I did getting here this afternoon. They'll need to start a winning streak rightfreakingnow if they want to continue to have any shot at the NL Wild Card.

As first posted in drodd's FanShot, the Cubs have claimed pitcher Thomas Diamond on waivers from the Rangers. Diamond is a 2004 #1 draft coming off Tommy John surgery. At one time he and John Danks were considered the two top pitching prospects for the Rangers; you know what Danks has done, and the Cubs are trying to catch the proverbial lightning in a bottle with Diamond. He'll be added to the 40-man roster (which now stands at 39 players) and get a chance to compete for a spot in spring training next year.

Sad baseball news: also originally posted in a FanShot by N Oakley, legendary Detroit Tigers announcer Ernie Harwell, now 91 years old and retired, has inoperable cancer. I wish him well; if you never heard Ernie call a game, google around. There are recordings of him available and every baseball fan should hear Ernie call a game at least once.

And if you think Cubs games are slow, be glad you're not Jonathan Papelbon -- he's been fined for slowing down games. I thought every time I turned on a Red Sox game it seemed like it was taking forever.

Today's Starting Pitchers


Carlos Zambrano Cubs	vs.	Bobby Parnell Mets

7-6	W-L	3-7
3.91	ERA	5.80
108	SO	52
60	BB	32
9	HR	6
vs. NY	--	vs. Cubs

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2009 - Carlos Zambrano	7-6	29	22	0	0	0	0	131.1	128	64	57	9	60	108	3.91	1.43

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2009 - Bobby Parnell	3-7	59	5	0	0	1	4	66.2	80	45	43	6	32	52	5.80	1.68

The Cubs beat up on Bobby Parnell last Saturday at Wrigley Field. He gave up nine hits including a grand slam to Jake Fox. Let's hope for more of the same. Incidentally, Parnell is the grandson of Mel Parnell, who pitched for the Red Sox in the 1940's and 1950's and later became a baseball radio broadcaster.

The Mets beat up on Carlos Zambrano last Sunday at Wrigley Field. He gave up 11 hits in less than four innings, including a triple to Anderson Hernandez. I don't know anything about Z's grandfather, but I'm sure he is a very nice man.

Today's game is cable-only in New York (SNY) and Chicago (CSN). For other games today see the MLB.com Mediacenter.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

SB Nation game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Mets site Amazin' Avenue.

Overflow comment threads will post today at 7 pm, 8 pm and 8:45 pm CDT.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

0 recs | 191 comments

Comments

Im not even in the mood to be

first

cozmotaylor123 - September 4, 2009 reply

Please win tonight

and act like you want to be there and want to win.

sue369 - September 4, 2009 reply

a little effort goes a long way

ABH

always be hustling

Bleed Cubbie Blue