Cubs get Ramirez back in time for Braves
Cubs get Ramirez back in time for Braves
It's been a disappointing trip to this point in the season for both Atlanta and Chicago. After beefing up their rotation with the addition of Derek Lowe and Javier Vazquez, plus adding Nate McLouth in a June trade, the Braves enter Monday's tilt at Wrigley three games under .500. The Cubs were expected to run away with the NL Central but sit just a game over .500. Good news: Aramis Ramirez is on his way back.
They’ve got the rich traditions, the television empires, and the massive payrolls. But what the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs could really use right now is a win.
The Braves and Cubs have both become synonymous with losing, despite the Braves winning 14 straight division titles from 1991 to 2005 inclusive (including the 1995 World Series) under manager Bobby Cox, and the Cubs coming off back-to-back division titles under manager Lou Piniella. But now these two name-brand clubs are truly struggling.
Atlanta (39-42, minus-10.00 units) is going through a rebuilding effort under Frank Wren, who took over the GM reins in 2007 when John Schuerholz was promoted to team president. The problems that Chicago (40-39, minus-8.01 units) are going through are not so run-of-the-mill.
On the surface, the Cubs appear to have what it takes. Their starting rotation is outstanding and playing like it, sixth in the majors with a 3.90 ERA. But many of the same people we saw swinging big bats in 2008 are failing to produce in 2009.
Alfonso Soriano
2008 OPS: .876
2009 OPS: .702
Geovany Soto
2008 OPS: .868
2009 OPS: .726
Mike Fontenot
2008 OPS: .909
2009 OPS: .687
These are disappointing results to be sure, but the Cubs have also had to mark time while two of their better hitters rehab in Peoria: Aramis Ramirez (.898 OPS last year) and Reed Johnson (.778 OPS). According to the latest from MLB.com at press time, both Ramirez and Johnson were expected to return to the big club for Monday’s series opener with the Braves. That’s manna from heaven for a team that’s scoring just 4.15 runs per game, well below the National League average of 4.45.
The Braves are also under the league average at 4.26 runs per game, although there is hope for a brighter tomorrow now that Martin Prado (.916 OPS) has taken over full-time duties at second base from the injured Kelly Johnson (.645 OPS). Atlanta has also gotten a lift from the arrival of Pirates castaway Nate McLouth (.799 OPS); he went 5-for-14 in a three-game series against Washington after recovering from a hamstring issue. But despite McLouth’s bat and his Gold Glove defense in center, the Braves are 9-15 with him in the lineup after dropping two of three to the last-place Nationals.
Atlanta will need its pitching to come up big in this series – and with a 3.88 team ERA (fifth overall in the majors), that’s a strong likelihood. Here are the projected matchups for all three games with the Cubs favored with a -150 line to take at least two of the contests.
Game 1 (Monday, 7:05 p.m. Eastern, ESPN): Jair Jurrjens vs. Randy Wells
The early betting odds for the opener had Chicago as a –125 favorite behind Wells (2.43 ERA, 3.80 xFIP), a rookie in the deep Cubs rotation who has gotten only 3.9 runs per game in support. The under is 7-3 in his 10 starts; the Cubs are 5-5 for a deficit of 1.10 units, but have won four of the last five. Jurrjens (2.73 ERA, 4.56 xFIP) has a team record of 8-9 and a deficit of 2.88 units; the under is 10-6-1 in his 17 starts.
Game 2 (Tuesday, 8:05 p.m. ET, WGN): Javier Vazquez vs. Ryan Dempster
Vazquez (3.05 ERA, 2.69 xFIP) is another snakebitten Braves pitcher with a team record of 7-10 and losses of 6.66 units, taking the under on an 11-5-1 spree. But Dempster (4.09 ERA, 4.20 xFIP) has drained even more wallets at 6.89 units in the hole on a 6-11 record. The under is 9-8 when Dempster takes the mound.
Game 3 (Wednesday, 2:20 p.m. ET): Kenshin Kawakami vs. Carlos Zambrano
Kawakami (4.46 ERA, 4.66 xFIP) had been making positive strides in his first season stateside, but he took a line drive off the neck last week versus the New York Yankees. His start against Washington was moved back a day, and Kawakami gave up four earned runs over 4.1 innings in a game Atlanta went on to win 9-8. He’ll probably have to come up with something better to keep Zambrano (3.50 ERA, 4.60 xFIP) from getting the duke.
It's been a disappointing trip to this point in the season for both Atlanta and Chicago. After beefing up their rotation with the addition of Derek Lowe and Javier Vazquez, plus adding Nate McLouth in a June trade, the Braves enter Monday's tilt at Wrigley three games under .500. The Cubs were expected to run away with the NL Central but sit just a game over .500. Good news: Aramis Ramirez is on his way back.
They’ve got the rich traditions, the television empires, and the massive payrolls. But what the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs could really use right now is a win.
The Braves and Cubs have both become synonymous with losing, despite the Braves winning 14 straight division titles from 1991 to 2005 inclusive (including the 1995 World Series) under manager Bobby Cox, and the Cubs coming off back-to-back division titles under manager Lou Piniella. But now these two name-brand clubs are truly struggling.
Atlanta (39-42, minus-10.00 units) is going through a rebuilding effort under Frank Wren, who took over the GM reins in 2007 when John Schuerholz was promoted to team president. The problems that Chicago (40-39, minus-8.01 units) are going through are not so run-of-the-mill.
On the surface, the Cubs appear to have what it takes. Their starting rotation is outstanding and playing like it, sixth in the majors with a 3.90 ERA. But many of the same people we saw swinging big bats in 2008 are failing to produce in 2009.
Alfonso Soriano
2008 OPS: .876
2009 OPS: .702
Geovany Soto
2008 OPS: .868
2009 OPS: .726
Mike Fontenot
2008 OPS: .909
2009 OPS: .687
These are disappointing results to be sure, but the Cubs have also had to mark time while two of their better hitters rehab in Peoria: Aramis Ramirez (.898 OPS last year) and Reed Johnson (.778 OPS). According to the latest from MLB.com at press time, both Ramirez and Johnson were expected to return to the big club for Monday’s series opener with the Braves. That’s manna from heaven for a team that’s scoring just 4.15 runs per game, well below the National League average of 4.45.
The Braves are also under the league average at 4.26 runs per game, although there is hope for a brighter tomorrow now that Martin Prado (.916 OPS) has taken over full-time duties at second base from the injured Kelly Johnson (.645 OPS). Atlanta has also gotten a lift from the arrival of Pirates castaway Nate McLouth (.799 OPS); he went 5-for-14 in a three-game series against Washington after recovering from a hamstring issue. But despite McLouth’s bat and his Gold Glove defense in center, the Braves are 9-15 with him in the lineup after dropping two of three to the last-place Nationals.
Atlanta will need its pitching to come up big in this series – and with a 3.88 team ERA (fifth overall in the majors), that’s a strong likelihood. Here are the projected matchups for all three games with the Cubs favored with a -150 line to take at least two of the contests.
Game 1 (Monday, 7:05 p.m. Eastern, ESPN): Jair Jurrjens vs. Randy Wells
The early betting odds for the opener had Chicago as a –125 favorite behind Wells (2.43 ERA, 3.80 xFIP), a rookie in the deep Cubs rotation who has gotten only 3.9 runs per game in support. The under is 7-3 in his 10 starts; the Cubs are 5-5 for a deficit of 1.10 units, but have won four of the last five. Jurrjens (2.73 ERA, 4.56 xFIP) has a team record of 8-9 and a deficit of 2.88 units; the under is 10-6-1 in his 17 starts.
Game 2 (Tuesday, 8:05 p.m. ET, WGN): Javier Vazquez vs. Ryan Dempster
Vazquez (3.05 ERA, 2.69 xFIP) is another snakebitten Braves pitcher with a team record of 7-10 and losses of 6.66 units, taking the under on an 11-5-1 spree. But Dempster (4.09 ERA, 4.20 xFIP) has drained even more wallets at 6.89 units in the hole on a 6-11 record. The under is 9-8 when Dempster takes the mound.
Game 3 (Wednesday, 2:20 p.m. ET): Kenshin Kawakami vs. Carlos Zambrano
Kawakami (4.46 ERA, 4.66 xFIP) had been making positive strides in his first season stateside, but he took a line drive off the neck last week versus the New York Yankees. His start against Washington was moved back a day, and Kawakami gave up four earned runs over 4.1 innings in a game Atlanta went on to win 9-8. He’ll probably have to come up with something better to keep Zambrano (3.50 ERA, 4.60 xFIP) from getting the duke.
