Carlos Zambrano, Chicago Cubs battle Reds in Cincinnati
Well, this should be interesting. A couple of hurlers that were knocked around in their season debuts square off in Cincinnati on a sun-drenched Saturday afternoon.
It's probably too early for the Reds to have a promotional giveaway when they host the Cubs at Great American Ball Park on Saturday afternoon. But if they did, batting helmets might be a good item to hand out to all patrons seated in the outfield bleachers.
Chicago will send Carlos Zambrano to the hill in Cincinnati with the home team trotting Aaron Harang out in a battle of right-handers who each were lit up in their first starts. Of course, in comparison to Zambrano's 2010 debut, Harang had a strong outing in his first start of the campaign.
Oddsmakers opened Cincinnati as 120-125 favorites, with that number dipping to 115-118 Saturday morning. The total is at 8½ with the 'over' asking for a little extra.
Friday night's series opener went to the Reds by a 5-4 count, thanks to an 8th-inning grand slam by center fielder Drew Stubbs. Cincinnati was a 130 favorite for the game and the 9-run total pushed. Chicago beat up on the Reds a year ago winning 10 of the 15 games played, including four of six in Cincy.
This past Monday in Atlanta, the Cubs staked Zambrano to a 3-0 lead thanks to a three-run tater by Marlon Byrd in his first at bat wearing Chicago blue. Zambrano gave the lead right back, and then some, when the Braves tagged him for six runs in the bottom of the opening frame. Rookie Jason Heyward launched a three-run bomb to break a three-all tie in the opening frame, and send 'over' 8 ½ bettors to the pay window just four outs into the affair.
Atlanta chased Zambrano one out into the second inning with the veteran righty charged with eight earned over the course of his 49-pitch workday. The Braves won, 16-5, cashing as 125 home chalk.
Zambrano enjoyed a decent spring, making six exhibition starts with a 4.13 ERA. The two bombs he gave up to the Braves on Monday equaled the total he allowed in 24 innings of work in Arizona.
He made two solid starts against the Reds in 2009, posting a 1.98 ERA in 13 2/3 innings. The Cubs offense and bullpen failed him in an April assignment at Wrigley Field where he tossed seven and allowed three earned during a 7-1 loss. He rebounded in Cincinnati about six weeks later with 6 2/3 shutout innings and helped his own cause with a home run for the 2-1 win.
Zambrano has done very well vs. the Reds and here at Great American in recent time. In his last 12 starts versus Cincinnati, the Cubs are 7-5 with Big Z posting a 3.18 ERA. Chicago is 4-1 in his five starts at GABP with Zambrano owning a 1.32 ERA in 34 frames.
Like his mound opposition on Saturday, Harang also surrendered two long balls in his first start on Monday against the Cardinals. The Reds righty did manage to stick around for five innings, however, and was charged with three earned during the eventual 11-6 defeat. St. Louis was a minus 140 winner, with the 'over' 7½ a winner when Albert Pujols clubbed his second dinger of the day in the top of the seventh.
Harang had a tough season in 2009 overall, though he did manage a respectable 4.21 ERA at season's end. The Reds were 11-15 in his 26 outings, going 5-1 in the games Harang took a no-decision.
Both Harang and Cincy were 1-2 in his three outings against Lou Piniella's troops. In his only assignment vs. the Cubs at Great American, Harang worked 7 1/3 innings giving up four runs (all earned) and striking out 10. Chicago won, 4-1.
Veteran Dana Demuth is scheduled to call the balls and strikes and the weatherman is calling for a beautiful day in Porkopolis for Saturday's tilt. Skies should be clear and the thermometer should make it into the low-70s right around the first pitch. Winds are forecast out of the South at 10-15 mph (in from RF to 3B).
NOTE: The W-L records shown for starting pitchers are their team's W-L mark when they started games in the 2009 season. Statistical sources for this article were Retrosheet.org, Baseball-Reference.com, ESPN.com and, of course, S-BEE-R-dot-com!
Well, this should be interesting. A couple of hurlers that were knocked around in their season debuts square off in Cincinnati on a sun-drenched Saturday afternoon.
It's probably too early for the Reds to have a promotional giveaway when they host the Cubs at Great American Ball Park on Saturday afternoon. But if they did, batting helmets might be a good item to hand out to all patrons seated in the outfield bleachers.
Chicago will send Carlos Zambrano to the hill in Cincinnati with the home team trotting Aaron Harang out in a battle of right-handers who each were lit up in their first starts. Of course, in comparison to Zambrano's 2010 debut, Harang had a strong outing in his first start of the campaign.
Oddsmakers opened Cincinnati as 120-125 favorites, with that number dipping to 115-118 Saturday morning. The total is at 8½ with the 'over' asking for a little extra.
Friday night's series opener went to the Reds by a 5-4 count, thanks to an 8th-inning grand slam by center fielder Drew Stubbs. Cincinnati was a 130 favorite for the game and the 9-run total pushed. Chicago beat up on the Reds a year ago winning 10 of the 15 games played, including four of six in Cincy.
This past Monday in Atlanta, the Cubs staked Zambrano to a 3-0 lead thanks to a three-run tater by Marlon Byrd in his first at bat wearing Chicago blue. Zambrano gave the lead right back, and then some, when the Braves tagged him for six runs in the bottom of the opening frame. Rookie Jason Heyward launched a three-run bomb to break a three-all tie in the opening frame, and send 'over' 8 ½ bettors to the pay window just four outs into the affair.
Atlanta chased Zambrano one out into the second inning with the veteran righty charged with eight earned over the course of his 49-pitch workday. The Braves won, 16-5, cashing as 125 home chalk.
Zambrano enjoyed a decent spring, making six exhibition starts with a 4.13 ERA. The two bombs he gave up to the Braves on Monday equaled the total he allowed in 24 innings of work in Arizona.
He made two solid starts against the Reds in 2009, posting a 1.98 ERA in 13 2/3 innings. The Cubs offense and bullpen failed him in an April assignment at Wrigley Field where he tossed seven and allowed three earned during a 7-1 loss. He rebounded in Cincinnati about six weeks later with 6 2/3 shutout innings and helped his own cause with a home run for the 2-1 win.
Zambrano has done very well vs. the Reds and here at Great American in recent time. In his last 12 starts versus Cincinnati, the Cubs are 7-5 with Big Z posting a 3.18 ERA. Chicago is 4-1 in his five starts at GABP with Zambrano owning a 1.32 ERA in 34 frames.
Like his mound opposition on Saturday, Harang also surrendered two long balls in his first start on Monday against the Cardinals. The Reds righty did manage to stick around for five innings, however, and was charged with three earned during the eventual 11-6 defeat. St. Louis was a minus 140 winner, with the 'over' 7½ a winner when Albert Pujols clubbed his second dinger of the day in the top of the seventh.
Harang had a tough season in 2009 overall, though he did manage a respectable 4.21 ERA at season's end. The Reds were 11-15 in his 26 outings, going 5-1 in the games Harang took a no-decision.
Both Harang and Cincy were 1-2 in his three outings against Lou Piniella's troops. In his only assignment vs. the Cubs at Great American, Harang worked 7 1/3 innings giving up four runs (all earned) and striking out 10. Chicago won, 4-1.
Veteran Dana Demuth is scheduled to call the balls and strikes and the weatherman is calling for a beautiful day in Porkopolis for Saturday's tilt. Skies should be clear and the thermometer should make it into the low-70s right around the first pitch. Winds are forecast out of the South at 10-15 mph (in from RF to 3B).
NOTE: The W-L records shown for starting pitchers are their team's W-L mark when they started games in the 2009 season. Statistical sources for this article were Retrosheet.org, Baseball-Reference.com, ESPN.com and, of course, S-BEE-R-dot-com!
