Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
September 23, 2007
Games of the Day

The Nationals bid farewell to RFK Stadium today as they play at a very early start time, 12:05 PM. Cole Hamels faces Joel Hanrahan. The two squared off on August 16th, with Hamels walking away with a 4-2 victory. Still working his way back from an injury, Hamels will be on a 70 pitch count limit. The Nationals may want to take a lot early to drive him from the game. In case you're wondering, Alfonso Soriano holds the record for most home runs as a Nationals player at RFK. Zimmerman needs a big day to catch him.

A Cleveland win or a Detroit loss puts the Indians in the post season. Both games start a 1:05, so there will be some scoreboard watching going on. It's the Indians last home game of the regular season, so it's their last chance to clinch in front of the home town fans. Jake Westbrook gets the start for the Indians. He was a big part of the Indians hot streak that led to their big lead, but he's reverted a big lately.

Milwuakee can't afford to lose many more games as they send Chris Capuano against the Braves. Capuano hasn't won since May, and this is first start in over a month. Capuano was a steady performer on the mound for the Brewers the previous two seasons. His problems coupled with Sheets injury really hurt the Brewers chances of making the playoffs.

John Maine faces Florida this afternoon. He looked like a Cy Young candidate at the All-Star break, but his ERA balloon by more than a run since then. He did not allow six runs or more in a game before the break, but has done that six times since.

The Cubs task is simple right now, keep winning. They send Carlos Zambrano against Tom Gorzelanny this afternoon. Tom's pitched well against Chicago this year, holding them to two runs in fourteen innings pitched. Somehow, he managed to lose one of those games. Zambrano's shown poor control all season, and he's walked ten Pirates in nineteen innings of work. Given that the Pirates have drawn the fewest walks in the National League, that's quite an accomplishment.

The Angels get their last chance to clinch the AL West at home as they host the Mariners for the final regular season game in Anaheim. Ace John Lackey tries to nail down the division. Lackey is one of a large group of pitchers at the top of the AL ERA race. A complete game shutout would put him in the ERA lead and give him a leg up in the Cy Young race.

The Rockies rotation trots out their best today as they try to win their eighth game in a row and gain on the Padres in the NL Wild Card race. Jeff Francis faces future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux. The Padres pounded Jeff this season, however, hanging an 8.10 ERA on him in four starts. He's allowed five homers and twenty one runs in 23 1/3 innings of work. Maddux pitched well against Colorado, allowing just a 3.30 ERA, although he's lost two of his five starts. He's walked just two Rockies all season.

Finally, Chad Billingsley tries to play spoiler as he takes on the Diamondbacks and Edgar Gonzalez. Gonzalez may be the luckiest pitchers ever to by 8-2. He's not that good, and his team doesn't score very much when he's on the mound, but I guess he gets the runs at the right time. Billingsley can solidify a season in which he showed solid improvement. He's pitched 50 more innings than in 2006, but his one shy of the number of walks he issued last season.

Enjoy!


Posted by David Pinto at 09:40 AM | Matchups | TrackBack (0)
Comments

Shoddy research and selective reporting again on Zambrano, David. How about mentioning that he has given up only 13 hits and 19 strikeouts in those games as well, and that he dominated them in a game earlier this month.

Posted by: chris at September 23, 2007 10:48 AM

Zambrano's pitched poorly this season, except for two months leading up to his signing a new contract. He walks a lot of batters for someone who is an ace. It hurt him this season because his strikeouts are down. Go ahead and think he's still the staff ace, but I just don't see it. If I were Cubs management, I'd be really afraid that the team has seen the best of Carlos' career.

Posted by: David Pinto at September 23, 2007 12:14 PM

he is as dominant when he is on as any pitcher in either league. if you don't see that you are in denial.

Posted by: chris at September 23, 2007 04:11 PM
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