donbedouin

Cubs vs. Nationals

Ted Lilly vs. John Lannen

From BCB...

Ted Lilly threw very well in his last start. It's time to build on that and get that ERA, currently orbiting Mars, down to a reasonable level. It'll take a while. Even if he does what Z did last night -- throw seven scoreless -- his ERA would drop only to 5.68. There's a fair chance he can do this against this franchise -- last year he won his only start vs. Washington, allowing one run in 7 IP. He's particularly good vs. Nats SS Cristian Guzman (1-for-18, 8 strikeouts).

John Lannan has never faced the Cubs -- in this series, of the three starters for the Nats, the Cubs had previously faced one of the three once. No wonder Washington has so much trouble, with such an inexperienced starting staff. Lannan's numbers are pretty decent so far this year -- but with 10 walks in 23.2 IP, expect the newly-patient Cub hitters to try to wait him out.

Today's game is on WGN. Yes, this time for sure. It's also on MASN cable in the Washington/Baltimore area, and at the MLB.com Mediacenter.

Lineups:

Cubs:

1. Reed Johnson
2. Ryan Theriot
3. Derrek Lee
4. Aramis Ramirez
5. Kosuke Fukudome
6. Mark DeRosa
7. Ronny Cedeno
8. Henry Blanco
9. Ted Lilly

Nationals:

1. Felipe Lopez
2. Cristian Guzman
3. Ryan Zimmerman
4. Nick Johnson
5. Lastings Milledge
6. Austin Kearns
7. Willy Mo Pena
8. Wi Nieves
9. John Lannen

Cubs vs. Nationals

Carlos Zambrano vs. Matt Chico

From BCB...

This looks like a mismatch if you only look at this year's numbers -- and Matt Chico has been bad in all but one of his five starts this year -- but Chico threw seven shutout innings against the Cubs last July 4 in DC, allowing only four hits (singles by Rich Hill, Aramis Ramirez and Mark DeRosa, and a double to Ryan Theriot). So let's consider that "practice", and tee off on this guy tonight.

Z is 5-2, 3.42 in ten career appearances (eight starts) vs. the Nats/Expos franchise. He hasn't lost to them since May 14, 2005, the second game the Cubs played the Nats in DC after their move to Washington. Z has been solid all year, especially with his control (5 walks in 33.2 IP). Expect to see Rob Mackowiak in the starting lineup for Washington again tonight, as he has pounded Z in his career (.306/.419/.556, 11-for-36, 4 doubles, a triple, a HR, and 7 walks). Last night's Nats hero, Wil Nieves, might also play -- he's 2-for-2 lifetime against Z.

Today's game is cable in Chicago on CSN, on cable in the Beltway on MASN, and at the MLB.com Mediacenter.

Lineups:

Cubs

1. Reed Johnson
2. Ryan Theriot
3. Derrek Lee
4. Aramis Ramirez
5. Kosuke Fukudome
6. Mark DeRosa (Lf)
7. Geovany Soto
8. Ronny Cedeno (2b)
9. Carlos Zambrano

Nationals

1. Felipe Lopez
2. Christian Guzman
3. Ryan Zimmerman
4. Nick Johnson
5. Lastings Millage
6. Austin Kearns
7. Johnny Estrada
8. Willy Mo Pena
9. Matt Chico

Cubs vs. Nationals

Ryan Dempster vs. Oliver Perez

From BCB...

Who would have guessed that, three weeks into the season, the starter with the best record would be Ryan Dempster? He's thrown pretty well in all four of his starts and has allowed only one HR in 24 innings. None of the current Nats lineup has hit very well off Dempster and only one (Felipe Lopez) has ever homered off him.

Odalis Perez is 3-1, 3.54 in four career starts vs. the Cubs, but that's largely irrelevant, as the last time he faced them was August 13, 2004. Aramis Ramirez didn't play that day, so only Derrek Lee remains from that day's lineup. Ramirez, for his part, is 4-for-9 with two HR vs. Perez, and while they were both in the AL, Reed Johnson hit Perez hard -- 5-for-8 with a double.

How to manage and not manage a pitching staff: Ned Yost's Brewers are carrying 14 pitchers, leaving only three bench players (actually, two, apart from their backup catcher Mike Rivera). Meanwhile, Lou Piniella is skipping Rich Hill's turn in the rotation again due to the off day Monday. Hill, who threw on Wednesday in Colorado, will have his next turn next Friday in St. Louis -- thus, probably making him available tomorrow and Sunday if the Cubs need an extra pitching body.

Yost=dumb. Piniella=smart.

Today's game is on broadcast TV -- WDCA -- in the Washington area, and on CSN Chicago. Also check the MLB.com Mediacenter.

Lineups:

Cubs:

1. Reed Johnson
2. Ryan Theriot
3. Derrek Lee
4. Aramis Ramirez
5. Kosuke Fukudome
6. Mark DeRosa (Lf)
7. Geovany Soto
8. Ronny Cedeno (2b)
9. Ryan Dempster

Nationals

1. Felipe Lopez
2. Christian Guzman
3. Ryan Zimmerman
4. Nick Johnson
5. Lastings Millage
6. Johnny Estrada
7. Willy Mo Pena
8. Rob Mackoviack
9. Oliver Perez

Today's loss might have not been pretty (I wouldn't know I was in class during the game), but it wasn't a game we're supposed to win. On the road, against the defending NL champs, our number 5 starter vs. their number 2. That's bad circumstances. But the night before was a different story. That was also a game we were supposed to lose, but we didn't. (Since when do we win all of our road extra-inning games? That's tough.) Those kinds of games are why I'm really excited to be a Cub fan now. Because these aren't things the Cubs typically do:

1. Take pitches
2. Not strike out a lot
3. Win games against teams we should beat
4. Win close games
5. Win extra-inning games
6. Score a lot
7. Have a good April

Think al