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While I expect the results to be awful similar, don't confuse this series to end the 2009 season with the one that ended the 2007 season. Yes both are against the D-Backs, both will end in three games, and both have lots of Cubs misery, but I swear they aren't the same. The D-Backs are a really bad baseball team full of guys who strikeout too much and young hitters who aren't really panning out. Of course all Arizona's problems go away twice a year for their two series against the Cubs.
Usually these butt kickings occur mostly in Bank One Ballpark, however given the relative obscurity of the Diamondbacks pitchers in this series added with a bit of Doug Davis I think Wrigley Field will be home to this sad chapter in Cubs-Diamondbacks history.
Friday- Tom Gorzelanny (7-2 4.70) vs. Billy Buckner (3-6 6.59)
Gorzelanny continues his audition for the 2010 starting rotation by landing another start against a weak offense. He has done well against bad teams this season while getting beat up by the good ones. He has shown some really good stuff, but the inability to throw more than five innings. Basically he's a worse version of Rich Harden, except that given Harden's pitching this season maybe the description is a cheaper version.
Yes this guy's name is Bill Buckner, make all the jokes you want. Hopefully the first hit of the game is a grounder right through his legs (see I made one). Now Buckner isn't that great a pitcher, but he has been pitching well lately. His 6.59 ERA may be high, but in four of his last five starts he has done well posting a 2.04 ERA and going at least six innings.
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Saturday- Randy Wells (11-10 3.18) vs. Daniel Cabrera (0-5 6.07)
Randy shouldn't be starting this game, but the Cubs seems determined to tempt the arm injury fates. He's been getting hit around lately mostly due to a lack of control. That control goes away with a tired arm, and that tired arm combined with Cubs killers means bad news. Hopefully Randy gets five innings and then is done for the season keeping a respectable ERA.
The name Yusmeiro Petit is around this start, hopefully we avoid that disaster. Cabrera seems like the kind of guy the Cubs can actually hit. He hasn't won at all this year, his ERA sucks, and he normally pitches out of the bullpen. He has tossed scoreless outings the last three times out of the bullpen. This is Cabrera's third team this season having previously gotten starts for the Orioles and Nationals.
Sunday- Ryan Dempster (11-8 3.51) vs. Doug Davis (8-14 4.19)
Ryan is coming off his best start of the season, a complete game shutout of the Pirates. He has had a dynamite September going 3-1 with a 1.39 ERA. Three of his last four starts have gone at least eight innings, he's been striking guys out and not walking as many. Heck I actually don't hate his starts right now which means he must really be playing well.
Now we come to Doug Davis the pitcher this Cubs fan fears above all others. We face Adam Wainwright, Tim Lincecum, Chris Carpenter, and Roy Oswalt yet I don't fear them as much as I do Davis. He's a soft tossing lefty who gets the Cubs bats so off-balance it's simply frustrating. This is his last start against us, it was upsetting to say the least. I fully expect Davis to toss seven innings of shutout baseball resulting in at least eight strikeouts. Not a pleasant way to end the season.
Hitters to watch
Mark Reynolds- .263/.353/.550/.903 44 HR 101 RBI 215 K 128 OPS+
The strikeout king of baseball also happens to be the best hitter on Arizona. He is a free swinger who makes big contract and is capable of hitting mammoth homers. He's a major factor in a lineup that doesn't have many, plus it is kind of fun to watch a guy sell out for power every swing and actually deliver on it.
Justin Upton- .304/.370/.540/.910 26 HR 86 RBI 30 2B 130 OPS+
Remember this name because we are darn close to seeing the games next superstar, and perhaps he already is one. Upton struggled at the start of the season prompting one idiot in the broadcast booth of St. Louis to suggest he spend more time in the minors. False, Upton is for real and he is spectacular at baseball. He hits for power, plays defense, and just for fun can steal bases. It's a shame he is stashed away in Arizona where people can't see him play.
I'll take the Cubs to lose two of three simply because the Davis game is already a loss and I don't trust both Gorzelanny and Wells to have good starts. That will end the season at a robust 83-78 which pretty much reflects this team perfectly.
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