7/29/08 Cubs (Zambrano) at Brewers (Sheets): 7:05 CDT

[rluzinski]

An exciting game 1 went to the unlovable losers from the south but the Brewers and Ben Sheets hope to tie up the series in game 2. Sheets vs. Zambrano. A classic in the making.\

 

Ben Sheets (10-3, 2.87 ERA)

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2157/2514053450_1668395824.jpg?v=0

 

 

[trwi7]

Okay Brewers. You owe me a win on my birthday not only for the game tonight but for last years debacle on my birthday in St. Louis.

[rluzinski]

[ELCABALLO45]

Happy Birthday!

 

That Video NEVER gets old.

 

Please Sheets.. WIN.

[BrewCrewForever]

Great game last night, wrong outcome. I hope for the right outcome tonight as well as a starting lineup that inlcudes Durham and Branyan. Please Ned.

[Yeti73]

I went last night and ended my 5 game win streak (going back to Pujols plunking last year). Last night's crowd was so annoying, it made the outcome even harder to bear. Only good part was watching them sit in traffic while I took l'secret' ways to get to MP. Another car in my group left a half hour after us and got to MP 2 hours later.

 

I'm not at all confident about this game or the rest of the series. We had a chance to make a statement last night and just came up short.

[patrickgpe]

yeah i don't know why people are so insistent on going on via the freeway when there are numerous ways to get in where wait time is minimal.

[rluzinski]

I'm confident that the Brewers have around a 52% chance of winning today, just like I was confident that they had around a 60% chance yesterday. That's baseball for ya!

[owbc]

This is an important game for the Brewers. I highly doubt Zambrano is going to give up more than 2 runs, so Sheets better have his A-game tonight or we risk a repeat of the Cardinals series in the wrong way.

[JohnBriggs12]

This is Ben Sheets' moment. With all the Sabathia hoopla, Sheets took a little bit of a second banana role. I think he'll look at tonight's game as a time to re-establish himelf in the Brewer pecking order.

 

He's due for a dominant performance and except for D. Lee, he's got good splits against this group.

 

I just wish Fielder, Hart and Cameron were swinging hotter bats.

[hkdakd]

Hart has diminished lately. I know players don't stay hot all season but Hart's been in a slump for a couple of weeks now. I hope Durham is in tonight for Weeks. Weeks just doesn't do enough to be the everyday second baseman IMO.

[LUKE232323]

Well, if we want to split and remain only one game back, have to win tonight. For some reason I'm just not confident at all in the Brewers at the moment, it seems all of their momentum is gone from the 7-0 road trip, the play since coming back home has been poor to say the least, sans a 9th inning Braun bomb and we are 0-4 at home since coming back.

 

I think Sheets will need to give up 2 ER or less in 7 IP+ for us to have a shot tonight.

[naivin]

This is Ben Sheets' moment. With all the Sabathia hoopla, Sheets took a little bit of a second banana role. I think he'll look at tonight's game as a time to re-establish himelf in the Brewer pecking order.

 

He's due for a dominant performance...

My thoughts exactly...Ben, we need you. He hasn't exactly been stellar since CC has been in town, and we need a good game out of him tonight. I wouldn't be feeling too good about Parra-Dempster and Bush-Harden if we go into those games 0-2.

 

Note to Ben and the bullpen: Walk's are bad.

[jhart05]

Yes, I know it's still only July.

 

Yes, I know there is still a lot of baseball left to play.

 

Yes, I know all the clichés

 

 

But, with Sheets on the mound tonight, I feel this is a must win.

[sheethead]

At least Suppan isn't pitching this series. I like the Parra vs. Dempster matchup. A split is still very attainable, but a win tonight is paramount to those efforts.

[rluzinski]

This a must win for the fans, that's for sure. It's demoralizing to have to watch the Cubs fans celebrate at Miller Park. A win tonight and the next two games are gravy to them, as most Cubs fans would be satisfied with a split. It would make for a pretty tough situation on any Brewer fan attending the game on Wed. or Thur.

 

This is also a must win for this message board. Brewer fans won't have any idea what to do with themselves if the Brewers lose tonight. Probably make a post or 5 about how the Crew just doesn't seem to want it enough. Maybe accuse them of being inimidated by the Cubs. The vent thread just might explode.

 

They'll be a single person to blame the loss on, of course. If no player stands out, the ol' standby of Yost will work. My guess is that it will be a reliever, though. The usual suspects?

 

But a must win for the team? Not even close. No matter what happens, they'll still be in the wildcard lead, with 55 games to go. Things are just starting to get interesting!

[eanelson4]

BOLD PREDICTION:

I bet we put up more runs tonight than we did off of Lilly last night and will put up vs. Dempster tomorrow.

 

 

The Brewers seem to struggle mightily against the more finesse pitchers, yet do OK against the fireballers. Hopefully tonight we can torch Zambrano for 4 or 5 runs.

 

Like I have been saying, this Brewer team really needs an offensive explosion. We need a stretch of games where we can get more than 4 or 5 runs.

[cubfan1126]

Well, we got game 1. But that's all it is - game 1. Tonight should be an outstanding matchup. Last night marked exactly 2 months remaining in the season. Still a loooooonnnnnng way to go.

 

GO CUBS!

[LUKE232323]

You were given game 1 on a silver platter, but yes it was still a win.

 

As far as the "must win" stuff, it's not only because it's the Cubs, it's because the Cardinals continue to nip at our heels, and we have (at least on paper) a very realistic chance to get swept if we do not win tonight. Is a sweep devastating to the Brewers? Yes, considering if that happens they are probably tied in the wild card at best, and will be down 5 to the Cubs for chance at homefield advantage.

 

Getting a split or at worst one game out of four in this series is paramount in the big picture.

[cubfan1126]

Hey you forgot something in the first post of the thread

 

Carlos Zambrano, RHP (11-4, 2.96)

http://images.yuku.com/image/pjpeg/4f3265719c43bd1adac27899047588b910722df6.jpg

[cubfan1126]

You were given game 1 on a silver platter, but yes it was still a win.

If you're talking about Rickie Weeks, that was a heck of a cross body block he was working around. Maybe he should have held the ball. If you're talking about the umpiring, personally I think the call on Cedeno was correct and I didn't get a close enough look at the Hart play. And even if they were both wrong - we all have to deal with bad calls on occasion. Besides, if you want to talk about a silver platter, refer back to May 1st.

[TSack27]

I'm sure I'll get my deserved lashings for this suggestion, but since McClung/Bush don't seem to be getting used when their turn is being skipped - how about starting McClung tonight? Put the first pitch in Soriano's ribs, and then let Benny take over the rest of the game. Seriously, who's gonna mess with Big Seth, knowing that Prince is coming in from first, and after last night, I wouldn't be surprised to see Sabathia being the first guy off the bench.

 

Probably would be dangerous carryover over into in the crowd based on the discussion in the major league forum, but in a team bonding brawl, gotta like the way the Brewers would stack up (add in Branyan & Kapler off the bench vs. Fontenot & Cedeno). Hope Rickie doesn't pull something by swinging & missing, and need to be sent to Nashville for some rehab. Sorry, bad attempt at humor aside, I'm hoping that there are some independent fans out there that can confirm that while Braun is cocky, he isn't perceived as arrogant as Soriano? Like the polls about dirtiest player, does anyone know if a list of most obnoxious exists?

[Brian the Automator]

If you're talking about Rickie Weeks, that was a heck of a cross body block he was working around. Maybe he should have held the ball. If you're talking about the umpiring, personally I think the call on Cedeno was correct and I didn't get a close enough look at the Hart play. And even if they were both wrong - we all have to deal with bad calls on occasion. Besides, if you want to talk about a silver platter, refer back to May 1st.

I agree, regarding the umpires... These things tend to even out. The Brewers did get screwed out of perhaps a win last night, but I'm sure there have been occasions where a pivotal call helped out the Brewers or hurt the Cubs.

 

[LUKE232323]

I was referring to Weeks giving up the lead late, the umpiring wasn't good at all either. Hart was clearly safe at third and Hall did get the tag down on Cedeno, along with him blocking the bag with his foot. I thought the Weeks call that was bang bang at first was the correct call. I'm not going to blame the loss on the umpires, but the Cubs benefitted more last night than the Crew did, no question.

[Shamrock]

cubfan1126 i would be careful about trash talk until the series ends.

 

me and most of the other cubs fans are being careful