GiveHyzduashot
05-21-2002, 04:40 PM
SCOUTING REPORT
The series: Pirates vs. Cubs, four games at Wrigley Field, Chicago.
The times: 5:05 p.m. today (doubleheader), 8:05 p.m. tomorrow and 2:20 p.m. Thursday.
TV, radio: Today and tomorrow on Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh; all games on KDKA-AM (1020) and the Pirates Radio Network.
Probable starters: LHP Jimmy Anderson (3-5), RHP Josh Fogg (5-1), LHP Dave Williams (2-4) and RHP Kris Benson (0-0) for the Pirates; RHP Jason Bere (1-6), RHP Juan Cruz (0-7), RHP Mark Prior (0-0) and RHP Matt Clement (1-3) for the Cubs.
About the Pirates: Are 3-2 against Cubs this year, winning twice at Wrigley Field. Today's doubleheader is a makeup of a rainout April 7. ... In their first eight road games, the Pirates were 7-1. In their past 13 road games, they are 3-10. ... The Pirates are 162 for 757 in their past 24 games, a .214 average. With runners in scoring position, they are 6 for their past 59. ... Since they were last atop the Central Division with a 13-7 record April 25, the Pirates are 7-15 and are in fourth place. ... Twenty of their first 42 games have been decided by two runs or fewer. Pirates are 10-5 in games decided by one run and 4-1 in two-run contests. ... Anderson has lost four of his past five decisions and has given up a home run in three consecutive starts. In his career against the Cubs, he is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA. ... Against Clement, Brian Giles is 6 for 16 with one home run, Aramis Ramirez is .357 against him with one home run and five RBIs and Pokey Reese has hit .304 with one home run and two RBIs.
About the Cubs: Snapped a nine-game losing streak Sunday but have the fewest home wins in the majors (six). ... Speculation has mounted about the job security of Manager Don Baylor because of the Cubs' horrible start. "Everybody feels pressure. Everybody is stressed. It's tough to watch," Baylor said. ... The Cubs are hitting just .231 as a team. Sammy Sosa, tied for the league lead in home runs and second to Barry Bonds in slugging percentage, is hitting .324. ... Moises Alou, who has never hit below .273 for a season, is batting .161 with two home runs and eight RBIs. He's batting .056 against left-handers. Fred McGriff is hitting .217 and 21 points lower than that against left-handers. ... Against Anderson, Alou has hit .400 and Sosa .385 with two RBIs. ... Sosa is 4 for 8 against Dave Williams, and all four hits have been solo home runs. Sosa is 6 for 19 with three home runs and seven RBIs against Mike Williams.
On deck: Pirates return home for three games against the Cardinals; Cubs visit Houston for three games.
NOTEBOOK
After toying with the idea of starting Ron Villone or Sean Lowe in the second game of the doubleheader today, Lloyd McClendon decided to stick to his regular rotation. Second-game starter Josh Fogg, who won his major-league debut against the Cubs in Wrigley Field, will be on his normal day because of an off day yesterday. McClendon plans to bring Anderson back on four days of rest Friday against the Cardinals. "Maybe that will help his sinkerball," McClendon said. Lowe was the most established of the three pitchers acquired from the White Sox in a trade, yet he has the highest ERA on the team. McClendon has used him in long and short relief, and also as a spot starter. "He's done it all for us. At times, he's really saved our bullpen. I said it before and I say it again, by the end of the year, he'll have respectable numbers," McClendon said. "Just because you're established doesn't mean you're not going to struggle."
Mike Williams is open to suggestions for a catchy song to introduce his appearances at home. The hitters all have theme music, and fellow closers Trevor Hoffman of San Diego uses "Hell's Bells" as his trademark and Houston's Billy Wagner sets the tone with "Enter Sandman." Williams is a country music buff, but he's entertaining ideas from all genres. "I was told I could have one," said Williams, noting that fans are welcome to send along suggestions. Bullpen coach Bruce Tanner thinks it would be fitting if Williams had gunslinger-type music from the old westerns. He suggested the theme from the Clint Eastwood western "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly."
Houston's Lance Berkman had this to say about Kip Wells, who won for the fifth time in six starts to snap the Pirates' four-game losing streak Sunday: "I think people make a big deal out of how offensive numbers are off from last year. They'll continue to be off if they keep running guys like Kip Wells out there."
The series: Pirates vs. Cubs, four games at Wrigley Field, Chicago.
The times: 5:05 p.m. today (doubleheader), 8:05 p.m. tomorrow and 2:20 p.m. Thursday.
TV, radio: Today and tomorrow on Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh; all games on KDKA-AM (1020) and the Pirates Radio Network.
Probable starters: LHP Jimmy Anderson (3-5), RHP Josh Fogg (5-1), LHP Dave Williams (2-4) and RHP Kris Benson (0-0) for the Pirates; RHP Jason Bere (1-6), RHP Juan Cruz (0-7), RHP Mark Prior (0-0) and RHP Matt Clement (1-3) for the Cubs.
About the Pirates: Are 3-2 against Cubs this year, winning twice at Wrigley Field. Today's doubleheader is a makeup of a rainout April 7. ... In their first eight road games, the Pirates were 7-1. In their past 13 road games, they are 3-10. ... The Pirates are 162 for 757 in their past 24 games, a .214 average. With runners in scoring position, they are 6 for their past 59. ... Since they were last atop the Central Division with a 13-7 record April 25, the Pirates are 7-15 and are in fourth place. ... Twenty of their first 42 games have been decided by two runs or fewer. Pirates are 10-5 in games decided by one run and 4-1 in two-run contests. ... Anderson has lost four of his past five decisions and has given up a home run in three consecutive starts. In his career against the Cubs, he is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA. ... Against Clement, Brian Giles is 6 for 16 with one home run, Aramis Ramirez is .357 against him with one home run and five RBIs and Pokey Reese has hit .304 with one home run and two RBIs.
About the Cubs: Snapped a nine-game losing streak Sunday but have the fewest home wins in the majors (six). ... Speculation has mounted about the job security of Manager Don Baylor because of the Cubs' horrible start. "Everybody feels pressure. Everybody is stressed. It's tough to watch," Baylor said. ... The Cubs are hitting just .231 as a team. Sammy Sosa, tied for the league lead in home runs and second to Barry Bonds in slugging percentage, is hitting .324. ... Moises Alou, who has never hit below .273 for a season, is batting .161 with two home runs and eight RBIs. He's batting .056 against left-handers. Fred McGriff is hitting .217 and 21 points lower than that against left-handers. ... Against Anderson, Alou has hit .400 and Sosa .385 with two RBIs. ... Sosa is 4 for 8 against Dave Williams, and all four hits have been solo home runs. Sosa is 6 for 19 with three home runs and seven RBIs against Mike Williams.
On deck: Pirates return home for three games against the Cardinals; Cubs visit Houston for three games.
NOTEBOOK
After toying with the idea of starting Ron Villone or Sean Lowe in the second game of the doubleheader today, Lloyd McClendon decided to stick to his regular rotation. Second-game starter Josh Fogg, who won his major-league debut against the Cubs in Wrigley Field, will be on his normal day because of an off day yesterday. McClendon plans to bring Anderson back on four days of rest Friday against the Cardinals. "Maybe that will help his sinkerball," McClendon said. Lowe was the most established of the three pitchers acquired from the White Sox in a trade, yet he has the highest ERA on the team. McClendon has used him in long and short relief, and also as a spot starter. "He's done it all for us. At times, he's really saved our bullpen. I said it before and I say it again, by the end of the year, he'll have respectable numbers," McClendon said. "Just because you're established doesn't mean you're not going to struggle."
Mike Williams is open to suggestions for a catchy song to introduce his appearances at home. The hitters all have theme music, and fellow closers Trevor Hoffman of San Diego uses "Hell's Bells" as his trademark and Houston's Billy Wagner sets the tone with "Enter Sandman." Williams is a country music buff, but he's entertaining ideas from all genres. "I was told I could have one," said Williams, noting that fans are welcome to send along suggestions. Bullpen coach Bruce Tanner thinks it would be fitting if Williams had gunslinger-type music from the old westerns. He suggested the theme from the Clint Eastwood western "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly."
Houston's Lance Berkman had this to say about Kip Wells, who won for the fifth time in six starts to snap the Pirates' four-game losing streak Sunday: "I think people make a big deal out of how offensive numbers are off from last year. They'll continue to be off if they keep running guys like Kip Wells out there."