The Chicago Cubs came back to Earth against the Braves, and head up to Miller Park. The Cubs, it seems, are about the only team in the last couple years who’ve consistently had success up there.
By way of reminder, the Series Preview hooks you up with what you need to know about every series this year – streaks, broadcast information, pitchers, lineups, etc. That way you can look like a genius, hardcore fan in front of all your friends, with minimum effort. Oh, and there will be pictures of beautiful women, too.
We’re Going Streaking
The Cubs lost a four-game set to the Braves, and are back to being the second worst team in the NL. They passed four AL teams on the glorious winning stretch, though, so they’re now merely the 6th worst team in baseball.
The Brewers are as hot as any team in baseball. Although they just split in four with the Pirates, they’ve won an amazing 24 of 29 (which stretch started against the Cubs), and lead the Central by 10 games. They’re even just a game behind the Braves for the second-best record in the NL.
Game Times and Broadcasts
- Friday, August 26 at 7:10 CT on WGN.
- Saturday, August 27 at 6:10 CT on WGN.
- Sunday, August 28 at 1:10 CT on CSN, TBS.
Expected Starters and Lineups
These lineups are likely to be pretty close to what actually gets fielded.
Cubs
Starters: Rodrigo Lopez (4-4, 4.97), Ryan Dempster (10-9, 4.60), Casey Coleman (2-6, 7.59)
Lineup:
- Castro, SS
- Barney, 2B
- Ramirez, 3B
- Pena, 1B
- Byrd, CF
- Soriano, LF
- Soto, C
- Colvin, RF
- Pitcher
Brewers
Starters: Randy Wolf (10-8, 3.45), Yovani Gallardo (14-8, 3.51), Zack Greinke (12-5, 4.22)
Lineup:
- Corey Hart, RF
- Nyjer Morgan, CF
- Ryan Braun, LF
- Prince Fielder, 1B
- Casey McGehee, 3B
- Yuniesky Betancourt, SS
- Jerry Hairston, Jr., 2B
- Jonathan Lucroy, C
- Pitcher
Hot or Not and Whom to Watch
Can Rodrigo Lopez or Casey Coleman do anything this series? And, even if they do, does it matter for their future? Would the Cubs really bring Lopez back? Would the Cubs really count on Coleman to fill a back-end rotation spot?
Ryan Dempster has thrown six straight quality starts, and he’s got a 3.32 ERA over that stretch.
Aramis Ramirez extended his hitting streak to 14, during which he’s put up a humble 1.453 OPS.
Prince Fielder has just one hit in his last 14 at bats, so you can go ahead and mark down his 8 for 15 with three homers series.
Ryan Braun, on the other hand, is 9 for his last 24, with three doubles and two homers. So… you can go ahead and mark down his 8 for 15 with three homers series.
Zack Greinke leads the Brewers in Ks despite missing a healthy chunk of time at the beginning of the year. His ERA has been on a steady decline since May.
Series She-View
The Series She-View is one beautiful woman representing the Cubs taking on another (usually) beautiful woman representing the opponent. The Cubs’ representative will change as the team’s needs change – in other words, if the Cubs are winning, the rep will stay the same. But if the Cubs’ performance calls for a change, someone new will step in. The opponent’s representative will change from series to series, at my whim. But at least she’ll probably be wearing the opponent’s colors or have some connection to the team or something like that.
The Cubs appeared poised to start another prolonged winning stretch under Joanna Krupa’s watch. But then they took a Krupa against the Braves.
So, now it’s Zooey Deschanel. Why?
I keep seeing trailers for ‘My Idiot Brother’ and some new sitcom on NBC, each of which feature Zooey Deschanel, who is all kinds of pretty. She also has a haunting (in a good way) singing voice. So, there you go. She’s it.
As for the Brewers, I’ve become accustomed to picking random beautiful women with beer (or, at least, bikinis with beer logos on them). Some things never change.
Versus
I really like Zooey, but that other gal beer & boobs. Brewers win.
I’ll bet y’all a dollar that the beer maid pic is a re-hash from one of the Brewers series previews from last year. I’d recognize those … balloons … anywhere.
Yeah he’s really starting slump, thinks he can keep retreading materials/girls. Step yo game up Brett!
We need Kate Upton boys! SI Swimsuit model…unreal hottness on the hottness scale. And..she’s from St. Joe Michigan right across the lake. I would not steer you wrong Brett…check her out!
Yeah, support the MI economy select our women for the she-view
She represents Michigan well my friend! Brett needs to step up and get her aboard!
I think her picture was used earlier *this* year. I’ll take that dollar now.
If it was, it was inadvertent!
who cares? she’s awesome! she can be the season rep for all i care!
those *balloons* really are unforgettable.
nice work as always brett!
Yes, but she’s rep-ing the wrong team. Maybe she’ll head south for the winter.
Skunked *again* on this site, this time by Laura! I’m losing all my street cred around here…
Laura is the master when it comes to the She-View. That’s either ironic, or telling. But clearly titillating.
Ha! Definately ironic. (If I were a man, I’d be my own unique version of a Flaming ‘Mo.). Women are just more critical of each other. Ask a straight man if another man is attractive, he’ll defensive snap, ” I dont know!”. Ask a straight women if another women is attractive, she’ll give you a five minute run down.
My only point is I hope we win.
(stinkin’ auto correct…)
Don’t you mean the Flaming Homer? He invented it and Mo stole the recipe!
That’s right. I guess I’d have to say Flaming Hom(o).
Yup.
Just saying, anyone else notice that ARam went on this hot streak after Brett called him out because of numbers I posted? Proof that Cubbies read BN or that we have some serious mojo! I’d be looking to see if Soriano starts to drive curveballs.
Ha. Barney and Ramirez certainly timed their hot streaks suspiciously.
Casey Coleman is terrible, and will not put together even one good start the rest of the year.
dempster is our only hope, come monday, we will be back to 20 games under.
if you want great balloons, google haley atwell! phenomenal!
hmm, googled her and did not see a single balloons… she’s got a stellar rack though
damn, just not as funny with a typo…
still pretty funny!
Same Line-ups every night from Quad !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! bring the young guys up !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! great pics of beer !!
because quade is so stupid he still thinks they have a shot at the playoffs!
If not Coleman and Lopez, then who? Maybe there’s a reason the minor league guys who might come up are staying at AAA. I don’t know. I say, as punishment, we bring back z and make him pitch everyday for the rest of the season. Bombed or not, he has to stay in at least 5 innings every game.