Cubs' Pros and Cons: Chicago at Cincinnati

5/5: Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati Reds, 3-5

5/6: Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati Reds, 3-0

5/7: Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati Reds, 0-9

Pros:

Carlos Zambrano 

He pitched eight scoreless innings. He also picked a runner off at second base, which has become somewhat of a signature move for Zambrano now.

He is 5-1 with a 1.80 ERA this season. And if it weren't for Brandon Webb and Edinson Volquez, I would make a stronger case for Zambrano as a Cy Young candidate. However, the season is still young.

Zambrano NEEDS to pitch this way all the time. As we could clearly see in this series, the Cubs cannot score to save their life right now.

Day off Today

The only other pro I could think of is that they have a day off, because they sure need it after stinking it up in Cincinnati.

How do you not score at the Great American Ballpark? It is not easy, that is for sure.

Cons:

Offense

The Cubs offense was frankly embarrassing this series. They could not get anything done offensively, and I will highlight players that need to be singled out.

First however, I will stress that this kind of offensive inconsistency is going to kill this team. They do not have a chance at the playoffs with this kind of play.

For crying out loud, the Cardinals, a team without offensive weapons like the Cubs, are leading the division and starting to run away with it too. They do not have pitching, nor do they have a great offense (except for Pujols).

Maybe Lou Piniella should do his best Bill Belichick-impersonation and steal some signs from Tony La Russa and the Cardinals, because they are clearly doing something the Cubs should be doing: WINNING.

The Cubs could not even muster a rally in the top of the ninth this Monday. Francisco Cordero allowed two hits and two walks in the ninth inning of Monday's ballgame, which normally would translate into some runs...you know, given that there can only be three runners on base at the same time.

Well, the Cubbies screwed that up like only the Cubbies can.

Derrek Lee

Everybody gives this guy credit, but what has he done for us lately?

He left runners on base in every game of the series at least once (twice on Monday and Wednesday), most noticeably so in Monday's game when he left the bases loaded in the ninth inning to end the game.

The Cubs were trailing by two runs and a single would have tied the game.

Are we really supposed to give this guy credit for being an overall good, maybe even great player, even though he cannot deliver in the clutch?

I say, "No." Unless he starts delivering in the clutch, he will not receive any praise from me in the near future.

Reed Johnson

Felix Pie! Felix Pie! Felix Pie!

I have been saying it all along, but people thought it was a good idea to have him in the lineup. Well, now that he is doing his best to outdo Pie when it comes to swinging and missing.

Reed Johnson is what he is: a good fourth outfielder. He is not, nor has he ever been, a good full-time starter. He had one good year. That does not make him a good everyday player. 

Jon Lieber

Wednesday's loss was embarrassing and I have a feeling it was worse for Lieber than for any of us.

He got absolutely rocked as he did not have any stuff on the mound and promptly got teed off on. He allowed four long balls, all of them in the second inning, before being yanked.

Two of the home runs were hit by former Cubs, Paul Bako and Jerry Hariston, Jr., who, by the way, have never hit more than four and eight in a season, respectively.

I still believe that inserting Lieber in the rotation is the right move. He will rebound, he is a veteran. Let's just wait a couple of outings before we make up our minds about Lieber.

Len Kasper

Cubs play-by-play announcer Len Kasper thought it was of interest to mentioned that there had only been 30-some homer-less games at the Great American Ballpark.

The Cubs then got torched as the Reds hit a ballpark-record seven home runs against them in the 9-0 loss on Wednesday.

Sure, the broadcast crew is also responsible, but they did not talk about it on television. Hopefully Kasper will keep things like that to himself in the future.

Errors

They cost the Cubs the game on Monday. Deplorable defense and no offense generally means you are not going to win any games. The Cubs are trying to show people how not to win ballgames, and it is working to perfection. 

Next Series:

The Cubs travel home to play the team with the best record in baseball, the Arizona Diamondbacks.

It should be a tough series that the Cubs will really have to struggle to win unless the baseball Gods are kind to Chicago, which is never likely to happen.

Game One—Dan Haren (4-1, 3.12) vs. Ted Lilly (2-4, 5.97)

Note: Dan Haren has struggled facing the Cubs in the past as he has a 0-1 record with a 12.46 ERA in only eight and two-thirds innings pitched against Chicago. He has been chased out early in 2 starts against the northsiders, both at Wrigley Field.

Opposing Haren is our very own Ted Lilly, who has really turned it around lately. (THANK GOD!) He is 0-2 lifetime against the D'backs with a good 3.38 ERA.

It should be an interesting game because Lilly has really heated up lately and Dan Haren has struggled in his career against the Cubbies, especially at Wrigley. He has been really good this year however, so I would expect him to come out and pitch much better than in the past against the Cubs.

I am expecting a good pitching match-up, but I am not leaving out the possibility of this game becoming more of an offensive affair. Haren's history at Wrigley and Lilly's tendency to give up fly balls could be the cause for offense if the wind is blowing out.

Game Two—Max Scherzer (0-1, 5.40) vs. Ryan Dempster (4-1, 2.72)

Note: Scherzer is one of the D'backs best prospects and he was awesome in the minors, spending only last year and four games of this season there before being called up. He had a 1.17 ERA in four starts in AAA this year before being called up.

He was impressive in relief in his first Major League game. He pitched four and a third innings of no-hit ball while striking out seven batters. He is known to hit very high 90s with his fastball, too.

Dempster allowed five unearned runs on Monday because of Cubs errors and took the loss. He looks to rebound against the D'backs on Saturday.

Judging by the numbers though, it does not look like that is going to happen. He is 1-4 with a 6.04 ERA against Arizona lifetime.

Rookie pitchers + Chicago Cubs = Ugly. The D'backs will win this game, mark it down!

Game Three—Randy Johnson (2-1, 5.06) vs. Carlos Zambrano (5-1, 1.80)

Note: This is going to be awesome!

Randy Johnson is an astounding 12-0 against the Cubs with a 1.98 ERA, which is just unbelievable. He has won 12 of 13 starts against them, only getting a no-decision once in 1999.

Zambrano is 1-2 against the D'backs with a 4.88 ERA lifetime.

Johnson's record against the Cubs is amazing and the Cubs counter with their best pitcher who is on the top of his game right now. Honestly, how can you ask for a better baseball game?

I'm extremely excited for this game on Sunday and I am hoping the Cubs can break the goose egg against Randy Johnson.

Go Cubs!