IGT 08/16 -- Cubbies at Metsies

[Guest d'Kong76]

ATTENTION: BOYZ ll MEN CONCERT IS THIS EVENING!!!

Chi. Cubs at NY Mets
When: 7:10 PM ET, Saturday, August 16, 2014
Where: Citi Field, New York City, New York
SportsDirect Inc.

The New York Mets hope that the one timely hit in the series opener ignites their sputtering offense as they continue their four-game set versus the visiting Chicago Cubs on Saturday. Eric Campbell made the most of his first start in a week by belting a three-run homer as New York snapped its three-game skid with a 3-2 triumph on Friday. The free-swinging Cubs struck out 14 times in the opener and have done so 91 times in their last eight contests.

Starlin Castro had a pair of singles on Friday to extend his hitting streak to 14 games. The talented shortstop has reached this plateau on three separate occasions during his young career and could take the next step against Saturday starter Jonathon Niese, against whom he is 5-for-16 (.313) with a homer and five RBIs. New York captain David Wright saw his 13-game hitting streak come to an end in the series opener and is 0-for-13 this season versus Chicago.

TV:
7:10 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), WPIX (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP:
Cubs RH Dan Straily (1-2, 4.93 ERA) vs. Mets LH Jonathon Niese (6-8, 3.46)

Acquired in the deal that sent Jeff Samardzija to Oakland, Straily has recorded a 3-3 mark with a 3.00 ERA in his initial seven starts with Triple-A Iowa. "We have a stretch of no days off, so we're going to have Straily come up and give us a start," Chicago manager Rick Renteria said. The 25-year-old Straily, whose last start in the majors came on May 7, is expected to be shipped back to the minors after the game.

Niese snapped a four-start losing streak and posted his first win since June 28 as he allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings against Philadelphia on Monday. The 27-year-old owns a 2-4 career record versus the Cubs while allowing the opposition to bat .323 against him. Niese is just 2-3 at home this season, with his last victory at Citi Field coming against the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 22.

WALK-OFFS:
1. Chicago rookie 2B Javier Baez has struck out 19 times in 49 at-bats.
2. New York RF Curtis Granderson is 1-for-21 in his last five games.
3. The Cubs optioned struggling OF Junior Lake (.216) to Triple-A Iowa after Friday's game.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Didn't know they played musical chairs with the
instruments on this ...
[youtube:15ckknrr]iaGi-IvbxkE[/youtube:15ckknrr]

[Guest d'Kong76]

Curtis Granderson � RF
Daniel Murphy � 2B
David Wright � 3B
Lucas Duda � 1B
Travis d�Arnaud � C
Matt den Dekker � LF
Juan Lagares � CF
Wilmer Flores � SS
Jonathon Niese � LHP

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

In media res: Wellington Castillo puts a dent in the Party City area AND the early Met lead, bringing it to 3-1.

(No information yet-- YET-- about how Boyz II Men have been affected, if at all.)

[Guest d'Kong76]

Granderson has been kinda suckin' lately.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Niese, on the other hand, is just blowing on Cubs and making them fall down.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Going studio for this one ... one of my favorites!
[youtube:2tu8bmoj]jX-yuZFVm34[/youtube:2tu8bmoj]

[ashie62]

Mets 7-1 laugher.....

[Frayed Knot]

d'Kong76 wrote: Granderson has been kinda suckin' lately.

Whole top of the lineup really.
Murph's going through his first real slump of the year, and while Davey is getting his singles he's not getting much else.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Yeah, not intentionally singling him out.

[Frayed Knot]

Ashie62 wrote: Mets 7-1 laugher.....

Not laughing.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Potential unraveling here!!

[Frayed Knot]

Frayed Knot wrote: Ashie62 wrote: Mets 7-1 laugher..... Not laughing.

And neither is Niese.

[Frayed Knot]

Don't like this kid, or Rizzo after him, as the tying run.
Yeah he'll swing and miss a lot, but if he runs into one ...


oe: but he pops it up.
Still Rizzo to go tho

[Guest d'Kong76]

Vic Black!

[Frayed Knot]

Own-age is the new Black.

[Frayed Knot]

Familia went throughout the 8th inning on, what?, like 9 pitches.
Seems almost silly to bring in someone else just to clean up the 9th.

[Guest d'Kong76]

[Guest themetfairy]

[Frayed Knot]

Two wins on back-to-back days with only 4 hits each, and only 1 HR total.

[MFS62]

Frayed Knot wrote: Two wins on back-to-back days with only 4 hits each, and only 1 HR total.

The metrics guys must be going bonkers over that one.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

MFS62 wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: Two wins on back-to-back days with only 4 hits each, and only 1 HR total. The metrics guys must be going bonkers over that one.

Nah. They'd just say that it's unusual, but just don't count on it repeating for too long.
And on that account I'd agree with them.

[Zvon]

Gonna zip thru a replay of this one. As nice as it will be to listen to the guyz, they ain't got no Aerosmith!
I heard Wright was removed after a HBP. My bro said shoulder--the bad one? Nothing here about it so I guess all is okay. I was a little worried about that. 'Lil bit.

[Zvon]

Is this a fact? Are Boys To Men going to have a concert at Citi after the game? Why didn't they publicize this?

[Fman99]

Fboy and I were there and had a great time.