Phillies Host Cubs: Series Preview

Sep 10, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; A general view of Citizens Bank Park during rain delay. The game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs would later be postponed at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The Phillies welcome the Chicago Cubs into Citizens Bank Park for a 4-game weekend series, which was set to begin on Thursday night. I know this for two reasons. First, I know this because it’s on the official schedule.

But I also have first-hand knowledge as well. You see, my wife and I were sitting in the stands with thousands of other fans, waiting for hours during a rain delay. That opener never took place, the game called roughly two hours after the scheduled 7:05pm start time.

And so, the series is underway this evening, with a true one-admission doubleheader. The Cubs are quickly growing from lovable loser teddy bears into ferocious grizzlies, ready to storm the MLB postseason for the first time since 2008.

The North Siders lineup is loaded with young, impactful talented position players including NL MVP candidate and 2x NL All-Star 1st baseman Anthony Rizzo (25), 3x NL All-Star infielder Starlin Castro (25), Rookie of the Year candidate 3rd baseman Kris Bryant (23), infielder Addison Russell (21), outfielder Jorge Soler (23), and slugger Kyle Schwarber (22), a catcher by trade who is playing some outfield to get his potent bat into the lineup more often.

Chicago comes into the series having won 7 of their last 10 games, with a 5-game winning streak just snapped in their most recent game, a narrow 4-3 loss at arch-rival Saint Louis. That loss came after the Cubbies won the first two games in that series, and they now sit in 3rd place in the NL Central, 7.5 games behind the Cards.

But there is a strong likelihood that there will indeed be postseason play in the Windy City this October, as the Cubs hold a 9-game lead (10 in the loss column) over the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants for the final Wildcard spot in the National League with three weeks to play.

Next: PHILLIES-CUBS PITCHING MATCHUPS

Aug 31, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher

(49) stands with his family, Cooper Arrieta (son) and Palmer Arrieta (daughter), Brittany Arrieta is his wife, during a ceremony before the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field. Arrieta pitched a no-hitter the night before in Los Angeles. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

PITCHING MATCHUPS

FRIDAY (1): Jake Arrieta (18-6, 2.03 ERA) vs Adam Morgan (5-5, 4.42 ERA) – Now 29-years old, Arrieta has gone from a perpetually under-achieving Baltimore Orioles pitcher to one of the NL’s best with the Cubs. In fact, you can make a serious argument that has been THE best starting pitcher in the league this season. He has allowed just 132 hits in 191 innings, with a 197/44 K:BB ratio. He leads the NL in both Wins with 18 and shutouts with 2, has a 2.03 ERA, and a tremendous 0.921 WHIP. And he has the cherry-on-top of a no-hitter, tossed just two starts ago. In that August 30th outing at Dodger Stadium, Arrieta struck out a dozen LA Dodgers in that masterpiece. Phillies’ lefty rookie Morgan has been mostly solid as the team evaluates arms to see which might be able to help in the future. Morgan has gone at least 6 innings in 8 of his 13 starts this year, and in 5 of his last half-dozen.

FRIDAY (2): Kyle Hendricks (6-6, 4.08 ERA) vs Alec Asher (0-2, 10.61 ERA) – No, this is not ex-Phil “Kyle Kendrick”, though the name is indeed extremely close. This one is a 25-year old, 2nd year righthander who is proving here early in his career that he can be a reliable mid- or back-end rotation option for Chicago. He has allowed 149 hits in 152.1 innings with a 132/29 K:BB ratio, so he is not likely to beat himself. This will be his 28th start of the season, and he has failed to go at least 5 innings just twice all year, one of those being his very first start in April. He is likely to keep the Cubs in the game, but not to go deep into the game, as he has seen the 7th inning just five times. Asher is a 23-year old righty who came as part of the big package from Texas in the Cole Hamels deal. He will be making his 3rd big league start, and is still looking for his first decent outing. Asher was clubbed for 4 earned runs on 8 hits in 5.2 innings in his first, and then an even worse 7 earned runs on 8 hits in just 3.2 innings last week at Boston.

SATURDAY: Dan Haren (9-9, 3.73 ERA) vs Jerad Eickhoff (1-3, 4.70 ERA) – It would be difficult on one hand to classify the now 34-year old righty Haren as a “journeyman”, since he has been a 3x All-Star and finished among the Cy Young top ten a couple of times in his career. But he has bounced around 8 different organizations. He came over to Chicago in a trade deadline deal on July 31st from the Miami Marlins, to whom he had been traded by the Dodgers back in December. Haren had a poor beginning to his stint with the Cubs over his first 5 starts during the month of August. But when the calendar flipped to September, he tossed a gem, shutting out the Cardinals over 7 strong innings in his most recent start on September 1st. Eickhoff is another arm returned from Texas in that Hamels deal. The 25-year old righty is making his 5th start, and the first four were very solid before he was beaten up at Fenway Park in his most recent outing on just five days ago.

SUNDAY: Cubs TBD vs Aaron Harang (5-15, 5.02 ERA) – The Cubs are pushing Jason Hammel, whose turn comes on Sunday normally, back to throw one of the games of yet another doubleheader that they have coming up next Tuesday during a series at division rivals Pittsburgh. So the Sunday start vs the Phils, perceived to be a weaker opponent because, well, frankly, they are one, will be a fill-in starter. It could come from either of two relievers, Travis Wood or Clayton Richard, each of whom has already made starts for the Cubs. However, it could also go to 34-year old Japanese lefty Tsuyoshi Wada, who was a regular member of the rotation from mid-May through late-June before being sidelined by an injury. He returned to the minors, and then received a call when rosters expanded for September. Wada last pitching one inning on September 4th, so he might be the most logical candidate if Chicago wants to just keep Wood and Richard in their pen. Harang is, well, finishing out the season, much to the dismay of many Phillies fans. He isn’t very good any more, and is in the final three weeks of his one-year Phils’ stint, and possibly his big league career.

Next: PHILLIES-CUBS SERIS KEYS

Jul 31, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Hernandez (16) rounds second during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

SERIES KEYS

Rookie Starting Pitchers – the Phils are using four rookies on a regular basis in their starting rotation right now, and three of them make starts in this series. They will have no chance to win this series at all, something that will be a tall order even under perfect circumstances, unless they get strong outing from at least 2 of the 3 kid arms. Beating Arrieta will be really tough. However, Eickhoff has a decent shot on Saturday, if he can return to the form of his first few big league starts. That would make a Quality Start from Asher the key. He needs that type of outing, if just for his own confidence to show that he can succeed at this level.

Push the Offensive Attack – let’s face it, the Phillies have one of the worst, if not the very worst, offensive attacks in baseball. When you lack consistent power, when your lineup lacks big-time hitters for average, and when you don’t work a lot of walks, you need to do something. How about pushing things? Cesar Hernandez has 19 steals, Odubel Herrera has taken 14 bags, Freddy Galvis has 9 swipes. Aaron Altherr is an athletic young kid. Run them. Give them the green light. What’s the fear, that they’ll get thrown out? That they’ll run you out of an inning? You already have the worst offense in the game. You’re not scoring in any event. Push the offense, maybe you can find a little more offense, enough to win a few more games? It’s at least worth a shot.

Next: PHILLIES-CUBS MEDIA/WEATHER/INJURIES