The road doesn't get much easier for the Jays, as they pay a visit to the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field for the first time in franchise history. The Cubs are really swinging some hot bats at the moment, and Toronto's dormant offence will have to shape up, and stat, if they want to bounce back from a subpar West Coast jaunt.
* General: The Cubs are smokin', as they've won nine of ten after a 6-1 road trip to Los Angeles and San Diego ... This has happened despite Kerry Wood and Mark Prior landing on the DL. (After Prior's injury, a Chicago sports radio show played "Taps" to commemorate the "death" of the Cubs' season.) Derrek Lee: "Without a doubt, with all the adversity we've had, I think people expected us to go the other way...We haven't. We've kept our heads up and we're playing great baseball" ... For his part, Wood's feeling better about his strained pitching shoulder. He's getting closer to being ready for a minor-league rehab assignment ... Prior's elbow, which was injured when he was drilled by a line drive, has experienced reduced swelling and the Cubs hope to have him back by the All-Star Break. Prior was discouraged this weekend, though, saying he would still be several weeks away ... Nomar Garciaparra has started traveling with the team again and hopes to return by mid-August or so. He'll hit off a tee this week -- and he'll receive his World Series ring, when the Red Sox come to town ... The Cubs kicked the tires of Danny Graves, but believe the ex-Red to be leaning toward joining the Marlins ... Lefty Mike Remlinger returns today from a slight fracture of his pinky finger ... Dusty Baker speculated in the press last week that the Cubs play better, more relaxed baseball on the road, when they're away from the fishbowl of the North Side baseball media ... The Cubs are 36-26 all-time in interleague play ...
* Derrek Lee: All over the leader boards, and either has or shares the major league lead in all three Triple Crown categories ... First-ball, fastball hitter who's crushing everything up in the zone ... Loves pitches on the inner half of the plate and connects with a quick but fluid swing ... Keeps his hands high and now employs a significant leg kick before swinging ... It's not easy to retire him. The best chance seems to be to throw him breaking stuff down and hope he chases ... Not a dead pull hitter ... Michael Barrett on Lee: "I've played with a lot of great players. This is the best streak I've ever seen" ... The even-tempered Lee says that pitches seem to approach "in slow motion" these days ... Hee Seop Choi seems like a modest price for the Cubs to have paid ...
* Michael Barrett: Just seven walks and only 16 strikeouts ... Likes the ball up and can drive the ball to either gap ... Good at recognizing lefty breaking pitches ... Does not get great plate coverage and can be handled away ... Good at spoiling two-strike pitches ...
* Neifi Perez: Surprise! The 32-year-old Neifi is hitting nearly 150 points of OPS over his career average ... He's red-hot, too, as he's riding an improbable 14-game hitting streak in which he's hitting .422 ... A stunning 17 extra-base hits so far, including seven dingers ... Staying more upright at the plate and employing more of an uppercut swing ... From both sides of the plate, likes the ball on the inner half ... Chases breaking stuff down and lays off fastballs away ... Still not walking, but making contact with much more authority ... Great range defensively, but his arm isn't exceptional ...
* Enrique Wilson: Ex-Yankee utilityman spells Perez and Ramirez in Chicago ... Lunging swing from the right side, and he tries to pull everything ... More of a slapping spray hitter from the left side ... Prefers the ball up in the zone ... Struggles with heat on the outer half of the plate ...
* John Koronka: Very high leg kick and gets on top of the ball with an overhand delivery ... Straight over the top, and doesn't neutralize lefties for that reason ... Low-90s fastball, but he can't afford to get it up in the zone ... Relies heavily on the heater ... Somewhat flat slider, but he throws it in the mid-70s and it's an effective change of pace ... Good straight change, too ... Likes to pound righties away with his fastball ... Very deceptive move to first, but was called for a balk in his big league debut ... Don't be afraid to start Hinske against him ...
* Todd Hollandsworth: Inside-out swing, and he waits effectively on breaking stuff. In fact, he seems to wait on it ... Good clubhouse guy who won't grouse about playing time ... Pulls his head off fastballs away ... Chases pitches down ...
* Michael Wuertz: Throws a heavy, sinking mid-80s fastball with a pronounced rare-back delivery ... Seldom leaves it up, but occasionally catches too much of the plate ... Throws a big slider at about the same velocity that he throws away from righthanders ... Baker relies on him in high-leverage situations against righties ...
* Ryan Dempster: Another B.C. native likely to play for Canada in the World Baseball Classic ... Throws a big mid-90s two-seam fastball with good tailing action. It' most effective in on the fists of righthanders ... Anointed the closer in light of LaTroy Hawkins' struggles and trade, even as Joe Borowski returned from injury ... Late-breaking slider tends to hang, but it's tricky to hit in the upper 80s ...
* Aramis Ramirez: Menacingly leans over the plate ... Mashes lefthanded breaking stuff, which he sits on ... Like many of his teammates, likes the ball up and in ... Can be induced to chase righthanded breaking stuff away, where his plate coverage is poor ...
* Glendon Rusch: Tossed a four-hit shutout at the mighty Padres last Thursday ... Compact delivery from the stretch ... Somewhat Moyer-like from the full windup, so he may have an edge on the Jays ... Upper-80s cut fastball that he has to spot well ... Throws his cutter in on the fists of righties, but it's vulnerable when he leaves it over the plate ... Sneaky fast with his low-90s four-seamer ... An alert fielder on the mound ...
* Jeromy Burnitz: Straight fastball hitter ... Less wasted movement at the plate this year ... Takes aim at the shallow gaps of Wrigley ... His wheelhouse is way up, even out of the strike zone ... Can be tied up down and in, where he swings over the ball ... Really struggles with lefty breaking stuff away ... Keeps his hands ultra-loose and his bat often goes flying when fooled ...
* Jason DuBois: Former Jays Rule V pick (returned to the Cubs, obviously) has some pop at the plate ... Long jack swing and he thinks pull ... Feasts on inside fastballs ... Flails at breaking pitches down and away ... Can be overpowered by outside heat ... Has yet to master the ivy and bricks in left field ...
* Todd Walker: Stays back at the plate and shifts he weight well ... Fastball hitter all the way with deceptive power to right ... You can make him chase fastballs up the ladder ... Pulls his head off pitches away, especially from lefties ... Unsteady with the glove ...
* Sergio Mitre: Runs a two-seam fastball away from lefties and in on righties, but it's only mid-80s on the gun ... Hits 94 with his four-seamer ... Does not seem to have great movement or life on either fastball ... Prefers to work down in the zone and tries to induce grounders with his slider ... Slows down considerably with men on base ...
* Corey Patterson: Sprays to all fields with a Lofton-esque aggressive swing ... Tees off on inside fastballs, as he has very good power when he gets a pitch to pull ... Not especially disciplined at the plate ... Regularly frozen by lefty breaking stuff ... Guesses at the plate sometimes and can be blown away with heat when he's thinking off-speed ... Does not take great routes to balls in centre ... Beginning to hear footsteps as 20-year-old Felix Pie has had a big season in the leadoff spot in AA West Tennessee ...
The Cubbies send two inexperienced starters to the hill, with the surprising Glendon Rusch going in the middle game. As if the need to keep the ball down wasn't reinforced by the Oakland series, the Jays' staff has to be especially vigilant in keeping the ball down against an eager fastball-hitting squad that takes aim at the inviting gaps of Wrigley. If the wind blows out, it's a slugfest waiting to happen. Tonight's game will be key, as Chacin could put the Jays in excellent position to win the series on Wednesday, when Doc mercifully gets the ball again.
Today's Advance Scout features a Triple Crown threat, the unlikeliest of all sluggers, and plenty of superstar injury updates.
On to the Advance Scout!* General: The Cubs are smokin', as they've won nine of ten after a 6-1 road trip to Los Angeles and San Diego ... This has happened despite Kerry Wood and Mark Prior landing on the DL. (After Prior's injury, a Chicago sports radio show played "Taps" to commemorate the "death" of the Cubs' season.) Derrek Lee: "Without a doubt, with all the adversity we've had, I think people expected us to go the other way...We haven't. We've kept our heads up and we're playing great baseball" ... For his part, Wood's feeling better about his strained pitching shoulder. He's getting closer to being ready for a minor-league rehab assignment ... Prior's elbow, which was injured when he was drilled by a line drive, has experienced reduced swelling and the Cubs hope to have him back by the All-Star Break. Prior was discouraged this weekend, though, saying he would still be several weeks away ... Nomar Garciaparra has started traveling with the team again and hopes to return by mid-August or so. He'll hit off a tee this week -- and he'll receive his World Series ring, when the Red Sox come to town ... The Cubs kicked the tires of Danny Graves, but believe the ex-Red to be leaning toward joining the Marlins ... Lefty Mike Remlinger returns today from a slight fracture of his pinky finger ... Dusty Baker speculated in the press last week that the Cubs play better, more relaxed baseball on the road, when they're away from the fishbowl of the North Side baseball media ... The Cubs are 36-26 all-time in interleague play ...
* Derrek Lee: All over the leader boards, and either has or shares the major league lead in all three Triple Crown categories ... First-ball, fastball hitter who's crushing everything up in the zone ... Loves pitches on the inner half of the plate and connects with a quick but fluid swing ... Keeps his hands high and now employs a significant leg kick before swinging ... It's not easy to retire him. The best chance seems to be to throw him breaking stuff down and hope he chases ... Not a dead pull hitter ... Michael Barrett on Lee: "I've played with a lot of great players. This is the best streak I've ever seen" ... The even-tempered Lee says that pitches seem to approach "in slow motion" these days ... Hee Seop Choi seems like a modest price for the Cubs to have paid ...
* Michael Barrett: Just seven walks and only 16 strikeouts ... Likes the ball up and can drive the ball to either gap ... Good at recognizing lefty breaking pitches ... Does not get great plate coverage and can be handled away ... Good at spoiling two-strike pitches ...
* Neifi Perez: Surprise! The 32-year-old Neifi is hitting nearly 150 points of OPS over his career average ... He's red-hot, too, as he's riding an improbable 14-game hitting streak in which he's hitting .422 ... A stunning 17 extra-base hits so far, including seven dingers ... Staying more upright at the plate and employing more of an uppercut swing ... From both sides of the plate, likes the ball on the inner half ... Chases breaking stuff down and lays off fastballs away ... Still not walking, but making contact with much more authority ... Great range defensively, but his arm isn't exceptional ...
* Enrique Wilson: Ex-Yankee utilityman spells Perez and Ramirez in Chicago ... Lunging swing from the right side, and he tries to pull everything ... More of a slapping spray hitter from the left side ... Prefers the ball up in the zone ... Struggles with heat on the outer half of the plate ...
* John Koronka: Very high leg kick and gets on top of the ball with an overhand delivery ... Straight over the top, and doesn't neutralize lefties for that reason ... Low-90s fastball, but he can't afford to get it up in the zone ... Relies heavily on the heater ... Somewhat flat slider, but he throws it in the mid-70s and it's an effective change of pace ... Good straight change, too ... Likes to pound righties away with his fastball ... Very deceptive move to first, but was called for a balk in his big league debut ... Don't be afraid to start Hinske against him ...
* Todd Hollandsworth: Inside-out swing, and he waits effectively on breaking stuff. In fact, he seems to wait on it ... Good clubhouse guy who won't grouse about playing time ... Pulls his head off fastballs away ... Chases pitches down ...
* Michael Wuertz: Throws a heavy, sinking mid-80s fastball with a pronounced rare-back delivery ... Seldom leaves it up, but occasionally catches too much of the plate ... Throws a big slider at about the same velocity that he throws away from righthanders ... Baker relies on him in high-leverage situations against righties ...
* Ryan Dempster: Another B.C. native likely to play for Canada in the World Baseball Classic ... Throws a big mid-90s two-seam fastball with good tailing action. It' most effective in on the fists of righthanders ... Anointed the closer in light of LaTroy Hawkins' struggles and trade, even as Joe Borowski returned from injury ... Late-breaking slider tends to hang, but it's tricky to hit in the upper 80s ...
* Aramis Ramirez: Menacingly leans over the plate ... Mashes lefthanded breaking stuff, which he sits on ... Like many of his teammates, likes the ball up and in ... Can be induced to chase righthanded breaking stuff away, where his plate coverage is poor ...
* Glendon Rusch: Tossed a four-hit shutout at the mighty Padres last Thursday ... Compact delivery from the stretch ... Somewhat Moyer-like from the full windup, so he may have an edge on the Jays ... Upper-80s cut fastball that he has to spot well ... Throws his cutter in on the fists of righties, but it's vulnerable when he leaves it over the plate ... Sneaky fast with his low-90s four-seamer ... An alert fielder on the mound ...
* Jeromy Burnitz: Straight fastball hitter ... Less wasted movement at the plate this year ... Takes aim at the shallow gaps of Wrigley ... His wheelhouse is way up, even out of the strike zone ... Can be tied up down and in, where he swings over the ball ... Really struggles with lefty breaking stuff away ... Keeps his hands ultra-loose and his bat often goes flying when fooled ...
* Jason DuBois: Former Jays Rule V pick (returned to the Cubs, obviously) has some pop at the plate ... Long jack swing and he thinks pull ... Feasts on inside fastballs ... Flails at breaking pitches down and away ... Can be overpowered by outside heat ... Has yet to master the ivy and bricks in left field ...
* Todd Walker: Stays back at the plate and shifts he weight well ... Fastball hitter all the way with deceptive power to right ... You can make him chase fastballs up the ladder ... Pulls his head off pitches away, especially from lefties ... Unsteady with the glove ...
* Sergio Mitre: Runs a two-seam fastball away from lefties and in on righties, but it's only mid-80s on the gun ... Hits 94 with his four-seamer ... Does not seem to have great movement or life on either fastball ... Prefers to work down in the zone and tries to induce grounders with his slider ... Slows down considerably with men on base ...
* Corey Patterson: Sprays to all fields with a Lofton-esque aggressive swing ... Tees off on inside fastballs, as he has very good power when he gets a pitch to pull ... Not especially disciplined at the plate ... Regularly frozen by lefty breaking stuff ... Guesses at the plate sometimes and can be blown away with heat when he's thinking off-speed ... Does not take great routes to balls in centre ... Beginning to hear footsteps as 20-year-old Felix Pie has had a big season in the leadoff spot in AA West Tennessee ...
