Monday, September 06, 1999
Scouting report: Reds at Cubs
• Where: Wrigley Field, Chicago.
• When: 2:20 p.m. today, 4:35 p.m. Tuesday (doubleheader), 2:20 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday.
• Records: Reds 78-57, second in NL Central; Cubs 55-80, sixth in NL Central.
• Radio: WLW-AM (700).
• TV: Fox Sports Ohio, today and Tuesday (Game 2 only); WGN, today, Wednesday, Thursday.
At the plate
Besides Sammy Sosa (.302, 57 homers, 124 RBI) and Mark Grace (.310, 75 RBI), there's absolutely no reason to watch the Cubs, unless you have tickets to visit Wrigley Field. They have lost 26 of 34 games since Aug.1.
The Cubs could use as many as four rookies in the lineup: second baseman Chad Meyers, shortstop Jose Nieves, third baseman Cole Liniak and catcher Jose Molina. They've seen enough of their veterans.
On the mound
• Today: Juan Guzman (4-2, 3.35 ERA) vs. Micah Bowie (1-4, 12.18).
• Tuesday, Game 1: Ron Villone (7-5, 4.07) vs. Steve Trachsel (5-16, 5.83).
• Tuesday, Game 2: Brett Tomko (4-7, 5.12) vs. TBA.
• Wednesday: Steve Parris (7-2, 3.68) vs. Andrew Lorraine (1-3, 4.97).
• Thursday: Pete Harnisch (14-8, 3.71) vs. Kyle Farnsworth (3-8, 5.54).
Trachsel and Kevin Tapani, who were expected to anchor the staff, are a combined 11-28. The Reds won't face Cubs “ace” Jon Lieber, who has beaten them twice this season.
Since Rod Beck has been traded to Boston and Rick Aguilera has developed into a disappointment, Terry Adams, with 11 saves in 13 chances, has inherited the closer's role.
Outlook
The Reds split a pair of games at Wrigley in April and were rained out of the series finale, forcing Tuesday's double-header. They are 3-2 against the Cubs this year.
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