Milwaukee @ Chicago preview
Wrigley Field
Last Meeting ( Apr 14, 2010 ) Milwaukee 6, Chi. Cubs 7
When trying to avoid a sweep against a division rival, sending Jeff Suppan to the mound might not be the best way to proceed.
The Milwaukee Brewers will do just that, however, when they face the Chicago Cubs on Thursday afternoon.
Suppan came to Milwaukee with great fanfare and a nice four-year, $40 million contract in 2007 after helping lead the St. Louis Cardinals to the World Series the previous season. But over the last three campaigns, Suppan has become exactly what small market teams need to avoid to survive - a big-ticket disappointment.
The veteran right-hander was in decline even before coming to the Brewers, as his ERA has risen steadily from 3.57 in 2005 to 5.29 last season, when he allowed opponents to hit a robust .309 while struggling to a 7-12 record. It was not unreasonable to suggest that Milwaukee might have been better off cutting bait with Suppan in spring training and going with a younger arm.
But after beginning the season on the disabled list with cervical disc pain, Suppan will get the opportunity to prove that his career isn't over at 35 when he makes his first start of the season on Thursday. Chicago got the better of Suppan in four starts last season, pinning an 0-3 mark on him.
The Cubs have taken the first two games of the series and are aiming for their first sweep of 2010 after a rousing comeback on Wednesday. Down 6-3 with two outs and none on in the eighth inning, Chicago got to Milwaukee reliever LaTroy Hawkins, taking advantage of a single and a pair of walks when Ryan Theriot and Kosuke Fukudome managed back-to-back two-run singles.
Countering Suppan for the Cubs will be burly right-hander Carlos Zambrano, who overcame a disastrous Opening Day with a solid start last Saturday at Cincinnati. Zambrano yielded eight runs while recording just four outs against the Atlanta Braves, but struck out nine in seven solid frames to earn a win against the Reds.
Brewers slugger Prince Fielder is still looking for his first homer of the season and has had his way with Zambrano in the past, clubbing a pair of homers and five doubles among 12 hits in 33 at-bats.
Theriot, who had four hits and three steals on Wednesday, and Fukudome have been strong at the top of Chicago's lineup, combining for a .339 batting average in the early going.