Arizona @ Chicago preview
Wrigley Field
Last Meeting ( Apr 30, 2010 ) Arizona 5, Chi. Cubs 11
It wouldn't have been easy to predict at the end of last season that any matchup between Dan Haren and Carlos Silva would boast the latter as the stronger of the two - but that might just be what's about to happen.
Silva will be looking to maintain his spotless record when the Chicago Cubs host the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday.
Haren has been one of the top pitchers in baseball for the past few seasons while Silva has watched his career go into the tank since signing a four-year, $48 million contract with the Seattle Mariners prior to the 2008 campaign.
Many people felt that contract was too high at the time, and Silva went about proving the doubters right by going 4-15 with a 6.46 ERA in 2008 and 1-3 with an 8.60 mark in an injury-marred 2009. The Cubs only agreed to take Silva on in the offseason if the Mariners took away the headache that was Milton Bradley.
But Silva made the rotation with a strong spring and surprisingly kept his spot when Ted Lilly came off the disabled list, sending former ace Carlos Zambrano to the bullpen. Silva was been nothing short of extraordinary through three of four starts, posting a 1.73 ERA and only allowing three walks in 26 innings.
Low walk totals are key for the right-hander, who needs to keep runners off the bases and keep the ball on the ground to survive.
Haren, on the other hand, spent the past two seasons dominating the National League but struggled out of the gate in 2010, allowing over five runs in two of his five starts. But the right-hander looked strong last time out, yielding two runs on five hits while striking out 10 in eight innings to earn a win on the road against the Colorado Rockies.
Haren ranks second in the National League with 38 strikeouts so far.
He has never had great success against the Cubs, however, posting a 1-2 mark with a 5.84 ERA in four career starts against them. Alfonso Soriano has been a particular irritant to Haren, going 7-for-21 with three homers against the All-Star.
Soriano homered and drove in four runs on Friday as Chicago scored nine runs in their final three trips to the plate to earn a come-from-behind 11-5 victory.
The Diamondbacks took the series opener on Thursday, 13-5, behind two homers from Adam LaRoche and Kelly Johnson's National League-leading ninth blast of the season.