The Mets take on the Cubs tonight in what should be a very interesting matchup. For the Cubs, they send out their “ace” who has really struggled since being injured earlier this month. For the Mets, they send up Parnell who looks great at times but his lack of an effective off speed pitched has really shown in his last three starts. Both teams are hoping for much better games out of their pitchers tonight and batters for both teams are looking to make sure that doesn't happen.
For Parnell, he is 3-7 on the season with a 5.80 ERA over 66.2 innings. In his last three games he is 0-3 while giving up 22 ER over 12.2 innings of work. In his last start against Chicago, he allowed 8 ER over 4.2 innings. Its becoming clear that although he can bring the heat, and he has a slider, he needs something else to really help him develop from bullpen to rotation, and the Mets hope they can see that something else tonight. Here are some numbers that the Cubs have on Parnell:
Lee 0-5
Ramierez 2-4
Fukudome 1-3
Theriot 2-4
For Parnell to get the win tonight, he will need some help from this Mets offense, who usually fall silent in the first two games of a series, but tonight they get to go against Zambrano, and they hope to repeat what they did in his last start.
Zambrano is 7-6 this year with a 3.91 ERA over 131.1 innings pitched and he has struggled in his last two games where he is 0-2 over 7.2 innings and he has allowed 11 ER on 18 hits. Last time he faced the Mets he only lasted 3.1 innings allowed 11 hits, 3 ER and 4 R. He is very lucky that the reliever in the forth inning did a good job behind him, because he left the game with the bases loaded after allowing 5 consecutive base hits. Here are some numbers the Mets have on him:
Castillo 8-15
Francoeur 5-19. 2B, 2 HR
Wright 3-15
Pagan 2-3
Murphy 1-4
Lets Go Mets! Beat the Cubs!
