Bad Weather, Inexperienced Starter Make Cubs Questionable Against Padres

COMMENTARY | The Chicago Cubs now come face to face with reality. Tonight they play the San Diego Padres in the second game of their three-game series. The starting pitcher will be James Russell, typically a reliever. Can Russell keep the momentum going from the Cubs' 10^th inning, 1-0 defeat of San Diego?

Alden Gonzalez has posted an article at MLB.com titled "Cubs aim to continue Mosely's hard luck."

There are several key aspects to the game this evening.

The first thing that will appear at Wrigley Field will be cold, cold weather and probably rain showers-even thunderstorms. Here in my hometown of Peoria, Ill., the weather this morning reminded me of monsoons when I was in Vietnam. We're just a couple of hours away from Chicago, so any bad weather they have won't surprise me.

The next issue is James Russell (1-1, ERA 7.20). Russell has a win as a result of a save earlier in the year, but in his one other start for the Cubs' injured starters, he was slammed early and the Cubs were clobbered by Houston 11-2. How will he do this evening? It is an unknown. He will be battling the elements as well as the Padres.

Then we come to the starting Padres pitcher, Dustin Mosely. I have purposely left his statistics out because I want to talk about them.

While James Russell is 1-1, he is carrying on his back an ERA of 7.20. Mosely, on the other hand, has been sterling, boasting an ERA of 1.83, yet he is 0-3. Mosely hasn't gotten any run support from his team; that has to be frustrating for a pitcher, yet that's what the Cubs are facing this evening.

The Cubs have been hitting well. Starlin Castro has found his home in the leadoff spot with Darwin Barney batting second. They have caused a lot of trouble for a lot of pitchers.

In another important piece of news, Randy Wells, one of the Cubs' injured pitchers, played some catch on Monday. That's the first step to a return.

As for the score this evening, well, I think the game will be rained out. But, if played, I think the Cubs will out-hit the Padres.

References:

MLB.com Website, "James Russell Statistics"

MLB.com Website, Alden Gonzalez, "Cubs aim to continue Mosely's hard luck"

MLB.com Website, "Dustin Mosely Statistics"