The Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers face off on Monday at Wrigley Field.
The Chicago Cubs have been out of the race for the post season since well before the All Star Break but many on this team are still auditioning for spots on next year’s team. The Cubs are 3-7 in their last 10 games, 32-29 at home this season, and 26.5 games back in the NL Central. As a team the Cubs are hitting .240 with Starlin Castro at .276, David Dejesus at .269, and Alfonso Soriano at .260. As a team the Cubs pitching staff has an ERA of 4.39 with the starters at 4.31 and the bullpen at 4.54. For game one against the Brewers Chicago starts Justin Germano who has lost two of his last three starts. For the season Germano has allowed 32 hits and 18 earned runs while striking out 18 over 30 innings of work for a 5.40 ERA.
The Milwaukee Brewers are playing some of their best baseball of the season but it is too little too late as far as being meaningful. The Brewers are 7-3 in their last 10 games, 21-39 on the road this season, and they are 16.5 games back in the National League Central. As a team the Brewers are hitting .252 with Ryan Braun hitting .302, Aramis Ramirez hitting .291, and Norichika Aoki hitting .277. As a team the Brewers pitching staff has an ERA of 4.27 with the starters at 4.06 and the bullpen at 4.68. For game one against the Cubs Milwaukee starts Marco Estrada who is coming off of his first win of the season. For the year Estrada has allowed 93 hits and 45 earned runs while striking out 96 over 95.2 innings of work for a 4.23 ERA.
Chicago is 23-49 in their last 72 games as an underdog, 2-4 in their last six games against a team with a losing record, and 0-4 in their last four games against the NL Central. Milwaukee is 6-1 in their last seven games overall, 7-1 in their last eight games against the NL Central, and 0-6 in Estrada’s last six road starts. Milwaukee is 20-8 in the last 28 meetings of these two.
The Brewers are the better of these two teams but what we have are two teams with losing records so I am going with the Brewers but not as a strong play.
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