Cubs (29-42) AT White Sox (35-38)
Jun 20, 2011 at 8:10 PM EST
Opening Line:  WS -145, CUB +125
Current Moneyline:  WS -149, CUB +130
Opening Total: 8.5
Current Total: 8.5

SP:  CUB- Carlos Zambrano; WS- Gavin Floyd

Last game that Zambrano pitched, I wrote about how he had to back up his words, after calling his teammates both “embarrassing” and “like a Triple-A” team.  Well, he didn’t back up his words, and if he fails to do so again?  Well, he’ll just look EVEN WORSE.  Since making the comment his ERA is 8.76.  He simply said “I have to keep my head up and keep pitching.”  Not exactly inspiring insight from a player that lambasted his teammates the way he did.

In his last 3 games against the Chicago White Sox, Zambrano is 0-2 with a 7.43 ERA.  For a player who was involved in a brawl and had to take anger management courses, things still wound up OK for Zambrano last season, as he closed out the season with 8 consecutive victories and a 1.41 ERA over that span.  Zambrano may not have cleared his status as a mental case, but he is the staff ace and has had an ERA under 4 for the last three seasons.

Paul Konerko of the White Sox is batting .441 with 9 HRs and 19 RBIs in his last 18 games, and he hit another homer on Sunday, in addition to Alex Rios homering, as well.

The rivalry really can’t be understated when it’s the first thing brought up by White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen:

“When the games start against the Cubs, it’s a different ball game,” he said. “Chicago’s looking for this game and obviously the rivalry is there. You’ve got to step it up a notch because that’s as close as you come to the playoffs.”

The Cubs still lumber along well below .500 and have dropped their last two.  They’ve dropped 9 of 11 away from home and 11 of 15 to the White Sox.

Gavin Floyd will take the mound for the White Sox.  Floyd is 6-6 with a 3.94 ERA, but he has been very impressive over his 11 interleague starts, in which he has compiled a 1.71 ERA.  He lost the last matchup at Wrigley against the Cubs, despite only allowing one run, in a 1-0 loss.  He logged 21 quality starts in his first 28 games last season but had to shut it down early due to shoulder problems.

Some betting trends:

The Chicago Cubs are 6-14 SU in their last 20 games and the total has gone OVER in 4 of the Cubs’ last 6 games.  The Cubs are 2-9 SU in their last 11 on the road and they are 2-7 SU in their last 9 against the White Sox.  The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the Cubs’ last 5 games against the White SOx and it has gone UNDER in 5 of the last 7 on the road against the White Sox.  The Cubs are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games on the road against the White Sox.

The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the White SOx’ last 5 games and they are 5-2 SU in their last 7 at home.  The total has gone UNDER In 4 of the last 5 against the Chicago Cubs and the White Sox are 7-2 SU in their last 9 against the Cubs.  The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the White SOx’ last 7 games against the Cubs and the White Sox are 4-1 SU in their last 5 at home against the Cubs.

Zambrano and Floyd are both battle tested veterans, but both are now pitching with ERA’s near 4, which accounts for the total of 8.5 set for tonight’s matchup.