September Preliminary Report: Cubs

• After a solid start to the SP78 season, where they stayed within reach of the division-leading Phillies for three months, the Cubs have lost 35 of their last 57 games, dropping from three games out on July 1st to 21½ games out on August 31st. And with just 30 games remaining on their schedule, only a comeback miracle could send them to a first-place finish in the NL East.

• The Cubs will stick with the 5-man rotation they used in August: Rick Reuschel, Ray Burris, Dennis Lamp, Mike Krukow, and Dave Roberts. Reliever Manny Seoane will be recalled from the Wichita Aeros to supply backup in the bullpen.

• With his next stolen base, shortstop Ivan DeJesus will tie Hall-of-Famer Frank Chance for the all-time Cubs record for thefts in a season, with 67; third baseman Rodney Scott is close behind, with 62. Chance has held the record since 1903.

• The Astros-Cubs doubleheader at Wrigley Field on September 3rd will not only feature the final NL East vs NL West game of the regular season, but Game 1 will be the 15,000th game played in Cubs history, dating back to the formation of the National League in 1876. The Cubs hold the record for the most games played continuously by a professional baseball team in one city.

• Slugging outfielder Dave Kingman needs just twelve RBI to reach 100 for the season, the first time in his career he would achieve that milestone.

• AAA players making their season debuts during the September call-ups will be catcher Mike Gordon, third baseman Mike Sember, outfielder Scot Thompson, and infielder Rudy Meoli. For Gordon and Sember, it will be their last season in the major leagues.

• The Cubs will play 17 of their final 30 games at at home, with the September 3rd twinbill slated to be televised on C-SPAN.

September Preliminary Report: Braves

• With a record of 52-79, the last-place Braves have the worst won-lost total in the National League, and at 25½ games back with 31 games remaining, have a slim-to-none chance of claiming the NL West pennant. They’ll play out the season string and assume the role of spoiler against the front-running Dodgers, Padres, and Giants, playing 14 games against them during the first half of September.

• The starting pitching will remain the same as it did in late August, with a 4-man rotation consisting of Phil Niekro, Larry McWilliams, Preston Hanna, and Frank LaCorte. Manager Bobby Cox plans to use Mickey Mahler, Eddie Solomon, and Tommy Boggs as spot starters.

• Slugging outfielder Dale Murphy, who was moved up to the clean-up spot in the lineup on August 26th, will remain there when the season resumes September 1st. Though batting just .233 for the season, Murphy leads the club with 28 home runs and 61 RBI.

• Players from the AAA Richmond Braves who will be making their SP78 debuts during the September call-ups include relief pitchers Mike Davey and Duane Theiss, and outfielder Eddie Miller.

• Shortstop Darrel Chaney is currently the only Braves player hitting over .300, with a .303 average over 121 games played.

• After spending seven years out of baseball, and returning to start seven games for the Braves in June and July, veteran pitcher Jim Bouton has announced his retirement, effective after the Richmond Braves end their regular season on September 4th. Bouton will not be included on the Braves 40-man roster, and will end his month-long major league comeback stint with a record of 2-4 and an ERA of 4.89.

• The Braves will open the month with a scheduled doubleheader against the Pirates in Pittsburgh, part of a four-game weekend series at Three Rivers Stadium. All four games will be televised in Atlanta on WTCG 17 and nationally on C-SPAN.