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Greg Maddux's reunion with the Chicago Cubs has been a rough one thus far for
the four-time NL Cy Young Award winner.
Maddux hopes to reverse his fortunes when he faces the New York Mets in the
opener of a three-game series at Wrigley Field.
Maddux is winless in his first three starts for the Cubs, going 0-2 before being pounded for seven runs over six innings in Chicago's 11-10, 10-inning loss to Cincinnati on Sunday. Maddux, who began his career with Chicago in 1986 and won his first career Cy Young with the Cubs in 1992, also gave up three homers before being pulled.
``I'm not worried about catching a break. I'm worried about pitching good and throwing the ball where I'm trying to throw it,'' said Maddux, who returned to Chicago this past offseason as a free agent after spending the previous 11 years with Atlanta.
``I feel good about how I'm throwing the ball. I'm not feeling very good about sometimes where it's ending up.''
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In the Mets, however, Maddux is facing an opponent he has dominated like no
other, posting a 32-15 -- his most wins against any team -- and a 3.27 ERA in
58 starts.
Chicago will have an extra day of rest when it opens the weekend series with New York after the finale of its three-game series with Pittsburgh was rained out.
The Cubs won the first two games of the series, 9-1 Tuesday, and 12-1 Wednesday while getting a combined 26 hits.
The Mets' offense hasn't been nearly as potent, yet they managed enough runs to get past the Expos 3-2 on Thursday.
New York enters Friday's game having scored just one run in four of its last six games -- all losses -- and has won just three of its last eight overall, despite a starting staff that has allowed more than two runs only once during that span.
The Cubs took five of six from the Mets last season, including a three-game
sweep at Wrigley last September.