SeriesPreview: Braves @ Cubs May 26-28

Hey it's Memorial Day weekend everyone. The unofficial start of summer. What would Memorial Day be without baseball? Especially when our team is 12.5 games back heading into the weekend. Well scratch the last sentence. Here's a quick look at the weekend series:

The Chicago National League Ballclub(18-28) returns home to beautiful Wrigley Field for a 6 game homestand against the Braves and Reds. The bruins have officially reached rock bottom and now we'll see if they are gonna get dragged along the bottom for a while or if they will try and come up for air.

Don't worry Cub fans, Tony Womack is on his way, riding the white horse he borrowed from Mark Prior.

The Atlanta Braves come in with a record of 24-23, 4.5 games behind the Mets in the NL East. Bobby Cox has the Braves playing well. They've won 12 of 17 as they try to win their 15th straight NL East crown. Offseason acquisition Edgar Renteria is back to old tricks in the NL. Renteria enters play on Friday with a .322 average, 28 runs scored and he's taken 20 walks while striking out 16 times. Catcher Brian McCann is making a name for himself. He's off to a tremendous start for the Braves. In 40 games the left handed hitting catcher is hitting .347 with 5 homeruns and 21 RBi. Still the Jones boys make the offense go. Andruw has 11 dingers and 45 knocked in. Chipper's hitting .315 with 25 RBi and 30 runs scored.

If you can only take one Cub game in this weekend you may want to make it this afternoon's game. The pitching matchup is top-notch. Tim Hudson vs. Big Z. Should be a dandy. You might even have the pleasure of hearing Chip try to explain something about the ballpark he worked in for eight years. I was dumbfounded last year when I caught a game on TBS and the Chipster couldn't identify Clark St. There's a reason he's no longer in his Grampa's chair.

Pitching matchups and media info:

Friday 1:20 ct
Carlos Zambrano(3-2, 3.53) vs. Tim Hudson(4-3, 3.95)
TV-WGN, TBS
Radio- WGN Radio-720 AM; XM-189

Saturday 12:20 ct
Sean Marshall(3-2, 5.29) vs. Horacio Ramirez(0-0, 15.00)
TV-FOX
Radio- WGN Radio-720-AM; XM-189

Sunday 1:20 ct
Kerry Wood(0-1, 6.30)or TBA vs. John Smoltz(4-2, 3.12)
TV-WGN, TBS
Radio- WGN Radio-720 AM; XM-182

Quick fact: Braves phenom Jeff Francoeur has only walked twice this season.