Speedy center-fielder (and car-jumper, as seen on YouTube) Joey Gathright, formerly of Lou Piniella's Devil Rays, has rejoined his former manager in a one-year, $800K deal. Gathright essentially offers what the Cubs need out of Felix Pie's roster spot in 2009.
The Cubs are still shopping for left-handed pop for the outfield, and with Pie out of options they'll lose him unless he stays on the roster all season with veterans Alfonso Soriano, Kosuke Fukudome, Reed Johnson, Mark DeRosa, Gathright and Outfield Candidate 6 ahead of him in line for playing time.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Friday, December 05, 2008
Maddux to call it a career
The word is out that Greg Maddux will announce his retirement Monday at the Winter Meetings.
I hate to see him go, it would have been nice to see him climb into the top five in wins, but admittedly since his return to the Cubs I've been increasingly interested in what he's going to do after his playing days are over.
If I was Jim Hendry, I'd be first in line after he walks away from the podium to talk about working in the Cubs system. If he wants to chill out for awhile, start him as a special instructor in Mesa next spring with an offer to join Ryne Sandberg in Peoria after he spends a little time with his family. Maybe throw him a cookie like running #31 up the flagpole with Fergie Jenkins. Even for a team that's been hesitant to retire uniform numbers, it's hard to argue against it. Maddux locks himself down with Jenkins as the only two pitchers in history to retire with over 3,000 strikeouts and fewer than 1,000 walks (Maddux winds up with 999 - I wonder if that affected his decision...).
There's no question as to whether Maddux will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. What remains to be seen is how many BBWAA voters have a policy of not voting for first-ballot players and if Tom Seaver's record voting percentage will hold up.
Speaking of Cub pitchers who wore #31, I was saddened to hear about the recent passing of Kevin Foster at the far too young age of 40. Our paths crossed a few times in the late '90s and he always seemed like one of the good guys. He's the third member of the 1998 Wild Card winners to leave us, following Rod Beck and Geremi Gonzalez.
As a side note, yeah, it's been awhile. I didn't really feel like talking about the playoffs (though I should note it feels good that back-to-back division titles is now considered disappointing in Cubbie Nation), and we're still waiting on changes apart from the bullpen. Kerry Wood's performance as a closer priced him out of a Cub uniform if Carlos Marmol's going to keep looking like the Next Big Thing, but the inexpensive addition of Kevin Gregg as insurance leaves more money to fill the innings vacated by Scott Eyre and now Bob Howry.
Hopefully letting go of a hot prospect in José Ceda for Gregg won't backfire, but considering the Cubs got Ceda one-for-one for Todd Walker, Jim Hendry essentially got a mid-level closer for a utility man who had 62 games left in his career. If the Cubs can wrangle a lefty who can take the mound 70 or 75 times, I won't be too worried about the 2009 bullpen, at least not for now. There are bigger roles to fill in the outfield.
I think two factors are being overlooked in the outfield as far as offense is concerned, first that regardless of his lineup position we still haven't seen a full season of what Alfonso Soriano can do, spending a good amount of time on the shelf in 2008 while still leading the Cubs in home runs, and second that Kosuke Fukudome was a rookie living in a new country last year. Even when they signed him, they had to be expecting more out of Year 2 than Year 1 in that contract, and if they want to add a left-handed boomer I'd like to see him starting in center field.
Jake Peavy's name has also been thrown around, but I'd be hesitant to drop that much money and talent on a starting pitcher whose numbers are distorted by a pitcher-friendly ballpark. I'd be more interested in Randy Johnson even at 45. You may not be able to count on 200 innings (like Rich Harden), but he's one of the most intimidating pitchers in history, he's undefeated at Wrigley and there will still be days where he'll go out and dominate.
We'll see what happens. Just over two months to Mesa...
I hate to see him go, it would have been nice to see him climb into the top five in wins, but admittedly since his return to the Cubs I've been increasingly interested in what he's going to do after his playing days are over.
If I was Jim Hendry, I'd be first in line after he walks away from the podium to talk about working in the Cubs system. If he wants to chill out for awhile, start him as a special instructor in Mesa next spring with an offer to join Ryne Sandberg in Peoria after he spends a little time with his family. Maybe throw him a cookie like running #31 up the flagpole with Fergie Jenkins. Even for a team that's been hesitant to retire uniform numbers, it's hard to argue against it. Maddux locks himself down with Jenkins as the only two pitchers in history to retire with over 3,000 strikeouts and fewer than 1,000 walks (Maddux winds up with 999 - I wonder if that affected his decision...).
There's no question as to whether Maddux will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. What remains to be seen is how many BBWAA voters have a policy of not voting for first-ballot players and if Tom Seaver's record voting percentage will hold up.
Speaking of Cub pitchers who wore #31, I was saddened to hear about the recent passing of Kevin Foster at the far too young age of 40. Our paths crossed a few times in the late '90s and he always seemed like one of the good guys. He's the third member of the 1998 Wild Card winners to leave us, following Rod Beck and Geremi Gonzalez.
As a side note, yeah, it's been awhile. I didn't really feel like talking about the playoffs (though I should note it feels good that back-to-back division titles is now considered disappointing in Cubbie Nation), and we're still waiting on changes apart from the bullpen. Kerry Wood's performance as a closer priced him out of a Cub uniform if Carlos Marmol's going to keep looking like the Next Big Thing, but the inexpensive addition of Kevin Gregg as insurance leaves more money to fill the innings vacated by Scott Eyre and now Bob Howry.
Hopefully letting go of a hot prospect in José Ceda for Gregg won't backfire, but considering the Cubs got Ceda one-for-one for Todd Walker, Jim Hendry essentially got a mid-level closer for a utility man who had 62 games left in his career. If the Cubs can wrangle a lefty who can take the mound 70 or 75 times, I won't be too worried about the 2009 bullpen, at least not for now. There are bigger roles to fill in the outfield.
I think two factors are being overlooked in the outfield as far as offense is concerned, first that regardless of his lineup position we still haven't seen a full season of what Alfonso Soriano can do, spending a good amount of time on the shelf in 2008 while still leading the Cubs in home runs, and second that Kosuke Fukudome was a rookie living in a new country last year. Even when they signed him, they had to be expecting more out of Year 2 than Year 1 in that contract, and if they want to add a left-handed boomer I'd like to see him starting in center field.
Jake Peavy's name has also been thrown around, but I'd be hesitant to drop that much money and talent on a starting pitcher whose numbers are distorted by a pitcher-friendly ballpark. I'd be more interested in Randy Johnson even at 45. You may not be able to count on 200 innings (like Rich Harden), but he's one of the most intimidating pitchers in history, he's undefeated at Wrigley and there will still be days where he'll go out and dominate.
We'll see what happens. Just over two months to Mesa...
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Butterflies...
“This is what we’ve waited for. This is it, boys, this is war…”
I haven’t been all that nervous about the upcoming playoffs over the past couple of weeks, but with the hours ticking down to the first pitch I’m starting to get butterflies.
I’ve let my Cub-fan-ness get in the way of objective reasoning in the past when going into a playoff series. With the Cubs being in the postseason for the second time in a row, and a reasonable expectation that the Cubs can make regular October appearances, it’s different this time around. The novelty of just getting there is gone.
It’s not unreasonable to expect that the team with the National League’s best record should march right through, but still, let’s take it one series at a time.
The Dodgers, by most indicators, are the weakest of the four NL playoff teams. They have the fewest wins, the fewest run scored and the lowest run differential, and they’re the only NL playoff team below .500 on the road. They led the NL in ERA, but in one of the best pitcher’s parks in the game with a schedule weighted with three division rivals finishing 14 or more games below .500. Apart from Manny Ramirez’ performance over the past two months, I’m not all that impressed.
The Cubs meanwhile enter the postseason with the league’s best home record and scored 56 more runs than any other team in the NL. Their home record is six games better than the #2 Brewers, and if the series goes five games, the Dodgers would see Ryan Dempster, who went 14-3 at Wrigley, twice at Wrigley. That has to be a daunting statistic to a team that went 36-45 on the road, once again, in a schedule laden with 88+ loss teams.
I feel good. It’s going to be chilly tonight, and that can’t be good for L.A.
And just as an aside, I think it sucks that the entire series, as well as the next one, will be on cable. I’ll be the guy at the bar wearing the Walkman…
Less than ninety minutes to go. Brace yourselves, folks!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Get ready, folks!
With the Cubs’ Magic Number at one, the race to the ninth inning is on.
The Cubs took an early 3-0 lead in the second inning against the Cardinals at Wrigley this afternoon and added two more runs in the fourth, the second coming on a perfectly executed squeeze by starting pitcher Ted Lilly.
If the Cubs’ score holds up, it would put the Cubs in back-back postseasons for the first time since 1907-1908. Those are pretty good years as far as Cubbie Nation is concerned.
The slumping second-place Brewers have been in desperation mode this week after losing the Wild Card lead they’ve held much of the season, firing manager Ned Yost and today starting C.C. Sabathia on only three days’ rest. As I’m writing, the Brewers took a 2-1 lead over the Reds at Cincinnati.
It doesn’t really matter how you clinch, but every team wants to finish the job themselves with a putout in front of the home fans. While I’d just as soon see the Cubs finish their game first, I’m almost curious to see what happens if the Reds come back for a walkoff win while the Cubs are still on the field.
For now, start chilling the champagne and let’s hope that five-run Cub lead holds up for four more innings.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
No-no, no, no-no, no-no-no-no...
The phrase "first time since" has come up a lot for the Cubs this year, and tonight was one that I've been waiting to fall by the board for a long time.
I was a fetus when Milt Pappas threw the Cubs' last no-hitter, and I get the feeling that the generation that lived and died with Leo Durocher's Cubs doesn't understand what it's like hanging your definition of a low-hit game on Chuck Rainey, who fell short at the end, and Kerry Wood, who fell short at the beginning. They got to see Milt Pappas do it. And Burt Hooton do it. And Kenny Holtzman do it twice. And if they're a little older, Don Cardwell and Toothpick Sam Jones.
My generation, or speaking for myself at the very least, wondered for years who was going to be the guy to do it. For a long time there wasn't an obvious choice. We haven't even seen them lose a no-hitter. Then Woody came along, but he never got one. And Mark Prior, but that didn't pan out.
But there was always something special about Carlos Zambrano. Keeping a team hitless into the middle innings was something he'd do a couple times a year, but there was always a question of Big Z keeping his cool and keeping his head in the game long enough to take it through nine innings.
I held my breath when he struck out in the eighth inning, holding his bat over his head like he was about to break it over his knee, like we've seen before. But when he paused and changed his mind it became that one moment where you no longer believe it's going to happen, you just know it's going to happen, and you can sit back and enjoy the ride.
Any Cub fan knows Z takes great pride in his hitting, and to see him go back to the dugout and laugh about it instead of letting it get to him, well, I hope when he finally hangs up his spikes we look back at it as the moment where he turned a corner. Not just as a pitcher and as a staff ace, but as a man.
Tonight, Carlos Zambrano, you are the man.
I was a fetus when Milt Pappas threw the Cubs' last no-hitter, and I get the feeling that the generation that lived and died with Leo Durocher's Cubs doesn't understand what it's like hanging your definition of a low-hit game on Chuck Rainey, who fell short at the end, and Kerry Wood, who fell short at the beginning. They got to see Milt Pappas do it. And Burt Hooton do it. And Kenny Holtzman do it twice. And if they're a little older, Don Cardwell and Toothpick Sam Jones.
My generation, or speaking for myself at the very least, wondered for years who was going to be the guy to do it. For a long time there wasn't an obvious choice. We haven't even seen them lose a no-hitter. Then Woody came along, but he never got one. And Mark Prior, but that didn't pan out.
But there was always something special about Carlos Zambrano. Keeping a team hitless into the middle innings was something he'd do a couple times a year, but there was always a question of Big Z keeping his cool and keeping his head in the game long enough to take it through nine innings.
I held my breath when he struck out in the eighth inning, holding his bat over his head like he was about to break it over his knee, like we've seen before. But when he paused and changed his mind it became that one moment where you no longer believe it's going to happen, you just know it's going to happen, and you can sit back and enjoy the ride.
Any Cub fan knows Z takes great pride in his hitting, and to see him go back to the dugout and laugh about it instead of letting it get to him, well, I hope when he finally hangs up his spikes we look back at it as the moment where he turned a corner. Not just as a pitcher and as a staff ace, but as a man.
Tonight, Carlos Zambrano, you are the man.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Down the stretch they come
It's hard to be disappointed to see the Cubs split a home series against a team battling for a division title, but the Cubs have spoiled their fans of late. Here are some breakdowns that explain why:
The Cubs came into the Phillies series having won their last nine series, for the first time since 1907.
They're 24-1 since the All-Star break when scoring four or more runs.
Two losses made for their longest losing streak in five weeks.
They have a ten-game cushion over the Phillies for a playoff spot.
And the biggest divisional lead in the NL.
And, still, the most wins in baseball.
It might almost be a relief for the Cubs to head back on the road after the three-game set against the Astros that begins Monday. They went 8-1 on the road in a home-heavy August schedule to push their road record above .500, one of only four NL teams that can make that claim. With any luck, the Mets can push that number to five this week as they head into Milwaukee.
With 25 games to go, there are two last pertinent numbers. Magic numbers. For defending their Central Division title, 22, and for becoming the first Chicago baseball team to play in consecutive postseasons since 1908, 16.
It's not going to be a cakewalk, next weekend's series in Cincinnati could be their last against a sub-.500 team and they still have a dozen games remaining against the Brewers and Cardinals, but I'm starting to taste it.
The Cubs came into the Phillies series having won their last nine series, for the first time since 1907.
They're 24-1 since the All-Star break when scoring four or more runs.
Two losses made for their longest losing streak in five weeks.
They have a ten-game cushion over the Phillies for a playoff spot.
And the biggest divisional lead in the NL.
And, still, the most wins in baseball.
It might almost be a relief for the Cubs to head back on the road after the three-game set against the Astros that begins Monday. They went 8-1 on the road in a home-heavy August schedule to push their road record above .500, one of only four NL teams that can make that claim. With any luck, the Mets can push that number to five this week as they head into Milwaukee.
With 25 games to go, there are two last pertinent numbers. Magic numbers. For defending their Central Division title, 22, and for becoming the first Chicago baseball team to play in consecutive postseasons since 1908, 16.
It's not going to be a cakewalk, next weekend's series in Cincinnati could be their last against a sub-.500 team and they still have a dozen games remaining against the Brewers and Cardinals, but I'm starting to taste it.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Travelin' man
While the Cubs were about to complete the sweep of today's day-night doubleheader against the Braves, I noticed ex-Cub pitcher Julian Tavarez is on his third team of the year.
Like a one-man Cliff's Notes of Braves history, Tavarez has gone from Boston to Milwaukee to Atlanta in 2008.
I can't name another player who pulled off that trifecta, in order, in one season - or Philly to K.C. to Oakland, Milwaukee to St. Louis to Baltimore, or any other three-city franchises for that matter. If you can name one, drop me a line at westsidecharlie (at) gmail.com.
Like a one-man Cliff's Notes of Braves history, Tavarez has gone from Boston to Milwaukee to Atlanta in 2008.
I can't name another player who pulled off that trifecta, in order, in one season - or Philly to K.C. to Oakland, Milwaukee to St. Louis to Baltimore, or any other three-city franchises for that matter. If you can name one, drop me a line at westsidecharlie (at) gmail.com.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Cubs holding solid in Central race
The Cubs took two out of three against the Cardinals this weekend, finishing off a 6-3 homestand and pushing St. Louis seven games back in the NL Central.
That seven-game differential is comforting, because I'm still worried about the Brewers. Milwaukee picked up a game this weekend while hosting the NL-worst Washington Nationals, shrinking the Cubs' lead to four games and extending their winning streak to five. Four games is also the Brewers' advantage in home/road scheduling the rest of the way.
With the league's top three teams all playing in the Central, though, the Cubs' lead over the Brewers is less important than their lead over the Cardinals, running second in the Wild Card race. It would take two teams in the Central getting hot, or one from the Central and two from the East, to push the Cubs out of playoff contention. At least, barring a total collapse by the North Siders.
If I was the Cubs' GM, with about three weeks to go before the trade deadline I don't see many moves that need to be made. Among position players, I'd only bounce Daryle Ward in favor of Micah Hoffpauir (who hit four home runs for Iowa the other day). With the additions of Chad Gaudin and Jeff Samardzija, the only pitcher I'd move would be Bobby Howry. While he's fallen completely off the radar, my first choice would actually be to bring Rich Hill back for a couple of middle-relief appearances to see what he's got before finalizing the roster on September 1.
Regardless, after 118 games if the only moves I'd make would be at pinch-hitter and relief-inning-eater, we're dealing with a good ballclub. All the Cubs need to do is to play consistently and stay healthy, and... well, we'll talk about that later.
That seven-game differential is comforting, because I'm still worried about the Brewers. Milwaukee picked up a game this weekend while hosting the NL-worst Washington Nationals, shrinking the Cubs' lead to four games and extending their winning streak to five. Four games is also the Brewers' advantage in home/road scheduling the rest of the way.
With the league's top three teams all playing in the Central, though, the Cubs' lead over the Brewers is less important than their lead over the Cardinals, running second in the Wild Card race. It would take two teams in the Central getting hot, or one from the Central and two from the East, to push the Cubs out of playoff contention. At least, barring a total collapse by the North Siders.
If I was the Cubs' GM, with about three weeks to go before the trade deadline I don't see many moves that need to be made. Among position players, I'd only bounce Daryle Ward in favor of Micah Hoffpauir (who hit four home runs for Iowa the other day). With the additions of Chad Gaudin and Jeff Samardzija, the only pitcher I'd move would be Bobby Howry. While he's fallen completely off the radar, my first choice would actually be to bring Rich Hill back for a couple of middle-relief appearances to see what he's got before finalizing the roster on September 1.
Regardless, after 118 games if the only moves I'd make would be at pinch-hitter and relief-inning-eater, we're dealing with a good ballclub. All the Cubs need to do is to play consistently and stay healthy, and... well, we'll talk about that later.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Throwback blowback
The Cubs will be holding their first "throwback" game today. The Cubs and Braves will be wearing replicas of their 1948 jerseys and smoky links will be a buck apiece for the first hour of the game.
First off, what took them so long? The Cubs are usually at the top of the curve in terms of marketing gimmicks, and even the White Sox were doing these by the mid-'90s.
Second, 1948? A year the Braves won the pennant and the Cubs finished LAST? How about a throwback to 1906, when the Cubs finished 66-1/2 games ahead of them? Considering it's the NL's best home team vs. MLB's worst road team, that might be more appropriate.
And the smoky links, I don't get that at all. You could gorge yourself at the ballpark for a buck in 1948, possibly including the price of the ticket. Maybe they're splitting the difference by using 1978 prices. At least it's on regular TV.
In any case, a win on getaway day would put the Cubs over a month between home losses by the beginning of the next homestand. It's nothing we Cub fans haven't seen before, but usually those months are October through March.
First off, what took them so long? The Cubs are usually at the top of the curve in terms of marketing gimmicks, and even the White Sox were doing these by the mid-'90s.
Second, 1948? A year the Braves won the pennant and the Cubs finished LAST? How about a throwback to 1906, when the Cubs finished 66-1/2 games ahead of them? Considering it's the NL's best home team vs. MLB's worst road team, that might be more appropriate.
And the smoky links, I don't get that at all. You could gorge yourself at the ballpark for a buck in 1948, possibly including the price of the ticket. Maybe they're splitting the difference by using 1978 prices. At least it's on regular TV.
In any case, a win on getaway day would put the Cubs over a month between home losses by the beginning of the next homestand. It's nothing we Cub fans haven't seen before, but usually those months are October through March.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Cubs erase eight-run deficit in two innings
I turned off the gamecast in the top of the first. I was busy anyway, and four quick Colorado runs didn't look promising. I checked back to find it 9-1. Oof. This is how they celebrate having just climbed to the best record in the majors?
By the next time the Cubs had put up a three-spot in the sixth and a pair of runs in the seventh with two men on. I whipped out my dinosaur of a Walkman (aside: Why can't someone put an AM radio in an mp3 player?), and in a matter of moments Mark DeRosa made it a six-run seventh with a two-run homer and put the Cubs up 10-9 for their biggest comeback of the 21st century.
This is how they celebrate having just climbed to the best record in the majors.
The Cubs' ability to come back late in the game against the bullpens of the National League is reminiscent of a lot of basketball games we saw here on the West Side back in the '90s. If you're too young to remember, there were a lot fewer leads at the half than the final standings imply. Somehow there was never a sense of dread when the Bulls trailed by a dozen halfway through the third. Likewise, if this Cubs team trails by one or two runs at the stretch it never feels like the ballgame is over. But eight? That's the kind of win that can put you up to the next level.
I was in the front row of the bleachers when the 2003 team erased a 6-0 sixth-inning St. Louis lead to win 8-7 and start their longest winning streak of the year. I was watching at home when the 1989 team erased a 9-0 Houston lead to win 10-9 and maintain a slim lead in the East. Those were landmark moments for two teams that won their divisions, and this team is stronger than either of them.
To a less dramatic extent, the Cubs have been doing it all season. Not just crooked numbers, big crooked numbers, fives and sixes on a regular basis. Today's seventh inning was their 14th 5+ run inning (versus three allowed) and their fifth in the seventh inning or later. They've put up six-run innings in every inning but the second, sixth and the ninth, and the Cubs haven't played as many ninth innings as most teams.
Today it was Blanco, Hoffpauir, Fukudome, Edmonds and DeRosa. If you can put up nine RBIs in two innings without Lee, Ramirez, Soto or Soriano getting any of them, you can survive one of your big guns having an ice-cold playoff series.
It is a GREAT day to be a Cub fan.
By the next time the Cubs had put up a three-spot in the sixth and a pair of runs in the seventh with two men on. I whipped out my dinosaur of a Walkman (aside: Why can't someone put an AM radio in an mp3 player?), and in a matter of moments Mark DeRosa made it a six-run seventh with a two-run homer and put the Cubs up 10-9 for their biggest comeback of the 21st century.
This is how they celebrate having just climbed to the best record in the majors.
The Cubs' ability to come back late in the game against the bullpens of the National League is reminiscent of a lot of basketball games we saw here on the West Side back in the '90s. If you're too young to remember, there were a lot fewer leads at the half than the final standings imply. Somehow there was never a sense of dread when the Bulls trailed by a dozen halfway through the third. Likewise, if this Cubs team trails by one or two runs at the stretch it never feels like the ballgame is over. But eight? That's the kind of win that can put you up to the next level.
I was in the front row of the bleachers when the 2003 team erased a 6-0 sixth-inning St. Louis lead to win 8-7 and start their longest winning streak of the year. I was watching at home when the 1989 team erased a 9-0 Houston lead to win 10-9 and maintain a slim lead in the East. Those were landmark moments for two teams that won their divisions, and this team is stronger than either of them.
To a less dramatic extent, the Cubs have been doing it all season. Not just crooked numbers, big crooked numbers, fives and sixes on a regular basis. Today's seventh inning was their 14th 5+ run inning (versus three allowed) and their fifth in the seventh inning or later. They've put up six-run innings in every inning but the second, sixth and the ninth, and the Cubs haven't played as many ninth innings as most teams.
Today it was Blanco, Hoffpauir, Fukudome, Edmonds and DeRosa. If you can put up nine RBIs in two innings without Lee, Ramirez, Soto or Soriano getting any of them, you can survive one of your big guns having an ice-cold playoff series.
It is a GREAT day to be a Cub fan.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Geremi Gonzalez 1975-2008
Former Cub pitcher Geremi Gonzalez was struck by lightning and killed yesterday on a beach in his native Venezuela.
Here's a picture I took after the 1998 Wild Card playoff win against the Giants, right after Gonzalez sprayed the first half of that bottle on me.
Here's a picture I took after the 1998 Wild Card playoff win against the Giants, right after Gonzalez sprayed the first half of that bottle on me.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Litmus test for Wood
I mentioned it on Opening Day, but has anyone else noticed that when Kerry Wood hits the first batter he faces, he has a bad outing?
In the opener it was a hit batter, a sac bunt, an intentional walk, a single, a strikeout and a two-out double. It cost the Cubs and Wood a win when Kosuke Fukudome's 9th-inning homer only tied the game.
It happened again May 1 against the Brewers for a blown save and another Cub loss, a hit batter, a double, a single, a walk, a strikeout and another double, with Wood escaping more trouble when a runner was thrown out at the plate.
Tonight it sent the game in Pittsburgh to extra innings for another blown save on a hit batter, a single and two sacrifices.
Woody's been almost lights-out outside of those appearances, and if you can tell that quickly when it's not his day, taking immediate action might put a few more ticks in the Win column.
In the opener it was a hit batter, a sac bunt, an intentional walk, a single, a strikeout and a two-out double. It cost the Cubs and Wood a win when Kosuke Fukudome's 9th-inning homer only tied the game.
It happened again May 1 against the Brewers for a blown save and another Cub loss, a hit batter, a double, a single, a walk, a strikeout and another double, with Wood escaping more trouble when a runner was thrown out at the plate.
Tonight it sent the game in Pittsburgh to extra innings for another blown save on a hit batter, a single and two sacrifices.
Woody's been almost lights-out outside of those appearances, and if you can tell that quickly when it's not his day, taking immediate action might put a few more ticks in the Win column.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
The hits just keep on comin'
How about a little shoutout for Gerald Perry?
After 20 games, and keep in mind 14 teams use designated hitters, Cub hitters rank third in MLB (2nd NL) in walks, second in MLB (1st NL) in both on-base percentage and hits, and lead the majors in runs scored and pitches drawn per plate appearance.
Perry has track record as a hitting coach of improving teams in those categories, but it’s been awhile since we saw that in Chicago. The chance of starting eight fielders all with on-base percentages over .400 (Fukudome .477, Soto .429, DeRosa .415, Johnson .415, Lee .411, Ramirez .409, Theriot .408, Cedeno .406) might be a first in Cubs history.
That pitches-drawn category might seem like a minor statistic at face value, but there aren’t a lot of stellar bullpens out there, and the more starters you force out early on pitch counts, the more late runs you’re going to score and the more teams you’ll put away before they can chip away at your lead. If this was a playoff series against the Mets and New York had to burn four relievers for 77 pitches in three innings like they did yesterday (without even pitching the ninth), you compromise their bullpen for the next day too.
I don’t like to get this excited this early, but it just feels like there’s a different atmosphere this year. There’s an awful lot to like about these Cubs, and to twice shut down and then pile on a Mets team that’s been predicted to win the NL, even with Soriano on the shelf, is a very good sign.
Oh, and the ex-Cub of the Week is former reliever Todd Wellemeyer, who’s 2-0 in four starts for the Cardinals with 26 strikeouts in 25 innings.
After 20 games, and keep in mind 14 teams use designated hitters, Cub hitters rank third in MLB (2nd NL) in walks, second in MLB (1st NL) in both on-base percentage and hits, and lead the majors in runs scored and pitches drawn per plate appearance.
Perry has track record as a hitting coach of improving teams in those categories, but it’s been awhile since we saw that in Chicago. The chance of starting eight fielders all with on-base percentages over .400 (Fukudome .477, Soto .429, DeRosa .415, Johnson .415, Lee .411, Ramirez .409, Theriot .408, Cedeno .406) might be a first in Cubs history.
That pitches-drawn category might seem like a minor statistic at face value, but there aren’t a lot of stellar bullpens out there, and the more starters you force out early on pitch counts, the more late runs you’re going to score and the more teams you’ll put away before they can chip away at your lead. If this was a playoff series against the Mets and New York had to burn four relievers for 77 pitches in three innings like they did yesterday (without even pitching the ninth), you compromise their bullpen for the next day too.
I don’t like to get this excited this early, but it just feels like there’s a different atmosphere this year. There’s an awful lot to like about these Cubs, and to twice shut down and then pile on a Mets team that’s been predicted to win the NL, even with Soriano on the shelf, is a very good sign.
Oh, and the ex-Cub of the Week is former reliever Todd Wellemeyer, who’s 2-0 in four starts for the Cardinals with 26 strikeouts in 25 innings.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Let's Play 1-2/3!
Twenty-seven innings is three games, right?
Well, not so much. The Cubs outlasted the Pirates in 15 innings last night on the heels of a 12-inning win to open the series in Pittsburgh. Despite a series of mini-disasters, the Cubs find themselves the winners of four straight and two games above .500.
The win was particularly encouraging. After letting a win slip away in the ninth and again in the 14th, they didn't let it turn into a loss. Sure, you're supposed to beat teams like the Pirates, but a difference between contender and pretender is the ability to actually do it when there's a hiccup or two in the bullpen and almost every pitch for six innings could be your last.
I'm reminded of the 1986 NLCS. The Mets beat the best of a good stretch of Astros teams in back-to-back long extras, 12 innings and 16 innings. Jesse Orosco gave up a game-tying 14th-inning homer in game 6, but had more left in the tank than the Astros' Aurelio Lopez and eventually won the clincher. Last night, Kevin Hart gave up a game-tying 14th-inning homer of his own, but settled down enough to give the bats one more chance and earn his second relief win in five days.
But relief pitchers aren't used the same way anymore; the five Roger McDowell relief innings that got the Mets to Orosco in the 14th would now be handled by four or five pitchers and start an inning or two sooner. Get past about the 12th inning these days and a lot of teams start to find themselves stuck with whoever's out there come hell or high fastballs.
Even after 14 innings of eight-hit ball, the Cubs still had two starting pitchers in the pen in yesterday's callup Sean Marshall, who pitched the 15th for his first professional save, and Jon Lieber. And while the 2008 Pirates are no 1986 Astros, the Cubs could theoretically have gone into the 20th or 21st inning with a fresh veteran pitcher who would have made most rotations, and I don't think there's another team in either league that could say that.
In other news, the most recent in a sporadic series of Ex-Cubs of the Week is Corey Patterson. Yeah, that Corey Patterson. He's batting .323 for Dusty Baker's Reds and is tied for second in the majors in home runs with four in eight games after a ninth-inning game-tying shot last night off Eric Gagne and the Brewers.
Well, not so much. The Cubs outlasted the Pirates in 15 innings last night on the heels of a 12-inning win to open the series in Pittsburgh. Despite a series of mini-disasters, the Cubs find themselves the winners of four straight and two games above .500.
The win was particularly encouraging. After letting a win slip away in the ninth and again in the 14th, they didn't let it turn into a loss. Sure, you're supposed to beat teams like the Pirates, but a difference between contender and pretender is the ability to actually do it when there's a hiccup or two in the bullpen and almost every pitch for six innings could be your last.
I'm reminded of the 1986 NLCS. The Mets beat the best of a good stretch of Astros teams in back-to-back long extras, 12 innings and 16 innings. Jesse Orosco gave up a game-tying 14th-inning homer in game 6, but had more left in the tank than the Astros' Aurelio Lopez and eventually won the clincher. Last night, Kevin Hart gave up a game-tying 14th-inning homer of his own, but settled down enough to give the bats one more chance and earn his second relief win in five days.
But relief pitchers aren't used the same way anymore; the five Roger McDowell relief innings that got the Mets to Orosco in the 14th would now be handled by four or five pitchers and start an inning or two sooner. Get past about the 12th inning these days and a lot of teams start to find themselves stuck with whoever's out there come hell or high fastballs.
Even after 14 innings of eight-hit ball, the Cubs still had two starting pitchers in the pen in yesterday's callup Sean Marshall, who pitched the 15th for his first professional save, and Jon Lieber. And while the 2008 Pirates are no 1986 Astros, the Cubs could theoretically have gone into the 20th or 21st inning with a fresh veteran pitcher who would have made most rotations, and I don't think there's another team in either league that could say that.
In other news, the most recent in a sporadic series of Ex-Cubs of the Week is Corey Patterson. Yeah, that Corey Patterson. He's batting .323 for Dusty Baker's Reds and is tied for second in the majors in home runs with four in eight games after a ninth-inning game-tying shot last night off Eric Gagne and the Brewers.
Monday, March 31, 2008
How's This for Openers?
Two delays rained down on Wrigley before the Brewers offense did likewise on Opening Day today, but from the Cubs’ perspective, most of the story could be told in first-pitches.
Carlos Zambrano threw his first for a strike, as well as the next four. The first pitch Kosuke Fukudome saw bounced off the warning track and up against the wall for a double. Carlos Marmol’s first pitch scored him an inning-ending strikeout. Kerry Wood’s first pitch hit Rickie Weeks in the back. Bob Howry broke the rhythm, as Craig Counsell waited for a second pitch before his leadoff double, which would eventually lead to the winning run.
But Zambrano looked good, and so did Marmol. And Fukudome’s double merely set the stage for a 3-for-3 debut with a walk, capped by a dramatic three-run game-tying ninth-inning homer.
Rain delays, extra innings and Cub losses are nothing we haven’t seen before, but it was a good day for oddities. In case seeing a pitcher record a strikeout on one pitch wasn’t weird enough, Fukudome was picked off second base by a catcher. Not an assist from a catcher, a catcher. Mark DeRosa was already sliding into second when Jason Kendall ran him down in no man’s land, like a deer in the headlights between second and third. Kendall, incidentally, opened the season batting ninth behind Ben Sheets.
And the Cubs threw the shift on Prince Fielder, with shortstop Ryan Theriot positioned just to the weird side behind second base and DeRosa on the edge of the outfield grass over Derrek Lee’s right shoulder. It backfired twice, turning one routine double-play grounder into a 4-3 fielder’s choice because nobody was covering second, and later finding a hole for what would have been another routine grounder to second.
An entertaining game even if it didn't turn out as we hoped, but win or lose it's nice to have that first game on the books. We made it through another winter folks, and it's going to be an exciting summer.
Carlos Zambrano threw his first for a strike, as well as the next four. The first pitch Kosuke Fukudome saw bounced off the warning track and up against the wall for a double. Carlos Marmol’s first pitch scored him an inning-ending strikeout. Kerry Wood’s first pitch hit Rickie Weeks in the back. Bob Howry broke the rhythm, as Craig Counsell waited for a second pitch before his leadoff double, which would eventually lead to the winning run.
But Zambrano looked good, and so did Marmol. And Fukudome’s double merely set the stage for a 3-for-3 debut with a walk, capped by a dramatic three-run game-tying ninth-inning homer.
Rain delays, extra innings and Cub losses are nothing we haven’t seen before, but it was a good day for oddities. In case seeing a pitcher record a strikeout on one pitch wasn’t weird enough, Fukudome was picked off second base by a catcher. Not an assist from a catcher, a catcher. Mark DeRosa was already sliding into second when Jason Kendall ran him down in no man’s land, like a deer in the headlights between second and third. Kendall, incidentally, opened the season batting ninth behind Ben Sheets.
And the Cubs threw the shift on Prince Fielder, with shortstop Ryan Theriot positioned just to the weird side behind second base and DeRosa on the edge of the outfield grass over Derrek Lee’s right shoulder. It backfired twice, turning one routine double-play grounder into a 4-3 fielder’s choice because nobody was covering second, and later finding a hole for what would have been another routine grounder to second.
An entertaining game even if it didn't turn out as we hoped, but win or lose it's nice to have that first game on the books. We made it through another winter folks, and it's going to be an exciting summer.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Getting antsy
I've written several pieces lately to post here, but any or all of them could be rendered useless once Lou Piniella finalizes his rotation, reportedly later today, and Jim Hendry decides if he wants to pull off a trade before opening day.
For the record, I don't think the Cubs need Brian Roberts, at least not at the price that's being rumored. The Cubs may seem to be overstocked in starting pitching, but I don't like the odds of both Ryan Dempster and Jon Lieber giving the Cubs 30+ starts this year. If they dump off a boatload of young starters to upgrade by one tool at one position, it could seriously backfire on them. And I don't think second base should be the Cubs' top priority in terms of solidifying the roster anyway.
Personally, I'd add a center fielder to serve as an insurance policy on Felix Pie. I've already been shot down a couple of times making this suggestion, but I'd like to see the Cubs bring back Kenny Lofton. As a free agent he costs money instead of prospects, and he's sought-after at the trade deadline every year if Pie proves capable of playing every day.
Sidenote, I had my fantasy league draft last weekend. The team looks good so far, I'd say about top three in a 14-team league with lots of parity. More on that in future posts, if last year was any indicator.
(ed. note: Lou Piniella announced, apparently while I was writing the above post, that he's going with Dempster and Marquis in the rotation and adding Lieber to the bullpen. See what I mean?)
For the record, I don't think the Cubs need Brian Roberts, at least not at the price that's being rumored. The Cubs may seem to be overstocked in starting pitching, but I don't like the odds of both Ryan Dempster and Jon Lieber giving the Cubs 30+ starts this year. If they dump off a boatload of young starters to upgrade by one tool at one position, it could seriously backfire on them. And I don't think second base should be the Cubs' top priority in terms of solidifying the roster anyway.
Personally, I'd add a center fielder to serve as an insurance policy on Felix Pie. I've already been shot down a couple of times making this suggestion, but I'd like to see the Cubs bring back Kenny Lofton. As a free agent he costs money instead of prospects, and he's sought-after at the trade deadline every year if Pie proves capable of playing every day.
Sidenote, I had my fantasy league draft last weekend. The team looks good so far, I'd say about top three in a 14-team league with lots of parity. More on that in future posts, if last year was any indicator.
(ed. note: Lou Piniella announced, apparently while I was writing the above post, that he's going with Dempster and Marquis in the rotation and adding Lieber to the bullpen. See what I mean?)
Friday, February 29, 2008
Branding the ballpark
For the sake of the argument, I don't care what the name on the marquee is. What did the Wrigley family ever do for me? What did they do for the Cubs in the last 40 years they owned the team after Bill Veeck left the franchise? Zip. Zero. Bupkis. One World Series in the first five years of that period, in a season when half the league was off fighting the Axis. Big f'n' deal. Even the St. Louis Browns got into a Series during the war. And they lost too.
Cubbie Nation should have no more loyalty and no more respect for the Wrigley name than Blackhawks fans have for Bill Wirtz, just like White Sox fans owe nothing to Charlie Comiskey. Names associated with failure, cheapskatery and decades of bad decisions.
Cubbie Nation should have no more loyalty and no more respect for the Wrigley name than Blackhawks fans have for Bill Wirtz, just like White Sox fans owe nothing to Charlie Comiskey. Names associated with failure, cheapskatery and decades of bad decisions.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Cubs open with a bang
The Cubs opened their Cactus League season by showing a little bit of everything I was hoping for out of the players I’m counting on to keep the Cubs playing October baseball. Cubs over the Giants 12-6 in the opener on the road in Scottsdale.
Three hits and a stolen base from Ryan Theriot in the leadoff spot. A triple and a three-run homer for Mike Fontenot. Kosuke Fukudome got on base three times in three trips including a walk and a hit-by-pitch. Felix Pie had a homer, a double and a walk in three trips. Derrek Lee had a hit and a walk in two trips. Geovany Soto got a hit. Ronny Cedeno had a RBI, stole a base and scored a run. Even Koyie Hill and Micah Hoffpauir each had a hit and an RBI. Best of all, as a team they drew six walks while only striking out three times.
On the pitching side, four of the six runs were given up by pitchers with no Major League experience who weren’t expected to make the cut a month from now, five if you add Sean Gallagher, who has a lot of veterans to squeeze past to make the cut. That left one run, a solo homer, on three hits over 5-2/3 innings among Ryan Dempster, Neal Cotts, Carmen Pigniatello, Jose Ascanio and Kevin Hart.
Meanwhile the Cubs scored 10 of their 12 runs against three pitchers who were on the Giants roster all last year; Noah Lowry, Edwin Correia and Brad Hennessey.
Sure, it’s just the spring training opener, everybody’s still getting their feet wet after a long winter and both managers have to play as many guys as they can to visualize their final rosters. But boy oh boy, it’s a good way to start.
Three hits and a stolen base from Ryan Theriot in the leadoff spot. A triple and a three-run homer for Mike Fontenot. Kosuke Fukudome got on base three times in three trips including a walk and a hit-by-pitch. Felix Pie had a homer, a double and a walk in three trips. Derrek Lee had a hit and a walk in two trips. Geovany Soto got a hit. Ronny Cedeno had a RBI, stole a base and scored a run. Even Koyie Hill and Micah Hoffpauir each had a hit and an RBI. Best of all, as a team they drew six walks while only striking out three times.
On the pitching side, four of the six runs were given up by pitchers with no Major League experience who weren’t expected to make the cut a month from now, five if you add Sean Gallagher, who has a lot of veterans to squeeze past to make the cut. That left one run, a solo homer, on three hits over 5-2/3 innings among Ryan Dempster, Neal Cotts, Carmen Pigniatello, Jose Ascanio and Kevin Hart.
Meanwhile the Cubs scored 10 of their 12 runs against three pitchers who were on the Giants roster all last year; Noah Lowry, Edwin Correia and Brad Hennessey.
Sure, it’s just the spring training opener, everybody’s still getting their feet wet after a long winter and both managers have to play as many guys as they can to visualize their final rosters. But boy oh boy, it’s a good way to start.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Leading the arms race
Brian Roberts rumors notwithstanding, the Cubs will have a surplus of pitching going into Mesa next week.
Kinda nice to hear that, eh, Cub fans?
I’d say the front three starters are set in concrete – Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly and Rich Hill. But what after that? The Cubs have a bevy of starters fighting over two spots, many with some established cred around the league. Jason Marquis started hot last year, but even after his ERA started to balloon he still only had one sub-.500 month. Lefty Sean Marshall gave up three or fewer earned runs in 15 of 19 starts last year and dropped his ERA from over 5 to under 4. Jon Lieber is back, supposedly at full health for the first time in three seasons. Then there’s Sean Gallagher, trying to be the next in a continuing series of emergent stars out of the farm system. That makes seven.
And what about Ryan Dempster? The Cubs plan to give Dempster a shot at the rotation while Kerry Wood, Carlos Marmol and Bobby Howry fight over his closer’s spot. If one or more of those guys goes lights-out in Mesa and Dempster doesn’t break the rotation, does he become a swing man after reliably closing out games in ninth-inning save situations?
At least two of the three guys fighting over the closer’s role will work setup, while Shingo Takatsu and returning former Cub Chad Fox, effective before Dusty Baker burned him out, will also be trying to crack the bullpen as non-roster invitees. Scott Eyre will have one of those slots, and probably Michael Wuertz, but what about Neal Cotts? Or playoff invitee Kevin Hart? Or new Cub Jose Ascanio? Or Carmen Pignatiello?
Obviously the Cubs won’t be bringing 19 pitchers out of Mesa. And the Iowa Cubs will be stocked with quality pitchers ready to step in and fill any cracks that develop. But there’s enough surplus talent to serve as trade bait.
I’ve said before that the Cubs don’t need Roberts. Not only has Ryan Theriot put up better numbers in the leadoff slot given his number of plate appearances and green lights on the basepaths, but the addition of Roberts would mess with the role of the very effective Mark DeRosa. His versatility at multiple positions offers the perfect chance for Mike Fontenot to develop as a Major League second baseman alongside his old double-play partner Theriot.
If it was up to me, I’d stand pat instead of looking for one more offensive piece and wait to see if a mid-season offer comes along that they can’t refuse. Every year there are teams that need pitching help to fortify playoff runs, just like there are always teams that give up after two months and look to move quality veterans to cut payroll.
Sit back and crack open a cold one, folks. It looks like we’re in for an exciting summer.
Kinda nice to hear that, eh, Cub fans?
I’d say the front three starters are set in concrete – Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly and Rich Hill. But what after that? The Cubs have a bevy of starters fighting over two spots, many with some established cred around the league. Jason Marquis started hot last year, but even after his ERA started to balloon he still only had one sub-.500 month. Lefty Sean Marshall gave up three or fewer earned runs in 15 of 19 starts last year and dropped his ERA from over 5 to under 4. Jon Lieber is back, supposedly at full health for the first time in three seasons. Then there’s Sean Gallagher, trying to be the next in a continuing series of emergent stars out of the farm system. That makes seven.
And what about Ryan Dempster? The Cubs plan to give Dempster a shot at the rotation while Kerry Wood, Carlos Marmol and Bobby Howry fight over his closer’s spot. If one or more of those guys goes lights-out in Mesa and Dempster doesn’t break the rotation, does he become a swing man after reliably closing out games in ninth-inning save situations?
At least two of the three guys fighting over the closer’s role will work setup, while Shingo Takatsu and returning former Cub Chad Fox, effective before Dusty Baker burned him out, will also be trying to crack the bullpen as non-roster invitees. Scott Eyre will have one of those slots, and probably Michael Wuertz, but what about Neal Cotts? Or playoff invitee Kevin Hart? Or new Cub Jose Ascanio? Or Carmen Pignatiello?
Obviously the Cubs won’t be bringing 19 pitchers out of Mesa. And the Iowa Cubs will be stocked with quality pitchers ready to step in and fill any cracks that develop. But there’s enough surplus talent to serve as trade bait.
I’ve said before that the Cubs don’t need Roberts. Not only has Ryan Theriot put up better numbers in the leadoff slot given his number of plate appearances and green lights on the basepaths, but the addition of Roberts would mess with the role of the very effective Mark DeRosa. His versatility at multiple positions offers the perfect chance for Mike Fontenot to develop as a Major League second baseman alongside his old double-play partner Theriot.
If it was up to me, I’d stand pat instead of looking for one more offensive piece and wait to see if a mid-season offer comes along that they can’t refuse. Every year there are teams that need pitching help to fortify playoff runs, just like there are always teams that give up after two months and look to move quality veterans to cut payroll.
Sit back and crack open a cold one, folks. It looks like we’re in for an exciting summer.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
More additions, but not the ones you were expecting
The Cubs may not have traded for Brian Roberts... yet... but they've added a pair of veteran pitchers via free agency without sacrificing the farm system.
The Cubs' last 20-game winner is coming back. Jon Lieber turns 38 in the opening week of the season, so don't expect the same pitcher who went 20-6 seven years ago. He was 3-6 in a dozen starts in an injury-shortened 2007 season for the Phillies, but he's only two years removed from a 17-win season. He joins Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, Rich Hill and Jason Marquis among Cub starters even before we talk about Ryan Dempster moving to the rotation or Sean Marshall, Sean Gallagher, Angel Guzman and whomever else is battling to emerge from the minors.
Shingo Takatsu was signed to a minor-league deal and will get a look-see in spring training. At 39, he would be the oldest Cub in Mesa. The right-hander put up one solid Major League season, closing out 45 games for the White Sox in 2004 after a lengthy career in Japan. Putting up a 2.31 ERA in '04 followed by a 5.20 ERA in '05 before returning to Japan it's a coin toss whether he'll be effective, but "Mr. Zero" would be one more veteran in a well-stocked bullpen late in the game (over 300 career saves between the two continents) if he's still got it. If he makes the club, the Cubs would have four players who speak at least some Japanese, joining Alfonso Soriano, who played there as a teenager; Derrek Lee, whose father and uncle played there while he was growing up; and of course, Kosuke Fukudome.
In any case, more typical Jim Hendry moves, stockpiling enough Major League talent to fill whatever unexpected gaps might turn up. I'm under the impression that after getting burned when Derrek Lee was hurt two years ago, he doesn't want to ever be left in the lurch again in what may continue to be baseball's easiest division to win.
The Cubs' last 20-game winner is coming back. Jon Lieber turns 38 in the opening week of the season, so don't expect the same pitcher who went 20-6 seven years ago. He was 3-6 in a dozen starts in an injury-shortened 2007 season for the Phillies, but he's only two years removed from a 17-win season. He joins Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, Rich Hill and Jason Marquis among Cub starters even before we talk about Ryan Dempster moving to the rotation or Sean Marshall, Sean Gallagher, Angel Guzman and whomever else is battling to emerge from the minors.
Shingo Takatsu was signed to a minor-league deal and will get a look-see in spring training. At 39, he would be the oldest Cub in Mesa. The right-hander put up one solid Major League season, closing out 45 games for the White Sox in 2004 after a lengthy career in Japan. Putting up a 2.31 ERA in '04 followed by a 5.20 ERA in '05 before returning to Japan it's a coin toss whether he'll be effective, but "Mr. Zero" would be one more veteran in a well-stocked bullpen late in the game (over 300 career saves between the two continents) if he's still got it. If he makes the club, the Cubs would have four players who speak at least some Japanese, joining Alfonso Soriano, who played there as a teenager; Derrek Lee, whose father and uncle played there while he was growing up; and of course, Kosuke Fukudome.
In any case, more typical Jim Hendry moves, stockpiling enough Major League talent to fill whatever unexpected gaps might turn up. I'm under the impression that after getting burned when Derrek Lee was hurt two years ago, he doesn't want to ever be left in the lurch again in what may continue to be baseball's easiest division to win.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Leadoff tradeoff
Rumors are abound that the Cubs are about to dump off a lot of young talent to bring in Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts to bat leadoff. Sean Marshall, Sean Gallagher and Ronny Cedeno have been talked about as "part" of the package to bring Roberts to the north side.
I don't get it. Is Alfonso Soriano a leadoff hitter "only" or not? They're ready to jettison that line of thinking as soon as a career .280 hitter who once stole 50 bases becomes available?
Roberts seems like a good guy despite his appearance in the Mitchell Report and his subsequent confession, but the overlooked factor is that the Cubs already have somebody who can give the Cubs a higher leadoff average than Soriano and still steal a load of bases.
I'm talking about Ryan Theriot.
Theriot has a higher career batting average than Roberts as a leadoff hitter as well as a higher success rate as a base-stealer. Last season he stole 28 bases in 32 tries, and the only thing keeping him from 50-60 or more is more green lights from Lou Piniella. We know Soriano can steal 40+ bases too, but last year he only had 25 attempts. The only edge I see Roberts having over Theriot in the leadoff role is that he can switch-hit.
And personally I don't think the combination of Mark DeRosa and Mike Fontenot failed last year. DeRosa, in fact, hit for a higher batting average than Roberts too, with a similar OBP.
I'm not saying the Cubs might improve their chances with an all-star second baseman, but the upside of Brian Roberts over the status quo isn't worth what the Orioles are asking. Not at the expense of a 25-year-old starting pitcher who knocked a point and a half off his ERA last year like Marshall, and Gallagher and Cedeno and who knows who else. They don't need to strip-mine their farm system for roles they can already fill.
I don't get it. Is Alfonso Soriano a leadoff hitter "only" or not? They're ready to jettison that line of thinking as soon as a career .280 hitter who once stole 50 bases becomes available?
Roberts seems like a good guy despite his appearance in the Mitchell Report and his subsequent confession, but the overlooked factor is that the Cubs already have somebody who can give the Cubs a higher leadoff average than Soriano and still steal a load of bases.
I'm talking about Ryan Theriot.
Theriot has a higher career batting average than Roberts as a leadoff hitter as well as a higher success rate as a base-stealer. Last season he stole 28 bases in 32 tries, and the only thing keeping him from 50-60 or more is more green lights from Lou Piniella. We know Soriano can steal 40+ bases too, but last year he only had 25 attempts. The only edge I see Roberts having over Theriot in the leadoff role is that he can switch-hit.
And personally I don't think the combination of Mark DeRosa and Mike Fontenot failed last year. DeRosa, in fact, hit for a higher batting average than Roberts too, with a similar OBP.
I'm not saying the Cubs might improve their chances with an all-star second baseman, but the upside of Brian Roberts over the status quo isn't worth what the Orioles are asking. Not at the expense of a 25-year-old starting pitcher who knocked a point and a half off his ERA last year like Marshall, and Gallagher and Cedeno and who knows who else. They don't need to strip-mine their farm system for roles they can already fill.
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