Something shocking occurred to me as I looked at the Cubs schedule and game results: despite every single thing that happened to the Cubs in May, their record will end up as an April repeat.
April 12-11 Longest win streak- 2 Longest loss streak- 3 Injuries: Nomar Garciaparra, Todd Walker, Chad Fox
Highlights: Nomar and the offense struggle to get moving after a 16-6 Opening Day win. The exception, of course, is Derrek Lee, who had a Cub record-setting April. Nomar's groin goes one way while Nomar goes another, but fortunately Neifi Perez decides that he'll start hitting. A Carlos Lee slide tweaks Todd Walker's knee, and while Hairy does a good job getting on base, he doesn't drive many in. Hawkins saves 4 and blows 2. Chad Fox tries to save, arm explodes instead.
May 13-12 Longest win streak- 4 Longest loss streak- 6 (the 7th came in April) Injuries: Kerry Wood, Aramis Ramirez, Mark Prior, Mike Remlinger
Highlights: The Cubs drop 6 in a row to start the month, spend the middle weeks winning 2 or 3 and then losing 2. Simulated Hall of Famers Kerry Wood and Mark Prior both find their way to the DL, one because of a shoulder, another because of a comebacker. Carlos Zambrano has tennis elbow. Or carpal tunnel. Whichever sounds better, sez Cub trainers. Ramirez fights back spasms and a slump, but finds his form at the end of the month. Lee "slumps" and hits like a merely good player until he hits 4 home runs in 2 games. Dempster becomes the closer, Hawkins gets the boot for a couple of Giants prospects.
While the Cubs certainly suffered their share of bruises in April, it wasn't anything like the month they had in May. Yet here we are, watching the team sit above .500 on May 31. There's even some good news: Kerry Wood is throwing off a mound, and Aramis is finally hitting the ball (9-17 in last 4 games with 3 HR, 8 RBI). Things aren't so bad, right?
At least, until you consider that John Koronka, otherwise known as "some dude," will start for the Cubs on Wednesday. And then after that the Cubs play the Padres, who are 17-4 at home and have won 5 in a row. I'll deal with that when it comes, though. For now, Zambrano is pitching tonight and I'm allowing myself the slightest bit of optimism.
OK, maybe a little more than that. Go Cubs!
- posted by Mike J.
@ 9:29 AM |
Monday, May 30, 2005
News, News, News
By Mike J.
The Cub news dam broke this weekend, but I don't have a lot of time to address fully the developments. I'll weigh in on the top 5 happenings as best I can, though.
The injury. That's right, you know what I'm talking about. If you tuned into ESPN at all this weekend, there's a good chance you saw Mark Prior getting nailed by a comebacker at least 30 times. However, the most sickening thing this weekend was a caller to The Score (an AM sports show, for those of you not in Chicago) suggesting that it was Prior's fault for not getting out of the way in time. How someone can justify that point of view is beyond me.
So when will he return? Will Carroll from Baseball Prospectus guesses 2 months. He also weighs on the type of injury itself, which is an interesting read, but subscription is required.
The trade. LaTroy Hawkins was shuttled off to the San Francisco Giants for right-handed pitchers Jerome Williams and David Aardsma. The deal also included cash to help pay Hawkins' s $5.35 million salary, but not all of it.
I'm having a hard time trying to feel strongly about this deal. Hawkins may have had the best stuff of any of our relievers, but that doesn't necessarily translate into success. I would have liked to see him go back into the setup role, but now that he's gone I won't say that I'll miss him. Williams isn't off to a great start this year in AAA after winning 10 games last year for the Giants, and Aardsma isn't ready either. McCovey Chronicles, a Giants blog, weighs in on the trade:
Trading David Aardsma for Hawkins would be a completely defensible move. The other half of the deal, though, that's something else. Of all the players the Giants control, here are the players I would have preferred to keep over Jerome Williams, even considering his recent struggles: Matt Cain. Noah Lowry. End list. There is no Pedro Feliz, no Merkin Valdez, no Eddy Martinez-Esteve on that list. There are two players, and Lowry is more of a tossup than an absolute. The Giants basically kicked Jerome Williams off the team for a first offense of eating crackers in bed. His first professional struggles, and probably the first stretch of awful pitching in his life, last all of two months, and he's gone. Traded at his lowest value ever for a middle reliever; that's the fate of one of the most promising pitchers developed by the Giants since they moved to San Francisco.
Who benefits most from this deal won't be decided for a while, but it's safe to say the Cubs probably didn't get fleeced.
The offense. After I called out the offense for being terrible in May, the Cubs realized that they could in fact hit, especially against the Colorado Rockies. They scored 26 runs in 3 days, seemingly motivated by losing their best pitcher for at least two months. This sort of explosion is nice to see, but I'm a little skeptical that they'll be able to maintain this type of production or anywhere close to it.
The record. The Cubs are at .500 finally, but things look more dismal than ever. With Prior out one hopes that Kerry Wood will return and be effective quickly--in fact, he might throw off a mound as soon as this week. As they head into their trip out west, I believe treading water becomes the appropriate metaphor: the Cubs have little choice but to wait for their stars to come back from injuries.
Ok, I lied. There is no #5, but it just sounds better than having only 4 in a list.
The last two games--back to back losses to the worst road teams in baseball--have provided us a snapshot of what this Cub team is like when Derrek Lee is mortal.
Joe Borowski should not be considered for the closer's role anytime soon. He's looked shaky in his first two outings this year, giving up a solo home run on 24 pitches yesterday against the Rockies. Ryan Dempster is doing much better than I expected, walking only 1 in 4 appearances and posting a 9/0 groundball/flyball ratio. After watching LaTroy Hawkins pitch batting practice in his closer stint, it's much less nerve-wracking to see the ball stay on the ground.
I feel confident with Mark Prior on the mound today, but it's not so much about the pitching lately. The offense is really, really bad, as shown by the number of games where they've scored more than 4 runs this month: May 13 (W 6-3), May 10 (W 7-0), May 5 (L 6-5). Yeah, that's right. 3 games, one of them a loss.
What to do about such a poor offense? Well, a trade would make sense, which is why speculation is running rampant. Nothing I've read is more reliable than the next source, but the most common thing I've heard is that it could be a reliever and an outfielder for a reliever and outfielder. Who's on the block, then? If it's Corey Patterson, I have a sinking feeling we'll be referring to Corey in a few years as Lou Brock 2.0.
Carpal tunnel/tennis elbow from typing was already a stretch. Going on the DL for a "non-displaced fracture" from getting pinched by a recliner is flat out B.S., but apparently that's what happened to Mike Remlinger:
The Chicago Cubs reliever suffered a non-displaced fracture of his left little finger when his hand got pinched between two recliners in the Cubs' clubhouse on Sunday. Remlinger had not appeared in a game since then but had tried to play catch with the injury.
X-rays on Wednesday revealed a non-displaced distal phalanx fracture, Cubs athletic trainer Mark O'Neal said, and Remlinger was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 21.
Ladies and gentlemen, there are two kind of injury reports: normal injury reports, and Cub injury reports. I'm left to speculation, but I have a feeling that they would have let Remlinger recover if Todd Walker weren't returning to the 25-man roster last night (0 for 3, 1 K). Really, what's next? In a few weeks we'll be reading, "In other news, Jeromy Burnitz was placed on the 15-day DL for swinging his bat too hard and smacking himself in the back."
In addition to losing Remlinger to the DL, the Cubs lost to Brandon Backe and the Astros last night, 5-1. Backe looked more like Greg Maddux than Greg Maddux looked like Greg Maddux, and Greg Maddux looked a lot like Greg Maddux last night. (Writing a sentence like that is only fun with a name like Greg Maddux. Greg Maddux!) Backe only threw 81 pitches through 7, which includes a 9-pitch at-bat to start the 8th against Jose Macias, and generally made the Cubs look like impatient wimps at the plate.
The Astros weren't going to go all that long without winning their 3rd road game, and while I think the Cubs could have easily won that game, it's not all that shocking that they dropped 1 of 3 to the Astros. Today is the Rockies (or if you're cubs.com, the "Rox"), another team that has had difficulty on the road (3-20 this year). With Todd Helton off to a disappointing start, the Rockies have had to rely on rookie shortstop Clint Barmes, who is coming back down to earth after batting almost .400 until mid-May. Now he's "only" batting .342.
Taking 2 of 3 from the Rockies is absolutely necessary for the Cubs, and thankfully it's something they can do. A sweep would be great, but just like the Astros series showed, the Cubs just aren't that good yet.
When it comes to the NL Central, there's one big bully and five trembling snot-nosed kids. There's not much you can do when the bully is around, but as soon as he goes elsewhere, the snot-nosed kids will battle for superiority among themselves, trying to make themselves feel better about their complete lack of power.
Since the Cardinals aren't around, the Cubs have taken to beating up on the rest of the division lately. Last week they shoved Jose Mesa and the Pirates around, and this week they're putting the Houston players in a collective headlock and handing out plenty of noogies.
Is there any other way to describe it? The Cubs looked like schoolyard weaklings when they gave up two runs on some suspect fielding in the 4th -- a misplayed fly ball by Jason Dubois, late throw home from first by Derrek Lee, and a casual toss to second on a double play chance by Sergio Mitre, which let a run score -- which might have been enough if Roger Clemens stayed in the game. A tight groin led to his early exit, though, and Cub hitters took advantage of a rusty Brad Lidge, who hadn't been in a save situation since May 17th.
The unbelievable weakness of the NL Central is enough reason to hope that the Cubs can compete for a playoff spot this year. Although it's almost June and the Cubs are still trying to reach .500, if they can pummel the lesser teams and land a few punches against the stronger ones they can find themselves in the thick of the playoff hunt.
- posted by Mike J.
@ 9:08 AM |
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Interview With Len Kasper, Part Two
By Mike J.
Yesterday we talked about broadcasting and touched on stats a bit. Today is more stats and on the Cubs and their competition.
OSC: During any baseball broadcast, batter vs. pitcher splits come up very often. As a broadcaster, how many at-bats are necessary for these splits to become useful to you?
LK: I think probably 12-15 ABs is a good place to start. But if a guy is 6-8 vs. a pitcher, it's at least interesting to throw out there. I sometimes will mention that stat even with just a few ABs just as a reference point. OSC: I would argue that the Runners In Scoring Position (RISP) stat is the trendiest stat in baseball right now because it appears to approximate a player's ability to perform in the clutch. Do you think this stat actually helps to separate clutch players from the rest of the pack or is it not as simple as that?
LK: I'm not sure there is such a thing as a "clutch" hitter. I prefer to say "good" hitter. Is Derek Jeter clutch or just a really good hitter? I don't know, I guess it's possible you could have a guy who is simply BETTER in big spots than others, but how many .235 hitters hit .320 in the clutch? I believe if you look at league averages, the overall average is usually pretty close to the RISP average. I think as a team stat, it works because it's telling you how good the team is at getting guys home. But also remember that if a runner is at 2B and a guy singles him to 3B, that average with RISP will go up even though a run didn't score. I think batters come up with clutch hits...I'm just not sure there are clutch hitters per se. Derrek Lee has been clutch, but then again, he's just been great all around, right? What's the difference?
On the Cubs and baseball in general:
OSC: What's your relationship with the players and coaching staff like? After last year's, uh, incidents, has anyone opened up to you or Bob yet?
LK: I've gotten along great with everyone. I've been treated so well I can't tell how easy it has been to do my job. I'm grateful to the organization for making me feel at home from day one. I also benefitted in spring training from having a previous working relationship with guys like Derrek Lee, Chad Fox, Todd Hollandsworth and Jeromy Burnitz. And all the guys I didn't know have been great about giving me info I need for the broadcasts.
OSC: The bullpen has struggled mightily this season, but it appears that things are starting to settle down. Which relievers do you see emerging as go-to guys?
LK: The one guy lately who has really caught our eye is Will Ohman. He really has a presence on the mound that not a ton of guys have. He's aggressive and when he's throwing strikes, he's a great late-game option. I think he's been a nice surprise in particular lately.
OSC: Do you see Nomar as a Cub next year?
LK: I can't answer that because right now the question is, will he be an ACTIVE Cub again this year? I think he will because he's confident he will play again this year, but that's an injury that will take some time to recover from. Hopefully he'll be back at some point in the second half.
OSC: What player - besides Derrek Lee - has surprised you the most so far this season and why?
LK: I mentioned Ohman earlier...and I would also say in a sense, the way Mark Prior dominated from his first start was a bit of a surprise simply because he barely had a spring training. He's looked great and after being shutdown in March, he hasn't missed a beat. I never questioned his ability, but his quick comeback from the elbow issue has been extremely impressive.
OSC: If the Cardinals keep rolling, the Cubs could find themselves fighting for the Wild Card once again. Given how competitive the NL West and East are this year, name 4 or 5 teams that the Cubs could be fighting with for the fourth playoff spot come September.
LK: Braves/Marlins/Mets/Padres/Dodgers/D-Backs/Giants would be the top teams in those other divisions at this point.
OSC: At the trade deadline or next year, who would you like to see become a Cub? LK: Johan Santana and Manny Ramirez would look good in Cubs pinstripes, don't you think?
OSC: The Cubs enter a 20-day, 20-game stretch with the beginning of the White Sox series. What will be the toughest part of the trip? What's a reasonable expectation for the results of the trip?
LK: I said this recently--a modest goal at this point would be to be at .500 going into June. The first two months have been about survival with all the injuries and the pen's struggles. If you're at break even at the end of May, you're within striking distance in the division and wildcard and then you can hopefully make a run. This homestand is big because after the Sox, two teams who have REALLY struggled on the road--Houston and Colorado--come to town.
Anyone else notice this tidbit at cubs.com? Apparently Jose Macias has found another way to get more playing time:
Michael Barrett was available only to pinch-hit on Saturday, sidelined again by a sore right shoulder. However, Jose Macias is ready if needed.
Henry Blanco started at catcher for the Cubs but Macias is the emergency backup. On Friday, he went to the bullpen and warmed up Michael Wuertz to get a feel for the position. The Cubs had hoped Macias would catch in Spring Training but a hamstring injury limited him.
"If it's an emergency, I can do it," Macias said.
Perhaps I'm unfairly making Macias into a whipping boy by pointing this out, but I really, really hope Barrett gets better soon. Not so much because I think he'd boot every pitch thrown to him (although I won't discount the possibility), but because that means he'll get more at-bats.
- posted by Mike J.
@ 4:25 PM |
Interview With Len Kasper, Part One
By Mike J.
I enjoy getting email from readers. The ratio of hits to comments is very high, and sometimes I'm not really sure what everyone is thinking when they visit the site. Every time something about what I've written pops up in my inbox, I'm excited to read what someone has to say.
Especially, for instance, if it's Len Kasper. Len found what I had written about him and his style of announcing, in which I...well, you can go back and read it yourself. Since then we've traded a few emails back and forth, culminating in an email interview.
Len Kasper is one of the more progressive announcers in the game today, drawing on the work of the statistical baseball community to enrich the broadcast. The amount of preparation put into each broadcast is evident and he works well with color commentator Bob Brenly to talk about some really interesting stuff on the air. I recommend you read the interview he did with Cub Town (parts one and two) before reading this one, as you can find out a lot about his experience in broadcasting and his expectations heading into the season. Here he answers questions on broadcasting, stats in baseball, and about the Cubs and baseball in general. Come back tomorrow for part two of the interview.
On broadcasting
Old Style Cubs: Describe your pre-game preparation: what resources do you draw on for your information? How much do you prepare beforehand with Bob Brenly?
Len Kasper: Wow, I could go on forever on this one. For me, it's an everyday thing, even in the off-season. I'm on the internet at least a couple hours a day looking at all the Chicago papers and I also skim through all the baseball headlines around the country for my team folders for future reference. I probably spend 30 minutes on my scorebook for each game at home and then another hour on it at the park once I get the lineups. I try to show up to the park anywhere from 3 and a half to 4 hours prior to gametime, depending on the day. Some getaway afternoon games I'll get there a little later because the teams usually report to the park a little later. I probably spend an hour or so in the clubhouse and on the field talking to players/coaches/managers prior to heading up to the booth for the broadcast. It's a routine I'm comfortable with...it's a lot of preparation, but I love every minute of it.
OSC: Speaking of your broadcasting partner, how has your relationship with Bob Brenly developed since the beginning of the season? Did you know each other at all before coming to Chicago?
LK: I always thought Bob was great to talk to when he was the D-Backs' manager. I wouldn't say we "knew" each other before this year, but he was always friendly and very helpful as a manager. He and I get along great on and off the air. I would say our rapport off the air is similar to our on-air rapport. It feels very natural and seamless. He's a great person and a wonderful broadcasting partner.
OSC: You've probably met a lot of famous players and coaches in your broadcasting career, and I imagine being starstruck fades away after a while. Still, when's the last time you thought, "Wow, I can't believe I'm talking to _____!"?
LK: That's a good question. I would say riding on the Cubs caravan in January and just shooting the breeze with Ryne Sandberg for hours was pretty amazing. Here I am listening to a Hall of Famer tell me what it was like to face Nolan Ryan!
OSC: You've worked in the same organization with broadcasting greats such as Bob Uecker and now Pat Hughes. Has either of them, or anyone else for that matter, given you any advice that has helped you get to where you are today or become a better broadcaster?
LK: Oh sure, I seek and receive advice all the time. Bob and Pat were great to me in Milwaukee and I have the pleasure of seeing Pat every day now with the Cubs. I've learned a lot from many different broadcasters in my career, including my partner Bob Brenly.
[For specific advice], I don't know who told me this or how I learned it, but "be yourself" is the best advice I've ever heard and it's the best advice I could ever give to a young broadcaster.
OSC: What's been the most exciting game you've called in your career? With the Cubs?
LK: In my career, I'd have to say the Marlins' wildcard clincher in 2003 stands out. My first ever big league broadcast makes the list because you never forget your first one. It was Brewers-Pirates, April 24, 1999. With the Cubs, the Zambrano complete game win over the Phillies stands out--2:00, great pitchers' duel against Brett Myers. And Wednesday's [May 18] thrilling 9th inning in Pittsburgh was as dramatic as it gets. OSC: Who's been the best guest singer for the seventh inning stretch so far? Who have you enjoyed meeting the most?
LK: That's an easy one--Bonnie Hunt. Huge Cubs fan, she was lots of fun. I hope we have her on again sometime. I think she's a terrific actor and she has a great sense of humor.
On statistics
OSC: Just about everyone gets their first taste of baseball statistics from the back of trading cards, but not everyone who really starts studying baseball statistics gets into it in the same way. How were you first introduced to the sophisticated side of baseball stats?
LK: I would say when I got to Florida and got to know Jon "Boog" Sciambi, who did radio for the Marlins at that time was when I really got into sabermetrics. I was familiar with Baseball Prospectus, but Boog really got me into the Bill James approach to baseball statistics. I feel like I know SO much more about the game now than I did even 5 years ago. And I hope to know a lot more than I know now 5 years from now.
Tomorrow: more on stats and the Cubs so far this year.
It took 126 pitches, but Mark Prior went the distance and the Cubs avoided the sweep at home against the White Sox. Obviously 1 out of 3 is never something you shoot for, but considering that the Sox have the best record in baseball hoping for more than that might be unrealistic.
I'm glad the Cubs won, especially because they missed out on an easy run in the 1st inning. Instead, Juan Uribe saved a run with his acting. Let's break down the play:
On first, Derrek Lee takes off for a steal with the pitch to Jeromy Burnitz at bat.
Burny cracks one fair down the first base line and the ball caroms off the wall in foul territory, away from right fielder Jermaine Dye.
As Lee nears second, Uribe calmly approachs the base with his hands up as if gesturing "foul ball," and Lee comes to a complete stop a few feet after touching the bag.
After spotting the ball and seeing it was fair, Lee sprints to third but having to regain his momentum, he has to stop there.
Anyone have an idea how to work that into the scorecard? I hate the term "Smartball," but I have to admit that Ozzie Guillen has his players working all the little angles on the field. Maybe "Sneakyball?" Anyway, it was a great move by Uribe in a situation where the runner was clearly going to score - Burnitz made it to second no problem and Lee definitely has above average speed.
Houston is tomorrow, and so is my interview with Len Kasper. Be sure to check it out.
- posted by Mike J.
@ 1:55 PM |
Friday, May 20, 2005
Quick Notes
By Mike J.
I only have an abbreviated post for you today, but be sure to come back on Monday. I got a chance to chat with the team's play-by-play announcer Len Kasper, who gave some great insight into broadcasting, stats, and the Cubs in general. Anyway, a few quick points about the Sox series:
As the cubs.com preview so nicely points out, the Sox swept the series at the Cell and the Cubs swept the series at Wrigley Field. These are different teams from 2004, but I'd buy an argument about home field advantage on this one.
Cub bats have seen very little of the trio the Sox send to the mound, and vice versa. Since none of the starters are slouches, one would think that this means offense will be kept to a minimum. I don't think so, though: I'm basing my prediction on the wind, which as of 11am Friday is blowing in from right field at 17mph.
Since Barrett's shoulder is bothering him (scroll to bottom) and the White Sox are leading the major leagues in steals (48), expect a lot of running on the basepaths, especially against Greg Maddux.
Apparently Dan Kolb is no longer the closer in Atlanta, having blown 3 of 13 chances so far this season. Is it bad that my immediate reaction to this tidbit was, "You mean he converted 10 of 13? That's amazing!"
- posted by Mike J.
@ 12:21 AM |
Barrett left the game because of shoulder stiffness in his throwing arm.
"I'm going to go see the doctor [on Thursday]," Barrett reported. "I'm going to get him to check it out and make sure it's OK -- and maybe get on some anti-inflammatory and go from there."
I wonder if there's a contagious arm disease affecting the Cubs? Can there be any other explanation?
Anyway, I'd like to say I'm pumped about the Cubs playing the White Sox weekend, but as I've stated in the past, it's still not as exciting as watching them play the Cardinals. It takes a lot of work to despise a team, and I only have enough evil glares for the Cardinals and their fans. It still burns me a bit that everything has fallen in place for the Sox while the Cubs battle injuries, but it's nothing personal.
I'm a little more concerned that the White Sox haven't done much losing in the 9th inning, whereas the Cubs became experts on the subject early. Up until the 2-game set with the Pirates, I had forgotten what it was like to watch the Cubs come back late and win a game.
This is going to be a tough series for the Cubbies, one that could provide them a huge boost of confidence or send them back to the NL Central cellar. The Cubs get lucky in that they don't have to face Jon Garland or Mark Buehrle, so things could go well, especially since the games are at Wrigley.
With no game today, I'm a little fidgety knowing that I'll have to find something else to do in the evening. Friday, however, marks the beginning of a 20-day stretch with no breaks, so kick back and unwind a little before the marathon begins.
- posted by Mike J.
@ 1:19 PM |
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Lee = MVP, Infield Shuffle
By Mike J.
Derrek Lee is currently redefining the term "Most Valuable Player." He hits tie-breaking and game-winning home runs, gobbles grounders, and makes every other infielder, especially Aramis Ramirez, twice as good with his reaching and scooping abilities. He's leading the NL in home runs and the majors in slugging (.730 after 37 games!). He is the reason the Cubs have been able to withstand the plague of injuries as well as they have so far.
He's also the reason the Cubs won last night, driving in all 4 runs for the Cubs and hitting a single, double, 2 home runs (one to take the lead in the 9th), and an RBI sac fly. In a night where the Cubs garnered 13 hits, only Lee could produce something out of the baserunners.
Lee's performance overshadows some other good parts of the game, namely those that take place on the mound. Despite giving up 2 home runs in the 6th inning, Mark Prior pitched a pretty darn good game over 7 innings. Ryan Dempster closed the game without raising my pulse once. Something good even came from a LaTroy Hawkins appearance: he got yanked after walking a guy instead of being left to struggle through the innning! A prudent managerial move for Dusty, to be sure (yes, there is a first time for everything).
However, that's not all that happened yesterday. The Cubs signed former Yankee Enrique Wilson yesterday to fill the role of backup infielder in a move that sent 14-year-old Ronny Cedeno back to AAA. An extremely minor move, no doubt, but there's a little bit worth discussing here. Player by player, how does this affect:
Ronny Cedeno? Well, he gets to go back to the minors where he's assured playing time every day. He did well in his short stint in the majors, batting .313 and racking up one more RBI than Jerry Hairston has all year (uh, 2). While he might do well given some more starts, I don't know if it's worth it to see him sitting on the bench the rest of the time. He's a young dude, and more time in the minors will be beneficial later on.
Jerry Hairston? Hairy was supposed to be getting more bench time as of Sunday:
Cubs manager Dusty Baker had hinted he would give Cedeno more playing time because Hairston has been scuffling. Hairston, who is batting .255 in 30 games with one RBI, is the first to admit the first month isn't what he expected.
What happens now that Cedeno is back in the minors? Well, either Hairy gets another chance, like he did last night where he got on base in front of Derrek Lee twice to score, or he rides the pine in favor of Enrique Wilson. I'm not entirely sure his hitting is to blame (15 runs, .358 OBP), so maybe it's his fielding? He's made 3 errors in 22 starts at second base, which isn't great, but not damning. It'll be interesting to see whether Dusty sticks with him or gives 'Rique a chance.
Enrique Wilson? See above: either he'll start at second base or Hairy will. I'd rather give Hairy more time, because Wilson's career numbers are awful- .246 AVG, .288 OBP, .352 SLG - and his fielding is nothing to write home about. Let's put it this way: he's the new Neifi, except he's worse. Maybe that's what Jim Hendry was looking for, a lousy infielder that might catch fire for a couple months until the starters are healthy. I think Hendry's just rolling the dice here, and all I can say is thank God the Cubs didn't have to give up a player for this guy.
Neifi Perez? Well, Neifi moves back to shortstop and remains an everyday starter. For the first month this worked out, but Neifi is now experiencing what is known as regression, something we all knew was coming.
I'm interested to see the lineup for tonight, but I'm more interested to see if the Cubs can have two straight wins heading into the White Sox series. Also, as mentioned on the WGN Sports Baseball Blog, if you're in Chicago you can pick which announcers you want to listen to for this weekend. WGN and Comcast will be broadcasting games with either the Sox announcers or the Cub announcers, so flip back and forth to find which one you like. Or, if you're like me, find the one that won't have anyone telling you to "put it on the board."
- posted by Mike J.
@ 9:04 AM |
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Keeping Score
By Mike J.
Inspired by my recent foray into scorekeeping, I've put together a little collection of links for those of you who want to keep score but don't want to use the ESPN stat packs. You can find links to rules of scorekeeping, the ESPN team index with links to all the rosters, and an Excel scorecard sent to me by a reader of Old Style Cubs, Chris Kaiser (thanks Chris!). If you've got a suggestion, leave a comment or email me.
- posted by Mike J.
@ 3:39 PM |
New Backup Infielder?
By Mike J.
The word on the street, if the Sun-Times is the street, is that the Cubs will have a new backup infielder as early as today:
They will have a new backup infielder, perhaps as soon as today, when they open a two-game series in Pittsburgh. The paperwork has yet to be finalized, but the Cubs expect to make a deal without giving up any players in return.
That likely will send rookie shortstop Ronny Cedeno back to Class AAA Iowa for more seasoning. The Cubs don't want to hinder the 22-year-old's long-term development by playing him infrequently off the bench this season.
I won't bother speculating on who the player will be (although I'd consider putting money on a mustachioed man named "Herry Jairston, Jr."), but rather, how much will this backup infielder cost? Will he get a Neifi-sized contract, i.e. $1 million for a year of pinch hitting and defensive replacing? Or will it be for less?
- posted by Mike J.
@ 12:16 PM |
Monday, May 16, 2005
Tennis Elbow?
By Mike R.
It is almost comical to think that a pitcher as tough and as crazy as Carlos Zambrano might be beaten by a case of tennis elbow. I know it is a potentially serious problem but in my mind I always imagined Zambrano pitching until his arm fell off and then teaching himself to pitch with his left hand, not succumbing to tennis elbow. Regardless, Zambrano's status is still up in the air, despite the MRI. According to cubs.com, Carlos will throw a side session on Wednesday and then the team will evaluate his condition from there. I believe I share the sentiment that if Zambrano misses any significant time that this Cub team is in a whole lot of trouble.
What worries me the most, however, is Zambrano's mindset. In the article about his injury, Zambrano said something to the effect of the Cubs would have to kill him before he misses a start. As funny as that sounds, I doubt he is joking. As much as this team needs Zambrano out there every fifth day, it would be disastrous for him to rush out there not 100% and blow out his elbow. While I hardly want to quit on this season in mid-May I do not want to throw an unhealthy Carlos Zambrano out there if it will jeopardize his career. Clearly I am not qualified enough to make any claims about the seriousness of his injury or i's long term effects. That being said I absolutely would rather see Carlos take a week or two off than have him do something foolish. Let's not even mention what could happen if the Cubs are downplaying the seriousness of the issue. Either way, Wednesday will tell us a lot more about Zambrano's condition and where he stands. I personally would like to see him err on the side of caution but judging by his demeanor, I don't think that will happen.
- posted by Mike R.
@ 6:29 PM |
Cub Chatter
By Mike J.
It seems like everyone is talking about the Cubs this Monday, but that's not necessarily a good thing. Peter Gammons talks about the Cubs first in his list of teams with dismal starts, outlining all the injuries the Cubs have suffered. Just for kicks, here's the injury report from Sunday's game preview at ESPN.com:
Nomar Garciaparra, SS (Groin; 15 Day DL. 4/21) Todd Walker, 2B (Knee; 15 Day DL. Out 4-6 weeks. 4/11) Aramis Ramirez, 3B (Back; Questionable Tue. vs Pit. 5/16) Chad Fox, RP (Arm; 15 Day DL. 4/27) Scott Williamson, RP (Elbow Surgery; 60 Day DL. 3/31) Joe Borowski, RP (Broken Forearm; 15 Day DL. Out 6-8 weeks. 3/25) Kerry Wood, SP (Shoulder; 15 Day DL. 5/3) Ryan Dempster, SP (Forearm; Questionable Tue. vs Pit. 5/16) Carlos Zambrano, SP (Forearm; Left game early. Questionable for next start. 5/15) Aramis Ramirez, 3B (Abdominal; Questionable Fri. vs Was. 5/12)
I don't think I'll comment on the expansive nature of the list right now. Anyway, Rotoworld mentions the Cubs as well in it's weekly team-by-team roundup, saying:
"Joe Borowski is also expected back before the end of the week. He would have been activated already if he was throwing harder in Triple-A."
They also note that Jerry Hairston probably won't see much playing time in the next week, especially since Todd Walker could be back Friday. Even the good news is lined with cautious pessimism.
I'm also talking about the Cubs today, but that's not really unusual. What bothered me about yesterday's game? Besides the obvious (the Cubs lost), a pair of reasons chafed at me:
Neifi 2005 looked, well, like Neifi 2003. Not much can be worse than booting 2 ground balls in one inning to tie the game, but his foul bunt with 2 strikes in the first inning was pretty damn close. Dusty looked pretty livid in the dugout, so I'm guessing it was Neifi's own brilliant decision. Just because no one suspects a bunt with 2 strikes doesn't mean it's a good idea.
Corey Patterson folded like he was doing laundry when it came to pressure situations at the plate last night. Bags loaded? Well, better swing at the first pitch and pop it foul, right? Corey's made some big strides at the plate this year (he did start the game with a walk on 4 pitches, for example), but he's clearly got some work to do still.
Thankfully, today's an off day. That means I've got time to catch up on all this "homework" that's due for "class," concepts that are becoming increasingly unfamiliar to me as graduation approaches. Tomorrow is the Pirates, though, and hopefully a stop at PNC will give the Cubs a boost going into the Red Line series that awaits them in Chicago this weekend.
Has anyone else been salivating over the announcement of a Baseball World Cup in 2006? Well, I haven't either (I've kept the drool in check), but I'm still pretty excited. It's all explained in the link above, but I've condensed the basic format for you:
16 countries invited: the candidates are Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Panama, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Australia and the Netherlands. Italy and South Africa might round it out.
4 pools of 4 teams playing round robin style; pools determined by proximity (i.e. Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China will be in a pool, etc.). Pools compete between March 3-11.
The 2 teams in each pool with best record advance to 2nd round, which is round robin style again. Will take place between March 13-15.
Outright pool winners advance to a single-game semifinal on March 18.
The championship game will be on March 20.
As far as general rules go:
27-man roster. Players must meet Olympic eligibility guidelines.
There will be a designated hitter.
Pitching restrictions haven't been set yet, but limits on pitch counts and required rest will likely be put in place.
Speculation on lineups for the different countries has been rampant for some time, and they could be debated endlessly. Or, at least until the World Cup starts. SportsNation has polls for the U.S. and Dominican lineups that provide a reasonably comprehensive list of possibilities (why the heck isn't Mark Mulder an option for starting pitcher?). I simply can't continue without posting my picks for the U.S., so here's what I voted for:
C - Jason Varitek 1B - Derrek Lee 2B - Jeff Kent 3B - Scott Rolen SS - Alex Rodriguez LF - Adam Dunn CF - Torii Hunter RF - Gary Sheffield
Starting pitchers - Roger Clemens, Jake Peavy, Tim Hudson, Mark Prior Closer - Brad Lidge
That's only 13 spots, which leaves 14 left to fill. Another spot to think about, though: who will be manager? Or the rest of the coaching staff for that matter? I won't get into that now, though: it's fun to think about, but ultimately it's pointless to speculate too much. Besides tinkering with fantasy lineups, I have some questions/concerns about the Baseball World Cup:
What will the level of play be like? Are we going to see all-stars at the top of their game or guys still trying to locate their fastball or find their swing? The problem with the BWC is that there's not really a good time to have it, ever: the baseball season is just too darn long. Either we get tired players in November or rusty ones in March. National pride might be the catalyst for some memorable performances, but I'm thinking we could see some pretty bad hacks.
How much controversy will stem from performance-enhancing drugs? Olympic drug testing rules are much more strict than MLB rules. I don't expect players to test positive so much as I expect speculation to swirl around players who choose not to participate: "Is Bonds not playing because he's too old or because he's on the 'roids?" is a future refrain I'm already sick of.
Will the other months be jealous of March? There's already March Madness- adding a Baseball World Cup almost seems unfair to loser months like August and December.
Is one game per round enough? Preference for the multi-game playoff is ingrained in me, but playing any more than one game seems impossible given the timeframe within which the Cup has to work. It won't lack for interest in any style, and besides, March Madness works pretty well as a one and done tourney. Who knows, maybe Canada will be the Cinderella story in 2006.
Why does it have to be every 4 years? If it works out well in 2006, let's just have it every year. Why? you might ask? Well, why not?
Despite all the questions and speculation, one thing is certain: I can't wait for March.
- posted by Mike J.
@ 8:50 AM |
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Bagwell Done?
By Mike J.
In NL Central-related news, Jeff Bagwell is really hurting:
"To be honest," he said finally, "my career could be over."
You got to feel for this guy: he's been playing for so long with a bum shoulder (yeah, shoulder. Those are usually pretty important in baseball) that it's amazing to hear that he's finally making a trip to the DL for it. The guy is a legend in Houston and could make it to the Hall of Fame: despite the fact that he's not retired, he already has a statue outside of Minute Maid Park. I never much cared for the Astros, but I'd hate to see Bagwell's career end in the beginning of the 2005 season.
- posted by Mike J.
@ 1:45 PM |
Beating Dead Horses
By Mike J.
In protest of extra innings, I failed to see the Derrek Lee walk-off home run. Thanks to replays, I did get a chance to see it sail out of the yard, and I was happy. I also failed to see that Ryan Dempster took a liner in the arm. Thanks to news reports, I did hear that it happened, and I was resigned. Is every closer not named Hawkins destined to be injured immediately this season? Granted, Dempster only suffered a bruise, but in his second performance since assuming the title of closer he left the mound unhealthy. Not Chad Fox unhealthy, but close enough.
Despite the off day today, I would guess the Cubs want to give him a day or two to let the swelling subside before sending him back to the mound. Not like I'm terribly excited about his return: he didn't even make it one appearance without blowing a save. To be fair, he did pitch a scoreless tenth inning; why couldn't he do it an inning before?
Yesterday showed once again how fragile the Cub bullpen is. Move a starter to the closer role and saves are still blown. One injury and all hell breaks loose. The shoddy bullpen will retain it's adjective until two things occur: 1) a healthy Joe Borowski returns, and 2) Jim Hendry makes a deal for another reliever. Until his injury in Spring Training, Borowski looked awfully sharp and I believe that he can come in and make an impact right away. He won't fix every problem, but it will help plug the dam until #2 takes place.
In an unrelated note, Will Carroll mentions Aramis Ramirez in his "Under The Knife" column at baseballprospectus.com (sub. required):
"Aramis Ramirez is dealing with back spasms, likely related to his hamstring problems. The two go hand-in-hand and demand a sophisticated stretching program, like the ones that have kept Ivan Rodriguez and Vladimir Guerrero healthy."
No real comment from me here, but considering how well Pudge and Vlad have been playing lately, Ramirez should get on that soon.
One last thing today: for those who were mad that Hee Seop Choi was traded before getting a chance to prove himself, what do you think of the trade now? I admit Choi should be able to hit well when given a chance, but after watching him on ESPN versus the Cardinals last night, it's clear that defensively he cannot compare to Lee, making the deal a no brainer.
- posted by Mike J.
@ 1:18 PM |
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Can We Call It A Streak Yet?
By Mike J.
Is anyone on the Cubs capable of saving games? At least for one day it didn't matter, as Derrek Lee pounded a ball against the wind into the left field bleachers. I didn't see it, though: I was enforcing my 9 innings of baseball per day rule. If the Cubs don't get it done in 9 innings, I don't care. I expect it to cut my anxiety level in half.
Oh well, free pass on all performances until tomorrow. Go Cubs!
- posted by Mike J.
@ 6:18 PM |
Scorekeeping
By Mike J.
Before yesterday, I had never kept score for a baseball game. Since my interest in baseball really took off when I had access to a high-speed internet connection at my fingertips, why would I have? Instead of paying careful attention to a game for 3 hours, I could point, click, and repeat as necessary to get the play-by-play for any game I wanted.
Yet, I felt a little guilty not having scored a game at least once before. So, with the help of ESPN's stat pack, I printed out a scorecard and sat myself down in front of the TV for Game 2 of the Mets series at home. I have to say, the whole thing worked out nicely. 4 home runs plus a couple of hits strung together gave the Cubs a comfortable 7-run cushion over the Mets. What was more impressive, however, is that the Mets didn't score at all as Greg Maddux, Michael Wuertz (who got out of a bases loaded jam nicely), and Mike Remlinger pitched 9 innings of 3-hit ball. In a night of encouraging signs, that one protrudes higher than the rest.
Although the scorekeeping went well, I have to say I'm not all that impressed with ESPN's scorecard in their stat pack. It's a shame, really, because they provide all the necessary team information, but they're missing some important stuff. How come I can't track walks? Or how about a little box on the end for a hitter's total strikeouts? Or a box for total fly balls and ground balls? Number of pitches per at-bat? Well, that last one might require a little too much attention, but it'd still be nice to have. ESPN does a good job with what stats it makes available, so I'm kind of surprised to see how primitive the scorecard still is. Sure, I could pencil it in on the side, but damn it, a few more boxes isn't much to ask for.
The problem is I don't know where to find a better scorecard. The team information is extremely useful when substitutions are made, but that can be replaced by looking it up before the game. There's a couple of homemade scorecards out there (this one seems a little better than average), but nothing that I found really has everything that I want. Maybe I'll get ambitious and make my own, but until then, let me know if you find or already have a good one that you use.
All in all, the scorekeeping was pretty satisfying. It's not something I'd do for every game, but once in a while it lets you really focus on what's happened and shows you what trends are emerging as the game progresses. For example, in the first 8 outs either Greg Maddux struck out the batter or Jeromy Burnitz caught a fly ball. Doesn't mean a whole lot, but it's kind of neat to see that every other player was getting a little break in the first third of the game. Also, Ramirez hit the ball to the left side of the infield 3 times (2 groundouts, 1 popup) before hitting a double in his last at-bat. Maybe Ramirez was consistently ahead of the ball last night. Answers may not be apparent from numbers and diamonds on the sheet, but if you step back and look at them, it can make the game a lot more interesting. After scoring one game, it's suddenly much clearer to see why baseball statistics are absolutely vital to the popularity of the game.
Anyway, I wanted to attribute the Cubs' win to the fact that I was scorekeeping - like every other sports fan, I can't help but be superstitious - but since I can't keep score for today's day game, I'll chalk it up to the fact that I wasn't wearing socks instead. One game does not a corner turn...or something, so let's hope the Cubs can repeat their very pleasing performance today.
- posted by Mike J.
@ 9:01 AM |
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Worst. Cubs Game. Ever.
By Mike J.
Well, for me anyway. A friend of mine had amazing tickets (3rd row behind the Cubs dugout) and I was lucky enough to come along, but besides asking Michael Barrett to show off his newly shaven dome, all we really got out of it was buckets of rain. After the second rain delay we called it quits and headed home on the el. Even though the trip home took about an hour, we only missed 2 innings: in retrospect, it was a good decision to leave.
What makes it worse, of course, is that the Cubs lost, again. LaTroy Hawkins was the loser, again. Jason Dubois didn't start (contrary to the report of the Trib's resident jerkface Paul Sullivan), again.
There was a first, though: new Cubs closer Ryan Dempster came into the game in the 9th - a non-save situation - and gave up 2 runs. Actually, this is a first only in the sense that Dempster's use is getting mismanaged, because Dusty decided to use Chad Fox when the game was tied (you know, the game where his arm imploded).
Depressing stuff, huh? I don't really want to dwell on it too much, either, so I'm going to use today to talk about two Cubs sites that I've really caught onto lately. I love seeing new tech trends being put to use, and these sites are really on the ball. In no particular order, I've been digging... Cubscast.com, which is making great use of the podcasting trend. They don't really need a plug from me (they've already been mentioned in the Chicago Tribune), but go download their latest show and put it on your MP3 player.
and cubsnet.com, an incredibly tech-savvy site that has all the keys to establishing an internet community. It works similarly to the SportsBlog network (Bleed Cubbie Blue, Athletics Nation, etc) in that you can have your own blog/diary if you register, plus polls, news aggregators, and all that other fun stuff. They cover the minor leagues, too.
Anyway, go check 'em out, especially since I'm becoming more and more late to class as we speak.
- posted by Mike J.
@ 1:26 PM |
Monday, May 09, 2005
Lee, Taxes, and Rain
By Mike J.
A couple of quick mid-morning notes:
I neglected to mention that Derrek Lee's hitting streak is finally done at 18. The Cub record is 30, set by Jerome Walton in 1989 (scroll down to find him). Oddly, Walton wasn't that great of a hitter: "His .338 average is the lowest ever posted in a streak of 30 games or more."
Barry Bonds is being investigated for tax fraud? On top of the surgery mess and, you know, the BALCO thing, this is getting weirder by the minute. Leave a link in the comments if you find anything interesting.
Chance of showers down to 40% today! Let's play some ball!
Everyone, I'm really sorry. Last Tuesday I wrote the following in an attempt to make myself feel better about the then-paltry 2-game losing streak:
"Unlike the Cubs, the Brewers have managed winning streaks of 3 and 4 games this season, not just back to back wins. Unlike the Brewers, the Cubs have managed not to lose 7 in a row (burned!)"
That's the last time I mention an opposing team's losing streak, that's for sure. Anyway, Carlos Zambrano carried the team on his back to victory today in a scant two hour duel with Brett Myers. After an agonizing week, seeing things turn around in a quick couple of hours is a refreshing change of pace.
There's a lot of news floating around cubs.com and elsewhere that have caught my attention. Let's start with...this one:
"Ryan Dempster was originally scheduled to start Monday night for the Chicago Cubs. Instead, the right-hander is now the Cubs' new closer."
Al Yellon at Bleed Cubbie Blue speculates that the move was dictated by Jim Hendry to Dusty. The idea certainly has legs, since Dusty has shown himself incapable of making, well, a good decision. The man taking Dempster's place in the rotation is Jon Leicester.
Will the decision pan out? Surely it can't get worse: the throwing error by LaTroy Hawkins in his last appearance showed that nothing at all is working in Hawkins' favor when he "closes" a game, not even dumb luck.
Jason Duboiswill get a shot at becoming the everyday left fielder, beginning Monday. The Cubs have decided to make Todd Hollandsworth a backup and aren't currently seeking outfield help.
Maybe there is something to that Hendry handing down commands to Dusty theory. Look, Dubois might not do well initially and it wouldn't surprise me if he struggled to adjust to starting every day. His upside, however, is much higher than Hollandsworth's. It's a darn good move, but it might take a while to pay off.
Mark Prior launched a preemptive strike on steroid accusations when it was revealed that his former pitching coach Tom House admitted to steroid use. Nothing earth-shaking, but there was a bit about his Achilles Heel injury last year:
Prior also responded to charges by former Cubs assistant trainer Sandy Krum that the pitcher's Achilles injury last spring was dummied.
"My response to that is I've had an ankle problem since late 2003," Prior said. "I had an MRI on my ankle within the first two weeks of Spring Training [in 2004]. The bottom line is, I wouldn't sit in an MRI tube for 45 minutes on a Friday night if I didn't have something wrong with me.
"[Krum's] accusation that there never was an ankle injury is false," Prior said. "Obviously, he has an axe to grind with the Tribune [which owns the Cubs] or the Cubs. I'm not going to comment on that. There was an ankle injury, there is an ankle injury, and everybody's known it."
My instinct says believe Prior (how could you not trust someone with an arm like that?), but given the cryptic nature of the Cubs organzation when it comes to injuries, I can't help but be skeptical. Then again, maybe they were cryptic because their boneheaded trainer thought Prior's ankle was fine. Who knows?
If Todd Walker continues to progress, the second baseman will go to Phoenix next week to step up his rehab program and could be back in the Chicago Cubs lineup by May 20.
I'm very much ready to see Walker back in action because Hairston has been unremarkable in all ways, except how remarkable is unremarkableness is (try saying that 5 times fast). .244/.347/.329 AVG/OBP/SLG with 1 RBI makes me happy that at least Walker's groin didn't try to secede from the union.
In the same article we are informed that some of the Cub players are shaving their heads to mix things up.
Is this a good thing? Jose Macias, who has sported a shaved head all season, applauded his teammates and gave Wuertz a congratulatory handshake.
Now they're all like Macias? Quick, break out the toupees!
The weather forecast for today is particularly gloomy (80% chance of showers), especially since I have excellent tickets to the game. If things stay clear we'll get to see Jon Leicester's first start of the season. Is anyone else bothered by the Cubs wealth of lousy relievers? They're all so similar Hendry stores some in AAA. Even though he's not starting anymore, let's hope we see Dempster in action.
Reasons for optimism are scarce after getting swept by the Brewers. The one part of yesterday's game that gave me the most reason to smile was, of course, Aramis Ramirez's game-tying home run in the 9th. It was nice to see him come through in a big way and it was also nice to see the Brewer version of Kyle Farnsworth give up a run.
All I can do is forget about these last five games and look forward to the upcoming series against the Phillies. The Phillies actually have a worse record than the Cubs right now at 12-17, struggling early in a season that was supposed to see some improvement. Whether the Cubs win or lose, the exciting part of this series will be seeing two of the better pitchers in the National League right now: Jon Lieber and Brett Myers.
Lieber played in New York with the Yankees in 2004, where he posted a 5.67 strikeout/walk ratio. That's pretty damn good for a guy who isn't much of a power pitcher. In fact, it ranks 23rd in the list of top K/BB seasons in the modern era (min 150 IP):
PLAYER YEAR SO/BB SO BB 1 Bret Saberhagen 1994 11.00 143 13 2 Curt Schilling 2002 9.58 316 33 3 Pedro Martinez 2000 8.88 284 32 4 Greg Maddux 1997 8.85 177 20 5 Pedro Martinez 1999 8.46 313 37 6 Ben Sheets 2004 8.25 264 32 7 Greg Maddux 1995 7.87 181 23 8 Curt Schilling 2001 7.51 293 39 9 Ferguson Jenkins 1971 7.11 263 37 10 Cy Young 1905 7.00 210 30 11 Cy Young 1904 6.90 200 29 12 Randy Johnson 2004 6.59 290 44 13 Greg Maddux 2001 6.41 173 27 14 Walter Johnson 1913 6.39 243 38 15 Roy Halladay 2003 6.38 204 32 T16 Christy Mathewson 1908 6.17 259 42 T16 Juan Marichal 1966 6.17 222 36 18 Dennis Eckersley 1985 6.16 117 19 19 Greg Maddux 1996 6.14 172 28 20 Curt Schilling 2003 6.06 194 32 21 Pedro Martinez 2002 5.98 239 40 22 Curt Schilling 2004 5.80 203 35 23 Jon Lieber 2004 5.67 102 18 24 David Wells 1998 5.62 163 29 25 Cy Young 1906 5.60 140 25
Among these guys, Lieber has the fewest strikeouts and 2nd fewest walks in his top K/BB season. Lieber had an even better season in 2002 when he was a Cub, putting up a 7.27 K/BB ratio, but only over 140 innings. Think of him as a poor man's Greg Maddux, which certainly isn't a bad thing.
That being said, he's issued almost half the walks he did last year already in 2005. It hasn't affected him too much, since he's already 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA. For $5.5 million, this guy is looking like a steal compared to the Jaret Wrights and Carl Pavanos of the offseason.
Myers, although only 2-1 this season, is even more of a bargain for the Phillies at the moment. He has a 1.34 ERA (only Roger Clemens and Dontrelle Willis are better) and has struck out 44 in 6 starts (only Pedro Martinez, Johan Santana, Jake Peavy, and Clemens beat him there). Batters might start catching on to him soon, but even if they do he's looking like a very good younger starter for the Phillies.
That's not to say the Cubs are overmatched in the pitching department: Prior, Rusch, and Zambrano take the mound this weekend. The two of them have had great starts for the Phils, which means they must be due for some bad ones soon. Why not start at Wrigley this weekend?
The Cubs and Phillies are two teams that should be doing better, which will likely lead to some late-inning mistakes that will decide these games. I hope things go the Cubs' way, but if they don't, at least they're day games: I won't have to waste my evenings swearing at the TV.
To whom do you turn to start a rally in the 9th? Well, if you're Dusty Baker, it's Jose "1 for 9 pinch hitting" Macias. I'll give it to the Brewers that Derrick Turnbow is pitching out of his mind lately, but when you're trying to score in the 9th, if you don't get someone at least on base you're doing something terribly wrong. Note to Jim Hendry: screw Dusty and kick Macias to the curb. If you got someone that performed at replacement level value, it'd be an improvement.
A power outage at my apartment has me running on battery, so I have to keep this short. If the Cubs lose today, it'll be five losses in a row for them and six in a row for the Brewers. Greg Maddux matches up against Gary Glover, a player that I can't admit to knowing about before today. The pitching matchup clearly favors the Cubs, but then again, it's the offense that's been the problem lately, suffering from a power outage of their own.
And the bullpen, of course. You didn't think I'd go without mentioning Roberto Novoa walking in the winning run, did you? It may have been an iffy call, but if the bases are loaded with one out in the 9th, you haven't done yourself any favors before the walk.
---
Site Maintenance Note: As per request in the comments from Tuedsay's post, the superimposed Nomar picture in the banner is now on the DL. He'll be back in action hopefully by August (good call, Fent).
- posted by Mike J.
@ 9:17 AM |
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Keepin' On The Sunny Side
By Mike J.
Cubbies take on the Brew Crew tonight at 7:05pm CST. I covered all the depressing junk yesterday, so I'm going to catalogue the good stuff today.
Kerry Wood is out for three weeks because of his shoulder. Wow, I didn't even make it one sentence. OK, this is a bummer, but he hasn't exactly been a bright spot for the Cubs so far this year anyway, and maybe the couple of weeks off will give him time to actually get healthy. And that would be a good thing, right?
Derrek Lee. He's just so dreamy, don't you think?
The Cubs won't see Ben Sheets in this series. Sheets is on the DL with an inner ear infection and won't be available until May 6th, the day after the Cubs leave town.
The bullpen is shaking. Although Ryan Dempster hasn't done a poor job in the starting position thus far, he might move to the bullpen to assume the closer's role. If that were to happen, Glendon Rusch would become a starter once again. Why didn't they go to Rusch for save situations? Well, despite his 2.35 ERA, his 1.83 WHIP (walks and hits per inning) is pretty lousy and he's walking nearly as many as he strikes out (10 BB to 11 K).
The working theory in the Cubs' clubhouse seems to be that he'll regain form once he returns to the starter role, but whatever happens, the shaking itself is questionable. Ryan Dempster has never had great success in keeping walks to a minimum and if he comes into a one-run game, we might see that he's no more effective than LaTroy Hawkins.
Either way, it's good to see that something is being done about the bullpen. It can't get much worse, so in that sense it qualifies as good news.
Unlike the Cubs, the Brewers have managed winning streaks of 3 and 4 games this season, not just back to back wins. Unlike the Brewers, the Cubs have managed not to lose 7 in a row (burned!). Milwaukee is in the midst of their 4-game winning streak and coming off of a 13-3 pounding of Cincinnati, so the Cubs could get a run for their money tonight. Then again, only Colorado (144) has allowed more runs than Cincinnati (142). The Cub bullpen is suspect, but not Cincinnati suspect: some pretty good baseball should be in store tonight.
- posted by Mike J.
@ 12:08 PM |
Monday, May 02, 2005
Off-Day Reflections
By Mike J.
The Cubs enter the last leg of their NL Central tour at Miller Park on Tuesday, leaving today to think about what they've done.
Pitching Woes
A look back at the results:
In their last 15 games, all against division opponents, the Cubs are 8-7.
They scored 75 runs and allowed 74 runs, which works out to a pretty high average on both ends (exactly 5 scored/game and a little less allowed).
Of those 8 wins, starting pitchers took credit for 6 of them.
Of those 7 losses, starting pitchers took the loss only twice.
LaTroy Hawkins earned all 4 of his current saves, his first win, and took a loss/blown save.
Chad Fox earned his one save and then blew out his arm again.
While this all could lead to a variety of conclusions, one tends to jump out: the Cub relievers are terrible. Wins and losses aren't the fairest way to judge the quality of pitching, but as a whole it shows that the relievers aren't keeping the team in the game. Players might have more diplomacy on the subject, but I'm pointing my finger directly at the bullpen:
Sorry guys, but you suck.
Some of it might be chalked up to Dusty's poor management, but even that's a smokescreen for disguising how weak the bullpen is at the moment. It's shocking how much I'm wishing for the speedy return of Joe Borowski to help the bullpen out, which in itself speaks volumes of it's current condition. When your best reliever can't close out a game with any consistency, you know your team is in trouble.
Not So Hot Corner
Not that only the relievers are bothering me. I'm surprised to hear little about Aramis Ramirez's struggles in April, who hasn't been having a very good start to the season:
Ramirez has been showing decent power - 7 doubles in addition to the home runs - yet he's not hitting the ball consistently well so far in 2005. The number of walks he's taken so far are encouraging (his career high is 49, set in 2004), but the progress there is being offset by the rate he's striking out. In 2004 he struck out only 62 times, down from 99 the year before.
As Len Kasper and Bob Brenly like to point out, this is probably because the pitchers recognize how good of a hitter he is and are giving him less to hit. Makes sense, I suppose, but Ramirez doesn't do himself many favors when he swings for the fences on the first pitch. Ramirez isn't having the slump that Nomar was before his groin decided to leave town, so it's not quite as disconcerting. However, the Cubs are going to need a big year from Aramis if they expect to compete and so far he just hasn't shown up.
The Good Stuff
Ignoring Prior's 5th inning meltdown in yesterday's game, he's been excellent so far and should continue his good start. Derrek Lee is still a king among men with Neifi as his trusty sidekick. I've seen more production from Jeromy Burnitz than I expected this early, and Maddux appears ready to pitch finally. Don't forget Zambrano, either, who has decided that instead of being pulled for having a bad game he's just going to get ejected instead. When he's not getting ejected, though, he's electric.
There's plenty to be worried about as May begins, but it's not all gloom and doom yet. If the Cubs can survive until Borowski and Walker return, things might start to tip in their favor with a little bit of luck.
- posted by Mike J.
@ 9:40 AM |
Old Style Cubs is run by two guys named Mike that both go to Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. Mike Ryan's from Mundelein, Mike Jansen's
from Springfield, and both have been Cubs fans for a very long time. They've been Old Style fans for not as long.
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