I'm going to defer to Lou on this one. Honestly, Z or Dempster has the best pure stuff in our rotation. Dempster has been the 'go-to guy' for the last few years, along with Lilly. I don't think that Gorzellany, Wells, or Silva can throw 98 to put away a batter. For that reason, I think this is a good move. However, as is always the case with Z, this could prove to be a psychological problem. Z has said that he's on a mission to be more focused this year, and for my money, he's proven that so far. He has had a chance to melt down in a couple of different situations, yet the water coolers are still safe. For that reason, I'm buying his "new and improved Big Z" talk. I think he can remove all doubt with a good spell in the bullpen. I think (and forgive my eternal Cubs optimism here) that he will do well there, but I worry about a couple of things.
1). Everybody in the NL has seen his stuff. Sure, he's probably going to be throwing four-seamers at 96 - 98 rather than his trademark sinker. But you have to think about how many NL batters are familiar with his splitter and his slider.
2). Will his mind hold up? I think he's out to prove he's not a hothead this year. This move to the 'pen can prove it. Can he put up and shut up, like Demp did? Or will this be a distraction? Again, like I said above, Z has sounded and pitched differently this year. You add a guy of his calibre to the bullpen and I think it can't hurt. I don't think it's permanent, I think that Gorzellany will be there at some point to replace him. But I applaud his professionalism, and I hope he proves to be the salve in the wound so that we can win some damn games!
Still, I'm shocked at this move. Z would be the last one I would have expected to be moved. I hope this doesn't indicate some ideas of a trade, because I think Z is one of the best pitchers in the NL. He needs to figure out a way to pitch, and a way to succeed, and I believe the bullpen may be a good place to do that.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Bullpen Woes
Man, it seems that 'woes' has entered into my blog-cabulary much too often this early in the year. After the umpires' terrible showing - of which Jeff Stevens had another one in Game 1 against the Mets - the Cubs' bullpen has continued to be atrocious. However, I think there is a much simpler, time-tested solution in the wings, if Piniella is willing to go against the traditional grain of MLB thinking.
1). The Cubs' starting 5 has been wonderful. They're among the league leaders in quality starts. I can't think of a start offhand except for Opening Day against the Braves where a Cub starter hasn't given the team a chance to win or even left the game with a lead. Silva looks like he has resurrected his career; Gorzellany has been relatively solid; and the only one who has had 'trouble' is Big Z, and most of that was really one start. In his other starts, he has done everything necessary to give him team a chance to win. That's all that you ask of your starting pitchers.
2). Our bullpen has been awful. Samardzija has reverted, the only reliable middle reliever we have is Marshall, and even Marmol blew up the other day. We all knew there would be bullpen issues going into the season (pretty much everyone else in the BP is a rookie or very close to it), but I think the bullpen has blown more games than it has won. That's not going to work.
3). There aren't any good relievers to be had via trade. It's very early - so temper your traditional pessimistic rants, Chicago Tribune - but I do agree that if the Cubs can't figure out a 7th-8th-9th inning bullpen rotation, then the team will be in trouble. But, as I said before, there are other solutions:
A) LEAVE THE STARTERS IN, FOR GOD'S SAKE!!! These guys make $8 - 18 million bucks a year (ballpark). They have the best medical staff that money can buy. They have access to ice, heat, whirlpools, cortizone shots, masseurs, and anything and everything else. They're not paid to pitch 5 innings. Let them pitch until the prove they've run out of gas. Zambrano is listed at 260 pounds. He can throw 160 pitches a game if need be. If Sam Fuld was pitching, I understand not having him throw 160 pitches in a start. But all the Cub pitchers are strong guys. With the bullpen the way it is, let the starters pitch until you absolutely HAVE to take them out. There are obvious signs when a pitcher is tiring, but let them try to work through some of them.
*Also, remember it is APRIL. I'm not suggesting we implement this program right now; let's wait until needed. It's a long season. Nobody should freak out about a 5-9 start. Especially with 148 left to go.
Thanks for reading, and Go Cubs Go!
1). The Cubs' starting 5 has been wonderful. They're among the league leaders in quality starts. I can't think of a start offhand except for Opening Day against the Braves where a Cub starter hasn't given the team a chance to win or even left the game with a lead. Silva looks like he has resurrected his career; Gorzellany has been relatively solid; and the only one who has had 'trouble' is Big Z, and most of that was really one start. In his other starts, he has done everything necessary to give him team a chance to win. That's all that you ask of your starting pitchers.
2). Our bullpen has been awful. Samardzija has reverted, the only reliable middle reliever we have is Marshall, and even Marmol blew up the other day. We all knew there would be bullpen issues going into the season (pretty much everyone else in the BP is a rookie or very close to it), but I think the bullpen has blown more games than it has won. That's not going to work.
3). There aren't any good relievers to be had via trade. It's very early - so temper your traditional pessimistic rants, Chicago Tribune - but I do agree that if the Cubs can't figure out a 7th-8th-9th inning bullpen rotation, then the team will be in trouble. But, as I said before, there are other solutions:
A) LEAVE THE STARTERS IN, FOR GOD'S SAKE!!! These guys make $8 - 18 million bucks a year (ballpark). They have the best medical staff that money can buy. They have access to ice, heat, whirlpools, cortizone shots, masseurs, and anything and everything else. They're not paid to pitch 5 innings. Let them pitch until the prove they've run out of gas. Zambrano is listed at 260 pounds. He can throw 160 pitches a game if need be. If Sam Fuld was pitching, I understand not having him throw 160 pitches in a start. But all the Cub pitchers are strong guys. With the bullpen the way it is, let the starters pitch until you absolutely HAVE to take them out. There are obvious signs when a pitcher is tiring, but let them try to work through some of them.
*Also, remember it is APRIL. I'm not suggesting we implement this program right now; let's wait until needed. It's a long season. Nobody should freak out about a 5-9 start. Especially with 148 left to go.
Thanks for reading, and Go Cubs Go!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Umpiring woes
The Cubs lost again to the Houstons today, 3-2. Yet for the second game in the series, the HP umpire was absolutely abysmal. In the second game of the series, Angel Campos was behind the plate and he brought to mind memories of the 1997 NLDS when HP umpire Gregg called pitches in the middle of opposite batters box strikes for Livan Hernandez. Chris Guccione did it again today. The strike zone had been reasonable all day long - he gave the pitchers a couple of inches off the outside corner, which is fine. However, in the 10th inning he called a FB from Lindstrom that was 6 inches off the ground a strike. On Ryan Theriot. And it changed the entire complexion of the game. If Theriot walks then there is a runner on first with 1 out with Byrd and Lee due up. I'm not saying the Cubs would have won. But the batters on both teams had spent the last 3 hours seeing things done one way and then, when the game is on the line, everything changes. Honestly, I don't give a damn what the strike zone is as long as it is consistent. If you're a MLB umpire, your entire job depends on consistency. And while I don't routinely face the challenge of determining whether or not 97 mph fastballs were strikes, these guys have trained years upon years to do so. Yet they still can't do it consistently. I used to be 100% against the idea of the K-Zone or whatever the computerized strike zone that checked the umpires' strike zone was called, but now I'm reconsidering. I used to think that human error was a compelling part of the game that distinguished baseball from the lesser sports. Umpires have a tough job, and many of them do their job very well. Yet there are still guys out there calling games and drawing MLB salaries and pensions who are embarrassments to the game. Campos and Guccione, from what I saw in the last two days, are foremost on that latter list. I'm an educator. If I do a shitty job - which I define by not being prepared and being inconsistent - I get fired. In any given term, I have around 60 college students who function academically on the (very fair) assumption that I will grade their work based on a consistent set of standards. If I don't do that - if I show favoritism, if I get lazy at the end of the papers or exams and change my grading structure, whatever it may be - then I cheat students who, in the most part, have put forth a good effort. Furthermore, I don't have the luxury of ejecting them if they argue. I have to answer their questions and answer to the professor I'm working for, the head of the graduate program, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and ultimately the dean. If this is the kind of oversight that functions in my job, then I hope to Christ in works the same way for people who make 500x the salary that I do. So, MLB: get your stuff in order. If these guys can't do the job, find people - or computers - who will.
No-hitters, 20-inning games, and losing to the Houstons
First off, congratulations to Ubaldo Jimenez on his no-hitter last night. I only caught the bottom of the 8th and the 9th innings, but his last pitch was as 97 mph. Wow. And no-hitting that Braves lineup might temper some of the expectations of Braves fans - I think they're a good team, but I still think they'll be battling the Marlins for second place in that division. Halladay makes the Phillies just too good. Still, it was Jiminez' night - congratulations again.
Secondly, the Cards and the Mets played a 20-inning game last night and I'm SHOCKED that LaRussa didn't run out of pitchers by the 6th inning. This is a guy who uses the lefty/lefty and righty/righty bullpen matchups so wantonly I really can't believe he only had to use two position players as pitchers.
And the Cubs lost to the hapless Astros yesterday, but there were encouraging signs. For the second straight day, the Cubs made a late inning comeback and nearly pulled it off in the ninth. The Cubs didn't do much with Oswalt, but most of the time nobody does much with Oswalt. When he's on, he's filthy, and he was on yesterday. I don't really mind losing to Oswalt, but we really need to pull out a series win today. The bullpen pitched better and Marshall was fantastic once again. It was also good to see them on TV out the night before at the Blackhawks hockey game - from everything I've read this is a chemistry event that never would have happened last year. I'm glad to hear that Gorzellany escaped relatively unharmed from what could have really been a nasty moment in the 3rd inning, when a liner came right back up the box and nailed him. Apparently he just has a bruise, but that doesn't really help his chances to stay in the rotation - I think he'll have to be pushed back a couple of days, just to be safe, and by then Lilly will be back. Combine that with the way Silva has pitched and I think TG is bullpen bound to take what was Marshall's spot. It now looks like Marshall will be the 8th inning guy for the forseeable future.
I'm also getting tired of the reception Soriano is getting at home. We knew when we got him that his defense was a problem, so don't expect Torii Hunter in left with him. His hitting has been respectable, and he will still have streaks where he carries the team for weeks at a time. I think the reaction he's gotten has goaded him into pressing, into trying too hard. Byrd will patrol most of center and left, and he has taken control over the outfield - Friday's gaffe with The Fuke nonwithstanding. Soriano will be fine - the guy has too much of a track record to cast off, as SI has been suggesting the Cubs want to do. Just understand what he brings to the table and what he lacks, and accept that. The guy is a proven commodity when healthy, and one of these days Jaramillo will teach him to identify a slider. Go Cubs Go!
Secondly, the Cards and the Mets played a 20-inning game last night and I'm SHOCKED that LaRussa didn't run out of pitchers by the 6th inning. This is a guy who uses the lefty/lefty and righty/righty bullpen matchups so wantonly I really can't believe he only had to use two position players as pitchers.
And the Cubs lost to the hapless Astros yesterday, but there were encouraging signs. For the second straight day, the Cubs made a late inning comeback and nearly pulled it off in the ninth. The Cubs didn't do much with Oswalt, but most of the time nobody does much with Oswalt. When he's on, he's filthy, and he was on yesterday. I don't really mind losing to Oswalt, but we really need to pull out a series win today. The bullpen pitched better and Marshall was fantastic once again. It was also good to see them on TV out the night before at the Blackhawks hockey game - from everything I've read this is a chemistry event that never would have happened last year. I'm glad to hear that Gorzellany escaped relatively unharmed from what could have really been a nasty moment in the 3rd inning, when a liner came right back up the box and nailed him. Apparently he just has a bruise, but that doesn't really help his chances to stay in the rotation - I think he'll have to be pushed back a couple of days, just to be safe, and by then Lilly will be back. Combine that with the way Silva has pitched and I think TG is bullpen bound to take what was Marshall's spot. It now looks like Marshall will be the 8th inning guy for the forseeable future.
I'm also getting tired of the reception Soriano is getting at home. We knew when we got him that his defense was a problem, so don't expect Torii Hunter in left with him. His hitting has been respectable, and he will still have streaks where he carries the team for weeks at a time. I think the reaction he's gotten has goaded him into pressing, into trying too hard. Byrd will patrol most of center and left, and he has taken control over the outfield - Friday's gaffe with The Fuke nonwithstanding. Soriano will be fine - the guy has too much of a track record to cast off, as SI has been suggesting the Cubs want to do. Just understand what he brings to the table and what he lacks, and accept that. The guy is a proven commodity when healthy, and one of these days Jaramillo will teach him to identify a slider. Go Cubs Go!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Game 3 of Mil series and Game 1 of the Houstons
Things have been going relatively well on the Cubs front the last few games. Encouraging signs have been the starting pitching, which has kept us in every game since Opening Day in Atlanta. Big Z battled yesterday and threw 120+ pitches (which he should do more often, by the way - I hate 260 lb. pitchers being on pitch counts). Once again, our bullpen let us down in the 8th. Samardzija needs to throw strikes. Grabow needs to learn how to throw good strikes instead of leaving everything over the middle of the plate. But those are things that can be remedied - it's April, after all. I think they'll both figure it out and if they don't, I think Hendry will find someone who will. The Cubs have led in every game this year - I really think that all the experts have underestimated a Cubs team that won 97 games two years ago and were decimated by injuries last year. Marmol has been outstanding. If the Cubs can find an 8th inning shut-down guy, which we lost in Spring Training with the injury to Guzman, I think that the Cubs become a very difficult team in the NL. I don't buy the Cardinals - way too thin in the SP and I don't think that Franklin is going to be as lucky this year. The Brewers don't have any SP to speak of. The Cubs may be the deepest team in the NL in starting pitching. Look at it this way - Zambrano, Dempster, Lilly, Silva (the way he's been pitching), and Wells - those are 5 potential 15-game winners there, barring injury (knock on wood). Zambrano has been the only one who needs to step up and pitch like he's capable. I'll take my 5 against your 5 any day of the week in the NL.
The offense is also impressive. The Cubs have traditionally lived and died by the HR, but lately they've been playing small ball and capitalizing on power when necessary. Last year we didn't hit - this year Lee's been hot, Rami is hitting for power, and Byrd is looking very good in center (not to mention an all-around great guy, which solves the chemistry problem created by Hendry's asinine Bradley signing last year). It's only April, but this Cubs team is playing the way it needs to play - and if we can find some middle relief, than this is a very, very dangerous team in the NL.
The offense is also impressive. The Cubs have traditionally lived and died by the HR, but lately they've been playing small ball and capitalizing on power when necessary. Last year we didn't hit - this year Lee's been hot, Rami is hitting for power, and Byrd is looking very good in center (not to mention an all-around great guy, which solves the chemistry problem created by Hendry's asinine Bradley signing last year). It's only April, but this Cubs team is playing the way it needs to play - and if we can find some middle relief, than this is a very, very dangerous team in the NL.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Milwaukee series
The Cubs try to polish off the Brewers and move above .500 for the first (and hopefully, only) time this season. The Cubs got an offensive explosion in Game 1, and while Dempster wasn't sharp, he did what he had to do to win. With a big lead, you want to throw strikes and make the other guys put the ball in play. When you do that, chances are you're going to get outs. Braun hit a 3-run HR, but you can't keep both him and Fielder down indefinitely. He can hit all the 3-run HRs he wants as long as we have a 7-run lead. In Game 2, the Cubs made a fantastic comeback against former Cub LaTroy Hawkins. With none on and two outs in the 8th, the Cubs scored 4 runs to take a 7-6 lead and win the game. Marmol was fantastic again in the ninth, striking out the side for the 3rd straight outing. Here's to today's game, and let's get out brooms out!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Thoughts on Braves series
I managed to scrounge up tickets to all three games of the Braves series in Atlanta. Weather was perfect for all three games in Atlanta - a rarity - although the pollen was fun to deal with. According to weather.com, an "extremely high" pollen count is when over 120 particles of pollen congregate in a cubic meter of air. For the Wednesday game in Atlanta, the pollen count was 5,733. That's 5,733. Once more, 5,733. Needless to say, my nice black car collected a interesting yellow tint by the time we were through there. As for the baseball, about everything that could go wrong in Atlanta did. Game 1 was a disaster - Carlos pitched like he usually does in Opening Day games (poorly), and despite a promising start, we got shellacked. The umpires didn't help much, either - Ramirez got doubled off on an absolutely atrocious call in center. Incidentally, had the call been made correctly, the Cubs would have had the tying run at the plate. These things tend to even themselves out over the course of 162 games, but that's a tough call to stomach and the guy wouldn't even ask for help. Pathetic. The bullpen was also atrocious. After Marshall's masterful performance***, the bullpen couldn't get anybody out. Samardzija walked anyone who came into the stadium. Grabow was bad. Ugh. Terrible. Game 1 is a big blue flag, 16-5.
Game 2 started out much better. Dempster pitched extremely well. We managed to lead for most of the game until the bullpen decides to implode again, giving up a GW HR to Jones. Waste of a great performance by Demp.
For Game 3, I think Wells had seen enough, and he turned in a great outing of 6 shutout innings. The bullpen held together, and Marmol made Heyward look very, very, VERY bad on a three-pitch K in the 9th. I was really ready for that. The Braves fans seemed to think that Heyward was going to hit about .576 with 312 HRs and 9,873 RBIs this year, which may have been a record or something. It was about damn time we did something to that guy - he had gotten belt-high sinkers all series long before Marmol. About damn time somebody brought him down a peg.
One thing I really like about Turner Field is that there really isn't a bad seat anywhere. I'd been there a couple of times before - for 2 games in the 2003 NLDS and once for a 4th of July series with a buddy of mine from Emory University. For Opening Day we splurged and had great seats, in the 7th row behind the tarp on the 1st base side. The next two games we had upper deck seats, but they were right behind home plate. Great, fun weekend all around - sponsored (of course) by our good friends at Pabst Blue Ribbon. I think we helped their flagging stock prices significantly this weekend!
***Marshall is the unsung hero of the Cubs pitching staff. What I like about the guy is that he's been shuttled back and forth from the rotation to the bullpen, but he's never complained or moped about it. All he does is go out there and do his job, and he's been very successful in both roles. He's really a class act and a great guy to have on a pitching staff - I wish we had a few more Marshalls on the team.
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Game 2 started out much better. Dempster pitched extremely well. We managed to lead for most of the game until the bullpen decides to implode again, giving up a GW HR to Jones. Waste of a great performance by Demp.
For Game 3, I think Wells had seen enough, and he turned in a great outing of 6 shutout innings. The bullpen held together, and Marmol made Heyward look very, very, VERY bad on a three-pitch K in the 9th. I was really ready for that. The Braves fans seemed to think that Heyward was going to hit about .576 with 312 HRs and 9,873 RBIs this year, which may have been a record or something. It was about damn time we did something to that guy - he had gotten belt-high sinkers all series long before Marmol. About damn time somebody brought him down a peg.
One thing I really like about Turner Field is that there really isn't a bad seat anywhere. I'd been there a couple of times before - for 2 games in the 2003 NLDS and once for a 4th of July series with a buddy of mine from Emory University. For Opening Day we splurged and had great seats, in the 7th row behind the tarp on the 1st base side. The next two games we had upper deck seats, but they were right behind home plate. Great, fun weekend all around - sponsored (of course) by our good friends at Pabst Blue Ribbon. I think we helped their flagging stock prices significantly this weekend!
***Marshall is the unsung hero of the Cubs pitching staff. What I like about the guy is that he's been shuttled back and forth from the rotation to the bullpen, but he's never complained or moped about it. All he does is go out there and do his job, and he's been very successful in both roles. He's really a class act and a great guy to have on a pitching staff - I wish we had a few more Marshalls on the team.
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Sunday, April 4, 2010
Great article on realignment
Here's a link to a great article on the faulty logic behind realignment, written by Tim Marchman:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/tim_marchman/04/02/realignment.ideas/index.html?eref=sihp
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/tim_marchman/04/02/realignment.ideas/index.html?eref=sihp
Saturday, April 3, 2010
9th inning
The Final Four starts today. I must say, I really don't understand all the Duke-hating. Kids from a great academic school, breaking all the stereotypes in a power conference? For me, Coach K is proof that you can be successful while emphasizing the 'student' part of the 'student-athlete' equation. This isn't like Memphis or USC, where kids are one-and-done. I'm sure Coach K has had kids who have done that, but, seriously. Why is a school being vociferously attacked for producing good students and good athletes? Duke basketball is the model that every school in every sport should seek to emulate. If you're a scholarship player for a major school, you have a responsibility to your coach, your school, and - most importantly, yourself - to achieve as much as possible both in the classroom and out. To me, Duke epitomizes what is good about collegiate sports. This isn't one of the Bob Huggins teams where he graduates 0 players in a four year span. Duke's players seem to realize that they have responsibilities beyond those on the court. I applaud that, and I challenge anyone who thinks differently.
Castro smacks a double. This kid may be coming up sooner rather than later.
Castro on second, 1 down. Tracy flies out to right, Castro advances to third.
Baker now up. Shame about Coco Crisp, who just broke his finger sliding into second the last game before spring training. Crisp had surgery on both shoulders and his hammie in the offseason. Poor guy. You've got to feel for him.
K. On to the bottom of the 9th.
Caridad on for the 9th. Hopefully he will mix in some breaking pitches this time.
96 mph from Caridad results in a groundout, 5-3. Wow. Gas.
78 mph changeup from Caridad. Yow. Where was this in Mesa?
Back with 95. I like Brenly's calls here.
"Give it to a kid!" One of BB's great pieces of advice. If you catch a foul ball, and you're over 22, you give it to a kid. Period.
Base hit up the middle past a sliding Castro. One on, one out. Castro proved he can cover a hell of a lot of ground.
Another basehit through Caridad's legs. Ugh.
Runner one first and second, one out. Hawber up. Tailor-made double-play - 6-4-3. Cubs win!
Castro smacks a double. This kid may be coming up sooner rather than later.
Castro on second, 1 down. Tracy flies out to right, Castro advances to third.
Baker now up. Shame about Coco Crisp, who just broke his finger sliding into second the last game before spring training. Crisp had surgery on both shoulders and his hammie in the offseason. Poor guy. You've got to feel for him.
K. On to the bottom of the 9th.
Caridad on for the 9th. Hopefully he will mix in some breaking pitches this time.
96 mph from Caridad results in a groundout, 5-3. Wow. Gas.
78 mph changeup from Caridad. Yow. Where was this in Mesa?
Back with 95. I like Brenly's calls here.
"Give it to a kid!" One of BB's great pieces of advice. If you catch a foul ball, and you're over 22, you give it to a kid. Period.
Base hit up the middle past a sliding Castro. One on, one out. Castro proved he can cover a hell of a lot of ground.
Another basehit through Caridad's legs. Ugh.
Runner one first and second, one out. Hawber up. Tailor-made double-play - 6-4-3. Cubs win!
8th inning
Apologies. Got distracted by a phone call and the pressing need to replace vanity bulbs. This game, after all, is of crucial importance.
Adduci up again. Len, as he is prone to do, is waxing rhapsodic about the D'backs new pitcher's mustache. The D'backs pitcher, naturally, walks Adduci on 4 pitches.
Great play by the Dbacks first baseman. Double play.
Bob Brenly's son Michael now up. Mikey B takes a four-pitch walk.
Ryan Flaherty batting now, (aka Johnny McRando). Gotta love spring training (ed: exhibition games). Promptly Ks.
Dbacks 8th:
I'm excited that Lowell from Wings is making a real-life comeback as a voiceover guy for commercials. Just like in Sideways. Art imitating life, or vice-versa?
Good pick at Tracy at first - looks like he's the 2010 DeRo. One down. By the way, why in the hell did we trade DeRo?
Pop up to Castro for the second out.
Samardzija works a 1-2-3. Great job.
Adduci up again. Len, as he is prone to do, is waxing rhapsodic about the D'backs new pitcher's mustache. The D'backs pitcher, naturally, walks Adduci on 4 pitches.
Great play by the Dbacks first baseman. Double play.
Bob Brenly's son Michael now up. Mikey B takes a four-pitch walk.
Ryan Flaherty batting now, (aka Johnny McRando). Gotta love spring training (ed: exhibition games). Promptly Ks.
Dbacks 8th:
I'm excited that Lowell from Wings is making a real-life comeback as a voiceover guy for commercials. Just like in Sideways. Art imitating life, or vice-versa?
Good pick at Tracy at first - looks like he's the 2010 DeRo. One down. By the way, why in the hell did we trade DeRo?
Pop up to Castro for the second out.
Samardzija works a 1-2-3. Great job.
5th Inning
Cubs 5th:
Nady Ks.
Castro takes one to deep right-center and ends up with a triple.
Fukudome pops out to short.
Tracy now up. Clean single over shortstop. Good RBI there, and Castro scores.
Another single up the middle. 1st and second, two down.
Enright out of the game. Sidearmer Ellis now in.
Guyer up for the Cubs. Guyer walks, now Adduci up. Bases loaded, two down. Guyer singles, 2 runs in. 6-0 Cubs.
Fly out to right, Cubs out in the 5th.
D'backs 6th:
Cubs retired the side in the sixth.
Nady Ks.
Castro takes one to deep right-center and ends up with a triple.
Fukudome pops out to short.
Tracy now up. Clean single over shortstop. Good RBI there, and Castro scores.
Another single up the middle. 1st and second, two down.
Enright out of the game. Sidearmer Ellis now in.
Guyer up for the Cubs. Guyer walks, now Adduci up. Bases loaded, two down. Guyer singles, 2 runs in. 6-0 Cubs.
Fly out to right, Cubs out in the 5th.
D'backs 6th:
Cubs retired the side in the sixth.
4th inning
Cubs 4th:
Sori now up. Probably his last at bat for the day. He flies out to shallow right. One down.
Fontenot at bat. Flied out.
1-2-3.
D'backs 4th:
Liner out to left. One down.
Young now up. Grounds out to SS. Two down.
Base hit just to the SS. Tough play. Runner on 1st, two down.
Wells gets a third out.
Sori now up. Probably his last at bat for the day. He flies out to shallow right. One down.
Fontenot at bat. Flied out.
1-2-3.
D'backs 4th:
Liner out to left. One down.
Young now up. Grounds out to SS. Two down.
Base hit just to the SS. Tough play. Runner on 1st, two down.
Wells gets a third out.
3rd Inning
Cubs 3rd:
I really hope the Cubs bring Lou back for 2011, and I think they will. Taking the Cubs to the playoffs three times in four years normally would get you in line for sainthood on the Northside, but going 0-6 in two NLDS's doesn't really work in today's Chicago, especially when the Cardinals and White Sox have won the World Series this decade. All signs say that Hendry will re-sign Lou, and I'd be surprised if Sandberg - my favorite Cub of all time, incidentally - wasn't up as a major league coach in come capacity next year - they seem to be grooming him for the future.
Fontenot now up. We really need him to play well this year. MF responds by dropping one over first for a single.
WGN runs a promo which reminds me precisely why I hate the Black-Eyed Peas.
Robinson, a AAA catcher, now up. Robinson pokes one over in the exact same place Fontenot did - good hit. Runner at the corners for Wells. Well-executed hit and run there by Robinson.
Wells up, likely to bunt to eliminate the double-play. Bunt needs to go towards first base. Wells changes his mind and fouls one off. 1-1. This is why I like the NL - there so much more strategy involved in the NL than in the AL. The role of manager involves much more than simply writing out a lineup and making pitching changes. Wells gets down a good bunt. Well done.
The Riot now up looking for some RBIs. This guy has done nothing but win his entire career - college, minors, majors, you name it. He and Fontenot are both LSU products. 1-2 to Theriot after a good slider. Enright is locating really well. Nothing he throws is spectacular, but he knows how to pitch. Theriot goes right up the middle for a base hit, Fontenot scores, Robinson to third. Good at-bat by Theriot.
Kosuke at bat. The Riot may try to swipe second here. Enright seems more concerned with Theriot than Fukudome. Good sign for the Cubs. Fukudome flies out deep to left, RBI. Great to see the Cubs playing some small ball and getting the runners in when they have the chances - they're not trying to hit HRs everytime they have someone on base. Another good sign. Theriot swipes second on the deep fly to left.
Lee now up, runner on second and two down. Lee still having problems recognizing Enrights' slider. I love the way Lee plays - he never seems too worked up about anything, very graceful in the field and at bat. Definite leader of the Cubs.
Len informs us that there are a lot of games at big-league parks this coming week. I consider updating my resume for WGN yet again.
Lee walks, Theriot advances to 3rd on a wild pitch.
Rami now up. This is the situation where Rami needs to produce - he's usually an RBI machine, but he hasn't performed well in spring. But as we all know, spring matters not. Monday is when it matters.
WGN always has one camera dedicated to the 'cute girl cam.' The cute girls are apparently in abundance in Phoenix. I approve wholeheartedly. I consider applying for jobs at the University of Arizona. Then I remember it never rains there and temperatures are 105 in the summer. No thanks.
I'll give Rami this - he never gets cheated on a swing. 2-2. Very interesting power hitter - doesn't strike out much, willing to take a walk, and an RBI machine. Along with Lee, our best clutch hitter. Upton loses the ball in the sun and Rami gets credited for a cheap RBI. 3-0 Cubs.
Byrd rips a grounder to second for the final out.
D'Backs 3rd:
Ramirez, Lee, Byrd, Theriot all done for the day. Starlin Castro, top Cubs prospect, in at short.
Groundout to second - one down.
Wells goes inside and hits Jackson on the wrist - you hate to see that. Hope he's OK. No intent by Wells; two-seamer just got away from him. Jackson will leave the game, but that's to be expected in an exhibition game.
Stephen Drew up. Wells walks him.
Upton now up, looking to make up for his gaffe in the field last inning. Upton is 22 years old - that's scary. The sky's the ceiling for him. Runs well, hits for average, hits for power. Wells has lost his command here. 3-2 to Upton. Upton floats one up to center, Parra is gunned down at the plate by 30 feet. Terrible send by the D'backs third base coach with only one out.
Now two down, runners on first and second, LaRoche up. Grounds out to second. Wells works out of trouble.
I really hope the Cubs bring Lou back for 2011, and I think they will. Taking the Cubs to the playoffs three times in four years normally would get you in line for sainthood on the Northside, but going 0-6 in two NLDS's doesn't really work in today's Chicago, especially when the Cardinals and White Sox have won the World Series this decade. All signs say that Hendry will re-sign Lou, and I'd be surprised if Sandberg - my favorite Cub of all time, incidentally - wasn't up as a major league coach in come capacity next year - they seem to be grooming him for the future.
Fontenot now up. We really need him to play well this year. MF responds by dropping one over first for a single.
WGN runs a promo which reminds me precisely why I hate the Black-Eyed Peas.
Robinson, a AAA catcher, now up. Robinson pokes one over in the exact same place Fontenot did - good hit. Runner at the corners for Wells. Well-executed hit and run there by Robinson.
Wells up, likely to bunt to eliminate the double-play. Bunt needs to go towards first base. Wells changes his mind and fouls one off. 1-1. This is why I like the NL - there so much more strategy involved in the NL than in the AL. The role of manager involves much more than simply writing out a lineup and making pitching changes. Wells gets down a good bunt. Well done.
The Riot now up looking for some RBIs. This guy has done nothing but win his entire career - college, minors, majors, you name it. He and Fontenot are both LSU products. 1-2 to Theriot after a good slider. Enright is locating really well. Nothing he throws is spectacular, but he knows how to pitch. Theriot goes right up the middle for a base hit, Fontenot scores, Robinson to third. Good at-bat by Theriot.
Kosuke at bat. The Riot may try to swipe second here. Enright seems more concerned with Theriot than Fukudome. Good sign for the Cubs. Fukudome flies out deep to left, RBI. Great to see the Cubs playing some small ball and getting the runners in when they have the chances - they're not trying to hit HRs everytime they have someone on base. Another good sign. Theriot swipes second on the deep fly to left.
Lee now up, runner on second and two down. Lee still having problems recognizing Enrights' slider. I love the way Lee plays - he never seems too worked up about anything, very graceful in the field and at bat. Definite leader of the Cubs.
Len informs us that there are a lot of games at big-league parks this coming week. I consider updating my resume for WGN yet again.
Lee walks, Theriot advances to 3rd on a wild pitch.
Rami now up. This is the situation where Rami needs to produce - he's usually an RBI machine, but he hasn't performed well in spring. But as we all know, spring matters not. Monday is when it matters.
WGN always has one camera dedicated to the 'cute girl cam.' The cute girls are apparently in abundance in Phoenix. I approve wholeheartedly. I consider applying for jobs at the University of Arizona. Then I remember it never rains there and temperatures are 105 in the summer. No thanks.
I'll give Rami this - he never gets cheated on a swing. 2-2. Very interesting power hitter - doesn't strike out much, willing to take a walk, and an RBI machine. Along with Lee, our best clutch hitter. Upton loses the ball in the sun and Rami gets credited for a cheap RBI. 3-0 Cubs.
Byrd rips a grounder to second for the final out.
D'Backs 3rd:
Ramirez, Lee, Byrd, Theriot all done for the day. Starlin Castro, top Cubs prospect, in at short.
Groundout to second - one down.
Wells goes inside and hits Jackson on the wrist - you hate to see that. Hope he's OK. No intent by Wells; two-seamer just got away from him. Jackson will leave the game, but that's to be expected in an exhibition game.
Stephen Drew up. Wells walks him.
Upton now up, looking to make up for his gaffe in the field last inning. Upton is 22 years old - that's scary. The sky's the ceiling for him. Runs well, hits for average, hits for power. Wells has lost his command here. 3-2 to Upton. Upton floats one up to center, Parra is gunned down at the plate by 30 feet. Terrible send by the D'backs third base coach with only one out.
Now two down, runners on first and second, LaRoche up. Grounds out to second. Wells works out of trouble.
2nd inning
Cubs 2nd:
Good catch in left retires Rami.
Byrd up, he pops out to first.
Soriano now up, coming off a good game against the Rockies. Naturally, after I speak highly of him, he strikes out.
D'Backs 2nd:
Wells is one of those rare young pitchers who understands exactly how to pitch. He knows he doesn't have the 97 mph fastball to blow people away, so he pitches to contact, keeps the ball down, and gets people out. He doesn't over-think things, he just locates and changes speed very, very well for a young pitcher. I was very impressed with him last year and I hope this year is more of the same.
Wells gets a groundout to first, and then gives up a loopy double over Ramirez at third. Young now up, and he flies out to Byrd in center. Two down.
Johnson, former Brave, now up. I really think if the Cubs wanted to get Big Z to calm down, they just start slipping him some Xanax in his morning coffee. I must admit, though, I like the mean Z - if he would channel his mean streak towards the batters instead of the umpires, I think things would get better for him. Not to be a headhunter, but just to be mean and effective - think Randy Johnson or Clemens, minus the bird-killings or the steroids. Johnson walks.
First and second, two down. Great changeup by Wells, Snyder down on strikes.
Good catch in left retires Rami.
Byrd up, he pops out to first.
Soriano now up, coming off a good game against the Rockies. Naturally, after I speak highly of him, he strikes out.
D'Backs 2nd:
Wells is one of those rare young pitchers who understands exactly how to pitch. He knows he doesn't have the 97 mph fastball to blow people away, so he pitches to contact, keeps the ball down, and gets people out. He doesn't over-think things, he just locates and changes speed very, very well for a young pitcher. I was very impressed with him last year and I hope this year is more of the same.
Wells gets a groundout to first, and then gives up a loopy double over Ramirez at third. Young now up, and he flies out to Byrd in center. Two down.
Johnson, former Brave, now up. I really think if the Cubs wanted to get Big Z to calm down, they just start slipping him some Xanax in his morning coffee. I must admit, though, I like the mean Z - if he would channel his mean streak towards the batters instead of the umpires, I think things would get better for him. Not to be a headhunter, but just to be mean and effective - think Randy Johnson or Clemens, minus the bird-killings or the steroids. Johnson walks.
First and second, two down. Great changeup by Wells, Snyder down on strikes.
Cubs v. D'Backs - blogging yet again!
This isn't an official spring training game (rather, it's an 'exhibition game') but I figured I'd blog it anyway. Mostly because I don't feel like reading about genocide today.
Looks like most of the starters are in today for the Cubs. Robinson's in for Soto, and Randy Wells is the starter. Enright is pitching for the D'Backs.
Cubs 1st:
I'm excited about going to the Cubs' Opening Day for the first time ever on Monday. Getting the tickets, however, has been an absolute fiasco. If you ever get the change, buy tickets from any other company except for Vivid Tickets. Their 100% guarantee of on-time tickets is absolute bollocks. They promise to deliver the tickets to me by 4:30 on Monday. Too bad the game starts at 4:05. Bastards.
During my rant, Theriot strikes out.
Kosuke homered last night - good sign for him. I really think too much has been expected of him. He can hit better than he has, but he's not going to be a Hideki Matsui sort of player - his game is getting on base and making things happen. Fukudome grounds out to second.
Derrek now up. Derrek still not recognizing sliders. 0-2. Derrek lays off two subsequent sliders - 2-2. I think Derrek's one of the most underrated players in the NL - look at his stats over the past 5 years or so. If it wasn't for the fact that he plays in a division with a once-in-a-generation talent at his same position, I think he'd get a lot more attention. I don't think he minds it much, though. Lee swings through a FB, 1-2-3.
D'Backs 1st:
Some of friends and I went to the Florida Gators' baseball game last night against Vandy. It was an amusing evening. First, the UF women's gymnastics team gets recognized for advancing to the regionals in the quest for a national championship. As luck would have it, four of them sit in the row directly in front of my friends and I. The conversation starts out innocently enough - I had one of the baseball players in one of my classes once, and I noted that his grades were less than stellar. He was, however, a nice kid and came to class every day. The conversation turned to one of my friends who had also taught one of the players, and he had, let's say, less than stellar things to say about the athlete. One thing led to another, and sure enough, my moronic friends got the women's gymnastics team at UF to get up and move away from us. This led to those of us who were completely innocent berating the ones of us who weren't for running off a group of attractive and purportedly flexible young women.
Soon thereafter, we are forced to pay for our transgressions. A youngish mother and her 8 or 10 year old come and sit behind us, and apparently the mother figured that her idea of a good Friday night was getting her child hopped up on sugar, not giving him his medication, and bringing him to sit right behind us. This child was reminiscent of a siren with Tourette's. He would yell "ICE CREAM" in what I can only describe as a demonic growl, and I half expected to turn around to see his head spinning around 360 degrees a la Linda Blair and him vomiting split pea soup all over Roger or Jim. In short, his antics wore Roger and I thin and we left in the 7th inning. As we left, who should we see but that devil child fighting other children for more candy tossed out by an Easter Bunny in the concourse. On the way home, I consider driving to Orlando for an immediate vasectomy.
Soriano makes a good catch in deep left for the first out. Tricky play.
Rami makes a good play in foul territory for the second out.
1-2-3 for Wells. Well done.
Looks like most of the starters are in today for the Cubs. Robinson's in for Soto, and Randy Wells is the starter. Enright is pitching for the D'Backs.
Cubs 1st:
I'm excited about going to the Cubs' Opening Day for the first time ever on Monday. Getting the tickets, however, has been an absolute fiasco. If you ever get the change, buy tickets from any other company except for Vivid Tickets. Their 100% guarantee of on-time tickets is absolute bollocks. They promise to deliver the tickets to me by 4:30 on Monday. Too bad the game starts at 4:05. Bastards.
During my rant, Theriot strikes out.
Kosuke homered last night - good sign for him. I really think too much has been expected of him. He can hit better than he has, but he's not going to be a Hideki Matsui sort of player - his game is getting on base and making things happen. Fukudome grounds out to second.
Derrek now up. Derrek still not recognizing sliders. 0-2. Derrek lays off two subsequent sliders - 2-2. I think Derrek's one of the most underrated players in the NL - look at his stats over the past 5 years or so. If it wasn't for the fact that he plays in a division with a once-in-a-generation talent at his same position, I think he'd get a lot more attention. I don't think he minds it much, though. Lee swings through a FB, 1-2-3.
D'Backs 1st:
Some of friends and I went to the Florida Gators' baseball game last night against Vandy. It was an amusing evening. First, the UF women's gymnastics team gets recognized for advancing to the regionals in the quest for a national championship. As luck would have it, four of them sit in the row directly in front of my friends and I. The conversation starts out innocently enough - I had one of the baseball players in one of my classes once, and I noted that his grades were less than stellar. He was, however, a nice kid and came to class every day. The conversation turned to one of my friends who had also taught one of the players, and he had, let's say, less than stellar things to say about the athlete. One thing led to another, and sure enough, my moronic friends got the women's gymnastics team at UF to get up and move away from us. This led to those of us who were completely innocent berating the ones of us who weren't for running off a group of attractive and purportedly flexible young women.
Soon thereafter, we are forced to pay for our transgressions. A youngish mother and her 8 or 10 year old come and sit behind us, and apparently the mother figured that her idea of a good Friday night was getting her child hopped up on sugar, not giving him his medication, and bringing him to sit right behind us. This child was reminiscent of a siren with Tourette's. He would yell "ICE CREAM" in what I can only describe as a demonic growl, and I half expected to turn around to see his head spinning around 360 degrees a la Linda Blair and him vomiting split pea soup all over Roger or Jim. In short, his antics wore Roger and I thin and we left in the 7th inning. As we left, who should we see but that devil child fighting other children for more candy tossed out by an Easter Bunny in the concourse. On the way home, I consider driving to Orlando for an immediate vasectomy.
Soriano makes a good catch in deep left for the first out. Tricky play.
Rami makes a good play in foul territory for the second out.
1-2-3 for Wells. Well done.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
9th
Rockies 9th:
Caridad on for the Cubs in the 9th. 0.00 ERA and 1 walk in 12 innings this spring. He'll be the primary set-up guy for Marmol this year. First batter flies out to Colvin in moderately deep center. One down.
Eric Young Jr. now up. Caridad has a good FB with some movement on it - he's been in the high 80s/low 90s so far. EYJ dumps one over the SS for a single. Caridad featuring exclusively FBs right now - a good changeup or a slider could get us a game ending DP.
Caridad hangs a changeup and it's dumped over the third baseman for a single. First and 2nd with one out and Melvin Mora up. Mora jumps on the first pitch and bounces into a 5-4-3 double play. Cubs win, 2-0.
8th
Rockies 8th:
Jeff Gray now in to pitch. Fireballer we got in the Fox/Gallagher trade. He's been out most of the spring with a groin problem. Throws strikes. It's weird seeing another Cub wear #34. That may take some getting used to.
Fowler walks after I complimented Gray's control. Fitting. Spillbourghs now up, he's 2-3 today. Fowler is a speed demon, so he may be going here, although the meat of the lineup is due.
Len is talking about Spillbourghs' facial hair. I search frantically for a pencil to jam in my ear.
Spillbourghs bounces an infield hit to third; 1st and 2nd with nobody out and Helton up.
Helton way late on a FB. 0-1. Helton flies out and runners hold. One out.
Gomez up for Tulo. Gomez drops a hit between 2nd and RF but Kosuke forces Spillbourghs at 2nd - not much Spillbourghs could have done there. Strange play.
Two down, runner on 1st and 3rd. Jay Payton up. Quickly down 0-2. Payton grounds out to 2nd - Gray does a nice job of working out of trouble.
Cubs 8th:
Speier in to pitch, and Kosuke bounces out to short. One down.
Jackson up. Good prospect, first round pick last year. Jackson hits one high and deep but Spillbourghs catches it at the wall. Misses a HR by about 2 feet. Two outs.
Tracy now up and knocks a base hit to right; Spillbourghs misplays it and Tracy ends up on second. Good heads-up baserunning.
LaHair at bat, and he's a big dude. But he pops out to the catcher and we're off to the 9th inning.
7th:
Rockies 7th:
Samardzija in for Marmol. Colvin in for Byrd, LaHair in for Lee, Jackson in for Soriano.
Samardzija gets a line-out. I think Samardzija's biggest problem is that when he's ahead in the count he often gets too much of the plate. There he was up 1-2 and he grooved a fastball. Lucky that he got an out on that one.
Olivo pokes a single into left. One on, one out, Stewart coming up. Samardzija now out of the game and the Cubs' LH specialist (Grabow) is in to face Stewart. Grabow's a strange lefty - he does much better against righties than lefties. I think he's one of the biggest parts of the Cubs bullpen - if he can consistently get lefties out, then the Cubs are in good shape in bridging the gap to Marmol.
Grabow immediately falls behind Stewart 2-0 with two sliders off the outside corner. Grabow promptly walks Stewart. Poor job. Grabow needs to throw a double-play here to get out of the inning. Two on, one out.
Herrera takes 2 strikes - good changeup for strike 2. Filthy, filthy changeup and Herrera strikes out.
Jason Giambi in to pinch-hit. Grabow grooves an 87 mph fastball and luckily Giambi misses it. That one was belt-high. LaHair makes a nice play to knock down a rope from Giambi and Grabow beats him to the bag. Decent play all around, even though Grabow let an 0-2 pitch get way too much of the plate and LaHair didn't field the ball cleanly - Giambi drilled that ball.
Cubs 7th:
Hill leads off the 7th, super-rookie Colvin on deck. Rockies have a LHP in to pitch now, Joe Beibel. Hill flies out to RF.
Colvin hasn't walked at all this spring. That's amazing. However, he's batting .459 and has 17 RBIs. This kid has mashed all spring long. If I was hitting .459 I don't think I'd look for a walk either. Colvin looks awful on a good curveball and strikes out.
None on, two out. Young SS Hak-Ju Lee up for the first time. Lee pops out to third, 1-2-3 inning.
6th
Rockies 6th:
2-3-4 hitters here. Silva hasn't thrown many pitches and has looked good against a potent Rockies lineup. May get another inning after the sixth, depending on who the Cubs want to work out of the 'pen. Hak-Ju Lee in at SS for The Riot. Cubs are really stacked at SS with Theriot, Lee, and wunderkind Castro. Lee may end up as trade bait later on down the line if Castro is everything scouts have said he is.
Len announces he's gone to erasable ink this year for his scorecards. I restrain my desire to yell at the television and to question WGN's hiring practices. This moron has one of the best jobs in sports - WGN, just letting you know that I'm available. Silva is done and Marmol is coming in with a runner on first and nobody out.
Marmol has walked 6 in 10 innings in spring. He needs to improve that.
Spillbourghs tries to steal second and Hill makes a perfect throw. Spillbourghs out at second, with Helton up. Helton doesn't look pleased.
Len informs us that if the catcher drops a foul on the third strike, it's not a strikeout. Thanks again, Kasper.
Marmol freezes Helton - 2 down.
Tulo up, nobody on, two down. This guy is a beast when he's healthy. Fastball gets away from Marmol and goes right where Tulo's head was. Not Marmol's best fastball - only 91 mph - but this may have been a bit of retribution for Francis drilling Ramirez earlier. Safe to say Tulo won't be digging in. Marmol then drops a slider right on the outside corner. That's just not fair after a FB up around the shoulders. Tulo nowhere near another slider and he strikes out.
Good outing by Marmol. When he throws strikes, he's just filthy. I think this is the year where he puts it all together. He has the nastiest stuff the baseball, in my opinion.
Cubs 6th:
Tulo out and Daley in for Francis.
Lee, Tracy, Byrd due up. Lee crushes one to center and Fowler gets turned around - leadoff double for Lee. Those are the toughest balls to field, the ones that are right at you. It's so hard to see how hard the ball is coming and how to judge it. Jackson in to run for Lee.
Tracy needs to pull the ball and get Jackson over to third here. Tracy decides he'd rather take two strikes first, both of which were inside and eminently pull-able pitches. Tracy strikes out on a pitch way out of the zone. Horrible, horrible at-bat. At the very least you have to move the runner over there. That's inexcusable for a major leaguer.
Byrd up, 1 out. He strikes out as well. This is the kind of situation where the Cubs failed so much last year - runner in scoring position and the Cubs can't move him over and get him in. If Tracy moves Jackson over to 3rd that makes Byrd's at-bat much easier - all he has to do is really make good contact to get the run in.
Soriano up, 2 down. Soriano comes through for us by blasting a 2-run HR over the left field wall. He's 3-3. Good sign. If you put a pitch middle-in to Soriano, he doesn't miss those very much. The HR was on a breaking pitch as well - great job by 'Fonzi. 2-0 Cubs.
Baker grounds out, inning over. Cubs lead, 2-0.
5th
Rockies 5th:
Ball gets past Lee and Rockies have a runner at 2nd. Silva gets a pop out. Francis grounds out and shatters his bat. Runner on third, two down.
Fowler up, takes a strike. Fowler bounces to second, Silva escapes again.
Cubs 5th:
Hendry was in the booth for the Rockies 5th, and Kasper made sure he was asking the hard-hitting questions: "You like this team going out of Spring Training, don't you?" What GM with a $100-million-plus payroll doesn't like their team coming out of ST? Jesus, Len.
Silva wants to make sure the Cubs make their flight, I guess - swings at the first pitch and grounds out to Helton.
The Riot now up. He looks like he's really closed his stance this spring - that may help him take the ball to RF more often. Good adjustment by him. Theriot walks - should be running with 1 out in a scoreless game, although I know nothing about Olivo's arm behind the plate.
Kosuke at bat. 1-2 to Fukudome. Francis hangs a breaking ball but KF taps it to Helton. Double play.
4th
Len Kasper is such a twit. I wish the Cubs would find a good announcer to pair with Brenly.
Also, does Harold Reynolds have to stay 50 feet away from Hazel Mae at all times?
Rockies 4th:
Spillbourghs flies out on the first pitch. Soto already out of the game.
Helton flies out to Sori. Two down.
Silva's been ahead of almost every batter today - good stuff there. Tulo pokes a single through to left.
Smith up. Quickly down 0-2. Len Kasper is now worried about what the L and W stand for on Tulo's eyeblack. Be still, my heart. Silva throws a good cutback sinker, but somehow doesn't get the call. Great pitch there, froze Smith. Silva hangs a slider and Smith singles again. He's 2-2. Tough break for Silva on that 1-2 pitch.
First and 3rd, 2 down. Olivo up. Good curve from Silva, 0-2. Olivo way ahead of that one. Good changeup from Silva, pop-up to Baker. Good pitch.
Cubs 4th:
Rami gets plunked and is replaced by Tracy as a precaution. Byrd promptly grounds into a double play.
Sori smacks one into left-center for a single. One on, two down.
Baker up. Baker gets a good pitch to hit on 2-0 but fouls it off. Baker walks. Koyie Hill, who replaced Geo, is now up.
Hill is a solid backup. He hit really well at first when Soto went down, but tailed off as the year progressed. I'm not sure he calls as good a game as Henry Blanco did, but he's a good backup and gives you good at-bats. Hill down 0-2 after a really questionable strike call - seemed really low. Hill grounds out.
3rd
Rockies 3rd:
Silva does have great movement on that sinker. If he can keep it down he can be very effective. Herrera bounces out to Baker. 1 out.
Francis Ks, 2 down.
Fowler hits Silva, but Silva throws him out at first. Silva showing some good fielding skills on the mound, especially for a big guy.
Cubs 3rd:
Theriot bounces out. Hands down my favorite player on the Cubs.
Kosuke shows bunt - good idea. Gives defenses something else to think about. He's fast enough to beat some of those out. Kosuke blasts one to the warning track - good pop on that one, but caught.
Derrek takes a horrible swing for strike 1. Good rip but Derrek grounds out for the second time.
2nd
Rockies 2nd:
Silva still featuring sinker/changeup. Finally flips a slider into the dirt. Leaves another one middle-in, Smith drills it to right but Kosuke's throw is perfect and Smith is dead-to-rights at second. Kosuke is really underrated as a defensive outfielder - very accurate arm and makes all the plays he should. One out.
Silva leaves a changeup up in the zone but gets a grounder to Theriot. 2 down.
Silva really needs to find a pitch to fool lefthanders. He throws a good comeback sinker, like Maddux used to do, but he needs to bury a slider in to the lefthanders. Stewart pops up to end the inning.
Cubs 2nd:
Rami gets caught looking on an inside fastball/cutter. Not a good at-bat.
Byrd is built like a Mack truck. Dude is deezed. Bounces a single through the right side for the first Cubs hit.
Soriano takes a good hack and fouls it off. Then way ahead of a changeup. Is he ever going to learn how to hit off-speed and breaking pitches? I hope Jaramillo can get him back to where he needs to be - I think if he can give us 25/85 we'll be in great shape. Sori rips one to left for a single.
Baker up against his former team. 2-1 to Baker - should get a good pitch to hit here. Way inside, 3-1. Borderline pitch for 3-2. OK to take that one, couldn't have done much with it anyway. Geo on deck. Baker takes strike 3 but Byrd and Soriano pull off a double steal. Much closer at third than it should have been.
Geo up, ducks on the pond, 2 down. Geo looks like he's standing too far away from the plate - I don't know if he can cover the outside corner. 3-1 to Geo, Silva on deck. Geo may not get anything to hit here. IBB to Geo.
Bases loaded, Silva up, 2 outs. Silva up hacking and fouls one off. I think I would have made him throw me a strike first - Francis has been behind almost every hitter this inning. Silva takes a good hack at a waist-high fastball. Topper to 3rd goes foul. Fouls another one off - CS battling here. Impressive for a career AL pitcher. Poor hack on the outside corner, Silva Ks. Francis escapes.
1st inning
Rockies 1st:
Spillbourghs Texas-Leagues one to right for a single.
Silva's getting ahead of the hitters - that's a good sign. Needs to mix in some breaking pitchers - everything has been a sinker or a changeup to the first 3 batters.
Good changeup; Helton out in front and pops up to center.
Silva makes a great play on a screamer up the middle. Silva doesn't throw a breaking ball in the first inning.
Cubs 1st:
Theriot gets a good pitch to hit and grounds out to 2nd. Francis has been tattooed all spring - ERA over 7.
Kosuke jumps on the first pitch, makes good contact, but Fowler runs it down in the gap.
Derrek swings at a terrible 2-0 pitch off the outside corner and grounds out to Francis. He needs to be patient and get a pitch he can do something with or at least take that pitch to right field. 1-2-3 for Francis.
Last Spring Training Game, 2010 - Cubs v. Rockies
Four days until Opening Day! Silva starting for the Cubs, Francis for the Rockies. Rockies are starting most of their opening day lineup, as are the Cubs with the possible exception of Baker over Fontenot at second.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Suggestions for Improving MLB
Baseball is, in my humble opinion, the best professional sport and the quintessential American game. However, modern baseball can be improved significantly - the following opinions are my nine suggestions for improving the game.
1). Allow the game to police itself. One thing I am very tired of is having suits in the front offices decide what constitutes an offense in the game. While the pendulum inevitably swings between favoring offense and favoring pitching, depending on what era one is in, the pendulum has recently swung far beyond what should be acceptable in professional baseball. For example, pitchers today are rarely allowed to throw inside effectively without umpires jumping the gun and issuing unnecessary warnings, which effectively handcuffs pitchers. To be clear, I'm not advocating headhunting. However, effective pitchers need to control the inside part of the plate and instill a healthy sense of fear in the batter. Today, if pitchers go inside they are often warned at the umpire's discretion . That is a key phrase: at the umpire's discretion. In recent years, umpires have issued warnings that make absolutely no sense. A couple of years ago in Atlanta, a player hit three HRs off Atlanta pitching. In the first inning of the next game, the player was knocked down by an inside fastball. The very next inning, the opposing starter immediately knocked down the first batter he faced and was promptly ejected. Um, WHAT? These are the kinds of things that make no sense in baseball today. Allow pitchers to protect their teammates, ensure that any player who is disrespecting the game or showing up another player has to face the consequences, and the game will become much more exciting and equitable. If you stand and admire a HR, just know that the next pitch will be right in the middle of your back. That's how baseball was, and that's how it should be. Players know what is acceptable and what isn't, and let them decide what needs to be punished, when, and how.
2). Eliminate the DH. This goes along, in some aspects, with my first point about policing the game. American League pitchers can go inside as much as they want knowing that they will never have to face retribution by not having to bat. The DH came about as a gimmick to increase attendance in an era where pitching dominated (if I remember correctly, the DH came about the year after Carl Yastrzemski won the batting title with a .302 average). Bring back the strategy involved with pitchers hitting - bunting, hitting the ball to the correct field, and so on.
3). Eliminate the All-Star Game deciding home-field advantage in the World Series. This is ridiculous. Having an exhibition game determine something as important as home-field advantage is an affront to the regular season. This was also a gimmick brought about by the fact that Bud Selig allowed the All-Star Game to end in a tie a few years ago. As Selig usually does, he completely overreacted and now a game that is meant as a showcase for the players and a treat for the fans, where Little League rules seem to apply (managers try to get everybody to play; every team gets a player on the team, et cetera), now has an immense effect on who wins the World Series. The team with the best regular season record gets home-field advantage in the World Series. Period.
4). Institute a meaningful salary cap. While I am diametrically opposed to the realignment idea, the reasoning behind such a drastic suggestion is rooted in a real concern. Some teams are always going to be richer than other, and some teams are always going to be more liberal with their free-agent spending. That's a fact of professional sports that isn't limited to MLB. The luxury tax is a good first step, but I don't think it goes far enough. I'm not sure what a fair cap would be in financial terms, but teams shouldn't be allowed to spend $423.5 million on free agents in one offseason as the Yankees did in 2008. One way to minimize the "Yankee Impact" could be to require that a team spends a certain percentage of its payroll on the farm system and player development. While that wouldn't necessarily curtail the emphasis on free agency, it would force teams to develop talent rather than simply pillage the smaller market teams. Connected with this idea, a minimum payroll should also be instituted. From time to time some teams will have to go into rebuilding mode with a small payroll, but situations like the Marlins' firesales in 1998 and 2004 should be outlawed.
5). Toughen drug testing. One thing MLB has done well over the past few years, although they were extremely slow in addressing the problem, has been to implement a stringent drug-testing policy with severe consequences. I'd like to see still tougher policies, though - one positive test means a year suspension, and a second positive test means you're out of the game. Forever.
6). Return the Brewers to the American League. It's absolutely unbelievable that Bud Selig was able to get away with moving the Brewers, the team he used to own to the NL Central - where he thought they'd be more competitive. While this has not proven to be the case, it has upset the balance of the AL and NL. There is, simply put, no reason for the NL Central to have 6 teams and the AL West 4. My solution would be to move the Royals to the AL West and return the Brewers to the AL Central. While it's tough to imagine Kansas City as a western city, it's only slightly further east than Arlington, where the Rangers play. Following these steps would give every Major League division 5 teams and interleague play would still allow these geographical rivalries to develop.
7). Sanction baseball academies in Latin America. One of the most stomach-turning moments in recent memory was the story coming out of Washington where the GM or the GM's assistant was pocketing bonus money supposedly ticketed for Latin American recruits who had signed with the team. By sanctioning academies in Latin America, MLB can ensure that young prospects - some of who are signed when they are 16 years old, perhaps even younger - are not exploited.
8). Enhance programs like R.B.I. The Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program is one of the better programs MLB has created in recent years. Ensure that MLB players, especially African-American and Latino players, serve as community liaisons with their home cities.
9). Eliminate maple bats. If you've watched any baseball in the past few years, you may have noticed that more and more players are using maple bats. MLB actually broached this subject in 2006 but the players shouted down the suggestion. The fact of the matter is that maple bats shatter, while ash - the traditional wood used for bats - cracks. A few years ago Rick Helling, a former major league pitcher, was impaled by a maple bat which had shattered while pitching for the minor-league Nashville Sounds. It is only a matter of time before a maple bat shatters and hits a fan, especially in parks where fans are particularly close to the action (such as Wrigley Field or Fenway Park). Maple bats need to be outlawed before a fan or player is seriously injured or killed.
Cubs' Roster Finalized; Williams to be Immortalized with Statue at Wrigley
2010 Roster Preview
The bullpen - along with whether or not the Cubs can stay healthy - is the major challenge facing this Cubs team. I feel Marmol is set for a monster year, but the bridge to Marmol could be interesting. Grabow hasn't particularly impressed in spring, but Esmailin Caridad has been phenomenal - he hasn't given up an earned run in 11 spring innings, striking out 10 and walking only 1. He was equally devastating as a late-season call up in the major last season, so Caridad may be Marmol v. 2.0 as a set-up guy this year. Samardzija, Marshall, Berg, and Russell round out the bullpen. The Cubs' bullpen possesses a talented stable of arms capable of bringing it in the mid- to high-90s - as they always seem to have - but control and consistency remains a question. The other big question is whether or not the Cubs can find a consistent left-handed arm behind Sean Marshall.
I really like the offense this year as well. Everyone is healthy, and the spring has been uneventful by Cubs' standards (always a good thing). Ramirez is still sore, but by all accounts will be 100% for 5 April. Soriano, Byrd, and Fukudome should be a solid defensive outfield when you include Soriano's arm (the NL has learned not to run on him, despite his adventures at times with the glove). Colvin has torn the cover off the ball all spring, and can play any outfield position. Nady is a veteran bat and presence off the bench. As for the infield, Fontenot has hit well this spring, Theriot is doing what he always does, and Lee and Ramirez are set for another .300/25/90 apiece. I was disappointed Millar didn't make the team; it seems he was great for the clubhouse and totally revamped the chemistry after the Bradley disaster. However, this is the major leagues - with only 25 roster spots it's hard to reserve a roster spot for a 'chemstry guy' who probably wouldn't add all that much off of the bench. Tracy and Baker are able fill-ins and decent bats off the bench. Should Soto bounce back, the Cubs could have a very dangerous lineup in the NL Central.
The farm also has some candidates who seem ready to perform should injuries once again wrack this team. Starlin Castro will likely see some time this summer, although the Cubs need to figure out whether he or Theriot will move to second should Fontenot not perform. Jay Jackson (a fellow Furman University grad!) struck out 72 and walking only 13 in 50 innings of work (and with a 2.88 ERA) while moving through three levels of the minors last year. The Cubs needs to figure out whether Cashner is a SP or RP, and once his role is set he should become more comfortable. Josh Vitters is still very young but could make serious strides this year as well.
All in all, I'm optimistic for this season. I don't buy the common opinion that the Cardinals are far and away the best team in this division. They can mash, sure, but I think overall the Cubs are a much more balanced team should they stay healthy. However, we've learned in Chicago never to bet against Dave Duncan and what he can do with reclamation projects. Still, if the Cubs stay healthy it should be an interesting summer on the Northside.
Billy Williams
The Cubs also made a very classy move today when they announced plans to build a statue of Billy Williams at Wrigley, as they have done before with Harry Caray and Ernie Banks. Amazingly, Williams gets lost in the conversation about the greatest Cubs of all-time. He and Banks formed a formidable one-two punch in the Cubs' lineup and made them two of the most feared hitters in the NL. He was a monster in his playing days and has continued to represent himself as a class act and a class person through his association with the Cubs since his retirement. It's great to see an organization continue to work with their living legends to familiarize a whole new generation of Cubs fans to these great players. Congrats, Billy!
Thoughts on Potential Realignment
First, I must admit that I am a rabid opponent of Bud Selig. I think that he has done more during his tenure as Commissioner to harm baseball than anyone since Kennesaw Mountain Landis actively sought to maintain institutional racism in baseball. This is a commissioner who has already realigned divisions once to ensure that the team he once owned and which was still in his family (the Milwaukee Brewers) could have what he viewed as a more reasonable shot to win the World Series. As such, Selig moved the Brewers to the National League Central, which is the reason why we have unbalanced leagues in baseball today. That being said, I was 100% opposed to the Wild Card and interleague play when it was introduced, yet I'll be the first to admit today that they have done much to increase interest in and excitement in the game. I'm sure it's really neat for players who are career AL players to get to play in Wrigley Field and NL lifers to play in Fenway and so on. However, this new realignment is an abomination. From what I understand through what has been written, the major momentum behind the realignment talk comes from those who want to see the Rays succeed in Tampa (i.e. Selig and his cronies). The idea is that smaller market teams like the Rays have no chance to succeed against teams who spend hundreds of millions of dollars per year in order to chase World Series championships. First, my objection to this is on a competitive level. Granted, the Yankees and Red Sox - to name the two most commonly-cited antagonists - do have huge wealth reserves which allow them to sign free agents. My first argument is that free agency signings do not guarantee a World Series championship. Look at the Yankees from 1996 - 2000. While they did have deep pockets and free agent signings were important in their championship runs, the core of those Yankee teams were developed by the Yankees through their farm system. Jeter, Posada, Williams, and Rivera all came up through the Yankee system and have been - more or less - the core of the team ever since. The Florida Marlins in 2003 are another team that won the World Series through player development, creative trades, and free agent signings that strengthened their club. In the last two years, the Phillies have gone to the World Series behind the offensive prowess of Ryan Howard and Chase Utley - two players the Phillies drafted and developed. If the Rays are serious about contending perennially in the AL East, then they should work to develop their scouting and player development. Secondly, the argument that the Rays can't compete in the AL East is ludicrous. The Rays are all but one full season removed from a World Series appearance (2008 against the Phillies). Without spending ungodly amounts of money, they have succeeded in developing elite talent such as Carl Crawford, Evan Longoria, and B.J. Upton. Third, while I must admit I do not follow the negotiations between the players' union and MLB as closely as I should, it seems that if MLB is so concerned about financial balance between clubs then serious, productive negotiations concerning a salary cap should begin. There are many creative, intelligent people who work both for MLBPA and MLB, and if they are honestly concerned about competitive financial balance enough to begin to explore realignment than I believe that a solution could be found which would not upend a system that already seems to be working. One of the greatest things about baseball, which differentiates it from other sports, is that over 162 games there are no flukes. The teams that best develop their talent, collect the missing pieces, and inspire them to perform at the highest possible levels earn their way into the postseason. Divisional realignment to give some teams a perceived "better" chance to gain a postseason berth only rewards organizational mediocrity and outright ineptitude rather than rewarding teams who consistently draft, nurture, and develop major-league talent and augment that talent with prescient free-agent signings.
AL Predictions
I don't care much for the AL (I'll spare you my thoughts on the DH), but here's my concise analysis of the AL divisions:
1). Yankees - simply too much. Have all the pieces to win #28.
2). Red Sox - solid, solid team. Will battle with the Rays for the Wild Card.
3). Rays - runaway division winners in any other division. Geography sucks.
4). Toronto - can absolutely mash, but pitching won't keep them afloat in tough AL East.
5). Orioles - lots of good young talent: better days are on the horizon.
AL Central
1). Twins - they play the game the right way and always seem to find a way to win. How quickly can they find a substitute for Nathan?
2). Detroit - they'll go as far as their starting rotation will take them. Does Bonderman bounce back?
3). Indians - lots of young talent here. How quickly will they develop?
4). White Sox - no idea where the offense is going to come from this year. The drama between Williams and Guillen is already at mid-season form.
5). Royals - slowly starting to put the right pieces together. Grienke is phenomenal, and Callaspo, Butler, and Gordon give them a good young core.
AL West
1). Angels - best managed team in the AL. Have all the pieces to make a deep postseason run.
2). Seattle - nasty, nasty rotation with Hernandez and Lee at the top. Figgins takes some of the pressure off of Ichiro and they have enough power to give the Angels a run in the West.
3). Texas - Texas makes the AL West similar to the NL East. Very close in talent to the Mariners. Lots of talented young players - how quickly they develop will determine how quickly the Rangers can challenge for the West title.
4). Oakland - some interesting young players, but simply not enough there to compete in a tough division.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
2010 NL West
1). Rockies
2). Giants
3). Dodgers
4). Diamondbacks
5). Padres
1). Rockies - The Rockies may be the only team in the NL that can seriously challenge the Phillies both offensively and defensively. The Colorado rotation, once so maligned in Mile High, has become one of the strengths of the team. Jeff Francis, a key to the 2007 World Series run, returns after missing all of 2009. Ubaldo Jimenez returns after a a 15-win 2009 season, also with a sub-4.00 ERA. Aaron Cook has won 27 games the past two years while missing time in 2009 due to injury. The number 4 starter won 16 games last year. Simply put, these Rockies know how to pitch. Offensively this is a diverse, multitalented team. Fowler and Gonzalez give the Rockies speed and versatility in the OF. Barmes, Stewart, and Hawpe provide serious pop while Helton, Tulowitzki, and Hawpe (again) provide average. The bench is deep and talented, and the bullpen - should Houston Street remain healthy - should be one of the better 'pens in the league. This is a team that is healthy after winning 92 games even while dealing with major injuries in 2009.
2). Giants - The Giants boast one of the best one-two pitching punches in the major leagues. This is a team that won 88 games with an offense that brings to mind the teams of the deadball era. Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain are brilliant, and should Zito and Wellemeyer return to form and Sanchez continue to develop they have the potential to have the deepest rotation in the majors. However, this is a team that will carry them as far as the offense will allow. Sandoval is the team's most potent threat, and the Giants need DeRosa, Huff, Rowand, and Molina to play up to their potential in order to pose a serious challenge to the Rockies. The bullpen is solid, particularly with Wilson at the closer's spot, but this is a team that needs to find some power hitting to make a deep run in the NL West.
3). Dodgers - It's tough to pick the Dodgers to finish third in the West, particularly after their 95-win regular season and their NLCS run in 2009. The Dodgers have a young, deep lineup and a very talented pitching staff. Kershaw, Billingsley, and Kuroda give the Dodgers three very good young pitchers, and they haven't reached their potential yet. Broxton is simply filthy; along with Marmol of the Cubs, Broxton has some of the nastiest pure stuff in the major leagues. Ethier, Kemp, Martin, and Loney give the Dodgers a young core that will produce for years to come. However, it remains to be seen how much of a distraction the team's front-office domestic dispute will become. If Manny and Furcal return to form this will be a very dangerous team indeed. If the Dodgers can overcome the front-office turmoil, and if they can get the pieces they need at the trading deadline, than the Dodgers could find themselves atop the logjam in the NL West.
4). Diamondbacks - it's hard to know what to think of the D'backs. This is a team that simply has too much talent to go 70 -92, yet that's exactly what they did in 2009. Even with a questionable Brandon Webb (a perennial Cy Young candidate when healthy), Haren, Jackson, and Kennedy should allow the D'backs to compete all year. Offensively, the D'backs are a good mix of righties and lefties and of power and speed. LaRoche, Montero, Reynolds, Young, and Upton provide adequate power, but this is a team that needs to focus on getting on base. The bullpen is adequate but not spectacular. This is a solid team, but not quite up to the caliber of the Colorado/San Francisco/Los Angeles triumvirate.
5). Padres - The Padres are one of the weaker teams in the National League. Outside Gonzalez (who will, in all probability, be shipped elsewhere during the season) and Kouzmanoff, this is an unspectacular team. Headley and Cabrera are good young talents, yet there simply isn't enough around them to make keeping Gonzalez a worthwhile endeavor. Correia had a solid year, but Garland has already complained of shoulder soreness and it remains to be seen how serious this injury is. The Padres simply don't have enough to compete in a stacked NL West, and will likely end up in a distant fifth-place finish.
2010 NL East
1. Phillies
2. Braves/Marlins
4. Mets
5. Nats
1). Phillies - Simply put, this is the best team in the NL, as evidence by their World Series appearance last year, and they may have actually improved during the offseason. The Halladay signing puts them above and beyond the rest of the NL should they stay healthy. Trading Cliff Lee was very questionable, as the Halladay/Lee/Hamels triad would be impossible in a playoff series of whatever length. I don't understand the rationale behind that trade; but in the end the Phils got a pitcher who has dominated the toughest division in baseball - the AL East - over the course of his career. Moving to the NL, where most players have never faced him, Halladay could win 25 games this year. Howard, Utley, Ibanez, Rollins, and Victorino will continue to pace one of the best offenses in the game and it's tough to see anybody outclassing this team in the NL East.
2a and 2b). Braves/Marlins - I struggled with differentiating between these two teams, so I took the coward's way out and tagged them as 2a and 2b. These two teams are very, very close in talent and even the managers are similar (Gonzalez was an understudy of Cox). First, the Braves. This is a Braves team where if the bullpen holds up, they would probably win any other division in the NL except for the NL East. Derek Lowe was awful by his standards last year and still managed to win 15 games. Jurrjens, Hanson, and Hudson match up well with almost any other team in the NL except perhaps the Phillies, Giants, healthy Cubs, and Dodgers. Even Kawakami, the 5th starter, posted a very solid 3.86 ERA in 2009. If Wagner falters, Saito, Moylan, and O'Flaherty could all step in ably. While the Vasquez trade was a head-scratcher, recieving Cabrera in return gives the Braves a solid switch-hitter in the middle of the lineup. For the first time in years, this is a Braves squad that isn't built solely around Chipper Jones. While Jones certainly anchors the lineup, McCann, Cabrera, Glaus, and rookie Heyward stack up to make this a balanced and dangerous lineup. If half of the hyperbole around Heyward comes to fruition, then the Braves may have the next Albert Pujols on their hands. This is a team that could push for 92-93 wins.
2b). Marlins - Finally, after two World Series titles and after developing a generation of fine players, the Marlins have sought to sink firm roots in South Florida. With a new stadium on the horizon in 2012, the Marlins locked up once-in-a-generation talent Hanley Ramirez and have a whole stable of other young players ready for 2010. Offensively, this is a dangerous team. Cantu, Uggla, and Ramirez have all proven to be adept power hitters; while young players such as Maybin, Sanchez, and 2009 Rookie of the Year Coghlan round out the lineup with speed, average, and potential power. The pitching staff, if Nolasco bounces back, can certainly compete with Philadelphia and Atlanta. Josh Johnson (also recently signed long-term) is one of the most underrated starters in the NL, and Anibal Sanchez quietly had a very solid year in 2009 despite a 4-8 W/L record. Volstad and Hensley are unproven (Hensley in particular) yet they have the potential for double-digit wins. Florida's weakness may be its bullpen, as Nunez was hardly lights-out in 2009 and it may be interesting at times even getting the ball to Nunez with a lead. However, with the offense Florida possesses they may not need 4 innings of spotless relief. While they don't have the pitching to compete with Philadelphia, should they stay healthy they could give the Braves a serious challenge for the number 2 spot in the NL East.
4). Mets - The major problem with the Mets is health. Reyes' future has been in doubt all spring, and it appears he will start the season on the DL. Bay, Beltran, and Francoeur give the Mets a formidable outfield, yet offseason drama between the Mets and Beltran could prove to be a major distraction as the year wears on (Beltran will also open the season on the DL). Francoeur very quietly had a solid bounceback year in New York, ironically seeming more at ease in New York than in Atlanta. The Mets desperately need David Wright, their leader, to return to form after having a difficult time adjusting to the new Citi Field. The major weakness of the Mets is their starting pitching. After Santana, who has struggled recently with injuries, the rotation is a mess. Pelphrey, Maine, and Perez were all patently awful in 2009 and Perez has spent the spring facing the same control problems he has battled his entire career. The bullpen before K-Rod is unproven at best, and K-Rod may be called on for several multi-inning saves throughout the year. Bottom line, this is not a team that could challenge the Phillies, Braves, or Marlins unless drastic changes are made.
5). Nats - The Nats have quietly started to move their organization in the right direction. The have the beginnings of a potent offense with the additions of Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham alongside vastly underrated Ryan Zimmerman (.292/33/106 in 2009). Nyjer Morgan is a sparkplug, who batted .307 before injuries sidelined him in 2009. Ivan Rodriguez was a great signing to work with a young pitching staff, in particular with phenom Stephen Strasburg. With Strasburg fitting in alongside Jason Marquis (coming off a career year with Colorado) and the solid John Lannan (3.88 ERA in 33 starts in 2009), the Nats suddenly field a solid pitching staff, should Strasburg come anywhere close to realizing his potential. Bruner and Walker are effective relievers, although the Nats lack a strong LHP to help get the ball to closer Matt Capps. Although the Nats won't challenge this year, the pieces are beginning to fall into place for this young team.
2010 NL Central, continued
Pittsburgh Pirates
This may indeed by the year that the Pittsburgh Pirates climb out of the NL Central cellar. The Pirates have an intriguing core of young players who will all get significant playing time in 2010. Doumit, Andrew McCutchen, Garrett Jones, and Lastings Milledge are all promising players - Doumit and McCutchen in particular, although Jones has impressed as well. However, this is a team that will have to absolutely mash in order to climb out of the cellar. The starting pitching staff is incredibly then, having dealt Tom Gorzellany to the Cubs in 2009. Ross Ohlendorf is arguably the best pitcher here, although Duke, Morton, and Maholm have all shown promise at various times. Dotel is a serviceable closer, although he has shown himself to be better at setting up than at closing in the past. The bullpen leading up to Dotel is questionable at best, although Donnelly and Meek were very good in relatively limited action in 2009.
If the youthful Pirates develop quickly, then this could be a relatively surprising team. They could approach 75-80 wins and send the Astros to the NL Central cellar.
2010 NL Central, continued
Houston Astros
Time is running out on Berkman and the Astros. I feel that this may be the year that, if healthy, Berkman (and perhaps Carlos Lee as well) may be moved to the American League in order to replenish the Houston farm system. This team doesn't have a realistic shot at a division title, despite the young talent present in Pence and Bourne. Lee has been a monster in the NL Central, yet he's 33 years old and his best years may be behind him as well. With no starting pitching behind Wandy Rodriguez and the oft-injured Oswalt, the Astros will struggle to reach the .500 mark yet again in 2010, and may not even reach 2009's 74-88 finish. This is a team that is on its way down, and management has been unable or unwilling to find the pieces necessary to complement Berkman and Lee.
2010 NL Central, continued
Cincinnati Reds
The Reds could be a surprise team in 2010, if it wasn't for the fact that they are managed by Dusty Baker, who is perhaps the worst possible manager a team full of young and promising players could have. With Votto, Bruce, Cueto, the injured Volquez, and the newly-arrived Chapman, the Reds have the nucleus of a potentially powerful team in the NL Central. However, the Reds are also perennial underachievers. Even if Jay Bruce bounces back to have the kind of year he is capable of, I still don't see how this team will win consistently. Harang is on the downslope of his career, as evidenced by his 2009 year (6-14). It's never a good sign when your 'ace' pitcher loses 14 games. Arroyo is the de facto ace of this staff, winning 15 games for a poor team last season. Cueto remains an enigma, Bailey a disappointment, and it remains to be seen if Chapman will make the kind of impact he is capable of or if Dusty Baker will ruin yet another young pitcher. Cordero was excellent in the closer's role last year, but the bullpen will have trouble giving him leads. The bench is thin, and the Reds don't have the resources to compete with the Cubs or Cardinals.
All in all, the Reds could make a run at .500. Baker seems to manage at his best when he has no realistic expectations to win, so perhaps this is the year where the Reds' young players put it all together. That being said, I still feel as if the Reds and Brewers will battle it out for third place in the Central.
2010 NL Central, continued
Milwaukee Brewers
This is a team built around offense, no doubt about it. Fielder and Braun are two of the premier hitters in the game, and could come close to driving in 300 runs between them. The major problem with the Brewers is that after Braun and Fielder the lineup is very thin. Casey McGehee came out of nowhere in 2009 to have a very solid year, but Corey Hart took a sizable step back and the Brewers didn't make much of a splash in free agency. Carlos Gomez is an interesting addition, should he ever figure out how to hit and/or get on base. Weeks hasn't been able to stay on the field or even be productive when he has stayed on the field. The pitching staff is unpredictable. Suppan is already on the DL with a disc problem; Bush and Davis are essentially the same pitcher (although one a LHP and the other a RHP); and Randy Wolf put up a career-high in innings last year with the Dodgers. Gallardo is a stud, and he should win close to 15 games with the offensive firepower Braun and Fielder are capable of producing. Hoffman is Hoffman, but it's difficult to rely on 37-year-old set-up men (Hawkins) who hasn't been all too reliable in the past (his 2009 year notwithstanding).
Simply put, the Brewers will go as far as their pitching can take them. If anybody can get on base before Fielder and Braun, this is a team that can put up crooked numbers in a hurry. However, I don't feel they have the firepower or pitching of either the Cubs or the Cardinals. The Brewers should finish around .500, and could be an outside contender for the wild card.
2010 NL Central, continued
St. Louis Cardinals
Most sportswriters have tagged the Cardinals as runaway favorites in the Central. They are the defending champs, and retained the one piece that they really needed in Holliday as protection for Pujols. However, 2009 was one of those years where nearly everything went right for the Cardinals. They had no major injuries to any of their cornerstone players - Pujols, Holliday, Wainwright, and Carpenter all stayed healthy, and still *ONLY* won 91 games. Ninety-one wins is enough to capture a relatively weak NL Central in 2009, but with the Cubs and Brewers both making significant strides, it seems the Cardinals are awfully thin this year. Carpenter is injury-prone, and a serious injury to him puts the Cardinals' season in jeopardy. Wainwright had a fantastic 2009, but beyond him the rotation gets a bit iffy. Kyle Lohse was patently awful in 2009. Garcia is a 27-year-old rookie coming off Tommy John surgery in 2008. Brad Penny was taken behind the woodshed in the AL before righting the ship with the Giants in 2009. Which Brad Penny shows up in 2010 will be a big factor for the Cardinals - can he replace Piniero, who won 15 games for them in 2009? The Cardinals do boast a powerful lineup, and that will certainly be the strength of the 2010 team. However, beyond Felipe Lopez, the Cardinals have a thin bench. Should Pujols or Holliday go down, this is a team in real trouble. The bullpen is also a major question. While Franklin had a fantastic year as closer in 2009, his 2009 stats are so far outside his career averages that I feel 2009 was an outlier. McClellan, Motte, Reyes, and Thompson do not exactly strike fear into the hearts of opposing batters, although Reyes and McClellan were very good in 2009.
All things considered, I think the Cardinals are a solid team and a wild-card contender. However, I don't see them being as strong as a healthy Cubs club, nor as deep in the starting pitching. This is still a team capable of winning 80-85 games (perhaps a few more), and definitely challenging for the NL Wild Card.
2010 Division Predictions and Team-By-Team Write-Ups
2010 NL Central
As a Cubs fan, I feel it necessary to start with the NL Central. Following is my anticipated order of finish and a team-by-team write-up will follow that.
1. Chicago
2. St. Louis
3. Milwaukee
4. Cincinnati
5. Houston
6. Pittsburgh
Chicago Cubs
Yes, 2009 was a hugely disappointing year for Cubs fans, especially after the incredible regular season run in 2008. Entering 2010, it seems to me that the Cubs have solved most of the problems that plagued them last year. First, the closer situation. Kevin Gregg is gone (finally!), and Marmol was perfect last year once he became the official closer. He has the nastiest stuff in the National League - period. If he remedies the control issues that have plagued him at times, he could easily save 45+ games. Going into the season knowing the job is his, Marmol should be much more comfortable and I see this as an encouraging sign for a fantastic season. Secondly, the much-discussed Milton Bradley is gone. Even without insider access, the body language of the 2009 Cubs was markedly different from the 2008 team, and I attribute much of this to the presence of Bradley. Bradley infuriated Piniella, and became such a distraction that he dragged down much of the rest of the team. Performance-wise, Bradley was equally dismal. The subtraction of Bradley (and the addition of Marlon Byrd, who is by all accounts a fantastic clubhouse guy) bodes well for the Cubs. My third point is injuries. The 2009 Cubs were absolutely decimated by injuries. Piniella was able to field his intended starting lineup for 3 games. While there are no guarantees as far as injuries go, the 2010 Cubs seem to be a much healthier bunch. LHP Ted Lilly's rehab is ahead of schedule and it appears he will return in mid- to late-April. Aramis Ramirez should be available for 150+ games, and he is the key bat in the Cubs' lineup. Sans Ramirez, the onus of run production fell on Derrek Lee, who still had a monster year but it was not good enough to push the Cubs into the playoffs. Soriano is also back to 100%. While he may not be the 40/40 guy he was with Washington, he is still poised for a comeback year, in my opinion. Geovanny Soto is another Cub who appears ready for a bounceback year after a dismal 2009. This spring, Soto returned much lighter and more agile, and hopefully this will help him stay healthy and productive over the 2010 season. The pitching staff also seems to be in good shape. Zambrano, like Soto, showed up in the best shape of his career. Dempster has had a fantastic spring and his two years as a Cubs starter have been excellent. Lilly has been the best Cubs pitcher during his time in the rotation, and he should be ready to win another 14-16 games this year. Carlos Silva, the pitcher acquired for Milton Bradley, seems much more at ease in Chicago and his spring has been very encouraging. Good sinkerballers always bode well in Wrigley, and if Silva recaptures the success he had with the Minnesota Twins he could also win 12-14 games.
My major concerns with the Cubs are two-fold. First, the bullpen is relatively inexperienced. Caridad did well last year after he was called to the Majors, but it remains to be seen how he will hold up over a full season and how he will do once teams get in-depth scouting reports on him. Samardzija needs to return to his 2008 form, although I feel he is best suited in a set-up role with his hard fastball, good slider and adequate split. Hopefully starting this year with the club will help him get situated quicker and gain confidence in his stuff. Marshall gives the Cubs a lot of flexibility out of the pen and has been very solid for the Cubs over the last few years. One potential hurdle in the bullpen is finding a pitcher who can consistently retire left-handers. Grabow is the odd lefty who excels against right-handed batters, so the Cubs would do well to find a LHP to face the Ryan Howards of the NL. By all accounts Jim Hendry is actively searching for bullpen help, so this concern may be alleviated either before or soon after the regular season begins. My second concern is infield depth and bench play. Tyler Colvin has had a magnificent spring, but still has negligible experience against major-league pitching. Xavier Nady is out for probably the first month or so of the season, at least for defensive purposes. Jeff Baker is the super-utility guy. While he has proven himself to be a servicable major-league infielder, he is not a substitute should Lee or Ramirez be sidelined for any significant period of time. Starlin Castro is waiting in the wings, however, and should contribute to the club in 2010.
All this being said, I have a good vibe about the 2010 Cubs. Nearly everything that could go wrong did in 2009, and the Cubs have addressed most of the problems that they could have during the offseason. With healthy starting pitching and the meat of the lineup returning to form, this is a Cubs team that could win 90-95 games. Even with injuries decimating the 2009 Cubs, they still managed to win 83 games and stayed within shouting distance of the Cardinals (who remained extraordinarily healthy all year long) until the final weeks of the season. A healthy Aramis Ramirez adds 50-60 RBIs on to his production from last year, and that translates into crucial wins. Also, as ESPN's Buster Olney noted, the Cubs have an extraordinarily easy schedule to open the season. Should the Cubs take care of business in the first few weeks of the season, they could force the rest of the NL Central to play catch-up throughout the summer.
Welcome!
Hello, and welcome! While this is my first foray into the blogosphere, I hope that I soon prove myself adequate at blogging my favorite thing in the universe - baseball. With this blog, I intend to follow the 2010 Chicago Cubs - my favorite team. While by no means impartial, I hope to offer fair observations about the Cubs and on other topics concerning Major League Baseball. Thanks for following this blog, and check back often!
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