Tuesday night's game was over in the first inning when Paul Malholm gave up five runs.
On Wednesday, a friend of mine who is a season ticket holder called with an extra ticket, so I went along. I usually don't go out to Wrigley this early in the season. There is a reason for this. It is really, really cold. Wednesday was no exception. Still, it was nice to visit and to get out to the park and I was happy to get the invite.
I wish I could say the game was exciting, but it was pretty frustrating. The Cubs got ahead in the first inning and after that it was a pitcher's duel. I love a good pitcher's duel, but some of the luster is removed when your core body temperature drops around ten degrees. Dempster pitched very well until the seventh when he served up a fat splitter to the Brewers reserve catcher that would up in the right field stands as a two-run homer.
The Cubs had a lot of opportunities to add on all day long. Once they got behind, they had scoring chances in the last three innings, but they could not deliver. One of the problems, of course, is that whenever they got a shot, Soto or Byrd or the pitcher seemed to be up and the whole rally would collapse.
The Cubs had three big problems last year: bad starting pitching after the injuries to Wells and Cashner, bad fielding, and bad hitting. They just did not score runs. They took some steps toward correcting the first problem by stockpiling decent or promising arms, but they have not really addressed the most glaring problem, which is that they just do not get on base enough or score enough runs.
I suppose, as a fan, one must be patient, but I really do not see any evidence of serious rebuilding going on right now. This is essentially the same team as last year with the subtraction of Fukudome, Ramirez, and Pena and the addition of DeJesus, Stewart, and LaHair. Really a wash.
The real problem this team has is an overly aggressive approach at the plate, especially with men on base. The opposite approach is hard to teach. Maybe the young guys can get it, but the real long-term problems are Soriano and Byrd and things will not get a whole lot better until they are replaced by Jackson and Rizzo.
Some incidental thoughts. I really like this Clevinger kid both as a hitter and a receiver. I'd like to see more of him in the lineup. Also - and I never thought I would say this - Soriano actually made a very nice play in left field on a sinking liner. The fans were so surprised that I think they didn't know whether to cheer or clean their glasses.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Another Bullpen Failure
Chris Volstad left after five innings in a tie game, but the bullpen once again failed the Cubs and they wound up losing 7-5. With Volstad, you pretty much get this kind of performance whenever he goes to the mound. He's usually going to eat more innings than last night, but he is going to give up four or five runs in the process. In other words, major league teams are going to take their hacks at him and he's not going to shut anyone down. I suspect the only real reason he is in the rotation instead of Wells is that he was included in the Zambrano deal and management has to prove they got something for their $15 odd million when really they did not.
I hate to be super-critical of Dale Sveum this early in the season. Maybe he will turn it around. However, the idea that you are feeling your way around a whole new team is rather bogus. These guys have a track record that is plain for anyone to examine.
Shawn Camp has been around for nine seasons and he is what he is, a mop-up guy who will eat up some innings in games you have already lost or are likely to lose. This is how Toronto used him. So to stick him out there in a winnable game and to stick with him while he struggles is just not a winning strategy. I'm OK with giving Castillo a look once the damage has been done, but, honestly, the guy you go to that early has got to be Rodrigo Lopez.
On the subject of having a record upon which to base decisions, I have a lot of problems with that batting order. First off, Castro has the worst career splits batting third than any other spot in the lineup. He is much better off hitting first or second and probably second right now is his natural position. I suspect the reason for this is that he is naturally aggressive in his approach and when he bats third, he just gets into a swing mode and cannot get out of it. You could see this last night when he hit with the bases loaded and struck out to end the game. Axford knew he would go for the first pitch, a ball, and after that he was pretty much at his mercy.
Next, what on earth is the thinking in hitting Soriano clean-up? You know this guy, throughout his career, is a better hitter with no one on base. So I'm curious what the thinking is behind this, if there is any. I know there are limited options, but I rather thought LaHair was the obvious choice here and since he has come back from his minor injury, he has certainly earned it.
On the subject of LaHair, this is one move the new regime has made that is likely to prove out in the long run. This guy looks like he can really hit and hit with power. So it is nice that he has finally got a shot. I also like what I have seen so far from Stewart. He seems to give you a professional at-bat most of the time. I haven't been impressed with DeJesus at all. He just does not look comfortable either at the plate or in the field.
When you think about it, the three players mentioned above are the only real changes to the opening day lineup from last year. Coming into the season, you had to figure that at best it was a wash. So that doesn't bode too well for this season, does it?
I hate to be super-critical of Dale Sveum this early in the season. Maybe he will turn it around. However, the idea that you are feeling your way around a whole new team is rather bogus. These guys have a track record that is plain for anyone to examine.
Shawn Camp has been around for nine seasons and he is what he is, a mop-up guy who will eat up some innings in games you have already lost or are likely to lose. This is how Toronto used him. So to stick him out there in a winnable game and to stick with him while he struggles is just not a winning strategy. I'm OK with giving Castillo a look once the damage has been done, but, honestly, the guy you go to that early has got to be Rodrigo Lopez.
On the subject of having a record upon which to base decisions, I have a lot of problems with that batting order. First off, Castro has the worst career splits batting third than any other spot in the lineup. He is much better off hitting first or second and probably second right now is his natural position. I suspect the reason for this is that he is naturally aggressive in his approach and when he bats third, he just gets into a swing mode and cannot get out of it. You could see this last night when he hit with the bases loaded and struck out to end the game. Axford knew he would go for the first pitch, a ball, and after that he was pretty much at his mercy.
Next, what on earth is the thinking in hitting Soriano clean-up? You know this guy, throughout his career, is a better hitter with no one on base. So I'm curious what the thinking is behind this, if there is any. I know there are limited options, but I rather thought LaHair was the obvious choice here and since he has come back from his minor injury, he has certainly earned it.
On the subject of LaHair, this is one move the new regime has made that is likely to prove out in the long run. This guy looks like he can really hit and hit with power. So it is nice that he has finally got a shot. I also like what I have seen so far from Stewart. He seems to give you a professional at-bat most of the time. I haven't been impressed with DeJesus at all. He just does not look comfortable either at the plate or in the field.
When you think about it, the three players mentioned above are the only real changes to the opening day lineup from last year. Coming into the season, you had to figure that at best it was a wash. So that doesn't bode too well for this season, does it?
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Finally a Win!
The Cubs probably should have swept the Nats, but at least they salvaged a victory in the final game behind a superb performance from Jeff Samardzija. I have to admit I had to hold my breath a bit when Marmol was summoned to get the final out after a Castro error extended the game enough for LaRoche to hit a home run to make the score 4-3.
I have been a bit of a skeptic all through spring training with respect to Samardzija's conversion to the starting rotation. Today's outing is beginning to make me a believer. He was still throwing 97mph in the ninth and would have had a complete game were it not for the Castro throwing error.
Some pitchers take longer than others to figure things out and sometimes being able to throw really hard can make that process even more difficult. Samardzija showed good signs of becoming a pitcher last year when he had a good full season in the bullpen.
I'm glad to see he has turned it around and he may well become the kind of impact starter this franchise seems to have had trouble producing in recent seasons. I always thought the prior regime seriously messed up his career development, forcing him to the majors much too soon and then dropping him back and forth from AAA to MLB and from starting to the bullpen.
Glad also to see LaHair in the lineup at 1B. He collected two nice doubles. He's another guy who never really had a shot during the Hendry era even though he put up monster numbers in AAA.
I have been a bit of a skeptic all through spring training with respect to Samardzija's conversion to the starting rotation. Today's outing is beginning to make me a believer. He was still throwing 97mph in the ninth and would have had a complete game were it not for the Castro throwing error.
Some pitchers take longer than others to figure things out and sometimes being able to throw really hard can make that process even more difficult. Samardzija showed good signs of becoming a pitcher last year when he had a good full season in the bullpen.
I'm glad to see he has turned it around and he may well become the kind of impact starter this franchise seems to have had trouble producing in recent seasons. I always thought the prior regime seriously messed up his career development, forcing him to the majors much too soon and then dropping him back and forth from AAA to MLB and from starting to the bullpen.
Glad also to see LaHair in the lineup at 1B. He collected two nice doubles. He's another guy who never really had a shot during the Hendry era even though he put up monster numbers in AAA.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Deja Vu All over Again
Chalk this loss up to the bullpen, specifically Kerry Wood and Carlos Marmol. Wood managed to get two quick outs in the 8th inning before allowing an opposite field home run to Espinosa and coming unglued.
After two more hits, Sveum turned things over to Marmol who faced four additional batters without getting a single out. Either Marmol has just lost his stuff or the Cubs are trying to change his style without success. He is throwing more fastballs and his slider is not biting. Whatever is wrong, both he and Wood stink so far.
If this continues, it is going to be a really long season for Cubs fans. Really long. They have gone from being a team with potentially a very strong bullpen - Russell, Samardzija, Cashner, Wood, Marshall, Marmol - to one that is simply a train wreck.
One plus is that Sveum managed to pull both of his troubled hurlers, albeit only after each had allowed four consecutive batters to reach base with two outs in the 8th inning which began with the team seemingly cruising to victory with a 4-2 lead.
Garza, like Dempster, pitched well, this time under substantially less favorable conditions for pitchers than on opening day.
After two more hits, Sveum turned things over to Marmol who faced four additional batters without getting a single out. Either Marmol has just lost his stuff or the Cubs are trying to change his style without success. He is throwing more fastballs and his slider is not biting. Whatever is wrong, both he and Wood stink so far.
If this continues, it is going to be a really long season for Cubs fans. Really long. They have gone from being a team with potentially a very strong bullpen - Russell, Samardzija, Cashner, Wood, Marshall, Marmol - to one that is simply a train wreck.
One plus is that Sveum managed to pull both of his troubled hurlers, albeit only after each had allowed four consecutive batters to reach base with two outs in the 8th inning which began with the team seemingly cruising to victory with a 4-2 lead.
Garza, like Dempster, pitched well, this time under substantially less favorable conditions for pitchers than on opening day.
More Thoughts on Opening Day
It's just one game, but it is interesting to see how quickly the honeymoon, at least with Dale Sveum, has ended. I rather think deservedly so. Managers are rarely actually responsible for winning games. They are frequently responsible for losses, and in the case of Thursday's game, it is hard not to fault Sveum.
Removing Dempster was the right move, but sticking with Wood when he obviously did not have it was not. I've watched Kerry Wood a lot since his move to the bullpen. You can always tell from the first batter if he is going to be effective or not. Cubs managers generally defer to his iconic status and allow him to remain in the game to lose the lead or the game. Wood is either lights out or awful. He is also rarely effective when he comes in with men on base as opposed to starting the inning. The right move was to take him out for a lefty after the Zimmerman walk, but no one was warming up.
Actually, Cubs management as a whole genuflected to Wood's iconic status by signing him in the first place. Wood is not Kid-K anymore.
Another knock on Sveum. It is always a mistake to start Baker against a right-hander, and an even greater error to play him at first base. With a runner on third base and the game on the line, any left-handed batter is preferable to allowing Baker to hit. This is just a question of knowing your players. Perhaps Sveum will learn this as the season progresses, but you would think a management team that is virtually obsessed with statistical analysis would have figured this out already.
Finally, this whole aggressive running game is fine if you have the players to do it. Statistically, it is generally considered to be risky at best. I've got no problem forcing matters on the bases with Castro or DeJesus or Mather or even Barney, but Soriano? Come on.
And the whole run on contact thing with a runner on third and one out was a major blunder. You've got two chances to tie the game in that spot, so you cannot give them up on one swing when everybody in the park knows what you are going to do. I guess it means that you do not think your hitter can hit the ball to the right side or in the air or even bunt. So why is he batting then?
Removing Dempster was the right move, but sticking with Wood when he obviously did not have it was not. I've watched Kerry Wood a lot since his move to the bullpen. You can always tell from the first batter if he is going to be effective or not. Cubs managers generally defer to his iconic status and allow him to remain in the game to lose the lead or the game. Wood is either lights out or awful. He is also rarely effective when he comes in with men on base as opposed to starting the inning. The right move was to take him out for a lefty after the Zimmerman walk, but no one was warming up.
Actually, Cubs management as a whole genuflected to Wood's iconic status by signing him in the first place. Wood is not Kid-K anymore.
Another knock on Sveum. It is always a mistake to start Baker against a right-hander, and an even greater error to play him at first base. With a runner on third base and the game on the line, any left-handed batter is preferable to allowing Baker to hit. This is just a question of knowing your players. Perhaps Sveum will learn this as the season progresses, but you would think a management team that is virtually obsessed with statistical analysis would have figured this out already.
Finally, this whole aggressive running game is fine if you have the players to do it. Statistically, it is generally considered to be risky at best. I've got no problem forcing matters on the bases with Castro or DeJesus or Mather or even Barney, but Soriano? Come on.
And the whole run on contact thing with a runner on third and one out was a major blunder. You've got two chances to tie the game in that spot, so you cannot give them up on one swing when everybody in the park knows what you are going to do. I guess it means that you do not think your hitter can hit the ball to the right side or in the air or even bunt. So why is he batting then?
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Live Blog: Opening Day 9
Lidge to pitch the ninth for the Nationals. Stewart just misses a home run, but I've got to question Sveum' strategy. Baker swings at everything and they have the pinch runner Mather going on contact. Out easily on a two-hopper to third base. Byrd's up. Game over. Byrd strikes out.
Tough loss, but you have to say the Cubs blew a winnable game with some really sloppy play and bad relief work from Wood and Marmol.
Welcome to the new Cubs, just like the old Cubs.
I've got to say that watching both teams, even accounting for the weather conditions, you've got a long wait to see either of them score runs. In games like this, it all boils down to giving up outs in terms of errors and misplays and bad base-running. The Cubs came out on top in both of these categories and lost the game as a result.
Tough loss, but you have to say the Cubs blew a winnable game with some really sloppy play and bad relief work from Wood and Marmol.
Welcome to the new Cubs, just like the old Cubs.
I've got to say that watching both teams, even accounting for the weather conditions, you've got a long wait to see either of them score runs. In games like this, it all boils down to giving up outs in terms of errors and misplays and bad base-running. The Cubs came out on top in both of these categories and lost the game as a result.
Live Blog: Opening Day 8
Bottom of the eighth. Brand new ballgame, as they say. Cubs get a break when Espinosa boots a routine grounder. They need to take advantage of this break. Nothing doing. Ninth inning coming up.
Top of the ninth. Marmol in to pitch. He looks OK, more fastballs than I remember. Tracy hits a hard liner off the wall. Another misplay by the Cubs, though, DeJesus got all turned around. Should have caught it even though it was hit hard. Desmond beats Marmol with a single off the end of his bat. Looked like a pretty good pitch. Once again, you cannot give away outs like the Cubs do and win.
Top of the ninth. Marmol in to pitch. He looks OK, more fastballs than I remember. Tracy hits a hard liner off the wall. Another misplay by the Cubs, though, DeJesus got all turned around. Should have caught it even though it was hit hard. Desmond beats Marmol with a single off the end of his bat. Looked like a pretty good pitch. Once again, you cannot give away outs like the Cubs do and win.
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