The Cubs had a pretty good series against the Reds this weekend. It would have been a great series had they not completely imploded, especially on defense, in the last two innings of Sunday's game. I can see why, if Alan Trammell is responsible for coaching the infield, he is not being considered for the managerial job. Soto and Fukudome got charged with throwing errors, but in Soto's case, Castro made a mistake in not just conceding the stolen base and catching the throw and Baker should have been backing up the play; in Fukudome's case, Ramirez made virtually no effort to stop the ball which was just a little off line.
Castro is a work in progress defensively, but the Cubs need to do something to inspire Ramirez to actually try to play a decent third base. They are stuck with him for at least another season - and really they have no replacement - and he is a key offensively when he is healthy, but he seems to have gone the wrong way since his shoulder injury. When he was a Pirate, he was considered a defensive liability, but in his years with the Cubs he had made himself a serviceable infielder. But, as I noted above, things have gone south since his injury last year. Needless to say, Baker should never ever play 2B, just as he should never ever bat against a right-handed pitcher.
Friday's game was a joke because Gorzelanny just did not have it. Lots of people like Gorzelanny, but to me the jury is still out. He has pitched some good games, but in all honesty he is a 5th starter despite his achievements this season. He throws too many balls and, as a consequence, he puts men on base too often and usually can't get past the 6th inning. Good enough for a #5 on a dominant staff, but I could see him going in the off-season if the Cubs think they have a younger gun to replace him.
Wells pitched very well on Saturday night in the best played game of the series. Wells has had a bit of a sophomore slump, but I see him as a pretty good #3 or #4 starter who should rebound next year closer to his freshman form.
Coleman pitched a gutsy game to keep them in it. He throws strikes, but he doesn't seem to have really dominant stuff. Maybe he can become another guy like Wells in time, but I wonder if he is up here too soon and would not benefit from more seasoning, especially if he is thought to be a potential starter. I can see him doing OK in long relief as well.
I have been criticized for harping on the good qualities of Kosuke Fukudome, among others, but I have to call it as I see it. Fukudome hit a two-run homer on Saturday night that gave the Cubs the win, and he hit a two-run homer Sunday (against a lefty, perish the thought) to tie the game and give the Cubs a chance to win. He is very hot these days and maybe his work with Jaramillo is paying off or maybe he has finally made the adjustments to American baseball that he has needed to make.
Several sports guys have read into the comments of some players the idea that whatever his skills Quade seems more involved in the game and the team seems looser. Cashner and Russell have both been quoted as saying Quade has helped them just by sitting down and talking about game situations and restoring their confidence.
The implication in all of these observations is that Piniella did just the opposite, and I have to say I have always thought that to be the case, and that the demeanor of the club under Lou was very tight and dour. The Cubs are thought not to be looking for a celebrity manager and I think they are right in this respect. One mistake they should not make, whether their choice is Quade or Sandberg or whoever, is to go with a four year deal. Two years is enough. You can always extend. Baker and Piniella were both successful in their first and second seasons and poison thereafter.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
A New Era?
Well, maybe a little early to make that pronouncement, especially as they were knocking around the Nationals, a team with a record almost as bad as the Cubs and really no pretensions to have achieved anything better. Still, a series sweep is a series sweep. One thing you do notice is that Quade is involved in the game and that he is awake and that he shows a little enthusiasm, like he really wants to be where he is right now and nowhere else. Quite a contrast to old Lou, isn't it?
Some other encouraging signs. Coleman pitched a pretty good game. Zambrano pitched very well indeed, as did Dempster. About Zambrano, maybe he had a long talk with Maddux or something, but it seems to me that he is pitching now, especially when he gets in a jam, instead of throwing. He is not throwing in the mid-90s anymore, but he is getting guys out, which, of course, is what pitching is about. The consensus among the Cubs brass - which if it is a consensus you know they are wrong - was that Z needed to go to the pen to recover his velocity. Maybe they were just wrong about that. In any case, Z himself has correctly speculated that the move smacked of desperation. Hard to believe they were only 5-9, 14 games into the season before panic set in. What the hell is wrong with this organization?
Another bit of encouragement on the Zambrano front is that they seem to be putting out little trial balloons in the press about how maybe Z is all better and they might just keep him after all. I've never understood the meme about rehabilitating Zambrano so that you could trade him to a contender for prospects and pay half his salary so that he could come around and beat you in the playoffs. Another testimony to the power of the press and sports radio, where ultimately nearly every delusional idea that doesn't originate with management itself seems to arise and gain credence.
Anyway, Quade has been encouraging so far if only because he is not Lou. Moving DeWitt to leadoff on occasion at least indicates that he can read simple statistics and comprehend them. I still much prefer to see Fukudome there. This guy has had a hell of a month of August. He's batting around .350 and has an OBA over .400. Plus he is such a good outfielder. They would have lost Tuesday's game if anyone else were playing RF when he caught Zimmerman's line drive and actually made it look routine. The Cubs and the sports guys just undervalue this kind of play. That ball would have driven in the tying and winning runs. Catching it is the equivalent of hitting a two run homer.
The next day one of these sports radio nitwits opined that now that Fukudome was playing well, it was time to get rid of him and pay half his salary. Kind of like the Zambrano meme. I'm not saying Fukudome is worth $13 million, but he is a good player and good teams can carry a guy like this and play winning baseball.
The guy they should be showcasing is Soriano. I know he hit two home runs against Washington, but they would have won those games anyway. Here's the problem, he tries to hit a home run every time he bats and that means even if he hits 30, he still fails 19 out of 20 tries. That's 95% unproductive ABs and that just plain stinks. Plus he cannot play the outfield. Plus he cannot think straight. What he can do is hit mediocre lefties. Those are the only guys he should play against. He'll look good for the rest of the year and maybe some sucker will take him off your hands. Dropping him to 7th in the order is good first step, but the simplest solution is the Fukudome platoon.
That brings me to the last observation about the Quade regime so far, which is the end of the Colvin leadoff experiment, a welcome end indeed to another peculiar piece of Piniella logic. I do think this kid will eventually figure out the strike zone and become a consistent major league hitter. Right now, though, he is closer to being a left-handed version of a young Soriano without the blazing speed. So he is a work in progress. I wonder why he doesn't get a shot at first base. This would solve a lot of problems. The more I see of Colvin in the outfield, the more convinced I am that he is at best a decent left-fielder. He misjudges a lot of balls in RF, which is the most difficult field to play at Wrigley Field, and in CF he seems a little lost and to lack the confidence to play shallow. It might be possible for the Cubs to more readily fill the hole in their outfield, assuming they dump Soriano, than the one at 1B. Certainly cheaper.
Some other encouraging signs. Coleman pitched a pretty good game. Zambrano pitched very well indeed, as did Dempster. About Zambrano, maybe he had a long talk with Maddux or something, but it seems to me that he is pitching now, especially when he gets in a jam, instead of throwing. He is not throwing in the mid-90s anymore, but he is getting guys out, which, of course, is what pitching is about. The consensus among the Cubs brass - which if it is a consensus you know they are wrong - was that Z needed to go to the pen to recover his velocity. Maybe they were just wrong about that. In any case, Z himself has correctly speculated that the move smacked of desperation. Hard to believe they were only 5-9, 14 games into the season before panic set in. What the hell is wrong with this organization?
Another bit of encouragement on the Zambrano front is that they seem to be putting out little trial balloons in the press about how maybe Z is all better and they might just keep him after all. I've never understood the meme about rehabilitating Zambrano so that you could trade him to a contender for prospects and pay half his salary so that he could come around and beat you in the playoffs. Another testimony to the power of the press and sports radio, where ultimately nearly every delusional idea that doesn't originate with management itself seems to arise and gain credence.
Anyway, Quade has been encouraging so far if only because he is not Lou. Moving DeWitt to leadoff on occasion at least indicates that he can read simple statistics and comprehend them. I still much prefer to see Fukudome there. This guy has had a hell of a month of August. He's batting around .350 and has an OBA over .400. Plus he is such a good outfielder. They would have lost Tuesday's game if anyone else were playing RF when he caught Zimmerman's line drive and actually made it look routine. The Cubs and the sports guys just undervalue this kind of play. That ball would have driven in the tying and winning runs. Catching it is the equivalent of hitting a two run homer.
The next day one of these sports radio nitwits opined that now that Fukudome was playing well, it was time to get rid of him and pay half his salary. Kind of like the Zambrano meme. I'm not saying Fukudome is worth $13 million, but he is a good player and good teams can carry a guy like this and play winning baseball.
The guy they should be showcasing is Soriano. I know he hit two home runs against Washington, but they would have won those games anyway. Here's the problem, he tries to hit a home run every time he bats and that means even if he hits 30, he still fails 19 out of 20 tries. That's 95% unproductive ABs and that just plain stinks. Plus he cannot play the outfield. Plus he cannot think straight. What he can do is hit mediocre lefties. Those are the only guys he should play against. He'll look good for the rest of the year and maybe some sucker will take him off your hands. Dropping him to 7th in the order is good first step, but the simplest solution is the Fukudome platoon.
That brings me to the last observation about the Quade regime so far, which is the end of the Colvin leadoff experiment, a welcome end indeed to another peculiar piece of Piniella logic. I do think this kid will eventually figure out the strike zone and become a consistent major league hitter. Right now, though, he is closer to being a left-handed version of a young Soriano without the blazing speed. So he is a work in progress. I wonder why he doesn't get a shot at first base. This would solve a lot of problems. The more I see of Colvin in the outfield, the more convinced I am that he is at best a decent left-fielder. He misjudges a lot of balls in RF, which is the most difficult field to play at Wrigley Field, and in CF he seems a little lost and to lack the confidence to play shallow. It might be possible for the Cubs to more readily fill the hole in their outfield, assuming they dump Soriano, than the one at 1B. Certainly cheaper.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Finally Gone
The press is loaded with encomiums to Sweet Lou, but, as readers will know already, he will not be missed by this commentator. Now this has been one hell of a lousy year, and certainly based on their collective performance, they would never have reached contention, but I would estimate that Lou personally lost ten or twelve games this year, and that does not count the games that have been lost because of the idiotic lineups he insists on fielding. Fittingly, today's lineup was no exception, indeed a parting shot by the king of dumb lineups, with the ubiquitous Jeff Baker in RF. Although down 16-5, I guess we can cherish the memory of Lou taking down Aramis Ramirez, who had three hits on the day, in favor of letting Sam Fuld end Lou's career with a game-ending double play.
Count me in on the side of those who thought the Cubs should have hired Joe Girardi four years ago, despite the two division championships. Lets just say goodbye to old Lou, remembering one and one-half good seasons, tempered by the reflection on the many memorable decisions the old codger takes with him into the record books. You know, taking Zambrano out after six innings against Arizona in the first playoff game in 2007 to save him for Game 4, batting Alfonso Soriano leadoff for two and one-half years. Well, the list goes on and on and there is little point in recounting it.
As to the series with Atlanta, actually three winnable games, or at least the first two, two losses in three shots. Numerous errors and boneheaded plays. I've got to wonder what prompts the decision to install Quade as the interim guy in Lou's place. I can understand why Trammell was eliminated from consideration for a future promotion, but Quade, and being in the running for next year as well. Who knows though with this organization?
Count me in on the side of those who thought the Cubs should have hired Joe Girardi four years ago, despite the two division championships. Lets just say goodbye to old Lou, remembering one and one-half good seasons, tempered by the reflection on the many memorable decisions the old codger takes with him into the record books. You know, taking Zambrano out after six innings against Arizona in the first playoff game in 2007 to save him for Game 4, batting Alfonso Soriano leadoff for two and one-half years. Well, the list goes on and on and there is little point in recounting it.
As to the series with Atlanta, actually three winnable games, or at least the first two, two losses in three shots. Numerous errors and boneheaded plays. I've got to wonder what prompts the decision to install Quade as the interim guy in Lou's place. I can understand why Trammell was eliminated from consideration for a future promotion, but Quade, and being in the running for next year as well. Who knows though with this organization?
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Padres Series/Odds and Ends
What can you say about the Padres series. Pretty much all bad, except to take note that, like the Giants, the Padres feature good pitching, good defense, and solid fundamental play, as well as a lineup without, excepting Gonzalez, any real stars. The Cubs have totally quit and some of the lineups Lou is fielding are pretty sad to say the least.
Carlos Zambrano pitched well. He had trouble finding his release point which affected his control. So he walked six guys, but he managed to pitch around the mistakes very well, ultimately settling down and taking control of the game. The Cubs managed to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth, so he was in line for a win until they completely fell apart in the seventh inning which was capped by an utterly disgraceful play when the Cubs got an out of a rundown at third and then were shown up when they paid no attention to the runner and just stood around while the second runner scored.
Coleman was OK in his start on Wednesday, better than Diamond had been, but not really that impressive. It is interesting to note that he was the pitcher of the year in the Cubs minor league system in 2009, having been pretty dominating. This year he was not nearly so impressive in AAA and one wonders if he has been rushed to the big leagues too soon. He may have a future in the bullpen, but off his performance so far, it is hard to say.
Actually, almost all the Cubs young pitchers, both starters and relievers, look as if they have been brought up too soon. It used to be the axiom that a pitcher needed several hundred innings at the minor league level to be ready for the majors unless he was a phenom like Kerry Wood and Mark Prior. There is a lot to be said for this idea, as well as the observation that the best relievers and closers are guys who were starters in the minors and were forced to the bullpen because they could not develop a third pitch. If you look around for the best performers in the closer or setup role, even historically, this has been true. Marmol and Marshall demonstrate this proposition on the current Cubs roster.
What happens nowadays - and this is not only true of the Cubs organization - is that there is an increasing emphasis on specialization. So promising arms are often routed into relief right away if they have two good pitches or even just one. Then they come up to the big leagues having pitched less than 100 innings int the minors and having succeeded in getting guys out at a lower level with just a good fastball or sinker. The problem is they have never learned to pitch.
The Cubs have run through a whole raft of these guys in the past couple of seasons, the most notable and most promising being Cashner and Samardzija. I suppose it is inevitable if you have the kind of win now desperation that comes of having a manager and GM fighting for survival. Actually, the Cubs have a long history of this kind of activity and also of giving up on guys before they have had much of a chance.
As far as Lee goes, it was the right move too late to make a difference. At least they got a legitimate prospect in return, as this Lopez kid might become a good one.
Carlos Zambrano pitched well. He had trouble finding his release point which affected his control. So he walked six guys, but he managed to pitch around the mistakes very well, ultimately settling down and taking control of the game. The Cubs managed to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth, so he was in line for a win until they completely fell apart in the seventh inning which was capped by an utterly disgraceful play when the Cubs got an out of a rundown at third and then were shown up when they paid no attention to the runner and just stood around while the second runner scored.
Coleman was OK in his start on Wednesday, better than Diamond had been, but not really that impressive. It is interesting to note that he was the pitcher of the year in the Cubs minor league system in 2009, having been pretty dominating. This year he was not nearly so impressive in AAA and one wonders if he has been rushed to the big leagues too soon. He may have a future in the bullpen, but off his performance so far, it is hard to say.
Actually, almost all the Cubs young pitchers, both starters and relievers, look as if they have been brought up too soon. It used to be the axiom that a pitcher needed several hundred innings at the minor league level to be ready for the majors unless he was a phenom like Kerry Wood and Mark Prior. There is a lot to be said for this idea, as well as the observation that the best relievers and closers are guys who were starters in the minors and were forced to the bullpen because they could not develop a third pitch. If you look around for the best performers in the closer or setup role, even historically, this has been true. Marmol and Marshall demonstrate this proposition on the current Cubs roster.
What happens nowadays - and this is not only true of the Cubs organization - is that there is an increasing emphasis on specialization. So promising arms are often routed into relief right away if they have two good pitches or even just one. Then they come up to the big leagues having pitched less than 100 innings int the minors and having succeeded in getting guys out at a lower level with just a good fastball or sinker. The problem is they have never learned to pitch.
The Cubs have run through a whole raft of these guys in the past couple of seasons, the most notable and most promising being Cashner and Samardzija. I suppose it is inevitable if you have the kind of win now desperation that comes of having a manager and GM fighting for survival. Actually, the Cubs have a long history of this kind of activity and also of giving up on guys before they have had much of a chance.
As far as Lee goes, it was the right move too late to make a difference. At least they got a legitimate prospect in return, as this Lopez kid might become a good one.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Soriano Speaks
I happened upon a really astonishing interview of Alfonso Soriano by Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. Here is a sample quote:
So one might have thought the goal was to have a good year or to hit .300 or to hit 30 HRs or drive in 100 runs or occasionally catch flyballs and throw to the right base, but no, the idea was to stay healthy. The fact that he has put up atrocious numbers since the end of May, so bad that, for example, in tonight's game, the Padres starter obviously pitched around Xavier Nady - that's right, Xavier Nady! - to load the bases to get to the sure out Soriano has become.
Anyway , it is all his teammates' fault. Geez, tell that to Ernie Banks. If they had played better, he would have had a good year. But these mopes let him down, and you can see the results. Next year, if they play better, then maybe he will have a good year. I would have thought that earning $19 M this season and standing to collect $18 M for each of the next four years would have been sufficient for him to concentrate on baseball or at least not to blabber utter nonsense whenever he opens his mouth, but, alas, for your truly modern player, and possibly one of the most selfish players ever to put on a uniform, this is an insufficient incentive.
Anybody who thinks this guy should not be placed on unconditional waivers right now has some explaining to do. Lou, however, popped him right back in the #6 hole tonight.
Soriano said his knees are feeling good and his goal of not being on the disabled list all season is within reach.
"I'm very happy with myself because I said to myself in spring training I don't want to go back on the DL this year," he said. "So far I feel 100 percent."
Soriano is hitting .258 with 19 home runs and 59 RBIs. But he's hitting only .195 in August with one home run and four RBIs, and only .222 since June 1.
Soriano said it was "very tough" to concentrate because of the Cubs' poor play this season. He believes he can become a dominant player again, and has four years left on his contract to prove it.
"For players to have a good year, they have to have a good team," he said. "So it's very hard to have a good year when you don't have a good team. ... If we have a very good team, everybody can have a very good year."
So one might have thought the goal was to have a good year or to hit .300 or to hit 30 HRs or drive in 100 runs or occasionally catch flyballs and throw to the right base, but no, the idea was to stay healthy. The fact that he has put up atrocious numbers since the end of May, so bad that, for example, in tonight's game, the Padres starter obviously pitched around Xavier Nady - that's right, Xavier Nady! - to load the bases to get to the sure out Soriano has become.
Anyway , it is all his teammates' fault. Geez, tell that to Ernie Banks. If they had played better, he would have had a good year. But these mopes let him down, and you can see the results. Next year, if they play better, then maybe he will have a good year. I would have thought that earning $19 M this season and standing to collect $18 M for each of the next four years would have been sufficient for him to concentrate on baseball or at least not to blabber utter nonsense whenever he opens his mouth, but, alas, for your truly modern player, and possibly one of the most selfish players ever to put on a uniform, this is an insufficient incentive.
Anybody who thinks this guy should not be placed on unconditional waivers right now has some explaining to do. Lou, however, popped him right back in the #6 hole tonight.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Cubs Win Two Straight
I wouldn't read a whole lot into these games. The Cubs always play well against the Cards, but there were good signs. The principal good sign was the apparent resurrection of Carlos Zambrano, who threw really well and looked a lot more like his dominant self than he has through most of the season. He managed to add four or five mph to his fastball and had good control. All in all, an encouraging outing, and one to think about before engaging in any more idiotic experiments and further humiliations. I may be a lone voice here, but you have got to think that if Z can return to form, the Cubs would be very foolish to deal him away.
On Saturday, what you saw in the field was the best possible lineup the Cubs can field right now, at least against a right-hander, with the exception that Soto was missing because of injury. They only scored three runs, but they were playing against one of the best right-handers in the league, and the addition of Fukudome in RF did in fact save the game for Zambrano. Anyway, you have to think of this as a possible everyday lineup next year with the addition of a left-handed first baseman and decide whether that is an encouraging or discouraging thought.
Sunday's game was a laugher until the 9th, but it figured to be with the Cardinals Lohse making his first start in three months and the Cubs pitching the consistent Ryan Dempster. Nice to see Soriano on the bench again, though playing Nady was an odd choice for LF. They are definitely going to have to do something about that bullpen. It is fairly clear that a lot of these kids are not anything like what they have been cracked up to be, and that, rather sadly, probably includes Cashner as well. Still, it is not necessary to mortgage the house to get some decent arms to supplement Marshall and Marmol, especially if Guzman were to return from his injury next season.
On Saturday, what you saw in the field was the best possible lineup the Cubs can field right now, at least against a right-hander, with the exception that Soto was missing because of injury. They only scored three runs, but they were playing against one of the best right-handers in the league, and the addition of Fukudome in RF did in fact save the game for Zambrano. Anyway, you have to think of this as a possible everyday lineup next year with the addition of a left-handed first baseman and decide whether that is an encouraging or discouraging thought.
Sunday's game was a laugher until the 9th, but it figured to be with the Cardinals Lohse making his first start in three months and the Cubs pitching the consistent Ryan Dempster. Nice to see Soriano on the bench again, though playing Nady was an odd choice for LF. They are definitely going to have to do something about that bullpen. It is fairly clear that a lot of these kids are not anything like what they have been cracked up to be, and that, rather sadly, probably includes Cashner as well. Still, it is not necessary to mortgage the house to get some decent arms to supplement Marshall and Marmol, especially if Guzman were to return from his injury next season.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Thomas Diamond
I think it is fair to say that the jury is in on Diamond and that one's initial impressions were fair. He just doesn't seem to have the command or the pitches to compete as a starter at this level. It has been painful to watch in his last two starts and I really think there is no further point to subjecting him and the fans to any more. At some point, Diamond may have had real potential, but a whole series of injuries seem to have wrecked his career.
There is some speculation as to where the Cubs rotation is going next year. If they dump Zambrano, or if he does not regain his form, it is, needless to say, going nowhere. Assuming they regain their sanity or get someone in the front office who has had some to begin with, things are still up in the air because besides Dempster, there is little consistency to build around. Gorzellany is still a possibility, but he is a little wild for my tastes and is still basically a #5. Silva is a big question mark because of his illness. Whatever happens, they are going to need to replace Lilly.
For some reason, the Cubs are always a little unwilling to test their pitching prospects in the rotation against major league hitters, at least in the roles for which their minor league careers have prepared them. Cashner seems to have followed the pattern of Samardzija. Personally, I think he would benefit with more seasoning in the minor leagues. Archer looks like the best prospect in AA. He has been dominant at A and AA, but he is probably a year or a part of the year away from the majors. Piniella is leaning toward starting Coleman in place of Diamond, but I seriously wonder why Samardzija doesn't get another shot, this time as a starter.
In the off season, there are likely to be plenty of free agent options available, but the best is Cliff Lee. If the Cubs were to make a play for him, it would serve notice that they are serious players and it would improve all their other starters immeasurably.
There is some speculation as to where the Cubs rotation is going next year. If they dump Zambrano, or if he does not regain his form, it is, needless to say, going nowhere. Assuming they regain their sanity or get someone in the front office who has had some to begin with, things are still up in the air because besides Dempster, there is little consistency to build around. Gorzellany is still a possibility, but he is a little wild for my tastes and is still basically a #5. Silva is a big question mark because of his illness. Whatever happens, they are going to need to replace Lilly.
For some reason, the Cubs are always a little unwilling to test their pitching prospects in the rotation against major league hitters, at least in the roles for which their minor league careers have prepared them. Cashner seems to have followed the pattern of Samardzija. Personally, I think he would benefit with more seasoning in the minor leagues. Archer looks like the best prospect in AA. He has been dominant at A and AA, but he is probably a year or a part of the year away from the majors. Piniella is leaning toward starting Coleman in place of Diamond, but I seriously wonder why Samardzija doesn't get another shot, this time as a starter.
In the off season, there are likely to be plenty of free agent options available, but the best is Cliff Lee. If the Cubs were to make a play for him, it would serve notice that they are serious players and it would improve all their other starters immeasurably.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)