Filed:July 30th, 2009
New Chicago Cub Tom Gorzelanny (Cubbie Nation/file)
It amazes me how quickly the Cubs can take me through an emotional range sometimes. First, they completely destroy Russ Ortiz and the Astros 12-3 at Wrigley this afternoon, taking three of four in the series. And that happiness turned to sadness at the news that they had acquired John Grabow and Tom Gorzelanny from the Pirates, in exchange for Kevin Hart and Jose Ascanio.
Not that I'll miss either. I've always felt that the league would get around to figuring Hart out, and his start this afternoon just confirmed that in my mind. Let's just politely call him hittable, and move on. And as much as I like Ascanio, the Cubs can't throw a rock without hitting a right-handed reliever waiting to be called up. If there's one thing their farm system can turn out, it's righty relievers.
But these are two very hittable lefties. Grabow, 30, may revert back to 2008 form, which proved to be a stellar year for him. But with a 1.50 WHIP this season, I'm not holding my breath at the likelihood of him being more than a nice LOOGY, with Marshall playing an enhanced role now out of the bullpen.
And Gorzelanny? Forget about it. I've seen the guy three times this year, and as recently as last week in Indy in his start against the Bulls. Unimpressed. I can only hope that the Cubs option him immediately to Iowa, and let him continue to work out his delivery. He doesn't belong on a big-league roster right now, regardless of his AAA stats. Even the Pirates knew that.
Honestly, Joe Beimel would have been the better target, with a history of thriving in playoff chases, and mostly better peripherals. Or even George Sherrill, traded today to the Dodgers. I know. The money. The money.
Truth is, this move leaves me lukewarm, and smacks of another Cubs bout of lefty madness. Let's just grab any old bunch of lefties, and we'll get what we need somehow. It didn't work for the hitters. I've no idea why they think it will work for the pitchers.
And the game today? What can I say? It was Russ Ortiz at Wrigley Field. He got tagged, like you knew he would. It's like I said yesterday. Hampton, Moehler, and Ortiz on the same staff? Bad, bad idea.
Filed:July 29th, 2009
Another rough day at Wrigley for the Houston Astros (Cubbie Nation/file)
Ever seen Platoon? Great stuff. There's a scene, where after a firefight in the brush, Tom Berenger's character muzzles a screaming G.I. shot in the conflict, and tells "Take the pain. Take the pain".
Poor Cecil Cooper must have been having a Platoon moment Wednesday as starter Mike Hampton was coming completely undone in the first, and given his bullpen issues, had no choice but to leave Hampton in to get pounded. The end result? A 12-0 beatdown that seems even odder than the previous night's game, and another win for a suddenly unbeatable Randy Wells, winner of seven of his last eight.
I'll say this again. Any team that's featuring Mike Hampton, Brian Moehler, and Russ Ortiz on the same staff is not going anywhere. I don't say this as an insult to the franchise, or it's fans. It's just a fact. And the sooner that that front office gets serious about bringing front line pitching back to Houston, the sooner we'll all be enjoying them in the playoffs again. And yes, I can enjoy Houston in the playoffs; as long as the Cubs are there with them.
But back to the game, where we find out yet again that Mike Hampton is a mess. It wasn't that he made any particular mistake, but he just couldn't stay closed. Ball outside. Ball outside. Ball outside. The Cubs batted around on him in the first, stringing together a pair of runs on a sacrifice fly, and an RBI single by Aramis Ramirez. Then, when he finally was able to get a pitch over the plate, it was thrown, not pitched, and served up as a fastball so fat that Alfonso Soriano had no problem jacking it out for a three-run homer.
I suppose you could give him credit for at least keeping it together for a few more innings -- sort of -- but when the Cubs grabbed another pair in the fourth on RBI hits from Derrek Lee and Milton Bradley, that closed the book on Hampton. Four innings. Nine runs. And a shiny 5.36 ERA for the season.
One other nice moment was in the ninth, when witht he game in hand, Mitch Atkins made his major league debut, pitching a scoreless inning of relief. Randy Bush mentioned in the off-season that he felt Atkins had a major contribution to make to the team this year. Well, now's his chance. Personally, I'd be happy if he stuck around longer than Justin Berg.
Bad news for Cubs fans though, as Reed Johnson suffered a fractured toe on a foul ball in the first. He's out a month, and I've no idea how to counter that. I wouldn't trust Fukudome out there every day for certain though, and while the idea of sticking Bradley in center to start a game, and maybe putting Fox in right once or twice a week is tempting, this may be a case where you just break down, and find yourself a utility guy after all to give the club some flexibility.
And the Cardinals were able to keep pace with the Cubs when Albert Pujols got the game-winner in the 15th inning against the Dodgers. The 15th? Geez, NL Central bullpens are going to look like a M.A.S.H. unit by the end of the week at this pace.
Filed:July 27th, 2009
Alfonso Soriano celebrates his game-winning grand slam Monday (Cubbie Nation)
Click here for the photo gallery of Monday's game
It took almost four hours (3:49) and 13 innings, but the Cubs came out on top Monday when Alfonso Soriano hit a walk-off grand slam off Chris Sampson to lead the Cubs to a 5-1 win.
No questions, no doubt. Deep to center, and everyone knew it was gone off the crack of the bat.
So, after starting the game 0-5, with a double play, three strikeouts, and some bad luck that appeared to shake even his faith a bit, he delivers in a way that's just so Soriano.
This was a good baseball game all around actually, especially for a Monday night game. There was plenty of entertainment from the onset, as Carlos Lee playfully taunted and entertained the left field fans, then turned around and smacked a solo homer off Carlos Zambrano out their way to remind them that he was here.
Derrek Lee would counter with a solo homer of his own in the fourth, and then we were treated to some very good pitching on both sides for the next nine innings. How often do you get a game's worth of a pitching duel and offensive excitement in the same set?
We were even treated to theater in the eighth, when Latroy Hawkins -- god, he must hate Chicago by now -- was tossed by umpire Mike Everitt over what looked like some gestures with dubious intent. Watching him come undone was priceless, and I actually worried he was going to do something very, very stupid. He was livid.
But it all came down to the 13th inning, when with both bullpens depleted, Cecil Cooper went to Chris Sampson. It was pretty obvious it wasn't going to be his night, as he looked bad from the warm up tosses. This was his first game back from the DL, and to be honest, he was throwing junk. He'd walk Lee, then give up a single to Aramis Ramirez. The Astros would then intentionally walk Milton Bradley to set up force outs at each base. After that, Soriano was happy to drive whatever junkball pitch that was Sampson served up deep into center field.
Great stuff. If you get a moment, stop by the photo gallery and check out some of the photos from the game. I think it was some of my finer stuff. And we love you again, Soriano. For now.
Filed:July 26th, 2009
Cubs starter Rich Harden (Cubbie Nation/file)
I got back from Toronto late this morning, so with photos to edit, posts to write, and a lot of dirty laundry piled up, instead of heading over to Wrigley Field, I settled in for the baseball fan's version of Afternoon Delight; a sunny Sunday afternoon game on TV. And what we got treated to was a tack-sharp Rich Harden, who lead the Cubs to a 5-2 win over the Reds. The win gave Chicago not only the three-game sweep, but coupled with the Phillies beating down the Cardinals 9-2, sole possession of first place in the NL Central.
This team will try your soul. As will many of the players on it. Take Rich Harden. After weeks of debate on when, where, how, and if to pitch Harden, what you got Sunday was a start that should at least settle the arguments for awhile. Making his 17th start of the season -- which was my over/under -- he put together the finest performance that I've seen from his this season, firing a one-hitter over six innings. Like I said, tack sharp. His only mistake was a high fastball in the first inning that Joe Votto muscled out to right field for a solo homer.
The Cubs offense gave him some good run support, in a style similar to the 2008 team; taking walks, getting their extra-base hits, and not being afraid to take the extra base when it was there. They picked a run in the second on a bases-loaded, Kosuke Fukudome walk, then again in the second on an Alfonso Soriano double off of Micah Owings, who left after three with shoulder tightness.
Just as an aside, am I the only one who thinks that Owing's highest and best use is as a hitter? I'm asking this seriously actually, because while I wouldn't go so far as to call him a bum as a pitcher, when you're ERA stays above 5.50 in the senior circuit, maybe it's time to think about doing something else. And he can definitely swing the bat.
Anyway, the Cubs were happy to tack on against the overworked Reds 'pen, picking up a run in the seventh, and a pair in the eighth, when Koyie Hill tripled -- no, seriously -- past a diving Chris Dickerson. Dickerson would leave the game, apparently injured on the play, with his status undetermined.
That wasn't the only incident in the eighth though. The Reds would actually load the bases with one out against Angel Guzman, only to have pinch-hitter Jerry Hairston, Jr. fly out to center. Edwin Encarnacion would tage up on the play, and be called out at the plate by umpire Laz Diaz, in what might have been the worst call in recent memory. I mean, he was safe by a mile, which resulted in both Encarnacion and manager Dusty Baker coming undone, and deservedly so.
That's how things go though in baseball. When they're going bad, as with the Reds in their now six-game losing streak, you can't catch a break. And when you're going good, as with the suddenly resurgent Cubs, you can do little wrong. It's four in a row now, with a big set coming up this week against a dangerous Astros team. Things just got interesting.
Filed:July 25th, 2009
Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario Thanks Roy. If this is to be the end -- Roy Halladay’s last game as a Blue Jay -- then it was to be the finest end that one could imagine. Halladay dazzled and went nine innings yet again, but was foiled by Evan Longoria in the 10th, as the Rays went on to win 4-2 Friday. I couldn’t be having more fun in Toronto. The food is great, the people very gracious, and if you can tolerate the fallout from a garbage worker’s strike, downtown Toronto is a must visit for everybody. After lots of haggling and phone calls, I was able to commandeer a seat for Friday’s game two rows back from the field, and directly behind the third base photo bay for the game. Check here for photos of the game. I did find out that the rumors were true though, and that the scalpers here do actually sell many tickets for below face value, and often. But it all was well worth the effort. Rogers Centre is amazing. Open, clean, with a wide concourse, and what looked like pretty great seats throughout. I don’t get the 500 sections though, which is mile high, and steep enough to make you wonder why you’d ever want to watch baseball up there. The capper was that the roof was opened by the seventh inning, which I’m told is something of a rarity here. So, I pretty much got the full tour, and then some. It’s a big change from Wrigley, but a great place to see the game, especially from the 100 Level. As for Halladay, I’m not sure if television does him justice. The break on his curveball is just sick, and he actually looked as sharp in the ninth inning as he did early on in the game. He struck out ten, giving up only four hits. There was a bit of trouble in the third, when a pair of sacrifice flies by the Rays would score two, but that was it. It was a signature performance, sure to have teams drooling further for his services, even if the reports are true that the Phillies have passed on a trade deal for him. But ultimately he’d have to leave, giving way to Scott Downs, who immediately got into trouble, and when Evan Longoria hit a double to left just out of reach of a diving Joe Inglett, that was the ballgame. Sadly, the Blue Jays may be worse than the Cubs offensively, so you can imagine the mass exodus from the stands when those runs scored. Thanks for the memories Toronto, and I guess I’m headed back to Chicago for the first few games of the Cubs - Astros set. Till then.
Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Thanks Roy.
If this is to be the end -- Roy Halladay’s last game as a Blue Jay -- then it was to be the finest end that one could imagine. Halladay dazzled and went nine innings yet again, but was foiled by Evan Longoria in the 10th, as the Rays went on to win 4-2 Friday.
I couldn’t be having more fun in Toronto. The food is great, the people very gracious, and if you can tolerate the fallout from a garbage worker’s strike, downtown Toronto is a must visit for everybody. After lots of haggling and phone calls, I was able to commandeer a seat for Friday’s game two rows back from the field, and directly behind the third base photo bay for the game. Check here for photos of the game. I did find out that the rumors were true though, and that the scalpers here do actually sell many tickets for below face value, and often. But it all was well worth the effort.
Rogers Centre is amazing. Open, clean, with a wide concourse, and what looked like pretty great seats throughout. I don’t get the 500 sections though, which is mile high, and steep enough to make you wonder why you’d ever want to watch baseball up there. The capper was that the roof was opened by the seventh inning, which I’m told is something of a rarity here. So, I pretty much got the full tour, and then some. It’s a big change from Wrigley, but a great place to see the game, especially from the 100 Level.
As for Halladay, I’m not sure if television does him justice. The break on his curveball is just sick, and he actually looked as sharp in the ninth inning as he did early on in the game. He struck out ten, giving up only four hits. There was a bit of trouble in the third, when a pair of sacrifice flies by the Rays would score two, but that was it. It was a signature performance, sure to have teams drooling further for his services, even if the reports are true that the Phillies have passed on a trade deal for him.
But ultimately he’d have to leave, giving way to Scott Downs, who immediately got into trouble, and when Evan Longoria hit a double to left just out of reach of a diving Joe Inglett, that was the ballgame. Sadly, the Blue Jays may be worse than the Cubs offensively, so you can imagine the mass exodus from the stands when those runs scored.
Thanks for the memories Toronto, and I guess I’m headed back to Chicago for the first few games of the Cubs - Astros set. Till then.
Filed:July 24th, 2009
Brian Myrow celebrates his game-winning hit with teammates Lastings Milledge and Ian Snell (Cubbie Nation)
No, I've not met my untimely demise, so sorry to those e-mailers who seem to keep wishing it. You know who you are. No, I'm sitting in a hotel room in Toronto, a few days into my summer tour around baseball.
I'm actually in the middle of a week-long road trip, checking out how the other half lives around the game. It's a week of pretty much non-stop baseball, between catching live games, and tracking the Cubs on MLB.tv.
Yes, I caught the Phillies series, and to be honest, I saw enough to still feel as encouraged about the Cubs second-half prospects today as when they left Washington. I keep hearing noise about the Dodgers being the NL cream of the crop this season. I've seen them six, maybe seven times, and they're good. I mean, they need some more power, and another middle-of-the-rotation guy, but they're good. The real talent though is with the champs, even minus the pitching upgrade they desperately need. So, taking the series would be nice, but coming into Philly, I think you're just happy to not get swept. The Cubs finished with a nice 5-2 road trip, the pitching looked good overall, and evidently, the Cubs are at least talking about a needing a left-handed bat. I'll be following the Reds series, and should be back at Wrigley for the Astros next week.
Oh, and the road trip? My first stop was Indianapolis, where after a 17-strikeout performance, I had to see what the hell had gotten into Ian Snell. The short answer was not much. I caught the back end of the Indianapolis Indians - Durham Bull series, including his start on Tuesday. The Indians would win 2-1 when lifer Brian Myrow hit a game-winning single in the ninth.
Snell is just feasting on AAA kids, who can't get around on his fastball yet. Lots of fly balls, plenty of fastball fouls. You know, the stuff major leaguers would be driving for hard hits. I wasn't impressed with the outing, regardless of his stat line that night.
Tom Gorzelanny either, who pitched the rubber match Wednesday. I can't believe these guys were the core of the Pirates staff just two years ago. For what it's worth though, I did get a chance to see a real stud. The Rays farmhand Wade Davis is a beast. I heard from a couple of folks at the park that he's being showcased, and Ken Rosenthal is reporting he's being featured in Cliff Lee discussions. Cleveland fans, I don't think you'll be disappointed with this kid at all. He really needs another half season, but he looks really, really good.
I'm off. Next stop is the Rogers Centre tonight to catch what may be the Roy Halladay's last start as a Blue Jay. So sad. And if you're interested, check out the Around Baseball gallery for photos of my road trip.
Filed:July 19th, 2009
Cubs third baseman Jake Fox (Cubbie Nation/file)
I know I'm not supposed to be impressed when the home team beats up on the likes of the Washington Nationals. Worst team in baseball. Organization in disarray. Interim (and not very good) manager at the helm. I'd even been warned before the start of this series that the Nationals would implode at the first sign of any success, and well, that fan was pretty much correct.
But what I've seen over the course of the weekend was a long-overdue power surge by the Cubs, the sight of both Kosuke Fukudome and Alfonso Soriano prospering in their respective new roles, and more than anything, some actual grit from a team that frankly has been lacking in it this season. Kevin Gregg's two inning effort last night was probably the toughest performance of the season by a Cub, and the effort today, a 11-3 win to complete the four-game series sweep, was exactly the sort of breakout game that many fans have been looking for. And I at least am very impressed with most everything that I saw.
Okay, not quite everything. Kevin Hart --recalled for this game in place of the optioned Sam Fuld -- looked SHAKY in just about every frame of his five innings of work. He walked five, give up five hits, and looked way too hittable overall. Honestly, I find myself watching Hart and waiting for him to turn into a pumpkin, as I can't shake the feeling that he's just a start or two away from teams figuring him out. The break on his pre-2008 slider is gone, and I think he just looks like another middling bullpen filler without it.
And Jake Fox needs much, much work at third base. His mishandling of a couple of routine plays in the fourth inning, including a force out at home on Ronnie Beliard, looked much tougher than they should have. He'd hit a homer to make up for later in the game with a sixth inning homer.
But the killer for the Washington was the fourth inning, when the Nats turned this game into amateur night, with a combination of a pair of errors by Josh Bard and Albeto Gonzalez to extend the inning, and bad pitching by Garrett Mock that would allow the Cubs to put a seven spot on the board.
The Cubs would bat around in the inning, with Soriano starting things off with a two-run homers, his 16th of the year.
From there, things just got weird. Mock would fling a wild pitch, allowing Mike Fontenot to reach second, and then walk Koyie Hill. Now, at this point, Mock giving up an RBI single to Hart should have been the worst, but the inning was by no means done.
Once Fukudome singled, and took second on the second error of the inning, this time by Josh Bard on the throw home from Nyjer Morgan, it was goodbye Mock -- and the game -- and hello to reliever Julian Tavares.
The Cubs would grab another pair of runs of Tavares before the inning mercifully ended, but you're not coming back from something like that when you're the Nats.
And with the game well in hand, we got to see an emptying of the bench, and an extended outing from Jeff Samardzija, the lost man in the Cubs bullpen. A little rough, given this being his first outing in almost two weeks, but effective. He's give up a homer to Adam Dunn in the seventh, but that's practically a right of passage for NL pitchers.
With the Brewers 5-3 loss at Cincy, the Cubs are sitting a couple back of first, and looking much better heading into a big series with the Phillies this week. To be the best, you have to beat the best.
Knocking around the Nationals won't fix everything that ails you, but don't be surprised if this doesn't give this team the swift kick in the ass that they've been in need of most of this season.
Filed:July 17th, 2009
Chicago Cubs Derrek Lee (Cubbie Nation/file)
The Washington Nationals can't pitch, can't field, and can't execute. And they delivered prime examples of all Thursday, and the Cubs took advantage to grab a 6-2 win in D.C. Given the current disarray of that club, I'm looking forward to four three more games just like it this weekend.
Let me put that aside for a moment, and talk about the Cubs other major news Thursday, the signing of ex-Blue Jay B.J. Ryan to a minor-league deal. I've been thinking about this since Dave van Dyck first reported the potential signing last week. As someone who's followed the Blue Jays for awhile, I've had a chance to see Ryan at both his best and worst for some time now, not to mention have been awed by the ridiculousness of his old deal, a 48 million dollar boondoggle that still makes my jaw drop.
I love. I hate it. I love it. I hate it. I've gone back and forth for a week now, and still can't decide, so I'm giving Jim Hendry a pass, and hoping for the best. Ryan will reportedly do some work on his mechanics in Mesa, then report to the Cubs AAA franchise when his work with pitching coordinator Mark Riggins is complete.
See, here's my problem. B.J. Ryan can flat out throw, and when on, he's a solid reliever, who while he may have his closer days behind him, could certainly terrify the NL as a late-inning setup man for at least another year or two. So, the idea of making a minimal investment, getting him into the system, and hopefully having him ready for 2010 if all goes well is just good business.
The thing is though: it's awfully late in the season to be shopping at the local Costco, so to speak. The best case is that Ryan spends a couple of weeks in Arizona, a few weeks in the minors, and the Cubs have him ready by late August, or likely as part of the September call-ups. The worst is that the Cubs fail to make another move, anticipating relief help coming from here. And Ryan right now is, to be frank, a hot mess, who I suspect is still nursing an injury, given both his recent wildness and drop in velocity.
In the meantime, they still need a healthy, productive second lefty who can contribute now. Go get one before the deadline, and there's no need for Ryan. Don't, and wait for Ryan, and do the bullpen and team a disservice. If this signing alters the willingness of the club to pursue bullpen help at the deadline, then I say shame. Shame on you.
Love the player, and the idea of having him on the club, so if there's at least verbal language assuring the Cubs that they can have a healthy Ryan around in 2010, I say great. But what the team really needs is a guy they can throw out there tomorrow, not some time in September. Or should Marshall just start shopping for his own outfielder's glove?
Filed:July 15th, 2009
Well, the afternoon is here, and I've lamented all that I'm going to lament about the American League's 13th straight win over the NL last night, a 4-3 victory that has had me wondering what you gotta do to get a break. Let's be honest though; when Carl Crawford jumped the fence to rob Brad Hawpe of the go-ahead homer, you knew it was going to be one of those nights.
Not that I mind all that much, although maybe I would if the Cubs had stronger Series hopes this year. It's just that you're left to wonder how one league can be so consistently dominated like this; financially; record-wise, and in perception. It's just wrong.
So, I've over it, and as I wait for regularly scheduled games to resume, I thought I'd pass along a few things that you might have missed while watching President Obama drop disses on the Cubs.
Like agents pushing for the MLBPA to file a collusion grievance over last off-season's free-agent contracts.
"There are too many things that need to be explained," said Seth Levinson, who represented nearly a dozen free agents following the 2008 season. "In my experience, there are no coincidences in a monopoly."
Now, we talked about this during the off-season, so if you're asking me, yes, the clubs colluded in curbing free-agent salaries. Do I believe that they sat in a room and fixed prices? Doubtful. But let it be known that free-spending clubs would be very unfavorably viewed, and possibly dealt with? Oh yeah, I think so.
Frankly though, in this case I have to say...so what? Putting aside my main problem, which is that they chose the All-Star game to air this issue publicly -- completely in poor taste, in my opinion, and brought to you by the same folks who architected the Alex Rodriguez free agenncy debacle at the World Series a few seasons ago -- is the fact that baseball is a discretionary, entertainment product, in the middle of the worst recession in 80 years.
Unemployment? Expected in the teens by 2010.
Home prices? Still falling.
Consumers? Not spending, and faced with the double whammy of an increased tax bill, and lower pricing power on wages.
You really want to air public grievances on why your guy "only got 8 million a year" on this new deal? Seriously?
Labor-management relationships are always contentious, have plenty of friction, and everyone is forever seeking to get the upper hand. I think some guys took it on the chin last winter; mostly due to the economy, and maybe a bit due to Selig and company. But mostly the economy. Let it go. The decline is real, and fans are just not going to side with you on this when too many are considering cutting the cable that they use to watch you on just to make ends meet. And yes, these things are judged in the court of public opinion.
Oh, and if you want more proof, I came across this piece recently, proving what I'd suspected all season; that the tickets just aren't moving.
The short answer is that two-thirds of baseball is suffering a drop in attendance -- including virtually all the major markets -- and overall drop is 5.5%. I'd add anectodally that those lost seats appear to be in the boxes, and premium sections, making the revenue loss that much worse. It's a nice piece from Darren Rovell, who does a good job with sports business coverage, and I hope you'll give it a read. Good luck to the MLBPA trying to get traction with an anti-trust case with these numbers.
Filed:July 12th, 2009
Chicago Cub Carlos Zambrano (Cubbie Nation/file)
He sings. He dances. Tell jokes. Beats catchers with his bare hands. Pitches pretty well too, and even has been know to hit a bit. The latter two were on display Sunday, as Zambrano carried the Cubs to a 7-3 win over the Cardinals in Game 1 of their day/night doubleheader.
Micah Hoffpauir, subbing for Derrek Lee, actually started things with a three-run homer in the first off of Cardinals start Kyle Lohse. Lohse had the right idea, but wrong execution when he threw a breaking ball inside to Hoffpauir, normally a pitch sure to get Micah out. Instead, this time he nailed it, sending a blast into the bleachers that you were sure of from the crack of the bat.
Then the Cubs got just what they needed Sunday afternoon, especially given the absence of both Aramis Ramirez and Lee from the lineup, which was a strong pitching performance from the staff ace. Zambrano delivered, going six innings, and giving up three runs.
Trust me, the performance was better than it sounds. His only real mistake was being dumb enough to pitch to Albert Pujols with runners on in the third inning. Pujols would smack a two-run double to left that would bring the Cardinals back within one. Joe Thurston would tie the game later in the inning with an RBI single, before Jason LaRue was retired.
But Zambrano quickly made up for his mistake though, blasting a homer of his own in the fourth, which proved to be the game winner.
The game stayed close for awhile, but the Cubs then took advantage of the Cardinals mistakes in seventh to grab three more runs, and put the game away.
Nice to see a LaRussa team unable to execute for once. Reliever Todd Wellemeyer couldn't stop walking people, filling the bases with Cubs. Then the Cubs would grab a quick run when on a Sam Fuld groundout, Skip Schumaker would come home high with the throw, with LaRue unable to find the plate on the way down. Pujols -- usually as sure-handed a first baseman as you'll find -- would have his own lapse, allowing a Koyie Hill grounder to shoot threw his legs, allowing two more to score.
This was not the prettiest game that we'll see this season, but given that 1) the Cubs are now assured of a winning homestand, and 2) have a chance to take three of four from both the Brewers and Cardinals on it, I couldn't be happier. Well, except for maybe taking two today.
So, here's hoping for the double-header sweep. I'm off to find my earplugs; it's Sunday Night Baseball with Joe Morgan in Game 2.
Filed:July 10th, 2009
The St. Louis Cardinals celebrate their 8-3 win over the Cubs (Cubbie Nation)
Click here for the photo gallery of Friday's game
Every time that I think I've seen the worst of the 2009 Chicago Cubs, they seem take their awful play to whole new lows. Friday, they took it even further in an 8-3 loss to the Cardinals; an embarrassing effort in the opener of what may be the most important series of the year to date.
And no, it's not hyperbole. As I'd pointed out at the beginning of the homestand, this is all hands on deck, with the Cubs needing to turn this into a winning homestand by any means necessary. A bad series here, and all of a sudden, they're fading, the Cardinals are surging, and you're sitting seven or so games back -- and probably beginning to strongly consider the merits of shedding some of this payroll instead of adding pieces at the deadline.
And really, why shouldn't they? If this thud is the best that the current team can summon against the front-runners of the division, then I say again...sell.
From beginning to end, it was bad. For starters, Rich Harden got knocked around like he stole something from the onset. I give him credit for keeping the Cubs in the game at least, especially given that after reviewing some photos and video last night, I think that shoulder still isn't quite right.
But he did things that you just don't do; walking Chris Carpenter, not changing speeds well, and pitching to Albert Pujols. Don't. Pitch. To Pujols!
The entire Cardinals offense is based almost solely on Pujol's production. Why he isn't getting the Bonds treatment is absolutely beyond me. I don't care if the bases are loaded, and he's up. Walk him. Stop pitching to the man. Let him go a couple of weeks of not having to swing the bat, and let's see how crisp he is. For right now though, he's dialed in, as his mammoth homer in the fifth inning proved, and you're dumber than dirt if you keep serving him up pitches.
Thank Derrek Lee for keeping things interesting with a three-run homer, but Aaron Heilman relieved Harden, which resulted in an implosion that left everyone stunned.
Heilman just could not throw a strike, walking four, and allowing five of the first six hitters to reach. This was made worse by Pujols smartly taking third on a Ryan Ludwick single, that Aramis Ramirez mis-fielded for an error, and Alfonso Soriano inexplicably calling of Ryan Theriot on a Yadier Molina fly that he subsequently dropped.
So what should have been no worse than a run or two resulted into a four-run inning that put this thing away, and likely has yet again left manager Lou Piniella looking for answers.
But hey, at least the kids looked good. Jeff Samardzija threw two really good innings of work, and featuring a much better-looking breaking ball doing so.
And Jeff Stevens -- called up from AAA -- threw a scoreless ninth in his first major league appearance. Weird. He played his first game with the guy that he was acquired for sitting in the other dugout. How often does that happen?
Well, it's status quo in Cubbie Nation. Too bad the status is slumdog right now.
Filed:July 8th, 2009
Atlanta Brave Jeff Francoeur (Cubbie Nation/file)
Admit it; it's been a rough week watching the Cubs.
For one day -- Monday -- all seemed to be right with the world. Everyone was healthy. The team played well, and won. The Tribune era appeared to quickly be ending. And for the first time in months, at least I felt like the team might put it together enough to make a run. No, not the 97 win, but more the 85 wins and back into the playoffs sort of thing. Which is starting to seem more and more like what the eventual NL Central champion will look like.
So what happens? First, that tentative deal with the Ricketts? Not so tentative, with the Utay group stepping in to make a last-minute bid.
I mean, really? REALLY? As if this sale wasn't going to drag on long enough as is, Zell wants to turn this into a cage match at the 11th hour. It was going to be bad enough watching creditors pick apart the deferred millions in the deal that they won't be getting quick access to -- if ever -- but now this. I take back what I said before; I don't even look for the sale to get completed this season now. And if I may say so, I like Sam Zell, but I would not want to involve myself in any business dealings with the man. I can't find anyone who has enjoyed working with him, and I've actually looked.
Think it doesn't affect the 2009 team? Jim Hendry is already intimating that the money well is dried up for this season, with quite possibly no moves to be made at the trade deadline? Bluffing? Maybe. Hendry and deals are like teenagers and Internet porn; a curious oddity that he finds irresistible.
Either way, I bet those words don't come out of his mouth if Zell is still looking to keep the team bright and shiny new looking for prospective buyers.
Tuesday: Ryan Dempster injured while jumping over a fence. Did he high jump it or something? He'll be out for a few weeks, although fortunately half of that should be the All-Star break. When you get injured just taking the field, maybe you should spend that off time looking into a new conditioning program. I hate to call the modern baseball player soft, but...
And Wednesday, an impotent lineup becomes more so with Geovany Soto scratched from the game with an oblique strain. He's listed as day to day, with MRI results due back by Friday. Not bad normally, but when those days in day to day include a foursome with the Cardinals, well, I end up needing an off-day too.
And all this was topped off by a 4-1 loss Wednesday to the Braves that left me with but one conclusion; if the Cubs aren't going to go and chase a bat, then sell, because you're just kidding yourselves otherwise.
I hope they don't, and yes, I acknowledge that it is possible to stumble into the playoff without it. Maybe Soriano hits, maybe Bradley slugs, and all of a sudden you're in the mix. But the likelihood seems more and more remote that the team as composed is going to get it together offensively. If the ballclub won't recognize that, and address it, then what is there to do? At that point, you're the Seattle Mariners 10 years ago; good teams that relied too heavily on the injured and underperforming, leaving the club to wither and die without reinforcements to carry on the fight.
But back to this game for a moment, which was a comedy of errors if ever there was one. Whether Kevin Hart walking five, including the pitcher, to keep the fourth inning alive, Jake Fox totally missing a Martin Prado single, allowing Nate McLouth to score, or a ridiculous two-run ninth that I'd like to personally forget, the Cubs gave a Bobby Cox team too many extra outs, and you're always going to lose when you do that. Couple that with an impotent offense, and the game is over before it even really starts.
Seriously Jim, go get that bat; jumpstart a team badly in need of one. Don't make us beg.
Filed:July 6th, 2009
Aramis Ramirez returns from his DL stint against the Braves Monday (Cubbie Nation)
Click here for the photo gallery of Monday's Cubs-Braves game
If you could endure 70's night, Erik Estrada televised comments on porn and Ron Jeremy's junk -- no, I'm not joking -- and the ESPN Monday night crew, you got to enjoy two things sure to make a Cubs fan happy; the return of third baseman Aramis Ramirez, and the Cubs 4-2 win over the Atlanta Braves.
Aramis looked, well...rushed, finishing 0-5, with a trio of weak groundouts. The Braves even intentionally walked Milton Bradley in the seventh inning to get to him, something we're not likely to see again this season. But the sight of Ramirez was enough to send the crowd of 40,042 into a round of cheers and applause reserved for the great one. He was truly missed. Fortunately, the Cubs looked much better as a whole, getting out early against Atlanta, and holding on for the win.
Derrek Lee set things off in the first inning, with a two-run homer of Jair Jurrgens, and looked to start what was going to be a rout. Jurregens was very shaky early, giving up a pair in the first, and again in the second, when Kosuke Fukudome would hit a RBI double to score Mike Fontenot and Randy Wells.
But Jurrgens is money in the old school sense, and settled down to keep the Braves in the ballgame. They'd pick up a run in the fourth, when a Randy Wells bobble lead to Chipper Jones scoring, and again in the fifth, when Nate McLouth went yard for a solo shot.
In the end though, Bobby Cox put this game out of reach for his team in the eighth, when with Yunel Escobar on first, Casey Kotchman at the plate, and another shaky appearance by Carlos Marmol on the mound, he inexplicably refuses to send Escobar; didn't even put the hit and run on. True to fold, the dirt slow, line-drive hitting Kotchman would ground into a double play to end the inning, and pretty much the game. A real head scratcher.
And to finish the evening, it was announced that the deal structure for the Cubs has been agreed upon, with the Ricketts agreement being sent to MLB and the bankruptcy court for approval. Reueters is reporting the package as being worth an estimated 900 billion, with an approval expected within weeks. I've no doubt the amount, but let's just hope and expect to celebrate a playoff berth and new ownership come September. While MLB is likely to rubber stamp this deal, creditors are significantly more vocal about billion dollar assets moving out the door, and will likely be more so now, given the tendency of Sam Zell to tweak deal values for favorable tax treatments.
But for now, Ramirez is back, the Cubs are winning, it's summertime in Chicago, and all is right in Cubbie Nation.
Filed:July 3rd, 2009
Koyie Hill awaits the throw home, before tagging out Jeff Suppan at the plate. (Cubbie Nation)
Click here for the photo gallery from Friday's game
It was yet more walk-off magic for the Cubs Friday, when a bases-loaded walk to Jake Fox sent Ryan Theriot home, and gave the Cubs a 2-1 win in 10 innings. With the win, the Cubs have now closed in to within 2.5 games of the division lead.
2.5 games. For all the offensive woes, bad personnel choices, shaky bullpen efforts, defensive foibles, and collection of outburst and tirades, the Cubs are 2.5 out to start July, and have some reason to be hopeful.
Aramis Ramirez and Reed Johnson are due back on Monday. Angel Guzman the following day. Guys like Soto and Lee are hitting -- or at least starting too. Guys like Kevin Gregg, who saved this game in my opinion with two innings of stellar bullpen work in relief of Carlos Zambrano, are at least beginning to perform to expectations. And I suspect most importantly, manager Lou Piniella is finally starting to clear the clubhouse of the bad ju-ju that has been over the club like a fog this season.
And that includes you Ryan Freel, designed for assignment Friday, to free up a spot for newly acquired Jeff Baker. With such quotables as this during his minor-league stint:
“I’d like to think that I can help the team, but apparently they don’t think that. That’s pretty much a conversation I had with somebody up top. Maybe I’ll be designated, traded or released.”
I would have released you that day buddy.
With moves like this, and clearing the air with Milton Bradley, perhaps we can at least look forward to a club that looks a little less tight in the second half, or as Ken Rosenthal put it recently, maybe they'll get over themselves.
Finally watch for Soriano drama in the coming days, as Piniella suggests shake-ups in the lineup affecting him. Says Piniella:
"I can tell you I have confidence in the young man [Soriano], and I feel he's going to hit. But we are going to make some adjustments with the lineup."
Say what you will about Lou, but he's earning his check this season, if only in having to manage the personalities and egos of this fragile team.
Cubs starter Randy Wells (Cubbie Nation/file)
Filed:June 30th, 2009
I'll tell you a story.
Back in March I had occasion to chat with a few very nice young ladies in one of Chicago's tonier nightspots. We talked for awhile, I explained what I do, and what's involved with it. As an aside, if you ever want a laugh, try explaining to someone the economics of blogging. You'll see.
But they were all too happy to share that they had just met the next great Cubs outfielder, Sam Fuld, the past weekend at this same spot. Now, Sam had obviously -- and for obvious reasons -- overstated his role with the ballclub a bit, and I had to explain depth charts, free-agent signings, talent limitations, and other baseball-related issues to them, and that they shouldn't look for Sam to be back in Chicago anytime soon, regardless of his hopes to break camp with the team.
Okay, I was wrong. Things have gone very bad in the Cubs outfield this season, and Fuld is back in town. Not only that, but his first major league start Wednesday turned into a highlight reel, as he helped power the Cubs to a 4-1 win over the Pirates.
Personally, I was just happy to see Alfonso Soriano sit for a night; I suspect most fans felt the same way. However, he proved to be a catalyst from the lead-off spot as well. Fuld would collect his first major-league hit in the first inning ahead of Derrek Lee, who'd promptly drive him in with a two-run shot to put the Cubs up early. He'd finish 2-4 on the night with a walk, in addition to providing a number of highlight defensive plays in left field.
First, he'd rob Ramon Vazquez of a hit in the fourth inning. Then in the fifth, he'd throw out Jack Wilson at the plate to end the Pirates rally. It was a great play, and I'm sure he'll impress the ladies with tales of it this weekend.
All this was in support of starter Randy Wells, who after some tough-luck early on this season, seems to be collecting wins at a pretty steady pace now. He'd go seven innings Wednesday, allowing one run on six hits. I can't say enough good things about his performance, but I will say that he went after hitters, and didn't nibble, which is the nicest thing that I can say about a rookie pitcher. I don't like rookies, and I can't stand nibblers.
And for those who needed to see a little more fire out of Lou Piniella, well, you got it. Sweet Lou was ejected in the sixth inning arguing a bang-bang Wells groundout, and well, let's just say he got his money's worth. No bases were harmed in the making of this tirade, but even I have to admit it was refreshing to see some genuine anger from Lou, which he dealt out plenty of to ump Chad Fairchild.
So, the Cubs close the road trip with a win, finishing it with a 3-7 record overall, and an 11-14 record for June. Pretty bad, but fortunately reinforcements are on the way. Aramis Ramirez is expected to come off the disabled list on Monday, followed by Angel Guzman on Tuesday. And for reasons that I don't completely understand, the Cubs are on the verge of acquiring Jeff Baker from the Rockies. Why, I've no idea, but at least he beats an injured Aaron Miles on the roster.