Derrek Lee is amazing. When the Cubs picked him up from Florida before the 2004 season, I was less than excited. I was confused.
The Cubs had sent away Hee Sop Choi, who was to be the heir to Mark Grace. The Cubs refused to give Grace the career ending contract he so desired because we needed to free up first base for Hee Sop Choi. Grace had the last laugh earning a World Series ring as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
In 2004, Hendry sends Choi packing and brings over Derrek Lee. Lee had performed okay for the 2003 Series champion Florida Marlins, but was hardly considered the team leader. People like Ivan Rodriguez, Jeff Conine and Juan Pierre made that team swing. D-Lee hit just .208 in the series.
For the year, Lee hit just .271, but did have 31 home runs and 95 RBIs. Still, when you talked about the talent on the Marlins, there was more talk of Miguel Cabrera, Pierre and third baseman Mike Lowell. If Lee entered the conversation, it was as an afterthought.
Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry was smart. He knew this young man had potential he had not reached yet. Let the Marlins have Cabrera and Pierre; Hendry knew he had gold with Derrek Lee.
Less than two months after the Marlins won the Series in 2003, the Cubs sent Choi to Florida along with minor league pitcher Mike Nannini.
During the 2004 season, Lee improved marginally on his previous year, hitting one more home run, three more RBIs and a slightly better batting average.
Then in 2005 everything changed. D-Lee got off to a hot start in April and never looked back. He slammed a career high 46 homers and broke the 100 RBI mark for the first time since double-A ball. His strikeout total went down and his on-base percentage topped .400. Even though the northsiders had a poor year, Lee dragged the team along and gave fans reason to hope for a strong 2006.
During the off-season between 2005 and 2006, Hendry failed to land top free agent shortstop Rafael Furcal. This would turn out to be a disappointment for more reasons than one.
I was watching the Cubs play Dodgers in the early part of the 2006 season. Ronnie Cedeno’s throw was poor and Lee had to maneuver to catch it. Furcal rammed into Lee at full speed, injuring his wrist. It put an end to D-Lee’s season, an end to the Cubs hopes for the year, and eventually an end to the managerial term of Dusty Baker.
Fans worried whether Lee would be able to return to his 2005 form, once he recovered. After watching injuries to people like Mark Prior and Kerry Wood, you could understand the concern. So far, he has shown the fans he is back and ready to rumble.
Tonight he gathered two hits to raise his average to .392, good for second place in the league behind Colorado outfielder Matt Holiday. One of the two hits was his league leading fourteenth double of the year.
Some people are worried that he only has one home run this year. I would rather see the .392 average and .468 on-base percentage right now. The Cubs need baserunners. Lee is providing that. He leads the Cubs in runs scored and total bases. The home runs will come when the weather warms.
The good guys took it hard again tonight. They wasted another good pitching performance by Rich Hill. Lee did what he could, but it takes all nine guys to win ball games. Maybe tomorrow they will all show up in Pittsburgh. I know one guy who will be there and will be ready.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Joshua Morgan Hancock
Saturday afternoon he pitched well. He threw three innings giving up two hits (both singles) and a walk. He allowed on earned run in the seventh. The game was long gone before he hit the mound. Adam Wainwright had allowed six runs in a seven run fifth inning. The Cardinals were sunk after that.
Overall, Josh Hancock had a good outing. Unfortunately, it turned out to be his final one.
The twenty-nine year old was signed originally by the Boston Red Sox. After pitching in three games for Boston in 2002, he was sent to Philadelphia for Jeremy Giambi. In the year and a half he spent in the Phillies organization he appeared in a total of six major league games. During the 2004 season he was part of a four player deal that sent him to Cincinnati.
The Reds gave him a good shot. He earned five wins in nine starts during 2004. He spent most of 2005 on the disabled list. During September, in eleven games out of the pen he carried a 1.93 ERA. Still, the Reds released him in February of 2006. He no longer fit in their short or long range plans.
The St. Louis Cardinals signed him to a minor league contract three days after the Reds let him go. At spring training camp in Florida, he allowed only two runs in nine appearances for a 1.80 ERA. More impressive was that he struck out twelve while only walking one. He pitched well enough that spring to make the major league roster to stay.
2006 was a great year for Hancock, throwing in 62 games as a reliever. He finished with a 3-3 record and a 4.09 ERA. Not bad for a middle reliever. He appeared in three playoff games, but did not appear in any of the World Series games. There were no worries. He still had a long career ahead of him.
There was little doubt he would make the club in 2007. Saturday’s game marked his eighth appearance on the mound this year. He knew his role and continued to make the most of it.
Early this morning, it ended. Hancock’s Ford Explorer met a parked tow truck on the interstate shortly after midnight. Doctors theorize he died on impact. It was a two vehicle accident that left one person dead and harmed no one else.
Search the web. There are tons of remembrances that I will not re-quote here. Just remember the young man from Mississippi who patiently worked his way into the major leagues. As an old investment pitchman used to say, he did it the old-fashioned way. He earned it.
Make each pitch like it is your last pitch.
Take each swing like it is your last swing.
Enjoy each moment you spend on the field.
Make today the best day ever.
Joshua Morgan Hancock
1978 – 2007
Peace.
Overall, Josh Hancock had a good outing. Unfortunately, it turned out to be his final one.
The twenty-nine year old was signed originally by the Boston Red Sox. After pitching in three games for Boston in 2002, he was sent to Philadelphia for Jeremy Giambi. In the year and a half he spent in the Phillies organization he appeared in a total of six major league games. During the 2004 season he was part of a four player deal that sent him to Cincinnati.
The Reds gave him a good shot. He earned five wins in nine starts during 2004. He spent most of 2005 on the disabled list. During September, in eleven games out of the pen he carried a 1.93 ERA. Still, the Reds released him in February of 2006. He no longer fit in their short or long range plans.
The St. Louis Cardinals signed him to a minor league contract three days after the Reds let him go. At spring training camp in Florida, he allowed only two runs in nine appearances for a 1.80 ERA. More impressive was that he struck out twelve while only walking one. He pitched well enough that spring to make the major league roster to stay.
2006 was a great year for Hancock, throwing in 62 games as a reliever. He finished with a 3-3 record and a 4.09 ERA. Not bad for a middle reliever. He appeared in three playoff games, but did not appear in any of the World Series games. There were no worries. He still had a long career ahead of him.
There was little doubt he would make the club in 2007. Saturday’s game marked his eighth appearance on the mound this year. He knew his role and continued to make the most of it.
Early this morning, it ended. Hancock’s Ford Explorer met a parked tow truck on the interstate shortly after midnight. Doctors theorize he died on impact. It was a two vehicle accident that left one person dead and harmed no one else.
Search the web. There are tons of remembrances that I will not re-quote here. Just remember the young man from Mississippi who patiently worked his way into the major leagues. As an old investment pitchman used to say, he did it the old-fashioned way. He earned it.
Make each pitch like it is your last pitch.
Take each swing like it is your last swing.
Enjoy each moment you spend on the field.
Make today the best day ever.
Joshua Morgan Hancock
1978 – 2007
Peace.
Carlos Zambrano
It must be May. The Big Z is back. Carlos Zambrano threw seven good innings. He improved his own confidence and installed confidence in the team. Wil Ohman pitched a solid eighth and rookie Rocky Cherry threw a strong ninth to nail down the team’s tenth win of the year and bring their record even with last year’s World Series winner.
Today, maybe we can sweep and move ahead of the redbirds in the standings.
Forget about the long-standing rivalry. This weekend was a weekend where the team needed to decide if they were going to recover from a poor start or continue to drift along as a sub-.500 team. Even though they are still three games below the water line, they have a three game streak going. Rich Hill is on the mound tonight. I fully expect the streak to continue.
Manager Lou Piniella continues to impress me each day. He understands the game and knows how to motivate. He recognizes talent and is not afraid to make tough decisions. He is not even afraid to accept responsibility for making bad decisions.
This is going to be a fun year for Chicago. Can’t wait for the action tonight!
Today, maybe we can sweep and move ahead of the redbirds in the standings.
Forget about the long-standing rivalry. This weekend was a weekend where the team needed to decide if they were going to recover from a poor start or continue to drift along as a sub-.500 team. Even though they are still three games below the water line, they have a three game streak going. Rich Hill is on the mound tonight. I fully expect the streak to continue.
Manager Lou Piniella continues to impress me each day. He understands the game and knows how to motivate. He recognizes talent and is not afraid to make tough decisions. He is not even afraid to accept responsibility for making bad decisions.
This is going to be a fun year for Chicago. Can’t wait for the action tonight!
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Improving
There was a lot to be excited about during last night’s Cubs win against the arch-rival St. Louis Cardinals.
First, Jason Marquis, ex-Cardinal, pitched another great game and earned his second straight win against his former teammates. There was a lot of concern by Cubs fans when Marquis was signed, but things appear to be working out fine with the youngster. He was earned three wins in his first five starts with an ERA of 2.35. He is a different style of pitcher compared to Ted Lilly, Rich Hill and Carlos Zambrano, but that is good. Having a variety of styles in the starting rotation is as important as having a mix of righthanders and lefthanders. It keeps the other team from getting into a stride.
Another bit of excitement comes from the defensive play of Alfonzo Soriano. Soriano threw out Edmonds at the plate last night, which featured a good effort from Barrett as well. Edmonds is no longer as fleet as Ryan Theriot, but it was still fun to watch.
Soriano is still not hitting like the Soriano we expected, but he will. Just as D-Lee and Ramirez has awoken, so will Soriano.
Then there is Felix Pie who struck the first of what we hope will be many home runs. It came at a good time, increasing the lead from 2 to 1 to 4 to 1. He had a chance to be a hitting star in the ninth as he came to the plate with one out and Matt Murton on third. Instead of a single, deep fly ball or a squeeze play, Pie squibbed one back to the pitcher.
Just when it looked like another lost opportunity, Cesar Izturis (yes, he still plays for the Cubs) came up with the big single to score an insurance run in the top of the ninth.
That last run gave Ryan Dempster breathing room. He was able to shut down the Cardinals in the ninth, after bailing out Michael Wuertz and Neal Cotts who loaded the bases with one out in the eighth. Dempster picked up his fourth save this year, having gone ages without a save opportunity. Many worried about whether he could return to 2005 form. So far, he is working out fine.
The final note of hope comes from Thursday night as Angel Guzman made his second start for Iowa. He was shelled for five runs in three innings in his first outing. This type he made it two the fifth inning, only allowing two runs and gathering five K’s. The Cubs are committed to him starting on May 1st and he may be ready to do battle.
Speaking of the minors, last year’s rookie Sean Marshall pitched well in Daytona Wednesday and was promoted to Iowa. He has endured shoulder “fatigue” this spring. We may see him contribute to this Cubs season yet.
All that and the Cubs have another winning streak started. This afternoon Carlos Zambrano hopes to make it three.
The sun is bright this morning. Life is grand!
First, Jason Marquis, ex-Cardinal, pitched another great game and earned his second straight win against his former teammates. There was a lot of concern by Cubs fans when Marquis was signed, but things appear to be working out fine with the youngster. He was earned three wins in his first five starts with an ERA of 2.35. He is a different style of pitcher compared to Ted Lilly, Rich Hill and Carlos Zambrano, but that is good. Having a variety of styles in the starting rotation is as important as having a mix of righthanders and lefthanders. It keeps the other team from getting into a stride.
Another bit of excitement comes from the defensive play of Alfonzo Soriano. Soriano threw out Edmonds at the plate last night, which featured a good effort from Barrett as well. Edmonds is no longer as fleet as Ryan Theriot, but it was still fun to watch.
Soriano is still not hitting like the Soriano we expected, but he will. Just as D-Lee and Ramirez has awoken, so will Soriano.
Then there is Felix Pie who struck the first of what we hope will be many home runs. It came at a good time, increasing the lead from 2 to 1 to 4 to 1. He had a chance to be a hitting star in the ninth as he came to the plate with one out and Matt Murton on third. Instead of a single, deep fly ball or a squeeze play, Pie squibbed one back to the pitcher.
Just when it looked like another lost opportunity, Cesar Izturis (yes, he still plays for the Cubs) came up with the big single to score an insurance run in the top of the ninth.
That last run gave Ryan Dempster breathing room. He was able to shut down the Cardinals in the ninth, after bailing out Michael Wuertz and Neal Cotts who loaded the bases with one out in the eighth. Dempster picked up his fourth save this year, having gone ages without a save opportunity. Many worried about whether he could return to 2005 form. So far, he is working out fine.
The final note of hope comes from Thursday night as Angel Guzman made his second start for Iowa. He was shelled for five runs in three innings in his first outing. This type he made it two the fifth inning, only allowing two runs and gathering five K’s. The Cubs are committed to him starting on May 1st and he may be ready to do battle.
Speaking of the minors, last year’s rookie Sean Marshall pitched well in Daytona Wednesday and was promoted to Iowa. He has endured shoulder “fatigue” this spring. We may see him contribute to this Cubs season yet.
All that and the Cubs have another winning streak started. This afternoon Carlos Zambrano hopes to make it three.
The sun is bright this morning. Life is grand!
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Rain Not on the White Sox
The Sox were rained out and the northsiders had the day off. Not much baseball to be had today. After yesterday’s analysis of the Cub roster, we thought we would take a peek at how the Sox are doing at this point.
For all of the talent in the Cubs outfield, the White Sox seem to be lacking. Outfielder Scott Podsednik got off to a hot start before getting hurt again. The team went into last night’s game with Detroit with Darin Erstad in centerfield. It looked like an all sub outfield with Erstad in center and Rob Mackowiak and Pablo Ozuna in the corners. Ozuna, who appears on the Sox roster as a backup infielder, appears to have the left field job until Podsednik returns.
None of the Sox outfielders appear to be providing much punch in the lineup. Jermaine Dye is carrying a .209 average although he has powered three home runs so far this year.
Designated hitter Jim Thome is carrying the offense on his back with a .340 batting average and five home runs, both to lead the team. Paul Konerko is hitting a paltry .203 to start the year, but has a team leading fifteen RBIs.
Despite a poor offense, the team has earned eleven wins, thanks in part to some solid pitching performances. Bobby Jenks has nailed down eight saves and has a nice 3.09 ERA. Mark Buehle has a no-hitter among his two wins and a 2.59 ERA. Javier Vasquez has also picked up a couple wins.
Besides Jenks, the bullpen has been a nice bright spot. David Aardsma, Mike MacDougal, and Andrew Sisco have all contributed nicely.
The only questionable members of the pitching staff are Matt Thornton and rookie John Danks, who picked up his third loss last night. They may want to give either Heath Phillips a shot at Danks’ turn in the rotation and offer Ryan Bukvich Thornton’s seat in the pen. Both have gotten off to hot starts in Charlotte.
Altogether, it is hard to find fault in a team that is winning more than losing. The boys from the south side are just a game and a half back of the Indians. With 140 plus games left, lets buckle up and see how far Manager Ozzie Guillen can steer this bus.
For all of the talent in the Cubs outfield, the White Sox seem to be lacking. Outfielder Scott Podsednik got off to a hot start before getting hurt again. The team went into last night’s game with Detroit with Darin Erstad in centerfield. It looked like an all sub outfield with Erstad in center and Rob Mackowiak and Pablo Ozuna in the corners. Ozuna, who appears on the Sox roster as a backup infielder, appears to have the left field job until Podsednik returns.
None of the Sox outfielders appear to be providing much punch in the lineup. Jermaine Dye is carrying a .209 average although he has powered three home runs so far this year.
Designated hitter Jim Thome is carrying the offense on his back with a .340 batting average and five home runs, both to lead the team. Paul Konerko is hitting a paltry .203 to start the year, but has a team leading fifteen RBIs.
Despite a poor offense, the team has earned eleven wins, thanks in part to some solid pitching performances. Bobby Jenks has nailed down eight saves and has a nice 3.09 ERA. Mark Buehle has a no-hitter among his two wins and a 2.59 ERA. Javier Vasquez has also picked up a couple wins.
Besides Jenks, the bullpen has been a nice bright spot. David Aardsma, Mike MacDougal, and Andrew Sisco have all contributed nicely.
The only questionable members of the pitching staff are Matt Thornton and rookie John Danks, who picked up his third loss last night. They may want to give either Heath Phillips a shot at Danks’ turn in the rotation and offer Ryan Bukvich Thornton’s seat in the pen. Both have gotten off to hot starts in Charlotte.
Altogether, it is hard to find fault in a team that is winning more than losing. The boys from the south side are just a game and a half back of the Indians. With 140 plus games left, lets buckle up and see how far Manager Ozzie Guillen can steer this bus.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Better News
Several things have happened in the past couple of days that make me feel like maybe the fortunes of the Chicago Cubs are about to turn around from their sorry beginnings.
· Mark Prior is out for season.
· Ryan Theriot has been named the starting shortstop.
· Felix Pie was not sent back to AAA
· Alfonzo Soriano has been moved from center field to left field.
· Ted Lilly pitched well again
· Angel Guzman will likely pitch on May 1st.
· Lou Piniella has told the team to lighten up and have fun.
All of these are pieces of a puzzle coming together. The Cubs do not need to be distracted for another year with Mark Prior. The hope of his return has been an ongoing affair for years now. Let’s worry about Mark Prior next year. He will probably start out in AAA at that time anyway.
Ryan Theriot has proven he can consistently hit major league pitching. Let’s get him in there everyday. They still haven’t made the next obvious move of sending away Ronnie Cedeno in favor of Koyie Hill, but there is still time for that.
Felix Pie needs to play everyday. The Cubs do not need to have him lead off. Have Soriano lead and Theriot bat second. Pie can be a dangerous bat low in the lineup. He can win more games for the Cubs in the field than at the plate. Let Lee, Ramirez, Barrett and Soriano provide the bang. Pie can provide the glove they desperately need.
Soriano belongs in left. ‘Nuff said.
The pitching has been remarkably good. Scott Eyre may be coming out of his funk. Howry spins his wheels occasionally, but otherwise we can be happy with the staff Hendry has assembled. If Wade Miller can stay on the disabled list and Guzman can continue as a starter where he left off in the pen, there are clearer skies ahead.
Finally, Lou Piniella has taken off the ‘tough guy’ face and reminded the team that this is a boys game and should be played for fun. It is hard to win when you are trying not to lose. This team has played not to lose in the close games this year. I like the quote: “Relax and play. You're going to get a paycheck if you win or lose; your wife's going to love you; the dog's going to bark when you come home.
"Go out there and relax and play. I like the kids we have here. We've got a good group of men. We've got to get over the hump and get these games that are getting away from us."
I liked this team on opening day. I continue to like this team today. If they can hit as a team and continue to throw as they have, we are still going to have fun this summer.
· Mark Prior is out for season.
· Ryan Theriot has been named the starting shortstop.
· Felix Pie was not sent back to AAA
· Alfonzo Soriano has been moved from center field to left field.
· Ted Lilly pitched well again
· Angel Guzman will likely pitch on May 1st.
· Lou Piniella has told the team to lighten up and have fun.
All of these are pieces of a puzzle coming together. The Cubs do not need to be distracted for another year with Mark Prior. The hope of his return has been an ongoing affair for years now. Let’s worry about Mark Prior next year. He will probably start out in AAA at that time anyway.
Ryan Theriot has proven he can consistently hit major league pitching. Let’s get him in there everyday. They still haven’t made the next obvious move of sending away Ronnie Cedeno in favor of Koyie Hill, but there is still time for that.
Felix Pie needs to play everyday. The Cubs do not need to have him lead off. Have Soriano lead and Theriot bat second. Pie can be a dangerous bat low in the lineup. He can win more games for the Cubs in the field than at the plate. Let Lee, Ramirez, Barrett and Soriano provide the bang. Pie can provide the glove they desperately need.
Soriano belongs in left. ‘Nuff said.
The pitching has been remarkably good. Scott Eyre may be coming out of his funk. Howry spins his wheels occasionally, but otherwise we can be happy with the staff Hendry has assembled. If Wade Miller can stay on the disabled list and Guzman can continue as a starter where he left off in the pen, there are clearer skies ahead.
Finally, Lou Piniella has taken off the ‘tough guy’ face and reminded the team that this is a boys game and should be played for fun. It is hard to win when you are trying not to lose. This team has played not to lose in the close games this year. I like the quote: “Relax and play. You're going to get a paycheck if you win or lose; your wife's going to love you; the dog's going to bark when you come home.
"Go out there and relax and play. I like the kids we have here. We've got a good group of men. We've got to get over the hump and get these games that are getting away from us."
I liked this team on opening day. I continue to like this team today. If they can hit as a team and continue to throw as they have, we are still going to have fun this summer.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Good and Bad News
The past few days I have been preoccupied with events of a personal nature. Our family has adopted a ten-month old Lhasa Apso from a nearby shelter facility.
If you are considering getting a dog or cat for your home, please visit a local shelter. There are a number of wonderful animals available for adoption. Please let that be your first stop.
That said, the Cubs are not playing well. Okay, the Cubs stink. I hate to say it that way, but it needed to be said.
The team is losing two of every three games in the early going. It is not too late to fix the ship, but right now things are not going well.
It is hard to get excited about a 12 – 4 or 6 – 0 win when we lose the next two or three; especially the way we are losing those games.
Last night is a great example. There were several opportunities to push over a run to win the contest. I cannot be upset with rookie Rocky Cherry for giving up a home run to someone expected to hit home runs in those situations. Our home run hitters failed to respond in the same situation.
With Felix Pie perched at second with one out, eighteen million dollar Alfonzo Soriano failed to chip a base hit into right field that would have finished the game. Michael Barrett batted with a man on second and failed to deliver. Aramis Ramirez had a two run home run early in the game, but failed to deliver in the clutch.
I still like the Cubs roster. There are very few changes necessary, since replacing Wade Miller with Cherry. We will need another starting pitcher from Iowa. As I stated in a recent posting, I see the benefit of promoting Koyie Hill in place of Ronnie Cedeno. Maybe we could put Miller or (chronically injured) Mark Prior on the sixty day list to free a roster spot.
Any way you look at it, April has not been a good month, but the season is not over. The series with the new, improved Milwaukee Brewers has barely begun. Rich Hill is on the mound tonight. Let’s go Cubs!
If you are considering getting a dog or cat for your home, please visit a local shelter. There are a number of wonderful animals available for adoption. Please let that be your first stop.
That said, the Cubs are not playing well. Okay, the Cubs stink. I hate to say it that way, but it needed to be said.
The team is losing two of every three games in the early going. It is not too late to fix the ship, but right now things are not going well.
It is hard to get excited about a 12 – 4 or 6 – 0 win when we lose the next two or three; especially the way we are losing those games.
Last night is a great example. There were several opportunities to push over a run to win the contest. I cannot be upset with rookie Rocky Cherry for giving up a home run to someone expected to hit home runs in those situations. Our home run hitters failed to respond in the same situation.
With Felix Pie perched at second with one out, eighteen million dollar Alfonzo Soriano failed to chip a base hit into right field that would have finished the game. Michael Barrett batted with a man on second and failed to deliver. Aramis Ramirez had a two run home run early in the game, but failed to deliver in the clutch.
I still like the Cubs roster. There are very few changes necessary, since replacing Wade Miller with Cherry. We will need another starting pitcher from Iowa. As I stated in a recent posting, I see the benefit of promoting Koyie Hill in place of Ronnie Cedeno. Maybe we could put Miller or (chronically injured) Mark Prior on the sixty day list to free a roster spot.
Any way you look at it, April has not been a good month, but the season is not over. The series with the new, improved Milwaukee Brewers has barely begun. Rich Hill is on the mound tonight. Let’s go Cubs!
Friday, April 20, 2007
L as in Lilly (Losing)
Close to three weeks into the new season and newcomer Ted Lilly has become our hard luck starting pitcher. He has pitched more innings than any other Cub and has a 2.42 ERA. Still his record dropped to one win and two losses today.
It was not entirely the fault of his teammates that the Cubs fell again today. Lilly did make one bad pitch to Preston Wilson after walking Jim Edmonds providing the two to one score. Forget the fact that it was one of only four hits and one of only two walks he allowed. Lilly did give up the runs and is responsible for the loss.
Just ignore the fact the respected back-up catcher Henry Blanco forgot how to drop a bunt and what to do if it pops up. Forget that Ronnie Cedeno forgot how to steal second base (Rule Number One: Get there first; Rule Number Two: If you get there first, do not overrun the bag).
Manager Lou Piniella may have discovered why everyone was telling him that Cedeno needed to spend the year in Iowa. The young man has a couple home runs, but he has cost the team by not hitting his weight (.050 batting average) and making mental mistakes fielding and now a big base running mistake.
Sure, Ryan Theriot made a base running mistake recently, but Theriot is hitting .326, is sure afield, and scored the only Cub run today. Theriot is helping the Cubs attempt to win. Cedeno is only continuing to fertilize the fan’s animosity toward him that was planted last year with a mediocre rookie year.
The club has high hopes for Ronnie Cedeno. I do, too. The fellow needs a chance to develop. It is time to send him down to Iowa before he is scarred for life.
Rich Hill had a bad time when he first reached the big time. He was sent down and learned from the experience. Today he has three wins including an eight inning shutout performance.
Corey Patterson had a bad time when he first reached the big time. He never truly recovered. Now he is hitting .225 for Baltimore.
We want Cedeno to go away and return ready for the big time. He has the tools, but does not have the confidence. Piniella needs someone who he can use as he is using Cedeno, but someone with more confidence and an understanding of his role.
Two possibilities for the role reside in Iowa currently. Mike Fontenot has had a cup of coffee in the big leagues. No one expects him to develop into a star infielder. At age 26, he could use a shot at being a utility man. Koyie Hill has some major league experience. He can be a third string catcher as well as play some infield. Right now, in a limited role in Iowa, he is hitting .355 with a home run and eight RBIs. Either one could be a better role player than Cedeno has been to date.
In the meantime, we cannot blame Ted Lilly and waste what are good outings from most of our starting pitchers. We want the offense to put in more than an occasional appearance. Piniella has said that this team would not be a good small ball team, but we must not abandon small ball altogether. We want the Cubs to own a Cardinal team that is on its way down.
With former Card Jason Marquis on the mound, and a rested bullpen, we want tomorrow to be the Cubs day.
It was not entirely the fault of his teammates that the Cubs fell again today. Lilly did make one bad pitch to Preston Wilson after walking Jim Edmonds providing the two to one score. Forget the fact that it was one of only four hits and one of only two walks he allowed. Lilly did give up the runs and is responsible for the loss.
Just ignore the fact the respected back-up catcher Henry Blanco forgot how to drop a bunt and what to do if it pops up. Forget that Ronnie Cedeno forgot how to steal second base (Rule Number One: Get there first; Rule Number Two: If you get there first, do not overrun the bag).
Manager Lou Piniella may have discovered why everyone was telling him that Cedeno needed to spend the year in Iowa. The young man has a couple home runs, but he has cost the team by not hitting his weight (.050 batting average) and making mental mistakes fielding and now a big base running mistake.
Sure, Ryan Theriot made a base running mistake recently, but Theriot is hitting .326, is sure afield, and scored the only Cub run today. Theriot is helping the Cubs attempt to win. Cedeno is only continuing to fertilize the fan’s animosity toward him that was planted last year with a mediocre rookie year.
The club has high hopes for Ronnie Cedeno. I do, too. The fellow needs a chance to develop. It is time to send him down to Iowa before he is scarred for life.
Rich Hill had a bad time when he first reached the big time. He was sent down and learned from the experience. Today he has three wins including an eight inning shutout performance.
Corey Patterson had a bad time when he first reached the big time. He never truly recovered. Now he is hitting .225 for Baltimore.
We want Cedeno to go away and return ready for the big time. He has the tools, but does not have the confidence. Piniella needs someone who he can use as he is using Cedeno, but someone with more confidence and an understanding of his role.
Two possibilities for the role reside in Iowa currently. Mike Fontenot has had a cup of coffee in the big leagues. No one expects him to develop into a star infielder. At age 26, he could use a shot at being a utility man. Koyie Hill has some major league experience. He can be a third string catcher as well as play some infield. Right now, in a limited role in Iowa, he is hitting .355 with a home run and eight RBIs. Either one could be a better role player than Cedeno has been to date.
In the meantime, we cannot blame Ted Lilly and waste what are good outings from most of our starting pitchers. We want the offense to put in more than an occasional appearance. Piniella has said that this team would not be a good small ball team, but we must not abandon small ball altogether. We want the Cubs to own a Cardinal team that is on its way down.
With former Card Jason Marquis on the mound, and a rested bullpen, we want tomorrow to be the Cubs day.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Rich Hill and Mark DeRosa
Rich Hill did his best to copy Mark Buehrle’s performance last night, but could not quite match it. Still, he did put a “W” on the board for the Cubs. Lately, that is more that good enough. That is plenty.
Hill allowed just four hits and three walks over eight innings. He struck out seven and has an ERA of only 0.41. Not only that, but he is the proud owner of three of the Cubs six wins this month. Ryan Dempster came in and threw nine pitches for his third save. It was a proud night to be a Cubs fan.
On the offensive side, both Michael Barrett and Aramis Ramirez slammed solo home runs off Atlanta Pitcher Mark Redman. Later, Mark DeRosa doubled in Ryan Theriot for the Cubs final run scored.
Even though he is hitting just .244, you have to be happy with Mark DeRosa. He has gathered eleven RBIs and hit four home runs. He strikes out a lot, but does when he is not striking out, he is putting the ball in play. He has made an error this year, but his fielding percentage is better than all his infield counterparts, with the exception of Derrick Lee and Ronnie Cedeno. If memory serves correctly, the error DeRosa earned was because of a poor throw from Cedeno. If the call had gone to the correct infielder, DeRosa would be listed among the perfect fielders so far this season.
Even though the Cubs are off to a poor, if not miserable start this season, there are some bright spots. Rich Hill’s pitching has been bright. The bullpen efforts by Ryan Dempster, Neal Cotts, Michael Wuertz and Angel Guzman have been impressive. Derrick Lee and Ramirez return to form has been nice. Recent addition DeRosa, along with Cliff Floyd and Ryan Theriot, have shown that General Manager Jim Hendry does know what he is doing. Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis have been making Hendry look smart.
Now if just a few of the others can step it up a little, the team could put together a string of wins. Alfonzo Soriano could come back from his hamstring pull with some renewed confidence. Wil Ohman could lighten up and throw strikes. Carlos Zambrano could show the league that he really can pitch in April.
Being down is easy. Cubs’ fans have spent most of the past one hundred years down on the team from north end. This team is well built. In a few short weeks, we will see a rotation of Zambrano, Lilly, Marquis, Hill and Guzman. Miller will make a good long man in the pen. Howry and Eyre will be back to form. Soriano and Lee will be leading the attack. The defense will be improved. The baserunning will be improved (Thanks to coach Bobby Dernier).
There are high hopes for this organization. Maybe I am just feeling the effects of a Cubs shut out of Chipper, Andruw and company, but I still think things can come together this year. Bring on the Cardinals!
Hill allowed just four hits and three walks over eight innings. He struck out seven and has an ERA of only 0.41. Not only that, but he is the proud owner of three of the Cubs six wins this month. Ryan Dempster came in and threw nine pitches for his third save. It was a proud night to be a Cubs fan.
On the offensive side, both Michael Barrett and Aramis Ramirez slammed solo home runs off Atlanta Pitcher Mark Redman. Later, Mark DeRosa doubled in Ryan Theriot for the Cubs final run scored.
Even though he is hitting just .244, you have to be happy with Mark DeRosa. He has gathered eleven RBIs and hit four home runs. He strikes out a lot, but does when he is not striking out, he is putting the ball in play. He has made an error this year, but his fielding percentage is better than all his infield counterparts, with the exception of Derrick Lee and Ronnie Cedeno. If memory serves correctly, the error DeRosa earned was because of a poor throw from Cedeno. If the call had gone to the correct infielder, DeRosa would be listed among the perfect fielders so far this season.
Even though the Cubs are off to a poor, if not miserable start this season, there are some bright spots. Rich Hill’s pitching has been bright. The bullpen efforts by Ryan Dempster, Neal Cotts, Michael Wuertz and Angel Guzman have been impressive. Derrick Lee and Ramirez return to form has been nice. Recent addition DeRosa, along with Cliff Floyd and Ryan Theriot, have shown that General Manager Jim Hendry does know what he is doing. Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis have been making Hendry look smart.
Now if just a few of the others can step it up a little, the team could put together a string of wins. Alfonzo Soriano could come back from his hamstring pull with some renewed confidence. Wil Ohman could lighten up and throw strikes. Carlos Zambrano could show the league that he really can pitch in April.
Being down is easy. Cubs’ fans have spent most of the past one hundred years down on the team from north end. This team is well built. In a few short weeks, we will see a rotation of Zambrano, Lilly, Marquis, Hill and Guzman. Miller will make a good long man in the pen. Howry and Eyre will be back to form. Soriano and Lee will be leading the attack. The defense will be improved. The baserunning will be improved (Thanks to coach Bobby Dernier).
There are high hopes for this organization. Maybe I am just feeling the effects of a Cubs shut out of Chipper, Andruw and company, but I still think things can come together this year. Bring on the Cardinals!
Mark Buehrle Returns with a Vengence
The Cubs continue to fall, while the Sox continue to rise.
Last night, after a first inning home run by Mark DeRosa, the Cubs played catch-up. Carlos Zambrano had another off-night allowing four runs in the Braves half of the first. The north-siders chipped away until they took a 6-5 lead in the top of the seventh.
Then last year’s bullpen star, Scott Eyre, stepped in and allowed three to drop the game into Atlanta’s pocket. Eyre is still struggling in the early going, as is Zambrano.
The offense did their job, scoring six last night. They were hitting as a team as there were no exceptional individual efforts, but almost everyone participated at one time or another. If we can get the offense and pitching working on the same day, we could have more games like the 12 to 4 win Monday and fewer losses like Wednesday.
Meanwhile, in Chicago, Mark Buehrle threw a no-hitter. If you remember, a couple weeks ago he took a ball off his arm and I suggested he may be on and off the disabled list, just like Mark Prior.
Instead, Buehrle faced twenty-seven Texas Rangers last night, walking only one, and provided a true major league highlight. Jermaine Dye and Jim Thome provided the power for a six nothing win.
My favorite moment was when Buehrle walked former Sox and Cub star Sammy Sosa and then picked him off first. That was more fun that Jermaine Dye’s grand slam.
If no one has figured out yet that Mark Buehrle is a stud, they are not paying attention. If Buehrle can throw the Sox into another World Series, he will be the most widely beloved Sox pitcher of all time. Wilbur Wood, step aside, Buehrle has taken his game to another level. Great job!!
Last night, after a first inning home run by Mark DeRosa, the Cubs played catch-up. Carlos Zambrano had another off-night allowing four runs in the Braves half of the first. The north-siders chipped away until they took a 6-5 lead in the top of the seventh.
Then last year’s bullpen star, Scott Eyre, stepped in and allowed three to drop the game into Atlanta’s pocket. Eyre is still struggling in the early going, as is Zambrano.
The offense did their job, scoring six last night. They were hitting as a team as there were no exceptional individual efforts, but almost everyone participated at one time or another. If we can get the offense and pitching working on the same day, we could have more games like the 12 to 4 win Monday and fewer losses like Wednesday.
Meanwhile, in Chicago, Mark Buehrle threw a no-hitter. If you remember, a couple weeks ago he took a ball off his arm and I suggested he may be on and off the disabled list, just like Mark Prior.
Instead, Buehrle faced twenty-seven Texas Rangers last night, walking only one, and provided a true major league highlight. Jermaine Dye and Jim Thome provided the power for a six nothing win.
My favorite moment was when Buehrle walked former Sox and Cub star Sammy Sosa and then picked him off first. That was more fun that Jermaine Dye’s grand slam.
If no one has figured out yet that Mark Buehrle is a stud, they are not paying attention. If Buehrle can throw the Sox into another World Series, he will be the most widely beloved Sox pitcher of all time. Wilbur Wood, step aside, Buehrle has taken his game to another level. Great job!!
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Felix Pie and Angel Guzman
Felix Pie had a good first day. He had a couple chances to win the game for the home team, but couldn’t make it happen. He did get a hit (a double) and an RBI. He also saved the game in the tenth inning with a killer throw.
It was not enough to tip the game into the hands of the Cubs as they saw it slip away in fourteen innings. After watching people have great outings from the bullpen who we fretted about all winter, including Michael Wuertz, Neal Cotts and Ryan Dempster, and a couple who we have worried about since opening day, including Scott Eyre and Bobby Howry, the game was left to Wil Ohman to finish. He did finish the game in his one inning of work, but it was not what we expected.
Ohman allowed one run to keep his 2007 ERA at 9.00. It was enough for the Padres to gain a split for the short, two game series at Wrigley.
The Cubs remain three games below .500. Come September, if we are in a race, we are going to look back at this game and a couple others this past week and wish we had pulled them out.
In the meantime, we look to Atlanta for the next three days.
In order to make room for Pie, we had to jettison someone. Instead of letting Ronnie Cedeno pack his bags, the Cubs sent Angel Guzman.
This is not a huge surprise. Guzman has pitched very well out of the pen over the past two weeks. The Cubs believe he could be a dynamite starting pitcher. If he spends the next two or three weeks pitching regularly for Iowa as a starter, he may be ready to return about the time Wade Miller is ready to be released. Miller did not have a bad outing today, but Guzman is the future, and it may be ready to go.
Pie may not be leaving Chicago anytime soon, either. If he makes the most of the time Soriano spends in the trainers’ room, it may be Jacque Jones, of the three swings and your gone variety, who may be sent away. The Cubs cannot afford to have Soriano hurt. He may be safer playing in left or right, while Pie is tailor-made for Wrigley’s center field.
There may be some major decisions made in the next few weeks. Lets hope they are made while the Cubs mark some W’s on the board.
It was not enough to tip the game into the hands of the Cubs as they saw it slip away in fourteen innings. After watching people have great outings from the bullpen who we fretted about all winter, including Michael Wuertz, Neal Cotts and Ryan Dempster, and a couple who we have worried about since opening day, including Scott Eyre and Bobby Howry, the game was left to Wil Ohman to finish. He did finish the game in his one inning of work, but it was not what we expected.
Ohman allowed one run to keep his 2007 ERA at 9.00. It was enough for the Padres to gain a split for the short, two game series at Wrigley.
The Cubs remain three games below .500. Come September, if we are in a race, we are going to look back at this game and a couple others this past week and wish we had pulled them out.
In the meantime, we look to Atlanta for the next three days.
In order to make room for Pie, we had to jettison someone. Instead of letting Ronnie Cedeno pack his bags, the Cubs sent Angel Guzman.
This is not a huge surprise. Guzman has pitched very well out of the pen over the past two weeks. The Cubs believe he could be a dynamite starting pitcher. If he spends the next two or three weeks pitching regularly for Iowa as a starter, he may be ready to return about the time Wade Miller is ready to be released. Miller did not have a bad outing today, but Guzman is the future, and it may be ready to go.
Pie may not be leaving Chicago anytime soon, either. If he makes the most of the time Soriano spends in the trainers’ room, it may be Jacque Jones, of the three swings and your gone variety, who may be sent away. The Cubs cannot afford to have Soriano hurt. He may be safer playing in left or right, while Pie is tailor-made for Wrigley’s center field.
There may be some major decisions made in the next few weeks. Lets hope they are made while the Cubs mark some W’s on the board.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Jackie Robinson
Even though both Chicago teams lost on Sunday, it was still a great day. Three years ago, Major League Baseball declared that each April 15th would be Jackie Robinson day.
This year, different players on each team asked to wear the retired number of Robinson. Six Cubs wore the number while five Sox also took a turn. The Dodgers, for whom Robinson played, had all of their team where number 42.
Robinson was 28 years old when he broke in with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Over ten years, he played in nearly 1,400 games, batting .311 and hitting 137 home runs. The stats are not incredible, but very, very good. Robinson retired after being traded to the dreaded Giants. Seems he was more loyal to the Dodgers than they were to him.
What I did not know about Robinson was that, during his career, he played every position except the battery positions, although he only played shortstop once. He spent the most time at second base, where he finished with a nice .983 fielding percentage.
To compare, former Cincinnati star and Hall of Famer Joe Morgan had a .981 fielding percentage after playing three times as many games at second base in twice as many years. Rogers Hornsby, Hall of Fame player who spent most of his career at second finished with .965. Hall of Famer Rod Carew split his career between second and first base, and finished at .973.
Oh yeah, Ryne Sandberg finished with .989 at second base. He played for the Cubs for a few years and entered the Hall awhile back. He was pretty good, but he did not have to battle the demons Jackie Robinson did.
Crossing to color barrier could not have been easy. He endured insult upon aggravation. Players and fans alike showed disrespect and in some cases, hatred. Jackie Robinson was a special man. He handled the entire ten years and more with class and dignity.
It is amazing that this year’s wonderful celebration had to be shadowed by the horrible comments made by an eccentric old man who has 1940s values in a 21st century world.
Jackie Robinson had a career that was relatively short and, although he put up good numbers, were hardly overwhelming. Still, he accomplished so much in such a short time.
I hope someday we forget about Jackie Robinson. I hope that the relationship between all people is such that we do not have to celebrate those who helped prove that we are all one people.
Until that day, I will look forward to April 15th. Nice play, Jackie. Nice play.
This year, different players on each team asked to wear the retired number of Robinson. Six Cubs wore the number while five Sox also took a turn. The Dodgers, for whom Robinson played, had all of their team where number 42.
Robinson was 28 years old when he broke in with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Over ten years, he played in nearly 1,400 games, batting .311 and hitting 137 home runs. The stats are not incredible, but very, very good. Robinson retired after being traded to the dreaded Giants. Seems he was more loyal to the Dodgers than they were to him.
What I did not know about Robinson was that, during his career, he played every position except the battery positions, although he only played shortstop once. He spent the most time at second base, where he finished with a nice .983 fielding percentage.
To compare, former Cincinnati star and Hall of Famer Joe Morgan had a .981 fielding percentage after playing three times as many games at second base in twice as many years. Rogers Hornsby, Hall of Fame player who spent most of his career at second finished with .965. Hall of Famer Rod Carew split his career between second and first base, and finished at .973.
Oh yeah, Ryne Sandberg finished with .989 at second base. He played for the Cubs for a few years and entered the Hall awhile back. He was pretty good, but he did not have to battle the demons Jackie Robinson did.
Crossing to color barrier could not have been easy. He endured insult upon aggravation. Players and fans alike showed disrespect and in some cases, hatred. Jackie Robinson was a special man. He handled the entire ten years and more with class and dignity.
It is amazing that this year’s wonderful celebration had to be shadowed by the horrible comments made by an eccentric old man who has 1940s values in a 21st century world.
Jackie Robinson had a career that was relatively short and, although he put up good numbers, were hardly overwhelming. Still, he accomplished so much in such a short time.
I hope someday we forget about Jackie Robinson. I hope that the relationship between all people is such that we do not have to celebrate those who helped prove that we are all one people.
Until that day, I will look forward to April 15th. Nice play, Jackie. Nice play.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Pitching is the Name of the Game
Both the Chicago baseball clubs were on the short end of pitching performances today. Ted Lilly for the Cubs and Jose Contreras for the Sox offered excellent performances from the mound, but received no support from those paid to knock in the runs.
It is hard to complain when the other team gets good pitching as well. Kyle Lohse and C.C. Sabathia had excellent outings for Cincinnati and Cleveland respectively.
Now, both teams are back to fighting back to .500. The Sox are closer to the goal, since they are just a game back. The Cubs are back to being three games down.
Down on the farm, first baseman Micah Hoffpauir is trying to prove he belongs in the major leagues. He hit a grand slam Saturday and has rung up seventeen RBIs this season to lead the Pacific Coast League. He is hitting .432 for the year and has only struck out four times in thirty seven at-bats.
Unfortunately for Hoffpauir, Derrick Lee stands between him and a potential big paycheck. My bet is that he is traded, or included in a trade, sometime between now and opening day 2008. Someone is going to want this young man.
Carlos Marmol is trying to be the next Rich Hill, striking out ten Saturday. After two outings he has sixteen strikeouts, two walks and a 1.93 ERA. Les Walrond and Ryan O’Malley have also pitched well in their two starts, but Marmol is the most likely to make the jump if needed.
From the pen, Rocky Cherry gained the first save of the year for the 6 and 4 Iowa Cubs. Cherry had a great spring and people are watching his performance very closely.
Felix Pie is also making some noise, with a .414 batting average. He is not getting the power numbers of Hoffpauir, but he is getting on base and scoring runs. That is what a team needs!
Tomorrow, the Sox have a day off while the Cubs entertain San Diego with a night game. Jason Marquis is pitching and Aramis Ramirez should be back from his wrist injury. Go Cubs!
It is hard to complain when the other team gets good pitching as well. Kyle Lohse and C.C. Sabathia had excellent outings for Cincinnati and Cleveland respectively.
Now, both teams are back to fighting back to .500. The Sox are closer to the goal, since they are just a game back. The Cubs are back to being three games down.
Down on the farm, first baseman Micah Hoffpauir is trying to prove he belongs in the major leagues. He hit a grand slam Saturday and has rung up seventeen RBIs this season to lead the Pacific Coast League. He is hitting .432 for the year and has only struck out four times in thirty seven at-bats.
Unfortunately for Hoffpauir, Derrick Lee stands between him and a potential big paycheck. My bet is that he is traded, or included in a trade, sometime between now and opening day 2008. Someone is going to want this young man.
Carlos Marmol is trying to be the next Rich Hill, striking out ten Saturday. After two outings he has sixteen strikeouts, two walks and a 1.93 ERA. Les Walrond and Ryan O’Malley have also pitched well in their two starts, but Marmol is the most likely to make the jump if needed.
From the pen, Rocky Cherry gained the first save of the year for the 6 and 4 Iowa Cubs. Cherry had a great spring and people are watching his performance very closely.
Felix Pie is also making some noise, with a .414 batting average. He is not getting the power numbers of Hoffpauir, but he is getting on base and scoring runs. That is what a team needs!
Tomorrow, the Sox have a day off while the Cubs entertain San Diego with a night game. Jason Marquis is pitching and Aramis Ramirez should be back from his wrist injury. Go Cubs!
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Finally
It was so sudden. One minute it looked like the Cubs were getting back on the winning track. The next minute I saw 2006 flash before my eyes. 2005 too.
It was so down after Carlos Zambrano, Wil Ohman and the Cubs offense lost Friday that I could not come up with anything worth writing. Wil Ohman came out and agreed that he blew it. Zambrano admitted he let a single dropped ball in the outfield get to him. Soriano proved that he is not Willie Mays. Derrick Lee showed that he cannot be counted upon to win every game this year. Cliff Floyd either.
Today, however, is a new day. That is the beauty of baseball. As the song goes, “..riding high in April, shot down in May..” We should not get ahead of ourselves. I do not want to start talking about May just yet.
Today, Rich Hill pitched a great game. It was not perfect. He walked his first batters of the year. Yet, he did strikeout five and picked off Ryan Freel. As of today, Hill is our stopper. He is the guy we can count on to not allow a long losing streak.
Derrick Lee came up with a great three run, two-out double in the seventh to tell the world that this game was ours. Ryan Theriot continues to play well. Soriano is getting into the swing of things.
The sun is a little brighter. The air is a little warmer.
The Cubs are still two games under .500. Sunday, Jackie Robinson Day, Ted Lilly will be facing Kyle Lohse. If the team brings their bats back tomorrow, it will be another great day.
It was so down after Carlos Zambrano, Wil Ohman and the Cubs offense lost Friday that I could not come up with anything worth writing. Wil Ohman came out and agreed that he blew it. Zambrano admitted he let a single dropped ball in the outfield get to him. Soriano proved that he is not Willie Mays. Derrick Lee showed that he cannot be counted upon to win every game this year. Cliff Floyd either.
Today, however, is a new day. That is the beauty of baseball. As the song goes, “..riding high in April, shot down in May..” We should not get ahead of ourselves. I do not want to start talking about May just yet.
Today, Rich Hill pitched a great game. It was not perfect. He walked his first batters of the year. Yet, he did strikeout five and picked off Ryan Freel. As of today, Hill is our stopper. He is the guy we can count on to not allow a long losing streak.
Derrick Lee came up with a great three run, two-out double in the seventh to tell the world that this game was ours. Ryan Theriot continues to play well. Soriano is getting into the swing of things.
The sun is a little brighter. The air is a little warmer.
The Cubs are still two games under .500. Sunday, Jackie Robinson Day, Ted Lilly will be facing Kyle Lohse. If the team brings their bats back tomorrow, it will be another great day.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Snow Day!
Today the Cubs were snowed out. Tomorrow is an off day. So the happy North Side team will have two more days as a losing team with a record of 3 and 5.
So what do you do on a snow day? You do something else! If you cannot go outside and play, you find another source of enjoyment. Let’s talk a few minutes about blogs.
DON’T STOP READING YET!! I don’t mean just any blogs. Let’s talk about baseball blogs. There are some good ones out there.
The thing you have to be careful about when reading blogs is that some people have no creativity when it comes to language. I know how to curse. I have heard the words and know what they mean. Somehow, I just do not need to curse to get my point across. I find very little satisfaction in using curse words or listening to curse words.
You will read curse words in many blogs, including those I mention here. Some are downright not “family friendly”, so be careful about mentioning them to your children.
That said, there are two that I truly enjoy outright. There are a couple more that I mildly enjoy. One of my favorites is called the “Cub Reporter”. I can always get good information from http://mvn.com/mlb-cubs/. The site is part of the “Most Valuable Network” system which sponsors for all the other major league teams, as well as football, basketball, and other sports.
What won me over is the attention to the detail of the game. They explain the Rule Five Draft. Arizona Phil and Rob G. do a great job of keeping us informed of, not only the major league team, but what is happening with the minor league teams. Rarely do they get the facts wrong. They are the first blog I peek at when it comes to Cubs baseball.
Although I look at the Cub Reporter first, I spend more time at CubbieJulie’s blog, “A League of her Own”. http://www.inaleagueofherown.com is a new blog, but it already is a favorite of mine. Plain and simple, CubbieJulie is a better writer than I am. She makes me laugh as hard as Erma Bombeck ever did. She also gets the game. She understands what is happening on the field and in the clubhouse. And where does she find some of those pictures???
This is one of the more ribald sites. I found this blog after reading CubbieJulie on another blog. Those that managed the other blog felt that CubbieJulie and her friends were straying off topic too much. Unfortunately for her former home, the new blog is more interesting and more fun. I no longer bother with the old site and feel no need to mention it here.
Two more worth mentioning are http://cubs.scout.com/ which goes by the title “Inside the Ivy”. It has some information, but you have to subscribe to read most of the articles. I found some good information there before stumbling across the Cub Reporter.
Finally, there is “Goat Riders of the Apocalypse”. http://www.goatriders.org is another site that is high on humor and can get a little rough, but it is worth checking out.
There are literally a hundred other Cub blogs out there. I didn’t want to do just a Cub blog, which is why it is a “Dimm View of Baseball”. Still, it is too obvious that I love the Cubs and cannot wait to get another “W” on the board. Come on Friday!!
So what do you do on a snow day? You do something else! If you cannot go outside and play, you find another source of enjoyment. Let’s talk a few minutes about blogs.
DON’T STOP READING YET!! I don’t mean just any blogs. Let’s talk about baseball blogs. There are some good ones out there.
The thing you have to be careful about when reading blogs is that some people have no creativity when it comes to language. I know how to curse. I have heard the words and know what they mean. Somehow, I just do not need to curse to get my point across. I find very little satisfaction in using curse words or listening to curse words.
You will read curse words in many blogs, including those I mention here. Some are downright not “family friendly”, so be careful about mentioning them to your children.
That said, there are two that I truly enjoy outright. There are a couple more that I mildly enjoy. One of my favorites is called the “Cub Reporter”. I can always get good information from http://mvn.com/mlb-cubs/. The site is part of the “Most Valuable Network” system which sponsors for all the other major league teams, as well as football, basketball, and other sports.
What won me over is the attention to the detail of the game. They explain the Rule Five Draft. Arizona Phil and Rob G. do a great job of keeping us informed of, not only the major league team, but what is happening with the minor league teams. Rarely do they get the facts wrong. They are the first blog I peek at when it comes to Cubs baseball.
Although I look at the Cub Reporter first, I spend more time at CubbieJulie’s blog, “A League of her Own”. http://www.inaleagueofherown.com is a new blog, but it already is a favorite of mine. Plain and simple, CubbieJulie is a better writer than I am. She makes me laugh as hard as Erma Bombeck ever did. She also gets the game. She understands what is happening on the field and in the clubhouse. And where does she find some of those pictures???
This is one of the more ribald sites. I found this blog after reading CubbieJulie on another blog. Those that managed the other blog felt that CubbieJulie and her friends were straying off topic too much. Unfortunately for her former home, the new blog is more interesting and more fun. I no longer bother with the old site and feel no need to mention it here.
Two more worth mentioning are http://cubs.scout.com/ which goes by the title “Inside the Ivy”. It has some information, but you have to subscribe to read most of the articles. I found some good information there before stumbling across the Cub Reporter.
Finally, there is “Goat Riders of the Apocalypse”. http://www.goatriders.org is another site that is high on humor and can get a little rough, but it is worth checking out.
There are literally a hundred other Cub blogs out there. I didn’t want to do just a Cub blog, which is why it is a “Dimm View of Baseball”. Still, it is too obvious that I love the Cubs and cannot wait to get another “W” on the board. Come on Friday!!
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Sox Win!
The Cubs did not look good this afternoon. Angel Guzman looked good for three innings. The offense slept until the ninth inning and Cesar Izturis earned three errors.
Well, the White Sox are looking better. Late last night, the Sox knocked out Oakland. Jose Contreras looked much better allowing only one run in six innings. Jim Thome gathered three hits including a solo shot in the fourth for one of two RBIs.
Scott Posednik also homered and doubled last night. Remember how people worried about Posednik all winter? His .467 batting average and second stolen base is making Kenny Williams look like a genius for the move he did not make.
The South Side Sluggers have fought their way to a .500 record. The North Side Bruins were there a couple days ago, before returning the Wrigley. Seems the sold weather in Chicago failed to benefit both sides of town.
Hopefully, the temperatures will rise, along with the won/loss records.
Well, the White Sox are looking better. Late last night, the Sox knocked out Oakland. Jose Contreras looked much better allowing only one run in six innings. Jim Thome gathered three hits including a solo shot in the fourth for one of two RBIs.
Scott Posednik also homered and doubled last night. Remember how people worried about Posednik all winter? His .467 batting average and second stolen base is making Kenny Williams look like a genius for the move he did not make.
The South Side Sluggers have fought their way to a .500 record. The North Side Bruins were there a couple days ago, before returning the Wrigley. Seems the sold weather in Chicago failed to benefit both sides of town.
Hopefully, the temperatures will rise, along with the won/loss records.
Monday, April 9, 2007
Opening Day at Wrigley Field
It continues to be cold in Chicago and the Cubs have not figured out how to warm up. Ted Lilly made his second start as a Cub and his first at Wrigley Field. The fans were out in force hoping to have some fun. Instead, there was not much to cheer about on this season starter.
Lilly did not pitch badly, giving up three runs in six innings. It was enough to keep the home town boys in the game and they battled back to tie. Then Bobby Howry came along in the eighth.
Last year, Bobby Howry and Scott Eyre made the bullpen look good. I know this is the first week of April and the guys are veterans, but so far this season, both are making us wish Roberto Novoa were around.
Today, Howry gave up a two run homer to Adam Everett which made the final score 5 to 3.
Now I do not mind if Carlos Lee goes yard and ruins the game for you. The Astros are paying him a lot of money to do just that. Adam Everett, on the other hand, is supposed to make great plays at shortstop. He is not the guy to beat your team with a two-run dinger.
So the Cubs have not found a groove yet. Maybe that groove is still coming. The team is only one game under .500 and has 155 games left to play. Mark Prior will be pitching in a game at Mesa on Wednesday. There is still hope left, isn’t there?
Lilly did not pitch badly, giving up three runs in six innings. It was enough to keep the home town boys in the game and they battled back to tie. Then Bobby Howry came along in the eighth.
Last year, Bobby Howry and Scott Eyre made the bullpen look good. I know this is the first week of April and the guys are veterans, but so far this season, both are making us wish Roberto Novoa were around.
Today, Howry gave up a two run homer to Adam Everett which made the final score 5 to 3.
Now I do not mind if Carlos Lee goes yard and ruins the game for you. The Astros are paying him a lot of money to do just that. Adam Everett, on the other hand, is supposed to make great plays at shortstop. He is not the guy to beat your team with a two-run dinger.
So the Cubs have not found a groove yet. Maybe that groove is still coming. The team is only one game under .500 and has 155 games left to play. Mark Prior will be pitching in a game at Mesa on Wednesday. There is still hope left, isn’t there?
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Wade Miller and Ronnie Cedeno
Yesterday I explained how the Cubs were in the midst of several streaks including their first two-game winning streak of 2007. Tomorrow they have a chance to get that streak again.
Today, Wade Miller, who had an 11-1 record against Milwaukee before today and a 6-0 record in Miller Park, was struck down after giving up four in the second and two more in the fifth. It was hardly the kind of start we were hoping for, but the kind we expected.
Luckily, Lilly will be going tomorrow for the home opener against the Houston Astros. As much as we would like to pick on Wade Miller, another villain appeared this afternoon: Ronnie Cedeno.
With one out in the sixth and two on, a ground ball was hit to Cedeno. Instead of throwing straight to DeRosa for the force, he threw wide in hopes of starting a double play. Instead, DeRosa was pulled from the bag and no one was called out.
The next inning, Cedeno led off making the first out in the inning. Eight batters and four runs later, Cedeno had a chance to punch a base hit and bat in another run or two to further the Cubs cause. Instead he hit a high pop fly to left to end the inning. For the day, our former starting shortstop was 0 for 4 and DeRosa was called for the error.
For just a bit, we had Milwaukee in a tailspin. When looking at the big picture, Miller should have never dug the hole and Cedeno should not have been allowed to disturb the momentum.
Wonder how Mark Prior and Eric Patterson are doing?
Meanwhile, on the south side, rookie John Danks had a good start, but had the misfortune of facing Carlos Santana for the Minnesota Twins. Santana struck out nine and allowed only one hit. Not a good day for Chicago baseball fans. Maybe tomorrow will be better.
Today, Wade Miller, who had an 11-1 record against Milwaukee before today and a 6-0 record in Miller Park, was struck down after giving up four in the second and two more in the fifth. It was hardly the kind of start we were hoping for, but the kind we expected.
Luckily, Lilly will be going tomorrow for the home opener against the Houston Astros. As much as we would like to pick on Wade Miller, another villain appeared this afternoon: Ronnie Cedeno.
With one out in the sixth and two on, a ground ball was hit to Cedeno. Instead of throwing straight to DeRosa for the force, he threw wide in hopes of starting a double play. Instead, DeRosa was pulled from the bag and no one was called out.
The next inning, Cedeno led off making the first out in the inning. Eight batters and four runs later, Cedeno had a chance to punch a base hit and bat in another run or two to further the Cubs cause. Instead he hit a high pop fly to left to end the inning. For the day, our former starting shortstop was 0 for 4 and DeRosa was called for the error.
For just a bit, we had Milwaukee in a tailspin. When looking at the big picture, Miller should have never dug the hole and Cedeno should not have been allowed to disturb the momentum.
Wonder how Mark Prior and Eric Patterson are doing?
Meanwhile, on the south side, rookie John Danks had a good start, but had the misfortune of facing Carlos Santana for the Minnesota Twins. Santana struck out nine and allowed only one hit. Not a good day for Chicago baseball fans. Maybe tomorrow will be better.
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Streaking...the Cubs Way!
The Cubs have their first winning streak of the year after defeating the Milwaukee Brewers this afternoon, 6 to 3.
Carlos Zambrano ended his streak of games pitched in the month of April without a win.
Ryan Dempster has begun a streak of consecutive saves.
Aramis Ramirez has had a hit in every game this year. Then again, so have Alfonzo Soriano, Derrick Lee, Mark DeRosa and Cesar Itzturis. Ramirez has as batting average of .455. DeRosa is carrying .412. Soriano is at the other end at .217
The Cubs have a 3 and 2 record. Tomorrow they have a chance at the first sweep of the season. Ted Lilly is on the mound. It is Easter Sunday. If the temperature would go up another thirty degrees, tomorrow could be a fantastic day!
By the way, the Sox just shut down the Twins three zip. Javier Vasquez had a great day, as did shortsop Juan Uribe. The Sox are even with the league again, so tomorrow could be a great day for the south side as well!
Carlos Zambrano ended his streak of games pitched in the month of April without a win.
Ryan Dempster has begun a streak of consecutive saves.
Aramis Ramirez has had a hit in every game this year. Then again, so have Alfonzo Soriano, Derrick Lee, Mark DeRosa and Cesar Itzturis. Ramirez has as batting average of .455. DeRosa is carrying .412. Soriano is at the other end at .217
The Cubs have a 3 and 2 record. Tomorrow they have a chance at the first sweep of the season. Ted Lilly is on the mound. It is Easter Sunday. If the temperature would go up another thirty degrees, tomorrow could be a fantastic day!
By the way, the Sox just shut down the Twins three zip. Javier Vasquez had a great day, as did shortsop Juan Uribe. The Sox are even with the league again, so tomorrow could be a great day for the south side as well!
Friday, April 6, 2007
Rich Hill
Finally it feels like baseball season. Monday was the official opening day, but I had not had a chance to see any baseball until tonight. It was worth the wait.
The Cub offense went to work early, marking six runs in the opening frame against the Milwaukee Brewers. Then Rich Hill went to work. He had five perfect innings before a home run in the sixth by right fielder Corey Hart broke things up a little. Hill finished with seven good innings, giving up only one hit.
Last year, Hill had his struggles early in the season. He was on the mound for the famous Cubs/Sox game where catchers Michael Barrett and A.J. Pierzynski squared off. After some ill-thought comments to the media, Dusty Baker sent the young man back to Iowa.
The young man did not pout like outfielder Corey Patterson the year before. He went to work to show Baker, Jim Hendry and anyone watching that he did not belong in AAA any longer. When he returned, he put together a great final stretch. It was such an impressive second half for Hill that no one doubted that he had a spot in the starting rotation this year. The only question was whether he would be considered number two, three or four.
Number four is going to be good for Hill as well. Lower expectations will reap great benefits. Hill watched as Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis put on good shows this week. Tonight he showed the league what he learned.
Angel Guzman, another youngster with high expectations, closed out the game. He allowed a couple runs, but it is hard to concentrate with an eight run lead.
Tomorrow, Carlos Zambrano gets another go. Expect to see a sharper Z than we saw Monday.
The Sox were frozen out in Chicago today. Management decided it was too cold for baseball, and they were right. It is funny that it was not too cold just an hour north.
As for me, if the pitching keeps going like they have started, it is going to be a fun season.
The Cub offense went to work early, marking six runs in the opening frame against the Milwaukee Brewers. Then Rich Hill went to work. He had five perfect innings before a home run in the sixth by right fielder Corey Hart broke things up a little. Hill finished with seven good innings, giving up only one hit.
Last year, Hill had his struggles early in the season. He was on the mound for the famous Cubs/Sox game where catchers Michael Barrett and A.J. Pierzynski squared off. After some ill-thought comments to the media, Dusty Baker sent the young man back to Iowa.
The young man did not pout like outfielder Corey Patterson the year before. He went to work to show Baker, Jim Hendry and anyone watching that he did not belong in AAA any longer. When he returned, he put together a great final stretch. It was such an impressive second half for Hill that no one doubted that he had a spot in the starting rotation this year. The only question was whether he would be considered number two, three or four.
Number four is going to be good for Hill as well. Lower expectations will reap great benefits. Hill watched as Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis put on good shows this week. Tonight he showed the league what he learned.
Angel Guzman, another youngster with high expectations, closed out the game. He allowed a couple runs, but it is hard to concentrate with an eight run lead.
Tomorrow, Carlos Zambrano gets another go. Expect to see a sharper Z than we saw Monday.
The Sox were frozen out in Chicago today. Management decided it was too cold for baseball, and they were right. It is funny that it was not too cold just an hour north.
As for me, if the pitching keeps going like they have started, it is going to be a fun season.
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Mark Buehrle
Today at work, I have my Nokia E62 and Jeff, who has a nearby cubicle nearby has his Nokia E62. We are both trying to follow the game in the seventh and eighth innings. Jason Marquis has finished six good innings. DeRosa punched a home run. Ramirez has had another three hit day. Life is good.
Then, as we are staring at our phones, the team melts down. A wild pitch is thrown. A passed ball is allowed. Walks are issued. Soon the Cubs go from 2-1 leaders to 5-2 losers. I will not look at my phone for the rest of the year.
That said, let’s talk a minutes about winners. The Sox edged the Indians today for their second win of the season. It was a hard fought game that they can be proud of, unlike the northsiders.
One bad thing happened on the south side today. Mark Buehrle took a beaner off of his arm. Now we have seen this before. Remember a couple years back when Mark Prior had the same thing happen? Shut down Buehrle for the rest of the 2007 and likely 2008 as well.
It is too bad. Buehrle came up with the Sox shortly after Kerry Wood bought out all of the Chicago good will. He is three wins away from 100 major league wins. Wood is still 29 games away from that mark, even with a two year head start. Buehrle has won nineteen games once and sixteen games three times. Wood has a personal high of fourteen wins in one season.
For my money, Buehrle is the money pitcher in Chicago with Carlos Zambrano a close second. Will Buehrle every command the kind of money Z will be getting soon? Not on the south side of town.
The one thing Buehrle has earned that no other Cub has earned wearing a Cub uniform, and may never earn if they play as they did today, is a World Series ring. Mark Buehrle is a winner. Heal up fast, buddy. The Sox are going to need you.
Then, as we are staring at our phones, the team melts down. A wild pitch is thrown. A passed ball is allowed. Walks are issued. Soon the Cubs go from 2-1 leaders to 5-2 losers. I will not look at my phone for the rest of the year.
That said, let’s talk a minutes about winners. The Sox edged the Indians today for their second win of the season. It was a hard fought game that they can be proud of, unlike the northsiders.
One bad thing happened on the south side today. Mark Buehrle took a beaner off of his arm. Now we have seen this before. Remember a couple years back when Mark Prior had the same thing happen? Shut down Buehrle for the rest of the 2007 and likely 2008 as well.
It is too bad. Buehrle came up with the Sox shortly after Kerry Wood bought out all of the Chicago good will. He is three wins away from 100 major league wins. Wood is still 29 games away from that mark, even with a two year head start. Buehrle has won nineteen games once and sixteen games three times. Wood has a personal high of fourteen wins in one season.
For my money, Buehrle is the money pitcher in Chicago with Carlos Zambrano a close second. Will Buehrle every command the kind of money Z will be getting soon? Not on the south side of town.
The one thing Buehrle has earned that no other Cub has earned wearing a Cub uniform, and may never earn if they play as they did today, is a World Series ring. Mark Buehrle is a winner. Heal up fast, buddy. The Sox are going to need you.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Winning Day
Opening day came two days late for the Cubbies, as they tipped over the Cincinnati Reds in their city tonight 4 to 1. Ted Lilly had a great debut, throwing seven innings, striking out nine and only giving up three hits. Bobby Howry and Ryan Dempster did exactly as expected from the bullpen, claiming the eighth and ninth innings easily.
The team is zero in two attempts in the stolen base department. Derrick Lee was caught Monday. Ronnie Cedeno tried to nab one in the ninth tonight, only to be shot down. Maybe Manager Lou Piniella was right when he said that “small ball” would not be the Cubs game this year.
The big star tonight was another import, Mark DeRosa. With the Cubs up 2 to 1, he picked up a RBI single with the bases full, bringing in two. Aramis Ramirez looked good too, slapping three singles and scoring twice. The Cubs do not have to hit home runs every day to win. They just need to hit as a team.
Back in Chicago, the Sox took it on the chin again. Jon Garland did not look as bad as Jose Contrares on Monday, but he did allow five runs, walked four, and gave up seven hits in five plus innings of work. The pen didn’t look much better, with only former Cub David Aardsma shutting down the Indians the final two innings.
With a three-run clout in the first, Jim Thome was the hitting star in Chicago tonight. Tadahito Iguchi also slapped a two-run shot in the fourth, but it was not enough to cover the pitching mistakes.
The Cubs wrap things up in Cincinnati tomorrow afternoon before heading to Milwaukee for the weekend. The Sox will try to snag one game from Cleveland before hosting Minnesota Friday.
The blood is starting to warm up after a cold day in Illinois. Nothing works better against thirty degree temps like a Cub win!
The team is zero in two attempts in the stolen base department. Derrick Lee was caught Monday. Ronnie Cedeno tried to nab one in the ninth tonight, only to be shot down. Maybe Manager Lou Piniella was right when he said that “small ball” would not be the Cubs game this year.
The big star tonight was another import, Mark DeRosa. With the Cubs up 2 to 1, he picked up a RBI single with the bases full, bringing in two. Aramis Ramirez looked good too, slapping three singles and scoring twice. The Cubs do not have to hit home runs every day to win. They just need to hit as a team.
Back in Chicago, the Sox took it on the chin again. Jon Garland did not look as bad as Jose Contrares on Monday, but he did allow five runs, walked four, and gave up seven hits in five plus innings of work. The pen didn’t look much better, with only former Cub David Aardsma shutting down the Indians the final two innings.
With a three-run clout in the first, Jim Thome was the hitting star in Chicago tonight. Tadahito Iguchi also slapped a two-run shot in the fourth, but it was not enough to cover the pitching mistakes.
The Cubs wrap things up in Cincinnati tomorrow afternoon before heading to Milwaukee for the weekend. The Sox will try to snag one game from Cleveland before hosting Minnesota Friday.
The blood is starting to warm up after a cold day in Illinois. Nothing works better against thirty degree temps like a Cub win!
Monday, April 2, 2007
Opening Day Blues
Neither side of “my kind of town” fared well on the opening day of the 2007 season. The northsiders were in Cincinnati being hamstrung by Reds starter Aaron Harang. The southsiders, on the other hand, got some offense in Chicago, but their pitching laid an egg as Jose Contreras allowed eight runs while only getting three Indians out.
Let’s talk about the Sox first. They cannot be too upset about the team’s performance. Contreras gave up five in the first inning. They came back with two in their half, thanks to newcomer Darin Erstad’s two run dinger. Then Contreras and Nick Masset gave up six more in the next two innings. The Sox punched back a little, scoring five runs on ten hits for the day, including a solo shot by Paul Konerko.
Some days, five runs on ten hits would be plenty. The Reds scored five runs on eight hits for their win. But for the Sox, it was not even close.
The Cubs were let down by an atypical poor performance from their ace, Carlos Zambrano. The man who is hoping to become the richest, or second richest, man on the team allowed two home runs and five walks. This is why he wanted to have the contract settled by opening day. He was just too nervous about how much he was going to earn!
Cub hitters were stymied with eight singles and six strikeouts, including three by left fielder Matt Murton. To add more insult, Derrick Lee was thrown out stealing second. At least they were error-free today.
The prediction of 162 wins this year goes down the tubes on day one. With opening day jitters under the belt, day two should be a whole new ballgame.
Let’s talk about the Sox first. They cannot be too upset about the team’s performance. Contreras gave up five in the first inning. They came back with two in their half, thanks to newcomer Darin Erstad’s two run dinger. Then Contreras and Nick Masset gave up six more in the next two innings. The Sox punched back a little, scoring five runs on ten hits for the day, including a solo shot by Paul Konerko.
Some days, five runs on ten hits would be plenty. The Reds scored five runs on eight hits for their win. But for the Sox, it was not even close.
The Cubs were let down by an atypical poor performance from their ace, Carlos Zambrano. The man who is hoping to become the richest, or second richest, man on the team allowed two home runs and five walks. This is why he wanted to have the contract settled by opening day. He was just too nervous about how much he was going to earn!
Cub hitters were stymied with eight singles and six strikeouts, including three by left fielder Matt Murton. To add more insult, Derrick Lee was thrown out stealing second. At least they were error-free today.
The prediction of 162 wins this year goes down the tubes on day one. With opening day jitters under the belt, day two should be a whole new ballgame.
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