The Cubs have decided to tempt fate again and have released "cursebreaker" Kevin Millar, electing to keep Chad Tracy for their final bench spot.
This could very well be the end of the road for Millar, who is widely considered an excellent clubhouse presence and was instrumental in the Red Sox breaking their curse back in 2004.
Apparently, the Cubs felt that his "presence" wasn't needed, especially with Milton Bradley no longer around to bring the team down. Players have already commented on the better team chemistry this spring. Will some of that chemistry be lost with the release of Millar, only time will tell. But for now, the Cubs are going with the younger, more versatile Tracy.
Thus, we can announce the final Cubs opening day roster (barring any last minute trades):
Starting Pitchers - Ryan Dempster, Carlos Zambrano, Randy Wells, Carlos Silva, Tom Gorzelanny.
Bullpen - Carlos Marmol, Esmailin Caridad, John Grabow, Jeff Samardzija, Justin Berg, Sean Marshall, James Russell
Lineup - Ryan Theriot (ss), Kosuke Fukudome (rf), Derrek Lee (1b), Aramis Ramirez (3b), Marlon Byrd (cf), Alfonso Soriano (lf), Geovany Soto (c), Mike Fontenot (2b)
Bench - Koyie Hill (backup catcher), Jeff Baker (1b/3b), Chad Tracy (1b/3b/of), Xavier Nady (4th of), Tyler Colvin (5th of)
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Cubs News and Notes
Here is the latest news from the Cubs camp as the team gets ready for opening day on April 5th.
In the feel good story of the Spring, Tyler Colvin made the team as the Cubs "5th outfielder". He is expected to see part-time action in the early going, but that might not last long. As Lou Piniella put it, "He's not looking for a roster spot, he's looking for somebody's position." Mark's Remarks - Tyler Colvin has hit .468 this spring and the only drawback is that he has zero walks and 12 K's in his 62 AB's. However, he has slugged .710 and if he continues his hot hitting he could take time away from all of the starters.
With Colvin making the team, the Cubs have one position remaining and it likely comes down to Kevin Millar or Chad Tracy, although Micah Hoffpauir, Sam Fuld and Chris Robinson are still on the active roster. Mike Fontenot's ability to play shortstop allowed the Cubs to trade Andres Blanco (who was out of options and no longer in the team's plans). Mark's Remarks - I'm personally rooting for "curse-breaker" Kevin Millar to make the team. (As an aside, the ears of many fantasy players just pricked up with the news that Fontenot could soon get SS eligibility).
On the injury front, Ted Lilly continues to make progress from his offseason shoulder surgery. Lilly is scheduled to throw a minor league game tomorrow and will pitch 3 more before being activated. That would put him on course to return as early as April 19. Mark's Remarks - Sounds like the Cubs are doing the right thing in stretching him out properly before activating him. Let's hope for everyone's sake that he doesn't suffer any setbacks.
On the minor league front, Rule 5 draft pick Mike Parisi has opted to remain with the Cubs. Mark's Remarks - Unusual circumstances led to him being able to stay with the Cubs, but the Cubs will certainly welcome the additional bullpen depth.
Finally, from the "are we still talking about him" department, Milton Bradley is still making news in Chicago. This time for not talking to the Chicago press. Mark's Remarks - For once I cannot blame Bradley. Its time for everyone to just let this go.
In the feel good story of the Spring, Tyler Colvin made the team as the Cubs "5th outfielder". He is expected to see part-time action in the early going, but that might not last long. As Lou Piniella put it, "He's not looking for a roster spot, he's looking for somebody's position." Mark's Remarks - Tyler Colvin has hit .468 this spring and the only drawback is that he has zero walks and 12 K's in his 62 AB's. However, he has slugged .710 and if he continues his hot hitting he could take time away from all of the starters.
With Colvin making the team, the Cubs have one position remaining and it likely comes down to Kevin Millar or Chad Tracy, although Micah Hoffpauir, Sam Fuld and Chris Robinson are still on the active roster. Mike Fontenot's ability to play shortstop allowed the Cubs to trade Andres Blanco (who was out of options and no longer in the team's plans). Mark's Remarks - I'm personally rooting for "curse-breaker" Kevin Millar to make the team. (As an aside, the ears of many fantasy players just pricked up with the news that Fontenot could soon get SS eligibility).
On the injury front, Ted Lilly continues to make progress from his offseason shoulder surgery. Lilly is scheduled to throw a minor league game tomorrow and will pitch 3 more before being activated. That would put him on course to return as early as April 19. Mark's Remarks - Sounds like the Cubs are doing the right thing in stretching him out properly before activating him. Let's hope for everyone's sake that he doesn't suffer any setbacks.
On the minor league front, Rule 5 draft pick Mike Parisi has opted to remain with the Cubs. Mark's Remarks - Unusual circumstances led to him being able to stay with the Cubs, but the Cubs will certainly welcome the additional bullpen depth.
Finally, from the "are we still talking about him" department, Milton Bradley is still making news in Chicago. This time for not talking to the Chicago press. Mark's Remarks - For once I cannot blame Bradley. Its time for everyone to just let this go.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Today the Cubs announced the winners of the final spots in the bullpen and rotation. As expected, Carlos Silva and Tom Gorzelanny will fill out the rotation until Ted Lilly returns. At that time one of those two will head to the bullpen.
As for the bullpen, lefty James Russell won the last spot, barring a last minute trade for a righthander. As a result, Jeff Gray, Marcos Mateo and my personal favorite John Gaub were sent to the minors.
Thus, here is the opening day rotation and bullpen:
Starting Rotation - Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, Randy Wells, Tom Gorzelanny and Carlos Silva.
Bullpen - Carlos Marmol (closer), Esmailin Caridad (RH setup), John Grabow (LH setup), Jeff Samardzija (setup/middle), Justin Berg (setup/middle), James Russell (middle) and Sean Marshall (long reliever/spot starter).
On paper, the pitching staff seems to be a notch or two below last season's squad. Gorzelanny and Silva don't inspire much confidence in me, especially after their struggles the last few years. Also, I'm still not entirely sold on Randy Wells. I think he'll end up being an average major league starter, once the league catches up to him.
The bullpen has a good mix of lefthanders (3) and righthanders (4), but lacks a lot of experience. That's why the Cubs keep searching for a righthander on the trade market.
If Lilly can come back by the end of April, as expected, that should give the pitching staff a boost. Until then, the Cubs are hoping that this staff can keep them afloat.
As for the bullpen, lefty James Russell won the last spot, barring a last minute trade for a righthander. As a result, Jeff Gray, Marcos Mateo and my personal favorite John Gaub were sent to the minors.
Thus, here is the opening day rotation and bullpen:
Starting Rotation - Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, Randy Wells, Tom Gorzelanny and Carlos Silva.
Bullpen - Carlos Marmol (closer), Esmailin Caridad (RH setup), John Grabow (LH setup), Jeff Samardzija (setup/middle), Justin Berg (setup/middle), James Russell (middle) and Sean Marshall (long reliever/spot starter).
On paper, the pitching staff seems to be a notch or two below last season's squad. Gorzelanny and Silva don't inspire much confidence in me, especially after their struggles the last few years. Also, I'm still not entirely sold on Randy Wells. I think he'll end up being an average major league starter, once the league catches up to him.
The bullpen has a good mix of lefthanders (3) and righthanders (4), but lacks a lot of experience. That's why the Cubs keep searching for a righthander on the trade market.
If Lilly can come back by the end of April, as expected, that should give the pitching staff a boost. Until then, the Cubs are hoping that this staff can keep them afloat.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
One day after I stated that Tom Gorzelanny has no right to make the starting rotation over Sean Marshall, Gorzelanny went out and proved me wrong, pitching 6 strong innings against pretty much Arizona's opening day lineup.
Gorzelanny gave up just 2 runs while allowing 5 hits, 1 walk and striking out 4. This was the final audition for Gorzelanny, prior to Lou Piniella's decision on his starting rotation. But its pretty much assumed that Gorzelanny and Carlos Silva will be in the rotation with Sean Marshall and Jeff Samardzija heading to the pen (or perhaps AAA for Samardzija).
In any case, with Marshall, Gorzelanny and Silva all pitching well; Ted Lilly expected back in late April; and some good starting pitching prospects on the farm, the Cubs may be in the enviable position of having too much starting pitching depth. This will give the Cubs some flexibility should one of the starters get injured or if they need to trade some pitching for help in other areas (like the bullpen).
With the rotation picture clearing up, the bullpen is beginning to come into focus as well. Blake Parker and Jeff Stevens were sent down to the minors last week, leaving the Cubs with 8 relievers on their active roster (Carlos Marmol, John Grabow, Esmailin Caridad, Justin Berg, John Gaub, Jeff Gray, Marcos Mateo and Mike Parisi). Also in the mix is non-roster invitee James Russell.
Marmol, Grabow and Caridad are locks for the pen, as is Sean Marshall. Gray has not pitched much this spring and is likely to start on the DL in extended spring training. Mike Parisi, the Rule 5 pick, hasn't impressed much and will likely be sent back to the Cardinals. Of those remaining, Berg and Russell has pitched the best and Gaub has an edge, being lefthanded, so I believe they will round out the pen.
Although its not set in stone, it looks like Tyler Colvin has won the 5th outfielder spot (over Sam Fuld). Colvin can play all 3 outfield spots, which is important with Xavier Nady still limited in his ability to play the outfield following Tommy John surgery last year.
Gorzelanny gave up just 2 runs while allowing 5 hits, 1 walk and striking out 4. This was the final audition for Gorzelanny, prior to Lou Piniella's decision on his starting rotation. But its pretty much assumed that Gorzelanny and Carlos Silva will be in the rotation with Sean Marshall and Jeff Samardzija heading to the pen (or perhaps AAA for Samardzija).
In any case, with Marshall, Gorzelanny and Silva all pitching well; Ted Lilly expected back in late April; and some good starting pitching prospects on the farm, the Cubs may be in the enviable position of having too much starting pitching depth. This will give the Cubs some flexibility should one of the starters get injured or if they need to trade some pitching for help in other areas (like the bullpen).
With the rotation picture clearing up, the bullpen is beginning to come into focus as well. Blake Parker and Jeff Stevens were sent down to the minors last week, leaving the Cubs with 8 relievers on their active roster (Carlos Marmol, John Grabow, Esmailin Caridad, Justin Berg, John Gaub, Jeff Gray, Marcos Mateo and Mike Parisi). Also in the mix is non-roster invitee James Russell.
Marmol, Grabow and Caridad are locks for the pen, as is Sean Marshall. Gray has not pitched much this spring and is likely to start on the DL in extended spring training. Mike Parisi, the Rule 5 pick, hasn't impressed much and will likely be sent back to the Cardinals. Of those remaining, Berg and Russell has pitched the best and Gaub has an edge, being lefthanded, so I believe they will round out the pen.
Although its not set in stone, it looks like Tyler Colvin has won the 5th outfielder spot (over Sam Fuld). Colvin can play all 3 outfield spots, which is important with Xavier Nady still limited in his ability to play the outfield following Tommy John surgery last year.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
If Sean Marshall isn't in the rotation, then it wasn't a fair fight.
Sean Marshall has pitched brilliantly this spring, lowering his ERA to 1.64 with 4 strong innings today. All told, he has 11 IP to date and has given up only 7 hits and 3 walks while striking out 10.
Yet, despite his success, the consensus is that Lou Piniella wants him in the bullpen (where he's been successful in the past) and that Tom Gorzelanny will get the nod for the rotation. Marshall must be wondering what he has to do to prove that he is a good starting pitcher.
Sure Marshall has fared better in his career as a reliever (3.15 ERA) than as a starter (4.86 ERA). However, if you throw out his first year in the majors, as an "adjustment year" to pitching in the majors, he has compiled a 4.37 ERA in 185.1 IP since then. Not great numbers, but definitely better than Gorzelanny, who pitched well in his first few years in the majors (3.97 ERA in his first 44 starts), but hasn't approached those number since (6.37 ERA in last 28 starts).
Perhaps Piniella will base his decision on their spring performances, like he did with Kevin Gregg and Carlos Marmol's closer battle last spring (and we all know how that turned out). If that's the case, then Marshall should still have the edge. Although Gorzelanny has a nice 3.12 ERA this spring, he has given up 8 walks in 8.2 IP. Doesn't inspire a lot of confidence, does it?
Bottom line, if Gorzelanny beats out Marshall for the starting spot, the contest was predetermined before it even started and Marshall had no chance. If that turns out to be the case, then why go through this whole dog and pony show to begin with?
Yet, despite his success, the consensus is that Lou Piniella wants him in the bullpen (where he's been successful in the past) and that Tom Gorzelanny will get the nod for the rotation. Marshall must be wondering what he has to do to prove that he is a good starting pitcher.
Sure Marshall has fared better in his career as a reliever (3.15 ERA) than as a starter (4.86 ERA). However, if you throw out his first year in the majors, as an "adjustment year" to pitching in the majors, he has compiled a 4.37 ERA in 185.1 IP since then. Not great numbers, but definitely better than Gorzelanny, who pitched well in his first few years in the majors (3.97 ERA in his first 44 starts), but hasn't approached those number since (6.37 ERA in last 28 starts).
Perhaps Piniella will base his decision on their spring performances, like he did with Kevin Gregg and Carlos Marmol's closer battle last spring (and we all know how that turned out). If that's the case, then Marshall should still have the edge. Although Gorzelanny has a nice 3.12 ERA this spring, he has given up 8 walks in 8.2 IP. Doesn't inspire a lot of confidence, does it?
Bottom line, if Gorzelanny beats out Marshall for the starting spot, the contest was predetermined before it even started and Marshall had no chance. If that turns out to be the case, then why go through this whole dog and pony show to begin with?
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Cubs News and Notes
With opening day only 12 days away, here's the latest News from the Cubs Spring Training.
Everyone know that the Cubs are counting on Rudy Jaramillo to turn around the offense. The question is whether he can do it. Mark's Remarks - After starting off the spring amongst the leaders in runs scored, the Cubs have slipped to 11th place. However, it should also be noted that the Phillies and Dodgers, two of the better offenses last year, are currently last in spring runs scored.
Geovany Soto and Alfonso Soriano are both out to prove themselves this year after poor seasons in 2009. Soriano went so far as to say that he wants to prove that he's worth his lofty contract. Mark's Remarks - For their part, both Soto (.348/.483/.391) and Soriano (.333/.324/.515) have hit well this spring, however Soto has not shown much power. The key for Soriano will be to stay healthy.
Not to be outdone, Mike Fontenot is saying that he can hit wherever he plays (he went 0 for 5 as a shortstop over the weekend). Mark's Remarks - I would just be happy if he hits as the starting second baseman.
On the pitching side, it appears that Jeff Samardzija is heading to the bullpen. Mark's Remarks - I would prefer that the Cubs send him to Iowa instead, so that he can continue to work as a starter and develop a third pitch. But the Cubs have jerked him back and forth between starter and reliever so far in his career, why should this year be any different?
Ted Lilly is expected to return to the rotation in late April. Lou Piniella says that he wants all 5 starters to take three turns each and then he will decide who stays in the rotation. Mark's Remarks - That means Cubs fans will have to endure at least 3 Carlos Silva starts. For what its worth, Lilly wants to push up the timetable, but Piniella is being cautious.
Finally, Paul Sullivan is saying what many of us have been thinking, is this the last hurrah for this Cubs core? Mark's Remarks - Ted Lilly and Derrek Lee are in the last year of their contracts and Aramis Ramirez can opt out of his contract after this season. This could very well be the last chance for this group to make a run at the championship.
Everyone know that the Cubs are counting on Rudy Jaramillo to turn around the offense. The question is whether he can do it. Mark's Remarks - After starting off the spring amongst the leaders in runs scored, the Cubs have slipped to 11th place. However, it should also be noted that the Phillies and Dodgers, two of the better offenses last year, are currently last in spring runs scored.
Geovany Soto and Alfonso Soriano are both out to prove themselves this year after poor seasons in 2009. Soriano went so far as to say that he wants to prove that he's worth his lofty contract. Mark's Remarks - For their part, both Soto (.348/.483/.391) and Soriano (.333/.324/.515) have hit well this spring, however Soto has not shown much power. The key for Soriano will be to stay healthy.
Not to be outdone, Mike Fontenot is saying that he can hit wherever he plays (he went 0 for 5 as a shortstop over the weekend). Mark's Remarks - I would just be happy if he hits as the starting second baseman.
On the pitching side, it appears that Jeff Samardzija is heading to the bullpen. Mark's Remarks - I would prefer that the Cubs send him to Iowa instead, so that he can continue to work as a starter and develop a third pitch. But the Cubs have jerked him back and forth between starter and reliever so far in his career, why should this year be any different?
Ted Lilly is expected to return to the rotation in late April. Lou Piniella says that he wants all 5 starters to take three turns each and then he will decide who stays in the rotation. Mark's Remarks - That means Cubs fans will have to endure at least 3 Carlos Silva starts. For what its worth, Lilly wants to push up the timetable, but Piniella is being cautious.
Finally, Paul Sullivan is saying what many of us have been thinking, is this the last hurrah for this Cubs core? Mark's Remarks - Ted Lilly and Derrek Lee are in the last year of their contracts and Aramis Ramirez can opt out of his contract after this season. This could very well be the last chance for this group to make a run at the championship.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
In the final part of my series reviewing the Cubs Spring Training battles, I will take a look at who is competing for the bench spots on the team. Assuming the Cubs start the season with 12 pitches, that leaves 5 bench spots. One will go to Geovany Soto's backup, Koyie Hill, one will go to the loser of the second base battle (either Mike Fontenot or Jeff Baker) and one spot will go to 4th outfielder Xavier Nady. Thus, only 2 spots remain, likely one more outfielder and one more infielder. Here's how I see the competition shaping up:
INFIELDER: Kevin Millar vs. Chad Tracy
Both Millar and Tracy are capable of playing both 3rd and 1st. I think that its likely that most Cubs fans are rooting for Kevin Millar to win the job, hoping he can break the Cubs curse like he did for the Red Sox. Millar's had a good spring with a .300/.481/.500 slash line. However, he's 39 and coming off a .223/.311/.363 season with Toronto.
Tracy has had a lesser spring than Millar, going .269/.367/.308 and wasn't much better in 2009, hitting only .237/.306/.389, but he is 9 years younger than Millar.
Andres Blanco could also be a possibility, as he can back up Ryan Theriot at shortstop and he is out of options. However, he has been hobbled by a strained knee this spring and the Cubs have been getting Fontenot time at short, which makes me think that Blanco is not an option.
Prediction: Since both Millar and Tracy were signed to minor league deals, the Cubs will not lose either if they are sent to the minors, therefore, I think, after the lack of chemistry of last year's team, Lou Piniella will probably go with Millar. He may not have much left, but he does have intangibles that no one else brings to the table, he knows how to keep a team loose and is a great "team chemistry" player.
OUTFIELDER: Sam Fuld versus Tyler Colvin
In the battle for the 5th outfielder spot, it has come down to these two. Fuld was a sparkplug for the Cubs meager offense last year when Alfonso Soriano was hurt, hitting .299/.409/.412 in 97 AB's. However, he has only hit .125 this spring. He is capable of playing all 3 outfield spots.
Colvin had a cup of coffee with the Cubs last year (3 for 17), but has really impressed this spring hitting .442/.442/.651. His lack of speed limits him to the corner outfield spots, but Fukudome could slide over to center on the occasions that Colvin replaces Marlon Byrd.
Prediction: With Xavier Nady unlikely to play regularly in the field until June, its likely that Piniella will want Fuld on the team to give him more flexibility. Colvin will likely start the season at AAA and will be one of the first position players called up.
Thus, with my series on the Spring training battles completed, here is my prediction for the opening day roster (updated based on the latest news):
PITCHERS
Starters - Ryan Dempster, Carlos Zambrano, Randy Wells, Tom Gorzelanny and Carlos Silva. I originally predicted that Jeff Samardzija would beat out Carlos Silva, however Silva has pitched well this spring and appears to have the edge.
Relievers - Carlos Marmol (closer), John Grabow (setup), Esmailin Caridad (setup), Justin Berg (middle), John Gaub (middle), Sean Marshall (long/spot starter) and Mike Parisi. I originally picked Jeff Gray over Parisi, however Gray has yet to pitch this spring due to a groin injury and will likely start the season on the DL.
HITTERS
Catcher - Geovany Soto and Koyie Hill
Infield - Derrek Lee (1st), Mike Fontenot (2nd), Aramis Ramirez (3rd), Ryan Theriot (SS), Jeff Baker (2nd - platoon) and Kevin Millar.
Outfield - Alfonso Soriano (left), Marlon Byrd (center), Kosuke Fukudome (right), Xavier Nady and Sam Fuld.
INFIELDER: Kevin Millar vs. Chad Tracy
Both Millar and Tracy are capable of playing both 3rd and 1st. I think that its likely that most Cubs fans are rooting for Kevin Millar to win the job, hoping he can break the Cubs curse like he did for the Red Sox. Millar's had a good spring with a .300/.481/.500 slash line. However, he's 39 and coming off a .223/.311/.363 season with Toronto.
Tracy has had a lesser spring than Millar, going .269/.367/.308 and wasn't much better in 2009, hitting only .237/.306/.389, but he is 9 years younger than Millar.
Andres Blanco could also be a possibility, as he can back up Ryan Theriot at shortstop and he is out of options. However, he has been hobbled by a strained knee this spring and the Cubs have been getting Fontenot time at short, which makes me think that Blanco is not an option.
Prediction: Since both Millar and Tracy were signed to minor league deals, the Cubs will not lose either if they are sent to the minors, therefore, I think, after the lack of chemistry of last year's team, Lou Piniella will probably go with Millar. He may not have much left, but he does have intangibles that no one else brings to the table, he knows how to keep a team loose and is a great "team chemistry" player.
OUTFIELDER: Sam Fuld versus Tyler Colvin
In the battle for the 5th outfielder spot, it has come down to these two. Fuld was a sparkplug for the Cubs meager offense last year when Alfonso Soriano was hurt, hitting .299/.409/.412 in 97 AB's. However, he has only hit .125 this spring. He is capable of playing all 3 outfield spots.
Colvin had a cup of coffee with the Cubs last year (3 for 17), but has really impressed this spring hitting .442/.442/.651. His lack of speed limits him to the corner outfield spots, but Fukudome could slide over to center on the occasions that Colvin replaces Marlon Byrd.
Prediction: With Xavier Nady unlikely to play regularly in the field until June, its likely that Piniella will want Fuld on the team to give him more flexibility. Colvin will likely start the season at AAA and will be one of the first position players called up.
Thus, with my series on the Spring training battles completed, here is my prediction for the opening day roster (updated based on the latest news):
PITCHERS
Starters - Ryan Dempster, Carlos Zambrano, Randy Wells, Tom Gorzelanny and Carlos Silva. I originally predicted that Jeff Samardzija would beat out Carlos Silva, however Silva has pitched well this spring and appears to have the edge.
Relievers - Carlos Marmol (closer), John Grabow (setup), Esmailin Caridad (setup), Justin Berg (middle), John Gaub (middle), Sean Marshall (long/spot starter) and Mike Parisi. I originally picked Jeff Gray over Parisi, however Gray has yet to pitch this spring due to a groin injury and will likely start the season on the DL.
HITTERS
Catcher - Geovany Soto and Koyie Hill
Infield - Derrek Lee (1st), Mike Fontenot (2nd), Aramis Ramirez (3rd), Ryan Theriot (SS), Jeff Baker (2nd - platoon) and Kevin Millar.
Outfield - Alfonso Soriano (left), Marlon Byrd (center), Kosuke Fukudome (right), Xavier Nady and Sam Fuld.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Carlos Silva battels for rotation while Milton Bradley just battles.
Don't look now, but it appears that Carlos Silva could end up in the Cubs rotation. After getting roughed up in his first start of the spring, giving up 6 runs and 7 hits in 2 IP against the White Sox, Silva has settled down in his last two starts. He gave up no runs on 5 hits and 1 walk in 3 IP against the Padres on March 11th and followed that up with his best outing of the spring, allowing only 2 hits and no runs in 4 IP against the Rangers on Tuesday. The outing on Tuesday prompted Lou Piniella to say "You can't throw the ball better than he did today".
Apparently, the news that Silva's mother, Zulay, was finally granted a 10-year visa to come to the United States from Venezuela, helped to clear Silva's head and get him to focus on pitching again. He contacts his mother before and after every game and after Tuesday's outing he said to his mom "The way I feel today I haven't felt for a long, long time."
Well, whatever's working, its working. Let's just hope this isn't fools gold and Silva implodes once the regular season starts.
Meanwhile, for the Seattle Mariners, where the other side of the Silva trade resides, Milton Bradley is apparently getting ejected from games on reputation alone. According to his manager Don Wakamatsu, it appears that Milton Bradley forgot how many outs there were (where have I heard that before), dropped his bat and started taking off his batting gloves when the umpire called him out on strikes for the FIRST out. I guess Bradley just needs more ginseng or something to improve his brain power.
In any case, the Bradley for Silva trade is starting to look better and better for the Cubs.
Apparently, the news that Silva's mother, Zulay, was finally granted a 10-year visa to come to the United States from Venezuela, helped to clear Silva's head and get him to focus on pitching again. He contacts his mother before and after every game and after Tuesday's outing he said to his mom "The way I feel today I haven't felt for a long, long time."
Well, whatever's working, its working. Let's just hope this isn't fools gold and Silva implodes once the regular season starts.
Meanwhile, for the Seattle Mariners, where the other side of the Silva trade resides, Milton Bradley is apparently getting ejected from games on reputation alone. According to his manager Don Wakamatsu, it appears that Milton Bradley forgot how many outs there were (where have I heard that before), dropped his bat and started taking off his batting gloves when the umpire called him out on strikes for the FIRST out. I guess Bradley just needs more ginseng or something to improve his brain power.
In any case, the Bradley for Silva trade is starting to look better and better for the Cubs.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Mike Fontenot has leg up on Second Base job and other news
About halfway through the Spring Training schedule and some players are starting to take the lead in a couple position battles.
First, Mike Fontenot has taken advantage of Jeff Baker's struggles this spring to lead the race for the second base job. Mark's Remarks - Even if Fontenot wins the job, his struggles against left handers probably means that Baker will platoon with Fontenot, so it would likely mean a 60/40 split in terms of playing time.
Second, Sean Marshall appears to have the lead in the rotation battle with a decision likely coming around March 24th. However, the biggest surprise is that, despite a poor first start, Carlos Silva has pitched himself back into contention with two consecutive solid outings, including 4 scoreless innings today against Texas. Mark's Remarks - I still think that putting Silva in the starting rotation would be playing with fire, but the Cubs have done stranger things in their history (like signing Milton Bradley).
Yesterday, Lou Piniella announced that Ryan Theriot would be his leadoff hitter. Theriot made the decision pretty easy for the skipper, hitting .565 so far this spring. He will be followed by Kosuke Fukudome (against righthanders), then Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Marlon Byrd, Alfonso Soriano, Mike Fontenot, Geovanny Soto and the pitcher. Mark's Remarks - So far this spring, the Cubs offense has been pretty impressive, scoring 84 runs in 14 games (6.0 per game) and hitting .311/.376/.482. It appears that the Rudy Jaramillo hiring is already paying dividends.
More good news: Ted Lilly may only miss two regular season starts. According to Piniella, Lilly is progressing well and is expected to make a start in the final week of spring. After that, he will need two minor league rehab starts to get his pitch count up before returning to the Cubs rotation. Mark's Remarks - Good. Hopefully that means that is the extent of the number of starts that Carlos Silva would get if he makes the rotation.
Finally, don't look now but the Cubs are sitting atop of the spring standings, while NL Central favortie St.Louis is near the bottom. Mark's Remarks - Yes, I know its spring and doesn't mean anything, but its nice to see the Cubs playing good ball and hopefully it'll carry over to the regular season.
First, Mike Fontenot has taken advantage of Jeff Baker's struggles this spring to lead the race for the second base job. Mark's Remarks - Even if Fontenot wins the job, his struggles against left handers probably means that Baker will platoon with Fontenot, so it would likely mean a 60/40 split in terms of playing time.
Second, Sean Marshall appears to have the lead in the rotation battle with a decision likely coming around March 24th. However, the biggest surprise is that, despite a poor first start, Carlos Silva has pitched himself back into contention with two consecutive solid outings, including 4 scoreless innings today against Texas. Mark's Remarks - I still think that putting Silva in the starting rotation would be playing with fire, but the Cubs have done stranger things in their history (like signing Milton Bradley).
Yesterday, Lou Piniella announced that Ryan Theriot would be his leadoff hitter. Theriot made the decision pretty easy for the skipper, hitting .565 so far this spring. He will be followed by Kosuke Fukudome (against righthanders), then Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Marlon Byrd, Alfonso Soriano, Mike Fontenot, Geovanny Soto and the pitcher. Mark's Remarks - So far this spring, the Cubs offense has been pretty impressive, scoring 84 runs in 14 games (6.0 per game) and hitting .311/.376/.482. It appears that the Rudy Jaramillo hiring is already paying dividends.
More good news: Ted Lilly may only miss two regular season starts. According to Piniella, Lilly is progressing well and is expected to make a start in the final week of spring. After that, he will need two minor league rehab starts to get his pitch count up before returning to the Cubs rotation. Mark's Remarks - Good. Hopefully that means that is the extent of the number of starts that Carlos Silva would get if he makes the rotation.
Finally, don't look now but the Cubs are sitting atop of the spring standings, while NL Central favortie St.Louis is near the bottom. Mark's Remarks - Yes, I know its spring and doesn't mean anything, but its nice to see the Cubs playing good ball and hopefully it'll carry over to the regular season.
Monday, March 15, 2010
The Cubs bullpen battle has already seen its first two casualties as Mitch Atkins and David Patton were sent to the minors over the weekend. However, even with those cuts and barring a last minute trade for a reliever, the Cubs have several options to fill out their bullpen.
Only Carlos Marmol and John Grabow are guaranteed spots in the bullpen. Its also likely that the 2 starting pitcher candidates who lose out will likely end up in the pen, unless one of those is Jeff Samardzija, who would likely be optioned to AAA. That leaves 3 bullpen spots open and a host of candidates.
Here are how the candidates breakdown:
Players with some major league experience - Jeff Gray, Esmailin Caridad, Justin Berg and Jeff Stevens all pitched in at least 11 games in the majors last season. Jeff Gray has the most experience of the group, having thrown 31 IP in the majors with a career 4.35 ERA. Caridad and Berg both pitched well with ERA's of 1.40 and 0.75, respectively. Stevens was roughed up a bit with an ERA of 7.11. Based on how he pitched last year, I think that Caridad is almost certain to make the opening day roster.
The top prospects - Andrew Cashner, Rafael Dolis, John Gaub, Blake Parker and Marcos Mateo are all considered amongst the top 30 Cubs prospects according to Baseball America. Lou Piniella has said that Cashner is a candidate for the pen, but its likely that he'll head to AAA to continue working as a starter. Dolis, Gaub and Mateo all feature some serious heat (all around 95 mph or above). Gaub has an edge in that he is lefthanded.
Other Contenders - Mike Parisi, James Russell and Thomas Diamond. Of these 3 only Parisi is on the 40-man roster. Parisi, a rule 5 pick, would have to be kept on the major league roster the whole year or sent back to the Cardinals. Thus, he will have to really impress the Cubs this spring for them to use up a roster spot for him. Russell and Diamond are likely headed to AAA.
My Prediction
Closer - Carlos Marmol
Setup - John Grabow, Esmailin Caridad
Middle relievers - Jeff Gray, Justin Berg, John Gaub
Long relief (aka mopup) - Carlos Silva
Based on the early Spring Training results, it appears that Tom Gorzelanny and Sean Marshall have a leg up on the final two starting spots, leaving Silva in the bullpen and Samardzija at AAA.
With Marshall and Gorzelanny in the rotation, the Cubs will need another lefty in the bullpen and John Gaub is their best option there. That leaves two spots and its likely that Jeff Gray and Justin Berg will get first crack, based on their experience. However, most major league teams use their AAA team as an extending bullpen, shuttling pitchers back and forth based on need and usage. Therefore, several of the pitchers who miss the cut will likely get their chances during the season as well.
Only Carlos Marmol and John Grabow are guaranteed spots in the bullpen. Its also likely that the 2 starting pitcher candidates who lose out will likely end up in the pen, unless one of those is Jeff Samardzija, who would likely be optioned to AAA. That leaves 3 bullpen spots open and a host of candidates.
Here are how the candidates breakdown:
Players with some major league experience - Jeff Gray, Esmailin Caridad, Justin Berg and Jeff Stevens all pitched in at least 11 games in the majors last season. Jeff Gray has the most experience of the group, having thrown 31 IP in the majors with a career 4.35 ERA. Caridad and Berg both pitched well with ERA's of 1.40 and 0.75, respectively. Stevens was roughed up a bit with an ERA of 7.11. Based on how he pitched last year, I think that Caridad is almost certain to make the opening day roster.
The top prospects - Andrew Cashner, Rafael Dolis, John Gaub, Blake Parker and Marcos Mateo are all considered amongst the top 30 Cubs prospects according to Baseball America. Lou Piniella has said that Cashner is a candidate for the pen, but its likely that he'll head to AAA to continue working as a starter. Dolis, Gaub and Mateo all feature some serious heat (all around 95 mph or above). Gaub has an edge in that he is lefthanded.
Other Contenders - Mike Parisi, James Russell and Thomas Diamond. Of these 3 only Parisi is on the 40-man roster. Parisi, a rule 5 pick, would have to be kept on the major league roster the whole year or sent back to the Cardinals. Thus, he will have to really impress the Cubs this spring for them to use up a roster spot for him. Russell and Diamond are likely headed to AAA.
My Prediction
Closer - Carlos Marmol
Setup - John Grabow, Esmailin Caridad
Middle relievers - Jeff Gray, Justin Berg, John Gaub
Long relief (aka mopup) - Carlos Silva
Based on the early Spring Training results, it appears that Tom Gorzelanny and Sean Marshall have a leg up on the final two starting spots, leaving Silva in the bullpen and Samardzija at AAA.
With Marshall and Gorzelanny in the rotation, the Cubs will need another lefty in the bullpen and John Gaub is their best option there. That leaves two spots and its likely that Jeff Gray and Justin Berg will get first crack, based on their experience. However, most major league teams use their AAA team as an extending bullpen, shuttling pitchers back and forth based on need and usage. Therefore, several of the pitchers who miss the cut will likely get their chances during the season as well.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Is Lou Piniella on the Hot Seat?
The Cubs and Piniella are uncertain about their 2011 managerial plans. They both say that now is not the time to talk. But when they do talk, Crane Kenney says "we'll have an interesting conversation."
The truth of the matter is that the Cubs have leverage. Piniella is in the last year of his contract and the Cubs have a capable replacement in Ryne Sandberg, who will be managing the AAA Iowa team.
Thus, the Cubs can wait and see how this year turns out before making a decision. If the Cubs start out slow or fail to perform up to expectations, Piniella could be canned by mid-season. If the Cubs perform well, but don't make the playoffs, then they can let Pineilla walk after the season and promote Sandberg.
However, if the Cubs do extremely well (i.e. somehow manage to make it to the World Series), the Cubs could have a difficult decision on their hands. They could sign Piniella to an extension and possibly lose Sandberg to another team with a managerial opening. They could possibly promote Sandberg to Bench Coach, if they resign Piniella, but I'm not sure if Sandberg would go for that.
Basically, it comes down to this. This may be the last gasp for the current Cubs team. Derrek Lee will be a free agent, Aramis Ramirez can opt out of his contract after this year and Alfonso Soriano is not getting any younger.
If the Cubs fail to make any noise this year, they could possibly tear it all up and go with a youth movement (Starlin Castro, Brett Jackson, Josh Vitters, etc.). If that happens, Sandberg would be the ideal candidate for the job as he has coached a lot of these youngsters. Piniella would not want to have any part of another youth movement. He is getting too old and has been through it all before.
So, this is a pivotal season for the Cubs and Piniella. Although expectations for the team aren't as high as in the past, it still makes a big difference as to Piniella's future with the team.
The truth of the matter is that the Cubs have leverage. Piniella is in the last year of his contract and the Cubs have a capable replacement in Ryne Sandberg, who will be managing the AAA Iowa team.
Thus, the Cubs can wait and see how this year turns out before making a decision. If the Cubs start out slow or fail to perform up to expectations, Piniella could be canned by mid-season. If the Cubs perform well, but don't make the playoffs, then they can let Pineilla walk after the season and promote Sandberg.
However, if the Cubs do extremely well (i.e. somehow manage to make it to the World Series), the Cubs could have a difficult decision on their hands. They could sign Piniella to an extension and possibly lose Sandberg to another team with a managerial opening. They could possibly promote Sandberg to Bench Coach, if they resign Piniella, but I'm not sure if Sandberg would go for that.
Basically, it comes down to this. This may be the last gasp for the current Cubs team. Derrek Lee will be a free agent, Aramis Ramirez can opt out of his contract after this year and Alfonso Soriano is not getting any younger.
If the Cubs fail to make any noise this year, they could possibly tear it all up and go with a youth movement (Starlin Castro, Brett Jackson, Josh Vitters, etc.). If that happens, Sandberg would be the ideal candidate for the job as he has coached a lot of these youngsters. Piniella would not want to have any part of another youth movement. He is getting too old and has been through it all before.
So, this is a pivotal season for the Cubs and Piniella. Although expectations for the team aren't as high as in the past, it still makes a big difference as to Piniella's future with the team.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Cubs step up efforts to find relief help
A week after Paul Sullivan reported that the Cubs were not interested in any of the remaining free agent relievers and that they would look within the organization for help, the landscape has changed a bit.
With the loss of Angel Guzman for the year (and perhaps for his career), MLBTraderumors.com is reporting (via ESPN's Jerry Crasnick) that the Cubs have inquired again about Toronto's Jason Frasor and are "urgently seeking relief help."
Ken Rosenthal reports that the Cubs are scouting setup men, but could be interested in Pedro Martinez or John Smoltz "down the line" presumably as a potential 5th starter.
Its looking more and more like the Cubs lack of pitching depth is going to come back and haunt them. The Cubs only have a handful of relievers with significant major league experience (Carlos Marmol, John Grabow and Jeff Gray).
Its likely that whoever loses out in the battle for the rotation will be relegated to the bullpen, but that is not really adding much.
So, what once was a strength of the Cubs is now becoming a weakness. With the injuries to Guzman and Ted Lilly, the Cubs are left scrambling to fill out their bullpen and their rotation.
Hopefully Rudy Jaramillo will be able to turn the offense around this year, because it looks like the pitching staff is likely to be taking a step back.
With the loss of Angel Guzman for the year (and perhaps for his career), MLBTraderumors.com is reporting (via ESPN's Jerry Crasnick) that the Cubs have inquired again about Toronto's Jason Frasor and are "urgently seeking relief help."
Ken Rosenthal reports that the Cubs are scouting setup men, but could be interested in Pedro Martinez or John Smoltz "down the line" presumably as a potential 5th starter.
Its looking more and more like the Cubs lack of pitching depth is going to come back and haunt them. The Cubs only have a handful of relievers with significant major league experience (Carlos Marmol, John Grabow and Jeff Gray).
Its likely that whoever loses out in the battle for the rotation will be relegated to the bullpen, but that is not really adding much.
So, what once was a strength of the Cubs is now becoming a weakness. With the injuries to Guzman and Ted Lilly, the Cubs are left scrambling to fill out their bullpen and their rotation.
Hopefully Rudy Jaramillo will be able to turn the offense around this year, because it looks like the pitching staff is likely to be taking a step back.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Cubs Spring Training Battles #2: 4th and 5th starters
I will continue my analysis of the Cubs Spring Training battles tonight by looking at the battle for the Cubs 4th and 5th starting pitchers spots.
Although Ted Lilly is determined to pitch in a Cactus league game, its unlikely he will be ready by the start of the season. Thus, the Cubs will need to find a pitcher to fill in while Lilly recovers as well as a 5th starter.
The 3 main contenders are Tom Gorzelanny, Sean Marshall and Jeff Samardzija, who all pitched well yesterday, in the opening round of the competition. Carlos Silva might also be considered a contender for the rotation, but after getting rocked in his spring debut, I certainly hope not.
So, here are the contenders to fill out the rotation:
Tom Gorzelanny - Gorzelanny split time between starter and reliever for the Cubs, after being acquired from the Pirates at the trade deadline, making 7 starts and 6 relief appearances. He didn't fare particularly well in either role. Although he was 4-2 as a starter, he had a 5.40 ERA and gave up 35 hits, including 5 HR's in 31.2 IP. However, he did manage to strikeout 35 batters in that time. As a reliever, he had a 6.75 ERA in 6.2 IP.
For his career, Gorzelanny has a 4.78 ERA as a starter in 404.2 IP. He has a 6.88 ERA as a reliever, albeit in only 17 IP. He has fared well against lefties, holding them to a .232 average and could be a lefty specialist in the bullpen if he doesn't make the rotation.
Sean Marshall - Marshall spent most of the year in the bullpen for the Cubs last season, appearing in 46 games as a reliever. But he did make 9 starts for the Cubs while filling in during Zambrano's injury. He posted a nice 3.23 ERA as a reliever for the Cubs in 39 IP, while sporting an ugly 5.24 ERA as a starter.
For his career, he has a 3.15 ERA as a reliever and a 4.86 ERA as a starter. He also has fared well against lefthanders, holding them to a .243 average in his career.
Jeff Samardzija - Samardzija has bounced back and forth from the bullpen to the rotation in both the minors and majors the last few years. He pitched effectively down the stretch in 2008 as a reliever, posting a 2.28 ERA in 27.2 IP during the Cubs pennant drive. However, he struggled in 2008, posting a 7.53 ERA in 34.2 IP.
After stating that Samardzija would be a starting pitcher for 2010, the Cubs backed that up by getting Samardzija some starts in winter ball. He pitched well and Lou Piniella has said he that he wants Samardzija to win the job.
Prediction
A lot of this could depend on whether the Cubs can find another lefty for the pen to go along with John Grabow. I think that Piniella would prefer to have two lefties in the pen and unless either John Gaub, J.R. Mathes or James Russell can win the job, Piniella will stick either Gorzelanny or Marshall back in the pen.
I think the Cubs would be best served if Samardzija and Marshall are in the rotation and Gorzelanny is in the pen. However, I predict that Piniella will go with Marshall in the pen, where he has fared better under Piniella's watch, and stick Gorzelanny and Samardzija in the rotation. But, if Gaub or one of the other lefty relievers impresses this spring, Samardzija may end up in AAA.
Although Ted Lilly is determined to pitch in a Cactus league game, its unlikely he will be ready by the start of the season. Thus, the Cubs will need to find a pitcher to fill in while Lilly recovers as well as a 5th starter.
The 3 main contenders are Tom Gorzelanny, Sean Marshall and Jeff Samardzija, who all pitched well yesterday, in the opening round of the competition. Carlos Silva might also be considered a contender for the rotation, but after getting rocked in his spring debut, I certainly hope not.
So, here are the contenders to fill out the rotation:
Tom Gorzelanny - Gorzelanny split time between starter and reliever for the Cubs, after being acquired from the Pirates at the trade deadline, making 7 starts and 6 relief appearances. He didn't fare particularly well in either role. Although he was 4-2 as a starter, he had a 5.40 ERA and gave up 35 hits, including 5 HR's in 31.2 IP. However, he did manage to strikeout 35 batters in that time. As a reliever, he had a 6.75 ERA in 6.2 IP.
For his career, Gorzelanny has a 4.78 ERA as a starter in 404.2 IP. He has a 6.88 ERA as a reliever, albeit in only 17 IP. He has fared well against lefties, holding them to a .232 average and could be a lefty specialist in the bullpen if he doesn't make the rotation.
Sean Marshall - Marshall spent most of the year in the bullpen for the Cubs last season, appearing in 46 games as a reliever. But he did make 9 starts for the Cubs while filling in during Zambrano's injury. He posted a nice 3.23 ERA as a reliever for the Cubs in 39 IP, while sporting an ugly 5.24 ERA as a starter.
For his career, he has a 3.15 ERA as a reliever and a 4.86 ERA as a starter. He also has fared well against lefthanders, holding them to a .243 average in his career.
Jeff Samardzija - Samardzija has bounced back and forth from the bullpen to the rotation in both the minors and majors the last few years. He pitched effectively down the stretch in 2008 as a reliever, posting a 2.28 ERA in 27.2 IP during the Cubs pennant drive. However, he struggled in 2008, posting a 7.53 ERA in 34.2 IP.
After stating that Samardzija would be a starting pitcher for 2010, the Cubs backed that up by getting Samardzija some starts in winter ball. He pitched well and Lou Piniella has said he that he wants Samardzija to win the job.
Prediction
A lot of this could depend on whether the Cubs can find another lefty for the pen to go along with John Grabow. I think that Piniella would prefer to have two lefties in the pen and unless either John Gaub, J.R. Mathes or James Russell can win the job, Piniella will stick either Gorzelanny or Marshall back in the pen.
I think the Cubs would be best served if Samardzija and Marshall are in the rotation and Gorzelanny is in the pen. However, I predict that Piniella will go with Marshall in the pen, where he has fared better under Piniella's watch, and stick Gorzelanny and Samardzija in the rotation. But, if Gaub or one of the other lefty relievers impresses this spring, Samardzija may end up in AAA.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Cubs News and Notes
Despite starting off the Spring training slate with a 2-1 record and scoring 20 runs in the process, not everything has been rosy for the Cubs.
First off, the Cubs were spanked by the White Sox 15-3 on Saturday, as rotation hopeful Carlos Silva was rocked for 6 runs in 2 IP. Silva gave up 7 hits, including 2 HR's in the "effort". Mark's Remarks - If Silva even sniffs the rotation this year, it will be a long one for the Cubs.
Adding injury to insult, an MRI discovered that Angel Guzman has a significant ligament tear and instability in his pitching shoulder. This is a potential career ending injury. Guzman plans to have surgery on the shoulder, despite the fact that few pitchers have come back from this type of surgery. Mark's Remarks - tough break for one of the Cubs better relief pitchers. I wish him all the best. This only emphasizes the importance of the Cubs finding some more pitching depth.
As for the Cubs hot prospect, Starlin Castro, despite an injury to backup shortstop Andres Blanco and Castro's good start in his first few games (3 for 8 with a double and triple), Lou Piniella said it is unlikely that Castro starts the season in the majors. "No, no," he said. "Starlin is going to start the season in Triple-A (Iowa) and play. The only way Starlin would come into this equation, and I've said this before, is if he shows he's ready to play here and there's a problem physically with Theriot." Mark's Remarks - He may not start the season in the majors, but he is likely to finish the season in the majors (I'm predicting a callup on June 1st).
Finally, to end this news wrapup on a positive note, both Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez have reported no pain in early play. Soriano, who's recovering from knee surgery, and Ramirez, who missed 2 months with a shoulder injury and played the rest of the season in pain, both appear to be at or near 100%. Mark's Remarks - This is probably the most important news of all as Soriano and Ramirez are two of the biggest cogs that make the Cubs offense click.
First off, the Cubs were spanked by the White Sox 15-3 on Saturday, as rotation hopeful Carlos Silva was rocked for 6 runs in 2 IP. Silva gave up 7 hits, including 2 HR's in the "effort". Mark's Remarks - If Silva even sniffs the rotation this year, it will be a long one for the Cubs.
Adding injury to insult, an MRI discovered that Angel Guzman has a significant ligament tear and instability in his pitching shoulder. This is a potential career ending injury. Guzman plans to have surgery on the shoulder, despite the fact that few pitchers have come back from this type of surgery. Mark's Remarks - tough break for one of the Cubs better relief pitchers. I wish him all the best. This only emphasizes the importance of the Cubs finding some more pitching depth.
As for the Cubs hot prospect, Starlin Castro, despite an injury to backup shortstop Andres Blanco and Castro's good start in his first few games (3 for 8 with a double and triple), Lou Piniella said it is unlikely that Castro starts the season in the majors. "No, no," he said. "Starlin is going to start the season in Triple-A (Iowa) and play. The only way Starlin would come into this equation, and I've said this before, is if he shows he's ready to play here and there's a problem physically with Theriot." Mark's Remarks - He may not start the season in the majors, but he is likely to finish the season in the majors (I'm predicting a callup on June 1st).
Finally, to end this news wrapup on a positive note, both Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez have reported no pain in early play. Soriano, who's recovering from knee surgery, and Ramirez, who missed 2 months with a shoulder injury and played the rest of the season in pain, both appear to be at or near 100%. Mark's Remarks - This is probably the most important news of all as Soriano and Ramirez are two of the biggest cogs that make the Cubs offense click.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Open Letter to Milton Bradley
I saw an article in the New York Times today that made me laugh. Apparently, Milton Bradley is still blaming Chicago for his troubles here.
This is what he said:
“Two years ago, I played, and I was good,” Bradley said. “I go to Chicago, not good. I’ve been good my whole career. So, obviously, it was something with Chicago, not me.”
He added: “Just no communication. I never hit more than 22 homers in my career, and all of a sudden I get to Chicago and they expect me to hit 30. It doesn’t make sense. History tells you I’m not going to hit that many. Just a lot of things that try to make me a player I’m not.”
Here's my reply to Mr. Bradley:
Dear Mr. Bradley:
Thank you for taking the time out of your preparations for the upcoming season to once again spout off again about the fine city of Chicago. It sounds as if your stay here was an unpleasant one, as I am sure it was for many of the Cubs fans who watched you play.
As hard as it may be for you to understand, Cubs fans really do want to see their teams and players succeed. They are just tired of losing and even more tired of the excuses for losing.
Your attitude reminds many Cubs fans of the 2004 team, who blamed their failure to win the wildcard on everyone but themselves. Steve Stone put it nicely (before he was forced out as an announcer):
"You want the truth. You can't handle the truth," Stone said at the time. "The truth of this situation is an extremely talented bunch of guys who want to look at all directions except where they should really look and kind of make excuses for what happened. At the end of the day, boys, don't tell me how rough the water is, you bring in the ship."
You say that Cubs fans had unrealistic expectations for you, expecting you to hit 30 HR's, when you have never hit more than 22 in a season. I'm not sure what fans you are referring to, but I know I never expected you to hit 30 HR's. Heck, I was just hoping you would play 30 games (given your injury history).
You have been a clubhouse cancer your entire career and you were a clubhouse cancer here in Chicago. So maybe, just maybe, you should turn that finger of yours inwards for once.
Sincerely,
Mark Sherrard
Cubs Correspondent
Fanball.com
This is what he said:
“Two years ago, I played, and I was good,” Bradley said. “I go to Chicago, not good. I’ve been good my whole career. So, obviously, it was something with Chicago, not me.”
He added: “Just no communication. I never hit more than 22 homers in my career, and all of a sudden I get to Chicago and they expect me to hit 30. It doesn’t make sense. History tells you I’m not going to hit that many. Just a lot of things that try to make me a player I’m not.”
Here's my reply to Mr. Bradley:
Dear Mr. Bradley:
Thank you for taking the time out of your preparations for the upcoming season to once again spout off again about the fine city of Chicago. It sounds as if your stay here was an unpleasant one, as I am sure it was for many of the Cubs fans who watched you play.
As hard as it may be for you to understand, Cubs fans really do want to see their teams and players succeed. They are just tired of losing and even more tired of the excuses for losing.
Your attitude reminds many Cubs fans of the 2004 team, who blamed their failure to win the wildcard on everyone but themselves. Steve Stone put it nicely (before he was forced out as an announcer):
"You want the truth. You can't handle the truth," Stone said at the time. "The truth of this situation is an extremely talented bunch of guys who want to look at all directions except where they should really look and kind of make excuses for what happened. At the end of the day, boys, don't tell me how rough the water is, you bring in the ship."
You say that Cubs fans had unrealistic expectations for you, expecting you to hit 30 HR's, when you have never hit more than 22 in a season. I'm not sure what fans you are referring to, but I know I never expected you to hit 30 HR's. Heck, I was just hoping you would play 30 games (given your injury history).
You have been a clubhouse cancer your entire career and you were a clubhouse cancer here in Chicago. So maybe, just maybe, you should turn that finger of yours inwards for once.
Sincerely,
Mark Sherrard
Cubs Correspondent
Fanball.com
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Spring Position Battle #1: Second Base
The Cubs have several Spring Training battles to keep an eye on as the games get underway: second base, 4th and 5th starter, right field, the bench and the bullpen.
This week, I'll take a look at the candidates for the second base job and give my prediction as to who will win.
Jeff Baker
Jeff Baker came over in a trade with Colorado last season and hit well for the Cubs, posting a .305/.362/.425 line in 203 AB's. Based on that and a poor 2009 season from Mike Fontenot (.236/.301/.377), Baker has the edge heading into the Spring.
However, one thing to keep an eye on in the spring and early in the season is that Baker has been a slow starter so far in his career, hitting .237/.297/.400 in 350 first half AB's, including .194/.241/.326 in March/April.
Mike Fontenot
After hitting .291 with 12 HR's in his first two years in the majors (477 AB's), Fontenot came crashing down to earth in 2009.
Despite his struggles, Fontenot has fared pretty well against righthanders in his career (.272/.348/.435). Although Baker has done OK against righthanders (.262/.316/.411 in his career), he does most of his damage against lefthanders (.285/.346/.543).
So, its possible that, if Baker struggles, Fontenot could work himself into the lion's share of a platoon with Baker.
Starlin Castro
The darkhorse in this race is Castro. He impressed the brass with his fine hitting at high A and AA last year, to the tune of .299/.342/.392. Castro then followed that up with an even more impressive stint in the Arizona Fall League, putting up a line of .376/.396/.475.
Castro is a shortstop by trade and if he beats out Baker and Fontenot, he will start at short with Theriot moving to second. Castro makes good contact (89%), has good speed and is a strong defender, however its unlikely that he'll beat out the duo of Baker and Fontenot, with just 111 AB's above high A.
Chances are he'll start the year in AAA and if either Theriot or one of the second basemen get injured, Castro will be the first one called up.
My Take
None of the Cubs options at second are particularly strong and it may just come down to who hits the best in spring training.
I believe that Baker will win the job, but could be on a short leash. If he struggles at the start of the season, look for Fontenot to take over against righthanders.
Castro will likely spend most of the year at AAA, but if both Fontenot and Baker struggle, Castro could be called up as early as May.
I would project about 350 AB's for Baker, 250 for Fontenot and 50 for Castro (mostly in September).
This week, I'll take a look at the candidates for the second base job and give my prediction as to who will win.
Jeff Baker
Jeff Baker came over in a trade with Colorado last season and hit well for the Cubs, posting a .305/.362/.425 line in 203 AB's. Based on that and a poor 2009 season from Mike Fontenot (.236/.301/.377), Baker has the edge heading into the Spring.
However, one thing to keep an eye on in the spring and early in the season is that Baker has been a slow starter so far in his career, hitting .237/.297/.400 in 350 first half AB's, including .194/.241/.326 in March/April.
Mike Fontenot
After hitting .291 with 12 HR's in his first two years in the majors (477 AB's), Fontenot came crashing down to earth in 2009.
Despite his struggles, Fontenot has fared pretty well against righthanders in his career (.272/.348/.435). Although Baker has done OK against righthanders (.262/.316/.411 in his career), he does most of his damage against lefthanders (.285/.346/.543).
So, its possible that, if Baker struggles, Fontenot could work himself into the lion's share of a platoon with Baker.
Starlin Castro
The darkhorse in this race is Castro. He impressed the brass with his fine hitting at high A and AA last year, to the tune of .299/.342/.392. Castro then followed that up with an even more impressive stint in the Arizona Fall League, putting up a line of .376/.396/.475.
Castro is a shortstop by trade and if he beats out Baker and Fontenot, he will start at short with Theriot moving to second. Castro makes good contact (89%), has good speed and is a strong defender, however its unlikely that he'll beat out the duo of Baker and Fontenot, with just 111 AB's above high A.
Chances are he'll start the year in AAA and if either Theriot or one of the second basemen get injured, Castro will be the first one called up.
My Take
None of the Cubs options at second are particularly strong and it may just come down to who hits the best in spring training.
I believe that Baker will win the job, but could be on a short leash. If he struggles at the start of the season, look for Fontenot to take over against righthanders.
Castro will likely spend most of the year at AAA, but if both Fontenot and Baker struggle, Castro could be called up as early as May.
I would project about 350 AB's for Baker, 250 for Fontenot and 50 for Castro (mostly in September).
Monday, March 1, 2010
Cubs still looking for relief
With Angel Guzman and Jeff Gray dealing with injuries, the Cubs are continuing their search for bullpen help, although they are not in any rush.
The Cubs showed some interest in veteran Kiko Calero, but shied away due to injury concerns and contract demands.
The Cubs have also kicked the tires on Padres reliever Luke Gregerson and Blue Jays reliever Jason Frasor (both of whom they would have to acquire via trade), however nothing is imminent on those fronts. The Padres would be more willing to trade Heath Bell, but his salary makes him an unlikely target for the Cubs.
Given the choice, I would probably go with Gregerson over Frasor and Calero. However, seeing as he's the youngest of the three and had a very good first year in the majors, the Padres asking price will likely be pretty high for Gregerson. Frasor, although not as young, is coming off a strong season and would also cost the Cubs a bit in terms of prospects. Calero is a good pitcher and only costs the Cubs money, but its money the Cubs don't really have to spend.
It will probably come down to the Cubs signing the best pitcher they can get on a minor league deal and hoping for the best. Some candidates include Jason Isringhausen, Tom Gordon, Jorge Julio, Troy Percival and Julian Tavarez. All of these pitchers have closed in the past, but remain on the market due to age/injury concerns.
The Cubs showed some interest in veteran Kiko Calero, but shied away due to injury concerns and contract demands.
The Cubs have also kicked the tires on Padres reliever Luke Gregerson and Blue Jays reliever Jason Frasor (both of whom they would have to acquire via trade), however nothing is imminent on those fronts. The Padres would be more willing to trade Heath Bell, but his salary makes him an unlikely target for the Cubs.
Given the choice, I would probably go with Gregerson over Frasor and Calero. However, seeing as he's the youngest of the three and had a very good first year in the majors, the Padres asking price will likely be pretty high for Gregerson. Frasor, although not as young, is coming off a strong season and would also cost the Cubs a bit in terms of prospects. Calero is a good pitcher and only costs the Cubs money, but its money the Cubs don't really have to spend.
It will probably come down to the Cubs signing the best pitcher they can get on a minor league deal and hoping for the best. Some candidates include Jason Isringhausen, Tom Gordon, Jorge Julio, Troy Percival and Julian Tavarez. All of these pitchers have closed in the past, but remain on the market due to age/injury concerns.
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