The Cubs last won the World Series in the long-ago year of 1908. During this ong ago time, America was kind of a backwater with the real international action taking place in Europe, among such powers as: the British Empire, the German Empire, and Austria-Hungary, among others.
I think I speak for other Cubs fans when I say there is a palpable sense of non-cursedness this year; somehow that three-digit number 100 makes it seem as though we've served our sentence and done our time. My only worry is that WGN Radio keeps playing that audio clip of Ron Santo yelling, THIS IS THE YEAR! Perhaps you've heard it...
The gauntlet is thrown; its too late not to say it. At this cafepress shop, you can find a t-shirt to match that sentiment:
www.100yearsorbust.com
They also sell hats, mugs, and the like. Check it out!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
What a Wild One Up in Milwaukee...
Our Cubs had a narrow escape last night. Two of the brewers' Achilles Heel areas cost them dearly. One is their inability to find a real, true closer after losing Francisco Cordero in free agency. The other is the defense of Rickie Weeks.
If Weeks had not launched a double play relay throw in to the outfield last night, this would all be a different story. As it is, things are looking up in Cub land, and if you're a Brewers fan, you've got to feel really down about last night.
The Cubs survived the C.C. Sabathia buzzsaw, even though we only had Ted Lilly as our starter. Now, we are at least even money facing Ben Sheets tonight, because Big Z will start for the Cubs. Z sometimes freaks out a little when all the pressure is on him, but truth be told, the real burden is on Milwaukee.
Right now, the Rich Harden trade looms large. At some point in this series now the Brewers will have to face Harden, with no pitcher of his caliber on the mound for them.
I was filled with a warm, happy feeling last night when I heard that Alfonso Soriano hit one out of off Sabathia early in the game. A Soriano hot streak is a best case scenario now, don't you think?
Milwaukee leads off with Weeks, who is a very shaky defensive player. Despite that, he is hitting only .224. Imagine how much better the Brewers would be if they shipped Weeks off for a smoother, veteran second baseman like Mark Loretta. Another change I would make to the Brewers is to add another relief pitcher (using the same candidates I recommended and still recommend for the Cubs). Heath Bell is not talked about much on the trade market, but the padres would have to think carefully abuot an offer for a serious prospect.
I don't know why the Cubs haven't tried offering Felix Pie for Heath Bell or Cla Meredith (pronounced Clay). The Padres, after giving up on Jim Edmonds WAY too early, are reduced to using Pirates reject Jody Gerut in center. It is definitely rebuilding time in San Diego.
If Weeks had not launched a double play relay throw in to the outfield last night, this would all be a different story. As it is, things are looking up in Cub land, and if you're a Brewers fan, you've got to feel really down about last night.
The Cubs survived the C.C. Sabathia buzzsaw, even though we only had Ted Lilly as our starter. Now, we are at least even money facing Ben Sheets tonight, because Big Z will start for the Cubs. Z sometimes freaks out a little when all the pressure is on him, but truth be told, the real burden is on Milwaukee.
Right now, the Rich Harden trade looms large. At some point in this series now the Brewers will have to face Harden, with no pitcher of his caliber on the mound for them.
I was filled with a warm, happy feeling last night when I heard that Alfonso Soriano hit one out of off Sabathia early in the game. A Soriano hot streak is a best case scenario now, don't you think?
Milwaukee leads off with Weeks, who is a very shaky defensive player. Despite that, he is hitting only .224. Imagine how much better the Brewers would be if they shipped Weeks off for a smoother, veteran second baseman like Mark Loretta. Another change I would make to the Brewers is to add another relief pitcher (using the same candidates I recommended and still recommend for the Cubs). Heath Bell is not talked about much on the trade market, but the padres would have to think carefully abuot an offer for a serious prospect.
I don't know why the Cubs haven't tried offering Felix Pie for Heath Bell or Cla Meredith (pronounced Clay). The Padres, after giving up on Jim Edmonds WAY too early, are reduced to using Pirates reject Jody Gerut in center. It is definitely rebuilding time in San Diego.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
What a game yesterday! Woooo! Just when you thought that the Cubs were on the edge of a total "Cubbie Occurrence," Sean Marshall comes to the rescue. Marshall closed down the Giants' momentum with 2 great innings of, at times, overpowering relief pitching, followed by a hit to start the rally in the 11th.
We are one game from the All-Star Break. At that time I will break down the first-half performance of our beloved Cubs. But for now, what is obvious is that the Cubs lack a top-level setup man. Carlos Marmol has shown a sad tendency to let us down when we rely on him too heavily. I'm thinking of yesterday, and in the playoffs against the Dbacks. In my opinion, he doesn't have enough heart to be a closer. He might also not have enough to be an October setup man, not if there is no one there to pick him up when he gets down.
This would all be OK if this weren't the year that Bob Howry got a little bit too old to be really good. Chicago fans might remember his closer days with the South Siders. After he hurt himself he was replaced by Keith Foulke during the Sox' better years in the early 00s (or whatever I should call it). Howry vanished, and then resurfaced with Cleveland after arm problems.
But now, the Cubs long list of right handed bullpen arms looks thin after Kerry Wood. Howry gives up too many hits, as does Jon Lieber. Marmol seems either that he is hiding an injury, or he is going into a mental funk. Michael Wuertz was recently sent down to AAA to re-learn his slider. If breaking the 100 year curse depends on Michael Wuertz, well, maybe Rex Grossman can win a Super Bowl for us so we won't feel so down this fall.
It is settled then: we need another reliever. Where do we find that? The best place to look is teams that have a lot of veterans and thought they would contend but will not.
Padres: suck.
Have: Heath Bell, Cla Meredith.
Need: to blow it up and rebuild.
Why not: they might not want to make any more trades with us after we sent them Michael Barrett. Let the buyer beware SD -- not our fault.
Mariners: wow, what a train wreck!
Have: Brandon Morrow, Ryan Rowland-Smith
Need: talent.
Also: could we try and get Ichiro? Though that would give us TWO Japanese right fielders. But then Fukudome would have someone to hang with.
Indians: just not their year.
Have: Rafael Betancourt, Rafael Perez.
Need: to reload to take on the Central in 2009.
Any of these trades could probably happen in exchange for Rich Hill. Felix Pie might work too. The roster tinkering is not done; more additions need to be made. This is the best opportunity I have seen for the Cubs, ever, and that we-can't-win feeling is somehow overruled by the number 100. Thanks also the Red Sox, White Sox, Dbacks, Marlins, and Angels for making this the decade where teams that no one thinks can win do.
We are one game from the All-Star Break. At that time I will break down the first-half performance of our beloved Cubs. But for now, what is obvious is that the Cubs lack a top-level setup man. Carlos Marmol has shown a sad tendency to let us down when we rely on him too heavily. I'm thinking of yesterday, and in the playoffs against the Dbacks. In my opinion, he doesn't have enough heart to be a closer. He might also not have enough to be an October setup man, not if there is no one there to pick him up when he gets down.
This would all be OK if this weren't the year that Bob Howry got a little bit too old to be really good. Chicago fans might remember his closer days with the South Siders. After he hurt himself he was replaced by Keith Foulke during the Sox' better years in the early 00s (or whatever I should call it). Howry vanished, and then resurfaced with Cleveland after arm problems.
But now, the Cubs long list of right handed bullpen arms looks thin after Kerry Wood. Howry gives up too many hits, as does Jon Lieber. Marmol seems either that he is hiding an injury, or he is going into a mental funk. Michael Wuertz was recently sent down to AAA to re-learn his slider. If breaking the 100 year curse depends on Michael Wuertz, well, maybe Rex Grossman can win a Super Bowl for us so we won't feel so down this fall.
It is settled then: we need another reliever. Where do we find that? The best place to look is teams that have a lot of veterans and thought they would contend but will not.
Padres: suck.
Have: Heath Bell, Cla Meredith.
Need: to blow it up and rebuild.
Why not: they might not want to make any more trades with us after we sent them Michael Barrett. Let the buyer beware SD -- not our fault.
Mariners: wow, what a train wreck!
Have: Brandon Morrow, Ryan Rowland-Smith
Need: talent.
Also: could we try and get Ichiro? Though that would give us TWO Japanese right fielders. But then Fukudome would have someone to hang with.
Indians: just not their year.
Have: Rafael Betancourt, Rafael Perez.
Need: to reload to take on the Central in 2009.
Any of these trades could probably happen in exchange for Rich Hill. Felix Pie might work too. The roster tinkering is not done; more additions need to be made. This is the best opportunity I have seen for the Cubs, ever, and that we-can't-win feeling is somehow overruled by the number 100. Thanks also the Red Sox, White Sox, Dbacks, Marlins, and Angels for making this the decade where teams that no one thinks can win do.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Harden Trade
By now, Cub nation is all aware that the Cubs picked up Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin for Sean Gallagher, Eric Patterson, Matt Murton, and Josh Donaldson.
Some of us openly wonder what the A's were thinking; others shudder that the Cubs made a trade with Billy Beane that doesn't make sense for Beane on paper.
Maybe the real point was to get something for Harden, as if he were a ticking time bomb of injury that would break the A's hearts if they held on to him too long.
I remember that Andy MacPhail tried to get Sean Gallagher in the Brian Roberts deal that never happened. MacPhail would, of course, know all about the Cubs' minor leaguers. It wasn't so long ago that he was here.
So to me, that is the answer: Gallagher is a very fine player with a bright future. The press is united in its view that he will never be anything more than a fourth starter. Beane must think otherwise. Actually, to make it to the big leagues by 22, it does take real talent.
From the Cubs' point of view, this is absolutely a good idea. Harden is the type of pitcher we needed for the playoffs, to pair with Zambrano. Ted Lilly is a fine pitcher, but he has bad days. It would be tough to feel confident in a playoff sries against Arizona with Zambrano and Lilly versus Webb and Haren, or if Milwaukee gets that wild card, against Sheets and Sabathia.
Harden pushes everyone down one notch in the depth chart. The Cubs also added depth by getting Chad Gaudin included in the deal. With Marmol struggling, and Howry gettnig up there in age, another arm for the 'pen is a good thing, a very good thing.
Some of us openly wonder what the A's were thinking; others shudder that the Cubs made a trade with Billy Beane that doesn't make sense for Beane on paper.
Maybe the real point was to get something for Harden, as if he were a ticking time bomb of injury that would break the A's hearts if they held on to him too long.
I remember that Andy MacPhail tried to get Sean Gallagher in the Brian Roberts deal that never happened. MacPhail would, of course, know all about the Cubs' minor leaguers. It wasn't so long ago that he was here.
So to me, that is the answer: Gallagher is a very fine player with a bright future. The press is united in its view that he will never be anything more than a fourth starter. Beane must think otherwise. Actually, to make it to the big leagues by 22, it does take real talent.
From the Cubs' point of view, this is absolutely a good idea. Harden is the type of pitcher we needed for the playoffs, to pair with Zambrano. Ted Lilly is a fine pitcher, but he has bad days. It would be tough to feel confident in a playoff sries against Arizona with Zambrano and Lilly versus Webb and Haren, or if Milwaukee gets that wild card, against Sheets and Sabathia.
Harden pushes everyone down one notch in the depth chart. The Cubs also added depth by getting Chad Gaudin included in the deal. With Marmol struggling, and Howry gettnig up there in age, another arm for the 'pen is a good thing, a very good thing.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Zambrano vs. Cueto Tonight
Big Z makes the second start of his return tonight against the Reds, who will have hard-throwing young Johnny Cueto pitching against him. Cueto pitched great in his first game, but has been knocked around a little bit since then.
With both Eric Patterson and Matt Murton now gone, Reed Johnson will start in left field. Except for that, it is the usual lineup, with Theriot leading off, and Fukudome hitting second.
Zambrano gets fewer strikeouts but also walks fewer hitters than he has in the past. Call it maturation, if you like. Cueto gets almost as many Ks as Zambrano used to, but gives up too many homers... he would be doing better if the Reds would move in their fences to make their park a little less homer-happy.
They also bring young slugger Joey Votto to Wrigley; he's a great young left-handd hitter who is a serious contender for Rookie of the Year.
With both Eric Patterson and Matt Murton now gone, Reed Johnson will start in left field. Except for that, it is the usual lineup, with Theriot leading off, and Fukudome hitting second.
Zambrano gets fewer strikeouts but also walks fewer hitters than he has in the past. Call it maturation, if you like. Cueto gets almost as many Ks as Zambrano used to, but gives up too many homers... he would be doing better if the Reds would move in their fences to make their park a little less homer-happy.
They also bring young slugger Joey Votto to Wrigley; he's a great young left-handd hitter who is a serious contender for Rookie of the Year.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Should the Cubs Bat the Pitcher Eighth?
This idea definitely has not hurt the Cardinals, who, bafflingly, are fighting it out with us for first place. We may see this lineup before the year is over. Why? There are a couple reasons why it makes sense for the Cubs, more than ANYONE. Best reason: LaRussa thinks it is a good idea to have RBI opportunities of some kind for his leadoff hitter, and increased RBI opportunities for his #3 hitter.
More RBIs for a leadoff hitter? Do we know any leadoff hitters that would benefit from more RBI opportunities? Secondly, we have a couple pitchers who can really hit. Here I mean Zambrano and Jason Marquis. I believe Zambrano would love the chance to hit eighth, and possibly score another at-bat.
I have a couple ideas about who should move down to ninth. One idea is to bat Theriot there. But what if Soto batted there? If Soto bats ninth, he would have Soriano as lineup protection, and the offensive beat down he is giving the NL might just continue.
More RBIs for a leadoff hitter? Do we know any leadoff hitters that would benefit from more RBI opportunities? Secondly, we have a couple pitchers who can really hit. Here I mean Zambrano and Jason Marquis. I believe Zambrano would love the chance to hit eighth, and possibly score another at-bat.
I have a couple ideas about who should move down to ninth. One idea is to bat Theriot there. But what if Soto batted there? If Soto bats ninth, he would have Soriano as lineup protection, and the offensive beat down he is giving the NL might just continue.
Cubs Were 17-10 in April...
This was a great month for the team! Fukudome showed he was a smart pickup, and Derrek Lee is the player he was back in 2005 once again. These two led the offense, along with Ryan Theriot, Geovany Soto, Reed Johnson, Mark DeRosa, and Aramis Ramirez. In other words, the entire lineup had a good month, and two players had a great month. But let's not forget our pitchers: Zambrano pitched like an ace. Ryan Dempster had multiple quality starts. Rich Hill rebounded nicely from a rough start. Kerry Wood pitched like a real closer, and Carlos Marmol was even better than that.
If the Cubs are going to continue playing .600 ball, what issues need to be dealt with?
1. Felix Pie. Can this man hit any better or not? I am surprised that he has been this bad, but not shocked. Maybe he needs to go to a team that has time to just send him out to center, and let him figure out the game with no fans that expect to win right away. Another thing that might be good for Felix is to play for a team that can afford to carry his weak bat for some time. We are almost that team. If we sub Reed Johnson in to the game in later innings, we might be able to get away with this one for a time.
2. Starting Rotation. Zambrano will be fine, and Ted Lilly is improving. But will Ryan Dempster continue to pitch this way for a full season? Right now, Ryan is far and away out-pitching his best years with Florida. Not only would he come down hard for that reason, we also have to remember he hasn't been a starter in years. He will get tired, and if we don't have a backup plan, it will kill us at the worst possible time. That would be August. Rich Hill has had only one good year, but also some potential, with comes with some risk. Jason Marquis, however, has shown that he is unreliable over the long haul. It's not a question of attitude, or pacing, or anything else that can be fixed. The problem is he's not that talented, and needs to be "on" in order to win.
3. Bobby Howry. Does he have enough left to be a part of a great bullpen, or will he be in mop-up roles all year?
4. Geovany Soto. I doubt he will hit .333 his whole career. What will happen when national league scouts turn on to his weaknesses? I suspect he has one or two, at least.
5. Kevin Hart and Sean Marshall. Are these two the answer in the last spots of the bullpen? Hart has won admiration with his attitude, but the results are not there so far. Sean Marshall is a young starting pitcher, not a lefty specialist. that half of the question might be answered by the return of Scott Eyre.
If the Cubs are going to continue playing .600 ball, what issues need to be dealt with?
1. Felix Pie. Can this man hit any better or not? I am surprised that he has been this bad, but not shocked. Maybe he needs to go to a team that has time to just send him out to center, and let him figure out the game with no fans that expect to win right away. Another thing that might be good for Felix is to play for a team that can afford to carry his weak bat for some time. We are almost that team. If we sub Reed Johnson in to the game in later innings, we might be able to get away with this one for a time.
2. Starting Rotation. Zambrano will be fine, and Ted Lilly is improving. But will Ryan Dempster continue to pitch this way for a full season? Right now, Ryan is far and away out-pitching his best years with Florida. Not only would he come down hard for that reason, we also have to remember he hasn't been a starter in years. He will get tired, and if we don't have a backup plan, it will kill us at the worst possible time. That would be August. Rich Hill has had only one good year, but also some potential, with comes with some risk. Jason Marquis, however, has shown that he is unreliable over the long haul. It's not a question of attitude, or pacing, or anything else that can be fixed. The problem is he's not that talented, and needs to be "on" in order to win.
3. Bobby Howry. Does he have enough left to be a part of a great bullpen, or will he be in mop-up roles all year?
4. Geovany Soto. I doubt he will hit .333 his whole career. What will happen when national league scouts turn on to his weaknesses? I suspect he has one or two, at least.
5. Kevin Hart and Sean Marshall. Are these two the answer in the last spots of the bullpen? Hart has won admiration with his attitude, but the results are not there so far. Sean Marshall is a young starting pitcher, not a lefty specialist. that half of the question might be answered by the return of Scott Eyre.
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