We cannot stand pat.
There are several teams in the NL that are going to be considerably better next year than this year -- namely:
1. Mets -- the young rotation is improving. All they really need is some bullpen help, and we all know that Omar Minaya will go and get it...even if he has to overpay.
2. Phillies -- can't see them being any worse, anyhow, especially if they replace "Dad" Moyer with a free agent arm. Scary lineup if they bring Burrell back.
3. Astros -- hate to say it, but they have to believe that they can win in '09 after the way they almost made it this year. Need an arm -- or to keep Wolf, but if Lee and Co. are healthy...they won't be an easy team to write off.
4. Dodgers -- will be improved through experience. Even without Manny, those young guys (and Kemp, Loney, Martin and Ethier are a talented bunch) are going to be better.
5. DBacks -- have to think they'll still be a force with that pitching staff.
Florida and Cincinnati have the personnel to be a pain in the ass all year, too.
We need to become a better team in several ways to win our division again. We need a couple of tougher outs -- including at least one big lefty bat. I don't think that will be Micah Hoffpauir. I think it SHOULD be Mark Teixiera -- we should show the baseball world we mean business and sign this guy -- early and big. Trade Lee for VALUE. And then work the other pieces in as needed. One more arm as I said yesterday. You can get value back for Marquis. I would only consider Soto and Ramirez as untouchable position players. No one is going to take Soriano off our hands...so that's moot.
I'm slightly stunned by the Rays. In the "who gives a rats ass" world series...Phils and Rays? Oh, man, will the TV people be upset. Ratings? Slightly lower than a Survivor reunion show. At least Boston - LA would have viewers. Any game after 5:00PM Eastern time won't be seen locally in Florida as all the folks will be eating early bird dinners and getting ready for bed. I won't be watching. I'll read about it in the paper.
Wow. What a disappointing year. I don't know about you guys, but for me it is just sinking in. What could have been. What should have been. What is.
best to cb
js
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
What can I say?
Not much Cub news to report. Will we re-sign Wood and Dempster? Probably. Will we be active in the free agent market? Maybe.
This year's news isn't going to be about what we do (unless it's big, and I don't think it will be. What I mean is -- don't expect Sabathia or Teixiera in Cub blue next year.) It's going to be about what others do. I expect teams to make big, bold moves to improve.
I anticipate little moves by our guys. Harden's locked up. Rotation is pretty close to set. Bullpen is pretty good. We're stuck with Neifidome. We're stuck with Strikeout-ano. There will be no change in the corner infield or behind the plate. Chances are that Theriot is locked in at short. DeRosa will play somewhere -- second and right, again, most likely platooning with Fontenot and Mendozadome. That really only leaves centerfield. Edmonds and Johnson were good enough, by far. I expect that this should be Pie's year to try to shine. Hoffy replaces Ward as PH lefty off the bench. What else can we...or will we do? Anything else is a shake up -- and I just don't see it. Not without a new owner and a new budget. I don't see a big free agent signing in our future. I don't see a CC, Burnett, Lowe, Peavy or top starter being added.
Memo to all Cub fans and song writers. Lay off the stupid songs. Every time we have a team song we lose. Well, we lose with or without the songs, but let's have a year of humility this year and let's not celebrate every home win like it's the little league World Series.
Memo to Cubs. Let's make it a more businesslike approach. Now that you've won two straight division titles -- let's not even pop champagne for that. No champagne for you until you win a playoff series. Deal?
Wasn't it Lou who left Tampa Bay a few years ago because they weren't committed enough to winning? I have pants older than that team. Do they have a fantasy camp? It would have to be all guys who are still playing.
Rumor is that the Brewers will be trading Cecil. Thoughts? I think he'll be a Yankee if that happens.
best to cb
Sherm
This year's news isn't going to be about what we do (unless it's big, and I don't think it will be. What I mean is -- don't expect Sabathia or Teixiera in Cub blue next year.) It's going to be about what others do. I expect teams to make big, bold moves to improve.
I anticipate little moves by our guys. Harden's locked up. Rotation is pretty close to set. Bullpen is pretty good. We're stuck with Neifidome. We're stuck with Strikeout-ano. There will be no change in the corner infield or behind the plate. Chances are that Theriot is locked in at short. DeRosa will play somewhere -- second and right, again, most likely platooning with Fontenot and Mendozadome. That really only leaves centerfield. Edmonds and Johnson were good enough, by far. I expect that this should be Pie's year to try to shine. Hoffy replaces Ward as PH lefty off the bench. What else can we...or will we do? Anything else is a shake up -- and I just don't see it. Not without a new owner and a new budget. I don't see a big free agent signing in our future. I don't see a CC, Burnett, Lowe, Peavy or top starter being added.
Memo to all Cub fans and song writers. Lay off the stupid songs. Every time we have a team song we lose. Well, we lose with or without the songs, but let's have a year of humility this year and let's not celebrate every home win like it's the little league World Series.
Memo to Cubs. Let's make it a more businesslike approach. Now that you've won two straight division titles -- let's not even pop champagne for that. No champagne for you until you win a playoff series. Deal?
Wasn't it Lou who left Tampa Bay a few years ago because they weren't committed enough to winning? I have pants older than that team. Do they have a fantasy camp? It would have to be all guys who are still playing.
Rumor is that the Brewers will be trading Cecil. Thoughts? I think he'll be a Yankee if that happens.
best to cb
Sherm
Friday, October 10, 2008
Big hits
Win ball games. Simple as that. See Phillies. They found a couple of DLowe mistakes and turned them into game winning runs. It can be done.
I'm not a big fan of either NL team, and I hope/think that the AL team wins it all. Not that I'm really paying any attention to it.
When are the winter meetings? Now that's what I'm waiting for!
There weren't as many homers this year as years past. I notice that no one hit seventy again. Or even sixty. Or even fifty. Anyone other than Ryan Howard get into the 40s? Why is that? What could it be? Speaking of which, do you think the "steroid era" in baseball will also be known as the "dead balls era?"
best to cb
js
I'm not a big fan of either NL team, and I hope/think that the AL team wins it all. Not that I'm really paying any attention to it.
When are the winter meetings? Now that's what I'm waiting for!
There weren't as many homers this year as years past. I notice that no one hit seventy again. Or even sixty. Or even fifty. Anyone other than Ryan Howard get into the 40s? Why is that? What could it be? Speaking of which, do you think the "steroid era" in baseball will also be known as the "dead balls era?"
best to cb
js
Thursday, October 9, 2008
What's wrong with shameless self promotion?
Not a thing, as far as I can tell. Obviously, others have a differing view.
What other kinds of self promotion are there? Besides, it's not like this blog is a big money maker or anything.
Anyhoo...
I am more and more intrigued by the Zambrano and Lee to San Fran for Lincecum deal. If we could get Teixiera...it makes perfect sense.
We still need a lead off hitter, but then we'd have (if it's okay with Alf) a three, four, five of Soriano, Teixiera, Ramirez...pretty strong, especially with the patient, switch hitting Tex in the middle of that. Think that there is any chance it happens? Or am I dreaming the Cub off season dream again?
There is talk of Bobby Abreu for right field -- he's a huge offensive upgrade over mendoza-dome, but I'm not sure he's the guy we need. Plus he's what? 34? 35? And he'll want three or four years.
Does Jim Hendry still covet Brian Roberts? I kind of hope not. He's not that big an upgrade, plus we'd lose Fontenot in the lineup altogether because that's his only position. DeRosa would lose playing time, too. Plus whatever you give up for the guy. Not sure he's worth all that. Thoughts?
Derrek Lowe is a free agent. He might fit well at Wrigley for a couple of years. That is, if we add starting pitching and don't stand pat. A lot less $$$ than CC will cost someone. Think of this rotation (if the San Fran deal actually happens): Lincecum, Lilly, Lowe, Harden, Marshall. Not shabby. And it allows Marquis to be dealt for a position player or bullpen help. Gives Samardzija another year in the pen to mature -- which allows for the immediate dismissal of Howry. Somebody will want him. Count on it.
I would like to see Nate McClouth in centerfield next year. The Pirates are always ready to trade someone pre-payday and he might be ripe for that. Plus, he'll be someone's starting CF for the next ten years. Hopefully, ours. I like Ichabod Pence, too, but the Astro's don't like to trade within the division very often.
Would you want Furcal at short? That would mean trading Theriot, or making him the 2b. Gives us the lead off guy we need, for sure. Thoughts? Orlando Cabrera? He's available, too. Or are you okay with Theriot at short for the next few years?
I think we need Mark Cuban to buy the team. Now. And do the Lincecum deal and the Teixiera deal. Then, get McClouth. And if nothing else happens...we're good to go for the next few years.
Shameless self promotion. Ha!
Look for the Shermrants ads during the world series.
best to cb
js
What other kinds of self promotion are there? Besides, it's not like this blog is a big money maker or anything.
Anyhoo...
I am more and more intrigued by the Zambrano and Lee to San Fran for Lincecum deal. If we could get Teixiera...it makes perfect sense.
We still need a lead off hitter, but then we'd have (if it's okay with Alf) a three, four, five of Soriano, Teixiera, Ramirez...pretty strong, especially with the patient, switch hitting Tex in the middle of that. Think that there is any chance it happens? Or am I dreaming the Cub off season dream again?
There is talk of Bobby Abreu for right field -- he's a huge offensive upgrade over mendoza-dome, but I'm not sure he's the guy we need. Plus he's what? 34? 35? And he'll want three or four years.
Does Jim Hendry still covet Brian Roberts? I kind of hope not. He's not that big an upgrade, plus we'd lose Fontenot in the lineup altogether because that's his only position. DeRosa would lose playing time, too. Plus whatever you give up for the guy. Not sure he's worth all that. Thoughts?
Derrek Lowe is a free agent. He might fit well at Wrigley for a couple of years. That is, if we add starting pitching and don't stand pat. A lot less $$$ than CC will cost someone. Think of this rotation (if the San Fran deal actually happens): Lincecum, Lilly, Lowe, Harden, Marshall. Not shabby. And it allows Marquis to be dealt for a position player or bullpen help. Gives Samardzija another year in the pen to mature -- which allows for the immediate dismissal of Howry. Somebody will want him. Count on it.
I would like to see Nate McClouth in centerfield next year. The Pirates are always ready to trade someone pre-payday and he might be ripe for that. Plus, he'll be someone's starting CF for the next ten years. Hopefully, ours. I like Ichabod Pence, too, but the Astro's don't like to trade within the division very often.
Would you want Furcal at short? That would mean trading Theriot, or making him the 2b. Gives us the lead off guy we need, for sure. Thoughts? Orlando Cabrera? He's available, too. Or are you okay with Theriot at short for the next few years?
I think we need Mark Cuban to buy the team. Now. And do the Lincecum deal and the Teixiera deal. Then, get McClouth. And if nothing else happens...we're good to go for the next few years.
Shameless self promotion. Ha!
Look for the Shermrants ads during the world series.
best to cb
js
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Just to see what would happen
I just picked up a baseball and threw a pitch. Right here in my office. Somewhere, wherever he is, Alfonso Soriano swung at it. And missed.
Shake it up
My first reaction to the debacle in round one -- is to shake it up. I think that this team is good enough to continue to win, or come close to winning the division. I don't think it's a championship team, as was exposed by the Dodgers. We are considerably better than we were pre-Piniella. No question. Some of that is due to Lou. Some of that (a lot of it) is due to Hendry and the players we have now. We have a pretty good team. Kansas City would be proud. We're not KC, and after the loyalty we've shown, and our forefathers have shown, to this team...we deserve a little more.
So, bring on Mark Cuban. Or whoever it is that will be the next Cub owner and let's get started building the team to the next level. The next level being championship caliber baseball. Able to win a playoff game caliber.
Soriano's comment was very odd. I'm half paraphrasing because I don't have the exact quote in front of me, "we're built for a marathon, not a sprint." I think he meant that this team isn't good enough to win a short series against another real good team. Perhaps he meant that this team can run farther than other teams, but not faster. Who knows? After all, he's an idiot. Or is he?
I have said all year that it boils down to our inability to hit good pitching. Most teams have that problem, sure. Good pitching usually beats good hitting. It beats us more than it should for our payroll. That's the imbalance. We need to beat the Billingsleys of this league. We went into that series hoping and praying that our pitching would shut out LA for three games, didn't we? And when Dempster imploded, we all went "uh-oh"...and then the infield all lost a bet to the devil and went out there with their gloves on the wrong hand for the next game and we all went "oh no...here we go again"...and then we reenacted the Night of the Living Dead Offense and it was over.
So what to do? We must add a hitter or two that will stabilize our offense. Tough outs. We need a couple of tough outs. Name a tough out on the Cubs. Can't, can you? There isn't one. There is not one single person on this team that makes an opposing pitcher (I mean the good ones) really worry. You can pitch around every guy on our team if you have a plan, and yes, it seems that OTHER teams have plans. (Quick, somebody get us a plan.) Number one, we need a table setter tough out. That's a huge advantage for an offense. Soriano? No. Theriot? Not tough enough. Look at Furcal, working walks, bunting for hits, has some pop...tough out. Look at guys like Jimmy Rollins, Brian Roberts, Ichiro, Jacoby Ellsbury, Johnny Damon, Jose Reyes, and several others I'm forgetting at the moment. Then you need a middle of the order tough out -- a Manny, an Ortiz, a Berkman or Carlos Lee...even a Cecil. Guys you don't want to face late in the game. Guys that make you pitch different three of four batters earlier...we don't have that guy. We need that guy. Go get that guy.
Pitching is our strength, but with Sabathia, AJ Burnett and a few others on the market...I'd play in that pool, too. Add to the starting rotation. Big Z, Lilly, Harden, Dempster and one other front line starter isn't too shabby.
I heard this rumor -- DLee and Big Z to San Francisco for Lincecum. Then we go sign Teixeira. Thoughts? Who'd you rather have? Lee and Zee? Lincecum and Tex?
Well...I'm sure that I can find other things to think about.
best to cb
Sherm
So, bring on Mark Cuban. Or whoever it is that will be the next Cub owner and let's get started building the team to the next level. The next level being championship caliber baseball. Able to win a playoff game caliber.
Soriano's comment was very odd. I'm half paraphrasing because I don't have the exact quote in front of me, "we're built for a marathon, not a sprint." I think he meant that this team isn't good enough to win a short series against another real good team. Perhaps he meant that this team can run farther than other teams, but not faster. Who knows? After all, he's an idiot. Or is he?
I have said all year that it boils down to our inability to hit good pitching. Most teams have that problem, sure. Good pitching usually beats good hitting. It beats us more than it should for our payroll. That's the imbalance. We need to beat the Billingsleys of this league. We went into that series hoping and praying that our pitching would shut out LA for three games, didn't we? And when Dempster imploded, we all went "uh-oh"...and then the infield all lost a bet to the devil and went out there with their gloves on the wrong hand for the next game and we all went "oh no...here we go again"...and then we reenacted the Night of the Living Dead Offense and it was over.
So what to do? We must add a hitter or two that will stabilize our offense. Tough outs. We need a couple of tough outs. Name a tough out on the Cubs. Can't, can you? There isn't one. There is not one single person on this team that makes an opposing pitcher (I mean the good ones) really worry. You can pitch around every guy on our team if you have a plan, and yes, it seems that OTHER teams have plans. (Quick, somebody get us a plan.) Number one, we need a table setter tough out. That's a huge advantage for an offense. Soriano? No. Theriot? Not tough enough. Look at Furcal, working walks, bunting for hits, has some pop...tough out. Look at guys like Jimmy Rollins, Brian Roberts, Ichiro, Jacoby Ellsbury, Johnny Damon, Jose Reyes, and several others I'm forgetting at the moment. Then you need a middle of the order tough out -- a Manny, an Ortiz, a Berkman or Carlos Lee...even a Cecil. Guys you don't want to face late in the game. Guys that make you pitch different three of four batters earlier...we don't have that guy. We need that guy. Go get that guy.
Pitching is our strength, but with Sabathia, AJ Burnett and a few others on the market...I'd play in that pool, too. Add to the starting rotation. Big Z, Lilly, Harden, Dempster and one other front line starter isn't too shabby.
I heard this rumor -- DLee and Big Z to San Francisco for Lincecum. Then we go sign Teixeira. Thoughts? Who'd you rather have? Lee and Zee? Lincecum and Tex?
Well...I'm sure that I can find other things to think about.
best to cb
Sherm
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
I feel bad
I feel bad for Reed Johnson and Ted Lilly. Johnson was a spark plug all year long...and didn't get a single post season at bat (Fukudome got ten!) and Lilly was unquestionably our best pitcher down the stretch, and he didn't get to throw a pitch.
Great email from Doc Raker yesterday about sharing baseball with the family. Except my kids are grown. My wife doesn't like baseball. And the dogs, no matter how much I tried to solicit their attention...didn't care. So I suffered through this beat down alone -- except, of course, for all of you loyal readers.
Questions to ponder:
1. Will we re-sign Ryan Dempster? I think we should but don't know if we will.
2. Will we re-sign Kerry Wood? I think we will but don't know if we should.
3. Will we be active in the free agent market? I think we should be.
4. Will we re-sign Edmonds? Johnson? Or will this be the year of the Pie?
5. What impact player(s) would you like to the Cubs add? And how do you suggest it happen? Trade? Who for who? Free agency?
How would you change this team so that we can actually win a post series (or game)? Send me your suggestions. I think Jim Hendry reads this blog, so he'll see your ideas.
more later. Or not.
Thank goodness the White Sox are done. Angels, too...now my cow-orkers will shut off. I purposed misplace the hyphen in that word because it's funnier. Deal with it.
Red Sox lose Manny completely, Lowell to injury, Ortiz and Drew are half speed at best. Beckett is pitching hurt. Oh, yeah, and they still beat the team with 100 wins. News flash> there is a strategy to baseball.
best to cb
Sherm
Great email from Doc Raker yesterday about sharing baseball with the family. Except my kids are grown. My wife doesn't like baseball. And the dogs, no matter how much I tried to solicit their attention...didn't care. So I suffered through this beat down alone -- except, of course, for all of you loyal readers.
Questions to ponder:
1. Will we re-sign Ryan Dempster? I think we should but don't know if we will.
2. Will we re-sign Kerry Wood? I think we will but don't know if we should.
3. Will we be active in the free agent market? I think we should be.
4. Will we re-sign Edmonds? Johnson? Or will this be the year of the Pie?
5. What impact player(s) would you like to the Cubs add? And how do you suggest it happen? Trade? Who for who? Free agency?
How would you change this team so that we can actually win a post series (or game)? Send me your suggestions. I think Jim Hendry reads this blog, so he'll see your ideas.
more later. Or not.
Thank goodness the White Sox are done. Angels, too...now my cow-orkers will shut off. I purposed misplace the hyphen in that word because it's funnier. Deal with it.
Red Sox lose Manny completely, Lowell to injury, Ortiz and Drew are half speed at best. Beckett is pitching hurt. Oh, yeah, and they still beat the team with 100 wins. News flash> there is a strategy to baseball.
best to cb
Sherm
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