If Carlos Zambrano and his people weren't already entertaining $100 million daydreams, the Barry Zito signing ensures that they now are.
Zambrano is three years Zito's junior, strikes out more than Zito (8 K's/9 IP vs. 6.9 K's), throws fewer gopher balls (.69 HR's/9 IP vs. .93 HR's, even with Z pitching in Wrigley and Zito in the Coliseum!) and has pitched to a better ERA (133 ERA+ vs. 127).
In his years as a starter, Zambrano has shown himself to be nearly as durable as Zito (though admittedly, Zito has been around a little longer).
Finally, though I don't have the data to prove it, I would guess that long-term, a power pitcher like Zambrano is going to age better than a curveball pitcher like Zito.
When the Cubs set off on the spending binge that landed Ramirez, Soriano, Lilly, Marquis and DeRosa, they had to know that the day would come when Zambrano would ask the $100 million+ question:
"What about me?"
They had to have figured that into their long-term budgeting, so a year from now, we didn't have more invested in Ted Lilly than in any other pitcher on our staff.
They had to be thinking about those things.
Didn't they?
Rob Neyer of espn.com on the Zito signing:
"The only thing this deal does is make the Giants look ridiculous. Granted, Zito's ERA will get a boost from the National League and the Giants' home ballpark. And this one isn't as dumb as the Mike Hampton deal with the Rockies. But based on the facts at hand, this looks to me like one of the dumber free-agent signings ever. Zito just isn't very good. And if he's worth $18 million per season, Santana's worth $25 million."
Captions from photos in the January '07 edition of Vine Line:
Two sports for Samardzija
Len Kasper and Bob Brenly rock
Angel Pagan wants to help
Ryne Sandberg plays "coach" in 1993 with Eric Yelding and Tommy Shields.
Left-hander Ted Lilly brings a workhorse reputation and big curveball from the American League.
Soriano was a Carp before he was a Yankee.
Right-hander Jason Marquis should slide into the starting rotation and eat up some significant innings in '07.
Southpaw Neal Cotts could see time either as a reliever or starter in 2007, similar to Glendon Rusch in '06.
Second baseman Mark DeRosa parlayed a breakout 2006 into a starting job and a lucrative three-year contract; Daryle Ward was the majors' best pinch hitter in 2006 and should bolster the Cubs bench.
While Opening Ceremonies and getting Ryne Sandberg's autograph are a convention staple, picking up a Project 3000 wristband is a new wrinkle.
Bigwigs: Cubs GM Jim Hendry, Alfonso Soriano and President John McDonough joke during a photo shoot. Soriano's mother, Andrea, and VP of Marketing Jay Blunk look on.
With advisors, Jenkins announces his contract in 1972. Wrigley was a shrewd negotiator. Key figures in sports agent history, Miller, Boras, Sammy Sosa's agent Adam Katz.
Vine Line editors Jim McArdle and Mike Huang get a lesson in baseball physics from Cubs reliever Scott Eyre.
Eyre shows just how low the arms of submarine-style hurlers can go.
Eyre displays the grip for a "circle" change-up.
At last, the infamous "grime."
After batting .287 with 63 RBIs in 112 games in his first stint at Class-AA in 2004, at Binghampton, Pagan moved up to Triple A. Two years later he was in the majors.
At the age of 18, Pagan left his native Puerto Rico and launched his pro career in the United States, playing Rookie ball for Kingsport in the Mets' farm system.
In his latter years, the first Cub draftee has become the patriarch to the James gang of northwestern Alabama.
After donning a Cubs jersey and tossing from the Wrigley bullpen in June, Samardzija returned to the gridiron in the fall.
At si.com, Tom Verducci identifies 10 players primed for "breakout seasons," and there at #4 is our very own Rich Hill.
Says Verducci, "Chicago pushed Hill to 199 1/3 innings between Triple-A and the majors last season -- way beyond his pro high -- so a potential breakdown looms. But if Hill stays healthy and gets a regular turn in the crowded Chicago rotation, he has the stuff to win 15 games."
On a completely unrelated and wholly self-gratifying note, this blog is now listed on the Blogroll at what I have long considered to be the finest of Cub blogs, The Cub Reporter. Only 26 sites are on the roll and these include most of my other favorite baseball blogs, including Dodger Thoughts, Batgirl, Baseball Prospectus, The Hardball Times and the penultimate achievement in the history of written language, baseball-reference.com.
Good company, I would say.
More shuffling of pitchers within the NL Central as the Brewers agreed to a $42 million deal with a now former Cardinal, intellectually backward righthander, Jeff Suppan.
Between them, Suppan and new Cub, Jason Marquis, accounted for more than 26% of the Cardinals' innings pitched last season, not to mention Suppan's World Series heroics. Still, it doesn't sound like the World Champions are panicking.
According to this article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, GM Walt Jocketty is interested in re-signing Mark Mulder and Jeff Weaver, but is otherwise content to let other teams spend more than he believes this year's free agents are worth. Currently, the Cards' prospective rotation includes Chris Carpenter, Kip Wells and Anthony Reyes, plus converted relievers, Adam Wainwright and Braden Looper. Jocketty says he'd rather hold onto his money now and retain some financial flexibility should he need to pick up a Jeff Weaver or Preston Wilson type at mid-season next year as he did last.
Here's what they're saying about the deal on the Brewers page at mlb.com:
"...Suppan's key asset is his durability. He has made at least 31 regular-season starts in each of his last eight seasons and averaged 193 innings over that span. The 12-year veteran owns a career record of 106-101 with a 4.60 ERA in 317 games, and his 44 wins over the last three seasons is tied for ninth in the Majors during that time.
His signing also eliminates one of the Brewers' nemeses. Suppan is 12-2 with a 3.30 ERA in 21 appearances against Milwaukee, including 5-0 with a 1.76 ERA in seven career starts at Miller Park."
Two thoughts:
The durability argument sounds a lot like the case the Cubs made for signing Marquis. (Interesting how Dave Duncan has been credited for helping Suppan fulfill his potential, but blamed for not getting through to Marquis.)
As for the Brewers eliminating one of their "nemeses," the author doesn't suggest that actually motivated the signing, but I have to wonder. Melvin wouldn't be the first exec to be drawn to a guy largely because of how he performed against the GM's team.
The Bill James Handbook 2007 features Top 10 leaderboards in 89 different pitching categories. If you hadn't watched an inning of Cubs baseball this past season but spent 10 or 15 or 240 minutes poring over James' lists of pitching leaders, here's what you might conclude about the '06 Cubs staff:
1. Carlos Zambrano was good. Really good.
Zambrano was among NL leaders in ERA, Wins, Winning Percentage, Opponents' Batting Average, Opponents' Slugging Average, Strikeouts, Quality Starts, Lowest Stolen Base Pct. Against, K's/9 IP and Fastest Average Fastball.
Sounds like the resumé of somebody who's going to get paid $100 million sometime soon.
2. Greg Maddux might not be everything that he used to be, but he's still something.
Mad Dog's combined Chicago/LA numbers left him among NL leaders in Highest GB/FB ratio, Highest K/BB ratio and OBP vs. Leadoff Hitters.
Maddux achieved the aforementioned while throwing the NL's Slowest Average Fastball (83.4 mph) and the 9th most Pitches Less Than 80 mph.
Finally, he was a Top 10 finisher in Highest Percentage of Fastballs and Highest Percentage of Changeups.
What I would take from this is that Maddux threw a lot of fastballs and changeups.
3. Will Ohman was no fun to hit against.
Among NL relievers, Ohman was a Top 10 finisher in Opponents' Batting Average, Left-Handed Opponents' Batting Average, Opponents' Slugging Average, Percentage of Inherited Runners Scored and Strikeout/Hit ratio.
I've read more than once that Ohman is likely to be traded this off-season, a notion that seems to be supported by the acquisition of Neal Cotts. Somewhere in their calculations, I hope the Cubs get around to considering that Ohman is pretty good.
4. Bob Howry was busy.
Howry ranked 4th in Relief Appearances and 9th in Holds.
5. Our closer didn't do much closing.
Ryan Dempster tied for 2nd in Blown Saves and matched Derrick Turnbow in Relief Losses (9).
On the other hand, he told WSCR's Mike North to go to hell for putting words in his mouth.
In my mind, that makes his season a wash.
The Cubs have announced that pitchers and catchers will report to Mesa on February 14th. That means just 54 days until Spring Training.
And just 55 until the first questions about the efficacy of the Towel Drill.
Phil Rogers has an early Christmas present for the White Sox:
A column that will enable their inferiority complex.
The gist of the piece is that the Cubs jacked up the current free agent market to levels the poor, poor White Sox can’t possibly hope to match. That, Rogers explains, caused Kenny Williams to unload Freddy Garcia to the Phillies and resign himself to Joe Crede’s likely departure in two years, assuming the team doesn’t move him sooner.
All in all, not a bad column, though this passage was enough to put me off my lunch:
"Andy MacPhail, the long-time Cubs club president, and manager Dusty Baker were fired at the end of a 66-96 season. John McDonough, the marketing genius promoted to interim club president, did what MacPhail never had, persuading his bosses to spend heavily in the free-agent market."
The idea that John “I Know What I Don’t Know” McDonough could persuade the big boys in the Tower to cough up a quarter of a billion dollars on Ramirez, Soriano, DeRosa, Lilly, Marquis, et al, is laughable.
Here’s what John McDonough knows: how to run a Cub Fan Convention, how to dress a Cubby Bear Beanie Baby, who should sing “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” on ‘70s Night, and how much of Wrigley Field’s carcass he could carve up with commercial signage before the fans screamed, “No more!”
What insight or credibility could McDonough possibly have brought to a debate with Tribune Company bosses on the value of heavy investing in the free agent market?
The reason for the Cubs’ free-spending ways will become apparent one day, perhaps at the end of the ’07 season, when Tribune Company is finally ready to sell the team and, the company must hope, cash in on its first World Series appearance in three generations.
But rest assured, the reason for the spending has NOTHING to do with who's sitting in the Interim President's chair.
Oh, great. Just as I read that the Cubs are thisclose to signing Cliff Floyd, I come across a piece by Nate Silver at Baseball Prospectus praising Felix Pie and declaring, "There’s absolutely no reason to bring in an outfielder along the lines of Cliff Floyd."
HELP!!!
My plan is to email a link to the Silver article to the new Cubs Assistant GM Randy Bush so he can pass the word onto Jim Hendry before he makes a costly mistake. (I'd go to Hendry directly but he just went through the heart thing and I think it would be good to encourage the relationship between mentor and mentoree.)
The problem is, I don't have Bush's email address. If you are reading this and happen to have it in your Blackberry or BlackJack or Day Runner or little black book, get me the the damn address. PRONTO!
Though they agreed on something resembling a deal a couple of weeks ago, the Red Sox and J.D. Drew have yet to finalize a contract. According to an item that appeared in Wednesday's Sun-Times, Gene Orza of the Players Association acknowledged that the Sox were “surprised” by several details in Drew’s medical report.
As a Cubs fan, I can only feel pity for the penny-pinching Bostons, so timid about possibly squandering millions and millions of dollars, as though they were their last. I thought the Cubs had set a more instructive example to the other 29 clubs this off-season.
That reminds me:
Jason Marquis was introduced Tuesday to the Chicago media.
Last night, when I should have been doing something else, I was stumbling through the Chicago Tribune historical archive when I chanced upon an article by Rick Talley, written in mid-December, 33 years ago.
(I'm not sure what's sicker: that this is how I spend my time or that I actually remember this point in Cub history, when the Durocher-era stars were beginning to get packed off and replaced by the likes of Vic Harris and Peter LaCock.)
Anyway, Talley wrote:
If the Cubs had to post an opening day lineup right now, it would probably read something like this:
Vic Harris, 2b
Don Kessinger, ss
Jose Cardenal, rf
Billy Williams, 1b
George Mitterwald, c
Rick Monday, cf
Bill Madlock, 3b
Jerry Morales or Pete LaCock, lf
Rick Reuschel, p
There’s no question the Cubs will be quicker on the bases...Harris is a burner. Madlock can’t be too slow at age 23...and we know that Monday, Cardenal, Kessinger and Morales are fast.
Mitterwald should hit home runs in Wrigley Field but it remains to be seen whether he’ll be an excellent defensive receiver or only adequate. He made only six errors last season (.992), but had 15 passed balls.
Madlock, tho, remains the biggest question.
His glove is suspect at third base but his bat could make Cub fans forget Santo quicker than they realize. Or, he could fail when the balls start curving.
There is a popular theory around the town’s watering holes that...the Cubs traded away [their] “name” players just to break up a loser.
I don’t think so. There’s more there. There’s potential, and after all the failures, the dice simply had to be thrown.
If Williams can have another big year at the plate and play first base...IF Madlock is a major leaguer...IF the young pitchers improve...IF the Cubs can score enough runs...IF...
At Clark & Addison, you have the Go-Go Cubs...and a whole bunch of teenage girls scurrying around forming new fan clubs.
In the winter of ’73...the spring of ’74 looks awfully interesting. But it always does to a baseball fan.
(Note: I absolutely LOVE the use of the term, "watering hole." Look for it in many future posts at this site.)
Epilogue: The '74 Cubs finished 66-96, 6th and last in the NL East. Talley's guess at the opening day lineup was pretty close. (Morales started in left instead of LaCock and Talley was a little off on the batting order). Otherwise, Harris "the burner" stole 9 bases and hit .195. Mitterwald did, in fact, hit home runs at Wrigley Field--7 of them!--but was eventually pushed out of the starting lineup by Steve Swisher (no further comment required there). Madlock had the first of three consecutive .300 batting seasons with the Cubs and fielded well enough to not be embarrassing. Williams did not have another big season at the plate. In fact, after '74, he didn't have any seasons for the Cubs. The young pitchers were mostly not so good and the Cubs didn't score nearly enough runs to aid the cause.
As for Rick Talley, I don't know where he is or if he's even still alive. I hope so. If he's not, I can't help but think the cause of death might well have been excessive confidence in Vic Harris.
Though Cubs Interim President, John McDonough admitted to feeling out of his element at the recent Winter Meetings, when it comes to matters of wardrobe, he is clearly still The Man.
The fascinating and authoritative 2007 Bill James Handbook is in the stores, and I'll be damned if the '06 Cubs season isn't at least as depressing when viewed through James' microscope as it was from the comfy tv chair in my living room.
Here are a few of the Cub-related stats that caught my eye:
Ronny Cedeno had the lowest Offensive Winning % in the NL and second lowest in the majors, .207. He also had the 6th lowest RBI % in the NL at 4.39%. Eventual World Series MVP, David Eckstein, had the lowest, 2.86%. Maybe that's what Cedeno was going for.
Jacque Jones swung at, but didn't hit, 19.2% of the pitches he saw in 2006, 4th highest figure in the NL.
Juan Pierre (1st), Matt Murton (4th) and Jones (5th) were among NL leaders in Ground Ball/Fly Ball ratio, not a good category to dominate for a team housed in Wrigley Field.
Pierre was second in the NL in steals of 3rd base (12), but his 74.4% SB success rate was 9th worst in the NL among players with at least 20 SB attempts.
The Cubs were one of five NL teams to never hold sole possession of 1st place in their divisions at any point in the '06 season. The Phillies, Marlins, Nationals and Pirates were the others.
The Cubs had the lowest OBP (.319) in the NL. Only one AL team, Tampa, was worse (.314).
The Cubs and Marlins tied for the NL lead with 76 unearned runs allowed. Also on the subject of fielding, only Arizona had fewer outfield assists (13) than the Cubs (15). (A special shout-out to JP and JJ!)
I'll share some pitching stats later in the week. Of course, you could also buy the book yourself.
An online betting service called bodog.com has posted World Series championship odds for all 30 teams. The Cubs come in at 12:1, third in the National League, behind the Mets (6:1) and the Cardinals (10:1).
On the A.L. side, the Yanks are quoted at 4:1. The Red Sox and White Sox are both 8:1.
Though bodog claims to be "the world's largest online betting destination," I have never heard of the site. Still, after the last couple years, seeing the Cubs rank third in anything is a treat.
(As I spent today being treated for a kidney stone, this is my first post under the influence of Vicodin. For some reason, I feel compelled to write about the Green Bay Packers.)
*If I'm ever fortunate enough to be a billionaire sportsman, Lamar Hunt will be my role model. If, on the other hand, I wind up being an ass with a lot of money, I'll just channel Jerry Reinsdorf.
*Between the Matsuzaka signing, the Blue Jays' offer to Vernon Wells and whatever Barry Zito is able to extract from the Mets, Rangers or someone else, the Soriano contract is already beginning to look a little less out of this world. By the time, the Cubs sign Ichiro! and Alex Rodriquez next winter, I bet the Soriano deal will seem downright mundane.
*Over at cubs.com, they're raising the specter of Felix Pie starting the season as the Cubs regular centerfielder. That would be consistent with the team's decision not to sign Kenny Lofton. At the same time, Pie isn't doing much in Winter ball, at least not with his bat (.216 with 25K's in just 125 AB), which would be consistent with Brian McRae, Lance Johnson, Damon Buford and Corey Patterson.
*Congratulations to "Innings Eater," the first turn of phrase to have been elected an Enemy Of The Blog. IE will be officially inducted at a ceremony later this month, where it will be joined on the dais by Milo Hamilton and several other enemies yet to be identified.
From the Rockies' Web site: Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd insisted that dealing team career wins leader Jason Jennings on Tuesday was for one reason -- to make the team better in 2007.
The Rockies received high-upside right-handers Jason Hirsh and Taylor Buchholz, as well as speedy center fielder Willy Taveras from the Astros for Jennings and Minor League pitcher Miguel Asencio.
Recent headlines centered on the Rockies' inability to sign Jennings beyond 2007, for which he is signed for $5.5 million, which meant that they risked losing him for a mere draft pick if they didn't deal him.
From the Astros' Web site: Wasting little time filling the void created by the departure of Andy Pettitte to the New York Yankees on Friday, Astros general manager Tim Purpura announced on Tuesday that the club had acquired right-hander Jason Jennings from Colorado in a five-player swap.
Jennings, 28, was 9-13 with a 3.78 ERA for the Rockies in 2006 with three complete games and two shutouts. Colorado's all-time leader in victories, Jennings' 3.78 ERA last season represented the second-lowest full-season mark in Colorado franchise history and ranked 12th overall in the National League. Jennings also posted career-high totals in 2006 in innings pitched (212) and strikeouts (142).
"This is obviously a big piece of our puzzle that we tried to solve all offseason, to get that solid No. 2 starter and put him in our rotation," Purpura said. "Jennings has been very impressive. Last year we watched him very closely, from May 29 to the end of the season his ERA was only 3.17, the second-lowest in the NL during that time and fourth in the Majors.
From the Rockies' Web site: Hirsh, the key to the deal, was chosen Pitcher of the Year in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League last season and the Double-A Texas League the previous season.
O'Dowd said, "When I talked to Jason, I told him that this had nothing to do with his contract. We would have made this trade at any point in time."
From the Astros' Web site: "We certainly think that now with our lineup with Carlos Lee and Lance Berkman and some of our other hitters, (Jennings will) benefit from...much better run support to look forward to."
From May 29 until end of the 2006 season, Jennings' 3.17 ERA trailed only Johan Santana (2.44) of Minnesota, new teammate Roy Oswalt (2.78), and Erik Bedard (2.91) of Baltimore.
Jennings, who is signed through the 2007 season for $5.5 million, is eligible for free agency next winter and had been seeking a contract extension with the Rockies. Purpura said the Astros hadn't discussed an extension with Jennings yet and Jennings said he hadn't thought about his contract since hearing the news that he'd been traded.
From the popular "A Hundred Next Years" Web site: I wish the Cubs had picked up Jason Jennings instead of Jason Marquis. But the Astros gave up their starting centerfielder plus a first-class prospect in the deal, and Jennings could easily walk after just one season in the Juice Box. What's more, many of Jennings' numbers aren't that much better than Marquis'. So in the end, perhaps this move will hurt the Astros, which will make Milo Hamilton a little surlier, which is one of the things I enjoy thinking about.
REVISED: Last night, when I wrote, "...many of Jennings' numbers aren't much better than Marquis'," what I meant to say was, "Jennings is a lot better than Marquis and I feel worse than ever about not getting Jennings." One of the things that separates the two is their tendency to throw the home run ball: even pitching in Colorado, Jennings has allowed about 25% fewer home runs per 9 innings than Marquis. The fact remains, however, that the Astros had the prospects to offer the Rockies and the Cubs didn't.
Harrowing story in Monday's Tribune:
Cubs Interim President John McDonough was in Orlando and his first Winter Meetings were nearly his last.
Said McDonough, "I did a lot of listening. It was a...culture shock."
You read that correctly--culture shock! The great Silent Killer of under-qualified Interim Presidents.
First, Jim Hendry nearly works himself into an early obituary and now this.
It's about time the lads in the executive suite at Tribune Company show appropriate concern for one of their own and get him out of harm's way. Out of affection for Captain Beanie Baby and consideration for his welfare, they should can him immediately. Then, as a further act of human decency, they should blackball him from Major League Baseball forever.
It's Christmas time. If there was ever a season for doing the right thing for your fellow man, this is it.
I guess it's what happens when your GM spends money like a drunken sailor coming out of anesthesia following a heart procedure:
The Cubs signed a terrible pitcher to a big contract because they think Larry Rothschild can straighten him out.
Oh, wait, I forgot--he's an "innings eater." I keep hearing and reading how we needed one of those.
I don't understand that, at least not as it applies to Jason Marquis. He only pitched a lot of innings because he was healthy enough to stay off the Disabled List and Tony LaRussa had no better alternatives, no bullpen and thus, no choice but to send him out to the mound, time after time, to get pummeled.
Marquis' start last June 21 at U.S. Cellular was probably his worst of the season--5 IP, 14 hits, 13 earned runs--but hardly the only bloodbath. Take a peek.
Over his career, he's averaged fewer than 5.5 strikeouts per 9 innings. (5.5 K/9 IP is the line beneath which almost no one not named Tommy John enjoys long-term success). His lifetime K/W ratio is nowhere near 2:1 and he's given up 948 hits in just 910 career innings pitched.
Even in his best season, 2004, when he went 13-7, he gave up 215 hits in just 201 innings and batters hit .275 against him.
I hope Rothschild has some magic elixir, but I'm not counting on it. (If he really had a supplier, I can't help but wonder why he didn't tap that supply last summer.)
I was thrilled to see the Cubs sign the most coveted free agent on the market, less elated but understanding that they signed the exquisitely mediocre Ted Lilly and now, disgusted that they'll be shoveling nearly $30 million at a demonstrably horrible pitcher.
What a difference 20 days makes.
In honor of Jim Hendry, here's my favorite angioplasty joke:
A rabbi is in a hospital bed, awaiting an angioplasty, when his friend the priest drops by to pick up his spirits.
"It is kind of you to visit, my friend," says the rabbi.
"Don't mention it," says the priest. "You would do the same for me. Hey, do you remember the time we bought that car together?"
"I believe I do," replies the rabbi, "but please remind me of the details. It will take my mind off the potentially risky operation I am about to undergo."
"Well," begins the priest, "if memory serves, we decided that since your synagogue and my church were across the street from each other and our schedules intertwined, we would combine our finances and buy a car together. We drove it home and parked it in the street between our establishments.
"A few minutes later, you looked out and saw me sprinkling water on the new car. It didn't need a wash, so you ran out and asked me what I was doing. 'I'm blessing it,' I said.
"Then you replied, 'Oh,' then ran back into the synagogue. You reappeared a few minutes later with a hack saw, ran to the car and cut off the last 2 inches of the tailpipe."
The two friends laughed heartily.
"So when do you have the procedure?" asked the priest.
"Tomorrow," answered the rabbi.
With Ted Lilly safely swaddled in blue pinstripes, the Cubs turned their attention toward signing lefthanded hitter, Daryle Ward, the son of former big leaguer, Gary Ward. He would presumably take the spot of John Mabry, son of Mr. and Mrs. Mabry.
The 31-year-old Ward split last season between Washington and Atlanta and was one of the NL's most productive pinch-hitters, hitting .350 (21 for 60), with 4 hr, 17 rbi and a line of .438/.633/1071. Overall against righties, he hit .345 with a dandy line of .412/.619/1031.
By contrast, Mabry hit a lusty .205 overall (.283/.324/607) and just .195 (8 for 41) in the pinch.
Though Ward will be listed as a 1B/OF on the Cub roster, he should not be confused with either a first baseman or an outfielder. He'll be on the team to hit, and he'll be in the field only when no better alternative presents itself. Obviously, then, the Ward signing would have no impact on the Cubs' interest in Cliff Floyd, who, from what I read, would prefer to spend 2007 playing in Wrigley Field.
Yesterday’s snarky reference to Ryne Sandberg aside, I think what #23 is doing is pretty admirable. God knows there are less taxing, more pleasurable ways for a Hall of Famer to kill a summer than a 5-month bus tour of Peoria, Clinton, Burlington and Beloit.
Who knows if Ryno will thrive or if he’ll ever attain his ultimate goal of managing in the majors. The popular notion is that Sandberg is too reserved, too non-communicative to effectively lead a group of early-twenty-somethings and teach them how to be ballplayers.
That strikes me as an unfair, knee-jerk judgment based on nothing more than the personality Sandberg projects on camera or when he’s chewing the fat with Pat & Ron before singing “Take Me Out To The Ballgame.”
As fans, we can’t possibly know what he’s really like in the lockerroom or how he will conduct himself with his new charges.
For now, I think it’s fine the Cubs are enabling the ambition of a great ex-player, and I applaud the ex-player for being willing to start at the bottom.
Winter Meetings update: Nothing much to comment on, though this morning on ESPN2’s “Cold Pizza,” Steve Phillips suggested it might make sense for the White Sox to sign Barry Bonds.
I will go to bed tonight praying that it happens.
Winter Meetings Update update: Lilly is ours for four years and a whole big bunch of money. Plus Hendry is in the hospital for overnight observation after complaining of chest pain. Sorry to hear that. Also, I'm considering feeling sorry they signed the control-challenged Lilly. It was amusing to hear Sweet Lou's comments about Lilly this afternoon on ESPN Radio. (The comments were made before the signing.) Lou said something like, "Ted is a good guy who really likes to compete and doesn't like to come out of the ballgame even if he's having to pitch through tough spots." Sounded like a gentle acknowledgement of the Lilly/John Gibbon punch-out I referenced a few days ago. Clearly Lou has been reading this blog.
I'm disappointed with the Winter Meetings, specifically, that nothing has happened involving the Cubs (the Ryne-Sandberg-as-new-Peoria-manager blockbuster notwithstanding).
In fact, I am hereby vowing to never patronize the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort if the Cubs don't make one major acquisition before this knitting bee breaks up.
"For two days, rumors have swirled around the lobby of a three- or four-team trade that would involve the Cubs, Rockies, Pirates and possibly even the Nationals. The various scenarios centered around one faulty concept, however: Jacque Jones patrolling center field in Coors Field (with Jason Jennings being the main piece winding up back in Chicago). An official of one club that had talked with Colorado said there is "no way" that's going to happen. And another source said the Cubs are "not down any road on any trade with any team." An official of another club that has spoken with the Rockies about Jennings said there is just about a zero chance that Colorado will trade him before leaving the meetings. "I don't think a reasonable deal could be made on him right now," the official said. "They're certainly not in any panic to move him. They can sure afford him, so it's not like they're going to non-tender him or anything. In other words, there's no gun to their head to move him. So the price is really high."
The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort is about to be overrun by badly dressed, middle-aged white men...followed by even more badly dressed, middle-aged white men recording all the action into their microphones and reporters' notebooks.
That's right--baseball's Winter Meetings have come to town!
Joe Sheehan at Baseball Prospectus offers this overview of the Cubs heading into the meetings:
They’re still flawed, with a utility infielder at second base, two average guys on the outfield corners and a rotation that is probably going to lead the league in walks allowed. Even at that, they look like the favorites in a weak NL Central. Adding an innings guy certain to make 32 starts and a platoon partner for Jacque Jones would help.Here's what nbcsports.com has to say about our heroes:
The Cubs spent small fortunes on both Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez, and it seems they're determined to sign a marquee starter as well. They likely have interest in both Barry Zito and Jason Schmidt, but the agents for those two players will probably wait to hear from the Yankees to ensure top dollar. If their prices are too high, Greg Maddux and Jeff Suppan are the next likely targets. In rounding out their outfield, Julio Lugo is a possibility, as some teams believe he can convert to center despite playing only a handful of games there in his career.Finally, Rotoworld.com quotes a Chicago Tribune source as saying, "The Cubs are working to sign free agent Kenny Lofton. The Rangers are also believed to be in the mix for Lofton. That the Cubs are trying to sign him could be taken as an indication that they don't expect to land Julio Lugo."
A blog quoting a Web site quoting a newspaper quoting an unsubstantiated claim from an anonymous source. You can't get more credible than that.
Though the Blue Jays aren't willing to let lefty Ted Lilly leave without a fight, there's already an offer on the table that would bring Lilly to Yankees West, i.e., the free-spending Cubs.
No specifics have been made public, but cubs.com reports Lilly is looking for something like the 4 yr/$37.5MM deal Jarrod Washburn signed last year with Seattle.
Lilly is a veteran of eight seasons and four teams including the Jays, who felt compelled to keep him around the longest--three years.
He won a career high 15 games last season in Toronto, was a All-Star in '04, and only twice in eight years has he allowed more hits than innings pitched and then, just barely.
Also, he knows how to gag on an 8-run lead and then beat up his manager.
Lou Piniella, take note.
OPERATOR: Thank you for calling the San Diego Padres. How may I direct your call?
JIM HENDRY: Gimme Sandy Alderson.
(Phone rings through, is picked up)
SANDY ALDERSON: Alderson here.
JH: YOU PRICK!
SA: Whoa! Who the hell is this?
JH: Jim Hendry, the guy who’s gonna meet you when you step off the plane next week in Orlando and positively beat your ass!
SA: Jim, what is your prob—Oh, wait. Is this about that newspaper thing?
JH: No, it’s about the you’re-a-raving-asshole thing. Of course it’s about the newspaper thing!
SA: The guy asked me a question and I answered it.
JH: Where do you get off talking about how WE spend OUR money? You’re just pissed because we’ve got it and you don’t.
SA: I’m pissed that you’re destroying the economics of the entire sport. Jesus Christ, Jim, you made the guy a billionaire!
JH: Get your facts straight, pal. We only made him 13.6% of a billionaire!
SA: It’s Alfonso Fucking Soriano we’re talking about! He washed out of the Japanese League, for crissakes. The guy couldn’t catch a cold and he swings at breaking balls like a drunk trying to nail a butterfly. You know what, Jimmy boy? He’s not gonna get you guys one inch closer to the World Series and you’re still gonna have to sell a whole lot of Beanie Baby dolls to pay him.
JH: Shows what you know, bitch. The Chicago Cubs don’t sell Beanie Babies. WE GIVE ‘EM AWAY!
SA: Okay. I’ve had enough.
JH: Sandy. Is that short for Sandra?
SA: Have a nice day. (Hangs up)
JH: Bitch.
