Lou bids adieu

Sunday marked the end of an era not only with regard to the Chicago Cubs, but also Major League Baseball. Lou Piniella managed for 23 years and played the game for 18. He was the AL Rookie of the Year in 1969, an All-Star in 1972, and a three-time manager of the year. He won two World Series as a player and one as a manager.

Piniella's amazing career came to a sudden end on Sunday when he announced that he would retire after that day's game in order to spend more time with his family and help care for his ailing mother. No doubt the Cubs' brutal record played a significant role in his decision, but while his managerial career ended on a sour note, Sweet Lou hit a lot of high notes during his baseball career and in his four years in Chicago.

Lou took the helm in 2007 on the heels of a 66-win season on the North Side, and after a bumpy start he led the Cubs to their first NL Central title since 2003. He followed that up with a 97-win season before a mediocre 2009. It was the first time the club had exceeded .500 for three straight seasons since they did so from 1967-72. Piniella was 316-293 over the last four years, becoming the first Cubs manager to finish his tenure over .500 since Don Zimmer (1988-1991).

Of course, regular season wins don't tell the whole story. Lou's teams failed to win any of their six postseason games, meaning he won as many playoff games as, say, Jim Lefebvre. Piniella was brought in near the end of his career with the goal of winning the World Series, and he failed to do so. While that's undoubtedly the bottom line, certainly it doesn't all fall on his shoulders. Besides, there are a lot of other lines on the history of Piniella's managerial tenure in Chicago, and it can't be ignored that at least for a couple of seasons, he instilled a sense of confidence and a will to win that has not often been seen at Wrigley (at least for the home team).

It's hard to say for sure if Piniella was the right choice back in 2007. Joe Girardi went on to win a World Series with the Yankees, but would he have done so with the Cubs? Jim Hendry might still get his shot at Girardi next season, though I doubt he'd leave a stacked Yankees team for a rebuilding Cubs squad. We'll never know for sure what a different manager would have accomplished over the last four seasons, but what we do know is this:

1) Piniella failed in that he didn't win a World Series, or even one playoff game.

2) The second half of 2007 and all of 2008 provided some of the most enjoyable baseball Cubs fans have seen in a long time. The team's 97 wins in 2008 were the most since 1945.

3) Piniella succeeded in that he built on what Dusty Baker started, elevating the expectations of a fan base that once did little but adore their "lovable losers."

They're not always so lovable any more, which in a strange way is a compliment to Lou and something he could add to his long and impressive resumé. Of course, he no longer needs a resumé because, after 41 years on the field and in the dugout, Lou Piniella has said goodbye to the game of baseball. Though he may be remembered best for his legendary rants on the diamond, it's what he did as a player and then later in the dugout and the clubhouse that makes him one of the game's legends and a potential Hall of Famer. But those rants do speak to Lou's primary characteristic during his many years in baseball: a true passion for the game. There's no doubt he'll miss the sport now that he's away from it, and the sport will certainly miss Lou.

Out with Lou, in with Ryno

It's time for a change in the Cubs' dugout. It's not that they need to "inject life" into the clubhouse, as they always say; this team was DOA when the season began. It's also not a desire to see Lou Piniella punished or called out. In fact, I think Lou deserves the opportunity to resign. But the point is, he's not coming back next year, and the second half of the season will be as pointless as the first if he's still at the helm.

Wave the white flag, Jim Hendry. I know, it's embarrassing. The third highest payroll in the majors yet only a half game better than the Royals. It's bad. It's pathetic. But what's worse: yelling "Charge!" to your troops and sending them to certain defeat, or admitting that it's time to reorganize and regroup before the next battle?

I personally feel that Ryne Sandberg should get a chance to be the next Cubs' manager, whether it be today or starting in November. The organization gave him a chance to prove that he was serious about the whole managing thing back in 2007, and now he's in Iowa. He's going to get a shot with a major league team, and soon. While he certainly wasn't management material back in his playing days, he and those around him acknowledge that he's a much different person now. He knows how to communicate, how to lead, and how to work with young players. The Cubs' 2011 roster will include Starlin Castro, Tyler Colvin, Geovany Soto, Andrew Cashner and other youngsters, making it the perfect time to give Ryno a shot.

By making the change now, Hendry can give Sandberg a chance to get his feet wet in a virtually pressure-free situation. This team's cooked, anyways. Will anyone care if he goes 30-50 the rest of the way? You could argue that hiring him in the offseason gives him a clean slate, a fresh start. But there's pressure with every new season, and high (if unjustified) hopes with each Opening Day.

And this way, Ryno will have a three-month head start on evaluating the Cubs' talent, their strengths and weaknesses. He can play an integral role in forming the team's offseason plan rather than stepping in in November with more knowledge about dining out in Des Moines than which trades or free agents the Cubs should pursue.

We knew back in March the sun could be setting on the current era. The sun shone through a window of opportunity over the past few years, but aging veterans and a decimated bullpen have brought the team to a turning point. Turn the corner, Jim Hendry. It's time for the native son to rise to his dream job. Give Ryno a chance, and do it now.

A question

With the Cubs and Mariners doing battle until 11:30 and an early morning World Cup game for the U.S., I have just one question in light of Lou Piniella returning to Seattle, where he managed for 10 years, and Milton Bradley being back in the same ballpark as the Cubs.

Who is having a worse year?

• Lou Piniella

Piniella is the lame duck manager of a team eight games under .500. He usually looks like a homeless person. He answers "What else can I do?" in response to 90 percent of reporters' questions, and yelled at a reporter and at Steve Stone for suggesting he should play Colvin more, and then promised to play Colvin more each time. He was also roundly criticized for moving his highest-paid pitcher to the bullpen (a move I agreed with, but I doubt he takes much solace in that).

• Milton Bradley

He's batting .214 with a .301 OBP. He's earning $11 million and yet is owned in just 3.6 percent of ESPN fantasy leagues. He spent 13 days on the "restricted list" after admitting he's crazy. He has managed not only to make the Cubs' trade for oh-so-terrible Carlos Silva look good--he's made it look like one of the best trades they've ever made.

Last night's game was a perfect example of Lou and Milton's struggles--the Cubs lost with another meek performance while Bradley went 0-for-3.

Week five awards

Well, that's as bad as it gets. At least, I hope that's as bad as it gets. A 1-5 road trip against the Pirates and Reds in which the Cubs got outscored by 20 runs despite winning a game by seven. Looking at the current standings, the best team the Cubs have played all year is the Washington Nationals, who are 17-14 (same record as the Mets). And yet the Cubs are just 14-18 and have been outscored by their opponents overall. The ship is sailing in the wrong direction, to put it mildly, and Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez (hitting a combined .184) are at the helm.

Ryno of the Week: Perhaps I'm just caught up in his first-ever major league game fireworks, but then again, Starlin Castro did drive in six runs in one game while the Cubs scored 10 runs in the other five games on the road trip combined. Castro committed an error as well, but that's the kind of week it was--even the good players weren't that good.

Goat of the Week: It's nice to have options, I guess. I'll go with Randy Wells, who lasted just two horrific innings against the second-worst offense in the National League and raised his ERA from 3.45 to 4.86. It was not a good week for Cubs pitching in general, but Wells' game was over before it started.

Lou Piniella gets a special dishonorable mention for leaving Ryan Dempster in yesterday instead of going to Sean Marshall with Joey Votto coming up. Lou warmed Marshall up, Dempster got into a first-and-third situation, a power-hitting lefty came up, Lou went to the mound, and ... Marshall stayed in the bullpen. While Dempster served up a three-run bomb. Nice call, Lou.

Dishonorable mentions: Aramis Ramirez, Derrek Lee, Justin Berg, John Grabow

New weekly awards

I introduce to you some weekly awards that I hope to continue to dole out as the season continues. First up is the Goat of the Week, to the player who most reflected the Cubs' generally miserable and accursed existence. There were many to choose from this week, but I'm going to go with Alfonso Soriano. Three hits in 21 at-bats, no walks, six strikeouts. He also made a pathetic effort on a foul ball in Sunday's game, and then dropped a ball that was right in his glove, leading eventually to two runs and a 3-1 loss. And while this Sori excuse for a left fielder was several feet from the wall when he dropped that fly ball, he had this to say: "At the last moment, I take my eyes off the ball and just think about the wall. ... I've got to have a little stop, because I don't want to go into the wall. If you go full speed into the wall, it can be dangerous." (From the Tribune) Oh. My. God. He's making $19 million and he's openly admitting that he's afraid to run into the wall. Go play cricket, Alfonso.

While Tyler Colvin hasn't proven much yet (other than the home run in his first at-bat, he's yet to get another hit), if he has success at the plate, Lou has to consider playing Colvin in left. I was hoping Soriano's poor defense last season was a result of his knee. But now it's clear that he's just a big pansy.

Dishonorable mentions: Geovany Soto, Ryan Theriot, Esmailin Caridad, John Grabow

On the positive side we have the Ryno of the Week*, which goes to the player who best exemplified the success and awesomeness of Ryne Sandberg. The Week 1 award goes to Carlos Silva (polite applause as Silva accepts the award ... Wait, no, don't eat the award, Carlos! Oh, dammit, he ate it.). Silva allowed a run just two batters into the game on Friday, but finished with six innings and just one run allowed. He also displayed one of his very un-Cub-like characteristics in his outing: efficiency. Silva pitches to contact, and did so exceptionally in his first start, needing only 71 pitches in those six innings. He was taken out of the game by Lou Piniella at that point, which absolutely enraged me. Seventy-one pitches? And then Lou went to his already overused bullpen?

But wait. According to Piniella, Silva had some shoulder stiffness which precipitated his removal. Silva says that wasn't the case, and that any discomfort he did have was a result of a play back in the 4th inning. Well, who knows, but I'm glad there was some reason Lou took him out. The way he was pitching, he may have been able to get a complete game victory in his first start with the Cubs. Who would have thought that possible one month ago when the Mariners' castaway allowed six runs in two innings in his first spring start? Who would have thought that an overweight man with an ERA over six the last two seasons, a man whom a wise friend of mine bet would not even make the Cubs' Opening Day roster, a man who once let a kitten die in his arms just to see what it would sound like (I admit that the last one is unsubstantiated) would be Week 1's Ryno of the Week (and he gets it partly because of the unexpected-ness of his success)? Keep it up, Carlos.

Honorable mentions: Carlos Marmol, Randy Wells, Kosuke Fukudome, Derrek Lee, Tom Gorzelanny

*There are three reasons I've named it thusly, all of them rather weak:

1) Ryno sounds like "rhino," which provides some animal symmetry to "goat." Goat of the Week, Rhino of the Week. Get it?
2) Ryne Sandberg was my childhood hero growing up, and of course his nickname was Ryno.
3) Sandberg is the manager for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs, and there's at least a decent chance he will become the next Cubs manager. This makes him relevant today, not just back in the 80s and 90s when I followed him as a player.

Cubs spring training update

With less than two weeks remaining until Opening Day (shiver), the Cubs' roster stands at 40 players. Not many position battles have been officially decided, but some of the competitors have fallen by the wayside.

Starting pitcher 1: Carlos Silva and Jeff Samardzija continue to battle for one rotation spot. Silva has a 5.73 ERA, but had two consecutive solid starts before leaving yesterday's start early with a tight right quad (he's expected to be fine). Samardzija has a 9.00 ERA in just four innings of work; he'll start again today.

Starting pitcher 2: One spot will go to a lefty, which leaves Sean Marshall and Tom Gorzelanny fighting for it. Marshall has a solid 2.57 ERA in seven innings, while Gorzelanny's is 3.12 but he's walked eight in 8.2 innings.

Bullpen: Carlos Marmol and John Grabow were locks from the start, and it appears that Esmailin Caridad has worked his way into the 'pen as well (in 8.1 innings, he has not allowed an earned run, and has one walk and seven strikeouts). With Guzman out for the year, it's very likely that the two potential starters who don't crack the rotation will make the team as relievers. Of course, when Lilly returns (hopefully in mid- to late April), one reliever might be relieved of his spot in the bullpen.

But for now, two spots remain. A few early spring candidates have been sent down in the last week or so, including Andrew Cashner, Blake Parker, Jeff Stevens, Mitch Atkins and David Patton. The latter three all saw time with the big club last season.

Remaining bullpen candidates:

John Gaub--LH; 6.75 ERA
Justin Berg--RH; 1.50 ERA
James Russell--LH; 0.00 ERA in eight innings
Mike Parisi--RH; 4.15 ERA
Jeff Gray--RH; has not been able to pitch due to a groin injury

Second base battle: Lou Piniella suggested last week that Fontenot has a leg up on the battle to be the starter at second. Fontenot is hitting .294 this spring, while Baker has struggled to the tune of .115.

Backup outfielder: Tyler Colvin is making things tough--he's batting .442 (19-for-43) with a home run and seven RBI (second only to Fontenot). Sam Fuld still has a decent shot to make the team due to his .299 average in the majors last year, but he's batting just .125 this spring. Micah Hoffpauir, who could potentially be used in the infield and outfield, is just 8-for-34 (.225) this spring.

Backup infielder: Veterans Kevin Millar (.300) and Chad Tracy (.269) continue to duke it out, and while Bobby Scales is still on the radar, his .100 average isn't helping his cause.

Unbe-Lee-vable

♪ And while I know, based on my track record,
I might not seem like the safest bet
All I'm asking you is don't write me off, just yet ♪

So sang Hugh Grant in the movie "Music and Lyrics," a movie which I've never seen and one that I would almost assuredly hate since Drew Barrymore is in it. But nevertheless, these lyrics seem fitting when discussing Derrek Lee's season.

With a home run and a run-scoring double in Tuesday's 7-2 win over the Brewers, Derrek Lee set a new career high with 109 RBI. He ranks fourth in the National League in RBI, seventh in HR, 10th in batting average, 13th in OBP, second in slugging, and third in OPS. The only guys having hands down better seasons than Lee are some guy named Albert Pujols and half man/half beast Prince Fielder. Lee will probably get very few votes for MVP because the Cubs are 10 games out of first, but based on statistics alone, he deserves to be about third or fourth in the voting.

What has made this season even more impressive is that on May 16, Lee was batting .194 with three home runs and 15 RBI. I, and many others, pretty much wrote him off at that point. But then Lee went off, putting up a .333/32/94 line since mid-May. That's a good season, and Lee has compiled those numbers in just four months. Very good news for the Cubs as they look forward to 2010.

Moving from a veteran to a rookie, congratulations to Tyler Colvin, who drove in a run in his first ever major league plate appearance with a sacrifice fly on Monday. After a year of absolutely awful fundamentals by the Cubs, a sac fly is even more impressive than a base hit! But since he wasn't sure I would feel that way, he got himself his first big league hit in his next plate appearance. He added his first major league run last night, and robbed a home run for good measure.

I don't know how many times I've asked this, but it's enough that I can now be reasonably sure Lou Piniella doesn't read my blog:

CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHY JAKE FOX ISN'T PLAYING MORE?

"Maybe he's slumping?"

Nope, he's had at least one hit in four of his last six games.

"Maybe there's a veteran standing in his way?"

Nope, Bobby Scales has gotten the lion's share of the playing time in left field recently.

"His power numbers must be down."

No sir. His 11 HR and 41 RBI translate to 26 and 98 over 450 at-bats.

"His defense must really be hurting the team."

Eh, not really. His .953 fielding percentage is below average, but after three years of Alfonso Soriano, it's hard to complain. And Bobby Scales is a career infielder (he played 93 games in the infield at Triple-A this year) who had a ball bounce off his glove for a home run in Saturday's game.

If the Cubs are worried about Fox's potential to play defense every day in 2010, isn't this the time to figure out exactly how bad he is with the glove?

And even if they don't think he's a legitimate everyday option, shouldn't he at least be auditioning for a potential trade to an AL team where he could DH? This roster has been mismanaged worse than a certain office in Scranton, Penn.

Fox did play last night, but even that was a last-second lineup change.

A second-best season, a statistic, and a surgery

Monday: Cubs 2, Brewers 0


Derrek Lee now has seven home runs in his last 10 games, and has essentially guaranteed himself the second best season of his career. His 33 home runs rank second behind the 46 he smashed in '05, and his 98 RBI are tied for second, also behind '05 when he knocked in 107. His .303 average, by the way, ranks third behind '05 and the .317 average he had in '07.

Kudos to Ryan Dempster, who reached double digits in wins for the fifth time in his career, and has now allowed zero earned runs in three of his last five starts. Dempster is the third Cubs starter to get his 10th win, and both Harden (9 wins) and Zambrano (8) are within striking distance.

***ALERT*** The following statistic took me FOREVER to find, so please read it. Thank you for your cooperation.

The Cubs have not had five pitchers with double-digit wins since 1972. Their rotation when they accomplished the feat?

Fergie Jenkins
Burt Hooton
Milt Pappas
Bill Hands
Rick Reuschel

Think about that. The Cubs very well could accomplish a rather impressive pitching feat, one that requires both talent and depth. Going into the season, no one would have compared this year's rotation to the one listed above (and in fairness, that rotation combined for 69 wins, whereas this year's has 50 right now), but it might become the first group with five double-digit winners in nearly 40 years. And yet the team is just six games over .500 and has had quite a disappointing season.

See you in 2010

Alfonso Soriano will have knee surgery today and is out for the season. First Urlacher, and now this?

Okay, so maybe this news won't make quite as many waves in the Chicago sports world as did Urlacher's dislocated wrist. In fact, one could argue that this is good news:

1) Piniella has coddled Soriano for the last three years, and no doubt he'd be playing if he were medically cleared to do so. But the surgery means Piniella can't possibly put him in the lineup any more. That will give guys like Fuld, Scales and Fox the opportunity to get some audition time down the stretch.
2) Maybe, just maybe Soriano's struggles at the plate and pathetic defensive performance this year were related to his knee problems. The fact that he needs surgery reinforces this possibility.
3) This goes back to the silver lining to the season that I mentioned earlier--several players, including Soriano and Zambrano, will have played fewer than normal innings this year, perhaps resulting in a healthy and reinvigorated 2010.

#10 for #36

Tuesday: Cubs 4, Astros 1


If you had to pick one bright spot in this discouraging season, it would have to be Randy Wells.

Wells became the first Cub to get to 10 wins this season with 6.2 innings and no earned runs Tuesday night. He also became the first Cubs rookie to reach double digits in wins since Kerry Wood won 13 games in 1998. There isn't a person in the world save Randy's mom who thought he would be the Cubs best pitcher this year, which just goes to show you how crazy this game can be. The Belleville, Ill., native figures to be a key part of the Cubs' plans in 2010.

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Speaking of pitching, the Cubs bullpen has now thrown 19.2 consecutive scoreless innings. Why do I have a feeling that the next time they allow a run in a game, they'll allow about six?

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This really got my goat:

"I haven't seen any laying down here. I don't think that's why we've lost baseball games. I've been pleased with the effort we've gotten."

-Lou Piniella

Lou treats these guys more gently than a newborn baby. He's "pleased" with the effort he's gotten? How about Soriano running to every fly ball as if his spikes are flipped inside out? How about the Cubs ranking 11th in sacrifice hits and 12th in sac flies in the National League? How about the fact that they've committed the third most errors in the league? How about dropped fly balls, miscommunication in the field and jogging to first on potential doubles?

It seems to me that if you're going to sign top performers to huge contracts, you have to take into account that their heads might get a little big at times, and that they might need a swift kick in the behind every now and then. But instead, they've got a bunch of overconfident primadonnas and a manager who is all too happy to remind them how hard they're trying even if they're hardly trying at all.

Quiz

For your enjoyment (or frustration), here's a very difficult baseball rules quiz. I took it a while ago and got four or five correct, I believe. Good luck!

Cubs get "Mock"ed, humiliated

Tuesday: Nationals 15, Cubs 6


The Cubs are now 5-13 since Justin Lehr and the Reds shut them out on August 5. The swoon has dropped them nine games behind the Cardinals, and the fat lady is humming if not singing.

Even the return of Carlos Zambrano and a return to Wrigley couldn't turn the Cubs' fortunes around--Zambrano couldn't make it through the fifth, and five relievers combined to allow seven runs. The Cubs are now just one game over .500, and are in danger of dropping back to the break-even point for the first time since the All-Star break.

Alfonso Soriano was scratched from the starting lineup with a sore left knee, but he would have played had he not been hurt, given that Piniella said he'll play his veterans down the stretch. Really? Even casual Cubs fans realize that young'uns like Jake Fox and Sam Fuld have been the defibrillators who have kept the Cubs' collective heart from stopping completely. What's next, replacing Randy Wells with Aaron Heilman? How about this for a managerial approach: don't commit to playing veterans or newbies, just play the guys who produce.

On the 2010 front, both Piniella and chariman Crane Kenney will likely be back next year. Jim Hendry remains the biggest question mark.

And finally, Jason Marquis is at it again. No, he didn't pitch last night (though he got a win with eight innings of one-run ball on Monday), but the man who has made the playoffs every year of his nine-year career (despite playing with three different teams) has helped lead the Rockies to a four-game lead in the NL Wild Card race. The Rockies weren't given much of a chance heading into the season, but the analysts clearly didn't account for Jason Marquis' magical ability to will his team to the postseason.

Tribune Co. to sell Cubs to Ricketts family

Though the deal must be approved by a bankruptcy judge and rubber-stamped by 75 percent of baseball owners, the Ricketts family will gain control of the team sometime after the season ends, probably in October.

With the team slowly--well, quickly, actually--swirling down the toilet, Lou Piniella and Jim Hendry now know for sure who will be deciding their respective futures in a couple months.

Gregg gets stung, then demoted

Monday: Padres 4, Cubs 1


That one hurts. The Cubs are now six games behind the Cardinals and failed to take advantage of an opportunity to gain a 1/2 game in the Wild Card race with a horrific loss to the third worst team in the National League.

Until the 9th inning, the story was the return of both Ted Lilly and Aramis Ramirez.

We hadn't seen Lilly in nearly a month, when he allowed 10 runs in Philadelphia on July 20. Before that, he had three consecutive strong starts. He pitched well last night, giving the Cubs six scoreless innings despite being on an 85-90 pitch count. With only 70 pitches thrown, I'm not sure why Piniella took him down for a pinch-hitter given how well he was pitching. I know the bullpen was at full strength after the rainout on Sunday, but I'd rather see Lilly go one more inning than see three innings from our bullpen.

And while Aramis singled in a pinch-hit appearance on Saturday, he hadn't started since August 8 at Colorado when he left with shoulder soreness. Last night, he had two of the Cubs' seven hits
and drove in their only run.

And that run looked like it would hold up, but Kevin Gregg allowed a walk, a double, an intentional walk and a three -run homer, blowing his sixth save of the season. Ouch. And it sounds like Gregg is now out as the Cubs' closer. I don't think that's necessarily a terrible move given Gregg's recent struggles, but I don't think we should trot Marmol out there every game.

The Padres, by the way, are the only non-NL Central team the Cubs face three times this season. The Cubs swept them at home and got swept at Petco earlier in the season; let's hope a third sweep is not in the works.

While Gregg is the main culprit, you also have to look at an offense that once again looked completely disinterested in scoring any runs on the road. The Cubs had a grand total of two extra base hits, and gave Lilly and the 'pen just one measly run to work with.

Heading into the game, the 6-7-8-9 hitters in the Cubs lineup (Fontenot, Soto, Miles, Lilly) were batting .227, .225, .185 and .073, respectively. Shockingly, they combined to go 0-for-13, and they also left 10 men on base. Aaron Miles is 1-for-20 since coming off the DL. I would be happy if the Cubs traded him for a bag of peanuts. I don't even care if they're unsalted peanuts. Expired, even.

When Carlos Zambrano returns next Tuesday, the Cubs will essentially be back at full strength. Let's hope it's not too late.

Strasburg signs at the last minute

The Nationals came within minutes of failing to sign their top draft pick for the second straight year.

Because Stephen Strasburg is represented by super (evil) agent Scott Boras, baseball's top draft pick nearly remained unsigned at the signing deadline. He scoffed at $12.5 million, asking for multiple times that. But ultimately, he signed for about $15 million. That breaks the record for a draft pick's contract, formerly held by Mark Prior. It would have been a damned shame if a player who has not yet played a single major league game walked away from an eight-figure contract despite the fact that it would have been nearly impossible to improve upon the college numbers he put up last year at San Diego State.

Rookie of the Year Watch

J.A. Happ won his ninth game for the Phillies Sunday night, matching Randy Wells' win total. Tommy Hanson beat the Diamondbacks last night, moving his record to 8-2.

Tellin' it like it is

I'm sick of talking about potential.

I'm tired of doubles that turn into singles.

I'm sick of being the worst fielding team in the league, or damn close.

I'm tired of hits that come only when no one is on base.

I'm sick of a bullpen that can't hold a lead.

I'm tired of the wrong players being kept on the major league roster while better options rot in the minors.

I'm sick of runners at second with nobody out staying at second with one out.

I'm tired of runners at third with less than two outs still standing at third when the inning ends.

I'm sick of a team that turns any park not called "Wrigley Field" into a house of horrors.

I'm sick of a $40 million outfield trio that has been outperformed by Josh Willingham ($3 mil; .304, 18, 46), Shane Victorino ($3 mil; .310, 9, 52), and Hunter Pence ($439,000; .291, 16, 52).

I'm tired of watching Mike Fontenot, Jeff Baker and Aaron Miles try to replace Mark DeRosa.

I'm sick of watching Geovany Soto flail away at the plate as if he's never heard the words "Rookie of the Year."

I'm tired of Carlos Zambrano's antics and inability to transform from a joker into an ace.

I'm even sick of fans throwing things at opposing players (by the way, did they eject the right person after that bleacher fan threw his beer on Shane Victorino?)

But mostly, I'm sick of rooting for a team that's so damned hard to root for. Remember how the Cubs just found ways to win in 2008? Clutch hitting, no excuses, a manager on his toes, consistency, fundamentals, hustle. How many of those descriptors fit the 2009 version of the Cubs?

Hey, don't get me wrong, I'm a Cubs fan. Always have been, always will be. But it sure takes a lot of the fun out of it when you watch them play and feel like they don't deserve to win.

Last year, casual baseball fans would say, "Wow, you gotta hand it to the Cubs. They're never out of a game, and they come to play."

This year, they say, "How are they only a few games out of first?" or "How did they not lose that game last night? They sure tried."

I don't have any answers. I honestly have no idea how a team can go from all out effort and 97 wins one year to lazy and overpaid and .500 the next, with much the same roster and the same man at the helm. What I do know is that the Cubs must have read a few too many preseason predictions this year, and thought they'd coast to the playoffs. This version of Cubs baseball is not what I signed up for when the season started.

I write all this knowing the season isn't over. There are exactly 50 games left, nearly a third of the season. The Cubs could sneak their way into the playoffs on the back of the Cardinals struggling. Or better yet, the Cubs could still turn it around. We've seen teams like the Astros, Marlins and Rockies put it together late and earn a postseason berth, and the Cubs could do it too.

And I'll certainly be rooting for that to happen.

But until and unless something changes, count me as one of the weary. I'm sick of the lack of leadership on this team, and I'm tired of the lack of effort. Play ball, dammit.

Dempster gets first win since July 2, Cubs hope for good news on Zambrano, Ramirez

Saturday: Cubs 6, Rockies 5


A strange win, but a big one.

Lou trotted out a brand new lineup, the Cubs made several defensive mistakes, and the Rockies had 11 hits, yet the Cubs got a big win to bring them back to 4-4 on the road trip.

I may have liked Saturday's lineup even more than Friday's. When I heard Fukudome was out of the leadoff spot, I was not happy. He has clearly made himself a nice home at the top of the order. However, the downside of batting Bradley second is that Theriot has to bat too far down in the order. Theriot can certainly hold his own in the leadoff spot, and if Fukudome can carry over his success to the five spot, then Lou can bide some time until Soto (hopefully) gets his swing going. Fukudome had a double and a home run, while Theriot had three singles, an RBI and a run scored.

And with a quality start from Ryan Dempster and three scoreless innings from the bullpen (including Marmol's best outing in a long time), the Cubs were able to remain one game behind the Cardinals. Bradley reached base two more times, Derrek Lee connected for his 23rd home run of the season, and even Aaron Miles connected for a triple and came around to score.

But still I ask: why oh why was Aaron Miles starting again? (Actually, I'll tell you: he was 6-for-16 against Marquis in his career.) If you ask me, he shouldn't even be on the roster, but for goodness' sake, at least stop trotting him out there as part of the starting lineup. There is absolutely no reason why Andres Blanco, who was batting 40 points higher than Miles and is 10 times the fielder (he may be the best fielder the Cubs have had all year), is in the minors while Miles is wasting space on the Cubs roster.

Speaking of who is and isn't on the roster, Carlos Zambrano was placed on the DL for the second time this season due to back spasms. Reliever Jeff Stevens was recalled to replace him. Because he hasn't pitched since Aug. 1, Zambrano will be eligible to return next Monday, Aug. 17. It sounds like Jeff Samardzija will start in his place on Wednesday against the Phillies. With John Grabow now in the bullpen, I would prefer Marshall to get the start, but on the bright side, Samardzija won't be coming on in relief over the next few days!

On top of Zambrano's injury, the injury bug bit the Cubs yet again, as Aramis Ramirez appeared to tweak his shoulder early in the game, and left in the 5th. Hopefully he'll be okay, but we'll at least see Jake Fox at the hot corner today, if not for a few days.

The Cubs have the third worst fielding percentage in the National League this year, and their glovework was perhaps the main reason Saturday's game was so close. In the 4th inning, the Cubs infield did their best impression of the Washington Generals.

First, Theriot was unable to grab a grounder up the middle that would have resulted in at least one out, if not two. On the very next play, Ramirez booted an easy double play grounder, and the stage was set for a big Rockies inning. One was inclined to feel bad for Ryan Dempster, but then he failed to cover first base on what could have been a double play later in the inning. Good ol' Aaron Miles then ran away from second base after Soto threw to second on a wild pitch, conceding the base as he looked to see if the runner at third was going to break for home (he didn't). That's FIVE extra outs the Cubs gave the Rockies in one inning.

All muscle, no hustle

Piniella needs to start benching or fining guys for a lack of effort. That may sound old school or overreactive, but the fact is, the Cubs may put out less effort than any team in baseball. The lineup is loaded with primadonnas who can't bring themselves to run hard when they put the ball in play. Soriano turned a double into a single on Friday, and Bradley came within a split-second of costing the Cubs a run when he decided to admire a ball he hit instead of running hard. He was tagged out at second for the third out just after Theriot crossed the plate with the go-ahead run. I don't care who you are or how much you make, RUN! This isn't football or soccer--you really don't have to run full speed all that often. Props to Bob Brenly for voicing a similar position during last night's broadcast.

Remember him?

Jason Dubois was traded to the Mets Friday, and was assigned to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. He played 72 games for the Cubs between 2004 and 2005, batting .236 with eight home runs and 27 RBI.

Cubs join grand slam party, win fifth straight

Monday: Cubs 5, Astros 1 (13 inn.)


Apparently it was Grand Slam Day in Major League Baseball, as there were a total of four on Monday night. Josh Willingham of the Nationals hit grand slams in the 5th and 6th innings. He's the thirteenth player to hit two grand slams in one game (meaning it's a feat more rare than a perfect game), and the sixth to hit them in back-to-back innings. Fernando Tatis, by the way, is the only player ever to have hit two grand slams in one inning, and, interestingly, he hit a grand slam Monday as well.

And the fourth, of course, was hit by Alfonso Soriano. He was 0-for-5 through 12 innings, meaning his nine-game hitting streak was in serious jeopardy. But even though all he needed was a long fly ball in the 13th, he smashed one about 430 feet to straightaway center just for fun.

The win enabled the Cubs to match their high-water mark of the season: they were seven games over .500 at 21-14 after beating ... the Astros on May 16.

Speaking of home runs, it doesn't matter what jersey Carlos Lee is wearing, he always hits the Cubs. He wailed on them with the White Sox, bashed them as a Brewer, and now he annihilates them as an Astro. His tape measure shot in the 2nd was his 29th career home run against the Cubs, by far the most for him against any team (he has 19 off the Royals and Indians). As I mentioned yesterday, he's definitely a starter on the All-Cub Killer Team.

A different Lee--Derrek--became the first Cub to hit 20 HR, and he did it in style with a visit to Waveland Avenue. He also matched his home run total from last year. Back in April, he would have been about fifth on my list of Cubs Likely to Hit 20 HR.

And while I give Piniella huge props for calling a suicide squeeze, what was he doing letting Zambrano bat in the 7th even though no bench players had been used and he was coming out of the game anyways? No Jake Fox? I realize Lou is loathe to use him because he's the back-up catcher, but you have to put an actual hitter in the game with runners at first and second in the bottom of the 7th, especially when the pitcher is being taken down one way or the other. Plus, Fox ended up coming in to catch late in the game anyways.

On the bright side, Z did an excellent job on the mound. With 7 IP and 1 ER, he now has a 2.63 July ERA and a 3-1 record to go with it. He took a tough no-decision Monday as Wandy Rodriguez continued an even better month--a 0.75 ERA and a 4-0 record. Rodriguez, 30, has seen his ERA go down every year since 2006, and his next win will give him more wins (11) in 2009 than any year of his career. Let's hope we don't have to see him in our one remaining series with the Astros.

On a separate note, Carlos Marmol has really turned it on of late. He hasn't allowed any runs in his last eight appearances, and has allowed just one run in his last 14. With Gregg just four saves off the league leading pace, the 8th and 9th innings have become very comfortable for the Cubs (as comfortable as 8th and 9th innings can be, anyways).

Central Intelligence

The Cardinals beat the Dodgers with the assistance of yet another home run by Mark DeRosa (5 of his 11 hits as a Cardinal are home runs, though he's hitting just .244), while the Brewers lost in part because of those Josh Willingham grand slams mentioned earlier. So the Cubs remain 1/2 game up on the Cards, and extend their lead over the Astros and Brewers to three and four games, respectively.

Well, what did you expect?

We've reached the "halfway" point of the baseball season, and that means it's time to look back at the Cubs' performance thus far. We're going to take a look at the individual players, and in this analysis, like in life, it's all about expectations. For this reason, the following is brought to you by Dennis Green:

They are who we thought they were!!

Ryan Theriot: A solid top-of-the-order contact hitter. But 7 HR? Theriot must have BALCO's number on speed dial (kidding).

Derrek Lee: Whether Lee fits into this category actually depends on your levels of optimism and patience. A month into the season, I would have penciled him in for about 12 HR and a .265 BA. But it turns out, he is who we though he was at the beginning of last year.

Kosuke Fukudome: A hot starter with a penchant for dropping off the table when the temperature hits 75.

Koyie Hill: A backup catcher.

Ted Lilly: A great signing by Hendry. Top-notch left-handed innings-eater (enough hyphens for ya?).

Sean Marshall: Reliable, do-what-the-team-needs lefty. Has been better than expected out of the 'pen.

Kevin Gregg: Serviceable closer. Has 16 saves in 19 chances.

Aaron Heilman: Not-so-great reliever who walks too many people.

Carlos Zambrano: A bit frustrating at times, but gets the job done in the end.


They aren't who we thought they were! (the good version)

Angel Guzman: Not many Cubs have exceeded expectations, but Angel Guzman has been a godsend out of the 'pen. His 2.60 ERA has given Lou another reliable late-inning arm.

They aren't who we thought they were! (the bad version)

Milton Bradley: .321, 22, 77. Recognize those numbers? Those are Bradley's numbers last year with the Rangers. .243, 6, 21. Surely you recognize those. He needs to step it up, and he's not alone.

Aramis Ramirez: Well, we did think he was injury prone, but the fact that he missed two months means we have not had his big, clutch bat in the middle of the lineup like we expected.

Alfonso Soriano: .233 BA (lowest in any prior season: .268). 14 HR and 33 RBI (averages 36 and 93). But, he has stayed healthy! (Unless, of course, he's actually hurt and that's why he looks so terrible.)

Mike Fontenot: Won the 2B job after batting .305 last season. Batting .230 this year.

Geovany Soto: From Rookie of the Year to struggling, injury prone disappointment. Is the WBC at fault?

Aaron Miles: From my season preview: "He's scrappy and I like him." Never mind.

Ryan Dempster: Most of us didn't expect a repeat of his 17-6 performance last year, but he's got an ERA over a run higher and just five wins.

Jeff Samardzija: Made some waves last year, hoping to build on it this year. Not so much.

Rich Harden: Career ERA 3.47. 2009 ERA 5.47. But he's batting .304!

Carlos Marmol: I know, I know, his ERA is 3.64, but I can barely watch the guy any more with his 42 BB in 42 IP.


Who the hell are they?

Randy Wells: Nabbed by the Blue Jays as a Rule 5 last year, it sure is nice that we got him back. Two more quality starts than Harden.

Sam Fuld: Put his name on the radar screen last year, and has brought some energy to a listless left field this year.

Jake Fox: An up-and-coming prospect for several years, and now we know why. The ball just jumps off his bat.

Micah Hoffpauir: His average has slipped to .244, but his 8 HR and 25 RBI have provided some pop.


So that's how the Cubs stack up in relation to my expectations. It's obviously not good that there are so many players who have failed to meet expectations, but it could bode well for the second half. Teams that are in the playoff race due to guys playing out of their minds have to worry about them coming back to Earth. The Cubs just need to find a way to get guys like Soriano and Bradley back to this solar system in order to break away from the .500 mark and make a run in what to this point has been a very weak division.

The Cubs have the fourth best ERA in the league despite Zambrano and Harden spending time on the DL and the fact that they've used 14 relievers. If Marmol gets his act together, Guzman settles in again and guys like Samardzija and Stevens can contribute, the Cubs can add a solid bullpen to a strong rotation and continue to shut down their opponents' offense in the second half.

On the offensive side ... well, it was offensive. The Cubs' $214 million outfield of Soriano, Fukudome and Bradley has combined for 81 RBI; Ramirez checks in with just 17 due to the time he missed with an injury; and Ryan Freel, Joey Gathright and Aaron Miles were as useless as a catcher with no mitt. The lineup has seen more position changes than Ron Jeremy, and without Derrek Lee the Cubs would likely be out of contention by now.

But, with Reed Johnson and Aramis Ramirez back (and Milton Bradley says he's back too), combined with the emergence of guys like Jake Fox and Sam Fuld, perhaps Lou will be able to find a lineup that clicks as we head into the second half. There's nowhere to go but up for the offense, and even a slight improvement--even if it's just an improvement with runners in scoring position--should enable the starters to rack up the wins they deserve.

It was a first half of mediocrity, averageness, ordinariness ... fill in your own synonym here. The Cubs went 43-43 and outscored their opponents by two runs. It wasn't what we expected to see, to say the least, but with the Cubs needing to lose just one fewer game than the Cardinals in the second half, there's a lot to look forward to.

They're baaack: The Cubs we know and hate return with a vengeance

Tuesday: Pirates 3, Cubs 0

What did the angry fan say after watching the Cubs get shutout for the eighth time this season?

Aaarrrggghh.

Sorry, just trying to lighten the mood after seeing things like:

-Soto trying to go first to third with the play right in front of him
-Runners at second and third with nobody out, top of the order up, no runs
-A runner scoring from second on a dropped third strike and an error by the pitcher

These were just some of the reasons the Cubs remained under the .500 mark and sank to an 11-14 June after a lackadaisical offensive performance against Ross Ohlendorf (who?!). The Brewers took their second straight from the fading Mets, pushing the Cubs 4 1/2 back. Tonight, the Cubs will play their final road game of the first half, then return home for a hugely important 11-game homestand.

As you will have noticed if you watched the game, the "Samardzija Watch" will be put on hold as he was indeed brought up Tuesday and we will now be able to "watch" him on TV. We watched him throw a scoreless 8th inning on Tuesday. Jose Ascanio was sent to Iowa to open the roster spot.



Windy City negativity

How could a laid back (seriously, since coming to the Cubs, he's been pretty chill) Floridian and a crazed, Spanish-speaking Venezuelan both be at the top of the list of managers players would least like to play for? Make up your minds, people!

Minor (league) matters

If you were planning a trip to Peoria to see the hot-hitting Josh Vitters, you need to head to Daytona instead. Vitters and fellow Midwest League All-Star were promoted to high Triple-A Daytona on Tuesday, and righty Andrew Cashner went from Daytona to Double-A Tennessee.

In other news ...

Mark DeRosa might have a sprained wrist.

***UPDATE***DeRosa has a strained tendon and should miss just 3-4 games.

M-A-R-M-O-L does not spell relief

Saturday: White Sox 8, Cubs 7

All I have to say is that I hope Jim Hendry is on the horn doing all he can to acquire a reliever or three. When it was 6-6 in the 6th and we had to go to the 'pen, I knew the game was over. Marmol continued his ineffectiveness, though this time he was hurt by base hits rather bases on balls. Marshall and Ascanio then combined to give up the winning run in the 9th, and that was that. Offense looked good, Dempster was solid, but lo, that terrible bullpen. You simply cannot win games without a few reliable relievers. When you have not-a-one reliable reliever ... well, that's just not good.


On a separate note, Mark DeRosa was traded for the second time in six months Saturday, to the freakin' Cardinals. Cubs fans developed a love affair with DeRosa after he was traded to the Indians (not that he shouldn't be remembered fondly, but the adoration for a solid two-year member of the Cubs was a bit over the top), but it will be significantly harder for blue-bleeders to root for him now. With the Cubs loss combined with Cardinals and Brewers wins, the Cubs are now 3 1/2 back of both teams. Pujols hit two jacks in the Cards' win, giving him 28 on the season (on pace for 60; his career high is 49).

Interesting column from Gene Wojciechowski about Lou Piniella and his sanity (or lack thereof).

Cubs win; Bradley presumably listens to end of game on radio

Friday: Cubs 5, White Sox 4

With the Cubs and Sox both entering the second leg of their season series under .500, the Crosstown Classic doesn't carry quite the intrigue it did last year when it looked as though it might be a preview of October baseball. Nevertheless, both teams entered Friday within six games of first place, and there's no doubt that fans on both sides of town remain optimistic about playoff baseball.

With the Cubs having lost their last four games by a combined six runs, a confidence-producing win against the Sox was much needed. Randy Wells did his part by allowing just two runs (he's now allowed two runs or fewer in seven of his nine starts), and the offense turned the power on behind homers by Jake Fox and Geovany Soto. Fox has now had two consecutive games with a single, double and homer, while Soto has homered in four of his last eight games.

But the Cubs, who have now played 25 one-run games, just didn't feel comfortable with a big 5-2 8th-inning lead, so enter Carlos Marmol stage left. Marmol proved useless once again, walking two more batters and allowing a hit for good measure. Carlos is supposed to be the guy in Cubs' 'pen who can get out of jams, but Piniella's going to have to add a firefighter to the 25-man roster to put out all the fires created by Marmol's ineffective wildness. Fortunately, Marshall induced a 3-2-3 double play and Kevin Gregg (who also walked one) scored the save in the 9th to lock down Wells's second consecutive victory.

And if all these one-run games aren't enough drama for you, how about Milton Bradley having words with the water cooler and then his manager and being told to leave the park? Piniella said he was fed up with players' antics in the dugout (e.g. Dempster and Zambrano teaming up to put the fancy new Wrigley drink dispenser six feet under) and told him to leave. Bradley continues to make it difficult to determine what's worse, his average or his antics. But either way, this is just another stitch in the pattern that is his hotheaded career, and my guess it that it will blow over sooner rather than later.

That said, it's obvious that Bradley is not entirely happy with the Cubs, and also that he has some issues. Do we really have to deal with this for 2 1/2 more years?

Cubs sale

According to the Trib, the Ricketts deal is now gaining steam.

A walk (-off) to remember

Wednesday: White Sox 4, Cubs 1

[I feel the need to post about this game because I was there. For the fun part of this post, scroll down.]

Quite a dud of a game. There wasn't much to cheer about in the stands at Wrigley--unless, of course, you were wearing black and white. The Cubs offense sung a similar tune, wasting a few opportunities with men in scoring position and generally looking about as gray and dull as the weather.

On the mound, Dempster struggled with his control all day, walking six and throwing more balls than strikes overall. The Cubs are now 1-5 in their last six games, having scored just 10 total
runs during that stretch. After the game, Piniella spoke of making some changes to the lineup, but then trotted out basically the same lineup Thursday, with one positive change: Andres Blanco started at second in place of Aaron Miles.

In other Cubs news, the team is looking at Pedro Martinez. Only problem is, he's a career .100 hitter.

Thursday: Cubs 6, White Sox 5


Second verse, same as the first ... until the 8th inning.

With four unearned runs in the 8th and another run in the 9th, the Cubs came up with their biggest win of the year, hands down. The win tied the all-time series between the two at 34-34, and this was one of the most exciting games among those 68. The Cubs offense had been dormant for over a week, and then five runs in two innings? All I can say is that I had tickets to the wrong Cubs-Sox game.

Who knows if this shot in the arm will carry over beyond Thursday (especially with Cliff Lee taking the mound for the Indians on Friday), but either way, the Cubs needed exactly this: an exciting, comeback victory. The fact that it came over the Ozzie and the Southsiders makes it that much more enjoyable.

Derrek Lee extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a huge 8th-inning home run into the basket in right center, and Soto followed with an '08-like shot to left center. The four-run inning was the Cubs' first in 29 games, and Thursday was the first time the Cubs had scored more than four runs in a game since last Tuesday in Houston. Soriano capped off the comeback with a two-out, two-strike blooper to score Reed Johnson, who singled to start the inning and really, seriously, totally needs to play more.

Zambrano had his sinker working again, inducing seven ground balls and pitching pretty well overall. Zambrano's been so locked in lately that Chris Getz's double in the 1st was the first extra base hit he's allowed in his last four starts. But those were exactly the problem on this day, as four of the Sox hits off Zambrano went for extra bases.

The Cubs now sit four games out of first with exactly 100 games to go. We may know the Cubs' fate by the All-Star break--the final homestand prior to the Midsummer Classic features four against the Brewers and four against the Cardinals sandwiched around a set with the Braves. If they struggle their way through those 11 games, the Cubs could find themselves trying to sell off some pieces at the trade deadline. But if they turn things around and bang around the Brew Crew and the Redbirds, we should be in for an exciting second half.