Fans and even the front office are talking up a turnaround for Alfonso Soriano, the beleaguered, maligned and overpaid Cubs left fielder. There is even an article on this site that implies he is on a hot streak. Through nine games—he had and off-day on Sunday—Soriano is batting .313. A legitimate question is whether Soriano is back or whether this is just an illusion. The answer is that it is likely just an illusion. Looking behind the obvious numbers, things are not so rosy. The single biggest stat that stands out is his BABIP, batting average on balls in play. ...
This article is also published on The Fan ManifestoEver since the news broke in Boston that Tom Ricketts had asked Red Sox ownership for permission to talk to their GM Theo Epstein, Cubs fans and the Chicago media seem to have taken leave of their senses. They have been weighing in with pro's and con's (mostly pro before the hiring, often con since) about how desperately we need the New England wunderkind. Not to mention, how much of the team’s paltry assets or numerous liabilities should be part of the deal that brings the famous curse-buster to the friendly confines. ...
The latest news on the trade rumor front is that Aramis Ramirez has apparently reversed his position on waiving his no-trade rights and has come back to the position he held before: he won’t do so. Actually, it is probable his remarks were misinterpreted when it appeared he was open to a deal. In a way, this is a shame for the Cubs. Right now he is producing for the Cubs after a slow start. If he played like that all the time, retaining him would be a no-brainer, but the fact is he has been inconsistent and sometimes just ...
Jim Hendry has apparently quashed any rumors he will consider trading anyone who is signed through next season, or that is what he appears to say in this note from Tom Dierkes at MLBTradeRumors.com (there is a little more detail here in an article from the Des Moines Register). Of course, you can always assume he was just speaking gibberish or some sort of strange tautological mishmash, saying he will not trade anyone who will be with the team next year, which, of course, is true if they are traded and means, well, nothing, I suppose. In any case, Big ...
It’s that time of year again in Cubland when fans, hopelessly disenchanted with the teams dwindling prospects, turn their thoughts to next year. They also turn their thoughts to getting rid of their most overpaid and under-performing athletes in the forlorn hope of rebuilding. I’ve actually read a bunch of these rants and analyses, and so far I haven’t seen many that make a lot of sense. The Cubs management is supposed to be planning their annual pre-trade deadline summit this week, or maybe they have already had it. Given their performance up to now, one may be permitted doubts as ...
The Cubs finished up their first two home series against arguably the two worst teams in the National League even at 3-3. They should certainly have gone 4-2 against these teams and probably 5-1.
The outcome is not a cause for panic, but still a disturbing sign.
They followed up with a tough series loss to the Brewers, when they blew the lead in the rubber game on Sunday, then a series win against the Astros, losing only the throwaway game on Tuesday when they figured to lose anyway starting Russell against Myers. All in all, they should be at least 8-4 ...
There was a time back in the days, when the Cubs were lovable losers, when the team was managed by a succession of genial incompetents who routinely traded away their best prospects for has-beens and hired equally incompetent field managers who were generally long-suffering and sympathetic counterparts of the players they directed. The guys who played what passed for baseball in those days were flawed but likable regular guys who had some degree of talent, but also some fatal flaw that kept them from achieving greatness, at least in Chicago. Or so it seemed anyway. Maybe it was never the ...
Everyone else is plotting out the Cubs everyday lineup and batting order, so I suppose I should get into the act as well.
Based on spring training so far, this looks like Quade’s preferred batting order, at least against right-handers.
Fukudome, RF
Castro, SS
Byrd, CF
Ramirez, 3B
Pena, 1B
Soriano, LF
Soto, C
DeWitt, 2B
Pitcher
I have no problem with the first two slots. Fukudome gets on base, Castro continues to impress. The problems begin with the middle of the order. I don’t care how hot Byrd is in spring training, he is not a No. 3 hitter. He isn’t patient enough and he doesn’t hit for power. Fans ...
Besides the relatively rosy picture Cubs management paints, described in Part I, there is another view as to why the Cubs lost last year. The bottom line is that one really doesn’t have to buy into the bad luck or underachievement excuses. There are legitimate doubts about the steps that have been taken to improve the team.
Actually, you could go on and on analyzing just what happened to this team in 2010, and I have done so to some extent on my blog. The truth is there was only a little bad luck and in terms of underachievement, well, a ...
Another way of asking this question is have the moves Jim Hendry made in the offseason improved the team and have the moves their division rivals made improved those teams more? On the latter score, though the Brewers have improved their pitching, they have done so at the expense of their rather suspect defense. On balance, they remain a very flawed team. Let's remember they had CC Sabathia for the better part of a year and they lost.
The same can be said of the Cardinals, whose major move has been adding an aging Lance Berkman as their everyday left-fielder, in ...
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