The game of baseball never ceases to surprise you.
A fan can never truly say "I've seen it all."
Last night in Cincinnati, Kris Bryant did something no other baseball player had ever done. And when you see what he accomplished, you are surprised that he was the first.
Bryant set career highs with three home runs and five extra-base hits on Monday to help the Chicago Cubs beat the Reds 11-8.
Bryant became the fifth player in the past 100 years to go 5-for-5 with five extra-base hits in a game. He joined Josh Hamilton (2012), Steve Garvey (1977), Joe Adcock (1954) and Lou Boudreau (1946).
According to Elias Sports Bureau research, Bryant is the youngest player in Cubs history to hit three home runs in a game. He is 10 days younger than Ernie Banks was when he accomplished the feat in 1955. Elias also notes that Bryant's 16 total bases on Monday are the most by a Cub in the modern era.
Bryant's box score included three home runs and two doubles. No one in baseball history had that combination of five hits in a game. And that is the surprising thing: we have seen four home run games, wild extra inning contests, 20 plus runs scoring days - - - but never a player hit 3 HR and 2 doubles in a contest.
Bryant was in a zone because none of his home runs were cheap. They were long, towering blasts.
In another oddity, according to research by ESPN Stats & Information, Bryant is
the first player in at least 100 years to hit three home runs and play
three different positions (third base, right field and left field). Joe Maddon changing his positions did not affect Bryant at the plate. There is a comfort zone Bryant has reached in his second full season in the majors. And for the Cubs, that may be the foundation pillar for more modern baseball firsts.
Showing posts with label history. Show all posts
Showing posts with label history. Show all posts
June 28, 2016
May 9, 2016
UNWORLDLY PACE
Never in the history of baseball has one town dominated the game.
The Cubs and White Sox have the best records in their leagues.
The Cubs have a 7 game win streak, beating top clubs in the Pirates and Nationals. The White Sox have a 6 game winning streak.
The Cubs are 24-6, an .800 winning percentage. They are on pace to win a record 130 games.
The White Sox are 22-10, a .688 winning percentage. They are on pace to win 111 games.
Combined, Chicago baseball is at a .741 winning percentage, or an average pace to win 120 games.
Even if the clubs come back down to Earth, and win only half of their remaining games, the Cubs would win 90 and the White Sox 87.
But as the rosters are constructed, the teams are expected to do much better than .500 down the stretch. The White Sox have a very good starting four rotation. The Cubs have a solid hitting core with an unbelievable run differential of +102 in only 30 games.
And the White Sox have $13 million in payroll to spend after Adam LaRoche left the club. The White Sox could spend that money on an outfielder (Jay Bruce) or a pitcher (Tim Lincecum who threw a show case event last week; he hit 88-92 on fastballs and showed some promise on 3 breaking pitches but he is not major league ready).
The only time the Cubs and White Sox met in a World Series was 1906, which marked the dawn of the modern baseball era. In that year, the Cubs had a record number of wins. The White Sox were the hitless wonders who won the pennant, and then on outstanding pitching, upset the Cubs for the championship.
There is an old principle that history repeats itself. We may be witnessing it.
SI reports the Cubs, at 24–6, equaled their 1907 squad’s record for their best 30-game start since the beginning of the 20th century; that team, led by the famed double play combination of Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers and Frank Chance, won 107 games and the franchise’s first World Series; the Cubs won again the next year and haven’t won since. The franchise’s only better starts date deep into the 19th century: In 1876, the inaugural year of the National League, they were known as the Chicago White Stockings and jumped out to a 25–5 record en route to the NL pennant, while in 1880, they went 27–3 (with a tie) en route to another pennant.
The Cubs and White Sox have the best records in their leagues.
The Cubs have a 7 game win streak, beating top clubs in the Pirates and Nationals. The White Sox have a 6 game winning streak.
The Cubs are 24-6, an .800 winning percentage. They are on pace to win a record 130 games.
The White Sox are 22-10, a .688 winning percentage. They are on pace to win 111 games.
Combined, Chicago baseball is at a .741 winning percentage, or an average pace to win 120 games.
Even if the clubs come back down to Earth, and win only half of their remaining games, the Cubs would win 90 and the White Sox 87.
But as the rosters are constructed, the teams are expected to do much better than .500 down the stretch. The White Sox have a very good starting four rotation. The Cubs have a solid hitting core with an unbelievable run differential of +102 in only 30 games.
And the White Sox have $13 million in payroll to spend after Adam LaRoche left the club. The White Sox could spend that money on an outfielder (Jay Bruce) or a pitcher (Tim Lincecum who threw a show case event last week; he hit 88-92 on fastballs and showed some promise on 3 breaking pitches but he is not major league ready).
The only time the Cubs and White Sox met in a World Series was 1906, which marked the dawn of the modern baseball era. In that year, the Cubs had a record number of wins. The White Sox were the hitless wonders who won the pennant, and then on outstanding pitching, upset the Cubs for the championship.
There is an old principle that history repeats itself. We may be witnessing it.
SI reports the Cubs, at 24–6, equaled their 1907 squad’s record for their best 30-game start since the beginning of the 20th century; that team, led by the famed double play combination of Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers and Frank Chance, won 107 games and the franchise’s first World Series; the Cubs won again the next year and haven’t won since. The franchise’s only better starts date deep into the 19th century: In 1876, the inaugural year of the National League, they were known as the Chicago White Stockings and jumped out to a 25–5 record en route to the NL pennant, while in 1880, they went 27–3 (with a tie) en route to another pennant.
November 2, 2015
THE BLUES IN TORONTO
In recent years, the Blue Jays have made some major deals in order to get out of the cellar of the highly competitive AL East. In doing so, the team traded away many of its young, good prospects (for example to the World Series bound Mets). But the Jays did reach the promise land, the ALCS this year because of those trades.
And some aggressive general managing by Alex Anthopoulos who had been the
Blue Jays' general manager since 2009. He inherited Vernon Wells and his
awful contract, as well as a farm system full of future relievers, and
eventually turned it all into Toronto's first playoff appearance since
1993. He wasn't the perfect GM, but he eventually did what had to be
done to earn that postseason trip, giving up prospects when the team had
a clear shot in the present to do something besides flounder in the
middle of the division, as recounted by MLBTR.
MLBTR reports that Anthopoulos' aggressive trade syle did not sit well with the team's new President, Mark Shapiro. There is a report that Shapiro "scolded" Anthopoulos in their lone meeting before his
hiring for trading so many top prospects in 2015.
There is a lot to unpack from
that scolding. I agree with MLBTR that the idea of Shapiro berating someone on the right way to
build a winner may be tops on that list, as Shapiro ran the Indians as their
GM from 2001 through 2010, then became Cleveland's President. But Shapiro's
Indians made the playoffs three times in that entire stretch, and while
they never finished in last under those two, they did end the season in
fourth on five occasions and third in another five. Shapiro's track record is actually worse than Anthopoulos'.
You can't just
prospect hoard in order to win. The Cubs under Jim Hendry did that and failed because their prized prospects were not that good in the end. Instead of trading prospects at their peak potential for other players or other prospects, the Cubs languished in the middle hoping for free agents to make competitive teams. Anthopoulos recognized as much when the
opportunity to add came this summer -- you want to build with prospects,
but they exist to fill holes either by themselves or through trades
when they cannot.
Ownership usually demands a "win now" philosophy. Fans cannot tolerate passive front offices not trying hard to improve their clubs. Anthopoulos was an aggressive general manager who made a lot of player moves, churned rosters in order to find the best 25 man roster. He was willing to make mistakes in order complete this vision.
It appears his days as Toronto's GM are over. However, he will easily find a job in another organization.
August 12, 2015
HISTORIC ROOKIE CLASS
Jeff Passon at Yahoo Sports writes:
Never before has baseball seen a
group of rookies like the Class of 2015, one so rich in position
players that with two months left in the season it’s on the verge of
being more productive than every previous class in history. The Year of
the Rookie is a real thing, though perhaps its designation is missing a
word, because it’s really more the Year of the Hitting Rookie.
Sometime this week, everyday
rookies are going to surpass every class from the last 100 years in Wins
Above Replacement. Even if it is a flawed metric, this year’s group of
rookies reigning supreme with a third of the season remaining speaks to
just how much talent suffuses it – and how teams are relying on rookie
position players more than anytime since World War II.
This season, rookie position players have accumulated 48.8 WAR, according to FanGraphs.
Every hitter in baseball has a combined WAR of 386.8, meaning 12.61
percent of all offensive and defensive wins have come from rookies. Only
war beget a greater percentage of WAR going to rookie hitters, as
baseball struggled to fill its depleted rosters in 1943 and saw rookies
account for 13.97 percent of offensive WAR.
A look at the three Cubs rookies in this class:
Bryant 3.0 WAR
Russell 1.5 WAR
Schwarber 1.4 WAR
The three Cubs rookies have a combined 5.9 WAR, which is 12.1 percent of the rookie class WAR. Most believe that the three Cubs will get better as the season progresses.
A look at the three Cubs rookies in this class:
Bryant 3.0 WAR
Russell 1.5 WAR
Schwarber 1.4 WAR
The three Cubs rookies have a combined 5.9 WAR, which is 12.1 percent of the rookie class WAR. Most believe that the three Cubs will get better as the season progresses.
August 1, 2015
LESTER'S STRIKE OUTS
When Jon Lester struck out 14 hitters in his last start, he became only the 23rd left handed pitcher in baseball history to accomplish that feat.
This chart was tweeted after Lester's game.
The most amazing thing about this chart is that Randy Johnson had an incredible 47 games with 14 plus strikeouts. Spending most of his career in the Western time zone hurt Johnson from being a super cult hero since most of the nation never saw him pitch. But he was dominate in his era. Consider what the last generation called their "greatest lefty pitcher," Sandy Koufax, only had 13 14 plus strikeout games.
This chart does give some evidence to scouts and general managers who still believe that strike out pitchers make the best starters. The most strikeout pitchers are power arms with high heat fastballs. The stats of these top 22 lefties appears to bear out that proposition. Pitchers who can strike out a lot of batters per game can have great success. It is logical because a strike out does not put any pressure on one's defense (errors, mental mistakes, failing to turn a double play, mispositioned in the field, etc.)
The most amazing thing about this chart is that Randy Johnson had an incredible 47 games with 14 plus strikeouts. Spending most of his career in the Western time zone hurt Johnson from being a super cult hero since most of the nation never saw him pitch. But he was dominate in his era. Consider what the last generation called their "greatest lefty pitcher," Sandy Koufax, only had 13 14 plus strikeout games.
This chart does give some evidence to scouts and general managers who still believe that strike out pitchers make the best starters. The most strikeout pitchers are power arms with high heat fastballs. The stats of these top 22 lefties appears to bear out that proposition. Pitchers who can strike out a lot of batters per game can have great success. It is logical because a strike out does not put any pressure on one's defense (errors, mental mistakes, failing to turn a double play, mispositioned in the field, etc.)
June 28, 2015
WILL THE AXE FALL?
Baseball has been steeped in history. It is that the game has fundamentally NOT changed is why the game continues to survive.
Nothing is more true than with the layout of the diamond dimensions. Nothing is as true as the shape and construction of a baseball, its seams and its skin. And the baseball bat, a simple rounded stick of wood.
Until now.
Jeff Passon of Yahoo Sports reports that the simple bat handle is about change.
The man who may help create the change is Red Sox infielder Dustin Pedroia. He is the only major leaguer currently using a bat that has an axe handle. Pedroia has spent a month using it as his lone bat, and the results are promising: Over the 28 games since he switched, he is hitting .353/.386/.504. His 42 hits over the past month are tied for the fourth most in baseball.
Now, unless you were a boy scout or a mountain logger, most kids today have no idea what an axe is or what is its purpose. The flattened wood frame is put through a heavy metal cutting tool to create a powerful yet top heavy tree cutter and wood splitter. This long used axe shape seems to have developed to maximize the power of the arm through the hands (palm).
Nothing is more true than with the layout of the diamond dimensions. Nothing is as true as the shape and construction of a baseball, its seams and its skin. And the baseball bat, a simple rounded stick of wood.
Until now.
The man who may help create the change is Red Sox infielder Dustin Pedroia. He is the only major leaguer currently using a bat that has an axe handle. Pedroia has spent a month using it as his lone bat, and the results are promising: Over the 28 games since he switched, he is hitting .353/.386/.504. His 42 hits over the past month are tied for the fourth most in baseball.
Now, unless you were a boy scout or a mountain logger, most kids today have no idea what an axe is or what is its purpose. The flattened wood frame is put through a heavy metal cutting tool to create a powerful yet top heavy tree cutter and wood splitter. This long used axe shape seems to have developed to maximize the power of the arm through the hands (palm).
"I think it's only a matter of
time before the axe-shaped handle is the standard," said Hugh Tompkins,
the director of research and development for Baden Sports, a
Seattle-area company that created the Axe Bat, which this year received
permission from Major League Baseball for in-game use. "The
round-handled bat will be like a rotary telephone."
The Axe Bat replaces the knob
with an oval-shaped handle that tapers into a curved, angled bottom.
The Axe bat that grew out of a simple question: Why does the knob – the
one piece of the bat known to hurt players, particularly those who grip
it on the lower edge of the palm and put their hamate bones in danger –
still exist when it imperils those it's supposed to help?
The current shape of most bats with the knob at the bottom is to keep the lower hand on the bat during the swing motion. If the knob was not at the bottom, the bat could be fly out of the players' hands. Even the Axe bat has a contoured bottom to keep the hand from slipping off.
Can a flatter hand surface help create more power and stability of a batter than a round bat? There is not enough statistical evidence to draw any conclusion. But it is an interesting innovation.
June 20, 2015
3000 HITS
Alex Rodriguez became the 29th player in major league history to make it to 3,000 hits.
He hit a home run in his first at bat.
It is semi-ironic since A-Rod is going to be remembered throughout history as one of those who used performance enhancing drugs to power his way through the record books.
Many believe that it does not matter. Baseball history is filled with stories of players trying to get an edge, from scuffing the ball to taking uppers. Steroid use will only be a footnote in the Cooperstown history book.
The discussion usually centers upon how hard is it to get 3,000 hits.
From the standpoint of a full time starter, and qualification for a batting title (502 at bats), that means a career .300 hitter would get 150 hits per season. The simple calculation is that a player needs 150 hits per season for 20 years.
Is it harder to get 300 wins?
A starter will have 32 chances each season. Even if he wins half his games (16), he would need 18.75 seasons to get to 300. But pitchers rarely make all 32 starts, or average 16 wins a season for an entire career. Greg Maddux had 15 or more wins in 18 of his 23 seasons as a major league pitcher to total 355 career wins. There are only 24 players with 300 wins.
But now with pitch counts and specialty relievers in the bullpen, starters may not get the chance to gain wins if they are only required to pitch 5 or 6 innings per contest even in tied or close games.
The consensus is that it is harder to get 300 wins than 3,000 hits.
He hit a home run in his first at bat.
It is semi-ironic since A-Rod is going to be remembered throughout history as one of those who used performance enhancing drugs to power his way through the record books.
Many believe that it does not matter. Baseball history is filled with stories of players trying to get an edge, from scuffing the ball to taking uppers. Steroid use will only be a footnote in the Cooperstown history book.
The discussion usually centers upon how hard is it to get 3,000 hits.
From the standpoint of a full time starter, and qualification for a batting title (502 at bats), that means a career .300 hitter would get 150 hits per season. The simple calculation is that a player needs 150 hits per season for 20 years.
Is it harder to get 300 wins?
A starter will have 32 chances each season. Even if he wins half his games (16), he would need 18.75 seasons to get to 300. But pitchers rarely make all 32 starts, or average 16 wins a season for an entire career. Greg Maddux had 15 or more wins in 18 of his 23 seasons as a major league pitcher to total 355 career wins. There are only 24 players with 300 wins.
But now with pitch counts and specialty relievers in the bullpen, starters may not get the chance to gain wins if they are only required to pitch 5 or 6 innings per contest even in tied or close games.
The consensus is that it is harder to get 300 wins than 3,000 hits.
June 12, 2015
FIRST PERFECT GAME
Image credit: WikiCommons
The Worcester Evening Gazette wrote it was "a wonderful shut out" and "the best baseball game on record" but the first use of the term "perfect game" did not appear until a 1909 Washington Post article.
Richmond was a star baseball and football player at Brown University. In fact, he started his pro career while still captaining Brown's team. In his first ever pro start—an exhibition game for which he was paid $10 on June 2, 1879—Richmond threw a no-hitter. He would throw a second no-hitter that same season for Worcester, all while still competing on the collegiate level.
The perfect game came in the midst of a 42-inning scoreless streak pitched by Richmond. That's almost 5 complete games.
Five days after Richmond made baseball history, John Ward tossed the second perfect game ever. But this hardly became the trend. Although the first two perfect games were thrown within a week of one another, the third perfect game in the National League—then the sole Major League—wouldn't occur for another 84 years.
May 6, 2015
LASTING LEGENDS
Perhaps since it is the oldest American sport, baseball legends have a shelf life that lasts multiple generations. The best current example of this was today's article marking the 100th anniversary of Babe Ruth's first home run.
It never occurred to me that anyone would be interested in knowing that on May 6, 1915 Ruth hit his first of 714 major league home runs.
But even today's causal fans know about Ruth. He was a larger than life legend from the Golden Age.
He began as a pitcher with the Red Sox. The team owner got in financial trouble, so he sold Ruth to the dreaded rival New York Yankees. This led to the Curse of the Bambino, an excuse fostered by Red Sox fans for decades since their team failed while the Yankees became a championship dynasty.
Ruth, being in New York, held the attention of the national media. He was a celebrity. His off the field pursuits, beer, food, women, were covered as much as the game stories. He was an every man and a superman. His home run totals for his era far exceeded his peers. His career WAR is still the gold standard for player performance.
But why does his legacy endure?
Today, we have only scratchy black and white short films and photographs of Ruth. He looks like a large grizzly bear at the plate whipping a stick through the strike zone. He does not look like a modern baseball player.
But the connection is that baseball adores its history. It is stat driven game where people can compare eras based upon objective evidence. Old baseball tales were the bar stories for generations. Fathers past down stories from their fathers to their sons. When a fan base appreciates their sport's history, old players can have a lasting legacy.
It never occurred to me that anyone would be interested in knowing that on May 6, 1915 Ruth hit his first of 714 major league home runs.
But even today's causal fans know about Ruth. He was a larger than life legend from the Golden Age.
He began as a pitcher with the Red Sox. The team owner got in financial trouble, so he sold Ruth to the dreaded rival New York Yankees. This led to the Curse of the Bambino, an excuse fostered by Red Sox fans for decades since their team failed while the Yankees became a championship dynasty.
Ruth, being in New York, held the attention of the national media. He was a celebrity. His off the field pursuits, beer, food, women, were covered as much as the game stories. He was an every man and a superman. His home run totals for his era far exceeded his peers. His career WAR is still the gold standard for player performance.
But why does his legacy endure?
Today, we have only scratchy black and white short films and photographs of Ruth. He looks like a large grizzly bear at the plate whipping a stick through the strike zone. He does not look like a modern baseball player.
But the connection is that baseball adores its history. It is stat driven game where people can compare eras based upon objective evidence. Old baseball tales were the bar stories for generations. Fathers past down stories from their fathers to their sons. When a fan base appreciates their sport's history, old players can have a lasting legacy.
November 26, 2014
A BAD CLUE
The Cubs are in the midst of a massive outfield bleacher tear down.
But not letting the destruction go to waste, the Cubs are selling off pieces of the ball park as "authentic" Wrigley souvenirs. For a historical ball park, one would think you would try to preserve as much history as possible (even recent history). Instead, it screams of trying to squeeze another buck or two out of the tired fan base.
The Cubs announced that Cubs Authentics, their official provider of game-used and authenticated memorabilia, has introduced the Wrigley Field Collection for fans looking to collect unique items from the historic ballpark. The Wrigley Field Collection will feature authenticated items in limited quantities throughout the season, including bleacher seats, flags, scoreboard tiles, signage and celebrity-guest memorabilia, plus items related to Wrigley's restoration and expansion.
It also shows that ownership is not the preservationists that some believed when they bought the team from the Tribune. It is like saying to third parties "here are pieces of old Wrigley Field, you keep and preserve them yourself." And many people will gladly do that because it is a physical reminder of past memories at the ball park.
Past memories that will most likely be jolted on Opening Night with the wash of electronic scoreboard lights akin to Times Square.
There is precedence for grave robbing an old ball yard. Old Comiskey Park had an auction when it was determined that the Cell was going to replace it. Thousands of people showed up one weekend to bid on signs, seats, the old scoreboard pin wheels to even toilets. It was the south side garage sale of garage sales. Everything was going to go either to a new home or the land fill.
Why would the Cubs sell "scoreboard tiles?" The answer is simple: the iconic CF scoreboard is going to be retired as the new large Jumbotron will take its place. And, it cuts back on the payroll of the manual scoreboard operators. And who wants 7th inning singers autographs on a program or Pat Hughes napkin? It seems nothing cannot be monetized by the Cubs business managers.
But not letting the destruction go to waste, the Cubs are selling off pieces of the ball park as "authentic" Wrigley souvenirs. For a historical ball park, one would think you would try to preserve as much history as possible (even recent history). Instead, it screams of trying to squeeze another buck or two out of the tired fan base.
The Cubs announced that Cubs Authentics, their official provider of game-used and authenticated memorabilia, has introduced the Wrigley Field Collection for fans looking to collect unique items from the historic ballpark. The Wrigley Field Collection will feature authenticated items in limited quantities throughout the season, including bleacher seats, flags, scoreboard tiles, signage and celebrity-guest memorabilia, plus items related to Wrigley's restoration and expansion.
It also shows that ownership is not the preservationists that some believed when they bought the team from the Tribune. It is like saying to third parties "here are pieces of old Wrigley Field, you keep and preserve them yourself." And many people will gladly do that because it is a physical reminder of past memories at the ball park.
Past memories that will most likely be jolted on Opening Night with the wash of electronic scoreboard lights akin to Times Square.
There is precedence for grave robbing an old ball yard. Old Comiskey Park had an auction when it was determined that the Cell was going to replace it. Thousands of people showed up one weekend to bid on signs, seats, the old scoreboard pin wheels to even toilets. It was the south side garage sale of garage sales. Everything was going to go either to a new home or the land fill.
Why would the Cubs sell "scoreboard tiles?" The answer is simple: the iconic CF scoreboard is going to be retired as the new large Jumbotron will take its place. And, it cuts back on the payroll of the manual scoreboard operators. And who wants 7th inning singers autographs on a program or Pat Hughes napkin? It seems nothing cannot be monetized by the Cubs business managers.
July 30, 2014
THE LONGEST TIME
Here has been the pattern of Edwin Jackson starts: watch just the first inning. Game over.
Last night, the pattern held true, with the Cubs down 3-1 to the Rockies.
Nothing more to see.
It was just as well.
The Cubs set a few records. It was the longest game in club history at 6 hours 27 minutes. So much for the early morning curfew.
And the first Cub position player, John Baker, got the pitching victory. It had never happened before in club lore, not even by accident. Also, Baker scored the winning run in the 16th inning.
Both the Rockies and the Cubs used up their entire bullpens by the end of the 15th inning. The Rockies, which are as bad as the Cubs, had not scored since the first. Colorado used a starter while Rick Renteria went to Baker, who had not pitched in jest since the Cape Code league.
The Cubs had to grind through more than 6 hours of action in order to get a victory from an Edwin Jackson start. Early in the game, there was some discussion whether Jackson would be demoted to the bullpen or even released. But neither makes any sense since the Cubs really have no starter to replace him.
Jackson has a pattern of giving up runs in the first inning. Lots of runs.
Steve Stone remarked earlier this season that some pitchers do not take enough warm up pitches in their pregame routine. It means that they do not have their arm stretched fully for speed and control. In other words, the first inning and higher pitch count is a result of not being fully warmed up. Then pitchers seem to settle in after the second inning. One could wonder if this is Jackson's problem (since he really did not have it when he was with the White Sox and pitching guru Don Cooper).
If that is the simple solution, it will save an already taxed bullpen, which had reliever Neil Ramirez's arm fatigue go on the 15 day DL (instead of Iowa for "rest" because of player's union objection since a disabled player still gets major league salary and service time).
Last night, the pattern held true, with the Cubs down 3-1 to the Rockies.
Nothing more to see.
It was just as well.
The Cubs set a few records. It was the longest game in club history at 6 hours 27 minutes. So much for the early morning curfew.
And the first Cub position player, John Baker, got the pitching victory. It had never happened before in club lore, not even by accident. Also, Baker scored the winning run in the 16th inning.
Both the Rockies and the Cubs used up their entire bullpens by the end of the 15th inning. The Rockies, which are as bad as the Cubs, had not scored since the first. Colorado used a starter while Rick Renteria went to Baker, who had not pitched in jest since the Cape Code league.
The Cubs had to grind through more than 6 hours of action in order to get a victory from an Edwin Jackson start. Early in the game, there was some discussion whether Jackson would be demoted to the bullpen or even released. But neither makes any sense since the Cubs really have no starter to replace him.
Jackson has a pattern of giving up runs in the first inning. Lots of runs.
Steve Stone remarked earlier this season that some pitchers do not take enough warm up pitches in their pregame routine. It means that they do not have their arm stretched fully for speed and control. In other words, the first inning and higher pitch count is a result of not being fully warmed up. Then pitchers seem to settle in after the second inning. One could wonder if this is Jackson's problem (since he really did not have it when he was with the White Sox and pitching guru Don Cooper).
If that is the simple solution, it will save an already taxed bullpen, which had reliever Neil Ramirez's arm fatigue go on the 15 day DL (instead of Iowa for "rest" because of player's union objection since a disabled player still gets major league salary and service time).
February 28, 2014
PROSPECT LISTS
Prospect lists are merely speculative exercises to project talent two, three, four or five years down the road. They may cause instant happiness to a fan base, but all such lists should be taken with a grain of salt.
Under current management, there have been 12 Cub prospects listed in the Top 100 lists, but only 1 (Rizzo) has made it to the majors in the last three years. And of those 12 prospects, 4 have dropped off the list without making any contribution to the Cubs major league roster (that is 1/3 of the total). And if 2002 is a guide, only 2 players on the current list will probably make it to the majors with some success. Only two of the prospects listed were drafted by the current front office (Bryant, Johnson). The rest were in the system or acquired by trade, which shows that after concentrating on drafting pitching the last two seasons, only one has made the good prospect radar.
Baseball America
announced their annual Top 100 baseball list. Seven Cubs made the 2014 Top 100:
#5-- SS Javier Baez
#8-- 3B Kris Bryant
#28-- RHP C.J. Edwards
#36-- OF Albert Almora
#41-- OF Jorge Soler
#87-- RHP Pierce Johnson
#100-- 2B Arismendy Alcantara
Last year, the Cubs had only four players on the list: Baez, Almora, Soler, and Arodys Vizcaino.
In 2012, the Cubs had Brett Jackson, Anthony Rizzo, Baez and Matt Szczur on the list.
In 2011, the Cubs had only Brett Jackson and pitcher Trey McNutt on the list.
As a further cautionary tale, the last time the Cubs had seven players on the Top 100 list was 2002:
#2 -- P Mark Prior
#6 -- P Juan Cruz
#40 -- 1B Hee Seop Choi
#45 -- 3B David Kelton
#48 -- 2B Bobby Hill
#68 -- OF Nic Jackson
#80 -- P Carlos Zambrano
Only two of those prospects on the 2002 list had any long major league careers: Zambrano, as a starter, and Cruz, who was merely a bullpen arm. Choi and Hill were used as chips to acquire Aramis Ramirez and Derek Lee, but as prospects Choi and Hill were busts.
Only two of those prospects on the 2002 list had any long major league careers: Zambrano, as a starter, and Cruz, who was merely a bullpen arm. Choi and Hill were used as chips to acquire Aramis Ramirez and Derek Lee, but as prospects Choi and Hill were busts.
Under current management, there have been 12 Cub prospects listed in the Top 100 lists, but only 1 (Rizzo) has made it to the majors in the last three years. And of those 12 prospects, 4 have dropped off the list without making any contribution to the Cubs major league roster (that is 1/3 of the total). And if 2002 is a guide, only 2 players on the current list will probably make it to the majors with some success. Only two of the prospects listed were drafted by the current front office (Bryant, Johnson). The rest were in the system or acquired by trade, which shows that after concentrating on drafting pitching the last two seasons, only one has made the good prospect radar.
December 4, 2013
WRIGLEY EDITION
Sports Illustrated has a special edition on the news stands. It is devoted to Wrigley Field. It shows the history in photographs and features for the past 99 years. 2014 will mark the centennial of the ball park. It has been the venue for baseball, football (the Bears and college), soccer and other events like concerts.
Wrigley Field is a iconic place. It has the old architectural charm of brick and mortar craftsman's age of America around World War I. It has the retro-look of a manual scoreboard and ivy covered brick outfield walls. The seats are close to the field, giving it a cozy feeling as compared to the concrete and steel mushroom stadiums built in the 1970s.
But as much as Wrigley has a fantastic history, this special magazine edition marks the end of its era.
If you read it carefully, it is the new business plan for the Ricketts family. Ricketts wants to change Wrigley from a "baseball venue" to an all-purpose entertainment complex like the Sears Center in Hoffman Estates, or United Center in Chicago. The views of the neighborhood past the outfield walls will now be blocked by large advertising signs and an electronic scoreboard. The old charm of an old ball park is being made over into a gaudy street walker. How many 100 year old painted ladies do you find wandering the streets for money?
As one of the largest tourist sites in Illinois, Wrigley Field draws people to games not because of the team but because it is a place that fathers can take their children as their fathers took them decades earlier. It is the tradition. It is the last Field of Dreams space in professional baseball. It is a place where a grandparent could tell their grand child about the Babe Ruth home run call; and fans can quickly imagine what it was like to be at that game.
For some fans, the ball park is the bigger connection to the site than the Cubs. And that connection, to the architecture, the sight lines, and the living history of the place will soon be over run by commercialization. Sure, some fans will come to see what changes were made to their ball park; but after that, there is no guarantee that they will return to their Wrigley Field.
Wrigley Field is a iconic place. It has the old architectural charm of brick and mortar craftsman's age of America around World War I. It has the retro-look of a manual scoreboard and ivy covered brick outfield walls. The seats are close to the field, giving it a cozy feeling as compared to the concrete and steel mushroom stadiums built in the 1970s.
But as much as Wrigley has a fantastic history, this special magazine edition marks the end of its era.
If you read it carefully, it is the new business plan for the Ricketts family. Ricketts wants to change Wrigley from a "baseball venue" to an all-purpose entertainment complex like the Sears Center in Hoffman Estates, or United Center in Chicago. The views of the neighborhood past the outfield walls will now be blocked by large advertising signs and an electronic scoreboard. The old charm of an old ball park is being made over into a gaudy street walker. How many 100 year old painted ladies do you find wandering the streets for money?
As one of the largest tourist sites in Illinois, Wrigley Field draws people to games not because of the team but because it is a place that fathers can take their children as their fathers took them decades earlier. It is the tradition. It is the last Field of Dreams space in professional baseball. It is a place where a grandparent could tell their grand child about the Babe Ruth home run call; and fans can quickly imagine what it was like to be at that game.
For some fans, the ball park is the bigger connection to the site than the Cubs. And that connection, to the architecture, the sight lines, and the living history of the place will soon be over run by commercialization. Sure, some fans will come to see what changes were made to their ball park; but after that, there is no guarantee that they will return to their Wrigley Field.
August 13, 2013
HOME GROWN TALENT
Deadspin linked to an interesting article written by Domenic Lanza. He decided to sort through the major league rosters to find each team's Home Grown Talent. It is an exercise to show how well each team's drafting and minor league development has been at the major league level. It would also show what teams would look like if MLB had a "no trade rule," i.e. you had to develop your own talent.
He penned the following Cubs roster:
He penned the following Cubs roster:
Chicago Cubs
Starting Pitchers
• Andrew Cashner
• Jon Garland
• Kyle Lohse
• Ricky Nolasco
• Jeff Samardzija
Bullpen
• Al Alburquerque
• Jerry Blevins
• Scott Downs
• Rich Hill
• Carlos Marmol
• Sean Marshall
• James Russell
Catchers
• Jose Molina
• Geovany Soto
Infielders
• Darwin Barney
• Starlin Castro
• Ronny Cedeno
• Josh Donaldson
• Ryan Flaherty
• Josh Vitters
Outfielders
• Tony Campana
• Tyler Colvin
• Sam Fuld
• Brett Jackson
• Junior Lake
Lanza opined that this is a bad team. There’s some young talent in Cashner Castro, and Lake but such a club would be near last place in any league. As a result, he can see why Epstein had to blow up the minors to rebuild.
What is interesting is that only five Cubs on their current roster are farm hands, and one (Lake) is playing out of position. Also, most of the Cub talent are utility-bench players and not full time starters.
Starting Pitchers
• Andrew Cashner
• Jon Garland
• Kyle Lohse
• Ricky Nolasco
• Jeff Samardzija
Bullpen
• Al Alburquerque
• Jerry Blevins
• Scott Downs
• Rich Hill
• Carlos Marmol
• Sean Marshall
• James Russell
Catchers
• Jose Molina
• Geovany Soto
Infielders
• Darwin Barney
• Starlin Castro
• Ronny Cedeno
• Josh Donaldson
• Ryan Flaherty
• Josh Vitters
Outfielders
• Tony Campana
• Tyler Colvin
• Sam Fuld
• Brett Jackson
• Junior Lake
Lanza opined that this is a bad team. There’s some young talent in Cashner Castro, and Lake but such a club would be near last place in any league. As a result, he can see why Epstein had to blow up the minors to rebuild.
What is interesting is that only five Cubs on their current roster are farm hands, and one (Lake) is playing out of position. Also, most of the Cub talent are utility-bench players and not full time starters.
August 12, 2013
BEST POSITION PLAYERS
During the low scoring aspects of the Cubs-Cardinals weekend series, the thought of how long has it been since the Cubs had a quality player at each position came to mind.
LF: Soriano, circa 2012 with 33 HR, 108 RBI
CF: Dernier, circa 1984 with 45 SB
RF: Sosa, circa 2001 with 64 HR, 160 RBI
3B: Ramirez, circa 2011, 26 HR, 93 RBI, .301 BA
SS: Castro, circa 2011, 10 HR 66 RBI, .307 BA
2B: Sandberg, circa 1991, 26 HR, 100 RBI, .291 BA
1B: Lee, circa 2009, 35 HR, 111 RBI, .306 BA
C: Barrett, circa 2006, 16 HR, 53 RBI, .307 BA
Those may not have been an individual player's "best season" but it was still the last quality or impact season for the Cubs. What is interesting is how long the Cubs have lacked impact performance from a position. (Yes, people can debate that this does not take into consideration pure defensive players, but baseball teams need consistent impact offensive players in order to compete.)
People tend to forget that Soriano had a very productive season in 2012 on a very bad team. The Cubs decided that Ramirez was too expensive after his quality 2011 season so he went into free agency. Castro from 2011 is what most fans expected would continue on. (Castro is really the only current player on this list).
Then quality position players quickly drop off into history:
2009 for first baseman Lee. Rizzo is supposed to be the solid core for this spot for years, but he still has not surpassed Lee's last season before his wrist injury.
2006 for catcher Barrett. He may be remembered for the dugout fight with Zambrano, but Barrett was the most consistent offensive catcher the Cubs have had in a long while.
2001 for right field Sosa. Yes, many people believe that Sosa allegedly enhanced his performance, but the Cubs have not gotten the explosive performance from a right fielder since.
1991 for second baseman Sandberg. Sandberg is a Hall of Famer for both offense and defense. The Cubs have not had an impact second baseman since Sandberg. It would seem that this position is trending like third base after Ron Santo retired; no one has taken hold of it.
1984 for center fielder Dernier. This is a surprise since Dernier patrolled CF 29 years ago. But he was a quality defender, a good lead off man, and base stealer. He set the table for the Cubs team. Currently, the Cubs rotate in journeymen outfielders to play center.
If you average the years since a quality position player, the result is 9.8 years. It is possible that the Cubs could plug prospects into the sinkholes of C, RF, CF or believe that current players at SS and 1B will improve to be impact players. But it seems that it takes almost a decade to find a replacement player for an impact player.
LF: Soriano, circa 2012 with 33 HR, 108 RBI
CF: Dernier, circa 1984 with 45 SB
RF: Sosa, circa 2001 with 64 HR, 160 RBI
3B: Ramirez, circa 2011, 26 HR, 93 RBI, .301 BA
SS: Castro, circa 2011, 10 HR 66 RBI, .307 BA
2B: Sandberg, circa 1991, 26 HR, 100 RBI, .291 BA
1B: Lee, circa 2009, 35 HR, 111 RBI, .306 BA
C: Barrett, circa 2006, 16 HR, 53 RBI, .307 BA
Those may not have been an individual player's "best season" but it was still the last quality or impact season for the Cubs. What is interesting is how long the Cubs have lacked impact performance from a position. (Yes, people can debate that this does not take into consideration pure defensive players, but baseball teams need consistent impact offensive players in order to compete.)
People tend to forget that Soriano had a very productive season in 2012 on a very bad team. The Cubs decided that Ramirez was too expensive after his quality 2011 season so he went into free agency. Castro from 2011 is what most fans expected would continue on. (Castro is really the only current player on this list).
Then quality position players quickly drop off into history:
2009 for first baseman Lee. Rizzo is supposed to be the solid core for this spot for years, but he still has not surpassed Lee's last season before his wrist injury.
2006 for catcher Barrett. He may be remembered for the dugout fight with Zambrano, but Barrett was the most consistent offensive catcher the Cubs have had in a long while.
2001 for right field Sosa. Yes, many people believe that Sosa allegedly enhanced his performance, but the Cubs have not gotten the explosive performance from a right fielder since.
1991 for second baseman Sandberg. Sandberg is a Hall of Famer for both offense and defense. The Cubs have not had an impact second baseman since Sandberg. It would seem that this position is trending like third base after Ron Santo retired; no one has taken hold of it.
1984 for center fielder Dernier. This is a surprise since Dernier patrolled CF 29 years ago. But he was a quality defender, a good lead off man, and base stealer. He set the table for the Cubs team. Currently, the Cubs rotate in journeymen outfielders to play center.
If you average the years since a quality position player, the result is 9.8 years. It is possible that the Cubs could plug prospects into the sinkholes of C, RF, CF or believe that current players at SS and 1B will improve to be impact players. But it seems that it takes almost a decade to find a replacement player for an impact player.
May 19, 2012
THE OVER-PRAISE OF WOOD
ESPNChicago poll question: is Kerry Wood in the Top 50 Cubs of all time?
It is an insult to the Cub legacy to vote yes.
As predicted, the admiration, dolting excess of pro-Wood media attention is on full bore.
But to even think Wood was the greatest Cub of all time???
Maybe the greatest disappointment of all time, as "Kid K" came to the majors with
the expectations of being the next Nolan Ryan.
But Wood's career was not even close to being considered a Hall of Famer.
He was not a dominate pitcher. As a starter, 86 wins is below average for time in the majors.
As a reliever, he was never a dominate closer with 63 saves. He stayed in the game longer
than most because of his dazzling start as a rookie and his old stats that he had a 95 mph fastball.
Power pitchers are the golden arms for general managers.
It is false praise to even consider Wood as one of the greatest Cubs of all time.
Take off the blinders, people. The objective evidence shows Wood may be a fan icon, but
not a great player.
Just look at the Cubs enshrined in Cooperstown. It is not easy to get voted in (ask Santo):
| Pete Alexander | 1918-1926 |
| Cap Anson * | 1876-1897 |
| Richie Ashburn | 1960-1961 |
| Ernie Banks * | 1953-1971 |
| Roger Bresnahan | 1900, 1913-1915 |
| Lou Brock | 1961-1964 |
| Mordecai Brown * | 1904-1912, 1916 |
| Frank Chance * | 1898-1912 |
| John Clarkson | 1884-1887 |
| Kiki Cuyler | 1928-1935 |
| Dizzy Dean | 1938-1941 |
| Hugh Duffy | 1888-1889 |
| Dennis Eckersley | 1984-1986 |
| Johnny Evers * | 1902-1913 |
| Jimmie Foxx | 1942, 1944 |
| Clark Griffith | 1893-1900 |
| Burleigh Grimes | 1932-1933 |
| Gabby Hartnett * | 1922-1940 |
| Billy Herman * | 1931-1941 |
| Rogers Hornsby | 1929-1932 |
| Monte Irvin | 1956 |
| Fergie Jenkins * | 1966-1973, 1982-1983 |
| George Kelly | 1930 |
| King Kelly * | 1880-1886 |
| Ralph Kiner | 1953-1954 |
| Chuck Klein | 1934-1936 |
| Tony Lazzeri | 1938 |
| Fred Lindstrom | 1935 |
| Rabbit Maranville | 1925 |
| Robin Roberts | 1966 |
| Ryne Sandberg* | 1982-1997 |
| Ron Santo* | 1960-74 |
| Al Spalding | 1876-1878 |
| Joe Tinker * | 1902-1912, 1916 |
| Rube Waddell | 1901 |
| Hoyt Wilhelm | 1970 |
| Billy Williams * | 1959-1974 |
| Hack Wilson * | 1926-1931 |
| * Played more games with the Cubs than any other team. | |
There is 38 players right there.
And there are the players on the HOF ballot like Lee Smith and Bruce Sutter.
And there are hundreds of other good players who were All-Stars and had long, productive careers who played with the Cubs like Rick Monday, Bill Buckner, Don Kessinger, Gabby Harnett, Rick Reuschel, all were clearly better than Wood.
How Wood's name gets into the discussion of greatest Cubs of all time shows the lack of baseball intelligence. Which is probably the explanation why the Cubs continue to draw with really bad teams; with players who also have limited baseball intelligence on the diamond. Maybe that is the Cub fan connection that keeps the franchise in limbo: hoisting praise on mediocre stars.
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