HALFWAY POINT: WHAT LESSONS ARE LEARNED? at Cubsquest.com

9 July:

The Cubs have what is probably a much needed day off.

The White Sox series will be followed by the four day All Star break. This, too, will allow some of the little "owies" and just plain exhaustion, both physical and mental, to subside.

It"s also a time for...
Check it out at Cubsquest.comHALFWAY POINT: WHAT LESSONS ARE LEARNED?

CUBS, STROP COUGH UP LOSS TO CARDS

8 July:

Somebody famous once said ‘doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results’ – a paraphrase, for sure.

But it always did ring true. BTW, it was, indeed, Alfred Einstein. You all knew that one.

Joe Maddon is not a physicist. He’s an scientist performing ART. An alchemist in the truest sense of the word.

Merlin the magician, born in 1136 although most likely a composite, would heartily accept one Joseph John Maddon, an Aquarius from Hazleton, Pa.

They would have gotten along just fine.

However, when you mix and make magical potions for a living things can go, invariably, wrong.

The Cub Cardinal game tonight comes front and center in this deep story rife with talismans. The potion would be three parts Jason Hammel to two parts Rizzo, a sizeable pinch of Bryant, and hoping the bench guys (Denorfia, Coghlan) can pick up for the non-producers.

Starlin Castro.

If ever a player as hit his dead end in this city it’s him.

Even the local media has tossed him overboard, pretty much unceremoniously, about a month ago.

You won’t read an article out there that doesn’t exalt a struggling Addison Russell over the possessor of over 1,00o hits at 26 out there.

BIG change.

Look at it THIS way:

Would any other team have given a player with his demonstrable weaknesses SUCH an opportunity?

Luis Valbuena is another prime example. A minimally skilled player, was given a shot at driving the baseball, and he became a .226 hitter who can hit 16 homers in 520 at  bats.

He’s got 19 homers in the amusement park in Houston while hitting .203.

With only THIRTY SIX rbi’s. Lot’s of solo homers there. And very little contact. Castro is just a better version; more talent, less game. But essentially fringe players.

Castro will never see another All Star game. Why is all of this important?

Because no matter HOW good a magician, he needs to have the right mix of potions. And, once again, the weak spots in a crucial situation were the aforementioned shortstop and Pedro Strop.

How many epic fails by these guys do you really need to see?

Strop can be demoted back to the 6th and 7th, where he can just mow people when he has a lead.

Castro is just a black hole in the middle of a team desperate to win. He makes a little contact tonight and Strop is an afterthought.

The rest of the team played GREAT.

That’s the most agonizing thing about it…

Off day tomorrow. The White Sox throw stud draft pick Carlos Rondon against Kyle Hendricks; 3:05 start, CSN TV, WBBM radio

CUBS, STROP COUGH UP LOSS TO CARDS

CHRIS DENORFIA: JUST HOW IMPORTANT IS HE?

7 July:

He had a nice spring, although once again shortened by nagging leg issues. Started the season hot, and then pulled the hamstring yet again. Landed him on the DL, and he wasn’t very happy about it. You see, guys like Denorfia think they’ve died and gone to puppy heaven getting to play at Wrigley.

Having played for the Reds, A’s and Padres he’s used to a sparser crowd, for instance.

Not to mention the peripherals of being here. The media presence, the national nature of the franchise and such.

Yep, he was damn happy to be offered that one year, $2.6 million with $400 k in incentives. He also knew how good they are going to be. Already he’s become one of the most valuable guys on the team.

His .330/.364/.784 ops sure helps.

So, too does his defensive flexibility; he’s a better outfielder than Coghlan (and Soler as well) and gives you slightly above average play at the corners and average at center.

His swing is what he calls ‘low maintenance swing’. He hits a lot with his hands, and off of his front foot. But he keeps his hip rotation tight and can explode when given a center cut meatball. He has more power than you think but is quite pleased to put a lot of spin, both top and back on balls depending on the situation.

He keeps it on the ground but jerked a walkoff sacrifice fly when tasked to.

The Wheaton College grad hails from ESPN’s backyard in Bristol, Connecticut. The 34 year old knows the time is now to make a grab at the golden ring both for himself and the team, and is taking it all with a fervor.

The Cubs have a lot of rookies, and some of them either playing out of position, or learning one on the fly. They needed a couple of skilled role players, and added Dexter Fowler.

But they might have grabbed their biggest steal right here…

CHRIS DENORFIA: JUST HOW IMPORTANT IS HE?

CUBS WIN FIRST GAME; SECOND ONE ABOUT TO START

7 July:

On an unseasonably cool but still beautiful July afternoon Jake Arrieta sailed briskly through the batting order of the St Louis Cardinals. Striking out four and scattering seven hits over 6 2/3 strong, he left with a precarious 3-1 lead and runners on.

Through no fault of his own.

Home plate umpire missed a two strike pitch right on the black; perfect execution by Arrieta but he didn’t get the call. Tony Cruz ended up getting their  third straight hit, all of the ‘scratch’ variety.

It knocked the Cub ace and winner (9-5, 2.80 and no All Star bid- yet) out. But for once, the Cub offense rose up and made as statement.

A four run 8th, capped by a two run shot(16) off of Anthony Rizzo, his third hit off of a left hander on the afternoon. This sent the delighted crowd of 34,368 into the local watering holes and such quite happy.

Not the Cub team, however.

They have another game in a couple hours. Take a nap, stretch and get ready for a nightcap against a team they desperately need to beat twice in a row…

CUBS WIN FIRST GAME; SECOND ONE ABOUT TO START

CUBS FALL APART LATE, LOSE TO CARDS

7 July:

It was a good game for a while.

A killer duel between Jon Lester, who threw maybe his best game as a Cub, AND got his first major league hit after 66 tries, and John Lackey of the St Louis Cardinals.

It was a scoreless duel until the 6th, with Lester spinning a no hitter. Lackey was just as good, but that’s where the comparisons end. The Cardinals made all the plays, the Cubs didn’t, and they lost.

Rains stopped the game in the 8th, and when play resumed Edward ‘Iron Mike’ Jackson, the world’s most expensive batting machine made sure any hope was dashed with a very ugly 9th where he allowed 4 runs to score, making the final  6-0.

But it didn’t matter. It was over at 2-0.

The Cubs, a defensively challenged and unbalanced team, just does NOT match up well with a solid fundamental team like the Cardinals, in spite of arguably having more talent.

Kris Bryant’s throwing error was the difference, making both runs against Lester unearned. On the other side, Kolten Wong’s athletic double play killed the only real Cub rally. Once again proving the time honored axiom ‘ defense wins championships’.

It just does. The Cub organization better get hip to this, and fast.

They already have a black hole at shortstop, and Kris Bryant is not going to finish his career at 3rd, either. Soler is an adventure in right, Russell is out of position and learning at the major league level.

Miguel Montero can’t throw anyone out, and Jon Lester can’t keep anyone at first.

Hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but this is the situation. They can beat the mediocre clubs, and hang in with better ones with issues. The Cardinals, who have now taken 7 out of the last 8 meetings, stand in total opposition to the Cubs.

They are a colorless, unexciting bunch for the most part, with having the sole exception of fitting together virtually perfectly as a organic whole.

It’s why they’re beating everybody; it’s why San Francisco beats everyone as well.

The are TEAMS. They play baseball the way it’s meant to be played, not the way the media wants it. No overpaid sluggers swinging from the heels, no pouting stars unhappy with contracts, no posing, pointing to the stars after hitting the first homer of the year, and on.

The Cubs are still a collection of baseball players managed to the best effect they can be by a magician.

Something needs to change. Everyone can see it.

Just a matter of when…

Day/Night double header tomorrow, first game 12:20 start, WGN TV, second one 7:05 game, Dallas Beeler up from AAA gets the nod against Tyler Lyons, CSN TV, both WBBM radio

 

 

CUBS FALL APART LATE, LOSE TO CARDS

JULY 3, 2015

3 July:

The #New York Mets are certainly glad the Chicago Cubs are done with them.

The Cubs took all seven contests this year; finishing with a decisive 6-1 getaway day game Thursday. Jake Arrieta (W, 8-5) out dueled Jacob deGrom (L, 8-6) in a game that was a little closer than the score reflected.

Nursing a fairly precarious 4-1 lead, the #Cubs broke it open with a 2 run shot off of Miguel Montero’s bat in the 9th. That matched Jonathan Herrera’s first of the year earlier, with Mike Baxter aboard.

The Mets just flat out can’t hit. The baseball gods punished the New York organization; it’s one thing to have a boatload of good pitchers but another to have Dan Murphy (.284/4/29) as your best guy.

You HAVE to score a run every now or then.

The #Cubs are a little- not a lot, but enough- more balanced, they have good enough pitching and a little more hitting. They had the snake bit Met club right where they wanted them; on their heels and reactive.

Arrieta went 8 strong; giving up only one run while striking out 7 and walking none.

Meanwhile, the #Chicago #White Sox, owner’s of the worst record in the AL, took on the St Louis Cardinals, with not only the best record in the NL but the best home record in the game and beat them in a pair of contests.

The Cubs picked up 2 1/2 games in the process.

That’s the gods speaking yet again; the lesson there is that NO team is that good (the Cards) nor is any team that bad (White Sox), and the Cards did their part by playing a horrible game Wednesday night.

They looked just awful out there; Kolten Wong kicking double play balls, a left handed reliever hitting both left handers he faced, a throw clanking off of Matt Carpenter’s mitt, and so on.

Welcome to the real world, St Louis. This is what happens to mere mortal teams.

Their lofty record will come back to earth, although maybe not enough for anyone to catch them. They could pretty much play .480 ball the rest of the way out and win 92 games.

Still, it was good to see. #Chris Sale mowing them on Tuesday was fun to watch.

The other lesson is that the Cubs are only out of this IF they choose to be. This league is closer than anyone thinks, and good teams stay close and move if they get hot.

Organizations like the Cards, San Francisco and Atlanta come to mind. You won’t win every year, but if you have a professional club who can hang in there you just MIGHT catch some lightning.

Theo has that choice coming up. Make a bold move or stand pat.

The All Star break is coming in a few weeks. We’ll all know a lot more by then…

#Jason Hammel takes on T#om Koehler (6-4, 3.66) Friday; 1:20 start, CSN TV, ESPN2, WBBM radio

Cardinal attack over the weekend, the elevated AAA lineup the Mets threw out there was easy cheese for the Cub staff.

1 July:

The good news is the #Cubs broke their streak. It was bound to happen; the team is solid enough to avoid the extended losing streak. You get out of them by tossing a shutout.

Which they did. #Kyle Hendricks went six, and three relievers went an inning each to earn the victory.

#Matt Szczur drove in Kris Bryant with the sole run; enough to beat the punchless #NY Met team. After facing the relentless 

#Jon Niese (L, 3-8) took the loss. He was being scouted by the Cub hierarchy as a possible rotation candidate via trade, and threw reasonably well. His stuff is ‘Travis Wood like'; average stuff with good command and location.

He’s certainly no #Jacob deGrom, who the #Cubs could have had but is now pretty much off the table. The rumors were deGrom for either Castro or Baez and another prospect or two; #Dan Voglebach was mentioned as a possibility.

However, the 27 year old rookie of the year is now one of the top hurlers in the NL. He will be expensive to obtain if the Mets are even disposed as to trade him, which is doubtful.

Then again, the Mets are the most pitiful offense out there; they are currently dead last in the NL with a .233 team average. They made the Cub pitching staff look really good.

The same one the Cards were able to take advantage of at will.

The lesson the baseball gods want everyone to take?

1) You can develop all the pitching you can, ignore the offense and lose a lot of 1-0, 2-1 games, and 2) Hendricks was better than Niese, who the Cubs were scouting.

They will need more than what he brings if they want to compete. He’s a little better than Wada (just about any major league left handed starter is) but not a winning component. The Cubs need an impact bat at LEAST as much as a pitcher and maybe more.

The baseball gods are telling BOTH teams something.