So does D-Lee have compromising pictures of Lou or what? Why did the Cubs rush D-Lee back into the lineup even following the negative MRI? Hoffpauir was doing a FINE job filling in for D-Lee while he was out. In less than 2/3 of Lee's ABs, Hoffpauir has the same amount of hits, doubles and HRs and is only 4 behind in RBIs. Hoffpauir has struck out half as many times, has a BA over 100 points higher, and an OBA 83 points higher than Lee. Hoffpauir is nearly 200 points higher than Lee in SLG and considering Lee has hit 3rd or 4th all year, his pathetic .337 SLG is KILLING the team chances to score runs and/or have the big innings they are capable of having.
I just don't know what else Lou has to see from Hoffpauir to get him in there more and rest Lee more. Check out the comparison for yourself at this link.
I have to give it up for Milton Bradley. He is really starting to hit the baseball. After that mammoth HR he hit on Tue night, he motioned to his ear to try and hear some cheers for a change. It was a bit of a hot dog move, but I had no problem with it as he has been hearing a lot of BOOS thus far and should have heard some cheers after that bomb gave the Cubs the lead for good on Tue against the formidable Jake Peavy. He increased his modest hitting streak to 7 games last night with a bunt single although he did break his RBI streak at 5. You have to give D-Lee some "credit" there as he went 0-for-4 batting ahead of MB limiting his RBI chances as he left no runners on base last night.
Is Geo Soto coming out of his season long slump? Soto was 2-3 with 3 2-out RBIs last night to be the latest Cub to steal the show. Last night's 3 RBIs gave Soto 7 for the season after he had 86 last season. Again, the Cubs are now 5 games over .500 and they have done it with smoke and mirrors thus far. Lee, Bradley, and Soto have all sucked thus far with each hitting below .200 and Aramis has missed 15 games so how are they scoring ANY runs? Theriot and Fukudome have been amazing so far and Soriano is, well, Soriano - a lead-off hitter that's tied for 2nd in the NL for HRs. Even the bullpen has started throwing strikes and getting people out. Maybe this team can be as good as everyone thought if the other guys pick it up too.
GO CUBS!
Last night Len and Bob were talking about how hard Soto was working with hitting coach Gerald Perry. Hopefully it will start to pay off.
ReplyDeleteIt could be that the weather, which has pretty much sucked, is starting to get better.
ReplyDeleteYes, hopefully Soto will continue to turn it around and become the productive hitter and key contributor he was during his rookie of the year campaign last year.
ReplyDeleteYet ANOTHER excellent broadcast team for our Chicago sports teams. Pat and Ron are very good on the radio although I have to give credit mostly to Pat although I do like Ron for comic relief. Dave Otto fills in nicely as well providing a similar perspective like Stacey King does for the Bulls. And, of course, there's still NOBODY better than Steve Stone - unfortunately, he's working across town with the Sox these days so I don't get to see him much.
Another W with no Lee in the lineup. The Cubs are now 14-11 when Lee has at least 3 plate appearances and 6-3 when he doesn't.
ReplyDeleteHoffpauir didn't have a great game as all the RBIs came from the second half of the lineup today, but he also didn't have any rally killers either. He was 0-3 with 2 BBs and 2 runs scored. The biggest was when he beat out a double-play grounder in the 6th. Soto followed with a fly out which would have ended the inning, but since the inning was still alive, the Cubs were able to pile on 4 more runs to make this a blow-out.
Soto also didn't get any hits, but still impacted the scoring going 0-2 with a BB, 1 run scored, and 2 RBIs. See what I mean about batting average being an overrated stat? Here's two guys that didn't get a hit, but still had a nice game on offense.
I know weather is typically a consideration for Aramis, but Lee typically plays well in April so I'm not buying that. For his career, Lee hits .278 with his second best HR production by month with 46 (47 in July and Sept) and by far his best RBI month with 177 (19 ahead of Sept).
Micah could have more RBI's if he did a better job of advancing the runner on third with less than two outs.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.baseball-reference.com/play-index/split_stats_team.cgi?full=1¶ms=bases|--3,lt%202%20out|CHC|2009|bat|AB|
Micah could have more RBI's if he hit better with runners in scoring position (RISP)
http://www.baseball-reference.com/play-index/split_stats_team.cgi?full=1¶ms=bases|RISP|CHC|2009|bat|AB|
The Cubs are in 8-6 when Micah starts, which is a .571 win rate. (5-3, .625 when starts at 1b)
The Cubs are 15-11 when Lee starts, which is a .577 win rate.
Micah hits better as an OF or PH
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.cgi?n1=hoffpmi01&year=2009&t=b#defp
Micah hits better as a sub than a starter.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.cgi?n1=hoffpmi01&year=2009&t=b#stsub
I'm not talking about Micah as an outfielder or PH. Let's see how Lee does playing RF or LF. Micah is a 1B; that's it.
ReplyDeleteAs far as how Micah could do better, how about getting him some more consistent starts. Let's let him play for a couple weeks in a row and REALLY see how he can play.
Yes, I saw that the Cubs are really 15-11 when Lee starts, but in one of those games, he only batted once before he was hurt. Micah stepped in and went 2-3 with an HR and 2 RBIs helping lead the Cubs over the Cards. Since Micah played more in that game (kind of like a pitcher going at least 5 innings to get the W), I give the W to Micah even though Lee started. That's why I clarified my stat with 14-11 when Lee had at least 3 PAs in the game.
Luckily with all his faults, Micah's stats still COMPLETELY blow away D-Lee in every important category. Hopefully Lou will continue to rest the ineffective Lee until he is REALLY healthy and we'll get a chance to see what Micah can do.
Please explain the important stat category. I thought you liked RBIs. Micah is getting an RBI at a better rate (RBI/AB) than Lee, however advancing runners home from 3rd with less than 2 outs and hitting with runners in scoring position, Micah’s stats fall short of Lee's
ReplyDeleteMicah is going to get his starts, though less Lee goes back onto the DL, consistent starts is unlikely. The outfield is playing better and Lee is the Cub’s first baseman. Micah is hitting great off the bench! It is awesome we have him so to provide relief, but it's doubtful he gets consistent starts with Lou at the helm and we're not in a rebuilding period.
Next month we'll be in some AL ball parks, who will be in RF....Milton or Micah? I will guess Lou will DH Milton. So Micah, as he explained on MLB Home Plate on XM Radio this morning, will have to continue to practice in the outfield and try to be a better fielder.
When I say "important stat category" for a clean-up hitter, it's all about the RBIs. So the fact that Micah's driving in more runs per AB is THE stat. I mentioned this in my first Lee post, but Ryan Howard is THE example here. Howard hit .259 last year and was 2nd in the NL with 199 Ks. Terrible right? NOPE! Howard finished 2nd behind Pujols for MVP...why? Because he drove in an NL-best 146 runs for a playoff team. It helped too that he had an NL-best 48 bombs too, but the big thing is the number of HRs he jacked with guys on base. THAT is how you drive in HUGE runs. Comparing those numbers with Lee's career year in 2005 - Lee had 46 bombs, hit an NL-best .335, but still "only" drove in 107 runs for his only 100+ RBI season. 107 RBIs is still a very good year, but nowhere near the same vicinity as 146 RBIs like Howard had last year. Howard has been an RBI machine since he became a full-time MLB player in 2006 finishing 1st, 2nd and then 1st again in RBIs in those three seasons.
ReplyDeleteAs far as Micah, yes it is good to have a decent PH off the bench, but wouldn't it be better to have more RBIs in the every day lineup? I'm sure Micah will get a lot of time at DH or RF with Milton during inter-league, so that's good too.
Just to throw out a ridiculous comparison, what would have happened to the Yankees had Wally Pipp never gotten hurt in 1925 to make room for Lou Gehrig? Pipp finished 8th in the MVP in 1922 and 14th in 1924 so he was a very good player in his own right. Gehrig hardly saw the field in 1923 and 1924 combining for 42 PAs combining to hit .447 those two seasons yet his manager was old school (just like Lou) and never gave the new guy a chance to replace the incumbent.
I'm not saying Micah is the second coming of Lou Gehrig, but we may never know with Lou at the helm and Hendry as the chicken GM. The Braves of the 90s were ALWAYS retooling their roster replacing the supposedly irreplaceable players but kept winning. The Cardinals do the same thing today although they're a bit hamstrung with their payroll. Lee should have been traded BEFORE the season started to get some value and use that money to get Jake Peavy or whoever. This roster has had a chance to do something in the playoffs the last two seasons and tanked both times. It's time to rework SOMETHING.