Another "fabulous" outing by Neal Cotts tonight. Lefties are now hitting .333 with 3 HRs after this knucklehead gave up a 2-run bomb to Nate McLouth which gave the lead back to the Pirates. So three runs given up in the inning on 4 hits although 3 went for extra bases.
So I'm listening to the game on the radio and I just heard Ronny talking about the Pirates having 2 lefties in their rotation and three more in their pen. Could Hendry not get his "friends" the Bucs to trade one of them? Remember the Bucs "gave" Hendry and the Cubs Aramis Ramirez and Randall Simon in 2003.
So the Cubs FINALLY score some runs tonight, but get ZERO pitching! How about getting on the same page guys?!?
What was up with Reed Johnson batting 4th tonight? The guy has single syllable RBIs (8) for the season. Was he really the best option? It certainly wouldn't have been better with Micah batting 4th tonight. I guess I was WAY wrong on this guy as he didn't take as much advantage of his opportunity as he could/should have - left 6 on base by himself today.
Did anyone else feel better having Aaron Miles up there with 2 on, down by 2 in the bottom of the 9th than Mark DeRosa? BRUTAL trade which will only get worse if he ends up in Milwaukee. His 30 RBIs for a last place Indians team would lead the Cubs by 5 over our lead-off hitter, Soriano.
Well, the skid has now reached 8 and the Cubs are now below .500 for the first time since the end of April. They are 5 games out in 4th place behind Dusty's Reds. That says it all as far as I'm concerned.
Showing posts with label hendry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hendry. Show all posts
Monday, May 25, 2009
Saturday, May 9, 2009
I was going to say...
Well, after watching Lou leave Dempster in too long again I was planning to complain about it again, but now you see Lou's dilemma - the bullpen SUCKS! After playing a great game with a score of 3-2 going into the bottom of the 7th with Micah going deep with a 2-run, 2-out HR (did you see that D-Lee?) to bring the Cubs within a single run, Lou decided to leave Dempster in there even though he was over 110 pitches before the inning started. After getting the lead-off hitter in the 7th, Dempster gave up a bomb to Craig Counsell (ya, that's what I said!) on the first pitch followed by an even bigger bomb by Ryan Braun which went from chasing one run to chasing 3. Then it got REALLY bad as the bullpen was called upon to put out the fire, but all they did was pour gasoline on it instead. Neal Cotts is THE WORST left-handed reliever in the history of the game (well, maybe Jeff Fasero would have something to say about that) as he continues to SUCK against lefties - .308 BA with 6 walks including another one today. Did Lou bring him in to walk the left-handed Prince Fielder to then face the right-handed JJ Hardy? Don't think so, but that's just what he did. That's OK, he's an equal opportunity bad reliever - JJ Hardy stroked a single following the walk to Prince Fielder.
Today's relievers combined for 1 2/3 innings, 7 ERs, including 6 walks. Newly recalled (and hopefully even more newly demoted) Chad Fox (he now has a 135.00 ERA!) joined Cotts with 2 ERs and ZERO innings pitched. Maybe these guys just don't know what the root word "relief" means in reliever because they aren't really relieving anything other than the Cubs' chances of winning the game.
So let's see...today's game combined three of the posts I have done this week. Micah Hoffpauir IS seemingly taking advantage of his opportunity to play in place of the injured D-Lee going 2-5 today with a 2-run HR to move his BA up to .298 and more importantly, bring up his RBIs to 11 (just 4 behind Lee's 15 in just over half the ABs).
Second, was Lou's poor handling of the pitching staff. This one kind of cancelled itself out with the ultra-poor effort by a horrific bullpen, but it was clear to me that Dempster was done after 110 pitches through 6 innings. Lou left him in there as he doesn't trust his pen but after back-to-back jacks, he still had to go to the pen.
Third is Hendry's terrible off-season. Jim, WHERE'S the bullpen? There's one lefty in there which is OK, but not when the lefty we have cannot get lefty's out! Let's hope Freel is going to help even out the bench as DeRosa certainly could have done although he was a late scratch before the game today with a hammy.
The good news is that they are still 3 games over .500 and just 2.5 games behind the Cards as they lost again tonight too. I think the Cubs are finding that the rest of the division isn't just going to bow down and let the Cubs walk away with the division as yes, they're only 2.5 out, but they're in 4th place behind the Cards, Reds, and Brewers. It's too early to panic other than about that bullpen. What are you going to do about it Hendry?
HOW ABOUT THOSE HAWKS?!?
Today's relievers combined for 1 2/3 innings, 7 ERs, including 6 walks. Newly recalled (and hopefully even more newly demoted) Chad Fox (he now has a 135.00 ERA!) joined Cotts with 2 ERs and ZERO innings pitched. Maybe these guys just don't know what the root word "relief" means in reliever because they aren't really relieving anything other than the Cubs' chances of winning the game.
So let's see...today's game combined three of the posts I have done this week. Micah Hoffpauir IS seemingly taking advantage of his opportunity to play in place of the injured D-Lee going 2-5 today with a 2-run HR to move his BA up to .298 and more importantly, bring up his RBIs to 11 (just 4 behind Lee's 15 in just over half the ABs).
Second, was Lou's poor handling of the pitching staff. This one kind of cancelled itself out with the ultra-poor effort by a horrific bullpen, but it was clear to me that Dempster was done after 110 pitches through 6 innings. Lou left him in there as he doesn't trust his pen but after back-to-back jacks, he still had to go to the pen.
Third is Hendry's terrible off-season. Jim, WHERE'S the bullpen? There's one lefty in there which is OK, but not when the lefty we have cannot get lefty's out! Let's hope Freel is going to help even out the bench as DeRosa certainly could have done although he was a late scratch before the game today with a hammy.
The good news is that they are still 3 games over .500 and just 2.5 games behind the Cards as they lost again tonight too. I think the Cubs are finding that the rest of the division isn't just going to bow down and let the Cubs walk away with the division as yes, they're only 2.5 out, but they're in 4th place behind the Cards, Reds, and Brewers. It's too early to panic other than about that bullpen. What are you going to do about it Hendry?
HOW ABOUT THOSE HAWKS?!?
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Hendry - not good
So, how is the Cubs' offseason looking so far? Well, if you're interested in the Cubs winning, the offseason (not unlike virtually every other offseason in team history) isn't looking too good, is it?
The BIG free agent signing was Milton Bradley. Milton was coming off an unbelievable season last year - some would call it a career year and rightfully so. Well, how's he doing so far? Hmmm...not too good unless you're a pitcher on the opposing team. Let's just say he makes D-Lee look like Albert Pujols by comparison.
Milton started off the season 0-10 before hitting his 1st HR as a Cub for his first hit and first RBI too in his 4th game of the season. So much for a fast start...that's OK "it's still early" - MAN do I HATE that stupid saying! His next "anti-hitting streak" would last another 14 at bats before his second hit. His second and last RBI (for all you non-math students out there, he has only 2 more RBIs than you and me!) so far this season came in his 14th game and was also a solo HR. He's now hitting .128 - what's it called when you're barely hitting halfway to the Mendoza line? I don't know, but it's NOT good.
So Hendry put all his "eggs" in Bradley's offseason basket. Why? Here's a guy with a history of injury (CHECK - he's started 14 of the Cubs' 27 games) and is a total headcase (CHECK - he's been suspended pending appeal for a run-in with an umpire on a terrible called 3rd strike in the Cubs' 9th game of the season). It's like a self-fulfilling prophesy as most experts totally expected exactly this from Milton; of course, the experts also thought he'd hit a little bit too so they were wrong there. Great.
So who else was even available that would have been better? Well, gee, who could possibly be doing better than hitting .128 with 2 RBIs through the first month of the season? Let me think...how about nearly EVERY player in MLB and probably half the Minors too? But seriously, how about some real names of guys Hendry not only could/should have signed, but also given a shorter commitment and less money? Keep in mind Hendry gave Bradley 3 years for $30 million - $10 million per season for 2 more years after this one (if we get through this one!).
Raul Ibanez - how about 12 HRs, 21 RBIs, and .351 BA? He signed a 3-year $31.5 million deal with the defending World Series Champs - Phillies.
Bobby Abreu - how about .344 BA, 12 RBIs, and 11 freakin' SBs without being caught once? He signed a 1-year $5 million contract with the Angels.
There are MANY players Hendry could have brought in here besides Milton Bradley. Can you imagine what the Cubs' record would be right now with Ibanez batting 4th in this lineup? Holy cow!
There's an addage out there saying "addition by subtraction" which typically means you got rid of a problem player and it actually made your team better. Well, what's the addage when you give away your best player for NOTHING and replace him with even less? You know I'm talking about DeRosa, right? And his "replacement" Aaron Miles. That's what I like to see from my big market baseball team - cost-cutting when you just passed the 100-year anniversary of the last time you actually won the World Series. What the HECK was with this Hendry move? My initial thought was that Hendry was stockpiling Minor leaguers to make another run at Peavy or Brian Roberts, but neither came close to materializing so this must be a cost-cutting maneuver and logic dictates that the money saved by getting rid of DeRosa was given (ya, completely GIVEN as he hasn't earned a wooden nickel as of yet) to Milton Bradley. Doesn't that count as a double HORRIBLE move?
As dense and in his own world as Lou is, I'm sure he's with me ripping Hendry for this HORRIBLE bullpen. Hendry didn't give Lou much to work with out there in the pen. He's got a lefty in Neal Cotts that cannot get lefties out, so what's the point there? Lefties are hitting .308 against Cotts with a .462 OBA. WHY is he still here? Chad Gaudin was supposed to be the steal of the Rich Harden trade. Well, where is he now? GONE! AND Hendry and the Cubs are still paying the guy anyway - "here's $2 million; go away". Rather than focus on improving on last year's nice run as a late inning reliever, they decide to focus on making Samardzija a starter too. Total disaster thus far.
i don't remember Hendry signing any Tommy John guys this year though. So that's a start. But for the umteenth time, he still did nothing to get the Cubs a REAL lead-off hitter which you just know is going to bite us come playoff time if not earlier.
Who would have thought John Paxson was the best GM in town 6 months ago? OK - Dale Tallon is doing a fine job with the Blackhawks so he's probably #1 with Pax at #2. But both Kenny Williams and Jim Hendry are WAY down the list. Maybe Angelo moves up to #1 with that unbelievable Cutler signing though. Hendry's done - time to retire and let someone else give it a shot. You had your chance and couldn't get it done...NEXT!
The BIG free agent signing was Milton Bradley. Milton was coming off an unbelievable season last year - some would call it a career year and rightfully so. Well, how's he doing so far? Hmmm...not too good unless you're a pitcher on the opposing team. Let's just say he makes D-Lee look like Albert Pujols by comparison.
Milton started off the season 0-10 before hitting his 1st HR as a Cub for his first hit and first RBI too in his 4th game of the season. So much for a fast start...that's OK "it's still early" - MAN do I HATE that stupid saying! His next "anti-hitting streak" would last another 14 at bats before his second hit. His second and last RBI (for all you non-math students out there, he has only 2 more RBIs than you and me!) so far this season came in his 14th game and was also a solo HR. He's now hitting .128 - what's it called when you're barely hitting halfway to the Mendoza line? I don't know, but it's NOT good.
So Hendry put all his "eggs" in Bradley's offseason basket. Why? Here's a guy with a history of injury (CHECK - he's started 14 of the Cubs' 27 games) and is a total headcase (CHECK - he's been suspended pending appeal for a run-in with an umpire on a terrible called 3rd strike in the Cubs' 9th game of the season). It's like a self-fulfilling prophesy as most experts totally expected exactly this from Milton; of course, the experts also thought he'd hit a little bit too so they were wrong there. Great.
So who else was even available that would have been better? Well, gee, who could possibly be doing better than hitting .128 with 2 RBIs through the first month of the season? Let me think...how about nearly EVERY player in MLB and probably half the Minors too? But seriously, how about some real names of guys Hendry not only could/should have signed, but also given a shorter commitment and less money? Keep in mind Hendry gave Bradley 3 years for $30 million - $10 million per season for 2 more years after this one (if we get through this one!).
Raul Ibanez - how about 12 HRs, 21 RBIs, and .351 BA? He signed a 3-year $31.5 million deal with the defending World Series Champs - Phillies.
Bobby Abreu - how about .344 BA, 12 RBIs, and 11 freakin' SBs without being caught once? He signed a 1-year $5 million contract with the Angels.
There are MANY players Hendry could have brought in here besides Milton Bradley. Can you imagine what the Cubs' record would be right now with Ibanez batting 4th in this lineup? Holy cow!
There's an addage out there saying "addition by subtraction" which typically means you got rid of a problem player and it actually made your team better. Well, what's the addage when you give away your best player for NOTHING and replace him with even less? You know I'm talking about DeRosa, right? And his "replacement" Aaron Miles. That's what I like to see from my big market baseball team - cost-cutting when you just passed the 100-year anniversary of the last time you actually won the World Series. What the HECK was with this Hendry move? My initial thought was that Hendry was stockpiling Minor leaguers to make another run at Peavy or Brian Roberts, but neither came close to materializing so this must be a cost-cutting maneuver and logic dictates that the money saved by getting rid of DeRosa was given (ya, completely GIVEN as he hasn't earned a wooden nickel as of yet) to Milton Bradley. Doesn't that count as a double HORRIBLE move?
As dense and in his own world as Lou is, I'm sure he's with me ripping Hendry for this HORRIBLE bullpen. Hendry didn't give Lou much to work with out there in the pen. He's got a lefty in Neal Cotts that cannot get lefties out, so what's the point there? Lefties are hitting .308 against Cotts with a .462 OBA. WHY is he still here? Chad Gaudin was supposed to be the steal of the Rich Harden trade. Well, where is he now? GONE! AND Hendry and the Cubs are still paying the guy anyway - "here's $2 million; go away". Rather than focus on improving on last year's nice run as a late inning reliever, they decide to focus on making Samardzija a starter too. Total disaster thus far.
i don't remember Hendry signing any Tommy John guys this year though. So that's a start. But for the umteenth time, he still did nothing to get the Cubs a REAL lead-off hitter which you just know is going to bite us come playoff time if not earlier.
Who would have thought John Paxson was the best GM in town 6 months ago? OK - Dale Tallon is doing a fine job with the Blackhawks so he's probably #1 with Pax at #2. But both Kenny Williams and Jim Hendry are WAY down the list. Maybe Angelo moves up to #1 with that unbelievable Cutler signing though. Hendry's done - time to retire and let someone else give it a shot. You had your chance and couldn't get it done...NEXT!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)