Is this THE year or just another "Wait til next year"?

Well, the Cubs did it again last night showing us a new way to lose a game. The bullpen blew ANOTHER chance for Randy Wells to earn his first MLB W. He left with a 5-1 lead in the 8th after giving up an HR to Garret Anderson and E-3 on "gold glove" D-Lee (not fair as this was only his 1st E of the season) as he just whiffed on a low throw from Theriot. Enter Marmol who promptly walks Francoeur on 4 pitches, gets a nice catch by Fukudome on a hard-hit liner to RF and then plunks the .129 hitting Norton to load the bases. Ya .129 so let's start him off with a slider low and in...perfect. He's not done yet...as he walks in a run with .250 hitting Kelly Johnson to get to the middle of the Braves order. A sac fly by Escobar made it 5-3 and then he gets Chipper to ground out to end the inning and the damage. By the way, at this point the Braves had all of TWO HITS and 3 runs.

Moylan throws an 8-pitch inning for the Braves in the 9th to lower his not-so-stellar ERA to 4.82. It started with a horrific "I've never faced an MLB pitcher before EVER" AB by Soto on a 3-pitch strikeout where he guessed wrong on ALL three pitches swinging (if that's what you want to call it) at the last pitch that was 2 feet off the plate outside.

This set the stage for Gregg's second blown save (not sure how that's possible with a Borowski-like ERA of 5.24). It started well enough with a harmless fly out to Soriano (does anyone else HATE that little hop?). The next batter is the key to why I am calling this a new way for the Cubs to lose. On a 1-2 pitch, Gregg throws a nasty slider that Anderson swings over the top of for strike 3 and the second out, but wait...Soto fails to block the ball in the dirt instead letting it get all the way to the wall behind the plate and Anderson reached on a dropped 3rd strike so there's still only one out and a guy on first bringing the tying run to the plate. Prado flies out harmlessly to Reed Johnson in CF for the real second out although the Cubs should be out of the inning with a rare road W.

Now someone needs to explain the Francoeur pitch sequence to me. You've got a guy in Francoeur they once called "The Natural" batting 7th in a not-so-powerful Braves lineup because the rest of MLB figured out he can't hit a breaking ball. He's up there representing the tying run and does have some pop in his bat and Gregor Blanco up next still looking for his first hit of the season. Again, the scouting report says he CANNOT hit a breaking ball. You just struck out Garret Anderson on a nasty slider so what is the pitch sequence to Francoeur? How about 4 straight (and I mean STRAIGHT) 4-seam fastballs measured at 92-93 mph with the last one going out faster than it came in to tie the game with a 2-run HR. Soto wanted low and outside and Gregg threw it belt high on the inner half ending Wells' latest attempt to get his first MLB W despite a sparkling 1.69 ERA. The Braves summary through 9 innings is now 5 runs, 3 hits, and 1 error.

So WHAT was going through Lou's head (I would say "brain" but I'm not sure there's one in there) in the 12th? I have to admit I stopped watching after the 10th, but just looking at MLB Gameday (is this THE BEST applet EVER?!?) I can see what happened. With 1-out, base hit by Escobar who then stole second for his 2nd SB of the season and 9th in his 3-year career. Come on guys! This was big as Chipper singled to LF to win the game for the Braves in the bottom of the 12th and complete the blown 5-run lead with 6 outs to go by the Cubs and probably worst loss of the season to date (there's still a LONG way to go for them to top this though). Anyway, so WHY does Lou pitch to Chipper with 1st base open? McCann was 0-4 for the game regardless of what he had been doing prior to this game so I just don't get it. Why was Soriano so deep in LF that he didn't even attempt a throw to get the winning run out at the plate?

So do I blame Lou for this loss? Fair or not, YES I do. Why pull Randy Wells after merely 83 super efficient pitches? The bullpen has proven time and again they can't hold a lead for this guy so why not let him try to finish it up himself? Would he have pulled him if Lee hadn't whiffed on the Theriot throw? Doubtful so why pull him after the E-3? The 83 pitches marked the LOWEST pitch count this season for Wells who threw 111 in his last start preceeded by 95, 97 and 84 in his three previous outings this season. Next...who is in charge of calling pitches and scouting reports? Why does Francoeur get 4 straight 4-seam fastballs when EVERYONE in MLB or watching at home knows he can't hit a breaking ball? Was Soto calling the game and worried about another wild pitch? Who cares?!? You had a 2-run lead so the guy on base means NOTHING.

Can't you just tell this season just has NO good vibe at all? Prized free-agent (prized by Hendry anyway) left the game with a strained calf in just his 33rd start this season (out of the Cubs 50 games) as it is including a suspension. Theriot, Fontenot, and Fukudome have as many HRs as Bradley and are only 1 behind D-Lee for second on the team with 5 apiece. Zambrano has been hurt and suspended; Aramis apparently nearly lost his arm with as long as he's been out. Soriano leads the team in RBIs from the lead-off spot with Theriot second! In 19 games in the entire month of May, D-Lee drove in 9 runs. Just to put that in some perspective for 1st baseman getting paid what the Cubs pay D-Lee, Pujols had 7 RBIs in ONE GAME back in April.

In conclusion...this is NOT the year! Sorry Cubs fans - "Wait til next year!" AGAIN!

Lee vs. Hoffpauir

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!

Quick 5/7 Update - part 2

I meant to add one more thing to my update...Milton Bradley finally heard some cheers yesterday after being booed (and rightfully so) throughout the homestand over the weekend. Of course the cheers he heard last night occurred in Houston's Minute Maid Park (a.k.a. The Juice Box) after he struck out with 2 men on in the first inning. He was also cheered when he struck out looking in the 8th with runners at 2nd and 3rd and nobody out.

Has anyone seen a different approach from MB after starting the season hitting just over half the Mendoza line (now hitting .143 after 1-4 last night raised his average)? He did drive in his 3rd run of the season - to put that in better perspective of how HORRIBLE that is...Soriano (the Cubs' lead-off man) had 3 RBIs just last night and he now has 17 to tie Fontenot for the team lead. Don't you HAVE to try something different when you're struggling this badly and killing your team with your complete lack of production? His RBI single in the 3rd was only his second hit with runners on base and first with RISP.

He'll need to pick it up for the Cubs to do anything significant this year (i.e. win a playoff game/series).

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!