According to the many rumors on message boards and several sources of mine, Pie will be in Chicago tomorrow in a cubs uniform. This move is a result of Murton, Ward, or Floyd going to the DL. Floyd has said that he is sure he will be able to play tomorrow, he was scratched today because of an oblique strain. Ward's injury is unknown if he has one, he may have tweaked something when he pinched hit today. Murton is bothered with a sore lower back and also was scratched today. He was able to pinch hit but only in an emergency.
Pie was lifted today from the Iowa Cubs lineup for "unknown" reasons. It would be great to see him back on the ML team, cuz this team needs a spark plug and I think Pie would be the answer. He is a young, exciting, talented CF who should play everyday in center and he should start in CF everyday for the Chicago Cubs!
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Ok guys bear with me through this! I'm going to rant a little bit here.
What is with the medicore play and players on this team? We have players fighting each other, players dropping routine flyballs, striking out on 2 bad balls and then looking at the third strike right down the middle of the plate, leaving bases loaded with only one out when a F*&k*^ng flyball would have scored one run. My nephew could get the damn job done! Besides some surprising play by Koyie Hill( who surprised me how well of a defensive catcher he is), Aram hitting the ball real well, and the regular good play by Dlee, you really cant say this team is improving at all. You have an absolute terrible bullpen besides a few guys, you trot out a guy who is batting .247 with 2hrs and a OBP of .302 and keeping your young stud who is batting .389 with 4hr and a .443 OBP in Iowa. Who actually makes these decisions?
Here is a list of players who need to be released or dealt!
- My number one is J.Jones, he cant throw the ball 15 feet without bouncing it. He terrible numbers! Either release him or trade him for a pair of used baseball socks! Pie deserves to play CF for the Chicago Cubs not Jones!
- Will Ohman, everytime I see him take the mound I say OH MAN because you know he is either gonna walk the guys he faces or give up a base hit on a 0-2 count! He needs to be gone also
- I hate to say it but Matt Murton. I thought this kid has promise but he is not an everyday outfielder. You could get some good relief help for him or maybe trade him for a young outfielder. How bout packaging him and a couple of relievers for Wily Mo Pena. He has raw power and would would be a perfect platoon in RF with Floyd. On Mlbtraderumors they say the Sox are willing to part with him for a top reliever, maybe a couple of mediocre relievers would do it like Howry and Eyre?
- Scott Eyre, you need to trade him or let him go. He is ineffective, he is this years Mike Remlinger.
- Bobby Howry, he hasn't done terrible but lets see who you can get for him if you cant get anything for him might as well as hold on to him. He hasn't pitched bad.
- Izzy. He hasn't played good defense or offense. Trade or release him please and play Theriot everyday at SS.
Please Lou and Jim do this for me and the rest of the cubs fans!
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Carlos and Barrett say there sorry and get fined, Lou finally blows up!
Thanks to cubs.com-
CHICAGO -- Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano shouldered the blame for the dugout skirmish with Michael Barrett that escalated into a fight in the clubhouse and resulted in six stitches in the catcher's lip and fines for both players.
"It's all my fault, that's all I can say," Zambrano said Saturday. "I feel bad for that because I have to be in control of myself. I was frustrated, we had a little discussion and it went into a fight. Like I said, It's all my fault."
Barrett was not in the lineup Saturday, and his face was scratched and puffy from the fight. However, he was available to play.
Neither player had talked to each other before meeting with the media Saturday.
"I told them to let this thing cool off for a day or two, and then we'll get them both in my office and we'll talk," said Cubs manager Lou Piniella, who issued the fines. "We'll either get this thing done [Sunday] or for sure in Milwaukee on Monday."
"We're definitely on the same page," Barrett said. "Things happen. Things are unfortunate. We had our differences yesterday. Today we're on the same page and we're ready to play."
In the fifth inning of Friday's game against the Atlanta Braves, a run scored on a combination passed ball and throwing error by Barrett. The Braves would eventually score five runs that inning. When the inning ended, Zambrano confronted Barrett in the dugout, and the pitcher pointed to his own head. There was a shoving match, and the players had to be separated.
Zambrano was escorted into the clubhouse and Barrett was supposed to stay in the game. But he went into the clubhouse, too, where the two were involved in a fight. Barrett had to go to a local hospital for treatment.
"I told him, 'Are you out of your mind?' That was what I told him," Zambrano said of his message to Barrett when he pointed to his head.
However, that was all either player would reveal about the fracas.
"Whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas," Zambrano said. "I don't have to say what happened in the clubhouse."
Why did Barrett go into the clubhouse?
"Everybody wants to know that," Barrett said. "I've known Carlos for 3 1/2 years. Carlos and I have had differences in the past and we've always come together. We've had it out on the mound, we've had it out in the dugout before. That's what teammates do sometimes.
"I went down in the clubhouse to talk through things because [the dugout incident] came unexpected," he said. "I wanted to clear my mind, clear my head, so I could go out and concentrate and focus on the game.
"I underestimated what he was going through," Barrett said. "I love Carlos. I know he feels the same about me. I never thought it would've came to that, but we move on."
Zambrano is an emotional player, as is Barrett, as evidenced by his run-in last year with White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski.
"This is something that happened, was spontaneous, wasn't planned, wasn't premeditated," Piniella said. "It was just frustrations that built up. Just let it go, and forget about it. The only thing we don't want is any continuation because if that's the case, we're going to have to suspend these players and we don't want to do that."
Zambrano's next start is scheduled for Wednesday in Milwaukee. Piniella said Koyie Hill, who was added to the roster Friday because Henry Blanco has a herniated disc, will likely catch Zambrano, and not Barrett.
The Cubs have not played up to expectations this season, and Zambrano's actions were believed to be more out of frustration than anger at Barrett.
"Me, personally, I think it happened because Zambrano and I are so close," Barrett said. "I think of Zambrano as a brother. You have sibling rivalry. I grew up with an older brother, and we had our differences, and we had it out a time or two. At the end of the day, we shook it off, we hugged one another and loved one another."
Zambrano said he has a good relationship with Barrett, and that before the White Sox series in May, Barrett helped him with a family problem.
"I appreciated that," Zambrano said.
Was there a crossup on the signs, which resulted in Barrett missing the pitch?
"All the things that happened in the clubhouse, on the field, what I told Michael, guys, I'm sorry, I can't tell you," Zambrano said. "It's not fair for him, it's not fair for me. It's too many distractions, it's too many bad things that happened. If I open my mouth and say something bad, it's going to be worse. I don't want this to be worse. I want this to be resolved."
Both players felt the incident could make the team stronger.
"We'll learn from this," Barrett said. "The one thing we'll learn from this is that we will no longer fight ourselves, and that by fighting together and playing baseball and focusing on the right things will make us stronger.
"A character guy like Zambrano, a passionate guy like he is, a passionate guy like I am, it just happened to get really heated," Barrett said. "Zambrano knows how I feel about him. He knows how much I care about him and how much I care about the game."
Anger management isn't the answer. Piniella wasn't even sure what that was. In all of his years as a manager and player, including his stints with the volatile New York Yankees and manager Billy Martin, anger management was never brought up.
"I think the only person who can control my emotions is God," Zambrano said. "I have to build my relationship with God and make it stronger. He's the only one who can control me. I come from a family, and my dad is like I am. I think it's in my blood."
Zambrano did slap and shove Barrett in the dugout. It was uncertain whether he threw any hard rights at the catcher in the clubhouse.
"They weren't all jabs, I can tell you that," Piniella said. "Look, these things happen. You don't want them to happen but they do happen. They happen on other teams. This is not peculiar just to the Chicago Cubs. In the heat of battle things do happen.
"The important thing is we learn from this and there's no continuation," he said. "Does it help or hurt? I'd rather have a little wildfire than no fire at all. You don't want to see teammates fight. There was some emotion shown. The important thing here is that nobody was seriously hurt."
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CHICAGO -- Rich Hill ran too far. Angel Pagan didn't slide far enough. And, Lou Piniella may have stepped on an umpire's toes while giving Cub fans what they've been waiting for since he was hired -- a bona fide hat-throwing argument with an umpire.
Friday's fracas between Michael Barrett and Carlos Zambrano was just a warmup act.
Hill struck out six and hit an RBI double but it wasn't enough, as rookie Yunel Escobar hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the eighth and Andruw Jones added a solo homer in the ninth to give the Atlanta Braves a 5-3 victory over the Cubs on Saturday. The loss was Chicago's sixth in a row, a season high, and was highlighted by Piniella's first ejection of the season.
The Cubs manager went nose to nose with third-base umpire Mark Wegner, kicking dirt on his shoes and booting his own cap twice.
"It's good to have a manager like that," said Chicago's Alfonso Soriano, who hit a solo homer in the fifth. "I think he does a great job. He shows the players he has frustrations, too. I like a manager like that. He makes me want to come back tomorrow and makes me want to play hard for him."
The fireworks came after Pagan doubled to lead off the eighth against Rafael Soriano and tried to get to third on a passed ball by Atlanta's Jason Saltalamacchia. The catcher recovered in time to throw Pagan out at third, although Pagan and third-base coach Mike Quade disagreed. So did Piniella who ran onto the field to argue, which brought the crowd of 40,290 to its feet and, for some reason, prompted bleacher fans to throw garbage onto the field.
"The umpire was correct," Piniella said after the game. "The guy was out. I was going to argue if he was out, safe or whatever, it didn't make a bit of difference."
"He's been calm," Pagan said of Piniella. "I thought he was going to stay that way the whole year."
But was Pagan safe or out?
"I thought I was safe," Pagan said. "I was trying to be aggressive and make something happen for the team.
"From the angle, [the umpire] only saw the left hand," he said. "If you only see the left hand, I'm out. If you see the right hand, that hand was in front of my left, so it was there first."
Crew chief Bruce Froemming said Piniella kicked Wegner.
"He made physical contact with the third-base umpire," Froemming told a pool reporter. "He made physical contact with his foot, and he kicked dirt on [Wegner] several times, and the rest was show-and-tell.
"The whole world saw what he did," Froemming said. "It was a terrible display of disrespect and [the MLB office in] New York will be called immediately, and we'll take it from there."
"Froemming said that?" Piniella said. "He's wrong. The league office can look at the film. I kicked some dirt on a guy and that was it."
Froemming pulled Piniella away from the argument.
"We were trying to get him to save him some problems," Froemming said. "And he just wouldn't stop."
Hill may have been trying too hard. The lefty gave up three runs, one earned, on four hits over seven innings. He's been working on his hitting all week after getting pulled early in his last start for a pinch-hitter. Now, he needs to work on his baserunning.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth the Cubs trailing, 3-1, Koyie Hill singled off Braves starter Chuck James. Rich Hill then doubled to right, put his head down and tried to get to third. He slid head-first but was out on a 9-4-5 relay.
"When I was rounding second, I was overly aggressive and made a mistake and messed up," the pitcher said. "When I turned, I looked and saw the ball was at the wall and [Jeff Francoeur] was still getting to the wall. I thought I had a shot at third. I thought it would be a better than average shot at third. I'll learn from it and move on."
The run did score, and the crowd gave Hill a standing ovation. The Cubs have scuffled on the field -- and in the dugout between teammates -- and his race around the bases brought the focus back to the game.
"I've talked to him about it," Piniella said, "and told him, 'How many times have you heard don't make the third out at third base?' He'd heard it. He got caught up in the moment."
It was Hill's second career double and second RBI this year. He also drove in a run when he drew a bases-loaded walk on May 5 against Washington.
"It's fun," Hill said of his hit. "You get dirty, you get to play the game as a pitcher. But it all comes down to you've got to win. If that run cost us the game, it was stupid."
Hill also made a mental mistake in the Braves' half of the fourth. Martin Prado walked to lead off and Escobar was safe when Hill fielded Escobar's ball, then turned and tried to throw to second. The throw hit Prado. Hill should've thrown to first. Edgar Renteria hit an RBI double, another run scored on Jones' groundout, and one out later, Matt Diaz hit an RBI double to make it 3-0.
Escobar, making his Major League debut, hit a two-out RBI double in the Atlanta eighth off Will Ohman for the game-winner, and the Cubs' bullpen now is a combined 4-14. Jones connected in the ninth off Michael Wuertz.
"Everybody's trying too hard," Soriano said. "As soon as we win the first game, everybody will be fine."
The Cubs have made their share of blunders.
"We made some mistakes again," Piniella said about the game. "I'm not going to talk about that anymore."
What's left to talk about?
"Hopefully we can go out and win some baseball games," Piniella said.
CHICAGO -- Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano shouldered the blame for the dugout skirmish with Michael Barrett that escalated into a fight in the clubhouse and resulted in six stitches in the catcher's lip and fines for both players.
"It's all my fault, that's all I can say," Zambrano said Saturday. "I feel bad for that because I have to be in control of myself. I was frustrated, we had a little discussion and it went into a fight. Like I said, It's all my fault."
Barrett was not in the lineup Saturday, and his face was scratched and puffy from the fight. However, he was available to play.
Neither player had talked to each other before meeting with the media Saturday.
"I told them to let this thing cool off for a day or two, and then we'll get them both in my office and we'll talk," said Cubs manager Lou Piniella, who issued the fines. "We'll either get this thing done [Sunday] or for sure in Milwaukee on Monday."
"We're definitely on the same page," Barrett said. "Things happen. Things are unfortunate. We had our differences yesterday. Today we're on the same page and we're ready to play."
In the fifth inning of Friday's game against the Atlanta Braves, a run scored on a combination passed ball and throwing error by Barrett. The Braves would eventually score five runs that inning. When the inning ended, Zambrano confronted Barrett in the dugout, and the pitcher pointed to his own head. There was a shoving match, and the players had to be separated.
Zambrano was escorted into the clubhouse and Barrett was supposed to stay in the game. But he went into the clubhouse, too, where the two were involved in a fight. Barrett had to go to a local hospital for treatment.
"I told him, 'Are you out of your mind?' That was what I told him," Zambrano said of his message to Barrett when he pointed to his head.
However, that was all either player would reveal about the fracas.
"Whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas," Zambrano said. "I don't have to say what happened in the clubhouse."
Why did Barrett go into the clubhouse?
"Everybody wants to know that," Barrett said. "I've known Carlos for 3 1/2 years. Carlos and I have had differences in the past and we've always come together. We've had it out on the mound, we've had it out in the dugout before. That's what teammates do sometimes.
"I went down in the clubhouse to talk through things because [the dugout incident] came unexpected," he said. "I wanted to clear my mind, clear my head, so I could go out and concentrate and focus on the game.
"I underestimated what he was going through," Barrett said. "I love Carlos. I know he feels the same about me. I never thought it would've came to that, but we move on."
Zambrano is an emotional player, as is Barrett, as evidenced by his run-in last year with White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski.
"This is something that happened, was spontaneous, wasn't planned, wasn't premeditated," Piniella said. "It was just frustrations that built up. Just let it go, and forget about it. The only thing we don't want is any continuation because if that's the case, we're going to have to suspend these players and we don't want to do that."
Zambrano's next start is scheduled for Wednesday in Milwaukee. Piniella said Koyie Hill, who was added to the roster Friday because Henry Blanco has a herniated disc, will likely catch Zambrano, and not Barrett.
The Cubs have not played up to expectations this season, and Zambrano's actions were believed to be more out of frustration than anger at Barrett.
"Me, personally, I think it happened because Zambrano and I are so close," Barrett said. "I think of Zambrano as a brother. You have sibling rivalry. I grew up with an older brother, and we had our differences, and we had it out a time or two. At the end of the day, we shook it off, we hugged one another and loved one another."
Zambrano said he has a good relationship with Barrett, and that before the White Sox series in May, Barrett helped him with a family problem.
"I appreciated that," Zambrano said.
Was there a crossup on the signs, which resulted in Barrett missing the pitch?
"All the things that happened in the clubhouse, on the field, what I told Michael, guys, I'm sorry, I can't tell you," Zambrano said. "It's not fair for him, it's not fair for me. It's too many distractions, it's too many bad things that happened. If I open my mouth and say something bad, it's going to be worse. I don't want this to be worse. I want this to be resolved."
Both players felt the incident could make the team stronger.
"We'll learn from this," Barrett said. "The one thing we'll learn from this is that we will no longer fight ourselves, and that by fighting together and playing baseball and focusing on the right things will make us stronger.
"A character guy like Zambrano, a passionate guy like he is, a passionate guy like I am, it just happened to get really heated," Barrett said. "Zambrano knows how I feel about him. He knows how much I care about him and how much I care about the game."
Anger management isn't the answer. Piniella wasn't even sure what that was. In all of his years as a manager and player, including his stints with the volatile New York Yankees and manager Billy Martin, anger management was never brought up.
"I think the only person who can control my emotions is God," Zambrano said. "I have to build my relationship with God and make it stronger. He's the only one who can control me. I come from a family, and my dad is like I am. I think it's in my blood."
Zambrano did slap and shove Barrett in the dugout. It was uncertain whether he threw any hard rights at the catcher in the clubhouse.
"They weren't all jabs, I can tell you that," Piniella said. "Look, these things happen. You don't want them to happen but they do happen. They happen on other teams. This is not peculiar just to the Chicago Cubs. In the heat of battle things do happen.
"The important thing is we learn from this and there's no continuation," he said. "Does it help or hurt? I'd rather have a little wildfire than no fire at all. You don't want to see teammates fight. There was some emotion shown. The important thing here is that nobody was seriously hurt."
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CHICAGO -- Rich Hill ran too far. Angel Pagan didn't slide far enough. And, Lou Piniella may have stepped on an umpire's toes while giving Cub fans what they've been waiting for since he was hired -- a bona fide hat-throwing argument with an umpire.
Friday's fracas between Michael Barrett and Carlos Zambrano was just a warmup act.
Hill struck out six and hit an RBI double but it wasn't enough, as rookie Yunel Escobar hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the eighth and Andruw Jones added a solo homer in the ninth to give the Atlanta Braves a 5-3 victory over the Cubs on Saturday. The loss was Chicago's sixth in a row, a season high, and was highlighted by Piniella's first ejection of the season.
The Cubs manager went nose to nose with third-base umpire Mark Wegner, kicking dirt on his shoes and booting his own cap twice.
"It's good to have a manager like that," said Chicago's Alfonso Soriano, who hit a solo homer in the fifth. "I think he does a great job. He shows the players he has frustrations, too. I like a manager like that. He makes me want to come back tomorrow and makes me want to play hard for him."
The fireworks came after Pagan doubled to lead off the eighth against Rafael Soriano and tried to get to third on a passed ball by Atlanta's Jason Saltalamacchia. The catcher recovered in time to throw Pagan out at third, although Pagan and third-base coach Mike Quade disagreed. So did Piniella who ran onto the field to argue, which brought the crowd of 40,290 to its feet and, for some reason, prompted bleacher fans to throw garbage onto the field.
"The umpire was correct," Piniella said after the game. "The guy was out. I was going to argue if he was out, safe or whatever, it didn't make a bit of difference."
"He's been calm," Pagan said of Piniella. "I thought he was going to stay that way the whole year."
But was Pagan safe or out?
"I thought I was safe," Pagan said. "I was trying to be aggressive and make something happen for the team.
"From the angle, [the umpire] only saw the left hand," he said. "If you only see the left hand, I'm out. If you see the right hand, that hand was in front of my left, so it was there first."
Crew chief Bruce Froemming said Piniella kicked Wegner.
"He made physical contact with the third-base umpire," Froemming told a pool reporter. "He made physical contact with his foot, and he kicked dirt on [Wegner] several times, and the rest was show-and-tell.
"The whole world saw what he did," Froemming said. "It was a terrible display of disrespect and [the MLB office in] New York will be called immediately, and we'll take it from there."
"Froemming said that?" Piniella said. "He's wrong. The league office can look at the film. I kicked some dirt on a guy and that was it."
Froemming pulled Piniella away from the argument.
"We were trying to get him to save him some problems," Froemming said. "And he just wouldn't stop."
Hill may have been trying too hard. The lefty gave up three runs, one earned, on four hits over seven innings. He's been working on his hitting all week after getting pulled early in his last start for a pinch-hitter. Now, he needs to work on his baserunning.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth the Cubs trailing, 3-1, Koyie Hill singled off Braves starter Chuck James. Rich Hill then doubled to right, put his head down and tried to get to third. He slid head-first but was out on a 9-4-5 relay.
"When I was rounding second, I was overly aggressive and made a mistake and messed up," the pitcher said. "When I turned, I looked and saw the ball was at the wall and [Jeff Francoeur] was still getting to the wall. I thought I had a shot at third. I thought it would be a better than average shot at third. I'll learn from it and move on."
The run did score, and the crowd gave Hill a standing ovation. The Cubs have scuffled on the field -- and in the dugout between teammates -- and his race around the bases brought the focus back to the game.
"I've talked to him about it," Piniella said, "and told him, 'How many times have you heard don't make the third out at third base?' He'd heard it. He got caught up in the moment."
It was Hill's second career double and second RBI this year. He also drove in a run when he drew a bases-loaded walk on May 5 against Washington.
"It's fun," Hill said of his hit. "You get dirty, you get to play the game as a pitcher. But it all comes down to you've got to win. If that run cost us the game, it was stupid."
Hill also made a mental mistake in the Braves' half of the fourth. Martin Prado walked to lead off and Escobar was safe when Hill fielded Escobar's ball, then turned and tried to throw to second. The throw hit Prado. Hill should've thrown to first. Edgar Renteria hit an RBI double, another run scored on Jones' groundout, and one out later, Matt Diaz hit an RBI double to make it 3-0.
Escobar, making his Major League debut, hit a two-out RBI double in the Atlanta eighth off Will Ohman for the game-winner, and the Cubs' bullpen now is a combined 4-14. Jones connected in the ninth off Michael Wuertz.
"Everybody's trying too hard," Soriano said. "As soon as we win the first game, everybody will be fine."
The Cubs have made their share of blunders.
"We made some mistakes again," Piniella said about the game. "I'm not going to talk about that anymore."
What's left to talk about?
"Hopefully we can go out and win some baseball games," Piniella said.
Cubs Brawl, a low day in cubs history.
Micheal Barrett got in another altercation today but it just so happens it was with his battery mate Carlos Zambrano. The cubs frustrated with there play lately took it to another level in the dugout.
This incident started in the 5th when Micheal and Z got crossed up and Barrett didn't catch the ball then threw it away trying to nab the runner at third. So the runner on 2nd ended up scoring on a pass ball and error on Barrett. After the inning Z told Barrett to get his head in the game and Barrett responded by pointing at the scoreboard and saying " I'm not the one who gave up 13 hits." Carlos then slapped Micheal and received a split lip, the fight was then broken up by coaches but the fight still continued where cameras were not tapping.
Down in the locker room the scuffle continued. ESPN reports that Barrett went to the hospital with 2 black eyes and a split lip. He also reportedly also had his head rammed into a locker. No word on what happened with Carlos.
Z and Barrett were sent home and will be dealt with and punished tomorrow.
Lou and Lee had something to say about fights-
"This is not the first time players have fought on a team," Piniella said. "When I was with the Yankees, it seemed like it happened a lot. It shouldn't happen; it really shouldn't. You should concentrate your energies and your efforts on the opposing team. Sometimes things do flare up and they get out of hand."
"Fights are going to happen," Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee said. "It's not uncommon. I wish it wouldn't have happened in the dugout. I wish they would've brought it back here or in the tunnel if they wanted to fight. That's not our concern. Our concern is we need to play better baseball."
Lou had more to say-
"You don't want to see people fight one another on the team," Piniella said. "At the same time, you don't like to see some of the silliness that's going on the field. I only have so many players I can play. It's about time some of them started to play like Major Leaguers or [we] get somebody in here who can catch the [darn] ball or run the bases properly."
To me it sounds like Lou is sick of the sloppy play of some players on the team( ie Barrett and Murton) it also sounds like he is sick of trotting out these same players that are not doing anything but hurting the team. Look for some moves to be made soon to show Lou and the fans that the cubs are doing everything in there power to make this team better. The only way to do that is to cut the dead weight( fans know what players those are!)
Well all I can say about this incident is it is inexcusable and both should do a public apology to each other, the team, managers, cubs fans, and baseball fans all together. That kind of childish, selfish, behavior belongs out of site in the clubhouse, if anywhere. Not in the plain site of kids who look up to you ball players as there role models. There wearing your jerseys, there pulling for your contract extension, they come to see you pitch or catch or just watch you put on that blue pinstripe uniform and represent the cubs in a classy way. And today Z and Micheal did the exact opposite of what a ML player should do. Its time to grow up, its time to worry about winning damn games and not egos and blaming one another. Its time to join together as a team and get through this! They can either go two ways with this incident, either continue to fall apart or you can raise above this and become the Cubs that us fans love. The only thing can turn around this team is the players on it, and until they start playing like a team, and looking like a team the will be simply know as the lovable losers on the north side!
COME ON CUBS YOUR BETTER THAN THIS!
This incident started in the 5th when Micheal and Z got crossed up and Barrett didn't catch the ball then threw it away trying to nab the runner at third. So the runner on 2nd ended up scoring on a pass ball and error on Barrett. After the inning Z told Barrett to get his head in the game and Barrett responded by pointing at the scoreboard and saying " I'm not the one who gave up 13 hits." Carlos then slapped Micheal and received a split lip, the fight was then broken up by coaches but the fight still continued where cameras were not tapping.
Down in the locker room the scuffle continued. ESPN reports that Barrett went to the hospital with 2 black eyes and a split lip. He also reportedly also had his head rammed into a locker. No word on what happened with Carlos.
Z and Barrett were sent home and will be dealt with and punished tomorrow.
Lou and Lee had something to say about fights-
"This is not the first time players have fought on a team," Piniella said. "When I was with the Yankees, it seemed like it happened a lot. It shouldn't happen; it really shouldn't. You should concentrate your energies and your efforts on the opposing team. Sometimes things do flare up and they get out of hand."
"Fights are going to happen," Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee said. "It's not uncommon. I wish it wouldn't have happened in the dugout. I wish they would've brought it back here or in the tunnel if they wanted to fight. That's not our concern. Our concern is we need to play better baseball."
Lou had more to say-
"You don't want to see people fight one another on the team," Piniella said. "At the same time, you don't like to see some of the silliness that's going on the field. I only have so many players I can play. It's about time some of them started to play like Major Leaguers or [we] get somebody in here who can catch the [darn] ball or run the bases properly."
To me it sounds like Lou is sick of the sloppy play of some players on the team( ie Barrett and Murton) it also sounds like he is sick of trotting out these same players that are not doing anything but hurting the team. Look for some moves to be made soon to show Lou and the fans that the cubs are doing everything in there power to make this team better. The only way to do that is to cut the dead weight( fans know what players those are!)
Well all I can say about this incident is it is inexcusable and both should do a public apology to each other, the team, managers, cubs fans, and baseball fans all together. That kind of childish, selfish, behavior belongs out of site in the clubhouse, if anywhere. Not in the plain site of kids who look up to you ball players as there role models. There wearing your jerseys, there pulling for your contract extension, they come to see you pitch or catch or just watch you put on that blue pinstripe uniform and represent the cubs in a classy way. And today Z and Micheal did the exact opposite of what a ML player should do. Its time to grow up, its time to worry about winning damn games and not egos and blaming one another. Its time to join together as a team and get through this! They can either go two ways with this incident, either continue to fall apart or you can raise above this and become the Cubs that us fans love. The only thing can turn around this team is the players on it, and until they start playing like a team, and looking like a team the will be simply know as the lovable losers on the north side!
COME ON CUBS YOUR BETTER THAN THIS!
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Miller done in Chicago? Cubs watching Yanks very closely?
According to many sources,Miller, who is on the disabled list with back spasms, is expected to sit down with Cubs general manager Jim Hendry either today or Wednesday to discuss his future with the club. The 30-year-old Miller could retire or be released.
This was a low risk move in signing him to a small deal and I thought it was a brilliant one at the time. It just seems he will be another ill fated pitcher who the cubs took a gamble on and it didn't pan out.
Now the cubs are still trying to find there 5th starter. Guzman has moved to the pen, Miller looks to be gone, Prior had season ending surgery, and now we are on to Marshall. Marshall hasn't looked to bad so far. But in my opinion we need a veteran 5th starter( we should have never traded Maddux for Izzy, then this wouldn't have been a problem).
The cubs also have to find out what to do with the pen? What to do with the overcrowded outfield? The 5th starter? And there situation at SS. All these need to be addressed soon by Hendry and Lou. We have been fortunate to be just 5 games out of 1st with the way we have been playing, now is the time to upgrade and set stuff in stone instead of hoping it will work itself out!
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I have some ideas I would like to pass on to my readers. For the inconsistency of the lineup, 5th starter, and pen, there sure haven't been alot of rumors bouncing around for a team that is only 5 games out of first. I have some ideas why-
1. The cubs are merely waiting for the situations to work themselves out and like the team how it is.
2. The cubs are waiting for the market to identify its buyers and sellers because believe it or not its still early.
3. There isn't a market for the players we have yet.
4. Instead of piecing off this team bit by bit, they want to do a mega deal by the deadline.
5. They just don't know what to do yet.
Personally I think it could be any one of these. But here is my personal belief. I think the Cubs are watching the Yankee situation very closely. The yanks are currently tied for last and 13.5 back of the first place Sox. They are also 7.5 back in the Wild Card. Now if the Yankees don't get the spark they need from Clemens and don't start winning, they will become sellers for the first time in a long time. The Yanks have alot of players who have bloated contracts that they would love to unload, not to mention getting something for Arod( if the Yanks don't make the playoffs Arod will opt out so the Yanks will get permission to trade him and you will see Arod in another uniform this year). The other players that could most likely get delt are Bobby Abreu, who is owed 15 million this year and has an team option of 16 million with a 2 million buyout, Mariano Rivera, he is owed 10.5 million this year and is a free agent next year. Look for him to hit the market or retire. Its unlikely the Yanks deal him but not impossible. Kei Igawa, a disappointment this year and is in the minors currently. He will be definitely traded even tho his contract is only 20 mill over the next 5 years including this one. They will try to get some value for him.
Others that could be bait are Farnsworth, Pettite, etc... There are alot of players that could be delt by the Yanks but thats only if they dont make the playoffs.
I personally would take any of these players! It of course has to get to this point before we start really analysing the situation. But wouldn't it be great to have Abreu and Arod in cubbie blue? I think so!!!!!
This was a low risk move in signing him to a small deal and I thought it was a brilliant one at the time. It just seems he will be another ill fated pitcher who the cubs took a gamble on and it didn't pan out.
Now the cubs are still trying to find there 5th starter. Guzman has moved to the pen, Miller looks to be gone, Prior had season ending surgery, and now we are on to Marshall. Marshall hasn't looked to bad so far. But in my opinion we need a veteran 5th starter( we should have never traded Maddux for Izzy, then this wouldn't have been a problem).
The cubs also have to find out what to do with the pen? What to do with the overcrowded outfield? The 5th starter? And there situation at SS. All these need to be addressed soon by Hendry and Lou. We have been fortunate to be just 5 games out of 1st with the way we have been playing, now is the time to upgrade and set stuff in stone instead of hoping it will work itself out!
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I have some ideas I would like to pass on to my readers. For the inconsistency of the lineup, 5th starter, and pen, there sure haven't been alot of rumors bouncing around for a team that is only 5 games out of first. I have some ideas why-
1. The cubs are merely waiting for the situations to work themselves out and like the team how it is.
2. The cubs are waiting for the market to identify its buyers and sellers because believe it or not its still early.
3. There isn't a market for the players we have yet.
4. Instead of piecing off this team bit by bit, they want to do a mega deal by the deadline.
5. They just don't know what to do yet.
Personally I think it could be any one of these. But here is my personal belief. I think the Cubs are watching the Yankee situation very closely. The yanks are currently tied for last and 13.5 back of the first place Sox. They are also 7.5 back in the Wild Card. Now if the Yankees don't get the spark they need from Clemens and don't start winning, they will become sellers for the first time in a long time. The Yanks have alot of players who have bloated contracts that they would love to unload, not to mention getting something for Arod( if the Yanks don't make the playoffs Arod will opt out so the Yanks will get permission to trade him and you will see Arod in another uniform this year). The other players that could most likely get delt are Bobby Abreu, who is owed 15 million this year and has an team option of 16 million with a 2 million buyout, Mariano Rivera, he is owed 10.5 million this year and is a free agent next year. Look for him to hit the market or retire. Its unlikely the Yanks deal him but not impossible. Kei Igawa, a disappointment this year and is in the minors currently. He will be definitely traded even tho his contract is only 20 mill over the next 5 years including this one. They will try to get some value for him.
Others that could be bait are Farnsworth, Pettite, etc... There are alot of players that could be delt by the Yanks but thats only if they dont make the playoffs.
I personally would take any of these players! It of course has to get to this point before we start really analysing the situation. But wouldn't it be great to have Abreu and Arod in cubbie blue? I think so!!!!!
Monday, May 28, 2007
Mets and Pads could look for outfield help? Call Nats about Lopez!
So with Brian Giles and Shawn Green both heading to the DL, both teams need some outfield help whether it is a right or left handed bat. There are not to many teams out there who have a surplus of outfielders but the cubs sure do. Another thing the cubs need is bullpen help in which the Mets and Pads have alot of good relievers to part with.
The Padres were trying to unload there good relief man Scott Linebrink earlier this year for Rowand. The deal then fell through and the Pads are now stuck with an aging outfield and there best OF now on the DL. This would make a good partner for the cubs. The outfielders that I see expendable are Jones and/or Murton. Floyd is a valuable player who can come off the bench and he is a fan favorite and is doing pretty well this year. So I don't see why a Murton for Linebrink or Jones for Linbrink trade would be unrealistic. After doing this you call up Pie and let the kid play everyday and center and have Pagan be a bench guy along with Jones or Murton( which ever one doesn't get delt).
The Mets have a different situation on there hands, they lose there everyday RF Shawn Green with a foot injury and he could be back in less than a month or longer. They do have some young guys who can fill the roll but the Mets are in a tough division and rather rely on Veterans or at least players with ML experience. Now the Mets have some relievers I love. Here is a list of guys that I think would be ideal for the cubs and could be had in my opinion.
Pedro Feliciano- Would take more than just Jones or Murton but if we packaged some of out struggling reliever he could be had I think but it is pry a long shot.
Aaron Heilman- God I love this guy! He could be a starter or reliever and could be tough to get from the Mets. Why not package Jones, Cotts, and Eyre to get him? That might still not be enough but it is at least worth a call.
Joe Smith- A great sub marine pitcher also hard to get but gotta at least put the call in.
Aaron Sele- Another guy who could be a long or short reliever or even a starter.
Any one of these pitchers would help the cubs and I think since the Mets are desperate for OF help we could get one of these relievers for Jones or Murton.
One more thing. Does anybody think we need an upgrade at SS? I certainly do, Izzy hasn't been hitting or playing good defense at all this year. Here is the SS I would like to see on the cubs and possibly could be had for the right combo of players.
Felipe Lopez- I have always loved this guy. He can steal you 40 bases, play incredible defense and hit for power. Not to mention his lifetime .331 OBP isnt bad. I would love to see him hitting 2nd and playing SS for the cubs.
And if all else fails I say release Izzy or trade him for something( bucket of balls) and have Theriot play at SS everyday and call up Fontenot.
The Padres were trying to unload there good relief man Scott Linebrink earlier this year for Rowand. The deal then fell through and the Pads are now stuck with an aging outfield and there best OF now on the DL. This would make a good partner for the cubs. The outfielders that I see expendable are Jones and/or Murton. Floyd is a valuable player who can come off the bench and he is a fan favorite and is doing pretty well this year. So I don't see why a Murton for Linebrink or Jones for Linbrink trade would be unrealistic. After doing this you call up Pie and let the kid play everyday and center and have Pagan be a bench guy along with Jones or Murton( which ever one doesn't get delt).
The Mets have a different situation on there hands, they lose there everyday RF Shawn Green with a foot injury and he could be back in less than a month or longer. They do have some young guys who can fill the roll but the Mets are in a tough division and rather rely on Veterans or at least players with ML experience. Now the Mets have some relievers I love. Here is a list of guys that I think would be ideal for the cubs and could be had in my opinion.
Pedro Feliciano- Would take more than just Jones or Murton but if we packaged some of out struggling reliever he could be had I think but it is pry a long shot.
Aaron Heilman- God I love this guy! He could be a starter or reliever and could be tough to get from the Mets. Why not package Jones, Cotts, and Eyre to get him? That might still not be enough but it is at least worth a call.
Joe Smith- A great sub marine pitcher also hard to get but gotta at least put the call in.
Aaron Sele- Another guy who could be a long or short reliever or even a starter.
Any one of these pitchers would help the cubs and I think since the Mets are desperate for OF help we could get one of these relievers for Jones or Murton.
One more thing. Does anybody think we need an upgrade at SS? I certainly do, Izzy hasn't been hitting or playing good defense at all this year. Here is the SS I would like to see on the cubs and possibly could be had for the right combo of players.
Felipe Lopez- I have always loved this guy. He can steal you 40 bases, play incredible defense and hit for power. Not to mention his lifetime .331 OBP isnt bad. I would love to see him hitting 2nd and playing SS for the cubs.
And if all else fails I say release Izzy or trade him for something( bucket of balls) and have Theriot play at SS everyday and call up Fontenot.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Murton as trade bait for relief help? Dempster to the Yanks? Marshall up, Cotts down
Thanks to mlbtraderumors again-
Cubs Offering Murton For Relief Help
According to John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus:
"The Chicago Cubs desperately need bullpen help, and reportedly would part with outfielder Matt Murton in the right deal."
For a team built to win now, that might make sense. Sure, you'd rather see the more expensive Jacque Jones go, but teams would of course rather acquire the younger, cheaper Murton. Murton, 25, only has 87 ABs this year. Cubs fans hoped to see him get a full-time look following a solid .297/.365/.444 season, but Lou Piniella hasn't complied.
What kind of deals might work here? To the Nationals for Jon Rauch or Chad Cordero? To the White Sox for Mike MacDougal? That'd be a tasty crosstown deal. Is he enough to bring in Scott Linebrink, Eric Gagne, or Akinori Otsuka? I have a hard time pinning down Murton's market value because I'm a Cubs fan. He seems a touch more than a tweener, perhaps a guy who can become a healthy version of a late-20s Rondell White.
The Cubs got White from the Expos at the 2000 trading deadline for Scott Downs. Downs was a 21 year-old southpaw coming off a 1.35 ERA and 11.36 K/9 in Double A the year before.
Cubs Offering Murton For Relief Help
According to John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus:
"The Chicago Cubs desperately need bullpen help, and reportedly would part with outfielder Matt Murton in the right deal."
For a team built to win now, that might make sense. Sure, you'd rather see the more expensive Jacque Jones go, but teams would of course rather acquire the younger, cheaper Murton. Murton, 25, only has 87 ABs this year. Cubs fans hoped to see him get a full-time look following a solid .297/.365/.444 season, but Lou Piniella hasn't complied.
What kind of deals might work here? To the Nationals for Jon Rauch or Chad Cordero? To the White Sox for Mike MacDougal? That'd be a tasty crosstown deal. Is he enough to bring in Scott Linebrink, Eric Gagne, or Akinori Otsuka? I have a hard time pinning down Murton's market value because I'm a Cubs fan. He seems a touch more than a tweener, perhaps a guy who can become a healthy version of a late-20s Rondell White.
The Cubs got White from the Expos at the 2000 trading deadline for Scott Downs. Downs was a 21 year-old southpaw coming off a 1.35 ERA and 11.36 K/9 in Double A the year before.
I would trade Murton for Linebrink in a heartbeat, I would also trade him for Gagne, Otsuka, and Cordero. I would not trade him for MacDougal or Rauch tho. He can get better value than that. I would also contact the Mets, they might not need his outfield help but you never know. I like the pen alot. I would like to see maybe a Murton for Feliciano or Burgos. Could we even throw in some relief help of own to get a combo of them two or throw in Heilman. Lets face it the Cubbies need relief help bad!
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According to reports, the Yankees are interested in acquiring a starter, and may look to Ryan Dempster and the Cubs. Jim Hendry was unavailable for comment, but said he hopes to remain with the Cubs. Dempster is 9-for-10 in save opportunities, tied for sixth in save percentage among NL relievers. So why would they consider moving him to the rotation now? Dempster has only started six games since 2004, but has only had two winning records when he was a full time starter, and that was back in 1999 and 2000. I don't know exactly who the Cubs could get from the Yankees, but by trading him, they have no proven closer. Bob Howry and Scott Eyre aren't pitching like last year, and Carlos Marmol and Angel Guzman have too much potential to try and pitch them everyday, it would simply ruin their arms. Maybe the Cubs could swing a deal with Matt Murton, who they have also considered trading. Trading Matt Murton and cash or a PTBNL would probably get them Scott Linebrink, but at this point in the season it is uncertain. Before the Cubs do anything, I think the Cubs should try out Lou Piniella's idea of having the closer start the game and pitch two to three innings, and then bring in the normal starter to finish out the game. It would toy with hitters who would face the closer once, and then get a new pitcher with a fresh arm.
What could the Cubs get for Dempster? No No Arod is out of the question. The Yanks do have some young arms that are doing decent( at least the ones not on the DL). How bout Igawa? I know alot of people don't like that idea but I like this guy and his stuff. He would be a great 5th starter in a new environment in my opinion and we will leave it at that. If not for him then for who? Maybe bring Farnsworth back to Chicago? Lets face it the cubs main needs are a 5th starter, bullpen, and why not look to upgrade shortstop by acquiring a guy who can hit .270 with power and can steal and can play decent defense. Cuz lets face it Izzy is not doing the job.
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Marshall was pulled for today's game in AAA and joined the cubs on the west coast coast. Cotts was sent down to AAA.
Monday, May 21, 2007
More Cubs Trade and move ideas
Great tidbit from MLBtraderumors.com-
Cubs Trade Speculation
What are those crazy Cubs up to now? They've got some surprising plans regarding their pitching staff. Here's the rundown:
Ryan Dempster may switch back to starting, after he mentors the future closer. Dempster made six starts for the Cubs to begin 2005, four of which were quality efforts. Apparently the Cubs think his repertoire is better suited as a starter. He's due $10.5MM for 2007-08, and if he can emerge as a quality #4 type starter the contract won't look so bad. Dempster's best season came in 2000 with the Marlins, when he made the All-Star team and won 14 games. His success will depend on his control. It doesn't appear that the Cubs are shopping him, though Paul Sullivan speculated that the Yankees could be interested.
Angel Guzman will be groomed as the next Cubs closer. This is an interesting and unexpected idea. He's looked sharp in relief this year, but it's only been seven innings. He does have good stuff and decent control. Phil Rogers offers a little Chad Cordero speculation. It seems the Cubs will try internal options first, with the knowledge that most great closers were once starters.
Rogers seems to think the Cubs should let the inconsistent Carlos Zambrano walk after this season, and focus that money towards a big name hitter. He names Andruw Jones, Torii Hunter, and Kosuke Fukudome as options. I like the Fukudome idea. According to Mike Plugh, Fukudome is best served as a right fielder. A Cubs outfield of Soriano, Pie, and Fukudome could be a nice core. Not sure where that would leave Matt Murton, however.
Fukudome is a great fielder and is absolutely tearing the cover off the ball this year. He has posted .320 avg , 9hr, and 35 rbi. Gotta love a guy who can put up those numbers. If we do let Z go this offseason, we should get Fukudome( he could come cheap if there is not a bidding war) or Arod( if he opts out). Not to mention Veal or Gallgher could be ready to step up in the big leagues next year.
Rogers also reminds us that the Cubs nearly signed Japanese ace starter Hiroki Kuroda last winter, and could try again after the season. Kuroda has great command, and won't require a posting fee. Kuroda chose to re-sign with the Hiroshima Carps last winter. He'll turn 33 before the 2008 season.
I was really hoping that Kuroda would sign with the cubs next year. He is more polished with better stuff then Dice-k in my opinion.
Cubs Trade Speculation
What are those crazy Cubs up to now? They've got some surprising plans regarding their pitching staff. Here's the rundown:
Ryan Dempster may switch back to starting, after he mentors the future closer. Dempster made six starts for the Cubs to begin 2005, four of which were quality efforts. Apparently the Cubs think his repertoire is better suited as a starter. He's due $10.5MM for 2007-08, and if he can emerge as a quality #4 type starter the contract won't look so bad. Dempster's best season came in 2000 with the Marlins, when he made the All-Star team and won 14 games. His success will depend on his control. It doesn't appear that the Cubs are shopping him, though Paul Sullivan speculated that the Yankees could be interested.
Angel Guzman will be groomed as the next Cubs closer. This is an interesting and unexpected idea. He's looked sharp in relief this year, but it's only been seven innings. He does have good stuff and decent control. Phil Rogers offers a little Chad Cordero speculation. It seems the Cubs will try internal options first, with the knowledge that most great closers were once starters.
Rogers seems to think the Cubs should let the inconsistent Carlos Zambrano walk after this season, and focus that money towards a big name hitter. He names Andruw Jones, Torii Hunter, and Kosuke Fukudome as options. I like the Fukudome idea. According to Mike Plugh, Fukudome is best served as a right fielder. A Cubs outfield of Soriano, Pie, and Fukudome could be a nice core. Not sure where that would leave Matt Murton, however.
Fukudome is a great fielder and is absolutely tearing the cover off the ball this year. He has posted .320 avg , 9hr, and 35 rbi. Gotta love a guy who can put up those numbers. If we do let Z go this offseason, we should get Fukudome( he could come cheap if there is not a bidding war) or Arod( if he opts out). Not to mention Veal or Gallgher could be ready to step up in the big leagues next year.
Rogers also reminds us that the Cubs nearly signed Japanese ace starter Hiroki Kuroda last winter, and could try again after the season. Kuroda has great command, and won't require a posting fee. Kuroda chose to re-sign with the Hiroshima Carps last winter. He'll turn 33 before the 2008 season.
I was really hoping that Kuroda would sign with the cubs next year. He is more polished with better stuff then Dice-k in my opinion.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Dempster to the rotation? Miller to make rehab start
As heard today on Comcast and WGN. Lou has actually considered putting Demp in the starting roll. He wouldn't come out and say it for definitely but he hinted around it. He also said that he likes Ryan closing ball games and as of today he is the closer for the game. Lou has kept us fans and media on our toes this week with him saying he will "shake up things" and give the media "something to talk about." I do have some concerns with him starting games. 2 years ago they tried it and he couldn't find the strike zone, which has been a problem with the cubs so far this year is walks. He does have to build up his stamina is another problem. He probably can start this week and pitch 5 innings but probably not to much more because of the endurance issues. This could look like a genius idea in the next weeks or it could look terrible and we could be looking for another player to come up and start in the 5th spot.
Why not give Marmol or Marshall a chance in the 5th spot? Marmol has had some nasty stuff in Iowa and in the pen so far. Why not give that fireball a shot? Or Marshall who has ML experience and has an era below 2 in 2 starts in Iowa? These are just some of the questions and concerns I have. If I was manager I would call up Marshall, send down Cotts, and leave Marmol and Dempster in the pen. Having 3 leftys in the rotation wouldn't be that bad of an idea. But Lou is a great manager and I'm sure he is doing whats best for the Cubs. I have faith in LOU!
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Other Notes-
- Wade Miller will make his second injury rehab start Monday for Triple-A Iowa.
-Class A Peoria manager Ryne Sandberg was ejected for the second time this season after an argument with a base umpire in the Chiefs' 4-1 loss to Beloit. Robert Hernandez, making his first start, took the loss, giving up four runs on four hits over five innings.
- Lee will be back on Tuesday in the starting lineup. He pinched hit today and took a walk. The only reason he wasent in the lineup today is because of the cold wet weather.
Why not give Marmol or Marshall a chance in the 5th spot? Marmol has had some nasty stuff in Iowa and in the pen so far. Why not give that fireball a shot? Or Marshall who has ML experience and has an era below 2 in 2 starts in Iowa? These are just some of the questions and concerns I have. If I was manager I would call up Marshall, send down Cotts, and leave Marmol and Dempster in the pen. Having 3 leftys in the rotation wouldn't be that bad of an idea. But Lou is a great manager and I'm sure he is doing whats best for the Cubs. I have faith in LOU!
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Other Notes-
- Wade Miller will make his second injury rehab start Monday for Triple-A Iowa.
-Class A Peoria manager Ryne Sandberg was ejected for the second time this season after an argument with a base umpire in the Chiefs' 4-1 loss to Beloit. Robert Hernandez, making his first start, took the loss, giving up four runs on four hits over five innings.
- Lee will be back on Tuesday in the starting lineup. He pinched hit today and took a walk. The only reason he wasent in the lineup today is because of the cold wet weather.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Buehrle a cub? Veal next in line?
Thanks to MLB trade rumors-
Every year, writers try to help ignite the Cubs-White Sox rivalry prior to the interleague series. Back in '05, Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle was asked if he'd ever sign with the Cubs:
"It depends. It's one of those things that if no team in baseball wants me and they do, I'll go over there and sign. But I have my places that in the back of my mind -- I'm not saying Wrigley -- there are a couple of cities that if I was a free agent and they offered me, I wouldn't go there. Even if it came down to however much money, I just wouldn't feel comfortable going to those places to play."
He didn't exactly seem open to donning a Cub uniform at that point. It's interesting to note that the article indicates that Buehrle might avoid New York, regardless of money.
Has anything changed, two years later? Not really, but it seems that Buehrle leaves the door open an extra crack now that he may actually depart the White Sox:
"Anything's possible. Put it that way. I never say never because I said I'd never throw a no-hitter and that happened. Anything's possible. I'm not a big fan of going over to that place. It would be different. Just with the whole Cubs-Sox rivalry, it's just so hectic getting over there, tickets and all that stuff."
Still looks like a long shot for Buehrle to become the Cubs' third southpaw in '08. Interestingly, it could become four if Donald Veal comes along. Realistically, his hometown Cardinals remain the favorite for Buehrle. If he wants to stay in the midwest, maybe the Reds would become an option.
Every year, writers try to help ignite the Cubs-White Sox rivalry prior to the interleague series. Back in '05, Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle was asked if he'd ever sign with the Cubs:
"It depends. It's one of those things that if no team in baseball wants me and they do, I'll go over there and sign. But I have my places that in the back of my mind -- I'm not saying Wrigley -- there are a couple of cities that if I was a free agent and they offered me, I wouldn't go there. Even if it came down to however much money, I just wouldn't feel comfortable going to those places to play."
He didn't exactly seem open to donning a Cub uniform at that point. It's interesting to note that the article indicates that Buehrle might avoid New York, regardless of money.
Has anything changed, two years later? Not really, but it seems that Buehrle leaves the door open an extra crack now that he may actually depart the White Sox:
"Anything's possible. Put it that way. I never say never because I said I'd never throw a no-hitter and that happened. Anything's possible. I'm not a big fan of going over to that place. It would be different. Just with the whole Cubs-Sox rivalry, it's just so hectic getting over there, tickets and all that stuff."
Still looks like a long shot for Buehrle to become the Cubs' third southpaw in '08. Interestingly, it could become four if Donald Veal comes along. Realistically, his hometown Cardinals remain the favorite for Buehrle. If he wants to stay in the midwest, maybe the Reds would become an option.
Honestly I don't think Mark would go to the Cubs unless they throw alot of money at them. And to be honest I doubt the Cubs would spend the money to get him. While he is a good pitcher and the ace of the White Sox staff, why would the cubs throw money at him that they should throw at Z. But stranger things have happened. I also like the chances of Veal making an appearance and possibly being in the rotation next year. He is a young lefty which alot of people compare to Willis. He has a way to go tho considering his 2 and 4 5.85 era. He is a very good pitcher and could help the cubs alot next year.
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Other Cubs notes-
- Pagan is making a case for being the starting CF for the Cubs the rest of the season. Pagan is batting .455 with 2 HR and 5 RBI in just 8 games played. He has also played good CF and look for him to stay in CF until he starts to cool off.
- Guzman was told to drink alot of water and eat bananas to prevent him from getting cramps. He should be OK.
- Lee( who has been sidelined with neck spasms) will be available to pinch hit Saturday. When Lou asked if he could start he said "I'm not going to say it's impossible, but I'm going to say 'improbable,'" Cubs manager Lou Piniella said.
- Marmol was called up yesterday and this gives the cubs the burner in the pen I think the cubs need. Marmol did well in AAA. The right-hander was 4-1 with a 3.95 ERA in eight games (seven starts) for Iowa, and walked 12 while striking out 48 in 41 innings. He threw 15 pitches in a relief appearance Thursday to tune up.
- Sean Marshall is tearing it up in the minors. Sean Marshall gave up one run on two hits over eight innings in Iowa's 9-2 win over Oklahoma on Thursday. It was Marshall's longest outing of the season. He is now 2-0 with a 1.86 era in 4 games started. He has had 8 bb on 15 so.
-Wade Miller will likely make another injury rehab assignment. He rejoined the Cubs on Tuesday.
-Lou Piniella sent shock waves through the city with his proclamation that big changes were coming in his pitching staff.
OK, maybe not shock waves, but it caused a bit of a ripple on the North Side.
Thing is, it seems more likely that Piniella is trying to shake up GM Jim Hendry and force him into making a trade to bolster the bullpen, or maybe Piniella was just trying to scare the relievers into performing better.
In any case, there isn’t much the Cubs can do with this staff aside from the odd tinkering here or there, so Piniella’s idea of a major shake-up might not be all that major.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Arod to Chicago? Other cubs notes
Thanks to MLBTRADERUMORS.COM-
A-Rod Chicago Speculation
The Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers breaks down the factors involved that might result in Alex Rodriguez playing in Chicago in 2008. Let's break it down in a nifty bullet-point format.
The Cubs
Rodriguez played under Lou Piniella in Chicago, and the two are said to have a strong relationship. That's where a lot of this speculation begins. But won't it just come down to money in the end?
Third base is fully blocked by Aramis Ramirez, where shortstop is fairly open. The Cubs won't exercise Cesar Izturis's option, but will have Ryan Theriot around. No matter how much A-Rod's shortstop defense is lacking, I can't picture it beyond worse than Theriot's. Piniella might prefer to use Theriot in a superutility role with a focus on second base.
The Cubs don't seem to despise Scott Boras, dealing smoothly with him for recent signees Greg Maddux and Jeff Samardzija.
While the Cubs showed a willingness to sign a player to a ridiculous contract with the Alfonso Soriano deal, the team will be sold after the season. That seems quite likely to interfere with an A-Rod megadeal, even if Jim Hendry says it's business as usual.
The White Sox
It's well-known that the team's brass likes A-Rod. They flirted with him in 2000 when he first reached free agency.
The Sox could make room at short or third for Rodriguez, as Joe Crede has been mentioned in trade rumors for some time and Josh Fields is no sure thing. The team seems likely to decline its club option on Juan Uribe.
Recent White Sox clubs have not gone crazy bidding on free agents. However, the Sox have shown the ability to pony up major cash. In particular I'm thinking of the five year, $55MM deal given to Albert Belle before the 1997 season. That one made Belle the highest paid player in baseball. Like A-Rod, Belle had a clause to opt out if he wasn't the highest paid player in baseball.
Unlike the Cubs, the White Sox have had beef with Scott Boras in the past. However, Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said that despite their differences, he would sign a reasonably priced Boras client. Not sure A-Rod would qualify, but if you're going to spend big bucks you might as well do it on a superstar.
If the Sox are able to replace Mark Buehrle internally, they'll have some free cash to account for the difference between Jermaine Dye's and Rodriguez's salaries. I would view A-Rod as Dye's replacement in the lineup.
I have to give the edge to the White Sox here, as the Cubs will likely be in a state of flux next winter. The Sox seem to be leaning toward rebuilding, though, and I don't think a $100MM+ contract fits the plan. There should be plenty more speculation over the next several months but I don't expect Rodriguez to land in Chicago.
A-Rod Chicago Speculation
The Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers breaks down the factors involved that might result in Alex Rodriguez playing in Chicago in 2008. Let's break it down in a nifty bullet-point format.
The Cubs
Rodriguez played under Lou Piniella in Chicago, and the two are said to have a strong relationship. That's where a lot of this speculation begins. But won't it just come down to money in the end?
Third base is fully blocked by Aramis Ramirez, where shortstop is fairly open. The Cubs won't exercise Cesar Izturis's option, but will have Ryan Theriot around. No matter how much A-Rod's shortstop defense is lacking, I can't picture it beyond worse than Theriot's. Piniella might prefer to use Theriot in a superutility role with a focus on second base.
The Cubs don't seem to despise Scott Boras, dealing smoothly with him for recent signees Greg Maddux and Jeff Samardzija.
While the Cubs showed a willingness to sign a player to a ridiculous contract with the Alfonso Soriano deal, the team will be sold after the season. That seems quite likely to interfere with an A-Rod megadeal, even if Jim Hendry says it's business as usual.
The White Sox
It's well-known that the team's brass likes A-Rod. They flirted with him in 2000 when he first reached free agency.
The Sox could make room at short or third for Rodriguez, as Joe Crede has been mentioned in trade rumors for some time and Josh Fields is no sure thing. The team seems likely to decline its club option on Juan Uribe.
Recent White Sox clubs have not gone crazy bidding on free agents. However, the Sox have shown the ability to pony up major cash. In particular I'm thinking of the five year, $55MM deal given to Albert Belle before the 1997 season. That one made Belle the highest paid player in baseball. Like A-Rod, Belle had a clause to opt out if he wasn't the highest paid player in baseball.
Unlike the Cubs, the White Sox have had beef with Scott Boras in the past. However, Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said that despite their differences, he would sign a reasonably priced Boras client. Not sure A-Rod would qualify, but if you're going to spend big bucks you might as well do it on a superstar.
If the Sox are able to replace Mark Buehrle internally, they'll have some free cash to account for the difference between Jermaine Dye's and Rodriguez's salaries. I would view A-Rod as Dye's replacement in the lineup.
I have to give the edge to the White Sox here, as the Cubs will likely be in a state of flux next winter. The Sox seem to be leaning toward rebuilding, though, and I don't think a $100MM+ contract fits the plan. There should be plenty more speculation over the next several months but I don't expect Rodriguez to land in Chicago.
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- Cubs keeping eye on Marmol and Marshall, could move into MLB pen.
-When Lee returns, he'll be inserted back into the No. 3 spot in the Cubs' lineup. However, Theriot may replace Soriano at the leadoff spot. Theriot got on base four times with a single and three walks
- Spasms still bothering Lee, might be out until Friday.
-Fontenot was called up and Cherry was sent down yesterday. Fontenot, 26, was batting .364 with 10 doubles, three triples, six home runs and 27 RBIs for Iowa. He was named Pacific Coast League's Batter of the Week after collecting 18 hits in seven games and posting a 1.129 slugging percentage. Fontenot had six multihit games, highlighted by a 3-for-4 game May 10 when he hit two triples and drove in five runs against Fresno.
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