The Bench: Tyler Colvin
With the everyday positional players set, at least from the looks of the typical line ups Chicago Cubs manager Mike Quade has been running out most frequently throughout Spring Training, we turn our attention to the bench. Typically, I would group everyone into one blog as not to over sell them to anyone due to their lesser individual importance than the every day players. However, for one player in particular, I feel that a separate blog is a necessity because of his importance to the team! The man I am talking about, is none other than Tyler Colvin.
While I do not believe that he should be the starting right fielder for the Cubs in 2011, I do feel that he should still be in line for a heavy workload and an increase in at bats. The way I envision the Cubs using Colvin this upcoming year is as more of a super sub. Colvin can play all three outfield positions, as well as backup first base as we have seen on a limited basis here in Spring Training. What the Cubs should do for Colvin, is to get him four starts a week. In the process of doing so, the three starting outfielders will get one day off a week, along with Carlos Pena at first base.
This is the best of all worlds, and should satisfy the wishes of all fans no matter the preference of who should be starting where. Those that think Kosuke Fukudome should get the everyday right field job are happy because that is exactly what has happened. Those who want Colvin to start in right so he can get the at bats he deserves also win, because he will be getting an ample amount of time in the field and more at bats than he has had in a season.
This may not be what the fans want, but this plan of action will give them a taste of what they can expect next year when Colvin takes over in right field when Fukudome’s contract runs out. They will also get an idea of if he can handle first base if the Cubs do not retain Pena or sign either of the top two free agent first basemen in Albert Pujols or Price Fielder.
As I mentioned before, with this plan of action, everyone wins. The stat heads who want Fukudome to start and lead off due to his on base percentage win. The Colvin fans win because the kid will be getting a lot of playing time and an increase in at bats. The Cubs will also win, because their players will be kept rested throughout the season, ensuring a healthy and fresh team if they reach the playoffs. In a way, you could say that Colvin’s success coming off the bench is the key to the entire season.
With this format, when Colvin does play, he should be inserted into the lower half of the line up due to his less than stellar ability to get on base. Hitting him between the fifth or the seventh spot in the line up would be the best spot for him. You could take advantage of his power ability, while taking the pressure off of him for having to get on base.
If this trend is used for Colvin, he could have similar statistics to what he was able to do last year. He has not showed the ability yet to put up a high average, though some would say that is because he has limited chances at the plate, so I can not predict an average higher than .260 for the kid. However, he could very well have another 20 home run 60 RBI year if he is used correctly.
He might not get the most at bats, but he should easily get more than enough to make his fans happy. If Quade is smart, and so far I have no reason to believe that he is not, he is already thinking along these lines and trying to figure out ways to get him into the line up as often as he can.
The Perfect Lineup For the 2011 Chicago Cubs
Today, because you are finished with my look at the individual positions and who should be starting for the Chicago Cubs, I will give you my thoughts on what I feel would be the perfect line up to run out everyday. Thankfully this is made much easier because Cubs Manager Mike Quade and I are in full agreement on who should be playing everyday. The one thing we do not agree on, is how they should be lined up. So far in Spring Training, based on the line up that has been run out most often, Quade is looking at running out this line up.
Kosuke Fukudome
Starlin Castro
Marlon Byrd
Aramis Ramirez
Carlos Pena
Alfonso Soriano
Geovany Soto
Blake Dewitt
Pitcher of the day,
While I agree with three of the nine spots in the line up, I feel that the others should be shuffled around for reasons that I am about to explain. In my mind, the line up should look like this.
Kosuke Fukudome: This one Quade has right. With his precise at the plate, there is no one better to hit lead off. What he lacks in batting average, which tends to be his main down fall with the fans, he makes up for in drawing walks. That is the main objective for any lead off hitter. Get on base for the big boppers behind you.
Geovany Soto: Cuttently, Quade has him batting seventh in the lineup. In my honest opinion, this is a big mistake. He is the teams best on base percentage guy and should be at the top of the line up batting second. Much like with Fukudome should be batting lead off, getting on base is the most important thing for your first and second hitters. The reason Soto should be hitting second, is because he does just that. Because he has a keen eye at the plate, and has a fair amount of power, pitchers will need to pitch to him very carefully if he is hitting second. They do not want to walk him, and give you best run producers a chance to drive him in, so they will have to throw him pitches to hit. Doing so could cost them dearly.
Aramis Ramirez: The Cubs need a power hitter in the three hole, and that just is not Marlon Byrd. These two men should be flipped in the order. History has shown that if there are men on base for Ramirez, that chances are he is going to drive them in. He is the Cubs best run producer, and has been for the past few years, and needs to bat in the first inning. With Fukudome and Soto hitting in front of him, he will typically always have someone on base for him to drive in.
Marlon Byrd: I know what you are thinking, if Byrd isn’t powerful enough to hit in the three spot, why hit him clean up? I think he should hit clean up for those exact reasons. He is a good line drive hitter and can move guys over and drive them in without the use of a home run. In some instances that is a better weapon than a home run hitter. He gives you a different aspect to think about. If Ramirez is unable to drive the previous guys in, Byrd almost certainly will. Besides, I feel that having power back to back is a waste and kind of is easier on the pitcher who does not need to chance his thought process when the batters change. You typically pitch all power hitters the same way.
Carlos Pena: He should be hitting fifth, exactly where Quade has him. Left handed power in this spot is very nice. A line drive hitter right in front of him could mean that there is typically someone on base for him to try and drive in. While his average has not been very good the past few years, he still has the power numbers to make him a big threat with men on base.
Alfonso Soriano: Once again, Quade gets the decision right to bat him here. While he is no longer the big 40 home run threat that he once was, he is still very capable of hitting at least 20 home runs. He will never have another good year of stealing bases either, which is why he is not batting higher in the line up. Because he still has some decent power, he still has to be considered a threat at the plate.
Blake Dewitt: He is not a strong hitter, and can occasionally draw a walk. I will not tiptoe around this guy at all, he is our weakest hitter. The reason I have him hitting seventh instead of eighth is because you do not want two easy outs back to back. Perhaps with another year of professional baseball under his belt he will be able to surprise us with something. Either way, I am not expecting much out of him. Only good thing I can say about him, is that he is better than Ryan Theriot because he can occasionally draw a walk.
Starlin Castro: The very reason Quade likes him hitting second is why he should be hitting eighth in the order. Someone who can hit at a high average at the bottom of the order is a good way to help turn the line up over and get back to the top of the order. If you have three low average guys at the bottom of the order (no Soto is not a low average hitter, but his power says he should be hitting higher) you will have three easy outs all in a row. That is something pitchers dream of, you are basically handing them an easy inning. Throwing a .300 hitter here helps keep the offense rolling. Add to the mix that he can draw a walk, which is a very important aspect for anyone who is going to hit in the eight hole. Pitchers will tend to pitch around this hitter in order to get to the easiest out in the line up, the pitcher. Yes, the pitcher is the easiest out even if we are talking about Carlos Zambrano. This guy needs to get on base for the pitcher to move over with a sacrifice bunt and to reset the line up.
A line up like this would give the Cubs the best chance to win on a daily basis. Granted, that is assuming everything works the way they should. While we may not have the most talented line up in baseball, I believe that you can still make noise if you put things in the proper order. Perhaps Quade’s line up is better than my purposed one.
Right Field: Kosuke Fukudome
Every year Chicago Cub fans have the debate as far as who should be the every day right fielder, and this year is no different. You have your fans who demand that Tyler Colvin be given the job, and given a chance to show what he can do when given a full time shot. Then you have the other half of the fan base, who wish to see Kosuke Fukudome continue to start in right field and play every day. So far in Spring Training, if you go off what appears to be the lineup that has been run out most often, Cubs Manager Mike Quade believes that Fukudome should be the starting right fielder for the 2011 season; and I fully agree with him.
I bet some of you are wonder why I would want a player who struggles every year to deliver a batting average or power numbers that make him respectable. Granted, Colvin has the power numbers that fans like to see out of players, but that is the only place where Colvin has the edge. In just about every other statistic and skill that matters, Fukudome has an edge.
In the same amount of at bats last year Fukudome had less home run and RBI, but that is where everything ends for the young Colvin. Fukudome not only had a higher batting average, a higher walk percentage, lower strike out percentage and more importantly, a higher on base percentage by over 50 points. Based on that final statistic alone, Fukudome should not only get the nod to be the every day right fielder, but he should also be permanently placed into the starting line up at lead off. At least against the right handed pitchers, as he struggles badly against left handed hurlers.
The main problem with Fukudome, and where he loses most of his support amongst the fan base, is his very inconsistent play. He annually has a torrid April and May, but his June and July numbers are horrid sending him into the tank. While his batting average suffers and generals dips month after month, one thing that never falters is eye at the plate. He has a very keen batters eye, and that makes him dangerous; especially in the lead off spot. With him getting on base at a near .400 clip, he will be on base a lot for the heart of the order just waiting to be driven in.
I have often made comparisons between Fukudome and the Chicago White Sox slugger Adam Dunn. The base premise of my comparison says that Fukudome is Dunn without the power, but with a glove. Both men struggle to hit for an average that could be considered respectable, but most men are beasts in the on base department. Both men know how to draw a walk, and getting on base is the most important non power statistic in the game. Get on base any way you can, and you give your team a chance to get another run. That is why Fukudome should get the job ahead of Colvin. Nothing against the kid, in fact he should be crucial to this teams success in the coming year, and I will get into that soon, but Fukudome is the man to get the job done in right field for the Cubs.
Who knows, perhaps this will be the year that Fukudome is finally able to put forth a complete season of acceptable baseball with the bat. However, nothing that he has done so far in his major league career has suggested that this is even possible. He will likely never hit for a high average or for the power that he was expected to bring with him from the Japanese League. However, if they would actually decide to keep his Japanese hitting coach with the big league team all season, instead of just the few month or two, maybe he could carry his hot April and May throughout the season. I know that is a long shot, but what could the possible downside be? He can not go through any bigger of a slide as the year goes on then he normally does. I believe that experiment would be worth a few hundred thousand more, or whatever you would have to spend to keep him over here.
For the upcoming season, with Fukudome likely leading off, he likely will not have many RBI opportunities, which is okay. The lead off hitter is not expected to be a big run producer. His job is to simply get on base for the big boppers behind him. Getting on base should continue to be his primary weapon on offense. I see him doing what he typically does, hitting for around .260 with maybe 12 home runs and perhaps 50 some RBI. I would also expect him top get on base around close to a .380 average. Of course, if he actually has a respectable batting average, his on base percentage could easily top the .400 mark.
Center Field: Marlon Byrd
A year ago, when the Chicago Cubs signed Marlon Byrd to a three year, $15 Million contract, several eyebrows were raised. Fans were wondering why exactly they signed him, when they have so many young outfielders who seem to be ready to make the leap to being a Major League player, such as Tyler Colvin. There was seemingly no reason at all for the Cubs to add another outfielder, and create an even bigger logjam in the outfield. To many fans, this was just another nail in the Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry’s coffin. Another reason several fans wanted him fired. However, after his first year with the team, everyone knows that Byrd is the word!
The 2010 season opened several people’s eyes showing them just who Byrd was, and what he could do to assist the Cubs in winning some games. He went out there day in, and day out busting his ***, proving that the previous three years were no fluke, that he had figured something out which improved his game. The light came on for Byrd, and he became an offensive threat, maybe not with obscene power numbers, but with just enough power to make him dangerous.
Unfortunately for Byrd, he is connected with Victor Conte, the known steroid deal who helped over inflate Barry Bonds’ arms, head and power numbers catapulting him into legendary status. While Byrd vehemently denies taking steroids because he says that Conte would not want to go through more trouble like he did with Bonds, the questions will always be there. Byrd stated that he started talking with Conte because he was worried about accidentally using something on the banned substance list and being suspended. So he went to someone who knew what they were doing with supplements. Whether Byrd is using steroids or not, one thing can not be denied. As soon as he started working with Conte, his offensive game dramatically improved. Do not take this as my saying that he is taking steroids, there is a very good chance that everything Byrd is taking is 100% legitimate. I am just simply stating that the questions and suspicion will be there for the remainder of his career.
On top of his offensive efforts that he is able to bring, you can not forget about all of the defensive gems from last year. Byrd never left you wanting more when he took the field, and more often than not, he delivered when you least expected him to. Whether you are talking about his behind the back catch in center and his game saving defensive play in the All Star Game, Byrd became an instant hit with Cub fans.
Following up on his 2010 season might be hard for him to do, but not at all impossible. However, he can not be the team’s best hitter if they expect to go anywhere. As I pointed out in previous blogs, the Cubs needs Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano to step things up, and lead this team offensively if they want to go anywhere. That is not to say that Byrd can just sit back and relax, he still needs to deliver another quality season for the Cubs to have success.
For the upcoming season, I can see Byrd hitting for an average of around .280 with around 15 home runs and about 80-90 RBI if men are getting on base in front of him. I know I have been saying that a lot with these past few players but, to be completely honest, that is what needs to happen for this club to have success. You can not lean on one person alone. Nor can you lean on two or three, everyone needs to step up to the plate and deliver when their name is called. Byrd can not be the main offensive weapon, but he needs to be an instrumental one; especially because he is going to be hitting in the heart of the lineup.
Shoddy Defense Lights Silva’s Short Fuse
When Carlos Silva took the mound today for the Chicago Cubs fourth Spring Training game, he was preparing to start his battle to win a spot in the rotation. What he was not counting on though, was the defense behind him committing three errors in the very first inning; all before there were even two outs made. Aramis Ramirez committed an error right before Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Casey McGehee hit a two run homer tying the game. Starlin Castro also committed another error, his second of the Spring, as did catcher Koyie Hill when he was called for catchers interference which deleted an inning ending double play.
Whether or not there were a multitude of errors committed behind him, giving up six runs in the first inning is no way to make the team, let alone the starting rotation. Pitching around the errors behind you is part of the game, and something all pitchers must do if they want to be successful. Earlier in the spring, Silva was claiming that he should not have to be in a competition for a job this Spring, and I have got to completely agree with this statement. The competition for the final two spots in the starting rotation should not include Silva at all. Today’s outing just furthers my belief that his spot on the roster should go to someone more deserving.
If his poor pitching today was not enough to show Cubs Manager Mike Quade that he did not belong in the starting rotation, then he may very well have another reason to leave him out in the cold. After the error filled first inning, Silva returned to the dugout and got into a heated altercation with Ramirez; the fight was quickly broken up. When you are fighting for a spot on the team, fighting with your teammates should immediately take you out of contention, and get you your walking papers.
Granted, Silva is not the first Cubs pitcher in recent memory to get into a fight with a teammate in the dugout. Carlos Zambrano famously got into a fist fight with Michael Barrett, an altercation which far exceeded the little skirmish that took place today. The difference between the two fights, as well as the two pitchers, is that Zambrano actually has talent and the ability to pitch.
People wrote off Zambrano’s crazy antics as being competitive, and letting his emotions getting the best of him. A majority of fans loved seeing him get upset, because that showed them that he cared, that he wanted to win. So why not give Silva the very same benefit of the doubt? Why not write off this fight as the same emotional, competitive nature that people use to defend Zambrano? The answer to that is simple.
Whether you like the circumstances or not, start athletes get preferential treatment. They get more slack, and people turn their heads more frequently than when lesser players cross the lines that should not be crossed. Zambrano attacked Barrett, and Barrett was the one sent packing. Zambrano beat the living hell out of the Gatorade machine, and we haven’t seen that machine since. Unfortunately for Silva, he does not carry the same amount of pizzazz as Zambrano, and he can easily be dumped without anyone giving a second thought.
While Silva is in the final year of his contract, and is still owed $12 Million for 2012 ($5.5 Million of which is paid by the Seattle Mariners), finding a trade for him still may not be easy without chipping in a few more million to take the edge off. That would still be cheaper than giving him his outright walking papers, which may be the course the Cubs are forced to take.
Left Field: Alfonso Soriano
Earlier in the off season, I mentioned that Aramis Ramirez was one of the two keys to the Chicago Cubs season; meaning if the Cubs are going to go anywhere, they will need these two men to do the bulk of the heavy lifting. Today, the other key to the Cubs season, Alfonso Soriano is my main focus.
I know how things go around here, and the argument never changes. On one side you have fans clamoring for the Cubs to cut Soriano, or to trade him. They want the Cubs to eat the contract and to replace him with someone they feel can do a better job. They rue the day that Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry signed him, and say this signing is more than enough ammunition to give Hendry his walking papers. Then you have the other half of the fans who always remind people that there were very few people who were actually crying foul when he was signed. They will remind you that most people celebrated the arrival of a player who could help lead us to the promise land.
While that has not happened yet, you can not dispute the facts that he was the main reason the Cubs did anything in his first two years on the ball club. He was the main reason the Cubs won the division in 2007 and in 2008. His bat carried the Cubs to the playoffs, and made them a team that you could not take too lightly. Of course, with this you will always hear the retort of “yea, but where was he when the playoffs started?” This is true, his bat disappeared in the playoffs, just like the offensive attributes of Derek Lee, Ramirez and several other key players for the Cubs. If you want to call him out for his offensive struggles in the playoffs, don’t forget about everyone else who joined in him the massive failures that were the two playoff runs.
However, as good as his first two years were, his last two years were just as bad. In his first two years, Soriano hit .299 and .280, a combined 62 home runs and 145 RBI with a WAR (wins against replacement) total of 11.2. Pretty damn impressive if you as me. However, because baseball is a what have you done for me lately sport, his last two years were pretty pathetic. His batting average dropped to .241 in 2009, and .258 in 2010. He only totaled 44 home runs and 131 RBI (which while not great is only 18 homers and 14 RBI off from when he carried the Cubs) in the same two year span. His WAR numbers also took a nose dive as he total only a 2.9 over his past two years, sadly he earned that number entirely last season as 2009 he was no better than a replacement player at all.
Keeping his poor season in mind last year, he was second on the team in both home runs, RBI and runs scored, so if he was a bum last season, so was everyone else. Granted, these past two years he has not lived up to the hype and he certainly has not earned the money he is being paid, but that does not change the fact that if the Cubs are going to go anywhere this season, they need Soriano to get back into form. No, not the 40-40 guy we thought we were getting when we signed him four years ago, but the guy we saw back in 2007 and 2008.
For several fans, “sorry-ano” or “sore-arm-ano” as some of them like to think he is called, is washed up and should be taken out of the lineup. I will not argue that he is much closer to the end of his career than the beginning, but I do think that he has at least one or two more good years left in him. He will never earn the $18 million a year that he is now making for the next couple of seasons, but he will be able to give you enough to make you a competitive team.
If the Cubs are able to get him to hit somewhere between his first two years and his last two years, the team will be in fantastic shape. If he can deliver a season where he is able to hit for an average of at least .270 and produce his typical 20+ home runs a season with close to 70 RBI, then we will have something going this year. Is he capable of putting forth statistics like these? Absolutely he is more than capable of doing so. In fact, as I have said, if he can not deliver statistics that are at least close to these, the Cubs chances for the 2011 season will be dwindling down into nothingness.
So whether you love him or hate him, want him to play or be benched, you need to cheer for the guy and support him.
Shortstop: Starlin Castro
Today, we turn our focus will be on one of the young rising stars in the Chicago Cub’s system, starting shortstop Starlin Castro. One of the most appealing and energetic players for the team this year, he burst onto the scene last season and was an immediate fan favorite. As a matter of fact, in his very first game he set a few rookie records which include most RBI (six) in his debut. While he did not continue of the sizzling pace he set for himself in his first game, he did end his rookie campaign with some pretty amazing statistics to boast about.
Ending the year with an even .300 batting average to go with his three home runs and 41 RBI is not bad at all for a rookie, even though he did pale in comparison to rookie of the year Buster Posey. In his less than a full season, he also racked up a WAR number of two, which for less than a full season is fairly impressive. Add in his speed, and you have a pretty impressive player in the works.
The only flaw in his game, which I am sure will get better the more time he spends in the majors is his occasionally shaky defense. I have absolutely no complaints about the kids range, as he can cover more than his fair share of ground. The problem comes into play with his throws to first base. Even with a solid defensive first baseman in Derek Lee, he still racked up a tremendous amount of errors. That is likely one of the few things which knocked him out of contention for Rookie of the Year, though even with eliminating his errors I would have a hard time passing up Posey for that award.
This season, Cubs Manager Mike Quade has already voiced his opinion on where the young Castro will be hitting in the lineup. While I disagree with batting Castro hitting second in this lineup, I can not fully disagree with the idea of having a .300 hitter batting second. However, that is another blog for another time and I will get back to that topic later.
This season, I see Castro continuing to grow and to improve on the basic skills. With another year about to begin, and another Spring Training in the works, look to see Castro grow more into his body and develop some more power. You may never see outstanding power numbers out of Castro, but during his career he could easily reach the mid teens or low 20s in the home run category. His glove work should almost certainly improve as well as one would find him repeating 27 errors in 2010. He needs to learn which balls he can reasonable get to, and to better judge the amount of time he has to throw the ball to get the runner out. There are times that I believe he tries to do too much, and in time he will learn what he can and can not do better.
While I highly doubt that he will ever reach the quality of defense that “The Wizard of Oz” Ozzie Smith was able to do, keep in mind that in his rookie campaign he made 25 errors his first season as well, in fact he was in the 20s his first three years. So there is hope that Castro can and will vastly improve his defensive play.
For the year to come, I see some improvements coming for Castro. His batting average might very well go down, but I see an improvement in each of his other statistics. I think he will level out to around a .280ish batting average with about the same amount of homers, maybe a few more which could bring him up to about five. The RBI level should also raise, assuming he has someone on base ahead of him. He could reach the 50 or 60 range. Of course, this is assuming he does not fall into the traditional “sophomore slump” that sever players have fallen into for one reason or another, Geovany Soto being one of those who suffered that fate.
All in all, 2011 should be a signature season for Castro as he looks to continue to prove that he belongs in the big leagues.
The Hot Corner: Aramis Ramirez
After a brief hiatus from taking a look at the various players who will be starting for the Chicago Cubs, we return to examining those who will be taking the field day in and day out. Today, the focus is placed on the third baseman for the Cubs, Aramis Ramirez. Just like he has been in every previous year, he is one of the two biggest cogs in the offensive machine. If this team is to go anywhere this year, Ramirez will be one of the major driving forces leading the way. If he is unable to come back to form, and return to the level we have become used to seeing him perform, then this season will be a lost cause.
Ramirez just has not been the same since injuring his shoulder early in the 2009 campaign in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers. He missed a few months, but when his shoulder was rehabilitated and he was able to get back into the everyday lineup, he eventually returned with a bang. He looked like the Ramirez of old, and even came close to what his career statistics say he should be at, if you were to expand them to a full season. In the mind of the Cubs fans, all was well and he would be fully prepared to deliver a traditional Ramirez year in the 2010 season. As you all know, that just did not happen.
Last year, Ramirez stumbled out of the starting gate, and put up the worst offensive year of his professional career. He was racking up strike outs at a rapid pace, and leaving runners on base and quickly deflating the hopes of the fans. He was quickly becoming thought of as an automatic out every time he stepped into the batters box, that is how bad things got for him. He fell so far in the hearts and minds of some Cubs fans, that he was placed in the same category as fans place Carlos Zambrano, Alfonso Soriano and Kosuke Fukudome; overpaid for a much too long contract. Personally, I am not one of these fans who believe this about any of those players, but who am I to argue and tell someone their opinion is wrong?
Thankfully, for his sake, Ramirez was able to put together a pretty good end of the season. He started showing signs of snapping out of his season long funk, and began looking like the Ramirez of old; granted he did so in garbage time when the Cubs were all but eliminated, but he showed signs of being back in form.
For those of you who believe in the myth of the contract year explosion of stats (I do not believe in this myth, but I wont begrudge those of you who do), this is your time to see just how real that idea is. Technically, Ramirez is in a contract year who needs to convince the Cubs to pick up his $16 Million dollar option for the 2012 season. In order for the Cubs to do this, Ramirez needs to return to his 30 plus home runs with 100 plus RBI. If the Cubs are going to contend this year, those are the stats he must put up. This is a very simple win win scenario for both sides. If Ramirez earns his option year in the Cubs eyes, the chances are very good that the team is in contention. However, the opposite is also true. If he does not live up to expectations and fails to earn his option year, the Cubs are likely out of the running for the division title.
Cubs Manager Mike Quade has already announced that Ramirez will be hitting cleanup for the Cubs in 2011, which is a great place for him. With his typical power and run producing skills, there could not be a better place for him, again if he is the Ramirez we have all come to know and love. While the nickname belongs to Jeff Samardzija, I have taken to calling Ramirez “shark”. The reason behind this, is because when he is in form, he smells RBI on the bases like a shark smells blood in the water. He is an RBI chaser, whom most teams would give anything to have in the heart of their order. Thankfully, for the 2011 season, Ramirez is still a member of the Cubs, and will anchor their offense.
For this season, I honestly see Ramirez having a rebound year. Not because he is in a contract year, but because he is a tremendous offensive force. With Marlon Byrd hitting in front of him, and Carlos Pena behind him, Ramirez is surrounded by talent and should have plenty of opportunity to deliver a standout offensive year. I can easily see him returning to the 30-100 campaign that we are used to seeing. That is not my wearing my Cubs colored glasses, that is an honest assessment of what I think he can and will do in the year to come. I think he will do more than enough to earn his 2012 contract with the Cubs,
That can only mean good things for the year to come, don’t you think?
What Makes or Breaks Your Fan Hood?
Over the past few days and weeks, I have come to notice a trend on my Facebook page amongst some of my friends and followers. This blog stems from comments made on two different topics. The first was the potential of Albert Pujols reaching free agency, and whether or not the Chicago Cubs should try to sign him. The second incident started in the discussion about St. Louis Cardinals Ace pitcher, Adam Wainwright, could very well be out for the season due to possibly needing Tommy John surgery. This is primarily where I decided that I needed to clear my head and make my views known on the subject at hand, the Pujols discussion just adds delicious icing on the cake.
Apparently, with some Cub fans (I know that other team’s fans do this as well, but this is a Cubs blog so I am focusing on us), there is a thought process out there that because you are a fan of the team, you must hate the two biggest perceived rivals of the north siders, as well as their players. The two biggest rivals, in the minds of most fans, are the Cardinals and the Chicago White Sox. While I will completely agree with the Cardinals being our biggest rival, I can not put the White Sox in the same category. For one, the Cardinals are not only in our league, they are in our division and we contend with them on a daily basis. The White Sox on the other hand are in the American League, and we only see them six times a year as opposed to the rest of the teams in our division, or even our own league (most of whom we also only see six times a year as well).
I understand the hatred of the White Sox, as they are our cross town rivals, other than those six games a year, they are meaningless to me. Add into the mix that their fans are on the top of my most annoying list, and a hatred (or severe dislike) is very easy to understand. But that isn’t exactly where the issues I am having come into play.
When the discussion of signing Pujols if he reaches free agency came up, I came across several Cub fans who were adamantly against signing him to a contract. Not because he would eat up close to a fifth of the payroll or even because they did not want to sign another player to the length of deal that he was been reported to be asking for. These fans were against the possible signing of him, because he is a St. Louis Cardinal and they do not want a former cardinal on the team. These fans hate the Cardinals that much, that they would pass up the greatest hitter in the game, all because he is a member of the hated rival. I can not make sense out of that at all. I am not saying that your opinion is wrong, not at all. Just stating that I fully disagree with that idea of not wanting a player just because he plays for a hated rival.
Granted, there are several players that I hate and would be in physical pain if I had to root for them if they one day became a member of the Cubs. I hate A.J. Pierzynski with a fire hotter than the sun, but not because he is a member of the White Sox. I hate him, because he is an arrogant jackass who seems to live to piss people off. In fact, there are a few current and former White Sox players who I like. Jim Thome is one of the former White Sox that I like, he is one of those guys who I find hard to hate. Alexi Ramirez is another player who I find to be someone hard to hate. He is a fantastic young player, and I would love to get him on the north side to play for the Cubs.
As far as the Cardinals go, Pujols is simply an amazing talent who any team would be stepping all over themselves to get a piece of. Adam Wainwright is another one that I would do anything to bring to the Cubs team, he could very well be the best pitcher in the Central Division, and that is not so much a slight to any of our pitchers as to how amazing he is, and how strong the pitchers are in the division.
Does my liking these players that play for the hated rivals make me any less of a Cub fan? Some fans would say that would make me less of a fan then they are. I do not care, because I know where my loyalties lie, and which team I root for day in and day out.
That leads me perfectly into the next topic of discussion. With a percentage of fans (again, with all teams) there is a feeling of giving a slight against your team if you do not fully believe that the Cubs will win the division year in and year out. These fans take that as an insult against their team, calling you out and questioning your fan hood. I have no problem whatsoever with fans who honestly believe that every year the Cubs will be great; as a matter of fact, I love the optimism and hope that they have. But what troubles me is when someone isn’t on board and has sever doubts that the team can do as good as others, and their fan hood gets questions. Not everyone is an optimistic fan who truly believes that every year could possibly be the year.
On the same note, there are those fans who also find that you are committing a cardinal sin (no pun intended) if you compliment a rival team and talk about how good you think they could be this year. I will freely admit (as I did on the radio show with Eric Lamb) that I think the White Sox are going to have a fantastic year. They have a great offense and a very impressive pitching staff. I will also admit that I fully believe that with that offense, Adam Dunn could very well have an MVP quality year. They might be the best team in that division. I have no problem saying that.
Again, I ask you, do you believe that my thinking the White Sox will be a good team means that I am a White Sox fan? Or that I cheer for them more than the Cubs? No, I do not, and I would hope that you would not make that assumption either. Questioning someone’s love of their team just because they speak positively about a hated rival just makes no sense to me.
I fully understand that I may very well be pissing off some of my blog and page followers with what I am saying right now. I am also fully aware that I may also get deleted because of these thoughts (though I hope that I wont be). But I would not be honest with myself, or with those who read my blogs if I did not tell you the truth about what was on my mind. I hope you all understand that this is my opinion, one which I am entitled to, as are all of you . We may disagree with each others opinions, but that is what makes sports so enjoyable. You and I can disagree with one another and still enjoy the conversation that comes with voicing our opinions.
Whats 2B for the Cubs in 2011: Jeff Baker and Blake Dewitt
After a bad case of the Mondays struck hard and fast, I am back to continue the look at the Chicago Cubs position by position. Today, we find ourselves at second base. I have to be honest here, the second baseman for the 2011 season, is our weakest spot in the lineup, and has been since Mark DeRosa was traded. To kill any debate before one is started, I am not saying the Cubs should not have traded DeRosa at all. Seriously, what has he done the past two years to make you wish he was still on the Cubs those two years? Absolutely nothing. So if you want to throw your two cents in about him, feel free. However do not be surprised if I do not agree with you.
Anyway, back on topic. Second base is an interesting position for the Cubs in 2011, because of how weak they are there. They do not have any standout candidate to pickup the job and claim second as their own. The two candidates for the position are Jeff Baker and Blake Dewitt, which is what makes today’s examination so interesting. What Cubs Manager Mike Quade should do with these two, is give them a straight lefty/right platoon. In this case, Dewitt would get the majority of the at bats because he is a left handed bat, and Baker could take over when there is a left hander on the mound. This fits in perfectly because he crushes lefties, and could easily slide in the leadoff spot on days he is starting.
When Dewitt came to the Cubs via a trade for Ryan Theriot, the comparisons began. To make a long story short, Dewitt is a younger and left handed version Theriot; he comes with a little less speed, a little more power, but he comes without the cool sounding last name or the Tooblans (Thrown Out On The Base paths Like A Nincompoop). Theriot was famous for them, and you could usually count on him to make at least one boneheaded base running mistake a ballgame. With Dewitt, you do not get that. He knows how to run the bases. One more quality that he brings to the Cubs that Theriot did not, was the ability to draw a walk once in a while. However, in an honest moment, he likely will not be the reason we will be winning many games this year.
Defensively, he is an upgrade over Theriot, but that is not a hard task to do. He may not drive in too many runs for the Cubs, but he will not allow too many to score because of a boneheaded defensive play.
With Baker filling in against the left handed pitchers, you will not miss a step offensively. For his career, he is hitting at a .350 average, and getting on base close to a .400 clip. Those are outstanding numbers, and using him properly against those left handers, and you could very well see him putting up some very impressive statistics, even for a part timer. He does not have much power, which might turn him off from some fans though.
I can not try to sugar coat this, overall, second base could very well be a complete disaster for the Cubs this year. As I mentioned, this is our biggest weakness going into the season. Do not expect much out of either of these two offensively.
We will be lucky if Dewitt hits .260 this year with around five or six homers and 50 RBI. Not great statistics, and on par with what Theriot was producing. The upside, as I mentioned, he will get on base at a higher rate than his predecessor and be on base more to get driven in. That could very well be the most important difference between the two. Dewitt will not be thrown out before the rest of the team has a chance to drive him in,
With Baker, if he only bats against the left handed pitchers as I hope, he could be in store for a good season of .280 ball with maybe three or four homers and about 30 some RBI.
Of course, both these statistics could be way off based on playing time, or better play at the plate. Hopefully I am wrong and both men have outstanding seasons and blow my predictions out of the water. I would not be disappointed to be wrong at all, in fact, I hope that I am.
That being said, I am getting prepared for a headache when we think about second base for the 2011 season.
Anno Catuli
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