That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
Kevin Gregg has been relieved of closing duties according to Lou Piniella.
"I think we're going to make some changes as far as what we're going to
do in late innings," Piniella said. "We'll have some more tomorrow."
That "more" will either be Carlos Marmol or Angel Guzman most likely, and I'm sure Lou will go with experience and name Marmol the new closer. Instead of losing by home runs, it'll be by walking in runs. I know I feel better.
The Cardinals won last night leaving the Cubs six back in the division. You might as well kiss that train good-bye. Never say never and all, but it would take a NY Mets-like collapse at this point and I don't see it happening. Of course, I doubt the Mets did either. The Braves and Giants won and the Cubs dropped a half game to the idol Rockies leaving them four back and in 5th place in the wild card. What's the August equivelant of June Swoon? August Ambivelance?
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#1 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
based on keeping with Cub tradition, Lou names Aaron Heilman closer.
#2 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
"John Grabow pitched 161/37 innings of hitless relief before Carlos Marmol retired the final two hitters in the eighth. Then Gregg fell apart in the ninth."
Nice typo, Sully.
Too late, Lou. Shoulda done it after the Braves blown save.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs...
#5 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
"Too late, Lou. Shoulda done it in April."
Fixed
#15 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
Too late, Hendry. Should never have traded for that goggled fuck.
/Double fixed
#3 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
When you fucking walk David-fucking-Eckstein you absolutley get what you deserve.
Gregg should be DFAed; he does nothing for us in a set-up role and we clearly should have no interest in bringing him back at any price / role next season. Maybe someone will claim him and we'll at least get the salary relief the rest of the season.
I know the 2005 Cubs are supposed to be the baseline for team hate, but this squad is certainly up there. Soriano goes without need for comment, but between Gregg's ridiculous comments about becoming a "premier closer" this year in Spring Training, Miles' general ineptitude, and Lou's clueless management this has been a miserable season to say the least.
For a team that should have clearly been out-of-sight of the competition in the division race at the AS break, they really have found a creative bunch of ways to basically throw the season away.
#13 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
At least we don't have to listen to Dusty Baker make excuses for this teams suck. Now only Jim Hendry makes excuses for the suck. Lou pretty much calls it as he sees it.
#4 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
It could be worse, in theory.
#6 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
giving credit to little cubster for this rant...
Problem: Lou giving his roster rest when it's not needed. Why does he take Jeff Baker out of the lineup when his bat clearly has heated up and after they had a sunday rain-out?
Result: Fontenot left 7 men on base.
Doink.
#7 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
I don't think you gain much by replacing the closer at this point.
The Cubs don't catch the St. Louis Cardinals in September.
#9 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
Ok. So keep rolling Kevin Gregg out there?
That's a better solution?
#66 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
Hate to state the obvious, but....this is now an audition for 2010 closer.
Rather than test Marmol and/or Guzman in the false world of spring training, see how they handle closing in Aug/Sept.
Gregg won't be back, and he is clearly a basket case, particularly on the road. Time to cut our losses on him. Bad trade, bad result -- move on.
Neither Marmol nor Gooz is likely to be worse than Gregg, and maybe we will find a closer for next year, when the playoffs will hopefully be much more likely than they are for 2009.
#8 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
Who was it that wrote the article about Zambrano and kept using the word "we" to our annoyance? I ask because I came across an amusing Mark Twain quote today...
"Only the president, editors, and people with tapeworm have the right to use the editorial 'we'." Mark Twain
I lol'ed.
#10 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
That was Kaplan but I glanced at an S-T on the train today and saw that Slezak had a piece w/a similar theme re: "la-Z" today. Right, because the problem we all need to talk about is an offhand remark by the guy who hasn't played for 2 weeks.
Excellent Twain quote btw.
#11 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
~cue "My Way" playing in background~
So we have arrived to the point of the season where even our Cubbie blinders can no longer block the sun like brightness of the shiny turd that is the Cubs 2009 season.
We can be thankful that they have not dragged us to the final week like their doppleganger the 2004 Cubs, great on paper terrible in practice.
If the Ricketts family can do one thing when they take over this team in 2013(hopefully) they will blow up every aspect of this organization from Crain Kenney down to the beer vendor who would not sell me a beer back in June in the sixth inning.(Overserved my ass)
Screw Hendry
Screw Lou
Screw Soriano
Screw Z
Screw Bradley
Screw Miles
Screw Esther
Screw Heilmann
Screw Rothschild
Screw Farney
And most importantly, let us not forget screw Michael Barrett.
As I fall from the ledge and I look up to the sky,I'm hoping some day this team will reward us. And with this faith I hope before I crash through the pavement that my fat ass crushes Kevin Gregg or one of his relatives.
See ya in the funny pages.
Peace and Chicken Grease.
#12 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
If Fontenot can do this more, he could justify himself as a starter, batting stats aside.
#14 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
Who is surprised that:
- Gregg, who led the league in blown saves last year, has blown a lot of saves this year?
- Bradley, who has a history of being a selfish prick, is a selfish prick?
- Fontentot, who has never been an everyday player, sucks as an everyday player? He reminds me of a backup NBA center who gets 3 rebounds per game in 10 minutes against the other team's backup, and some team signs him expecting 12 rebounds per game in 40 minutes.
Who, other than Hendry, is really surpised?
The injuries and Sori/Marmol/Soto (when healthy) have been surprises, but the 3 above were easily foreseen.
Lee, K-Fuk and Theriot are about as expected.
#16 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
I actually think Lee, K-Fuk, and Theriot have exceeded expectations this year (although Theriot's OPS+ is still only 96). Unfortunately, everyone else you mentioned has performed so far below expectations that we find ourselves in this predicament. Also, our best player has missed a huge chunk of the season. That never helps.
What really sucks is the only places we can really improve in the offseason are the bullpen and 2B. Those would certainly help, but we're essentially stuck (either by contract or choice)at the positions where an upgrade would really help (RF, LF, C, Ace SP).
#19 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
If Ricketts has money to spend, there's always room for another SP. I assume Harden won't be back, so someone else needs to join Z, Lilly, Demp and Wells in the rotation. I assume Marshall and Gorz will simply be fall-back plans.
John Lackey will be available, but knowing Hendry's M.O., he's much more likely to go hard after someone like Harden or Erik Bedard and give them a big contract.
#21 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
Just took a look at the 2010 MLB FA list, and except for LF there's not much out there:
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2008/12/2010-mlb-fre...
We might want to take a look at Marco Scutaro at SS, and move Theriot to 2B. Scutaro's 5th in SS OPS in all of MLB this year. Unfortunately, he's 34.
Jason Bay, Carl Crawford, and Matt Holliday are all FAs this year, but we've got way too much money tied up in our outfield as is.
I'm not very well-versed in all the random bullpen guys that are available, but I'm generally averse to spending more than $1-2 million on a middle reliever.
With the dearth of talent available out there, I'm really wishing we had gotten in on Cliff Lee or Halladay, especially because it looks like Lee's only scheduled to make $8 million next year.
#22 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
I like the idea of Scutaro for a year or two if the price isn't insane (though I think the Cubs should deal for Punto, Bradley for Punto straight up...). I'd move Bradley and find someone like Chavez or Crisp for CF, move Fuku back to RF, move Riot to 2B, move Fonte to the bench, and leave Aaron Miles in the middle of the Pacific Ocean without a life jacket.
The bullpen is a mess. Keep Grabow, Gooz, Marmol... scrape out the rest.
#24 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
I'd move Bradley and find someone like Chavez or Crisp for CF, move Fuku back to RF
Yea... because what the Cubs need is LESS offense.
#25 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
Find offense somewhere else.
#44 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
In St. Louis?
#68 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
Left field or 1st base are the most... well, we can't move those contracts either. There are no middle infielders likely to improve on what we have that would compensate for the difference in offense Bradley offers over those scrubs, and they're not that great defensively.
#33 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
Nick Punto. Really? Wow....what year is this? He makes Mario Mendoza look like Derek Jeter:
.210/.313/.261 career is .247/.318/.324 OPS+ is 72??
He'd better be Ozzie Effing Smith...
#40 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
He's one of the best defensively.
#43 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
He may be one of the best, but can that possibly justify having a player in the lineup with a .573 OPS?
Anyone?
#39 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
Rays have the option on Crawford, something very reasonable like $7-8M IIRC. He'll likely get traded, along with Scott Kazmir, was the rumor I heard.
The two of them would be a nice package to Chicago, but it'd likely cost mad prospects and not leave any money to help the bullpen.
#26 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
Second time I've heard the assumption that Harden won't be back. What is this based on? I'm not arguing, just asking.
#28 Re: That's What You Get For Having Two First Names
He's as fragile as a Faberge egg and he's going to want a big, multiyear deal. Also, until very recently, his high-90s fastball had dipped down to 89-91 mph.
He might be back, but I hope Hendry's of the opinion that slightly above average talent but durable is better than highly talented but injury-prone. However, given the fact that he signed Milton Bradley and traded away Marquis for nothing, I'm really skeptical that he'll ever learn this lesson.
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