Q&A with the Magic Q-Ball

 

Really, I don't like to question the manager.
God only knows what's going on in a game that I'll never be aware of with little injuries, a weird stat, SOME kind of inside information... I've got enough to worry about without questioning the manager.
But...MOTHER OF GOD!
Leaving Koyie Hill in to hit for himself with the tying run on 3rd in the 8th inning of a game against the White Sox? 
When Geovanny Soto is sitting RIGHT THERE?

(thanks to whoever came up with the "Q Ball" nickname here - it inspired the animation.)

Submitted by CubbyBlue on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 9:29am

Comments

Submitted by jacos
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 9:49am

Hendry, Kenney, Quade and Hill need to be dispose of.

Submitted by Dr. aaron b
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 9:54am

Mafia style

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 11:19am

Jacos: Yeaahhh!
Dr. Aaron B: Uh, the run-of-the-mill firing spree would suffice.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 12:26pm

Something in the order of this, seems appropo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcxKIJTb3Hg

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 12:34pm

Haha... good stuff.

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 1:17pm

Priceless.

Submitted by Dr. aaron b
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 1:43pm

And they ate Robin's minstrels.......There was much rejoicing

Submitted by jacos
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 2:56pm

Hopefully Hendry doesn't have the Holy handgrenade of Antioch.

Submitted by Jumbo
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 11:31am

{sound sent: machine gun}

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 10:12am

That was awesome, Tim.

I can't recall who started Q-ball (maybe navigator?), but I've been championing for it.

Submitted by CubbyBlue
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 10:49am

Well, thanks and thanks to navigator, then.

Submitted by navigator
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 11:17am

Yer welcome!

Thanks for helping spread that monicker around the internets.

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 11:20am

I thought it was a play on the word 8-ball and the creation of lineups while in a drug-induced haze.

Submitted by QuietMan
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 10:16am

The Chicago Cubs will bring in their top scouts on Monday and Tuesday to have meetings about the direction the team will be headed with the trading deadline just five weeks away, according to a Major League Baseball source.

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/st...

Submitted by Jumbo
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 11:43am

Not a lot of excitement inside that link. Mentions the 4 players that will be toughest to trade: Z, Ram, Sori, Fuku
I wouldn't be suprised to see Pena, Baker and Marshall get much more consideration. I would assume that Wood/Dempster are not interested in leaving and wouldn't be traded against their wishes (Demp has no trade anyway). I also assume that Marmol, Soto and Barney would be "untouchable" at this point. Castro ain't going anywhere.

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 11:51am

I also assume that Marmol, Soto and Barney would be "untouchable" at this point

I doubt that any of them would be untouchable, except for maybe Marmol. But what's the point of a very good closer on a bad team?

And if Barney is "untouchable," I may have to stop being a Cubs fan.

Also - I too would think that Pena would merit attention, but there are not a ton of contending teams in need of a 1b. Marshall will merit a TON of attention, but the Cubs would also be able to demand a ton in return. If he is available, he's probably the best bullpen arm available in MLB.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 2:38pm

Does anyone have any faith that Hendry will be able to turn these guys into a useful piece for the future?

We don't have any prospects forcing their way into the lineup, and the fruit of Hendry's salary dump trades (pun recognized if not intended) is DeWitt, whatever Archer was worth,Justin Berg and Jeff Stevens.

Just keep the shitty old vets and win 73 games, instead of 68. At least that's my take from a fan's perspective. It's hard to believe Hendry will be able to turn any of those guys into a building block, unless Pena stays hot until the deadline.

Submitted by Dr. aaron b
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 2:41pm

If there is a chance for Draft Pick compensation, then maybe you keep a guy.

If they are gone regardless, go ahead and hope for the best. Maybe we can hope for some live bullpen arms anyway?

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 4:29pm

If there is a chance for Draft Pick compensation, then maybe you keep a guy.

******

A G.M. who knows the in's and outs of free agency compensation would keep them, but Hendry won't offer arbitration to someone just to get compensation, even when the player is obviously going to get a multi-year deal elsewhere.

And one other thing to remember is they are not allowed to offer Fukudome arbitration, per his contract. So either we deal him for some useless part or he walks for free (or maybe Hendry re-signs him for 2 years, plus a player option, at $8 million per year and gives him a full no trade clause). :) To be fair, offering Fuku arbitration would be pointless because of the salary he's already making.

I don't want Hendry in charge of making any more deals, period. He's a lame duck G.M., whether it's by the end of this season or the end of next season, he's almost certainly gone. I wouldn't be shocked if Ricketts refused to fire him just to avoid eating any part of a contract, but who knows.

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 2:46pm

Does anyone have any faith that Hendry will be able to turn these guys into a useful piece for the future?

Not necessarily, which is why I, personally, wouldn't want to trade Marmol, Soto, or Marshall (or, obviously, Castro). But the rest of the team I wouldn't have much concern about trading.

FWIW, Hendry doesn't have much of a record of salary dump trades. Maddux and DeRosa are the only two that come to mind. And the DeRosa package was actually pretty good. Am I missing anything else? I guess you could include Sosa and Bradley, but both are pretty exceptional circumstances.

Oh yea - DLee - jury is still out on that one. Based solely on stats/very limited reading of scouting reports, Harris seems to have potential, but wild. Lopez is supposed to be special, but is still very young and hasn't done anything. Lorick doesn't look very impressive to me.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 3:45pm

Barrett and Lawton come to mind immediately.

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 3:54pm

IIRC, Barrett wasn't really a salary dump as much as make Z happy dump. They didn't have much leverage there.

Lawton didn't exactly have a lot of value either. And he brought back, in return, a guy who has actually contributed to the big league club. He hasn't contributed very well, but he contributed.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 4:01pm

"He hasn't contributed very well, but he contributed."

That's my point. All those trades and no one good to show for it.

Submitted by WISCGRAD
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 4:22pm

Hendry has had a few trades late in the season of veterans for prospects in what can be best described as salary dump trades:

During 2002

Tom Gordon to the Houston Astros for Russ Rohlicek, Travis Anderson, and Mike Nannini

Jeff Fassero to the St. Louis Cardinals for Jared Blasdell and Jason Karnuth

Bill Mueller and cash to the San Francisco Giants for Jeff Verplancke

During 2005

Mike Remlinger to the Boston Red Sox for Olivo Astacio

Matt Lawton to the New York Yankees for Justin Berg

Todd Hollandsworth to the Atlanta Braves for Todd Blackford and Angelo Burrows

During 2006

Scott Williamson to the San Diego Padres for Joel Santo and Fabian Jimenez Angulo

Todd Walker to the San Diego Padres for Jose Ceda

Greg Maddux to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Cesar Izturis

Neifi Perez to the Detroit Tigers for Chris Robinson

Phil Nevin to the Minnesota Twins for Adam Harben

During 2010

Derrek Lee to Atlanta Braves for Jeffrey Lorick, Robinson Lopez, and Tyrelle Harris

Mike Fontenot to San Francisco Giants for Evan Crawford.

Most of these netted nothing, but in most cases, Hendry wasn't working with much. Saving a month's worth of Fassero's $2.8 million salary in 2002 was the goal, not getting any decent prospects for someone sporting an ERA of nearly 7.00 at the time. Ditto with the Neifi trade.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 7:50pm

I rest my case.

And though as an owner saving Jeff Fassero and Derrek Lee's salary for a month or two may be a good thing, as a fan, I could care less, unless it brings back a real prospect, something Hendry hasn't shown the ability to do.

Submitted by WISCGRAD
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 9:21pm

Well, in that case though, I'd rather they save the salary and invest it somewhere in the organization than KEEP Fassero and his 6.88 ERA. The choice is not $ saved or prospect, it's often keep the sucky veteran or save $.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 6:13am

Oh, I didn't realize we were talking about fantasy scenarios. In the real world it's trade the veteran and put the savings in the ownership's pockets.

Submitted by WISCGRAD
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 9:21pm

Oh, I didn't realize you were back and being a dick as usual. I'll stop responding to you now.

Submitted by VirginiaPhil
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 4:35pm

"Does anyone have any faith that Hendry will be able to turn these guys into a useful piece for the future?"

I have some faith in Hendry when he goes after unproven players and doesn't consult Gary Hughes. Here are a few perhaps overlooked pieces that JH has gotten in trades recently.

Evan Crawford (Fontenot)
Matt Spencer (with Gray for Fox, Miles)
John Gaub (with Archer for DeRosa--Gaub is still lights-out though erratic)
Zac Rosscup (with Garza for Archer, Lee et al.)

Levine has been saying that there is interest in Byrd if he shows he is still comfortable in the batter's box. He could bring a prospect.

No reason to trade Soto, Marshall, Zambrano, Dempster, Pena, in my opinion, since they're not readily replaceable.

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 5:16pm

I don't really care about Marmol either way. I'd only trade him if I could rake... and I mean top up-and-comer talent. If Soto is going to continue gunning down runners, I'm okay with slapping the untouchable label on him. There's no reason why Barney would be untouchable, but it's not like he'd get you much value in a trade anyways.

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 9:00pm

There's no reason why Barney would be untouchable, but it's not like he'd get you much value in a trade anyways.

Agreed... but he probably has more value today than he will ever have again.

Submitted by Ryno
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 11:14am

Touche.

Submitted by jacos
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 12:05pm

"The Chicago Cubs will bring in their top scouts on Monday and Tuesday to have meetings"

Which Chuck E Cheese are they meeting at?

Only trade Marmol unless someone wants to overpay. Do this until Cubs are good again.

Soto can go and someone wants Barney him too.

Like to keep Castro and Marshall.

Submitted by The Joe
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 6:27am

"Only trade Marmol unless someone wants to overpay. Do this until Cubs are good again."

So, only trade Marmol if they're trading him to the Cubs? And, only do this until the end of time? Got it.

Submitted by jacos
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 8:01am

I see what you did there

Submitted by The Joe
on Sun, 06/26/2011 - 11:07pm

fart.

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 11:28am

Is Jim Hendry's nickname really 'donuts' or is it a wiki-prank? The first line of the Jim Hendry entry refers to him as Jim "Donuts" Hendry.

Submitted by Jumbo
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 11:45am

Anyone can edit it. At work once a guy added a comment to the Nancy Pelosi page that said she blows goats or something, and into the web it went. The comment has since been deleted, so Hendry must not have any staffers guarding his page.

Do you have a wiki page? Not that I would write anything on it...

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 12:38pm

As it turns out, I do have a wiki page.

Submitted by Andy
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 1:16pm

Dammit, you made me read that whole page.

Submitted by jacos
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 2:55pm

I have one too
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rip_taylor

Submitted by Dr. aaron b
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 3:32pm

Thought it was this one

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Gay_Al#Big_G...

Submitted by WISCGRAD
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 11:59am

Whoever has been doing it is desperate to criticize Hendry. He has re-added the donuts line about 6 times in the past month after people have deleted it.

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 12:04pm

Is it Manny? Or Navigator?

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 12:13pm

Then it would be "Teflon".

Submitted by navigator
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 2:21pm

yeah, I think we own Teflon™

Submitted by QuietMan
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 3:38pm

Jim Riggleman has resigned as manager of the Nationals.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 3:46pm

Quade for Strasberg?

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 3:54pm

Hell... Quade for Riggleman?

Submitted by jacos
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 4:12pm

What the hell is with all these guys quitting?

Nats just hit .500.

Quade should take note.

~edit~

way to call the gm's bluff, riggs.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/daily...

Submitted by Ryno
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 5:18pm

Nationals payroll: $58 mil
Cubs payroll: $127 mil (219% more)

Submitted by Rob G.
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 5:32pm

what a dick move...

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 4:21pm

Riggleman is an idiot, in my opinion. Here's why...

His reason for leaving, that his contract situation "was weighing on him," means he can't handle stress, which in the past he's made statements about stress. Then quitting on his team in the middle of the season when he is only in the same situation a million other managers have faced, has to make a very negative impression on G.M.'s and players around the league. I wouldn't be so certain he's going to get another big league managing job, at least not anytime soon. And I've always liked him, except for when he was Cubs manager and announced that he banned his pitchers from ever retaliating for a hit batter.

Submitted by jacos
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 4:31pm

Dusty is going to hire Rigg's as his pitching coach.

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 4:45pm

LOL.

Submitted by navigator
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 4:38pm

I bet he lost it when he found out that Q-Ball has a 2 yr/nearly $2 Million dollar contract with the Cubs.

Biz of Baseball noted:

This offseason, the Nationals chose to bring Riggleman back for $600,000 rather than pay him a $100,000 buyout. The Nationals can exercise a team option to bring Riggleman back for the 2012 season, again at $600,000. With Edwin Rodriguez having resigned as the Marlins’ manager, Riggleman is believed to be the lowest-paid manager in baseball.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 11:00am

He figured he was in a good position, he took his shot at it and got turned down, so he quit. You're reading way too much into it.

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 12:03pm

He figured he was in a good position, he took his shot at it and got turned down, so he quit. You're reading way too much into it.
********

No, hours after I wrote that several sportswriters also wrote articles saying the same thing, and one quoted a baseball executive saying they wouldn't hire him to be a AA or AAA manager after quitting on his team.

A couple:

"A non-Nationals team official tells ESPN's Buster Olney that he "wouldn't hire [Riggleman] for Double-A or Triple-A job. You can't walk away... when you're under contract."

Yahoo's Jeff Passan's tweeted response was more blunt: "I hope Jim Riggleman has a good 401(k), because no way he's ever managing another Major League team after this napalming."

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/06/reactio...

Passan expanded on his tweet in a Yahoo Sports article...

"...Jim Riggleman, almost assuredly never to be a manager again, not with the napalm trail he left on his way out."

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=ApxaAQT...

And an ESPN senior writer writes that "Riggleman will never manage again," and, "No team will ever hire a manager again who quit on his team in the middle of the season."

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/1...

Submitted by crunch
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 1:07pm

good.

he's a huge piece of shi...

he signed a contract to manage a team...not just play, but manage...and quit in the middle of a season he signed a contract for because the team wouldn't give him more years.

at least pinella has the decency to wait til the season was over to quit on TB and managed to quit SEA via trade in the offseason. that was at least considerate of the men he's supposed to manage. the teams had warning and time...and no players were screwed over in the process.

unless there's something unknown about riggy and his bosses i haven't heard he's no leader of men.

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 1:34pm

The outrage at Riggleman, for breaking his contract, is fascinating to me.

Let me know when you show the same outrage to management when they fire managers/coaches.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 1:45pm

I think in those cases, the coaches and managers get paid. Here the Nationals have no compensation.

However, just like in the real world, if someone who respects him gets a GM job, he could get in the running for a manager position again. Pinhead quit on two teams and got hired... no one screamed about how he would never have another job in baseball again after he quit on the Cubs last season.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 1:58pm

in the real world, you give 2 weeks notice if you quit and not under contract and if you're under contract, you tend to need to negotiate some settlement if you want out early.

Also this is baseball, not the real world.

Also they just won 9 straight or something and he thought he'd leverage that into his option being picked up, which is a bit retarded.

more power to him, he doesn't deserve the 7th ring of hell or anything, but a dick move in my opinion.

But I doubt he'll ever manage again unless it's similar to how he got the Nats job as a bench coach that got promoted when someone else got fired.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 2:18pm

So, you, and others would have just finished out the season, then went looking for work elsewhere?

Submitted by crunch
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 2:33pm

this is more akin to an army sergeant leaving mid-battle...only without the lives on the line.

he deserted his team over some suits that have nothing to do with them. it wasn't undue pressure or anything shady...he decided to take his ball and go home early when he tried to play hardball with the suits.

this ranks up there with d.bell's "operation shutdown" threat...only riggy didn't just threaten, he threatened and followed through.

this is a guy who publicly dressed down n.morgan over disrespecting the team and game.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 2:40pm

He's also a guy who was expected to play by a different set of rules than every other manager in the game, and got tired of it.

If you do well, you got your option picked up. That's how it works. He was the lowest paid manager in the game, and the GM seemed quite happy to string him along, year after year, presumably so he could replace him when the team got good, without having to buy him out.

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 3:02pm

A different set of rules? There have been a million different managers (and players) who work on 1 year contracts. Your argument has no teeth.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 3:34pm

How many MLB managers are getting paid $600K a year, and are on their second year of "team option" contracts?

You can look it up, but to save you the time, it's zero.

There haven't been a million different managers and players - and I guess they should just brand his forhead and make him a slave to continue your argument, since you're not interested in discussing the context of his contract situation amongst his peers - which is the way that you, and I and just about everyone else in the world evaluates whether they're being "fairly" compensated.

The guy realized that he wasn't going to get an extension, no matter what he did, so he decided "fuck you, fuck it" - and quit.

Sandberg did the same thing.

Submitted by crunch
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 3:50pm

the guy deserted his team mid-season on a threat to the owners prompted by nothing at all. this isn't something you do mid-season just because you need/want more commitment.

it wasn't management giving him static or players he couldn't control or even a sick parent (sup lou).

he has no peers. he's in a class of his own on this one.

sandberg playing 2nd base while the team bangs his wife isn't even in the realm...he wasn't managing anyone but himself.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 3:53pm

If you do well, you got your option picked up. That's how it works.

usually yes, but not sure anyone can say Rigglemann did well other than the last 2 weeks.

all good for him, we live in a world of free choice, god bless him and the rest of his life of never managing another major league game.

Submitted by QuietMan
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 4:00pm

Inside the link there's an espn1000 podcast of their interview with Riggleman this morning.

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/st...

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 3:01pm

So, you, and others would have just finished out the season, then went looking for work elsewhere?

------------

Just like every manager, coach, and player have always done who didn't get an extension.

What's also so ridiculous about this was his demand that they pick up his option or he would not get on the bus and quit on the spot, which he claims he never said, but his actions show that's what he did.

Submitted by jacos
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 3:10pm

Riggs oversold himself. He's not Tony LaRussa.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 3:38pm

Just like every manager, coach, and player have always done who didn't get an extension.

I get so confused some times... sometimes I think we're talking about the real world, where this happened earlier this week:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/19/edwi...

and sometimes we're obviously in some fantasy world in which the rules of reality don't always apply.

Maybe there's another type of font we should use for the fantasy land discussions...

Submitted by crunch
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 3:50pm

j.lorria should never be allowed to own a baseball team.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 3:45pm

can't speak for others, but I'm sure I would honor my contract or find better means than giving my boss half a day notice that I was unhappy with my situation.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 1:40pm

I don't know what to say, other than read what you posted.

Submitted by QuietMan
on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 4:46pm

Matt Szczur on US roster for the Futures Game.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 12:23am

McNutt activated today and didn't get an out

2 ER, 1 H, 4 BB

Submitted by crunch
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 12:41am

yow...and also surgery went well.

Submitted by JoePepitone
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 1:37am

Glad to hear it, Crunch. Stay with us a little while longer, won't cha?

Submitted by Dr. aaron b
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 1:48am

Good to hear Columns A&B are in good working order!

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 11:52am

Great news!

Submitted by Mike Wellman
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 8:32am

you can't stop tyler colvin, you can only hope to contain him...

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 8:40am

How's his timing?

Submitted by Dr. aaron b
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 9:24am

Why throw him a strike? You really dont need to?

Submitted by jacos
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 10:23am

I'm Ron Burgandy?

Submitted by Dr. aaron b
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 2:09pm

Who put that question mark on the TelePrompTer?

Submitted by jacos
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 10:42am

Anything bad happening earlier in the day,can be resolved with beer and nice bossomed gals- Riggs

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/06/24/...

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 12:31pm

a little late in life for a mid-life crisis, but it's a glorious run he's on

Submitted by VirginiaPhil
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 1:30pm

Paul Hoilman, off to a good start slugging-wise with 2 HRs and a double in 19 ABs at Boise, also has 11 walks.

Submitted by navigator
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 1:40pm

According to his Facebook page, he has a big interest in golfcart clubcars..

??

Submitted by Dr. aaron b
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 2:11pm

Cubs coaches working to increase his aggressiveness, according to reports.

Submitted by navigator
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 3:13pm

Anyone heard what teams are interested in KFuk?

Submitted by crunch
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 3:31pm

cant imagine he'd fetch much considering lou/quade refused to bat him vs. lefties...even if they put in a righty who couldn't hit very well. he sees leftys pretty decently for a guy that don't see many of them...not much power vs. them, though. he's not an automatic out.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 3:39pm

Swallows
Carp
Giants
Elephants

a few others...

Submitted by navigator
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 4:09pm

Ha!

Well, supposedly there also are some domestic teams interested in him....for the first time.

Submitted by jacos
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 4:11pm

Beat me to it

Submitted by rokfish
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 3:41pm

Fukadome starts and plays center vs. lefty starter, hmmmmm
Baker at dh

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 8:19pm

Good inning for wavin' Wendell Dejesus there.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 8:21pm

Remember when Ryan Dempster didn't give up home runs?

Submitted by Eric S
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 2:53pm

Yep. Same for Z - that 9 HR allowed for the 2003 season / 214IP seems like yesterday.

Submitted by JoePepitone
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 10:16pm

I say we should get more guys who can hit like that Castro fella.

Submitted by QuietMan
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 10:20pm

Hendry wants to give club little more time before pulling plug on season

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball...

Submitted by jacos
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 11:27pm

F'em

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 12:53am

Hendry wants to give club little more time to try and save his own job.

Submitted by JoePepitone
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 10:27pm

Hmmmm. Chris Carpenter hits 100 mph 4 times tonight (per Gameday).

Submitted by crunch
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 10:31pm

closers for VA and SC go near or over 100 pitches tonight in the college world series. lulz.

Submitted by crunch
on Fri, 06/24/2011 - 10:37pm

and SC beats VA on 2 bad throws in the 13th...wow.

FLA vs. SC for the final game on monday.

Submitted by Eric S
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 2:50pm

Monday is the first of the 3 game series, if it goes that far.

Submitted by VirginiaPhil
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 9:04am

Three interesting items related to I-Cub win last night at home.

Attendance was 13,549.

LaHair hit his 20th (and Castillo his 10th).

Jay Jackson pinch-hit for the pitcher in the fifth. It was a three-run at-bat: Jackson drove in two with a double and later scored. He did not pitch in the game.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 11:20am

Best game of the year for jay jackson

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 7:25pm

Manager should be fired, what if Jackson had gotten hurt?

Submitted by Mike Wellman
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 5:39pm

LaHair & Castillo were back to back & Maine was LIGHTS OUT in 3 innings of 6k relief! Going to kc tomorrow to watch the keystone cubs...

Submitted by navigator
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 11:50am

aftermath (pic)

http://photos.al.com/birmingham-news/2011/06/...

Submitted by Eric S
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 2:57pm

That sucks, hopefully not concussed.

Submitted by jacos
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 3:24pm

Nats new manager is Davey Johnson.

Rumor has it Earl Weaver has been apt hunting in Chicago.
Quade must be getting nervous.

Submitted by Dr. aaron b
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 3:38pm

Dick Williams just checked into a Chicago hotel.

Submitted by jacos
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 3:42pm

Warn room service!

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 7:26pm

The interim manager is quitting too... damn it's tough being right so often.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 7:49pm

Right about what?

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 9:35pm

damn it's tough being right so often.

How would you know?

Submitted by Cubster
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 4:23pm

Connie Mack's ghost sez hello.

Submitted by Cubster
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 7:46pm

highlight from tonight's wgn telecast...

Len starts talking about his interview with Fukudome including asking Fuk what his favorite word is in English

Bob says: "I think I know what it is but this is a family show"

(although the back to back HRs from birthday boy and Soto are a close second)

Submitted by Cubster
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 8:24pm

other than Barney in his PCL rehab of his PCL injury...the I-Cubs lineup doesn't have any mlb potential in it

Fernando Perez, Barney, Snyder, LaHair, Ty Wright, Scott Moore, Chris Robinson, Jon Mota and Russ Ortiz.

(yeech)

and so far Barney is 0-2 with a K.

Submitted by QuietMan
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 9:24pm

Ramon says hi.

Submitted by navigator
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 9:47pm

"the I-Cubs lineup doesn't have any mlb potential in it"

Remind me again what Bush and Fleita and Wilken do for a living.

Submitted by The E-Man
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 10:19pm

AAA is not the place for prospects like AA.

Btw Starlin Castro and Oneri Fleita say hi.

Submitted by navigator
on Sat, 06/25/2011 - 10:57pm

huh?

ya know, now that we got crunch back from surgery okay, maybe it's time for you to get that broom up your butt removed.

Submitted by Jumbo
on Sun, 06/26/2011 - 6:15am

I generally agree with this, but I'll look forward to when the Cubs can fill out the AAA team without Bobby Scales types. I do think players could add some polish to their game facing some more crafty AAA types, be they MLB rejects or AA graduates that haven't pushed through to the majors yet.

I'm hoping that following the draft pick signing season we purge the system a bit and move up some organizational guys in place of Scales, Moore, etc.

Submitted by big_lowitzki
on Sun, 06/26/2011 - 5:45pm

I'll look forward to when the Cubs can fill out the AAA team without Bobby Scales types.

Most, if not all, teams fill their AAA teams with Bobby Scales types.

Submitted by Jumbo
on Sun, 06/26/2011 - 7:09pm

You're right. I realize that there are a certain number of roster fillers that get signed just to fill out a minor league team. It seemed to me that our AAA club had a lot of guys like this instead of players from within the organization moving up to that level. For example, a lot of players will go directly from AA to MLB. Some won't be good enough to do that or be blocked, etc. Facing AAA competition would provide a different challenge than AA for those prospects (maybe not more talented necessarily). Moving them to AAA gets them out of the way for the next wave of talent to come to AA.

Submitted by Dr. aaron b
on Sun, 06/26/2011 - 9:01pm

Agree,

A few years ago we had legit prospects like EPatt,Cedeno,Pie,Soto etc. Plying the trade in AAA.

For all the hype and misinformation we hear. I really don't think our system is much better than the 20 range?

Submitted by VirginiaPhil
on Tue, 06/28/2011 - 10:04am

"I'm hoping that following the draft pick signing season we purge the system a bit and move up some organizational guys in place of Scales, Moore, etc."

Scales was pushed out when Barney and LeMahieu moved ahead of him on the depth chart. Moore will be competing soon with Vitters and Flaherty along with Smith; etc.

Submitted by Jumbo
on Sun, 06/26/2011 - 5:56am

AZ Phil
Did you get a chance to see DeValle pitch?

Submitted by Arizona Phil
on Sun, 06/26/2011 - 10:40am

Submitted by Jumbo on Sun, 06/26/2011 - 4:56am.
AZ Phil
Did you get a chance to see DeValle pitch?

===============================

JUMBO: No I didn't.

BTW, the Cubs have signed their 6th Cuban defector in the last six months, OF Eliecer Bonne, who played for Santiago de Cuba in the Cuban National Series (SNB), which is the Cuban major leagues.

Bonne is 24 years old and was a member of the Cuban Junior National Team as a teenager, and while he was initially assigned to DSL Cubs #2, he will probably get jumped to Peoria or Daytona (or maybe even to Tennessee) once he arrives in the U. S.(probably next season). Same goes for 24-year old OF Mayke Reyes, who was signed by the Cubs in May and is presently assigned to DSL Cubs #1.

Several of the Cuban players who have been signed by the Cubs over the past few years are older guys who have played in the SNB. A couple (Peoria OF Smaily Borges and Daytona INF Rafael Valdes) are clearly minor league "organizational players" (AKA "roster-filler"), but the others are at least second-tier prospects (Daytona RHP Juan Yasser Serrano, Peoria OF Rubi Silva, Boise C Yaniel Cabezas, AZL Cubs LHP Frank Del Valle, and DSL Cubs #2 OF Eliecer Bonne).

Because of their age and experience, Mayke Reyes and Eliecer Bonne should be expected to dominate the DSL, just as Smaily Borges did when he played there as a 25-year old in 2009 (and in fact, Mayke Reyes presently leads the DSL in OBP and OPS, is 3rd in SB and SLG, 4th in BB, 6th in HR, and 7th in BatAvg), so we'll have to wait to see how they do against the better pitching they will see at Peoria or Daytona (or maybe even Tennessee) before coming to any conclusions about their future. But because they are 24 (and both will be 25 next season) they will have to be prepared to hit the ground running once they arrive in the U. S., and then keep moving forward.

Like Reyes and Bonne, OF Smaily Borges was 24 when he signed with the San Francisco Giants in 2008 (his contract was voided in 2009), and was 25 when he was signed by the Cubs in 2009 (the year he played in the DSL). The Cubs brought him to the U. S. for Minor League Camp in 2010 and gave him a shot at making the Iowa Cubs Opening Day roster, but he just didn't have the talent to play at AAA, and ended up at Daytona. Then this year Borges spent most of Minor League Camp with the AA (Tennessee) squad, before getting moved down to Peoria, were he is serving as a "player-coach" (probably his ultimate destiny).

INF Rafael Valdes was 27 years old and a veteran of the Cuban SNB (Pinar Del Rio) and international play with Team Cuba when he was signed by the Cubs a couple of months ago. He was initially brought up to Extended Spring Training to get into playing shape, and then he was assigned to Daytona on May 31st.

Bonne, Serrano, Silva, Cabezas, and Del Valle were members of the Cuban Junior National Team when they were teenagers, so I think you can probably expect a bit more from them than you might get from Borges and Valdes.

Submitted by Arizona Phil
on Sun, 06/26/2011 - 12:17pm

22-year old Venezuelan supersub IF-OF Marwin Gonzalez has been promoted from Tennessee to Iowa.

A switch-hitter who can play anywhere in the infield and outfield, Gonzalez was hitting 301/359/421 with a team-leading 18 doubles in 64 games (239 PA) for the Smokies so far in 2011, after hitting 324/412/419 (4th in LVBP in BatAvg, 6th in OBP and doubles, and 8th in walks) for Caracas in the Venezulan Winter League (LVBP) this past off-season.

Because of his defensive versatility and improvement as a hitter, Gonzalez is likely to get added to the Cubs 40-man roster post-2011.

Gonzalez replaces Marquez Smith on the Iowa Cubs 24-man roster. Smith suffered a hand injury on Friday.

Submitted by Jumbo
on Sun, 06/26/2011 - 7:14pm

I was thinking ahead to the trade deadline and figured that Baker would be an easy guy to trade. I thought about Flaherty as a guy who could be Baker for next year's team. Do you think Marwin could compete for that same role?
I suppose it would be better for either of them to play every day, but I don't know if Flaherty would be considered for the full time 3B job next year.
Any thoughts on internal candidates?

Submitted by crunch
on Sun, 06/26/2011 - 9:25pm

baker might be our 3rd baseman next year if he's not traded.

i think he's got a year of control left.

-edit- yeah, he does.

Submitted by JoePepitone
on Sun, 06/26/2011 - 9:22pm

Had some fun Saturday night out at Peoria, watching a Chiefs game. Not a great night for the Chiefs (lost 11-5), but I enjoyed watching a lot of the prospects we talk about here often. Crappy weather -- had a rain delay of 2:42 and when play resumed after 9:30 pm, it seemed like no more than 100 ppl were left in the park. Matt Szczur had a poor night at the plate and field (0-5 with 2 K's and failed to catch up to a deep fly to center that would have made for a nice catch). Eric Jokisch was torched for 9 ERs in 3.1 innings and Hayden Simpson (his usual piggyback guy) was in street clothes (he pitched today). I also got to observe the Peoria debut of PJ Francescon (40th round pick in this year's draft, 1 ER in 1 IP. I'm interested in him as he hails from a sister college of where I work -- Trevecca Nazarene U., I work at Olivet Nazarene U.)

On the plus side, I got a foul ball and tossed it to a kid and I got a good look at some real, live minor league "baseball bunnies". They were real obvious, as four of them all trooped in after the rain delay and sat in a row all by themselves with no one else near them about ten rows behind the plate. The minute the last out was recorded, they got up and walked up to the lounge just outside of the player's entrance. I saw them in there as I was leaving -- they were talking to one of the players as I left. They were pretty obviously dressed to attract attention -- in the words of Rain Man, "very sparkly".

Submitted by crunch
on Sun, 06/26/2011 - 9:27pm

"On the plus side, I got a foul ball and tossed it to a kid"

high-5, dude.

Submitted by JoePepitone
on Mon, 06/27/2011 - 12:36am

It felt good.

Submitted by Ryno
on Tue, 06/28/2011 - 2:48pm

{edit}

Submitted by The Joe
on Mon, 06/27/2011 - 12:06am

I'm so numb to this team. I don't know the last time I watched a game. More importantly, I don't remember the last time I cared about them winning a game.

Sadly, the only thing I'm excited for (or hoping for) are veteran trades and rookie callups. Also, a firing of Hendry/Quade/Can Rickets be Fired??. Basically, I'm most excited about people leaving the team.

Right now the only thing the Cubs are good for is playing fantasy matchups up against.

To hell with the vets, with management and with Wrigley. I'm not saying anything new, but I'm still here and I need to vent.

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