Collage of Coaches
Dusty gets his wish, as the entire Cubs coaching staff will be back for 2006. Pitching coach Larry Rothschild apparently weighed the opportunity to be reunited with his World Series champion co-workers Dave Dombrowksi and Jim Leyland, but decided to come back to Chicago on a one-year contract.
I'm a little surprised, actually. It's not that I wanted Rothschild to go, though he would have made a convenient scapegoat for the Cubs' problems in '05. It's that the Detroit pitching coach job is actually a pretty good one.
AFL Report
Some of you may know reader and roster guru AZ Phil from the comments and roundtable discussions and well he doesn't get that name for nothing. He'll be checking in from Arizona while he catches some of the Mesa Solar Sox games over the next few weeks. He's kindly offered to provide us with his scoop from the ballpark on how the lil' Cubs are doing. Thanks to Phil and hope you enjoy
Box Score | Log
Although the Solar Sox lost again today(5-3 to the Peoria Javelinas), I got to see†another fine offensive performance by Matt Murton and Brandon Sing. (Murton hit 5th and played LF, Sing hit 6th & was the DH).
Murton was 2-3 with a walk, including two doubles, one sliced into the†right-field corner, and the other smoked to left-center.†Murton scored both times he doubled. The one time he came up with men on base (bases loaded, one out),†he rolled into a 6-4-3 DP. It was nice to see Murton play a single to the outfield aggresively and make an immediate throw home without thinking about where to throw it,†something you all may remember he failed to do a few weeks ago playing†behind Carlos Zambrano.†††
Friday Notes Edition
Hope everyone is enjoying the playoffs, so far. Sure it's tough not seeing the Cubs in there and even tougher to see the White Sox and Cards playing, but if you're a fan of just the game of baseball, you generally get to see some well-played games.
- The Cubs were suppose to announce any coaching changes by yesterday, but I haven't come across anything yet. I'm assuming the hold-up is being caused by Larry Rothschild. Hendry gave Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski permission to interview Rothschild, who worked with new Tigers manager Jim Leyland back in 1997 when the Marlins won the World Series. Indications are that Rothschild was offered a new contract by the Cubs for one year and it'll just depend if Rothschild is more interested in coaching with an old friend in Leyland or trying to stick around and finish what he's started in Chicago.
End of Year Roundtable: Reader Edition
And to wind things up, today we bring you answers from a few of the many thoughtful and enthusiastic readers of TCR: AZ Phil, KJK, David Geiser and Manny Trillo. Thanks guys! Update And belatedly, Bleeding Blue.
Does Derrek Lee deserve the MVP? Will he get it?
Bleeding Blue:
Yes he deserves it, but since the MVP award has become the 'MVP for a playoff team' award, he won't. Pujols will probably get it.
AZ PHIL: He does not deserve it and he will not get it.
Arizona Fall League Begins
The AFL league began last night, and as you may know, 7 Cubs are down there right now. David Aardsma, Buck Coats, Angel Guzman, John Koronka, Matt Murton, Eric Patterson, and Brandon Sing. The Mesa Solar Sox lost last night and the only Cub to get into the game was David Aardsma, who came out guns ablazing: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1BB, 2 K, 0 HR, 20.25 ERA.
Aardsma came in with 2 outs in the bottom of the fifth and got D'Backs Jarred Bell to ground out. Then, in true Aardsma fashion, got the next two batters out in the bottom of the sixth before giving up three runs with 2 outs. This is something Aardsma has been very familiar with all year, starting innings strong, but unable to get that third out, at least not without some serious difficulties. Last night it started with a single by D'Back uber-prospect Stephen Drew, then a double by the Dodgers uber-prospect Andy LaRoche, a walk to the A's Andre Ethier and finally a triple to the Dodgers Matt Kemp before he struck out Braves catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia (imagine Harry trying to pronounce that one).
End of Year Roundtable: Outside Influences Edition
Today, we have five writers from the Cubs world answering the same questions that the TCR writers answered yesterday.
The World’s Most Useless Playoff Predictor
I trotted out my playoff prediction process last year at my old site. Before we begin, let me point out that picking names out of a hat or some sort of other randomness would be just as successful. My record last year in the first round, well my original picks went 3-1, but I discovered the Yanks led the league in come from behind victories (See Rule #2), which would have changed my one pick and I would have went 4-0. Onto The Rules:
#1) Find the teams that have been playing well for longer than a week....a good 2 month stretch or longer is nice.
Records of the playoff teams since August 1st:
Yankees (39-20), Angels (35-22), White Sox (31-28), Red Sox (36-22) Astros (32-25), Cardinals (34-24), Padres (31-26), Braves (29-28)
Edge to the Yanks, Red Sox and Cardinals.
Only 182 Days Until Opening Day
With the off-season upon us, we thought we'd take a few days to look back at the '05 season and forward to 2006. Today, the four TCR writers take a stab at it, and our feelings range from pessimistic to, uh, really pessimistic. Someone want to talk John in off that ledge?
Tune in tomorrow for Q&A with other Cubs writers, and on Wednesday for the opinions of some of the TCR community.
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Letís start off with the biggest positive in an otherwise disappointing season: Does Derrek Lee deserve the MVP?
Dempster Signs Extension
The Cubs took their first dive into the free agent market by extending Ryan Dempster's contract for 3 years. It appears the deal is for $15.5 million total or about $5.17 per year.
Nice move, once again by Hendry, to pre-empt a bidding war and secure a solid if not spectacular player.
Operation Spoiler, Phase 3
GAME 161 IN-GAME DISCUSSION THREAD [PARACHAT]
CHICAGO CUBS (79-81) @ HOUSTON ASTROS (87-73) @
THE JUICE BOX 3:05 pm CDT, TV: WCIU, Fox Sports Southwest
That sure was some exciting baseball yesterday, meaningless as it was for the Cubbies, at least they have something to play for this last series. The Cubs have now won the season series versus both the Astros and Cardinals, that sure is frustrating.
Be sure to come by Monday as we'll be posting our year end round-table discussion starting with the TCR writers.
For the rest of the week, I'll try and keep the other playoff race summaries up-to-date after the jump.
Roger Clemens, RHP 12-8 1.89 ERA 180/59 K/BB, 11 HR in 204.1 IP |
Jerome Williams, RHP 6-9 4.28 ERA 67/47 K/BB, 13 HR in 115.2 IP |
2B #Jose Macias | 2B Craig Biggio |
SS #Neifi Perez | CF Wily Taveras |
1B Derrek Lee | 3B Morgan Ensberg |
3B Nomar Garciaparra | LF #Lance Berkman |
RF *Jeromy Burnitz | 1B Mike Lamb |
C Michael Barrett | RF Jason Lane |
LF Matt Murton | C Brad Ausmus |
CF *Corey Patterson | SS Adam Everett |
P Jerome Williams | P Roger Clemens |
Recent comments
crunch (view)
...and a madrigal "non-error" leads to a sac fly for a tie game. nice.
having a ball clank off your glove, but still getting it count as a hit because it was hit hard is a nice stats gift.
Dolorous Jon Lester (view)
For sure. This lineup isn’t exactly stacked as is, and subbing out a Cooper or even a Tauchman for Madrigal won’t do it any favors.
crunch (view)
the ESPN bottom graphic taking up 1/8th of the screen sucks.
i only use ESPN during baseball season and i'm forced to watch a baseball broadcast designed to be broadcast in sports bars and betting parlors where the news/scores of other games is as important as what you're actually tuned in to watch.
crunch (view)
morel triple to start the season....yeaaaaaaaaaaaaah
Arizona Phil (view)
LHP Blake Weiman appears to have been the last cut from the AAA Iowa roster. He is with the Tennessee group at Minor League Camp.
crunch (view)
bruce bochy is hobbling rather badly for a guy who's had 2 hip replacements. his gait is extremely wonky taking the lineup card to the ump.
crunch (view)
yeah, for me this isn't about who's better at 3rd. it's madrigal, period. for me it's about who's not hitting in the lineup because madrigal is in the lineup.
occasional play at 3rd for madrigal, okay. going with the steele/ground-ball matchup...meh, but okay, whatever.
seeing madrigal get significant starting time...no thanks.
Dolorous Jon Lester (view)
Yeah I am very disappointed Madrigal is starting. He has no business as a starter. He is AAA insurance, a back up at best. Sure his defense looks fine because he plays far enough in that his noodle arm isn’t totally exposed. It comes at the cost of 3B range.
He’s garbage, and a team serious about winning would NOT have him starting opening day.
crunch (view)
in other news, it took 3 PA before a.rizzo got his 1st HBP of the season.
Eric S (view)
With two home runs (so far) and 5 rbi today … clearly Nick Martini is the straw that stirs the Reds drink 😳