In a game that meant less than the usual spring training meaningless result, the Cubs beat the Mariners at Peoria this afternoon 9-2, on a day that might have been the warmest yet this spring (84 degrees at game time, temperatures were supposed to touch 90 today).
Here's how meaningless this one was: the only player in either starting lineup who is a likely everyday starter was Ronny Cedeno. Yes, our good ol' ONEDEC, who went 0-for-2 before leaving for a pinch-runner.
Aaron Heilman started and allowed one unearned run, but according to this midafternoon missive from Paul Sullivan, he appears ticketed for a middle-relief role, with Sean Marshall claiming the fifth starter's spot:
Manager Lou Piniella is close to crowning Sean Marshall as the fifth starter, a no-brainer decision based on Marshall's 0.63 earned-run average.
That decision could come by Friday, giving Aaron Heilman a chance to move back to the bullpen, where he'll likely serve as the seventh inning bridge from the starter to the set-up man.
photo via mlb.mlb.com
I'm on board with this one. Heilman handles LHB reasonably well, and since Lou doesn't generally use LOOGYs (or use them properly, anyway), I think this solidifies both the bullpen and the rotation. Sullivan also said that Koyie Hill is closing in on the backup catcher spot; Hill had another hit today and is hitting .406 for the spring. Here's a cubs.com profile of Hill posted today that explains a little more about how he got hurt, how his fingers are now "built for baseball", and how he's worked very hard this spring on improving his hitting:
"I remember last year in batting practice, I didn't have the endurance or stamina or strength in my hand. You take rounds in batting practice of eight, and I'd take four, maybe five."
These days, he's taking extra batting practice.
"It's full bore," Hill said. "The only time I notice it is if you do a ton of hitting in a day and I feel I'm fatigued. It takes quite a bit [to notice it now]."
The darling of many on this site, Micah Hoffpauir, hit another home run today (Jake Fox went back-to-back-jacks with Micah), giving him four on the spring with 17 RBI, which put him past Josh Hamilton and Ryan Howard to lead all major leaguers. Still... it's spring stats, everyone. Here's a spring training stat line from a recent Cub:
AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI AVG 48 11 16 5 0 6 16 .333
Know who that was? Scott McClain in 2004; he was second on the Cubs that spring with the 16 RBI (D-Lee led with 17). What did that get McClain? A trip to Iowa. Last year he became the oldest player in MLB history to hit his first major league HR when he homered for the Giants on September 3 vs. Colorado. Point is, I think Hoffpauir is McClain. And at least McClain could play third base, after a fashion. Hoffpauir's not really an outfielder, though Lou keeps trotting him out there.
I think the Cubs would still be better served with Corey Koskie than Hoffpauir, though Koskie had to leave today's game in the third inning because he "wasn't feeling well" (from Gordon Wittenmyer via Twitter), not a good sign at all.
Tomorrow at Mesa, Rich Harden faces San Diego's Kevin Correia. Correia, a former Giant, was signed to a minor league deal by the Padres last December -- and he might wind up as their #3 starter. The game will be available on WGN radio.
0 recs | 49 comments
We spanked them! About time.
Emelie - March 19, 2009
Well, it's official
Sean Marshall has won the fifth spot.
Nooblet - March 19, 2009
Has Marshall said anything about his off season training?
I’m hoping that he saw what Dempster did and tried to replicate it.
MikeOxbyg - March 20, 2009
Hoffpauir seems different and would be used in a different role
pinch hitting, can play 1b. We need that right now to replace Ward
Chanman25 - March 19, 2009
Well Al, you can dis Hoffpauir all you want (and apparently you want to a lot)...
…but until the Cubs find another 1B, he’s made the big club. And you will learn to respect the Hoff…. ;-)
And before you say Koskie can handle 1B, you do know he has played a grand total of zero games at 1B in the majors, don’t you?
Look, nobody is saying Hoffpauir is going to turn DLee into DPipp. And certainly even the most ardent Hoff supporter (well, most of them anyway) will acknowledge that Hoff is probably no better than 6th outfielder defensively (7th if you count Z). So if Lou is trotting Hoff to the outfield during the season, well, we probably have more serious problems to worry about at that point. But as a backup 1B / pinch hitter, I think he’s ably demonstrated he can handle that.
ballhawk - March 19, 2009
8th
if you count lilly
tim815 - March 19, 2009
I thought about that...
…but I don’t think Lilly would like to play the outfield. You don’t really get a chance to collide with the other team when you’re playing outfield…
ballhawk - March 19, 2009
Amen.
cubswynn - March 19, 2009
i just hope
nothing has been written in stone regarding the long-term status of the back end of the order. if lou has decided that the martian has won fair and square, then so be it. but let’s stay open to the possibility that heilman “could” work his way into the starting rotation at some later date. of course, injuries (inevitable) change everything..
brian custer - March 19, 2009
I think it's safe to say that given the personnel we have and performance to date...
we’re looking at Harden, Marshall and Heilman playing musical chairs for two slots in the rotation. So the music has stopped and right now, Harden and Marshall got the chairs.
But it’s probably safe to say at some point, Harden will either get hurt or his starts will be managed so he doesn’t get hurt, and Heilman will be able to sit down for awhile. And don’t forget about the Shark, either.
All in all, I’m pretty happy with the rotation, both in quality and in depth. Still think there’s 1-2 holes in the bullpen though….
ballhawk - March 19, 2009
nice analogy
i agree on all counts
brian custer - March 19, 2009
Am I missing something? That right hand looks normal to me...
dtpollitt - March 19, 2009
You're nuts
Al, I’ve disagreed with you before but you’re absolutely out of your mind if you think an apt Hoffpauir comparison is Scott McClain. Put down Hoffpauir’s birth certificate for a second and realize that he’s quite frankly, a major league hitter. It doesn’t matter whether he can play the OF with any fludity, he’s a major league hitter and belongs on the roster. I’ve never understood why guys get all caught up with age in the first place. Perhaps it’s because too many people like to fantasize having a guy producing big numbers on the same team for at least a decade. Not only does that not happen very often anymore but short-changing guys because of their age is non-sensical.
krummy12 - March 19, 2009
rec'd
Sioux City Cubs Fan - March 19, 2009
I haven't seen anything in actual major league games that has impressed me.
Until he does that — and so far, he has not done well as a pinch-hitter — I will remain skeptical.
If I’m wrong, I’ll be happy to admit it.
Al Yellon - March 19, 2009
He does have a .342 batting average
And a .934 OPS
I know, I know, sample size. But still, he has done something at the major league level.
DTJchris - March 19, 2009
and it has been better than Koyie
who so many are in support of
Cubbie-Tim - March 19, 2009
Wait.
So his spring training stats don’t matter? His pinch hit stats do. But you can disregard his other major league stats when he’s playing full time. It just seems like you want to have this argument both ways.
If his spring training stats don’t matter, than neither should the small sample size that is his major league pinch-hitting record. Let’s give the guy a chance to fail first.
cubswynn - March 19, 2009
Well he was impressive in the Mets game last year.
I was there and it was fun.
Doggie Stalker - March 19, 2009
One game.
That’s a good way to judge a major leaguer’s future career.
Al Yellon - March 20, 2009
And another thing.
He’s a one-dimensional player. At least Ward could play a passable outfield, I don’t think Hoffpauir can. Can we afford to carry a guy who can only play first base, with 12 pitchers on the roster?
Al Yellon - March 19, 2009
ok, so what's your backup 1B solution?
If you’re going to say Koskie, fine, but I also want to hear you say you’re willing to go with someone who’s never played that position before and explain why that’s better than going with Micah.
And if not Koskie, then who?
ballhawk - March 19, 2009
Al
Is my memory serving me right that Hoffpauir homered twice in a game late last season?
leothelip - March 19, 2009
Sept. 25th against the Met's
Two HR’s and a double.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=280925121
cubswynn - March 19, 2009
plus Hoff
out performed Koskie last season, and Koskie brings an entire different luggage full of questions with him
Cubbie-Tim - March 19, 2009
Oh, my, you're reaching....
Ward could play a passable outfield? Seriously?
carmen_fanzone - March 20, 2009
Yes, he could.
Was he very good? No. But he was better than Hoffpauir, who isn’t an outfielder.
Al Yellon - March 20, 2009
A 0.63 ERA and .406 BA are impressive...
…even in spring training!
Hill’s hand looks normal except it looks like he wore a catchers mitt for about two years without taking it off
calicubfan - March 19, 2009
I've never cheered harder for a backup catcher role.
C’mon Koyie, keep Bako from making the team. Oh and please please please stop tipping the pitches.
cubswynn - March 19, 2009
Keep up the good
work Koyie. Send Bako packing.
sue369 - March 19, 2009
You can't say more than 6 words Sue!
DTJchris - March 19, 2009
LOL!!
sue369 - March 21, 2009
I hope the Hoff is playing tomorrow
so I can get another good look at him. I’ve seen him play LF twice this spring and maybe his problem is he’s not seeing the ball off the bat out here. Maybe he’d be better in night games, but that’s probably true for every outfielder. His arm is ok, he just looks lost out there at times. He’s come up short on a too many balls I feel he should have gotten to.
You can’t deny his bat, though, Sure, it’s ST stats, but he’s getting dingers and hitting with authority while our veteran #3 hitter can’t hit a loud foul again this spring. I hope a trip to the WBC will help him.
BigJohnAZ - March 19, 2009
Friday game vs. Padres is on WGN-TV also
cubbie08 - March 19, 2009
Again...
the question is whether Sweet Lou will actually use Heilman that way or will he end up pulling him for Cotts in the middle of the 7th or 8th inning when Heilman does a far superior job of getting LHBs out.
I’m not sure that Lou doesn’t know how to use a LOOGY… he really doesn’t have a lot of experiencing using them. The best LH reliever he’s had, Norm Charlton, was really much more than just a LOOGY… and he sure tried enough LH relievers in his time in Seattle and they all pretty much sucked. He got his hands on Tony Fossas one year after watching Boston trot him out to “neutralize” Griffey year after year… and that was a disaster.
Lou needs a good bullpen or he goes indiscriminately crazy… i’m not sure he has that this year.
jameslcrockett - March 19, 2009
He kind of went indiscriminately crazy last year...
… getting rid of a useful part in Scott Eyre (gee, could we have used him in game 1?) and using Bob Howry after it was clear that Howry couldn’t get people out.
Al Yellon - March 20, 2009
EXACTLY RIGHT!!!
His GM gives him a player like Howry and he’ll pitch him, shrug his shoulders and say, “That’s the guy my GM gave me, I’ve gotta use him. What am I gonna do?” He just loves showing up his GM, because deep down I think he’s always thought he could do a better job from his days as Yankees GM, even though it really didn’t go well.
This isn’t to say I don’t love Lou… far, far from it. He’s one of my favorite people on this planet, and there’s so very few people I would want to be manager of my team until Ryne Sandberg is ready to take over (or maybe even Alan Trammell if he’s still here at the end of Lou’s tenure). There is no manager in baseball more capable of taking this team to a World Series.
Lou was definitely crazy about the state of the bullpen last year until Samardzija showed up… which gave the Cubs three right handers who he didn’t have to worry about regardless of what batter the opposition sent to the plate, as well as Michael Wuertz, who never got the kudos he deserved for some pretty good years here before being uncermoniously shipped off to Oakland.
He’s a manager that goes with his gut a lot of the time, and when his gut is telling him this is going to be bad no matter who he puts out on the mount… watch out for Mt. Lou. This team needed to sign Dennys Reyes and/or Joe Beimel, and the more I think about it, the more inexcusable it gets.
jameslcrockett - March 20, 2009
Well if our Sully is correct then:
Roster looks like: Soto and Hill (Bako released)
SP: Zambrano, Lilly, Dempster, Harden and Marshall
RP: Marmol, Gregg, Heilman, Cotts, Vizcaino,
IF: Lee, Fontenot, Theriot, Ramirez. Mills
OF: Soriano, Fukudome, Bradley, Johnson
= 21
Bubble upside: , Hoffpauir, Samardzija, Koskie
Bubble downside: Gaudin, Guzman, Gathright, Hart
Bubble outside: Ascanio, Fox, Stanton, Bako, Reves, Waddel, Patton, Taguchi, Wells,
My best guess. Koskie and Hoffpauir make Lou to release Gathright and keep Taguchi as insurance in AAA. Cubs DL Harden for 20 days and go with 11 pitchers while they look for a cheap 4th infielder to see what will happen and they find they don’t need a 12 pitcher and get a 4th infielder by May 15th. Koskie and Hoffpauir become a top tandem off the bench pinch hitting and Lou lives with 4 OF’ers spotting Hoff in a few game situations, but will start Koskie and Hoff in the infield sometimes.
Samardz holds down the swing job and the Cubs win 110 games
Ivy Walls - March 19, 2009
had some real good wine tonight
someone else bought a couple $35 bottle stuff.
Ivy Walls - March 19, 2009
which wine?
I bought a wallace grenache shiraz blend that was quality.
As for the roster, I’m going to guess that Patton makes it at the start of the year, just to see what they have and to not have to send him back. I mean, he’s certainly pitched well enough to test him for a bit.
As for a season win guess, much as I’d love for a 110 win season, I don’t think this is a 110 win type team (granted, I don’t remember a modern team that, on paper in spring, people would’ve suggested that it had 110 win possibility). I’m looking for something like 92-95 wins, pulling away from the NL Central. I think the NL East is going to give us a push for our money in terms of best NL record (the Mets, Marlins, and Phillies all could make that push), but I think the three way battle there may allow us to slip ahead and perhaps look forward to playing the wildcard, which I’d guess to be a NL East team as well.
toonsterwu - March 20, 2009
toons thanks for taking some of that tongue and cheek seriously
Actually the wine label I will have go back and find, it was a Merlot style from some small vineyard in Western CO, very good with a light spice and touch of berry, we consumed 3 bottles on another’s wallet.
As for the Cubs you might be right with Patton, there is little or no risk while they can put Samardz down in AAA to work on his repertoire, the thing is the club will try to go with 11 pitchers.
I think the club pulls a rabbit in trading or acquiring a SS/2B. Reading a map is obvious and Macier Izturis is the obvious target and would replace the “speed” and left handed bat prospect but from the IF position where it would offer Lou even more flexibility or versatility.
Koskie is the wild card of course. If he can play like he did he could really add to the club by starting 25 games at 3B and the club not loose much, where then Hoffpauir gets some time is either another 20-25 games at 1B and then a few innings in the OF
Hoffpauir I think will be the rubber band roster guy where when the weeks the Cubs need a 12 pitcher they drop him and when they don’t they recall him
Ivy Walls - March 20, 2009
Any recs for a good red wine?
The Doc says I need to get my HDL numbers up. I can either exercise or drink a glass a wine per night. Tough choice.
MikeOxbyg - March 20, 2009
can you get one of those helmets
where you can have a straw going to a bottle of wine while you excersize
Cubbie-Tim - March 20, 2009
what do you like and what's the price range you are looking at?
toonsterwu - March 20, 2009
On Micah
I am definitely not a Micah “fan”, never have been, but I thought, and I still think (well, he’s had a quality spring and Koskie hasn’t had enough time), that Micah should probably make this roster. For all the worrying about backup fielding, I am much more concerned with having a bat off the bench that can hit for pop, and Micah is our best option for that. I can live with Aaron Miles to finish a game at 3rd if something happens, with us calling someone up the next day. As important as defensive bench flexibility is, I think a bench power hitter is as important. Not saying Micah will succeed, but I think we’ve got to give him a long look as that option.
toonsterwu - March 20, 2009
I hope Hoff plays well.
Look at Ryan Ludwick- he bounced around for years, never played more than a handful of games in a season, and finally had a breakout year at the age of 30.
PurpleLineToWrigley - March 20, 2009
Ryan Ludwick...
… had more ML at-bats by age 23 than Micah Hoffpaur has right now.
Don’t believe me? Look it up.
Al Yellon - March 20, 2009
I'll also add that
Ludwick, if i’m not mistaken, was a top talent who suffered through injuries. I’m waiting at the car dealership right now so too lazy to look it up in case I’m wrong, but talent wise, Hoff isn’t on Ludwick’s level.
toonsterwu - March 20, 2009
I agree with you here
There is no way Micah Hoffpauir is another Ryan Ludwick.
Josh Timmers - March 20, 2009
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