Better Baseball Through Chemistry: Cubs vs. Reds Preview, Saturday 9/12, 12:05 CT

by Al Yellon on Sep 12, 2009 9:00 AM CDT in Chicago Cubs Game Threads

Yesterday wasn't the first time a squirrel entertained fans at Wrigley Field by running across the field during a game. It also happened on October 6, 2001; that Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article simply notes its presence, but I remember the squirrel running rings around Roosevelt Brown in center field that afternoon. That didn't stop Brown from having his career day; he hit two homers and drove in seven runs in a 13-2 Cubs win over the Pirates that was also notable for Julian Tavarez taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning.

That game was also the last Cubs telecast directed by legendary WGN-TV director Arne Harris; he suffered a fatal heart attack while out to dinner that evening.

This morning I also want to talk about what a seemingly innocuous player move can do to help a team go on a long winning streak. I was watching the beginning of the Rockies/Padres game last night, and the Colorado announcers were going on and on and on about how Jason Giambi's presence had helped the chemistry in the clubhouse; Giambi had made friends quickly, brought some laughter, and also spent hours in the batting cage working on his swing, being ready for one pinch-hitting appearance.

Now, I admit that clubhouse chemistry is something that's hard to get and even harder to define. Sometimes a team that's said to have "good chemistry" is just a team that's winning. Does winning make for good chemistry, or does good chemistry breed winning? It's impossible to tell. But I do know that I'd rather have had Jason Giambi signed by the Cubs when the A's released him, than have had Micah Hoffpauir flailing away at pitches, even though Hoffpauir has done well since his return. In 14 plate appearances for Colorado, Giambi has three hits and six walks and has directly contributed to several of the wins during the Rockies' now 8-game winning streak, including a two-out walk in the Rox' ridiculous two-out, two-strike, ninth-inning come-from-behind 4-1 win over the Padres and their closer Heath Bell late last night.

Clubhouse chemistry in and of itself doesn't make for winning teams. Good baseball players do. But Jason Giambi has given the Rockies both, and the clubhouse presence DOES matter. There's also something to be said here about American League players coming to the National League -- look at what Matt Holliday has done since his return to the NL. The Cubs should have signed Giambi when he was released by the A's. But Jim Hendry rarely thinks outside the box like this. He needs to start doing so.

Today's Starting Pitchers


Randy Wells Cubs	vs.	Johnny Cueto Reds

10-8	W-L	9-10
2.84	ERA	4.39
84	SO	116
35	BB	49
12	HR	21
vs. Hou	--	vs. Cubs

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2009 - Randy Wells	10-8	22	22	0	0	0	0	139.1	135	51	44	12	35	84	2.84	1.22

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2009 - Johnny Cueto	9-10	26	26	0	0	0	0	147.2	148	78	72	21	49	116	4.39	1.33

Johnny Cueto beat the Cubs at Wrigley Field on April 22, throwing seven shutout innings. He's made two other starts vs. the Cubs this year, one in Cincinnati, one in Chicago, and allowed nine earned runs in 11.2 innings in those starts (6.94 ERA). Derrek Lee, Ryan Theriot and Geovany Soto all have career BA over .300 vs. Cueto.

Randy Wells has started three times vs. the Reds this year and is 2-0 (and the Cubs won the other game, too). Ryan Hanigan (4-for-8) and Brandon Phillips (3-for-8) have hit him well, otherwise he's handled the rest of their hitters pretty well. With J.A. Happ injured and possibly on the shelf for a while, Wells has a shot at increasing his Rookie of the Year chances with strong performances for the rest of the year, likely four more starts.

TV today is cable-only, CSN Chicago and FSN Ohio. Reminder, that means you're blacked out if you're not in the local areas for those channels, due to Bud's Idiotic Saturday Blackout Rules (no EI before 6 pm CT). For other games today see the MLB.com Mediacenter.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

SB Nation game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Reds site Red Reporter.

Once again, just two overflow threads today -- 1:15 and 2:30 pm CDT. If there's a need for another one, please post as a FanShot.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

0 recs | 57 comments

Comments

Who needs Jason Giambi when we have:

Lou Piniella, Big Z, Soriano, Gameboard, and all the rest of our interesting characters?

zevkalman - September 12, 2009 reply

Interesting Characters

The Cubs interesting characters equals DRAMA, not chemistry. The Cubs desperately need chemistry.

bigz38fan - September 12, 2009 reply

I meant to post that in SARCASM font.

zevkalman - September 12, 2009 reply

Of course it must be noted that Giambi has admitted gaining much of his skill through better chemistry…

leothelip - September 12, 2009 reply

wasn't that Al's point? :-)

LAcarl519 - September 12, 2009 reply

Gail Fischer would like a word with you

LAcarl519 - September 12, 2009 reply

I wouldn't have signed Giambi

It certainly worked out, but I am not going to blame Hendry for not going there.

Worf - September 12, 2009 reply

What in the world?

The Cubs should have signed Giambi when he was released by the A’s. But Jim Hendry rarely thinks outside the box like this. He needs to start doing so.

I cannot comprehend this. Jim Hendry has acquired stars-past-their-prims like Jason Kendall and Jim Edmonds. He’s signed all-offense players like Michael Barrett and Cliff Floyd. He’s signed players he already had players at the position like the endless parade of 2B.

I don’t get the idea that Hendry doesn’t think outside the box for not getting Giambi.

DGU - September 12, 2009 reply

+1

Good point and examples. You are right. Hendry sifts through the trash bin with the best of them.

I also don’t get Al’s love for Giambi. He wasn’t touted as a good clubhouse guy here in Oakland.

vonde6 - September 12, 2009 reply

Haha I don't get it either.

That mini rant was odd, to say the least.

cubswynn - September 12, 2009 reply

Rec'd

Allie - September 12, 2009 reply

Maybe Hendry could have gotten former Lugnut Jeremy Giambi.

Meh.

Anyway, as Al Davis said, just WIN, baby. It’s too little too late now, but what the hell…

Zeke - September 12, 2009 reply

The Photo Caption of: "This entire season has been a little squirrelly."

Sadly, these are the EXACT words I said to my wife yesterday as we watched that little bugger run through the Red’s dugout…

Zeke - September 12, 2009 reply

Good luck today Randy!

I’ll check in the game threads at half time of the Iowa game.

sue369 - September 12, 2009 reply

I agree

with clubhouse chemistry, and winning attitudes. I would not have nor do I blame Hendry for not signing Giambi. I do not think the Cubs had any type of realistic chance after getting there hats handed to them by the Phillies in early August. Lou has been sleep at the switch, and with the combination of injuries,down years of Soriano, Bradley, Soto, Fontenot, mediocre years of Dome, Theriot, Dempster, “Z”, you have what you have, a team that is 18-6 against the Reds and Pirates and is 54-61 against the rest of the league. Giambi would not of made much difference.
There is no question this offseason Hendry and Lou better get there act together, If Lou and Hendry are still around.

Grockcubs - September 12, 2009 reply

How's this for a birthday gift?

I never thought to get one of these.

From my aunt in Pittsburgh, I got one of those street signs that reads “CHICAGO CUBS AVE”. I guess everyone knows where I live!

GO CUBS!

Vermont Cubs Fan - September 12, 2009 reply

Cool.

sue369 - September 12, 2009 reply

Clubhouse chemistry

I know that the sainted Mark DeRosa was a clubhouse chemistry kind of guy, but his nervous antics in last year’s playoffs made me question the value of that. It made me wish for someone who was more hard-nosed. Who is the Jeff Conine of 2009?

Anyway, I am currently ambivalent about whether clubhouse chemistry is the cause or effect of winning. From my experience here in Silicon Valley, the “it” companies are great because they found their niche and are wildly profitable. They attract the best people and the whole experience is a tremendous roller-coaster ride, until times pass them by. The success comes first, then the “chemistry”. However, each company has a certain character to start with, that is often retained through the course of the ride.

vonde6 - September 12, 2009 reply

Al

I do have to compliment you on an incredible memory. I am about the same age as you, and I can’t remember 1/10 of the stuff that you remember about Cubs games that you saw 10 or 20 years ago. And the thought of remembering the squirrel game of 2001 is boggling to me.

Kudos to you, sir.

vonde6 - September 12, 2009 reply

Thanks.

Maybe Giambi wouldn’t have made any difference. But the Cubs really did sit on their hands this year, in many different ways.

Al Yellon - September 12, 2009 reply

Squirrel! Squirrel!

I normally don’t comment on Cubs message boards because most of the time it becomes a pissing match up of “I’m more bitter about not winning a World Series in x amount of years than you!”

But the Squirrel Game reference brings back such great memories! It was shortly after 9-11 and I was back home in Chicago for work. It happened to be my Dad’s birthday so I took him to a Cubs game. He had never sat in the bleachers in all of his many years as a Cub fan so we bought tickets. The Cubs were obviously already out of it but it didn’t matter. Great game! I remember the potential no-hitter. But most of all, I remember the squirrel.

The thing came out about the 5th or 6th inning from the Ivy. It kept creeping up towards Gary Matthews Jr. who was playing for the Pirates at the time. Gary would turn around real quick to look at the squirrel and it would dart right back into the Ivy. Finally it got the courage enough to run past him and all the way into the Cubs dugout while the Bleachers chanted “Squirrel! Squirrel!”

Great memory and thank you for bringing it up! My Dad still bring it up to this very day.

HoSs. - September 12, 2009 reply

Interesting point on Giambi

one of the most frustrating things this summer was watching our competition get better while we stood pat. Taking flyers on proven veterans with postseason experience such as Giambi, Pedro, and even John Smoltz has paid dividends for the teams we must pass to get into the playoffs. The offseason moves were one thing, but we were still in this race. There were still improvements to be made, but sadly they weren’t.

ambrosiadreams - September 12, 2009 reply

I do think as it relates to the Rockies, the chemistry follows the winning.

To pin this “chemistry” and on Giambi as the reason for winning seems a bit odd.

If anything, you can say the winning has a hell of a lot more to do with Jim Tracy, or firing the manager before him—but either way, the performance of the Rockies really changed at that time, not with the signing of “Thong Man”

LAcarl519 - September 12, 2009 reply

Ew

Thanks for the reminder of the thong story. I feel stained.

vonde6 - September 12, 2009 reply

Ew from me too.

I had forgotten about that. I hope Giambi has, too.

Al Yellon - September 12, 2009 reply

Baby steps

It was good to actually gain a game on the Cardinals yesterday. The pitching matchups today actually give us a 50-50 chance to do the same again today.

I don’t think that we can catch them or the Rockies, but I do want to show some life because we should expect it, and our league rivals should expect it from us, now and in the future.

vonde6 - September 12, 2009 reply

I don't understand

how Hendry can be blamed for not going after a guy who is a natural DH whose only defensive position is already filled by our best player in Lee and our best young hitting prospect in Fox.

Worf - September 12, 2009 reply

No kidding.

There is just an air of criticize-Hendry-cause-its-popular going around. I wouldn’t have expected Al to be infected. Maybe this is just a passing cough and it’s out of his system.

Can you imagine, instead, the more righteous indignation if Giambi had been signed and kept Fox from getting ABs?

DGU - September 12, 2009 reply

But Fox isn't batting anyway.

Al Yellon - September 12, 2009 reply

why

Why constantly beat up on hendry? I understand that trading derosa was a mistake but looking at the career numbers of Soriano, Bradley and even Miles they should all be doing better. Miles has a good career avg and obp…unfortunately he picked a bad season to hit like a pitcher. I would take this team 7 out of 10 years to do well and especially in a year after winning the world series (see less pressure).
Granted after last season they should have secured a good cf and kept the rest as is but I am willing to cut Hendry and Lou some slack after winning the division 2 years straight.
It can’t be easy being Jim with the ownership in limbo. It’s easy to armchair quarteback (or maybe pitch since its baseball) when guys aren’t playing to their career norms.
Get Miles, Bradley and Soriano hitting NORMALLY and this is another potent offense, combine that with Lilly’s career year, Wells pitching like a stud and the others pitching ok we would easilly be in the hunt for the Wild Card or even the division.

hansman1982 - September 12, 2009 via mobile reply

+1

I have been beating this drum for awhile, but mostly about Lou. I think that 2007 and 2008 should have earned him a little patience through a bad year, as you point out. Part of the problem is that Hendry himself said that the only goal is a world series championship. If anything short of that is failure, then these guys failed. But I wildly enjoyed these last two seasons, so I disagree with the “one goal” statement.

I now understand why managers get fired so frequently in order to “fix things” in baseball. I would say that 90% of the regulars here are in favor of firing one or both of them.

vonde6 - September 12, 2009 reply

I posted this initially in another post, but I feel it's appropriate here

Would the team’s record be any different if DeRosa and Wood were still on the team? I don’t know. I like to think a positive influence can make a difference in people. Cognitive therapy. Positive thinking. You think positive, you feel positive. I’m not saying the Cubs don’t have leaders currently on this team, but to lose 2 solid leaders in one off season, hurt the team. People lead differently. I think the Cubs need a vocal leader, a positive leader and a fresh start.

bigz38fan - September 12, 2009 reply

i think the cubs need a manager

….Who doesn’t need to take so many midday naps.

zevkalman - September 12, 2009 via mobile reply

Doesn't Hendry have enough blame for this season

without making things up? Chemistry is overrated, everyone is more friendly and fun when you’re winning.

Hendry NOT signing an old, slow, poor defensive first baseman is NOT why we’re in this spot.

The Rockies have been winning, not because of Giambi, but b/c they made a smart manager change, play really impressive defense, started pitching better and play in a really crap division. Not because Giambi has some magic chemistry dust in the clubhouse.

Really… this post makes zero sense to me.

Allie - September 12, 2009 reply

Chemistry is NOT overrated

i’m a big believer in it. Yes, I understand that the mood is naturally better when the team is winning, but I think that team chemistry is a huge part in building a champion.

ambrosiadreams - September 12, 2009 reply

By all accounts

the Pirates really liked each other at the beginning of this year… all that liking helped them out a LOT this year.

Allie - September 12, 2009 reply

that's a bad example though, allie

3/4 of that core team from 2 years ago is now elsewhere.

ambrosiadreams - September 12, 2009 reply

How much of last years team was elsewhere 3 years

hansman1982 - September 12, 2009 via mobile reply

Wellllllllllllll

I won’t go that far.

I think a BAD mix can really hurt a team.

But chemistry is not really something you can plan for, in my opinion. You can try to create a good environment, and weed out the assholes, but most teams with great chemistry were happy little accidents.

Worf - September 12, 2009 reply