Bleed Cubbie Blue

Tom Verducci has done some interesting work on measuring young pitchers whose innings jump dramatically (more than 40 innings from one year to the next).

I was thinking the same

The track record of those pitchers varies greatly – some, like Tim Lincecum seem fine. Other guys have struggled.

At this point, I’d rather shut Wells down that try and get him listed on the ERA charts.

I (we) don't know if Wells is a workhorse yet

His arm may be physically sound and not prone to injuries.

Again, I want to give the organization the benefit of the doubt. Sadly, thus far this year, I haven’t been right once.

Very true.

And Wells hasn’t thrown in many high-leverage situations (only 74 plate appearances against him), which are typically when some of the wear-and-tear on the arm build up.

I’d still like the see the Cubs come down on the side of caution, especially with some of their younger arms.

Hasn't Randy struggled a bit with control recently?

That might have to do with a tired arm. Make this his last start.

In 3 of his last 5 starts he's had 3 or more walks.

I don’t know if that’s endemic of a tired arm, or if scouts are now having their players lay off some of Randy’s borderline pitches. A detailed pitch f/x would help with that.

I’m not worried as much about a tired arm as I am limiting his innings this year, since he’s already thrown plenty. Let Carridad start a game and see if his stuff works as well over 5 innings as it has in 1-inning stints.

Yes Caridad needs to get a start

I would like to see a Caridad, Shark, Demp, Gorzelanny, Z rotation the rest of the way with Ted mixed in if his shoulder isn’t hurt

Isn't Spellcheck slotted to start in the next few days?

I think I saw something about it somewhere.

Tomorrow.

Yeah

and that is good, not because he is good but because the Cubs need to figure his whole deal out.

+1 more start

I wouldn't give Samardzija a start

(and I know he’s supposed to throw tomorrow). What exactly has he done to show he belongs at the Major League level yet?

ted lilly has tendinitis in his shoulder

more out of necessity than anything else

Carridad could still start in his place.

I just don’t think Samardzija should be with the team right now. Let him go to Arizona for the Fall League and work on getting hitters out.

nothing

but perhaps his terrible start tomorrow will lead the Cubs to scrap him ever being a starter and trying to salvage him as a reliever.

He could still work out as a starter

but he needs to spend some time (half a season at least) working on being a starter and refining several pitches.

Isn't that what he did this season though?

I know he got pulled up early in the season, but when he went back down wasn’t that to work on his pitches as a starter?

He was on a yoyo this season.

I really think if he took some time – probably close to a full season – to work as a starter, throwing every 5th day & refining 3-4 pitches, he could be good.

The problem lies in the fact he’s never been able to do that the last 2 years.

Fair enough

It probably doesn’t help that he was given a major league contract and a big salary. That put the pressure on him to produce quickly and on the Cubs to push him through the system.

Agreed.

Wouldn't you want to err on the side of caution?

Especially since these games mean nothing. And for him to rank 4th on the ERA charts, also means nothing.

first!

Come on Lou — start Jake Fox!

elgato - September 22, 2009 reply

nope...sorry try again :-)

Let's hope it doesn't turn into an all-too-common occurrence

Tommy John surgery

Worf - September 22, 2009 reply

AKA the Mark Prior Career Plan.

wells needs to find out what richie did to get shut down

he could always

say there is too much negativity around here and no wonder they haven’t won in 100 years.

That seems to work.

I am concerned about Wells. His 2nd half splits are not good. His walk rate has spiked up and strike out rate dropped significantly. The only reason I say I am concerned is this is the “2nd time” aroung the league for him. His stuff is not top end, so he has to pitch and having to do that has not worked. He pitches backwards and the book is out on him. I hope he makes some adjustments.

socalbob - September 22, 2009 reply

i said shut down

not sent to baltimore

Craig in South Bend - September 22, 2009 reply

Ugh, this has been such a long week

and it’s only Tuesday. Here’s to hoping for an easy victory for our Cubbies.

It seems that you (Al) forgot to mention Wells' gift for "composure on the mound"

a talent one of our aces (guess who?) seems to be lacking. I have been very impressed with Wells and how he doesn’t lose composure when our defense (often) fails behind him, in spite of the fact that he has had limited offensive support.

Wells has the makings of a real solid #2 or #3 starter and innings eater who can win 13-16/year on a consistent basis. He should have had 13 wins this year with any decent run support!

BTW, I don’t give a rat’s behind if he gets to 162 innings. Let’s keep him healthy for 2010 and beyond.

An innings eater...

… should be able to throw 15 more innings this season. That’d still give him less than 200, total.

Jason Marquis — another inning eater — threw 190+ innings for four straight years starting when he was 25 (and would have had six straight if Lou hadn’t taken him out of the rotation last year). There’s no reason Wells, who is 26, shouldn’t be able to do this.

Agreed.

But keep his pitch count down.

He could throw three more starts, five innings each.

Should they start anyone else

like Caridad, or maybe even Stevens?

maybe gregg can start

just to see how many HRs he gives up /9inn

I'd start Heilman

Just to shut me up.

I say 12

Naw he'll have a nice certificate of achievement for being 4th on the era charts.

He can look at during his rehab next year or the year after.

Just so he can rank 4th on the ERA charts...sigh.

Now we could argue if these games meant something but they don’t, so another short sided plan by our management.

We haven't been eliminated yet, so they do mean something...

(okay, I tried to do that with a straight face, but was unsuccessful)

rofl

and the passengers on the one of the Titanic kept saying,

“this side of the ship keeps rising, so we will be safe over here!”

one = one side (oops)

Al, I said, "he has the makings" of an "innings eater" for the Cubs--I meant the future.

I would hate to see the Cubs mess up the future with too big a jump in innings this year. given his lack of consistency in his last couple of starts, it seems that some fatigue may in fact be setting in. I just hope Lou & Larry will be careful with him and think about the long-term FIRST.

Are these two guys related?

Let Wells’ beard fill in a little bit more and turn that glassy-eyed stare into a scowl, and I think you’ve got Dave Bush…

yajohn - September 22, 2009 reply

I can't believe no one has mentioned...ummm...you know....

“The Player Who Shall Not Be Named”, err…the can of worms dude, what’s his name again, you know….

zevkalman - September 22, 2009 reply

I've been debating myself whether posting what Sullivan wrote earlier this afternoon.

The piece’s supreme douchebaggery should provide some chuckles, but I still don’t know if I should do it.

post it

Just as long as you forgive me for my sins,

here it is. Man, I hate Sullivan.

Sigh.

That really was uncalled for. (The article, I mean, not you posting it.)

See?

I was peer-pressured to post it. I really didn’t want to do it.

Jody Jody Davis - September 22, 2009 reply

Even if he did come back

Lou does not have to play him.
Lou has been screwing Fox for 3 weeks now, so we know he can bench someone in his doghouse.

TJ11 - September 22, 2009 reply

But Fox doesn't play because he doesn't hit left-handed.

Of course, one could argue that MB doesn’t either.

Left handedness is over rated.

Lou is not the worst manager in the league,

you see I just gave him a left handed compliment. :)

I wish Jim Hendry had a doghouse for Lou.

Here is a comment I wrote to the Tribune. I doubt they will post it:

Sullivan: not your best work. this is speculation to make yourself the story. this is why so many athletes can’t stand sportswriters.

Sadly, that wouldn't help even if the Tribune DID read it...

The Tribune doesn’t care that you don’t like Sullivan. They just care that you read him. Writing in just confirms to them that he’s getting readership.

Which is why...

… so many writers today, not just Sullivan, write “edgy” or otherwise provocative stuff. The newspapers know they’re in trouble. Either they’re telling their writers to do this, or the writers are doing it on their own, or both.

SO NOW I AM THE PROBLEM??

(sarcasm)

We are ALL the problem, apparently.

Yup...

In this era, you don’t have to be right – you just have to be provocative.

That's why I don't like to link to it

ahhh sully...

I despise the man.

That was not journalism

That was crap. He should be ashamed of himself for publishing that in any form.

PacificCub - September 22, 2009 reply

Voldemort? Tom Riddle?

Lineup anyone?

TJ11 - September 22, 2009 reply

None yet.

Strange. Wittenmyer was in Milwaukee yesterday tweeting away. Nothing from him at all today.

Maybe he lost his chirp.

He went to Lou and asked him, "Lou, what you got?" and Lou said:

“I got nuthin’ for ya”

zevkalman - September 22, 2009 reply

LOL

Just got one: Guzman is shut down for the season after MRI reveals a strain.

Aw, that's a shame.

I feel bad for him.

IIRC Guzman gets injured a lot...too bad for him and us.

zevkalman - September 22, 2009 reply

Yep.

Hopefully, he’ll be fine for spring training.

maybe it wasn't that serious, but

given the Cubs position, it was worth shutting him down. there was a while there (when Gregg and Marmol were in major failure mode) where Lou was really leaning on Guz. It came back to haunt ’em.

Probably will be...

but then will be hurt by May. The guy just can’t seem to stay healthy.

He needs to be used more judiciously.

Lou doesn’t seem capable of that. If he’d use a reliever for two innings at a time, he wouldn’t need to overuse guys like Guzman.

Didn't he use Berg in two innings last night? Or was I just dreaming that? I was pretty sleepy.

katie casey - September 22, 2009 reply

That was the first time in ages.

I was very surprised.

katie casey - September 22, 2009 reply

Will Jake Fox get moar bench time?

book it

Scales in LF, Colvin in CF

So Fox is catching?

scales meaningless double yesterday must have sold lou

hahahaha

theriot, fukudome, lee, ramirez, blanco, soto, colvin, scales

Jody Jody Davis - September 22, 2009 reply

Blanco batting 5th????????

Yeah, that's what I thought....

oh sweet jesus.....

I thought he was batting lead-off?

anything to get a lefty in that fifth spot

I guess he didn't actually pay attention to the Cardinals lineup.

No guess not

blanco 5th, Lou has lost it for sure

See below for real lineup.

The one above is not correct.

tanks

Source?

Jody Jody Davis - September 22, 2009 reply

Yahoo's Box Score

yahoo.sports

I was gonna pull your leg by replying:

Nobody cares about your fantasy team! I thought you were joking. This lineup makes me muy triste.

Haha. I wish I was joking...

Twittermeyer Speaketh:

Guzman shut down after MRI reveals strain

Correct lineup via Twittermyer...

Theriot, Fukudome, Lee, Ramirez, Baker, Soto, Colvin, Scales, Wells

So everyone please calm down.

The Scales over Fox thing is getting embarrassing.

It'll be more embarrassing when Fox is hitting 25 HR in the AL in 2010.

Lou must be trying to improve the trade value of Scales...

what else can explain all this playing time for him in September?

photographs?

But we're an angry mob now. :)

my torch was lit and everything...damn it.

Save that for the "Theriot leading off" thing.

Which is just as wrong.

I have an ugly feeling that he will be next year too.

BUT HES SO FAST

IN GETTING BACK TO THE DUGOUT!

a more suitable answer was "GOING THROUGH AN AT BAT"

but thats acceptable too

Sigh.

I’m afraid you’re right. Unless Lou is no longer managing.

Yeah, Lou more or less said so...

when asked during a pre-game interview if Fukudome would be a good fit at the top of the order. He hemmed and hawed and then said something like “if the roster is the same, he’d be near the top, but we don’t have a lot of good options. Theriot’s one of our best options.”

This team had two guys who were way better suited to bat leadoff than Theriot and Soriano, yet Piniella kept trying to make them #5 hitters instead.

let's just hope theriot lasts more than 2 pitches in his first AB

I was just glad to be on the side of the torches and pitchforks this time. :)

LOL

At least Scales is batting 8th.

Hahaha....sorry, Yahoo got it wrong...

My apologies…well, for the “Blanco 5th” thing, but not for Scales continuing to start…

Since, we're practically out of it...

I think it’s time for Lou to try the “Let the fan make the lineup” promotion.

1. Dome RF
2. Theriot SS
3. Lee 1B
4. Rami 3B
5. Fox LF
6. Soto C
7. Baker 2B
8. Colvin CF

OK

1. Fukudome RF
2. Blanco SS
3. Lee 1B
4. Ramírez 3B
5. Fox LF
6. Soto C
7. Baker 2B
8. Colvin CF
9. Wells P

I'd flip Blanco and Baker in that scenario...

Blanco’s terrible OBP should not be in the #2 spot in the lineup.

True dat

Let’s try Colvin there then.

I don't think Colvin is suited for that role either...

at least not based on his mediocre .334 OBP in AA this year.

True dat again.

I just think Baker would be better suited in the seventh hole. But given the options, you’re right.

Yeah, I agree Baker isn't the greatest choice at the #2 spot...

but we’re a bit handcuffed.

1. Bradley RF
2. Baker SS
3. Lee 1B
4. Ramírez 3B
5. Fox LF
6. Soto C
7. BTheriot 2B
8. Colvin CF
9. Wells P

Who's that you have in the leadoff spot?

I don’t recognize the name.

And who’s BTheriot?

blous son

Look, do you want to make the playoffs, or not?

I'd rather our SS be BGood

Johnny B. Good?

He carries his bats in a gunny sack. Way out by the vines on the warning track.
The groundkeepers would see him hitting in the sun,
Practicing liners meant to drive in runs.
The fans in the bleachers would stop and say
Oh, that little country boy could play.

Go go
Go Johnny go
Go
Go Johnny go
Go
Go Johnny go
Go
Go Johnny go
Go
Johnny B. Goode

(with apologies to Chuck Berry)

OR

1. Kessinger ss
2. Beckert 2b
3. Williams LF
4. Santo 3b
5. Banks 1b
6. Hickman RF
7. Hundley C
8. Gamble CF
9. Jenkins P

That sounds good to me.

Of course, you and I just woke up from a 40 year nap. ;)

Right.

And the Cubs, in that dream, are 5 games ahead and about to clinch the NL East.

Right?

LOL. Right!

And the playoffs WON’T be televised by FOX…

In fact, the NLCS will be on BOTH NBC and WGN.

Yes. Jack Brickhouse and lots of "Hey-Hey"s

I wish…

Curt Gowdy and Tony Kubek on NBC? Or was Joe Garagiola doing games in 1969?

Gowdy & Kubek, I believe.

its televised by ESPN instead!

with joe morgan as your playbyplay and color commentator!

No, no, no. It's a dream, not a nightmare!

or

1. DeRosa ss
2. DeRosa 2b
3. DeRosa LF
4. DeRosa 3b
5. DeRosa 1b
6. DeRosa RF
7. DeRosa C
8. DeRosa CF
9. Ted Lilly

katie casey - September 22, 2009 reply

Is DeRosa dating Kate Gosslin?

OR

1. Aaron Miles ss
2. Aaron Miles 2b
3. Aaron Miles LF
4. Aaron Miles 3b
5. Aaron Miles 1b
6. Aaron Miles RF
7. Aaron Miles C
8. Aaron Miles CF
9. Aaron Miles P

Looks pretty scrappy to me.

Ron Trauma - September 22, 2009 reply

I'm going out to play in traffic after reading THAT lineup...

Like Zeke said above...

… this is a dream, not a nightmare.

this lineup sponsored by preparationH

Turn your head and cough when you say that, pardner...

Taguchi's blog

Randy Wells raised in St Louis
All of his family members live in St Louis MO

Taguchi99 - September 22, 2009 reply

Belleville, just across the river, but yeah...

What does that have to do with So Taguchi though??

kanderber - September 22, 2009 reply

This story was written on Taguchi's blog.

I just wanted to mention

Taguchi99 - September 22, 2009 reply

WTF does Jake Fox have to do to get some playing time?

Dominate AAA ball? Check.
Crush baseballs at the big league level? Check.
Hit a game winning HR against the arch rival? Check.

This Scales in LF shit has got to stop. Give Fox some playing time already, damn.

kanderber - September 22, 2009 reply

fox doesnt have the required amount of scrap

Hit on Lou's wife at a party? Check. Uh, oh...

He needs to get his hands on...

… the Neifi Perez Memorial Collection of Compromising Photos of Jim Hendry.

I think Aaron Miles has it hidden in his locker.

lol

eths - September 22, 2009 reply

no, i believe scales has them

If so, he stole them from Miles.

what ever bench warmers need to do to get ahead...

Beware xerox machine, my son

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!

eths - September 22, 2009 reply

I hear you kanderber...I honestly don't freaking understand it.

It’s a damn shame that there isn’t a single “journalist” with the intelligence and courage to back Lou into a corner and get an explanation.

And a REAL explanation....not LWDYWMTD.

"Nobody puts Lou in a corner..."

stupid question.

what is the acronym LWDYWMTD?

tootle - September 22, 2009 reply

Look
What
Do
You
Want
Me
To
Do

Thank you.

tootle - September 22, 2009 reply

Al, open the comments again on the BCB Dictionary so I can update it.

Will do.

Thanks Al

The BCB Lexicon grows.

Is that a lineup?

Do's on 1st.

Look. What do you want me to do?

look

what do you want him to do

That would be LWDYWHTD

i know

im asking SWL what he wants lou to do. lous not a dragon afterall

Oh, I dunno. MAny feel Lou's been 'dragon' himself around all season with little to no enthusiasm...

Someone emailed

Bruce Miles I think asking why the media doesn’t ask Lou that very question. Maybe they will hear from him and post it in here.

I was challenged to ask Bruce to ask Lou to play Fox

so I did that yesterday. I did not take the media slant (“why are you guys wussies?”).

Okay. I knew someone

did but I wasn’t sure what you had actually emailed him.

I sent a twitter message to Wittenmeyer, too.

We’ll see if we hear anything on that front.

Time to heat up the amazing win the rest of season winning streak....

!:27 a.m. here, so I’ll say good night and see what happend when the alarm goes at six.

eths - September 22, 2009 reply

!:27 a.m.? Damn. That IS late.

Went right past the 12 to a !

HOORAY!

Just got a tweet: Fox will play LF, not Scales.

lou must be reading

Uncle John's Bathroom Reader?

constipation is your friend :-)

Good news.

I hope he has a career night, just to give us some fodder for the next few weeks.

and to make scales starting in LF that much more painful

starting in LF tomorrow i should say

He'd better.

Because an 0-for-4 will get him sent directly back to the bench for the next 2 weeks.

so does a game winning home run

That got Soriano's name written in ink on the lineup card for the next 3 weeks.

3 weeks?

More like 2 months.

only the first 3 were in ink...the next 3 were in crayon....then the last 6 were in purple sparkly gel pen.

well, the purple sparkly gel pen

writes “Soriano” so pretty. especially in cursive. I can see Lou’s reasoning there.

i bet lou wrote dotted the i with a heart

In fairness...

Soriano has had a little longer track record of success than Fox has had. One might argue he earned the benefit of the doubt if he was healthy (which is another matter).

Lou far exceeded the statue of limitations on "the benefit of the doubt" with Soriano.

Easier to say in hindsight

Harder to bench a streaky player with that talent...

Especially when you consider his OPS by month:

April .955
May .687
June .585
July .992
Aug .514

If Soriano hadn’t had a big month of July, I’d agree with you. But that big month of July made it easier to hang on and hope Soriano was okay.

in july he was good against crappy national and astros pitching

Not disagreeing...

just saying that he got hot for a month, making it fair to think he might be turning it around. It’s not like he just stunk for 4 months straight and Lou kept playing him anyway.

There are things that I think Piniella handled wrong. Sticking with Soriano in the lineup when he thought Soriano was healthy enough to play isn’t really one of them.

I can understand starting a healthy Soriano.

But once Soriano went down, starting Scales these last couple weeks has been indefensible.

Yeah, I have no explanation for that...

It’d be one thing if Scales was good defensively in the OF. But he’s not.

the only reason i can see is that hendry doesnt want to take the risk of fox's value going down

if he wants to trade him over the winter

Scales must have finally said: "Lou, why do you keep playing me in LF? Fox is MUCH better than me there."

Either that, or Trammel finally has had enough and locked Lou in the can and changed the line-up card on his own.

IT'S HAPPENING!!

it's on: FOX

Hot damn!!!!

Sue...you may be interested to know about this...

big decision.

Dick Schmoker!!!

FTW

He looks like a nice guy...

mmm, not really

http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2009/9/22/1048903/first-pitch-thread-cubs-vs-brewers#comments

JUMP!!!