VFTB

Let It Roll or Matt’s Crazy Off Season Plan

The Chicago Tribune had a poll up Sunday asking which Cubs collapse broke your heart the most. Honestly, I’d have to rank it, and this is only in my lifetime, the 2003 team, the 1984 team, and then this 2008 team. After the 2003 meltdown, I was literally numb for about two weeks. Mountain Dew wasn’t as sweet, Snickers bars weren’t as nougaty, and Old Style still tasted like crap. I believe when, or should I say if, the Cubs win the whole shabang, Old Style will be as fine as a vintage champagne. Yeah, who am I kidding. I didn’t even watch Game 3 on Saturday evening. I was done, the Cubs were done, and to listen to Dick Stockton one more evening would of driven me to the heights of insanity. I had lost my heart in Cubs baseball, all in a matter of four days.

 When Joe asked about each of us doing a “what do they do for next year” post, I actually had no ideas. On paper, and for most of the season, I saw nothing glaringly wrong with the team as it was. They needed a centerfielder, Jim Hendry grabbed Reed Johnson, and later Jim Edmonds. A starter to help fend off the Brewers, he traded for Rich Harden. What else could you ask for? Maybe a little bullpen help, but most of the time they were fine. Do you really make a major change with a team that just won back to back NL Central titles? I don’t think so, much to the chagrin of all some of you that want major changes. My bigger gripe about the team’s failure in the post season. Management. Why in god’s name did Lou reinsert Kosuke Fukudome into the lineup? Better yet, why did he bat him second? Why would you mess with a lineup that you’ve stuck with almost the whole year, and change it for the biggest series of the year? Blame the offense all you want, I blame Lou just as much. He tinkered when it wasn’t necessary.

Here’s my realistic ideas:

• Re-sign Reed Johnson. Platoon him with Pie in centerfield.
• Make Mark DeRosa your everyday right fielder. Put Mike Fontenot in as your second baseman. You’ll get two good bats in the lineup, and a lefty which is sorely needed in the right handed heavy Cubs lineup. You lose some defense in right, but after this year, they need to reward Mark with an everyday position, not as a super sub. If necessary, go sign a Felipe Lopez, utility type player to fill the super sub role.
• Kosuke Fukudome heads to Iowa to learn American styled hitting and pitching. The Mets did it with Kaz Matsui, maybe it’s Kosuke’s time. He’s in Lou’s doghouse as it is, I don’t see this ending well, any way you slice it.
• Micah Hoffpauir becomes the pinch hitter. He’s no worse defensively than Ward. And cheaper.
• Re-sign Dempster and Wood. With the NLDS loss, they may take a hit in salary to see if they can get the job done, like they should have this year.
• Sign Jeremy Affledt to strenghten up the middle relief, and give Lou another lefty in the pen. 
• Resign Hank White. He’s a great mentor to Geo, and is one of the few people that can probably keep Zambrano under control.

And of course, some pie in the sky ideas:

• Don’t resign Dempster. Make a serious run at CC Sabathia. Heck, sign Dempster, then go get Sabathia. Get us a dominating scary #1 pitcher.
• Go balls out, and sign Manny Ramirez. Move Soriano to right field. Again, Fukudome gets to check out the cornfields of Iowa for awhile.
• Trade for Robinson Cano.  The Yankees are looking for pitching and a centerfielder. We seem to have both of those. If you trade Pie, you resign Edmonds. I think a full Spring Training will benefit him. He became a clubhouse leader, from what I’ve been told, the day he arrived.

I’ll be honest. I’d be very happy to see the same team next year, with a tweak or two. Hendry’s close, and I think this team is going to be hungry next year. Really hungry. Not to mention, the free agent crop is below average, and most of them are past their twilight years. I’m not sure it’d be worth the risk. Of course, I see a nice young power pitching right hander is available. Mark Prior anyone?

Tags: Carlos Zambrano, CC Sabathia, Jim Edmonds, Mark DeRosa, Reed Johnson, Robinson Cano, Ryan Dempster
Posted in General | 37 Comments »

Heading To The Break

Today I had a  of things I needed to get done around the house. An online test to take (I passed, thank you very much), some painting, and final touches on a bathroom renovation, that took entirely too much time last weekend. I didn’t figure to get any time to watch the game, especially since I had pissed away yesterday drinking, and eating, and drinking some more. The gods were with me, and I managed to finish up my honey do’s in short order, and watch the game. Sort of. I napped through some of it.

 After Friday and Saturday’s win, I really just hoped the Cubs would sweep, and go into the break on a winning note. At least, that’s what I thought would be nice especially after the meltdown from Saturday, ahem Carlos. It’d still be a series win, which is all you can ask for, but I like to see teams hit the break on a winning note.

Alas, it was not to be today. Dempster did not have his “A” stuff and really struggled with his command. I got the distinct feeling that he was thinking too much about getting to 11 and 0 at Wrigley. It’s a part of the mental game that gets taken for granted too much. As I’ve said before, the grey matter can really mess you up, in the long term and from game to game. Ahem, Carlos. The short rally in the bottom of the ninth was not menat to be. I really thought the best chance they had to make the game interesting was after Edmond’s double, and then in the eighth, when A-Ram hit that weak grounder to Castillo for the DP.

I kind of had the feeling the whole team was already mentally in the break. Oh well, it happens. As long as they get back to business when they get back.

• Carlos Marmol was named to the All Star game today in place of Kerry Wood. I really hope Clint Hurdle keeps him out of the game.  That arm needs serious rest. Lou if you’re reading this (yeah, right) please tell Hurdle to keep Carlos on the bench.
• Did anyone else notice Edmonds drop a four letter word after his double? I did. He knew he missed a homer. That would of changed a 3-1 game to 3-2. Had he gone yard, I think the Cubs would of won. 
• Just a mini-rant. For whatever reason, I couldn’t get to VFTB from work the past couple of days. I mean seriously, how am I supposed to kill time? I guess, take it as an FYI, if I’m not posting, I’m not ignoring anyone. I can’t get here.  Grrrrr.
• Would anyone be interested in a series of articles/posts pertaining to items like how a balls spin, fade, hook, when they’re hit? Defensive positioning? Does anyone have a question that no one on TV ever seems to answer?

Tags: Carlos Marmol, Jim Edmonds, Ryan Dempster
Posted in General | 5 Comments »

Sports Radio + Edmonds = Lofton?

I don’t typically listen to sports talk on the radio. Most of these guys make my head spin, with their over opinionated blather. I still picture the guys back in high school that would sit around the lunch table yapping on and on about athletes and whether they worth a lick or not. Not a one of them had a shred of athletic ability, but felt they were experts on every sport because they “studied the game.” Yeah, whatever.

Last night on my way to my softball game, I turned on “The Show” on ESPN 1000. Really, it was this or listening to overplayed pop tunes on the Mix, and don’t get me started on that craptastic radio station. So our entrepid hosts, started discussing the signing of Edmonds. Jonathon Hood led off with this nugget, the Cubs should of been signing Kenny Lofton, if they needed some left handed pop in their lineup, not the 38 year old Edmonds.

Let me let you guys and gals have that sink in for a few minutes.

Yeah, exactly. WHAT? Kenny Lofton has pop? You’ve got to be kidding me. Oh yes, his next reasoning? Kenny’s been at home working out getting ready for a team to call his number. OK. So the guy that’s been playing since February is a worse pickup because Kenny’s been at HOME working out. Brillant. He then went on to say that the Cubs need to get Lofton before the Cards or the Brewers do, because he can turn the tide of the Central race. And that Edmonds has been known to be aloof in the clubhouse. I’ve heard the same about Lofton, so what does that mean? He then went on to discuss how this was hurting Pie’s development, by not getting him regular Major League at bats. Call me carzy, but I’m not seeing how signing Kenny Lofton would help him with that either. No offense Mr. Hood, but I believe the hamburger I ate last night, had more intelligence than you in this matter.

I’m a Kenny Lofton fanboy, I’ve stated it before. But this ridiculous offering of baseball knowledge hurt my head. There’s a reason Kenny’s still at home. He’s, what 41 or 42? His run is probably over, as should Mr. Edmond’s career too, but Edmonds is a much cheaper alternative at this point. I’ve said all week, and I did change my tune after first word broke, that this is a good move. Edmonds will be here either the rest of the year because he plays like his old form, or he’s gone within a month. It’s that simple. Meanwhile Pie gets regular at bats in AAA, which he needs desperately.

Once again, I question my sanity after listening to sports radio.

Tags: Jim Edmonds, Jonathon Hood, Kenny Lofton
Posted in General | 9 Comments »