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What more could you ask from your pitching staff? Ted Lilly throws 6 2/3 innings of no hit ball, and ends up only giving up one single and two walks while striking out eight. Angel Guzman and Aaron Heilman both picked up holds and Kevin Gregg struck out the side in the 9th. All in all, the staff combined for a one hit shutout. Offensively, Derrek Lee doubled his hits for the season with a double in the third inning and a single in the fourth inning. Alfonso Soriano and Koyie Hill also had two hits each. And Kosuke added an RBI single and three walks.However, it wasn't a perfectly played game. Both Mike Fontenot and Ryan Theriot went 0 for 4. Aaron Miles came up twice with the bases loaded and didn't drive in a single run. And as a team, the Cubs left 13 runners on base. But in the end it was a win, and that's all you can ask for in a Home Opener. Well, you can ask for less Aaron Miles. I know I will be all season long.
I'll be in the bleachers for Wednesday's game and will have a post about it after the game. Pretty good matchup for the Cubs too, Jason Marquis vs. Rich Harden. Hopefully both Soto and Ramirez will be back and the Cubbies will sweep this mini-series.
Not sure how many people know about this, but ESPN is doing a separate website for just Chicago sports. It's pretty kool to have them just focus on just our teams. However, our two main columnists are Gene Wojo and Scoop Jackson. Hopefully, they'll add a real columnist soon. Until then, it's not a bad site to check out. I'm sure ESPN doesn't need me to push their site, but I will anyway.http://espn.go.com/chicago/index
If you have been watching tonight's game against the Brewers in Milwaukee, then you saw Reed Johnson's Grand Slam saving catch in the 5th inning. So instead of tying the game, the Brewers were only able to scratch across two runs in the inning. The video of Reed's catch isn't available yet, but until it is, I've posted some great catches by Reed Johnson in Cubbie Blue. Enjoy. UPDATED: Reed's catch from Sunday is now posted
The last two games are the perfect illustration of what Cubs fans have had to deal with...On Friday, the Cubs bullpen blew a great start by Rich Harden, who went 6 innings while striking out 10. Between the 7th and 9th innings, the pen walked 5 batters and gave up 2 runs despite only giving up one hit. Derrek Lee went 0 for 4. Neal Cotts and Sean Marshall were brought in to face one batter each and both failed. Ryan Theriot made an error in the first inning which led to a run, and then questionably threw home when turning a double play was the play to make. In the end, they lost a game they should have won.On Saturday, Carlos Zambrano did not pitch like the ace of the staff. He pitched 6 innings and allowed 10 baserunners, however, he did strike out 7. The bullpen struggled again, with Guzman pitching 1/3 of an inning giving up 2 runs without allowing a hit. Cotts couldn't get the one batter he was brought in to face, again. Offensively, the Cubs left 14 runners on base. But in the 9th, Carlos Villanueva decided to throw Alfonso Soriano a first pitch fastball. Soriano guessed correctly, and parked it in the left field bleachers. Then in the 9th, Carlos Marmol came in and struck out Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder to put the finishing touches on the come from behind win. This time, they won a game they should have lost. This is the roller coaster ride that is the Chicago Cubs. It has been 5 games, and Cubs fans have already experienced a close win, a loss in extra innings, a blowout win, a blown save loss and a come from behind win in the 9th. It's alright though, there's only 157 games to go.
Today's player: Damon BufordIn December of 1999, the Cubs and Red Sox pulled off a blockbuster trade exchanging Manny Alexander for Damon Buford. The next season, Buford was handed the everyday center field job and did everything he could to show he didn't deserve it. Nonetheless, he played in 150 games and had over 550 plate appearances. He put up a less then stellar .251/.324/.390 line in the leadoff spot for the last place team. However, he did hit 15 homeruns and drove in 48 runs. Buford also stole 4 bases, but was thrown out 6 times.In 2001, Buford played in 35 games before being released by the team and replaced with Gary Matthews Jr. Buford started off even slower than usual putting up a line of .176/.213/.306. He also was unable to fill the defensive gap between corner outfielders Rondell White and Sammy Sosa. Matthews was a much better defensively as well as offensively, just like most other outfielders in the league.Buford's stay with the Cubs was short and very unmemorable. However, he did have an everyday job and was pretty below average. So after much deliberation, Damon Buford goes down as a Neifi, a bad player who actually hurt the team the more he played. So here's to Damon Buford, at least Manny Alexander tried steroids to help his team.
1. Zambrano looked pretty good. His pitches had good movement and he hit his spots. If the Cubs are going to win the division, they need Carlos. So far so good.
2. Alfonso Soriano usually starts out slow, so his 2 hits, including his lead off homerun, are a good sign. Last year he hit .192 in April with only 2 homeruns. Halfway there in that regard.
3. Marmol came in and faced the first four Astros hitters including Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee. He got two groundouts and a pop out. His lone baserunner was Lance Berkman with a walk. Kevin Gregg came in to close the game and quickly gave up two singles. He retired the next three hitters, so maybe it was just first game nerves. Either way, Marmol came in and faced the tough hitters which is exactly what Piniella was thinking when he named Marmol the set up man.
4. Mike Fontenot showed why the signing of Aaron Miles was a waste of $4.7M. He had three hits, including a double in the fourth inning. He also had no problems defensively. Miles has no reason to throw the fit he did in St. Louis when he was benched. He should take his money and enjoy the ride.
5. Speaking of wastes, Fukudome did nothing to change anyone's mind tonight.
Its that time of the year again. Time for me to unleash my inner soothsayer for the upcoming 2009 season. So with opening night upon us, here are my Infamous 72 Guaran-damn-tees:1. Ticket sales will not be significantly effected by the economy. The teams that have struggled to sell tickets will continue to do so. And the teams that always sell out will also do so. So PNC park will be empty while Fenway will remain packed. While some free agents were hurt by owners not wanting to spend the money, others had no problem throwing cash at players.Richard Lapchick, president and chief executive of the National Consortium for Academics and Sports, said: “I think that the public in general does not care that much about the athlete’s salary. They want that escape. When people are depressed about life or the economy or whatever it happens to be, they gain solace from being able to escape at a sports event.”
Bring on opening day.2. Alex Rodriguez will miss the first 4 weeks of the season, but then come back and do what he always does, hit. Yes, there will be an incredible amount of press about his steroid use and personal life (divorce, Madonna, call girls) but Alex Rodriguez wasn't considered one of the best players of our time for nothing. And that won't change this season.3. Gary Sheffield will end the season hitting 18 homeruns which will put him over that 500 plateau. But he'll still hate everyone but Gary Sheffield.4. Jake Peavy will be traded at the deadline, to the Cubs. In celebration, I will buy all my friends a round when it is announced.5. Dustin Pedroia will NOT win MVP again. Seriously? Pedroia? He wasn't even the MVP of his team.Pedroia - .869 OPS / 6.9 Runs Created per game
Youkilis - .959 OPS / 8.1 Runs Created per game
6. Pablo Sandoval will win the NL Rookie of the Year. If you haven't heard of him, he's the 22 year old starting third baseman for the Giants. In the off-season, he won the Venezuelan Home Run Derby, beating Andres Galarraga, Magglio Ordonez, Bobby Abreu, Carlos Zambrano and Miguel Cabrera. Sandoval will be followed in voting by Cameron Maybin and Jordan Zimmerman.7. Travis Snider will win the AL Rookie of the Year. The Toronto Blue Jays outfielder will be given a chance to play everyday, and if he continues to hit lefties and righties like he did in the minors, he should win easily. It also helps that David Price and Matt Wieters will be starting their seasons in the minor leagues.8. After finally getting a contract extension, Ryan Howard will hit over 50 homeruns for the first time in 3 years. He will also keep his streak of consecutive seasons in the top 5 of MVP voting, with 3, alive.9. This year, Ryan Howard will hit more homeruns than the entire Cincinnati Reds outfield.10. Adam Dunn will break his streak of 4 straight years with exactly 40 homeruns. This year he'll hit his number, 44.11. Still no Barry Bonds or Roger Clemens in the MLB this year. Pros vs. Joes maybe?12. Dan Uggla won't blow the All-Star game this year, mostly because he won't make it. Utley and Phillips will take care of those duties. And the NL will FINALLY win this year.13. In the NL, Aaron Harang will beat out Todd Helton and Eric Byrnes for NL Comeback Player of the Year.14. In the AL, Justin Verlander will win AL Comeback player of the year, beating out catchers Victor Martinez and Jorge Posada.15. A lot of teams will regret not paying $5M for Bobby Abreu. (::cough::Ibanez::cough::Phillies)16. The Giants will really really regret giving Zito that contract even more this year. Imagine what they could have done with that $18M and still have a rotation of Lincecum, Cain, Sanchez and Randy Johnson. I mean, Bobby Abreu, Orlando Hudson, Joe Crede AND Pat Burrell signed for a combined $17.4M this year. Speaking of which...17. Brian Sabean will not be fired this year. I can't believe it either.18. Speaking of firings, the first manager to be fired will be Ron Washington after the Rangers get off to a slow start, which they usually do anyways. The Rangers just can't compete with the starting pitching they have. Millwood and Padilla? Give Ron a break.19. Cole Hamels will still make 29 starts this season, despite all the concerns about his elbow from all the national sports media.20. However, Joe Mauer will miss at least half of the season due to those nagging back problems. And the Twins will start considering moving Mauer to full-time DH.21. Francisco Rodriguez will not come anywhere near 62 saves this season. In fact, he'll miss two months of the season and will only save 24 games total.22. Bobby Jenks will struggle. No explanation necessary, you'll see.23. Matt Kemp will not hit 40 homeruns and steal 40 bases this year. In fact, he wont do it in his career. No matter what he thinks.24. Jay Cutler will sing the 7th inning stretch and throw out a first pitch at Wrigley Field this summer. However, for fear of breaking any significant players hand trying to catch it, Piniella will send Koyie Hill and his bionic hand out there.25. He let me down last year by going and getting hurt, but Troy Tulowitzki will win the gold glove this year. He's far and away the best defensive shortstop in the NL.26. Because of his back injuries, Joe Mauer will not win the Gold Glove this year. Dioner Navarro will take the award this year.27. The Cubs will be sold. Finally.28. Just two years ago, the Tigers came out of nowhere and won the AL but then lost in 5 games to the Cardinals. Then the following year, they missed the playoffs. Last year, the Rays came out of nowhere and won the AL but then lost in 5 games to the Phillies. This year however, the Rays won't miss the playoffs.29. Curt Schilling will talk about a comeback. Several times.30. The Orioles will be the worst team in the AL. They've got some solid young players with Adam Jones, Nick Markakis and Matt Weiters but their starting pitching is pretty bad, Jeremy Guthrie, Koji Uehara, Mark Hendrickson, Alfredo Simon and Adam Eaton. Maybe they should've held on to Daniel Cabrera after all.31. Hank Blalock will finally rebound after three years of less than 20 homeruns. Hard to believe that he's still only 28 years old. I mean, he's younger than Ryan Howard!32. Carl Pavano won't last very long as Cleveland's third starter. I'll be surprised if he makes it to the All-Star Game.33. However, he will last longer than Sidney Ponson in the Royals rotation. How does that guy continue to get work?34. The Astros are starting Kaz Matsui, Michael Bourn and a platoon of Geoff Blum/Jeff Keppinger. They have three other players in their lineup who will each hit more homeruns than those four combined; Carlos Lee, Lance Berkman and Hunter Pence.35. Mark Prior won't pitch this year either.36. Milton Bradley will only have one meltdown this year. However, it won't be with an announcer or teammate. That leaves the fans and umpires. On second thought, he will only have two meltdowns this year.37. I will win both my fantasy leagues this year. BOOM!38. Neither Bartolo Colon nor Jose Contreras will finish the year in the White Sox rotation.39. The All-Star Game will be filled with a lot of Red Sox, Yankees and Cubs. Sadly, the rule that states every team must have a representative will be the only thing holding back an all Cubs vs. Yankees/Red Sox game.40. A.J. Pierzynski will remain the most hated player in the MLB. But Dustin Pedroia will be right behind him.41. Andruw Jones won't be awful this year. He's going to a hitter friendly park and will hit cleanup against lefties. He's gotta do better, right?42. The White Sox won't be the only team snowed out this year. However, the Twins still won't rethink their plan for an outdoor stadium. Forecast for Minneapolis on Opening Day in the MLB? 38 degrees with snow flurries.43. Manny Ramirez will continue to do what Manny Ramirez does. Hit and goof around. However, Dodgers fans won't care as much since they don't have to worry about the Yankees.44. Bud Selig will continue to deny the Steroid Era being his fault. However, steroids will continue to run rampant.45. The list of the other 103 players who failed the steroid test in 2003 will be leaked and all hell will break loose. Well, for a few months at least.46. A team will give in to Pedro Martinez's salary demands somewhat and he will pitch in 2009. Because of the Angels top three starting pitchers being hurt, the early guess is them.47. Oakland will surprise a lot of people and give the Angels a run for their money. However, because they're starting three rookie starting pitchers, they'll fall short in the end.48. On the opposite end, the San Francisco Giants won't live up to their expectations (several predicted 2nd or 3rd). They'll come in 4th because of their horrendous offense that people seemed to forget about when they made their predictions. And also because the Padres are even worse.49. The Mets will really regret giving Oliver Perez that 3 year/$36M contract. Though they should've known what they were getting themselves into.50. Ryan Spilborghs will have a breakout year leading off for the Rockies. He'll post a high OBP and score over 85 runs. However, Seth Smith won't last past May.51. Cliff Lee will not be anywhere near as dominating as he was last year. However, he won't be as awful as he was in 2007 either. His 2005 season is right where he should be, 3.79 ERA and 143 Ks.52. The Marlins will play well this year, however because of all the talent in NL East, they won't make it above fourth place. However, they have the talent to compete in the next several years for the next several years.53. With several great pitchers retired or on their way to retiring (Greg Maddux, Curt Schilling, Randy Johnson, John Smoltz and Tom Glavine), the MLB will see an influx of young pitching stars (Clayton Kershaw, Joba Chamberlain, Yovani Gallardo, Max Scherzer and David Price).54. The MLB Network will be a huge hit. It's all baseball, all the time. It should be more successful than the NFL Network since baseball games are on every day. All I know is, I can't wait for Opening Day. Thank God for 2 TVs.55. Besides Jake Peavy, the trading deadline will be a dud. Most teams will be afraid to add more salary and will just go with what they have, either already on their MLB roster or in their farm system.56. Alex Gordon will break out this year. Sadly, not many people will notice because he's on the Royals. Well, maybe they will notice if they watch the MLB Network.57. Brett Gardner will not be good. Some of you may say that it isn't much of a prediction but if you have listened or read anything from ESPN, it definitely is pretty bold. (Peter Gammons wrote, "If you can't root for him, you can't enjoy the game", while Michael Kay said pitchers better not walk him otherwise it is an automatic double. That's the last thing baseball fans need, another Yankee being overhyped.58. Chris Davis will hit 40 homeruns joining Ryan Howard, Adam Dunn, Albert Pujols and Ryan Braun as the only five players to hit 40 or more homeruns in 2009.59. Willy Taveras and Jose Reyes will both steal over 70 bases next year. Despite Taveras' low OBP, he will play everyday and lead off for the Reds. I'd have to imagine Dusty Baker will give him the green light every time he's on base. Jose Reyes also has the green light and has a decent OBP which should make it much easier for him to steal 70.60. The AL Cy Young will be James Shields. Yes, James Shields. He'll get the wins and his team will make the playoffs which is really all a pitcher needs to win the award. C.C. Sabathia will struggle early which will hurt his chances. The AL East is not the NL Central.61. Johan Santana will win the NL Cy Young this year. His numbers were good enough last year, but Tim Lincecum's were better. Santana will be a little better this year and Lincecum will be a little worse. Peavy won't get the wins he needs, and Webb's Diamondbacks won't make the playoffs.62. The AL MVP will be a hotly contested award this year. Last year, no one really stood out so the voters obviously decided to give it to the shortest player in the league. But this year, Grady Sizemore will have a great season going 35 homeruns and 35 stolen bases. Also, the Indians will win the Central which usually helps a lot with voters for some reason.63. The NL MVP will be Manny Ramirez. He was being talked about last year after only 53 games in a Dodgers uniform. He'll do what he always does and with the Dodgers making the playoffs, he'll be a shoe in. 64. In the AL West, the Angels will take the division crown. However, it won't be as easy as it usually is. The Angels are starting the season with three starting pitchers on the DL and the Athletics offense is much improved. If the A's had any kind of reliable staff, they would unseat the Angels as the division winners, this year at least.65. The AL East is going to be ridiculous. It could have the three best teams in the AL, meaning one of those teams won't make the playoffs. In the end, the Red Sox will win the division, followed by the Rays for the wildcard. That is going to leave out the Yankees. Yes, they spent a ton of money in the offseason. But with Alex Rodriguez out for a month and with the slow starting Teixiera having to carry the load early, their offense won't be good enough to hang with the Red Sox and Rays. But it'll be really really close. Those three teams won't finish more than 6 games apart.66. No big names have really left or joined the AL Central meaning the division should play out similar to last year, right? Not quite. The Indians will win the division with Victor Martinez and Fausto Carmona coming back from injuries. They won't run away with the division though. The Twins will compete all year like they always do, and the return of Francisco Liriano will be a big reason. The White Sox will fall to third, being unable to overcome the loss of Javier Vazquez and having to start Dewayne Wise and Chris Getz every day.67. The NL West is the worst division in baseball. However, the Dodgers will do just fine. They'll win around 90 games, which will win them the division by more than 8 games. The Diamondbacks defense gets worse with Felipe Lopez replacing Orlando Hudson, and they still have Mark Reynolds out there. That definitely hurts when Brandon Webb is on the mound. Coming in third will be the Rockies, followed by the Giants and then the god awful Padres.68. The NL East is similar to the AL East, with having three of the best teams in the league. The Mets, Braves and defending champion Phillies could all win the divison. But that's not what this blog is about, it's about guarantees. So I'm guaranteeing the division will shake out like so; Mets, Braves, Phillies, Marlins and then Nationals. Yes, no Phillies in the playoffs either. Mark it down.69. And now the NL Central. I'm sure you all can guess who I have winning the division. Yes, the Cubs just like every other baseball analyst. However, I'm going with the Reds to come in second. They have a good young staff and a solid young core. They'll be followed by Albert Pujols who won't be able to put the team on his shoulders this year like he always does. And the bottom half will be the Brewers, Astros and then the Pirates. 70. The ALCS will be the Rays vs. the Red Sox yet again. This new rivalry will go all 7 with the Red Sox prevailing. The Red Sox pitching will be just a little bit better than the Rays in the series. And of course there will be several scuffles along the way.71. The NLCS will pit the Cubs vs. the Mets. The Cubs will win it in six games thanks to their starting staff. Good Oliver Perez and Bad Oliver Perez will both show up in the series with Bad Oliver losing game six.72. So it will be the dream matchup for television, the Boston Red Sox vs the Chicago Cubs. ESPN could explode because of all the over exposure this matchup will receive. But in the end, the Red Sox will win yet another World Series. It will be a close series but the Cubs won't be able to pull it out, but hey at least they made it out of the first round and to the World Series, right? Right? Right?? Oh well, there's always next year.
Every Friday, we'll be highlighting one of the many ex-Cubs in MLB history. It may be a great player, a fan favorite or even a Cubs bust. So essentially, the good, the bad or the ugly. Or in Cubs terms, the Gracie, the Tuffy or the Neifi...
Today's player: Luis SalazarThe second best Cubs' third baseman to ever wear #10, Salazar only played three and a half s
easons in Cubbie Blue. He was acquired in a waiver wire deal in 1989, along with Marvell Wynne in order to replace the Cubs struggling third basemen (Vance Law and Domingo Ramos) for the playoffs. The Cubs sent Darrin Jackson, Calvin Schiraldi and Phil Stephenson to San Diego to complete the deal.
That September, in his first month as a Cub, Salazar played solidly. He hit .325 with 12 RBIs and a .357 OBP, as well as playing a near flawless third base. The Cubs went on to win the National League East, thanks in some part to Salazar's rejuvenation of the offense, at least that's how I remember it.
Salazar was a jack of all trades, playing every position except catcher in his career. In his next three years as a Cub, Salazar hit .243 with 31 HRs and and 110 RBIs, nothing to get excited about. But in his defense, the Cubs weren't anything to get excited about either from 1990 to 1992 winning 77, 77 and 78 games in those three years. These days, Salazar is the hitting coach for the Chattanooga Lookouts.
So in conclusion, as much as I loved Luis Salazar, he is considered a Tuffy, a Cubs player with some memorable moments, but a less than solid player nonetheless. Here's to Luis Salazar and that incredible mustache.
A few weeks ago, several qualifying voters were asked to name their ultimate movie baseball team. They thought about it, discussed it, and agonized over the choices. But they have made their decisions and the votes are in. Here is the All-Time Movie Baseball team.
Catcher: Jake Taylor (Major League)
It was a close race, but the cagey veteran's experience won out. His knees may cause concern, but if needed, he can sit out and manage a few games.
First Baseman: Jack Elliot (Mr. Baseball)
The former World Series MVP and current Japanese league first baseman won this position pretty easily with his power outweighing his cocky attitude.
Second Base(wo)man: Marla Hooch (A League of their Own)
Absolutely crushed the competition. The other second basemen didn't have a chance against a switch hitter with power. Marla Hooch, what a hitter.
Third Baseman: Roger Dorn (Major League)
Also ran away with his position, nearly unanimously. Voters were able to look past his ego and sometimes lackadaisical play, but the lack of depth at third base probably helped as well.
Shortstop: Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez (The Sandlot)
The versatile player without a position fit in perfectly at shortstop. His bat, glove and speed are definitely an asset to the team. His team leadership also played a huge role.
Left field: Roy Hobbs (The Natural)
The ultimate power hitter was able to overcome a lot of obstacles to get to this point. His pure power made him a natural for the All Time Movie Team. Get it?
Center Field: Willy Mays Hayes (Major League)
Hits like Mays. Runs like Hayes. He received the most votes of any outfielder and would fit in perfectly in the lead off spot.
Right Field: Pedro Cerrano (Major League)
Much rather have the Voodoo Pedro than the Buddhist Pedro. Either way, a power hitter who has a problem with breaking pitches, but honestly what power hitter doesn't? Okay, there are a couple who don't but a great run producer nonetheless.
Starting Pitcher: Rick Vaughn (Major League)
The Wild Thing can hit 103 on the gun and sometimes loses control. If that isn't intimidating I don't know what is. Imagine standing in a box knowing the guy could let a pitch go that is either going right down the middle or right in your ear hole. I'd be scared. Plus its hard to beat those skull glasses and that incredible haircut.
Starting Pitcher: Ebby Calvin LaLoosh (Bull Durham)
A young superstar in the making. He tends to over think things such as his future fame or women but has the stuff to be a legit ace. With a little guidance, he'll get there.
Starting Pitcher: Chet Steadman (Rookie of the Year)
The seasoned veteran of the staff. The Rocket has seen the ups and downs of a Major League career but has had a great one nonetheless. He has the fortitude to pitch a must win game if needed and could teach the young pitchers a thing or two.
Closer: Henry Rowengartner (Rookie of the Year)
He can throw a ball from the Bleachers at Wrigley to home plate on a frozen rope. Rosenbagger closed during the most important stretch of his team's season. He led the lovable losers to someplace they have only dreamed of, a World Series. Anyone who can handle that type of pressure deserves a spot on this team.
Manager: Lou Brown (Major League)
A manager that can erupt at anytime. To take a no-name team to the ALCS like he did, I'm not sure there is anyone better. Plus he could hook you up with a nice set of white wall tires if you needed.
So there you have it. The All-Time Movie Baseball Team as voted by you the movie experts. But the question remains, can this team beat the Pirates? the Dodgers? the Yankees?
Most sports fans have experienced it. A player on your team stands out, does well in games you go to, reminds you of yourself when you played. Whatever the reason, they become your favorite player. And to let everyone know, you buy his jersey. Very few people get lucky enough to have their favorite player stay with their team for the long haul, retiring in that very jersey you bought. But for most of us, that doesn't happen. Our player becomes a free agent, or gets traded or just doesn't quite live up to your expectations.
So what do you do with his jersey? Do you still wear it to games? I mean you spent a good chunk of change on it. Or maybe you bury it in the back of your closet. Do you really want to be seen at a game supporting a has been? So to help everyone out, I've decided to let you know what ex-Cubs jerseys are acceptable to wear to Wrigley Field, and which ones aren't. Now you should know that you can wear a Mark Grace jersey, and you should also know that you shouldn't be caught dead in a Todd Hundley jersey. These are the questionable calls, the grey area of Cubs jersey wearing.
Unacceptable:
6. Michael Barrett #8 - Not only did he love playing in Wrigley Field, but his first three years as a Cub were even better than expected, putting up a .800+ OPS in each of them. He won the Silver Slugger in 2005. He was the first catcher since Scott Servais in 1997-1998 to catch the majority of the games for two years in a row. He even took a swing at the most hated Cubs rival. But then he took things a little too far. He went after the Cubs ace, Carlos Zambrano, in the dugout during a game, which is generally frowned upon. To make matters worse, he went after Zambrano again and paid for it with a busted lip and a trip to the hospital. He was having a bad season already, and going after Zambrano made it even worse. It was an easy decision to trade him and he
hasn't been the same player since. Neither has the value of his jersey.
5. Matt Murton #19 - The Big Murt was a bleacher fan favorite. I mean it was hard not to like the red headed left fielder who was just happy to play at Wrigley Field. But he never really lived up to his potential. Most would say he was never given a chance, which could be true. But when he was, he was just average. In 2004, he was given the starting left field spot for the whole season and put up average numbers. He didn't hit for much power with only 13 homeruns and 22 doubles. The best part about Murton was he was used to trade for Rich Harden. However, Oakland then traded him at the end of the season to Colorado. This year will probably his best chance to show if he is better than average. However, as a Cub, he was average. An average hitter, an average fielder, and overall an average player. People don't buy average players' jerseys. Can you imagine the United Center packed with Luol Deng jerseys?? Oh wait.
4. Nomar Garciaparra #5 - When the Cubs traded for Nomar at the 2004 trading deadline, I was as excited as everyone else. He played decently well down the stretch, but not well enough for the Cubs to hold on to their 2.5 game lead with 9 days left. Then in 2005, he missed over 100 games with a torn groin. The Cubs parted ways after that, thinking he was finished. Then to spite us, he signed with Los Angeles, and had his best season in 4 years. He put on that Cubs jersey a total of 105 games, probably less than most of the Cubs fans who bought it.
3. Juan Pierre #9 - Going into 2004, all the Cubs needed was a lead off hitter to put them over the top. They paid a high price to get one, giving up Ricky Nolasco (15-8, 3.52 ERA and 186 Ks in 2008) as well as Sergio Mitre and Renyel Pinto for what ended up being one season of Juan Pierre. He had a .718 OPS which is below average for a center fielder. He stole 58 bases, but was caught 20 times (61% success rate). His arm was the worst in baseball. And we finished the season 22 games under .500. Anyone with a Pierre jersey should learn from Hendry. It was a mistake to acquire it the first place, no need to keep it around for longer than necessary.
2. Corey Patterson #20 - He was the can't miss prospect that missed. He was hailed as being a five tool player and made his Major League debut after only 3 years in the minors at age 21. He finally started to put it together in 2003, but then injured his knee running to first base. However. it was the only time he would flash any All Star potential. He struggled the next 3 years and was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in 2006. Cubs fans waited and waited for him to fulfill his potential, but were never rewarded for their patience. Instead, they were told about the Cubs other five tool center fielder, Felix Pie. He was slated to take his spot the following few years, but he never played much in the big leagues. He too was shipped to Baltimore. He would also be on this list, however I doubt many people purchased his uniform. Well, at least I hope not.
1. Mark Prior #22 - The 2003 All-Star was being hailed as the second coming of Roger Clemens, the best college pitcher of all time. He came in third in the Cy Young race as a 22 year old. His mechanics were perfect. And then the wheels came off. He was no longer dominating games. He was missing games due to an Achilles tendon, a fractured elbow, shoulder tendinitis, and a torn right shoulder. He was the ace the Cubs needed to get them to the World Series, but instead he turned out to be an illusion, an aberration, a nightmare. I'd say give his jersey to a homeless shelter, but I wouldn't be surprised if they refused it.
Acceptable:
6. Moises Alou #18/Henry Rodriguez #40/Glenallen Hill #6 - Yes, none retired with the Cubs. And yes, none played more than 3 years with the Cubs. However, all three left fielders had very good numbers with in Cubbie Blue. Alou helped the Cubs make the playoffs in 2003, hitting 22 HRs and driving in 91 RBIs. He followed up that season with 39 HRs and 106 RBIs in 2004. Rodriguez hit 31 HRs in the Cubs playoff season of 1998. Also in 1998, Glenallen Hill posted an OPS of .987 after being acquired at the trading deadline. Each also had their special moments at Wrigley Field. Alou had the infamous Bartman incident. Rodriguez had his Oh Henry! bars thrown on the field after homeruns. And of course, Hill hit the mammoth homerun that landed on the rooftop across Waveland Ave.
5. Mark DeRosa #7 - Being recently traded, it's easier to wear his jersey to the ballgame this season. But his value to the Cubs these last two years makes his jersey more than acceptable. He was coming off a career year with the Rangers at age 31. Many attributed this to the Rangers ballpark being one of the most offense friendly in baseball. But this didn't stop Hendry from signing the versatile DeRosa for three years, despite the many baseball experts saying it was a bad deal. However, DeRosa proved them all wrong. He continued his good hitting, and had his best season in 2008 by far, nearly doubling his career high in homeruns. He played wherever Piniella put him in the lineup despite thinking he would be the everyday second baseman when he signed. It's hard not to like DeRosa after his two years here and it's even harder to tell you that you shouldn't wear it out to the ballgame.
4. Sammy Sosa #21 - He hit 541 homeruns in a Cubs uniform. When he would sprint to right field, he received the same "salaam" salute that Cub great Andre Dawson received. When he was in Chicago, he was one of the most loved players in all of sports. Then after the Cubs blew their 3-1 NLCS lead against the Marlins in 2003, his reputation went to hell. People blamed him for the Cubs collapse in 2004, saying he quit on the team. Many claimed he felt he was bigger than the team. Maybe it was true, but if that's true, Sosa wasn't the only to blame. He had three years of hitting over 60 homeruns. He was loved by fans in many cities because of his record setting homerun race with Mark McGwire in 1998. Even after corking his bat in 2003, the Cubs were winning, so it was easy to look past. But once the team stopped winning, everyone started pointing out his flaws. He swings for the fences all the time, his defense has gotten worse, he left the game early after the Cubs were out of the race. And then the video of him leaving was "leaked" and he was no longer the player everyone loved. Apparently, no one knows how the video of him leaving early got out, but it definitely made trading a player who had been a Chicago icon the past several years a lot easier. And of course, there's the steroid question. But again, no one seemed to care when him and McGwire were destroying records. Sammy Sosa did what everyone wanted him to do whether they will admit it now or not, they wanted to see homeruns. And he gave them what they wanted. I wouldn't be ashamed of my resume if I was him. And I wouldn't be ashamed to wear his jersey if I were you.
3. Kerry Wood #34 - Most Cubs fans remember his performance against the Astros on May 6, 1998. He was unhittable. And actually if Kevin Orie's muffed groundball were ruled an error like it should've been, he would've had a no-hitter. That performance as well as 13 Wins and 233 strikeouts, led to his Rookie of the Year award that year. From 2000 to 2004 he pitched well, leading to the Cubs signing him to a 3 year/$32.5M contract. That's when his Cubs career went down hill. He couldn't stay healthy. No matter what he tried, he couldn't stay on the mound. But after a disappointing 3 years, he accepted a deal for less than he could've gotten from another team because he felt he owed it to the Cubs for not living up to his end of his contract. He accepted the closers role and thrived in it. The 2008 All Star finished with 34 saves and 84 strikeouts in 66.3 innings. The Cubs didn't make an offer to him in the off-season leading him to sign with the Cleveland Indians. I feel that if the Cubs made him a respectable offer, he would've accepted it and finished his career in Cubbie Blue. He took out several full page ads in Chicago papers and thanked the fans for his 10 years here. He expressed his love for the team and the city and said he will always be a Chicago Cub. Therefore, wearing his jersey should be a no-brainer.
2. Greg Maddux #31 - It doesn't feel like Mad Dog spent many years in blue pinstripes, but a decade is a pretty long time. Sure, we didn't get his best 10 years, but he still put up some great numbers here, especially in the early part of his career. During his two tenures with the Cubs, he won 128 games and won a Cy Young award in 1992. He went on to win three more consecutive Cy Youngs after that. Normally, it is an easy decision whether a first ballot Hall of Famer's jersey can be worn, but Maddux's first stay with the Cubs didn't end particularly well. Cubs general manager Larry Himes and Maddux's agent, Scott Boras refused to budge during contract negotiations. And in the end the Cubs decided to cease talks and move on to other free agents. Maddux eventually signed a 5 year/$28M deal with the Atlanta Braves and the Cubs acquired other free agents, Jose Guzman, Dan Plesac, and Candy Maldonado. Everyone knows the rest, Maddux ended up being one of the best pitchers of our time, if not all-time. And those three didn't. Maddux came back in 2004 and pitched well for us, however it was nowhere near his Atlanta Braves numbers. He was traded to the Dodgers in 2006, and bounced between them and the Padres the last 2 years. In the 2008 playoffs, he came out of the bullpen to face the Cubs in what ended up being his last game at Wrigley Field. Despite being on the opposing team, the fans gave him a standing ovation, and rightfully so. He retired this off-season and will go into the Hall of Fame wearing an Atlanta Braves hat in five years, but that shouldn't stop any Cubs fan from proudly wearing that #31 around the Friendly Confines.
1. Rod Beck #47 - The Shooter played a little over one season in a Cubs uniform, but he loved every minute of it. In his only full year as a Cub in 1998, he finished with 51 saves and helped the Cubs make the playoffs for the first time in nine years. Despite sometimes making games closer than some would like, fans loved him for his intensity, his pendulum arm motion while pitching, and of course his mullet and handlebar mustache. He always said the most fun he ever had was in a Cubs uniform. After being traded by the Cubs in 1999, and out of baseball for two years, he signed a minor league deal with the Cubs in 2003, hoping to get to pitch in the Friendly Confines again. He was the closer for the Iowa Cubs and became known for living in his RV, which he parked outside of the Iowa stadium. After games, he would invite players and fans in for a beer or two and just wanted to talk baseball. It's what he loved. He pitched well in Iowa but wasn't in the Cubs bullpen plans, so he was granted his outright release. He quickly signed with the Padres and saved 20 games, while their closer, Trevor Hoffman was injured. He finished that year with a 1.78 ERA. One can always say what if, but what if Rod Beck was the pitcher brought in to replace Mark Prior in game 6 of the 2003 playoffs instead of Kyle Farnsworht. He was nearly unhittable with the Padres and probably would've been as asset to the bullpen. One could only guess, but what's done is done. Beck died in June of 2007 at the age of 38. And to ultimately show how much he loved being a Cub, he was buried in his Cubs uniform. If that doesn't make you want to throw on a Cubs jersey, nothing will.
Going into spring training, the Cubs starting lineup is pretty much set. Newcomer Milton Bradley will be manning right field when his body allows it. And a platoon of Kosuke Fukudome and Reed Johnson will share center field duties. So the only position without a set starter is second base. The main two competing for the spot are veteran Aaron Miles and fan favorite Mike Fontenot.
Aaron Miles signed a 2 year/$4.9M deal in the off-season after being released by the Cardinals, whom he spent the last three years with. The 31 year old switch hitter is a career .289/.329/.364 hitter. He's coming off his best season in the majors, posting a line of .319/.355/.398, which was slightly above the average OPS for NL second basemen last year. He's average, at best, defensively but can play second, third and shortstop. His "versatility" is most likely the reason for the 2 year contract after the Cubs traded the actually versatile Mark DeRosa.
Mike Fontenot is entering his fourth year in the league but only his second full season with the big club. He was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles in the Sammy Sosa deal in 2004. He's never gotten an opportunity to prove that he deserves a starting job but it appears this year is his best shot. Last year in limited time, he posted a line of .305/.395/.514. However, he has less than 500 career at bats and is already 29 years old. I wouldn't say his time is running out, but a player over 30 with limited experience doesn't get many opportunities. He is an above average fielder, the Fielding Bible rated him as a +11, meaning he saved 11 runs with his glove last year in limited duty. However he can only play second base, though he has been given an opportunity to play third base in Spring Training so far, in hopes he can help back up Aramis Ramirez when necessary.
All in all, Mike Fontenot should be the clear favorite to be the starting second baseman. His minor league numbers support what he's been doing in the majors, getting on base and showing some pop in his 5'7" swing. PECOTA has him rated at a 14.5 VORP for the upcoming season. On the other hand, Aaron Miles has hit his ceiling and most likely won't even put up his "career" numbers of last year. He is a quality backup, however he's not being paid like one. His PECOTA projected VORP is 2.2 which is about a third of Jack Wilson's projected VORP. But what's done is done, and Piniella shouldn't let salaries decide this position battle.
What more could you ask from your pitching staff? Ted Lilly throws 6 2/3 innings of no hit ball, and ends up only giving up one single and two walks while striking out eight. Angel Guzman and Aaron Heilman both picked up holds and Kevin Gregg struck out the side in the 9th. All in all, the staff combined for a one hit shutout. Offensively, Derrek Lee doubled his hits for the season with a double in the third inning and a single in the fourth inning. Alfonso Soriano and Koyie Hill also had two hits each. And Kosuke added an RBI single and three walks.
