Bleacher Report - Articles by Robert Walsh

A Case Study for the Cubs and Granderson

Robert Walsh — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:46:23 -0500

So let us think about this for a moment. The following stat line is that of player X's splits against right handed hitters.

451 ABs, 74 Runs, 124 Hits, 19 2Bs, 8 3Bs, 28 HRs, 62 RBIs, 18 SB, 4 CS, 57 BBs, 99 SO, .275 BA, .358 OBP, .539 SLG, .879 OPS.

Isn't this kind stat line what we were all dreaming for last winter? On top of mashing righties, this player plays center field, and as we all know this is one of the Chicago Cubs most glaring issues both defensively and offensively. Oh and might I add that Player X usually hits in the leadoff spot as well and at the ripe age of 28 this player is just coming into his prime.

As for the batting average, this season Player X had a BABIP of just .276, basically meaning that he was a bit unlucky at the plate last year. But what about his defense you say? His UZR/150 this year was a modest 1.6 while the Cubs had Koske "Helicopter Strikeout Swing" Fukudome and his UZR/150 of minus-18.1 patrolling CF most of the year.

What if I told you that this guy out homered the next best centerfielder in 2009 by a total of four homeruns. How about letting you know that this guy had 23 3Bs just two years ago.

Since being granted the everyday job in 2006, Player X has played in 141 games, or more every year. In every full season since then he has compiled at least 90 runs scored, 155 hits, 23 2Bs, eight 3Bs, 19 HRs, and 66 RBIs. Remember now these stats are the minimum numbers that he has put up since coming into the league. Now take those minimum stats per year and look at this year’s roster.

If he would have been on the Cubs team this year and if he would have hit his minimum stats per year he would have ranked:

3rd on the team in games played, behind Koske Fukudome and Derek Lee

2nd in runs scored behind Lee

3rd in total hits, behind Ryan Theriot and Derek Lee

4th in doubles, behind Derek Lee, Koske Fukudome, and Soriano

1st in triples, with the closest being Theriot and Fukudome (both with only 5)

3rd in HRs, behind Lee and Soriano

2nd in runs batted in behind Lee once again

(Remember, these are his career LOWS. Think about that for a second. )

Much is being said about this player’s inability to hit left handed pitches. This players struggles again left handed hitters is well documented and his splits this year again them looks like such:

180 ABs, 17 Runs, 33 Hits, 4 2Bs, 0 3Bs, 2 HRs, 9 RBIs, 15 BBs, 42 SOs, 2 SBs, 2 CS, .183 BA, .245 OBP, .239 SLG, and .484 OPS.

Yes this does not look very pretty, and the things being said about his inability to hit them have some merit.

However he did hit .259 against lefties in 2008, which shows some promise, yet this was probably somewhat of a fluke seeing as though each season besides that he hit at most .218.

This however, is the only flaw on his career thus far. He is a good clutch hitter a good fielder, and can mash righties in ways that no other CF in the majors has been able to. At a reasonable price, $23.75 million for the two years left on his contract, Player X is someone that would improve just about every team in the majors at this point, much less the Cubs.

Now pretend for a second like you didn't know who I was talking about.

Player X = Curtis Granderson.

When thinking about whether or not this would be a good idea for the Cubs I have come to the conclusion that this is a no brainer. However, I must say that the price the Detroit Tigers might want may be out of hand. This is starting to sound like the new Brian Roberts, but the thing about that comparison is that Detroit needs to cut payroll while Baltimore never really had a reason to give up Roberts. They would much rather send him to the NL where he would be playing them multiple times a year instead of sending him to the already unstoppable Yankees, or even the mighty Angels out west.

So this gives Hendry and the Cubs some leverage when it comes to trade talks. Jim Hendry, with all the dumb moves he has made in recent years, has a chance right now to get a good if not great player for a reasonable price if he plays his cards right. However, if the Cubs must give up some young talent, I would hope that they are smart enough to not trade off the best of the up and coming talent in our farm system.

Josh Vitters is a name we have all known for about a year now and still looks to have a bright future ahead of him. Starlin Castro, the newest Cubs mega prospect, has been said to look like a future all star as well. These players shouldn't be dealt for their is no reason for Hendry to have to do so to get Granderson.

The Cubs farm, as surprising as it may be to most, does have a bunch of other promising prospects, such as pitchers Andrew Cashner or Jay Jackson, that could be a part of a deal that would include the super slugging Jake Fox. Catcher Wellington Castillo has a monster of an arm, throwing out 44 percent of minor league base runners, could also be seen as a piece to this puzzle.

Realistically speaking, Hendry should be able to come up with a package that doesn't include Vitters or Castro while still making the Tigers more than happy.

However, this scenario all depends on one player. That player is Milton Bradley, and the ridiculous contract that Hendry gave him last year in a desperate attempt to gain balance in a lineup that led the league in just about every offensive category in 2008. The Cubs are now in a position that includes needing a couple of veteran relievers as well as a stable second base option when we all find out that Jeff Baker is not the guy he made us all love last year.

Until the Cubs unload Bradley's contract, and if they are able to do so without eating most of the contract, the Cubs simply cannot afford to go after another outfielder that will be making $10 million plus per year. But if they are able to do so, the Cubs should pounce on the opportunity to get a guy who would not only fill the needs for next year in CF, but will probably become a mainstay just as we have seen Derek Lee and Aramis Ramirez in recent years. Lee and Ramirez were acquired without much talent and given the position of our farm system as of right now, pulling off a deal for Granderson shouldn't be that much of a problem for Hendry.

Maybe Next Year: A Look at the Brighter Side of Chicago Cubs 2009 Season

Robert Walsh — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:14:15 -0400

The Chicago Cubs 2009 season has been one to forget for the most part. Instead of focusing on the bad, however, I aim to shed some light on those players who have come forward for the Cubs organization and have made progress in a big way.

Most of these players are paid the bare minimum in baseball standards but yet really have made those veteran millionaires look plain out bad in comparison. The best part about younger players is probably that they show the will and the want and the passion that it takes to win in baseball.

Unlike almost every year I can even remember at this point, 2009 has brought quite a few talented young players that have helped this club even come close to the playoffs.

1. Randy Wells

Since Wells' arrival in Chicago, he has blossomed into an unlikely young star starter for an aging rotation. Coming out of the foggy depths of the Cub’s farm system, Wells has started an amazing 21 straight games. His record stands at 10-7 while posting a sparkling 2.90 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP while averaging about 6.1 innings per start.

It gets better when you come to realize that this guy has allowed four or more runs a game only five times this whole year. Yes, that is 16 starts out of 21 where Mr. Wells has shinned brightly.

Now let’s compare Well’s stats to those of the rising star Tommy Hanson of the Atlanta Braves.

                    i.  Wells – 21 Starts, 10-7, 2.90 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 133.1 Innings Pitched
                    ii.  Hanson – 16 Starts, 9-3, 3.07 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 93.2 Innings Pitched

Hanson, pegged to be the next big thing for the Braves, has comparative stats to those of Wells. If the season ended today and the rookie of the year came down to these two, Wells would have to be getting the nod.

2. Angel Guzman

His line reads 52 games pitched, 3-3, 3.09 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 58.1 Innings Pitched. For a guy that almost was cut from the roster at the beginning of the year, Guzman has done everything he possibly could have to give the Cubs something for their years of patience and understanding.

Once the Cubs' top pitching prospect in the minors, Guzman has been derailed in recent years by various injuries. But Guzman is showing the stuff that made him a top prospect and will hopefully make him an excellent reliever for years to come.

3. John Grabrow

The big midseason acquisition by the Cubs this year has pitched in 16 Games for 13 Innings Pitched. He has given up 3 hits, has a 0.00 ERA and has recorded 4 holds.

4. Jake Fox

Now here is the guy that has the whole town buzzing.   Yet we see him play irregularly for a struggling offensive team. This kind of reminds me of Hoffpauir last year during the last month. He was one of the Cubs best hitters at the time yet they keep him off the playoff roster.

Fox has been a utility fielder playing first, third, catcher, right and left field. Even having to deal with learning new positions while trying to make it in the majors, Fox has excelled. He is hitting .286 with 12 double, 0 triples, 10 Homeruns and 39 RBIs in 175 AB’s.

Amazingly, nine out of those ten homers have been off righties along with 8 out of his 12 doubles. He is hitting .307 with runners on base and yet they give us an excuse that there is no room for him. Well make room, HELLO? Before they brought him up from the minors earlier this year Fox hit .409 with 14 doubles, 3 triples, 17 homeruns and 53 RBIs in just 194 at bats.

So the production went down a little between stations but this guy is the real deal folks.   We got a hitter right here and he should help in the very near future. As long as there’s a place for him to play.

5. Koske Fukudome

Well I would have never imagined I would be saying this about the Helicopter Strikeout Machine but here it is. Fukudome has done everything and more for the Cubbies this year. He is fourth in slugging on the team with a .454 clip to go along with an OBP of .384. He is an excellent defender which is crucial when playing the seemingly lost boys on his sides.

His only flaw is that left handed pitchers eat him up. He may only be batting .274 with 11 home runs and 48 RBIs but Fukudome does have 30 doubles and 5 triples on the year.

The best thing I have seen from him so far this year is that he worked hard and managed to follow up the month of June in which he hit a mere .169 and follow it up by hitting .307 in July and .287 in August. Since the All Star Break, he is hitting a robust .315 compare to him hitting just .217 after last year’s break.

6. Koyie Hill

Koyie’s value to the team is not really in his offense but actually stems from the results we have seen with him calling games this year when Geovany Soto has been out. The Cubs are 32-19 when Hill has started for them. He has gunned down 41.3 percent of would be base stealers and has committed just three errors behind the plate.

Even more impressive has been the durability that he has showed while playing at such a demanding position. For 26 straight games Hill started six coming before the All Star Break and then 20 straight games with no days off in between.

He was only subbed for a mere three times during games that went to extra innings. When Hill’s streak started the Cub’s were in third place in the division and five games out. When Hill’s steak ended we were tied for first. Don’t get me wrong I love Soto, but I kind of wish he would have kept going.

Without these guys we may have been looking at the 2004 season straight in the face again. Each and every one of these guys has contributed in a big way to the 67 wins the Cubs have this year.

I don’t even want to know who would have been starting if Wells wasn’t for those 21 solid games of his.

And just imagine how horrifying it would have been down in the pen if we would have released Guzman at the beginning of the year. How about if we would have kept Paul Bako as our backup catcher this year? There would have been no way he’s catching 26 games in a row. And Fox alone saved the Cubs in a couple of games with his bat and versatility as a fielder thus far.

So as you can see this season may be a bust in the standings, but we have some things to take away from 2009 that aren’t so bad after all.

Here We Go Again: Chicago Cubs' Overlooked Issues

Robert Walsh — Fri, 01 May 2009 01:53:04 -0400

Yeah, we all know about the issues with the Cubs' offense and the pitching of Neal Cotts, along with others, but here are my thoughts on the overlooked issues with the Cubs this year.

Point One: Personnel Decisions

While the Cubs have been plagued with multiple injuries in the first month of play, one must question the management's personnel decisions that have been made.

So far their starting catcher, first baseman, right fielder, and third baseman have been injured and have missed a huge chunk of playing time. However, out of all these guys that have missed time only one of them, third baseman Aramis Ramirez, has been do anything while in the lineup.

The offense obviously is in need of some help, yet the guys that are actually hitting right now, namely right fielder/first baseman Micah Hoffpauir (.303/2/8), is not playing.

Another thing to look at would be Jake Fox. In 20 games (77 at-bats) at Triple A this season, Fox is currently batting .429 with 23 runs scored, 8 doubles, 1 triple, 12 home runs, 31 RBI and even one stolen base.

How does that sound for a struggling offense? It sounds like the prayers are being answered yet no one is getting up to answer the call.

Yet instead of bringing him up when the Cubs decided to drop Luis "The Viz" Vizcaino, who by the way didn't give up a run yet and only allowed two hits with no walks and struck out three in three-and-two-thirds innings pitched for the Cubs.

No, the man that was brought in was Jeff Samardzija. While this may seem to be a good move factoring in the history of each pitcher, why not bring up Fox to fill in for the injured guys and help out with his bat that is currently on fire.

That would allow let Jeff work his way to being a starter that could help us when they realize Dempster's signing a huge four-year contract for one good year, and of course, it had to be his contract year, was a even bigger mistake than signing Bradley.

Point Two: Not so Sweet Lou

Back in his days in Seattle and with the Reds, Lou Piniella (all-time managerial record of 1711-1571, which is about a 52 percent winning percentage) was if not a great manager, he was at the very least a good manager.

However, that reputation is beginning to fade pretty fast.

Last Year

As the playoffs were about to begin last year, Piniella made a couple of critical mistakes with his ball club that probably cost them any chance of winning.

As many of Cub followers already know, the Dodgers and their right handed pitchers were lighting up the Cubs as if they were the worst team in the league. The Cubs, with the best regular-season record in the NL for 2008 were swept in three games.

Pinella's decision to not play Fontenot, who batted .366 in September, much and leave perhaps the hottest hitter in the lineup at the time Micah Hoffpauir off the postseason roster raised flags of his downfall.

Along with that, the No. 2 spot in the lineup in each of these games was Koske Fukudome, who could not get his bat on the ball even if he weren't spinning his body like a helicopter with ever swing.

This Year

But enough with the past and let's fast forward to 2009.

Piniella continues to throw out a left-handed pitcher named Neal Cotts whenever a left-handed hitter comes up in the late innings and the results are pretty icky.

Along with that, Piniella continuing to let Zambrano pitch even when he isn't effective or has thrown over 100 pitches is questionable at the very least. Perhaps the best example of his decline in coaching decisions comes from the game this past Thursday (Apr. 30, 2009).

The Cubs are leading 2-1 in the eight when Piniella brings in Carlos Marmol. Marmol, perhaps the best set-up man in baseball last year, was awful the night before, with obvious control issues yet he is brought in and gives up a run making the game tied at two.

With the bottom of the eighth and the top of the ninth going by with no real highlights for the Cubs or Marlins.

The bottom of the ninth started out pretty well for the Cubs when Ryan Theriot started things out with a single to center. Fukudome followed with a strikeout, and then steps in the previously injured Derek Lee. Lee is slumping at the plate and is 0-for-3 before the at-bat.

Yet Piniella lets him bat, even with Hoffpauir in the dugout. Theriot steals second, only to get a better look at a strikeout by Lee. The next two batters, however, were Milton Bradley and Mike Fontenot, who both went back to back with long homers earlier in the game.

Bradley was intentionally walked, and then a left-hander is brought in. Pinella decides to pinch hit for Fontenot, even though he has been on fire and use Reed Johnson who grounds out on a great diving play by the Marlins shortstop.

Now the problem here is not only that Piniella brought in a pinch hitter, he did so knowing that he was going to use the starting catcher, Koyie Hill, for the day at third to replace Fontenot. How in the world can you explain this. It's poor managing that is what it comes down to.

P.S. Another little issue with this game:

The games loosing pitcher, Heilman, was asked to get up and was sat down in the bullpen four times before the he was brought into the game.

CONCLUSION

All in all, the Cubs are just playing bad baseball right now. It is pretty hard to swallow as a fan, but what is easy when being a fan of the Chicago Cubs.

If you ask me, the Cubs are not the ones who are cursed. No, the fans have to sit and hope and pray and get their dreams of a championship for 100 years die year after year right in their faces. The managers and players of the past may or may not have cared much about this drought.

But every single true fan of this franchise would do some pretty embarrassing things just to get to watch their team play much less when a championship.

Just like Marge Simpson said about Homer on the Simpsons tonight "You gotta stick with it, even if you did pick the loser." Go Cubs!!!

When Will The Madness Stop: Defending Milton Bradley

Robert Walsh — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:25:30 -0400

Not even 20 games and the Cubbie faithul are to the point of throwing Bradley to the hounds. This is a message to those fans who are calling for his head.

To start, let me flash you back to Jan. 6. The big headline in Chicago read something along the lines of "Milton Bradley to sign with Cubs."

As a long time Cubs fan, my initial reaction was like many die hards that I had talked to. The signing was at best a risk that might pay off. The idea of relying on a guy that has been known to throw numerous tirades was a little scary considering that the media coverage here as well as the die hard bleacher bums that will be behind him all season long.

But for those of us that could overlook that issue and decide to give him the benefit of the doubt still saw one glaring issue that was radiating from him. He is injury prone. Now if you don't already know, Bradley is not just injury prone.

He is a walking, talking medical disaster. Looking at his career, only once, in 2004 with the Dodgers, has Bradley has logged 100 games in the outfield. I could go on about this but it is so well known and documented it is honestly boring to think about now.

I was never a fan of him playing for the Cubs. I thought and I still do think that the signing was a huge mistake by Jim Hendry and that the Cubs could have gone out and addressed their issues this offseason in a much more productive way. But the Hendry thought that this move was the right one and made it happen.

My message to my fellow die-hards, is simple: Give him a chance, a chance that he deserves.

And my response to your statement next statement of "but I have" is: No, no you haven't.

The media coverage of Bradley and the fans reaction to Bradley striking out three times is absolutely ridiculous and I don't blame him for one second if he is a little upset. The man has a groin injury and should have never been playing the other night that he struck out three times and had issues on the field.

His first plate appearance he did not swing once. Why? Well, he is hurt that's why and if you had watched him at all in his last game then you could see that plain as day.

How can you blame him for being put in a lineup when he couldn't even run enough to get to a foul ball pop up? You can't, and as far as I am concerned, that is Sweet Lou's fault that he was out there.

As far as I am concerned, Bradley has not been given a chance at all by the fans and really before Thursday, I was mad about it too. But I am not mad at Bradley. We all knew he was going to miss time with some sort of injury. The man is injured every season. But after just 14 measly games there is numerous stories floating around on-line that the fans are sick of him already.

Listen I love my Cubs. I grew up a fan and I will always be a fan. I don't believe that Bradley will have a really good year with the Cubs, but I don't think that it is fair to be turning on him already.

If you need to be mad at anyone, be mad at Hendry. For he is the one that gave Bradley the contract and told him to sign on the dotted line.

Five Questionable Moves during the Cubs Offseason Part 1: People Leaving Town

Robert Walsh — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 17:38:16 -0500

Part 1: Welcome and thanks for reading. This slide show is basically looking at the key players that were let go by the Cubs this offseason. This really touches on just a few of those they key moves and I encourage you to continue to read my upcoming slides shows for more information on both these players and more. The upcoming slide show (Part 2) will feature the key aquisitions of the Cubs.

Begin Slideshow

Barry Bonds: The Cubs' Answer to Their Left Handed Woes

Robert Walsh — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:37:54 -0500

I have heard and read almost everything possible on-line and in the news about the Cubs' need for a left-handed hitter that would be able to bat in the 3-6 part of the Cubs' already potent offense. As such, there is one guy that jumped into my head as the best option for both financial reasons and why we need someone left-handed.

Barry Bonds would do everything the Cubs need right now. Mark Teahan wont do that. Ken Griffey won't either. Adam Dunn is nothing compared to Bonds. Plus, on top of that, they would all want money to play baseball—and a lot of it. Bonds would play for free, heck he might even PAY the Cubs to play.

Now I know all the crap about Bonds and why he shouldn't play. But come on people, the media is the only damn reason why he isn't playing today. He can hit, field to an extent, and more than anything, make those around him better. Just look at his Giants team in 2002.

Bonds is the man the Cubs need. Bobby Bonds finished his career with the Cubs, so lets do the same for Barry.

Who's with me?

Yet Another Mistake: The Cubs Let Kerry Wood Leave Town

Robert Walsh — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:37:08 -0500

Back in 1998, I was 12 years old. I had just moved to Barrington Illinois, a suburb to the northwest of Chicago, where I immediately grew attached to the Cubs. Since then, the Cubs have had their ups and downs and, until this off-season, their was one player still left from that year: Kerry Wood.

Today, as the Cubs traded for the Marlins' Kevin Gregg, and Jim Hendry spoke of letting Wood go, I found myself staring at the wall in a daze as though something horrible has happened. And, in fact something horrible did just happen. Kerry Wood will most likely not be part of the Cubs in 2009.

I have gone through a lot as a Cubs fan, though not as much as many of the Cubs followers, but I don't know what to do with myself. Kerry Wood has always been there for me, much like Mark Grace and Ryan Sandberg were always there for many Cubs fans. The Cubs deciding to not sign him this winter is just wrong.

Most of the time, we hear of players having a special loyalty for a team. And, most of the time, this means the player would give a "home-town discount" to the team because of that loyalty. Kerry did this last year, when he was offered much more from other teams during the off-season. But he stuck with the Cubs because that was what his heart told him to do.

Their is such a thing though as a teams loyalty towards a player. The Cubs have shown this with Wood as they kept him all these years even with the multiple injuries.

But now that Wood is in-line for a payday, presumably bigger than his others in the last 10 years, the Cubs now decide that they can afford to let him go. Because the Cubs have kept Kerry for those 10 long years, I thought that they really knew just how talented and important he is. But now that he is finally healthy and has showed that he can pitch yet again, they let him go. How in the world does that make sense?

Let me tell you one thing, the Cubs are seriously wrong with this choice. He isn't like most players today, he has heart and he cares about his team and the city he plays in. Hendry says that it is time for him to make the money he deserves. He deserves respect Hendry, and he deserves to be part of the Cubs in 2009.

Kerry Wood should have been the number 1 priority this off-season for the Cubs' Front Office. I don't care about Peavy or Dempster or even that left handed bat that Pinella wants (see here). Wood needed to be resigned because of what he is to this team and what he means to this city.

Why don't the Cubs trade away Marquis and open up that salary for Wood? Dempster, no matter how good he was last year, doesn't mean half as much to Cubs fans as Kerry does.

If the Cubs do not sign Kerry Wood for 2009, it will take its toll on the team as well as me. For me, Wood represented what being a Cub fan is all about. Being a Cubs fan means that no matter what happens and no matter how bad something is, you always have hope. Losing Kerry feels like my hope and dreams for the Cubs slipping away.

The Cubs' Answer to Their Left-Handed Woes: "Little Babe Ruth"

Robert Walsh — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:20:16 -0500

If you are a true Cubs fan, you know who I am talking about. Mike Fontenot, a.k.a "Little Babe Ruth" (as Cubs Radio Announcer and Legend—Ron Santo—calls him), should and needs to be given the second base job in 2009.

At 5'8", Fontenot has shown baseball once again that even the tiny guys can play. The former first-round draft pick (19th overall) by the Baltimore Orioles, as well as their Minor League Player of the Year in 2003, he is the only player left in the Cubs system from their infamous Sammy Sosa trade in 2005.

Fontenot hit .397 in his first 78 at-bats in 20 games, which also included eight multi-hit games, including a game in which he went 5-for-5. I seriously thought he would have a serious shot at rookie of the year. Unfortunately, he did slump a ton after that and he ended up hitting just .278.

While watching the Cubs this year, I noticed that most of the time that Fontenot actually starts in a game he would end up with at least one hit. I did the research and it ended up that when Fontenot hit safely in 48 of the 61 games in which he received more than one at-bat. I don't know about you, but I would take that kind of production from anyone.

He even ended the season on a tear, hitting .471 in the September, as well as going 8-for-13 in his last three games of the regular season.

Yet, along with many of the Cubs' season-long contributors, like Reed Johnson, Fontenot saw very limited action in the postseason. I just couldn't understand how you only start Fontenot once after ending the season like that, especially with all those righties, and keep Hoffpauir, who hit .390 in September, off the roster. But I am still trying to forget this year actually happened.

Fontenot ended the 2008 season batting .305 with 22 doubles, nine home runs, 42 runs scored, and 40 RBI. He slugged .514, tied for second overall in second basemen playing in the N.L., with Dan Uggla, with a .395 OBP and a .909 OBS (Chase Utley was the only second baseman above that at .915 OBS).

I understand that Fontenot only received 243 at-bats this season, but give me a break. These numbers should be allowing him to play second base for the Cubs.

I just hope that Hendry isn't dumb enough to trade him away and is smart enough to let him start at second. Let DeRosa play right field and have Johnson and Fukudome platoon in center.

Say Fonte-yes to the "Pocket Rocket" and the Cubs won't regret it.