Bleacher Report - Articles by Pat De Marco

Trading Ted Lilly Could Get Chicago Cubs Back on Track

Pat De Marco — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:16:18 -0400

On December 6, 2006, Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry made one of his best signings. Despite taking heat for passing on Barry Zito, Hendry signed Ted Lilly to a four-year, $40 million deal.

Lilly has been outstanding since putting on a Cubs uniform. The 33-year-old has won 41 games while managing to keep his ERA below 4.00.

So why would you even think about moving Lilly? The truth is, Lilly is a free agent at the end of the 2010 season and is slated to make $12 million in 2010.

Moving Lilly wouldn’t be a salary dump. The Cubs would likely get a decent amount back in return for the all star. Out of the 30 MLB teams, it's a pretty good bet that at least 20 of them would have some interest in Lilly.

One team that would certainly have interest in Lilly is the New York Yankees. Lilly, who pitched for the Yankees between 2001-2002, would be a perfect fit for the Yankees rotation.

What could the Cubs get in return for Lilly? How about Robinson Cano. The 27-year-old Cano is hitting .311 with 61 RBI for the first-place Yankees. He would certainly fill the hole at second for the Cubs.

It would certainly be risky for the Cubs to move arguably their best starter for the past three years, but starting pitching isn't a problem. The Cubs appear to be pretty deep. Zambrano, Dempster, and Wells are a better-than-average one through three.

The beauty of it is the Cubs don't have to make this decision anytime soon. It's important that guys like Gorzelanny, Harden, and Zambrano get plenty of work during the final six weeks of the season.

I'm pretty confident the Cubs can work out a one-year deal with Harden with incentives. He certainly can fill the Cubs spot as their No. 4 starter. Overall he's had a decent season and—most importantly—has been relatively healthy.

As for Gorzelanny, the next six weeks should tell us if he can handle the No. 5 spot in the rotation. I personally think you can do a lot worse than Gorzelanny or Sean Marshall.

The important thing is that the Cubs use these final six weeks as a tryout for 2010. Let’s hope we see a lot more of guys like Jake Fox, Sam Fuld, and Gorzelanny. No sense in crying over 2009; it’s time to move towards 2010.

Overused and Now They're Getting Abused: Chicago Cubs Pen Getting Hit Hard

Pat De Marco — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 21:32:55 -0400

If you didn't see this coming, you have not been paying attention. For the third straight day, the Chicago Cubs bullpen has imploded. Closer Kevin Gregg came into the Florida series with three blown saves and he leaves Florida with a total of five blown saves.

Unfortunately, these things happen when you overuse your bullpen. It's something that I have been saying for a long time and it likely will only get worse.

One might be asking themselves, how can the Cubs bullpen be overused when the starters have the third most quality starts in the National League. Only the great Lou Piniella can answer that.

Let's take a closer look at Kevin Gregg. With 59 games remaining, Gregg has thrown an amazing 49.2 innings. How can a closer throw 50 innings and only have 21 saves?

That's what happens when you consistently pitch your closer regardless of the score in the ninth inning. Gregg was eight for eight in save opportunities in July with a 1.93 ERA in 14 innings.

Certainly the numbers were good in July but he appeared in five non-save situations. These were not tie games but were instead games where the Cubs led by four or more runs. Not exactly the time you should be putting your closer in a ball game.

Let's compare Gregg to some of the other closers in baseball. Here is a list of some of the elite closers in the game.

Ryan Franklin—40 games, 41 innings, and 24 Saves 1.33 ERA

Jonathan Broxton—45 games, 47 innings, 24 Saves 2.83 ERA

Mariano Rivera—43 Games, 43 innings, 29 Saves 2.08 ERA

Jonathan Papelbon—45 Games, 45 innings, 27 Saves 2.00 ERA

Brain Fuentes—41 Games, 35 innings, 30 Saves 4.29 ERA

The list goes on and on, but believe it or not Kevin Gregg leads all closers in appearances and innings pitched.

The numbers are not close. Gregg has appeared in 51 games. Let's be honest, Gregg is an average closer. The Cubs have wasted so many innings and now it's starting to catch up.

Now to the setup man, Carlos Marmol has racked up 51 innings and that's No. 3 among setup men. Like Gregg, Marmol has appeared in numerous games with the Cubs leading by four or more runs. Once again, we are talking about wasted innings.

Bottom line, Piniella continues to shorten up his starters and holding them to a 95-100 pitch count but he abuses his pen.

Last Sunday Piniella pulled Rich Harden after he allowed just one hit in 6 innings. Harden had just 86 pitchers. Piniella used three other pitchers to finish the game. Once again, he wasted his bullpen.

Piniella has carried 12 pitchers all season long but he consistently uses the same pitchers day in and day out. Now it's catching up. Gregg's location was awful the past two nights and his velocity was down. Can you say dead arm?

We can only hope Gregg and Marmol find themselves, but the Cubs should never have been in this position. If you're going to carry 12 pitchers, then use 12 pitchers. At this point, it may behoove the Cubs to call up BJ Ryan. At least it's a fresh arm.

Plenty of Post Trade Deadline Players Available for the Chicago Cubs

Pat De Marco — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:06:03 -0400

The trade deadline has come on and gone, but that doesn't mean the Chicago Cubs can't make a move. The process is much more difficult, but plenty of quality players have been acquired after the July 31 trade deadline.

In August of 1998, the Cubs signed Gary Gaetti after he was released by the Cardinals. Gaetti would hit .320 down the stretch with 8 home runs.

In August of 2003, the Chicago Cubs once again made what turned out to be a great post trade deadline move. The Cubs acquired Randall Simon who went on to hit .282 with 6 home runs.

In August of 2004, the St Louis Cardinals made their own post trade deadline trade when they acquired Larry Walker after the July 31 trade deadline. Walker hit .293 down stretch and helped the Cardinals reach the World Series.

The process of acquiring a player after the July 31 trade deadline is a little difficult to understand. Teams typically place the majority of their players on waivers. Unclaimed players can be traded to any team. Claimed player's can be kept, traded, or given to the claimed team who would inherit the players contract.

If multiple teams claim a player, the player can only be traded to the team with the worse record.

Now that I have explained the logistics of the post July 31 trade deadline, let's take a look at a few players who will likely clear waivers.

The Houston Astros are falling quickly in the NL Central and have been hit with a rash of injuries. At 51-53, it's unlikely they will continue to contend in the NL Central.

Look for Houston's Geoff Blum to clear waivers. That's correct, the same Geoff Blum who was acquired after 2005 trade deadline by the Chicago White Sox. Blum would go on to hit one of the most memorable home runs in White Sox history in game three of the World Series.

The 35 year old switch hitting Blum can play numerous positions. Blum who has spent the majority of the season at third can play multiple positions.

During his 10 year career Blum has played second, third, short, and has also seen time in both left field and right field.

Blum who is hitting .268 can provide some well needed versatility to the Cubs. He will be a free agent after the season.

One more possibility could be Felipe Lopez who was traded the Brewers on July 19th. Lopez is currently hitting .303 with 6 HR and 27 RBI. Lopez who is also a switch hitter and can play both second and short.

Like the Astros the Brewers are falling quickly in the NL Central and find themselves at 51-53. It would behoove them to think about selling rather than buying.

While it's not typical to trade within your division, both players will be free agents after this season, and it's unlikely they will return to their current teams.

Down the Stretch They Come: St Louis Cardinals Set for Lift Off

Pat De Marco — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 12:23:33 -0400

It wasn’t too long ago that five teams were separated by just four games in the NL Central. How quickly things change.

Heading into August the St Louis Cardinals lead the Chicago Cubs by just a half game, but the Cubs have two less losses.

Losers of nine of 10 games, the Reds have fallen completely out of contention and are currently 10 games out. The Brewers and Astros still have a pulse, but both have fallen 4.5 games behind the pace.

With just two months of baseball left to be played, I thought this would be a good time to take a closer look at both the Cardinals and Cubs.

The month of August looks to be a very favorable one for the Red Birds. The Cardinals come into August with a record of 57-49. They play 14 of their next 25 games at home.

Newly acquired Matt Holliday and Julio Lugo have provided immediate relief to a struggling Cardinals offense. In eight games, the Cardinals are 5-3 and Lugo and Holliday have combined for 29 hits, including 2 home runs and 11 RBI.

Mark DeRosa has also contributed hitting 7 HR in 18 games despite batting .215. Keep in mind, the best hitter in the game Albert Pujols has not hit a home run in 13 games. We all know that won't continue.

The Cardinals are blessed with the most underrated one through three starters in the game. Carpenter, Wainwright, and Pineiro have combined for six complete games this year and all three have an ERA under 2.90. The Cardinals should have a very fresh bullpen down the stretch.

With 22 of their next 25 games against teams with losing records, it would shock me if a Tony La Russa team didn't take complete advantage of this schedule. I see the Red Birds going 18-7 in the next 25.

Now to Chicago Cubs. The Cubs did strengthen their pen with the addition of John Grabow. That said, unlike St Louis the Cubs enter the month of August with a much overused bullpen.

Chicago has zero complete games, and with Lou's obsession of using the same pitchers every night the Cubs' 'pen could hit a bump in the road.

The upcoming schedule doesn't favor the Cubs. The Cubs were a very impressive 19-8 in July but their August schedule sets up to be a very difficult one.

The Cubs will play 19 of 29 games away from the friendly confines with just two days off.

Out of those 29 games, 11 of them are against teams with winning records. Included in those games are a four-game set in Colorado and four games in Los Angeles. Keep in mind the Cubs are 21-28 on the road which is 13th worst in all of baseball.

Despite their difficult August, the Cubs should get some good news. Ted Lilly should be back in a few weeks and Geovany Soto should also be back sometime next week.

It's hard to think that a team that has been so bad on the road will turn things around, but that's exactly what the Cubs will have to do if they’re going to have any shot of winning the National League Central. The Cubs will need to go 17-12 in August, but 13-16 seems more realistic.

The next few months should be a lot of fun, but it’s hard to not give the edge to the Cardinals. The two team will meet in St Louis for a three-game set starting Sept. 18.

The Cubs are just 1-5 in St Louis this year.

Low Price, High Reward: Branyan and Bedard Could Be Good Fits For Cubs

Pat De Marco — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 11:02:55 -0400

On Friday, the St. Louis Cardinals acquired Matt Holliday from the Oakland Athletics. In my opinion, the move makes the Cardinals the favorites in the very tight NL Central.

The additions of both Mark DeRosa and Matt Holliday make the Cardinals lineup one of the more potent lineups in the league.

Does Cubs GM Jim Hendry have the needed resources to respond to the Cardinals trade? It's just a matter of looking outside the box. A phone call to Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik could go a long way in filling two glaring wholes.

The Cubs are in desperate need of a left handed bat. Enter Russell Branyan—not a huge name, but he has tremendous power.

The 33-year-old found his stroke in Milwaukee last year, hitting 12 home runs in 132 at-bats while hitting .250 with an OBP of .342. Branyan has carried that success with him to Seattle. He's currently hitting .268 with 24 Home runs playing in the Northwest.

The 11-year veteran has played for eight organizations and will be a free agent at season’s end. While Branyan has primarily played at first base this season, he has plenty of experience in the outfield and at third base. The Cubs could certainly move him around between third, first, left field, and right field.

Before anyone mentions it, I am aware that Branyan strikes out a ton, and is a career .235 hitter. That said, the Cubs are looking for a hot bat that can help them down the stretch. Branyan can be that guy.

The injury to Ted Lilly is certainly going to set the Cubs back a little. With all due respect to Kevin Hart, the Cubs need to go outside the organization to fill his spot.

Enter Erik Bedard. Honestly, Bedard is the American League version of Rich Harden. He strikes out a lot of hitters, but he doesn't stay healthy. The 30-year-old is 5-2 with a 2.70 ERA. He has allowed just 63 hits in 80 innings while striking out 84.

Hitters are hitting just .213 against him. While I certainly wouldn't sign him as a free agent, I think it would be a low-risk high-reward trade. With Lilly being out for three to four weeks, Bedard could fill his spot, and possibly move to the pen when and if Lilly returns.

The best part of adding Branyan and Bedard is that it won't cost a lot. Both have minimal contracts, and are free agents at season’s end. Certainly, Sean Marshall and Jake Fox would be the centerpiece of a move like this. The Cubs would also have to give up a mid-level prospect.

In the long term, a trade like this will favor the Mariners. That said, it will favor the Cubs in the short term. The Cubs are short on cash, but not on options.

To Buy or To Sell: Decision Time for Chicago Cubs Nears

Pat De Marco — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 19:35:39 -0400

The second half of the baseball season couldn't have started any better for the Chicago Cubs. On Sunday, the Cubs completed a four game sweep against the woeful Washington National in the nation’s capital.

Despite being just two games behind St Louis, it is unlikely the Cubs will make any significant moves before the July 31 trade deadline.

Next week appears to be a critical one for the Cubs. First, they visit the World Champion Phillies for three before returning home to host the Reds for three. Regardless of what happens, the Cubs don't appear to have the payroll flexibility to make any substantial moves.

Could the Cubs go into selling mode if they struggle the next 10 days? While it would be extremely unpopular, Cubs GM Jim Hendry could take offers for All-Star pitcher Ted Lilly.

Lilly has been one of the most consistent starters in the game the past three years. The left handed starter has 16 million dollars remaining on his contract. Trading him would give the Cubs some payroll flexibility in the offseason.

The Cubs could also look to move Soriano. Unlike Lilly, Soriano would have to waive his no trade clause and the Cubs would have to take on another huge contract.

Enter Barry Zito. Zito has been a huge disappointment for the Giants, but a change of scenery could help the left handed starter. Like Soriano, Zito would have to approve a trade. Zito is guaranteed 90-million dollars over the next five years.

Soriano is guaranteed $83-million over the next five years. The Giants are in desperate need of a big bat and Soriano can certainly provide that.

The other big names the Cubs could look to move are Rich Harden and Kevin Gregg. Gregg has done a better than average job closing for the Cubs but the former Marlin is a free agent at season’s end. Harden will also be a free agent at season's end, and it's unlikely the Cubs will re-sign him.

In a perfect world, the Cubs would put a nice package together and try to acquire Roy Holladay. Putting together the package isn't the difficult part for the Cubs. They have Randy Wells, Jeff Samardzija, and Josh Vitters. The problem is coming up with the money to take on Holladay's contract.

The Cubs have an outstanding rotation but they don't have a real number one starter which is a must to win a World Championship. Zambrano is good but is not an ace.

The Cubs need someone who can take the ball and return it after the 27th out. There's no doubt Roy Halladay will do that, and he would waive his no trade clause and be an instant ace. Problem is money, and it's unlikely anything could happen until new ownership takes over.

For now, we wait and see. The Cubs will likely be in the playoff mix come July 31, but do they have what it take to play deep into October? If the answer is no, should the Cubs sell?

Time is Up: Lou Piniella Must Go

Pat De Marco — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:36:56 -0400

Before I go any further, let me say that Lou Piniella is not the main reason why the Cubs are 41-42.

That said, at some point a manager must be held accountable for his teams struggles.

Coming into the season the Cubs were once again heavy favorites to win the National League Central, and many saw them as the favorite to represent the National League in the World Series. While the Cubs have endured plenty of injuries, they still find themselves in almost every game.

Despite leading the National League in quality starts, the Cubs are fading quickly in the National League Central. Coming into Saturday's game, the Cubs are 4.5 games behind the front running St Louis Cardinals.

That's unacceptable for a team that has the third highest payroll in all of baseball.

It would be one thing if the Cubs starters were the ones struggling. After all, a manager plays little to no role in what a starter does.He gives the starting pitcher the ball, and hopes for a quality start. That's exactly what he's getting.

Where a manager does play a role is with his offense.

He sets the everyday lineup, and he makes the decision if he wants to be aggressive on the bases or play it conservative.

Despite the Cubs offensive struggles Piniella plays it extremely conservative. Regardless of what the third year Cubs skipper tells you, the Cubs do have speed. Piniella chooses to not use it.

While the Cubs struggle scoring runs, they don't struggle getting on base. For the most part, Piniella chooses to play station to station baseball and you can't win a championship doing that.

What frustrates me more than anything is watching players who have thrived with other organizations. I find myself getting upset with Bradley, Soriano, Miles, Fukudome, etc.

Then it dawns on me, many of these guys were very successful under previous managers. As much as I don't like Miles, the reality is this guy is a career .286 hitter with a World Series ring.

Soriano was a 40/40 guy and Fukudome was an MVP in Japan.

I personally don't believe that today’s player's like playing for Lou.

For example, we all know that Jason Marquis didn't like Piniella. Marquis has certainly answered the call in Colorado and is on pace to win 20 games.

It's all about getting the most out of your player's and the 2008 NL manager of the year is not getting the most out of his players.

Putting aside a 0-6 postseason that certainly would've gotten Piniella fired in New York or Boston, Piniella is failing with the 2009 Cubs.

Many have debated if Lou has lost the fire, but it has nothing to do with the fire. It has everything to do with wins and losses.

The Cubs are losing, and someone must be held accountable. Like it or not, the player's on this roster are not going anywhere. It's time to bring in a new voice, if nothing else they might be able to relate to today's baseball player.

For those of you who know me, I don't blame managers.

I was furious when the Cubs let Don Baylor go less than a year after he did a great job with an overachieving 2001 Chicago Cubs team. I also felt that Dusty Baker took a lot of heat because his GM decided to take over two years off.

The 2005 and 2006 teams lacked talent and were very bad baseball teams.

The 2009 Cubs certainly doesn't lack talent but the skipper lacks answers.

Without solutions, there will likely be no postseason baseball for this Chicago Cubs baseball team.

Carlos Marmol: A Huge Failure in Cubs' Bullpen

Pat De Marco — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 13:20:14 -0400

If you're looking for someone to blame for the Cubs' bullpen failures, look no further than Carlos Marmol. Marmol has arguably been the biggest disappointment on the 2009 Cubs' pitching staff.

Many Cubs fans and media members blame Kevin Gregg for the Cubs' bullpen failures. That couldn't be any further from the truth. While Gregg has had a few bad outings, for the most past, he has done an average job. Gregg has converted 12 of 15 saves, and has also come into numerous tied ball games and kept the opposing offense in check.

Despite having as good stuff as any relief pitcher in the game, Carlos Marmol has been a complete failure this season. While his ERA sits at 4.08, Marmol has also done an atrocious job with inherited runners.

While Gregg has shown us that you don't need great stuff to get hitters out, Marmol has shown us that great stuff doesn't equal a great pitcher.

The 27-yard old Marmol has blown four saves in 35.1 innings while walking an amazing 38 batters.

Can you say "ridiculous?"

For the record, Marmol had one blown save in 2007 and just two blown saves in 2008.

So why has Marmol struggled so much this year? He can't find the plate, and he has become obsessed with his slider. During Friday's game, he threw a 3-2 slider to Gordon Beckham with a 5-2 lead.

Are you kidding me? Marmol throws between 92-95 MPH with good movement and he's throwing a slider to the leadoff hitter in the eighth inning. Can you say "cardinal rule?" Don't walk the leadoff man in the eighth inning, especially with a big lead.

On Saturday, Lou gave the ball to Marmol in the eighth with another lead, and Marmol once again gave the lead up.

Memo to the worst skipper in the National League—give the ball to someone else in the eighth. They may surprise you, just like Marmol surprised you in 2007 when you gave him the ball. Right now, Marmol is losing games for the Cubs, and he shouldn't be in any close game until he figures out his command problems.

While the majority of Chicago obsesses over Mark DeRosa, Kerry Wood, and the underachieving Milton Bradley, I think it's important to focus on guys like Marmol who get a pass in the city.

Marmol has failed the Cubs in a huge way. If you feel comfortable with Marmol in the eighth inning, you need to get your head checked.

Here's hoping that the skipper gives the ball to someone else today. After all, if you're going to carry 12 pitchers, use all of them.

Is David Patton still on this team?

Cubs Offensive Woes Just Plain Embarrasing

Pat De Marco — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:45:17 -0400

Add Anthony Swarzek to the list of pitchers to handcuff the Chicago Cubs offense this year. Swarkzek threw seven shutout innings to beat the Cubs, 2-0. Impressive? Not exactly. Following his second major-league win, the Twins sent Swarzek back to AAA Richmond.

Maybe it was his 85 MPH fastball on the heart of plate that didn't impress the Twins, and it shouldn't impress you, Cubs fans.

The Cubs offense is absolutely pitiful right now. Bad at bat after bad at bat. With the exception of Derrek Lee, the Cubs can't buy a clutch hit.

Third-year manager Lou Piniella doesn't have any answers, so let me provide a few. For one, this offense is way too over anxious.

Other than Lee, Cubs hitters have abandoned the opposite field. The key to finding your stroke is taking the ball the opposite way. Once you master the opposite field, pitchers will come back inside, and you can start turning on the ball.

The Cubs' biggest struggles have come with guys in scoring position with less than two outs. Memo to Cubs hitters: the pitcher's the one in trouble. If you fall behind in the count, shorten up and take the ball the other way. These big swings by guys like Soto, Soriano, and Fukudome are just ridiculous. The opposite field is the best way to get yourself out of a slump.

I know it is easier said than done, but the Cubs are not losing to type A pitchers. The Cubs are 8-16 in their last 24 games against medicore pitching. Chicago has scored six runs in their last 36 innings. They're averaging 2.8 runs per game in their last 24 games.

There's plenty of other things the Cubs can do to brake these slumps. For one, it wouldn't hurt for guys like Theriot and Fukudome to show bunt every once in a while, forcing the third basemen to play in on the grass.

Finally, Lou claims he's done a lot of shuffling of the lineup. Last I checked, he hasn't moved Soriano out of the leadoff spot.

Most of you know I have been a huge advocate of keeping Soriano in the leadoff spot. That said, it's one thing to keep him at the top of the order when he's hitting .280 with an OBP of .350, but it's another to keep him there when he's hitting .230 with an OBP of .300.

I don't care if you move Fukudome, Johnson, Theriot, or even Bradley to the leadoff spot—all four are better options than Soriano right now.

It would also behoove the Cubs to run a little more. Contrary to popular belief, the Cubs do have speed. Soriano, Theriot, Fontenot, Fukudome, and Johnson all have above-average speed. It would be nice if we saw little more of it.

Cub fans, don't believe the garbage that's coming out of the skippers' mouth. There are plenty of things they can do to brake this slump. This team just sits back and waits for the home run. Let's hope things change sooner rather than later.

The Good and The Bad: Chicago Cubs Starting Rotation Progress Report

Pat De Marco — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 13:11:25 -0400

With just about one-third of the season behind us, I thought this would be a good time to issue the Cubs starting rotation their first progress report.

Starting Pitching

Carlos Zambrano: B-

Carlos Zambrano is 4-2 with a 3.72 ERA. His stuff has been real good, but he's missed a total of four starts due to an injury and a suspension. The other issue with Big Z is his lack of command.

Zambrano needs to understand how good his stuff is and stop over throwing. Once he does that, he will become an elite pitcher in this league. Until then, he will be a good pitcher on a very good starting staff.

Zambrano is at his best when he's throwing 92-94 MPH. At times, he over throws and is clocked at 97-98 MPH. When that happens, his pitches go flat, both outside the strike zone and in.

Ryan Dempster: B

Dempster is 4-3 with a 4.48 ERA. The ERA is a little high, but Dempster continues to eat up innings. He's thrown at least 6+ innings in 10 of his 11 starts.

Dempster has given up eight HR in in 68 innings. That's a concern for a guy who walks a lot of guys. In 2008, Dempster gave up a total 14 HR in 206+ innings.

Ted Lilly: B+

Lilly has been the most consistent starter for the Cubs. Lily is 6-4 with a 3.28 ERA. Lilly has given up just 59 hits in 71+ innings.

Rich Harden: C+

Harden is due to come off the DL next week. Harden is 4-2 with a 4.74 ERA.

He's had two poor outings where he didn't make it out of the fourth inning. Other then that, he's worked 6+ innings in his other six starts.

Randy Wells: A

Location, Location, Location. That's about all I have to say about Wells. He doesn't have great stuff, but he pitchers to the catchers glove. Wells does a great job of keeping the ball down. You don't have to throw 95 MPH to make it in this league.

Wells is 0-2 with a 1.69 ERA in five starts. He's walked just seven in 32 innings, while giving up just one home run.

Sean Marshall: C

Marshall will likely return to the 'pen next week when Harden comes off the DL. Marshall is 3-4 with a 4.73 ERA. Again, the ERA is high, but if you take away his last start, his ERA in under four.

Overall Starting Rotation Grade: B

As a whole, the Cubs rotation has gotten the job done. They lead the league with quality starts, but they've been the victim of a bad bullpen with a lack luster offense.

Next Up

Coming soon, I will take a close look at an underachieving Cubs bullpen.

Back to the Basics: Chicago Cubs Hitters Must Make Adjustments

Pat De Marco — Sun, 24 May 2009 11:54:46 -0400

The Cubs offense misses Aramis Ramirez. He's clearly their best hitter and one of the best hitters in the National League. That said, his loss has nothing to do with Chicago scoring 4 runs in 45 innings. That's right 4 runs in 45 innings against medicore pitching. Cubs hitters need to make adjustments and they need to make them quickley. I've focussed this slide show on Geovany Soto, Mike Fontenot, Ryan Theriot, and Milton Bradley. About two weeks ago, Lee would have been on this but he appears to have found is stroke. It's time for these guys to get back to the basics.

Begin Slideshow

Living the Dream: Long Journey Worth the Wait for Cubs' Rookies

Pat De Marco — Sat, 16 May 2009 23:34:41 -0400

Last year at this time, Micah Hoffpauir and Randy Wells were beginning their sixth year of minor league baseball, while Bobby Scales was beginning his eighth year of minor league baseball.

Today, all three find themselves contributing to a championship contending baseball team.

With Aramis Ramirez out with a dislocated shoulder, 33-year old rookie Bobby Scales is hitting .381 with 1 HR and 5 RBI. On Saturday, Scales scored the game winning run after leading off the bottom of the ninth with a walk.

Whether or not Scales keeps this up is anyone's guess, but for at least one week he's done a better then average job filling in for one of the best third baseman in all of baseball, Aramis Ramirez.

Scales, who was drafted in the 14th round by the Padres in 1999, is having the time of his life playing for the Chicago Cubs.

With Carlos Zambrano out with a strained hamstring, the Cubs have given the ball to Randy Wells.

Wells, who was drafted in the 38th round by the Cubs in 2002, has been outstanding. Despite being winless, Wells has thrown 11 scoreless innings shutting out both the Brewers and Astros.

Wells, who was called up last September, has thrown 15 1/3 scoreless innings as a Cub. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Wells is not overpowering. His fastball maxes out around 90 MPH, but he has tremendous movement along with an above average sinker.

With Carols Zambrano due to come off the DL next week, Wells may find himself returning to AAA Iowa. One thing's for sure, the former Belleville East Grad who grew up loving the St Louis Cardinals is living the dream as a member of the Chicago Cubs.

Finally, we have Micah Hoffpauir. Drafted in the 13th round of the 2002 draft, Hoffpauir began to open eyes last spring. Unfortunately, despite hitting the cover of the ball, Hoffpauir was left of last year's Opening Day roster.

With Daryle Ward gone, Hoffpauir had another excellent spring and broke camp with the Cubs. With Derrek Lee and Milton Bradley battling injuries, Hoffpauir has gotten a lot of at bats this season.

The 29-year-old is getting the most of his at bats, hitting .309 with 4 HR and 13 RBI. Hoffpauir is certainly here to stay, and is living the dream after a long run in the minor leagues.

This One Hurts: Aramis Ramirez Out Four to Six Weeks, but Cubs Have Options

Pat De Marco — Sat, 09 May 2009 13:44:31 -0400

Don't expect any walk-off home runs from Aramis Ramirez anytime soon. The Cubs' star third basemen will be out until at least mid June after suffering a dislocated shoulder in Friday night's 3-2 loss to the Brewers.

The Cubs have suffered numerous injuries this season but this one really hurts. Despite this latest injury the Cubs will have to move forward.

Lou Piniella has plenty of third-base options. Look for the third year Cubs manager to play both Mike Fontenot and newly acquired Ryan Freel at third. The versatile Freel will provide the defensive versatility that former Cub Mark DeRosa provided. Freel can play at third, second, short, and all three outfield spots.

During the offseason, I noted the Cubs have plenty of depth to play through injuries. I still believe that, but the question is not who will fill in at third but will the big bats around Ramirez step it up.

Milton Bradley, Derek Lee, and Geovany Soto need to start hitting. All three have battled injuries this season, but the grace period is starting to run out. I've always considered Memorial Day as the first check point of the baseball season.

It becomes a major problem if Bradley, Lee, and Soto are still not hitting come Memorial Day.

The Cubs have more then enough offense to survive without Ramirez for a month. They don't need guys to overachieve, but they need guys to play up to their ability.

In all likelihood, the Cubs won't score as many runs without Ramirez. That means they need their struggling pen to start pitching better. Marmol and Gregg have been much better, but the rest of the 'pen needs to step up their game.

On Tuesday, Lou Piniella raised some eyebrows when he sent down Jeff Samardzija and called up Chad Fox. I don't have any problem with the Cubs sending down the struggling Samardzija, but the right move would be to call up Jeff Stevens who was the centerpiece of the DeRosa trade.

The 26-year old Stevens has been outstanding in Iowa striking out 13 in 13 innings with a 0.00 ERA at Iowa.

Bottom line, the Cubs should be fine if the players around Ramirez step up their game.

Along with the player's stepping up, Lou Piniella needs to do a better job of managing his pitching staff. In particular his bullpen.

It's amazing how Piniella finds a way to bring in his closer and setup man in games where the Cubs have a four or five run lead. Memo to Lou, rest Marmol and Gregg when the Cubs have big leads. Don't rest them in one run games. Just a thought...

Looking at the Cubs upcoming schedule, they play 18 of their next 27 games against the Pirates, Astros, Padres and Reds. Even without Ramirez, there's no reason why the Cubs shouldn't go 15-12 in those games. If they do, they will find themselves in a pretty good spot come mid-June.

Chicago Cubs Have Plenty of Excuses for Slow Start...But Reasons are Obvious

Pat De Marco — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 20:22:50 -0400

Before I even begin with this article, I will state what should be obvious: The ongoing battle between Milton Bradley and the Chicago media has nothing to do with the Cubs' four-game slide.

Sorry, Windy City press, but you play no role in determining what actually happens on the field.

And this larger, so-called "locker room split" is just the media's way of stirring things up. Chemistry is something that's developed throughout the season.

The Cubs have played a total of sixteen games; we won't know what kind of chemistry this team has until June or July. It's those long 10-12 day road trips that allow players to bond together. That's when chemistry is developed.

Now, to the Cubs' problems.

Walks, walks, walks.

The bullpen can't find the strike zone, and this is a recipe for disaster. Gregg has walked five in nine innings, Cotts has walked five in four, and Patton has walked six in six.

As a whole, the 'pen has walked 28 batters in 46 innings. Ironically, the only relief pitcher without a walk is Luis Vizcaino, who is no longer on the roster.

Offensively, the Cubs have been dreadful as of late, scoring four earned runs in the past 36 innings. It's not as if they haven't had chances; it's just a matter of poor at bat after poor at bat with guys in scoring position.

It all starts with plate discipline. The Cubs have drawn a total of six walks in the past four games. That won't get the job done. The offense has also abandoned the opposite field, becoming very pull-happy.

One of the most telling (and worst) at-bats came from Ryan Theriot last night. Down 3-2 with the bases loaded and nobody out, the typically very patient Theriot did not wait back on the Wainwright breaking ball and hit into the tailor-made 6-4-3 double play.

I don't mean to pick on Theriot, who is off to a solid start, but he's too smart to not understand the situation. Wainwright was trying to work the outer part of the plate and Theriot tried to pull the ball. I know it's easier said than done to lay off, but it all starts with plate discipline.

And on to management. Lou Piniella has done a very poor job during the early going this season.

First, the Cubs decided not to disable Geovany Soto. Have they not noticed Soto isn't healthy? We are in April, not October. It's nonsensical to keep him active.

The case is the same for Bradley, who was injured two weeks ago; he's started just one game since his injury. The 15-day DL made sense back when he got hurt, and it makes even more sense today. But by choosing not to disable Bradley, the Cubs have found themselves very short handed.

And besides that, the on-field decisions by Lou have really left me shaking my head.

Who is the closer?

Lou says Gregg, but he also goes to Marmol. Sounds like a "Bullpen by Committee." Way to keep both guys guessing, Lou.

And along with his poor handling of the 'pen, Piniella's shuffling of the lineup is plain silly. Soriano, who has thrived in the one-hole this year, now finds himself batting third. It's way too early for a shakeup, especially when your top two spots in the order have been your strength.

I've always been one to compliment Lou for making solid decisions, but I will also call him out for making poor ones. During Saturday's game, Piniella decided to pitch to Brian Barden with one out and first base open with the pitcher on-deck.

Lou must not have seen enough of Barden last week, when he went 5-for-9 with two homers against the Cubs. He proceeded to burn Chicago again with a two-run single on Saturday.

It's early, and the Cubs will eventually take control of this division. But they must play better. They've struggled defensively, offensively, and their bullpen can't find the plate.

Lou Piniella must do a better job. There's a reason he is one of the highest-paid managers in the game, and he must get more out of his players. This type of baseball won't be tolerated.

Plate Discipline Key to Alfonso Soriano's Hot Start

Pat De Marco — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 11:18:55 -0400

Maybe it's just me, but there appears to be something different about Alfonso Soriano this year. The Cubs left fielder appears to be much more patient at the plate, and it's paying off in a big way.

Coming off back-to-back solid seasons, Soriano did very little in April in both 2007 and 2008. He combined for just two home runs and six RBI with a total of eight walks in 20 games.

Things have been much different in the early going this season. In just 11 games, Soriano has two game winning home runs in the Cubs last at bat. He also has a game tying eighth inning home run, and two lead off home runs.

While his home runs have been very impressive, his ability to draw walks has caught my attention. The 33-year-old left fielder has drawn eight walks in the Cubs first 11 games.

Soriano's overall numbers are very impressive. He's hitting .292 with an OBP of .393 with two stolen bases.

It all starts with plate discipline. If Soriano continues to be patient at the plate, he's going to continue to see good pitches. Quality at bats has been the key to his hot start, and if that continues Soriano will have a huge season.

Doing it with his eyes, legs, and bat Soriano is a big reason why the Cubs are off to a 7-4 start.

Cubs and Brewers: One of Baseball's Best Rivalries

Pat De Marco — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 00:12:24 -0400

It's not exactly Cubs-Cardinals or Yankees-Red Sox, but the Cubs-Brewers rivalry is quickly becoming one of baseball's best.

The past two years, the Cubs and Brewers have battled it out for the Central division title. The losses of CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets will make it difficult for the Brewers this year, but the atmosphere of Cubs-Brewers games will continue to grow.

It doesn't matter if it's April or September, it's always a playoff atmosphere in both Wrigley Field and Miller Park when these two ball clubs meet.

On Saturday night, 43,768 fans came out to Miller Park to see the visiting Cubs come from behind to defeat the Milwaukee Brewers. It was the biggest crowd in all of baseball on this first Saturday of the regular season.

Fans of both teams were on the edge of their seat for much of the evening.

With the Brewers leading 5-4 in the ninth, Cubs left-fielder Alfonso Soriano deposited the first pitch he saw from Carlos Villanueva over the left field wall giving the Cubs 6-5 lead.

Carlos Marmol would come on in the ninth to close out the game striking out both Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder. Cubs fans went home happy, and Brewers fans went home disappointed.

Finishes like this are very common between the Cubs and Brewers. On Friday, the Cubs watched the Brewers score two runs in the ninth to defeat the Cubs 4-3.

Opening Day of 2008, the Cubs trailed the Brewers 3-0 at Wrigley when Kosuke Fukudome blasted a game tying three-run homer. The Brewers would win the game in 10 innings, but it was the first of many exciting games between Chicago and Milwaukee.

Last September the Cubs trailed the Brewers by four runs with two out and nobody on. Game over?? Not at all. The Cubs would storm from behind and Geovany would hit a game tying three-run homer.

The Cubs would win the game in the 11 innings.

Three weeks later, the two ball clubs would meet to finish the regular season. It would finish with the same excitement it started. Ryan Braun hit a go ahead two run homer in the eighth inning, and the Brewers would go on to clinch a playoff spot.

Sunday Night, the rest of the country will get a taste of this great rival on National TV. The Cubs and Brewers will meet on Sunday Night baseball.

It's hard to predict who will be tomorrow's hero, but you can expect a great atmosphere with 43 thousand plus screaming fans.

Two good teams and two fan bases who don't like each other. Those are the ingredients of great rivalry.

Cubs—Brewers: Piniella's Mistake Costs Cubs In Friday's 4-3 Loss

Pat De Marco — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 14:01:42 -0400

If you've ever played outfield before, you understand that the most difficult ball to judge is a ball hit right at you. Coaches will tell you that your first step must be out. On Friday, Alfonso Soriano's first step was in and the mediocre-hitting Rickie Weeks doubled over his head.

The biggest question is why Alfonso Soriano was even in the game. This is not the first, second, third, or even fourth time that Soriano has misplayed a ball in the ninth inning.

If you've read any of my articles in the past, you know this is not a second guess. This is a first guess. There is no advantage in having Soriano in a one run game in the ninth inning.

Piniella argues he doesn't want to take Soriano's bat out of the game. The problem with that is Soriano made the second out in the top of the 9th and the smart move would've been to move Joey Gathright to left and keep Kosuke Fukudome in center.

Instead the 2008 manager of the year takes Fukudome out and moves Gathright to center. This makes little to no sense.

Some will argue that Weeks's double wasn't a catchable ball. That may be the case, but at least we know Gathright wasn't going to misplay the ball.

On a side note, Soriano was playing far too shallow. Guarding a one run lead, outfielders are instructed to play no doubles. At least that's what I always thought. It's the responsibility of the Cubs bench coach Allen Trammell to make sure his outfielders and infielders are in proper position.

It's only one loss, but this was a very poorly managed game by Lou Piniella and his coaching staff. Piniella used the majority of his pen and wasn't going to win in extra innings.

So I ask the question, why didn't the Cubs have their best defensive players on the field in the 9th inning?

Your guess is as good as mine.

Patton and Guzman Break Camp with the Cubs

Pat De Marco — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 16:13:01 -0400

The Chicago Cubs' 25-man roster is complete. After careful consideration, the Cubs have decided to go with Rule V draft pick David Patton and Angel Guzman.

The odd men out are Jeff Samardzija and Chad Gaudin. Samardzija had an outstanding rookie season working out of the Cubs' pen. The 24-year-old Samardzija was 1-0 with a 2.28 ERA in 2008 with one save. The Cubs believe Samardzija will eventually be a starter once he masters another pitch.

Maybe the biggest surprise was the release of Chad Gaudin. In order to make room for Angel Guzman, the Cubs released Gaudin. Both Gaudin and Guzman had very poor spring training, but Gaudin has a track record of being a pretty solid pitcher.

The 26-year-old Gaudin has a career record of 28-25 with an ERA of 4.45. Gaudin is an ideal swing man who can start and come out of the pen. That said, the Cubs have decided to eat nearly $2 million and release Gaudin.

Out of options, the unproved and often injured Angel Guzman will take Gaudin's spot in the Cubs' pen. Guzman has thrown just 96 innings in the big leagues, accumulating an 0-7 record and a 6.00 ERA.

Rule V draft pick David Patton wins the last spot in the Cubs' pen. The 24-year-old Patton had an outstanding spring, accumulating an ERA of 1.26 in 14 and one-third innings.

Derrek Lee: Third Best Option to Bat Third for the Chicago Cubs

Pat De Marco — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 15:59:26 -0400

So much has been made about Alfonso Soriano batting leadoff, but not nearly enough has been made about Derrek Lee holding onto his spot as the Cubs number three hitter.

In 2004, former Cubs manager Dusty Baker took a lot of heat for not moving former Cubs right fielder Sammy Sosa down in the order. The former Cubs slugger batted third for the first 60 games before being moved down in the order. Sosa finished the year with 35-home runs and was rightfully traded at the end of the 2004 season.

Today, Derrek Lee continues to hold down the number three spot in the Cubs batting order. Despite being the third best option, Cubs skipper Lou Piniella continues to pencil in the good but not great hitting Lee as his number three hitter.

Piniella who has done a better then average job as Cubs manager continues to drop the ball when choosing to bat Lee in the number three spot. Unlike Baker who was criticized for not moving Sosa, Piniella has taken little to no heat for keeping Lee in the number three spot.

It's not as if Piniella doesn't have better options. In most cases, your number three hitter is your most dangerous hitter. Sometimes it's a power hitter, and sometimes it's a guy who sprays the ball all over the field. Derrek Lee is none of the above. He's a good hitter but not a great hitter.

Two of the most dangerous bats in the National League are Milton Bradley and Aramis Ramirez. The switch hitting Bradley hit .321 with a league leading .436 OBP last year. Ramirez hit .289 with 111 RBI last year.

One doesn't have to know much about baseball to notice that the ball comes off Ramirez's and Bradley's bat with a lot of electricity.

Derrek Lee is a good hitter but he is not a great hitter. He will hit between .280 and .300 with 20 HR and 80-85 RBI. Those are certainly good numbers but they are not great numbers.

Lee will strike out around 125 times, while hitting into a lot of double plays. Ramirez will likely hit between .290 and .310 while striking out 85-90 times.

In my opinion, the decision to move Lee out of the three whole is a no brainier. Aramis Ramirez would thrive in the three whole with Milton Bradley batting behind him. At the end of the day it's Piniella's decisions, and he is making the wrong decision.

When the regular season begins on Monday, it's likely that Lou Piniella will be the only manager in baseball to pencil in his best hitter as his No. 5 hitter.

Fukudome and Johnson: Not Your Typical Platoon System

Pat De Marco — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 21:21:24 -0400

Since the start of spring training, Cubs manager Lou Piniella has said that Reed Johnson and Kosuke Fukudome will platoon in center field. The problem with this approach is that Fukudome's problems have very little to do with his ability to hit left-handed pitching.

Fukudome batted .276 against left-handed pitchers last year, with an OBP of .371. Those are better then average numbers. Fukudome's major struggles took place away from the friendly confines, while Reed Johnson thrived on the road.

The 32-year old Fukudome was awful on the road hitting just .222 with an OBP of .325. He showed very little patience on the road struggling against both left-handed and right-handed pitchers. Things were much different at home for Fukudome, where he hit .297 with a very impressive .397 OBP.

Reed Johnson was much more consistent overall batting .303, but unlike Fukudome Johnson was outstanding the road. The former Blue Jay batted .318 with an OBP of .376 on the road. At home he batted .280 with a less impressive .323 OBP.

I personally think that Johnson should get the bulk of at bats against left-handed pitching home or away. That said, I also think it would behoove Piniella to give Fukudome the bulk of at bats at home and Johnson the bulk of at bats on the road.

For whatever reason, Fukudome seems to be more comfortable at home. Limiting Fukudome's road at bats will make the Cubs a better team.

One things for sure, if the Cubs have the lead in the 9th inning both Fukudome and Johnson should be on the field. Both are better then average defensively.

Chicago Cubs Expectations Based On Surplus Of Talent and Not 100 Years Of Losing

Pat De Marco — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 14:09:14 -0400

For years Cubs expectations have been based on them being overdue to win a championship. We've all heard this phrase, "It's been 90+ years and the Cubs MUST win a championship this year."

For the record, it's now a 100+ years but the Cubs are expected to play deep into October because they're one of the most talented teams in all of baseball. The expectations have nothing to do with their World Series drought.

There's no doubt that playing for the Chicago Cubs comes with a lot of pressure and high expectations. That said, the 2009 Cubs are as talented as they've ever been.

The fans, media, and front office are not asking the Cubs to do something they're not capable of doing. The 2009 Cubs have a surplus of talent and very few question marks. The Cubs could certainly use another left-handed arm in the pen, but that will likely be addressed sometime down the road.

Assuming everyone plays to their expectations and stays healthy, this should be a great season for the Cubs. One through five their rotation is one of the best in all of baseball.

Some will argue the Cubs don't have a legitimate number one starter. I tend to disagree with that, I am comfortable with calling Zambrano my number one starter. With a career record of 96-61, it's difficult to say big Z is not a number one starter.

For years, number one starters were identified by 20 game winners. There are very few 20 game winners in today's baseball. All I know is Zambrano has thrown the ball extremely well in the postseason the past two years, despite going 0-1.

The Cubs pen will miss Kerry Wood, but the addition of Gregg will prove to be a solid addition. Carlos Marmol and what appears to be a healthy Kevin Gregg are battling for the closer spot. Gregg has a total of 61 saves the past two years. He struggled mightily last August while battling a knee injury. Gregg is throwing the ball well this spring and appears to be close to 100 percent.

The other option is Carlos Marmol. Marmol spent much of last years second half as both the Cubs setup man and closer picking up th slack for Wood who was sidelined for over a month with a blister. Marmol had 4 saves while giving up just 12 hits in 35 innings during the second half last year.

Despite winning 97 games in 2008, Cubs GM Jim Hendry went out and made a very right-handed lineup much more balanced. The moves have been debated all offseason, but the reality is the Cubs went out and spent a lot of money to become much more balanced. Some have called it careless spending, while others have applauded Hendry for being aggressive.

The Cubs opening day lineup will feature three left-handed bats. Milton Bradley, Mike Fontenot , and Kosuke Fukudome will likely be in the opening day lineup. The Cubs will certainly miss the versatile Mark DeRosa, but they're confident they can get that versatility from Miles.

The switch hitting Miles hit .317 in 2008 starting at third, second, short, and left field. The Cubs will look to Bradley and Miles to replace DeRosa's offensive numbers.

Bottom line, the Chicago Cubs have one of the highest payrolls in all of baseball. They have one of the highest paid managers in Lou Pinella, to go along with 10 all stars on their 25 man roster. If that's not enough, the Cubs will make another major move at the trade deadline. While most baseball teams find themselves subtracting, the recession proof Cubs continue to add on.

Other then major injuries, there's no reason why this team shouldn't be playing come mid to late October. There's a lot of pressure, but that comes with the territory. This Cubs team can beat you so many different ways. They can out slug you 10-8, beat you 1-0, or beat you with small ball.

There's a lot that goes into winning a World Series Championship, but there's no reason why the Cubs shouldn't be part of the conversation.

Cubs Add Versatility With Smart Signing

Pat De Marco — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 22:56:15 -0400

Today's Chicago Cubs signing didn't make the headlines, but it may turn out to be an important signing for Cubs General Manager, Jim Hendry.

The Cubs have signed utility man, Esteban German, to a minor league contract.

I know, The name doesn't make you jump out of your seat. The 31-year old German will likely fill out the Cubs roster as their 25th man.

Lou Piniella and Jim Hendry love versatility and that's exactly what they're getting from German.

A career .277 hitter, German played four different positions in 2008: short, third, second and left field.

The Royals released German last week. In 2008, he batted .245 with no home runs and 22 RBI in 89 games. German's best year was 2006, when he batted .326 in 106 games.

Similar to a long relief pitcher eating up innings, German will be asked to fill many holes especially in those lopsided games or those long marathon extra inning ball games.

It doesn't sound like a lot, but it's very important to have a player like German in a 162 game season.

Don't expect power from the former Royal. He has just seven career home runs in six seasons.

That said, he's the type of player who will slap a base hit through a drawn in infield in the 15th inning. He will play four or five different positions in a four-hour ball game.

With Aaron Miles and Esteban German, the Cubs have two guys who can play at least four different positions.

The Cubs recently signed Corey Koskie to battle for the team’s last infield spot. If healthy, Koskie who hasn’t played since 2006 will provide more offense than German.

What he won't provide is versatility.

I believe German wins the 25th man spot on this years Cubs team. It's all about filling holes and the Cubs filled a hole with German.

Halfway to Houston: Cubs No. 5 Spot Up in the Air

Pat De Marco — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 22:30:20 -0400

With just about half of spring training behind us, I thought it would be a good time to look at the Cubs battle for the No. 5 starter's job.

The battle for the final starting pitcher's job is turning into a great battle between Sean Marshall and Aaron Heilman. About a month ago, I wrote an article stating that Heilman won't succeed as a starter.

Heilman is doing everything to prove me wrong. The 30-year-old has given up just one run in eight innings while striking out 12.

I'm not saying that he should win the spot, but his stuff has been electric this spring. That won't be ignored. Can Heilman be last year's Dempster? Time will tell.

Sean Marshall has matched Heilman pitch by pitch this spring. The 26-year old is 1-0 this spring with a 1.00 ERA. Marshall has allowed just 6 hits while striking out 5 in 9 innings.

Heilman has been outstanding this spring, but I still believe Marshall will win the number 5 spot. Then again, I also wrote this article 6 weeks ago: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/116947-aaron-heilman-wont-succeed-as-a-starter

Both Chad Gaudin and Jeff Samardzija have pitched well in spurts, but it's doubtful that Piniella will choose them over Marshall or Heilman. If this is truly a wide open battle then Heilman and Marshall are clearly ahead of Gaudin and Samardzija.

It's very difficult to get a read on players during spring training. That said Marshall and Heilman look like they're in mid-season form. Marshall is doing a great job of changing speeds and turning his pitches over.

Heilman's slider is very sharp this spring, and his fastball seems to have much more pop then years past. Both pitchers are keeping the ball down and throwing strikes. That's a very difficult thing to do in the thin Arizona air.

This great battle for the No. 5 starter's job will come down to the wire. I give the edge to Sean Marshall but not by much.

So Far So Good: Cubs Starters Looking Good In Arizona

Pat De Marco — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:07:24 -0500

Spring training is just that, it's training for the regular season. It's extremely difficult to get a good read on pitchers in Arizona as pitchers are much more focused on command.

It's typical to see quality starters ERA elevate during the spring. That said, the Cubs starters are off to a very good start.

Carlos Zambrano made his first start of the spring yesterday and looked very sharp. The 27-year old pitched two hitless innings while striking out three.

Zambrano's fastball had a lot of pop to it, and he showed no effects of last year's minor shoulder strain.

Before heading off to the World Baseball Classic, Ted Lilly threw two scoreless innings. Lilly is slated to be the No. 3 starter for the USA team behind Jake Peavy and Roy Oswalt.

Coming off a 17-win season, Ryan Dempster is once again in great shape. Dempster allowed three unearned runs over two innings during his first start. Most importantly, Dempster looked comfortable on the mound.

Duplicating last year's season may be difficult, but Dempster believes he is capable of having a better season. He says he is in the best shape of his life.

Rich Harden won't pitch in a live game for at least seven days, but the important thing is Harden is healthy. He is throwing, but the Cubs have him on a slower workout pace.

It's hard to argue with that decision with Harden's past injuries. Let's just hope we don't hear the words, "We are going to shut him down for a while."

Sean Marshall took another step towards winning the No. 5 spot this afternoon, as he threw three perfect innings, striking out one. The 26-year old has looked very sharp this spring.

However, Aaron Heilman and Jeff Samardzija are putting pressure on Marshall. Heilman threw two perfect innings on Saturday, striking out four. Samardzija has allowed two runs, but was clocked in the upper-90's last week.

There's no doubt that Samardzija will eventually be a starter, but right now he's a few steps behind Marshall. That said, Samardzija has another month to win a starting spot.

It's very difficult to measure a pitcher's performance during the spring. The most important thing is health and command.

Avoiding the following words and phrases is always a good thing during the spring.

"We're going to push him back, his velocity is down, he's suffering some shoulder discomfort, elbow tightness, and we're going to send him home for some precautionary tests."

Regardless of the results this spring, it will be a successful spring training for Cubs pitchers if we don't hear those words from Lou Piniella or Larry Rothschild.

Late Bloomer: Hoffpauir Continues To Grow With The Chicago Cubs

Pat De Marco — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:21:37 -0500

Micah Hoffpauir is anything but a youngster. The 29-year old was drafted in the 13th round in 2002 by the Chicago Cubs.

A career minor leaguer, Hoffpauir began to come into his own with the Cubs Triple-A affiliate Iowa in 2007. Hoffpauir hit .319 in 2007.

It wasen't until the following spring that Hoffpauir began to open up eyes. The left-hand hitting Hoffpauir came out of nowhere and impressed the Cubs. If not for the Cubs having every roster spot filled, Hoffpauir would have broken camp with the Cubs.

Hoffpauir's dream came true in May of 2008, the long time minor leaguer finally got the call. After seven plus years of minor league baseball, Hoffpauir replaced the injured Daryl Ward. Hoffpauir did not disappoint. He batted .400, but returned to Triple-A on June 20.

Despite returning to Iowa, there was very little doubt he would find his way back to Chicago. Hoffpauir was not discouraged by his demotion. The former Lamar Cardinal finished the year at Iowa on fire. In just 70 games, Hoffpauir hit .362 with 25 home runs and 100 RBI at Iowa.

In September, Hoffpauir got his second call up with the Cubs. Once again, the long time minor leaguer did nothing but hit. He finished the year batting .342 with 2 home runs and 8 RBI with 75 at bats.

The decision to let Daryl Ward walk was an easy one for the Cubs this offseason. The Cubs believe Hoffpauir has the ability to jump right into Ward's role as the Cubs left-handed power threat off the bench.

It appears that Hoffpauir is a lock to win a roster spot this year, but the 29-year old isn't taking any chances. He's doing what he does best. He's pounding the baseball. In just three games, Hoffpauir has 2 home runs and 7 RBI.

Look for this former minor leaguer to have a nice year for the Cubs. He'll do most of his damage off the bench, but I expect he'll get an occasional start at first and in the outfield.

Aramis Ramirez Must Improve Defensively for Chicago Cubs to Win in 2009

Pat De Marco — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:18:48 -0500

If you're looking for Aramis Ramirez this spring, you might find him taking extra infield practice. At least I hope so. After playing Gold Glove caliber defense in 2007, Ramirez struggled defensively in 2008.

It certainly was another banner offensive season for Ramirez. The 31-year old batted .289 with 26 home runs and 111 RBI. In 2008, The problem with Ramirez was his defense.

Coming off a career-best .972 fielding percentage in 2007, Ramirez watched his fielding percentage fall to .945. The Cubs third baseman committed 18 errors last year, compared to just 10 in 2007.

To be fair, Ramirez started 21 more games in 2008, and naturally, his errors will go up. His 18 errors are not a lot for an everyday third baseman. That being said, Ramirez turned just 17 double plays in 2008. That number must go up.

If you're reading this, you probably understand you don't get charged an error if you bobble a double play, as long as you get one out. According to Major League Baseball, you can't assume a double play. We saw that happen way too much in 2008 with Ramirez.

John Dewan, owner of Baseball Info Solutions and co-publisher of Acta Sports, broke down the Cubs' defense in his "Stat of the Week." Dewan did a great job breaking down the Cubs' defense with a formula that uses errors, fielding percentage, and run-saving plays.

According to Dewan, Ramirez was a -9 defensively, costing the Cubs nine runs in 2008. Overall, Ramirez was in the middle-of-the-pack among third basemen last year.

In 2007, Ramirez was a +11. He was near the top of the list. That means that Ramirez saved the Cubs a total of 11 runs.

Ramirez needs to improve his defense if the Cubs expect to play deep into October. His 18 errors were the most he has committed since 2003. Hopefully, he can revert to his 2007 season, when he was arguably the best third baseman in the National League.

NL East: Philadelphia Phillies Look To Repeat

Pat De Marco — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:52:04 -0500

The past two years, the National East has been the most exciting divisions in all of baseball. Just like the past two years, the outcome of this division won't be decided until the final week of the regular season.

The Philadelphia Phillies believe they are the team to beat, while the New York Mets believe that they're the team to beat. I agree with the New York Mets. Here are my NL East predictions.

1) New York Mets 92-70

I'm going to be honest with you, this is the third straight year that I have picked the Mets to win the NL East. I've obviously been wrong the past two years, but I think that will change in 2009.

The Mets starting rotation is led by the best starting pitcher in the NL East, and arguably the best starting pitcher in the National League.

Johan Santana finished the 2008 season with a 16-7 record and a 2.53 ERA. If not for a horrible bullpen, Santana would've won 20 games.

Mike Pelfrey will be the Mets number two starter. The 25-year old Pelfrey is coming off his best year. Pelfrey racked up 200 innings going 13-11 with a 3.72 ERA.

The number three and four spots will go to Oliver Perez and John Maine, Perez and Maine combined for 20 wins in 2008. Freddy Garcia, Tim Redding, and Livan Hernandez will battle it out for the No. 5 spot.

The Mets bullpen appears to be much improved. New York welcomes Francisco Rodriguez and his 62 saves. The Mets also acquired JJ Putz from Mariners. Putz recorded 28 saves in 2008, but he will be the Mets setup man.

The Mets offense is expected to score a lot of runs. Jose Reyes will be at the top of the order. Reyes batted .297 with 56 stolen bases and 16 home runs in 2008.

Carlos Beltran is back patrolling center, but left field and right field appear to be questions marks for the Mets.

Despite the Mets having another question mark at second, The corner infielders are anything but a question mark. The corners belong to David Wright and Carlos Delgado. They combined for 71 home runs and 239 RBI in 2008.

2) Philadelphia Phillies 90-72

The Phillies are trying to become the first team since the New York Yankees to win back to World Championships. I just don't see it happening.

It's hard to not like Cole Hamels, but after Hamels the Phillies lack starting pitching depth. Jamie Moyer is coming off his best year since 2003. The 46-year old went 16-7 with a 3.71 ERA. I think this is the year where age catches up to Moyer.

Brett Myers, Joe Blanton, and Kyle Kendrick make up the rest of the Phillies rotation. All three have an ERA well over four.

The Phillies pen will miss their left-handed specialist JC Romero. Romero will miss the first 50-games for failing a drug test. Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge return to make up a very strong back end of the pen.

The Phillies offense is once again arguably the strongest in the league. The World Champions made just one move. Gone is long time Phillie Pat Burrell and his 33 home runs. In is Raul Ibanez and his 23 home runs.

3) Atlanta Braves 85-77

The Braves are much improved this year, but they still find themselves behind the Phillies and Mets.

The Atlanta Braves added 26 wins to their rotations. The biggest addition for the Braves was the signing of Derek Lowe. The 35-year old Lowe is coming off another solid solid season where he had and ERA of 3.24 while pitching 211 innings.

The Braves also added 12 game winner Javier Vazquez.

The Braves also added Japanese import Kenshin Kawakami. Kawakami was the 2004 Central League MVP. Future Hall of Famer Tom Glavin will also return to the Braves.

The most important thing for the Braves bullpen is the health of Mike Gonzalez. Gonzalez will be asked to close for the Braves. If Gonzo can't stay healthy, the Braves will find themselves in a similar situation as they were last year.

The Braves offense received a boost with the signing of Garret Anderson. The three-time all start hit .293 with 15 home runs in 2008. Anderson will play left, with Jeff Francoeur in right. Josh Anderson appears to be the front runner in center.

The Braves have a very strong infield. Chipper Jones hit .364 in 2008 but he once again battled injuries. Yunel Escobar is back at short, and Kelly Johsnon is at second. Case Kotchman who was acquired in the Teixeira trade is back at first and Brian Mccann is back behind the plate.

4) Florida Marlins 84-78

The Florida Marlins surprised a lot of people in 2008 with a 84-77 record. I don't see them catching to many people off guard in 2009.

The Florida Marlins have one of the most underrated starting rotations. Rick Nolasco led the Marlins rotation in 2008 with a 15-8 record. Nolasco struck out 186 in 212 innings.

Josh Johnson returned from injury in 2008 and was outstanding going 7-1. Rookie Chris Volstad had a solid rookie season going 6-4 in 2008. The No. 4 and 5 spot is up in the air for the Marlins. Andrew Miller and Anibal Sanchez appear to be front runners.

The lack of bullpen depth could cause issues for the Marlins. Matt Lindstrom appears to be the front runner to replace Kevin Gregg as closer.

The Marlins offense is led by Hanley Ramirez. The 25-year old Ramirez is one of the best young players in the game. Ramirez is a 30-30 guy. He hit 33 home runs with 35 stolen bases and a .301 average in 2008.

Due to the Marlins lack of run producers, Ramirez will be asked to move out of the lead off spot, and will likely bat third for the Marlins.

5) Washington Nationals 70-92

I am going to be blunt, I don't see much changing with the Washington Nationals in 2009.

While Odalis Perez holds out, John Lannan appears to be a pretty solid prospect. The 24-year old Lannan had a very solid rookie season going 9-15 with a very respectable 3.91 ERA.

The Nationals big free agent pickup was Adam Dunn. If nothing else, Nationals fans will get a chance to watch one of the most powerful hitters in the game. Dunn is coming off another 40 home run season, and will likely have another big year. The same can't be said for the Nats, they will once again struggle in 2009.

Breaking News: Garret Anderson Signs with the Braves

Pat De Marco — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 16:42:18 -0500

It appears that the Atlanta Braves have found themselves a new outfielder. According to numerous reports, Garret Anderson is expected to be in Braves camp sometime tomorrow after agreeing to a one-year $2.5 million contract.

Last week, the Braves watched Ken Griffey Jr. choose the Mariners over the Braves. Before it's all said and done, plan B will likely work out better then plan A.

Anderson is coming off another solid season. The left-handed hitting Anderson batted .293 with 15 home runs in 2008.

The 36-year old Anderson is a career .296 hitter, and he will likely be the Braves everyday left fielder.

SIU: The Countdown to 20 Begins

Pat De Marco — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 22:34:40 -0500

It was the fall of 2006, and my wife and I just moved to Mechanicsburg PA. Wearing an SIU hat, I walked into a Hes gas station. The man behind the register looked at me and said, "SIU, they have a heck of a basketball program down in Carbondale." I nodded my head and smiled.

Three years later, the Salukis from Southern Illinois are on the verge of a 20-loss season.

Two years ago, the Salukis were a basket away from a trip to the Elite Eight, falling to Kansas in a Sweet 16 classic. "They're as good as anyone in the country," said Kansas coach Bill Self.

From contending for a National Championship in the 2006-2007 season, to the laughing stock of the pitiful Missouri Valley Conference. It's amazing to see how fast the Salukis have fallen.

This decade has belonged to SIU. The Salukis won five regular season titles, one valley tournament, five NCAA tourney games, and one NIT game. They've done it under three different coaches: Bruce Weber, Matt Painter, and Chris Lowery.

A year ago, SIU missed out on the NCAA tournament for the first time in six years. The Salukis finished 17-14 and advanced to the NIT. They went on to defeat Oklahoma State in the first round, but they fell to Arizona State in the second round.

Despite missing out on the NCAA tournament, SIU welcomed their greatest recruiting class in recent history. According rivals.com, the Salukis 2008 class was the 25th best in the country. Anthony Booker was ranked as No. 44 and Kevin Dillard (Mr. basketball in Illinois) was No. 137.

Even with a dominating recruiting class, this was going to be a rebuilding year for the Salukis. Brian Mullins was the only returning starter for the Salukis. That said, I expected 10-11 wins from SIU in a very poor Missouri Valley Conference.

Overall, I predicted SIU to win 16 games and return to the NIT.

Forget about the postseason SIU fans, it appears the Salukis (11-17) are on their was to a 20-loss season. A program that typically locks up win No. 20 around Presidents Day has fallen.

Once considered one of the best home teams in college basketball, opponents now welcome a trip to the SIU arena. The SIU Arena is anything but intimidating, with SIU losing six times at home this year.

The swarming Salukis defense no longer exists. It's been replaced by confusion, inconsistency, and embarrassment.

Memo to Coach Chris Lowery, this not acceptable. This a nationally recognized basketball program. This is not Northern Illinois, Western Illinois, or Eastern Illinois. This is Southern Illinois University, and this type of play will not be tolerated.

The talent appears to be there, and these types of seasons wont be tolerated. Rebuilding or retooling is one thing, but collapsing is NOT acceptable.

Get it fixed and bring back the respectability that has somehow disappeared.

Pittsburgh Pirates: They're Finally Going In The Right Direction

Pat De Marco — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:49:00 -0500

The Pittsburgh Pirates will not win, nor will they compete in the National League Central in 2009. That said, they've done a pretty good job in locking up some of their young and talented players.

Here's a brief look at what to expect from the 2009 Pittsburgh Pirates.

6)Pittsburgh Pirates 75-87

Key Additions

Eric Hinske and Ramon Vazquez

Key Departures

Jason Michaels

Pitching

The Pirates starting rotation will look very similar to their 2008 starting rotation. Pat Maholm who recently agreed to a three-year deal will anchor the staff.

The Pirates are hoping that Ian Snell and Tom Gorzelanny bounce back after a tough 2008. Snell was just 7-12 with a 5.42 ERA in 2008. The Evergreen Park, Illinois native Tom Gorzelanny struggled in 2008 going 6-9 with a 6.66 ERA.

The number four and five spot will likey got to Zach Duke, and the former Yankees farm hand Jeff Karstens.

One guy to keep an eye on is Donald Veal. The Pirates acquired Veal from the Chicago Cubs in this years rule five draft. It's possible that Veal could win a spot in the Pirates rotation.

If the Pirates have the lead going into the eighth inning, they will be in pretty good shape. John Grabow, Tyler Yates, and closer Matt Capps make a pretty good back half of the pen for the Pirates.

Offense

The Pirates are pretty solid up the middle. Fresh off signing a three-year deals, Ryan Doumit will be the everyday catcher and Nate McLouth will play center. Doumit and McLouth combined for 41 home runs in 2008.

Jack Wilson is back at shortstop, and Freddy Sanchez is back at second. The corners also look pretty solid with Adam LaRoche and Eric Hinskie. Laroche and Hinskie combined for 45 home runs in 2008.

Outlook

The Pirates won't win to many games in 2009. Scoring runs won't be much of a problem, but their pitching is among the worst in baseball.

The Good news for the Pirates is they've locked up Nate McLouth, Ryan Doumit, and Pat Maholm to long term deals. If the Pirates continue to lock up their young talent, they may find themselves contending in three-years