Milwaukee Massacre

For the second time in three years, the Cubs have brought down Miller Park (Wrigley Field North).  I haven't ever seen the Cubs beaten this badly, but still I don't have much sympathy for the Brewers.  They are the team with the big, league-leader type stars and they are always labeled as underrated.  They can hit but they can't pitch, the type that fans like but those teams can become frustrating.  8-1, 5-1, and 12-2 the final scores, the Cubs outscoring them 25-4.  Each game was a blowout and the pitching was unbelievably good.  The Cubs pitching has certainly been a strength and they showed it in Milwaukee.  This was the weekend that they put everything together.  Tyler Colvin and Kosuke Fukudome both had two homers over the weekend, and Derrek Lee and Geovany Soto each added one on Sunday.  Carlos Zambrano allowed a run in his relief appearance, but it didn't matter and he otherwise looked sharp.  I really had a hard time seeing the Cubs rotation being as good as they used to be with Zambrano, Dempster, Lilly, Harden, and Marquis of 2008, by far the best rotation the Cubs have put out in decades.  With only two of those remaining, I thought the rotation wouldn't be as good, but it has been amazing lately.  Like I said, everything is coming together.  This is the way the Cubs need to win baseball games this season: great pitching, good, patient offense, and efficient defense.  We have an easy part of the schedule coming up, with Washington, Arizona, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati over the next two weeks.  I see us coming out in first.

Chicago teams (Cubs, White Sox) went 6-0 over the weekend with different styles of play.  The Sox won on three go-ahead homers in the 8th or 9th, first a walk-off by Andruw Jones, then a walk-off by Alex Rios, then a go-ahead homer in the 8th by Paul Konerko.  Despite their attempts at smallball, I think this will be the same fill-em-up-and-homer-em-in team that they have been for so long.  Konerko has been a nice surprise for them, but they do have plenty of struggles.  Jake Peavy can no longer pitch.  One thing I know for sure, is that Seattle isn't too happy with their bullpen.

We Buy Silva

Cubs fans likely don't all run jewelry shops, but they all, so far, buy Silva.  I was skeptical of him being named to the rotation no matter what kind of spring he had, but he hasn't pitched this well since pitching in Minnesota around five years ago.  The sinker is moving, the fastball is topping out, and the changeup is making hitters look like fools.  I don't get how he does it with his size.  The only run he gave up was to another big man, ironically.  Rod Barajas smoked a home run to left, but Silva was solid throughout besides that.  The offense returned with Alfonso Soriano collecting three hits and three RBI, so Silva got the win.  Silva has now, in the mind of Cub fans, been moved up to the #4 spot ahead of Tom Gorzelanny and we all hope to see such a feel good story keep going.  He isn't a strikeout pitcher necessarily, but reminds me of Randy Wells with the sinker and the changeup to go with the low 90s fastball that won't smoke anybody but can run up on you.  Both guys have very good control, so neither have gotten in trouble walking guys.  Tonight, Tom Gorzelanny faces Johan Santana in a big southpaw matchup.  Santana is one of my favorite pitchers in baseball, but I do hope the Cubs offense obliterates his circle change and fastball tonight because we do need to get the offense going consistently.  I could see Gorzelanny going six innings, giving up three runs or something.  Righty hitters have an advantage at funky Citi Field because although it is easier to pull one down the line for a home run to right, the gap in right-center in enormous!  The bullpen is a mile from home plate and the setback right field part of the wall knocks down fly balls.  Go Cubs! 

The Pen Just Got Bigger

The Big Z.  A book, written by Pedro Miranda, was even made about the Cubs' most troublesome pitcher.  Supposedly an ace, he lost that role probably two years ago, yet he keeps starting Opening Days out of respect.  Carlos Zambrano was relegated to the bullpen in a move I never thought I'd see.  The Cubs have a reputation for sticking with bad players through struggles and not being aggressive enough on the hook, so this is a good sign.  For the first time since 2002, the Cubs will look at a Zambrano-less rotation.  The last time Zambrano pitched from the pen was also 2002.  Despite the fact that this photo is from 2009, these types of incidents have frequented Zambrano's career the last five years or so.  Lou Piniella and the Cubs drew a lot of criticism for waiting too long to take Alfonso Soriano out the leadoff hole, so this is a move that sends a message: The Cubs are cracking down on struggling players.  No job is safe if they're not producing.

The new rotation looks odd with Dempster, Lilly, Wells, Silva, and Gorzelanny.  Zambrano will become a setup man and I hope replace John Grabow for the moment.  Grabow can't pitch.  That's all I have to say about him right now.  Zambrano will get straightened out in the bullpen, becoming available Friday and I predict he will be back in the rotation in three weeks.  The biggest issue here is my fantasy team.  The market for setup men on fantasy baseball is very, very small which means they better be playing half the games or striking out 10/9 IP.  Since Zambrano does neither, there is no trade interest out there for the guy except that he could come back and start in a few weeks.  I sympathize for fellow Zambrano owners.  Go Cubs!

Citi Field

The Cubs lost 6-1 tonight on a late breakout of Mets offense, partly contributed by Ike Davis, making his major league debut as the Mets' top prospect.  27,000 fans saw the game in the cavernous Citi Field, a place I've been trying to figure out.  In the debut game last April on ESPN featuring the Padres at Mets, the Padres pulled off the shocker in a 6-5 win.  Then, the park looked big and cool with a lot of modern amenities, a true big city stadium.  However, as the season went on, the disappointment and negativity that surrounded the Mets' season seemed to drift and flow through the stadium.  The Mets only hit 95 home runs, easily the worst in baseball.  Citi Field is a big park.  Like really big.  Take it from an MLB The Show player who's played 16 games there and hasn't hit a home run to right field.  Shea Stadium had outfield walls eight feet high all around.  Not only are the dimensions longer in some areas at Citi, the fences are higher.  The huge left field wall has stopped more than a couple home run balls and the window wall area thing in right is a significant dropback.  The center field wall has been cut from 16 feet to 8 feet, but still more will need to be done to help out the hitters.  I just don't get the logic here; the Mets were a hitting team at the time they built the park and have had some good hitting teams before yet build this enormous pitchers' park.  Bad idea.  I think this year is the year the Mets transition into their new park finally and get comfortable with it, maybe like scoring some runs.  I hope to see a Mets winner upend the Phillies from the new park one day.  However, until more changes are made or the Mets get some serious power, Citi Field will continue to steal home runs and hold down the Mets offense that just two years ago was as explosive as any.

Time Machine

How the Cubs have played the last three days (not including tonight at the Mets) represents the last three years of Cubs baseball.  On Friday, the Cubs won 7-2 on strong offense and good pitching.  The Cubs did all the fundamental things right, coming through in big spots and playing good defense.  There was one error in right center on a misunderstanding between Fukudome and Byrd, but they laughed it off and prevented major damage.  Even not being a notably good team defensively in 2008, they were able to kept the errors to minimal damage, like was done here.  Soriano made two very nice plays with confidence, the first good indication of his fielding ability all season.  The Cubs offense was a little quiet until they were able to put together a nice rally in the 7th including a creative safety squeeze from Ryan Theriot and then the Cubs hitters were patient leading up to Derrek Lee's big three-run homer.  The Cubs won, and all fans in Wrigleyville were more than content with this new style.  For a day.  Of course, the Cubs couldn't just keep it going, they had to add more questions to the list that had momentarily stopped growing.  On Saturday, the Cubs played 2009 baseball in that the offense was held dormant by a good pitcher in Roy Oswalt and the late comeback attempt wasn't enough.  Tom Gorzelanny and Jeff Gray couldn't stop what was the worst offense in the league up to then.  Who do the Astros have that could possibly cause them trouble?  I'm pretty sure J.R. Towles, Chris Johnson, and Jeff Keppinger wouldn't have been your top answers.  Yet there is Towles, the supposed future behind the plate in Houston, hitting a home run while the Cubs can't score.  On Sunday, we saw what the Cubs have shown again and again in this young season.  Ryan Dempster pitched an excellent outing and held a 2-0 lead going into the eighth, but Jeff Keppinger was there again to knock in a run.  However, the Cubs got out of it and it looked like they would hang on to win.  But in the 9th for the first time, it was Carlos Marmol who blew the lead to Geoff Blum (ugh...) on a double.  Of course, the offense is still hush since Marlon Byrd's two-run single in the 3rd.  Sean Marshall allows Pedro Feliz a sac fly, and Matt Lindstrom saves his second straight.  We all got to see a little brief history of the Cubs, depressingly so.  I've learned a lot in my 11 years as a baseball fan (ever since I learned the rules) and 4 years as an intense fan.  I've learned that many times, no matter how frustrating it was for your team, you just have to tip your cap to the other club.  This was not one of those instances.  I used to love the Houston Astros franchise, but the blunt lack of talent on the squad is an inevitable result of a horrible minor league system and a veteran-laden roster.  They have no business marching into Wrigley Field at 1-8 and taking two of three from a team that should win 90 games.   

Welcome to the Doghouse

John Grabow and Esmailin Caridad are the first to enter my doghouse on the Cubs.  The Cubs returned from their six game road trip to begin the season with a 2-4 record, although that mark should be 5-1.  On Wednesday in Atlanta, Grabow prevented the Cubs from getting their first win by allowing a two-run, go-ahead homer to Chipper Jones.  Just two nights later Drew Stubbs destroyed Caridad's offering into center field to blow the 3-1 lead.  Another two nights and another blown effort by the Cubs.  This time it was Grabow again, with the help of Alfonso Soriano.  In the 7th with Tom Gorzelanny still pitching, Soriano messed up a routine catch like no one else could and this resulted in the bases loaded with one out.  Miguel Cairo then singled off Sean Marshall to drive in a run, but the tied score didn't last long.  An inning later in the 8th, John Grabow loaded the bases, and Esmailin Caridad walked Ramon Hernandez to walk in a run.  After a Jonny Gomes sac fly, the Cubs were left staring at the scoreboard in disbelief for the third time in five games.

I don't see what has happened with Grabow and Caridad.  I really hope this is something they get over, but the Cubs offense wasn't playing too well on the road trip and the starters were just doing a fantastic job (exception: Carlos Zambrano).  For any of that to matter, the bullpen needs to do their job even if they don't get the big thanks for it.  As we saw, the Cubs were unable to do that.  I haven't seen a stretch like that for the Cubs ever, where the bullpen blows it three out of five nights in the 7th or later.  Hopefully I won't see that again.

I had confidence in this bullpen heading into the season.  Actually, I still do.  This was just a wake up call, and it should stay that way to all Cub fans.  The bullpen is young, and young instability is not really a problem the Cubs have had to deal with in the last few years.  Thankfully, we are young now but we need to be able to hand the ball to someone who can get outs.  This is not easy with young guys.  One night, Caridad might be firing fastballs past everyone, and the next night he's serving up meat balls obliterated all around the park.  Marmol could strike out the side, or he could walk the bases loaded and force in runs.  The main idea with all of this is that not too much should be expected from the bullpen, although there is plenty of upside.

Atlanta Starts New Era

Cub fans watching the Cubs' futile attempt at a season opener saw something that hasn't been seen for a long time: Atlanta as a baseball city.  Although the Atlanta Braves hat and the city abbreviation 'ATL' have become extremely popular in the rap and hip hop industry, the Braves and their fan base have been not so cool in recent years.  Turner Field can seat 54,357, behind only Yankee Stadium, but their attendance in 2009 was 15th at 29,304 a game.  Attendance has stayed below 34,000 a game every year since 2002.  Why did this happen?  I think it became fairly obvious.  Bobby Cox and the Braves marched to the playoffs 14 times in a row.  14 times!  However, they only got to five World Series, including none the last six years from 2000-2005.  They lost in the LDS the last four years, which grew frustrating for fans realizing their time as a winning team wouldn't last forever.  The last three of those LDS all included losing the win or go home Game 5 at home.

So what does this have to do with Opening Day 2010?  Here's my theory.  The Braves, rocketing into the 2003 playoffs with a 101-61 record and a lineup filled with all stars, met the Cubs in the first round.  The Braves were heavily, heavily favored against a Cubs team which still had issues the whole season and were a team that didn't seem like it was supposed to be there.  However, the Braves were surprised when the Cubs put up a good fight.  The Cubs even took a 2-1 lead in the series and the chance to move on at home, but the pitching of Russ Ortiz and a homer by Andruw Jones in Game 4 at Wrigley sent the series back to Turner Field.  Now, everything was favoring the Braves again to go play the upstart Marlins in the NLCS, but the shocked sellout crowd watched as Kerry Wood and Joe Borowski shut down the hitters to one run and five hits while Aramis Ramirez and Alex Gonzalez hit home runs.  Unbelievably, the Cubs would head back to Wrigley in the NLCS.  The Braves went home.  That, ladies and gentlemen, is the moment Atlanta went into a baseball slumber.  The only cities I know that could go into such a slumber while still fielding playoff teams are Atlanta and New York, specifically the Yankees.  And yet it happened, so even though the Braves would win 96 and then 90 games the next two years, the damage was done.  Any excitement still around was taken when Andruw Jones, Atlanta's baseball son, packed his bags after 2007.

The Braves would go on to lose for most of 2006, 2007, 2008 and some of 2009, but the transformation is happening again.  There were some glimpses last season of the future of Atlanta's baseball.  The new radius of guys revolves around some new stars, like Brian McCann, Derek Lowe, and of course super prospect Jason Heyward.  And as I watched the Braves destroy the Cubs for 16 runs in front of a sellout crowd on Opening Day, I saw the vision of another era of winning baseball.  I don't know if it starts this year or 2011 or ever, but I definitely saw the group of guys capable of the job.  Yunel Escobar, Martin Prado, Jair Jurrjens, Tommy Hanson, and Jason Heyward look like the same style homegrown group that started the last era of Andruw Jones, John Smoltz, Greg Maddux, Chipper Jones, Tom Glavine, and Mike Hampton.  One problem with the Braves right now is that there doesn't appear to be one face of the franchise-yet.  For me, it's only a matter of time before Hanson becomes the staff ace, Heyward picks up where Andruw Jones left off, and Escobar and Prado become a premier double play duo.  What Atlanta does at the end of an era can't be called rebuilding.  I call it retooling, because there is never no talent somewhere in the system.  Even through all of the struggles the last half-decade, Brian McCann was there as the new young talent.  Then came Escobar in 2007, Prado and Jurrjens in 2008 (although not technically homegrown, Jurrjens was traded from Detroit as a young prospect), and Hanson in 2009.  It's fair to say Atlanta has woken up.

This kind of transformation is really great for the game.  It's the way the game should be won.  Not the Cubs have ever played it this way or anything, but I guess anything is possible with the Ricketts now.  The Braves, in Boston, Milwaukee, and now Atlanta, is one of baseball's longest tenured and proudest franchises.  A return to winning form is spectacular for the future of baseball and the city of Atlanta.   

Opening Day Aces

13 games, 26 teams, 26 aces.  Those are some stats, but I have some much better: 1,922.  That is the total number of wins from today's Opening Day starters combined.  2,430 is the number of games in a season.  If 1,922 is about 4/5 of 2,430, imagine every game of last season excluding September.  All of those games have been won by one of these starters.  The leader of the group is Roy Halladay, whose 148 wins beats Derek Lowe's 141.  John Lannan of the Nationals has only 20 career wins, lowest on the list narrowly beating Yovani Gallardo's 22, Shawn Marcum's 24 and Scott Feldman's 24.

A few notable starters:
-Jon Garland, now the ace in San Diego, makes the Opening Day start.
-The A's hand the ball to Ben Sheets who hasn't pitched since 2008.
-The Indians give the start to Jake Westbrook who hasn't pitched since May 2008.
-Vicente Padilla starts for the ace-less Dodgers.

The matchups for today (bold games are the matchups I suggest watching):
All times CT, TV listings for Chicago area (if applicable)

Indians (Jake Westbrook)
at White Sox (Mark Buehrle)
1:05 PM  ESPN2, CSN

Phillies (Roy Halladay)
at Nationals (John Lannan)
12:05 PM

Marlins (Josh Johnson)
at Mets (Johan Santana)
12:10 PM

Cardinals (Chris Carpenter)
at Reds (Aaron Harang)
12:10 PM  ESPN

Dodgers (Vicente Padilla)
at Pirates (Zach Duke)
12:35 PM

Blue Jays (Shawn Marcum)
at Rangers (Scott Feldman)
1:05 PM

Tigers (Justin Verlander)
at Royals (Zack Greinke)
3:10 PM

Rockies (Ubaldo Jimenez)
at Brewers (Yovani Gallardo)
1:10 PM

Cubs (Carlos Zambrano)
at Braves (Derek Lowe)
3:10 PM  ESPN, WCIU

Padres (Jon Garland)
at D-Backs (Dan Haren)
4:10 PM

Giants (Tim Lincecum)
at Astros (Roy Oswalt)
6:05 PM  ESPN2

Twins (Scott Baker)
at Angels (Jered Weaver)
9:05 PM  ESPN2

Mariners (Felix Hernandez)
at A's (Ben Sheets)
9:05 PM

Grady Sizemore? Tyler Colvin?

Tyler Colvin is my middle name.  No, seriously check my facebook page (for a limited time only).  My question is: How do the Cubs, notorious the last decade or so for spending the big bucks on busts and the like and investing in the wrong prospects from a dismal scouting system, end up with a prospect who leads the entire Cactus League in batting average?  I can't answer this question, but I am really glad to have a young talent on the Cubs this year.  For once, we aren't a completely veteran-laded team with a really young bullpen.  John Grabow is the only reliever at 30 or above.  Anyway, Tyler Colvin should be compared to five tool outfielders in the big leagues, and while Grady Sizemore is a stretch, it is a possibility down the road.  Colvin didn't show much power before, but he's beefed up and the Cubs have said he will get 2-3 starts a week in the outfield at any of the three positions.  I think this makes life tough for Kosuke Fukudome, because I think either Xavier Nady or Colvin is going to steal his job.  Colvin is the guy the Cubs have been searching for all these years, and we finally have NO question marks in the outfield for the first time in maybe five years.  Soriano's health is a question mark, you might say, but there is enough talent and depth that we could win without him.  Nady is a step down because he doesn't have much speed and less home runs and all that, but definitely an above average hitter still getting 20 HR.  If Tyler Colvin were to take the spot in left, well, what can I say?  Sit back and watch the guy do his thing.  You won't be disappointed.

Cubs Positional Breakdown: Overall Grade

I am really excited for this season of Cubs baseball.  Every summer the Cubs roll around and gets the entire North Side up and moving.  Popularity for baseball is still rising to levels it has never been before.  Wrigley Field is a great place to hang out, eat some unhealthy food and drink a beer (soft drink), sit back and watch some great baseball.  Like I do every year, I'm going to be sweeping the ticket websites for the cheapest possible way to get into the ballpark, after which I am free to move about the upper deck, hopefully getting tickets $15 a pop or cheaper.  That's not such a easy task with the Cubs' ticket pricing these days, but head to Stubhub.com who have very cheap tickets, most spring games starting under $10 if you hurry.  

For the actual product on the field I am excited also.  Minus Rich Harden, Jim Edmonds, Reed Johnson, Jason Marquis, and Mark DeRosa and plus Randy Wells, Marlon Byrd, Tyler Colvin, and an amazing farm system are the only differences between the 2008 club and this club.  I don't see a reason why we won't win some games.  Here are my grades:

Starting Rotation: B+
Much will depend on Zambrano's success, Lilly's return and the #5 hole.
Bullpen: B-
There's no lack of talent, but there are too many young players to be sure of success.
Infielders: A-
Newfound depth gives us Lee, Ramirez, Theriot, Baker, Fontenot, Castro, and Soto all as options.
Outfielders: B+
Soriano is the problem, but Byrd and Fukudome are both above average.
Coaching/Management: A
Ricketts is turning the Cubs into a world class franchise, Piniella is still around and Jaramillo is a god.

Overall Grade: B+