Day: July 30, 2007

trade deadline thoughts

I’m THRILLED not to be mentioned in Paul Sullivan’s look at Cubs blogs. I was going to say “Paul Sullivan’s semi-sarcastic look”, but that seems repetitive. Let’s not tell anyone about these Cubs posts, ever. Nothing good can come from it. I’ll keep up my part by continuing to bore. elsewhere on that same blog … Continue reading “trade deadline thoughts”

I’m THRILLED not to be mentioned in Paul Sullivan’s look at Cubs blogs. I was going to say “Paul Sullivan’s semi-sarcastic look”, but that seems repetitive. Let’s not tell anyone about these Cubs posts, ever. Nothing good can come from it. I’ll keep up my part by continuing to bore.

elsewhere on that same blog

Mark Teixeira has been traded to the Atlanta Braves this morning, for a package of players built around catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who is quite the stud. Don’t be stunned if that deal is followed by a second one that sends catcher Gerald Laird from Texas to Chicago for prospects, possibly including Felix Pie.

oh please no no no no no no no – I haven’t looked up Laird’s stats but enough trading for catchers. And why would the Cubs give up their long term answer in center with no alternative? Don’t say Rowand.

Let’s say, what do we got with Laird this year: 241/299/359. For PIE? He’s got better numbers the previous season (better = league average when adjusted), I don’t get this idea at all, but the Cubs sure do like trading for people who were once good and aren’t now in hopes magic will occur.

Some other names rumored, while I’m losing my mind

Ryan Church: 255/337/418 – well, at least he walks! As a cheap guy taking Ward’s spot for a month, I’m (still) okay with him, though we’ve heard this name since March, and haven’t heard since Pagan got the spot.

LHP OFs vs Righty
Church, this year: 258/330/444
Jones, this year: 247/305/344
Jones, all time: 292/341/483

So he’d be an upgrade over Jacque, but if Jacque keeps pulling himself towards his career averages, it might not mean so much over four weeks.

Bobby Kielty, who’s a switch hitter, hasn’t barely played this season. Probably not worth it to evaluate him over 35 ABs. Last year, he was 270/329/441, which is also just about average, and you’re hoping he can bounce back as well. Kielty would be a better complimentary player too

vsL: 325/358/607
vsR: 229/308/314

It looks like maybe he should not be switch hitting at this point, but a guy who can crank lefties off the bench with some power would be a nice fit. Oakland’s already DFAed him, so he should be cheap.

Kielty’s missed most of the season due to a calf injury, but I got to figure Oakland ending up with 500 outfielders played a part in it. It’s tough to tell exactly what the deal with the calf was – looking back thru stories on him, it was initially reported just as a nagging injury, then one that might keep out a few days, then one that’ll put him on the DL in a surprise, and finally one that put him on the 60 day DL as a bigger surprise. A’s are strict with health news, but I think they’re not allowed to DFA him if he’s still hurt (which was the issue with Milton Bradley earlier) so you’d think he’d be fine now. And if not, it’s not like Ward could run.

Game 103: Cubs 6 – Reds 0

Cubs 55-48, 0.5/1.0 Reds 45-61, 12/12.5 POTG: SP Z! (7.1 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 6 K, 0 R, W [14/78]; 3 H) Runner Up: LF Soriano (2 H, 2B, 2 SB, R), SS Ryan Theriot (2 H, 2 R, SB), 1B D Lee (HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, HBP), 3B A Ram (2 H, … Continue reading “Game 103: Cubs 6 – Reds 0”

Cubs 55-48, 0.5/1.0
Reds 45-61, 12/12.5

POTG: SP Z! (7.1 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 6 K, 0 R, W [14/78]; 3 H)
Runner Up: LF Soriano (2 H, 2B, 2 SB, R), SS Ryan Theriot (2 H, 2 R, SB), 1B D Lee (HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, HBP), 3B A Ram (2 H, 2B, R, RBI), RF Mark DeRosa (2 H, RBI, SF), CF Angel Pagan (H, 2 RBI)

When the Cubs left Cincinnati on April 5th, at the end of the first series of the season, they were two games out. In the 100 games since, they’ve managed to pick up 1.5 games! Or I guess the other way to look at it is they picked up 2.5 games in two days, but that’s not quite as fun.

I think the Reds were probably happy with what they got out of Matt Belisle, because he saved their bullpen a little bit after yesterday. It really didn’t matter who they were throwing out there today, they were losing. The only guy who was threatening to Z at all was Scott Hatteberg, but Z eventually figured him out and struck him out too.

Soriano’s home run probably should’ve been a homerun. I didn’t see the Reds broadcast clips which were supposedly conclusive, but it seemed like that should’ve hit the top of the wall. Meanwhile, all the starting pitchers are going to have practice RUNNING at some point.

This is going to be a tougher week of matchups. The Phillies and the Mets should be a step stronger than the two last two teams, and there will only be one Z start. Lilly’s been pitching great, but I’m not banking on the Cubs getting into first place tonight. A 4-3 week would be good enough; even if that backs them up a bit, they’ve got a soft part of the schedule next.