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Game 105: Diamonbacks 15 - Cubs 5

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Cubs drop to 43-62
Diamondbacks rise to 54-51

POTG: 3B A Ram (HR, R, 2 RBI)
Runner Ups: 1B John Mabry (2 H), LF Angel Pagan (2 H, 2B, R, RBI), SS Ronny Cedeno (2 H)

This is my most favorite Rob Neyer bit:

               OBP  SLG  AVG
Player A      .302 .353 .252
Player B      .280 .339 .255

Average NL SS .330 .397 .270

Come on. COME ON!

This is the classic Hendry strategy - pick up guys on the cheap who've had past levels of success and have excuses for their current lack of success, and count on the bounce back. Sometimes it pays off (A Ram), sometimes not so much (Wade Miller).

If Maddux drew the same single A power pitcher iffy prospect as Walker, I would've been fine with it; better than this, where they've now allocated two seasons to figure it if Cesar Izturis fluke season was a fluke season (it was), and will likely cause their biggest weakness (bad OBP and SLG) to get even worse. Cesar Izturis wouldn't be a horrible gamble for a team not expecting to compete and having no options at SS, but that's not what we've been told is happening here.

You may hear people point out Cesar Izturis had the best SS Zone Rating in 2004, his last full season. Hopefully, they'll point out that #2 is noted defensive wizard Jose Valentine.

The fact that we have to go back to 2004 to find Cesar Izturis' last full season and the Cubs thought this was a good man to pick up is inconceivable in itself. Do they thing injuries are completely random and unpredictable events and past/recent history means nothing? I don't get it.

There's gotta be a way to make this work. Silver linings
- this will free up another rotation spot (+Marshall not coming back any time soon, some 'oblique', huh?), so hopefully they'll take the chance to sort out the possibilities for next year. They know they have Z as #1, so it's a matter of finding out how many starting roles can be filled in house and if they need to grab 1 or 2 or 3 starting pitchers. More starts to figure it all out the better, and hopefully people will develop and take those spots
- They have two guys who can play SS (Cedeno, Cesar) and two guys who can play 2B (Theriot, Cedeno - who should start there now to start learning); Theriot's future now is certainly to be a utility guy, so maybe they'll dump Neifi and use Ryan as the backup guy. (NAH.)
- They've got two months to figure out if Cedeno can work at second as a full timer - my guess is no, but we should have a pretty good idea.
- If they're getting good defense and relatively cheap SS play from Izturis, maybe they'll feel comfortable going after Soriano in free agency? That's the kind of extra power this team needs, even though it'll be quite the contract.

The papers are all loving this trade, completely crushing on Izturis' glove and the possibility of him becoming the hitter he was, while the blogs are all hating this trade. The internet always notices the papers when they've got a split decision; I wonder if this'll go the other way. Reading some of the articles, it felt like the papers were trying to sell the fans on the greatness of the deal rather that actually evaluate it. (Also, why am I reading Mike Downey columns? I haven't liked one ever.)

Didn't watch the game; followed it on my phone from the Cougars game, and was better of for it. Prior complaining about the wind and the ball park doesn't seem to match up with his line at all (or his opponent's line) and makes me wonder where his head is at. I'm ready to let him go, but he's gotta build up some value or it'll be a Wood situation where they won't be able to get anything for him.

Good that Rusch got blown up. Cubs need to be reminded who this man is every so often, and it's best it comes in games that are already out of reach.