Thoughts on the Chicago Cubs and other topics in baseball. E-mail Tom at: tomsmithcubs@ hotmail.com

 
FRIDAY'S GAME VS. CINCINNATI: Yesterday was simply a fun game to watch. To come back from being down 9-4 to win 11-10 with Sammy Sosa and Moises Alou hitting back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the ninth to win after trailing 10-9 going into the bottom of the ninth was great.

MEL ROJAS AWARD: The Mel Rojas Award for poor performance by a Cubs relief pitcher to Michael Wuertz. Wuertz came into the game in the top of the sixth inning, pitched 1/3 of an inning and gave up four hits (2 home runs, 2 singles), one walk, and five earned runs.

CHARLIE WILLIAMS AWARD: The Charlie Williams Award for bad umpiring to C. B. Bucknor. Bucknor was the home plate umpire yesterday and was absolutely brutal. His strike zone floated around all game long. The worst call of the day was in the top of the fourth inning when the Reds had runners on first and second with two outs and Sean Casey at bat. With the count 3 balls and 2 strikes, Sergio Mitre's pitch was way outside and for some bizarre reason Bucknor called in strike three and the Cubs got out of the inning. Cincinnati manager Dave Miley got ejected arguing the call, but it is Bucknor who should get ejected from the majors for his brutal performance yesterday.
posted by Thomas at 11:00 AM

 
THURSDAY'S GAME VS. PITTSBURGH: With the help of the wind blowing out the Cubs were able to pound the Pirates Thursday 10-5. Michael Barrett is looking good right now. Barrett hit two home runs yesterday. Aramis Ramirez and Moises Alou also homered. Carlos Zambrano seemed to lose his cool on a few occasions but was able to pitch six innings while giving up 1 earned run on six hits and 1 walk.

MEL ROJAS AWARD 1: The Mel Rojas Award for poor performance by a Cubs relief pitcher to Michael Wuertz. Wuertz pitched the eighth inning for the Cubs, allowing a home run, double, and a single, while getting charged with two earned runs.

MEL ROJAS AWARD 2: The Mel Rojas Award for poor performance by a Cubs relief pitcher to Francis Beltran. Beltran came into the game in the top of the ninth and the two pitches he threw were hit for home runs. Beltran's line: 2/3 IP, 3 hits (2 home runs, 1 double), 2 earned runs.
posted by Thomas at 9:11 AM

 
MONDAY'S GAME VS. PITTSBURGH: Awful performance by Greg Maddux and the Cubs as they get pounded 13-2.

MEL ROJAS AWARD 1: The Mel Rojas Award for poor performance by a Cubs relief pitcher to Andy Pratt. Pratt threw nine pitches, all balls. Pratt pitched 0 innings, giving up 2 walks and 2 earned runs.

MEL ROJAS AWARD 2: The Mel Rojas Award for poor performance by a Cubs relief pitcher to Joe Borowski. Borowski pitched the top of the ninth for the Cubs giving up 5 hits and 3 earned runs.

TODD HUNDLEY AWARD: The Todd Hundley Award for poor performance by a Cubs catcher to Paul Bako. Bako went 0 for 4 and made a throwing error which allowed a runner to score.

PHIL ROGERS'S INCOHERENT COLUMN: In yesterday's Chicago Tribune, Phil Rogers had an incoherent column about Greg Maddux. After writing about Maddux's bad performance on Monday, Rogers wrote:

Maybe hard times lie ahead for a future Hall of Famer who has won at least 15 games in each of the last 16 seasons. Maybe his 3.96 earned-run average last season, his highest since 1987, signals that he doesn't have an endless supply of greatness.

That's what many baseball executives seem to believe, even if good form keeps them from saying
it.

Later in the column Rogers writes:

Because they know they can't win a tough division without more pitching, several St. Louis players offered to defer some salary if the Cardinals would sign Maddux. GM Walt Jocketty did not go to owner Bill DeWitt Jr. to plead for spending money.

He wasn't willing to risk his organizational standing on a 38-year-old (as of Wednesday) right-hander who is as much of a physical specimen as the average pro bowler. Dave Duncan, the Cardinals' pitching coach, said Maddux wasn't a fit in St. Louis because he's no longer a "front-of-the-rotation starter."

The reason why the Walt Jocketty did not make a strong bid to sign Maddux was because he knew the Cardinals were at their budget limit and even with some salary being deferred, St. Louis would have to overpay to get Maddux because they are neither on the West Coast and they train in Jupiter, Florida. Jocketty was not going to be able to get DeWitt to give him the money to sign Maddux so why bother making an attempt when the owner will not approve it.

Rogers continues:

The Cubs' Jim Hendry couldn't resist, given the sentimentality attached to bringing a four-time Cy Young Award winner back to the organization that never should have let him get away. In the end, he committed $15 million for two years and let Boras advertise the deal as $24 million over three years, although the only way Maddux pitches is if he is still both effective and interested, and there are no guarantees on either point.

Rogers is saying Jim Hendry signed Maddux for $15 million over two seasons because he was attached to sentimentality to bring Maddux back to the Cubs. Hard to believe a serious columnist would write this. The Cubs signed Maddux because the Cubs had a giant hole in the Number 5 slot in the rotation; not out of sentimentality. Jim Hendry was not in the Cubs organization when Maddux was a Cub, Hendry was not going to sign Maddux out of sentimentality. Hendry signed Maddux because he believed Maddux would make the Cubs a better team; not out of sentimentality.

Rogers continues with his Maddux is washed-up theory writing:

While Maddux is less than two months into his second tour of duty with the Cubs, he has already showcased the ways he can be beaten. Texas ran wild on the bases when Dusty Baker had Michael Barrett catch Maddux in spring training. Cincinnati beat him with home runs in his first start last week.

But he hasn't had many days like Monday, when pitches he aimed at the corners of the plate either ran back over the middle or too far from the strike zone for umpire Brian O'Nora to give him the benefit of the doubt.

After spending most of his column writing Maddux is washed-up, Rogers then writes:

Despite the way Maddux has started, you can be assured he'll be a useful starter for the Cubs. But it could turn out that Duncan knew what he was saying.

Rogers concludes his column writing:

But the bet here is he'll get himself turned around in one of his next two starts, against Cincinnati on Sunday or the New York Mets on April 23.

So Greg Maddux is a washed-up pitcher who Jim Hendry signed for sentimental reasons and Greg Maddux is still a good pitcher or maybe he is washed-up pitcher but he is going to turn himself around and be a good pitcher again. Way to play all sides of the issue Phil!


BAD FACT CHECKING REPORT: For years Ernie Banks's #14 flag flew from the left-field foul pole and Billy Williams's #26 flag flew from the right-field foul pole. At the final regular season game of 2003 the Cubs retired Ron Santo's #10 jersey and raised his #10 flag on the left-field foul pole below Banks's #14 flag. On Monday the Cubs moved the #14 and #10 flags to the right-field pole to fly with Williams's #26 flag and raised the 2003 National League Central Division Championship flag on the left-field foul pole. How did Paul Sullivan report this information in yesterday's Chicago Tribune? Sullivan writes:

The Cubs may have tempted fate at Wrigley Field this year by replacing the old brick wall behind home plate, adding advertisements to the center-field scoreboard, moving the flag bearing left fielder Billy Williams' retired number to the right-field pole and issuing red jackets to the ushers.

Unbelievable someone who goes to almost every Cubs home game did not notice which flags flew on which poles. If he did he would know Williams's #26 flag already flew on the right-field foul pole.

Additionally, I would like to know how replacing the old brick wall, adding ads to the scoreboard, moving flags, and issuing red jackets to ushers is tempting fate? Was the old brick wall lucky? Anyone who has seen the Cubs over the last 59 years knows the old brick wall did not bring the Cubs a lot of luck.
posted by Thomas at 5:11 AM

 
SUNDAY'S GAME AT ATLANTA: Well that was more like it. The offense finally woke up to score ten runs yesterday in the Cubs 10-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves. Kerry Wood looked good striking out eleven Braves over seven innings despite bleeding from his pitching hand.
posted by Thomas at 9:43 AM

 
SATURDAY'S GAME AT ATLANTA: Where is the Cubs allegedly powerful offense? The offense continued to be missing last night in Atlanta as the Cubs lost 5-2 while getting only four hits. The bottom three spots in the Cubs line-up are of real concern. Alex Gonzalez, Michael Barrett/Paul Bako, and the pitcher's spot does not inspire much confidence. The good news from last night was Sergio Mitre. Mitre pitched 7 2/3 innings giving up 2 earned runs and looked like he might fit in until Mark Prior comes back. Andy Pratt cannot seem to find home plate with his pitches. Pratt looks like he belongs in Iowa and is expected to be sent down when Jose Macias comes off of the disabled list.


MEL ROJAS AWARD: The Mel Rojas Award for bad relief pitching by a Cubs relief pitcher to Andy Pratt. Pratt faced two batters last night and walked both. Pratt walked Chipper Jones on four pitches and walked J.D. Drew on five pitches. Both later scored to give the Braves the lead and Pratt the loss.
posted by Thomas at 8:03 AM