Tuesday, June 30, 2009

THE DEADLINE IS APPROACHING FOR THE CUBS


WHAT TO WATCH FOR ON THE NORTH SIDE AS THE DEADLINE APPROACHES AND BEYOND”

The cubs have been playing just average baseball since the loss of Ramirez. Aramis's return may help but not complete the fix. The Chicago Cubs have many issues to contend with and mostly with offense as the players you would expect producing is lacking terribly.

The Cubs with 90 games left have as many teams in the Central have the chance to make changes to get them playing better ball. The Cubs just a few weeks back were leading with quality starts from their rotation but lacking with offense causing them to lose 14 games by one run.

It's really easy math if this cub team who wasn't and still isn't playing on all 4 legs could be leading this division comfortably by just winning half of these 1 run games. This gives the cubs all they would need to take over in the Central.

I see the final findings in that this team will excel and win this division. Now saying that ! ” If and only if " Aramis comes back along with more consistent hitting I see the Cubs making a big run and going into late summer playing real good ball. Most of why they will make this run is simply their starting pitching. Most teams are starting to see the wear and tear on their starting rotations. The Cubs have an exceptional staff , so this is why they will have the upper hand as the rest of this division don’t have the arms. You don’t have to have a super over- powering offense in baseball. I don’t see the Cards, Brewers, Houston & Reds making such moves that will make this division anymore competitive. Most teams are in the hunt this year and wont be willing to let go of those players needed to help them win.

Somehow this baseball team from management down to the bench players should come together, unlike last year play better as the season goes on where many forget how the cubs played poorly last season going into the last of August and September. They only won the central due to the fact that Milwaukee lost 12 in a row.

Rich Harden will be traded by the July deadline for 2 proven lefty relievers and Marshall will take the 5th spot. We may see one or two other moves but really don’t expect to much from a team that has spent 137 million already and why should they have to at this point. The Cubs have the talent waiting to explode. The questions are ? Will the Pinella and Hendry use this team and their resources to make Chicago a real winner.

We will see how it all comes together, but as a Cub fan and realist I know anything can happen.
The good thing is that my gut is positive about this teams near future unlike last year where most baseball enthusiasts were in denial that the Cubs were better than on paper..

Chicago Cub Fans, We all should just hold faith and hope things workout and then watch for the next few weeks where the Cubs play majority of their opponents from the NL Central. This could be a key sign of how things may turn for the remainder of the season.

One moment please...

Friday, June 12, 2009

Chicago, The Cubs are much better than most admit.



Now Cub fans I have heard it all lately and yes at times i have been wanting to pull what's left of my hair however I looked at last years #'s and yes there offense has showed more life than this anemic looking squad. Though last years record was 43-24 at this time and 19 games over .500 this team won the close games or the games with 1 run making the difference. The Cubs starting rotation was very good threw the first few months and mostly it was they had chemistry.

Today's club has one main issue in offense but we have seen games where they had offense and their bullpen would fail or they would hit and the few games the starting rotation failed it would reflect in the final score. Now we have 105 games left and this NL Central is really well bunched. Know one team has ran away with things and more than likely know one will until the Cubs really get it going. The Chicago Cubs really with the big injury to Aaramis team were very much effected. We have seen finally why Aaramis is the most valued player on this team. Since the loss of Aaramis Jim Hendry has been trying to provide Lou Pinella with the best fit player to fill his position at third. While we haven't seen any real replacement by any imagination we have for the most part have seen good defense. The acquisitions of Milton Bradley whom wanted simply a chance to zip those critics whom said he wont live up to the contract of 30m over 3 years and thus far he has been just awful thus far.. Milton Bradley has been a sore eye for offense. A guy whom suppose to be the answer batting before Derek Lee and Ramirez seems to not be a athlete whom can play in the National League do to his fragile anatomy. Bradley will bounce back so even as it appears he wont , I believe he will be part of us going to the post season.

The other small parts of this team with Ryan Freel, Reed Johnson along with Aaron Miles really haven't added up to much except for Reed Johnson whom can play stellar defense and come threw in a pinch. Bobby Scales and Blanco have been helpful in some spots but they haven't been the pieces to spark this offense. Thankfully Fukedome has been consistent for the most part but not a real reliable go to guy with his bat. We as fans are going to have to hold on and hope until Ramirez gets back the guys like Soriano, Lee, Soto, Theriot, Bradley, Hoffepeuir and Fonteaun are going to get things popping and fairly quickly. Their Schedule doesn't get any easier so with being 2.5 games back from the leading Brewers just take it one game at a time.

The perfect synerieo would be to see the cubs take advantage of being home and using this interleague series to get it rolling in a good way. I really think we will see one or two moves before the deadline but these will be pieces to hold the fort together. The Chicago Cubs lead baseball with a all star rotation throwing a 3.65 era overall and in the last 9 games .98. Pitching and this rotation is how were going to hold on until it's time to take off. Lou as i feel this offense will find their sweet spots on the bat and this club will be the team we expected to see before the season began. Try to refrain from the criticism you hear from sportscasters whom are either
Bias towards the white sox here in Chicago or are just making noise to gain exposure in the media market.

I decided to write a synopsis weekly on the cubs vs. a daily as baseball changes all so fast daily.
You can find me on Chicagocubsonline.com in the Community section or look me up on face book.
I love to talk baseball and the Chicago Cubs. Come August this team will be firing on all cylinders.
Until then hope for a great winning home stand.

Philg
cubswin000@aol.com






Sunday, June 7, 2009

Fix it now OR WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR



The Chicago Cubs have two things going for them , Injuries and one run games.

With Lou Pinella trying to find a player or two in sparking this offense it seems he runs into

a wall time and time again. With all the comments I have read and multiple opinions from the top baseball critics it's seems to me the Cubs are treading on thin ice. Starting Sunday morning 4.5 games behind the top dogs of the NL Central Milwaukee Brewers one would have to see that the Cubs whom were suppose to be able to run away with this division aren't running anywhere.

We Have played threw a 1/3 of the baseball season in 2009 and with plenty of baseball left the Chicago Cubs with the injury to Aramis Ramirez have been trying to replace his glove and bat since his injury back in May at Miller Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.


Ryan Freel was suppose to help at third with his spray hitting and favorable glove . With Freel on the DL Mike Fontenot and Bobby Scales have shared some of the job at third and it's been not all that bad although Mike Fontenot's error in the first inning of Saturday's game lead to 4 unearned runs and the play in the bottom of the 11th which cost the cubs the game. In question is how much longer this team can tolerate poor defense, inconsistent hitting and a bullpen outside Angel Guzman, Carlos Marmoul & Shawn Marshall ? How will this club keep pace with the teams to the north in their division ?


Steve Stone earlier this past week on Chicago Tribune live was very sure of his comments reassuring cub fans and all other critics in that the cubs will win the NL Central I quote "comfortably". Steve Stone whom I think is the best baseball critic in the world I sense is being somewhat bias making those kind of statements. I still think Steve would rather be announcing on the North side of town as in my opinion his heart is with the Cubs vs. the White Sox.


Now as we move into the second week of June the Cubs will enter interleague play which will be tough going up against the Twins, White Sox & Indians. This schedule isn't favorable for the Cubs but what schedule would be for this team. The Cubs are at the bottom in batting average and OBP % along 90% of all other categories. Chicago's only real positive is their Quality starts from the rotation they have in place. Some would think you get this offense to be more productive and things could really change in a fast way and good way. Saying this Chicago hasn't found their stroke so we either wait and hope they find the bats or we start and look at Next year. With little money for Hendry to make the moves needed to correct some of the pieces and very little movement with the Zells\Ricketts transfer of ownership, Chicago is stuck to use what they have in house. One would think when your spending 130 millions dollars to players whom are suppose to help bring a championship to the city of Chicago what more is needed. Well,.. the players aren't performing with the acquisitions of Jim Hendry and have back fired. If the Chicago Cubs fail and go know-where well questions will be made of Jim Hendry and those changes he made will be scrutinized and will be in question.


For the Cubs to super glue the problems on this roster, somehow Jim Hendry has to find a bat and more secure a glove to play third. The Bullpen is in question and the need of a real middle of the road closer/reliever is most needed period. One real veteran whom is proven is the one piece this team needs to settle on. With the Cubs difficulties they're still hanging around but unless the team intact can turn things around with tweaking the lineups ect or Hendry is able to go get a Delrosa or someone equivalent this season will be over and soon sorry to say. I'm somewhat positive management and the coaches will be able to steer this team into winning and winning allot come the later part June but we have no guarantees. My gut feeling is a good one.. The players themselves need to start earning those millions they collect and provide the fans of this club much more than being shown and look like they want to WIN.


On paper the fixxe's look easy but baseball is the one sport that adding the rite player or players doesn't fix or add up to more wins. It's called chemistry !! Go find it Lou .................


Phil G


cubswin000@aol.com