Spring Training Extras: We Need More BP

Still have a few videos to post before the Cubs start to play some actual games.

Today's installment: The Odd Couple (aka the strangest BP pairing ever)



Go Cubs.

2008 MVP? Answer is as easy as...(pun removed at request of host).

No, I did not suffer a major head trauma over the weekend (that I can remember) nor am I currently drunk. I am, in fact, dead serious. The 2008 Chicago Cubs MVP is Felix Pie. Yes, that Felix Pie.

(Waiting patiently for my four readers to stop shaking their heads.)

Don't believe me? Let's take a trip down memory lane, shall we. Coming out of spring training, the young phenom Pie was all set to take over in center. It was his time to shine. Problem was, he forgot to bring his bat with him when they broke camp. In 30 games to start the year, the "5-tool" star managed 14 hits. FOURTEEN. That's half a hit per game for all you math geeks. That is not exactly making the most of your opportunity. In those same 30 games, he struck out a whopping 23 times. He drove in 7 and had a homer. Pie jerseys were approaching "Half Off!" status and the boo-birds were out in force at Wrigley.

So how is he the MVP? It is because of this amazing display of sucktitude that Jim "yes, I have room for thirds" Hendry was able to make TWO very important roster moves that solidified the Cubs as the team to beat in the NL.

1) Reed Johnson

After being let go by the Blue Jays, Johnson was basically just looking to play baseball...anywhere...when Hendry scooped him up. Originally just acquired as an extra outfielder, all Reed did was shove Pie aside and start raking the ball. In 86 games, he's slugging .458 with 45 runs scored. He's been solid in center and clutch when it counts. Basically, he was the anti-Pie. Not bad for a guy without a team in April.

2) Jim Edmonds

Speaking of guys without a team, Jimbo was hobbled by a calf injury to start the season and was putting up Pie-like numbers for the Padres. Showing absolutely zero patience for the struggling veteran who had done nothing but hit his whole career, San Diego gave Edmonds his walking papers after only 26 games. Ouch. Despite many desperate pleas by dumb-ass bloggers like this idiot, Hendry signed Jim and hooked him up to the rejuvenation machine. Just like Reed, he has caught everything hit his way in center and belted 15 HR along the way. Not bad at all for a former douchebag.

So as the Cubs head down the homestretch, moving closer and closer to a win total that should end up somewhere north of 90, take a moment to thank Mr. Pie for all he has done for this team. Without his valuable lack of contributions early in the season, our beloved team wouldn't have the best record in baseball let alone a 4.5 game lead in the division. Way to go Pie, your MVP trophy is in the mail!

Go Cubs.

Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better.

I'm not sure what is more unbelievable, the fact that these catches actually happened or that they both came from members of the Cubs.

Wow.





I'm by no means saying it's time to jump on the Edmonds bandwagon or anything, but it sure feels a lot nicer when he's doing this FOR you instead of TO you, don't you think?

Go Cubs.

Milk Was A Bad Choice (a.k.a. Week In Review)

Well, Week 3 is in the books. Let's take a stroll down memory lane and see what we have learned from the week that was...

1) Marisa Miller is smoking hot.





I mean, wow. Just...wow.

2. D-Lee is NOT in fact DOA.

Coming off a "down" season last year and a shaky spring, there were some rumblings that maybe Lee had lost a step or two. The wrist injury had seemed to sap some of the power he displayed when he first joined the Cubs. Three weeks into this young season, let's take a look at how his numbers stack up so far.

I believe that could be qualified as a HUGE middle finger to his doubters.

Overall, he's 2nd in HR (only after Utley cranked out 2 on Sunday), 5th in Runs, 7th in RBI and 8th in BA. Not in the National League, mind you, in all of baseball. Yes, I am aware it's early, but its good to have D-Lee back.

3. Marty Brennaman IS in fact bat-shit crazy.


Busy week for Marty B. First, he called out Cubs fans for being obnoxious. Then he refused to back off of those statements by talking more shit about the Cubs.

"I said how tough it is to root for the Cubs. I think a lot of people feel the same way I do, but they won't articulate it. I'm not afraid to say what I think. [Compared to Cubs fans] Cardinals fans are hands down the best in baseball. They respect the game. They don't go to the game to do stupid stuff. The Cubs have some great baseball fans. But the ones who act like idiots (ruin) it for people like me."

And I'm sure all of you agree, I hate it when we ruin it for self-righteous windbags.

THEN, M to the B decided to take it up a notch. Tired of bashing a whole organization for the acts of a few drunken morons, he took out his "crazy old man" frustrations on his own broadcast partner.

Yep, I can totally see why he received the Ford Frick Award for “for major contributions to the game of baseball.”

I truly wish I was making that up.

4. Reed Johnson is the second coming of...Kenny Lofton? Craig Biggio?

Talk all you want about the "Pie Situation," but all this guy has done is rake since he was given the starting job.

BA: .354
SLG: .417
Runs: 8
RBI: 7

Ok, so those aren't All-Star numbers, but add to that the fact that he apparently doesn't EVER get out of the way of inside pitches (3 HBP in the last 3 days) and you have at least a serviceable player in center instead of say...a corpse.


5. Aramis is heating up with the weather (again)
(yes, I wrote this AFTER he just homered against the Mets, whatever)

He's gonna have another great year. So, for the love of God, stop talking about his lack of "hustle" or his occasional lapses in the field. He's a lock for 30-100 EVERY year. Enjoy it.

5a. Mark DeRosa is Mui Caliente!

Sorry.

My wife called me from home when DeRo took that header over the bullpen on Sunday and said:

"Is my boyfriend OK?"

Yep. I guess I should be happy she was at least watching the game. Right?

Go Cubs.

Questions Answered, Fears Realized

For those of you not recovering from the worst flu imaginable followed by four straight days of hardcore drinking and college basketball, you are probably already aware that Lou answered a bunch of lineup-related questions yesterday.

I don't know if I should be excited, relieved or worried. I'm gonna go with worried.

Read More...

Question #1: Who is going to be the Cub's closer?

This one really wasn't in doubt other than the brief back scare a few weeks back. Howry stunk up the joint all spring. Marmol was Marmol. And "The Artist Formerly Known as Kid K" managed to pitch enough consecutive innings to become the sexy choice. EVERYONE wants this to work out for Kerry. Fans, players, management...pretty much everyone not a White Sox or Cardinals fan (ie people with their souls still intact) are hoping he can really make it this time. The problem is, with that many folks collectively pulling for him AND the fact that this is the friggin' Chicago Cubs we are talking about here, all signs point to big trouble. I don't want to be a "Debbie Downer" here, but the chances of this story having a happy ending are about a trillion to one. I hope I'm wrong. I'm praying I'm wrong, actually. And therein lies the rub.

Crap.

Question #2: Who is going to be in the 5-man rotation?

This one was a tad less obvious. After the three sure things (Lilly, Z and Hill) there were 3-4 guys competing for 2 spots...a young guy with a smoking hot wife, an angry veteran who had already pissed off the manager two days into Spring Training by demanding a trade, a seasoned veteran coming off major off-season surgery and a starter/closer/starter. Exciting, no?

Dempster looked good enough to lock down one spot this spring. His velocity wasn't great and neither was his control, so this is obviously a solid move. There is still a chance he could be back in the pen by mid-season, but I bet he gets a ton of chances to make it (or blow it depending on your overall outlook) before that terrible idea is even considered.

That left three more.


So, Lieber had more wins, a better ERA and more K's in basically the same number of innings as Marquis. So he's the big winner, right? Not quite.

Marquis gets the nod and Lieber is now long relief (aka stuck in Purgatory). Everything I read says this is only because the Cubs are still trying to find a sucker to take Marquis off our hands and not listing him as a starter drives down his value. Whatever.

All I see is a pitcher who did everything asked of him this spring AND didn't bitch being rewarded with the always fun duty of eating up innings when someone (Read: Marquis) poops the bed. My excitement is almost palpable.

Question #3: Who wins the center field job?

This one came down to Pie's one healthy testicle versus Fuld's two. It's gotta suck when you get beat by a guy with less healthy balls. Enjoy AAA, Sammy.

Question #4: Brian Roberts or no Brian Roberts?

Still up in the air last I checked, although we did sign Ex-Blue Jay Reed Johnson today. So we've got that going for us, which is nice. Right?

Sigh.

Go Cubs.

UPDATE: Here is quite possibly the funniest thing that will ever be written about Reed Johnson. Kudos to Hire Jim Essian!

Johnson is basically what you’d get if you took away a chunk of Matt Murton’s power, added a bunch of strikeouts, marginally improved his defense, and then slugged him in the lower back with a baseball bat.

I don't care who you are...that's funny.

Go Cubs.

UPDATE #2: Just went back and reread this. Yikes. After some serious edits, the post is now available for your reading pleasure in actual English. My bad.

Go Cubs.