The Sunday Cubs sampler
Neither D-Lee nor Aramis Ramirez are in the Game 1 lineup. D-Lee was getting treatment on his neck, and the Cubs say that both he and Ramirez will play tonight.
Lineup
Fukudome, CF
Theriot, SS
Soriano, LF
Hoffpauir, 1B
Fox, 3B
Bradley, RF
Baker, 2B
Hill, C
Zambrano, P
Soriano has gone from sixth to fifth to third in the lineup. He's hit third twice this year.
Other stuff:
--The waiver period has not expired on former Blue Jays reliever B.J. Ryan, but when it does (over the next couple days), I expect the Cubs to make a run at signing Ryan to a no-risk deal that will have him begin at Class AAA Iowa and allow him to walk if the Cubs don't bring him up by a certain point. The Blue Jays are on the hook for Ryan's salary for the rest of this year and all of next. I reported the Cubs' interest in Friday's paper, but the waiver period does not include the weekend days.
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=305932&src=152
Ryan is owed about $15 million through the end of next year. The Jays released him last week after Ryan returned from shoulder woes. His velocity was down and his command was off. We'll see what happens.
--From the "that's just wrong" department, Len Kasper and Keith Moreland are kicked out of their WGN booth for Game 1. They'll work from one of the smaller booths. Turns out the Eastern Seaboard Programming Network needs to set up in the big booth for tonight's game. Why not just give them the smaller booth? If I were mean-spirited, I'd say they need room for Joe Morgan's ego. But I won't say that.
--Speaking of Len Kasper, he passed along this note about Big Z and the Cards: Over his last 3 starts vs. the Cards, Z is 0-2 with a 16.62 ERA, with all of the games at Wrigley Field. Before that, he was 8-0 with a 1.37 ERA over his 11 previous starts against the Redbirds.
--Randy Wells is looking to become the fourth Cubs rookie since 1997 to win 5 games before the all-star break. The others: Geremi Gonzalez (5 in 1997), Kerry Wood (8 in 1998) and Sean Marshall (5 in 2006).
Enjoy.
watch this kid run the bases, he knows where the ball is at all times.....he's a very good base runner......
can't anyone on the cubs score from 2nd on a single.....oh, he's on the bench......bad base running by the power guy......
ok, here's my prediction.....Cubs won't make it.....reason is Lou...him and his lefty/righty thing like tonight.....we have to win now, so play your best for the most part, quit this lefty/righty bull....but he won't change and in the end he'll say the players didn't hit.....players like Soriano, baker, Fukudome, etc....
tomorrow he'll go with his lefty lineup, with Fukudome, Fuld, Fontenot.......and of course Soriano.......
Is another Blue Jay I wouldn't mind seeing the Cubs acquire, or in this case, reaquire. He would make for a nice LH setup man/specialist and since he's slated to earn $4M next year, Toronto might be very willing to deal him.
Updated: July 16, 2009, 5:13 PM ET
Cubs sign former Jays reliever RyanComment Email Print Share By Bruce Levine
ESPNChicago.com
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The Chicago Cubs will announce today that they have signed left-handed pitcher B.J. Ryan to a one-year, minor-league deal, according to a Major League Baseball source.
Ryan will report to Mesa, Ariz., to begin building up his arm with minor-league pitching coordinator Mark Riggins.
The Toronto Blue Jays released Ryan on July 9.
Bruce Levine covers baseball for ESPNChicago.com.
may as well sign kenny lofton.....believe pierre has a long (4/5 yrs) term contract and we ain't got no more money let alone get another no trade guy.....as for halladay, more money........don't get me wrong, i'd love for the cubs to get him, but..............i assume it comes down to the new owner we don't have yet.........
Cheers, Bruce
Was reading in Peter Gammons' latest article the strong suggestion of how Juan Pierre could help the Cubs. I see his point, but wonder how the Cubs would swing such a deal of if Hendry even feels he's worth it. The point is, we all know (Lou especially) that we need guys on base for the 3 4 5 of the order. Little Juan is a great clubhouse guy and having a strong resurgence...Your thoughts?
Also, what IS up with Rich Harden? Is he hurt?
today on ESPN Gammons said Soriano was past his prime, seen his better days, that the Cubs would have to decide if he is over the hill and move on......later on Waddle and Silvy they had a national writer who said he was never a baseball player, he was a guy who could hit homers and steal bases....now his power is to medium left.....can't run......never hits behind a runner and never brings one in from 3rd.....things we've all seen.......
Bruce,
Do you think the Cubs may look to add another starter before the deadline? And Pedro chatter?
The Cubs looked at Pedro at Pedro's request. The Cubs will start by taking a look at B.J. Ryan. They'll try to sign him to a minor-league deal. They'll continue to look for bullpen help, but I don't see them looking to add a starting pitcher.
Bruce, I view the Cubs as having a nice rotation but one absent of a true ace. Zambrano is a #2 who is prone to losing his control at any given moment. He's not the guy I would want to rely upon if it were a must win game. Dempster was a #2 last year but more like a #3-4 this year for a championship calibar team. He's subject to control issues which he displayed last year in his start against the Dodgers. Lilly is a gamer and has proven the ability to stop a losing streak. However, he's a flyball pitcher and prone to giving up HR's for that reason. In a low scoring contest when 1-2 runs will determine the outcome, he's not a guy I'd feel comfortable with when the opposition is throwing their ace against the Cubs....Halladay, Lincecum, Haren, Santana...etc. Wells has been great, but he's a rookie who was rather unremarkable though solid in the minors. Maybe the book just isn't out on him yet. And Harden has simply been terrible this year. Had he not hit 94 on the radar gun in his last start, I'd be wondering if his elbow and shoulder were sound.
That being said, with all the talk about Roy Halladay and the Cardinals for one team, having heavy interest in acquiring his services (makes a Cub fan shudder to think about it), have the Cubs expressed the least bit of interest in him? Any inkling or discussion whatsover? Would they consider the possibility do you think in dealing for a true ace to pitch in game one of the post season, and what do you suspect it would require as far as a package of players to get him? I realize they have basically extended their payroll to the budgeted limit before the season began, but Hendry has also said that ownership has always been good in the past about allowing them to go and get an extra piece or two when needed. Does the impending sale make it impossible, or do you think they wouldn't even consider Halladay if the sale goes thru and he's still available? They were going to find the money to get Peavy, so what about Halladay?
not cuz of money. They could have $100 million to spend and they still wouldn't get him.
Cubs just don't have the bullets to pull off a deal. It would take a Vitters-like prospect, but one who is major league ready. Plus one more Vitters like prospect and then a 3rd, middling prospect.
Any offer the Cubs have will be easily trumped by the likes of Philly, STL, LAD, ATL.....and basically any team that would be in on him.
That's not good news for Cubnation. Seems that for a major market team, they never get in on the really big (good) fish. I was thinking that since Toronto is supposedly looking for a SS and young pitching, that the Cubs could send Darwin Barney or Starlin Castro along with some young arms. I know Castro was in the Futures game and among the Cubs top ten prospects. Is their farm system really that inferior to the other teams you listed? I wouldn't mind seeing the Cubs give up the three prospects to get Halladay. I was even thinking they could deal Zambrano if he would approve it, to save payroll and improve the bullpen, as well as get a prospect or two that Toronto might covet. Big Z isn't an "ace" but Halladay and a "back-to-form" Harden would head a very nice rotation.
I can see why the Rockies released Jeff Baker ... any chance the Cubs will look to upgrade at second?
But I do believe Freddy Sanchez is a long, long shot.
Thanks for the respone - and for kindly not correcting me about Baker (traded, not released).
...Hopefully they'll get the 2nd game also, but this first one was big. It means no worse than 3.5 out at the break.
Any truth to Gorden Edes' (yahoo sports) report that the Cubs are in on the Sanchez talks?
I've talked to the Cubs multiple times about this. They don't like the vesting option and they're not sure Sanchez can stay on the field. They had a great relationship with former Pirates GM Dave Littlefield (now a scout for the Cubs). I'm not sure they're finding the Bucs as easy to deal with these days.
I hope he is a better scout then he was a GM.
Bruce,
That doesn't even fit in the bigger booth. I thought they brought in a separate trailer for that.