Cubs failing chemistry?
Lou talked a little bit of everything today, including team chemistry, which he said wasn't the "best" with this Cubs club.
First, the lineup
Theriot, SS
Bradley, RF
Lee, 1B
Ramirez, 3B
Fukudome, CF
Soriano, LF
Fontenot, 2B
Hill, C
Wells, P
Hill gets the start despite this being a day game after a night game.
Lou talked about managing in general and how he keeps things together during tough times.
"I've been fortunate over the years that I've managed," he said. "We've kept distractions far and few between, and also, we've always had relatively good chemistry in the clubhouse. I think probably the best way is just a lot of individual talks more than anything else."
I followed up with a question about the chemistry of this club.
"It hasn't been one of our better mixes," he said.
I'm not sure where chemistry fits in when it comes to a baseball team, especially as it pertains to wins and losses. Usually, winning breeds chemistry. Lou spoke again from experience, saying the Yankees teams he played on in the late 1970s didn't have good off-the-field chemistry, but that they had "wonderful" chemistry on the field.
"Winning has a lot to do with chemistry," he said. "It makes the team come together a lot quicker. Remember, I told you all this spring, we had a big turnover. Sometimes it takes awhile. It doesn't necessarily just fall in your lap. But this hasn't been one of my better chemistry teams. But look, is that the reason we're winning or losing baseball games? No, I don't think so. You can go beyond that."
In the minors last night, Casey Coleman pitched 6 innings and got a no-decision for Tennessee. He gave up 5 hits and 1 run. Tyler Colvin went 2-for-4. The No. 1 draft pick from 2006 has a line of .306./345/.507 for an OPS of .852. He has 11 homers, 16 walks and 48 strikeouts in 268 at-bats.
Jay Jackson, who started the year at Tennessee before a disciplinary demotion to Class A Daytona, lost last night. He's 2-2 with a 1.27 ERA at Daytona. Combined, he's 7-7 with a 2.97 ERA. In 118 innings, he's walked 43 and struck out 119., including 11 last night. He and Coleman are both from last year's draft. Third baseman Josh Vitters, the top pick from 2007, extended his hitting streak to four games for Daytona.
This team was built to win right now as were the 07' and 08' teams with no thought of the future. If they had won I think most fans would have gladly mortgaged the future to win now. How many five year rebuilding plans have we seen over the years and how much patience do we have for another? It was good to see the Cubs spend money instead of going on the cheap. The only problem was the money was not spent wisely so now unless they somehow can rid themselves of the bad contracts they may not even be able to start a rebuilding program or improve the team via free agency. Hopefully Ricketts will let Hendry buy out some of the contracts or pick up some of the salary so they might be able to trade some of these guys. I think Hendry would not have made some of these moves but after the debacles of 03' and 04' and then the Sox of all teams winning the World Series he gambled that he could buy a championship and lost.
Bruce,
Hendry should publically offer to void Bradley's contract if he is legitimately not happy here. He could say, "I understand that Milton Bradley is not happy with playing for the Cubs. Well to tell the truth, we're not all that pleased either. If Milton agrees to it, the Cubs are willing to void the remainder of his contract and allow him to become an unrestricted free agent and he can sign wherever he pleases." That way, he either decides he wants to be here and plays like it and keeps his mouth shut about the fans, or he can just go away. Maybe he can go to San Francisco where it is all about peace and love, and they have a history of harboring malcontents. Cubs can fill that spot either with a combination of Fox, Fuld, Colvin, etc, or sign another player with the money saved.
I don't think Bradley would have to guts to do this, but Cubs would have nothing to lose and he would only have himself to blame if he stay and is not happy.
I don't even know if that is legal, but the players union would have nothing of it. That's just an absurd idea tbh.
Good chemistry in baseball is having a guy who gets on base alot, batting in front of a guy who hits alot of doubles. Has little to do with personalities, as long as you don't have someone who has quit(like the case of Manny with the BoSox). That being said, I have to believe that Bradley has been a major distraction this year and the team might be better with someone else playing his position. If everyone is on pins and needles, then it would be hard to relax enough to perform at top levels. I don't know that this is the case, but that is what the media is fostering.
I think that basically this team needs to be healthy, which means getting Soriano's knee healthy, getting Soto into shape, probably surgery for Ramirez's shoulder, and hopefully getting Zambranos fat butt into shape. You can take a look at him and see that he needs to lose 30 pounds.
I would definitely keep Harden, and I would close the book on Heilman. Any number of guys in the minors can pitch as well as he did this year. The only thing, you have to get something for him if you think he is going to be a type B free agent.
Chemistry has a lot to do with who is mixing the ingrediants.When the Ricketts get rid of these bad mixers don't forget to include the pitching coach.
Remember Pinhead you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him put on swimming trunks.
CHEMISTRY THATS THE BIGGEST WORD YOU USED ALL YEAR LOU AND WE DO BLAME YOU GOOF.
...down for the next couple of years no matter how you look at this. Trades will be extremely difficult because of contract restrictions, back loaded deals will keep rising and you have several players now that look like they may be frequenting the DL more often. On top of that, your rookie of the year completely lost his focus and showed up in terrible physical condition.
The only way you can transform this team for next year is to eat significant dollars to move guys, and that will limit who they can acquire to fill those holes. It may be time to bite the bullit for the next two years and hope the stars align, and concentrate on rehabilitating the baseball organization for future success.
The decisions Ricketts makes later this year will go a long way in determing what happens over the next 4-5 years, so let's hope that involves a new Head of Baseball Operations.
I agree with Don Zimmer, who once said 'good team chemistry is a 2 run double to win a ballgame'. The Cubs' might be missing some respected players, but it's the distractions that have hurt the clubhouse this season (I suspect). First there was Soto coming in out of shape and testing positive for weed. Gerald Perry's unfair dismissal had to tick some of the respected veterans off, especially since it appears the firing did no good. And the Bradley specter, with his constant craving for love and attention and whatever he calls respect, has to wear on a guy. So does your closer blowing game after game. I don't think even Woody and The Great DeRosa could have kept this squad on the straight and narrow after all that.
I gotta think that Bradley is gone, no matter what he hits this year, no matter how they get rid of him. It's a completely failed marriage and really as untenable a situation as Sosa's last days as a Cub.
Bruce, can you confirm the Fox sports story that Heilman was claimed on waivers? If so, would they allow him to leave, take whatever trade they can get or pull him back? I am not sure his contract situation for next year but he I don't see him making an impact for this team the rest of the year or next. It also said Harden was claimed.
On Colvin, what is the feeling about him? His hot streak has lasted over a month now...has his standing in the organization and with scouts gone up or do they still project him as a 4th outfielder? Will they wait until next year to move him to AAA?
The Cubs cannot comment on such things, but they run everybody through waivers. I'm sure teams have claimed both pitchers. They have until Monday to work out trades, let them go (Heilman maybe, Harden no) or pull them back.
On Colvin, I would think they'd wait until next year to move him to AAA. They're cautiously optimistic he's turning the corner. He'll be in spring training with the big club.
Man....what are the odds they could get like a Blake Dewitt 2B/3B from the Dodgers for Harden....Probably dreaming!!!
The demeanor of this team has been a bit off all year. It's not that they aren't good guys (for the most part) and they seem to get along just fine, but a lot of times their heads just aren't in the game. Whether it's turning a double into a single on the base paths by not running hard or not backing a guy up in the OF, this team just seems to lack focus in key situations. Some guys (A. Miles) just don't ever look happy.
I've heard a lot of words like "fire", "desire", "intensity" and others kicked around in trying to determine what this team is missing and it seems like when you watch star players of other teams like Pujols, Ryan Howard, Tejada, etc ALWAYS hustling and setting the tone for the rest of the team it becomes even more noticable that the Cubs just are not doing these things on a consistent basis as a team. When I was listening to Pat on WGN the other day he quoted Pujols as saying something along the lines of "When I hit the ball I assume it's going to be a double until someone makes a play on it and holds me to a single". Many times this year it has appeared the Cubs have hit a ball and assumed it would be a single until someone misplays it.
If players don't want to hustle then they should be sitting on the bench for a game just like Jimmy Rollins was last year in Philly. He learned his lesson and now he busts it on every play regardless of what the perceived outcome is.
Would better chemistry improve the team's .243 BA with RISP? Would it have prevented Gregg from serving up HR's on a first come, first serve basis? As you said, winning cures most everything.
And what I'm assuming out of this is that Lou is talking about Bradley. I'd guess he may turn out to be the fall guy in this disastrous year's result. And while he certainly isn't Mother Therese, despite a terrible start, his .391 OBP is certainly something not easily replaced. Putting him at #2 and Fukudome at #1 (.391 OBP) will set the table nicely for next year.
Instead of concerning himself with the old excuse of chemistry, Lou and Jim might better serve the team and its fans by addressing the problems of Soriano, Soto, Miles, Fontenot, Heilman, Gregg and Marmol.