Settling for silver
On this day when Chicago's Olympic dreams were dealt a first-round KO, Lou talked of the Cubs finishing second in the NL Central and what they might learn from it. We'll get to that, and I'll point you to my Daily Herald colleague Lindsey Willhite's take on Carlos Zambrano in his blog today:
http://blogs.dailyherald.com/node/2696
D-Lee isn't here again today as he tends to some personal issues. Lou says he'll be back tomorrow.
Lineup
Fuld, CF
Fukudome, RF
Ramirez, 3B
Fox, 1B
Baker, 2B
Scales, LF
Hill, C
Blanco, SS
Gorzelanny, P
On the Olympics, Lou had this to say: "That's a shame. The city of Chicago would have been a wonderful host. It's a shame that the city got eliminated, especially so quick. Great sports town and would have offered the international community a great venue."
On where he'd be in 2016, Lou said: "Seven years from now, I'm going to be in Montenegro. I've always wanted to go there since I saw that James Bond movie. I've always wanted to go there. It's amazing how you learn things from movies. You want to do things. I remember when I was young and in the Carolina League, I went to see the move 'Hud' with Paul Newman. As soon as I left the theater, I went to have a Jack Daniel's and water. I've had my share during my career."
Jeff Samardzija had the best line about Rio potentially winning before the annoucement became official: "Rio? Oh man, need to put some fences up, huh? That (stinks). I've been to a lot of cities, but Chicago's the best."
But seriously, the Cubs and Diamondbacks, who met just two years ago in the NLDS, are going nowhere this fall. The D'Backs are last in the NL West while the Cubs are second in the NL Central.
"The positives are that you remember the good times from last year, and you remember how much of a struggle this year has been, and you want to get yourself back to that (2008 level). That means for some of these guys working hard over the winter. For all these guys, thinking what they need to do for next year to get back to where we were. This year here, it was a struggle for us. But to these guys' credit in the clubhouse, we've been able to hold it together and keep it respectable. It could have gotten away.
"You look at the list of players that I have here on my desk and the amount of time that they missed, if somebody would have told all of you this, especially myself and my staff, you'd have shuddered a little bit. You're talking about 40 percent of our roster. All of them key people and at the same time, all for at least a month apiece. Difficult. Difficult. We're going to finish the season respectable. We're going to finish in second place in our division and over .500. It's not what we wanted coming out of spring training, but in a way, you can be somewhat thankful."
Enjoy the ballgame.
Why does a guy need rest with 2 games left and no place to finish but where they are?
Too tired carrying all that money around, I suppose.
Get a grip, folks.
Cubs right now would be picking in the top half of the draft in 2010, which means if they sign a Type A free agent, they do NOT lose that first round draft pick.
The team behind them is the White Sox, but they are locked in there.
Cubs are only 1/2 game "ahead" of the Mariners and Rays. If they lose and the Cubs win, the Cubs would pick 16th or 17th, and if they were to sign a Chone Figgins, they would lose that pick.
Please Lou, play a terrible lineup! Take Aram out!
What is the point in running him out there with a bad shoulder? It makes no sense to play him and continue to risk further injury when this season is long since done. I would love to hear the organization's rationale for continuing to play him.
Because he's your starting third baseman. He plays the position better than anyone else on the team, has had a great year for the time he's been healthy. Why NOT start your best option everyday instead of laying down and calling the rest of the season meaningless.
The rest of the season is meaningless. Ramirez is too important to this team next season to be running him out there and risking further injury. His shoulder needs rest to heal and there is no reason whatsoever to prolong his recovery at this point. He is another asset that the Cubs aren't protecting.
People can't play both sides of the fence. If you are going to say not to start a guy in the rain, then the Cubs should shut Ramirez down, and if he needs surgery GET IT DONE ASAP. That way he can rehab all winter long, and come back 100%. What good does it do to play right now? Last time I checked, I didn't see Arizona being in contention. That would be one thing, but these games mean absolutely nothing.
Baker can play third or they can roll out Fontenot.
Bruce,
Seen Tejada's name a couple of times this week - both local reporters as well as national. His .314 avg. 14 homers and 85 rbis as a SS playing in his walk year must have people wondering if he's the RBI guy Lou is looking for.
Pluses: free agent, played SS as well as Theiot in 2009, facilitates moving Theriot to 2B, .800 OPS, durable (played 150 games or more in 10 of last 11 seasons)
Minuses: 36, his stats are heavily padded by playing 81 games at Minute Maid (879 OPS at home, 713 on the road), never been a high OBP guy
Your thoughts?
Cubs were heavily interested a few winter meetings ago, when Tejada was with Baltimore and on the block. I could see them feeling him out, depending on how much he's looking for.
... probably not the way Tom Gorzelanny wanted to pitch in his final 2009 start considering he's a "bubble" guy for the 2010 rotation.
Just being rested?
Theriot being rested.