Dusty Says

I always seem to be in a better mood after a nice win. As a fan of Chicago sports I hate to be saying this but:

THE CLEVELAND INDIANS ARE ONLY 7 GAMES BACK AND THE TWINS ARE RIGHT BEHIND AT 9.5 GAMES BACK, AND YOU KNOW WHAT I COULDN’T BE HAPPIER

I don’t dislike the White Sox as a team, I just hold a little grudge for all those fans who were hoping in 2003 that the Cubs would fail in a spectacular manner, and the Cubs obliged. If the Sox somehow don’t make the playoffs this year it will be THE MOST REMARKABLE COLLAPSE IN SPORTS HISTORY!

I have said all along this year that the White Sox were playing well above their heads, more so than the Washington Nationals. The Sox were benefitting from a group of pitchers all pitching way over their heads for a long stretch of time, and some timely hitting. They are finally regressing and boy are they regressing pretty fast.

More than the likely the White Sox will make the playoffs,they have a 92% chance of making it. No one really expects them to go very far, not even Sox fans as a result of their dramatic crash back to Earth. That is why I am hoping that they find a way to miss the playoffs in spectacular fashion and then 1969 will be moved to second place as the worst collapse in Chicago Baseball History. Also it should be fun to watch Ozzie Guillen’s head explode when trying to explain the collapse to the press.

It seems to me that Corey and Dusty are becoming scape goats for this years underachieving Cubs squad. In 2004 the scape goats were injuries, Latroy, and a little bit of Dusty, but the Cubs still finished with a better record than their 2003 division championship record so we couldn’t be so unhappy.

This year seems to be different. With the Red Sox winning the World Series last year it would seem Cubs fans, myself included, expect this team to win now. No more curse talk, its a realistic goal, just look at the Red Sox. With 38 games left, I still hold out hope that the Cubs can somehow slide their way into the playoffs although its not likely, the cubs are back to about a 1.6% postseason odds down from 2.8% after their brilliantly play against the Cards and Astros.

With our playoff hopes dwindling, I hear the incessant raving about “FIRING DUSTY” or “TRADING KOREY”, and it makes me sick. Maybe it is comforting to put the blame on somebody, that way we can direct our anger in their direction.

Dusty does have a very distinct managing style, and yes I have been critical at times, but I can not argue with the success he has had, even this season. Again the Cubs were plagued with injuries and we traded away are too biggest run producers in Sosa and Alou. We replaced them with Jeromy Burnitz and Todd Hollandsworth. Although Burnitz has performed beyond expectations, we all knew that Hollie shoud have been on the bench, because thats what he is best at. He provides that pop in a pinch that is essential for any Championship team, remember what he did to us in 2003.

Then came the injuries to Wood, Prior, Borowksi and Nomar. Dusty was forced to use a Neifi as a starter, and although Neifi! raised our hopes, he is not a starter he is a bench player. The injuries to the pitchers forced Dusty to make a choice and he moved Dempster to the starting rotation. It was a debateable choice, but Dempster had been great as a starter and Dusty took a gamble that Latroy would be able to defeat his mental demons. As we all know he wasn’t, and Dempster has been a great closer since being put into that role, but who knows what would have happened if he had been closer from the beginning. Maybe he would have failed too, maybe the starting helped with his endurance, the fact is no one knows what would have been had Dusty made some different choices, or has some of our big names not gotten injured. I’ll stick with Dusty and support him unless he does something really dumb like starting Jose Macias in place of Derek Lee at 1b for the rest of the year, that would actually prove he has lost his mind or that Jose has some really damaging pictures of Dusty.

Now onto the Corey bashing. This really hurts me. Corey is one of the good guys out there, he’s not outspoken, he’s quiet and seems to be uncomfortable in the spotlight. People seem to take this as meaning he doesn’t care. I haven’t seen anything about Corey that shows he doesn’t care, you never see him dog a defensive play like Andruw Jones once did. He’s not very showy like Jim Edmonds, Corey just goes about his job. Everyone seems to be on the trade corey bandwagon right now, I was once, I was frustrated by his constant striking out, but then I took a step back and realized he needs a chance. I remember the Corey of 2003 that carried that ball club offensively for awhile, he was the same Corey. I remember his 17th inning blast against the Brewers, which was incidentally Todd Wellemeyer’s best relief appearance ever and first career save. After I took my step back I realized he is only a year and a half removed from the injury and no doubt not the same player offensively.

I am not predicting greatness out of Corey, but I am preaching patience. I don’t expect him to become a superstar, but who knows he may be. Many guys have come up with a world of praise, faltered a little bit, only to be traded and become superstars. Other guys have come up and been world beaters, like Ken Griffey Jr., who Corey was most often compared to, and fallen off after a trade only to regain their superstar form later in their career. Let’s look at the positives here, Corey is looking a little better since being recalled, he even hit his first HR this year with a man actually on base, and I think Corey can be a solid piece of the puzzle that will be the Cubs future. Whether or not you agree with me is up to you, your opinions on my opinions are welcome and will be debated, the one thing that is certain for now, Corey is here to stay for the next 38 games as are most of the Cubs, barring any waiver deals or injuries, and I will be supporting each one of them including Dusty in hopes that they perform a miracle, or at least finish the year with another winning record. Then we can discuss the hypothetical free agent signings and what nots in the offseason. For now I will be rooting for my Cubs team, because its what I do.

“I just pretty much grounded out,” Patterson said. “You usually go back to the at-bat before, almost the same pitch, and I lined it to third base. That’s just how it goes, and so be it. It’s just a game, you know?”
— Korey Patterson.

Wanna stay?

This week’s traffic statistics are here.

Todd Wellemeyer got the callup this Sunday and John Koronka was sent back to Iowa. Wellemeyer, affectionally called the WS (Walk-Strikeout), is 2-1 with one saved game and a 4.74 ERA with the big club. He was stretched to start in Iowa, and went 3-2 in 12 games.

Take a look at this:

Ah. Makes me feel all giddy.

Again, for those interested in site statistics, this weeks’ line can be found here.

I feel your disappointment.

Part I of II

He has the stuff to be the Cubs’ closer of the future!

How many times have we heard that in the past ten years? Try to remember the number. Three, four? Wrong. The closer role is as vital as a bag of carrots; though, in the modern way of playing baseball, it must be a role well defined and set to an individual.

Through the minor leagues, and even in the major leagues, severe lethal pitchers with arrow fastballs and knee-buckling breaking stuff have joined the spinning wheel that is the Cubs bullpen. Guys like Myers, Gordon, Alfonseca, Veres, Remlinger all have closed games for the Cubs, but all of those were acquired by trades or free agency.

This story, though, will focus on the guys scouts have labeled as the perennial closers of the future (COTF); none of them, at the time of this article, have been able to succeed at that role.

Terry Adams

Draft situation: Fourth round, Cubs pick.

The story: Terry Adams was first called a COTF when he started to develop additional breaking stuff to go with his 98 MPH fastball that used to keep hitters out of control. He got to the Major Leagues pretty soon at age 22, becoming a full-job middle reliever by age 23. However, by the next year he was down again in Iowa working on his mechanics, something that the coaches of the time couldn’t fix; he ended up with an ERA in the high fours and a terrible peripheral set of numbers. Terry came back in 1998 as a vital piece of the Wild Card Cubs even if his role was nothing more than a set up man and not the closer everyone was expecting. His K/9 rate went through the roof, ending at a nice 9.x for the season. Later, a year to be exact, he was slowed down by injuries and started the season on the DL. He did rebound nicely and ended up saving thirteen games for the 99 Cubs. He was traded, then, to the LA Dodgers for a bucket of paint and bombed there in two seasons as a no-role reliever/starter. The Dodgers got fed up of his never-potential-reach and proceeded to ship him to the Phillies; he, then, played for Toronto and Boston, and landed on the Phillies again. He announced his retirement last night and he’s now, at age 32, a former major leaguer, never reaching his potential.

His projection: Watching reality TV shows.

Future role: Parenthood, probably.

Where is he now?: Planning his retirement.

Francis Beltran

Draft situation: International free agent signing.

The story: Francis was always overhyped as the savior of the Cubs’ bullpen. Born in 1980 and still only 25 years old, he has been more time on the DL than any other of the players listed here (okay, except TJ surgeree Will Ohman) and has never actually pitched a complete season in the Major Leagues. His story goes further than you can imagine; he was a Guillermo Mota and Felix Rodriguez teammate in the Dom. Republic, and looked more developed than those two other players according to scouts. He throws a flaming 98 MPH fastball and a 85 MPH slider, and could well be in the plans of any team willing to deal with his injuries. He was part of the deal that sent Nomar Garciaparra to the Cubs, therefore joining the Expos in late 2004. He pitched a disgusting eleven innings for them, after being shut down with tendinitis. He has been on the DL ever since.

His projection: Set up guy, middle reliever with power.

Future role: His fragility might tend to tweak his stuff and he might never end up a closer, but he’s still young enough to be a big part of a bullpen. Remember, he’s still only 25. Patience.

Where is he now?: DL.

Kyle Farnsworth

Draft situation: Forty seventh round pick, Cubs.

The story: Oh, Kyle. That Kyle that has made us angry through the years. The most famous of any COTFs, Kyle throws flames in an indescribable 100 MPH fastball. A late draft pick, he exploded into Rookie ball where he posted a great 0.87 ERA in his first professional year. Kyle is a headcase, to be honest. His arm is one of the most valuable assets of any team he arrives to, but in order to control that batter-plunking expert arm, a good mindset must be obtained. Ever since being moved into the set-up role with the Detroit Tigers, he has been able to control his mind and posted a great ERA in the middle of the season months. He, then, won himself a trade to the Atlanta Braves after tackling a Royals’ pitcher and became, again, the set-up man for the Braves. He’s still valuable as his age shows, but he’s always been and always will be a project for the pitching coach in turn.

His projection: Set-up man, power pitcher, capable closer if mindset is obtained.

Future role: Set-up man.

Where is he now?: Atlanta Braves.

Kerry Wood

Draft situation: First round pick, Cubs.

The story: It’s well known. A great starter turned into reliever in 2005, at least until his injuries fade away. Most Cubs followers would like to see him try the closer role after his first relieving performances of the year; his fastball and slider combination is pure gasoline for a dominating closer. Wood, though, has denied the rumor about him becoming the Cubs’ closer of the future.

His projection: Starter.

Future role: Possibly a closer. Not on the Cubs, though.

Where is he now?: Relieving for the Chicago Cubs.

David Aardsma

Draft situation: First round pick, Giants.

The story: A minor league closer that’s only 22, Aardsma came to the Cubs in the LaTroy deal, that also sent JeroWilliams to the team. Aardsma was a piece of the San Francisco future, often referred to as the puzzle piece missing in an aging bullpen; he’s being stretched back and forth in AA West Tenn right now, waiting in line to see what his role on the Cubs will be. He’s the current COTF.

His projection: Middle reliever, effective, power pitcher-

Future role: Closer, if control somehow develops.

Where is he now?: AA.

Michael Wuertz

Draft situation: Eleventh round, Cubs.

The story: A closer in AAA last year, Wuertz has spent part of the 2005 season in the Major League roster as a middle reliever, and has been rather streaky; he consistently gets hitters out with his great slider, but lacks the fundamental mindset of a closer that is not letting situations blow away. He looks a bit scared on the mound when in pressured situations, and gives up a lot of walks; still, he was part of a COTF campaign by whoever is typing these words and half the Cubs fanatics; though, he started the year fifth in line in the closer royalty.

His projection: AAA closer, middle reliever for a MLB team.

Future role: Set-up man if control finally develops.

Where is he now?: Middle reliever, effective, for the Cubs.

Will Ohman

Draft situation: Eight round pick, Cubs.

The story: A former Pepperdine student, Ohman was named the COTF for the Cubs of the late nineties, when his ability to get righties and lefties on a consistent basis was the word around Cubs scouts everywhere. He had a semi good season in 2004 in Iowa that lead to his promotion in 2005, after he was three years out with Tommy John surgery. He got the closer role in the Winter League in Culiacan, and went 16-for-16 in save opportunities with a great 1.46 ERA, a sign that showed the Cubs that he was ready either for the closer job or a smaller role in the 2005 bullpen. He started the season in AAA but quickly was promoted on the Chad Fox DL; he throws a good 90 MPH and has all the signs of becoming a LOOGY in the future.

His projection: LOOGY.

Future role: LOOGY, closer for smaller leagues.

Where is he now?: Reliever, Chicago Cubs.

Scott Chiasson

Draft situation: Fifth round pick, Kansas City.

The story: The less known of the Cubs’ COTF, Chiasson is a whole story. An article by The Cubs Chronicle explains it better than I could ever:

Scott Chiasson: remember him? He’s the guy the Cubs traded Eric Hinske for; He ‘will throw a simulated game Monday. If all goes well, he could pitch in a game Thursday,’ reports MLB.com. In 2001, Chiasson looked for all the world like the Cubs future closer, putting up a 1.76 ERA at West Tennessee and coming up to the big leagues for a cup of coffee. A disastrous start to the 2002 season eventually led to Tommy John surgery, however, and Chiasson was out all of 2003. He was non-tendered in December, and so is no longer on the 40-man roster. He stuck with the Cubs, though, and hopefully will find a spot in Iowa’s bullpen this year.

He, then, forgot all about the Cubs and joined the Rockies the following spring. I wish him the best.

His projection: Rockies bullpen ace.

Future role: Probably a set-up man, who knows.

Where is he now?: Colorado Rockies minor league system — surprised?

This is a subject I decided to write about while chatting with the guys at the Parachat. This article will eventually move to the features part of the enhanced weblog.