By Marty Gangler
In a city of knee-jerk reactions where moods shift with single plays and the prospects for entire seasons are judged on single games, the first week of the Cubs’ 2007 campaign can be summed up like this: Here we go, same old Cubs; Wow, these guys are good; Christ, these guys stink; Damn, we got something here; Hell yes, what’s the magic number; they’ll never put it all together, they suck.
After a week’s worth of games the Cubs are 3-3, can’t steal a base, can’t get consistent relief pitching, are shakier in the field than Michael J. Fox, and can’t decide who to bat second in the lineup. Still, they are just one game back of division leaders Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. In other words, they’re still in it.
It’s interesting to note (if only for potential drinking game possibilities) that Lou Piniella has already bat four players second in just six games: Matt Murton (twice), Jacque Jones (twice), Cesar Izturis, and Ryan Theriot. Collectively, they are hitting .167. Maybe Piniella can skip the second spot in the lineup from here on out and just go from Soriano to Derrek Lee and bat two guys eighth. I think this will work.
A lot has been said about Lou’s mound “visit” to closer Ryan Dempster in the ninth inning against the Reds. It had to be the shortest visit I have ever seen. It really wasn’t even much of a visit, it was more of a mound drive-by. I’m not sure that Lou ever stopped moving. It’s kind of like when old people powerwalk in the mall get to a door – they just kind of make an abrupt U-turn without breaking stride. Maybe Lou told Dempster to throw some damn strikes because they run out of fried shrimp pretty quick at the Old Country Buffet and he wanted to get there soon. Whatever he said, it worked. This time.
Some other notes from Week 1:
* In Rich Hill’s start this week there were two throwing errors by the Cubs and two infield fly rule outs in the same inning. With any other team that would be a record, but with the Cubs, who knows.
* Ryan Theriot is Augie Ojeda but just a little taller.
* Aramis Ramirez has already had more hustle plays this year than he has in his entire pre-Lou career.
–
Second Basemen Report: Looks like Mark DeRosa might be bringing stability to a position that hasn’t had it since Ryne Sandberg retired, then came back, and then retired again. DeRosa leads the team in homers, RBI, and games played at second base – six of six.
Theriot has seen time in left field too, giving the Cubs at times three second basemen in the game at the same time, including Soriano and DeRosa. If you count Ronnie Cedeno coming off the bench, the Cubs once again have more players on the roster than anyone else who can play perhaps the least important position on the field.
In former Cub second basemen news, Todd Walker was released by the Padres and picked up by the A’s. He isn’t the starter and has only played one game thus far. He is missed.
On a side note, my wife’s new favorite player is DeRosa because he is apparently good-looking enough to replace the heartthrob Walker.
Sweet and Sour Lou: 63% sweet, 37% sour. Starting pitching makes Lou a little happier but as walks mount, look out.
Mount Lou: Five games until eruption. He’s just one more passed ball and two more baserunning blunders away.
Beachwood Sabermetrics: Through a complicated statistical analysis including runs allowed, walks given up, and times pointing toward the heavens, we at The Cub Factor have deduced that betting against Carlos Zambrano on Opening Day is a sure thing.
Over/Under: Michael Barrett’s passed balls next week/1.5.
Posted on April 9, 2007