High Times
Do you want to know how you can tell that your team is having a strong year? No? Well, too bad–I’m going to tell you anyway. Among other things, it is the fact that somebody actually cares about some exhibition game in upstate New York Had this been say, 1997, Cub fans would just have been grateful that their team was congregating to play ball somewhere and that it wasn’t going to be on TV.
Reed Johnson has hit 45 career home runs, and four of them have come in two seperate interleague weekend series involving the Cubs and Blue Jays in Toronto on Fathers Day weekend, five years apart. Up yours, Jayson Stark! Put that in your quirky stat-pipe and smoke it. Johnson’s homered off of Kerry Wood and Roy Halladay but, just to make sure that it’s not just some fluky thing involving quality pitchers, he’s also homered off of Sean Estes and Mark Guthrie. To further draw out this parallel, I was at Arlington yesterday for the first time since that Father’s Day in ‘03 when Johnson hit the walk-off to beat us. And, like in 2003, I failed to hit on a single goddamn winning pony.
quick aside–Hole E. Shite, that 2003 Cubs lineup would lose 9-2 against this year’s Cub team. Every. Single. Time.
Speaking of Johnson, it looks like Lou’s going to commit to pencilling him at the top of the order on a pretty much everyday basis. I say the smarter play would be to have Reed leadoff against lefties and bat him further down in the order and have Fukudome lead off versus righties, but what the hell do I know? I put peanut butter in my oatmeal for breakfast. Honest. I do, and lemme tell you–IT’S AWESOME.
I know we’re only talking about a two week-period here, but these are the June numbers for the centerfield platoon of Johnson and Jim Edmonds:
344/.371/.578 (.949 OPS), 2 HR, 18 RBI, 2 stolen bases, and a game-tying, ninth-inning home run and game-winning, walk off HBP
That’s more production out of this Lassie Vag Face than Aramis Ramirez, Derrek Lee, Kosuke Fukudome, Geovany Soto, and Alfonso Soriano. In other words, “everybody”. Not bad for two players who were picked up off the scrap heap.
Finally, Friday’s winning pitcher, AJ Burnett, has apparently been expressing his desire to come to the Cubs. As the season evolves, it’s becoming clear that the biggest question mark on this team is the quality and depth of its rotation. Zambrano’s a top ace, sure, and Dempster’s having what is increasingly looking like a career year. Then there’s Lilly who–at this juncture–gives the Cubs a “soft” Top 3, and then the depth is questionable, what with Marquis’ unevenness and Sean Gallagher’s under-ripeness. Burnett sounds like an upgrade. Sure, he’s about as sturdy as model train station made out of toothpicks, but when he’s healthy, Burnett’s a hell of a lot better than at least Jason Marquis–shoot, he’d probably have been killed by now if he’d have given up as many hits Marquis has–and Burnett could still prove to be an upgrade over Ted and his “preppy murderer”-ish good looks. Sure, everyone’s keeping their eyes on CC Sabbathia, but it’s probably more realistic to see the Cubs’ upgrade involving a pitcher a cut below CC’s level.
You’d also be dealing with Toronto, an American League team. If any team has proven an ability to produce designated hitters, it’s been the Cubs, right?
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StPatrick
PenFoe
BigFlax
Bocaj
Ted and his “preppy murdererish good looks”. That’s perfect. And what’s with that hopping on the mound whenever someone gets a hold of one? Stop that! It’s very ‘Bad News Bearish”.
“Hole E. Shite, that 2003 Cubs lineup would lose 9-2 against this year’s Cub team. Every. Single. Time.”
Not only true, but the most awesome thing I will read all day.
The Cubs have close to nothing to order for those calliber pitchers.
Ya know you’ve got a good team when players talk to the media about wanting to be traded here. As far as Sabbathia, that other Chicago team is going to need to go on a tear or the Indians will have to hit the absolute cellar for them to start selling and I don’t really see either scenario happening before the trade deadline. The AL Central is gonna be a tight race until mid September and I’m not counting out any team besides the Royals. If there’s a team selling I don’t see any pitcher that wouldn’t drop his no trade clause (if he has one) to come here and the Cubs have more than enough to trade to get who they want.
Matt Murton, DH/starting left fielder for your (insert team name here).
The only other concern I have is the use of Marmol. He’s been used in quite a few blowouts and is on pace for over 100 innings this year. His pitches will be flat by time the end of the season rolls around if he keeps being used like he has been.
Seriously? Matt Murton is what you came up with? Um…
Yes, Murton along with some other players. I didn’t think I’d need to go over every damn possible player we could give up do get a point across. I do? Ok.
Jake Fox will be signing autographs with Ronnie Cedeno and the infamous Sam Fuld at your local Kia Dealer during their “Summer Deal Days” extravaganza! Not enough? Throw in Marshall or Hill because some team will have enough faith that they can come around under a new pitching coach. Trade any prospect you can right now in order to win this year.