The Heart of the Matter

[Magnetic Curses]

one of the key existing problems with the cubs is somewhat hard to see because it's not conventional, this would also be a problem with any team.

 

the first problem is that the pitching is terrible, that much we can see. the second problem is where hendry's organizational philosophy comes in.

 

our hitters put the ball in play too much. that's the problem and it's part of our philosphy, much like billy beane's organizational philosphy is based on IsoD. hendry thinks that putting the ball in play more than any other team will amount to runs when this couldn't be further from the truth.

 

putting bad pitches into play has ruined our season. this year's cubs have proven that strikeouts aren't the worst kind of outs one can make, 1-2 pitch bounce-outs are.

 

hendry's philosphy of aggression at the plate is very similar to dusty's philosphy, which has made them such a great and terrible pair. hendry doesn't want to fire dusty, as dusty comes as close to following hendry's ideals in baseball as any manager jim can find. thusly, hendry will find any way to retain dusty, i don't think he'll be able to justify it, and don't believe it will happen, but even now hendry is searching for an excuse.

 

too many balls in play make for a very bad team. there's simply not enough line drives or bases on balls. no hitters on base and no extra base hits. not a good philosophy to follow.

[NewUserName]

The last time I looked the Cubs were close to last in the league in KOs. I just threw this out there to enhance your point.

 

I remember a couple of years ago people making the big mistake of complaining that we struck out too much. While I agree that there is times that you should shorten your stroke and make sure you make contact with 2 strikes. Those times are very limited though. Most of the time you would be a much better hitter if you took a normal cut with 2 strikes and maybe take a chance that a good pitchers pitch is a ball and take it.

[Soriano12]

very good points.

 

I like to also add that they haven't had any huge productions from the farm system.

 

 

Even big spenders like the yankees and redsox have some young guys that

come up and give them play comparable to that off a veteran making around 10 mil a season.

 

 

Yankees have Robinson Cano

 

Red Sox have Papelbon and Lester

 

Also don't forget the White Sox spent big in route to a World Series but their bullpen and possibly season was saved when Jenks filled in for Hermanson and pitched like a 5 time all star.

 

 

The reality is that the Cubs have a salary cap(the Tribune budget) if

payroll remains constant they will have 25 million freed up after this season. But don't forget they need to lock up Zambrano and will probably have to re-work Aram's deal(add 3-5 mil/season extra)

Combine that with their intent to re-sign Pierre you are looking at 1 major FA at best this offeason. Don't get your hopes up.

 

Because they don't have a bottomless supply of $$(and even if Hendry did he wouldn't know what to do with it) they need a shot in the arm from the

minors(or one of the young pitchers up now)

 

They need a position player that can come in and hit 30-35 HR's or a

pitcher that can win 15-18 games.

 

Both scenariors are long shots(but Rich Hill's stuff is so nasty at times I might put him down for winning 15 in 07).

[cubweiser03]

You cant hit into the double play striking out or walking.

There, thats my Dustyism for the day.

[C.C.]

very good points.

 

I like to also add that they haven't had any huge productions from the farm system.

 

 

Even big spenders like the yankees and redsox have some young guys that

come up and give them play comparable to that off a veteran making around 10 mil a season.

 

 

Yankees have Robinson Cano

 

Red Sox have Papelbon and Lester

 

Also don't forget the White Sox spent big in route to a World Series but their bullpen and possibly season was saved when Jenks filled in for Hermanson and pitched like a 5 time all star.

 

 

The reality is that the Cubs have a salary cap(the Tribune budget) if

payroll remains constant they will have 25 million freed up after this season. But don't forget they need to lock up Zambrano and will probably have to re-work Aram's deal(add 3-5 mil/season extra)

Combine that with their intent to re-sign Pierre you are looking at 1 major FA at best this offeason. Don't get your hopes up.

 

Because they don't have a bottomless supply of $$(and even if Hendry did he wouldn't know what to do with it) they need a shot in the arm from the

minors(or one of the young pitchers up now)

 

They need a position player that can come in and hit 30-35 HR's or a

pitcher that can win 15-18 games.

 

Both scenariors are long shots(but Rich Hill's stuff is so nasty at times I might put him down for winning 15 in 07).

 

See I don't believe the Cubs will resign Pierre. I think he'll get a 3-4 year deal somewhere else. I think the Cubs are sold on Pie for the 2nd half of 2007 or 2008.

[stitchface]

I don't really agree with this. Putting the ball in play is better than striking out. While this is a secondary consideration to obp, I would rather have the guy that doesn't strike out over the guy that does given that their other offensive statistics are the same (IsoD in particular). the cubs need to increase obp and slugging. its not any more complicated than that. if they decrease ks and maintain IsoD, that would increase obp and SLp

[stitchface]

billy beane's organizational philosphy is based on IsoD

 

I don't think that's exactly true either. Beane's philosophy is to pursue undervalued players. IsoD used to be what was undervalued (and still is by some organizations).

[NewUserName]

I would say that increasing OBP would increase KOs. Probably would go hand in hand.

 

I dont believe that we need to be striking out the most in the league or anything. Sulleys points of use taking shortened swings on 1-2 counts is correct. This is a bad approach except for some limited game situations.

 

KO is not nearly as bad as an offensive stat than low obp or slugg percentage.

[stitchface]

I would say that increasing OBP would increase KOs. Probably would go hand in hand.

 

I dont believe that we need to be striking out the most in the league or anything. Sulleys points of use taking shortened swings on 1-2 counts is correct. This is a bad approach except for some limited game situations.

 

KO is not nearly as bad as an offensive stat than low obp or slugg percentage.

 

not necessarily. pujols and bonds both walk a lot and don't strike out much. I agree wholeheartedly with your last sentence. I just don't think the focus of improving the cubs offense should be putting the ball in play less - that's not the problem. in fact, I think how frequently a player ks should be more or less ignored in light of other more pertinent statistics.

[goonys evil twin]

I would say that increasing OBP would increase KOs. Probably would go hand in hand.

 

I dont believe that we need to be striking out the most in the league or anything. Sulleys points of use taking shortened swings on 1-2 counts is correct. This is a bad approach except for some limited game situations.

 

KO is not nearly as bad as an offensive stat than low obp or slugg percentage.

 

not necessarily. pujols and bonds both walk a lot and don't strike out much. I agree wholeheartedly with your last sentence. I just don't think the focus of improving the cubs offense should be putting the ball in play less - that's not the problem. in fact, I think how frequently a player ks should be more or less ignored in light of other more pertinent statistics.

 

The Cubs shouldn't go out and find players who put the ball in play less frequently. That would be as dumb as their previous wish to find guys who put it in play more often. That shouldn't be a topic. Production is all that matters, and Ks have nothing to do with it.

[Magnetic Curses]

I don't really agree with this. Putting the ball in play is better than striking out. While this is a secondary consideration to obp, I would rather have the guy that doesn't strike out over the guy that does given that their other offensive statistics are the same (IsoD in particular). the cubs need to increase obp and slugging. its not any more complicated than that. if they decrease ks and maintain IsoD, that would increase obp and SLp

 

few and far between are the players who have high OBP's and few strikeouts. strikeouts are an example of a symptom, a symptom of working deep into counts and taking questionable pitches that some umpires will ring you up on. i don't believ in protecting the plate with 2 strikes, it's stupid, especially with a full count. you have a better chance of getting to first base by letting a close pitch go and betting that the ump will call it a ball, inducing a walk, then you do by slapping at it.

 

players who don't strikeout but walk a lot are called hall of fame players, guys who just aren't that common.

 

shrink the strike zone, make the pitcher throw the pitch to you, rather than you swinging at his pitch. you will have a better OBP, a better SLG, and probably be a much more effective player.

 

albert pujols and vlad guerrero are examples of good bad-pitch hitters, there aren't many of them, and you certainly can't field a team full of them.

 

give me a regular old strikeout artist that walks 80-100 times per year, and hits above .450 SLGing and i'll score runs.

[Magnetic Curses]

I would say that increasing OBP would increase KOs. Probably would go hand in hand.

 

I dont believe that we need to be striking out the most in the league or anything. Sulleys points of use taking shortened swings on 1-2 counts is correct. This is a bad approach except for some limited game situations.

 

KO is not nearly as bad as an offensive stat than low obp or slugg percentage.

 

not necessarily. pujols and bonds both walk a lot and don't strike out much. I agree wholeheartedly with your last sentence. I just don't think the focus of improving the cubs offense should be putting the ball in play less - that's not the problem. in fact, I think how frequently a player ks should be more or less ignored in light of other more pertinent statistics.

 

nor was that suggested by me. i don't simply want players who put the ball in play less, i want players who put it in play more effectively.

 

the problem i have is with the cubs' philosophy of "just put the ball in play"-or total plate aggression. the object should not be to just put the ball in play, the object should be to put it in play well when it is put in play.

 

a result may be less balls put in play or more strikeouts...that's life. i think hendry and dusty have proven overwhelingly that simply reducing strikeouts does not lead to increasing run production.