Random Cubs Musings

[imb]

http://news.sportslogos.net/2013/04/30/mariners-cubs-turn-back-to-1909-on-june-29th/

 

Love throwback days.

 

Those seattle hats are great

[Hairyducked Idiot]

So we're 5th in MLB in HRs, we're getting some production from C and 3b, our relief pitching fWAR is 17th.

 

So we basically managed to fix everything from last year and find a whole new set of holes.

[Guest]

So we're 5th in MLB in HRs, we're getting some production from C and 3b, our relief pitching fWAR is 17th.

 

So we basically managed to fix everything from last year and find a whole new set of holes.

 

24th/28th/10th/14th in the slash stats. We're also 30th in BB%.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=rel&lg=all&qual=0&type=3&season=2013&month=0&season1=2013&ind=0&team=0,ts&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0

 

Our bullpen is 29th in net WPA at -2.22. The Mets have inched past us right now for -2.24. The league average is about +0.7, so we're already three wins in the hole against average with our bullpen (after last year's total of -7.5 against average). We'd be .500 with an average bullpen.

 

I know that it would have been extremely lucky for our pitching rotation to be completely healthy at this point, but dang it would have been awesome to have Fujikawa and Feldman in the pen all along.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

http://deadspin.com/the-reds-auctioned-off-a-ball-covered-in-jeff-samardzij-489302836

[Schwarber Fan]

Ian Stewart has deleted his Twitter account, apparently after trash taking AAA umps on it.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Ian Stewart has deleted his Twitter account, apparently after trash taking AAA umps on it.

 

What a clown.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

So much for regression to the mean for the bullpen. After last year's -5.93 WPA (30th in MLB, about 8-9 wins below the league average), they've managed to be on pace to be more than twice as bad this year.

 

-2.93 WPA, again 30th in the league, and already almost four wins below the league average.

[KingCubsFan]

I know it's early in the season, but found this interesting. The ghost of Hendry continues to haunt:

 

BB% among Theo-acquired players:

Valbuena: 11%

DeJesus: 9.1%

Rizzo: 8.6%

Schierholtz: 6.7%

 

BB% among Hendry-era players:

Barney: 11.6%

Soriano: 3.4%

Castro: 3%

Castillo: 1.1%

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Ian Stewart is kind of AWOL?

 

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2013/05/04/where-oh-where-is-ian-stewart/article

[Guest]

Was just browsing stats and saw that Adam Dunn is batting .143 with just a .590 OPS. Fortunately for him, he dwarfs the production the sox are getting from new teammate Jeff Keppinger with a line of .182/.182/.206/.388. Keppinger has a stellar K/BB ratio of 20/0.

[Sammy Sofa]

Ian Stewart is kind of AWOL?

 

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2013/05/04/where-oh-where-is-ian-stewart/article

 

What an idiot.

[jersey cubs fan]

Ian Stewart is kind of AWOL?

 

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2013/05/04/where-oh-where-is-ian-stewart/article

 

Well, he has leave to go for 72 hours so he's not AWOL. Although he's made it fairly clear he's not the least bit interested in getting back to the major leagues.

[KingCubsFan]

Ian Stewart is kind of AWOL?

 

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2013/05/04/where-oh-where-is-ian-stewart/article

At this point there's no sense in keeping him in the organization. Between Valbuena, Vitters and Lake, there's no room for him in the majors or AAA.

[Hawk4Hall]

I agree there is no reason to keep Stewart in the organization. He's just a bad baseball player and the 3B situation is better than most thought it would be. Myself included.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Stewart not in the clubhouse for either game yesterday:

 

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20130505/SPORTS1402/130505008/Chicago-reliever-Fujikawa-solid-as-Iowa-Cubs-finally-get-back-to-baseball?Sports

[neely crenshaw]

Sounds like the paper is blowing things out of proportion. Doesn't seem like the manager was expecting him nor does it sound like he is AWOL. He probably has some things to take care of. It's different being on a rehab assignment and moving to AAA full time. He was probably living out of a suitcase. It sounded like he was ok with it, knew it was coming and knows he needs it. He probably has to get some things in order where ever he lives full time, and get things for an extended stay in Des Moines. If he was so upset that he would go "awol" why would he have excepted the assignment. It's well known I have never been a Stewart fan, but for this to be the time for guys to turn on him seems odd. It sure seems he's not doing anything idiotic.

[Guest]

Today is the 15th anniversary of Kerry Wood's 20 K game.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Sounds like the paper is blowing things out of proportion. Doesn't seem like the manager was expecting him nor does it sound like he is AWOL. He probably has some things to take care of. It's different being on a rehab assignment and moving to AAA full time. He was probably living out of a suitcase. It sounded like he was ok with it, knew it was coming and knows he needs it. He probably has to get some things in order where ever he lives full time, and get things for an extended stay in Des Moines. If he was so upset that he would go "awol" why would he have excepted the assignment. It's well known I have never been a Stewart fan, but for this to be the time for guys to turn on him seems odd. It sure seems he's not doing anything idiotic.

 

The manager has to be very careful ripping Stewart in public for doing something he's allowed to

do by the CBA.

 

But voluntarily missing four games just because you can, when you are already with the team, is very odd behavior for a guy trying to earn his way back to the big leagues. Unless there's a very good explanation we don't know about, like a sick family member or something, then it cannot be going over very well behind closed doors with the front office, coaches or teammates.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I'm not sure what he could be griping about. He plays one position. That position is being filled pretty well by a guy who holds his spoon in the same hand as he does.

 

With his salary guaranteed, it could be that he's as passive aggressively hoping to get cut and picked up by another team, thus having his cake and eating it too. Even if nobody's willing to give up anything for him, he could be very intriguing for the price of a roster spot.

[mul21]

Today is the 15th anniversary of Kerry Wood's 20 K game.

 

I hate you. Stop reminding me of how long ago I was in college.

[Guest]

Today is the 15th anniversary of Kerry Wood's 20 K game.

 

I hate you. Stop reminding me of how long ago I was in college.

 

I similarly felt ridiculously old when I read that (though I was in high school then).

[Guest]

Today is the 15th anniversary of Kerry Wood's 20 K game.

 

I hate you. Stop reminding me of how long ago I was in college.

 

I similarly felt ridiculously old when I read that (though I was in high school then).

Past high school

Past undergrad

Past grad

Well into work career.

 

Y'all be youngsters

[Guest]

It was my freshman year of high school

[Hairyducked Idiot]

I was a junior, and I had computer lab in 7th period, so I checked ESPN Sports Zone and they had him at 15 Ks through 7 or whatever it was. I sprinted home and caught the 9th inning.