Patterson.....

[OldHappyCubFan]

 

 

On the first pitch he saw, Patterson grounded to second, quickly ending the rally.

 

"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?"

 

Patterson saw only five pitches in four at-bats, going 0-for-4 and stranding six base-runners. Baker said he has not considered benching Patterson, despite a .214 average since his return from Triple-A Iowa. Patterson feels his stroke is returning.

 

"I'm still working at it every day, and I'll get results, like I did today, for me personally," Patterson said.

 

His attitude is starting to get disturbing. The results he brings to the field are horrible. What is this kid's future?

 

Is he bringing anything to the table? Has he made any progress? What are the Cubs gonna do with Corey?

 

Baker gave a suicide squeeze sign in the second inning with Patterson on third, one out, and Mark Prior at the plate. According to Prior, he didn't see Patterson make a break, so he took a full swing, hitting a grounder to second. Patterson was thrown out at home, sliding into catcher Danny Ardoin and coming to a stop well before hitting the plate. The short slide, Baker said, was the result of a bat blocking the plate, but the fundamental issue was the inability to execute the early break from third.

 

"I don't even know if he's ever been involved in a squeeze play," Baker said. "We instruct guys in Spring Training about when to leave, when to do this, when to do that. But the thing about teaching at this level, there's a lot of things that you assume that they already know and were taught.

 

Patterson's other miscue came after he led off the eighth inning with a single to center. Henry Blanco hit a fly ball to left field and Matt Holliday caught Patterson rounding second. Holliday made a rocket of a throw to first, barely catching Patterson for the double play.

 

"He needs improvement," said Baker. "That's one of the things I wanted him to work on when he went down [for a 24-game stretch in Triple-A Iowa in July and August], not just hitting. You need an overhaul on your total game, whether it's baserunning, whether it's getting jumps on balls.

 

"These are things that we wanted him to go down there and work on. That's why I wanted him to talk to Vince [Coleman, the Cubs Minor League baserunning instructor] when he went down about baserunning."

 

Though speed is a skill that can't be "taught," baserunning is among the fundamentals of the game that have played their part in the Cubs' streaky path throughout the season. If the Cubs have a "speed man," it is Patterson, but if they have a running game, it is flawed.

 

Patterson led the club with 32 steals in '04, joining Eric Young and Brian McRae as the only Cubs to steal more than 30 bases in a season over the past 10 years. His lower numbers on the base paths this season are largely a result of his diminished ability to get on base, hitting .233 with a .270 on-base percentage.

 

I get the feeling he acts like theres nothing wrong with his game, and it's just bad luck.

[Mark_R]

"I'm still working at it every day, and I'll get results, like I did today, for me personally," Patterson said.

 

What the heck does this mean?

[Jon]

"I'm still working at it every day, and I'll get results, like I did today, for me personally," Patterson said.

 

What the heck does this mean?

I assume he was referring to making good contact to the left side twice.

 

Am I missing something with that squeeze play? Why did Sullivan blame Corey for it? Wasn't it Prior who pulled the bat back and swung away while Corey did what he was supposed to do? And who is Baker talking about? Corey or Prior?

 

And I'm still amazed with the Cubs coaching staff. You want to send him down to Iowa to work on everything? Did they not realize that the overcoaching wasn't helping here? Corey needed to focus on his hitting, not work with 3 or 4 different coaches every day like he was doing here.

 

Maybe Corey got on Sullivan's bad side. As he admitted, he loves to let his grudges invade his articles.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Another Patterson thread....I'm thrilled! :roll:

[Chris]

Am I missing something with that squeeze play? Why did Sullivan blame Corey for it? Wasn't it Prior who pulled the bat back and swung away while Corey did what he was supposed to do? And who is Baker talking about? Corey or Prior?

 

I'm wondering the same thing. That subject was brought up before the game started. The beat writer was ripping on Corey about fundamentals before the game. His comments were to the point of "MLB players should know the fundamentals by the time they are in MLB." I agree with that to an extent, but just because they should know them then that doesn't mean that you shouldn't go over the basics from time to time.

 

The messed up squeeze play frustrated Dusty but I thought it was Prior's fault. Even with a "late jump" even Len mentioned that Corey just about got hit by the swing.

Edited August 21, 2005 by Chris

[abuck1220]

i like how patterson has become the poster boy for this team's failures...even though he wasn't even w/ the team when they were playing the absolute worst baseball of the season, and some of the worst baseball i've ever seen.

 

i can completely see him traded in the off-season in one of those 'let's rid the team of problem players' moves that paid off so well last off-season.

[dalgreen]

i like how patterson has become the poster boy for this team's failures...even though he wasn't even w/ the team when they were playing the absolute worst baseball of the season, and some of the worst baseball i've ever seen.

 

i can completely see him traded in the off-season in one of those 'let's rid the team of problem players' moves that paid off so well last off-season.

 

I don't think Patterson has become the poster boy for this team's failures. He may in some people's eyes, but that's just being lazy and not looking at the entire team's failures. As a former defender of Patterson's, I can no longer do so. I love the talent, but I can no longer use the "But he's only 25" excuse. I disagree with Baker on a lot, but Patterson does need an overhaul to his game. I think at this point you forget about him being on the 25 man roster, at this point, for the beginning of 2006, and treat him as you would a third or fourth year pro (minor leaguer) player. I place a big part of the blame on the Cubs. I've got a feeling they never taught him the game and thought his talent would just carry him through. I see no baseball smarts with him, and that's an organizational responsibility and partly his too.

[Balsa]

I don't know if anyone watched these games, but Patterson has being doing fine, minus the two baserunning gaffes. He's been hitting the ball hard, just right at people. He's been an excellent fielder, and he's stolen a base (or two?). I know he's beat out one double play for sure. You get rid of him to clean house, and there is some massive scapegoating going on.

[OldHappyCubFan]

I place the losing streaks on inconsistency from the team as a whole. Bad pitching, bad offense.

 

I think the Cubs have a stinky offense, because of Neifi/Corey/Lawton/slumping Burnitz.

 

Neifi: Hes a backup player. He filled in nicely for Nomar, and you cant fault Baker for going with a proven vet, for a team to win. Neifi has a gold glove defense, that is PROVEN. He also did help the team alot in the early part of the season, and Baker wishes he could of rekindled that.

 

Corey: Coreys woes are basically to blame on him. He could easily go to Hendry and say "I need help." Or go to somebody and say that. He could say in the press, and in the conferences, that he isnt getting the job done, and he wants to try hard. He can admit his faults, and fans woulden't hate on him so much. Corey lacks alot in the "common sense" department. For example, if you're struggling, sit on a fastball, or work the pitch count in order to see a fastball. I see pitchers throw him off speed garbage high and away, or low in the dirt, or instead off the plate. If he showed patience, he'd work alot of walks, so that the pitchers would HAVE to give him respect for his eye.

 

Lawton: Ever since coming here hes been stinky. Hasen't done much in speed, obp, or defense. He brings patience though, which is nice for a change.

 

slumping Burnitz: Bad timing. You can't hate the guy, because he hustles, and hes down on himself publicly. Hes honest with everyone (unlike Corey).

 

 

The only untouchable guys are Walker, Lee, Aram, Barre.

 

Walker: Patient sometimes, streaky hitter, but amoung second basemen, hes a good player. Hes pretty underrated.

 

Lee: This guy has saved the entire 2005 season from the abyss.

 

Aram: Consistent hitter. Imagine if his whole season was good. He had a bad start.

 

Barre: Bad defense, questionable pitch calling, but very good offensively, and is good when he shows patience at the plate.

[GaryWoods]

"These are things that we wanted him to go down there and work on. That's why I wanted him to talk to Vince [Coleman, the Cubs Minor League baserunning instructor] when he went down about baserunning."

 

Does it bother anyone else that Vince Coleman is our baserunning instructor? Sure he stole a lot of bases; but that's because he was fast, not because he was a good baserunner. Last I checked you couldn't teach raw speed.

[Satch80]

"I don't know if anyone watched these games, but Patterson has being doing fine, minus the two baserunning gaffes. "

 

I watch every game and Corey is most certainly not doing fine. In the last two days he has come up with the bases loaded twice with absolutely no plan of approach. He is swinging at the first pitch regardless of where it is.

He is not a MLB caliber player at this time with his poor baserunning and complete lack of strike zone recognition.

I am not using him as a scapegoat, there are several liabilities on this team, but Corey is definitely one of them.

[Marco4]

I watch every game and Corey is most certainly not doing fine. In the last two days he has come up with the bases loaded twice with absolutely no plan of approach. He is swinging at the first pitch regardless of where it is.

He is not a MLB caliber player at this time with his poor baserunning and complete lack of strike zone recognition.

I am not using him as a scapegoat, there are several liabilities on this team, but Corey is definitely one of them.

 

Its the swinging at the first pitch thing that gets to me; I know it can work out every now and then, but Corey seems to have slipped back to doing it more of late.

 

Is there any way of getting stats of this so I can see if I'm just noticing it more because I'm looking out for it?

[LoneStarCubFan]

Interesting that Baker is allowing Corey to "work through things" in the majors during a playoff race but guys like Matt Murton and Ronnie Cedeno rot down in Des Moines so players like Macias and Perez can continue to steal money from the Tribune by impersonating professional baseball players.

[Yeti]

 

Patterson's other miscue came after he led off the eighth inning with a single to center. Henry Blanco hit a fly ball to left field and Matt Holliday caught Patterson rounding second. Holliday made a rocket of a throw to first, barely catching Patterson for the double play.

 

 

 

correct me if im wrong (i didnt see this play, only heard it described on the rockies radio broadcast) but wasnt the hit and run on on this play? the rockies announcers sure seemed to think it was on, and if it was you cant really call this a baserunning gaffe, with Corey's speed , on ball caught with the hit and run on, he is pretty much screwed. Corey obviouly has some problems, i am in no way trying to make excuses for him, but lets not hang crap on him when he doesnt deserve it, hes already carrying enough with just the stuff he deserves.

[katway]

Am I missing something with that squeeze play? Why did Sullivan blame Corey for it? Wasn't it Prior who pulled the bat back and swung away while Corey did what he was supposed to do? And who is Baker talking about? Corey or Prior?

 

I'm wondering the same thing. That subject was brought up before the game started. The beat writer was ripping on Corey about fundamentals before the game. His comments were to the point of "MLB players should know the fundamentals by the time they are in MLB." I agree with that to an extent, but just because they should know them then that doesn't mean that you shouldn't go over the basics from time to time.

 

The messed up squeeze play frustrated Dusty but I thought it was Prior's fault. Even with a "late jump" even Len mentioned that Corey just about got hit by the swing.

 

I think Prior had to change his approach when Corey took off late. Prior can only glance over to third briefly, if Corey doesn't get a good jump, then Prior has to make his decision based on that fact. Prior can't continue to observe Corey coming down the line with a pitch headed to the plate. Corey needs to get a good jump and not put Prior in that position.

[katway]

i like how patterson has become the poster boy for this team's failures...even though he wasn't even w/ the team when they were playing the absolute worst baseball of the season, and some of the worst baseball i've ever seen.

 

i can completely see him traded in the off-season in one of those 'let's rid the team of problem players' moves that paid off so well last off-season.

 

Corey is not the poster boy of the team's failure; but, Corey is the poster boy of the typical Cubs player failing to perform up to expectation by playing poor fundamental baseball. He is perhaps the Cubs' player who most limits his ability with his approach and mental gaffes. To only look at 5 pitches in 4 plate appearances last night, going 0 for 4, is simply an awful approach to the game.

 

Corey is not responsible for the totality of the Cubs' awful season; but he may be the poster boy for a poor approach and lack of fundamentals, traits shared by many teamates, and the team traits that are responsible for this talented, but less than .500 ball club.

[Larry Horse]

Maybe Eric Patterson will be good.........

[MembersOnlyJacket]

i like how patterson has become the poster boy for this team's failures...even though he wasn't even w/ the team when they were playing the absolute worst baseball of the season, and some of the worst baseball i've ever seen.

 

i can completely see him traded in the off-season in one of those 'let's rid the team of problem players' moves that paid off so well last off-season.

 

I don't think Patterson has become the poster-boy at all other than amongst the sidewalk fans who don't know any better. However, comments like the following have me continuing to question Corey's perception of reality:

 

“What can you do?” said Patterson, who is 9-for-42 (.214) since his recall from the minor leagues. “I’ll stay right there. I’ll take those at-bats any day. It’s really not about me. It’s about the team collectively. We lost, and it’s tough game. We fought back. We played well.”

 

First pitch hacking four times. He'll accept that ? He'll accept a humpback liner to SS with a man on 3rd/1 out, a pop-up to LF, and a roller to second with the bases-loaded ? That's wrong. That is unacceptable. The club played well last night ? Where does that come from ? Walker misplayed a ball at 2nd, Lawton did the same in left. They failed to execute with runners in scoring position on several occasions.

 

The only two guys who can be proud of their play are D. Lee and Rusch. And, I bet they don't feel they did enough tonight. Meanwhile, Corey is accepting of his play because he made contact four times. Something is wrong.

Edited August 21, 2005 by MembersOnlyJacket

[erik316wttn]

In other news...

 

Dusty called for a suicide squeeze? Holy crap!! :shock: :shock: :shock:

[Warren Brusstar]

 

The messed up squeeze play frustrated Dusty but I thought it was Prior's fault. Even with a "late jump" even Len mentioned that Corey just about got hit by the swing.

 

You must not have been watching the same game that I was watching. In the game that I was watching, Corey was thrown out at the plate despite the fact that Prior hit a ground ball to the right side. How could he have been "just about hit by the swing" and yet still get thrown out on a ground ball to the right side?

Edited August 21, 2005 by Warren Brusstar

[Warren Brusstar]

I don't know if anyone watched these games, but Patterson has being doing fine, minus the two baserunning gaffes. He's been hitting the ball hard, just right at people. He's been an excellent fielder, and he's stolen a base (or two?). I know he's beat out one double play for sure. You get rid of him to clean house, and there is some massive scapegoating going on.

 

On Friday, Patterson (1) was thrown out at the plate because he refused to either hook slide or run the catcher over (after missing a sign); (2) was doubled off first base; (3) popped out with runners on 2nd and 3rd with no one out; (4) struck out on three breaking ball outside the strike zone in the 8th. That's "doing just fine?" You must have different standards than I do.

[Joe_Cub]

Maybe Eric Patterson will be good.........

 

I have more hope that Eric Patterson will pan out than Corey anymore.

[Jon]

I think Prior had to change his approach when Corey took off late. Prior can only glance over to third briefly, if Corey doesn't get a good jump, then Prior has to make his decision based on that fact. Prior can't continue to observe Corey coming down the line with a pitch headed to the plate. Corey needs to get a good jump and not put Prior in that position.

You still can't blame Corey for it. He may have taken off later than Mark was expecting but he was within 30 feet of the plate when Prior fouled that pitch off. He just forgot Patterson is really, really fast. Corey still would've scored easily if Prior put the ball in play

 

 

29- As for the Blanco play, yeah, Corey was definitely running on it. Since Henry pulled the ball instead of trying to hit it behind Patterson, it could have been a steal. If that's the case, anyone is going to have trouble picking up the ball when they're already closing in on second base. Just another detail conveniently left out of that article.

[Elrhino]

:lol: :lol: The excuse making is hysterical. :lol: :lol:

 

Does Coopertown have a place for the the unluckiest player in the history of baseball?

Edited August 21, 2005 by Elrhino

[abuck1220]

i'm just glad there's a thread where every mistake, no matter how small, that corey makes is scrutinized to the smallest detail.

 

you guys should do this for all the cubs' players. oh wait, you don't have it out for guys like hollandsworth, perez, rusch, lawton, etc.