Jon

My introduction to Cust: http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2002/B08020CHN2002.htm Can't say I was too happy about staying an extra three innings.

Like they'd use that money on someone more productive.

I love irrational overreactions to a problem that doesn't even exist. The proper reaction to a question about moving your effective closer who has, for a lack of a better term, sucked as a starter back into the rotation after a couple of years there should have been "heck no." Not maybe.

Here's how he was used this season: April 5: relief appearance, 0.1 IP April 6: relief appearance, 2.0 IP April 10: relief appearance, 3.0 IP April 16: relief appearance, 2.0 IP April 21: AAA start, 3.0 IP (ineffective) April 26: AAA start, 4.1 IP May 1: AAA start, 3.0 IP (ineffective) May 6: start, 5.0 IP May 12: start, 5.1 IP (ineffective) May 17: start, 5.0 IP The first 6 weeks of the season are not an issue about what his body can handle. The Cubs screwed him up by letting him pick his nose in the bullpen for two weeks without doing anything (which, not coincidentally, is what he's going to be doing now). He then had to try to build up the endurance that he had in spring training by starting in AAA (the right move, only it came two weeks too late). Then you're left with 3 starts with the big league club. He threw 82 pitches in 5 IP in his first start back. They certainly wanted to limited the # of pitches he threw. In his second start, he was more economical with 74 pitches through 5.1 IP, but was losing it towards the end and Lou didn't want to take any chances. Then in his last start, he had a minor cramp in his leg after 75 pitches and again, they didn't want to take any chances. Last season, they were still screwing around with him, moving him from the bullpen to the rotation and back to the bullpen. All this while trying to regain his stuff, might I add. The Cubs need to let Guzman pitch and stop jerking him around.

It's hard to get a good read on whether or not he hits lefties better than righties. He hit lefties better in the big leagues last year (.753 OPS vs. a .596 OPS against righties), but in his last full season in the minors, his OPS against righties was over 60 points higher (.682 OPS vs. .744). But he's not really a platoon partner, anyways, considering his lack of OBP and power. If you're going to use him, it would probably be as a late-inning defensive replacement.

When they were kicking it away from Hester towards the end of the season (and there's no reason why they would kick it to him this year), things didn't often go that smoothly. They need a better gameplan, because teams are going to figure out the obvious and realize that Hester can beat them.

Game-time wind chills will be in the low-to-mid 50s with a wind in from left-center. Not a high chance of rain, but it should be mostly cloudy.

I'd imagine that the Bears are going to have to readjust the return strategy every few weeks in order to keep up with what the opposing teams are doing, but hopefully Toub is up to the challenge.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2007-05/29918606.jpg http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2007-05/29918607.jpg http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2007-05/29918603.jpg http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2007-05/29918602.jpg http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2007-05/29918599.jpg Rashied Davis http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2007-05/29918600.jpg http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2007-05/29918601.jpg http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2007-05/29918598.jpg Mark Anderson with Brown

Why? He's been fine since he's came back. Just to use him in proper situations is the key to maintaining his effectiveness. Even Neifi hit an awesome slam against the Cards. Did I hate Neifi? yeah. Did I hate him there? No, I was jumping around happy as hell like everybody else. Yeah, but for me, I think most of it was laughter over the humiliation the Cardinals must feel for giving up a game-winning grand slam to Neifi Perez. Still makes me laugh...

Wow. After looking like a 9-year-old swinging on the first pitch, I did not expect that.

Dempster isn't closer material because even though he gets people out, he doesn't attack them? And move Dempster back to the rotation over Guzman after quite a below mediocre career there when a 5th starter is more valuable than a closer? What? And Guzman hasn't even been made the closer. He probably never will be. The absurdity of the cramping issue (in different parts of his body, no less) has already been talked about, so I won't bother addressing that.

I predict that Marmol will see more pinch-running opportunities than appearances out of the bullpen.

I don't think we need bullpen help at all. We've got plenty of options as is.

Huh. Apparently the Cubs got an advanced look at the new rulebook: 5.12 Any run scored against a starting pitcher in the late innings will account for one run. If the offense scores a run against a relief pitcher after the start of the seventh inning, however, it counts for three runs. There will also be invisible "double runs" targets throughout the outfield starting at the beginning of the ninth inning. Hitting this target will result in each run counting as six runs.

Wade's ready after his "rehab." He was with the team for the Mets series. It's a shame they don't realize Guzman is better than Marshall or Miller. I'm sure the realize this, but they have to do something about the pen. We have no late inning setup guy. With Guzman, Wuertz, and Marmol(?) well have guys that can strike guys out in the latter innings. And now we have no 5th starter. I'd rather have a 5th starter than someone fill one of the least meaningful spots on the roster. It's just a shame they manage the team based on what the media writes about. This is just the first of many over-reactions that will eventually bury this team, though.

Wade's ready after his "rehab." He was with the team for the Mets series. It's a shame they don't realize Guzman is better than Marshall or Miller. Wait until Guzman averages six appearances a month out of the bullpen.

What an organization.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2007-05/29900800.jpg Tank and Tommie http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2007-05/29900791.jpg Bauzin http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2007-05/29900763.jpg http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2007-05/29900766.jpg http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2007-05/29900761.jpg Urlacher and Williams http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2007-05/29900762.jpg http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2007-05/29900765.jpg Ridiculous http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2007-05/29900768.jpg RB coach Tim Spencer with Hester http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2007-05/29900767.jpg Benson http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2007-05/29900769.jpg Brown http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2007-05/29900792.jpg Archuleta http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/photo/2007-05/29900803.jpg

Yuck.

I didn't think he was still around, either, but apparently he's signed through 2007.

He can't hit. He hit .247/.306/.394 in the majors last year and has a minor league career line of .281/.340/.371, which includes a line of .271/.333/.395 in his last full year at AAA (in 2005). He's also not great when it comes to stolen bases, but maybe he's improving there. He's fine for the back end of the bench, but you don't want him to be seeing the starting lineup much.

No adjustments. He barely had a .700 OPS at Iowa this season (.250/.310/.414). He's just a bad hitter who seems to catch fire when he's called up before quickly cooling down.

That's messed up. Rookies are forced to take pictures for trading cards and miss the first day of camp?