Every baseball team when they are on a losing streak look to their ace pitcher to give them a quality start and a chance to break out.  Well for the Chicago Cubs Friday night not only did they get that type of stellar performance from Carlos Zambrano on the mound, for good measure he added 4 hits in 5 trips to the plate driving in as many runs (2) as he allowed.   The Cubs cruised to a 12-3 victory over their favorite team to play this season, the Pittsburgh Pirates who they have defeated in 9 of the first 10 meetings.   Pirate starting pitcher, Zach Duke is already 0-4 vs the Cubs in 2008.  Zambrano is one of those great pitchers to watch both on the mound and at the plate.  

Continue reading "Big Z does it with the Bat and on the Bump"

In the Chicago Cubs  game tonight, the first hitter of the game Alfonzo Soriano led off with a screaming shot into the right field corner that he would have easily made it to 2nd base standing. He had to slide in head first and it was obvious to this reporter that he was heavily favoring his left leg.  He stayed in the game but it was obvious that he was affected.  Later in the inning a deep fly to right field and Soriano remained at 2nd base.  He finally scored on a play that had right fielder Xavier Nady made the catch on a easy fly he would have been doubled off. 

his lack of mobility was not limited to his offensive game as he was unable to close the gap on a fly ball hit to a spot where he normally would have run it down.   What should Lou Piniella do.  Should they put Soriano on the DL and let him heal or should they give him a few days off and have his bat available for pinch hitting duties or should they let him gut it out.    I think at the vey least until his legs are near to or at 100% he has to be in a different spot in the lineup.   He isnt really a threat to steal a base or even at this stage to go first to third easily. When Reed Johnson is in the lineup, he can bat leadoff.  Should they want to DL him, Matt Murton could be called back up.   Micah Hoffpauir could play in left vs righties or Lou could move Johnson to left field and have Edmonds patrol center.   In an emergency, I am sure that Soriano could play his natural position which is 2nd base. 

Continue reading "Soriano's calf acting up ! Should he rest or play?"

Back before 1973,  baseball was united in its belief that pitchers should hit and managers should really manage and a bench should mean something, but then in 1973 the Americal League decided that there should be a designated hitter and the National League stayed with its tradition.  35 years later we still have two distinct versions of baseball being played in the major leagues. 

Being a fan of mostly National League teams, I tend to be quite biased on this subject.  Being a pitcher also that could hit some also makes me side with the Senior Circuit.    And when I see a perfomance like I did tonight by the ace pitcher of the Chicago Cubs, Carlos Zambrano, who went 4 for 5 with 2 RBI's to raise his season average to .343, it makes me want more than ever to see this stupid rule done away with.   

Continue reading "Dump the Designated Hitter Rule Bring back the hitting pitcher Babe Ruth anyone"

I have to disagree with those that say that the Jim Edmonds signing doesnt make sense and those that would really get down on it now with his 2-15 start.   There are numerous reasons why this DOES make sense for the Chicago Cubs

1) Experience-  it appears that you do not lose a lot defensively as evidenced by that incredible catch in Houston that saved 2 runs and the ballgame.  Pie is the better defender and has more speed on the basepaths for the Cubs to exploit there, however at the plate, Pie is lost.  He strikes out far too frequently and by doing that he limits how Piniella can use him.  He cant reliably be a hitter for the hit and run if he fails to make contact - he leaves the runner hung out to dry.  Edmonds on the other hand can give you the fly ball if you need it for a sacrifice fly or to move a runner from 2nd to 3rd. He can also hit the ball to the right side to move that runner along to 3rd.  This is assuming the worst case scenario, that he doesnt begin to hit for a reasonably high average.  Should he begin to hit, the Cubs have a nice set of people that could play center-  Edmonds, Johnson and Fukudome. If he doesnt hit, then he didnt cost them much. 

Continue reading "Why the Jim Edmonds Signing DOES Make Sense"

By Jeff A. Wilson

Chicago Cubs ace pitcher, Carlos Zambrano did yesterday what every good and successful pitcher in the big leagues does at some point in the season.  He went out there with subpar stuff and he battled and he scratched and he clawed his way thru a 130 pitch ( 2nd most in his career) performance throwing only 79 strikes, walking 4 and being constantly behind the hitters. He still found a way to limit the Dodgers to only one run on 4 hits over 8 grueling innings with men on base constantly.

It is easy to pitch when you have your best stuff, but when you have an umpire with a tight albeit according to K-Zone accurate strike zone and you feel you are being squeezed, it makes it that much tougher.   When Zambrano left after 8, the Cubs trailed in the ballgame by a 1-0 score and they managed to score the tying run off Saito, one of the better closers in the National League.   This setup the Cubs 9th inning where Geovany Soto lofted a flyball sacrifice fly to tie the game at 1 and send it to extra innings.   The Cubs held the Dodgers in their half of the 10th and then in the bottom of inning #10, a Mike Fontenot pinch hit double set up Alfonso Soriano to be the hero with his bloop single to left field scoring Fontenot with the winning run. 

Continue reading "Portrait of a Gutty Performance : Zambrano goes 8 and keeps Cubs in the game"