I haven’t heard anyone not named Carlos Silva complain about Andrew Cashner being named the Cubs’ 5th starter. I’m still waiting for a yet-to-be-discredited Cubs blog to erupt in rage over Marcos Mateo making the roster. Nobody seems all that bothered to see Silva go, and if you’re looking to find someone who is, I’m sorry to disappoint you. But I’m not dancing for joy, either.
The experience on this Cubs squad is shockingly limited. To some people that’s reason for excitement, maybe because it makes things like projections easier to dismiss. Starlin Castro could be as phenomenal as we hope. Tyler Colvin could improve upon last year. Cashner could prove he’s much more than a back-of-the-rotation guy.
Or they and their fellow Cubbie brat pack members could prove that they are really young and unreliable.
Let’s take a look at how many spots on this team are filled by guys with three or fewer full seasons in the majors. The starting rotation features two such players: Randy Wells (his 365 career innings make him positively ancient on this staff) and Andrew Cashner (54.1 IP). Three of the seven bullpen spots are held by newbies: Jeff Samardzija (81.2 career IP, each one more fun than the last), James Russell (49 IP in his rookie season), and Marcos Mateo (21.2 IP).
We expect Ryan Dempster, Carlos Zambrano, and Matt Garza to start well and Carlos Marmol, Kerry Wood, and Sean Marshall to do the heavy lifting in the bullpen (John Grabow will also be there) but the performance of the young guns is the big question. Should they all exceed expectations, the Cubs’ staff could be great. But when four of those guys have recorded fewer than 250 major league outs in their careers, it’s unreasonable to expect reliability, much less greatness, don’t you think?
The picture isn’t brighter among the position players. The outfield is pretty much a veteran group, unless you completely ignore Kosuke Fukudome‘s career in Japan. Technically he has only three years of major league experience, but his backup slash lefty/lefty platoon partner Tyler Colvin has just 414 plate appearances to his name. And Colvin is a guy a lot of Cubs fans are counting on to improve, and not just the really naive ones. I’m sure loads of people would rather see Colvin in the lineup than Fuk or even Alfonso Soriano. Let the kids play, they say.
And they’re playing in the infield, especially at shortstop. Starlin Castro is my favorite player on this team, and he’s quite literally the poster boy of this franchise. But he’s 21 and has made 506 MLB plate appearances in his life. You can’t pin the hopes of a whole team on that. Whoever winds up being his middle-infield counterpart on any given day isn’t going to be a rock star, but if it’s either Darwin Barney (85 career PA) or Blake DeWitt (970 PA), it will be someone who hasn’t done much to prove himself as an established major leaguer. Sure there’s potential, but there’s no reason to believe these guys will perform closer to their ceilings (Aaron Boone) than their floors (Aaron Miles).
The situation at catcher is another one where the prevailing wisdom in the Cubs blogosphere (which is unquestionably riddled with genius) is that Welington Castillo (and his 21 career PA) or whoever the other guy is should take Koyie Hill‘s spot as a backup. Now, I’m as confident as anyone in Geovany Soto‘s ability to excel as a starter, but it’s worth noting that even he has only three full seasons in the majors and has yet to reach 1,500 plate appearances (1426). Should Hill meet the fate the fans hope for and get cut from the roster like a suddenly sore thumb, that would leave the Cubs with no true veteran experience behind the plate.
It would also mean the Cubs roster would include just 13 players with more than 3 full seasons at the major league level, and Cubs fans aren’t exactly thrilled with the older guys, either.
In theory, that would make the Cubs’ youth movement very exciting to watch in 2011. But when it bears out in practice, it could make for a very ugly reality. I hope Cubs fans are ready to allow the little Cubs to grow through a year of pretty fantastic failure before lashing out and eating their young.
Comments
What, no “new shit” post in the previous thread? Or did I miss it.
MishQuote Reply
Just posted it. I waited for the game to end. (dying laughing)
AndCountingQuote Reply
My rebuttal:
They’ll win because they have to.
GBTSQuote Reply
Damn. Should have seen that coming.
AndCountingQuote Reply
I think you overestimate Cubs fans.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
GBTS – did you mention you are going to the Saturday Rays game in two weeks? It looks like I’m putting a group together to go, so maybe we can meet up. I think we’re going to sit on the 1st base line (Rays dugout) and do the patio package because, well, me and my friends are weekend alcoholics.
MishQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]I think you overestimate Cubs fans.[/quote]I don’t expect them to meet my hopes. They won’t. There’s a better chance this team wins it all than that Cub fans treat failing youngsters graciously. It just doesn’t make much sense to have expectations for guys with this little experience. A lot of the same people who don’t care that the Cubs gave up prospects for Garza will also fail to realize half the team is barely beyond the prospect level to begin with.
AndCountingQuote Reply
[quote name=AndCounting]I don’t expect them to meet my hopes. They won’t. There’s a better chance this team wins it all than that Cub fans treat failing youngsters graciously. It just doesn’t make much sense to have expectations for guys with this little experience. A lot of the same people who don’t care that the Cubs gave up prospects for Garza will also fail to realize half the team is barely beyond the prospect level to begin with.[/quote]
I guess some fan edumacation couldn’t hurt.
Smarter fans —> better team?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Is this Bruce Miles in the TV Booth?
MishQuote Reply
[quote name=Manni Stats]Is this Bruce Miles in the TV Booth?[/quote]
Yeah, he was a really good interview.
Also:
Rice CubeQuote Reply
“When he’s open, he cashes the bank.”
That word, I do not think it means what you think it means.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Yes Miles was good. Said some smart things.
MishQuote Reply
To pile on the stadium stuff from earlier, I’m pretty meh to Camden Yards. I went to a lot of games there in my wasted youth, as well as the old Memorial Stadium before it. It has its positives (especially Eutaw Street), but generally the main plus is that it isn’t the shitpile that the old stadium was.
BerseliusQuote Reply
Miller Park is actually one of my favorite parks not for the stadium itself (which I still say looks like a giant vagina as you drive up to it) so much as how tailgating-friendly it is. It’s much more fun to grill out and drink beer with your friends in the parking lot than it is to cram yourself into a Wrigleyville bar.
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]Miller Park is actually one of my favorite parks not for the stadium itself (which I still say looks like a giant vagina as you drive up to it) so much as how tailgating-friendly it is. It’s much more fun to grill out and drink beer with your friends in the parking lot than it is to cram yourself into a Wrigleyville bar.[/quote]Completely agree. But given the manner in which people behave inside the bars around Wrigley, a tailgate lot would be complete pandemonium. No non-white male person would be safe anywhere near it.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
I think there may be no bigger shithole baseball stadium than the Oakland Coliseum. But that’s my Bay Area bias talking.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Player for UNC has “mercurial” speed. CBS commentators fail both grammar and mythology.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Player for UNC has “mercurial” speed. CBS commentators fail both grammar and mythology.[/quote]
Angry fast guy?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Player for UNC has “mercurial” speed. CBS commentators fail both grammar and mythology.[/quote]
FWIW, Mercury was the god of half a hundred things. Maybe the guy also works for USPS and delivers shit really really well when he’s not playing bb.
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Angry fast guy?[/quote]Yeah, no idea what he was getting at. Maybe that the guy ran like he had wings on his shoes? Complete communication fail.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Quade shows who’s boss.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]FWIW, Mercury was the god of half a hundred things. Maybe the guy also works for USPS and delivers shit really really well when he’s not playing bb.[/quote]Well, Mercury was the messenger of the gods, and he had winged shoes that let him get anywhere quickly, and he was an athlete who supposedly helped injured runners, but that’s such a stretch there’s no way that’s an effective adjective. My bet is he was talking about Mercury Morris, and that makes it even worse. (dying laughing)
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Suburban Kid]Quade shows who’s boss.[/quote]Okay, Silva is an asshole but really SHUT THE FUCK UP. The Cubs behave like a gaggle of adolescent teen girls. Let is go, you bunch of blithering idiots. They’re coming off as bad as Silva now. Shut. The. Fuck. Up.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Suburban Kid]Quade shows who’s boss.[/quote]I like what Quade says there. That’s impressive. That being said, I wish the Cubs would just take the high road when this stuff comes up. Silva did lose a job. They have to expect him to be angry at the organization. I still like what Quade said though.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Okay, Silva is an asshole but really SHUT THE FUCK UP. The Cubs behave like a gaggle of adolescent teen girls. Let is go, you bunch of blithering idiots. They’re coming off as bad as Silva now. Shut. The. Fuck. Up.[/quote]
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Agreed, MO. I understand they’re upset at what Silva said, but sometimes saying nothing is the best thing to do and these situations are like that. The Cubs could come off so much better if they didn’t bother responding to nonsense like this. It just makes then look petty, but I do like what Quade said. I just don’t think it needed to be said. (dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
Good points, AC. The Cubs have a lot of unknowns on this offense when you also add in Ramirez and Pena considering last season. I have a feeling that fans are going to be disappointed with Castro this season. He was a little lucky last year and actual improvement would be producing what he did a year ago at the plate. Some improvement on defense would be nice and probably necessary if he has much of a future there, but I’m not that worried about that.
mb21Quote Reply
Yes, this was a good and timely piece, AC.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]Agreed, MO. I understand they’re upset at what Silva said, but sometimes saying nothing is the best thing to do and these situations are like that. The Cubs could come off so much better if they didn’t bother responding to nonsense like this. It just makes then look petty, but I do like what Quade said. I just don’t think it needed to be said. (dying laughing)[/quote]Yeah, I’m saying it’s funny and all, but it’s just another instance of this org proving itself incapable of behaving like adults. Let. It. Go. People trash Ozzie Guillen for doing the exact same thing. The Cubs are no better. Cub fans have absolutely no reason to talk because the new manager is just the “aw shucks” version of Ozzie Guillen. Slightly less profane, just as pathetically obnoxious.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
2 more games in Phoenix and then an intrasquad game in Chicago on Wednesday. Opening Day is close.
mb21Quote Reply
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTImlBTeVvg
(dying laughing)
Suburban kidQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Yeah, I’m saying it’s funny and all, but it’s just another instance of this org proving itself incapable of behaving like adults. Let. It. Go. People trash Ozzie Guillen for doing the exact same thing. The Cubs are no better. Cub fans have absolutely no reason to talk because the new manager is just the “aw shucks” version of Ozzie Guillen. Slightly less profane, just as pathetically obnoxious.[/quote]
I love Ozzie for doing the exact same thing (dying laughing). I wish he managed the Cubs.
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]2 more games in Phoenix and then an intrasquad game in Chicago on Wednesday. Opening Day is close.[/quote]Intra squad game in Chicago? That’s different. How much are tickets? $10?
Suburban kidQuote Reply
This UNC loss is very satisfying.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]I love Ozzie for doing the exact same thing (dying laughing). I wish he managed the Cubs.[/quote]I laugh at Ozzie…when I’m not cringing.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
With all these threads today I’m not sure if this was posted yet. But if it hasn’t been, then this blog has discredited discredited blogs.
fang2415Quote Reply
MoneyBart is on FOX!
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Suburban Kid]Intra squad game in Chicago? That’s different. How much are tickets? $10?[/quote]Only an asshole would disrespect the bleacher fans by paying $10 for a ticket. I thought about going, but they wouldn’t take $350 for one ticket so I told them to screw off.
mb21Quote Reply
I edited your comment, fang show the image would show. That’s a great image.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=fang2415]With all these threads today I’m not sure if this was posted yet. But if it hasn’t been, then this blog has discredited discredited blogs.
Hmm, looks like my post is now discredited… Let’s see if I can get that space in the url right…
fang2415Quote Reply
[quote name=Suburban Kid]Intra squad game in Chicago? That’s different. How much are tickets? $10?[/quote]God placed a rainbow in the sky as a promise that this would never happen again.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]I edited your comment, fang show the image would show. That’s a great image.[/quote]
Great. Now you can just edit my edited comment and I will no longer look like an idiot.
fang2415Quote Reply
I think what Quade said is pathetically ignorant. First off, if he’s in charge why didn’t he give Silva the news instead of sending Riggins to do it? Wouldn’t any other team that knows anything have the Manager or the GM go to a volatile guy and a vet like Silva and tell him face to face? I think when you cut a starter that is being paid $11 MM the GM goes to him, especially when they floated the idea of Silva going to AAA. Not that Silva deserves much respect but these guys act like a bunch of bush league clowns. Quade dropping F bombs over this makes him look as juvenile as Silva if not more. MO is right in that it’s like Ozzie trashing Jenks or some of his former guys but Ozzie wouldn’t send Cooper to do his dirty work and give his pitcher the news. I also don’t believe for one minute that Quade decided this org was cutting Silva and eating the money. Hendry went to Tommy Boy and got permission.
melissaQuote Reply
Also, for some reason replacing the space with an underscore gives a different image, which isn’t bad either:
fang2415Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]2 more games in Phoenix and then an intrasquad game in Chicago on Wednesday. Opening Day is close.[/quote]
Opening Day is Friday, Friday. We so excited.
melissaQuote Reply
[quote name=melissa]I think what Quade said is pathetically ignorant. First off, if he’s in charge why didn’t he give Silva the news instead of sending Riggins to do it? Wouldn’t any other team that knows anything have the Manager or the GM go to a volatile guy and a vet like Silva and tell him face to face? I think when you cut a starter that is being paid $11 MM the GM goes to him, especially when they floated the idea of Silva going to AAA. Not that Silva deserves much respect but these guys act like a bunch of bush league clowns. Quade dropping F bombs over this makes him look as juvenile as Silva if not more. MO is right in that it’s like Ozzie trashing Jenks or some of his former guys but Ozzie wouldn’t send Cooper to do his dirty work and give his pitcher the news. I also don’t believe for one minute that Quade decided this org was cutting Silva and eating the money. Hendry went to Tommy Boy and got permission.[/quote]THIS.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=fang2415]Great. Now you can just edit my edited comment and I will no longer look like an idiot.[/quote]No, it all looks perfect. (dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
What Quade said is the kind of shit we say here. That’s why it’s funny, because we expect better of people who are not self-proclaimed snarky fuckwits. There’s simply no reason for him to air this out to the writers, though. It belongs in the comment section of a discredited blog, not on the pages of a major metropolitan newspaper.
Because I’m a self-aggrandzing asshole in addition to a snarky fuckwit, I would also like to point out that I said from the beginning that shit would go south with Silva because the man is a monumental asswipe. So much for addition by subtraction, eh, Jimbo, you cruller-munching asshat.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
If there is ever a colorful insult award, MO deserves a shiny trophy.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I don’t think Quade dropping f-bombs is some kind of new thing. I think Gordo including them in the quotes are the new thing.
So basically, Gordo, Quade, Hendry, Riggins, Silva, Ozzie Guillen, and us assholes all look bad over this. (dying laughing)
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Absolutely, MO. People on ACB were saying from the get go that Silva was a complete ass. I remember discussing how he had trashed Ichiro for only caring about going 2 for 4 and not winning.
melissaQuote Reply
[quote name=Suburban Kid]I don’t think Quade dropping f-bombs is some kind of new thing. I think Gordo including them in the quotes are the new thing.
So basically, Gordo, Quade, Hendry, Riggins, Silva, Ozzie Guillen, and us assholes all look bad over this. (dying laughing)[/quote](dying laughing), we keep illustrious company
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Suburban Kid]I don’t think Quade dropping f-bombs is some kind of new thing. I think Gordo including them in the quotes are the new thing.
So basically, Gordo, Quade, Hendry, Riggins, Silva, Ozzie Guillen, and us assholes all look bad over this. (dying laughing)[/quote]That’s an excellent point, SK. We’ve all heart Lee Elia’s rant as well as some by Lasorda and Weaver. Every other word is fuck and that’s what makes them so funny.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=melissa]Absolutely, MO. People on ACB were saying from the get go that Silva was a complete ass. I remember discussing how he had trashed Ichiro for only caring about going 2 for 4 and not winning.[/quote]His teammate trashing goes all the way back to 2005 or 2006 in Minnesota. He did it there, he did it in Seattle at least twice, did it here in the 4th fucking ST game, and now this. Even if he’s an assclown, Hendry at least has his facts straight: Carlos Silva’s pitching is shit and Silva has convinced himself that’s the fault of everyone not named Carlos Silva.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=mb21]That’s an excellent point, SK. We’ve all heart Lee Elia’s rant as well as some by Lasorda and Weaver. Every other word is fuck and that’s what makes them so funny.[/quote]I’d love to hear audio of Quade’s rant. (dying laughing)
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Imagine how pissed the Cubs would be if Silva haad dared besmirch the great fans of this illustrious
ballparkteam.Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]I’d love to hear audio of Quade’s rant. (dying laughing)[/quote]There weren’t as many expletives as the others I mentioned, but I’m sure it would entertaining. Lasorda was the best. I have some of those audio clips on anothercubsblog.org. I’ll try and dig a few of those out because I’m pretty sure that many said ‘fuck’ 50% of the words he spoke.
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=mb21]There weren’t as many expletives as the others I mentioned, but I’m sure it would entertaining. Lasorda was the best. I have some of those audio clips on anothercubsblog.org. I’ll try and dig a few of those out because I’m pretty sure that many said ‘fuck’ 50% of the words he spoke.[/quote]Hal McRae had an epic meltdown when was with the Royals that was so f-bomb laden it was almost one solid beep on the news. (dying laughing)
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
(dying laughing), ladies and gentlemen, Hal McRae: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kamDqL-AGzI
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Also note in that video that when McRae comes out of his office at the end, he’s got a handle of booze with him. (dying laughing)
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
(dying laughing) “Now put that in your pipe and smoke it.” Did you notice one of the media dweebs had a cut on his face that was bleeding? No doubt he was hit by something Jivin’ Hal tossed around the room. That would cause a major shitstorm today.
melissaQuote Reply
[quote name=melissa](dying laughing) “Now put that in your pipe and smoke it.” Did you notice one of the media dweebs had a cut on his face that was bleeding? No doubt he was hit by something Jivin’ Hal tossed around the room. That would cause a major shitstorm today.[/quote]Not to mention that Hal destroyed half the recording devices on the desk. Probably one of them on that guy’s face.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
VIDEO of Quade rant! (dying laughing): http://www.chicagotribune.com/videobeta/?watchId=82d312c4-d493-4f40-9eb6-bd52e1c18947
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]VIDEO of Quade rant! (dying laughing): http://www.chicagotribune.com/videobeta/?watchId=82d312c4-d493-4f40-9eb6-bd52e1c18947%5B/quote%5D
Jeez. He talked for a full minute and a half, and that’s just from this clip.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Jeez. He talked for a full minute and a half, and that’s just from this clip.[/quote]Yeah, he’s a real JabberJaws.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
From Hobbiton:
Can’t someone ask Koyie to build them an Adirondack chair?
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
From Hobbiton:
Can’t someone ask Koyie to build them an Adirondack chair?
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Poz eviscerates Chass for the Musial hitjob: http://joeposnanski.blogspot.com/2011/03/men-of-honor.html
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
From Levine’s blog:
It begins…
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]From Levine’s blog:
It begins…[/quote]Dear Cubs fans,
DIAF, you knuckle-dragging mouthbreathers.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Soriano did have a pretty nice outfield assist though. That was cheered.
The play in question looked to be a bit tougher than Levine made it sound. The effort was there, but his gloved missed by mere inches. Soriano got up and actually got to the ball before Brett Jackson was able to get to it on the cover.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
The loudness of the booing over a meaningless play in a meaningless game was strange.
MishQuote Reply
[quote name=Manni Stats]The loudness of the booing over a meaningless play in a meaningless game was strange.[/quote]What you were hearing was a deep desire to hate being vocalized as soon as the merest opportunity to realize that hate was offered.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Cool site. Will try to swing by if I pay attention to the Cubs this season. (It’s been a while.)
oogQuote Reply
[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Dear Cubs fans,
DIAF, you knuckle-dragging mouthbreathers.[/quote]
It always begins. Thus the while that it’s been since the club, organization, fanbase has held my attention.
oogQuote Reply
new: http://obstructedview.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=110:andrew-cashner-joins-the-rotation&catid=37:articles&Itemid=48
mb21Quote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Soriano did have a pretty nice outfield assist though. That was cheered.
The play in question looked to be a bit tougher than Levine made it sound. The effort was there, but his gloved missed by mere inches. Soriano got up and actually got to the ball before Brett Jackson was able to get to it on the cover.[/quote]http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=13303541
HOW DARE HE
GBTSQuote Reply
Remarkable things here. I am very happy to peer your article. Thanks a lot and I am looking ahead to touch you. Will you kindly drop me a mail?
Join CPA NetworksQuote Reply