Cubs Legend Todd Hollandsworth shot his mouth off on the radio today (recap at HBT).
Then you bring into question effort and that’s one thing in the game of baseball that really is inexcusable. One hundred percent effort all the time, there’s really no reason for you not to have 100 percent effort. He’s got impressionable kids around him right now: Darwin Barney, Starlin Castro, these kids are growing up, they’re watching it and you know what, they’re not getting any better.
Yes, let’s blame Aramis Ramirez for Darwin Barney hitting almost exactly like we might expect based on his minor league numbers. Also, that Starlin Castro kid has really hit like shit since he came up to the majors too. But I guess that Ramirez has caused Tyler Colvin to stop hitting this season. He also injured Andrew Cashner‘s shoulder when he wasn’t looking. One thing you may not know is that when John McDonough tacked on an extra two years to Soriano’s contract, Ramirez was holding a gun to his head. His bad example running out a grounder on July 12 was the seed that inspired Standard and Poor’s to downgrade the US debt. At least he can’t be blamed for global warming.
Cubs-Braves preview
| Cubs | Braves | |
| wOBA | .317 (8th) | .309 (10th) |
| UBR | -14.1 (16th) | 0.6 (9th) |
| UZR | -20.1 (13th) | -22.9 (15th) |
| SP FIP | 4.17 (12th) | 3.62 (3rd) |
| RP FIP | 4.00 (15th) | 3.15 (1st) |
I knew the Braves had great pitching, but I thought that overall they were a much better team. Of course, their biggest problem this year has been the complete disappearance of Jason Heyward‘s bat (.315 wOBA). Alex Gonzalez has been particularly putrid at SS for them, posting a 66 wRC+ in 466 PAs and counting. They are getting good offensive production from rookie 1b Freddie Freeman at least. Defensively, the combination of Freeman, Dan Uggla, and Nate McLouth have combined to post a -25.6 UZR on the season. Now that they’ve replaced McLouth with the speedy Michael Bourn in CF their team defense should see great improvement.
Pitching Matchups
Friday: Carlos Zambrano, RHP (4.46, 4.19, 4.24, 3.89) vs Mike Minor, LHP (4.85, 2.73, 3.90, 3.54), 7:15 PM CT
Minor is filling in for the injured Tommy Hanson. He’s one of the Braves top prospects, but I’ve heard muttering from folks on the twitters that he’s slipping a bit this year.
Saturday: Randy Wells, RHP (6.05, 5.44, 4.33, 4.26) vs Derek Lowe, RHP (4.78, 3.67, 3.68, 3.80), 7:15 PM CT
Braves fans have been complaining all year about Derek Lowe, and there’s been lots of speculation as to whether he’d even make the playoff rotation. When I look at his numbers I simply see a groundball machine with lousy infield defense.
Sunday: Matt Garza RHP (3.81, 3.14, 3.12, 3.70) vs Brandon Beachy, RHP (3.43, 3.81, 3.45, 3.38), 1:35 PM CT
I keep confusing Beachy with some other rookie SP with the Mariners that everyone was all over in the preseason (too lazy to look him up). Beachy is having a great rookie season. Unlike Lowe he’s an extreme fly ball pitcher
Prediction
Cubs swept. Atlanta is a much, much better team.
Comments
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Aisle424Quote Reply
http://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1251051
Seems like this shit will go down Monday.
Dr. Aneus TaintQuote Reply
[quote name=Dr. Aneus Taint]http://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1251051
Seems like this shit will go down Monday.[/quote]
I love how all these meeting times keep getting pushed up. (dying laughing). It caters to my impatience
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]I love how all these meeting times keep getting pushed up. (dying laughing). It caters to my impatience[/quote]
It sounds like it’s going to happen for sure now. So it seems like Texas could go independent, form an independent conference, bolt to the Big 10/Pac 10 or stay put.
All but one of those options sound good, so I know which one it will be.
Dr. Aneus TaintQuote Reply
[quote name=Dr. Aneus Taint]http://texas.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1251051
Seems like this shit will go down Monday.[/quote]
(dying laughing) @ A&M taking advantage of the laziness of the politicians
GWQuote Reply
[quote name=Dr. Aneus Taint]Texas could go independent, form an independent conference, bolt to the Big 10/Pac 10 or stay put[/quote]The Cubs will win, lose, or not win or lose.
WenningtonsGorillaCockQuote Reply
[quote name=Dr. Aneus Taint]
All but one of those options sound good, so I know which one it will be.[/quote]
I think the issue will be forced (via another departure), and they won’t be able to stay put.
GWQuote Reply
[quote name=GW]I think the issue will be forced (via another departure), and they won’t be able to stay put.[/quote]
Who do you think leaves, GW? I think it all hinges on what Texas does. Most of the rest of the conference would probably rather stay if possible, and it looks like OU and OSU might have to go together.
BerseliusQuote Reply
David Kaplan commended Hollandsworth for his honesty.
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]Who do you think leaves, GW? I think it all hinges on what Texas does. Most of the rest of the conference would probably rather stay if possible, and it looks like OU and OSU might have to go together.[/quote]
Possibilities:
1. OU/OSU Pac12 will offer both, I think, to try to pressure texas into joining. Less probably, the SEC could try for OU alone. OU has to be tempted to go for stability, since they don’t have the fallback options that texas has.
2 .KU/MO. Either would jump at a Pac12 or BigEast offer, and I think both will be trying to get them.
GWQuote Reply
With only 9 teams, every school has to be preemptively preparing for full breakup. When those rumors start flying (and they will), the whole thing will spiral out of control, is my guess.
GWQuote Reply
My favorite Todd Hollandsworth story:
In 2005, Dusty and the coaching staff did a signing at Binny’s. In the game just before the signing, Hollandsworth had made an incredibly savvy running play, scoring from 2nd on an infield grounder when no one was covering (IIRC).
When I got to Chris Speier in line, I told him “Great send on Hollandsworth in the 6th today Chris.” He thanked me.
Sarge then turned to Speier and said, “Did you send him, or did he do that on his own?”
Speier: “Yeah, he did that on his own.”
Sarge: “Man he’s a smart player……. too bad he can’t fucking hit.”
The WreckardQuote Reply
[quote name=GW]With only 9 teams, every school has to be preemptively preparing for full breakup. When those rumors start flying (and they will), the whole thing will spiral out of control, is my guess.[/quote]
http://twitter.com/#!/kbohls/status/102130355380830208
UT senses it, trying to get a replacement
GWQuote Reply
http://twitter.com/#!/kbohls/status/102130729802145793
GWQuote Reply
The B12 schools should chip in and send lunch from Franklins to the aTm meeting on Monday in an entreaty to stick around. Too bad Franklins is closed on Monday (dying laughing)
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=GW]Possibilities:
1. OU/OSU Pac12 will offer both, I think, to try to pressure texas into joining. Less probably, the SEC could try for OU alone. OU has to be tempted to go for stability, since they don’t have the fallback options that texas has.
2 .KU/MO. Either would jump at a Pac12 or BigEast offer, and I think both will be trying to get them.[/quote]
I think an OU/OSU invite from Pac12 is most likely too.
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]The B12 schools should chip in and send lunch from Franklins to the aTm meeting on Monday in an entreaty to stick around. Too bad Franklins is closed on Monday (dying laughing)[/quote]
what dan beebe wants, dan beebe gets (dying laughing)
GWQuote Reply
Rice CubeQuote Reply
(dying laughing), the comments on this Hollandsworth stuff at BBTF are priceless
http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/files/newsstand/discussion/hollandsworth_rips_ramirez_for_lack_of_effort/
BerseliusQuote Reply
There seems to have been a lot of initial confusion over which Ramirez Hollandsworth was referring to.
ACTQuote Reply
If you were the manager and wins weren’t more important than player development at this point, wouldn’t you want to give Tyler Colvin more ABs against LHP, i.e. tonight?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=ACT]There seems to have been a lot of initial confusion over which Ramirez Hollandsworth was referring to.[/quote]
I was listening to the interview live and he was definitely talking about Aramis. Dan MacNeil started Holly off by saying that A-Ram is “a real dog.”. Holly also remarked about paying this guy to be your best player so there is also that former player money resentment vibe thrown in.
melissaQuote Reply
Holly is now on CTL saying that “Aramis doesn’t have a positive enough effect on his teammates.”
melissaQuote Reply
[quote name=melissa]Holly is now on CTL saying that “Aramis doesn’t have a positive enough effect on his teammates.”[/quote]But Holly’s a former player and and and a CUBBIIEE!!! WHOO HOO! He KNOWS these things!
It’s this mentality that keeps me from taking my kids to Wrigley.
frysredjacketQuote Reply
Holly also has a thesis that when Aramis started going on his hot streak at the plate “it should have sent a positive vibe through that whole clubhouse.” He said the other guys should have been inspired by that to elevate their game and implied Aram’s lack of leadership is why. He is a real idiot.
melissaQuote Reply
[quote name=melissa]I was listening to the interview live and he was definitely talking about Aramis. Dan MacNeil started Holly off by saying that A-Ram is “a real dog.”. Holly also remarked about paying this guy to be your best player so there is also that former player money resentment vibe thrown in.[/quote]The orange one and Captain Hockey Hair have beat this drum all season long. Kap at least has the excuse of needing to say sensationalistic things for ratings, Holly almost seems to have a vendetta.
frysredjacketQuote Reply
[quote name=frysredjacket]The orange one and Captain Hockey Hair have beat this drum all season long. Kap at least has the excuse of needing to say sensationalistic things for ratings, Holly almost seems to have a vendetta.[/quote]
It is entirely possible that Aramis once took a dump in Hollandsworth’s locker because he was too lazy to walk to the bathroom.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]It is entirely possible that Aramis once took a dump in Hollandsworth’s locker because he was too lazy to walk to the bathroom.[/quote]Could Aramis be Dusty’s mystery crapper as well? CONSPIRACY!
frysredjacketQuote Reply
The Cubs game is being delayed b/c of cold?
WenningtonsGorillaCockQuote Reply
nevermind – that’s what ESPN.com stated, but then the game started (dying laughing)
WenningtonsGorillaCockQuote Reply
Yeah that Castro kid is playing like shit, leading the league in base hits in his first full season.
GBTSQuote Reply
Also, if Barney’s stat line is tied to Aramis’ negative influence, he must have been looking up to Aramis his entire fucking minor league career.
GBTSQuote Reply
Seriously, this shit pisses me the fuck off. Its like clockwork in this fucking city. Its impossible for a team to just flat out suck ass. Has to be some overpaid lazy piece of shit’s fault. Every fucking time.
GBTSQuote Reply
[quote name=GBTS]Seriously, this shit pisses me the fuck off. Its like clockwork in this fucking city. Its impossible for a team to just flat out suck ass. Has to be some overpaid lazy piece of shit’s fault. Every fucking time.[/quote]What I’ve been seeing though, is a slow turn away from this media bolstered nonsense. Truly, most fans I know are coming around to the way of thinking expressed by this site.
frysredjacketQuote Reply
[quote name=melissa]Every baseball metric that ever existed is now saying that “Todd Hollandsworth didnt have a positive enough effect on the baseball diamond, which is why he just talks about baseball now on a studio show that no one gives a shit about..”[/quote].
GBTSQuote Reply
Uggla hit streak continues.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Uggla hit streak continues.[/quote]
He only hits now that the pressure is off.
Aisle424Quote Reply
Wow, just checking up on the game now. Apparently, Castro donated all his hitting skill to Reed Johnson a couple days ago. That’s really nice of him, but I hope Reed gives it back to him sometime.
ACTQuote Reply
Poor Z.
ACTQuote Reply
Just pull him, Quade.
ACTQuote Reply
I can’t believe Z is still in this game
BerseliusQuote Reply
What the hell
BerseliusQuote Reply
I guess that’s one way to get Z out of this game
BerseliusQuote Reply
Z pulled himself.
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=ACT]Z pulled himself.[/quote]
I’ll flag this one myself.
Aisle424Quote Reply
Z’s FIP is 17.32 for the game. He didn’t walk anyone.
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]If you were the manager and wins weren’t more important than player development at this point, wouldn’t you want to give Tyler Colvin more ABs against LHP, i.e. tonight?[/quote]To the org player development may be important, but to Quade, he still needs to get wins, so he can point out he tried his best with what he had when he is interviewing for his next job (be Chicago here or somewhere else). That’s the best I can come up with.
Colvin’s got problems. There’s probably no salvaging this season for him. He better hope he has a better start next season.
binkyQuote Reply
[quote name=ACT]Z’s FIP is 17.32 for the game. He didn’t walk anyone.[/quote]YES! Keeping those walks down was key for him here.
binkyQuote Reply
(dying laughing), from my Braves fan cousin
BerseliusQuote Reply
ACTQuote Reply
CC Sabbathia also gave up 5 home runs today.
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=ACT]CC Sabbathia also gave up 5 home runs today.[/quote]
Aramis must have called him today.
Aisle424Quote Reply
[quote name=ACT]CC Sabbathia also gave up 5 home runs today.[/quote]Zambrano = CC
mb22Quote Reply
I wish. They both have similar builds, though, as well as similar hitting stats.
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=mb22]Zambrano = CC[/quote]
He’s honored to be in the same conversation as CC
/Veena Sud
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=GW]With only 9 teams, every school has to be preemptively preparing for full breakup. When those rumors start flying (and they will), the whole thing will spiral out of control, is my guess.[/quote]Those schools are content to wait and see what the likes of Texas and Oklahoma do. Same thing as last year. We heard rumors of KU and KSU moving, but that was it. They, along with Missouri and ISU sat back and prayed that the Big 12 stuck together. They’ll do the same thing this time. The sad thing is that these schools should have already gotten the fuck out of the B12. They had a chance to do it last year or over the course of the last year, but none of them did. They deserve whatever happens.
mb22Quote Reply
Uggla is on fire.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]He’s honored to be in the same conversation as CC
/Veena Sud[/quote]If Veena Sud was a pitcher, she’d have an ERA over 145, an FIP over 2000 and be worth -96.8 WAR.
I might need to do a post on replacement level TV like I did with Friday’s. (dying laughing)
mb22Quote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Uggla is on fire.[/quote]
.229!
Aisle424Quote Reply
Hoping the O’s win tonight so the Indians can gain a game in the AL Central.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Z had a good night, eh?
mb22Quote Reply
[quote name=mb22]Z had a good night, eh?[/quote]
it was pretty entertaining.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Starlin Castro felt no pressure on that home run.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
(dying laughing) @ Tony Campana pinch-hitting for Reed Johnson…ah well, it’s game over.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Starlin Castro felt no pressure on that home run.[/quote]He’s equalled last year’s home run total in this weak alone. It’s too bad Aramis is holding him back, otherwise he could really explode.
ACTQuote Reply
Oy, I meant week,
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=ACT]Oy, I meant week,[/quote]If Ramirez wasn’t on the team, you wouldn’t have made that mistake.
mb22Quote Reply
Sullivan and Gordo tweeting that Z cleaned out his locker and left telling the trainer he’s retiring. So tomorrow should be interesting….
JManQuote Reply
[quote name=JMan]Sullivan and Gordo tweeting that Z cleaned out his locker and left telling the trainer he’s retiring. So tomorrow should be interesting….[/quote]
That actually would make me sad.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Guess Cub nation is turning against Z already. Sad.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Yes, very sad.
ACTQuote Reply
Maybe Zambrano shouldn’t have stopped taking those anger management courses.
ACTQuote Reply
*prolonged sigh*
Whoever picked this date for their wedding was wise, mb
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=ACT]Maybe Zambrano shouldn’t have stopped taking those anger management courses.[/quote]
I guess I’d be sort of angry too if my team didn’t score much for me and the manager left me in to be shelled, but at the same time this doesn’t excuse him for his actions…
However, he cleaned out his locker out of sight and didn’t throw a tantrum on the field as far as I could tell so there could be more to this story. It just sucks because now they’re really going to ramp up the “run Z out of town” movement.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube] the manager left me in to be shelled
[/quote]I don’t know about that. My impression is that Zambrano likes to be out there and hates being pulled from games.
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=ACT]I don’t know about that. My impression is that Zambrano likes to be out there and hates being pulled from games.[/quote]
Maybe he’s just mad at the umpire then. I don’t think he hit Chipper with those inside pitches eh?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Hmmm.
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=17943115
Rice CubeQuote Reply
No pitcher likes being left in to “wear it.”. He never hit Chipper but he was trying to, no doubt. Z just walked off the field, never even yelled at the ump. He looked fine with leaving. Quade in the post game said that Z walked out on 24 of his teammates. That’s helpful. I wonder if they can get surveillance video of him leaving like they did with Sammy. I just hope to DeRosa he never went out for dinner or Jimbo will be dishing out another suspension and bullpen test.
melissaQuote Reply
Word on the street is that Z got on a plane and went somewhere.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
CSN’s Patrick Mooney says he took his name plate, only left behind some hangers
BerseliusQuote Reply
He’s not the pitcher he used to be and the extra money would be helpful but if this is the inglorious end of Carlos Zambrano I’m going to be very very sad about it. I doubt he talks to anyone for a day or two and that will only let the rumors and vitriol flow free.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]He’s not the pitcher he used to be and the extra money would be helpful but if this is the inglorious end of Carlos Zambrano I’m going to be very very sad about it. I doubt he talks to anyone for a day or two and that will only let the rumors and vitriol flow free.[/quote]
He might as well retire now. There’s no way he’s coming back. That bridge was napalmed.
BerseliusQuote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]He might as well retire now. There’s no way he’s coming back. That bridge was napalmed.[/quote]
Does that for sure free up his 2012 salary if he retires effective immediately?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
People are really piling on Z here: http://espn.go.com/chicago/conversations/_/id/6857967/carlos-zambrano-ejected-tells-chicago-cubs-retiring
Some of these guys aren’t even pretending not to be racist:
ACTQuote Reply
What’s new, Cubbie fans?
AndCountingQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]Does that for sure free up his 2012 salary if he retires effective immediately?[/quote]
Yes, but I’m sure his agent will get him on the phone before he signs any papers. He’ll work out a settlement with the Cubs before he retires.
BerseliusQuote Reply
This upsets me almost as much as when they ran Sammy Sosa out of town.
Or maybe I’m just a fan of the wrong players (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
It remains to be seen what will happen. He’ll probably get suspended again. I’ll be interested to hear what he says going forward. Don’t really give two craps what the Cubs front office has to say.
AndCountingQuote Reply
[quote name=AndCounting]What’s new, Cubbie fans?[/quote]
All is well in Cubdumb.
melissaQuote Reply
Sammy and Z could both be pains in the ass, that’s for sure. I do love it when their passion led to success on the field, however.
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=AndCounting]What’s new, Cubbie fans?[/quote]Castro hit a home run!
ACTQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]I guess I’d be sort of angry too if my team didn’t score much for me and the manager left me in to be shelled, but at the same time this doesn’t excuse him for his actions…
However, he cleaned out his locker out of sight and didn’t throw a tantrum on the field as far as I could tell so there could be more to this story. It just sucks because now they’re really going to ramp up the “run Z out of town” movement.[/quote]Something had to happen between him being ejected and the end of the game. He looked totally calm walking off the mound and standing in the dugout. Makes me wonder if he was suspended by the team(some type of zero-tolerance following last year) following the ejection and walking out was his reaction.
JManQuote Reply
[quote name=Rice Cube]This upsets me almost as much as when they ran Sammy Sosa out of town.
Or maybe I’m just a fan of the wrong players (dying laughing)[/quote]
I’ve defended Zambrano for years, but how can you say he’s being run out of town? That’s such a cop out
Jdo45Quote Reply
[quote name=Berselius]He might as well retire now. There’s no way he’s coming back. That bridge was napalmed.[/quote]He’d be leaving some serious cash on the table. CSN keeps talking as if his 2013 option vested stating he’s owed 37M after this season which makes zero sense to me.
JManQuote Reply
Z thread up
http://obstructedview.net/chicago-cubs/articles/zambrano-g-gone.html
BerseliusQuote Reply
Hendry said this to the reporters: “We will respect his wishes and honor them and move forward.”
So apparently this retirement is real.
JManQuote Reply
Good prediction, Moron. Cubs won 2 of 3. Now do the world a favor and never get on the internet again. At least don’t write about sports because you are stupid
GeoffQuote Reply