The Cubs are arguably the worst team in baseball as it stands, with the injuries included. The Cubbie faithful (with this season, their faith must run pretty damn deep) have been clamoring for a "youth movement." Believe me, I'm all for it. The team is a mess not seen since the putrid 2006 season, and the soon-to-be-coming overhaul will be much-needed.Thing is, there are some young players on-roster that should have nothing to do with this team's future, if they want it to include winning.Consistently called a fourth-outfielder talent throughout his minor league career, Tyler Colvin was a first-round reach ...
After he struggled to produce at the plate all spring, while unable to play acceptable defense at second base, Blake DeWitt has officially lost his role as the starter.He was never starting full-time to begin with, as Jeff Baker was the plan when lefties were on the mound. Now though, DeWitt has played at such a lackluster level that it forced manager Quade's hand in the removal process.The 25-year-old wound up hitting .186 in 48 at-bats. Paired with his lackluster Major League career thus far, an he has found himself relegated to the bench role of backing up third and ...
Hype is a dangerous thing.Nothing good comes from it. Few players in modern sports ever live up to the hype that the media circus can create. Out of these unjust expectations, disappointment looms large.Cubs fans know a lot about the hype process. All of the "This is the Year!" signs cast aside on the streets of Wrigleyville will vouch for this.I'm writing this article to simply clear up the most prevalent myths pertaining to this upcoming Cubs season. These are things that have spread across the Internet or reside with the comic stylings of what they "report" on Comcast Sportsnet. ...
Carlos Pena, 32, and the Chicago Cubs have finally consummated the rumors and worked out a one year deal worth $10 million.
It's a little more than Pena was projected to get and a little more than the Cubs were expected to have, so the deal is a little confusing on both counts.
With the deal finalized, the Cubs fill a large void at first base.
Though some fans will look quickly to Pena's admittedly very frightening .196 batting average in 2010, either way, Pena was a quite productive offensive guy as recently as 2008 and 2009. He was also a legitimate MVP-candidate in ...
It makes me a little uneasy to not be penciling in Derrek Lee at first base for the Cubs next season.Since I was 14 years old, I've only known him manning first. Lee was ever the defensive specialist, and I grew jaded in simply expecting him to make every play, every single difficult pick.Lee got it all done with ease, and I would mention his Gold Gloves if I felt the award had any merit (which it doesn't). Yet his defensive prowess is actually very deserved. That's not all with the big man. To top things off, he had two ...
I can safely say that I am a gigantic fan of Adam Dunn. Consistency is one of the main benchmarks for picking my favorite players, and he very simply gets the job done. He is a freak of patience and power, but the consistent production is what draws me to him.
For instance, his production from 2007 to 2009 looks a little something like this:
2007 .264 AVG/.386 OBP (101 walks)/40 home runs
2008 .236 AVG/.386 OBP (122 walks)/40 home runs
2009 .267 AVG/.398 OBP (116 walks)/38 home runs
The common thought is imagining what those numbers would look like if ...
( Originally posted on IvyReport.com )
There really is no way to sugar-coat it.
Randy Wells has pitched like absolute garbage over his last eight starts and is on his way to a plainly pathetic sophomore season in the majors. The guy is the not-so-proud owner of a 5.15 ERA on the year.
As some fans know, Wells came from out of the blue to have a startling rookie campaign, which saw him post a 3.10 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Many were skeptical that he could repeat his success, because he was a 27-year-old who had been a sub-par minor league pitcher virtually his ...
( Originally posted on IvyReport.com )
I hate when my friend says "things could be worse" when it comes to the Cubs.
As the Cubs sit at 27-35 on the season; third place feels a long way away from first, and it is.
As much as this 2010 Cubs team is in the hole right now, their future is not insanely bleak. With the tradable contracts of Ted Lilly, Derrek Lee, Xavier Nady, Ryan Dempster, and Carlos Silva, the Cubs can get a gigantic amount of back-loaded cash and older players off the team this deadline.
Players like Fukudome, Zambrano, and Soriano could always ...
Originally posted on: BringingHeat.com
After long-exploring multiple trade and free agent options, the Chicago Cubs finally decided to sign 32-year old Marlon Byrd. Bruce Levine of ESPN reports that it will be a three-year contract worth $15 million.
Byrd didn't hit his stride offensively until reaching Texas, having struggled previously in Washington and Philadelphia. Things changed when he became a Texas Ranger though.
Over the last three years, Byrd has hit .295 with a .352 on-base percentage. His OPS over this span has been well above average, resting at .820.
Some would worry his offensive production is a large result of playing in the offense-friendly ...
Originally posted on BringingHeat.com
Kelly Johnson, the versatile 27-year-old, has just been told by Atlanta he will not be tendered a deal for the upcoming season.
Not many Brave fans would have expected such a sudden loss of faith in the second baseman after two quality seasons in 2007 and 2008. The young man hit 16 home runs in 2007 while putting up a sterling .375 on-base percentage for the season.
Yet in 2009, Johnson battled injuries while also undergoing a season-long slump. He finished this past season batting .224 with a lowly .692 OPS. The Braves feel safe letting go of him ...
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