1st Quarter Grades
Bill M.
have left his bat in Arizona). Other than a couple outings, Trachsel has
been just as good as anyone on the staff. John son really has been a
bummer....it's a wonder that they're over .500. Grace, Tapani & Mulholland
deserve alot of the credit.
>
>Infield
>Name Grade Comment
>Grace, M A- As steady as ever with more pop than expected
>>Hernandez, J C Misses too many balls, both at the plate and in
the
>field
>>Santiago, B D+ Only his defense and the occasional 2 out hit
prevent
>a complete bust out
>>Outfield
>.
>Johnson, L D On of the 5 worst defensive CF and leadoff hitters
in
>the game.
>Mulholland, T B Has done everything that Riggs has asked of
him,
>often with distinction
>Tapani, K A- Has been "all that" in the absence of K.W.
>Trachsel, S D+ His "nothing is my fault" act is wearing
awfully
>thin
>
Daniel M. Lichtenstein
Bill M. wrote:
> Too harsh on Santiago and Trachsel and too nice to Hernandez (who appears to
> have left his bat in Arizona). Other than a couple outings, Trachsel has
> been just as good as anyone on the staff.
Bill, have you been watching a different Steve Trachsel then I have? Steve
Trachsel has pitched three good games this year. He is a major league veteran,
with six seasons ov experience and he still does not know how to pitch. He is
another Andy Benes. He's a guy with a world of talent, but his lack of baseball
smarts will prevent him from becoming one of the better pitchers during his time
in the majors.
Trachsel will want somewhere around $8 million per year, and there is no way the
Cubs will give him that. I hope they don't, and I hope they trade him so they
get something for him. Look for some interesting things to come out once
Trachsel is gone. His attitude stinks, as he never is willing to take the blame
for anything. He got pissed at Grace, Servais and his other teammates after they
congratulated McGwire when he was rounding the bases after hitting #62 (off of
Trachsel, for those who forgot). Today Jose Hernandez was on the radio and came
out and said that his speed is a detriment to the game. His hesitation between
pitches drives his defense (and the fans) crazy. I will not be sorry to see
Trachsel gone. Its too bad to say this about a career Cub, but it is the truth.
DmL
Daniel M. Lichtenstein
Madduxboy wrote:
> It's the end of the first quarter of the season, and time again to grade the
> performance of our men in blue.......
>
> Infield
> Name Grade Comment
> Grace, M A- As steady as ever with more pop than expected
> Morandini, M C Glove has been OK, but bat has been AWOL
Agree on Grace. Moradini has come around of late, with the average into the .270's.
Give him a B-.
> Hernandez, J C Misses too many balls, both at the plate and in the
> field
> Gaetti, G D- He's on the wrong side of 40 and he looks it
> Houston, T B+ Looking a lot like Jose Hernandez did last year
Agreed on these three. Hernandez has been a bit better than just average (C+/B-)
> Blauser, J C- Highest paid utility man in Cubs history
Got to disagree with you. He is hitting over .300, but has been given no playing
time. B/B+.
> Santiago, B D+ Only his defense and the occasional 2 out hit prevent
> a complete bust out
Santiago has been a huge hole in the line-up, and the only reason runners aren't
stealing off of him is merely his reputation. Perhaps Baltimore is willing to deal
Charles Johnson (I'd give them Trachsel).
> Alexander, M C- Has done nothing to improve his lackluster image
Injury has not helped him. He has been an above average pinch hitter, which is his
role. C+.
> Martinez, S I Injured
>
> Outfield
> Name Grade Comment
> Sosa, S B OPS is starting to climb, but he's still a defensive
> abortion.
> Johnson, L D On of the 5 worst defensive CF and leadoff hitters in
> the game.
Lance has been a total failure at the top of the line-up. He is not taking walks,
he is not getting hits. He has been a major rally killer this season, too. As far
as defense, his arm speaks for itself. D-.
> Rodriguez, H B- This last road trip really helped his numbers and his
> grade, but his defense....
Henry has had so many critical basehits this season. He is hitting in the .330's
and has also been taking lots of walks (for Henry). His strike-outs are way down,
and he has yet to commit an error (yes, I know that he has no range). He has been a
key member of this team. B+/A-.
> Hill, G I Was an "A/B" type player when healthy
> Brown, R I A bit player can't find room in this OF
> Goodwin, C C Has done everything Riggs has asked - which isn't much
>
> Pitchers
> Name Grade Comment
> Adams, T I Just off injured list.....Reserving judgement
> until the semester
> Aguilera, R I Just acquired.....Reserving judgement until
> the semester
> Barker, R D Now we know why he's a 27 year old rookie
> Beck, R F Ouch, in every possible way
> Farnsworth, K C Has not embarrassed himself thus far
For a guy who is clearly not ready to be in the majors, he has done quite well. Has
yet to allow more than 4 (or perhaps 5) runs a game, and has kept the team in every
game. B/B-.
> Heredia, F C+ Flashes of brilliance mixed with flashes of last
> year
He has been one of the few decent guys out of the pen. He pitches poorly when he
pitches two or three games in a row, which begs me to ask why Riggleman brings him
in in these situations. B.
> Karchner, M F Inujry may spell end of his Cubs tenure, a wasted
> trade
Lets hope that it does.
> King, R I Will appear in the 6th Edition of Total
> Baseball
> Lieber, J B Has been excellent more often than average
> Mulholland, T B Has done everything that Riggs has asked of him,
> often with distinction
Now that he has a clear role, he has become almost dominant. Still, I would give
him an incomplete at this point, with his role just clearing up.
> Myers, R D+ 19 appearances, 3 wins, ERA of 6.00....
> Sanders, S D Can only hope that long/middle relief is his niche
> Serafini, S C+ Two shellackings in 13 appearances.....not bad
> Tapani, K A- Has been "all that" in the absence of K.W.
> Trachsel, S D+ His "nothing is my fault" act is wearing awfully
> thin
Pretty much agree on these. Not sure if you can get much better then what Tapani
has given. A for him.
> Manager
> Riggleman, J C+ Gets credit for keeping his players in the game.
> Gets cut some slack because the injuries are not his fault. Still gets
> outmanaged far too often.
Again, I feel that he has been given a poor bullpen. Also has had a 23 man roster
for much of the season, with Hill/Alexander not on the DL while injured, and guys
like Porter and Brown called up. If his bullpen does the job, his team is in first,
and he is not getting ripped by the fans. I don't agree with Baseball Tonight's
Dave Campbell, who called him the NL manager of the year, though. B-.
> Pitching Coach
> Demerrit, M B Gets in the face of some of his pitchers, pats
> others on the ass, seems to be well respected by all. A real presence in the
> dugout.
Agreed.
> General Manager
> Lynch, E C- Gets credit for the Lieber deal and for pulling
> the trigger to bring in Aguilera. However, he could drive a HumVee through the
> gaping holes at 3B and catcher, not to mention the abortion that is a bullpen
> largely unchanged from last year. He thought that they "underperformed" last
> year. It's more likely that "what he saw is what they have."
Not sure your abortion analogy is the best to use, but to each his own. Lynch did
not fix some very obvious holes on this team. The bullpen is obvious. Giving a
40-y.o. third baseman is also a crucial mistake. I also do not understand how one
gives an pitcher with bone spurs a contract extension. Lieber deal was wonderful,
with Pittsburgh now looking to move Brant Brown. Santiago was a bad pick-up, but
the availability of catchers was minute. While the Aguilera move may turn out to
haunt him (and not that I approve of it), atleast he did it now rather than at the
deadline, making a major statement to the rest of the league (which may have been
that he overpaid for a reliever that no one else wanted).
Overall, he took a team that got swept by the Braves and did not significantly
improve them.
D+.
DmL
Madduxboy
performance of our men in blue.......
Infield
Name Grade Comment
Grace, M A- As steady as ever with more pop than expected
Morandini, M C Glove has been OK, but bat has been AWOL
Hernandez, J C Misses too many balls, both at the plate and in the
field
Gaetti, G D- He's on the wrong side of 40 and he looks it
Houston, T B+ Looking a lot like Jose Hernandez did last year
Blauser, J C- Highest paid utility man in Cubs history
Santiago, B D+ Only his defense and the occasional 2 out hit prevent
a complete bust out
Alexander, M C- Has done nothing to improve his lackluster image
Martinez, S I Injured
Outfield
Name Grade Comment
Sosa, S B OPS is starting to climb, but he's still a defensive
abortion.
Johnson, L D On of the 5 worst defensive CF and leadoff hitters in
the game.
Rodriguez, H B- This last road trip really helped his numbers and his
grade, but his defense....
Hill, G I Was an "A/B" type player when healthy
Brown, R I A bit player can't find room in this OF
Goodwin, C C Has done everything Riggs has asked - which isn't much
Pitchers
Name Grade Comment
Adams, T I Just off injured list.....Reserving judgement
until the semester
Aguilera, R I Just acquired.....Reserving judgement until
the semester
Barker, R D Now we know why he's a 27 year old rookie
Beck, R F Ouch, in every possible way
Farnsworth, K C Has not embarrassed himself thus far
Heredia, F C+ Flashes of brilliance mixed with flashes of last
year
Karchner, M F Inujry may spell end of his Cubs tenure, a wasted
trade
King, R I Will appear in the 6th Edition of Total
Baseball
Lieber, J B Has been excellent more often than average
Mulholland, T B Has done everything that Riggs has asked of him,
often with distinction
Myers, R D+ 19 appearances, 3 wins, ERA of 6.00....
Sanders, S D Can only hope that long/middle relief is his niche
Serafini, S C+ Two shellackings in 13 appearances.....not bad
Tapani, K A- Has been "all that" in the absence of K.W.
Trachsel, S D+ His "nothing is my fault" act is wearing awfully
thin
Manager
Riggleman, J C+ Gets credit for keeping his players in the game.
Gets cut some slack because the injuries are not his fault. Still gets
outmanaged far too often.
Pitching Coach
Demerrit, M B Gets in the face of some of his pitchers, pats
others on the ass, seems to be well respected by all. A real presence in the
dugout.
General Manager
Lynch, E C- Gets credit for the Lieber deal and for pulling
the trigger to bring in Aguilera. However, he could drive a HumVee through the
gaping holes at 3B and catcher, not to mention the abortion that is a bullpen
largely unchanged from last year. He thought that they "underperformed" last
year. It's more likely that "what he saw is what they have."
Peace,
MB
Dead, Bleedin' demised. Passed on. No more. Ceased to be. Expired and gone to
meet its maker. Late, stiff, bereft of life. Resting in peace, pushing up
daisies, Rung down the curtain and joined the choir invisible. This is an
ex-parrot.
timothy james tack
grade the performance of our men in blue.......
> > Infield
> > Name Grade Comment
> > Grace, M A- As steady as ever with more pop than expected
> > Morandini, M C Glove has been OK, but bat has been AWOL
>
> Agree on Grace. Moradini has come around of late, with the average into the .270's.
> Give him a B-.
* Morandini's glove is what I like. I knew his bat would come around.
He deserves a solid B for sure.
> > Hernandez, J C Misses too many balls, both at the plate and in the
> > field
> > Gaetti, G D- He's on the wrong side of 40 and he looks it
> > Houston, T B+ Looking a lot like Jose Hernandez did last year
>
> Agreed on these three. Hernandez has been a bit better than just average
(C+/B-)
Yea...Hernandez has been hitting with power and his glove is steady.
He's better than average. And why low marks for Gaetti? All you
newsgroup reg's keep talking about his age. He's 40, he's 40, he's 40...
Get off it already...he's been solid. I never liked him batting 8th.
He should have been put 6th in the line-up instead of Santiago.
But maybe that's second guessing. Point is...Gaetti deserves a C+.
>
> > Blauser, J C- Highest paid utility man in Cubs history
>
> Got to disagree with you. He is hitting over .300, but has been given no playing
> time. B/B+.
* Maybe a little time on the old pine is making the puss bare down this
year. I still don't like his "D" but he is getting his cuts when called
upon. He's better than Alexander (but anything is better then that chump)
> > Santiago, B D+ Only his defense and the occasional 2 out hit prevent
> > a complete bust out
>
> Santiago has been a huge hole in the line-up, and the only reason runners aren't
> stealing off of him is merely his reputation. Perhaps Baltimore is willing to deal
> Charles Johnson (I'd give them Trachsel).
* Santiago has stranded a bunch of runners no doubt. But that's on
Riggleman. Riggleman should have switched the line-up around and dropped
Santiago to 7th or 8th in the line-up.
But man has Santiago got an arm. Threw out a runner on his knees this
year trying to steal 2nd. Teams aren't as aggressive this year on the
basepathes...that's all I wanted out of Santiago. If his bat starts to
heat up...it's all a bonus.
> > Alexander, M C- Has done nothing to improve his lackluster image
>
> Injury has not helped him. He has been an above average pinch hitter, which is his
> role. C+.
* No comment.
> > Martinez, S I Injured
> >
> > Outfield
> > Name Grade Comment
> > Sosa, S B OPS is starting to climb, but he's still a defensive
> > abortion.
> > Johnson, L D On of the 5 worst defensive CF and leadoff hitters in
> > the game.
>
> Lance has been a total failure at the top of the line-up. He is not taking walks,
> he is not getting hits. He has been a major rally killer this season, too. As far
> as defense, his arm speaks for itself. D-.
* Geez, has he really been that bad? I'm not so sure. He's got some clutch
hits this year when the bottom of the order has reached scoring position.
Yes, he is not the traditional lead-off man. But we all knew that from
the get go...you can't teach this old dog new tricks.
Is his arm that bad? I think he's an average centerfielder. Not one of
the 5 worst in the league on defense.
* What is Dave Campbell smoking? Can I buy some of that stuff?
Cub fans in this newsgroup have been kicking dirt and lamenting
"if the bullpen did the job" and stuff. But, I say that's not the entire
reason. It's been some of Riggleman's dumb ass moves for NO reason.
Like the game a few days ago when Adams didn't bat in the 8th, thus,
not giving him chance to close the game. He pitched to one stinking
batter. Dumb. That type of managing just pisses me the f*#k off.
When it's obvious Beck is throwing batting practice fastballs,
Riggleman still trotts out the fat ass. Dumb. That's at least 4 games
blown for no reason other than "to bring in the almighty closer"
and snatching defeat from the clutches of victory.
I'd give Riggs a solid "C"
> > Pitching Coach
> > Demerrit, M B Gets in the face of some of his pitchers, pats
> > others on the ass, seems to be well respected by all. A real presence in the
> > dugout.
>
> Agreed.
Yea...Give him a B+. I think some of DeMerrit has rubbed off on Riggs
also.
>
> > General Manager
> > Lynch, E C- Gets credit for the Lieber deal and for pulling
> > the trigger to bring in Aguilera. However, he could drive a HumVee through the
> > gaping holes at 3B and catcher, not to mention the abortion that is a bullpen
> > largely unchanged from last year. He thought that they "underperformed" last
> > year. It's more likely that "what he saw is what they have."
>
> Not sure your abortion analogy is the best to use, but to each his own. Lynch did
> not fix some very obvious holes on this team. The bullpen is obvious. Giving a
> 40-y.o. third baseman is also a crucial mistake. I also do not understand how one
> gives an pitcher with bone spurs a contract extension. Lieber deal was wonderful,
> with Pittsburgh now looking to move Brant Brown. Santiago was a bad pick-up, but
> the availability of catchers was minute. While the Aguilera move may turn out to
> haunt him (and not that I approve of it), atleast he did it now rather than at the
> deadline, making a major statement to the rest of the league (which may have been
> that he overpaid for a reliever that no one else wanted).
>
> Overall, he took a team that got swept by the Braves and did not significantly
> improve them.
> D+.
* It's interesting to read DmL rip Lynch on a weekly basis. I for one,
don't think Lynch is all that bad. Some of the final roster moves near
the end of spring training was kind'a strange, but I figure Ed has a
master plan. We'll be in the playoffs and I've said that from the
beginning. I'd give Lynch a "C"
* Tack "killfile" Fu
JD
Madduxboy wrote in message <19990526231216...@ng-cn1.aol.com>...
>It's the end of the first quarter of the season, and time again to grade
the
>performance of our men in blue.......
>
>Name Grade Comment
>Grace, M A- As steady as ever with more pop than expected
>Morandini, M C Glove has been OK, but bat has been AWOL
the
>field
>Gaetti, G D- He's on the wrong side of 40 and he looks it
>Houston, T B+ Looking a lot like Jose Hernandez did last year
prevent
>a complete bust out
>
>Outfield
>Name Grade Comment
>Sosa, S B OPS is starting to climb, but he's still a
defensive
>abortion.
>Johnson, L D On of the 5 worst defensive CF and leadoff hitters
in
>the game.
his
>grade, but his defense....
>Brown, R I A bit player can't find room in this OF
>Goodwin, C C Has done everything Riggs has asked - which isn't
much
>
>Pitchers
>Name Grade Comment
>Adams, T I Just off injured list.....Reserving
judgement
>until the semester
>Aguilera, R I Just acquired.....Reserving judgement
until
>the semester
>Barker, R D Now we know why he's a 27 year old rookie
>Beck, R F Ouch, in every possible way
>Farnsworth, K C Has not embarrassed himself thus far
last
>year
wasted
>trade
>Baseball
>Lieber, J B Has been excellent more often than average
>Mulholland, T B Has done everything that Riggs has asked of
him,
>often with distinction
>Sanders, S D Can only hope that long/middle relief is his
niche
>Serafini, S C+ Two shellackings in 13 appearances.....not
bad
>Tapani, K A- Has been "all that" in the absence of K.W.
>Trachsel, S D+ His "nothing is my fault" act is wearing
awfully
>thin
>
>Riggleman, J C+ Gets credit for keeping his players in the
game.
>Gets cut some slack because the injuries are not his fault. Still gets
>outmanaged far too often.
>
>Demerrit, M B Gets in the face of some of his pitchers, pats
>others on the ass, seems to be well respected by all. A real presence in
the
>dugout.
>
>Lynch, E C- Gets credit for the Lieber deal and for
pulling
>the trigger to bring in Aguilera. However, he could drive a HumVee through
the
>gaping holes at 3B and catcher, not to mention the abortion that is a
bullpen
>largely unchanged from last year. He thought that they "underperformed"
last
>year. It's more likely that "what he saw is what they have."
>
>
>MB
>Dead, Bleedin' demised. Passed on. No more. Ceased to be. Expired and gone
to
>meet its maker. Late, stiff, bereft of life. Resting in peace, pushing up
>daisies, Rung down the curtain and joined the choir invisible. This is an
>ex-parrot.
Do you by any chance mean "abhorration" or perhaps "abhorrence"? I'm not
sure "abortion" is the word you're looking for.
Madduxboy
wrt my first quarter grades:
>Too harsh on Santiago and Trachsel and too nice to Hernandez (who appears to
>have left his bat in Arizona). Other than a couple outings, Trachsel has
>been just as good as anyone on the staff.
(snip)
Bill, as of this morning, Benito Santiago is hitting .219....with an OBA below
.300 and a SLG% below .400. I don't care if he's the 2nd coming of Johnny
Bench (defensively)....he's hitting like Scott Servais!!
Jose Hernandez still has value in the fact that he can play just about any
defensive position (albeit badly in some places). Does he rate a "D"? I don't
think so, mainly because it's tough to give a "D" to any player hitting
.290/.365/.450......Do I wish he made more contact and got to more balls? Of
course!!! But that _WAS_ the point of my capsule comment.
Everyone and his brother (including me) has wondered what the hell is wrong
with Maddux. When asked to rate his performance this year, Maddux gives
himself an "F."
Quick quiz question for you. Who has the higher ERA (this year), Maddux or
Trachsel?
Trachsel has gotten up in front of the media (and by extension, his teammates)
and blamed everyone _but_ himself for his record and his ERA. I'll grant that
his record is out of his control (in many ways). However, he does have a great
deal of control over his ERA. His petulance just galls me. Whoever gives him
the 5 year/$40M contract is going to regret it...I just hope that it's not
Lynch and McPhail.
jurb
wrote:
>It's the end of the first quarter of the season, and time again to grade the
>performance of our men in blue.......
>
>Infield
>Name Grade Comment
>Grace, M A- As steady as ever with more pop than expected
>Morandini, M C Glove has been OK, but bat has been AWOL
agreed
>Hernandez, J C Misses too many balls, both at the plate and in the
>field
I'd give him a B/B-. While his power is down, his OBP is up.
.285/.365/.456 is terrific for a SS. I'd play him more in center
instead of Lance Johnson and play Blauser at short.
>Gaetti, G D- He's on the wrong side of 40 and he looks it
Definitely, I hope he turns it around for one last hurrah.
>Houston, T B+ Looking a lot like Jose Hernandez did last year
>Blauser, J C- Highest paid utility man in Cubs history
If you are figuring in his injury which has limited his ability to
play, than that grade would be a bit more approriate (although still
too low, IMO). He's hitting .300/.404/.500 (albeit in 40 at-bats), but
he appears he is back and he should be playing more. I like him in the
lead-off role. In limited playing time, he gets an A. Overall, I'd
give him a B.
>Santiago, B D+ Only his defense and the occasional 2 out hit prevent
>a complete bust out
Plus he has a little bit of power. I still think he's better than
Servais was last year, but he desperately needs to turn things up.
>Alexander, M C- Has done nothing to improve his lackluster image
>Martinez, S I Injured
>
>Outfield
>Name Grade Comment
>Sosa, S B OPS is starting to climb, but he's still a defensive
>abortion.
Other than the occasional defensive miscue, he is underrated with the
glove in my book. B+.
>Johnson, L D On of the 5 worst defensive CF and leadoff hitters in
>the game.
F
>Rodriguez, H B- This last road trip really helped his numbers and his
>grade, but his defense....
His defense is much, much better than advertised. He came in with the
reputation of being awful, and he has proved to be at least average,
if not slightly above. Poor range, but reliable and make's the
occasionally great play. Is also hitting better than Sosa at this
point. A.
>Hill, G I Was an "A/B" type player when healthy
Well, if Blauser has played enough to rate, than why not Hill. He
won't hit .430 all year, but he has thus far been an A-- when he has
played.
>Brown, R I A bit player can't find room in this OF
>Goodwin, C C Has done everything Riggs has asked - which isn't much
Good defensive player, great basestealer, awful hitter. Can't argue
with his C grade, because he does what he is supposed to do. I'd like
to see Riggs pinch run him a little more, as he is probably the best
basestealer on the team.
>
>Pitchers
>Name Grade Comment
>Adams, T I Just off injured list.....Reserving judgement
>until the semester
So far, so good (actually, he's looked awesome).
>Aguilera, R I Just acquired.....Reserving judgement until
>the semester
>Barker, R D Now we know why he's a 27 year old rookie
Incomplete. Only 5.0 IP. I like his stuff.
>Beck, R F Ouch, in every possible way
A disaster.
>Farnsworth, K C Has not embarrassed himself thus far
>Heredia, F C+ Flashes of brilliance mixed with flashes of last
>year
>Karchner, M F Inujry may spell end of his Cubs tenure, a wasted
>trade
Agreed on all three.
>King, R I Will appear in the 6th Edition of Total
>Baseball
>Lieber, J B Has been excellent more often than average
>Mulholland, T B Has done everything that Riggs has asked of him,
>often with distinction
I'll go as far as to give Mulholland an A. He deserves it.
>Myers, R D+ 19 appearances, 3 wins, ERA of 6.00....
Doesn't pitch well in the majors, doesn't pitch well at Iowa. Why do
they keep messing around with him? Has shown flashes of compentancy
which has thus far secured him a job.
>Sanders, S D Can only hope that long/middle relief is his niche
I don't see why you'd have him lower than Meyers.
>Serafini, S C+ Two shellackings in 13 appearances.....not bad
Former 1st round pick. I think he has been one of Ed's better
pick-ups.
>Tapani, K A- Has been "all that" in the absence of K.W.
>Trachsel, S D+ His "nothing is my fault" act is wearing awfully
>thin
Has been floundering lately, but has pitched in tough luck too (the
bullpen hasn't been generous when it comes to inherited runners).
>
>Manager
>Riggleman, J C+ Gets credit for keeping his players in the game.
>Gets cut some slack because the injuries are not his fault. Still gets
>outmanaged far too often.
B. Isn't as bad as some on this newsgroup make him out to be. Although
I am being generous given the Kerry Wood fiasco from last year.
>
>Pitching Coach
>Demerrit, M B Gets in the face of some of his pitchers, pats
>others on the ass, seems to be well respected by all. A real presence in the
>dugout.
Incomplete. Just because he pats players in the ass and looks like a
construction worker doesn't make him a good pitching coach. I'm
optimistic, but I'd reserve judgement. It's way too early to tell.
Also:
Hitting Coach
Jeff Pentland A
Turned around Sosa, got both Sosa and Henry to take more walks.
Glenallen Hill and Gary Gaetti flourished when they came over here
last year (and G. Hill hasn't let up). Morandini had a great year
under him last year, and Tyler Houston appears to be putting up career
numbers this year. Walk rates for both Jose Hernandez and Lance
Johnson are up this year as well. He isn't a miracle worker, but he is
the best Cub's hitting coach they have had in a long time. I hope he
sticks around for a long time.
>
>General Manager
>Lynch, E C- Gets credit for the Lieber deal and for pulling
>the trigger to bring in Aguilera. However, he could drive a HumVee through the
>gaping holes at 3B and catcher, not to mention the abortion that is a bullpen
>largely unchanged from last year. He thought that they "underperformed" last
>year. It's more likely that "what he saw is what they have."
His bungling of the bullpen is a major negative (didn't even try to
improve middle relief in the offseason). Failed to come up with a
contingency plan at third base for the very real possibility of Gary
Gaetti acting his age (both Tom Evans and Willie Greene could have
beed had). Santiago was a worthwhile gamble IMO, but Ed also failed to
come up with a back-up plan here as well (as it is obvious the Cubs
don't think much of Pat Cline). Sandy Martinez just sucks, and Tyler
Houston is covering up at third. Brad Woodall wasn't the answer,
although Dan Serafini might turn out to be a find. Manny Alexander is
still under Cubs' employ.
Lieber is Lynch's crowning achievement this year, but Lynch's
releasing of Hideo Nomo looks like it could turn around and bite him
in the ass (Nomo has looked good for Milwaukee). The Aguilera trade is
still up in the air, but the Cubs gave up two of their best/better
pitching prospects to get a 37 year old reliever. Should the Cubs have
been in that position in the first place? Minor league system at
AA/AAA is atrocious with the exception of some decent (but not
overwhelming) pitching talent. Corey Patterson looks good so far and
has the makings of a grade A prospect. Signing Tapani to a long term
deal looks like it just might be crazy enough to work out. Lynch has
been judicious with contracts (unlike the Pirates, he isn't signing
anybody to ridiculously long-term contracts), if the Cubs falter, most
of the aging/unproductive are gone and the Cubs can begin fresh... but
then what? Lynch has shown an aversion towards playing younger players
and their isn't much at the upper levels (although, I still like Chad
Myers).
Grade: D
>
>
>Peace,
>MB
Good list, though.
Madduxboy
>
>
>Madduxboy wrote:
>
snip
>> Grace, M A- As steady as ever with more pop than expected
>> Morandini, M C Glove has been OK, but bat has been AWOL
>
>Agree on Grace. Moradini has come around of late, with the average into the
>.270's.
>Give him a B-.
But the quarter is 40 games long, and his 267/340/385 line is _below_ even
Morandini's career average!!! His defense has been steady, and I credit that.
But having a little "hot" streak to get you near those offensive numbers
doesn't rate a "B" in my book.
snip
>> Blauser, J C- Highest paid utility man in Cubs history
>
>Got to disagree with you. He is hitting over .300, but has been given no
>playing
>time. B/B+.
Dan, we can disagree here. I have a tough time giving a "B" to a guy with 50
PAs in 40+ games. He's making an obscene amount of money to spot start and
pinch hit. If he was "all that" then why isn't he starting every day at SS and
Hernandez playing at 3B?
snip
>> Farnsworth, K C Has not embarrassed himself thus far
>
>For a guy who is clearly not ready to be in the majors, he has done quite
>well. Has
>yet to allow more than 4 (or perhaps 5) runs a game, and has kept the team in
>every
>game. B/B-.
You've got quite a curve Dan ;-)
Yes, Kyle has given up no more than 4 or 5 runs per game.....However, he's
given up those runs in 6 or 7 IP...... He's still learning to pitch
(translation: he's prone to nibble). Has he kept his teams in games? Yeah,
but only because he's getting 1998 Tapani-like run support. I'm happy that he
hasn't been a disaster. He may benefit greatly from this MLB crash
course.......but he's not in Mulholland's grade range, not by a longshot.
major snip.....
>> General Manager
>> Lynch, E C- Gets credit for the Lieber deal and for
>pulling
>> the trigger to bring in Aguilera. However, he could drive a HumVee through
>the
>> gaping holes at 3B and catcher, not to mention the abortion that is a
>bullpen
>> largely unchanged from last year. He thought that they "underperformed"
>last
>> year. It's more likely that "what he saw is what they have."
>
>Not sure your abortion analogy is the best to use, but to each his own.
Let me apologize now to all who have taken offense to my use of the word
"abortion." Bad choice of words.
david...@my-deja.com
100...@green.weeg.uiowa.edu>,
timothy james tack <tt...@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu> wrote:
And why low marks for Gaetti? All you
> newsgroup reg's keep talking about his age. He's 40, he's 40, he's 40...
> Get off it already...he's been solid.
Solid? Solid as in leaden, I suppose. He's hitting .180!
How can you call ANY position player hitting .180 solid? I
don't care if he's playing defense like Brooks Robinson in
his prime: a third baseman hitting .180 is a huge albatross.
I expect him to do better, but you have to remember that Gaetti
has had seasons where he's hit .226, .229, and he wasn't
40 back then.
> I never liked him batting 8th.
Well, the only other place in the order for a guy hitting .180
is ninth, and the pitchers are some of the few players on the
roster hitting worse than Gaetti.
Dave Geiser
--== Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ ==--
---Share what you know. Learn what you don't.---
Michael J. Sacks
> Grace, M A- As steady as ever with more pop than expected
Don't know why he gets a minus tacked on. His defense is much improved
from last year (when he had a very poor season for him), there's power
there for the first time ever, and his average and walks are at great
Grace levels.
> Morandini, M C Glove has been OK, but bat has been AWOL
Batting between .260-.270 now and on an 11 game hitting streak, IIRC. He
deserves a B-, and rising. (BTW, I'm not the only one that hates it when
Chip calls him "the Dandy Little Glove Man" every time he's mentioned, am
I?).
> Hernandez, J C Misses too many balls, both at the plate and in the
> field
I'm not concerned about that. You expect that from him. But his average
has been better than what I'd expect, and his power's been a bit less.
With his versalitilty and starting almost every day, I'd give him a C+.
> Gaetti, G D- He's on the wrong side of 40 and he looks it
His range is almost gone to the point where playing him hurts you, but his
arm and glove are as good as ever. Even with his horrible hitting gives
him a D+ in my book, especially with him coming off the bench now.
> Houston, T B+ Looking a lot like Jose Hernandez did last year
Better. A-, and the only reason not an A+ is because he's lost any
respectable chance at playing catcher fulltime because of the way he calls
a game and his defense.
> Blauser, J C- Highest paid utility man in Cubs history
And doing very well. B+. Don't downgrade him simply because he makes $4M
a season. He's hitting well enough, and is giving the Cubs playing time
at 2nd and 3rd. For an over the hill player, learning new positions like
that is amazing.
> Santiago, B D+ Only his defense and the occasional 2 out hit prevent
> a complete bust out
His 2 out hitting has been amazing, but I agree with this grade once you
realize what his pitch calling has done to the relievers this season. I
honestly wonder how many times the starters call off his signals compared
to what they did with Servais last year. Seems like a lot more.
> Alexander, M C- Has done nothing to improve his lackluster image
> Martinez, S I Injured
Yep.
> Outfield
> Name Grade Comment
> Sosa, S B OPS is starting to climb, but he's still a defensive
> abortion.
His hitting makes up for his fielding. A-. I was at Monday's game and
saw that inside the park homerun. In all honesty, while that was the
worst defensive play I've ever had the privledge (or lack thereof) of
watching, it only cost the Cubs one, maybe two runs. And in that game, he
had hit a home run and double that led to runs earlier. In his worst
defensive mode, he still makes up for it at the plate. Defense, with a
hitter, is not anywhere close to the importance as his hitting.
> Johnson, L D On of the 5 worst defensive CF and leadoff hitters in
> the game.
His range is just as exceptional as past years, but his glovework and arm
are pathetic.
> Rodriguez, H B- This last road trip really helped his numbers and his
> grade, but his defense....
He's been hitting all year, even before his injury. And his glove is
fine, just not his range. B+.
> Hill, G I Was an "A/B" type player when healthy
> Brown, R I A bit player can't find room in this OF
> Goodwin, C C Has done everything Riggs has asked - which isn't much
B+. When you are a role player, you can only be graded in that role.
Goodwin's defense in left has saved a number of hits that H-Rod wouldn't
have gotten too (especially with this bullpen). Unlike last year, when I
felt Brant Brown and Hill weren't that much better, this last inning
replacement is doing great.
> Pitchers
> Name Grade Comment
> Adams, T I Just off injured list.....Reserving judgement
> until the semester
> Aguilera, R I Just acquired.....Reserving judgement until
> the semester
> Barker, R D Now we know why he's a 27 year old rookie
> Beck, R F Ouch, in every possible way
Can we give him a minus.
> Farnsworth, K C Has not embarrassed himself thus far
??? C'mon, he's 2-0 with 4 no decisions. Until yesterday, he had left
the game with the lead in every start. ERA has a lot of relevance, but in
6 starts, if they're hitting off the opposing pitcher too, it can be
inflated. He has faced easy teams overall, but I cant see giving him
anything less than a B.
> Heredia, F C+ Flashes of brilliance mixed with flashes of last
> year
Outside of one outing, he's been very good. B.
> Karchner, M F Inujry may spell end of his Cubs tenure, a wasted
> trade
> King, R I Will appear in the 6th Edition of Total
> Baseball
> Lieber, J B Has been excellent more often than average
> Mulholland, T B Has done everything that Riggs has asked of him,
> often with distinction
I'd raise Mulholland up to a B+.
> Myers, R D+ 19 appearances, 3 wins, ERA of 6.00....
> Sanders, S D Can only hope that long/middle relief is his niche
Sanders wasn't awful in the rotation, just definitively not good enough.
I'll give him a plus here.
> Serafini, S C+ Two shellackings in 13 appearances.....not bad
> Tapani, K A- Has been "all that" in the absence of K.W.
> Trachsel, S D+ His "nothing is my fault" act is wearing awfully
> thin
Well, when Rod Beck completely blows 3 and 4 run leads (one with inherited
runners) what the **** can you expect? No, he hasn't been amazing, but a
C+/B- is the lowest I'd give him.
> Manager
> Riggleman, J C+ Gets credit for keeping his players in the game.
> Gets cut some slack because the injuries are not his fault. Still gets
> outmanaged far too often.
>
> Pitching Coach
> Demerrit, M B Gets in the face of some of his pitchers, pats
> others on the ass, seems to be well respected by all. A real presence in the
> dugout.
>
> General Manager
> Lynch, E C- Gets credit for the Lieber deal and for pulling
> the trigger to bring in Aguilera. However, he could drive a HumVee through the
> gaping holes at 3B and catcher, not to mention the abortion that is a bullpen
> largely unchanged from last year. He thought that they "underperformed" last
> year. It's more likely that "what he saw is what they have."
If you're only grading Lynch on what he's done since the start of the
season, give him a bit higher grade.
Gosh, you're about as negative as I can imagine any Cubs fan being at this
point in the season. We've had a worse bullpen than any other this decade
(where we've seen a lot of bad pitching here), I've seen more 9th inning
losses than I can remember, yet we're a few games over .500 with our two
worst relievers this season on the DL.
Mike Sacks
"If we are here to help others, what are the others here for?"
--Erik Horvitz
david...@my-deja.com
"Daniel M. Lichtenstein" <dm...@mindspring.com> wrote:
> Henry has had so many critical basehits this season. He is hitting in the .330's
> and has also been taking lots of walks (for Henry). His strike-outs are way down,
Why do people keep saying this?
Rodriguez' career strikeouts per plate appearance: 0.24
Rodriguez' 1999 strikeouts per plate appearance: 0.20
Down, but not way down, and still quite high.
When his batting average inevitably drops as the season wears
on, I expect him to have his normal high number of strikeouts.
Not that that matters at all, if he continues to draw walks at
a reasonable rate. He's having a good year so far, and if he hits
.275/.340/.540, I will be happy enough with him.
User Name
>On 27 May 1999, Madduxboy wrote:
>
>> Grace, M A- As steady as ever with more pop than expected
etcetera -- liked the original grades for the most part with a
few exceptions
>> Houston, T B+ Looking a lot like Jose Hernandez did last year
>
>Better. A-, and the only reason not an A+ is because he's lost any
>respectable chance at playing catcher fulltime because of the way he calls
>a game and his defense.
I think you too are using different grading scales. Madduxboy gives
an A- to Tapani. Would a dozen Tyler Houstons make the Cubs
a lock to win the World Series? I'd expect that from a team
of twelve A's.
>
>> Blauser, J C- Highest paid utility man in Cubs history
Here is my one big disagreement with the original. He's done a fine
job in his given role. His salary is irrelevant. I agree with Mike.
>> Goodwin, C C Has done everything Riggs has asked - which isn't much
>
>B+. When you are a role player, you can only be graded in that role.
>Goodwin's defense in left has saved a number of hits
He's also a pinch hitter, admittedly not used that much because of
his ineffectiveness.
>> Barker, R D Now we know why he's a 27 year old rookie
Probably deserves an I also.
>> Farnsworth, K C Has not embarrassed himself thus far
>
>??? C'mon, he's 2-0 with 4 no decisions. Until yesterday, he had left
>the game with the lead in every start. ERA has a lot of relevance, but in
>6 starts, if they're hitting off the opposing pitcher too, it can be
>inflated. He has faced easy teams overall, but I cant see giving him
>anything less than a B.
He's started six games now for the Cubs -- I believe the same number
as Dave Swartzbaugh in his career. I don't think the ERAs are all that
different. And it should be noted that Farnsworth has faced the
Marlins twice. I certainly hope, with everyone else, that we will
see a much improved Farnsworth as he continues to develop and Kyle
will prove to be the solid starter we are projecting. For now though,
Farnsworth is basically what the original appraisal implies -- a
AAA pitcher who hasn't embarrassed himself in the bigs. There's a
big difference between not falling on your face and proving you belong.
>
>> Heredia, F C+ Flashes of brilliance mixed with flashes of last
>> year
>
>Outside of one outing, he's been very good. B.
With a horrid bullpen, how can a guy with an ERA a little above 3
be pitching to one or two batters at a time? He's pitched well
enough to earn a B but he hasn't pitched enough to take innings
away from Rodney Myers so he fails the managerial confidence test -
original grade stands.
>
>Gosh, you're about as negative as I can imagine any Cubs fan being at this
>point in the season.
It's all in how you assign grades. Could be it's reasonable to
give every player on a balanced .500 team a C.
Ray Heitmann
R. Bharat Rao
> Maddux boy penned:
> > > Gaetti, G D- He's on the wrong side of 40 and he looks it
> He's better than average. And why low marks for Gaetti? All you
> newsgroup reg's keep talking about his age. He's 40, he's 40, he's 40...
> Get off it already...he's been solid. I never liked him batting 8th.
> He should have been put 6th in the line-up instead of Santiago.
> But maybe that's second guessing. Point is...Gaetti deserves a C+.
Solid? 178/271/327 is solid? Frankly, I would give Gaetti an F;
the D- by Madduxboy was quite generous.
178/271/327 would be "solid" if Gaetti were a starting *pitcher*. For a
third baseman, "putrid" is more appropriate.
D-/F has nothing to do with Gaetti being 40. An OPS under 600
is horrible, whether its by a 21 year old rookie or a 40 year old
"was decent in his prime" player. At least with the rookie you
hope he'll improve.
Bharat
--
R. Bharat Rao E-mail:bha...@scr.siemens.com
Adaptive Information & Signal Processing, Siemens Corporate Research
US Mail: 755 College Road East, Princeton, NJ 08540
Phones: (609)734-6531(O) (609)734-6565(F) (609)371-1607(H)
Matt
Name Madduxboy's Grade Matt's Grade
Grace, M A- A (A
for awesome; his glove, after declining a bit last year, is back to gold
glove status)
Morandini, M C C (come
on brother, hit!)
Hernandez, J C B- (he's
gonna wind up an A)
Gaetti, G D- D
(grand slam away from "F")
Houston, T B+ B+
(Thank you, Tyler!)
Blauser, J C- I
(keeping fingers crossed)
Santiago, B D+ B+ defense/F offense
(split grade needed)
Alexander, M C- I (the
guy has played well, though)
Martinez, S I I
(the most invisible player in baseball)
Sosa, S B B+
(Da Man is gonna hit 60 again)
Johnson, L D D-
(most aggravating player of '99; does have a terrible arm, but he's still
very good in the field)
Rodriguez, H B- A-
(we'd be screwed without him)
Hill, G I
A-(It was obvious we're not nearly as good without his presence in the
platoon or late-inning heroics)
Brown, R I I
(Dunno)
Goodwin, C C C (two
catches to save Beck one day!)
Adams, T I I
(keeping fingers crossed)
Aguilera, R I I
(glad to have him; nice to see a guy who has good stuff and normal pitches
and not Beck's weird lobs)
Barker, R D I
(dunno)
Beck, R F F
(thanks for last year)
Farnsworth, K C B-(not
the second coming of Kerry, obviously, but should be better than Traschel
someday)
Heredia, F C+ B-(I
have a love/hate relationship with this guy)
Karchner, M F I (Hate
him; have fingers crossed, though, that someday he will get it back)
King, R I I
(saw him in Iowa and loved him)
Lieber, J B B+
(Now let's get Brant Brown back)
Mulholland, T B B (Wait
till he really finds his stride)
Myers, R D+
D+(Mostly sucks, then surprises)
Sanders, S D C (love
him in setup role)
Serafini, S C+ C (not so
confident with this guy)
Tapani, K A- A (Not a
hall of famer, but he's more over .500 than some guys there; a winner)
Trachsel, S D+ C+
(unlucky, but aggravating)
Manager
Riggleman, J C+ B-(love his
class, his dignity, hate his stubborness with Beck, uses his bench well, a
lot like Lasorda in that it takes a sledgehammer to get him to play you,
i.e. Jose Hernandez, Tyler Houston, Brant Brown, Sandy Martinez, etc.)
General Manager C- D (Piazza or
Santiago= World Series champion or pretender; Piazza was a free agent; take
Beck's, Santiago's and Gaetti's money, sell a few more subscriptions to the
Trib and some Piazza jerseys, and you've got a murder's row of Grace,
Piazza, Sosa and Rodriguez; Morandini and Lieber deals were great, although
wouldn't it be nice to have either Glanville or Brown in CF rather than
Lance Johnson? Of course, his hands were tied because we couldn't dump
Johnson's contract, which is because Lynch signed Pig Rojas and had to take
Johnson off the Met's hands in order to unload the worst Cub pitcher of all
time not named Jim Bullinger. So Brant Brown had to go, or we'd have Jeff
Blauser and Lance Johnson as the highest priced bench in the history of
sports. Struck lightning with Glenallen Hill and Gaetti last year, so
you've got to give him credit for shoring up some needs. But he's a bottom
feeder, always trying to fill gaps with bargains like Henry and Santiago,
instead of making bold moves like a Piazza, Albert Belle, Clemens or Randy
Johnson. He takes huge chances on big money/big trades on "closers" like
Beck, Rojas and Aguilar but scared of his shadow when it comes to a Piazza
or Clemens. Which means we're always looking up at the ASStros)
Aztec Princess
> It's the end of the first quarter of the season, and time again to grade the
> performance of our men in blue.......
>
> Pitching Coach
> Demerrit, M B Gets in the face of some of his pitchers, pats
> others on the ass, seems to be well respected by all. A real presence in the
> dugout.
>
You forgot Coach Dave!
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ICQ 33142077 * http://hello.to/veronica * Yahoo! Pager: veronicaia
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ENagel56
>Piazza or
>Santiago= World Series champion or pretender; Piazza was a free agent; take
>Beck's, Santiago's and Gaetti's money, sell a few more subscriptions to the
>Trib and some Piazza jerseys, and you've got a murder's row of Grace,
>Piazza, Sosa and Rodriguez;
The Mets signed Piazza before he could test the market, so we can't really
criticize Lynch for not signing him as an FA, only for not getting him in the
first place.
david...@my-deja.com
madd...@aol.comspamspam (Madduxboy) wrote:
Overall I have few quibbles, but...
> Hernandez, J C
Huh? He's having fine year offensively for a shortstop, and he
looks like a pretty decent defensive player too. B+.
> Houston, T B+ Looking a lot like Jose Hernandez did last year.
You're again confusing me about Hernandez, who is having a BETTER
year this year than last.
Dave Geiser
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Matt
>The Mets signed Piazza before he could test the market, so we can't really
>criticize Lynch for not signing him as an FA, only for not getting him in
the
>first place.
>
Yea, I think you're right. I'm getting old. They did lock him up long term
during last season, right?
Madduxboy
Not exactly. The "free agency" period begins on a date in November (something
like a couple weeks after the WS ends). The Mets were out of the playoffs, so
they had from the beginning of October to that date in November to negotiate
with Piazza. IIRC, it would be tampering on the part of any team to approach
Piazza _before_ he declared free agency. So the Mets signed Piazza after the
end of last season, but before the date when he had to declare free agency.
Hope that was clear.......
ivyw...@my-deja.com
grade the
> performance of our men in blue.......
>
> Name Grade Comment
> Grace, M A- As steady as ever with more pop than
expected
in the
> field
looks it
year
hit prevent
> a complete bust out
image
> Martinez, S I Injured
>
> Name Grade Comment
> Sosa, S B OPS is starting to climb, but he's still a
defensive
> abortion.
hitters in
> the game.
numbers and his
> grade, but his defense....
> Brown, R I A bit player can't find room in this OF
isn't much
>
> Name Grade Comment
> Adams, T I Just off injured list.....Reserving
judgement
> until the semester
> Aguilera, R I Just acquired.....Reserving
judgement until
> the semester
rookie
flashes of last
> year
a wasted
> trade
> King, R I Will appear in the 6th Edition of
Total
> Baseball
> Lieber, J B Has been excellent more often than
average
> Mulholland, T B Has done everything that Riggs has
asked of him,
> often with distinction
> Sanders, S D Can only hope that long/middle relief is
his niche
appearances.....not bad
> Tapani, K A- Has been "all that" in the absence of
K.W.
> Trachsel, S D+ His "nothing is my fault" act is wearing
awfully
> thin
>
> Riggleman, J C+ Gets credit for keeping his players in
the game.
> Gets cut some slack because the injuries are not his fault. Still
gets
> outmanaged far too often.
>
> Demerrit, M B Gets in the face of some of his
pitchers, pats
> others on the ass, seems to be well respected by all. A real
presence in the
> dugout.
>
> Lynch, E C- Gets credit for the Lieber deal and for
pulling
> the trigger to bring in Aguilera. However, he could drive a HumVee
through the
> gaping holes at 3B and catcher, not to mention the abortion that is a
bullpen
> largely unchanged from last year. He thought that they
"underperformed" last
> year. It's more likely that "what he saw is what they have."
>
> MB
> Dead, Bleedin' demised. Passed on. No more. Ceased to be. Expired and
gone to
> meet its maker. Late, stiff, bereft of life. Resting in peace,
pushing up
> daisies, Rung down the curtain and joined the choir invisible. This
is an
> ex-parrot.
>
Tim
"Bill M." wrote:
> Too harsh on Santiago and Trachsel and too nice to Hernandez (who appears to
> have left his bat in Arizona). Other than a couple outings, Trachsel has
> been just as good as anyone on the staff
Never mind a few of those 11 blown saves (or is it more by now) cost
Trachsel both a higher ERA and losses. "Not my fault" my be a bit tiring, but
it isn't that far from the truth.
tim