10 replies to this topic

[Fishin Phil]

A few years back when Hendry hired Jaramillo, we were told he was the hitting guru that would solve our offensive woes. Of course, I didn't believe that was going to happen right away. Then there was the issue of several of the veterans on the team at that time who openly ignored him.

We are going into the third year of Jaramillo being here, and I have yet to see evidence that he is "one of the best hitting coaches in baseball". I realize that he doesn't have a whole lot to work with in some cases, the phrase "polishing a turd" springs to mind, but I'm just not seeing any of his greatness.

Is it just me?

[Brett]

I never thought it was a fit: http://www.bleachern...ut-should-they/

His teams in Texas were notoriously aggressive, and notoriously averse to taking pitches. He's being paid almost $1 million a year (think about that), and, like you, I've seen no results. At all.

I'll be content when he is not asked back after this season.

[Crockett]

He also had WAY MORE TALENTED hitters in Texas than he's ever had in Chicago.

A hitting coach can only do so much.

[Brett]

He also had WAY MORE TALENTED hitters in Texas than he's ever had in Chicago.

A hitting coach can only do so much.

As a truism, you're right. But we've watched him for three years, and I've seen no progress.

And he was in Texas for a LONG time - he didn't always have a lineup of superstars. And if he did, that sure made him a suspect hire, no?

[Spencer]

I wonder how much work he actually does with the guys during the season. Vernon Wells is having a semi bounce-back year, at least.

Sort of unrelated, does anyone know why Bosio never goes to the mound when pitchers start to suck?

[Still Love the Cubs]

I wonder how much work he actually does with the guys during the season. Vernon Wells is having a semi bounce-back year, at least.

Sort of unrelated, does anyone know why Bosio never goes to the mound when pitchers start to suck?

He goes out more than Riggins did. That guy was just a rumored pitching coach last year. I don't think he even came to the ballpark some games.

[Fishin Phil]

I wonder how much work he actually does with the guys during the season. Vernon Wells is having a semi bounce-back year, at least.

Sort of unrelated, does anyone know why Bosio never goes to the mound when pitchers start to suck?

I read somewhere that was a concious decision by Sveum and Bosio. They wanted the catchers to handle it for the most part. We'll see how it works out.

[Brett]

I wonder how much work he actually does with the guys during the season. Vernon Wells is having a semi bounce-back year, at least.

Sort of unrelated, does anyone know why Bosio never goes to the mound when pitchers start to suck?

I read somewhere that was a concious decision by Sveum and Bosio. They wanted the catchers to handle it for the most part. We'll see how it works out.

You read that here. And you're quite right. I don't know why they made that decision, but it was a conscious one. I think they think it rattles pitchers more than it helps them.

[BlueHorizons]

I have long thought that the Cubs' pitcher coaching has been lacking. Even when Rothschild was in the fold. It seems like the Cubs have trashed way too many promising pitcher arms. We've watched over the recent past as Mark Prior went from near-God status to a has-been.... Kerry Wood that nearly matched Prior... Carlos Zambrano (well, he is a head case), should have been MUCH better than he was... We've seen injury after injury, which I think should fall on the pitching coache's shoulder as well. I know the manager has a lot to do with overworking the pitchers a la Dusty Baker, but the pitching coach SHOULD have been able to control some of that, unless maybe Rothschild didn't have enough power to exert.

For a long time, it seems like the Cubs pitching staff's claim to fame could only be that their record in simulated games is impeccable! (it SHOULD be, as we have heard about MANY simulated games that the pitchers were throwing on the side. Oh, and don't forget all of those "towel throwing drills" that the pitchers were doing, there for a while (I think that was just Rothschild's thing).

I was really hoping that the Cubs would enlist Greg Maddox as their pitching coach, but sadly that didn't happen.

Instead, we are leading the league in walks... Out of all the ugly stats that the Cubs have, the number of walks is the most annoying to me. Walks are NEVER good, especially a lead-off walk. To walk in a run is infuriating. The Cubs would probably have 3 more Ws, if only the walks had been avoided.

[fromthemitten]

Blue Horizons: That's really easy to explain when you see the following statistics. Also you forgot poor Matt Clement who broke down after leaving the Cubs.

Here is the Cubs' MLB rankings for pitching staffs over the past 10 years:

MOST STRIKEOUTS ISSUED
2011 - 6th
2010 - 4th
2009 - 2nd
2008 - 1st
2007 - 1st
2006 - 1st
2005 - 1st
2004 - 1st
2003 - 1st
2002 - 1st

Man, if Crash Davis was right and strikeouts are fascist then Larry Rothschild must be Mussolini.

MOST WALKS ISSUED
2011 - 1st
2010 - 1st
2009 - 8th
2008 - 15th
2007 - 7th
2006 - 1st
2005 - 7th
2004 - 14th
2003 - 2nd
2002- 5th

Looking at both of those tables it is easy to see that Cubs pitchers have thrown substantially more pitches than any organization in baseball. High walk and strikeout rates = high pitch counts. High pitch counts = arms breaking down quicker. Hopefully Theo and crew will catch this and have the organization focus on being more democratic and getting some more ground balls.

[Fishin Phil]

Hmmmmmmm.