Why the 2010 Milwaukee Brewers Will Suck
Editor’s Note: Yes, it’s that time of year again - the time for us to settle back into our protective bubble where the Chicago Cubs are destined for greatness, and every other team in the National League Central is bound for spectacular failure. If you’d care to check out last year’s fare:St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros. Already featured for 2010: Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros.
The 2010 Major League Baseball season is nearly upon us, and that means two things: (1) we’re all so deprived of real baseball action that we’re willing to treat meaningless Spring Training games like they’re the playoffs, and (2) the prognosticators are out in full force. Yes, every sports publication in the world puts out a season preview. Some are interesting, some aren’t. For the most part, folks just don’t have the time necessary to do the kind of in-depth preview that is going to be of any use to a reader that actually follows the team being previewed.
So most previews end up being pretty surface level, and boring. Well, we’re not going to do that here at Bleacher Nation. It’s much more interesting (notice how I subtly pat myself on the back?) to simply examine why the team currently sucks and is going to suck in 2010.
So enjoy - we’ll be previewing the suckiness (suckosity?) of the other teams in the National League Central over the next five weeks. Up next, Bud Selig’s favorite beer-swillers, the Milwaukee Brewers. Read the full preview on why the 2010 Milwaukee Brewers will suck, after the jump.
ShareWhy the 2010 Houston Astros Will Suck
Editor’s Note: Yes, it’s that time of year again - the time for us to settle back into our protective bubble where the Chicago Cubs are destined for greatness, and every other team in the National League Central is bound for spectacular failure. If you’d care to check out last year’s fare:St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros. Already featured for 2010: Cincinnati Reds.
The 2010 Major League Baseball season is nearly upon us, and that means two things: (1) we’re all so deprived of real baseball action that we’re willing to treat meaningless Spring Training games like they’re the playoffs, and (2) the prognosticators are out in full force. Yes, every sports publication in the world puts out a season preview. Some are interesting, some aren’t. For the most part, folks just don’t have the time necessary to do the kind of in-depth preview that is going to be of any use to a reader that actually follows the team being previewed.
So most previews end up being pretty surface level, and boring. Well, we’re not going to do that here at Bleacher Nation. It’s much more interesting (notice how I subtly pat myself on the back?) to simply examine why the team currently sucks and is going to suck in 2010.
So enjoy - we’ll be previewing the suckiness (suckosity?) of the other teams in the National League Central over the next five weeks. Up first, the home of Fat Elvis: the Houston Astros. Read the full preview on why the 2010 Houston Astros will suck, after the jump.
ShareLaughing Because it isn’t the Cubs: Missouri Hates Mark McGwire
Former St. Louis Cardinal slugger and current St. Louis Cardinal hitting coach is apparently no longer as popular in Missouri as he once was. The state is trying to scratch his name from their history books - or at least their highway system.
A stretch of Interstate 70 in St. Louis was designated the Mark McGwire Highway in 1999, one year after the Cardinals slugger hit a then-record 70 home runs.
But McGwire has now admitted he used steroids, and the state Senate voted unanimously Monday to rename the section of interstate the Mark Twain Highway. The measure now goes to the House. Chicago Breaking Sports.
Unanimously? Daaaaamn. You’d think the state Senate could have scrounged up just one Big Mac supporter. Then again, many of them have probably met the usually gruff McGwire - and probably very few met Mark Twain. Does Missouri have term limits?
ShareGrumble: The Cardinals Just Signed Felipe Lopez
It’s not a game-changer, but Felipe Lopez is a guy worth having on your team. And now he’s on the wrong team.
The St. Louis Cardinals reached an agreement with free agent infielder Felipe Lopez on a one-year, $2 million deal, a source told ESPN The Magazine’s Buster Olney.
The deal is still pending the completion of a physical, the source said.
Lopez batted .310, with a .383 on-base percentage, last season for the Diamondbacks and Brewers. The only other free agent on the market this winter who matched or beat him in both of those categories was Matt Holliday. ESPN.
If Lopez puts up similar numbers this year (though there’s reason to think he has no chance, given a highly elevated BABIP last year), the Cards will have just stolen a potential All-Star.
Either way, Lopez is versatile and solid with the glove. He’s valuable, even if he’s on the bench.
Crap.
ShareWhy the 2010 Cincinnati Reds Will Suck
Editor’s Note: Yes, it’s that time of year again - the time for us to settle back into our protective bubble where the Chicago Cubs are destined for greatness, and every other team in the National League Central is bound for spectacular failure. If you’d care to check out last year’s fare: St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros.
The 2010 Major League Baseball season is nearly upon us, and that means two things: (1) we’re all so deprived of real baseball action that we’re willing to treat meaningless Spring Training games like they’re the playoffs, and (2) the prognosticators are out in full force. Yes, every sports publication in the world puts out a season preview. Some are interesting, some aren’t. For the most part, folks just don’t have the time necessary to do the kind of in-depth preview that is going to be of any use to a reader that actually follows the team being previewed.
So most previews end up being pretty surface level, and boring. Well, we’re not going to do that here at Bleacher Nation. It’s much more interesting (notice how I subtly pat myself on the back?) to simply examine why the team currently sucks and is going to suck in 2010.
So enjoy - we’ll be previewing the suckiness (suckosity?) of the other teams in the National League Central over the next five weeks. Up first, the ward of the gentleman to the right: the Cincinnati Reds. Read the full preview on why the 2010 Cincinnati Reds will suck, after the jump.
ShareNo Mark Mulder for the Cubs - Or Anyone Else
There was a brief period of time where the Chicago Cubs were connected to potential reclamation project Mark Mulder, but it seems like that won’t be happening.
TMJ4 in Milwaukee is reporting that left-hander Mark Mulder has decided to hang up his cleats and retire from professional baseball.
Mulder has been long connected with the Milwaukee Brewers this offseason. The 32-year old southpaw was attempting to make a comeback to the big leagues, and most thought the most obvious destination was with his former pitching coach, Rick Peterson, in Milwaukee.
That never came to fruition, however, as the talks dragged on and on throughout the winter. The Brewers wished to see him throw off a mound before reaching out and agreeing to a minor league contract with performance incentives. Mulder did not showcase his stuff for the Brewers until early February, though no reports as to how that session went became immediately available. JSOnline.
If he does retire, Mulder’s legacy will be that of a promising young pitcher, derailed by injuries. Oh, and he’ll be one of the worst trades in Cardinals history. Mulder, who put up just one good season in St. Louis before succumbing to a myriad of problems, was traded to the Cardinals for Daric Barton (solid first baseman), Kiko Calero (very solid reliever), and … Dan Haren. Oops.
ShareSo, Why Didn’t the Cubs Consider Felipe Lopez?
The Chicago Cubs are done making any major moves this offseason, and therefore, are apparently going to head into the 2010 season with a Mike Fontenot/Jeff Baker platoon at second base (unless Starlin Castro absolutely destroys Spring Training, claiming the shortstop job, and bumping Ryan Theriot over to second). I’m not going to gripe about it, because I believe a properly-employed platoon could be successful.
That said, it still puzzles me why the Cubs didn’t even look at a guy like Orlando Hudson - solid defensively, and a natural fit at the top of the order. He did sign for a relatively healthy chunk of money, so perhaps he was always out of range. And it’s not like there is some other second baseman out there who is still unsigned, would thus come cheaply, and who could hit at the top of the order. Oh wait … that guy in the headline.
It’s been a tough offseason for Felipe Lopez. Yesterday, the free agent infielder fired Scott Boras, likely due to the fact that it’s February 14 and he remains jobless despite a strong 2009 campaign.
The switch-hitter signed a one-year, $3.5MM deal with the Diamondbacks last offseason. Lopez was productive in Arizona, hitting .301/.364/.412 until he was traded to the Brewers in mid-July. All Lopez did in Milwaukee was improve, hitting .320/.407/.448 in 66 games with the Brew Crew. In total, his .310/.383/.427 line combined with his strong UZR/150 of 7.6 at second base last season make for a desirable target. Or one would at least think.
Perhaps teams are scared off by Lopez’s .360 BABIP, which is substantially higher than his career mark of .323. His 10.4% walk rate is higher than his career mark of 9.2% as well, but even that number is above the 2009 league average of 8.9%. It may not be reasonable to expect a .383 OBP again, but in a market where we’ve seen Miguel Tejada sign for one year at $6MM, Orlando Hudson at one year and $5MM, and Pedro Feliz at one year and $4.5MM, it’s hard not to ask why Lopez is still looking for work. After all, he had a better all-around season than all three of those former free agents.
To this point, the only substantial interest we’ve seen in Lopez has been from the Cardinals, though they’ve dedicated a great deal of money to Matt Holliday and Brad Penny this offseason. Last we heard, St. Louis has $6MM-$7MM to spend, and they’ve got question marks in the infield that make Lopez a logical fit. MLBTradeRumors.com.
So as it turns out, there are solid reasons to avoid Lopez, despite his outstanding 2009 campaign. The elevated BABIP is a concern (when BABIP - batting average on balls put in play - spikes, it is usually a product of luck, and is not repeatable), and his career OBP is just .338. That said, he’s been at or above .343 in four of the last five seasons (a disastrous 2007 season is really dragging his numbers down). Lopez can play all over the infield, too.
It’s impossible to imagine Lopez having to settle for a non-guaranteed, minor league deal with a spring training invite - but if he does, the Cubs would be crazy not to reach out. Then again, at that level, virtually every team in baseball would be crazy not to reach out.
ShareLou Piniella Hearts Mark McGwire?
Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella is duty-bound to hate all things St. Louis Cardinals, but given his amicable relationship with Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa, it’s clear that Piniella doesn’t take his duty very seriously.
And now, he’s gone and said approximately one million positive things about new Cardinals hitting coach / old Cardinals cheater Mark McGwire.
“He worked on his swing endlessly,” Piniella said. “He swung and missed a lot early in his career. He learned how to make contact more and more. With his strength, the ball flew out of the ballpark.” …
Will McGwire have trouble gaining the respect of Cardinals players after acknowledging that he cheated?
“I don’t think so,” Piniella said. “I really don’t.
“He confessed. In this country, they forgive and forget. Who is out there that can’t confess to something? We in this baseball fraternity forgive him.”
Piniella said that since McGwire has been welcomed by Pujols, the Cardinals’ team leader, the rest of the players will accept him.
“Albert Pujols is on his side and that helps him immensely,” Piniella said. “He’s got to look at it as now he has a job to do. He’s got some good hitters to work with. Pujols is the best hitter in the game, so that’s a good start. Give them a little mental confidence and some fine tuning and you let them go. They’re all professionals.”
Although McGwire’s success could mean a few losses for Piniella’s team in its battle for the National League Central title, Piniella wishes the rookie coach well.
“I think he’ll do a nice job,” he said.
Piniella said he does not feel McGwire’s presence on the road will make it difficult for the Cardinals to concentrate on playing baseball.
“I don’t think it will be a distraction,” he said. “It would have been a distraction if he did not have his press conference. That would have been the topic all year long. Now that it’s old news, maybe when he shows up for spring training, the first week or so that topic will be revisited. But hopefully, they’ll leave him alone and let him do his job.”
Another test for McGwire will be how he is treated by boisterous Cubs fans when he visits Wrigley Field.
“I think Cub fans will treat him fine,” Piniella said. “We have a great rivalry. He’ll be accepted well. I think they feel he confessed and it’s over with.” NYTimes.com.
Right or wrong, Chicago Cubs fans will decidedly NOT treat McGwire “fine.” But for the existence of Sammy Sosa, Cubs fans would probably be in a righteous position to condemn McGwire and the Cardinals, and count imaginary N.L. Central titles that the Cardinals stole from the Cubs.
And, Lou, for what it’s worth: the media will definitely not “leave him alone.” This remains a big story, and the decision to bring McGwire on remains a huge boner (tee hee). And it is a decision that lasts all season long.
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