The All Star break marks the not-really-but-figurative mid-point of the season. It always seems like a good time to reflect on pre-season items, and how things have played out (read: cliche, but we’re doing it anyway). It is an easy time to look back with the benefit of hindsight … and regret. The Chicago Cubs […]
For now, treat with skepticism: According to a tweet from the Monty Show on Sirius 127 (apparently it’s a West Coast thing), the Chicago Cubs are close to acquiring reliever Heath Bell from the Padres. Bell, 32, has been all-universe as the closer for the Padres this year (273 ERA+). In his career, he’s been […]
Despite Kevin Gregg’s shaky first save, and even shakier first blown save, Chicago Cubs Manager Lou Piniella says there’s no controversy: Kevin Gregg is the closer. Oh, did I mention the third “despite”: despite the fact that last night’s save opportunity went to… Carlos Marmol. “Gregg is still our closer,” Piniella stated. “I can’t get […]
Although a confluence of many things led to the Cubs’ 9th inning loss to the Brewers yesterday, folks are really only focusing on but a couple things. One of which is the walk that closer (for now) Kevin Gregg issued to Chris Duffy in the 9th inning following a 3-2 slider that missed the zone, […]
The Chicago Cubs bullpen is set: David Patton and Angel Guzman are in, Chad Gaudin and Jeff Samardzija are out. Ultimately, this is the precise series of moves we had predicted a week ago, with the exception of Gaudin being released instead of traded or DL’d. Previously, the Cubs had indicated no one would be […]
Readers repeatedly asked me if I was going to write a “Why the 2009 Chicago Cubs Will Suck” article, as I had for the rest of the N.L. Central. My answer, in turn, was a repeated “no.” How could I? There is no objective, reasonable basis to conclude the Cubs will suck this year. But […]
After making the simultaneously difficult and easy decision to name Kevin Gregg the team’s closer over Carlos Marmol, Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella is going to have to deal with some subversive criticism. The first time Gregg blows a save or the first time Marmol strikes out the side in the seventh inning, he’s going […]
I can’t say I’m surprised: Lou Piniella today announced that Kevin Gregg – and not Carlos Marmol – will begin the season as the Chicago Cubs closer. Rue if you must, but this is the correct decision, and not simply because of the Cubs’ strong financial incentive to make Gregg the closer. Gregg is an […]
The Sun Times’ Gordon Wittenmyer polled the remaining pitchers in Cubs camp regarding their thoughts on, well, themselves. They ranked each other in various categories, and it is certain not to breed subtle resentment and underlying hostility. But who cares about that part. It’s interesting as hell. Let’s take a look at some of the […]
Sick of the cheesy titles yet? Either Carlos Marmol or Kevin Gregg will be the closer, and Lou said today he’ll have a decision on that by the weekend — once Marmol pitches back-to-back days, Thursday and Friday. Piniella already hasn’t said which way he’s leaning but has admitted he has ideas about which way […]
Yesterday’s game against the Rockies was a big one with the bats, but more importantly, it showcased many of the arms trying to make the Cubs bullpen. Chad Gaudin started, though the spot he’s trying to secure is a bullpen spot, and gave up two runs (one earned) in two innings. Struck out two, walked […]
In case you hadn’t noticed, Spring Training Battlewatch has come to a close. With fewer and fewer battles remaining, it’s time to focus on the specific battles remaining. The closer competition is entering its final stages. Manager Lou Piniella had previously said he expected to announce the closer by the end of last week, but […]
Today, instead of looking at box scores, let’s just look at some things manager Lou Piniella said yesterday. “There are two jobs open in that bullpen as far as I’m concerned,” Piniella said. “We’ve got probably about six candidates, and we’ll let them compete here the last two weeks and see who wants to grab […]
The Chicago Cubs exacted more fake revenge on the Los Angeles Dodgers for last year’s pathetically, embarrassingly, awfully, ridiculously, pathetically, I know I already said pathetically but it was really pathetic, terribly poor playoff effort. Battles! Esteban German and Corey Koskie – making his debut – split time at third. Koskie went 1-2 with a […]
Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella has said he’s likely to announce the team’s closer for the upcoming season by the end of this week. Despite popular opinion to the contrary, Piniella has indicated that Kevin Gregg is at least as likely to claim the role as Carlos Marmol. How could this be? Marmol is obviously […]
The Chicago Cubs lost to the White Sox… again. Good thing it’s just fake baseball. Though the games are fake, the… battles… are… REAL! (you tittered right there, didn’t you?) Jake Fox went 2-4, to keep up the relatively nice Spring. He played first base in this one, so he’s logging time at a variety […]
The Chicago Cubs acquired Kevin Gregg from the Florida Marlins at the outset of the off-season, and the deal was roundly reviled for two reasons: 1.) It meant Kerry Wood was not coming back; and 2.) The Cubs had to part with vaunted prospect, Jose Ceda, to get Gregg. Well, I’m here to tell you […]
Earlier in the off-season, the Cubs moved Felix Pie, Ronny Cedeno, and Michael Wuertz out of town – major league caliber players, for whom there was likely not a spot on the 2009 Chicago Cubs. And because they were out of minor league options (typically, a player has three “option years” in which the major […]
The prevailing wisdom is that Carlos Marmol will take over as the Cubs’ closer this year, based on the fact that he is a large-eared super-bad-ass-master on the mound. But, maybe Kevin Gregg is, too (snicker). The Cubs acquired Kevin Gregg from Florida this offseason, and Piniella doesn’t want to declare Marmol the closer until […]
