According to a report in the Chicago Tribune on Sunday night, Ronny Cedeno could be seeing some playing time in centerfield. Ivan DeJesus has been working with Cedeno as Lou Piniella tries to find a way to get his bat into the lineup. The report speculated that if Cedeno can be used in center then Felix Pie might be sent down to Iowa to work out a few things. Cedeno played a couple of game in center during Spring Training.
Jason Marquis' performance on Sunday night raised more than a few questions about the pitching staff. The typically hot starter has been very ineffective in the first 6 weeks of the season and might see his next turn in the rotation skipped due to the off day on Thursday. The Sun-Times mentioned the possibility of Sean Marshall being stretched out and inserted in Marquis' spot when it comes back around.
Sean Gallagher could be another option.
Lou Piniella is not happy with the pitching performances he has received in the first six weeks of the season. The offense has helped mask those problems but as the season wears on each member of the rotation must continue to give innings and when the relievers are called on they simply need to do their job....easier said than done.
No one is expecting the Cubs to win every game, but Piniella needs to see some consistency. The pitching staff is leaving little room for error.
Lou has options but it is up to the players to step up when called upon.
This should be an interesting week as I sense Lou's patience is running thin on a couple of fronts.
Now matter how you cut it Soriano is now a dilemma for the team. Hoping to get the rust off is paying a price, and he should have gone down to the minors to work on that (but his ego won't allow that). The hits he's gained since his return have all been inside pitcher mistakes...he still has no plate discipline for a ball v. strike, won't work a count...and when pitchers do pitch him away (as rightfully so), he's been an automatic out. The bottomline is that you can't have a .150 hitter in the leadoff spot (or anywhere in the lineup for that matter). And "yes", the contract level magnifies the matter, but that's the scrutiny you get for a big contract. He signed it, and now perform like it. Additionally, his defense is truly a big liability, and we should not dimiss the fact that this will cost some runs and games as this progresses. While we likely can't move him, or his contract without eating most of it, I hope Hendry atleast tries. I have a tough time seeing the intrigue/support that some posters provide here on his behalf. The guy hit 30 HR's while only 70 RBI's last year. You'll get those same RBI's from either Johnson or Derosa in LF, with a lot better defense. The other intangible is that Soriano's presence changes the chemistry and dynamic of the team..and you can see it the last few games. From a team that was so patient just recently, we're now showing a bit of swing from the heel mentality. Baseball, like most sports, is a "team" and momentum game. Somehow something just isn't clicking currently.
I also anticipate some shake up in the rotation as well. Though Marquis' win-loss record isn't awful, you can't continue to post 5 hits and 4 walks in 4 innings, and expect to give your club a chance to win. Most disappointing, Marquis has this continued tendency to immediately give back a lead provided to him....that has to play on the team as well. For his $7m a year, I'd just assume we give the ball to Gallagher or Samardzjia...they can't do any worse. Overall, it's time for many to start earning their big salaries.
Cary, I agree this could be an interesting week.
I think we will always disagree on the Soriano thing, but that is why this sight is great, we can all have different opinios. As far as his ego keeping him from going to a AAA rehab assignment, I remember when Lee was coming back from his wrist injury, he said he did not want to go to AAA either. Yes Soriano is off to a horrendous start, but when he gets hot (and he will) he has the ability to carry this team. I agree DeRosa and Johnson will give you the same RBI totals, but they definetly won't put up the same power numbers. While Johnson can play better defense, neither him or DeRosa are a threat to throw out a runner like Soriano is.
Soriano has only played in 17 games he is going to be just fine, would I like to see him hit somewhere other than leadoff, yes, but I am in no way shape or form ready for Hendry to start looking on how to trade him.
I think this next series is going to be huge series for Soriano.
Let's go Cubbies and lets take all three from cincy.
The line on Marquis this season
- 33.2 IP, 43H, 15BB, 5.08ERA, 1.72 WHIP, .321 BAA
Those are putrid numbers -- this guy has no business being a major league starter.
Those on not good numbers at all. I can see Lou giving him one more start, and if it isn't any better making a switch.
In the next week or two, we could see a rotation of
Big Z
Lilly
Dempster
Leiber
Gallagher
Not too shabby. Even though Gallagher is a small sample size, he has looked very good in AAA, and looked very tought last night.
Maybe we can agree that Soriano will answer our questions about his current abilities and contribution to the team. If, after 200 AB's he's hitting around .240 (or less) with 8 to 10 home runs and around 20 RBI's, he isn't doing an acceptable job. If he's hitting around .280 with 15 home runs and 30 RBI's, he is doing an acceptable job. Hopefully, in either case, he doesn't become a distraction for the rest of the team.
Beyond Z, D and Lilly, our starting pitching is getting scarey. Looking for alternatives for the 4-5 spots is underway. Gallagher, Marshall, Hart and Hill are candidates, but only one should be expected to pitch with a winning record in my view with Gallagher being the most likely. I think Lieber is effective one time through the order and will not be effective as a starter.
I think it's possible to do a multi-player deal with the Giants for Jon Sanchez and a lefty reliver prospect like Alex Hinshaw (AAA Fresno) Sanchez
would be a lefty #2 starter on the Cubs. D would be the #3 and Lilly the #4.
The Giants need a young double play combination, and we can supply it. That would include 1 of Theriot or Cedeno and 1 of Fontenot or EPat. I would add a pitcher other than Samardzjia and a positon player other than Vitters to the deal. If they want Ward or Hoffpauir to play first, that would be OK.
I also think the righty Cain is not out of the question although less likely to be traded. The Giants are very deep in 40 man roster pitching and in top of the order prospects. They lack infield position players.
Hopefully this week goes a lot better than the last one, and Soriano is a big plus for the offense.
Soriano will be fine, but I will agree that he will be a distraction while he is struggling. But he wont struggle all season.
As far as his 70 rbi's last season. You cant blame Soriano if there is nobody on base when he hits his homers. Which you have to assume there wont be many when you hit in lead off position. Especially last year when the bottom half of our line up was non-existant.
Even though I am also not completely happy with his production since he came back. He is rusty and he does have an RBI in each of the last three games. So its not all bad.
But Soriano isn't our problem unless we make it a problem.
The pitching needs to get better period. Which I think it will. Lou will tinker around with it until he finds a combo that works like he did last year. Thats one thing I like about Pinella. Nobody is promised anything. If you don't produce, liek walking the bases loaded then walk in a run(which there is no excuse for a major league pitcher to do) then your gone. You are a majorleaguer act like it and produce like it.
On the other hand if you do produce, Fontenot, Cedeno he will find a place for you.
One thing on the 70 RBI's last year that may change this year is that our bottom half in 08' is significantly better offensively. Soto is really anchoring the bottom portion of the lineup and I think you will see a lot more rbi opportunities for Sori as a result, even with him staying in the 1 slot.
Great to see changes coming. This would have never happened with Dusty. Forget the last 10 games, lets start over tonight, good schedule (other than ARI) ahead.
I agree Trevor, Even though I still say I would like to see him back in the lineup. But, the interview last night with Pinella made it sould like he will stay there. And Lou knows best. Just please start to produce.
Just saw that Jaque Jones was released by the Tigers.
As far as Cedeno goes. Do you guys think he will keep this production up??? I would like to see him do it but I dont see it. If he does then great. I dont really like him in center but we could give it a shot. Pie can go down to AAA all I care. It would go along with Pinella's policy of "produce or don't play"
I would say a trade would be a possibility but its too early in the season and I'm not confident in Cedeno, Fontenot, Theriot, Pie, or Johnson to take over their position for a whole season. For now I say play the hot hand. Screw around with the parts we have and in July find the missing pieces. We might find that we dont have any missing pieces by then. I love Lou Pinella's managerial style adn I have faith in him to make it work or get the pieces that he needs.
Cary,
Once again, this is not fantasy baseball, this is real baseball. You can't just gid "rid" of players at the drop of a hat.
Comparing Reed Johnson and Mark DeRosa to Fonize is unbelievable.
Reed Johnson has 42 HRs and 245 RBIs in his career. He gets off to a hot start this year and all of a sudden he is superman. Not a chance this guy would have 70 RBIs this year out of the leadoff spot. Reed got cut by Toronto in favor of Shannon Stewart for a reason.
Derosa has 51 HRs and 285 RBIs in his career. He is very valuable as a utility man, but as an everyday left fielder?? This is the same guy that Jim H. tried to get a replacement for (Roberts) all off season.
Soriano has 244 HRs and 640 RBIs. Pretty comparable to Reed and Mark huh? He has 75 at bats this year and people want to throw him to the curb. Let the man play. Its not like he forgot how to play the game. He is the same player he was when he led the league in strikeouts with the Yankees, and he is the same player he was when he hit 40 HRs with Washington two years ago.
Pete, in all due respect, Soriano is FAR from the player he was two years ago in Washington. Teams have figured out how to pitch him, and he hasn't adjusted. And the health issues the last year has taken its toll on his mobility and ability "to create". So please stop looking at history as the case for present/future production.
Andruw Jones had averaged 20+ homers and around 100 RBI's a year for what, 6-7 years, and then he fell into the tank in Atlanta and now LA. And don't think for a minute that LA is thinking that his track record alone will get him back on track. They are already assessing him as a major bust.
Now I still have faith in Soriano, and he'll continue to hit that inner-half mistake for good results, but please stop looking at the past, because this guy is a shadow of that, and we have this contract for 6 more years.
Bryan, with all due respect, have teams just now "figured out how to pitch him"? It has been no secret that Soriano is a free swinger and strikes out a lot.
Yet he still led the team last year in HR's, triples, and was one behind Lee for doubles, seven hits behind Lee for the most hits while playing in 15 fewer games.
Either teams truly have "figured him out" in the first 31 games of the season or he is just scuffling badly right now and will break out of this funk eventually, and hopefully soon. I don't believe a guy becomes a "shadow" of his former self in 31 games at the beginning of a season. Not saying he will duplicate his stats two years ago, but something like we saw last year seems reasonable to me.
I mentioned above that Soriano will "judge himself" over 200 AB's. He will be a bummer, a bomber or something in between. You can be pretty sure whatever he is, he is ours!
When you equate their full year sizeable AB differentials among Alfonso (631), DeRo (304) and R.J. (416), their full year RBI averages are comparable. Soriano's (89), DeRo's (83) and R.J.'s (71). So if Sori is a bomber, he helps us. If he is a bummer, DeRo and R.J. are decent alternatives.
If we don't get productive starting pitching (at least 1 through 4) in May, I think we will need to move then to make a trade--and not wait until July. My May trigger would be if we fall behind in the wild card race (3 or 4 games).