Less than a week after inking B.J. Ryan to a minor league deal, the Cubs were linked to Joe Beimel, George Sherrill and John Grabow on Tuesday. According to a report from the Tribune, "the Cubs may be interested in Nationals' lefty reliever Joe Beimel." The Nationals have been scouting the Cubs minor league teams.
According to a report from Bruce Levine, the Cubs are looking for help in their pen and would like to add a southpaw. The Pirates and Cubs have discussed John Grabow. Levine mentioned George Sherrill of the Orioles in the same report but did not indicate if the Cubs have had discussions with the Orioles about Sherrill. The Sun-Times indicated the Cubs are interested in Sherrill as well as one of 15 teams "kicking the tires" on Chad Qualls of the Diamondbacks.
Joe Beimel is 0-5 this season with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP. Lefties are hitting .232 against him. Beimel has walked 15 batters in 37 1/3 innings. Beimel has benefited from his home ballpark the past two seasons. He was 2-0 at Dodger Stadium last year with a 1.16 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP in 35 games. This season, 0-1 with a 1.77 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP at home compared to a 0-4 record in 21 games on the road with a 5.29 and a 1.94 WHIP.
Joe Beimel's Page from Yahoo Sports
John Grabow is 3-0 with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP for the Pirates. In 42 2/3 innings he has issued 24 walks and held lefties to a .239 batting average. Grabow has pitched much better in Pittsburgh (0-0 in 20 games with 11 holds and a blown save, 1.45 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP) than on the road (3-0 in 20 games with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP).
Grabow is 2-2 with a save in 21 career games at Wrigley with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP ... two home runs in 15 innings.
John Grabow's Page from Yahoo Sports
George Sherrill is 0-1 with a 2.35 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP in 39 games with the Orioles this season. Sherrill has converted 20 of 23 save opportunities and held lefties to a .125 batting average.
Sherrill will likely cost the Cubs more in prospects than both Beimel and Grabow.
George Sherrill's Page from Yahoo Sports
But can any of them hit?
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While yes....we could use a second lefty out of the pen....this is HARDLY our most pressing need...
No, no, no...
Give me a bat or give me death.
A slow agonizing death...
This article in the Sun Times really hits the mark on the current Cubs state.
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/hayes/1678490,CST-SPT-neil22.article
My only addition is that Pinella shouldn't get a pass thru all this. He and Hendry, combined, are responsible for crafting a competitive roster. So many bad moves, so many immovable contracts, and so many ludicrous lineups (with no creativity).
Who this point cares about a BJ Ryan or Joe Beimel? This team has no chemistry, and no heart. Time to just release Soriano and Bradley, bring up whatever kid from the minors that wants to play hard (gee, how about Sam Fuld??), and just rework the effort from this team.
Yes, we're still only two games out, and yes, we're even with the Cards in the loss column, but this in reality is a sad looking team that can't compare at all to the likes of the Dodgers, Phils, RedSox, etc.
Fell asleep last night for the "grand finale"...what a shame...our pitchers
put up one heck of a performance...and you lnow the rest.
Bryan...you know I share your sentiments...re Soriano/Bradley. But
what business can afford a 28 million
dump?
Interesting that Lou is "still looking
for a left handed bat". It's a public
indictment of JH....and Bradley/Miles.
....and the truth.
Yes, we need a reliever...but it's kind of like putting a bandaid on a small
cut on your left leg...and leaving the complex fracture (hitting) on your right leg alone.
Who cares about the bullpen right now, we NEED offense.
By the way where the heck has Fox been the last two nights?!!
Nick...there's no room for Fox when you have a high priced bum in LF, an ailing rehabbing star at 3B and a weak hitting C.
Now why would Lou want to use Fox with all those current roster weapons?
Yea I see what you are saying Bryan, but it sure would have been nice to see him in right or 3rd the last couple of nights.
On a different subject, I know this won't happen because of the contract, he's right handed, and they're in the same division. But Brandon Phillips woudn't be a bad option to have at second, hitting .271 with 14 HR's. Him and Dusty haven't really been seeing eye to eye lately.
Just to be clear, Lou isn't responsible for call-ups/send-downs, that's all JH. Lou can make suggestions, but it's up to JH to actually listen to said suggestions. In the end, he calls up who he feels needs to be up. So this whole "lack of backup catcher" situation we're in is, in fact, on JH. And Lou really doesn't WANT to put Fox in at catcher since he's been using him all over the place.
You will no if Fox is injured if he does not play today. Aram played the last 2 night games and it is a day ga. Foz should play for Ramiies.
I want to see thus.
Kosuke CF
Theriot SS
Lee 1B
Ramirez 3B
Fox C
Soriano LF
Bradley RF
Zambrano P
Fontenot 2B
We all know Zambrano will bat 9 th but I had to do that. Bradley is vs a lefty and he will bat righty which he is way better at. The Cubs need offense and Hill has none that is why put Fox as C.
Waldo, without being too critical this morning, I was wondering if you ever re-read your postings for spelling and some sense of proper grammar before hitting the "submit tab"?
And Fox is not injured. It's just Lou maximizing the "hot bats" on his bench.
Bullpen Bullpen Bullpen, why do we always hear about bullpen. Mr. Hendry...Joe Beimel was a freaking free agent this past offseason, could have signed him, paid the same and gave up nothing. Oh by the way...that left handed hitting power bat, he was available too in Raul Ibanez. BUT NOOOOOOOOOO, you ignored the bullpen, well you subtracted by addition in the bullpen. You tried to catch lightning in a bottle with the "game board", and you effectively screwed this team! You and you alone sir are responsible for this debacle, and remarkably you and you alone have the ability to FIX it.
Lou says he needs a lefty power bat...FIND THAT PERSON and trade for him! I do not care who, it is not my job to know that, it is yours. If you feel the need to get a lefty out of the pen...do that too if you want, but dang man DO SOMETHING! You are the captain of the Titanic, the ship is leaking dramatically, fix it.
The 2009 Cubs are that team that if they did go all the way, you would almost feel dirty! Elated, ridiculously insanely happy, but in the back of your head you would say REALLY?!?!?!?!?!?!
This series has proven that Philadelphia is a far better team and the Cubs need a BIG BAT, do not give me this can't make a move crap, if you can't make a move to help this team...Damnit wait til next year!
Go Cubs!
you guys seem shocked that we are going after relievers. Why? After all, it IS Hendry that we're dealing with----you know...same guy that got rid of a 1/2 the team last year that nearly won 100 games. Same guy that signed Bradley to an awful contract that now, after last night, we're stuck with for the next 2 1/2 years, and is now IMPOSSIBLE to move to any team.
Why are you shocked? I wouldn't be surprised at all if we just got an arm for the pen, and called it good. The offense is the problem. Everyone knows it. Cubs Nation knows it. The media knows it. Piniella knows it. It seems like the only one that doesn't is the one driving the bus into the lake---Hendry. We needed a big bat when ARAM went down, just as we needed one in 2006 when Lee went down. Hendry said then, as he did now, "having ____ back will be like adding a big bat at the deadline"....LOL....Can you believe this guy?!? What an idiot. No, actually you played 2 months without ARAM, just as you played 2 months without Lee. At least in 2006 we added Nevin----albeit it was already too late. This year the best we could do was Freel and Baker. Wow!!! That strikes fear in every pitcher doesn't it?
There are bats available. Hendry just has to be creative and find one. When he's on the defensive is when he's at his worst....when he needs something, is generally when he overpays, so, yes, we need a pen arm due to the failures of Heilman, Samardzija, etc., but we don't need one more than a significant bat.
Can you imagine if Hendry trades for Beimel, Grabow, or Sherrill. I half expect him to offer them Vitters straight up for Sherrill...LOL...he's really THAT bad at trading for needs. Just look at his past
No Aaaron not shocked...Upset at the massive ineptitude of our loser GM! Like you said everyone can see it! Piniella is saying it in an article on Cubs.com by Muskat: "We needed a left-hand bat, that's it," Piniella said. "That was what I mentioned, that we could use a nice productive left-hand bat in the middle of our right-hand hitting."
Then, Piniella paused.
"Look," he said, "we still need a left-hand bat who could hit in our lineup and drive in some runs."
It is devilishly apparent that Hendry and Piniella are a 2 headed snake that does not communicate! It is time for a upper echelon housecleaning!
The Cubs are not done yet, but if they do not make a SIGNIFICANT personel move in the next 10 days you can kiss this season good bye, and that is sooooo painful to say.
Heading to the ballpark. Hope to see the Cubs salvage a win in the series. Team looked FLAT last night at the plate.
Gregg...I hope you can salvage one good experience out of your 3 games.
What are your impressions of the Phillies
stadium?...food/fans/atmosphere/etc?
Try to GO CUBS.
Yep...let's get a win today!
Beimel and Grabow...
really? why?
why not just stick with the bums that are there? o, right, trades mean you're trying, is that it Jim?
He is focused on the bullpen because on paper, the offense is fine, great even! Who cares that almost 2/3 of the way into the season the reality is that they suck. They'll come around, right "Gotta Believers"?
I have a request to posters: please stop advising that the Cubs just drop Soriano and Bradley. It is just such a dumb comment it is tiresome.
And what is the obsession with a left-handed bat, Lou? Last year the right-handed heavy hitting Cubs were at the top of every offensive category in the league, and yes, won 96(7?) games. Would it be nice to have a stud lefty in the middle of the order? Sure! Don't blame the playoff losses on that, though.
It is just ridiculous. They - Cruller Jim & Lou - obsess over the wrong things.
I really can't wait for this season to be over. Yes, all you "optimist" (read: green) Cubs fans should stop reading now. But this season now feels just like 07 to me. I never even wanted that team to make it to the playoffs, knowing they did not deserve to be there and would choke. I still believe this team will sneak in, and then I'll have to watch them get destroyed by the Dodgers...again!
Beimel and Grabow...
really? why?
why not just stick with the bums that are there? o, right, trades mean you're trying, is that it Jim?
He is focused on the bullpen because on paper, the offense is fine, great even! Who cares that almost 2/3 of the way into the season the reality is that they suck. They'll come around, right "Gotta Believers"?
I have a request to posters: please stop advising that the Cubs just drop Soriano and Bradley. It is just such a dumb comment it is tiresome.
And what is the obsession with a left-handed bat, Lou? Last year the right-handed heavy hitting Cubs were at the top of every offensive category in the league, and yes, won 96(7?) games. Would it be nice to have a stud lefty in the middle of the order? Sure! Don't blame the playoff losses on that, though.
It is just ridiculous. They - Cruller Jim & Lou - obsess over the wrong things.
I really can't wait for this season to be over. Yes, all you "optimist" (read: green) Cubs fans should stop reading now. But this season now feels just like 07 to me. I never even wanted that team to make it to the playoffs, knowing they did not deserve to be there and would choke. I still believe this team will sneak in, and then I'll have to watch them get destroyed by the Dodgers...again!
Sorry for the 2x post there, I have some shoddy Innernets today.
and re: Jake Fox, he is not an everyday big league catcher. Calling games and being in on every play is not the same as manning RF. He does need to be playing right now, just not at catcher. I do not envy Lou's job at the moment.
I hear all of you, loud and clear....Now If I'm a GM of another team, I know that Hendry needs to make a move or two or three or four....I just jack the price up because, Hendry is going to do something good, bad or indifferent. Hendry is looking over his shoulder everytime he leaves Wrigley Field, Knowing the fans are less than pleased with his lack of baseball guile......
Every other team will blackmail Hendry for marginal talent that he will have topay through the nose for.