Monday, March 28, 2011

Nick's 2011 Baseball Predictions

Like I do before each approaching baseball season, I stick my neck out there and embarrass myself by making my baseball predictions. I know I am opening myself up to much ridicule come October, but I have fun making these predictions and have been doing so, since I was a kid. With that said, here goes.

American League

East

1. Boston

2. New York

3. Tampa Bay

4. Baltimore

5. Toronto

The East is probably the best division in baseball though I think sometimes it gets a tad overblown. I love what the Red Sox did in the off season. Adding Crawford and Gonzalez makes an already good lineup lethal. Rotation is good enough and in all honesty this team should win 100. The Yankees are still the Yankees but I really don’t like that rotation. A.J. Burnett is the number two starter and that is a problem. But, you know they will make a deal at some point to add an arm. But, I don’t know if it will be enough to get them in the playoffs. The Rays had to purge a lot of salary and with that a lot of talent. But, they still have a solid rotation. The bullpen is a mess and their lineup is going to be missing some thump. The Orioles had a drastic turnaround after Buck Showalter took over the team in August last year. It finally looks like some of that young pitching is starting to make some progress. They sprinkled in some veterans to mix with the youth and they might sneak into third if it gels. The Blue Jays are not a bad team, but are clearly re-building. I in no way think Bautista hits anywhere near 50 homers this season. They have some young talent but it may be a year or two before it starts to pay dividends on the major league roster.

Central

1. Minnesota

2. Chicago

3. Detroit

4. Cleveland

5. Kansas City

I think you could take the top three teams here and throw them in a hat. This division usually comes down to the last day or two of the season and I don’t see that changing in 2011. I have learned a lesson. Every year I pick against the Twins and every year they win the central. Well until someone dethrones them I am going with them. On paper there is a lot you could question. But, they seem to always find a way and if they get back Nathan and Morneau that will be huge. The White Sox are an enigma to me. I like a lot of parts but, I don’t like the bullpen and I think you can pitch to their lineup. Dunn will put up 40 homers but he strikes out an awful lot. But, they may have enough in the tank to catch the Twins. I like a lot of what the Tigers did, but you have to wonder about Cabrera. If he is back off the wagon then this team is not nearly as good. Rotation has the potential to be special and if it is they could win this thing. The Indians have some young talent. The problem is that they are very raw. I like the nucleus but, the pitching staff is green other than Carmona. I think they will score some runs but you don’t win in baseball if you can’t prevent them. There is at long last light at the end of the tunnel for the Royals. Five of the top twenty prospects in then game are in their farm system. When that young talent comes up this team could be another Tampa Bay. But, for this season they are going to be bad, real bad. With the loss of Grienke the rotation is in shambles. They have a lights out closer in Soria, who they should just trade as they should be thinking about 2012 and 13.

West

1. Oakland

2. Texas

3. Anaheim

4. Seattle

Before I pick this division, can I just state for the record how I hate the fact that the AL West only has four teams while the NL Central has six. That is just not fair. One of these years the A’s are going to get some offense and when they do they will win this division. I think maybe they do it this year. Their pitching staff is by far 1-12 the best in the west. I am a strong believer in pitching is what wins, but you have to wonder if they can score enough runs. The Rangers had pretty much everything go right last year and wound up in the series. I wonder about the hangover effect and their starting staff is just average. But, they can score runs so, they will be in this all year. The Angles are a curious bunch. I really need someone to try and explain why they would trade for a washed up Vernon Wells. They underachieved last year and I worry they weren’t very good to begin with. What is there to say about the Mariners, other then they will be bad? They do sport last year’s Cy Young winner and a future hall of famer. Other than that not a lot of talent on this roster and a lot of money tied up in some bad contracts. That is never a good thing.

National League

East

1. Philadelphia

2. Atlanta

3. Florida

4. Washington

5. New York

There are two good teams in the East and three mediocre. This is why the wild card is a farce. When you play an unbalanced schedule it is unfair to then award a playoff berth based on overall record, when one team may be in a much tougher and more competitive division. Anyway, it is very difficult to pick against the Phillies and that pitching staff. When you have four aces it is hard to argue they won’t be really tough to beat. However, the Utley injury scares me and they lost a big bat from the right side when Werth left. But, again with that pitching staff they should be able to hold off Atlanta. I like the Braves, maybe more than most people. I just don’t know if they have enough to keep up with Philadelphia. With Hudson proving he is back, they have a good balanced team that can beat you in a number of ways. Even if they don’t win the East they should repeat as wildcard champs. The Marlins are as always young. They have the potential to have a strong starting rotation, but both Johnson and Sanchez always seem to get hurt. If they can stay healthy they might surprise some people. I am not sure what the Nationals are doing. Giving 126 million to Jayson Werth is beyond insane. He does give them some credibility but they way overpaid. Despite losing for as long as they have their farm system is still not that plentiful. The Mets are a disaster. Sandy Alderson has taken over and he will get them back to contending before too long. He just has to wait out some horrendous contracts that finally start coming off the books after this year.

Central

1. Milwaukee

2. St. Louis

3. Cincinnati

4. Chicago

5. Houston

6. Pittsburgh

I have changed my mind about the central so many times, for one simple reason. I don’t know which team can stay healthy enough to win it. The Brewers on paper if healthy are my pick, but already Greinke got hurt playing basketball and Marcum has a shoulder problem. If they can get back on the field in a short manner with that lineup this team could be really good. The Cardinals lost a huge cog in Wainwright. I just don’t know how you replace a pitcher like that. I also worry that the Pujos contract situation will weigh on them as well. It almost seems like they have a black cloud over them this season. The Reds simply had everything go right last year. You look at that roster and you have to ask yourself is there anyone who didn’t have a career year. Votto is the real deal but, I am not sold on anyone else in their lineup and their pitching staff is nice but clearly lacks a true number one. Trust me they will rue the day they gave Dusty an extension. I would love to sit here and tell you the Cubs will finish higher than fourth but I must be impartial and I just don’t see it. If everything falls into place sure they will contend but they would need big years from a number of aging veterans and that usually does not happen. The Astros are clearly re-building but I have to ask with what? They simply don’t have enough major league talent in their system. I know they played very well after the break last season, but I just don’t see it. Could this be the year the Pirates at long last finish above .500? Sadly, I doubt it. It is more likely they lose 100 this year. They do have some young talent in Mccutchin and Pedro Alvarez. But, that pitching staff is a complete joke. When Paul Maholm is your opening day starter you have problems.

West

1. Colorado

2. Los Angeles

3. San Francisco

4. San Diego

5. Arizona

The West should be very competitive as any of the top three teams could win it. This may finally be the year the Rockies put it all together. They are a solid team in almost every aspect. They have a dangerous lineup and finally have some pitching to go with it. This team if it stays healthy could be very dangerous. The Dodgers are missing a bat, but that is just my opinion. I think the rotation and bullpen if Broxton bounces back will be fine. I just worry about Matt Kemp being interested and if they will score enough runs. Still, with their pitching I think they will be in it all year. The Giants got hot at the right time. I love the story, but does anyone think the Giants were the best team in baseball going into last season? I worry that a case of reality is about to set in. I also worry about all the innings their pitchers threw last season. It usually has a tendency to catch up with a team the following year. The Padres surprised everyone by contending all year. But, that was last year. Losing Adrian Gonzalez is huge, and I don’t know how they replace his production. They have a nice underrated pitching staff but, that lineup is bad. The Diamondbacks are rebuilding. They have at long last realized that strikeouts are bad. They do have a couple of nice players in Upton and Daniel Hudson. But, they are barren at many other spots and I am not sure Kirk Gibson is the guy you want to rebuild with.

Post Season

ALDS

Boston over Texas

Minnesota over Oakland

ALCS

Boston over Minnesota

NLDS

Atlanta over Colorado

Philadelphia over Milwaukee

NLCS

Philadelphia over Atlanta

World Series

Boston over Philadelphia

AL MVP – Adrian Gonzalez Bos.

AL Cy Young – Jon Lester Bos.

AL ROY – Tsuyoshi Nishioka Min.

AL MOY – Bob Geren Oak.

NL MVP – Troy Tulowitzski Col.

NL Cy Young – Roy Haladay Phi.

NL ROY – Freddie Freeman Atl.

NL MOY – Jim Tracy Col.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Oh Canada

Here are a couple of quick observations about my time in Canada.

If you think cigarettes are expensive in the States, don’t come up here. I was at a connivance store yesterday and the lady in front of me got a pack of Belmot’s. It was $10. That is 50 cents a smoke. Of course that money that smokers pay goes into health care which of course would never go over in the good old US of A.

Canadian’s recycle. Everywhere I go I see recycle bins. Hell there is one in my hotel room. They talk about green technology and I had a lady when I asked what printer she prints to tell me she doesn’t print anything out as it is not environmentally conscious. That was quite refreshing.

One word, diversity. Toronto at least is beyond diverse. I live in Chicago a pretty diverse city but, like most big cities ethnicities tend to stick to the same part of town. The Irish are on the south burbs, the African American’s have their territory on the south side of the city, the Mexicans population has Pilsen, the Jewish have Skokie and so on. So far whenever I go anywhere I see a rainbow of people and that is pretty damn cool

I try but every time I hear “Eh” from someone here all I think about are Bob and Doug Mackenzie. The Mackenzie Brothers for those that were having sex in the 80’s were an SCTV skit portrayed by Rick Morains and Dave Thomas. In it they used to end every sentence with “Eh.” Well, not everyone but, I have caught a lot of the locals using the “Eh, and I find it endearing.

The beer is definitely stronger. I felt like a lightweight the other night. I had two pints of Molson’s with my dinner and on the walk back to my hotel I kind of started to get the feeling of lightheadedness. That just should not happen. The beer is stronger here, and Molson is damn good.

People seem friendlier. Maybe it is just me but, man everyone here is so fricken nice. I mean they go out of their way to be pleasant. From the guy at the rental car agency to the concierge at my hotel to everyone in my office I haven’t run into one asshole yet. That is saying something, as usually I run into a least a couple on my day to day activities back at home.

The food is not great. Maybe I am just not eating at the right places. But so far, none of the meals I have eaten have blown me away. Maybe I am spoiled living in Chicago, which I consider the best food city in the States, but Toronto from a culinary perspective hasn’t wowed me. One lunch in particular was brutal. I am trying to find places on yelp but even with that so far, not so good.

It is nice not seeing a strip mall, a Starbucks and Applebee’s on every corner. One thing about traveling at home is that no matter where I go, there is this growing sameness look. It is like suburbia living has taken over and you see the same five corporate restaurants wherever you go. Everything has this same look and feel. I like seeing buildings and places of business that are not McBox stores. Here in Toronto you get that. (With the exception of a Tim Horton’s on every corner, but their Timbits rock so, it is all good.)

The rumors are true they love their hockey up here. The NHL is the equivalent of the NFL back home. I like hockey myself so, it is all good. I realize it is still spring training but in the paper there is very little in the sports section regarding the Blue Jays. It is all Maple Leaf’s, all the time. The sports radio is all hockey and even had a professional curler interviewed, but very little baseball chatter. Kind of like hockey in the US, I guess.

They move slower up here. Maybe it is just me and my fast paced usual hyperactive self but, the people just don’t have that sense of urgency I am used to. Not saying it is a bad thing, it just is. I ordered dinner the other night, and I had time to shave by the time my roasted chicken got to me. I’ve had similar experiences wherever I have eaten at. It must be a Canadian thing.

The Metric system. The metric system is a tool of the Devil! My car gets forty rods to the hogshead and that’s the way I likes it.

They speak two languages here and gasp, everyone lives just fine with it. I was told Toronto is mostly English speaking and it is. However, I have heard some French here and there and I see a lot of signs and what not in both languages and I don’t think anyone gives two shits. It just makes those in America who get their balls in an uproar over the whole Spanish thing look foolish.

As much as I like Canada and Toronto it isn’t home. No matter where I travel to and no matter how nice it is where I am at, after about 3-4 days max, I am missing Chicago. This is why I could never move away. I miss so many things and my routines. Politically I despise a lot of things that go on in America but, I still despite what the right will try to tell you, I am a USA loving, pinko, commie liberal. I love America despite its faults and I know this may be hard to grasp, but yes we do have faults. We are not perfect and I think we could learn things from other countries and ways of life to make things better. We are not always wrong, but we are not always right either. Sometimes, I think people have a hard time coming to that conclusion, which is the root of a lot of our political discourse.

Friday, March 04, 2011

The Best and Worst of the Cubs

Baseball is soon to be here. I am a Cub fan. Who knew? Anyway, with that in mind here is a list of the greatest and worst Cubs since I am old enough to remember being a fan which would be about 1977. As you can see by this list it is easy to see why this team hasn’t won very much.

Greatest

1B Bill Buckner – It would be easy to go with most hits in the 90’s Mark Grace, but I just can’t. I always felt the Marlboro Man never was the player that the Lincoln Park Trixie’s thought he was. No, to me Buckner was the better player. In his 7 full seasons on the North side he never hit below .284 and he won a batting title in 1980 with a .324 average. He wasn’t a power guy but he did lead the league in doubles twice during his tenure and got MVP votes in 4 of his 7 seasons as a Cub. On top of that he was all heart. He was never healthy and always seemed to be playing on a bad leg. Watching him run was painful. But he never begged out of the lineup and was consistent beyond belief. It is really sad that all he is remembered for now is that damn ground ball in the 86 post season.

2B Ryne Sandberg - This one is a no brainer. There isn’t even a close second. From the time he took over in 83 he defined the position for all of baseball in the 80’s. He was an MVP in 84, an All Star 10 times, led the league in homers in 1990 and won 10 Gold Gloves. I mean really the only knocks on the guy were his choice in women and that ill advised retirement in 94.

SS Shawon Dunston – It is almost sad that I could not find a better shortstop then Dunston. I mean for the most part Shawon was considered a bust. However, he did make two all star teams and he did have a couple of nice seasons. Dunston was the primary shortstop for the Cubs for 10 years. I will say he always gave it his best and I never saw a better arm out at short. But, he never learned the strike zone and never lived up to being the first overall selection in the 1982 draft. A draft that after looking back on it was rather weak.

3B Aramis Ramirez – This one is pretty obvious. I know he tanked last year, but from July of 03 until the 2010 season this guy had been a godsend. To appreciate what A-Ram has done you have to remember just what a black hole the hot corner had been for this franchise. Since Santo, we had one really good third baseman in Bill Madlock who was traded away by the frugal Wrigley family. That was in 1976. From 77 until 03 it was a nightmare. It was a succession of Ken Reitz’s and Gary Scott’s. Ramirez stopped the bleeding. In 2004 he began a tear where his lowest OPS was .898. He drove in over 100 in 4 of the 5 years. Even last season in what was a miserable first half, he led the team in homers and rbi. For whatever reason he has never gotten the love from the Wrigley faithful and I have never fully understood why.

LF Dave Kingman – This was a tough one. Left Field has been a very troubled spot for the Cubs. From 1985 until 1998 the Cubs had a different starting left fielder on opening day. That is not a good formula for success. Really this came down to two candidates, Moises Alou and Kingman. Both were here three seasons. Kingman was an All Star in 79 and 80. His monster 79 season puts him over the top. He led the league in homers, total bases, runs scored and ops. Alou was solid all three years but Kong was out of his mind in 79. Of course Kingman was a butcher in the field and was as surely as they come in the clubhouse. I thought the pickings were slim in left then I had to take a look at center.

CF Bob Dernier – It is rather embarrassing that the best I could come up with for center field was Dernier. That speaks volumes. People want to talk about the black hole that we have had at 3rd but when was the last time the Cubs had a Center Fielder to speak of? Hack Wilson? Dernier spent three uneven seasons at Wrigley. He was an essential cog in the 84 team as a leadoff hitter who swiped 45 bases. In 85 he was just ok and then the wheels fell off by 86 as he only hit .225 and worse only reached base at a .275 clip. I looked high and low for someone, anyone else to put here but I could not find a soul. If Marlon Byrd can put together another good year he is probably the guy the next time I make a list like this.

RF Andre Dawson – Let me get this out of the way right up front. Sammy Sosa was a cheater and a liar. Every record he has in Cub history needs to have a huge asterisk placed next to it. I bought into his bullshit and defended that jag for years. But, in the end he made a fool out of all us who cheered him on. I cannot and will not include him on any list with the word great on it. The Hawk spent six seasons with the Cubs and won an NL MVP in 87 on a team that finished 6th. His 49 homer, 137 RBI season was a joy to watch. He was an All Star 5 of the 6 years he was here won 2 gold gloves and got MVP votes in 4 seasons. Beyond all of that though however, is the fact that Dawson was a complete and utter class act on and off the field.

C Jody Davis – Davis spent seven solid yet, not spectacular seasons with the Cubs. He was an All Star twice and was an integral member of the 1984 team. He was also pretty good behind the plate and won a gold glove in 1986. Davis was always good for 15-20 homers and a .260 average. Other then Davis it is pretty thin. Soto has put together two good seasons out of the last three. But the Cubs as a whole have a lot of Ric Wilkins and Damien Miller’s in their catching past.

SP Rick Reuschel - During my infancy of being a Cubs fan Big Daddy was pretty much all we had on the mound. He was about as un-athletic of a guy as you would ever see but he sure knew how to pitch. From 72 until 81 Reuschel only had one year where his ERA was above 4. He won 20 games in 77 and was an innings machine. He was traded away in 81 and made a comeback with the Cubs in 83. In 1984, Jim Frey (who knew nothing about pitching) decided he wasn’t good enough to pitch on a regular basis so he only got 14 starts as he yo-yoed between the rotation and pen. He left as a free agent and had a nice little resurrection pitching with the Pirates and Giants. All in all though his best years were as a Cub where he won 135 games on some bad teams.

SP Rick Sutcliffe - If for nothing else his 84 season alone puts him on this list. All he did that year was go 16-1 with an ERA of 2.69, win a Cy Young and pitched us to our first division title. He was hurt in 85 but had solid seasons in 87 and 88 finishing 87 with 18 wins and a second place finish in the Cy Young voting. (A tragedy in that Lee Smith blew at least 3 wins for him that year.) He also was part of the 89 team that got to the post season. In 8 years on the North Side he won 82 games and had an ERA of 3.74.

SP Greg Maddux – As good as he was with the Cubs I will always feel cheated. He should have been ours and never left. Until my dying day I will place the blame squarely on Larry Himes shoulders. Maddux was all set to sign an extension at the All Star break in 92. All parties had agreed to the deal in principal. For some reason Himes reneged on the deal and pulled it off the table telling Maddux, let’s see what you do in the second half. All Greg did was go 10-3 with an ERA of 1.95 and win the Cy Young only boosting his value more. In the end, he got away and pitched his best seasons in Atlanta and will enter Cooperstown with a Braves hat on and that sickens me. Anyway in parts of 10 seasons on the north side he won 133 games and had an ERA of 3.60. Plus the Cy Young in 92 when he won 20. He was an artist on the mound and is one of my all time favorite Cubs.

SP Carlos Zambrano – It is easy to forget just how good Big Z was before his recent troubles. Since 03 his first season in the rotation he has never finished a season with an era over 4. He has a .611 winning percentage as a Cub. From 04 to 08 he won 78 games (That is an average of 15 a season.) I remember in 2003 when we had a rotation that seemed like it was bound for greatness with Wood and Prior in it, thinking that Zambrano might wind up having the best career of the three, and he has. He has 4 all star appearances and Cy Young votes in 3 separate seasons. Plus he is a weapon with the bat as he has the record for most homers as a pitcher for the Cubs. Of course, the temper has gotten him in trouble and you could make a case stating it has kept him from reaching his true potential. I won’t argue that but he is still one of the best five Cub starters in my lifetime.

SP Ryan Dempster - I guess it speaks volumes about the Cubs that I couldn’t find a better option for the fifth spot on this list. Demp has only been in the rotation for three seasons. But he has been very good those three years. He has averaged 14 wins and has had not had an ERA above 4 in any of them. His 08 season when he went 17-6 with a 2.96 was one of the reasons we won 97 games that year. As per usual the Cubs bungled things and wasted him in the bullpen for a couple of seasons as they installed him as the closer, a role he was just ok at. He is clearly better suited for the rotation and has been arguably our best pitcher over the last three seasons.

RP Bruce Sutter – The Cubs have surprisingly had some good closers over the years. Lee Smith was a lot better than people seem to give him credit for. And Jim Frey’s trading of him was one of the worst deals the team has made in the last 25 years. Randy Myers came over as a free agent and in 1993 set a then NL record with 53 saves. Even Carlos Marmol as much as he causes indigestion when he pitches can be dominant when he is on. All of these guys take a back seat to Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter. For a 4 year run he was simply the best relief pitcher in all of baseball. His 1977 season was insane. He went 7-3 saved 31 games (rarely of the one inning variety by the way) and had an era of 1.34. His whip was an unheard of 0.857. Here is my favorite stat from that year. In 107 innings pitched he gave up a grand total of 21 extra base hits. He accomplished all this while pitching half his games at Wrigley Field. He won the Cy Young in 1979, no small feat for a reliever with a 37 save season. Of course the frugal Cubs didn’t want to pay him so they shipped him off to our main rival for some reason for a coke sniffing, ground ball booting Leon Durham and the corpse of Ken Reitz. And he then went into the hall with a Cardinal cap to boot.

Manager Don Zimmer – Over the last 35+ years the Cubs have had their fare share of skippers. And to be perfectly honest most of them have not been very good. This decision came down between Zimmer and Lou Piniella. But I really feel Lou mentally checked out last year so, I give it Zimmer whose managing job in 1989 was simply masterful. That 89 team had no business winning the division. A rookie platoon in left, a rookie in center, Vance Law at third base, two rookies for the most part behind the plate, somehow he got it to all meld together. I saw things that year that defy explanation. He called a hit and run with the bases loaded and it worked. Whitey Herzong a hall of fame manger, called Zimmer’s 89 season the best job of managing he had ever seen in his over five decades in the game. That’s good enough for me. Sure, that was his only winning year as manager in his 3 ½ years but it was so masterful it takes the top spot.

Worst

1B Hee Seop Choi – First base has actually been a position of strength for the Cubs for a long period of time. They went from Bucker to Durham to Grace and that trio manned the position for a combined 23 seasons. Hee Seop Choi was just another in a long line of Cub prospects that turned out to be a bust. Jim Hendry did trade him for Derek Lee so, at least we got something out of him. Choi was the next big thing in the minors for a couple of years and tales of his brilliance wetted Cubs Nations appetite. He finally arrived for a cup of coffee in late 2002 and did nothing. Still, he was handed the starting job the next season. He would get hurt in June and that turned out to be a blessing because who knows how long Dusty would have stuck with him otherwise. In 80 games that year he hit .218. He struck out 71 times in only 245 plate appearances. After leaving the Cubs he stunk it up in Florida and then for the Dodgers before returning to Korea after being cut in spring training by the Red Sox in 2006.

2B Mike Tyson – Sandberg was here for so long there were not a lot of candidates at second. Actually, for the most part the Cubs have done a nice job finding guys to fill in over the years at the two bag. This basically came down to two candidates. There was the immortal Joe Strain who hit .189 in 25 games for the 81 Cubs and Mike Tyson. Strain didn’t suck for a long enough time period so Tyson wins by default. Tyson spent two years on the north side in 1980 and 81. He hit a robust .226 and more embarrassingly reached base at only a .267 clip. He was simply an out machine.

SS Jeff Blauser – When Blauser was a Brave he was a Cub killer. He hit .268 in his 11 years in Atlanta. But against the Cubs he hit .351 over that time span, which is 83 points higher for you non math majors. So, I think a lot of Cub fans had an inflated perception of what Blauser really was. Ed Lynch the bumbling GM at the time also was under the Blauser spell and signed him to a free agent deal at 4 million per season. Blauser then went on to reward the Cubs with two seasons of pure mediocrity. For his eight million over two summers, Jeff hit .226 with a whopping 13 homers. In 2 seasons he had 34 extra base hits. I would love to have selected Nefi Perez as he was truly awful as well. But, after what Blauser did against us for so many years only to stink up the place once he put on the blue pinstripes he has earned a special place in my black heart.

3B Gary Scott – Ah, third base. Here was a position where the Cubs truly stunk and had number of stiffs for an astonishing amount of time. So many bums to choose from it was hard to pick just one. There was Steve Ontiveros who in four seasons hit 16 homers. Then there was Ken Reitz who spent one miserable season on the north side and hit .215 with 2 homers. Then there was Steve Buechele who hit .256 over 4 seasons. After him it was Todd Zeile and his one year and .227 batting average. They then tried Oriole washout Leo Gomez. Gomez did hit 17 homers but at a .238 while doing so. Then there was the next big prospect in Kevin Orie. He cost Kerry Wood a perfect game in 98 and hit .243 over three seasons. They then got around to bringing in Reds castoff Willie Greene. In his one season with the club he hit .201. I am sure I missing some other immortals but as much as they all were brutal with a capital B, none of them could out suck the utter incompetence of Mr. March, Gary Scott. Scott was going to be the next Ron Santo. Hell, Santo himself proclaimed him to be. He was drafted in the 2nd round of the 1989 draft and shot through the minors. In 1991 in spring training he led the Cactus League in hitting and won the opening day job. He then went north with the club and hit .165 in 31 games. They sent him down to Iowa where he finished the year at a .208 clip. But the Cubs were not to be deterred. You see for the next season we again put our eggs in the Gary Scott basket and again in March he tore it up in Mesa. Hopes were high as opening day 1992 arrived that he wouldn’t hit .165 again. He didn’t, he hit .156 instead. After 36 games the Cubs gave up on him sent him back to Iowa eventually traded him and he never delivered on the promise he once showed. Yet another in a long line of would be phenoms who flamed out for the organization.

LF Candy Maldonado – Left Field is almost as bad as third base for the Cubs. There was Derek May whose numbers are better then I remember them but trust me was a lazy player who could not have given less of a shit. There was the Scott Bullet who hit .241 over two unproductive seasons. There was Ozzie Timmons who was supposed to be the next big thing. He hit .235 in two bad years on the north side. Brant Brown will go down in infamy for dropping that ball in 98 against Milwaukee. It didn’t help that he hit .262 over 4 seasons. Robin Jennings whose claim to fame was that he was part Indian, hit like Tonto with the Cubs to the tune of .210 over three years. Yes, all those guys stunk but no one stole money like Maldonado. Larry Himes went out, after not giving Maddux his cash and used the savings to bring in Maldonado. The Candy Man, had just come off a season in Toronto were he hit 20 homers and hit .272. The Cubs singed him to what at the time was a big contract and watched him butcher left field with the glove and hit .186 and slug a Nefi like .286 in 70 games. It got so bad that they eventually traded him in August to Cleveland for the roided up Glenallen Hill.

CF Corey Paterson – Let me start off saying there were probably worse centerfielders then Paterson. But for sheer unrealized potential no one could match Corey. There were the Doug Dascenzo and Tuffy Rhodes’. Or let’s not forget Damon Buford and Felix Pie. Yes they all were inept but, I don’t think I ever saw as big of a waste of talent as I did in Paterson. He could have been great but his stubbornness in refusing to learn the strike zone prohibited him from reaching his potential. Paterson hit .252 in parts of 6 seasons with the Cubs but that does not tell the whole story. In those 6 years he walked 111 times while striking out 552. That is almost impossible to do. He struck out nearly a quarter of the time he came to the plate. I lay part of the blame on the Cubs coaching and in Don Baylor and Dusty Baker for never getting through to him. On the other hand Paterson after leaving the organization never had success anywhere else. He was the third pick of the 1998 draft and never came close to being the player the Cubs thought he could have been.

RF Kosuke Fukudome – Right Field hasn’t been that bad for the Cubs over the last 35 years. Sosa was there for a number of them and Dawson before him. So, to pick an inept player was somewhat difficult. Then I looked at just how much money Fukudome is making and it becomes pretty evident. Before the 2008 season Jim Hendry looked to Japan to sign Fukudome who had won an MVP and a batting title there. He signed him to a 4 year deal worth 47 million dollars. For that we have gotten over three seasons a .259 hitter who has smacked a whopping 34 homers. Each season has been the same. In April he is a .335 hitter. He slumps to .276 in May and then the June swoon begins. He is a .211 hitter in June and an even worse .198 in September. I don’t know if he runs out of gas or what his issue is. But as soon as you see that spinning swing and a miss in the batter’s box you know he is in trouble. I will say he plays a good right field and does get on base via the walk. But for the money they have spent on him the Cubs have not gotten near the production they were hoping for.

C Todd Hundley - To ignore the ineptitude of Tim Blackwell, Barry Foote, and Steve Swisher is not easy. But, what Hundley did in his two years as a Cub far supersedes anyone else. This one should have worked. Hundley was part of the family in that his dad Randy had been an iron horse behind the plate in the late 60’s and early 70’s for the team. Coming off a year with the Dodgers in which he hit 24 homers and .284 Andy Macphail couldn’t resist and singed Todd to a 4 year 23 million dollar deal. Rarely in the history of man has 23 million gotten you so little. In his two years with the Cubs Hundley hit .199. He drove in 66 runs over the course of those two seasons. Maybe the pressure of playing at Wrigley everyday trying to live up to his dad got to him. Whatever it was he was a complete stiff and eventually somehow, Jim Hendry was able to trade Hundley to the Dodgers and get Eric Karros and Mark Grudzielank in return, two guys who played big roles in the 2003 season.

SP Danny Jackson – Jim Frey knew hitting, I would never deny that. But what he didn’t know about pitching just might fill the Grand Canyon. Frey was GM in 1991. Jackson had been good a few years back with the Reds but was coming off a 6-6 injury plagued season with Cincinnati. That to Frey merited a 4 year deal at 2.6 million per. (That was big money in baseball in 1991.) In his 2 seasons with the Cubs he went 5-14 with a 5.19 ERA. In 183 innings he struck out only 82 hitters. He was always hurt and when he did pitch he was more hittable then the Jugs machine. Eventually he was traded to the hapless Pirates.

SP Andrew Lorraine – At the time he was on the Cubs, I firmly believed I could have hit this guy. Here is all you need to know about Lorraine. He pitched 175 innings in the majors (93 with the Cubs) and 1,705 innings in the minors. The 1999 Cubs were in a word, bad. Things got so dire in the rotation that they turned to Lorraine. He rewarded them with a 2-5 record with a 5.55 ERA. Somehow, this was not enough for the Cub brass to release him. No, in 2000 he somehow was part of the rotation coming out of spring training. He went 1-2 over 5 starts with a 6.47 ERA before the Cubs “brain” trust saw enough and mercifully released him in May.

SP Willie Banks – Banks was never really that good for Minnesota over the course of three undistinguished seasons. But that didn’t stop Ed Lynch for trading for him before the 1994 season. No one expected much and Willie did not disappoint in his two years on the north side. He went 8-13 with a 6.18 ERA in 94 and parts of 95.

SP Kevin Foster – I don’t want to rip on Foster to hard as he passed away at the young of age of 39. With that said he somehow was able to last four mediocre seasons with the Cubs. He was a local kid out of Evanston who was a nice story in that sense. He came to the Cubs via a trade before the 94 season and actually pitched decent for them before the strike. The next three seasons were not good with a particularly brutal 1996 where he made 16 starts to the tune of a 6.21 ERA. He eventually got hurt and was released following the 98 season and jumped around the minors before his untimely death in 2008.

SP Amaury Telemaco – All I ever heard from the so called experts for years was this guy has amazing unhittable “stuff”. Well, once he got between the white lines he proved to be very hittable. The Cubs signed him out of Dominican Republic and developed him for five years in the minors. Eventually he got the call in 1996 and over the course of three seasons where he made numerous stops between Wrigley and Iowa he was never very good. In three years with the big club, he went 6-11 with a 5.36 ERA. Eventually the Diamondbacks did us a favor and claimed him off waivers as the Cubs tried to sneak him back to Iowa one more time. Eventually he found a home in the Phillies bullpen but he never lived up the hype.

RP Dave Smith – The Cubs have had a lot of bad closers over the years. They brought in an over the hill Goose Gossage in 88 and he was just out of gas. In 1996 they signed Doug Jones as a free agent and watched him go 2 for 7 in save chances. Mel Rojas was brought in by Ed Lynch in 97 and was so bad that by August he was traded away to the Mets . As bad as they were nothing could compare to the manure that was Dave Smith. Jim Frey made another great move in 91 and brought in Smith from Houston via free agency signing a 3 year 7 million dollar deal. He went 0-6 with a 6.00 ERA in 91. By 92 he had lost the closer role and got hurt. He later would admit that by the time he got to the Cubs he was an alcoholic. Nice due diligence Jim.

Manager – Preston Gomez – This was not easy as the Cubs have hired some doozies. Tom Trebelhorn had one glorious year in 94 where he led the team to a 49-64 record. Jim Essian took over the 91 Cubs and steered them to a 59-63 record. Don Baylor was truly overmatched. I’ve met paperweights that had more personality then Jim Riggleman and Dusty Baker might have been worse than them all with the way he burned out Wood and Prior. But for sheer incompetence I don’t think anyone could outdo what Preston Gomez did in his very short tenure with the Cubs. Gomez was hired before the 1980 season to replace Herman Franks. He had managed the Padres and Astros before he came to the Cubs. In 5 of the 6 seasons he was at the helm his teams finished last in 5 of them. He was 308-477 that is a winning percentage of .392. How he parlayed that into the Cub job is a mystery. The team got off to a wretched 38-52 in 1980 start and the Cub brass had seen enough and in July he was fired never to be left in charge of a major league team again.