Mark DeRosa Is "The Pulse"

Which also happens to be the new name of his blog:

Thanks for all the suggestions for a blog title. It's now "The Pulse," which is something my teammates have called me for the last two years. Everything goes through me. My teammates know it. The fans see the superstars and all this stuff. I'm the glue, baby. I'm the guy who floats from the No. 1 man to the 25th man. I'm somewhere in the 15, 13 range. I'm the bell curve.

Which of course means we're now going to have to rank 1-25 for the Cubs.

Canadian Dempster Is Snubbed In Story About Canadians

Accompanying a feature on Canadian baseball players (Canadian Dempster, Canadian Morneau, et al), the Rocky Mountain News is running a reader poll on the best Canadian-born baseball players. They narrowed it down to 10:

Fergie Jenkins, Larry Walker, Jeff Heath, George Selkirk, Terry Puhl, Russell Martin, Matt Stairs, Justin Morneau, Jason Bay and Eric Gagne.

After seven votes, Fergie was leading Larry Walker 4-3. Canadian Dempster was not in the poll, but he does get quoted:

"More so in the past, the group always seemed to be kind of these bench guys or these fringe guys," said Dempster, who lives in the Denver foothills. "Now you're talking about MVPs and All-Stars and Cy Young Award winners. Gagne won a Cy Young. Morneau won an MVP." And, to complete the thought, Morneau, Gagne, Martin and Bay have been All-Stars, reporter Jack Etkin noted.

Excuse me, but Canadian Dempster has been an All-Star, too. In 2000, for the Marlins, because somebody had to be. But it counts.

Revisiting Preseason WV23 Predictions

As we've just passed the quarter pole of the 2008 season, let's revisit the official Wrigleyville23 NL Central projections. Here is the predicted order of finish, with records:

1. Cubs, 89-73
2. Brewers, 85-77
3. Reds, 83-79
4. Cardinals, 76-86
5. Pirates, 75-87
6. Astros, 74-88

Here are the current standings:

1. Cubs
2. Astros
3. Cardinals
4. Brewers
5. Pirates
6. Reds

So ... two out of six correct. Which is pretty good, because I have no idea what I'm talking about.

Cubs: Best Start In 21 Years

The 1987 Cubs also started 26-16. Unfortunately, it was their high water mark and they went 50-69 the rest of the way to finish last. That sucked.

Update: I see that Another Cubs Blog has something more extensive on the history of 26-16 starts. Whatever.

Mark Prior: Shut Down Again

Here's your near daily update on the broken former Cub, or former broken Cub:

Padres pitcher Mark Prior has a tear in the capsule of his surgically repaired right shoulder and will be shut down for the next two weeks, based on what the operating surgeon, Dr. James Andrews, told Prior on Friday. "He does have a tear in his capsule," said Prior's agent, John Boggs. "He'll be re-evalutated in two weeks."

In other words: He ain't coming back this year.

Around The Blogs: Pittsburgh Pirates

Good morning and welcome to another insightful edition of Around The Blogs. After a sweep of the Diamondbacks and their limited blog world and taking three of four from the Padres and their more active blogs, let's turn our attention to the Cub feeder system known as the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Andy Van Slyke's stalker doesn't seem to think too much of the Jim Edmonds signing. Well, he's batting .250 for the Cubs. How do you like that, Andy's stalker? Huh?

Raise The Jolly Roger - which, I'm sorry ... that's what she said - doesn't seem to think too much of their team's chances against the Cubs at Wrigley, under the theory of, "If something hasn't happened in over a year, it probably isn't happening today, either."

And there's a blog called Bucs Trade Winds because, presumably, that's what they do. May I interest you in something in a Bobby Hill? Maybe a Cesar Izturis?

Finally, there's a place called Mondesi's House, which seems more concerned with the Penguins than the Pirates at this point. Wouldn't you be?

Keep a close watch on the Pirates. Some of them may be in Cubs uniforms come July.

Phil Rogers, Feeling Watery

I think Phil Rogers is trying to get some sort of point across, but I just can't put my finger on it:

Watching the great Greg Maddux pitch Thursday against the Cubs was like listening to rain bounce off a tin roof. It was pouring base hits. Maddux was on the mound without his raincoat. Somehow he stayed dry for four rapid-fire innings, walking between the raindrops.

Whatever it is, I have to pee.

You Knew This Was Coming

With 12 strikeouts, it's the return of Canadian Dempster!

Deadspin Jinxes Cubs

The Cardinal-controlled Deadspin takes notice of the Cubs and concludes "it's starting to look like the Cubs can do this thing. Win a World Series, that is."

Ha! Good one! Deadspin is always hilarious. Jinxing bastards.

One other thing on Deadspin: Bill Simmons is not happy with ESPN and he has his own blogspot blog now.

"Firecracker" Pain Isn't Serious For Prior

With the Padres still in town, here's the latest Mark Prior update from Buster Olney (subscription required):

It's possible that Mark Prior won't pitch in a big league game this year, at worst, and at best, he won't help the Padres for weeks or months. Prior, recovering from significant shoulder surgery last year, was throwing last week and had a pain in the back of his shoulder that "felt like a firecracker," Padres GM Kevin Towers said Wednesday. So Prior has spent the last few days being examined by doctors, and the Padres' initial hope that he would be ready sometime in June is apparently out of the question now. "As of now, I don't think it's anything serious," said Towers. "We'll see."

Ah, yes, the "I don't think it's anything serious" and "we'll see" phase of the Mark Prior recovery. Sweet memories.

At Least Edmonds Won't Be As Unpopular As Hundley

Short of OJ Simpson, I'm not sure Jim Hendry could have signed anyone less popular with Cubs fans than Jim Edmonds.

But Edmonds is going to have to work very, very hard to be the least popular player to play for the Cubs. That title belongs solely and unmistakably to Todd Hundley. A quick recap:

On my 30th birthday, Hundley signed a four-year, $23.5 million deal after putting together back-to-back 24-homer, high-average, injury-shortened seasons. He was the son of a popular former Cub. He was a two-time All Star. He had once hit 41 home runs in a season.

What could go wrong?

Everything.

He played a grand total of 171 games over two seasons, batted .187 in 2001 and .211 in 2002 (which is just .187 and .211 higher than what I hit those two seasons). What he lacked in production he made up for in jackassery.

The most notable thing he ever did in Chicago was get caught flipping of fans after he hit a (rare) home run.

Hire Jim Essian named him the worst Cub ever, which may actually have been overly generous.

And, in the end, he was named in the Mitchell Report. Good times.

So, Jim, welcome to Chicago. And whatever happens, please know that you are - and always will be - more popular than Todd Hundley.

Must Love Dogs

Well, Jim Hendry has done it. Jim Edmonds is a Cub. He will be wearing royal blue pinstripes. He will be teaching Fukudome all there is to know about puppies. He'll attempt to faux hammer Fontenot into the ground. He'll smile into the WGN cameras and we'll all despise him. It just doesn't feel right one bit.

I'm not the kind of Cub fan who'll instantly boo Edmonds when he dogs it into CF for the first time today. After all, he is now a part of the team and I'll never root against any Cub. That doesn't mean that I still don't hate him.

Who really knows how this will turn out? Maybe he'll hit .200 and get cut in a month. He may hit .260 and stick around. If the Cubs win, I can live with it. However, this a more uncomfortable situation than a dinner party at Michael Scott and Jan Levinson's place. Woof.

P.S., if you haven't read this, do yourself a favor and check it out. It's all you need to know about Jim Edmonds.

No Ks For Soriano During Streak

The WV23 research department uncovered an interesting fact: After going 2-for-5 in last night's game against the Padres, Alfonso Soriano has now gone 29 consecutive plate appearances without striking out - the longest such streak of his career.

He's batting .464, with three home runs, eight RBIs and six runs during that time.

Welcome back, Fonsie.

An Act Of Congress Needed For Sunday Baseball In DC

It was 90 years ago today that Congress lifted the ban on Sunday baseball in Washington:

On this day in 1918, Congress voted to lift the curb on Sunday baseball in Washington. Accordingly, on May 19, the Washington Senators defeated the Cleveland Indians 1-0 in 18 innings before a crowd of more than 15,000 fans at the American League Base Ball Park, in the first Sunday baseball game ever played in the nation’s capital.

Of course, those 15,000 fans are now in hell.

Lou Not Making Much Sense On Felix, OF

After telling Felix Pie that when he was a ball player he had to walk uphill in three feet of snow both ways, Lou Piniella gave this explanation of why Pie is a worse option than a Jim Edmonds/Reed Johnson platoon:

Piniella said Pie has to "be ready" to succeed on every day, not just once in a while. "I played in the minor leagues six full seasons before I got to the big leagues," he said. "But when I got there, I stayed for 17 years. That's what you have to look at. You can't look at the short haul. … Some kids develop and learn their skills a little later than others, and you have to be patient with them. But at the same time, we're not in a rebuilding situation here."

OK, Lou, we'll play along.

Lou's Rookie Year

In your rookie year, you played in 29 of your team's first 31 games and 62 of the first 67. Here's how you fared:

After 15 games, you were hitting .234 with an OBP of .296. Eegads! Lou, did you come to the park ready to succeed every day - and not just once in a while? If so, your 3-for-20 slump in mid-April does not demonstrate that readiness to succeed.

After 38 games, you were hitting .260 with an OBP of .297. Lou, were you still coming to the park ready to succeed every day - and not just once in a while? If so, your 2-for-18 slump in the week leading up game 38 does not demonstrate that readiness to succeed.

But, Lou, you got your average up to .303 by mid-July and has high as .293 in September. Because you came to the park ready to succeed every day. And because your manager stuck by you, wrote your name on the lineup card every day and LET YOU PLAY FREAKING BASEBALL, giving you the opportunity to succeed.

Felix's Rookie Year

Now, Lou, let's take a peek at how Felix has been handled in his young career:

After 15 games of playing more or less every day in his rookie year of 2007, Felix Pie was hitting .229 (.005 lower than Lou after his first 15 games) with an anemic OBP of .245. Days later, that earned him a month-long demotion to Iowa - presumably because he wasn't coming to the park ready to succeed every day. Only once in a while. Unlike Lou.

After coming back, Felix quickly raised his average to .287 (with a .318 OBP) after seven consecutive starts in early June. Those numbers slid considerably (.227/.275) with a 6 for 48 slump over the next two weeks, earning Pie a week of pinch hitting duties followed by a trip back to Iowa.

Pie returned to the Cubs August 8, started four straight games and then did not start consecutive games the remainder of the season.

In short, he was demoted twice after two bad weeks of baseball.

Felix - Year Two

Felix has started consecutive games on the following occasions:

March 31-April 4 (four games)
April 29-30 (two games)
May 5-7 (three games)

That's it.

So, Lou, instead of yanking Felix around day after day and playing him behind Reed Johnson - who is not appreciably better at baseball than Lyndon Johnson, at this point - why not put him in a situation where he is not constantly looking over his shoulder, wondering which over-the-hill center fielder you are going to bring in to take his job?

Do you and Doughnut Jim truly, truly believe that a platoon of Johnson and Edmonds will perform better - offensively, defensively - than Felix Pie? Really?

Mark DeRosa, Blogger

Mark DeRosa is back to blogging, in which he is soliciting names for his blog.

How about www.jimhendryhungmeouttodryalloffseason.com? Or, www.doyoureallythink2bisourbiggestneed.com?

Those are a little clunky, so we may need to go with acronyms.

Keeping Me Honest: Preseason Prediction Update

As we near the quarter pole, it is a good time to look back at one of my preseason predictions and see how I am faring. From March 5:

I like the underdogs in the American League. And by "underdogs," I mean traditionally crappy teams: the Kansas City Royals and the Tampa Bay Rays. Or is it just Tampa Rays? Or Bay Devils? I can't keep track.

Anyway, the official Wrigleyville23 position on the two perennial cellar dwellers (that's a sportswriting term) is they will combine to win 158 games in 2008. I will not tell you how they will combine to reach that number (though I do know), but I believe both will be a bit frisky and cause problems for the division leaders throughout the year.

So how are they faring? The Bay Devils are 23-16 (on pace for 95.53 wins) and the Royals are 17-21 (on pace for 72.47 wins). That would be a combined 168 wins. Which means my 158 win prediction would be wrong.

Tomorrow, we'll check in on the NL Central predictions.

La Russa Approves Of Signing Edmonds

Tony La Russa says Jim Edmonds should be welcomed in the big leagues - just not on his team, because the Cardinals have outfielders who aren't as bad at baseball as Edmonds. And you do have to question why the division rival is supportive of this:

There is a report that the Chicago Cubs are looking at signing former Cardinals star Jim Edmonds, released last week by San Diego. "He's a capable player," said manager Tony La Russa. "I figured that if he wanted to play, somebody would be interested in him."

Young Felix Pie, who had been the Cubs' center fielder for much of the season, has dipped to .222. "With Pie (struggling), it makes sense," La Russa said.

But not for the Cardinals. "I think we have lefthanded-hitting outfielders," said La Russa, who has three in Rick Ankiel, Chris Duncan and Skip Schumaker.

On the upside, Speedy saw Edmonds' first major league game during the Hoover administration.

Cubs Talking Themselves Into Jim Edmonds

Chris De Luca of the Sun-Times calls Jim Edmonds a "low-risk" veteran signing - and then spends the rest of his story demonstrating why that isn't true.

1. The lead: Worst-case scenario, the Cubs spend $289,000 this season on veteran center fielder Jim Edmonds. Which, come to think of it, also describes the best-case scenario.

Um, no. The worst-case scenario is the Cubs have a center field platoon of two guys (Edmonds and Reed Johnson) who aren't very good at baseball, while Jim Hendry trades away a player  (Felix Pie) who may very well be very good at baseball. If not this season, then in coming years. He already is the best defender of the three.

2.By all accounts, Edmonds is done -- at least judging from his play in 26 games with the San Diego Padres. He hit .178 and had more strikeouts (24) than hits (16) in 90 at-bats. Early scouting reports indicated the man who had a strained calf much worse than the one that put Alfonso Soriano on the shelf for two weeks had no range left in center. And there were whispers he was a clubhouse cancer in San Diego, helping to expedite his exit.

Great news!

3. But from the Cubs' perspective, this is a no-brainer.

No brainer? The Cubs have just the front office for that.

4. This is the biggest risk for the Cubs. Scouts agree Edmonds has lost some bat speed. Keep in mind, he strained his calf on March 6, missed six weeks, then joined the Padres six games into the season without having played a full game in center. A rehabilitation assignment longer than two days at Class A Lake Elsinore would have been a better call for Edmonds. If his offensive woes continue in Chicago, the experiment ends.

OK, that's 2008. But how do you explain away the three consecutive prior years of seriously declining numbers? Huh??

5. As for the defense, Cubs scouts watched Edmonds during the Padres' visit to Atlanta last week and believe his range was improving. Insiders feel Edmonds came back too soon from the right calf strain. He won eight Gold Gloves in center from 1997 to 2005, but now is no match for Pie. But Pie needs to work on his hitting by playing every day, and he will get that chance at Iowa. It's a good trade at this point for the Cubs.

The Cubs are going to make Felix Pie into Crash Davis - the King of the Minors - yet.

6. Now for the personality issue. When the Padres cut ties with Edmonds over the weekend -- putting the waiver process in motion -- his San Diego teammates nearly applauded. Edmonds' biggest crime was being aloof -- something that won't matter in a tight-knit Cubs clubhouse.

Yes, bringing in a bad person is always good for a tight-knit clubhouse (I don't really care about this, but the logic seems strained).

7. And, yes, when he played for the Cardinals, he represented all that is wrong with the Cubs' No. 1 rival. He had a knack for getting under the skin of Cubs fans and players. But A.J. Pierzynski was the same kind of pest to the White Sox during his days with the Minnesota Twins and became a, well, less-hated figure once inside the home clubhouse on the South Side.

Um, great. A.J. Pierzynski is the model of success.

8. t's a low-risk gamble. Pie isn't offering much offensively. Reed Johnson isn't suited for playing center every day. If Edmonds can give him an occasional rest, that should keep Johnson fresh for the stretch run. If Edmonds is a bust, look for Kosuke Fukudome, who has approved such a move, to get more time in center to give Johnson the occasional break. And Hoffpauir, who knocked in all five runs for Iowa on Tuesday and has nine RBI in his last two games, becomes the extra left-handed bat off the bench.

PIE IS GIVING YOU MORE THAN JOHNSON AT THE PLATE LATELY (though still not enough, granted).

9. Remember, this isn't the time to make a major trade. The market might loosen up in early June. By then, the Cubs will have a good feel on what they have in Edmonds. If he's a bust -- or becomes a clubhouse issue -- Edmonds will be cut loose. If he sticks, that only means good things for the Cubs.

OK, you're right: What's the worst that could happen?

Item 3,745,571 To Delay Cubs Sale

Add a crumbling ballpark to the list of things that is going to delay Mark Cuban buying the Cubs (if I say it often enough, perhaps it will make it so):

Tribune Co. is indicating privately it might delay selling the Chicago Cubs if the inevitable need for costly repairs at Wrigley Field, the team's home for more than 90 years, discounts the bids it fields for the ballclub, sources say.

Just sell the place. Build a new park. Whatever.

More curious in this story is the fact that the Chicago Tribune needs to use "sources" to report news on the Tribune. In other words, they won't even talk to themselves on the record.

Dusty Baker, "Hit Doctor"

The only prescription to cure Adam Dunn's problems is not more cowbell. It's more hits. So sayeth Dusty Baker.

"The cure to most ills is two hits a day for a week," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "You'll be in pretty good shape. That's my prescription as a doctor, a hit doctor. I just wish I could write that prescription and get it filled all the time."

I understand not writing a prescription for walks, given the clogging-associated side effects. But as a hit doctor, why in the world can't he write prescriptions for hits?

A Cards Fan Makes A Funny

Will Leitch of Deadspin takes a good shot at the Cubs, after kindly linking to our story on Speedy & Company still waiting for a World Series:

Old people are cute ... well, at least when they're that old. We tried to reach a Cardinals fan born the year they last won the World Series, but they're too young to be able to talk yet.

Well ... um ... well. That's what she said!

Never mind.

Revisiting The Soriano Hurts The Cubs "Debate"

Let's check back in on some goofiness from the first six weeks on how Alfonso Soriano is hurting the Cubs - not necessarily by slumping, but by being selfish and (in one odd case) being "Latin."

It is an article of faith among some that the Cubs are not as good at baseball when Soriano bats leadoff. Some say he should bat fifth or even sixth. Still others say he doesn't even belong in the lineup.

The first is a possibility, the second is more than defensible, the last is the product of the fever swamps.

And then there are those arguments that are just intellectually dishonest, while making a possibly valid point:

The Cubs scored 7.36 runs per game with Soriano out of the lineup. Since his return on May 1, they are scoring 4.5. And even that 4.5 is misleading; their totals are 3, 3, 9, 3, and 3. Throw out the high and the low and you’re stuck at 3 runs per game. The Cubs are 2-13 for the season when scoring 3 runs or less. Wow, it’s a good thing we’re maximizing Soriano’s ability to feel good about himself.

Later in the post was this doozy:

The question to ask is not “where should Soriano bat”. The right question to ask is “should he be playing at all?”

1. This was written after Soriano's fifth game back. As of last night, the Cubs are averaging five-plus runs in the games he has played since he returned. Not only that, he has accounted for 35 percent of those runs (30 percent if you subtract two RBIs for the home runs, as those shouldn't count twice).

2. Um, why would you throw out the high (9) and the low (one of the 3s) in the five games in which he played - but not do the same for the games in which he didn't play (the high, by the way, was a softball-like score of 19)? Curious.

3. If "managing is about winning games" - as the linked post says in its headline - why would you not start the player who leads off when the Cubs win their highest percentage of games? I sure would.

Last year, the Cubs were 70-56 with Soriano leading off and 15-21 with anybody else leading off. This year, the Cubs are 12-7 with Soriano leading off and 11-8 with anybody else batting first.*

That's a two-year total of 82-63 (.566) and 26-29 (.472).

So ... is this about "winning games" or is it some other problem people have with Soriano?

*Corrected from 13-7, as I mistakenly counted the bunny hop game in which he didn't actually bat.

More Doings Around Cubs, Padres Moves?

The San Diego Union-Tribune weighs in on the other dominoes that may fall should the Cubs sign Jim Edmonds:

However, if the Cubs sign Edmonds once he clears waivers Wednesday, they will have a surplus of outfielders -- two of whom the Padres have shown interest in before, Felix Pie and Matt Murton.

And Padres General Manager Kevin Towers is in Chicago with the team. Interesting.

Pie, from the Dominican Republic, would appear to be the odd man out if the Cubs signed Edmonds to platoon with Reed Johnson in center.

Although he is a career .301 hitter in the minors (with a .306 average over almost 800 at-bats at Triple-A), Pie has not performed up to expectations with the Cubs. He hit .215 last season and is batting .222 this season after 63 at-bats with a .286 on-base percentage. Plus, his strikeout-to-walk ratio is 66-to-18 with the Cubs.

Still, he is only 23 and his future appears to be brighter than his present. But there are rumors the Cubs might be asking for Khalil Greene in exchange for Pie -- probably a deal-breaker.

Don't want to give up Greene? OK, the Cubs will take Jake Peavy, thank you very much.

WNBC Really Wants You To Save Money

(Warning: A very bad word is said here, so don't listen too loudly at work or if you're under 18.)



Thanks to WWTDD for the video.

Cubs: Do It for Speedy, Savage & A New Hat

Both of my grandfathers lived their entire lives in northern Indiana as Cubs fans. Both of my grandfathers lived their entire lives without seeing the Cubs win a World Series.

It's too late for them, unfortunately, but it's not too late for Richard Savage (pictured), Lucia Klas and Speedy Iavarone - featured in this month's AARP Bulletin:

“I’ve been a Cubs fan for a long time," says Iavarone, whose son, Greg, once played minor league ball for the Cubs farm system. "You have to be patient. That’s my life lesson, be patient in everything. ... If the Cubs win the World Series, it would be amazing ... if I’m still here.”

How can you not root for a Cubs World Series after reading that? If that's not enough incentive for you, consider Savage's plans:

Savage did the jitterbug in slow-motion behind his walker to a swinging rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” by the Cubs Dixieland Band. What would he do to celebrate a Cubs World Series win?

“I’d probably buy myself a new hat.”

If the Cubs win, I'll buy Savage the new hat. Go Cubs.

Cripes!!!

I've been hearing some frightening news around the Interwebtubes that the Cubs are interested in "exploring the signing" of Jim Edmonds.

I, as well as all of you, knew as soon as you heard that the Padres had released Edmonds that Jim Hendry would be all over his jock. True to form, Hendry has bought out the local Krispy Kreme in celebration of Jimmie clearing waivers on Wednesday.

Maddog thinks lots of things, but of this I think he is spot on. I'm not sure about the Khalil Greene thing, except that the Padres may be looking to retool sooner rather than later, and that could lead to them blowing up the whole thing if their losing ways continue. Also, it doesn't seem like Lou envisions a future for Felix Pie with the Cubs. Felix isn't doing much to help his cause, either.

Of Jim Edmonds: he was one of the best outfielders in baseball. He was a feared hitter. He used to have range. Hell, I used to be all of those things as well. Then I woke up. Jim Edmonds is terrible. He has a sub-.180 average. He can't get to anything hit not directly at him. This is a bad idea, Jim.

And, since I know for a fact that Lou reads this blog, here's what the Cubs should do to immediately solve their CF problem (I'm going to get blasted for this, but what else is new?): Do whatever it is you plan on doing with Pie to get him off the roster, recall Thunder Matt to play RF and move Fukudome to CF. You'll still have Reed Johnson to fill in at all three outfield spots, especially for the liability of Murton's defense in RF. For some reason, this has always occurred to me to be Plan B since the Fukudome signing, and especially since Thunder has yet to be traded.

Or, there's always that Griffey guy. In which case Fukudome will most certainly still move to CF. Or, that Lofton guy.

DISCLAIMER: This post is not meant for a panic, wet-the-bed handwringing about Felix Pie. The Cubs have won four in a row and looked good doing it. This is, however, definitely a breathless reaction to the notion of signing Jim Edmonds. Please, for the love of all things baseball, don't sign Jim Edmonds, Hendry. Don't make me hate you even more.