Will the Cubs be employing the defensive shifts as much this year as they did last year? They seemed to work pretty well! Were the shifts Dale Sveum’s idea or someone else’s? — Tom Fiedler, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Yes, I see them employing the shifts as much as last season, if not more. Rick Renteria is very familiar with shifts, based on his days as a bench coach with the Padres.
There’s plenty of information provided with spray charts and pitching styles. Dale was a big believer in the shifts based on the information provided and tendencies.
Q: How do you say Matt Szczur’s last name? — Peter S., Cary
It’s pronounced “SEE-zur,” just like the former dictator of Rome.
Anyone think it’s time for the Cubs to find a new place for Josh Vitters, Brett Jackson or Szczur – for the benefit of the players as well the Cubs? Two scouts have told me they like Szczur and believe he’ll be a serviceable major league player.
Why does Theo Epstein want to trade Jeff Samardzija for more prospects? Isn’t it time to focus on the major league team? Epstein seems more interested in the minor leagues than in the Cubs. It will be horrible if the Cubs lose 100 games during Wrigley’s centennial.
And why wasn’t Mark Grace interviewed for a radio announcer job after Keith Moreland resigned? Grace was a very popular Cub, has a good speaking voice and has learned his lesson about drinking and driving. — Jaime Sommers Goldman, Universal City, Texas
The farm system could use a few major league-ready or close to major league ready pitchers, and Samardzija is an attractive trading chip because he still possesses plenty of upside and won’t become a free agent until after 2015.
I was all for the Cubs signing Samardzija to a long-term deal, but the market exploded upward this winter. I envision him being traded before the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline, and I anticipate the usual suspects (Blue Jays and Braves, to name two) will be involved. Jeff knows he has some unfinished business as far as reaching that elite level of pitchers, but he’s going to get paid handsomely, nevertheless.
If Samardzija is traded by July 1, then 100 losses could be within reach.
As far as Mark Grace is concerned, he’s in a very supportive community with the Diamondbacks. He also has two sons, and I’m sure it’s easier for him to be on the West Coast during the summer with the Mike Downey-owned short-season Class-A Hillsboro Hops franchise.
I’d say more than 90 percent of the enemies Grace had with the Cubs are no longer with the organization. But family comes first, and he’s in a good place with a loyal organization.
I really have not seen Anthony Rizzo making adjustments this spring. From my perspective, he is the same hitter just off to a better start. I thought his biggest problem was how he handled his at bats on 2-2 counts. I could not understand most of the pitches he swung at. Do you see improvement in him and if not, should they move him to the outfield and make room for Mike Olt at first? — Christopher Sessa, Mesa, Ariz.
I absolutely hate making a big deal out of spring training statistics, especially early in spring training. I will say this about Rizzo: He’s looked a lot better against left-handed pitchers. It appears he’s using a ”take what the pitcher gives you” approach that’s evidenced by the manner in which he’s poked some pitches to left field against left-handed pitchers instead of trying to pull the ball against them every time.
The big test for him will be how he handles high and inside fastballs, but he cannot afford to be so vulnerable against left-handers as he was last season.
Baseball at Wrigley has become disappointing, at best. I remember, for example, way back when to the time Henry Mack was a “can’t miss,” a highly touted pitcher on our Double A roster who never made it to the show! And there have been many more of those “never made it” players than I care to remember. So, as Theo Epstein talks a good game for some believers, I see him as doing nothing at all to put a competitive product on the field for those of us who are giving support by being yearly season ticket holders WHILE he “improves” the farm system.
Please tell me why he can’t begin to build a winning team around a pitching staff led by Jeff Samardzija and Travis Wood by gathering a few veterans for our infield/outfield to lead the youth, rather than possibly putting Samardzija on the trading block and continuing this silly game of wipe out? I would recommend Theo and Jed Hoyer take a page from Dallas Green’s book and learn how to combine veterans with young talent and get us to the playoffs in two years, as was done from 1982 to 1984. Dallas will forever be my hero.
Also, I spent a few days at their new spring training facility, and that experience left me cold as opposed to the days when you could actually see the players up close and personal. Bruce Sutter, Mike Krukow, Willie Hernandez and others would showboat for my home movie camera in the late 1970s, and they were available for photos and autographs without fence barriers! Now, shockingly, the players are driven on golf carts from the “new, improved” practice fields to the stadium rather than walking down the sidewalk that extends between to the two locations. Fan friendly, NOT. — Donna Pemberton
Henry Mack! Quite the arm. Quite the control problems. Just like Herman Segelke.
Samardzija, Wood, Andrew Cashner and Chris Archer would form a pretty good rotation right now.
But Theo and Jed are putting their eggs in one basket – that basket being full of young players with the hope that many develop into major league prospects and stay on the major league level for a long, long time. They’re seeking sustained success and not an all-or-nothing concept.That requires being right on several players as well as having the financial resources to keep these players once they become arbitration eligible and/or reach free agency. The next television deal will dictate a lot.
There’s no doubt that Dallas Green got the Cubs turned around when he took over. But there are a few things that were downplayed during his regime:
1. His hiring of Gordon Goldsberry as director of player development and scouting was one of the best hires in franchise history with the drafting and development of several players during their run. I have no doubt that Goldsberry and John Cox would have done a super job as co-general managers under Dallas’ master plan that was nullified.
2. The Cubs had four consecutive sub .500 seasons between division titles. Part of it was the price they paid for loading up on veterans with little left in the tank (Ron Cey and Gary Matthews) and trying to pitch things up with the likes of players like Vance Law and Jerry Mumphrey.
The current regime stresses it wants success for the long term primarily through its farm system. But the process is painful and could be very, very risky since not all prospects blossom into productive major leaguers.
I feel for the fans who feel slighted by not being able to get at least a few autographs from players along the path from the clubhouse to Cubs Park. I passed along the idea of assigning five players to sign autographs to fans before each game, but I guess they don’t like that suggestion.
I know there have been a few complaints about the congestion over traffic and restrooms. I also witnessed a major fit thrown by a prominent scout who was upset that his ticket didn’t arrive at will call until less than an hour before first pitch.
There are plenty of kinks that will be worked out, but I thought they’d take care of the fans and have some players out there ready to sign autographs. So much for my two cents of advice. It only worked for the Diamondbacks during the regular season when they had Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling.
No surprise that Mike Krukow was accommodating. He works for the Giants but still remains interested in the fortunes of the Cubs, as he had a great time in Chicago during his playing days.
