Does it get any better? Can it get any worse?

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Posted By: Rob Harris on 6/4/2012

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We're now two months into what has been a very eventful season, so far. The Cubs were under .500 in April, and under .500 again in May, and they're now on pace to lose 100 games for the season. Unless you're over 50 (and I'd be surprised if anyone reading this is), you haven't seen 100 losses in a season before. I, for one, am curious to know how this feels.

As bad as some of the teams the Cubs have fielded in my lifetime, none--not even the 2006 team of Dusty Baker's final year--has made it to the 100-loss mark.And as the season goes along, any salvageable parts will likely be dealt way. Dempster and Soto are the first ones in the trade line, with Soriano hopefully lagging behind somewhere. This team is done for the season when it comes to contention, or even playing .500 baseball. You have to take the story lines where you can find them, and approaching the century mark in losses is the one I'm looking at.

Kerry Wood's retirement was a shock, and he went out on the highest note that I can think of. Kudos to him for a long and storied career, most of it spent in a Cubs uniform. But it's worth pointing out that the Cobs lost that game, and several more after it, including being swept by the White Sox at home. A sweep of the Sox in the Cell in June isn't likely, either. The Cubs can sweep the Padres at home, but I'd be shocked if they could sweep anyone else, especially on the road. The Cubs are just 6-17 on the road this season, and they play their first ten games in June on the road. Things could get really ugly in the weeks ahead.

On a positive note, Anthony Rizzo is likely going to be called up this month from triple-A. He's been tearing it up this season, with a .354/.415/.713 triple slash line as proof that he can hit at that level. Bryan LaHair has been cooling off over the past few games, and he must be hearing the same chatter that all the rest of us do about Rizzo. I expect Rizzo to be up in the majors by the end of this month.

With interleague play filling up about half of June's games, the Cubs will have an opportunity to call Rizzo up for a weekend series in Minnesota a week from now. But they'll have to carry him on the roster for two home series before they could DH him again against the White Sox, beginning of the 18th of June. Do they put him in at first base and move LaHair to the outfield, or use him as a pinch hitter and a defensive replacement for those six games at home? And does he stay with the club for the duration of the season, or go back to Iowa when interleague play is finished? How would you play it? Any comments are welcomed in the space below.

Source: Fanified.com

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Bradley Brewer - 11 months ago

Good summary article of the last few weeks. Really looking forward to seeing Rizzo come up some time this month. I think he could be a very special player. The only question will be how he translates his minor league game to the big leagues. My gut says he will do well, but we'll just have to wait and see how it goes.

Go Cubs!

Rob Harris - 11 months ago

The firing of Rudy Jaramillo is another step toward "DeHendrifying" the organization. All that's left now are Dempster, Soriano, Soto, Castro, Barney, Garza, Samardizja, Reed Johnson and Jeff Baker. Baby steps!

Mike Hurdle - 11 months ago

First off, good post. This certainly does have the look of a historically bad season for the Cubs.
I think I will remember this year mostly for Kid K retiring, and Santo's long overdue inclusion into the baseball Hall of Fame.
That being said, I think there is some silver lining to how bad the Cubs are. We all knew this was a "rebuilding" year, though perhaps we didn't realize how much building needed to be done. The previous management had left the system in a state of disrepair. Although it had some pieces, the overall consistency of a solid organization from the Bigs to the low A club was lacking.
I think the fact that the Cubs are so bad actually helps the new management make changes that might otherwise have been more difficult. If the Cubs were 5 games out right now, would people be on board with trading Dempster? Or Garza? With the way the market for SP is shaping up, the Cubs are positioned to receive a very good haul if they find the right partners for some of their pitchers. Add to that the opportunity to maybe trade Soriano, who is having a good season with the bat, and maybe a Jeff Baker, or Mather, or even DeJesus for some lower level prospects, and the Cubs minor leagues may go from irrelevant to a position of strength in one year.
As far as Rizzo goes, he has nothing left to prove in AAA. I want to see him up the day his service time is under the limit for him to qualify for Super 2 status. I don't think it would be right to bring him up if you know you are going to have to send him back down. Because then if he struggles while he is up, then demoting him might mess his psyche up. If he is hitting well, how do you reward him by demoting him? Ideally, I would like to Soriano moved, even if the Cubs have to eat most/all of his contract. Then move LaHair, who seems to have adjusted with his 5 game streak and 6 hits in his last 13 ABs, to left.
But I would guess that most of the position decisions will be dependent on what happens before the trade deadline.