The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

The Good

Brett Jackson

The Chicago Cubs young 24 year old center fielder, Brett Jackson, made his major league debut, and didn’t  let the club down. Jackson went 2-4 including a walk and a strikeout. Jackson was batting .256 with 106 hits, 22 doubles, 12 triples, 15 homers, 47 RBIs, and 27 stolen bases. Jackson was one of two players to be called up for Sunday’s game vs the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Anthony Rizzo

The Chicago Cubs rookie first baseman, Anthony Rizzo had 2 hits in Sunday’s 6-7 loss to the Dodgers. Rizzo went 2-4 with a single and a game tying homer in the 9th inning to make it 6-6 at the time. Rizzo now has 5 homers, 12 hits, and 13 RBIs in his last 10 games. Rizzo is now batting .310 on the year and was named N.L. Rookie of the Month for July.

Neil Walker

In the Pirates 6-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, Neil Walker contributed with a big blast of his own. Walker went 2-4 with a single and a homer in the 2nd inning to give the Pirates a 2-1 lead, and they never looked back from there. Walker is batting .292 with 12 homers and 58 RBIs on the season for the Pirates.

A.J. Burnett

The Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher, A.J. Burnett, got his 4th win in a row Monday against the Cincinnati Reds. Burnett went 8.2 innings giving up just 2 runs off 3 hits. Burnett is now 14-3 on the season, which ties him for 1st in the N.L. in wins on the season. Burnett has given up just 5 runs over his last 4 starts, including a complete game 1 hit shutout against the Cubs. Burnett is now 8-1 over his last 10 starts and has lowered his ERA from 3.52 to 3.19.

Stephen Strasburg

The Washington Nationals starting pitcher lit it up from both sides of the plate in a 4-1 victory over the Miami Marlins. Strasburg went 6 innings giving up 3 hits while striking out 6. Strasburg also went 1-2 at the plate with 2 RBIs to help himself get his 12th victory of the season. Strasburg is now 12-5 with a 2.97 ERA, and 160 strikeouts, which is first in the N.L.

Hunter Pence

The San Francisco Giants newly acquired right fielder, Hunter Pence, had his first multi-hit game with his new clubs. Pence went 2-5 with 2 doubles, 3 RBI, and 1 run scored. Pence is now batting .267 on the season with 64 RBI.

Yonder Alonso

The San Diego Padres first baseman, Yonder Alonso, continued his hot streak behind the plate Sunday against the New York Mets. Alonso went 2-4 including a double, a homer, 1 run scored, and 1 RBI.  Alonso now has 16 hits over his last 10 games, and has improved his average to .270 on the season.

Kyle Lohse

The St.Louis Cardinals starting pitcher, Kyle Lohse, got his 6th straight start in a row against the Milwaukee Brewers. Lohse went 6 innings giving up no runs off 4 hits while striking out 6. Lohse improved to 12-2 on the season with an ERA of 2.79

The Bad

Ryan Braun

The Brewers left fielder, Ryan Braun, went 0-4 in the Brewers 0-3 loss to the St.Louis Cardinals. Braun is now 0-7 in his last two games with 4 strikeouts. Braun is now batting 3.11 on the season after the small 2 game skid.

Matt Harvey

The New York Mets starting pitcher, Matt Harvey, got his 2nd loss in a row Sunday against the San Diego Padres. Harvey managed just 5 innings while giving up 8 hits and 5 earned runs. Harvey is now 1-2 on the season with a 3.86 ERA.

John Buck

The Miami Marlins catcher, John Buck, continued to struggle behind the plate Sunday against the Washington Nationals. Buck went 0-3 with 3 strikeouts and is now batting just .172 on the season. Over his last 10 games Buck has just 4 hits with 12 strikeouts.

Homer Bailey

The Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher, Homer Bailey, couldn’t keep the Reds hot streak alive. Bailey could manage just 4.2 innings giving up 4 earned runs off 9 hits. Bailey is now 9-7 on the season with a 3.98 ERA

The Ugly

Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs have now lost 5 games in a row after being swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Cubs have given up 29 runs during this 5 game skid.

Houston Astros

The Houston Astros are by far on the worst streak of any team in the MLB this season. The Astros have loss 30 of their last 34 games and are now 36-73 on the season making them the worst team in all of baseball.

Colorado Rockies

The Colorado Rockies are battling the Houston Astros for the worst record in baseball after losing 30 of their last 43. The Rockies are now 38-68 on the season and are in last place in the N.L. West.

National League Review

Who’s Hot

Clayton Kershaw

The Dodgers starting pitcher got the win in the Dodgers 4-0 win against the San Francisco Giants. Kershaw went 9 innings, getting the complete game shut out while striking out 7 Giants batters. Kershaw improved to 8-7 on the season with a 2.95 ERA on the season. Kershaw’s 9 innings pitched made him number 1 in the N.L. in innings pitched with 149.1 this season

R.A. Dickey

The New York Mets starting pitcher improved his league lead in wins with a victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks Sunday. Dickey got his 14th victory of the season, going 7 innings giving up 1 run off just 4 hits, while striking out 8. Dickey improved to 14-2 on the season with a 2.83 ERA which is 9th in the N.L. Dickey is also 2nd in both strikeouts with 147 and innings pitched with 146.1.

Anthony Rizzo

The Cubs young 1st baseman was the hero of the day, as his 2 run homer beat the Cardinals 4-2 in extra innings. Rizzo went 3-4 with 2 singles to go along with his walk off homer. Rizzo is now batting .333 on the season with 7 homers since being called up from the minors late in June. Rizzo is just 22.

Corey Hart

The Milwaukee Brewers right fielder, Corey Hart, went 4-5 despite the Brewers 11-10 loss to the Washington Nationals. Hart had 2 singles, a double, a homer, and a RBI in Sunday’s ball game. Hart’s homer gives hime 19 on the season, which ranks him 9th in the N.L. in homers. Hart is now batting just .267 on the year, raising his average 7 points in the game.

Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds are now 61-40 on the season after winning 10 games in a row and 14 of their last 16 games. The Reds are now 3 games ahead of the Pittsburg Pirates for the lead in the N.L. Central. Much can be said about the pitching staff, as they have given up just 57 runs in 151 innings which gives them a 3.91 ERA during the run. The Reds have also averaged 4.6 runs a game during the span.

Who’s Not

 

Brian LaHair

The Cubs all-star 1st baseman/outfielder has struggled mightily his last 10 games going just 5-32 and striking 15 times. LaHair went 0-3 in Sunday’s game against the Cardinals, including 3 strikeouts. LaHair started the season out hot, batting .390 in the month of April. Since April LaHair’s batting average has steadily been declining since. LaHair batted .253 in May, .231 in June, and just .203 in July. LaHair looked like he could have become one of the oldest rookie of the year’s at season start, but his luck is vastly fading away as he’s batting just .267 on the season.

James McDonald

The Pirates starting pitcher, James McDonald, has struggled his last 4 starts, going 1-2 during the span. McDonald got the loss Sunday against the Astros going just 5 innings and giving up 5 runs. Over his last 4 starts, McDonald has gone a total of 20.2 innings while giving up 21 runs in those innings. McDonald is 10-5 on the season, but his ERA has gone from 2.37 to 3.38 on the season over his last 4 starts.

 Jonathan Sanchez

The Colorado Rockies starting pitcher, Jonathan Sanchez, has now lost or gotten a no decision in every start this season since his first start. The Rockies pitcher got the loss against the Cincinnati Reds 7-2 Sunday. Sanchez went just 4.2 innings while giving up 6 runs off 8 hits. Sanchez is now 1-8 on the season with a 8.32 ERA on the year.

 

 

 

Coach Tom

Look At Me Now!!!

Meet Anthony Rizzo, the recently brought up young first baseman. The young 22 year old has sparked life in a Cubs teams that once held the lowest record in MLB. Since being brought up from the Cubs AAA Iowa team the Cubs are 17-10.

Drafted in the 6th round of the 2007 MLB draft by the Boston Red Sox, Rizzo started his career right out of high school and onto the Red Sox rookie ball team. Rizzo played only 6 games batting .284. Rizzo played in just 21 games in 2008 for the single A team in Greenville, batting .373. Rizzo started the next season with Greenville where in 64 games, Rizzo belted 9 homers, 21 doubles, and batted .298. Rizzo was then called up to the A+ team in Salem, where in 55 games, Rizzo .295 with 15 doubles.

The 2010 year started the 20-year-old in Salem for just 29 games, batting just .248, before being called up to the AA team in Portland. Rizzo would finish the season in Portland playing 107 games stay mediocre behind the plate batting just .268 on the season. In the offseason of 2010 Rizzo would be traded to the San Diego Padres in a deal that would bring Adrian Gonzalez to the Boston Red Sox.

In 2011, the then newly acquired 21-year-old for the San Diego Padres, would start the season in Tuscan playing for the Padres AAA team. Rizzo played in 93 games batting .331 while belting 26 homers, and 34 doubles. Rizzo would make his MLB debut with the San Diego Padres on June 9th, 2011 going 1-2 with his first career hit being a triple. Rizzo would finish the season with the Padres playing in 49 games where he struggled batting just .141 for the season. At the end season Rizzo would again be traded, this time in a deal that would send him to the Cubs.

The 2012 season began with the 22-year-old first baseman in a new home again. The now Chicago Cub began the year with the Cubs AAA team in Iowa. Rizzo played in 72 games for the Iowa Cubs where he batted .342 with 23 homers and 12 doubles. On June 26,2012 Rizzo again got his 2nd chance at the big leagues when he was called up to the Chicago Cubs. Rizzo went 2-4 in his Cubs debut.

Rizzo has now been with the Cubs for a month, and it seems as though his presence is making a change. The Cubs have started to turn things around since Rizzo’s arrival going 17-10 during this current span. Rizzo is batting .333 on the season with 7 homers, the last homer being a 2-run walk-off in the bottom of the 10th inning against the Cardinals today. Rizzo got slotted into the 3 hole in the lineup the day he became a Cub, and after the first month it looks as thought Starling Castro is not the only 22 year star in Chicago. Rizzo looks like he is here to stay, and at the age of 22 this up and coming star could be the face of a new and rebuilding Chicago Cub team.

Extra Fun Stats.

Rizzo’s top batting avg. in the count balls/strike.

1. .500 when the count is 1-0
2. .500 when the count is 3-1
3. .471 on the first pitch thrown
4. .429 when the count is 1-1
5. .333 when the count is 0-2

Rizzo Avg. by Inning

• 1st- .400
• 2nd- no at bats
• 3rd- .200
• 4th- .250
• 5th- .273
• 6th- .545
• 7th- .400
• 8th- .154
• 9th- .250

Rizzo’s Spray Stats

• Right Outfield- 20%
• Center Outfield- 9%
• Left Outfield- 23%
• Right Infield- 35%
• Center Infield- 5%
• Left Infield- 9%

Coach Tom

Josh Vitters and his glove

As a Cubs fan, if I knew the Cubs would get hot only once this year, I would have hoped it would have been right before the trade deadline. The list of potential Cubs tradees is long: Ryan Dempster (lock), Matt Garza (possible), Alfonso Soriano (PLEASE!), Paul Maholm (his stock is overflowing) and Geovany Soto (multiple teams have interest).

The guys that are helping us win now will be gone tomorrow. With that, Cubs fans are turning their eyes to the farm system to see who the next call up may be. A quick glance suggests that third baseman Josh Vitters may be that guy. With Juan Uribe Lite a.k.a. Luis Valbuena at the hot corner, why not give the kid a shot at the end of the year?

The third overall pick of the 2007 MLB draft, Vitters never breezed through the minors the way Cubs fans hoped. Vitters reached AA for the first time in his fourth minor league season and promptly struggled, batting .223/.292/.383.

In 2011, his first full season in AA, Vitters improved to .283/.322/.448 with 14 home runs, 28 doubles and 81 RBI.

This year, in AAA, Vitters is hitting .297/.349/.494 with 13 home runs, 28 doubles and 52 RBI. The batting numbers suggest a 22-year-old ready for his MLB debut. His glove doesn’t. 

Vitters is a lifetime .909 fielder at third base. This year he is a .920 fielder. Of the 16 MLB third baseman with enough chances to qualify, the lowest percentage is Pedro Alvarez’s .934. A solid third baseman is a .960 fielder.

With Anthony Rizzo entrenched at first base, the Cubs have no use for a corner infielder who cannot field the corner infield. Vitters may well get a call up and some looks at third, but do not expect him to ever become the everyday third baseman the Cubs envision in 2007.

The Big Guy

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

The Good

Carlos Lee

The Marlins 1st baseman and long time Cub killer got them again going 2-4 in Tuesday’s 9-5 victory over the Chicago Cubs. Lee had a single, a grandslam, 2 runs scored, and 4 RBIs on the night, and is now batting .287 with 6 homers on the season. Lee now has a 5 game hitting streak in which he has gone 7-18 improving his average 3 points during this short streak.

Anthony Rizzo

The young Cubs 1st baseman went 2-4 in Tuesday’s loss to the Marlins. Rizzo had 2 singles on the night and is now batting .359 on the season. Rizzo has 16 hits over his last 10 games and has improved his average by 63 points during that span. Since being called up from triple A Iowa, the Cubs are 11-5 with Rizzo in the lineup.

Jordany Valdespin

The New York 2nd baseman had one important at bat in the 4-5 loss against the Washington Nationals. Valdespin came into action as a pinch hitter in the 9th inning where he hit a 3 run homer with 1 out to, at the time, tie the game. Valdespin is batting .269 with 5 homers, and 18 RBIs on the season.

Buster Posey

The San Francisco Giants catcher, Buster Posey, went 3-5 in the Giants 9-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves. Posey had a single, 2 doubles, and 5 RBIs on the night. Posey is now batting .302 with 82 hits, 18 hits, 11 homers, and 52 RBIs on the season

Johnny Cueto

The Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher, Johnny Cueto, got his 11th victory of the season in a 4-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Cueto went 6 innings giving up 0 runs off just 4 hits while striking out 3 and walking 4. Cueto got his second win in a row and is now 3rd in wins in the NL.

David Freese

The St.Louis Cardinals 3rd baseman, David Freese had 3 hits in the Cardinals 2-3 loss to the Brewers. Freese went 3-4 with 2 singles ad a double on the night. Freese is now batting .298 on the season.

Andrew McCutchen

The Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder, Andrew McCutchen, had 2 hits in the Pirates 6-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies. McCutchen went 2-4 with a single, a homer, 2 runs scored, and a RBI. McCutchen continued his hot streak increasing his hit streak to 8 games. McCutchen has 18 hits over this span and is now leading the NL in average batting .374 on the season. McCutchen is in the run for the triple crown as he leads in average, 2nd in homers(22) just 4 behind 1st place, and 2nd in RBI(65) just 1 behind 1st place.

Yonder Alonso

The San Diego Padres 1st baseman, Yonder Alonso, had 2 hits in the Padres 8-2 victory over the Houston Astros. Alonso went 2-3 with a double, homer, 2 runs scored, 3 RBIs, and a walk on the night. Alonso is now batting .266 on the season with 4 homers, and 27 RBIs.

The Bad

Christian Friedrich

The Colorado Rockies starting pitcher, Christian Friedrich, got his 7th loss of the season in a 8-2 loss Tuesday. Friedrich could only manage 4.2 innings giving up 5 runs off 6 hits while walking 3. Friedrich is now 5-7 on the season with a 5.85 ERA and has lost 6 of his last 8 starts.

Trevor Bauer

The Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher, Trevor Bauer, got his 2nd loss of the season Tuesday night. Bauer could only manage 3 innings giving up 4 runs off just 1 hit while walking 5. Control was a major problem with Bauer as he threw 79 pitches in just the 3 innings.

Jair Jurrjens

The Atlanta Braves starting pitcher, Jair Jurrjens, got his 3rd loss of the season Tuesday night. Jurrjens went 3.1 innings giving up 8 runs off 8 hits while walking 3. Jurrjens is now 3-3 on the season with a 6.20 ERA.

Tyler Clippard

The Washington Nationals relief pitcher, Tyler Clippard, had a rough outing Tuesday night. Clippard came in for 1 inning and gave up 3 runs off 3 hits bringing his ERA to 2.45 on the season. Clippard’s ERA was down to 1.88 before this outing.

Travis Wood

The Chicago Cubs starting pitcher, Travis Wood, broke the Cubs 4 game winning streak in the Cubs loss Tuesday night. Wood went 4l2 innings giving up 8 runs off 8 hits and walking 2. This was Wood’s first loss in 5 starts and is now 4-4 on the season with a 3.92 ERA.

The Ugly

New York Mets

The New York Mets have loss 5 in a row and are now 7 games out of 1st place with a 46-44 record on the season. This lossing streak has much to do with the Mets pitching.

Rizzo Arrives

After 163 games in Triple-A, 22-year-old first baseman Anthony Rizzo makes his Chicago Cubs debut Tuesday. Batting third against Mets right-hander Dillon Gee, Rizzo bumps fellow 22-year-old Starlin Castro up to the #2 spot.

After tearing up the Pacific Coast League to the tune of .342 batting average, 23 home runs and 62 RBIs, Rizzo will make his debut wearing #44. Rizzo picked up two cups of coffee last season with the San Diego Padres and batted .141 with 46 Ks in 128 at-bats. The Cubs have confirmed that Rizzo will be the everyday first baseman for the rest of the season and will start against lefties.

Rizzo was acquired by the Cubs along with starting pitcher Zach Cates on January 6 in exchange for relief pitcher Andrew Cashner and outfielder Kyung-Min Na. Current Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer aquired Rizzo from the Red Sox when he served the same role for San Diego.

Cashner has a 3.81 ERA in 28.1 IP for the Padres this year. He is currently pitching in Double-A.

Rizzo was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma in May 2008 and defeated the disease with chemotherapy.

Hopes are high for Rizzo and expectations are low for the Cubs. There will be no added pressure of a pennant race or division battle and the blue chipper can solely focus on playing the game in the remaining 89 games of the season.

The Big Guy