Len Kasper's "State of the Team"

by NightPutting on May 16, 2007 12:09 AM CDT

Those of you that watched tonight's game on CSN+ no doubt heard Len Kasper addressing, head on, the mediocre start to the year (and the subsequent pessimism from the fanbase) in the sixth inning. He used many of the talking points those on the "optimist" side refer to -- that this team has undoubtedly faltered far too often early, but has nowhere to go but up as the season progresses, and WILL be in the playoff mix come September. It was almost as if Al was handing them notes.

Specifically, Len and Bob referred to the bullpen and lack of "tack-on" runs as the problems that have dogged the team early. Interestingly, the Cubs put up a six-spot that very inning. Len also half-heartedly admonished those that are giving up on the team this early.

It was, to me, quite a change of pace from commentary that seemed to avoid direct criticism to a holistic overview of the Cubs' missteps thus far. It really wouldn't be worth a diary if it didn't come from the TV booth since it seems to echo things that have been said ad nauseum on BCB.

Those of you that watched this -- what did you think?

By the way -- and I can't say this enough -- I hate Shea. That house music...it's like you're at an awful NBA game. It's going to be hard to take that for two more games.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Didn't hear it

but have to agree with the sentiment. The one-run losses have been a real drag; despite the good things stats show us, even Bill James will tell you that there is an immense amount of luck involved in winning baseball games. If the Cubs were getting killed, it'd be one thing, but when they win, they often dominate, and all too often when they lose, it's by inches.

They are better than their record, and hopefully, as opposed to their record reflecting a team worse than it is, they'll get some breaks and start winning a few they normally would lose. Now that the league has had to wake up and start scouting the Brewers, that team is coming back to Earth. The Cubs just need to stay close.

"Ronny Cedeno seems like the type of guy who could run over himself with his own car.." Earth2Sean

by Matt Allison on May 16, 2007 2:56 AM CDT reply actions

You & I don't often agree...

... but I concur with everything you've said here.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on May 16, 2007 8:22 AM CDT up reply actions

Funny..

I realize I'm in the smallest of minorities here but here goes. It's my opinion (and I have no data to back this) that the manager would have more to do with winning or losing baseball games when they are close. Blowouts indicate that you are simply overmatched.

If this is correct, I still don't understand the lingering hate for the former manager and the universal love for the new one. The current manager could hardly have done worse judging by his won/loss record in close games. Is there good reason for these sentiments other than that people tend to like new things?

Well, sometimes nothin is a real cool hand.

by wicubfan on May 16, 2007 10:37 AM CDT up reply actions

Disagree..

Many times this season, Lou has put players in a position to succeed, only to have it blow up in his face. Lou is not the one walking in runs, giving up six straight hits with two outs, not getting the timely hit with RISP, etc. There are limits to what he can do. Numbers are numbers, and the win-loss record in close games is what it is, but if you've been watching, there have been valid reasons for almost all of Lou's moves. They are just not working out. Yet.

"Not true at all. Vaseline is manufactured right here in the United States." - Don Sutton, about the rumors that he uses a foreign substance on the ball

by Orangeman94 on May 16, 2007 2:08 PM CDT up reply actions

I also heard Lens comments

I also heard Len's comments and it's so nice to hear them talk about the baseball performances and limit it to that not make it personal like the previous broadcasters.

What I hate too about these 1 run games is if we lose the division by 1 or 2 games at the end of the season it would be an offseason of what ifs about a bad bounce or one bad pitch.

That's Just So Sad - Aussie friend upon seeing my 1908 tshirt.

by kerrysotherwife on May 16, 2007 7:12 AM CDT reply actions

Trib notes points to an interesting message

Sullivan Piniella keeping eye on the bullpen connects with Kasper's comment and brings up an old story when he cut the then Seattle closer instead of demoting him. The comment by Schooler was that all Piniella wants to do is win was meant as a slam. Then the article dovetails to Eyre and Howry who are underperforming and the staff results are 10 losses and 7 blown saves despite having the 6th best ERA in the league.

I look at this as a veiled warning by Piniella that he is not afraid of dropping veterans who are not performing.

Furthermore he points to Marshall, Marmol or Guzman as offering relief in the bullpen if those are not performing.

Note: It does appear that Eyre is coming around with two good outings of work as for Howry that is remains to be seen.

Suggestion: Maybe Philadephia might like of these relievers for Lieber and then moving Guzman to the bullpen.

Best Harry moment: 'Hey there's Marla without her shorts on!'

by Ivy Walls on May 16, 2007 9:31 AM CDT reply actions

Howry, Eyre, Ohlman signed thru 2008

Very doubtful that any of them would be whacked. Plus, relief pitchers are always in demand, even crappy ones. Relief pitchers are ALWAYS a crapshoot. The problem for the Cubs is that Hendry felt inclined to dish out major long-term dough to journeyman relief pitchers in Howry and Eyre.

It's called Rick White Syndrome. An otherwise stiff pieces together a solid year, which in turn results in him being guranteed major league opportunities for the next 5 years.

The trick about bullpens is that you have to get lucky and catch lightening in a bottle. And you have to develop your own power arms for the pen. And you have to acquire or develop a "rubber arm" workhorse ala a Scott Linebrink.

"He'd been working the program very dedicated ever since he threw Little Paulie out that window."

by BlueMike on May 16, 2007 9:58 AM CDT up reply actions

No way

any of those three get cut.

Hendry very rarely will cut a player he's signed. That would be like admitting he made a mistake, which is not in his repertoire.

by Peoria Matt on May 17, 2007 10:04 AM CDT up reply actions

Bullpen needs to hit better.

From the article:

---"The Cubs were ranked sixth in NL relief pitching on Tuesday with a 3.61 earned-run average"---

Not bad, actually.

Sounds like the same old broken record from Hendry and the boys. It's the same ridiculous blame-the-bullpen crap we get every offseason, every midseason, and every time the team isn't scoring runs.

It's nothing more than the annual set-up to make the cheapest moves possible (adding bullpen arms) at the trade deadline or during the offseason. "Look we added three new players for the stretch run: A righty in the bullpen, a lefty in the bullpen, and a utility man who plays good defense!"

Offense is the bain of this team's existence, and has been for years now. But offense costs a LOT more, so don't look for that to EVER be called a problem, as it will NEVER be confessed by Hendry and company. Instead, we'll get the same pundits giving us the same spin: the offense WILL come around, we just KNOW it. It has to, how can it not? The best thing we can do is nothing at all - just sit and wait for them to get better. But the bullpen? No excuses, ever - you must be PERFECT!

This bullpen gets asked to post 0.00 ERAs every year. It's ridiculous what is asked of them. They come in to protect more one-run leads, one-run deficits, and tie games than is reasonable to ask them to protect. EVERY time they actually give-up a run, it hurts the team badly. They have NO margin of error, practically EVER.

This is a solid bullpen - anyone telling you otherwise is full of crap. It's just that the offense gives this team so little - and what it does give this team usually shows up in one lone inning a game, and in one lone game a week.

Walk problems? Sure, sometimes. But nothing near the scoring problems the offense has. This bullpen is given no slack, no leeway, no margin for error.

It must be tough being the cheapest commodity on the market, yet ALWAYS bearing nearly the FULL weight of the blame from management every year.

The worst job in the WORLD to have in ANY given year is to be a Cubs' relief pitcher. You're always put in a situtation where you have NO margin for error - EVER - and even being sixth in the league collectively will be frowned upon as catastrophic failure.

But hey, admitting the offense won't just "come around" means you might have to give something up to get something to make this team better, and we can't have that.......

"Bite my shiny metal ass!" -- Bender Bending Rodriguez

"Life is just one crushing defeat after another until you just wish Flanders was dead."

by The Jade Scorpion on May 17, 2007 8:10 AM CDT reply actions