Lou Seems to "Get It"

by ExNorthsider on Sep 20, 2007 8:35 AM CDT Comment 19 comments

I loved Lou's strategy of keeping Howry in the game last night. Yes, I know that in this case, hindsight makes the decision look good. But, in general, I've always been a proponent of keeping a guy in the game if he's pitching well, especially if he's only pitched one inning. Demptster has saved 28/31, but Lou's confidence in him is waning, perhaps, and justifiably so. With Howry, at least for the last few months, you know almost exactly what you're going to get and it's almost always a reasonable outing.

This move also tends to show that Lou wants to win, period, and doesn't care too much about stats (e.g., Dempster's 'save total').

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.

0 recs | Comment 19 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Dempster was sick

At least that is what the story is. He had some sort of intestinal flu and was dehydrated. I think if he was well we would have seen him in the ninth. I believe it may be too late in the season to switch closers. Their mentality is about as fragile as a 36 year old Venuzalean with carpal tunnel syndrome.

Can we please stop picking on Dempster. Saves are blown. Even by really good closers. Bruce Sutter at the Sandberg Game. Mariano Rivera in 2001. We have one more week so lets try to get some of that positive karma going.

The Cubs lost the 1984 pennant on my 9th Birthday. Top That!

by brokenland on Sep 20, 2007 8:33 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I think circumstances allowed the decision

Dempster was sick, there is a flu bug going around. And tomorrow is an off day. Howry did great as did Lilly.

Cubs 2-12 one run games 04-05/07 21-10 since.

by Ivy Walls on Sep 20, 2007 8:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dempster is the closer.

The ESPN commentators wondered about the same thing but they didn't know Dempster was sick. The camera kept showing Dempster in the ninth inning while Howry pitched.

Dempster is the closer and he would have closed last night had he been available to pitch. I understand some people's preference for a hard thrower as closer but the other kind (fastball, changeup and breaking ball pitcher) works as well.

And your comparisons are right on. You don't have to go that far. Look at last night. Boston's Papelbon allowed a grand slam and Mariano Rievra loaded the bases before getting the save for the Yankees. Closers give us heart attacks whether they throw slow or hard. It's inevitable because of the situation when they're brought into the game.

Looking at the positive side, it's nice to have options down the stretch for those nights when our closer falters or isn't available.

by Fraggin Judge on Sep 20, 2007 11:18 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Howry

Yeah, I had so much more confidence going into the 9th with Howry last night. You can just see the difference in how he commands the strike zone and throws hard. Even when he got to a three-ball count on Dunn I wasn't worried about him drawing a walk. With that said, unless Dempster has to miss a few games because of illness and Howry/Marmol are lights out as closers, I think we'll see Dempster back in that role soon.

by ms9av on Sep 20, 2007 8:33 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Dempster was sick

So, you're wrong. He would have been in if he wasn't sick.

Nice try, though.

by lancaster99 on Sep 20, 2007 8:42 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Wrong?

I didn't know Dempster was sick, but I don't see how that makes me "wrong" or that I was "trying" anything. Jeez, have a heart.

"These are terrible times, and I shouldn't joke about them." --Warren Zevon

by ExNorthsider on Sep 20, 2007 8:54 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Despite Dempster's illness...

... I STILL thought it was a fine idea to keep Howry in the game. I was surprised that NO ONE was warming up, though.

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

by Al on Sep 20, 2007 8:55 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Before I knew Dempster was sick...

I thought keeping Howry in for the 9th was justified. Howry's throwing gas and has command of the strike zone...as Lou likes the hot hand.

You ARE freaking out MAN!

by crw89 on Sep 20, 2007 9:24 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

its interesting

it seems after every "big" win we see diaries on here talking about how Lou gets it or Lou is the difference etc

and on days when we lose the opposite comments pop up but only in threads. Diaries aren't necessarily started on how Lou's done a poor job, those diaries are reserved for the players who "blow the game"

So we celebrate Lou's "genius" when the Cubs win, but opine on the players underperformance when the Cubs lose

Go through the diary list and you'll see this distinct trend. I think its really interesting...

Again not a Lou basher or a Lou lover, i think he's done a fine job (although i'm also in the minority and thought Dusty did a similar job during his tenure), i just think its interesting how we as a fan base react to wins and losses

wins = manager's doing

losses = players doing

in my personal opinion in both instances 95% of the time its going to be the players responsibility and not the managers

by DartmouthCubsFan on Sep 20, 2007 9:04 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

a lot of that seems true

look a the White Sox, Ozzie "won" the WS, but this year, it's all the players fault. Heck, he even got an extension for doing a really lousy job.

by cubswin on Sep 20, 2007 9:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

In that sense...

... it's probably true of most managers. Remember the old saying: "Managers are hired to be fired." And there are very few managers who get to leave teams on their own terms.

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

by Al on Sep 20, 2007 9:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The thing is

When a player does something good he's just doing what he's supposed to do. When a player does something wrong he's a bum. It's not so cut and dried for the manager. A lot of times there are no obvious right/wrong decisions for him. So when Lou consistently does things right and the team wins he gets praise. No matter what Lou does if the players don't preform it's on them, not Lou. Personally I think managers get a little too much credit for wins and losses but I think people should also be forgiven if they give the manager too much credit during the good times. He'll pay for it later when things go bad.

I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant. - Robert McCloskey

by pageian on Sep 21, 2007 3:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I love what

Howry has done this year, but one little thing bugging me about him, is it seems that he throws fastballs on every pitch. Maybe I am just paranoid, but I would like him to change speeds once in a while.

Dont get me wrong, I love him and marmol in the pen, but Dempster should still be our closer. He has also done a gr8 job this year.

by BigZ 4 Cy on Sep 20, 2007 10:18 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I love how

some people think they know what Lou is thinking.

Shawn Johnson, Des Moines, IA, worlds greatest gymnast. 2007 All Around World Champ. GO SHAWN!!!!

by sue369 on Sep 20, 2007 10:51 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

But if it's abot Lovie, then it is OK?

Notice that Lovie never said that Rex is our quarterback? I think he is on a very short leash and wouldn't be surprised to see Griese sooner than later.

Shawn Johnson, Des Moines, IA, worlds greatest gymnast. 2007 All Around World Champ. GO SHAWN!!!!

bysue369 on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at 4:10 PM CT
--------------------------------------

"These are terrible times, and I shouldn't joke about them." --Warren Zevon

by ExNorthsider on Sep 20, 2007 11:15 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Big difference.

I never said I think Lovie will have him on a short leash. That was my own opinion.

You said, "but Lou's confidence in him is waning." You have no proof what Lou thinks.

Shawn Johnson, Des Moines, IA, worlds greatest gymnast. 2007 All Around World Champ. GO SHAWN!!!!

by sue369 on Sep 20, 2007 11:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

One more:

Your argument would be stronger if you had written "I think Rex should be on a short leash." Then it would have been more clearly your opinion about Rex's job security, rather a presumption about Lovie's view of the QB situation.

"These are terrible times, and I shouldn't joke about them." --Warren Zevon

by ExNorthsider on Sep 20, 2007 3:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

One more:

Your argument would be stronger if you had written "I think Rex should be on a short leash." Then it would have been more clearly your opinion about Rex's job security, rather than a presumption about Lovie's view of the QB situation.

"These are terrible times, and I shouldn't joke about them." --Warren Zevon

by ExNorthsider on Sep 20, 2007 3:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs