Maddux beats Cubs (without pitching)

by Doggie Stalker on Apr 10, 2008 7:41 AM CDT Comment 38 comments

People thought I was exaggerating when I said after Maddux was traded he would undoubtedly help his new team ( then the Dodgers) beat the Cubs.
Check out this story from a new ESPN profile. Now to be fair it could have happened the exact same way if Penny was pitching against the Brewers but I doubt it

"when Brad Penny and Maddux were teammates on the Dodgers, during the last two months of 2006, they had a conversation one day that led Penny to reach a stunning conclusion: This guy knows my stuff better than I do. It was eerie, really, how easily Maddux dissected Penny's repertoire and suggested ways to maximize it. Penny, figuring he'd take advantage of the situation, asked Maddux to call a game for him against the Cubs. And so, on the night of Sept. 13, Penny glanced into the dugout before every delivery and found Maddux, who signaled the next pitch by looking toward different parts of the ballpark. Penny threw seven scoreless innings with no walks and beat the Cubs 6-0. "Maddux probably won't tell you that story," Penny says. He's right."

For the rest of the article go here

com/espnmag/story?id=3336514

Yet more confirmation he is the greatest PLAYER ( not just pitcher)
Of his generation.

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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The complete link...

... is here.

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

by Al on Apr 10, 2008 7:48 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Jessica?

That you?

by gjdow on Apr 10, 2008 8:00 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

You were expecting the Spanish Inquisition ?

OF COURSE IT'S ME. I can't be "Jessica" anymore. SB Nation won't let me.
All Maddux , All the time. That's me

by Doggie Stalker on Apr 10, 2008 8:08 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Suddenly your chosen new username comes into focus

by gjdow on Apr 10, 2008 8:10 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually it is double entendre

I am well known for being obsessed with the four legged variety of dog. I LOVE DOGS but I can't have one in New York ( no space, no time, no money) so I pet everyone I see up to and including rottweilers chained to fences ( that was not such a good idea). Friends get a little annoyed walking down the street with me as it can be slow going. And then of course there are indeed Madogs to "stalk".

by Doggie Stalker on Apr 10, 2008 8:59 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!

Seriously, though, this is a great article. The mental aspect of Maddux' game has always impressed as much as the physical. I'm just glad I got to watch his whole career.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Apr 10, 2008 8:24 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was at that game

It was my dad's 50th birthday so we had the Cubs put a birthday message up on the scoreboard for him. That was the highlight of the game.

---AC 00 00 00 - Believe

by mjk83 on Apr 10, 2008 8:35 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

maddux

is awesome.

Aramis 5 BB - 2 K, he's come close before, I'd love to see a season from a Cubs player with more walks than strikeouts.

by kylejo on Apr 10, 2008 8:52 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I wish

he was still on the team. I wasn't pleased when he was traded, especially considering who he was traded for.

Alan Trammell: Assistant (to the) Manager

by northsider on Apr 10, 2008 9:36 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Wistful sighs

Alan Trammell: Assistant (to the) Manager

by northsider on Apr 10, 2008 9:40 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

as hard as it was

i actually had to despise him for a year when he was traded to the bums. on the fathers he doesn't irk me as much.

him and the hawk will always be my to favorites

by m3lkor on Apr 10, 2008 10:23 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Try living in San Diego

Maddux is the only Madre I won't despise, and that includes Barrett.

Walk around in a Cubs hat at a game here and all you'll hear is '84! '84!

by Kornchex on Apr 10, 2008 11:55 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

well

at least i dont chant 89',89' when i see cubs fans.

OT, i really wished that the giants would have signed him when his stay with the bums was up, he would have been a great mentor for cain and lincecum, and Mays Field is an ideal ball park for him to pitch in.

by m3lkor on Apr 10, 2008 1:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hire Maddux as our pitching coach

in 3-5 years??

by cubsonWGN4ever on Apr 10, 2008 9:50 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

And let him call each game from the dugout

by gwood on Apr 10, 2008 10:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

My guess is one of two things

In 3-5 years Maddux will 1. Still be pitching or 2. Doing my taxes

"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry
"Swung on belted!!!"---Chip

by Hammer on Apr 10, 2008 10:25 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If Maddux pitches through the 2011 season (he would be 45 years old)

and manages a tad over 13 wins each year, he will get 400 Wins for his career.

by Neifi Puppy on Apr 10, 2008 12:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

That would be something...

...and he is in the right ballpark to pull it off.

No way he could do it in most other places.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Apr 10, 2008 12:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Right

and lets be honest, he is still a valuable pitcher.

"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry
"Swung on belted!!!"---Chip

by Hammer on Apr 10, 2008 12:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bring him back at the deadline!!!

Alan Trammell: Assistant (to the) Manager

by northsider on Apr 10, 2008 1:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I would.

Alan Trammell: Assistant (to the) Manager

by northsider on Apr 10, 2008 1:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

And This Jessica is why...

I don't root for players once they leave the Cubs. I know we disagree on this, but my opinion is that once a player leaves the Cubs, he is dead to me. I am a Cub fan. I root for the Cubs and hope everyone else falls flat on their face. You might say I am a fan of the uniform, but thats they way I always have been. By Maddux doing his thing, he helped someone beat the team I root for. This, in my opinion, is not good.

Kasey

See the Cubs 2008 schedule (with TV schedule & game-by-game results) at http://ignarski.tripod.com/sched2008.html

by kaseyi on Apr 10, 2008 10:31 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't root for Maddux against the Cubs

but I am a BASEBALL fan as well as a Cubs fan. I don't think any serious baseball can not
love Maddux no matter who he plays for

by Doggie Stalker on Apr 10, 2008 11:04 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly

Maddux is one of the most fascinating players to ever play the game. He might have revolutionized pitching if there were actually other pitchers out there as perceptive as him. Either way, it's pretty damn hard to be a fan of this game and not appreciate Maddux's incredible career. When he isn't pitching against the Cubs, I root for him.

by Thelonious on Apr 10, 2008 11:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yup..

exactly i am happy for Maddux but I am a Cub fan and root for the Cubs. like you said once a player leaves they are dead. The only time I will ever root for Maddux is if he is pitching against the Brewers! or anyone else in our contention

by bizzle4 on Apr 10, 2008 3:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Cubs lineup...

...hasn't exactly been a tough one to come up with a good scouting report in the last few years and when you add Maddux' knowledge to the mix, it would be deadly.

Hopefully Fukudome goes a ways towards making the Cubs a little more "scout resistant", and more consistant offensively.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Apr 10, 2008 10:35 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

A good scouting report

will document a player's weaknesses and tendencies, it's still up to the player to improve his batting skills so the weaknesses and tendencies are less of a factor. Sori loves to swing at the pitches low and away and he has got to discipline himself not to swing at those. If he starts to lay off that pitch, the pitchers now have to adjust to HIM, and potentially more mistake pitches or more pitches in his hitting zone. And that goes for any batter, I don't have to spout the disciplined hitter mantra we all know, but it pays off. For every strikeout a hitter can eliminate, that means he is putting his bat on the ball. When you put the bat on the ball, the odds are greater that some good can come from it. A productive out is always better than a K. And if you can make more contact, that means the pitcher has to work harder. I love watching Fukudome, I hope that his discipline rubs off on the Cubs as well.

"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse

by BigJohnAZ on Apr 10, 2008 11:41 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maddux is usually better than a scouting report

Needless to say I revel in all the Maddux tidbits and one of the little ones I love involves the evil Ned Colletti ( some of you may remember my sig after the trade in 2006). Well back in 89 when Ned was just a little putz assistant in the front office for the Cubs one of his jobs was to hand out stats to players for upcoming series so they could see how they had done against them recently. The sheet Colletti gave Maddux said he had struck out Keith Hernandez on a fastball the previous year. Maddux said he did not remember that pitch and asked Colletti to pull the tape. Colletti came back the next day and told Maddux he was right, it was a change up. Who are you going to believe published stats or Greg Maddux ?

by Doggie Stalker on Apr 10, 2008 12:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's amazing the walking encyclpdias some of the greats are or have been.

Ted Williams was also renowned for amazing recollection of pitchers he faced and what they threw him.

We have every right to dream heroic dreams. Those who say that we're in a time when there are no heroes, they just don't know where to look.
Ronald Reagan

by snley on Apr 10, 2008 12:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just the other day

Orel Hersheiser commented that Mike Mussina has a recollection of every pitch he's ever thrown. Amazing stuff. That also shows the amount of concentration and being "in the moment" on every pitch, in every game.

"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse

by BigJohnAZ on Apr 10, 2008 6:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not all non-K outs become "productive outs."

Many also become double plays or fielder's choices. As a player ages and their speed and batting average diminishes, it does become more advantageous for them to work towards one of the three true outcomes (BB, K, HR) than simply making contact.

We have every right to dream heroic dreams. Those who say that we're in a time when there are no heroes, they just don't know where to look.
Ronald Reagan

by snley on Apr 10, 2008 12:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree not all K's are bad

Sure, a K is better than a double play, etc. What I was trying to say, is that generally, If you can get your bat on the ball, the outcome of the at bat should be better than the strikeout. If you don't hit the ball, not much happens unless it's a hit and run situation and the runner steals a base successfully

I was simply stating that some players that tend to swing at certain "bad" pitches consistently could do themselves a favor and be more disciplined to increase the chance of actually making contact. If you can stay away from trying to hit that 2-2 slider off the plate and make the count go full, for example, the advantage increases in the batter's favor, even if he does indeed strike out anyway on the next pitch. The odds of coaxing a walk on a 3-2 pitch or getting a hittable pitch are greater than swing wildly at a 2-2 slider away that at best, you will foul off. I'm not picking on Sori, but just using him and Fukudome as examples of what good happens when you work the pitcher. All that being said, even if every hitter came up to bat with a 3-2 count, some hitters will still K or whatever. As a hitter, all you can do is make each at bat a situation where the pitcher pitches to your strength or makes a mistake instead of you giving in to his strength or your weakness. Each at bat is an opportunity to get on base and/or drive in a run(s). If you don't hit the ball, you usually don't do either.

"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse

by BigJohnAZ on Apr 10, 2008 6:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

This isn't a surprise

Ever since he won his 4 straight Cy-Youngs in 92-95 he's been known as a walking encyclopedia.

I will be good one day though that his (and Fergie's) #31 will be hoisted up the foul poles.

by blackhawk24 on Apr 10, 2008 11:49 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I ran into

a girl that said she was hit in the face by a Maddux foul ball a few years ago. She said the Cubs staff took her from her seat and then immediately put her in a cab. She had to have some major surgery (She worked for a dentist at the time). She also mentioned that she received a signed ball from Greg. I was at that game and felt terrible for her. Really odd to run into her again after a few years.

by 1060 W Addison on Apr 10, 2008 1:05 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs