Carlos Silva to Cubs - Baggage Included

Careful what you wish for.

about 2 years ago Harry Pavlidis 30 comments 1 recs |

Comments

This quote from that link might be important.

I wasn’t sure about him last year, but having gotten to see him in action behind the scenes, I can tell you, he’s one guy who takes this whole contract thing to heart. He’s not running off, laughing at the Mariners for having paid him $48 million. He’s losing sleep over it every night. He’s tearing himself apart internally trying to make things right. Trying to please teammates he feels he’s disappointing on a daily basis.

You can hear it in his voice, See it in his face, He’s a rich man because of that contract. But he’s not having a fun time. The pressure he’s putting on himself, I think — and so do many team officials — is making him a worse pitcher than he truly is. And at this stage, as with any high pressure situation in life, it’s sometimes good to take a step back. To absorb the situation going on in front of you.

Perhaps a change of scenery and a new city and manager and pitching coach will help this situation.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 6:24 PM CST reply actions

That seems optimistic

A guy with a history of trying too hard to live up to his contract goes from mellow Seattle to intense Chicago. I dunno, I just don’t think it’s likely. Possible, but not likely.

by Harry Pavlidis on Dec 18, 2009 6:49 PM CST up reply actions

Maybe there's someone on the Cubs who can help him.

We won’t know until they try.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 6:53 PM CST up reply actions

They liked what they saw in Venezuela

So we’ll see.

BTW, in just 9 IP it’s hard to make any sense, if not impossible, of stats, but he’s got 3 BB, 2 K and just 42% GB. But wtvr, just a droplet of data.

by Harry Pavlidis on Dec 18, 2009 7:06 PM CST up reply actions

Right.

Really impossible to tell from that small a sample, plus who knows what the quality of competition was.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 18, 2009 9:21 PM CST up reply actions

AAA, AA

Thereabouts.

I’ll tweet a link if/when Silva’s in a game that’s streamed online

by Harry Pavlidis on Dec 18, 2009 10:33 PM CST up reply actions

This would be Zambrano's chance to step up.

While we haven’t heard much in the way of Carlos taking players under his wing and mentoring them, he has a chance with Silva. They’re both from Venezuela, and have participated in the WBC together. And Carlos obviously knows a thing or two about living up to a contract.

Sure, it’s asking a lot to expect this from Zambrano, but it would be a welcome step forward in the leadership department from Carlos (as is his reportedly losing 15 pounds this offseason).

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg

by Bill Potter on Dec 19, 2009 10:09 AM CST up reply actions

At the very least...

… maybe he can help Silva get in shape.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 19, 2009 10:50 AM CST up reply actions

He seems like a "good" person

And a statement like that shows he’s got good a character about him. That trait alone makes me want to root for him to have success in Chicago.

by ak123 on Dec 18, 2009 10:36 PM CST up reply actions

Guilt?

As a motivator for better performance?

One baseball game, he came to the plate and heard a woman in the crowd shout to the pitcher, "I'll make you a chocolate cake if you strike out that 'so-and-so'!" Says Strong: "I hit that ball out of the park. Then I looked at her like, 'Do I get a cake now?' "

by Villeslgr on Dec 19, 2009 12:10 AM CST up reply actions

Hendry has managed...

To make a 83 win team worse! Sickening! Now all we need is a little icing for our rotten cake! Podsednik or Marlon Byrd anyone?

I would sleep with Blou if it meant the Cubs would win a WS. by Doggie Stalker on Aug 22, 2009 4:11 PM EDT

by cubsluver22 on Dec 18, 2009 6:28 PM CST reply actions

Well I guess we don't have to play next year

What, the games are already played right? Oh wait, here’s just a thought, and I’m just spitballing here, but maybe we lace it up and go out there and see what we got before we burn Wrigley to the ground and salt the earth?

That’s not true!!! WHY THE F*CK WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOU AHOLE!! Ok maybe your right but you gotta give a little something here for it to work. I don’t know what I’m going to do this is the worst thing I’ve ever read, this day could not get any worse. Fine, F*ck it, you’re right.

by Ditkavsworld

by gaclaudy on Dec 18, 2009 6:31 PM CST up reply actions

Baggage?

I thought Seattle had one of the best clubhouses last year? I kept on reading that.

by ak123 on Dec 18, 2009 7:32 PM CST reply actions

yes...

but he also wasn’t around most of the year. In 2008, they had a very tumultuous clubhouse situation… when he was a major part of the team… and what made them so bad on and off the field.

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by jameslcrockett on Dec 19, 2009 12:13 AM CST up reply actions

Carlos Silva is not good

People can try and spin it however they want but he is not any good.

by rlpete on Dec 18, 2009 8:26 PM CST reply actions

hmm

I thought Al was swearing up and down in the main thread that I was full of it for calling him a clubhouse cancer. Its funny that all the reasons Al gives us that Silva will change his ways are similar to what alot of us were saying about Bradley.

by CalCalender on Dec 18, 2009 11:16 PM CST reply actions

I'm not sure about the other threads

But I was under the impression that the quote above was in reference to Silva’s pitching performance on the field not his behavior.

As in change his horrible pitching performance not changing from a clubhouse cancer.

by Villeslgr on Dec 19, 2009 12:13 AM CST up reply actions

I agree with Al either way. I don’t want him throwing a single inning unless someone in the organization can find a way to fix both.

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Just North of Wrigley Field

by jameslcrockett on Dec 19, 2009 12:17 AM CST up reply actions

well...

it’s impossible to tell what Silva will be here, or how long he’ll be here. Remember, Texas thought the world of Milton Bradley… then he got here and he became the Bradley we all remember from every other place he played.

That being said, I don’t expect anything from Silva and hope they cut him sometime before opening day so they don’t even waste the innings in Spring Training.

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Just North of Wrigley Field

by jameslcrockett on Dec 19, 2009 12:15 AM CST up reply actions

Silva is the guy...

who made some pretty stupid quotes about Ichiro a couple years ago too. For a shitty pitcher to come out and say ANYTHING bad about the best player on the team (and one of the best in baseball) is just laughably absurd.

by kanderber on Dec 19, 2009 8:58 AM CST up reply actions

I have heard ABOUT those quotes...

… but have not seen them. Anyone got a specific link?

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 19, 2009 9:06 AM CST up reply actions

I think some of his remarks were of the "unnamed clubhouse sources" variety.

This article from August of 08 talks about Silva throwing teammates under the bus. He was anything but a positive influence in that clubhouse or on the field.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/46799-seattle-mariners-clubhouse-in-turmoil

by Acapulco Taco Pie on Dec 19, 2009 9:15 AM CST up reply actions

I'm not really sure how Cubs fans can spin this into a positive, but I'm sure some will.

“Starting pitcher Carlos Silva provided a glimpse of that on June 4 following his sixth consecutive loss.

“One thing in here is, I know everybody has to do their own job, but don’t forget it’s a team. A lot of people in here play for themselves,” Silva said. “Like, ‘If I get my two hits, it’s OK. That’s my day. I made my day.”’

Then again, any hitter would be free to question Silva’s contributions. Signed to a $48 million contract last winter, Silva is 3-8 with a 5.79 ERA in 15 starts."

That is an excerpt from an article written after Seattle Manager John McLaren was fired during the 08 season. Silva was on a six game losing streak and instead of taking responsibility for his poor performance he pointed the finger at Seattle’s hitters. It was commonly believed he was referring to Ichiro in the above quote.

http://www.marinershome.com/news/mclaren-thinks-infighting-doomed-mariners.php

by Acapulco Taco Pie on Dec 19, 2009 9:47 AM CST up reply actions

Well, you're right.

It’s hard to spin anything positive about those comments, so I won’t try.

All I will say is that Silva is getting a chance to start with a clean slate. So is Bradley. We’ll see who makes the most of his opportunity.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 19, 2009 10:51 AM CST up reply actions

Unfortunately Silva's on field performance has been much worse than Bradley's.

What concerns me most about Silva has been his poor performance and his admission that he can’t seem to get himself right mentally because of his struggles. Considering that the Cubs got money back in this deal, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see Silva released if he doesn’t pitch better. If Rothschild can’t “fix” Silva then there is no point in keeping him on the roster. In the end it would mean that the Cubs were able to dump Bradley without having eaten the entire deal.

by Acapulco Taco Pie on Dec 19, 2009 10:57 AM CST up reply actions

That's correct, and...

… a better result than just outright releasing Bradley. As you point out, money would be saved, and there is at least a chance Silva could improve. Admittedly, a small chance, but at least a chance.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 19, 2009 1:01 PM CST up reply actions

I read that...

…and wonder, “do they think this attitude is worse than Mr. Bradley’s? Have they read HIS file?”

That just seemed to me what a passionate player should be like… mostly….

To compare Silva’s attitude to MB’s is like comparing a kindergarden kid to a senior in high school. Not even close.

by TheHawkRules on Dec 19, 2009 3:49 AM CST reply actions

dont forget

bradley had to go. and how many teams said we dont want him. so dont start crying about silva. whether he ever does anything or not he got bradley out of town. hendry wont forget this for a long time.

by NOMAR on Dec 19, 2009 6:14 AM CST reply actions

Carlos Silva is wretched

But hey, Jim Hendry likes to piss away a roster spot on a useless player every season. Last year it was David Patton, this year it will be Carlos Silva. The only use Silva will have is coming in to mop up games where the Cubs are behind by a touchdown and field goal. But my bet is he winds up on the DL with some trumped up injury charge. Which is perfectly fine given that we had to eat a shit sandwich to get rid of Milton no matter what.

The Blackhawks and the Stanley Cup in 2010.

by BLou on Dec 19, 2009 2:14 PM CST reply actions