The Real Problem with the Cubs' Offense

by Poloplaya14 on May 25, 2009 1:47 AM CDT

Everyone's slamming Jim Hendry right now for putting together a roster that has limited depth and couldn't handle an injury to Ramirez. Well, I'm going to argue that the Cubs' bench is just as good as any other team's and the real problem lies elsewhere. You can wish we had DeRosa all you want, but there are maybe 2 or 3 teams in the league with a guy of that caliber off the bench. In my opinion, the Cubs' bench is better this year, with Hoffpauir an upgrade over Ward, Aaron Miles an upgrade over Cedeno, and Koyie Hill an upgrade over Hank White.

The real problem with the Cubs this year doesn't lie on the bench. The problem is the superstars just aren't hitting. Milton Bradley hasn't produced at all. You can blame Jim Hendry for that, but who honestly predicted that a few months ago? Soriano has hit a bunch of HRs, but a .260 average isn't up to par with his past production. D-Lee's struggles have been well-documented, as have those of Geovany Soto and Mike Fontenot. Theriot has gone into a nosedive, and of course, Ramirez is out. That leaves Fukudome as the one hitter who has met or exceeded expectations this year. I don't care how good the bench is, your team won't produce offensively with all but one of your starters underperforming. Can we honestly blame Jim for that? The bright side is that there is no way all of these guys slump forever. Soto and Bradley will not hit .200 the rest of the way (Fontenot, on the other hand might). Lee's getting his average back up. Soriano will go into one of his patented hot streaks. The Cubs will start to score runs again. If not, well at least we'll know for sure the Cubs are cursed.

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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I actually agree

Hoff, Miles, and Hill are upgrades over the names from last year. Here are the superstars averages:
Bradley .188
Lee .248
Soriano .257
Theriot .263

by Mr.Cub on May 25, 2009 7:13 AM CDT reply actions

Also, these are the ERAs

Cotts-5.40
Heilman-5.30
Gregg-5.40
Patton-8.03
Ascaino-4.76
Marmol-3.60
Gooz-3.15 also- Fox 135.00 :)

by Mr.Cub on May 25, 2009 7:17 AM CDT reply actions

What would Heilman's ERA be

If his inherited runs were part of his ERA? Would it be above 7?

I know that’s how how baseball works but still I’d love to know.

by ak123 on May 25, 2009 11:20 AM CDT up reply actions

that's why...

…FIP is a much more useful tool than ERA.

Cotts: 7.15
Heilman: 5.67
Patton: 5.66
Gregg: 5.49
Marmol: 4.65
Guzman: 3.35

by serbianking33 on May 25, 2009 3:36 PM CDT up reply actions

Heilman should come in the top of an inning

But in no circumstances should he be in when there are men on base. It’s asking for us to concede runs. I don’t care if that means bringing Marmol in that situation and having Heilman pitch in the 8th for that one game.

On the other hand Guzman has really impressed me and I personally didn’t like him for a few years. I think we’re one reliever away and somehow getting the bats working from being able to get out of this slump for good.

by ak123 on May 25, 2009 4:49 PM CDT up reply actions

-2

for using the term ‘cursed’ in relation to the Cubs.

Anyway, I don’t believe this is any mystery to our offensive woes. I think we’ve all agonized over Lee, Soto, and Bradley more than Miles, Scales, and Johnson.

Free Ronny Cedeno

by Kansas25 on May 25, 2009 9:32 AM CDT reply actions

Overall I agree...

Jim could not have planned for the simultaneous declines of Lee, Soto, Bradley, LBR… etc.

This is on the players… and they are not living up to expectations

I haz blurg: hotbeans.wordpress.com

by digitalbenjamin on May 25, 2009 9:41 AM CDT reply actions

Excellent points!

Unless DeRo can actually somehow magically spell DLee, Bradley, ARam, Soto et al in the lineup he is not the solution.

by cubsnlinux on May 25, 2009 9:57 AM CDT reply actions

No one's saying he is "the" solution.

However, he would be an excellent addition to the bench.

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

by Al Yellon on May 25, 2009 9:59 AM CDT up reply actions

And there is the rub, Al

We got three pitchers for a bench guy. What in God’s name do we have to give up?

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on May 25, 2009 10:17 AM CDT up reply actions

Is it really fair to DeRosa

to bring him back to be a bench player in a contract year?

Derrek Lee is good.

by DGU on May 25, 2009 11:43 AM CDT up reply actions

He may not have a choice.

Plus, he’d probably get almost full-time playing time at various positions, given the propensity for injuries this team seems to have.

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

by Al Yellon on May 25, 2009 12:44 PM CDT up reply actions

Agreed...

This has been discussed before, but between platooning with Fontenot and providing regular rest for Ramirez and Soriano and filling in for any injuries, he’d get his share of playing time.

The bigger question to me remains whether (a) he’ll be available and whether (b) he’ll be available at a price that would be interesting to the Cubs.

I don’t think DeRosa will be coming back to the Cubs. I do think that he’d be a substantive upgrade over our current options to fill the role of platoon partner and super utility guy.

by SouthernCub on May 25, 2009 12:57 PM CDT up reply actions

I don't think there's anyone who doesn't think he'd be better at 3B than the circus we're running right now.

It’s the politics, so to speak, of it all. Cleveland’s GM can’t re-deal with Hendry in anyway that suggests he lost the first trade. But the three pitchers he’s sent have increased in value and DeRo’s decreased. It’s a lot easier for Cleveland to deal with the several other clubs who also want DeRosa.

And Hendry tries to be fair to players, so as long as Lou hasn’t given up on Fontenot, and Hendry hasn’t given up on Miles, DeRosa’s 2B ability might not be as attractive to the Cubs as some fans think.

Derrek Lee is good.

by DGU on May 25, 2009 1:39 PM CDT up reply actions

Agreed

This isn’t a bench issue, this is a “regulars” issue. It may be reaching but part of the problem with the regulars started with Lou’s idiotic comment about resting guys throughout the season. To me, that was an arrogant statement, almost begging other teams in the division to take note that Lou believed the Cubs would run away with the division in order to afford them rest. Kind of like that asinine decision to forfeit a game against Lincecum earlier this year….no matter whether you believe the bench had them in that one.

But I don’t agree with you necessarily about Bradley and Soto hitting over .200 this year. To be honest, if those guys don’t hit .270, their production at the end of the year is still going to end up being brutal. As Lee Elia said, “I hope we get hotter than shi*”, and that is exactly what those two, among others, are going to have to do to get this team back on track. Unfortunately I’m afraid, if they don’t exceed expecations from here on out, this club is dead in the water.

Who needs a stinkin' tag line? What are they for anyway?

by krummy12 on May 25, 2009 10:09 AM CDT reply actions

Playoffs, If They Get There

All of the above comments are excellent. What is not taken into account is this is what this team is prone to doing and I thought that Bradley would electrify this bunch and not let this happen. This team goes brain dead and over the last couple years they look like a bunch of deer caught in headlights during inconvenient times of the season. This happens particularly when this group of players face good pitching. Look at the pitching they have faced this week and their failure to “up their game” to the better quality pitching they have faced is clearly exposed. Sure, it’s coincidence that some of these pitchers might be temporarily hot. Regardless, with good pitching, hitters have to adjust their strokes. It won’t get any easier come the playoffs and if the Cubs cannot handle and beat this kind of pitching now they will NEVER beat this pitching that is routine during the playoff season. This demonstrates exactly what has always been wrong with this team. There doesn’t appear to be anyone on this team that is willing to place the burden on themselves, like a Reggie Jackson used to, take responsibility and pull a team out of its funk on his own. They all look at each other believing “somebody” is going to do it and keep looking and waiting. Somebody on this team needs to get up front, put his ass on the line and deliver. I don’t see it happening with this team. I truely thought Bradley was going to be the guy but I am now having my doubts. It is genuinely sad to see talent show up only when the going is NOT tough. This team has talent, way too much, to accept and play the way they do. I would be ashamed to wear the uniform playing like they have this last week, (not including the starting picthers). Enough of the excuses…this team needs to start delivering, otherwise the end of this season has already exposed itself based on the last seven games they have played.

by Galtwho on May 25, 2009 3:02 PM CDT reply actions

Interesting

But seven games is indicative of the end of the season?

I don’t think the seven games prior to that are necessarily indicative of the end of the season, either.

by Not Bruce Froemming on May 25, 2009 3:08 PM CDT up reply actions

thanks

for such a well thought out post. I understand why we see so many sky is falling posts here, so it is refreshing to read an intelligent post for a change. This team will start hitting. I see no way Bradley, DLee, Soriano, Soto etc will continue to bat so poorly. There is too much talent there. At some point they will start to approach their career norms and when that begins to happen, run production will jump.

by lookingdeadred on May 30, 2009 11:13 AM CDT reply actions