The Hardball Times Chris Jaffe has a pretty interesting take on the 2008 postseason debacle. One of his assertions is that the relationship between the moves Lou made in the 2007 post season and then the preparation for the 2008 post season after the division was clinched, had a significant impact on the self confidence of the team going into October.

It's unduly simplistic to claim a sole cause for the 2007-8 shortcomings, but some underlying causes can be rooted out. A key one revolves around the decisions and actions of the team's manager, Lou Piniella.

 snip

...for two straight years Piniella has prioritized physical preparation for his team. Both times the playoffs made painfully obvious that the Cubs sorely needed better mental preparation. What's more, his decision to prioritize physical preparation has likely helped cause their mental shortcomings.

The decision to treat players differently because the postseason is coming up sends the team some signals. First, it loudly pronounces to the players that the upcoming games are fundamentally different from everything they've experienced before. Second, it implies that they can't be trusted to win unless they approach this somehow differently.

If you think the team can just keep playing as they have all year and win, there's no need for any fancy adjusts on the verge of the postseason. Instead, these notions can make a team self-conscious. That's the single worst thing that can happen to a team. If you have to think about what you're doing, it won't be done properly. It should come naturally.

 

At the end of the day we all know the players didn't execute. Its been easy to point the finger at Soriano, Ramirez and Dempster, but perhaps Lou's post season preparation and plans had a far greater impact on that execution than any of us have been willing to admit.

 

Read the whole thing here and discuss..

 

 

If you haven’t caught his previous columns in the NYT (I think Al posted a link to an earlier one on Clemens) it's cant miss reading in my opinion for baseball fans. His writing contains a unique mix of ex-MLB player perspective, part Ivy League and part fan. The kind of guy you would love to have beer with in the bleachers and talk about baseball all day. (Most likely just pepper with questions and listen)

Great tie in about his time with the Cubs (curious to know who his AA roommate was?), hitting a curveball and life...great stuff, enjoy and discuss

 

Glanville Blog NYTimes

 

I have a feeling I am not alone as a lifelong baseball fan that started looking at baseball much differently several years ago when I read Moneyball. I started to really have more interest in the statistical aspects of the game and subsequently dove into Bill James books, Rob Neyer and Keith Law articles etc.

By no means am I a sabermatrician, but I respect the craft and feel that it has enhanced my baseball IQ and view of the game.

Thought this Q&A with Bill James in Time Magazine would be of interest, please discuss. Its a nice peak into the thought process of a front office that has won two World Series in the last 4 years as well.

Like to know how our resident sabermatrician(s) cwyers and the like feel about James as well.

ESPN's Rob Neyer has an interesting take on Eric Patterson's future or lack of one with the Cubs.

* As the Cubs continue to covet Brian Roberts, Eric Patterson might reasonably wonder about his future in the organization. As MLB Trade Rumors notes in a new series called "Blocked Prospects," Patterson is one of the young players "who seem to be buried on their current team's depth chart." The problem is that he's not good enough defensively to play second base and not quite good enough offensively to play center field. At least not for the Cubs, who already have Felix Pie. And at (almost) 25 he's not so young that we should expect him to improve significantly. Baseball America ranks him as the No. 12 prospect in the organization (not good for a player his age). If he's blocked, it's mostly by his own talents.

Shouldn't have been late last September Eric...that might have been your shot. Discuss

Neyer has been ranking his candidates of the best players by position for the next 5 years. (the player needs to be under 30) Our friend Felix has made his list of center fielders.

This requires "insider" access; I have posted a link for those who have access and the list from his blog below.

Rob Neyer CF's for the next 5 years

Is he worthy?

1. B.J. Upton
   
2. Curtis Granderson
   
3. Grady Sizemore
   
4. Hunter Pence
   
5. Chris Young
   
6. Carlos Beltran
   
7. Melky Cabrera
   
8. Felix Pie
   
9. Josh Hamilton
   
10. Jay Bruce

Perhaps I've been too aggressive here with the youngest players. I do feel good about Upton, but the others -- Young, Cabrera, Pie -- really haven't been good yet in the majors. Hamilton's obviously a wild card, and perhaps there should be a place on this list for Wells. Meanwhile, there are a bunch of hot center fielders coming up, and so I've strayed from convention and filled in that last slot myself. It just seems to me that when you've got a player who's the consensus No. 1 prospect, he's your guy. Better, though, over the next five years than Wells and Rowand?