Clark & Addison Blog - CubHub.net

Check in this weekend as I post two items (one on Saturday, part II on Sunday) on Las Vegas odds for the 2008 Cubs.

For now, check out the new “Plan Your Game” section of CubHub.net…

“Ryan Theriot notched his 18th multi-hit game of the season Wednesday night, tying him for second in baseball with Philadelphia second baseman Chase Utley. Atlanta’s Chipper Jones leads all big league players with 19 multi-hit games. “

Inspired by this note on Cubs.com, lets take a closer look at a player quietly having a good year so far.

Batting a hefty .329 on the year, Ryan Theriot is quietly having a pretty great year.  Offensively, he ranks in the top 3 in many shortstop categories (both AL and NL) - he is:

• Third in the majors in batting average behind Raphael Furcal and Miguel Tejada in starting shortstops.
• Tied with Hanley Ramirez and Yunel Escobar for most shortstop walks (20).
• Tied for third with Furcal behind Ramirez and Jose Reyes with 8 stolen bases.
• Third behind Furcal & Ramirez with a .408 on-base percentage
• Tied for third in runs scored with 27.

Defensively, he is middle of the pack with 58 put-outs, 20 DPs, 3 errors and a .981 fielding percentage.  Still, Ryan “the riot” Theriot is queitly having a very solid year.

Well, it’s official - for better or worse.

I can appreciate its a low risk move from an organizational standpoint. Of the $8,000,000 he makes this season, St Louis is paying 2mil, and San Diego is paying 6mil, so the Cubs only have to pony up about 2/3 (prorated) of the league minumum for about $270,000.  Thats tip money - understood. And we didn’t have to give up any players to get him.  Fine.

Now the work begins. Not only is Edmonds trying to revive his career but he’s playing for his baseball life. This can be a strong motivator for a guy.  I’m sure whatever he’s got left, he will leave on the field. As a spot player, he is likely an upgrade over the Pie-Johnson combo in CF so far this year. If not, he will find himself unceremoniously cut without a second thought. So in a way, if he is on the team he is likely contributing. No problem.

But the real work is for Cub fans to find a way to accept him. For me, he was the face of the Cardinals for most of this century. I mean, Albert Pujols you just have to tip your cap to and say he’s a helluva player. But Jim Edmonds played a different role for them. I think Edmonds will have to really earn his (pin-)stripes as a Cub to be welcomed. And if the Cubs can actually win this year, some extra zing will come from Cardinal fans seeing “the greatest center fielder in Cardinals history” drinking champagne in the home clubhouse at Wrigley in October.

He’ll likely be in the starting lineup today. I hope Zambrano doesn’t drill him in the ear during pre-game warmups.

Cubs multi-position wonder Mark DeRosa is writing his blog again: MarkDeRosa.MLBlogs.com

How totally cool is that - to read an active Cub player’s blog during the season.  I hope he will be as candid on the blog as he often is as a radio guest.  One of my favorite comments from him came last year as the Cubs were about to open round one (and only) of the playoffs.  He was asked if he had spoken to Lou about whether he would start or sub during the playoffs. DeRosa hesitated, then said something like ‘no, I expect to start. If I don’t I’m going to filp over his (Lou’s) damn desk!’  What a great quote that was.

Is Sean Estes still in the major leagues?  Really?

Jim Edmonds has been a hated enemy for years as the show-boating Cub-killing center fielder on the St Louis Cardinals. He plays shallow or deep just so he can run back or run in and turn a routine catch (if he were in position) into a spectacular looking diving catch.  That technique served him well in getting 4 Gold Gloves. 

His bat is streaky but always seems to come alive against the Cubs. He has 32 home runs and a .554 slugging pct in 415 career at-bats against the Cubs.  That said, two things come to mind. 1) He won’t be facing Cubs pitching any more 2) His numbers have been in steady decline since 2004. The Cards gave up on him during the off-season and now the Padres bail on him just 6 weeks into this year.

So the question is, can he be a role player for the Cubs?  If Piniella & Hendry see him as a platoon player with either Pie or Reed Johnson, then, well, I guess that would be ok. But the feeling I have in my gut is the same as when the Bulls signed Dennis Rodman from their hated rival. Granted he will likely have had a much bigger impact on the Bulls than Edmonds would on the Cubs at this point in his career.  But still, its hard to shift gears and try to appreciate such a reviled figure in Cubs-Cards rivalry.  We’ll see if he clears waivers and Hendry comes to terms with him.  Seemed to have been a good move in bringing in Reed Johnson….