Clark & Addison Blog - CubHub.net

Aramis “I Promise” Ramirez is keeping his promise of late, slugging 3 x 3 home run blasts in the last two games. Suddenly talk radio has him slated as a NL MVP candidate. That may be a stretch but considering the Cubs’ success one would think the leagues’ MVP should come from this team, the best record in all of baseball. With all the contributions this team gets up and down the lineup and off the bench, choosing one player as MVP is a tough job. Those having impact years have to be the likes of Soto, Ramirez, Theriot, DeRosa, Soriano, Dempster, Wood, Marmol and Harden. (we can give Derrek Lee an honorable mention) I would vote for Soriano, evident by his numbers despite missing 49 games and how well the team plays when Fonzy is in the lineup.

Kosuke Fukudome may have had a chance if Lou would have talked to him two months ago when the “young man” was doing front foot pirouettes at the plate swinging at everything and anything that moved. If the MVP is a true measurement of the player who is considered the most valuable to his team, that honor would have to befall the likes of Mark DeRosa who by far has demonstrated his high value to the team and if you take a peek at his numbers, you will notice, that boy is having a career year at the plate.

Don’t count out Aramis just yet. If he continues his torrid pace into September, you never know what will happen. Looks like the Cy Young will most likely find itself going to a member of the D-Backs.

Submitted by: AJ

Note:  This is the first in a series of “Guest Posts” submitted by fans of the Clark & Addison Cubs Fan Blog. If you are interested in authoring a Guest Post, please contact us with your idea!

Often times, an indication a good hitter is about to go on a tear is when they are seeing the ball well. They hit line drives, take a few pitches, and start drawing more walks.  Alfonso Soriano has astonishingly (for him) taken 7 walks plus 4 SBs in the past 6 games. For a guy who drew 31 walks in all of 2007, that is showing some remarkable patience. He’s obviously seeing the ball well and that can only be a bad sign for opposing pitchers.

The Fonz had 3 hits yesterday, all singles. I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if he soon goes off on one of his 23 for 50 with 6 HRs streaks. This guy is a pro hitter, but he’s nothing if not streaky.

The bats are sleepy, but Big Z beat the hapless Reds with his arm and his bat.

Carlos Zambrano rebounded for his first win in his 4th try this August and added the game winning hit.  In fact, the last time Zambrano won a game in the month of August was 8/24/2006!

Z did not have his best stuff but he brought the lumber and hit his 4th HR of the year into a headwind at Wrigley Field this afternoon. This is what we need from the teams’ Ace pitcher - to win even if he has to take matters into his own hands at the plate. 

What can you say about Ryan Theriot? The guy has been a rock solid stud all year. He’s a playmaker in the field, shows up everyday, keeps his mouth shut, steals a few bags, and how about his numbers at the plate - check these out:

• Past 7 days:  he’s 9 for last 21 at bats with a .429 average; .520 on-base
• Season:  .320 average; 56 walks to just 41 strikeouts; 65 runs scored

He is clearly one of the main reasons the Cubs are 27 games over .500, best record in the NL, and apparently cruising into October baseball as a favorite.  “The Riot” is doing what winning teams need; he’s performing above expectation, above average and with consistancy.

Now I am willing to reconsider my position on Jim Edmonds as a Cub.  My original assertion was that he had to beat his old team, the dreaded Cardinals to ‘make his bones’ as it were, in Cubs pinstripes.  With today’s two HR day, along with a sparkling diving catch, I now finally accept Jim Edmonds as a Cub.  He has made an impact. He has proven he does in fact have more baseball in him. He has made GM Jim Hendry look awfully, awfully good in picking him up for basically nothing.  In fact, the Cards still pay millions of his salary. That sweetens the deal as the Cubs pound a nail in the 2008 Cardinals season.

When the Cubs got Edmonds, I wrote comparing it to the Bulls acquiring Dennis Rodman. The guy played a key role for years in a heated regional rivalry (Detroit Pistons) and now we are being asked to accept him as our own. Then, like now with Edmonds, I felt like the onus was on the player to prove his worthiness before I truly accept him. Edmonds has been steadily building a case since joining the Cubs but today, for me, pushed him over the top. He even got a curtain call from the Wrigley faithful following his second HR today.  So, welcome to the Cubs, Jimmy Ballgame!  

Cubs make it two in a row over the Brewers at Miller Park last night with a dominating 7-1 performance, extending their division lead to a full 3 games.  Carlos Zambrano overwhelmed the Brew Crew and their ace, Ben Sheets in convincing fashion.  With Sheets and Sabathia chalking up losses, I like our chances with remaining series match-ups of Ryan Dempster and Rich Harden facing Manny Parra and Dave Bush respectively. On paper, it all looks good but of course on any given day…