Full Court Press

It was time to rethink Kerry Wood in general about two years ago.
Marmol proved that he could and should be the closer last year but that is not the cute story that Cub fans want to see.

This is the 2nd game against the Brewers that he has blown and saying that it is just May does not cut it because it will all matter come September. This kind of lose can snow ball into a nice 5 or 6 game tailspin and the Cardinals are just waiting for them in St. Louis.
The 20 strikeout game 10 years ago next week was the worst thing to happen to the Cubs pitching staff since Jim Todd.
They have been clinging to that one day ever since.

I posted earlier in preseason when Lou announced that Kerry would close for the Cubs that Marmol should have started the season as closer and that there was more to the decision for Wood to start the season as closer than it seemed. I stick to that stance. I know Wood had a solid preseason, but Marmol didn't bomb either and Marmol didn't have near as many chances to close in preseason than Wood did so the notion that Wood won the "competition" in Spring Training is nonsense.

However, at this point, it is what it is and since it is only early May, I say leave Wood in there and let him try to work this out a few more times. It's not panic time yet, but the leash is definitely a lot shorter. Assign him a performance goal and stick with it. If Wood blows another 1 or 2 save opportunities in his next 5 chances, deem it unacceptable and move him to the setup role alongside Howry or whoever. It's not like he wasn't given a chance. I still don't think that Wood has the stuff that made him a headline phenom any longer, but I'll give him another month to prove me and most people wrong.

I don't trust Wood I never have, but I liked the idea; that means nothing in the long run. I like the idea of the Cubs winning a playoff too. You can make as many excuses as to what would have happened if Soriano had not been in. The fact is that would have been a hard catch for anyone. The ball should not have been hit that hard at all, that was not a can of corn. The Cubs better put Wood in middle relief and get a real closer, if they don't, this will happen in the playoffs and everyone will cry. 3 of 7? On a contending team? Fire him! Its not Lou's fault that he severs melons for the closing course every time he plays.

Wood has a WHIP less than one and strikes out almost one guy per inning. Also, you can blow a game pitching in the 8th inning just as well as you can blow a game pitching in the 9th inning. There's really no need for a switch at this point.

I also think it's fair to point out that Marmol isn't as good a pitcher as last season and the first month of this one would suggest.

Kerry knows he blew the save and no one (except maybe Lou) feels worse about it than he does. But he still needs to "grow" in to the closer role. Cy young lost over 300 games in his career but he has an award named after him. Reed would have made that catch. A pitcher's best friend in a situation like yesterday's is a good reliable defense.

Yes, on-the-job training might not be the best thing during the championship season, but there's still a long way to go and the Cubs will lose many more games through no fault of Kerry.

None of this means anything, the Cubs do not have a No. 2 or 3 starter and that will keep them from doing anything big this year.

Closer is least of cubs problems. How could lou take out soriano he's supposed to be the team star, just ask hendry why he gave him all that money and all those years. Not paying him 18 mil a year to sit on bench are they?

After last night's disaster, all I have to say is this: With Wood as closer and mini me Soriano as left fielder there'll be no championship flag at Wrigley this year. Soriano's dangerous fielding is not worth his occasional home run. He gave away two runs only to get them back with a rare homer and we're supposed to be happy? He has obviously lost all confidence playing left field. With the Nationals it didn't matter, with the Cubs it does. And he's a disaster at the plate too. No discipline at all. And now with him pulling quads and other assorted muscles every 3 days his base stealing days are over. As far as Wood goes, Marmol should be named closer NOW! Before it's too late. It's wonderful to be sentimental but if the goal is to win something this year Wood should not be coming in to pitch in the ninth with the game on the line.

Hendry should contact Mr. Peabody and Sherman, borrow their "Way Back Machine", and set the date to November 19, 2006, (the day before the Cubs wasted $136 million on Soriano) thereby allowing some other team to make the mistake of adding him to their roster.

Going back in time even further, management could dial in May 7, 1998, the day after Kerry Wood struck out 20 hitters. They might have gotten Steinbrenner to swap his entire team for Wood at that particular moment in history.

Then he should fast forward to the year 2929, which is the year I predict the Cubs will finally win the World Series.

hey ricky...who we got in the farms that would be most ready to get the call as a pitcher?

Ricky responds: For the Cubbies? Hmm, I would assume Sean Gallagher, the sinker-ball pitcher who has been involved in all the Brian Roberts rumors.

Apologies in advance for a post about what might be tomorrow's topic of interest:

A valiant filly died today, and my heart broke when they had to put her down.

Eight Bells gave all of those studs a run for their money, and then some. And for what we know at this time, she might have finished it on two broken forelegs.

Hat's off to Big Brown; who was in a league of his own, ran away with it, and probably could have lapped the field if they went around a second time. But it's a crying shame that his victory has been foreshadowed by such an unfortunate tragedy.

My congratulations to the owners and trainers of Big Brown, along with my condolences to the grieving family of Eight Bells.

They tolled for her today.

Just 3 weeks ago, all you losers were singing his praises, except me. As usual, I am right again. P.S. if you want to jump on the Rex bandwagon, then do it now so you have some credibility when he is annointed the best QB to ever were a Bears Jersey.

Gosh...this is why people hate Chicago sports. Stop changing your mind every time the wind changes direction.

Stuck sez: "Gosh...this is why people hate Chicago sports. Stop changing your mind every time the wind changes direction."

It smells, AND sounds like they're all breaking wind to me.\

Their opinions will be validated as soon as Rex craps his pants, after dropping a snap, and then picks it up and runs for a 20 yard loss.

Or perhaps he'll just fumble the recovery, and only lose 15 yards.

We can always hope for the best.

The horse race has eerily similar themes as the Democratic Primary race...

Hilary...watch your ankles!!

I don't follow horse racing as much as I used to, and haven't made a wager in over 20 years. So when making my comments about the Derby, I hadn't actually watched the race.

I was multi-tasking, listening to the live feed on the radio, typing my usual gibberish on another blog, while in the midst of cooking a pork roast, and watching (with many pauses)a movie when the race went off.

The movie; "Swimming With The Sharks" was fantastic. I wish I could say as much about my pork roast.

It is for this reason that I didn't know the filly's last name was "Belles" instead of "Bells".

I should have checked the scratch sheet before I typed that eulogy.

This post from a prior forum pretty much sums up my feelings about Kerry BEING HAND DELIVERED the closer role...

'
I hate the idea of relying on 'Kid Disabled List' for anything more than a setup role. Especially since he hasn't earned this spot. Marmol has all the ability and is more durable. Kerry will be on the DL by mid season.

Posted by: Anonymous | March 17, 2008 05:22 PM
'

Hmmmm what did I miss? when did Kerry Wood start snapping the ball to Rex Grossman?

"Hmmmm what did I miss? when did Kerry Wood start snapping the ball to Rex Grossman?"

Now there's a tandem made in Hell for ya.

Wood beans Grossman with the snap, and the Bear's bench empties onto the field, not knowing which one to start swinging at.

The other team takes five, sips a little Gatorade, and laughs so hard that they eventually wind up losing the game due to cramps.

Ced Benson thread please! Our prayers have been answered!

Ricky responds: Done and done. Hopefully Roman doesn't beat me up for posting without his permission.

I'm not sure using Marmol as the "closer" would make this team better. Does anybody remember Latroy Hawkins? Awesome in the seventh and eighth innings, but terrible as a closer. Not saying that would happen to Marmol, but I also not going to say give him the job because he's been lights out in the eighth. You hope Woody can get the job done first, then in July you go out and make a move for another closer. If there isn't one available or better that what you think Carlos Marmol can be, than make the switch and part ways with Woody.

Personally, I think too much weight is put into the closer role. Most of the time the closer gets handed the ball in the 9th with the based empty and 3 outs to get. To me, the most important part of the game is when it is on the line...runners in scoring position with the cleanup hitter at the plate and with your lead in jeopardy. That is the time when you want your best reliever to come in and put out the fire. Marmol is that guy for the Cubs right now. Having Wood take on the closer role allows Lou the flexibility to use Marmol when he most needs him.

Before the derby, abc or espn did a story on eight belles. they had this women reporter, don't know her name, on horseback with a microphone and interviewing the trainer while he was riding the filly for her pre race training work.

What struck me as odd was that the trainer was riding her instead of an exercise rider for the work. I kept thinking how can that little horse cart around that overweight large man who was the trainer let alone run on the track for a workout. It didn't seem very smart for him to be putting that much weight on her for a training run right before the derby, why would you change things anyway so close to race day? The woman reporter said something about the filly being hard to handle and the trainer said no she wasn't and asked did the reporter, who was riding a much larger horse want to ride her. She said no.

So then the trainer who is wearing a microphone takes eight belles out on the track for a gallop. He can barely stand up in the saddle and looks like he's way out of his element riding her. Then after running awhile he tries to get her to pull up, and she won't, she's a hand full and won't stop. He's yelling at her to pull up and hauling on the reins as hard as he can to keep her from just running all out all around the track. And this huge guy can barely rein her in. He's acting all casual about it, but it was obvious why no exercise rider was up on her that day, they wouldn't be able to handle her, or get her to stop.

That horse looked juiced to me and I think the tv network had some wind of it too and that was why they happened to do the story showing the trainer riding the work out. That horse was "primed" for the derby and proceeded to run the race of its life and basically run itself right into the ground.

Reminded me of seeing how hyped Barbaro was before his last race, about to jump out of his skin. Barbaro couldn't be held in the gate and broke through the starting gate and had to be reloaded, then ran until his bones broke under him. Sound familiar??

If a horse is doped it doesn't have a chance to protect itself by running within its physical limits, it is pushed beyond them and then is at risk of breaking down and having to be destroyed. Unfortunately for Eight Belles, she was so hyped up she ran so hard both of her front legs gave out. She didn't break just one leg, but two, that is almost impossible to happen when a horse is just running, without hitting something. So you have to ask yourself, how do you get a horse to run so beyond itself? By having a fat trainer ride the works?

Horse racing has a problem. When the "best" horses are being put at risk just to gain an edge to win a race, then there is no future for the sport. Anyone want to bet on it?

backstretch bill:

Your's is the most interesting, and informative take that I've read about this race; and it leaves us with many questions that I'm guessing will forever remain unanswered.

Good post.

skimmed a bit, but i think your last couple lines are wrong
B-S Bill

here is why..

The Derby has become a Red Carpet event and now major A list celebs are going all the time. Did you see the names of the last couple years attendees? The Queen of England for pete sakes.

We actually saw one of the Olsen twins at a Del Mar stakes earlier in the year. She was betting in the Paddock Club big time.