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Would the offense please do something?

It seems like I’m starting off every blog post these days with something negative about the offense. The hitters are just not knocking in runners that are in scoring position and simply are not doing the job they are being paid to do. It all happened once again on Wednesday as the Cubs and White Sox kicked off a rain shortened series at Wrigley Field and the Cubs lost 4-1.

Against White Sox starting pitcher John Danks and two relievers, the Cubs managed just five hits and one run. They had chances to score some runs however with runners in scoring position, they just couldn’t come up with the big hit or get a ball to drop for a base hit. The one run the team did came in the eighth inning when Alfonso Soriano scored Aaron Miles on a RBI ground out. MIles started the inning off with a double off of Danks to get things going.

The eighth inning would have been more interesting and productive however White Sox center fielder Brian Anderson leapedin front of the ivy-covered wall to catch pinch-hitter Jake Fox’s long drive. Fox just about came up with that big hit that the team needed but it didn’t go his way this at bat.

Ryan Dempster got the start for the Cubs and didn’t look good from the start. Dempster allowed a solo home run that reached the basket in left field to Alexei Ramirez in the first inning and things really didn’t get better from there. Dempster walked six batters and was charged with three runs in the game. Angel Guzman was charged with a run in the eighth inning when A.J. Pierzynski hit a sacrafice fly to plate Dewayne Wise.

The Cubs have lost five of six. And over the last 26 games, they have scored one run or less 10 times, going 9-17 in that time. Lou Piniella said he is about going to be forced to make some changes in the lineup to get guys in there that can do some hitting. My first thought is getting Jake Fox some starts in right field.

The cross town rivals will meet up once again on Thursday afternoon on the Northside. Carlos Zambrano will take the mound for the Cubs against Gavin Floyd and the White Sox. I like the Cubs chances in this game as they split the rain shortened series. I hope I’m right.

- Cliff

Sammy Sosa reportedly tested positive

So news has finally came  out that former Chicago Cub player Sammy Sosa tested positive for performance enhancing drugs back in 2003. Sosa’s name was one of 104 that were on the list back in 03 that Major League Baseball was aware of. The 2003 test was the first such test conducted by Major League Baseball. Under guidelines agreed upon with the players union, the test results were to remain anonymous but would lead to testing with penalties the next year if more than 5 percent of the results were positive.

This really comes as no surprise to most people that paid attention to Sosa when he was with the Cubs. Going from 36 home runs in 1996 to hitting 66 bombs in 1998, you knew something was up. You could tell how big Sammy was getting. It wasn’t just his upper or lower body, it was his entire body!

Sammy was a fan favorite in Chicago and is still looked up on by a lot of fans in his home country of the Dominican Republic. Alfonso Soriano said that Sosa is still and will always be a hero to the kids in the Dominican. Nothing will change that.

No way Sosa gets in the Hall of Fame after this report in my opinion. Sure it’s just a report and until Major League Baseball releases the entire list of 104 we will never know if it is 100% true, but most people figure it is true and I just don’t see him going in to the HOF.

What are your thoughts on the report?

Gerarld Perry fired as Cubs offense sputters

Well I’m back from Denver finally and it doesn’t look like I missed much as the Cubs lost the three game series to the Minnesota Twins. Bone headed mental mistakes and a terrible offense did the Cubs in and ultimately the team ended up firing hitting coach Gerald Perry Sunday’s game. Something had to happen and it’s not like management would just release a player and eat the contract, instead it was a coach that got canned.

I thought Perry did an alright job with the team. The 08 team was great at the plate but this year they just haven’t got hot and stayed hot for a 10 game stretch. There is no question in mind that Perry will be on another major league roster next year. I hope him the best in the future.

To replace Perry, Von Joshua was called up from Triple A Iowa to take over at hitting coach. Joshua, a former big league outfielder who was in his fourth year as the Triple-A Iowa hitting coach, will be in uniform Tuesday for the opener of the Cubs’ Interleague series against the White Sox.

So let’s see if the players will react to Joshua and start hitting the ball better. Hopefully Milton Bradley and Alfonso Soriano can start to make better contact and drive the ball like they should be doing. Who knows though the way things have been going as of late. We will see come Tuesday night when the crosstown White Sox come to Wrigley Field.

- Cliff

Cubs lose 2-1 again

For the second straight game, the Cubs we beaten by the Astros by the score of 2-1. And for the second straight game, it was Astos player Geoff Blum knocking in the winning run late in the game. On Thursday afternoon, Blum knocked a Jose Ascanio pitch down the first base line to knock in Lance Berkman for the winning run in the 13th inning. Just another one of those games where the offense did not sure up.

Once again, just like on Wednesday, the Cubs only run in the game came from a solo home run. It was Derrek Lee going deep in the ninth inning to tie the game up but it wouldn’t matter in the end. The players had plenty of chances to knock in runs but they could just not come up with the big hit to score a run or two. This offense could really use Aramis Ramirez in the lineup.

Ryan Dempster allowed just one run over his seven innings. Besides a rbi sac fly off the bat of Carlos Lee in the first inning, Dempster was great on the mound. It’s too bad he had to settle for a no decision because the offense is sticking it up. Carlos Marmol and Kevin Gregg both threw two innings without allowing a run. With you get a starting performance and four shutout innings from you bullpen late in the game, you need to win the game no matter what.

The Cubs couldn’t take advantage of a Brewers loss and will not move up in the standings. They will fly back to Chicago where they will have a weekend series with the Minnesota Twins. I will be out of town the next three days so won’t be able to blog or watch much of the games. I will be in attendance at the Rockies vs Mariners game tomorrow night however so atleast I will be watching some baseball. Hopefully the Cubs can win the series against the Twins while I’m away!

- Cliff