WGN announced yesterday that Bob Brenly will not be back with the Cubs as TV color commentator next year. Speculation is that he’ll be heading back to Arizona. But Bob’s gonna miss Chicago, y’all.
Said Brenly: “For the last eight years, I’ve had the unmitigated joy of going to Wrigley to work with one of the best play by play men in the game. I had as much fun as you could have in the last eight years. I have nothing negative to say. It was great.”
‘‘I just know I’m going to miss the hell out of him,’’ said Kasper, who learned of the departure Wednesday and said he hasn’t heard yet of any possible replacements.
‘‘I’ve been very aware of how lucky I’ve been to work with the guy I would consider the best at his job in the entire industry. I was hopeful we would work together for a couple decades, but that’s just not how this business works. Unfortunately, everything’s fleeting, even the good stuff. It’s still sinking in, I guess.’’
If I were Len Kasper, I’d be worried they’ll pick some bozo. Hopefully he’ll get some say in the hiring process.
Yesterday, the Cubs honored Kerry Wood for his years of dutiful service to the team. There was a special ceremony before game and the singing of the seventh inning stretch. But don’t expect yesterday’s gala to be his big send-off.
“We’ve kicked some ideas around, (I’ve) met with and talked to Theo about it,” Wood said about a possible role with the Cubs. “We’re all kinda on the same page and I’m sure we’ll get something done soon and work out all the details. (I) definitely want to be around and definitely want to be involved. In what aspect, we’ll figure that out probably this winter.”
He also mentioned a couple Cubs-in-exile he’d like to see come back into the fold as Cubs emeritus.
“Hopefully we’ll get Ryno back,” Wood said of Ryne Sandberg, who spent this past season managing the Philadelphia Phillies Triple-A affiliate. “Actually, it wouldn’t be bad thing to seeSammy (Sosa) come around too. He did a lot for this organization and a lot for this city. It’d be a shame for him not to come back.”
(snip)
“Certain things ended certain ways, but it’s a new group of people here,” Wood said. “It’s a new ownership, it’s a new attitude, it’d be a shame to not have those guys be a part of it. Sammy and (Mark) McGwire pretty much single-handedly brought the fans back to baseball. Sammy did tremendous things for this city. We all know how he left and how it ended with him. But ultimately, that one mistake that he made at the end shouldn’t determine his future here in Chicago.”
Hear, hear, Kerry. Dale Sveum seems excited to have him around in a role that doesn’t include bullpen pitcher.
“I think it’s very important,” Sveum said. “It’s important in spring training and throughout a season to have these great players — especially the high-character guys — be around. It’s meaningful to these guys to see these types of people. I know it was in Milwaukee whenever Robin (Yount) was around. It’s special to bring back those guys.”
Chris Volstad is having a crummy year. He entered Sunday with 24 consecutive starts without a win (dating back to last year) and was 4 away from tying the MLB record. He took matters into his own hands on Sunday, allowing no runs in 6.2 innings on his way to his first victory since July of 2011.
“It was only fitting that the day took so long,” Volstad said. “(A delay) before the game, I’m used to that. It’s happened to me couple of times already this year and in Florida obviously. But the tarp being pulled in the ninth inning it was like, ‘Come on, let’s just get this over with.’”
And when the game was called after 8 innings, Volstad was feted like it was his bachelor party. To his credit, he only gave up two hits in his 6.2 shutout innings.
“I guess it was a little bit of a relief but like I’ve been saying I just want to throw well, keep the team there and have the team win the game,” Volstad said. “The streak, that’s just for you guys more than it is for me. But it is a little sense of relief to get it over with.”
And Dale Sveum is just so gosh darn proud of him.
“He pitched one heck of a game, keeping the ball on the ground and was actually getting some weak contact on that sinker,” manager Dale Sveum said. “He had his offspeed pitches working. He was pitching down and away. He had a great day and it was nice for him. I know that’s a huge monkey off his back.”
As of the end of Tuesday night’s game, the Cubs have and impressive streak going. They have now failed to have a lead in 59 consecutive innings. That’s right. Almost seven complete games in which they have not had more runs at any single moment than their opponent. Last night’s main culprit was the lack of offense. Other than Alfonso Soriano’s solo home run, the Cubs failed to do much of anything.
“We just can’t seem to get anything going,” manager Dale Sveum said. “You get a guy at third and less than two outs and you get a couple of strikeouts. We just can’t get anything out of the ballpark. Soriano hit a solo shot but we just can’t seem to get that three-run shot.”
One thing the Cubs did manage to do was strike out 13 times, including the golden sombrero by Starlin Castro.
“He’s just in his third year in the league so he’ll figure it out,” Soriano said. “That happened to him last year too. He had little struggles. It’s a long season and sometimes you have (struggles) one week or two weeks. But when you get out of your slump you become a better player. I hope when he gets out he will come out hot and be a better player.”
One bright spot for the Cubs was Travis Wood. He allowed a home run to the leadoff batter and a double immediately after, but then didn’t allow another hit in his final 5.2 innings.
“Travis was great,” manager Dale Sveum said. “A leadoff home run and other than that he was really, really good. He kept the ball on his arm side all day, he kept it down and he had a really good changeup. It was 12 mph off his fastball with some good fade.”
He also had a double, making his batting average .750 for the season.
According to Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago, Kerry Wood will announce his retirement today. Since the story was originally broken (apparently by Peggy Kuczinski on a message board soewhere) we still have no confirmation from the Cubs or Kerry. The current rumor is that Kerry planned to pitch today and retire tomorrow. Can’t blame the guy for wanting one more day in the sun at Wrigley.
Kerry will be available today to pitch out of the pen. More news on this as we get it.
MLB Hall of Famer Harry Wright invented the infield shift. He's one of Dale Sveum's greatest heroes.
Cubs manager Dale Sveum played the numbers in the ninth inning with Yadier Molina at bat. Darwin Barney shaded Molina up the middle, but the evil one hit a ball just out of Darwin’s reach and into right field for the game winning hit.
“It’s unfortunate,” Barney said. “One quarter of a step from maybe saving a run. … That’s kind of how we play ‘Yadi.’ He’s such a talented hitter and can hit to all fields.
“He tends to hit the ball up the middle to the pull side early in the count. If there were two strikes, I probably would have shifted over a little more. But with Dolis’ sink, I committed to playing the middle.”
Oh yes, Rafael Dolis. Dale Sveum, any thoughts or suggestion for your young interim closer?
“He can’t keep throwing fastball after fastball,” he said. “He has a good slider and he has to use it. Not that that was the place or anything, but I think he’s learning to use that pitch more.”
Please don’t confuse him like this, Dale. While we’re on the subject of the bullpen, any suggestions for Kerry Wood, whose streak of effective outings stopped at two?
The Cubs bullpen was the Achilles’ heel again. Kerry Wood walked two and blew a one-run lead in the seventh. Sveum said Wood may have to throw more in the bullpen warming up.
“It’s one of those things,” Sveum said. “The ball is coming out of his hand well, but (he issues) four-pitch walks right away.”
That’s sort of been a thing around here for years, Dale.
The Cubs were on the verge of ruining Mother’s Day, facing a sweep by the Brewers. Jeff Samardzija and crew managed to band together to defeat the Brewers on the strength of the bullpen and late-inning offense. Spellcheck had only given up one run in five innings, but having thrown 91 pitches, Reed Johnson was sent to the plate to pinch hit for him.
“They caught me pretty quick there coming down the dugout,” Samardzija said. “But when you have guys like Reed and them to pinch hit for you, especially with the top of the lineup coming up it’s the way it goes sometimes.”
Johnson’s home run briefly put Samardzija in line for the victory, until reliever Shawn Campcoughed up the lead in the bottom of the inning. Camp then got credit for the victory when the Cubs went ahead for good in the seventh inning.
“It’s always good to be able to affect the game like that,” Johnson said. “I knew that he was up there pitch count wise so anytime we have a leadoff situation that’s usually my at-bat as well. Just go in there and put a good swing on it is all I was trying to do.”
Oh, Shawn Camp. Always looking to steal wins from the starters. Was pinch-hitting for Spellcheck the hardest decision Dale Sveum has ever had to make?
“I wouldn’t say it was a tough one,” Sveum said. “He was at his 90 pitches, he pitched well numbers wise, but the ball was up. You can tell it wasn’t coming out of his hand like it can. It was a time to pinch hit, a time to take a shot and the bullpen was rested. It wasn’t that tough of a decision, no.”
In Paul Maholm’s first two starts of the season, he gave up six runs in each game. In his last four starts, he’s given up a total of three runs. How do you feel when heading out to the mound to start for the Cubs, Mr. Maholm?
“Whenever I take the ball I’m going to expect to go deep into the game and let the defense pick me up and win games,” Maholm said. “Whether you’re the No. 1 or the No. 5, the day you pitch is your day. You’re the No. 1 guy and you have to get the job done. I think the last four games I’ve pitched well.”
We also think the last four games you’ve pitched well. Should we expect you to keep up this Sandy Koufax streak all year?
“I’m going to have another rough outing at some point; it’s part of baseball,” Maholm said. “But I’m going to ride this as long as I possibly can and hopefully for a good while. I’ll keep getting after it and expect to win games.”
I think that’s a perfectly reasonable attitude. And Dale Sveum, what do you have to say about the starting rotation so far this season?
“Going into the season we knew that it’d be one of our strong suits and up to this point it’s been probably as good as anybody’s in baseball for the most part,” Sveum said. “We’ve had 30 games, whatever we’ve played, we’ve had a lot of quality starts and guys going six, seven, seven-plus consistently. Even some of the tough outings we had, the pitchers ended up settling down and getting six innings out of it too. Starting pitching has been great.”
Now we just need someone to get Chris Volstad to start pitching like a real major leaguer…
WGN announced yesterday that Bob Brenly will not be back with the Cubs as TV color commentator next year. Speculation is that he’ll be heading back to Arizona. But Bob’s gonna miss Chicago, y’all.
