Kuzul

The Chicago Cubs were able to bounce back from yesterday’s devastating loss by beating the Los Angeles Dodgers behind the strong outing of Paul Maholm, 5-4.

Here is what we learned after this Cubs victory.

Rafael Dolis will be the closer for now: The closer job was supposed to be up for grabs until Carlos Marmol is able to figure out his pitching issues, but it appears Dale Sveum is comfortable with having Dolis as the closer.  His second save of the year was less entertaining, as he casually slammed the door shut on the Dodgers offense.  Dolis appeared to gain confidence after each pitch he threw, and if he continues to thrive as a closer, this could spell the end of Marmol’s career in Chicago.

Paul Maholm is streaking:   Maholm had another dominating performance as he limited the Dodgers offense to one run on three hits while striking out four.  After his first two unmemorable starts to the season, Maholm has been lights out as he now has won three straight and given up only three runs in his last three outings.  

Joe Mather needs to get his at-bats:  Coming off the bench, Mather delivered a solo home run to add to the Cubs lead to make it 4-1.  If it’s starting or pinch-hitting, Mather has made most of his opportunities and he does provide offensive pop off the bench.  The only question is with a crowded outfield, where does Mather fit in?  Mather has to be hoping for an injury, a struggling player or a trade to guarantee him more playing time. That being the case, the Cubs need to find a way to have his bat in the lineup more often.

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The Chicago Cubs poured it on the Reds 6-1 today as their bats finally came alive to end their losing streak at six.

Paul Maholm earned his first victory in a Cubs uniform, and the Cubs were finally able to prosper with runners in scoring position.

Here is what we learned from this Cubs win.

Paul Maholm looked great: 

Maholm looked masterful all day as he kept Reds hitters off-balanced as they managed only four hits off of the lefty.  What was impressive with Maholm today is he threw fourteen first pitch strikes to the twenty six hitters he faced as he was able to induce seven ground-ball outs.  

Maholm will never be a power pitcher, which is evident by his low strikeout total in in this outing with five, but with his change in pitch speed to keep hitters guessing, he can continue to have outings like this more often. 

Steve Clevenger should start:   

Clevenger is taking full advantage of his playing time and even though he had not played a game since April 17th, he looked extremely comfortable behind the plate and with the bat in his hand.  

He provided an offensive spark the Cubs desperately needed as he went 3-for-4 while driving in a run to boost his batting average to a whooping .588.  It is time for Sveum to take a closer look at who should be starting as his catcher.

Cubs were 5 for 15 with Runners in Scoring Position: 

The Cubs were finally able to drive runners in scoring position including four two-out RBIs.  Hopefully, this trend continues.

Starin Castro committed his seventh error: 

You can hear the moaning all across Chicago as Castro had two errors in today’s contest.  In spring training, we were told about the improvements the Cubs made on Castro’s defense, but we are still very eager to see where this hard work is at.  

If it was not for the Cubs atrocious record overshadowing his poor fielding performance, he would be sitting on the hot seat everyday.   

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The St. Louis Cardinals ended a modest two-game winning streak for the Chicago Cubs as they won 5-1.   Here is what we learned from this Cubs loss.

Chris Volstad’s struggles continues:  It has not been a promising start for Volstad, as one bad inning led to his downfall.  Granted, everything should have been avoided if Starlin Castro did not make that error, but he had opportunities to pitch his way out of that fateful fourth inning.  What is promising is he did not allow a walk in this outing, but he did throw 101 pitches in just six innings.

Geovany Soto and Marlon Byrd struggles impact the lineup:  Obvious statement, but Byrd and Soto were 0-for-8 in today’s game and they are providing zero impact at the bottom of the lineup. They were 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position.  It might be time to give Steve Clevenger some more playing time behind the plate.

Will leave a lot of runners left on base:  Outside of the previous two games, the Cubs were struggling with runners in scoring position.  Today, the Cubs were able to score one measly run while stranding seven, and there were only 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.  The Cubs do not have the offensive ingredients to to ensure this will not be the norm every day.

Alfonso Soriano is hot out of the gate:  Typically a slow starter to begin the season, Soriano has been red-hot to begin the season.  He notched two hits in today’s game and he is currently batting .313 on the season.  Unfortunately, we are still awaiting his first home run.

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In fantasy baseball, there are two ways fantasy owners can improve their team: waiver wire and executing trades.

Both types of transactions compliment each other because a manager could add a player and they can use this player as bait to pull off a fantastic trade.

An intelligent fantasy owner will know when it is the best time to sell high on a particular player who is playing above their capabilities because eventually these players will lose their value once their production begins to dwindle.

To the contrary, a fantasy owner must trade for star players whose stock is extremely low, and they should jump on the chance of buying this player at dirt cheap before they start to play at their consistent level.

Trades are crucial transactions that can make a difference between a championship team and a mediocre team.

Below are the players every fantasy owner should sell high on and buy low on before it is too late.

SELL EM’ HIGH

• Alfonso Soriano Chicago Cubs OF:  In the past, April has not been a very kind month for Soriano.  However, he is off to a surprisingly hot start with four home runs and ten runs batted in during the early part of a very long season.  It is a positive sign Soriano is hitting the ball great, but keep in mind, it’s a very long season.  Sure Soriano will hit twenty to thirty home runs, but that is all he will do for you. His batting average will hover around .250 all season and he will not drive in over 80 runs for your team.  The last time he did so was back in 2006, when he drove in 96 runs with the Washington Nationals.  I have heard many people exclaiming, “This is the year where Soriano will be healthy.”  Yeah, and pigs can fly, too. 

• Jeremy Guthrie Baltimore Orioles SP: Who is this guy?  It can’t be the same guy who lost 14 games last season and 17 the year before. Trust me, it’s still the same guy.  Trade him before his minuscule ERA of 0.64 skyrockets and his true identity is finally revealed.

• Brian Roberts Baltimore Orioles 2B:  Roberts is currently hitting .214, but he still has a respectable line of three home runs while driving in ten runs.  However, everything is not what it seems when it comes to Brian Roberts.  Shouldn’t we have all learned the mistake of trusting Roberts in the past?  He has his health right now, and you should trade him while he does.

• Lance Berkman St. Louis Cardinals RF: Berkman is on an absolute tear right now with four home runs and eleven runs batted in.  I’m a strong believer in Berkman this season, especially with him playing everyday.  However, his value is too high right now to not try to use him for a trade to see what you can get in return for him. 

• Howie Kendrick Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 2B: Would you have believed it if I told you Kendrick has already belted four home runs on the season, when he had only 10 all of last season?  Would you believe it Kendrick has more home runs than Albert Pujols, Carl Crawford, Vernon Wells, Adam Dunn, Vladimir Guerrero, and Carlos Gonzalez combined?  Would you believe it if I told you in his career he has hit just thirty six home runs, but he is on a pace to hit 54 home runs this year?  It’s hard to believe these numbers and I had to check these stats numerous times to make sure I was not dreaming. Kendrick has the potential to breakout every year, but he has the potential to break your heart with his annual injuries.  

BUY EM’ LOW

• The Entire Boston Red Sox Team?: To say the Red Sox are under-performing is an understatement. A team that is filled with so much talent should eventually turn it around, but for fantasy baseball owners, some do not have the luxury to wait around until they do. I’m pretty sure there is an impatient owner with either Carl Crawford, Clay Buchholz, Kevin Youkilis, Adrian Gonzalez, or Jacoby Ellsbury on their roster, and they are longing to get rid of their frustration from these players because of their early struggles.

• Vladimir Guerrero Baltimore Orioles DH: Many felt Guerrero would benefit from playing in Baltimore everyday as the designated hitter because there was a less of a risk of him encountering an injury. This theory has been refuted thus far as Guerrero’s offense has been non-existent in Baltimore.  Do not expect this trend to continue for Guerrero who had put up monster numbers last season for the Texas Rangers.  As soon as he adjusts to his new environment, he will fit in just nicely. Trade for him before he starts to heats up.

• Hanley Ramirez Florida Marlins SS:  Ramirez has struggled mightily in the early part of the season hitting just .182 with zero home runs and with only two runs batted in.  Things did not get any easier for those who own Ramirez as he missed most of last week because a leg bruise.  Ramirez is too talented to continue to play at this level. Just don’t let the person you are trading with know that, too. 

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Last season, the Cubs struggled all year in one-run ball games.

Today, the Cubs’ fortune seemed to be on their side as they sneaked past the Arizona Diamondbacks, 6-5.

Tyler Colvin’s two-run home run and three RBI helped the Cubs get their third win on the season.

The Cubs struck first in the second inning when Darwin Barney scored on a Miguel Montero throwing error and Starlin Castro followed with an RBI double to score Koyie Hill.

Andrew Cashner, who was making his pitching debut as a starter, gave up a solo home run to Ryan Roberts for his only blemish in the game.

In the bottom of the third, the Cubs separated themselves from the Diamondbacks briefly with a two-run shot by Tyler Colvin. Colvin was starting for Carlos Pena at first, who is nursing a sore thumb injury.

Andrew Cashner was pitching brilliantly through 5.1, giving up just one run on two hits, but he was quickly pulled in the sixth when he was feeling discomfort in his right shoulder.

Reports are Cashner has shoulder stiffness, and there has not been any immediate word on whether or not he will make his next start.

It was unfortunate because Cashner had Arizona’s hitters off balance all day, but the Diamondbacks broke open against the bullpen that has been near perfect in the early stages of this season.

Jeff Samardzija relieved Cashner in the sixth, and he quietly retired the next two batters he faced.

Samardzija started the seventh inning by walking Miguel Montero.

Montero was out at second as Chris Young grounded into a fielder’s choice.

Samardzija walked Juan Miranda to place runners on first and second.

Marcos Mateo, who had an impressive spring training, gave up a single to Gerardo Parra to score Chris Young—that moved runners up to second and third.

James Russel relieved Mateo, who coughed up the lead as Willie Bloomquist singled to score Juan Miranda and Ryan Roberts.

The tie game would not last long, as the Cubs scored two in the bottom of the seventh on a Marlon Byrd double and a bases-loaded walk to Tyler Colvin put them up, 6-4.

The Diamondbacks made it interesting in the top of the ninth inning, as they closed the gap to 6-5 on a Xavier Nady ground-out to Starlin Castro, who made a magnificent play on a ball that deflected off of Sean Marshall.

Sean Marshall stopped the bleeding by striking out Willie Bloomquist to secure another Cubs victory, their third in a row. 

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Randy Wells continued his spring success in his first start of the season, as he kept the Arizona Diamondbacks‘ hitting at bay while engineering through six innings, giving up just one run on six hits.

After a disappointing weekend against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Chicago Cubs could not afford to start the week on a sour note.

The Diamondbacks struck first in the first inning on a Willie Bloomquist home run.

However, this would be the only run the Diamondbacks would score, as the Cubs fought their way back for a 4-1 victory.

For the fourth day in a row, in what may be a regular occurrence this season, the Cubs were trailing early.

Alfonso Soriano connected for his second home run in two days to tie the ball game up at 1-1.

And then the Cubs did something that haunted them all last season: They got the big hit with runners in scoring position.

Marlon Byrd scored on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Pena in the fourth inning and the Cubs slammed the door shut in the eighth with RBI by Soriano and Geovany Soto to put the Cubs up for good, 4-1.

The Cubs just ended a frustrating weekend with the Pirates, and this win could not have come at a better time.

Promising signs are Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez off to hot starts.  Both players have usually struggled in the month of April.

The bullpen continues to be impressive in the first four games of the season, as there lone blemish was a Carlos Marmol blown save on Sunday.

The Cubs look to take Game 2 against the Diamondbacks tomorrow in a 1:20 p.m. central time, a game where Andrew Cashner will make his major league debut as a starter.

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It has only been a few days of baseball, but fantasy owners are already looking for players to add from the waiver wire.

You always want to be that owner who picked up the Buster Posey’s or the Neil Walker’s on the free-agent list.

It makes you look like an absolute genius. 

Below is a list of players should be available in most leagues:

Freddy Sanchez: 2B San Francisco Giants:  After signing his extension with the Giants, Freddy has been on a tear in the opening week.  He is tearing the cover off the ball with seven hits in fifteen trips.  For those of you who are thin at second base, Sanchez is your best bet.

Brandon Belt: 1B San Francisco Giants:  Could the Giants have another Rookie of the Year candidate this season?  Brandon belted his first career home run against the Dodgers on Friday, and it was not a cheap one either.  The strong and powerful lefty has a chance to make some noise this season, however, his playing time will be limited.

Ramon Hernandez: C Cincinnati Reds:  Hernandez was the weekend hero with his game-winning, three-run home run against the Milwaukee Brewers. 

In a year where the market of catchers is thin, Hernandez could provide decent pop and a respectable average.  He is in a dangerous lineup with Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, and Brandon Phillips which will allow him to get numerous opportunities with men in scoring position.

Chase Headley 3B/LF and Nick Hundley C San Diego Padres:  When you think of offense, a player on the Padres does not usually formulate in your head.  However, Headley and Hundley can hit for average and come across home plate often.  Both categories are vital in fantasy baseball.

Alberto Callaspo SS Los Angeles Angels:  It’s a shame the Royals never gave Callaspo a shot, because he could be one of the promising short stops of the future. He caused problems for the Royals in the opening weekend series and may be a headache for opposing hitters all season.  He is a great contact hitter who also has surprising power.

Justin Masterson P Cleveland Indians:  Masterson was able to halt the Chicago White Sox arsenal on Sunday after they shelled the first two starters they faced. He did not record a strikeout in that game, and that will be a category he will not help you with.  But, if you are short of arms and you are looking for a person who will give you innings, Masterson is your man.

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Is it next year yet?

If today is any indication how the Chicago Cubs season will play out, fans will wait anxiously for the next season to begin.

The struggles for the Cubs that plagued them all last season continued in their opening game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Bad pitching, bad fielding, and bad hitting, all of which are the formula for a bad ball-game.

The Cubs had a chance to break the game open against their newest nemesis, the Pirates, in the fourth inning when they had the bases loaded with only one man out.  However, the Cubs were only able to scratch across one run when Carlos Pena grounded into a fielders choice.

Ryan Dempster was cruising through the first four innings, but he labored in the fifth.  

Neil Walker delivered a crushing grand slam to put the Pirates up for good, 4-2.

Andrew McCuthchen would add to the Pirates lead with a home run of his own with a runner on, to put the Pirates up 6-2.

The Cubs did provide a glimpse of hope in the bottom of the seventh, when they rallied to cut the lead to 6-3.

But, the annual theme of lack of clutch hits continued.

The lone bright spot for the Cubs was there bullpen.

Entering the season with a bunch of question marks, the Cubs bullpen threw 2 1/3 innings of shut out ball when Dempster was relieved.

This is just the first game of the season for the Cubs, but if they continue to falter against the Pirates, it will be a long year.

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Opening Day is finally here.

Aside from the beautiful smell of fresh hot dogs and sausages simmering on an open fire, it is the mark of another calendar year where the Chicago Cubs have another shot at ending their 102 years of championship futility.

Every team is hopeful that this year is their year.

But for Chicago Cubs players and fans, this slogan has been said so much, that it has lost all of its meaning.

However, anything is possible in the crazy wild, wild, National League Central and if the Cubs can put it together, they could raise some eyebrows.  

Here are the five things you should watch for during the Chicago Cubs 2011 season.   

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In baseball, there are players who have a season where they appear to hit everything that comes at them, or if they are a pitcher, they keep the bats quiet all night.

Sometimes, these are players who have career years, because they are never heard or seen from again after their sensational season.

For them, it is too difficult to repeat the same success.

On the contrary, there are players who completely dominate and thrive in the league for years.

They make everything appear so easy and natural.

For hitters, every pitch is coming at them in slow motion and their timing is perfect.

For pitchers, they keep the opposing offense’s at helm as their bats stay quiet all night.

These are the athletes who are not labeled as “fading stars”.

These are the players who evolve into future Hall of Famers.

During the last decade, baseball fans have been witnessed to some of the greatest baseball players to have ever worn a baseball jersey.

Here are the top 20 major league baseball players of the last decade.

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