CUBS HISTORY-2011 RECAP

**JonahLomu** · 12-05-2012, 10:26 PM

2012

2012

NEW MANAGER RON WASHINGTON IS STILL TRYING TO FIND THE MIX THE CUBS HAD LAST SEASON. HE'S GOT HIS HANDS FULL AS A CHANGE IN SLIDERS HAS GIVEN CPU PITCHERS LESS CONTROL, CONSISTENCY AND STRIKE-THROWING THAN THEY HAD IN 2011 WHEN CHICAGO HIT .317 AS A TEAM.

CHANGES WERE RECENTLY MADE AS CUBS' HITTERS WERE POUNDING AN INORDINATE NUMBER OF FIRST-PITCH HOMERS.

THE CLUBS DO LEAD MLB IN TEAM AVERAGE AT .302, FOLLOWED BY DET AT .290.

STANDINGS
THRU MAY 10, 2012
----------------------

NL CENTRAL
CHI 26-5 --
MIL 20-12 6.5
CIN 19-12 7
STL 19-12 7
PIT 7-24 19
HOU 7-24 19
----------------------------------------------------------------------

GIANCARLO STANTON IS SHOOTING FOR CONSECUTIVE MVP SEASONS.

AS MAY WOUND DOWN TO ITS FINAL TWO GAMES, THE CUBS HAD STILL NOT REACHED DOUBLE-DIGITS IN LOSSES.

THAT ALL CHANGED DRAMATICALLY, WHEN GARRETT JONES OF THE METS BLASTED A THREE-RUN WALK-OFF HOMER OFF JONNY VENTERS FOR A 6-4 WIN THAT DROPPED CHICAGO TO 40-10.

"THAT ONE HURT," SAID CUB MANAGER RON WASHINGTON. "WE HADN'T PLAYED REAL WELL OVER THE PAST 10 DAYS AND JONES' SHOT JUST COMPOUNDED THAT."

STILL, CHICAGO WAS 30 GAMES OVER .500, AND 10.5 GAMES UP IN THE NL CENTRAL OVER STL AND 11.5 AHEAD OF THE BREWERS.

IKE DAVIS AND GIANCARLO STANTON ARE RUNNING FIRST AND SECOND FOR NL MVP.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UPDATE TO 7-2-2012

59-20 .302 3.94 +13.5
--------------------------

DESPITE A SECOND CONSECUTIVE SUPERB SEASON, FIRST-YEAR MANAGER RON WASHINGTON CAN'T SEEM TO FIND THE BEST WAY TO GET CHICAGO READY FOR WHAT SHOULD BE A DEEP PLAYOFF RUN.

"HE'S VERY SIMILAR IN STYLE TO (LAST YEAR'S MANAGER MIKE QUADE). HE WANTS TO GET ALL HIS POSITION PLAYERS PLAYING TIME TO KEEP EVERYBODY FRESH AND CONSISTENT," SAID PHILLIES ADVANCE SCOUT TODD TRAGER. "HE ALSO DOESN'T HAVE MUCH PATIENCE FOR HIS BOTTOM TIER STARTING PITCHERS AND WASHINGTON IS MUCH MORE EAGER TO PULL TRADES THAT LOOK FAR DOWN THE ROAD."

CUBS MANAGER RON WASINGTON CONTINUES TO BUILD THE CUBBIES FOR A SECOND STRAIGHT WORLD WERIES WIN.

WASHINGTON HAS CALLED UP PLENTY OF PLAYERS TO GAIN EXPERIENCE AND ACQUIRED SOME BULLPEN HELP.

"AND IT SURE DOESN'T HURT HE'S GOT THEM AT 59-20," TRAGER SAID. "HE MAY NEVER FIND THAT 'MAGIC MIX,' BUT IT MAY NOT MATTER."

STATS
--------------
A CONNOR .293 19 42
C SANTANA .303 29 50
C HART .346 19 422
I DAVIS .337 28 63
M STANTON .365 24 49
R WHITE .394 11 26
P SANDOVAL .288 26 58
A FERNANDEZ .282 15 36
V HAYWOOD 305 15 31

E PATTERSON .348 3 22
E DANIELS .324 2 6
B JOHNSON 556 1 2
W AYBAR .222 0 0

E SANTANA 8-4 3.82
I NOVA 9-2 75
J CHACIN 9-0 2.55
J VERLANDER 9-1 2.76
B DUENSING 6-3 3.38
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE WAITING IS THE HARDEST PART
37-YEAR-OLD ROOKIE CALLED UP

BY TOD EVERGREEN

SPORTSWRITER

CHICAGO SPECTATOR

ST. LOUIS - NERVOUSNESS IS NOT PART OF HIS GAME - EVER.

SO WHEN PAT DORWIN STEPPED UP FOR HIS INITIAL MAJOR LEAGUE AT-BAT SATURDAY, HE SIMPLY STEPPED HALF-WAY OUT OF THE BATTER'S BOX JUST TO TAKE TWO SECONDS TO SOAK UP SOME MEMORIES.

THAT THE MEMORIES WERE 20 YEARS IN THE MAKING MATTERED NOT TO DORWIN. GETTING ON BASE DID.

WITH A SINGLE UP THE MIDDLE, THE 37-YEAR-OLD CAME FULL CIRCLE IN A JOURNEY 20 YEARS IN THE MAKING.

"I WAS A RICHMOND FLYING SQUIRREL (CLASS AA TEAM FOR SAN FRANCISCO) A YEAR AGO," SAYS DORWIN. "I HAD ACTUALLY RETIRED AFTER THE SEASON, BUT HADN'T NOTIFIED MAJOR LEAGU BASEBALL."

WHEN A LETTER FROM THE CUBS CAME TO HIS HOUSE NEAR GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK AT THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY, IT SAT UNOPENED FOR A WEEK IN HIS VAN.

"HONESTLY, I THOUGHT IT WAS AN OFFER TO COACH, MOST LIKELY IN ROOKIE LEAGUE BALL," HE SAYS. "IT HAD TO SIT AROUND FOR ME TO MULL IT OVER."

DORWIN FELT HE HAD REACHED THE END AFTER A STRONG SEASON IN RICHMOND FOR A DOMINATING FLYING SQUIRRELS SQUAD. HE HAD EVEN REGAINED STRENGTH IN HIS SHOULDER, ALLOWING HIM TO PLAY SOME SHORTSTOP, SOMETHING HE HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO IN A DECADE.

HE WAS SEEMINGLY ON TOP OF HIS GAME- ALTHOUGH THE GAME WASN'T BASEBALL - WHEN HE HURT THE SHOULDER AT AGE 27 PLAYING RUGBY.

A YEAR LATER, HE WAS BACK PLUGGING AWAY IN DOUBLE-AA, A SPARE OUTFIELDER IN THE TIGERS' ORGANIZATION.

"LOSING THE STRENGTH IN MY RIGHT SHOULDER WAS DEVASTING," DORWIN REMEMBERS. "I HAD PLAYED OUTFIELD BEFORE, BUT I REALLY TOOK PRIDE IN MY DEFENSE AT SHORT."

VETERAN AL SCOUT TOMMY OGLE SAYS DORWIN WOULD HAVE LIKELY MADE THE MAJORS BECAUSE OF HIS RANGE AT SHORT AND STRONG ARM.

"IT WAS A MATTER OF WHEN, NOT IF," SAYS OGLE, WHO ORIGINALLY SIGNED DORWIN OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL. "HE WAS BARELY 5-6, 150 POUNDS WHEN HE GRADUATED, BUT HE PROJECTED TO PLAY BIGGER, AND, MY GOODNESS, HE WAS FAST."

BUT DORWIN HAD OTHER OPTIONS COMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, INCLUDING A RUGBY SCHOLARSHIP TO VIRGINIA TECH AS WELL AS A PARTIAL BASEBALL RIDE TO NEARBY UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, WHERE DORWIN WAS A STANDOUT ATHLETE 30 MILES AWAY AT SEVIER COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.

HE WAS ALSO A 33rd-ROUND SELECTION BY THE REDS, BUT NEVER SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED GOING PRO BEFORE GAINING COLLEGE EXPERIENCE AND BUILDING MUSCLE.

"I WENT TO UT, BUT THE PLACE WAS SO BIG, SIZE- AND STUDENT-WISE, I FELT OVERWHELMED," DORWIN SAYS. "I WAS THE SIXTH OR SEVENTH CHOICE SHORTSTOP AND THE COACH WOULDN'T LET ME PLAY RUGBY (FOR STRONG UT PROGRAM)."

VIRGINIA TECH WAS NO LONGER AN OPTION, SO DORWIN BOLTED UT, WORKED HARD OVER THE WINTER AND CONTENTED HIMSELF TO PLAYING HIGH-LEVEL SOFTBALL FOUR NIGHTS A WEEK AND ON WEEKENDS.

AND IT WAS ON A SOFTBALL FIELD OGLE NOTICED HIM.

"HE WAS THE SECOND COMING OF OZZIE SMITH TO ME," SAYS OGLE. "HE'D PLAY 10 FEET BACK IN THE GRASS FOR THE STRONG HITTERS, ADDING YARDS TO HIS RANGE AND HE HAD AN ABSOLUTE SHOTGUN FOR AN ARM."

BUT OGLE SAYS IT WAS A ROUTINE PLAY - FOR PROFESSIONAL SHORTSTOPS THAT IS - THAT HELPED OGLE MAKE UP HIS MIND TO GET THE YOUNGSTER.

"PAT ZIPPED IN ON A SLOW ROLLER, BAREHANDED IT AND FIRED ACROSS HIS BODY TO NIP THE RUNNER," OGLE SAYS. "THAT'S A PLAY YOU SEE IN DOUBLE-AA, NOT SOFTBALL."

DORWIN AND OGLE'S EMPLOYERS, THE TEXAS RANGERS, WORKED OUT A THREE-YEAR DEAL, DORWIN HIT .287 WITH EIGHT HOMERS IN A SHORT SEASON LEAGUE IN 1992, THEN A COMBINED .310 AT THE A AND AA LEVELS AT AGE 18.

DORWIN WAS TOUTED AS A PHENOM, BUT SLUMPED AT CLASS AA AND ENDED UP BEING A ROLE PLAYER OFF THE BENCH.

WITH HIS CONTRACT EXPIRED, AND ASPIRATIONS OF A QUICK RISE TO THE MAJORS FADING, DORWIN INKED A TWO-YEAR DEAL WITH BOURGOIN, A FRENCH RUGBY CLUB, WHERE HE WAS EXPECTED TO EXCEL IN SEVENS, THE SHORTER VERSION OF THE FULL SPORT.

"SEVENS IS A TEAM OF SEVEN PLAYERS PLAYING TWO SEVEN-MINUTE HALVES AS OPPOSED TO 15 PLAYERS AND 30-MINUTE HALVES," DORWIN EXPLAINED. "IT'S A GAME BUILT ON SPEED AND THAT WAS A STRONG POINT FOR ME."

USING HIS 6.5-SECOND, 60-YARD DASH WHEELS, DORWIN HELPED LEAD BOURGOIN TO THE WORLD CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP IN HIS FIRST SEASON, BUT THEN WAS PROMOTED TO THE SECOND SIDE OF THE MAIN CLUB.

"I WAS FINE WITH THAT, IT WAS A GREAT HONOR AND I STILL COULD FOCUS ON 7s," HE SAYS. DORWIN ENDED UP STARTING THREE A SIDE GAMES (TWO AT WING, THE OTHER AT FULLBACK, POSITIONS COMPARABLE TO NFL WRs, DBs AND KICK RETURNERS.

BUT AT 21, HE WAS AGAIN PARKED IN THE CROSSROADS. HIS ATHLETICISM LED TO OFFERS FROM A TRIO OF MLB CLUBS, BUT MORE THAN TWO DOZEN RUGBY TEAMS, INCLUDING AN OFFER FROM THE IRELAND RUGBY UNION.

"I QUALIFIED THROUGH MY GRANDMOTHER TO PLAY FOR IRELAND, BUT I WAS READY TO RETURN TO THE STATES AND TRY MY LUCK WITH THE USA EAGLES," DORWIN SAYS.

ONE PROBLEM, THOUGH. THE COACHES OF AMERICA'S NATIONAL TEAMS, IN BOTH 15s AND 7s, NEVER HEARD OF DORWIN.

HE SIMPLY SHOWED UP AT THE COLORADO SPRINGS TRAINING SITE AND ASKED FOR A TRYOUT.

"I WAS POLITELY TOLD THAT WASN'T THE WAY IT WORKED," SAYS DORWIN. "BASICALLY I HAD TO PLAY AT THE CLUB LEVEL AND PROVE MYSELF TO THE SELECTORS WHO CHOOSE THE PLAYERS FOR TRYOUTS WITH THE EAGLES.

BACK HOME NEAR KNOXVILLE, DORWIN JOINED THE KNOXVILLE POSSUMS RUGBY CLUB - AND IMMEDIATELY WAS THRUST INTO THE CAPTAINCY AND A STARTING ROLE FOR THE CAPE FEAR 7s TOURNAMENT.

"IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST - IF NOT THE LARGEST 7s TOURNEY IN NORTH AMERICA," HE SAYS.

PLAYING IN FIVE OF SIX MATCHES OVER TWO DAYS, DORWIN SCORED 22 TRIES (LIKE TOUCHDOWNS IN FOOTBALL), TURNING THE HEADS OF SOME SELECTORS, AS KNOXVILLE ROCKED LOUISVILLE, KY., IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP 45-10.

PAT DORWIN RACES DOWNFIELD FOR THE KNOXVILLE POSSUMS WITH TEAMMATE BRIAN NIEKERK IN SUPPORT.

"I COULDN'T BELIEVE THIS KID WASN'T HOOKED UP WITH A BIG U.S. TEAM," SAID EMIL SIGNES, A 7s COACH FOR A NUMBER OF TEAMS.

SIGNES ASKED DORWIN TO PLAY WITH AN INVITATIONAL SIDE, ATLANTIS, THE NEXT WEEK IN A TOURNAMENT, IRONICALLY SET IN KNOXVILLE.

SIGNES WAS LOOKING FOR THE BEST 12 PLAYERS TO FILL OUT HIS ROSTER FOR A CAYMAN ISLANDS TOURNAMENT. DORWIN FELT A BIT SLEIGHTED AT BEING NAMED TO THE "POSSIBLES" SQUAD INSTEAD OF THE "PROBABLES."

THAT THOUGHT QUCKLY CHANGED AS THE TOURNAMENT MOVED ON WITH DORWIN TALLYING FOUR SCORES AGAINST VIRGINIA BEACH, SITTING A GAME, THEN CAPPING OFF SATURDAY'S PLAY WITH A SIX-TRY PERFORMANCE AGAINST TOLEDO, OHIO.

IN THAT SUNDAY'S QUARTFINAL ACTION, DORWIN CHIP-KICKED THE BALL AHEAD IN THE WANING MOMENTS OF THE MATCH, GOT A NICE BOUNCE AND TREKKED IN FOR A 60-YARD BREAKAWAY SCORE.

THE POSSIBLES SQUARED OFF WITH LOUISVILLE IN ONE SEMIFINAL WHILE THE PROBABLES MET NASHVILLE IN THE OTHER.

DORWIN STARTED THE MATCH AT SCRUMHALF, BUT MOVED TO FLYHALF WITH JUST A FEW MINUTES LEFT IN A 14-14 MATCH. OFF A LINEOUT INSIDE HIS OWN HALF, DORWIN TOOK A PASS, FAKED AN INSIDE DROP OFF TO HIS CENTER AND WITH THE OPPOSING WING CHARGING HARD TO COVER POSSIBLES' WING FRANK BENNETT, DORWIN DEFTLY CHIPPED AHEAD AND BENNETT CAUGHT THE KICK ON THE FLY TO SCORE THE MATCH-WINNING TRY.

THE PROBABLES' 21-12 WIN SET UP AN ALL-ATLANTIS FINAL. DORWIN WAS SELECTED AT WING TO MATCH UP WITH DAVID "DIXIE" DEAN, A USA NATIONAL TEAM PLAYER AND ONE OF THE SHIFTIEST 7s PLAYERS TO WEAR AN AMERICAN EAGLE JERSEY.

"DIXIE GOT THE BEST OF ME," SAID DORWIN. "HE RAN ME TO DEATH AND ENDED UP WITH THREE TRIES."

BUT DORWIN HAD OPENED THE POSSIBLES' SCORING ON THE OPENING KICKOFF WHEN THE BALL WAS TAPPEDD BACK TO HIM ON THE BURST AND HE KICKED AHEAD AND GOT THE BALL TO GO IN FOR THE TRY.

DORWIN EQUALED DEAN'S HAT TRICK BUT DROPPED A SURE FOURTH SCORE IN THE TRY ZONE AS THE PROBABLES HUNG ON FOR A RIVETING 45-40 WIN.

HE WOULD MAKE THE CAYMAN ISLANDS TEAM, BUT SPENT MOST OF THE TOURNAMENT AS DEAN'S UNDERSTUDY, SCORING JUST ONCE IN TWO APPEARANCES AS ATLANTIS FELL TO TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 22-17 IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH.

HE WAS ON THE NATIONAL TEAM'S RADAR AND WOULD PLAY PROFESSIONALLY FROM AGE 23 TO 27 BEFORE AN INJURY TO HIS RIGHT SHOULDER PUT HIM OUT OF ALL SPORTS ACTION FOR A YEAR.

WHEN HE CAME BACK TO COMPETING, IT WAS BASEBALL AGAIN, SIGNING WITH DETROIT OUT OF AN OPEN TRYOUT. HE WAS NOW A DOUBLE-AA CENTERFIELDER.

DORWIN BECAME A HUMAN "PINBALL" THEN, BOUNCING AROUND AA AND AAA, BUT NEVER EARNING A MLB CALL-UP. HIS STATS FOLLOW:

2012-CHICAGO CUBS ORGANIZATION-AGE 37
AA .322 11 45 17
CUBS (THRU AUG. 29)
15 GAMES 55 AB 21 H (.382 AVG) 13 R 4 2B
5 HR 11 RBI 5 SB .727 SLG .400 OPB

2011-SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS-AGE 36
AA-RICHMOND FLYING SQUIRRELS
.299 15 66 24

2010-SEATTLE MARINERS-AGE 35
AAA .282 4 16 3
AA .331 19 89 25

2009-MILWAUKEE BREWERS-AGE 34
AAA .277 16 54 33

2008-MILWAUKEE BREWERS-AGE 33
AAA .322 14 49 15
AA .355 7 38 9

2007-ST. LOUIS CARDINALS AGE 32
AAA .267 4 35 19

2006-ST. LOUIS CARDINALS-AGE 31
AAA .292 9 41 17

2005-ATLANTA BRAVES-AGE 30
AAA ,302 5 32 7
AA .310 5 27 11

2004-DETROIT TIGERS-AGE 29
AA .317 10 54 27
================================================== ====

WITH VIC HAYWOOD AND FREDDIE FREEMAN BEING RECALLED, AN RP JUAN RINCON COMING BACK FROM A BROKEN HAND, THE CLUB'S PLAYOFF ROSTER LOOKS SET AS OF AUG. 29, 2012
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FINAL UPDATE

CHI 2012 107-55 3.92 .296 +10

IT WAS BOMBS AWAY AGAIN FOR THE CUBS UNDER NEW MANAGER RON WASHINGTON, WHO HAD THREE PLAYERS BELT AT LEAST 50 HOMERS (G STANTON, I DAVIS AND C SANTANA WHILE PABLO SANDOVAL JUST MISSED THAT TARGET BY TWO AND ROY A CONNER KNOCKED 44 OUT OF THE PARK.

STANTON WON TWO OF THREE TRIPLE CROWN CATEGORIES, LEADING THE NL IN HITTING AT .357, BUT HIS 110 RBIs WERE WELL BEHIND THE 128 OF MARK REYNOLDS.

STANTON CAPTURED HIS SECOND STRAIGHT MVP AWARD, WHILE ALSO EARNING SILVER SLUGGER AND HANK AARON HARDWARE.

JUSTIN VERLANDER TOOK THE CY YOUNG AWARD HOME WITH AN 18-5 MARK AND 3.13 ERA

CONNER WON THE ROY WITH HIS .319 44 89 PERFORMANCE.

TEAM STATS
PLAYER G AVG HR RBI SB
P SANDOVAL 139 .307 48 100 2
I DAVIS 136 .340 56 113 9
A CONNER 134 .319 44 89 13
G STANTON 133 .357 57 110 17
C SANTANA 119 .287 50 87 10
C HART 117 .291 25 51 20
V HAYWOOD 113 .272 22 47 10
A FERNANDEZ 104 .274 24 57 4
E PATTERSON 101 .281 6 34 8
R WHITE 91 .315 18 48 9
F FREEMAN 68 .286 15 37 3
B JOHNSON 63 .286 9 23 9
P DORWIN 37 .333 10 25 9

VERLANDER 18-5 3.13 33 22
CHACIN 16-6 3.37 31 14
SANTANA 14-9 3.74 33 18
NOVA 14-9 4.17 31 20
DUENSING 13-3 3.19 31 19
================================================== ======

SEE BLOG FOR PLAYOFFS AND WORLD SERIES INFO.

UP NEXT-2013

**JonahLomu** · 12-05-2012, 10:40 PM

2013

THIS IS ABOUT ALL YOU'LL FIND ON THE BLOG AS IT WAS A DISMAL SEASON AND MANY STATS WERE LOST. HELL, I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER THE MANAGER.

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2013 PAGE C1

SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS

CUB SUCCESS SLOW IN COMING

BY BUDDY WOODS

SPORTSWRITER

CHICAGO EXAMINER

THE CUBS REMINDED NOBODY IN APRIL OF THE TEAM THAT HAS WON THE LAST TWO WORLD SERIES.

NOW THAT MAY HAS ARRIVED, CHICAGO HAS SEEMED TO LOSE ANY IDENTITY AT ALL, AS AFTER HEADING TO A 12-11 OPENING MONTH, THE TEAM HAS MADE A NUMBER OF MOVES THAT HAVE LEFT FANS HOLDING ONTO THE INSERTED CURRENT ROSTER SHEETS INTO GAMEDAY PROGRAMS, INFORMATION WHICH SEEMS TO CHANGE DAILY.

THE TEAM HAS ACQUIRED THE LIKES OF SHORTSTOP STEPHEN DREW, WHOSE PLAYING LIKE AN ALL-STAR, STARTING PITCHERS J.A. HAPP, JOHN MAINE CORY LUEBKE AND POTENTIAL SUPERSTAR SHORTSTOP ENRIQUE DOMINGUEZ.

THEY ALSO HAD JOEY VOTTO FOR A WHOPPING FIVE DAYS, WHO WAS TRADED BACK CROSS-TOWN TO THE WHITE SOX AS JUSTIN VERLANDER WAS RE-ACQUIRED AS BOTH WERE INVOLVED IN THE EARLIER DEAL.

JUSTIN VERLANDER HAS RETURNED FROM THE SOUTH SIDE.

VOTTO WENT JUST 3-FOR-15 AS A CUB AND WILL BECOME A FREE AGENT WHILE VERLANDER HAS ANOTHER YEAR REMAINING ON HIS CONTRACT.

BUT GONE ARE THE LIKES OF GIANCARLO STANTON, WINNER OF THE NL's MVP AWARD THE PAST TWO YEARS, PAT DORWIN, WHO HELPED SUPERCHARGE THE CUBS OVER THE LAST SIX WEEKS IN 2012, BUDDING STAR FREDDIE FREEMAN, AND BRYANT JOHNSON, WHO PLAYED WELL LAST SEASON AND WAS EXPECTED TO BE A BIG PART OF THE 2013 TEAM AT SECOND BASE.

THROUGH EARLY MAY, THE CUBS FOUND THEMSELVES AT 16-14, TRAILING DIVISION LEADER CINCINNATI BY 4.5 GAMES AFTER JUAN RINCON AND D.J. CARRASCO WERE TORCHED FOR NINE RUNS IN LESS THAN AN INNING.

BOTH WERE DEMOTED AND SOON TRADED, AFTER THE CLUB HAD ALREDY RELEASED BOTH ITS RULE 5 SELECTIONS, OF PATRICK DURAN AND INF JEFF GOFF.

"THEY'RE SWINGING A REALLY BIG SLEDGEHAMMER THROUGH THAT FRONT OFFICE," SAID DAVIS BURKE, FIFTH-YEAR PHILLIE GM. "THEY ARE LEARNING THE HARD WAY THAT CHANGE FOR CHANGE'S SAKE ISN'T ALWAYS THE WAY TO GO."

CUBS GM LANCE TRAYWICK HAD NO COMMENT.

"IT'S CLEAR THE CUBS ARE TRYING TO GET SOME PLAYERS FOR THE FUTURE AND DUMP SOME SALARY," SAID AN NL SCOUT.

TRANSACTIONS

5-6
ACQ RP T WALKER AND 2B S RODRIGUEZ FROM SEA FOR RPs DJ CARRASCO AND JUAN RINCON

5-5 ACQ SP J VERLANDER AND RF M JOYCE FROM CWS FOR 1B J VOTTO, UTIL P DORWIN AND SP I SANTOS

5-2 ACQ SP C LUEBKE AND 2B A CASTRO FROM CWS FOR 1B R SCANDURIA, 2B B JOHNSON AND SP B SORIANO

5-1 ACQ SP J MAINE FROM BAL FOR 2B S SCHUMAKER AND 1B E DANIELS

4-30 ACQ SP J.A. HAPP, 1B J VOTTO AND RP DJ CARRASCO FROM CWS FOR SP J VERLANDER, RP J SBORZ AND OF G STANTON

4-16 ACQ SS E DOMINGUEZ FROM LAA FOR UTIL F FREEMAN AND 2B S RAMIREZ
ACQ SS STEPHEN DREW FROM KC FOR 1B-OF O VALDEZ, 2B L SAUNDERS AND CF E BUSH

4-15
ACQ CP B PARRA AND SP E DIAZ FROM TB FOR UTIL W AYBAR AND CP W MESORACO

4-12
ACQ CP G LOZANO AND RP B LEAGUE FROM HOU FOR SP K MULVEY AND RPs S DEDUNO AND K TEXEIRA

THE NL SCOUT OFFERED THE FOLLOWING OBSEVATIONS:

--STANTON'S OF SPOT WAS TAKEN BY MATT JOYCE, WHO HAS A DOZEN HOMERS AND CAN HOLD DOWN THE POSITION WHILE SOLOMON BRITT AND COLEMAN EASTON LEARN THEIR WAY AROUND THE MAJORS.

--THE LOGJAM OF VOTTO AND IKE DAVIS, BOTH FIRST BASEMEN, WAS RESOLVED.

--DREW IS A KEEPER - THE SCOUT SAID THE CUBS ARE PURSUING DEALS FOR VIC HEYWOOD AND ADRIAN FERNANDEZ, BOTH KEY MEMBERS OF THE 2011 AND 2012 TEAMS. FERNANDEZ DIDN'T HIT WELL AT SS AND NOW SEEMS STUCK IN AAA WHILE HEYWOOD CAN'T FIND PLAYING TIME IN CENTER BEHIND AARON CONNER, OR THE MIDDLE INFIELD IN BACK OF SEAN RODRIGUEZ AND AUBREY HARRIS.

--SPers J.A. HAPP AND JOHN MAINE ARE HAVING SOLID SEASONS AND CORY LUEBKE, BRAD MILLS AND RUSS OHLENDORF OFFER SECURITY.

--THE TEAM'S 4.75 ERA IS INFLATED BECAUSE THE BULLPEN BLEW UP SEVERAL TIMES. HE EXPECTS TYLER WALKER TO HAVE AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT AND BRANDON LEAGUE TO RETURN TO FORM.

--JUAN RINCON, A STAR OUT OF THE PEN IN 2012, HAD LOST CONFIDENCE AND WILL LIKELY COTINUE TO PITCH POORLY IN SEATTLE AND DESPITE ONLY ONE BAD OUTING FROM CARRASCO, THE TEAM GREATLY IMPROVED BY GETTING WALKER AND SEAN RODRIGUEZ FOR THE TWO RELIEVERS.
----------------------

UP NEXT-2014

**JonahLomu** · 12-05-2012, 10:51 PM

2014

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2014 PAGE C1

CUB SWOON MARCHES ON

CINCY TAKES BACK-AND-FORTH GAME

CINCINNATI - IT WAS AN ALL-TOO FAMILAR SCENE FOR CUB FANS.

CHICAGO STARTER MARK BRISBOIS GAVE UP A FIRST-INNING RUN, THEN BATTLED UNTIL HE WAS IN POSITION TO PICK UP THE WIN. HE WENT SEVEN INNINGS AND AFTER THE CUBS TOOK A 2-1 LEAD INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE EIGHTH, BRISBOIS WAS IN LINE TO SCOOP UP THE VICTORY.

A WELL-RESTED SERGIO ROMO ALLOWED CINCY A RUN, AND JOSE REYES THEN LAUNCHED HIS 15th HOMER TO RIGHT TO GIVE THE CUBS A 3-2 LEAD GOING INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH.

CLOSER HONG-CHIH KOU GOT AN OUT THEN GAVE UP A BLOOP SINGLE TO KELLY JOHNSON. CURTIS GRANDERSON FOLLOWED WITH HIS 20th HR TO GIVE THE REDS THE WALK-OFF WIN.

"PRETTY TYPICAL OF OUR PLAY THIS MONTH," SAID CHICAGO PITCHING COACH DEWAYNE STEVENSON. "KOU HAS A BIGGER ERA (3.65) THAN YOU WANT TO SEE FROM YOUR CLOSER."

CUB CLOSER HONG-CHI KUO WAS TAGGED WITH THE LOSS.

THE CUBS WON THE OPENING GAME OF THE SET AFTER COMING IN ON A 4-10 SLIDE.

"WE HAD THE HOME RUN SWINGS WORKING (EIGHT IN THE THREE GAMES) BUT HIT LESS THAN .210 FOR THE SERIES WITH ONLY 11 RUNS DRIVEN IN," SAID CUB MANAGER RON WASHINGTON. "I THINK AT THIS POINT (62-70, 13 GAMES BACK FOR A WILD CARD SPOT) WE HAVE TO PEEK AHEAD TO NEXT YEAR."

THE CUBS SPATE OF TRADES THIS SEASON WILL NOT PAY OFF IN TALENT OR PAYROLL UNTIL 2015, SAID BREWERS ADVANCE SCOUT GIO TATUM.

"YOU MINE AS WELL THROW THEM (YOUNGER PLAYERS) INTO THE FIRE," HE SAID.

INDEED, 20 OF THE THE 25 CURRENT PLAYERS WERE ACQUIRED THIS SEASON VIA TRADE, AND ANOTHER TWO PICKED UP ON WAIVERS.

UP NEXT: 2015 AND PLAYOFFS!

CUBS HISTORY-2011 RECAP

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