CUBS - 7/28/02

LATEST TEAM INFO: 44-58, Fifth in National League Central.

Too little. Too late. That is the difference Bruce Kimm has made.

The Chicago Cubs’ last half-gasp was the 9-4 record in Kimm’s first 13 games, including the season’s only other four-game win streak. But that was followed by a four-game losing streak before Kerry Wood’s first win after three no-decisions July 28th to drop to 10-8 in the Kimm regime.

But more pressing items are on the minds of the Cubs’ brass than the second half of the season, such as getting as much as possible from trading the team’s only tradable asset – Tom Gordon – who is pitching lately like he doesn’t want to leave (and he doesn’t), and the health of Jon Lieber.

Rotation:

The tendinitis that was discovered in April in the elbow of Jon Lieber (0-2, 6.35, 1.53) remains an issue that will overshadow the second half as the Cubs decide whether to exercise his $6.5 million contract option after the season and bring him back for 2003 or consider trading him during the off-season.

Lieber has been dealing with the pain since spring training. He missed an April start because of tendinitis and, after Bruce Kimm was told shortly after he took over as manager July 6 that Lieber's elbow was tender, Lieber was given extra rest after the All-Star break. He doesn't appear to have the same sharpness as a year ago. He admitted his chief concern was the poor command of his fastball and not being able to locate it well to complement his slider. That could have resulted from a mechanical flaw brought on by the tendinitis.

While his walk totals are as low as ever with only 12 in 134 innings, and the team is usually in position to win the games he starts, there is this nagging concern that Lieber, 32, isn't the same dominant pitcher he was before the tendinitis. Asked if he would consider offseason surgery, Lieber was adamant in not taking a major step in that direction. He vows that the elbow won't put him on the shelf early. The Cubs must decide if Lieber is simply going through elbow problems that he can overcome or if he is gradually slipping and a prime candidate to be traded while he still has lots of value.

I’m definitely separated from the situation, but the Cubs are loaded with starters with Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, Matt Clement, Carlos Zambrano and eventually Juan Cruz, and Jason Bere, who’s nearly ready to return from the DL. And that doesn't even count anyone else that the Cubs might acquire via free agency or a trade. So why not shut him down now? The tendinitis won’t just disappear, and it makes more sense to lose $2 million of use the rest of this year, than keep putting him out there and risk the benefits of the $6.5 million option next year.

Youngsters Zambrano (1-1, 2.84 ERA, 0.95 WHIP), Prior (2-1, 1.71, 0.90) and Clement (2-1, 4.26, 1.26) have each pitched tremendously since the break, despite having little support from the bullpen.

With five walks in his four starts since the All-Star break, Wood is in a rare streak of control that hasn't lasted long in his major-league career. Perhaps this is a sign that Wood's frequently erratic command has been conquered due to hard work on his mechanics since just before the break. After three no decisions, Wood (1-0, 3.21, 1.07) finally broke into the win column July 27th with a strong win at St Louis.

Bullpen:

Hard to believe, but, yes, there were wacky-crazy teams out there that wanted some of the junk in the Cubs bullpen. Really! And both Jeff Fassero and Tom Gordon had headlines in the Chicago papers stating that they want to stay in Chicago. Isn’t that nice? Hey, I’ll drive these guys out-of-town myself if that will bring some new guys in.

But Gordon (0-0, 2 H, 5.40, 2.60) doesn't seem to be the hot commodity he was a week ago, just days before Wednesday's trade deadline.

The Cubs are not getting as much action for Gordon as they had hoped. The Anaheim Angels seem to have dropped out of the discussions. The San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers still might decide to take a run at Gordon before the 11th hour, and the Cubs still could end up with a couple of prospects in a Gordon deal. But the Cubs might stand pat, as well.

Fassero has pitched well of late (2-1, 2 H, 3.00, 3.00), but due to his team-high 5.75 ERA, isn't expected to be dealt anywhere. The market for him has been basically nonexistent.

The rest of the relievers (Antonio Alfonseca (0-0, 2 SV, 1 BS, 4.50, 1.33), Joe Borowski (0-0, 1 BS, 1.00, 1.00) and Kyle Farnsworth (1-1, 1 SV, 1 H, 6.00, 1.67) have pitched decently.

Juan Cruz (0-0, 1 H, 0.00, 0.75) isn't likely to return to the rotation this season, though the young right-hander might become a starter again in the future. "I like Cruz in the bullpen at this stage of his career,'' Kimm told the Sun-Times. "There's something to be said for letting guys get their feet on the ground in the bullpen. Baltimore did it for years. Cruz has a rubber arm. He didn't pitch for me [last season], but I'd like him to get comfortable in the major leagues. I feel comfortable bringing him in in the eighth to get to the closer. He's going to be a real good pitcher. Sometimes you have pitchers who are good enough to be starters or closers. You have to go on the success they're having. They'll end up where they should be down the road.''

Infield:

Mark Bellhorn (.327, 6 2B, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 1.039 OPS) has been the steadiest player this season, and is in the top three in several team hitting categories, despite having only 60% as many at-bats.

And Bill Mueller (.250, 2 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .711 OPS), Fred McGriff (.314, 2 2B, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 1.033) and Alex Gonzalez (.250, 4 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .766 OPS) have performed well.

Todd Hundley received his chance to be the every-day catcher when Joe Girardi was put on the DL July 17th with a left posterior rib cage strain, and Mike Mahoney was recalled from Triple-A Iowa to back up Hundley. He has managed the heat, but not the bat (.200, 2 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, .629 OPS).

Outfield:

There’s not much to say about the outfielders. The Cub trio have hit poorly since the break. Moises Alou (.174, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .501 OPS) looked like he was coming around before the break, but he’s back to his old self. Sammy Sosa (.208, 1 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, .707 OPS) swears that he doesn’t need a day off, that there is no problem despite hitting nearly 100 points below his season average of a month ago. Sosa has gone from hitting .315 on June 27th to .293 on July 27th (.222 average in July).

Corey Patterson usually hit leadoff under Don Baylor, but he often did not play against left-handed pitchers. Baylor said he didn't want to risk Patterson losing his rhythm and confidence if he struggled against left-handers. Bruce Kimm, who managed Patterson during his demotions to Triple-A Iowa, moved Patterson to the No.6 spot in the order and intends to keep him there and in center field, no matter the opposing pitcher. But, I don’t think it’s working out to well (.148, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .383 OPS).

Hitting coach Jeff Pentland told the Tribune about Patterson: "I give him his space. I try to keep what I do with him real simple because he's very talented. A lot of times young people don't realize how talented they are until they see the production. He hears everything: 'You're swinging at too many high pitches. You're pulling the ball too much.' All the standard phrases you hear in baseball. I've told him: 'I know you know you're swinging at too many high pitches so I won't say much to you about it. I know you're catching it from everywhere else.' We'll work that out. I've never had a young guy who didn't swing at high pitches. It's something you learn over time.

"He's really hard on himself," Pentland continued. "He's quiet, so you don't hear much, but I think he goes home a lot and breaks down every at-bat. I tell him, 'Keep your mind clear.' People tend to put too much stuff in his head. You get here because you have good talent and as you get experience, your thinking gets better. Leave the thinking to me and [manager] Bruce [Kimm] and you just go out and play."

INJURIES:

Girardi went on the disabled list for the first time since 1994, sidelined by a strained rib cage muscle.

Bere who had been slated to return to the rotation this week, reaggravated his strained right groin while pitching in the bullpen. Bere had been scheduled to make a rehabilitation start last weekend at Double-A West Tennessee, but those plans had to be scrapped.

Hopefully, some of the Cardinals’ pitching luck hasn’t moved north.

Right-hander Scott Chiasson, who excelled in the big leagues late last season, will need reconstructive surgery. Chiasson would be the fourth Cubs pitcher to undergo the operation since Jan. 1, following left-handers Will Ohman and Phil Norton and former first-round pick Ben Christensen. Cubs officials were surprised with the severity of the injury because Chiasson hit 95 m.p.h in his last outing at Double-A West Tennessee.

Chiasson, acquired in the 2001 deal that sent third baseman Eric Hinske to Oakland, breezed through the Cubs' system last season, notching 34 saves. He posted a 2.70 ERA in six September games for the Cubs. But he struggled this year, giving up nine runs in 3 2/3 innings at Chicago and going 1-4 with a 7.94 ERA at Triple-A Iowa before being demoted to West Tennessee.

Christensen underwent surgery July 14 with no complications and a good prognosis to return to pitching next season. The surgery was the second in as many years for the 24-year-old Christensen. Last season, he appeared in only three games at West Tennessee before requiring right-shoulder surgery in May. But Cubs officials said doctors didn't believe the two conditions were related.

LOCAL PERSPECTIVE:

There had been a lot of talk about Gordon, Fassero, McGriff and even Lieber being the topic of trades. And about the run the Cubs were on after Kimm was placed as manager. But all that talk is all but gone. If there is any trade of significance before Wednesday, it will only be for Gordon for a couple of prospects.

ON THE FARM:

Highly regarded left-handed prospect Steve Smyth, who is pitching at Class AAA Iowa, could be with the Cubs before the end of next week. If the Cubs deal Gordon by the trade deadline, Smyth will be considered to take Gordon's place in the bullpen. Smyth began the year at West Tennessee. Earlier this season, the Cubs were unsure if they wanted Smyth, 24, to come to the majors in a relief role. A starter at Iowa, Smyth underwent surgery last August for a strained left shoulder. But it is thought that Smyth would be fine if the Cubs only needed to use him out of the bullpen.

Lost in the shuffle, Triple-A Iowa first baseman Julio Zuleta was named PCL Player of the Month after hitting 14 homers in June. He also drove in 26 runs and hit .306. Despite that, Zuleta has little chance of getting recalled because of McGriff and the promise of Hee Seop Choi.

Class AAA Iowa:

Choi (1B) – In addition to continuing to pound the ball (20 2B, 22 HR, 74 RBI, 76 RS, 195 TB), Choi has improved his batting average from the low .270s in May to an impressive .303.

Bobby Hill (2B) – Continues steady improvement (.280, 13 2B, 4 3B, 5 HR, 24 RBI, 57 RS, 19 SB).

Chris Gissell (SP) – One of the Cubs better starting prospects in Triple-A, Gissell has had moderate success this season (8-6, 5.28 ERA, 1.41 WHIP).

Class AA West Tennessee:

Jackson Melian (OF) – A right-fielder who the Cubs received from Milwaukee in the Robert Machado trade, Melian was hitting .223 with 6 HR and 24 RBI at the time of the trade. With the Diamond Jaxx, he is hitting .331 with 10 2B, 4 HR, 17 RBI and 7 SB in 40 games.

Matt Bruback (SP) – Has continued to be the best pitcher for the Jaxx (7-4, 3.10, 1.16)

QUICK VIEW:

HOT:

Clement, Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Bellhorn

NOT:

Alou, Patterson, Sosa, Lieber, Farnsworth, Hundley