Cubs and White Sox: Will they sink or swim?
Hello, again. This is former doctor Jeff Vorva giving his annual advice to try to save the Cubs.
You may remember that last year I gave the Cubs some suggestions. They didn't listen - and they finished in last place, which was followed by the departures from the organization of Andy MacPhail and Dusty Baker, among others.
And, yes, I lost my medical license for something I didn't do and my lawyer is hard at work trying to lie to a jury ... er ... prove I didn't do it.
Meanwhile, I couldn't get close to another medical job. I was in the running for a janitorial position at a clinic in a neighborhood that even the cops and National Guard are scared to death to go into. But once they learned my true identity, I was nixed. Who knew that by using "Ffej Avrov" as an alias they would figure out who I was?
So now I'm a lifeguard at a beach that has more broken beer bottles than swimmers. Thus far, I've saved no lives. I've yelled at a few delinquents who were at the base of my wood stand, with matches in their hands and devilish grins on their faces. I've had to stifle R-rated behavior from some of the high school kids.
So I turn my attention to try to help save the North Siders and ... Hey, kid! You! The one under my stand with the chainsaw in his hand, laughing - you're out of here! And take your grubby pals with you!
Starting pitchers
They'll sink if ... Jason Marquis' sinker doesn't sink and if unproven youngsters Rich Hill and Sean Marshall falter.
They'll swim if ... Marquis, Hill and Marshall are above average while Carlos Zambrano (10-7) and Ted Lilly (8-4) continue to prosper.
Life preserver: Actually, there is none. There isn't much help in the minors in the organization. Unless the Cubs deal for a starting pitcher in the next few weeks, they have to sink or swim with these five.
Bullpen
They'll sink if ... The relievers go into a funk like they did in April, when they combined to go 0-7. And they will sink big time if they continue to just have six men in the bullpen. Manager Lou Piniella thinks that will be corrected by Sunday, but he's been hoping for that seventh pitcher since mid-June.
They'll swim if ... Carlos Marmol (0.96 ERA) continues to be nasty, be it as a setup man or a closer while Ryan Dempster mends. And if Scott Eyre (3.38 ERA in 2006, 6.60 this year) gets it together, that would be a bonus.
Life preserver ... Kerry Wood and Wade Miller are recovering from shoulder injuries. It would be a stretch to expect them to be able to help this team down the stretch. But there's always hope.
Infield (including catchers)
They'll sink if ... Youngsters Mike Fontenot and Ryan Theriot let down and Aramis Ramirez's cranky left knee gives out. Oh, and catchers Koyie Hill (.148) and Rob Bowen (.074 as a Cub) cannot continue to be automatic outs if this team wants to reach the playoffs.
They'll swim if ... Derrek Lee figures out how to hit home runs again. Sure, the Cubs love his .330 average. But if he's going to continue to bat third, he needs to amp up the long balls.
Life preserver: Henry Blanco (herniated disc in his neck) could come back in the next few weeks. Blanco, one of the top defensive catchers in the game, is a light hitter, but his .266 average from last year is gargantuan compared to what Hill and Bowen are giving the team.
Outfield
They'll sink if ... They continue to play musical chairs in center and right. Piniella says he's not a guy who plays the hot hand, but when it comes to players in ice-cold slumps, he doesn't give them the time of day. Either rookie Felix Pie can play or not. If not, send him to the minors until he can.
They'll swim if ... Jacque Jones - remember him, the guy who was almost traded? - gets new life and takes out any frustrations on the ball. If he gets his offense on track, it could only mean good things.
Life preserver: Mark DeRosa - remember him, the guy who was supposed to be the Cubs' second baseman for three seasons? - has showed decent range and a strong arm the few times he's played right field.
Manager & coaching staff
They'll sink if ... Egos get in the way. When Piniella's teams are winning, he's a great guy to play for. But some players mumbled and grumbled about him when things weren't going so well. Piniella's honesty when things aren't going well is refreshing to fans but not welcome with some fragile egos in the clubhouse.
They'll swim if ... Somehow, some way, someday, the coaches finally drill proper baserunning skills into the players' heads - and the players remember the instructions.
Life preserver: Will someone PLEASE give pitching coach Larry Rothschild the 12th pitcher on the staff before his head explodes?
Front office
They'll sink if ... The men above the Cubs' front office (the guys in the real big offices) continue to block deals because of money, thanks to the uncertainty of the pending sale of the club.
They'll swim if ... The front office men do their jobs as if their jobs depended on it. That means win now. If you have to trade away some stud prospects for someone who can help now, so be it. It stands to reason that the new owner(s) would be more impressed with front-office people who led the Cubs to the playoffs.
Life preserver: To have some devil-may-care, super-rich guy buy the Cubs today. And in the next few weeks he lets GM Jim Hendry and Piniella get rid of whomever they want and bring in Ken Griffey Jr. to play right, A-Rod to play short and a couple of Molinas to catch. Of course, that thought probably belongs on "Fantasy Island."
See you at the beach. Hey kid, what are you doing with that blowtorch?!
Jeff Vorva can be reached at
jvorva@aol.com
Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle.
That's pretty much the sound the White Sox are making right now as they sink in the American League Central, and this resuscitation job might be too much even for the likes of Pamela Anderson and David Hasselhoff.
This sub-.500 team has struggled since the second pitch of the season - remember the homer Grady Sizemore hit off Jose Contreras? - and is in desperate need of mouth to mouth.
Lifeguard Whalen isn't the one to give it to them, however, but here's a step-by-step guide on how to breathe some life into this team.
Starting pitchers
They'll sink if ... Javier Vazquez or Contreras gets traded.
They'll swim if ... They've been swimming. They're not the problem.
Life preserver: It will look like a concrete slab instead of a life preserver, but the rotation might have to sink a little now to swim later. They'll probably trade at least one starter to eventually clear room for Gavin Floyd in the rotation. If another goes, Gio Gonzalez or reliever Nick Masset - both starters of the future - will get shifted to the rotation. There's a learning curve, but it might be essential to make this team better for years to come.
Bullpen
They'll sink if ... The relievers climb a little bit. Right now, they're at the bottom of Lake Michigan.
They'll swim if ... A miracle comes about. But, hey, if Cliff Politte and Neal Cotts can be the two most dominant relievers in baseball one season ...
Life preserver: Some call-ups. Dewon Day will get more time to prove himself, as will Boone Logan. If the Sox do choose to call up Gonzalez and/or Adam Russell and use them out of the bullpen, it would help limit the innings on the youngsters' arm and also give the Sox a few more hard tossers out of the 'pen.
Infield (including catchers)
They'll sink if ... Injuries strike this relatively healthy group.
They'll swim if ... They continue how they ended the first half.
Life preserver: Time. Paul Konerko is beginning to swing a hotter bat and appears as though he's pressing less at the plate. A.J. Pierzynski should be more well-rested because Toby Hall figures to see a little more playing time behind the plate in the second half. Tadahito Iguchi's injured finger is almost fully healed, and he's starting to hit. Josh Fields will continue to develop into a major leaguer at third while Juan Uribe continues to be what he is.
Outfield
They'll sink if ... Jermaine Dye is traded and Scott Podsednik and Darin Erstad get injured - again.
They'll swim if ... The younger players who are inevitably called up show they belong in the bigs.
Life preserver: Ryan Sweeney, Brian Anderson and Jerry Owens might get plenty of playing time down the stretch to prove themselves, so it's up to the younger guys to keep this unit afloat. So far, none has showed the ability to play consistently at the big-league level, but they continue to have the organization's faith.
Manager & coaching staff
They'll sink if ... The front office believes everything being written.
They'll swim if ... The players start performing.
Life preserver: A vote of confidence from the higher-ups. Oh, wait, that's already happened. About a million times. Ozzie Guillen is safe - general manager Ken Williams has said so many more times than he can count - but this could be a one-year grace period for the coaches. If the players don't turn it around early next season, then the ax could begin falling.
Front office
They'll sink if ... Things keep going the way they're going for another year or so.
They'll swim if ... The impending moves work out.
Life preserver: Good scouting. Williams' maneuvering ability will be tested like never before. Not only will he have to decide whom to trade and what they can get in return this season, but the Sox front office will then have to figure out what moves to make this winter to turn this organization around quickly. For the second year in a row, the bullpen will be the top priority, but the Sox could also have to address needs in the outfield and the middle infield.
Nathaniel Whalen can be reached at
nwhalen@dailysouthtown.com. Read Nathaniel Whalen's White Sox blog at blogs.dailysouthtown.com/whalen/