Cubs News Bits

-Curt Schilling says he’s not sure he’s coming back but if does, the Cubs are on his short list.

-“I’m going to strike him out.  I’m going to try. He’ll be the enemy out there.”   Marmol said this with a smile about Geovany Soto.  The two of them may face each other in the World Baseball Classic.

-Carlos Zambrano pitched a near perfect two innings Monday in his first appearance in 2009.  Big Z only sin was giving up a walk and he struck out three.  Lou Piniella is still debating the Opening Day starter issue, though.  It’s ok, Lou.  You still have about a month.

-Finally, Lou Piniella supports Carlos Marmol’s decision to attend the WBC.

“It’s an honor to represent your country.  He’s here competing for a job, and he was a little concerned. I said, ‘Lay your fears to rest. We’ll let you compete for that job when you get back and we’ll make a decision then.’ No decision will be made without Marmol being here.”  

Now, just stay healthy, Carlos.

Knucksie Niekro Back With The Braves

lance-niekro1 His father was pitcher Joe Niekro, his uncle was Hall of Fame knuckleball pitcher Phil Niekro. But Lance made it to the San Francisco Giants as a firstbaseman, batting .246 with 17 home runs in 499 big league at bats. After being released by the Houston Astros farm team last May, the younger Niekro has embraced his inner knuckleball and give it a go with the Atlanta Braves.

Lance learned everything he knew about baseball from his knuckleball pitcher (who started throwing it after 1971 in the bigs) father Joe, who pitched 22 years in the big leagues, and was a 20 game winner twice. Lance learned the pitch as a youngster from his father, but would be the Giants opening day firstbaseman in 2006, hitting two homers in a game against the Marlins, his only multi-homer game of his career, the last time his father saw him play, father Joe was dead of a brain aneurysm five months later.

Lance was despondent, playing baseball only brought back painful memories of his deceased father, and the closeness the two had experienced on the diamond. He was released by Houton’s minor league team 17 games into the next season. He was tired of baseball and declined his uncle’s request to work on his knuckler.

After a few months of working in the real world, baseball tugged at him. He thought of coaching or possibly broadcaster, before a conversation with his wife led him back onto the field. “I’d want to know if my dad was proud of me right now,” was what Lance would ask his dad, if he could. He concluded that answer wouldn’t be tied to how much money he was earning or whether he was in baseball, but rather he would be proud because his son was happily married and soon would be starting a family. That’s when the light clicked on and Lance decided he wanted to play baseball for himself, not for his dad.

Phil Niekro, still involved with the Braves, the team he’d starred for, arranged for a minor league deal. Lance worked on his knuckleball all winter, sometimes throwing five or six days a week. Niekro could have a long career ahead of him; his father and uncle combined for 450 of their 539 victories after each had turned 30.

I’ll be pulling for Lance Niekro. There’s a baseball in my bedroom with Joe Niekro’s autograph on it, also signing that ball were Woodie Fryman and Chuck Seelbach. In 1972 they all pitched for the AL East first place Detroit Tigers. I have a special place in my heart for knuckleball pitchers. Maybe it’s because I’m a White Sox fan, and grew up watching Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm (only saw him on TV for the Sox in 1968, my first year watching baseball), Wilbur Wood (the last pitcher to start both ends of a doubleheader), Eddie Fisher (was 15-7 with 24 saves in 82 games out of the pen for the Sox in 1965, before my time, but returned to the Southside in 1973), Charlie Hough (was in the Sox rotation in 1991 & 92, as a 43 & 44 year old, winning 9 & 7 games, pitching in the bigs till he was 46, 216-216 record 25 years), and then there are old timers Eddie Cicotte & Hall of Famer Ted Lyons (who started throwing a knuckler after a 1929 arm injury). Then there was the Washington Senators of the forties who featured an all knuckleball rotation.

I’ve said for years I’d like to see each team have a knuckleball instructor. When pitchers are no longer prospects, they could try throwing the knuckler. The latest knuckleball pitchers are Tim Wakefield, Steve Sparks, and the infamous Charlie Haeger.

Illini Sweep in Al Ogletree Tournament

The University of Illinois baseball squad went 3-0 this weekend down in Texas at the Al Ogletree Tournament.

Their pitching carried them as they allowed only two earned runs for the 27 innings.  Also, frosh 2B Josh Parr went 7 for 10 for the weekend.

You can read my full story over at the Illinois Baseball Report. 

Phillips: "OBP overrated"

This has been getting a lot of attention especially among Reds’ bloggers…

Brandon Phillips of the Reds:

“I don’t believe that on-base percentage stuff. That’s overrated to me. If you get hits, you’ll be on base. That’s what it’s about.”

Some of Baker’s influence there??

Many have mentioned that while they don’t doubt Phillips is a talented player, he HAS led the Reds in outs in the past two seasons.  And while he does have some tasty stats, his OBP is not one of them.  Last year, it was an abysmal .312 and the year before it wasn’t much better at .331. 

Perfect Baseball day..

It was pretty much a perfect baseball day for me.  The University of Illinois beat the University of Stephen F Austin Lumberjacks 4-2 behind the phenomal pitching of Aaron Martin (read my recap of the game over at illinoisbaseballreport.com <– shameless plug). 

Then to cap it off, the Cubs beat the pants off the White Sox.  With a score like, 13-0, it didn’t even seem like the Sox had a chance. HoHoKam was filled to a record 13,010 fans to see that drubbing. 

More importantly, Aaron Heilman gave a good showing allowing one hit in two innings and striking out four.  I wasn’t too thrilled with the prospect of the Heilman trade but I know others who think differently.  I know two innings a season does not make but first impressions can go a long a way. 

Corey Koskie

In other Cub news, I see they signed veteran Corey Koskie to a minor league contract.  The contract stipulated he will get a chance in Spring Training but if he doesn’t make it in the bigs, he’ll get shipped to the Triple-A team.

To me, it seems that Koskie’s been around forever but checking out his stats, he’s only been in the majors for nine years (really eight, he was up for a small cup of coffee in 1998).  And he’s only 35.  His career derailed when he suffered a concussion after falling when chasing a pop fly.  Post concussion syndrome put any thought of baseball out of mind for a while. 

Now he’s back.  A hard nosed thirdbaseman with a little bit of pop and who knows how to take a walk.  Let’s see how far he can go.

Good News for Desert Sox

viciedo It’s early, but it might be time. The 19 year old Cuban thirdbaseman Dayan Viciedo singled in his first at bat of the spring. The 5’11” 245 pound Viciedo signed a four year $10 million dollar deal over the winter with the White Sox. Although his contract is more than double that of fellow countryman SS Alexei Ramirez, he might be this year’s bargain basement baby. Dayan said, he felt relaxed, no pressure at all. With Joe Crede signing with the Minnesota Twins, thirdbase is wide open for Wilson Betemit, Josh Fields, & Dayan Viciedo, and Brent Morel & Jon Gilmore, waiting in the wings.

In fact the wide open positions have plenty of competition. For example secondbase will feature Chris Getz, Jayson Nix, Brent Lillibridge, or last year’s first round draft choice out of Georgia, Gordon Beckham.

And finally the rotation. Former AL Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon and Playoff & World Series hero Jose Contreras are ahead of schedule and look ready to start the season in the rotation when the team breaks camp, joining Mark Buehrle, Gavin Floyd, and John Danks. If anyone falters, Jeff Marquez, who came over from the Yankees in the Nick Swisher trade, and Aaron Poreda the big lefthander out of the University of San Francisco are looking to prove what they can do.

Saw in yesterday’s White Sox/Rockies box score where Eric Young, Jr. played secondbase for Colorado. The kid, just like his old man, can fly, and will steal alot of bases in the big leagues, no matter what position he ends up playing.