By Phil RogersTalking baseball while trying to figure out how 15th-seeded North Texas can upset second-seeded Kansas State:
1. I'm a huge believer in Rudy Jaramillo. Hiring him as their new hitting coach is the best thing to happen for the Cubs since they signed Ted Lilly and Mark DeRosa. The early numbers suggest he's having an influence.
After finishing 10th in the NL in runs a year ago, the Cubs are near the top of the spring stats in several offensive categories -- fourth in the majors in batting average (.313), fourth in the majors in on-base percentage (.381) and ninth in the majors in runs (6.2 per game).
Geovany Soto, one of the big reasons for the slide from 2008 to '09, is
hitting .429 with a .556 on-base percentage and a .500 slugging percentage. But the guy who is Jaramillo's biggest project, Alfonso Soriano, hasn't yet broken out. Going into Tuesday, he was hitting .211/.200/.316, and still is looking for his first walk of the spring. The guess here is that Jaramillo is going to get better numbers from him, too.
Skeptics would point out that HoHo is one of the best places to hit in America. And that Milton Bradley hit .455 last spring.
I think the Cubs are going to be very happy they hired Jaramillo. Here's a quick take on his coaching style from ESPN The Magazine's Jeff Bradley.
2. Tyler Colvin has been a monster for Jaramillo and Lou Piniella this spring. His offseason eating regimen seems to have suited him well, as he's 25 pounds heavier and his stats (.517/.517/.793) are also quite a bit beefier. There's no spot for Colvin in an outfield that has Soriano, Marlon Byrd and Kosuke Fukudome, but wouldn't it be funny if Piniella's search for a left-handed-hitting run-producer ended with a guy who was the Cubs' first-round pick in 2006? Colvin has had an up-and-down career in the minors (in part because of elbow problems that led to Tommy John surgery after 2008), but shows signs of having turned a corner. He almost certainly will start the season at Iowa, where he's never played (he has 283 games in Double-A), but could prove to be a more useful player off the bench than Micah Hoffpauir. Colvin also joins Xavier Nady in providing an option beyond Fukudome in right field. The Japanese import may wind up a highly paid No. 5 outfielder if he goes through any extended droughts.
3. The Minnesota Twins may have a little money to spend this spring. Sources say they are weighing their options, with John Smoltz unlikely but a trade for Boston's Mike Lowell or the signing of Jarrod Washburn a possibility. Washburn would allow them to move Francisco Liriano into the closer's role, a possibility they are considering. Joe Nathan will test his elbow Saturday, but there's little optimism he's going to overcome a diagnosis of a torn ligament without season-ending surgery. The Twins wouldn't trade for Lowell unless they were convinced he could play third, where they project a mix of Brendan Harris, Nick Punto and Matt Tolbert. Texas, searching for an backup infielder who can play shortstop, has an interest in Punto.
Skeptics would point out that HoHo is one of the best places to hit in America. And that Milton Bradley hit .455 last spring.
I think the Cubs are going to be very happy they hired Jaramillo. Here's a quick take on his coaching style from ESPN The Magazine's Jeff Bradley.
2. Tyler Colvin has been a monster for Jaramillo and Lou Piniella this spring. His offseason eating regimen seems to have suited him well, as he's 25 pounds heavier and his stats (.517/.517/.793) are also quite a bit beefier. There's no spot for Colvin in an outfield that has Soriano, Marlon Byrd and Kosuke Fukudome, but wouldn't it be funny if Piniella's search for a left-handed-hitting run-producer ended with a guy who was the Cubs' first-round pick in 2006? Colvin has had an up-and-down career in the minors (in part because of elbow problems that led to Tommy John surgery after 2008), but shows signs of having turned a corner. He almost certainly will start the season at Iowa, where he's never played (he has 283 games in Double-A), but could prove to be a more useful player off the bench than Micah Hoffpauir. Colvin also joins Xavier Nady in providing an option beyond Fukudome in right field. The Japanese import may wind up a highly paid No. 5 outfielder if he goes through any extended droughts.
3. The Minnesota Twins may have a little money to spend this spring. Sources say they are weighing their options, with John Smoltz unlikely but a trade for Boston's Mike Lowell or the signing of Jarrod Washburn a possibility. Washburn would allow them to move Francisco Liriano into the closer's role, a possibility they are considering. Joe Nathan will test his elbow Saturday, but there's little optimism he's going to overcome a diagnosis of a torn ligament without season-ending surgery. The Twins wouldn't trade for Lowell unless they were convinced he could play third, where they project a mix of Brendan Harris, Nick Punto and Matt Tolbert. Texas, searching for an backup infielder who can play shortstop, has an interest in Punto.
What has happened to Joe Crede? Why is Mike Lowell seen as a better option than Joe?
Phil:
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