Today’s Tribune includes a piece on new Cubs’ centerfielder Juan Pierre, and how happy Juan is to be a Cub, and how much fun it’s going to be to play in front of 41,000 fans instead of 60,000 orange seats. In the story, Juan says he played against Corey Patterson in the minors and is shocked that centerfield isn’t Corey’s for the next decade or so.
“I played against him in the minor leagues and he was unbelievableâ€â€a guy my size who could hit the ball 400 feet,” Juan said of Corey.
What he should have said was, “I played against him in the minor leagues and he was unbelievable–a guy my size swinging from his ass on every pitch like he was going to hit it 400 feet.”
Which is why Corey is Baltimore and Juan is in Chicago.
Yesterday’s Baltimore Sun included a very long article on Corey and why he’s been unable to fulfill his promise. Part of you reads it, and wonders sincerely, if maybe he won’t just turn things around. Especially when you read that Corey took time this offseason to work with Cubs’ AA hitting instructor Von Joshua (one of the few Cubs’ hitting instructors Corey didn’t work with last year–they have like 40 and if you accumulate all their knowledge you still wouldn’t have a clue), and Von made some pretty drastic changes in Corey’s stance.
If Patterson blossoms this year, some credit may go to an old hand from Chicago. His brother, Eric, remains in the Cubs’ farm system and referred Patterson to minor league instructor Von Joshua.
The two worked together in the fall. Joshua said Patterson was lifting his leg and dropping his hands, allowing pitches to get on him before he could uncoil. Joshua moved Patterson’s hands and changed his leg action from a kick to a cocking of the knee. The instructor was impressed with the results.
“He is a super talent,” Joshua said. “A fresh start may be just what he needs. They [the Cubs] know him better than I do, but I told them in a meeting, ‘A year or two from now, this kid is going to be what everybody thought he was going to be.’ He could be a superstar in a couple of years.”
Patterson said he and Joshua saw the same flaws in his approach. “Basically, last year, I was off balance quite a bit,” he said. “It feels 10 times better than it did last year.”
You read that and you start to think. Hey, maybe Corey’s finally getting it. Maybe he’ll try to hit line drives and let his natural strength turn some of those into homers without trying to be a miniature mirror image of Sammy Sosa.
You start to think that.
Then, you read this.
Patterson said he’s not particularly planning to lay off more pitches: “You just have to trust yourself, trust your vision and when you get the pitch in your zone, you take advantage of it. But any hitter will tell you that.”
Well, there you go. If Corey’s going to swing at the same crap, it doesn’t matter what stance he uses or if he uses a fungo bat. He’s going to hit .230 and get on base a whopping 28 percent of the time again.
But maybe the Orioles can get to him. Maybe they can convince him of the things the Cubs never could.
“I talked to Corey earlier this spring, and I told him to be himself,” [Orioles manager Sam] Perlozzo said. “We just want him to fit into our program, move the ball around, use his speed. But we don’t want to take his power away from him. If he can pop one out every once in awhile, God bless him.”
You don’t get it either, Sam. You have to take his power away from him. He’s so enamored with it that when he does close his eyes, swing as hard as he can and accidentally rip one into the seats, you expect him to chase after the ball instead of running the bases shouting, “Precious! My precious!”
For his part, Corey thinks he knows what the Orioles want.
“I think basically what they’re looking for from me,” he said, “is consistency.”
Consistency, they’ll get. Corey will consistently swing at pitches well over his head and he will consistently strike out, and consistently avoid walks. He’s a friggin’ Swiss watch when it comes to that stuff.
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Since the late ’80s, the NFL has been the bastion of labor peace and prosperity, especially given the heated battles ownership and the players have had in hockey, basketball and baseball. That could all end…tomorrow.
A breakdown in what originally looked to be a standard renewal of the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement could mean that on Friday, when free agency starts and the salary cap was expected to go from $92 million to over $100 million. Now the cap will be lucky to get to $94 million.
How does that affect our notoriously cheap beloved Bears? Not surprisingly, they are tucked comfortably under the cap. They are currently $7.8 under the cap.
With many teams having to cut good (expensive) players if the CBA isn’t extended by tomorrow, there will be a flood of talent on the market, and any team under the cap is likely to be able to shop for Pro Bowl quality players at discount prices. It’s Mike McCaskey’s wet dream. (Well, that and Bea Arthur, naked on a Saab).
Not only that, but one of the biggest impacts of the lack of a continuation of the current labor agreement is that players who currently would be eligible for free agency after four years (like Lance Briggs) will have to wait until after their sixth season. That’s two more years of Lance Briggs at cheaper than expected prices. It’s like Christmas in March!
Sort of.
Take a look at that list of teams under the cap again.
Notice anything? Four teams are more than $20 million under the cap. Two of them (Vikings, Packers) are in the NFC North. The team five spots ahead of the Bears at more than $10 million under? The Lions.
While the situation for the Bears could be worse (they could be in a position to have to cut guys they want), it would be better if their three division rivals didn’t all stand to clean up in free agency.
If the cap does get increased to $110 million, the Bears will go after the best passer in Super Bowl XL, Pissburgh receiver Antwan Randle-El, right? Jerry Angelo says not so fast, but John Mullin claims we’ve heard this before, connects the dots and predicts Randle-El will end up navy and orange.
ESPN.com has a list of potential salary cap casualties. They list two guys the Bears could dump that wouldn’t cause much hand wringing in these parts. How good would Derrick Brooks look lining up next to Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs?
The Illini beat Minnesota for the 15th straight time. Minnesota hasn’t beaten Illinois this century. Ouch.
The Cubs might trade Scott Williamson before the season ever starts. If you wonder why a team with a historically lousy bullpen can afford to do this, consider two things. 1) There’s the possibility they’ll have a $13 million pitcher needing to pitch out of there and 2) this sentence about Williamson:
Williamson underwent his second reconstructive right elbow surgery after the 2004 season.
He’s like Chad Fox, only with a lot of hair. If somebody wants to give you enough value to make him expendable…join in on the fun.
Ryan Dempster said the 2005 Cubs were sabotaged by injuries. I guess it hurt them to play. I know it hurt us to watch.
America’s finest news source says that Kobe Bryant has been named as the 2008 US Olympic men’s basketball team. I think he’ll do great. Probably get a bronze.
Well knowing my cheapskate boss, its 2006 or bust for this team. 2007 will be an uncapped year, so you know the Bears won’t get anyone of quality then (they’ll be outbid so often you’ll think a McPhail, rather than a McCaskey is running the team). And, if the NFLPA is serious in saying that they will not put a cap back after it is gone, 2008 will be fairly football free.
Yay!
That leaves plenty of cash to bring back a quarterback prospect the likes of Jonathan Quinn or Craig Krenzel. $7 million might land you Drew Brees and for the extra $800K he’ll bring his arm along with him. Whether he’ll have it sewn back on in time for Rexy Bears annual dismantling is anybody’s guess. Good thing Orton is still around right?
Although it was in a seperate article from the Baltimore Sun article you linked to, Andy, check out what Corey reportedly said at the O’s MLB website: Link
‘I don’t even pay attention to that stuff. I just play the game, and that’s all you can do,” he said. “The numbers will be there at the end. Some of the people that walk may get on base, but they can’t steal and end up clogging the bases. Sure, you want to get on base, but there are a lot of different ways to look at it.'”
Looks like he learned something from Dusty after all!
It doesn’t matter if we’re $50 million under the cap, we will always suck.
Brings a tear to me heart to see the world understand Korey the way I understood him in 2002.
Also, what I don’t get about the NFL deal is why teams have to cut eveyone tomorrow. Isn’t 2006 uncapped without an extension in place?
Andy you just don’t get it. Although he will swing at the same unhittable pitches, Corey will do so with a new and improved swing. Thus looking better as he strikes out.
2006 is still capped. 2007 is the uncapped year. You have to get under the cap by Friday.
Sounds serious. Shouldn’t you be going to the ER, Chuckles?
How come I could resist the precious, but I couldn’t stop my sister’s slacker boyfriend from kicking my ass and stealing my top secret CTU access card?
And how is it possible that a field agent has the authority to declare me unfit and throw me in the hoosegow just 14 minutes after I start to lose my mind?
Precious, my ass.
The Broncos just released TE Jeb Putzier…
The Bears could pick him up for the tight end spot (He has over 1,000 receiving yards in the past two seasons and 18 catches of 20 or more yards) and focus on getting a corner with the first pick and then get a tight end with the second rounder (Leonard Pope and Anthony Fasano are two options the Bears could get either by standing pat in the second round or maybe moving up a little earlier in the round)…
“Ryan Dempster said the 2005 Cubs were sabotaged by injuries. I guess it hurt them to play. I know it hurt us to watch.”
Classic!
Ah, tyvm, Andy. You are much smarter than I.
Perhaps a job a Baseball Prospectus in in your future?
AOL speak and bad spelling are making a comeback thanks to Chuck.
Although there are only 14 numbered responses, the headline says “15 Responses to ‘Daily Dose: Don’t start getting it now’
#14:
That’s because my post in #4 somehow melted together with the subsequent post (Detroit Lions).
My link to the Orioles’ MLB website article got chewed up, too, but here was the line I was trying to quoite, from the Great Corey Patterson:
“When asked if he needs to walk more to be successful, Patterson shook his head.
‘I don’t even pay attention to that stuff. I just play the game, and that’s all you can do,’ he said. ‘The numbers will be there at the end. Some of the people that walk may get on base, but they can’t steal and end up clogging the bases. Sure, you want to get on base, but there are a lot of different ways to look at it.”
Andy,
Will there be one of me today?
2006 is still capped. Its 2007 that is not capped without an agreement. Dont ask why, its just the troof.
I will be leaving my well paying job at 11 today to go watch the Cubs and drink beers. When all is said and done I will drive home to my house which has appreciated in value somewhere in the neighborhood of 30% in the last 9 months.
Yeah sucks to live in AZ REAL bad.
Yes it does. Homes have appreciated all across the country. The D.C. area, Boston, Manhattan, Miami, Chicago’s north shore, San Francisco are all soooo jealous. Homes in places from Oregon to Madison Wisconsin are greatly appreciating as well. You live in AZ, oh, what a rich bigshot!
Hope you sell your greatly appreciated house before I burst. Oh, and the fact that your market is booming now, just shows how far behind the rest of the country your little dirt box is.