Player of the Week, Aramis Ramirez

There has not been a hotter player in the NL than Aramis Ramirez. He has to be the least excited player that the All-Star breaker is coming up. After leading the Majors with six home runs in an eight-game span last week, Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez was named the National League Player of the Week. The league announced this on Tuesday. To go along with the 6 homeruns, Ramirez hit .393 with 10 RBIs and a 1.071 slugging percentage over the eight games, and the 33-year-old was also tied for first in the NL with nine runs scored.

I have said before that I believe Ramirez is going to get traded and his value has not been higher than it is right now. He has a no trade clause, but I believe he would like to keep improving his market value, as he will be a free agent next year. Saying that, I think if Cubs management asked him to waive his no trade clause he would at a chance to win a world series.

The right-hander is batting .295 this season with 12 home runs and is tied for the club led with 44 RBIs. Ramirez leads the NL is homeruns and RBI’s and he would definitely be an asset to anyone who would want him. Ramirez came to the Cubs in 2003 to try and help the Cubs win the World Series, so it would only be fitting that he was traded from the Cubs to help some other team try and win.

Who is Roman Ortiz?

Roman Ortiz is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball. He has previously pitched in Major Leagues for the Anaheim Angels, Cincinnati Reds, Washington Nationals, Minnesota Twins, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Tampa Bay Rays. The Anaheim Angels signed Ortiz as an international free agent in 1995 and he made his Major League debut on August 19, 1999. On August 9, 1999, he started for the Angels against the Chicago White Sox and pitched eight innings against them and got the win. His best season was 2002, when he went 15-9 with a 3.77 ERA for the Angels. He earned the win in Game 3 of the 2002 World Series against the San Francisco Giants. In 2003, he set a career high with 16 victories.

In 2004, the Angels traded Ortiz to the Cincinnati Reds. Then two years later in 2006, Ortiz signed with the Washington Nationals as a free agent prior to the season. In 2007, Ortiz signed with the Minnesota Twins for a one-year deal, but was later traded to the Rockies mid-season.  In 2009, Ortiz signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the San Francisco Giants. In 2010, he signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers and then in 2011 he signed with the Cubs.

The once highly touted international prospect is now 38 years old and is going to make a start for the Cubs today against the Washington Nationals. Ortiz is only pitching because Dempster and Zambrano are both hurt. I do not expect him to be around when they Cubs once again get healthy.

The Coleman Legacy

The Cubs drafted Coleman in the 15th round of the 2008 Major League Baseball Amateur Player. He made his major league debuted August 2, 2010. Coleman earned his first major league win on August 23, 2010 with a 9-1 victory against the Washington Nationals. He also pitched against the Nationals today and did quite well and for more on that check out my post, No Fireworksfor The Cubs.

Both Coleman’s father and grandfather were pitchers in the Major Leagues, making Coleman a third-generation player in the MLB. His father, Joe, played from 1965 to 1979 and his grandfather, Joe, played from 1942 to 1955. The Coleman family is the forth family of third-generation players, but they are the first third-generation pitcher family in Major League history.

In four seasons in the minors, Coleman has a 30-17 record in the minors with a 3.72 E.R.A. However his minor league success has not translated to success in the majors. He is 6-6 with a 5.50 E.R.A. in 22 career games. This season he is 2-4 with a 7.78 E.R.A and has not looked go in most of his starts. Coleman does not throw hard with his fastball toping out around 90 MPH.  Coleman has struggled a lot this year and it has made fans wonder if he will ever figure it out. There may not place for him in the Cubs rotation and maybe a chance of scenery will do him well or maybe he will just be considered a “AAAA” player for the rest of his career.

No Fireworks for The Cubs

Today is the 4^th of July and the Cubs were hoping to make some fireworks of their own, but they fell short in the 10^th inning. After Jason Werth, who the Nationals signed in the offseason for 7 years at $126 million, walked to lead off the 10^th. Werth is only batting .176 since June 1^st and has gotten his fair share of boo’s this year. He was bunted to second. Then after he stunned the ballpark by swiping 3rd, Werth crossed home plate with his arms raised after a wild pitch by Cubs closer, Carlos Marmol. Soon those boo’s Werth heard earlier turned to cheers and the long list of Cubs disappointments this year continues.

Casey Coleman started the game for the Cubs because Ryan Dempster could not go; He was out with the flu. Colemen was off to a rough start by giving up two runs in the first and it look like it was going to be another one of those games for the Cubs. He then settled down and gave the Cubs five solid innings giving up only those two runs. He left the game with the Cubs leading 3-2 and with the Cubs solid group of late inning relievers; I thought that this game might be over.

Once again Mike Quade got caught playing the matchups and not having faith in his relievers. This was ultimately the Cubs down down fall in this game. Jeff Samardzija came in for Coleman and was solid. Instead of living him in after only pitching .2 innings, the Cubs turned it over to Marshall, Wood, and Marmol, who could not hold a two run lead. Once again, this game left Cubs fan scratching their head with another Cubs loss.

The Truth About the Cubs and Sox

In this post written by Jon Greenberg, a writer for The Cubs Report on ESPNChicago, talks about the Why the White Sox, Cubs series are not as exciting as they used to be, how things will be better for the Cubs when Jim Hendry, Mike Quade, and Crane Kenney, how the White Sox’s must address Ozzie Guillen’s contract, how the Cubs need a fire sale, and how the White Sox’s will win the AL central.

Why the White Sox, Cubs series are not as exciting as they used to be.

He first talks about how both teams records are bad and then goes on to talk about how the buzz around the series peaked in 2006, when A.J. Pierzynski and Michael Barrett started a bench-clearing brawl.

How things will be better for the Cubs when Jim Hendry, Mike Quade, and Crane Kenney.

He talks about how he thinks that Hendry's days are numbered in Chicago. Also he goes on to say that he did not think that Hendry would be the long-term answer, and nothing has changed his mind this season.

How the White Sox’s must address Ozzie Guillen’s contract.

Jon is on board with the Sox’s extending Ozzie. He says that Ozzie is the perfect manager for the White Sox’s.

How the Cubs need a fire sale.

He also believes in order for the Cubs to get back into contention, the Cubs must have a fire sale and get rid of all their players like the Marlins have done in the past.

How the White Sox’s will win the AL central.

 He feels like the white Sox’s have the best overall team and should win the AL Central over the Tigers.

This is just a preview of the post; to read more, clickhere.

Memorable Events in Cubs History, July.

As June has come to an end, the Cubs have realistically no shot at the playoffs, so I decided to take a look at some of the Cubs most memorable events in July.

• July 31, 1910, King Cole pitches an abbreviated no-hitter against Cards in St Louis, 4-0. 
• July 1, 1935, The Cubs play their first road night game, defeating the Reds 8-4 in Crosley Field.
• July 8, 1947, Wrigley Field hosts the all-star game for the first time.
• July 3, 1960, Ron Santo hits first ML home run against Reds during in a 7-5 win in Wrigley Field.
• July 4, 1966, Cubs third basemen Ron Santo, extends his hit streak to 27 and 28 in a double header, after returning to the lineup after getting HBP on June 26, 1966.
• July 21, 1971, Don Kessinger ties ML records for starting 4 DP's in a 11-7 win over the Mets at Wrigley Field.
• July 6, 1980, Cubs lose a 20-inning game, losing to Pirates at Three Rivers Stadium 5-4. 
• July 1, 1987, Greg Maddux pitches his first career shutout defeating the Expos 1-0 in Montreal.
• July 21, 1989, Dwight Smith signs National Anthem. 
• July 28, 1990, Shawon Dunston ties ML record with 3 3B's in a 10-7 win over Expos in Montreal.
• July 2, 1993, Sammy Sosa has a six hit game during an 11-8 win over Rockies in Denver.
• July 3,1993, Ryne Sandberg gets his 2000 hit of career during a 5-4 loss to Rockies in Denver.
• July 27, 1998, Sammy Sosa hits his first ML grand slam. He holds a modern day record for the most HR's in a career without hitting a grand slam (247). Sosa also drives in all 6 runs in a 6-2 win over the Diamondbacks. 
• July 22, 2003, Cubs trade Jose Hernandez, Matt Brubeck and a player to be named later for Aramis Ramirez and Kenny Lofton. Both Ramirez and Lofton played pivotal roles in leading the Cubs to the 2003 playoffs. 
• July 31, 2004, Cubs acquire Nomar Garciaparra in a 4-team trade with the Red Sox, Twins and Montreal Expos.

Wrap Up of The Giants Cubs Series

As the Giants, Cubs series came to an end today, the series was at split with each team winning 2 games a piece. This was one of the most exciting series of the year for the Chicago Cubs. After the Cubs lost the first game of the series, I thought to myself with Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain pitching the next 2 that the Cubs had no chance at winning the series. Boy did they have some fight in them.

After the Cubs lost both game of the double header they did not hang their head, they kept their spirits up and kept on grinding like they have done all year. Wednesday’s game was against Tim Lincecum, former CY Young winner, vs. Ryan Dempster, the ace of the Cubs staff. Dempster got the best of Lincecum on this day. While both pitchers pitched well and gave their teams a chance to win, Dempster was just a little bit better. After the Giants scored one run in the ninth to tie the game, it was the Cubs turn to come back. The Cubs did just that in bottom half of the inning as pinch-hitter Aramis Ramirez singled to drive in Tony Campana to give the Cubs 2-1 walk off victory.

Today’s game featured two veteran pitchers, Matt Cain and Carlos Zambrano. Zambrano gave up a run in the first inning and then left the game after that because of back problems.  Marcos Mateo came in out of the pen and pitched five shutout innings to keep the game at 1-0. Then going into the ninth inning down one, Aramis Ramirez tied the game with a home run. However, Pablo Sandoval homered in the 13^th, to give the Giants the lead, but Darwin Barney's tied the game with a single in the 13^th. Then Geovany Soto won the game in another walk off fashion with a three-run shot. This 2011 season for the Cubs have not had many bright spots, but when fans look back on the season, this is something they can point to as a highlight of the season.