Wuetrz as a closer?

Before LaTroy Hawkins blew the ninth inning at the Wrigley Fd. Home Opener, Bruce Miles wrote this in the Friday morning Daily Herald:

Wuertz looks ready: Other than the top of the order, the biggest question concerning the Cubs is the bullpen.

The broken wrist suffered by closer Joe Borowski only raised more questions. Until Borowski gets back, LaTroy Hawkins will assume the closer’s duties, with Chad Fox and Mike Remlinger setting him up.

But how about this scenario: What if the Cubs move Hawkins into the setup role and handed the ball to Michael Wuertz in the ninth inning?

Don’t laugh.

Closers emerge at the darndest times and in the darndest places. See Borowski, Eric Gagne and Joe Nathan, just to name three.

This is no knock on Hawkins, who is one of the premier setup men in the game. It’s just that the Cubs haven’t been able to use him to set up because of Borowski’s shoulder injury last year and his broken wrist this spring.

Wuertz, 26, threw better than anyone in the Cubs’ bullpen last September, when he sported a nifty 0.77 ERA. Wuertz saved 19 games at Class AAA Iowa last year, where he perfected a changeup he uses with much effectiveness against left-handed hitters.

The kid isn’t afraid, either, and that’s half the battle when it comes to being a closer.

The Cubs ought to give it a shot.

I'd be interested in seeing the Cubs give Wuertz a shot, at least until Borowski is healthy. There is no reason to continue sending LaTroy out to fail in the ninth inning. I am not sure what the reason is, but LaTroy has never succeeded in the closer role. In both Minnesota and on the Northside Hawkins has had chances to close. He has not been able to do it. Put Hawkins in the eighth inning role and the bullpen will be stronger.

Wrigley Opener

Friday was Christmas, Mardi Gras, New Years, Thanksgiving and St. Patty's Day all rolled into one for Cub fans. The home opener is always special. I have had the fortune of attending 15 of the last 16 home openers. Every year it seems like the hype and hoopla around the day grows.

This year fans were treated to a sunny day in the mid-fifties. That beat the snow that we had in 2003 or the coldest opener back in the late 90's. The weather was outstanding and the day was, until LaTroy blew up in the ninth.

By the time the ballgame ended in the 12th many fans had already left the Friendly Confines for the neighborhood taverns. Sitting through the entire game it was clear to me that those fans had probably made the right decision. I am sure they were alot warmer than I was sitting in the shade.

The carnival atmosphere that surrounds Opening Day begins early in the morning. By 5 am fans are already lined up for SRO tickets. By 6 am local and national radio stations are holding their "morning zoo" broadcasts at the local establishments. By 9 am many of the area restaurants are full serving breakfast all of the stores and souvenier shops are busy and the ticket scalpers are out and about. By 11 am all of the bars in the neighborhood are packed and the excitement in the air is thick.

Vehere and I enjoyed the morning and early afternoon before the first pitch barhopping through Wrigleyville. We met up with old friends and wished everyone "happy new year". The expecatations surrounding the 2005 team are nowhere near last year. Still optimism rules the day. Most of the fans that I talked with think that if everything goes alright the Cubs will be playing in October. Still many Cub fans are not concerned with October. Cub fans live very well in the moment, especially if that moment is on a gameday.

We will have the remainder of 2005 to bitch and moan about LaTroy Hawkins, Corey Patterson and the rest of the Cubs mistaken ballplayers. Friday was a day to enjoy being a Cub fan. LaTroy Hawkins tried to be the Grinch and steal Opening Day. My hangover tells me he failed.

The Real Opening day

1060Westers,

The 3 game extension of Spring Trainging earlier this week, which left the Cubs with a 1-2 record, was worth forgetting. I am willing to pretend it was just a warm-up to the real opening day, at least for us Cub fans.

The real opening day is the day when the freindly confines open the gates, and cubs fans big and small, from near and far, sober or not, fill the bleachers that have been empty the past 6 months.

The warrior fans wake up at 3 am and stand out in front of the ticket window waiting to get a SRO ticket or maybe a late cancellation and possibly end up in the grandstand to watch the home opener.

There isn't a better moment in fandom than opening day at 1060West. Bands blaring music at 10 am, Old Stlye glasses full and empty and full again, fans making their points on why this year is the year. Beleive it or Leave it! Nomar! Prior and Woodie! All topics of conversation dealing with our team are milled over, and how many more games they are going to win than the Sox.

If Darwin were alive to witness the evolution of opening day he would stand in awe, as the opening day warrior who stands at Bernies at 8 pm and can still resemble a human being that understands the english langauge has truly been put to the test of Survival of the fittest.

If Gregor Mendel were here today he would dub an opening day cub fan as: "Cubfanious Tildeathius" The binomial nomenclature of the cubs fan has been such. Many of our forefather Cubs fans have come and gone without witnessing a world championship.

2005 is good a year as any to win the series. I am sure the catch phrases are already flying..."In '05 the Cubs will come alive" "2005 the year of the Cubs" and so on and so on.

So cubs fans, on opening day, a new faith in a new chance has been revived. Our chances of winning are better than ever, our belief in this team alive and never better. Waiting 'til next year since 1908 is what weve been saying, but next year is now and we all beleive it!

On opening day, like no other ritual, we have everything to look forward to and nothing to fear, except the thought of drinking a very warm beer...


have fun be safe,

I am thinking of you at work....


Just a bit outside,

MCAV