Baker, youngsters have Cubs looking like contenders
Posted: Tuesday May 20, 2003 1:36 AM
Updated: Tuesday May 20, 2003 3:48 AM
Mark Prior's all-around ability reminds Dusty Baker of Fernando Valenzuela and Dwight Gooden. Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
By Dan George, SI.com
Lost amid the hubbub over Sammy Sosa's beaning, sluggish start and sore toe, not to mention Darren Baker's rendition of Take Me Out to the Ballgame, is the fact that the Chicago Cubs are pretty good.
And not just pretty good compared to those 2002 Cubs who lost 95 games. But pretty good, period.
Even as Sosa, the team's marquee player, languishes on the DL, the Cubs hold a two-game lead over the second-place St. Louis Cardinals -- and that's after a 2-0 loss Monday at the hands of Cards ace Matt Morris. Dusty Baker's team also checks in at No. 7 in this week's Power Rankings.
With Kerry Wood (4-1, 2.44 ERA) and Mark Prior (5-1, 2.02), the North Siders have the best young pair of starters in the National League -- and maybe the best regardless of age. And Carlos Zambrano (4-4, 2.88) isn't far behind. The old-timer of the bunch? Wood, who turns 26 next month.
Then there's 23-year-old Corey Patterson, who's finally starting to live up to his promise (No. 3 pick in 1999 draft) and leading the team with a .319 batting average, eight home runs and 34 RBIs. Rookie Hee Seop Choi, 24, is second in homers with seven.
The Cubs may be legendary for their June swoons, but don't expect it to happen this season.
SI.com's Power Rankings
Rank
LW
Team
1
3
Atlanta Braves A woman in a Dodgers jersey swiped Robert Fick's glove while he was signing autographs at Dodger Stadium, but that's about the only thing that's gone wrong for Atlanta lately. Since dropping eight of their first 12 games, the Braves are 27-5.
2
6
Seattle Mariners Jeff Cirillo has taken Seattle columnist Jim Moore's bet that Cirillo won't hit .280 this season. If he does, Moore has to wash Cirillo's car, rake his leaves and donate $250 to a charity of Cirillo's choice. If he doesn't, Cirillo will give $20,000 to the Humane Society. Cirillo is batting just .239 so far -- but .340 in May.
3
2
San Francisco Giants They're the anti-Braves, going 14-15 since a 13-1 start. Just two of their series wins have come against teams that were above .500 at the time -- and one of those, the Pittsburgh Pirates, is now eight games under. After driving in 21 runs in April, first baseman J.T. Snow has one in May.
4
1
New York Yankees While on the DL, Derek Jeter filmed a credit-card commercial with owner George Steinbrenner riffing on the Boss' offseason criticism of Jeter as a party guy. Cute idea -- at least it would be if the Yanks weren't 2-5 since Jeter's return.
5
8
Montreal Expos Team president Tony Tavares is through pretending the team has any future in Montreal. Eight of the Expos' 12 games at Olympic Stadium have drawn fewer than 9,000 fans. "We've done everything we can to bring people out to the ballpark," Tavares said, "but the well is so poisoned that people just aren't coming out."
6
4
Boston Red Sox They say Fenway's new Green Monster seats offer the best view in baseball. Then why are the Red Sox averaging 1,300 fewer fans than in 2002? This week's series with the Yankees comes just in time.
7
10
Chicago Cubs One cause for concern? The high pitch counts that Dusty Baker has allowed Cubs pitchers to run up. Chicago starters have already thrown 120-plus pitches five times, topped by 141 for Kerry Wood on May 10.
8
5
Oakland Athletics Forgive former A's scouting director Grady Fuson if he doesn't completely buy the book Moneyball's portrayal of GM Billy Beane as a genius. Fuson says that it was Beane's decision to draft Ariel Prieto ahead of Todd Helton in 1995 and that Beane did not want to draft Eric Chavez in 1996.
9
7
Kansas City Royals They lost 100 games and drew just 17,000 a game last season, so Krispy Kreme's offer to let fans redeem Royals ticket stubs for a dozen doughnuts any time the team got 12 hits seemed safe enough. But attendance is up to more than 21,000. And the Royals already have five 12-hit home games. At this pace, it'll cost Krispy Kreme about $2 million.
10
11
Minnesota Twins Infielder Denny Hocking knows his value. When he went on the DL, they Twins called up Todd Sears, who promptly hit a game-winning homer. It also was Hocking who convinced free agent Kenny Rogers to sign with the Twins. Said Hocking: "I've done more to help this team off the field than I have on the field."
11
9
Philadelphia Phillies Two weeks after Kevin Millwood's no-hitter, the Phils gave him a guitar autographed by country singer Toby Keith, along with photographs and paintings of the game. His wife, Rena, got a 14-karat gold necklace with nine zeros made of diamonds. Subtle. Millwood, you'll recall, will be a free agent after this season.
12
13
Los Angeles Dodgers Sure looks like Kevin Brown is back. After nine starts, he's 4-1 with a 2.51 ERA, walking 14 and striking out 46 in 57 1/3 innings. Said catcher Paul Lo Duca: "I think people forgot how good he is."
13
14
Houston Astros Thanks to a phone system foul-up at the team hotel in Philadelphia, closer Billy Wagner was suddenly getting all calls meant for guest services. "At first, it was funny," he said. "Then it gets old. They'd call to ask me for their luggage, and I'd tell them to go get it themselves. People would tell me they were going to call my manager. I'd say, 'Good, because I have something to tell him, too.'"
14
17
Anaheim Angels Bill Stoneman's team knocked the Yankees out of the playoffs last season en route to a World Series championship. That didn't stop a security guard from checking the Angels GM's ID as he stood next to the batting cage in Yankee Stadium last week.
15
12
St. Louis Cardinals Led by Woody Williams' .294 average, Cardinals starting pitchers are batting .216. Not that impressive -- until you realize it's six points better than the Tigers' entire team batting average.
16
20
Toronto Blue Jays They've won 14 of their last 21 games since starting the season 8-15, in part because of an offense that's hitting .290, tops in the majors. Led by Vernon Wells (.287-11-43), the Jays have socked 21 homers in their last 12 games.
17
16
Cincinnati Reds Pitchers insist the mound in the new Great American Ball Park is lower than the regulation 15 inches. "Let's see," said Brewers reliever Curtis Leskanic. "They lead the league in homers and lead the league in homers given up, hmmmm. The mound is too low and flat. Before the year is over all their pitchers are going to break down."
18
18
Chicago White Sox Lefty Mark Buehrle, 19-12, a year ago, admits he's more than a little shaken by his poor start (2-7, 4.96 ERA). But Buehrle insists the five-year, $27 million deal he turned down before the season is not bothering him.
19
19
Colorado Rockies Prospect Chin-Hui Tsao has struck out 47 batters in 45 ½ innings at from Class AA Tulsa, to go along with his 4-3 record and 2.38 ERA. GM Dan O'Dowd doesn't want to rush him, but don't be surprised to see the right-hander in Coors Field before the end of the season.
20
15
Baltimore Orioles Here's a switch. The O's are upset because one of their top minor league prospects is too patient at the plate. Jack Cust has walked 37 times in 40 games at Class AAA Ottawa. They might feel better if he had more than 29 hits and was batting better than .221.
21
21
Arizona Diamondbacks First, Curt Schilling hinted he might not mind a return to the Phillies. Then he denied it. But the D'backs want to cut their payroll to under $80 million for 2004, and Schilling is due to make $12 million. You do the math.
22
23
Florida Marlins At 72, Jack McKeon is the third-oldest manager in major league history, behind Casey Stengel (75) and Connie Mack (87). "I think it's great," McKeon said. "I hope the good Lord gives me enough years to become No. 2 on that list. I don't want to be No. 1. Connie Mack owned the club. I'm not owning any clubs."
23
22
Texas Rangers They're on pace to draw about 2.1 million fans, which would be their lowest season attendance since they attracted 1.98 million in 1995 -- a strike-shortened season. Just imagine if they didn't have that $252 million drawing card, Alex Rodriguez.
24
25
Pittsburgh Pirates Lloyd McClendon was chosen as one of Dusty Baker's National League coaches for the All-Star Game. Which will really be interesting if the beleaguered Pirates skipper gets the ax between now and then.
25
24
New York Mets Mike Piazza sure figured out how to defuse all that first base talk, huh? Expected to be out for at least a month with a groin strain, Piazza joins seven teammates on the DL.
26
26
Tampa Bay Devil Rays Everyone says Rocco Baldelli (.353) will come back to Earth, but the 21-year-old rookie is taking a levelheaded approach to his red-hot start. "I've struggled every year I've played, at some point," he said."I know it's going to happen, but the key is how you adjust and how you handle it."
27
29
Cleveland Indians Another team that can hang out the Vacancy sign. From 1995 to 2001, the Tribe set a major-league record with 455 consecutive sellouts. This year? After selling out Opening Day, they've had the 15 smallest crowds since Jacobs Field opened in 1994.
28
27
Milwaukee Brewers Not only does lefty Glendon Rusch (1-7, 7.26) lead the National League in losses, but he's tops in both hits (86) and runs (46) allowed. So take that, Mike Maroth.
29
28
San Diego Padres A year ago, they set a major league records by using used 37 pitchers, including 23 who got at least one win. This year, they'll use at least two pitching coaches. When Greg Booker was fired Saturday, the Padres' ERA ranked 15th in the NL and they led both leagues in walks allowed.
30
30
Detroit Tigers One of Mike Maroth's (0-9, 5.73) problems? The Tigers are averaging just 2.4 runs a game in his 10 starts. Even more amazing is that Adam Bernero is getting even less support – 2.25 runs a game.
