It's pronounced "Swame"

We have a new manager...

Like our previous manager, he's bald.

Like our previous manager, his last name is pronounced differently than it looks.

I'm not very happy with this decision, but at this point, it is Jed's first hire with the Cubs so we'll see.

Who would have been better? I don't know. I wasn't thrilled with any of the candidates this year.


One concern I have with a first time manager is that he usually isn't very good about selecting new staff to coach around him. The Cubs coaching staff last year was horrendous so it will be quite telling to see if Mark Riggins, Bob Dernier and Ivan DeJesus are all retained. At the same time, I'm hoping that Mike Quade's bench coach, Pat Listach is kept on the staff...not as the bench coach, but instead as the third base coach. In fact, I found it somewhat surprising that Listach was not a candidate for the manager position in the first place.

Anyway, we have Dale Sveum. The man the Brewers passed over twice (one time for Ken Macha...ugh!). The man that was criticized widely for his DeJesus-like skills as a third base coach while in Boston.

He is supposed to be a very good analytical mind. I'll have to leave that judgement to other people at this point. His stint as interim manager in Milwaukee didn't give him much of an opportunity to show off those analytical skills. (Sending CC Sabathia to the mound on a nightly basis will do that.)

My fear is that we have another Jim Riggleman on our hands here.


I hope I'm wrong, but even if I'm not, this is a rebuilding process and the Cubs actually can afford to make a mistake here for a few years. If they can get the talent here, in two years, if Sveum doesn't workout, they can bring in Joe Maddon to get them over the top. (I can dream, can't I?) I truly believe most managers are successful if they do no harm and a majority of them do just that. There are a few that make a minor difference for the better or for the worse. Sveum has all the makings of a manager who won't make a difference....and that's ok.

So Cubs fans, this is your new manager.

What the Zack Greinki trade means for Prince Fielder

Somewhat surprisingly, the Brewers traded for Zack Greinke...one of the top pitchers available in this off-season.

Greinke will be well paid by the Brewers who will owe him $13.5 million for each of the next two seasons before he hits free agency. While he did pitch very well in 2007 and 2008 (partially in relief in 2007), Greinke really burst onto the scene in 2009 when he won the Cy Young award posting a 2.16 ERA.

Last season Greinke was considerably more hittable with his ERA almost doubling over the previous season. In fact, Greinke's second half last year was really poor ending with a horrendous September.

So what are the Brewers getting here? Well, on the optimistic side, they have a young pitcher who can compliment/co-ace with Yovani Gallardo. On the opposite side, they have a pitcher who had a fluke season in 2009 and will never quite measure up to expectations.

Remember also, Miller Park is a launching pad.

The Brewers, last season, desperately tried to shore up their horrendous starting staff last season with the acquisitions of Randy Wolfe and Doug Davis...as I predicted, that didn't work out too well. Greinke would a appear to be a far superior move and upgrade.

The cost? Alcides Escobar, Lorenzo Cain, Jeremy Jeffress and Jake Odorizzi. Escobar was their everyday shortstop last season...so the Royals, in the trade, sent Yuniesky Betancourt to the Brewers as well. While the Brewers have been rather high on Escobar, on the surface it appears to me like they have upgraded at shortstop as well. I really don't know much about the prospects Jeffress and Odorizzi. Cain was a speedster in the outfield in his short time with the Brewers last year.

This is a pretty big trade for the Brewers who have now snatched up Greinke before a bigger name team was able to pick him up. It also signals that the Brewers think that they will be very competitive this coming year. If they can get a better year out of Randy Wolfe, Gallardo continues to improve and Greinke is who they think he is, they have a solid top three in their pitching rotation.

It also means the Prince Fielder isn't going anywhere in the short term. Fielder will be filing for free agency next year as the Brewers are unlikely to make an offer to him that will meet his expectations. Like 3 years ago, this is going to be 'all in' for the Brewers as they try to make the playoffs again at all costs knowing this might be their best shot for a number of years to come.

If the Brewers falter and are out of competition by the All-Star break, they will move Fielder and try to get something for him before he bolts for a team that can afford his outragous contract demands in free agency.

Keep all this in mind as the Cubs move forward through 2010. It would seem unlikely that the Brewers would trade within the division, but it is possible. If the Cubs are in contention in 2011 (stop laughing...it might happen), and Carlos Pena continues to stink like he did last season (likely to happen)...well...you never know.

Remember, unless Albert Pujols enters free agency in 2011, Fielder will likely be the top prize for position players before the 2012 season, and the Cubs will be in need of a first baseman.

Doug Davis signs with Brewers...who are now officially better than the Cubs.

I'm not sure if this is official yet, but yesterday it was announced the perennial Cy Young candidate and future 300 game winner, Doug Davis, had agreed to terms with the Brewers.

"I eat cubbie bears for lunch."

Ok, I'm exaggerating a bit, but it seems like Doug Davis has owned the Cubs throughout his career.  It's quite amazing how a pitcher who throws a fastball that tops out at 45 mph could beat the Cubs so consistently throughout his career, but he does.  Seriously, this guy makes Jamie Moyer look like Nolan Ryan. 

Well, the Brewers were probably the worst place for Davis to land in regards to the Cubs.  Now, instead of facing him only once or twice during a season, they'll have to face him 5 or 6 times....blah!

Rumors from last season show us that the Brewers have actually been trying to acquire the left hander for quite a while now. But they now have their man as they continue to revamp their starting rotation.

Now, I haven't really examined the Brewers closely yet to know if they are better than the Cubs, and I'm not sure Davis will help them much except against the Cubs, but they have been quite active this offseason.

Davis's career stats:
W-L: 90-97
ERA: 4.31
K/9ip: 6.7
K/BB: 1.64

vs. the Cubs
W-L: 9-6
ERA: 3.20
K/9ip: 8.7
K/BB: 2.81

Davis, for not being a power pitcher, tends to have a lot of control problems, except against the Cubs.  So with him playing so many more game against the Cubs this year, I expect Davis to win the Cy Young this year.

So, have fun watching Davis defy physics and every other natural law this year when he throws his eephis pitches against the Cubs' predominately right handed lineup.  (I just don't get it.)