SB Nation User Blog: Wad

Jason Hanson

Wad — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 21:05:15 -0000

I'm going to take a different road than pretty much everyone here.

Let him go.

He will be 39 at the begginning of this year, but when the Lions are decent and god forbid playoff worthy again he will be at least 41, maybe 42.

If we let him walk we will save approx. 2 million dollars of salary (assuming we sign a rookie at the league min) that could be used to upgrade a couple role players. I know we have a ton of cap space so it won't really hurt us to keep him at that 2.5 million range but does it really help us to keep him. What so we lose 28-9 instead of 28-6.

Now I get the fact that a role player isn't going to take us over the top in these years, but I think with the right high energy guys they could bring a positive attitude (and every little bit helps) to a franchise in despair. Hanson isn't a ra ra guy from what I can tell, he just makes kicks on a bad team. Which brings me to my biggest concern.

Hanson hasn't been on a winner in 8 years. How do we know that in three years when we are a playoff hopeful he will handle the pressure of a kick in Lambeau or Soldier Field. The only pressure kick I remember from the last 8 years was against Dallas 2 seasons ago. Would have put us up by 2 scores with very little time to play, he Shanked it from 36 yards, we lose and fall to 6-7 I believe. This was a chance for our season to right it self and he shanked it. I know it was one kick, but what else do I have to go on. The fact he was 8 of 8 from beyond 50 this year on an 0-16 team.

Now if we keep him, Ill be alright because I do appreciate his time with this team, but I won't be raising a stink if we let him go.

Cubs vs. Padres 5/13

Wad — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:18:43 -0000

Turned the game on right before the bottom of the 1st.

Top 1st - No idea, but my bro sent a text saying len and bob had a humorous conversation about lawn equipment, i can only imagine.

Bottom 1st - Sori leads off with a blast to right center, seems as if he is seeing the ball before swinging now. Thats a good thing. Then three up three down. Bob made it a point to point out that Dlee is right on the pitcher because he fouled a ball straight back, I always felt it was more likely that you were off a bit because you missed a pitch that was obviously very hitable. I know when I foul one straight back its not a good sign.

Top 2nd - Marquis is saved by a very above average play by ramirez at third diving towards the line and throwing across the diamond from his knees.

Bottom 2nd - An error, single, two RBI double from Reed get the cubs two more runs. Reed picked an up and away pitch and drove it to the wall in right center, Derosa got a great jump and made a good slide to beat a good relay by the padres.

Top 3rd - One, Two, Three

Bottom 3rd - Theriot with another hit, to all those who hate him, its time to lay off for at least a month, Dlee hits into a FC on a good play by Greene. Aramis gives the padre middle another chance to turn 2 and they do simply.

Side note: Miller Chill, porch, cubs baseball, eighty degree night, very enjoyable

Top 4 - Long inning for Marquis, Wierd that it happens after a good start seems to be a pattern. Anyways, single single three run bomb by greene (having a good game), then two outs, then a single to the pitcher, wild pitch, and a double to gerut for the fourth run, out. Way to pitch tough marquis.

Bottom 4 - Four up, three down, walk to soto. pinch hit for marquis next inning (if he gets through the top of the fifth)

Top 5 - Of course Marquis goes three up three down.

Bottom 5 - Cubs should have tied this game in this inning, but theriot doesn't get the bunt down to advance marquis and soriano who led off with back to back singles. Then DLee and Ramirez both fly out on hitters counts.

Top 6 - Marquis gets two outs but with runners on second and third he is replaced by eyre who gets gerut to end the inning.

Bottom 6 - Soto gets on again but the guys around him all get out, not so great night for dome and derosa.

Top 7 - double switch fontenot and wuertz in eyre and derosa out. wuertz easy 1,2,3.

Bottom 7 - after fontenot tried to bunt for a hit and a good play by meredith soriano and theriot go down easily.

Top 8 - Wuertz has a fairly simple eighth, two out double stranded. Should be it for him tonight. hopefully we have to pinch hit for him in the bottom of this inning. Dlee to lead it off.

Bottom 8 - Dlee backwards K, Aramis walk, dome K (I know he has had a great year, but i feel for how high is obp is it seems like he K's a lot), soto infield popup.

Top 9 - random trivia, tony clark is the tallest switch hitter in mlb history at six seven. thanks len. random shot of a tubbie cubbie fan before dlee makes a decent play for out two. wuertz gets all three, retiring nine of ten. good showing.

Bottom 9 - dward flys out to the warning track in left center, reed K's, and fontenot backward K's.

Thoughts

Cubs never got it together after theriot didn't get the bunt down. wuertz pitched excellent in relief, thats a good sign. Lots of K's tonight, might have had something to do with the rain, which appeared to be coming down most of the game. ends a four game win streak, and tomorrow we have to hit against peavy. be a tough one. Go cubs.

Cubs vs. Pads - 5/12

Wad — Tue, 13 May 2008 01:11:45 -0000

I finally have a chance to sit down and watch a game in real time. Have had to tivo all the dbacks games and avoid sports radio and tv till I got through them. So here are my thoughts as I watched live.

Top 1st, Z seems to be on his game, keeping the ball low.

Bottom 1st, Theriot stays hot and Dlee goes with a pitch, fortunate that the ball stops under the padding in right scoring theriot. Derosa gets a good chance with the bases loaded and two outs but watches two good breaking pitches to get in a hole to wolf and makes the third out.

Top 2nd, get distracted by my gf's puppy crapping on the floor, but notice its over in a hurry. Good job Z.

Bottom 2, might have went quicker than the top of the inning, no fireworks.

Top 3, Z got in some trouble and of course the walk hurts him along with going to a 3-2 count on iguchi which allowed wolf to take off with the pitch, not sure if dome would have had a shot at the plate had he not been stealing, but still to many balls in the inning cost Z a run.

Bottom 3, Theriot still hot, but a good double play turned on Dlee and a Aramis K end a good start.

Top four, Z decided to put a long sleeve shirt on, Aramis makes his second bad throw of the game but Derosa bails him out and Z gets out unscathed.

Bottom four, Soto doesn't seem to be seeing Wolf's pitches well so far, highlights another quick inning.

Top five, Z gives up a bomb to former cub Gerut, this was a blast, rest of the inning no problem.

Bottom five, Z leads off with a double and Soriano stays hot with a blast to left center letting Z take it easy rounding the bases. theriot draws a walk and Dlee singles, ramirez who had been swinging out of his shoes all game then shortens up makes contact and feathers one into right center scoring theriot and getting dlee to third. Soto tricked me and gets a 2 rbi sharp single up the middle after dome's walk, guess he wasn't having to much trouble seeing Wolf. 6-2 cubs at this point chasing Wolf from the game (glad I dropped him from my fantasy team last week). Kasper makes a funny as Sean Henn enters the game (usally a wolf follows a Henn, but not tonight) Derosa swings at the first pitch singling in fuk. 7-2. Johnson hits into a 4-3 double play killing the cubs momentum. Not sure but I would like to see Pie get a better chance then a game here and there. Z ends what he started with a K as I get a text from my bro saying he wishes he was a Japanese interpreter.

Top six, Z goes 3 up 3 down. This is something I think he has gotten a lot better at, that is shutting down a team after we have a good inning offensively, particularly after he gets a hit. Wondering if it has something to do with his lack of energy drinks prior to the game.

Bottom six, sori lead off with a double, theriot walked, dlee k's, ramirez got on, fuk walked in a run. soto flied out to shallow center, then the fun began. Derosa got to a full count, with the bases loaded, hits a semi hard ground ball down the line and kouzmanov tries to beat ramirez to third, he fails, flings it to first hoping to get derosa, but gonzalez has given up on the play and even though the throw was a few feet from him gave no effort, thus allowing all three runners to score. Sadly for henn derosa was given a hit, have to say this should be an error (our shortstop made this same play in my adult baseball league last week, frustrating to say the least). Reed johnson then singles home derosa making the score 12-2. I sure picked a "good" game to get to watch live. Z with another hit. 10 up in two consecutive innings, havn't seen that since T-ball.

Top seven, Decent inning for Z considering the cubs are up ten, gives up a couple hits, no screamers but hits including the first major league hit and rbi to adrian gonzalez's older brother, something gonzalez. Hopefully Z is done now, I wish he wouldn't have pitched that inning either, up 10 we got guys who need work, read anyone not named marmol or wood. Plus Z did get a visit from the trainer early in the game, couple long innings for his arm to go cold, just seemed like a good time to pull him.

Bottom seven, didn't send ten to the plate, a walk to ward but cedeno clears him in his double play ball, three up three down.

Top eight, Scott Eyre on (inning to late in my mind, as I mentioned above), effective first two outs, then after a double to the pitcher lou pulls him, lou does realize we are up nine i hope. derosa made the defensive play of the day on eyre's first batter, ball down the line he backhanded hit back behind himself after a funny hop, then gets a friendly confines call (and up nine) at first. Howry replacing eyre gets khalil to fly out to pie in center.

Bottom eight, hopefully cubs last at bat tonight, 3 up 3 down.

Top Nine, Howry still on and in human rain delay mode even though the cubs are up nine. Error, single, K, single, double play. Howry made that inning last forever by taking the most possible time between pitches.

Cubs win 12-3, fourth come from behind win in a row, granted they were never down more than 2 in the four games.

Thoughts, Starting to wonder about Lou's motives late in games that we seem to have pretty wrapped up. Starting with Marmol pitching in saturday's game up five and big Z coming out with a 12-2 lead in the seventh. The first is way more troublesome than the second, marmol has thrown a ton this year it seems and would like to see a five run lead in the eighth go to a howry, wuertz, fox... Can't complain to much though, excited we got four in a row. Go CUBS