September

Looking forward to the rosters expanding on September 1. Let's hope Scales and Blanco return so Piniella isn't tempted to use Miles anymore this season.

Making my job easier

It's nice when someone does your work for you. (H/T to "shake n bake" at Bleed Cubbie Blue).

Why?

Thursday night, sixth inning of a tie game, two out, two on. Piniella pulls his starting pitcher (who has only thrown 82 pitches), trying to score a run and get the lead. I understand that strategy, but if you're going to pinch hit for the pitcher, why not use someone who can, you know, hit, instead of someone with a .182 BA who will weakly ground out to second base? When all you need is a base hit, anyone on the Cubs bench would have been a better option, including:

Sean Marshall (.231)
Rich Harden (.216)
Randy Wells (.200)

Oh - and one more: Tom Gorzelanny, the guy that Miles pinch-hit for (.222). Yes I know it's a small sample size, but could he have done any worse?

Satiated

The Cubs are struggling in August. Would you like to hear what the player who has the lowest OPS of any major leaguer with at least 150 plate appearances this year has to say about it? Carrie Muskat of MLB.com thinks you would. Action!

Cubs know hunger needs to kick in soon

Looking at that title, is it more likely that the article contains (a) in-depth analysis tracing the Cubs' problems to a combustible bullpen and several highly-paid but underperforming veteran hitters; or (b) a bunch of baseball platitudes spouted by a crappy player? Let's go to the money platitudes - I mean, quotes:

"Tony [La Russa] throughout the years has used guys who aren't established
big leaguers," said Chicago infielder Aaron Miles, who played for St. Louis
and knows something about the Cardinals manager.

Guys who aren't established big leaguers, you say? You mean guys like Bobby Scales and Andres Blanco? The Cubs have guys like that. I wonder why Lou Piniella won't use them.

"You always get the perception those guys are hungry because they're trying
to prove something."

I'd love to perceive the hunger these type of guys bring to the lineup. If only something would happen to get the obstacles out of their way so they can try to prove something.

"When you're playing good and you're doing good and you're playing
aggressive baseball, it looks like you're hungry. A team goes through a spell
when you don't get that many hits or baserunners, it's hard to look aggressive."

I'll let the grammar slide and just say that it's ironic that a guy with a .220 on-base percentage is talking about a team not getting many hits or baserunners.

"You could definitely say the [Cardinals] front office is hungry, because
they've made some acquisitions, there's no arguing that," Miles said.

No mention of the hunger of the Cubs' front office. Is Miles implying that they aren't hungry? I'd agree with him, based on the fact that they refuse to eat the remainder of his contract.

4 Pitchers and Counting

As of today, there are 4 Cubs pitchers (Zambrano, Wells, Marshall, and Harden) who have a higher OPS than Aaron Miles. Joey Gathright, who was released earlier this year, also had a higher OPS with the Cubs (.481) than Miles's .478.

What's it going to take?

The Miles Line

Baseball fans are familiar with the concept of the Mendoza Line. I propose the creation of the Miles Line, only instead of a .200 batting average, the Miles Line would be a .500 OPS.

For example - Sean Marshall drew a walk last night, pushing his OPS over the Miles Line.

Take notes, Jim Hendry

The Milwaukee Brewers, a small-market team, have just DFA'd Bill Hall, who was scheduled to make $8.4 million in 2010.

And the Cubs, a large-market team, can't eat the contract of a guy scheduled to make about one-third of that amount next year?

Manifesto

After last year's first round playoff belly flop, Cubs' GM Jim Hendry decided to shake things up a bit. And when I say "shake things up", I mean "sign several mediocre Proven Veterans who just had career seasons." The signing of Aaron Miles for 2 years and $4.9 million received little attention or comment (perhaps because it was on the same day that fan favorite Mark DeRosa was traded). For most of his career, Miles was an adequate (at best) defensive player and a punchless hitter. However, Hendry looked at Miles's superficially good 2008 stats, including a .317 batting average, and guaranteed Miles's employment with the Cubs through the 2010 season (it should be noted here that his OPS+ of 99 showed that even at his best, Miles was still a below average hitter).

The problem with this signing is that a GM should be able to easily find players with Miles's skills in his minor league system. In fact, the Cubs already had two such players - Andres Blanco and Bobby Scales could do exactly what Miles does, and for a lot less money. Actually, I'm being unfair to these two, because they can provide more than Miles: Blanco is way better defensively, and Scales can hit a fly ball into the outfield on occasion. And yet Hendry still handcuffed his roster with Miles.

Miles figured to come back to earth this year, but apparently he forgot his parachute. In over 140 plate appearances he has posted a ridiculously low OPS of .499. To put Miles's season into perspective, Sean Marshall, a pitcher who can't hit, has an OPS of .462. Having Aaron Miles in the lineup is pretty much like having another pitcher in the lineup. But because of the stupid contract, Miles stays while Scales, who can hit (sort of) and isn't any worse defensively, is stuck in Iowa and Blanco has to go on the disabled list with a trumped-up injury.

Miles's pinch-"hitting" appearance on Tuesday night, grounding out weakly on the first pitch he saw in a tie game in extra innings, was the last straw. Miles's mere presence on the roster is killing the Cubs, because Lou Piniella feels compelled to use him in game situations, with predictably disastrous results. Therefore, I am imploring you, Jim Hendry - Miles must be designated for assignment (DFA'd) as soon as possible. Until that day comes (Miles is DFA'd or otherwise becomes an ex-Cub), I'll be posting here every time he does something to help the Cubs lose, or when I have some more statistical evidence about how horrible his play has been this year (I should have plenty of material). My hope is that I don't have to continue this exercise for very long; my fear is that I'll still be doing this next year.

Enjoy!