3/06/2004 10:13:00 AM by Rob

Weekend Sloth

Well, isn't it a relief that we got the first spring training win off our backs?

JK, sort of. I get queasy to hear some "experts" talk about how exhibitions mean nothing, win-loss record in the minors means nothing, etc. Sure, these games are used primarily for evaluations and fine-tuning, not wins.

But this is what I always wondered: if the fine-tuning, conditioning, etc. is going as it should, shouldn't the scoreboard result reflect that? I mean, if you lose a game in Arizona because some non-roster filler shortstop boots a grounder in the bottom of the ninth, that's ok, as long as the rest of the game is competitive. If they guys you are counting on are getting hits, scoring, and getting guys out, then isn't that success? And, if the guys you are counting on are getting all those hits, runs, putouts, and strikeouts, then shouldn't you win more than you lose?

Thursday's lopsided score was due to a bad Clement start, and a worse Beltran relief effort, and these are two guys we are counting on. Yesterday's win was due to dominant pitching by Wood, Farnsworth, Wellmeyer and Glover, and some timely hitting by your catcher, Michael Barrett. So that's a good thing in my book.

So I do look at each loss, to determine who was responsible, and if it was some guy with an interstate number on his back, I don't worry. But I just hope that management is taking serious consideration of No. 30, to see what his worth as a rotation pitcher is vs. his market value.

UPDATE: Juan Cruz started well, and LaTroy Hawkins finished well, as the Cubs beat the Giants 5-3 today. I want Cruz as my #5 starter. You're welcome.

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