By Matt Veto, mveto@qconline.com

Ted Lilly didn’t do anything special. He was just Ted.

There’s nothing overpowering about the Cubs’ left-handed starter, yet twice in the last two months of action (counting last September) he’s taken no-hitters deep into games. It’s his changeup that does it. A superb outing on a less-than superb day, meteorologically speaking (if you will).

Three of my buddies were at the game. The report: “Cold. Wet. Great time.” That’s thanks to Teddy — and maybe also my buddy Josh’s bag-o-groceries. He likes to bring grocery bags full of Pringles, granola bars, sunflower seeds and Gatorade to the ballpark. (His thriftiness is never far from our friendly barbs.)

What was great about Monday was that the Cubs won with what I believe is close to the “worst” possible lineup they could field. I place quotations around “worst” because I think it resembles a lot of average team’s lineup — not much power, but capable hitters. With early season injuries abound, the Cubs had Aaron Miles, Koyie Hill and Reed Johnson in the lineup. Aside from the light-hitting Joey Gathright, that’s about as low-power as this lineup will get. Read the rest of this entry »

By Matt Veto, mveto@qconline.com

So, I’m about to go against the grain here — that grain being the all-knowing powers of sports radio, particularly, a certain Chicago sports radio show that is entertaining, but also critical of everyone and their grandmother.

One recent segment was spent on Reed Johnson and the perplexity they encountered when trying to reason why Cubs fans like him so much. They claim, “He’s just a guy! He’s a fourth outfielder!” and don’t necessarily recognize that it’s OK to love a player for his character and guts above his batting average (which, by the way, won’t end up being too bad, either, I’d wager).

Reed Johnson saved me from a potentially awful Sunday night by robbing Prince Fielder of his first career grand slam — one that would have tied the game. To Prince’s credit, he was gracious in the moment, tipping his helment to Johnson, who returned a finger-point of recognition. Read the rest of this entry »

By Matt Veto, mveto@qconline.com

Kevin Gregg had nine blown saves in 2008. He has one in 2009.

It’s too bad, ‘cus after watching one of Rich Harden’s dirty breakers, I told my buddy that Harden could break the single-game strikeout record if he could ever throw a complete game. I know, that’s a stretch (I mean the complete game part).

I like Harden, a lot, but you know what you’re going to get from him –  a strong outing and six, MAYBE seven innings. So, every fifth start, you know you will be relying on the bullpen.

And that might mean Neal Cotts coming in and hitting a guy. Oh well. Read the rest of this entry »

By Matt Veto, mveto@qconline.com

Hold your breath for Geovany Soto. Or thank your stars Paul Bako isn’t with the team. I’ll accept either.

Soto had shoulder discomfort on a throw to second, and gave way to Koyie Hill. Losing Soto would be losing an enormous bat in that lineup. There isn’t much on the injury yet, but likely will be at some point early Wednesday.

To quote DLReynolds from yesterday in regards to Alfonso Soriano’s pace to hit 162 home runs this season:

Can I have the under on Soriano’s home run total

OK, this is your one chance I’ll let you pull your bet off the table! Read the rest of this entry »

By Matt Veto, mveto@qconline.com

OK. Alfonso Soriano can lead off, right? Doesn’t hurt anything.

Leading off the game with a homer off Roy Oswalt is poetry in motion. Thank you for that, Fonzy. Please, just stop jumping when you catch fly balls.

Soriano is on pace to hit 162 home runs this year. I think he could do it.

Some random thoughts from opening day… Read the rest of this entry »

By Matt Veto, mveto@qconline.com

It won’t be long now.

Within the week — within this season-opening week for the Chicago Cubs — we’ll be second-guessing, cheering, jeering, praying and saying this is the year. I hope that is only all too true.

The VetoPower blog is back, and, yes, I know I was primarily absent over the winter, but seriously, I hate the off season, and I hate spring training (did I mention that?) Not to mention, I’ve been neck deep in hockey. (That’s the sport with the curved sticks and the flat, rubber ball.) Read the rest of this entry »

By Matt Veto, mveto@qconline.com

.

.

I hate spring training. It’s boring. It’s long. It’s fake.
.
It’s almost over.
.
Spring training gets us all excited for baseball, only to play out like an arduous chess match that features four extra rows on the board to make room for the 32 additional “pawns” that litter the lineup with too-high numbers.
.
The coaches talk about “competition” at certain positions just to make sure the egos of knights and bishops don’t get too big. But the rook (who’s actually a vet) stands in the corner watching everything and says, “Yeah… you go get ‘em, middle infielder Darwin Barney. Maybe that ‘6′ in front of the ‘5′ on yer back’ll fall off.”
.
I could go on, but fortunately my chess knowledge starts to fade from here.
.
Spring training is generally pretty predictable after all of the offseason deals are done. I don’t really believe anyone other than Sean Marshall has a chance to take over the Cubs’ No. 5 spot in the rotation, and does anyone really think Mike Stanton is even going to potentially add lefthanded depth to the bullpen?
.
But every now and then, there are surprises. For me, the one surprise this spring came Sunday when Carlos Marmol was told he wouldn’t be the closer. Kevin “Don’t Forget the Extra G” Gregg has been awarded that job, and now essentially has become a replacement for Kerry Wood.
.
A cheaper replacement? Some might argue that.
.
Gregg will get $4.2 million this season. Yes, I know, Wood signed with the Indians for 2 years, $20.5 million — the Cubs wouldn’t pay that. But I still don’t believe the Cubs would have HAD to pay that much if they wanted him. Wood wanted to stay.
.
Just like the Mark DeRosa departure that puzzles some folks, I’m trying to digest it all with an open mind. Comparing the player gone to the player acquired isn’t fair. DeRosa and Wood were favorites, but to become a favorite you need a chance to play. The only comparison that’s going to matter in the end is the 2008 result vs. the 2009 finish.
.
The good new is, we all get to begin another season of cheering proudly, complaining loudly and contradicting ourselves when it turns out someone we thought would be awful isn’t such a goat after all.
.
Opening day for the Cubs is April 6, and no matter the makeup of the 25-man roster that heads north, the Cubs are going to be tabbed the favorite in the National League Central — and by default — the favorite to win the World Series in the eyes of many Cubs fans.
.
While nothing would make me happier, I think I’ll take my position in the corner, and watch this thing play out before I move one way or the other.

By Matt Veto, mveto@qconline.com

.

.

While this blog headline isn’t true — I love bacon, and don’t really eat salads — I wish I could tell you that Paul Bako wasn’t a Cub again.

.

The back-up catcher that MLB.com so politely described as “defensive minded” is back. He’s another left-handed bat, though, I guess … sorta … though his career batting average is .231 (for the record, it’s .240 against right handers).

.

I know, Henry Blanco was far from an offensive juggernaut. He hit .167 for the Cubs in 2007 (he was hurt, right?) but rebounded to hit .292 last season, and got neat arm tattoos at the age of 36.

. Read the rest of this entry »

By Matt Veto, mveto@qconline.com

.

.

“Mariners” right-hander Aaron Heilman to the Cubs for Ronny Cedeno and Garrett Olson. The trade just annouced by the AP moments ago.

.

Heilman’s journey from New York (Mets) to Seattle was quite short-lived. I wonder if the Mariners said, “Hey, we don’t really want you,” or if they let him search for housing a coast away first.

.

Heilman is one of those stars that formed and never really shined as brightly as the Mets hoped. He was a first-rounder, and attempted to be a starter, but wound up in the bullpen.

.

I’m really puzzled by this one, because I thought that Olson (a left-handed reliever) was one of the guys that the Padres wanted for Jake Peavy and the Cubs went and got him. I know Cedeno was also in the deal. So calling Heilman “bait” for Peavy doesn’t seem even remotely in the ballpark.

. Read the rest of this entry »

By Matt Veto, mveto@qconline.com

.

.

The New Year has done little to break my lingering disgust for the Chicago Cubs’ display in October, and I’ll say upfront, I’m still somewhat puzzled over the current state of this team.
.
However, out of my winter slumber I come to satisfy VetoPower Blog friends like “Robbie” who has diligently kept me informed on Cubs’ off-season happenings, and for a caller dubbing himself only “R.W. from Colona” who craves more Cubs coverage, and perhaps more specifically (from the tone of his message), less Cardinals coverage.
.
The second, I cannot help my Cubs fan compatriots with, as the Cardinals Caravan rolled into town last week bringing many interesting stories to the Q-C that deserved the ink. If only the Cubs would bus to the area.
.
At that Cardinals Caravan event, I stood quietly taking notes — my Cubs fandom taking a beating, as Al “The Mad Hungarian” Hrabosky began a pre-emptive 2009 assault on the Cubs. He said Chicago is again being considered a favorite, but suggested to the group of Cardinals fans that “when you think about the `Cubs’ all you need to know is the last two letters.”
. Read the rest of this entry »