CSF Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 New Fab Five? Call 'em Filthy Five February 29, 2004 BY JAY MARIOTTI SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST MESA, Ariz. -- The politeness of it all is almost comical. Mark Prior insists the alpha dog should be Kerry Wood, who humbly replies that any of the five starters could be the ace, including Greg Maddux, who defers by saying the incumbents are too good to require his tutelage, especially on days when Carlos Zambrano and Matt Clement have command of their stuff and emotions. If only the rest of the world was as diplomatic as the Filthy Five. When manager Dusty Baker aligned the food chain for his five-star restaurant Saturday -- naming Wood the Opening Day starter in Cincinnati, wedging in Maddux as the change-of-pace No. 2 man and positioning the real ace, Prior, in the wink-wink position of No. 3 -- not a single ego was bruised or a single feather ruffled. "Woody should get the call. He's the one most deserving,'' Prior said. "I don't care if I'm one or five or somewhere in between.'' "I couldn't care less about numbers,'' Maddux said. "We've got, in my opinion, five guys who could start on Opening Day for a lot of teams,'' Wood said a day after signing a three-year, $32.5 million contract extension that says plenty about his character and lack of greed. "We're fortunate to have a staff where it doesn't really matter what the rotation is.'' Amused? Actually, we should be amazed at the seamless camaraderie of the pre-eminent pitching rotation in baseball. Knowing the frayed politics of athletes, competitive egos, bonus clauses and "SportsCenter'' highlight packages, the pyrotechnics of the Bartman Ball might extend to this five-headed monster if personalities didn't mesh. But Cubdom need not worry about petty jealousies or lobbying efforts. Turns out these guys get along gloriously, much too well for an arms war to break out. Prior, Wood and Clement are pals, a bond that extends to friendship among their wives. Zambrano has been invited warmly into the mix, with Prior never missing a chance to extol the talents of the slimmed-down mate known as "Z.'' As for old man Maddux, he immediately quelled any concern about elitism when he described Prior and Wood as "the best two pitchers in the game.'' So if you're looking for workplace resentment, look elsewhere. "We don't care; we really don't,'' Wood said. "Whatever day they tell us to go pitch, we want to do it to the best of our ability, whether that's the first game or the fifth one.'' Voicing a healthy disdain for status is a great start. What we have here is the best rotation in the sport, so talented that Prior says the Cubs could have five 20-game winners this season. If that's a whopper dose of hyperbole, do realize that Zambrano and Clement would be no lower than No. 3 on most clubs. As long as Zambrano continues to mature, Maddux doesn't lose his savvy at 38 and Wood and Clement avoid injuries that saddled them last season, the rotation should carry the Cubs to October even if issues confront the lineup. "I've just been staring at these guys in awe,'' said reliever LaTroy Hawkins, who will be protecting their leads. The mutual admiration society is a thing to behold. That said, Baker and pitching coach Larry Rothschild had to define a pecking order for early April. "After the first [series], you're matching up with different guys,'' Wood said. But not necessarily. As the season progresses, a form chart will develop and create matchup priorities for the bigger series, such as several showdowns against the Houston Astros and their mega-rotation. Yes, Jim Bullinger, the Cubs have come a long way from years when punching bags filled the rotation. What fun we're having already, debating where to slot arms as though choosing among a Porsche, a Ferrari and a Lamborghini. Harmony aside, understand the parts are not as interchangeable as some think. Let me declare right now, for anyone taking him for granted, that Prior is the staff stud and 2004 Cy Young Award winner-in-waiting. He's about to emerge as the best pitcher in the majors, an automaton who is too mechanically sound to break down and too mature to wig out. Assuming he has learned not to collide with opposing fielders, he will be the rock and stopper. The eighth inning of Game 6 of the National League Championship Series was an aberration, a lesson in pressure he won't need again. Aside from Alex Rodriguez, he's the most precious property in baseball. I would name Prior the Opening Day starter, but I understand why Baker chose Wood. If the Cubs are to win a World Series, they'll need Wood to conquer bouts with inconsistency and advance to the next level. As we saw last summer and in Game 7 of the NLCS, he has confidence lapses. Sometimes they are related to lower-back pain, and sometimes he simply can't get the ball over the plate. How maddening to watch the Sports Illustrated cover boy collapse in the end, then apologize to the city and declare that he choked. By anointing Wood, Baker is propping up his psyche. He needs the label; Prior doesn't. "I don't care how many Opening Day starts I have,'' Prior said. It helps that Wood has settled his contract, admirably eschewing a chance to hit the jackpot next offseason. He could have used a strategy once employed by Maddux, who played out his contract with the Cubs in 1992, won the Cy Young Award, then bid Cy-onara and fled for big bucks in Atlanta. But Wood knows a good situation when he sees one. He's also damaged goods -- sore back, surgically repaired right elbow -- and has no room to be greedy. Don't be surprised if Zambrano, 15 pounds lighter, emerges as the second-best starter. That only will complicate the puzzle for Baker, who has sandwiched Maddux between Wood and Prior and might continue to do so in critical series. "I'm going with Prior after Maddux to give a different look. Plus, you know Prior can learn a lot from Maddux,'' he said. For now, the alignment allows for a nostalgic scene: Maddux pitching the home opener at Wrigley Field. But what if he starts slowly, as he did last season? And what if Clement, forgotten in the debate, blossoms and approaches 20 victories? For Baker, who spent last week dabbling in heavy terms such as "McCarthyism,'' it's the most pleasant managing problem he ever will have. "An Opening Day starter is only for one game,'' he said. "After that, it doesn't matter if you're one, two, three, four, five or six.'' Five arms, one mission. Feel the love. Jay Mariotti hosts a sports talk show from 9-11 a.m. weekdays on WMVP-AM (1000) and appears on "Around The Horn'' at 4 p.m. weekdays on ESPN. Send e-mail to inbox@suntimes.com with name, hometown and daytime phone number (letters run Sunday). I'm so past the point of hating this guy. The only article he has left is saying the Sox suck and have no chance whatsoever. What I do hope though, is that when the Cubs fail miserably, that I get a chance to email this article back at him. With the included text: Worm your way out of this one! I'd love to hear what his excuse will be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greasywheels121 Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 :puke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Can we please quit seeing this stuff? Why keep giving this tool, free pub? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillieHarris2 Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 i dont understand why marriotti makes it seem like zambrano and clement would be aces if they werent on the cubs staff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSF Posted March 1, 2004 Author Share Posted March 1, 2004 i dont understand why marriotti makes it seem like zambrano and clement would be aces if they werent on the cubs staff. Kotex Boy obviously didn't watch either one of them pitch against the Sox last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxFanForever Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Kotex Boy obviously didn't watch either one of them pitch against the Sox last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Hudler Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 i dont understand why marriotti makes it seem like zambrano and clement would be aces if they werent on the cubs staff. Actually he said they would be #3's on most staffs, which I agree with. Both have been erratic, but both can be dominant. I have no problem with this story. It may be painting a best case scenario, but it is hard to argue with the the potential of that staff. I'd trade their starters for the Sox starters in a second. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Hey I got an idea. If you hate the guy and you hate what he writes, stop reading his s***. Who cares if the Cubs are going to be good(which they almost undoubtedly will be)? We beat them 4 times and they don't win the World Series, and it's fine by me...they can win 130 games for all I care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooftop Shots Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Actually, I'm rather glad to see more and more of The Big Cub Hype. Bring it On!!!!!!! As much as it sickens the daylights out of me, it will make the downfall that much sweeter when it happens. The newspaper will be something that I will enjoy reading "Just That Much More!!" Will a downfall happen? Will all the hype lead to a crash?? not likely! But as someone once said on an earlier thread, "The season hasn't started yet, and ANYTHING can happen!" There is an old saying that if I recall, it starts out with"Don't count your chickens!!!" When the hype and extreme north-side arrogance comes to a crash, this will be me when I get my morning paper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonkeyKongerko Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 There's gotta be a disadvantage in a pitching rotation that features 5 right handers. Prior is an ace no doubt. Zambrano and Clement are very similar, Wood is inconsistent and a surgery waiting to happen. Maddux is a question mark. Either way, lineups like Houston and St. Louis should get very accustomed to facing similar pitchers so often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSF Posted March 1, 2004 Author Share Posted March 1, 2004 Actually, I'm rather glad to see more and more of The Big Cub Hype. Bring it On!!!!!!! As much as it sickens the daylights out of me, it will make the downfall that much sweeter when it happens. The newspaper will be something that I will enjoy reading "Just That Much More!!" Will a downfall happen? Will all the hype lead to a crash?? not likely! But as someone once said on an earlier thread, "The season hasn't started yet, and ANYTHING can happen!" There is an old saying that if I recall, it starts out with"Don't count your chickens!!!" When the hype and extreme north-side arrogance comes to a crash, this will be me when I get my morning paper Damn Straight! B) I could care less what Mariotti writes anymore. The fact that he has become their unofficial publicist will make their downfall a wonderful experience to behold. Then when he turns on them like he always does, I want Sox fans to remind him of his unabashed love for them early on and make him stick with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Hudler Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 I think Sox fans should spend less time thinking and worrying about the Cubs and more time about their own team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AssHatSoxFan Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 yeah lets the cubs get over hyped and talk about the WS while we take care of business Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWSGuy406 Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Actually, I'm rather glad to see more and more of The Big Cub Hype. Bring it On!!!!!!! As much as it sickens the daylights out of me, it will make the downfall that much sweeter when it happens. The newspaper will be something that I will enjoy reading "Just That Much More!!" Will a downfall happen? Will all the hype lead to a crash?? not likely! But as someone once said on an earlier thread, "The season hasn't started yet, and ANYTHING can happen!" There is an old saying that if I recall, it starts out with"Don't count your chickens!!!" When the hype and extreme north-side arrogance comes to a crash, this will be me when I get my morning paper Right on. What a great story that'd be. The Monstrous Cubs fall to the Astros, all the while that other team, the White Sox have a great season, and win their division and add players along the way. I think we have a 2004 Slogan. White Sox Baseball: Bring it! Lets go, I cant wait for this season to start! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldmember Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 :fthecubs and mariotti too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Tizzle Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 I think Sox fans should spend less time thinking and worrying about the Cubs and more time about their own team. Dully noted. I'm positive most fans have a mental capacity capable of rooting for the Sox AND praying for the Cubs collapse. :fthecubs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomsonmi Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Actually, I'm rather glad to see more and more of The Big Cub Hype. Bring it On!!!!!!! As much as it sickens the daylights out of me, it will make the downfall that much sweeter when it happens. The newspaper will be something that I will enjoy reading "Just That Much More!!" Will a downfall happen? Will all the hype lead to a crash?? not likely! But as someone once said on an earlier thread, "The season hasn't started yet, and ANYTHING can happen!" There is an old saying that if I recall, it starts out with"Don't count your chickens!!!" When the hype and extreme north-side arrogance comes to a crash, this will be me when I get my morning paper Amen! Thank god I live in Colorado though. There's no way I could handle this Scrubs s*** on a daily basis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Hudler Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Dully noted. I'm positive most fans have a mental capacity capable of rooting for the Sox AND praying for the Cubs collapse. :fthecubs But what is the purpose other than to outwardly show jealousy?? Sox fans would be better served not caring what happens on the North side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Tizzle Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 But what is the purpose other than to outwardly show jealousy?? Sox fans would be better served not caring what happens on the North side. Unfortunately it does show jealousy on our behalf. But because the Cubs came within 5 outs of the world series and had a tremendous offseason doesn't give them immunity. For all the years they were terrible I still had a strong dislike for the Cubs. Most know (though few would admit) the Cubs represent everything we wish we were :strong fan base, high payroll, media attention. For that it makes them easy to dislike. :fthecubs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NUKE_CLEVELAND Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 I'm so past the point of hating this guy. If thats the case then why are you even reading his articles let alone posting them up here for all to see. Some of you people around here are mariotti masochists (sp?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upnorthsox Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Can The Queen threads end already!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pastime Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Based on last year's stats, Houston's present rotation looks like this: Pettite - 21-8, 4.02 Clemens - 17-9, 3.91 Miller - 14-13, 4.13 Robertson - 15-9, 5.10 Oswalt - 10-5, 2.97 (in half a season) The Flubs present rotation looks like this: Maddux - 16-11, 3.96 Wood - 14-11, 3.20 Zambrano - 13-11, 3.11 Clement - 14-12, 4.11 Prior - 18-6, 2.43 I know statistics never tell the complete story, but which rotation would YOU rather have? Plus, IMO, the Astros have a better 1-8 lineup than the Flubs - including a true leadoff hitter. In other words, it's not a foregone conclusion that the North Side Club will win ANYTHING. And that's my last post about them. Like all of you, I'm growing weary and tired of all the hype. My concerns should be, and will be on OUR rotation. With some of our young guys, we might have a great rotation of our own in just a year or two. (Cotts, Wing, Honel, and Rauch - I'm really pulling for you guys). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen Prawn Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Can The Queen threads end already!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soxman352000 Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 I'm so sick of Jay and the s*** he writes everyday. He should spend less time on around the horn and more time writing better articles. When those northside asswipes fall flat on their ass I'm going to call that son of b**** and let him have it. All this talk about the cubs is making me sick I can't wait for the season to start so we can kick their ass like we did last year. :fthecubs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sox-r-us Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Some more Cubs praising by the man.....I will not subject folsk to another of his articles....wioll just post a link...read it at your own risk http://www.suntimes.com/output/mariotti/cst-spt-jay011.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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