Ex-Cub Updates

Hee Seop Choi - Currently hitting .238 with 10 HR's and 22 RBI.

From may 14th ESPN.com Article...."I couldn't have been any more wrong on that guy," says one NL executive. "His power is incredible. But I never thought he'd be this good a hitter. He covers the plate better than I thought he would. And he's not intimidated. I thought he'd give in to the better pitchers. He hasn't done that."

When Choi arrived in Florida, hitting coach Bill Robinson took a look at his crouch and told him: "Son, I can teach you how to hit, but I can't teach you how to be tall. If you're big, you want to stay tall." So they adjusted Choi's stance to make him more upright. The whole league is seeing the results.

On one hand, Choi has outhomered Lee, 9-4. And only Barry Bonds and Adam Dunn have better NL home run ratios than Choi's (one every 10.2 at-bats). On the other hand, he was also 4 for his last 32 through Thursday. And his nine-homer, zero-double ratio tells you he can succumb to uppercut fever at times.

But Marlins manager Jack McKeon keeps telling him, "Relax. It's your job." And why wouldn't it be? At this point, the only NL first baseman with more homers is Jim Thome.

Choi will get 100% of the starting duties at 1st base now as Wil Cordero has gone on the disable list. We should see that average start to climb, because I dont think Choi is the type of player that reacts well to platoons. He needs to play everyday and find his stroke.

Bobby Hill - I thought Hill was going to be regulated strictly to a bench role with Jose Castillo showing some power. But since his initial outburst he really hasnt done much. Hill has won back some starting gigs as he has performed extremly well in pinch hitting duties.

In 20 less AB's Hill has a better average, better OBP, 1 less HR and just as many RBI as Jose Castillo. If Castillo completly faulters Hill will get the majority of the playing time.

Currently Hill is batting .299 with a .365 OBP, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 8 runs scored.

Juan Cruz - He is still making this trade look like a complete disaster for the Cubs. The Atlanta Braves have a pitcher with a 3.50 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and 15 SO's in 18 IP.

Meanwhile the search for the real Andy Pratt continues. In AAA Pratt is 0-4 with a 19.00 ERA, in 9 IP. In those 9 innings he has surrendered 14 hits, walked 15 and allowed 19 runners to score.

Sure would be nice to have Cruz instead of Pratt right now wouldn't it?

Brooks Kieschnick - I know he is a little on the old side, but he is a wonderful story.

He is still having a great year out of the pen with a 1.83 ERA in 19 IP. OppBa is .214.

On the batting side he is hitting .333 with 1 HR and 4 RBI in 21 AB's.