Chicago Cubs: Jason Hammel Frustrated With Joe Maddon
By Kit Anderson
A bit of infighting as Chicago Cubs starter Jason Hammel openly upset with manager Joe Maddon over early exits.
Chicago Cubs starter Jason Hammel was pulled early from his start this weekend and hasn’t been shy about showing his distaste for the early exit.
Jason Hammel started Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers and was pulled in the third inning having given up three runs and five hits. After taking a beating at Coors Field in Denver, Hammel still didn’t look sharp but was far from being killed either.
Joe Maddon pulled Hammel in the third inning with one out and with Hammel in a bit of a jam. Anyone watching the game could see the obvious frustration that he displayed after being pulled from the game. Maddon’s move, as usual, appeared to work as the bullpen shut the Dodgers offense down and got them out of a jam.
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Joe Maddon stood by his reasoning after the game and continued to reiterate he had made the correct choice. Jason Hammel wasn’t as vocal about his thoughts, however, opting to say that it was a clubhouse discussion he would have with Maddon.
Hammel’s frustration is very understandable. He has had a great season in the Cubs rotation and has had a nice run of starts before being blown up in Colorado. After his early struggles against the Dodgers Maddon opted to pull him instead of offering him a chance to right the ship. For a starter that has had an above-average season, it was a frustrating move.
Jason Hammel is part of an amazing team that to this point are the clear World Series favorites headed into postseason. While that is a good thing for Hammel, it also means he is going to have to deal with moves like the one Maddon made. The Cubs rotation is made up of innings eating aces who could carry the team without the top offense backing them up.
Because of that, Jason Hammel is going to be considered a complimentary piece to the team and may eventually be moved to the Cubs bullpen. While taking Hammel out of the game so early, or considering moving him to the bullpen, may seem harsh from Hammel’s perspective both moves are understandable.
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Joe Maddon is not infallible but he is one of the better managers in the game who can afford to make these moves. Taking Jason Hammel out of the game early instead of trusting him to find and fix the problem is a sign of how much trust the Cubs have in Hammel. Barring ace like production from Hammel over his next couple of starts, come postseason time Hammel will likely be in the same position he was put in Saturday, a long reliever that the Cubs have on a very short leash.