Bleed Cubbie Blue

Wait, no...

…the umps converge and – the call has been overturned – Slakkr is safe and Daver is furious! (WTF? I swear my post showed up first a minute or two ago.)

Both timestamped 9:19.

I rule it a tie.

Mmmmmm...

…pizza!

MN exile - September 12, 2008 reply

And a fun card game for kids!

Pursed!

Dah, wrong movie.

It’s this one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0IDjx3hkw0

brianp88 - September 12, 2008 reply

Is that your purse? That's a nice purse.

brianp88 - September 12, 2008 reply

"Drugs?"

“No, thanks. I’m straight.”

Shawon O Meter - September 12, 2008 reply

GAH!!!

Beat me to it, Daver…

“I meant, are you in here for drugs?”
“Why are you here?”
“Drugs.”

LOL - that's a classic.

I thought the "purse" quote was from Trading Places

daeviant - September 12, 2008 reply

say Ferris Bueller and you lose a testicle

Shawon O Meter - September 12, 2008 reply

The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, waistoids, dweebies, dickheads – they all adore him. They think he’s a righteous dude.

"Les jeux sont faits."

“Translation: the game is up. Your ass is mine.”

"What's the score?"

“Nuthin’-nuthin’.”
“Who’s winning?”
“…the Bears.”

That line is from

Trading Places, not Ferris Beuller

oops someone caught it first

Bricks and Ivy - September 12, 2008 reply

Weird morning

Friday morning, and no game to look forward to- feels like mid November. Guess the W flag flies at my house two more days, and hopefully more.

Slakkr - September 12, 2008 reply

I'm going to have to disagree with you there about the number 11 Al.

Jacques Jones was a pretty solid player for the Cubs the past few years.

Uh, I don't think ol' Jacque can touch Don Kessinger, though.

Right.

Kessinger was an All-Star shortstop — yes, I am well aware of his offensive shortcomings. But he was still a far better player for the Cubs than Jacque Jones.

without a doubt

n/t

Bricks and Ivy - September 12, 2008 reply

Kessinger

He’s a great guy from Forrest City, Arkansas. He’s one of the most respected baseball people in this part of the country. I remember Don coaching Miss State’s archrival, Ole Miss, back in the 1990’s. One of his sons, Keith, was the head baseball coach at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro from 2002-2008.

For us post-1980 fans, the best #11 for the Cubs was Ron Cey. Of course, he’s better remembered as #10 for the Dodgers.

memphiscub - September 12, 2008 reply

Kessinger

I coach a youth tournament baseball team based out of Oak Grove,MS. A couple years ago we played the Desoto Cardinals in Southaven,MS. Pregame I was talking to the Cards coach who last name was Kessinger. I asked him if he was kin to Don…..;yea, he’s my Dad….that’s his grandson playing SS. I aksed him how Don was, and he said…..go ask him, he is sitting behind backstop! I am not easily star struck, but the late 60’s cubs were what I grew up with………What a gentleman,,,,,it was very cool. I found myself trying not to screw up and make solid baseball decisions coaching 3rd that game so as to not embarrass our team in front of Kessinger…….

Ps …we got smoked. Turns out his grandson has some pretty good coaching…

Flynbuy - September 12, 2008 reply

Great story.

Bump Bailey - September 12, 2008 reply

i was joking

11 must be jinxed

Nobody on the roster wears it now.

CubFaninNY - September 12, 2008 reply

Ivan DeJesus wears it

Looking forward to 'Santo' tonight

or maybe Leon Durham?

Can’t go away from Ron, can you?

sorry ronny

but here’s to skipping OVER your jersey

as we don't play today, I'm hoping for MIL loss

and seeing Ronnie’s jersey.

Am I missing something, or wouldn’t skipping require a Mil win tonight?

+1 good point

i keep thinking we play tonight

I hope we don't

skip over Ronny. We don’t play until at least Saturday. I hope the brew crew loses today and it’s lower to number 10 tonight. The only I see to skip over #10 is for the brewers to win today and Saturday and us swept a DH on Sunday or a Cubs win brewer lose combo

MerlinDog - September 12, 2008 reply

yes another jacque fan!

He wasn’t the best player, and he didn’t have an arm, but he put up some solid numbers for us, and saved the team/himself when he moved to center last season.

Still not as good as Kessinger, I’ll admit that.

Number 11

I’ll take Ivan DeJesus over either Kessinger or Jacque. Just out of nostalgic value – I’m sure Kessinger was better, but I’m too young to have seen him play. DeJesus was the Cubs shortstop for much of my childhood – the five years between 1977 and 1981. Not much of a hitter, though he did hit for the cycle once, and usually hit a respectable .270 or so with very little power and some speed. And no one made leaping catches like him- to this day I haven’t seen a fielder who can jump as high. Also to his credit, the Cubs got Ryne Sandberg for him in a trade. So quite a valuable player.

danimal15 - September 12, 2008 reply

I think with Houston is...

They have been playing very well as of late – why would you want to take a few days off? Could this cool them off? Not that it really matters to the Cubs but i think this is a bad move by houston. I would be all for playing somewhere else if i were them.

I agree

lots of time to think about how well you’re doing with 2 days off. I hope that could turn out to be the silver lining in all of this.

And technically...

it works well for the Cubs – a few days off after winning two might be good stuff for Cubs.

MLB is so stupid they should have a clearly defined contingency plan in place

If I were a vender or partner I would be hoping mad. That said here is a suggestion, in case of a major storm or natural disaster event (flood, fire, earthquake, et cetera) the MLB has the power to re designate the game location upon a 24 notice. First preferred the scheduled away team can host the games if the field of play is available but the ‘home team’ final AB is the original home team that had to vacate their field of play due to natural forces. The income will be divided as if the game were played in the original field of play.

MLB through the team will reimburse original ticket holders either a ‘rain date’ or credit to the upcoming season.

Day of game tickets are sold first come first serve.

Ivy Walls - September 12, 2008 reply

This Doesn't Work

“First preferred the scheduled away team can host the games if the field of play is available but the ‘home team’ final AB is the original home team that had to vacate their field of play due to natural forces.”

You can’t take a team’s home games and switch them to the visitor’s park. I don’t care if the original home team still bats last. They should make the rule that the games get moved to the closest available MLB park to the home team.

brianp88 - September 12, 2008 reply

Closest, OR most available.

Arlington is the closest MLB park and it’s available. But you wouldn’t want to play there either this weekend.

How do you know

they don’t have a contingency plan in place? Just because they aren’t blabbing it to the media doesn’t mean they don’t have one. I imagine they already know what they are going to do and are waiting until the last possible moment to make a final decision.

Josh Timmers - September 12, 2008 reply

Interesting point....perhaps McLean's incessant desire to play the games in Houston..

…will only hurt his club. If I were him, I would want to keep playing, even at a neutral site.

Yup.

Good. Hope it cools them off.

i also think

the astros will be distracted by everything that goes with this unique situation….a lot of media attention, they will probably be thinking about their homes, friends and family

sad situation, but a benefit to the cubs

Yeah

Didn’t think of that, but its got to weigh pretty heavy on those guys minds.

plus

you mix bad weather with fat elvis and that spells trouble

Thats

Gotta weigh heavy too.

berkman or the weather?

Both.

It definitely spells trouble...

…for anyone standing on the steps to the clubhouse in the Astros dugout.

image of the owners in the movie "Natural"

that said, this probably will deflate some of the personal momentum the Astros have built up. they have overtaken the Cardinals who might be falling fast where they visit the Cubs next up next Friday.

Cubs magic number is Don Kessinger…..meaning 6 more wins and 5 losses of the Brewers who are now 6 back in the loss the column…..

Looking forward the Phils are putting the best hurler up tonight and then Sat & Sun the Brewers have Bush and Suppan….I could see at least two more losses here.

Depending on Ike I can see the Cubs playing a DH on Monday—-depending—-the electricity could be out in Houston and the games are played in Wrigley and then again the Stros could be stranded in Houston.

The problem is what to do if the games mean something in the WC at the end of the year?

Ivy Walls - September 12, 2008 reply

Obviously...

…the money situation is dominating the thinking here. I have no idea whether teams have insurance for this type of revenue loss, or whether the league would help them out if the games have to be moved (I doubt it).

Now, from a baseball standpoint, you would think the Stros would want to play the games now because they have been red hot. The other part of this is the emotional side of Houston going through this storm. The players have families there, homes etc. and I completely understand them not leaving their wife and kids there to take the blow on their own. I guess McLane could have offered to charter a couple planes and take the players families out of there today, and play at a neutral site. That costs money as well, and they are already going to take a big hit.

I still think they will be playing at a neutral site on Sunday and Monday, because I just can’t see them playing any games in Houston 1 or 2 days after IKE roles through.

please play in DC!

that’s all.

i think you meant

KC….typo i assume

Nope, he meant DC. There's a bunch of us refugees from Chicagoland

waiting to see the Cubs here…

this i know

however i want it in kc haha

+100000

Here’s hoping for an interleague series next year in KC!

ryan89 - September 12, 2008 reply

yes!

i’ve never been to the kauf, but i heard it’s a nice stadium and i’d finally have an excuse to make the 3 hour drive from dsm to kc

The new screen is ridiculously huge

But they need to do everything they can to take your attention OFF the field at a Royals game.

ryan89 - September 12, 2008 reply

+10000

DC Cubbie - September 12, 2008 reply

If/when we play Houston

I’ll be happy if win just one of the three (or two). The way I figure is Houston red hot right now and we really just need to win every other game from here on out. If we go 8-8 the rest of the way, the brewers have to go 13-2 just to tie us.

MerlinDog - September 12, 2008 reply

Heartsstopping... LOL

At least six BCB’ers complained about or suggested heart trouble in the final overflow thread last night.

jcg996 - September 12, 2008 reply

The eighth and ninth

were two of the toughest innings I’ve ever watched. I literally couldn’t stop moving around in some sort. Fonzie and Dome’s catches were awe-inspiring, and I felt just like Marmol did when he got that strikeout to end the eighth.

Really glad it’s over.

What a game to be at though...

I was thinking when listening to the radio (and i thought Ron was going to kiel over) what an exciting last 2 innings. Everything went right for the Cubs and things ALMOST went right for the Cards… But that is baseball!

I don't know if I could have taken actually being at this game.

I needed my full apartment to roam around in. I mean, Wood vs Pujols, representing the ninth-inning winning run, is playoff baseball.

I have no idea how I’d make it through October, but I cannot wait to find out.

Me either... But this is what it's all about!

sometimes it’s joy, sometimes it’s heartache. That’s why we love being fans! It’s an addicting drug!

I had this exact same thought last night.

Somewhere’s around the seventh or eighth inning, In the midst of my continued forehead-slamming frustration with the Cubs offense, it dawned on me: This is playoff baseball we’re witnessing. Low run scoring. Gutsy pitching. Do-or-die defense. And the Cubs prevailed. The Cubs prevailed.

Praise God almighty, the Cubs prevailed!

+ English Lady!

can I get a hallelujah?

Remember when we couldn’t win one run games?

Now we’ve won three.

Amen Brother

+1K

agreed!

I was at the game! It was fabulous! Nothing like singing Go Cubs Go at Busch Stadium!

revtrh - September 12, 2008 reply

I was there, and it was intense

Far too intense. I watched the bottom of the ninth on TV in the concourse. Had a bad feeling about all of it, but it came out fine.

I think most other Cubs fans in the building were feeling the same way. It’s got to be a huge confidence boost to the team, to get through that bear pit and come out the other side intact.

You could call the Cubs lucky...

…but that was stellar D and after the last 10 games, the baseball Gods owed them a little something.

I was literally holding my breath in the ninth

My wife (who was sitting there calmly reading a book the entire time) looked up after it was over and said, “Good, now you can breathe again.”

The tension was broken only when I started yelling, “WALK HIM! WALK HIM!” when Pujols came up for the last at-bat.

SuperContext - September 12, 2008 reply

twice now

we’ve challenged Puhols in key situations — Lilly’s strike out the the other day, and Wood popping him up yesterday.

I was shouting SWEEP THE LEG, JOHNNY!

the 9th inning

I couldn’t watch it – after Wood gave up the leadoff double I turned off the TV and followed it on ESPN.com. When Pujols was up and the site said “ball in play” I was sweating bullets until I saw that he had popped out. What a finish!

danimal15 - September 12, 2008 reply

That was

right when gameday went on the fritz. I was switching back and forth between gameday and BCB to get updates, it was painful.

YEAHHH!!! GET HIM A BODY BAG!!!

I'm not sure Selig is going to allow 1 game

The hurricane could effect the Brewers more than it would effect the Cubs. Chances are the Cubs are going to have this thing locked up before the last few games. Say they decide to play a double header on Monday or just 2 games one Sunday, one Monday and make the last game up after the regular season, why would the Cubs play any starter that last game. I am sure Wells would pitch that game and everyone would get their normal rest (which they deserve). Now if the ‘stros are a half game up or down, this is a huge advantage for them to either leap the Brew or keep their lead. This is all hypothetical because who knows what is going to happen these last couple weeks but it is a scenario that could play out.

* I'm not sure Selig is going to allow 1 game to be played after the season.

However, it is typical...

… if the final game between two teams in any season cannot be played, it is held for the end of the season IF it has playoff implications.

That’s exactly the case with this series. I repeat: play two of them Sunday in a neutral site, hold the third one till 9/29.

And the Cubs would NOT start Randy Wells. More likely it’d be Jason Marquis or Sean Marshall.

You are right...

I am just saying it is a HUGE advantage for the Astros to get in if they are a half game up or down. Whether it’s against the Brew or Phils or whoever.

Not if they're a half game down and HAVE to win.

I think so.

I don’t think Lou is going to start the starters to a game that means nothing to the Cubs regardless of the outcome right before the playoffs start.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

No way, no how. He wouldn't do that. If someone got hurt

in one of those games, he would be crucified.

Thank you.

I think Lou has an obligation to play his best players in a game like that.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

That rule kind of goes out of the window if you are talking

about a game the day before the playoffs start. Putting up fair competition is fine, but you have to do what is best for your team.

Here is the situation

I don’t see the electricity working Sunday with a Cat 3 storm, they won’t let people into Houston due to security until Tuesday at best.

So the worst is to let more than one game open. So I see today that Astros must leave Houston to a staging area somewhere else.

I see a game on Sunday somewhere else—-neutral site——and a game on Monday, day game because of travel. One game is left for the end of the year.

If the WC or div is down to the end of the year——

Piniella and Hendry will call up every man on the 40 man roster.

they will play and beat the Stros with a clutch game by the others.

Ivy Walls - September 12, 2008 reply

He has an obligation

to the Cubs to keep his players healthy for a deep playoff run.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

If you are talking about a situation where there

are 10 games left in the season and you are playing a team that is fighting for a wild card spot, I could see it. It wouldn’t be fair to the other contenders to play a AAA roster and give away a game.

Correct!

I'm not saying you play a AAA roster but

I assure you that Sori, Rami, Lee, Riot, Soto, Dero would not play.

And I say they would, because of the integrity of the game.

screw integrity

i know i’m not old school, but it’s not worth the risk….i hope lou throws himself under the bus for the players

+1

If Soriano pulls up with some leg problems or something THEN people would go bananas!

Like when the Astros started 3 rookies against the Brewers last September?

good point

Former Brewer Cecil Cooper tried to lay down and help his team out.

I forgot about that...

he wasn’t even in the race and played rooks.

Goat Whisperer - September 12, 2008 reply

Forgot about that...

Cecil certainly did pull a Marv Levy…

Maybe Lou would handle it...

…kinda like a spring training game? Play the regulars for the first few innings but then take them out?

Possibly.

Some regulars...

…would get some AB’s, but you would see bench guys play the bulk of this game. For the Stros, this would be a dangerous team to face, because the regulars would have zero motivation.

Kevin Kennedy was in the same situation in the PR Winter league years ago.

It was a makeup game that determined the last playoff spot for the team opposing Kennedy’s, played the day after the regular season was supposed to end. Kennedy’s team had already clinched.

Kennedy decided to play his bench, giving the advantage to his opponent, who of course, won. The team that was eliminated, its fans and the media were furious. Kennedy was accused of compromising the integrity of the game and never managed in the league again.

Bingo.

Exactly why Lou would do the right thing and at least start his regulars.

Consider it a playoff tuneup.

He may start them, they may try

But psychologically, it’s not the same. The Brewers are better off with respect to the Astros if the Cubs/’Stros series is completed by Monday.

I don't

Not in that situation. There is no way I want Fonzie or Ramirez or anyone that is planning to start risk getting hurt. That “baseball tradition” goes out the window in such a situation.

Josh Timmers - September 12, 2008 reply

+10000

If the tradition is at odds w/ the teams best interest, your team should win out.

halfblindcubbiegirl - September 12, 2008 reply

I know...

…you are supposed to uphold the integrity of the game, but if the Cubs lose a day off (before playoffs), I’ll guarantee Lou won’t give a shit about that.

I agree you would see either Marquis or Marshall and probably only 3-4 of the normal position players starting that game.

Here's my question.

Has any such game EVER been played? A game postponed and held till the end of the season? Is there ANY precedent? I can’t think of a single such game having ever been played.

I think most times

those games that are held till the end of the season are thrown out if they have no implication on the playoff standings…

Correct.

But my question was, can anyone remember an instance of a game like that that HAS been played?

The Giants and Cardinals came very close in 2006

to making up a game. I can’t remember this scenario actually happening.

I can never remember something like that being played, but if the Cubs have already clinched

I agree we should send none of the real players out. Sorry integrity of the game, but at that point the Cubs will have a playoff series to get ready for. Odds are that one game won’t matter anyway.

What that does, though...

… let’s say the Astros are a half game ahead. If the Cubs tank the game, the team they are ahead of is going to scream.

let them.

Yeah well you can't please everyone

Who knows, maybe hoffpauir and mcgee could lead us to a victory and make everyone happy.

and wouldn't THAT

piss off the Astros. Extra game, they have to win, our second-string comes out and wins anyway. We could do that, too.

Win,win,win

I don't know...

…but I would be shocked if Lou played this like a game they needed to win. And you know what, the Cubs would probably end up winning the game, because guys like Pie, Johnson, Blanco and Cedeno would probably go off in this situation.

See my post above, but it was in winter league.

I don’t remember it ever happening in the majors.

I think you put in a pitcher who is part of the rotation but isn’t scheduled to start a playoff game and play your regulars as long as the game remains competitive.

It was pretty close to Happening in 2006

I don’t remember all of the details but I believe that the Cardinals had a game postponed till the end of the season. I think that the Cardinals need to lose a game or two on the last weekend and the Stros had to win a couple. Alas it did not happen…

Had St. Louis lost on the last day of the season...

… they would have had to play a makeup game — I forget who it was against — and if they had lost THAT, then they would have played the Astros for the division title.

If Marquis or Marshall

don’t make the first-round playoff roster, then yeah, they’d start. But I can’t imagine the Cubs burning any pitcher in a meaningless game that they were insisting should have been played at a neutral site.

I see no reason not to start Randy Wells in such a situation.

Josh Timmers - September 12, 2008 reply

This will just be another example of why MLB

needs an actual commissioner and not an owners’ puppet. From all reports this is a horrible storm. I certainly hope things come out better than predicted but the idea of playing baseball in an area where, just a day or two earlier, there was a monumental natural disaster and, no doubt, some deaths, is idiotic in every way. Selig is a joke.

To paraphrase another idiot from another hurricane – “You’re doing a heck of a job, Bud-dy.”

the nth - September 12, 2008 reply

wow

Was that game last night a butt-pull or what?!

thermal54 - September 12, 2008 reply

Butt-pull?

Explain please!!

Like a tractor pull?

OUCH!!!

Actually

He might be referring that the Cubs “pulled that one out of their butts”. I don’t know.

That's actually a pretty good explanation.

It's all I can think of

that could be a logical explanation. But who knows, he might be referring to it in a completely different context.

"Butt-pull"

“To pull a miracle or impossible task out of one’s, um, be-hind.”

It’s an engineering term;)

thermal54 - September 12, 2008 reply

I

Zeke - September 12, 2008 reply

I what?

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

I thought engineering terms were things like

“Impact adjustment” (smacking the side of the TV with the palm of your hand)
“Don’t force it- get a bigger hammer”
“When I nod my head, you hit it…”

Zeke - September 12, 2008 reply

No, engineers use terms like - within a gnat's ass and

RCH(red cunt hair). Don’t jump down my throat ladies, RCH is an actual engineering unit.

First one is

Percussive maintenance

Yeah, is there sand involved?

I've been around here for a while

but I still haven’t quite grasped this ‘Punching Sand’ meme. Someone, please regale me.

Well, first of all...

…it’s sand pounding, not punching. And it’s a phrase that originates from the mind of our favorite resident troll, MDBNIU. I can’t seem to find the post where he told me to do it, but here’s another.

Daver

I believe it was in reference to Lou’s doghouse last week…Maybe in a recap or pregame thread…

Hm, I thought it was earlier than that.

I can’t believe I’m spending my time searching for this…

There's

This instance

Not that I'm an expert or anything but I'll try...

The imperative “pound sand” (you ‘pound’, not punch) is the shortened version of the insult “go pound sand up your (rectum)” which, in cultural context is like saying, “I don’t like or appreciate you to the extent that I would be happy if you harmed yourself in some self-deprecating way.”

Or something. Happy to help!

Daver, I wouldn’t give Blue Mike credit, it’s a fairly common expression, at least in New York. :-)

Interesting.

I’d never heard it before running into BM.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pound%20sand

here's a better explanation

um, till i figure out linking, paste this

and, huh-huh, you said, “bm”! lol

Wow.

The expression dates to at least 1912 and is common in the midwestern United States.

Who knew?

apparently, Blue Mike.

Hmmm

Maybe Blue Mike worked on a chain gang, or the railroad.

If I remember right....

…..Jim Bouton’s manager (Ralph Houk, maybe?) in his book Ball Four used the expression a lot.

sniffy the bee - September 12, 2008 reply

I thought he came out on the mound...

and told Bouton, “get this guy out and we’ll go pound some Bud”.

Bump Bailey - September 12, 2008 reply

and legendary Chicago punk band

Naked Raygun put out a 7" single on their label which they dubbed, Sandpounder Records.

no, no, that's pushing

not pulling. Pulling sand requires a significantly greater amount of muscle control than I hope most people here have.

Assuming we go to Atlanta...

What would the ticket situation be?

camnorris14 - September 12, 2008 reply

A certain percentage should go to hurricane relief!

Lou In Blue - September 12, 2008 reply

Probably what it was at the Cell in 2004 for the Marlins/Expos game.

They’d sell at a flat fee — at the Cell it was $15 — sit anywhere you want, and $5 from each ticket was sent to hurricane relief funds.

wow that would be awesome

is there serious talk about it being atlanta? i’ve still got my heart set on kc, somewhat of a halfway point for both teams…..

Atlanta makes the most sense.

Teams are familiar with the park. It’s available. Astros are heading to Florida for their next series.

I’ve heard the weather in KC is supposed to be awful this weekend. They wouldn’t risk that.

a guy can always hope right?

LOL

Sure!

That game last night

was fantastic. I am still concerned about D. Lee hitting ground balls to the left side with men on base but, overall, the Cubs are looking better.

Cubster - September 12, 2008 reply

Respectfully hoping DLee gets his head out of his arse during break...

I actually really like the guy, but he’s become the target of my ‘how does nobody on the team or him see this’ angst (previous recipients include Korey (swing at 60 of 73 first pitches while hitting leadoff) Patterson and Mike (Lefty who does better against righties) Remlinger.
Love his glove and I think he is a respected leader on the team but he is pressing like nobody’s business. 3 straight nights he has left a run at third w <2 outs and that ticks me off when anyone does it. Worst one for me last night was in the 5th…Wellemeyer walks Theriot (including a WP) to effectively walk the bases loaded w/ 1 out. Lee is struggling mightily and Wellemeyer is on the ropes. Not only does he not take a pitch (which ticks me off no matter the batter)…not only does he swing at a slider (if you are gonna swing, aren’t you sitting dead red?)…not only does he swing at a pitch away…but he tries to pull the damn thing.
ARGGGG. I know we won. I know we even scored a run on his dribbler to third, but it was a great chance for him to let a guy come to him and he helps the guy wriggle off the hook. I’m really rooting for the guy to turn it around, but every day makes it a little bit harder to watch him.

He’s gotta be in the film room and the cage with Perry, doesn’t he? I mean, he’s a coach’s son and seems like a smart, humble and realistic guy. Here’s hoping he starts to go the other way and cashes in on some chances when(/where)ever these guys take the field again.

I agree, and something else that bothered me....

IMHO, Lee’s throw to third base to try to get Brendan Ryan was ill-advised. What was he thinking? I don’t think he had a chance to get Ryan, and but for Ryan’s oversliding (and the subsequent call by the umpire that he was out, though it may have been that he was even safe the second time), we would have probably lost the game.

I know some disagree with me on this, but I really think if he had been thinking clearly he should have taken the sure out.

Things sure worked out, though, thank goodness!

It was a tremendous slide by Ryan.

If he goes simply straight in he gets tagged out, no problem. But, as seen, that risky slide took him off the bag.

My hair was already 'raised'

but I said the same thing at the time about the throw. I even admitted to my wife that it might be colored by the other stuff from the game, but I didn’t want him to throw and then his toss took ARam off the bag…but Ryan’s Cedeno-ing (love that, whoever said it in game thread) of the play saved us some grief.

I just really want DLee to right the ship because I get the impression he is one of the classier guys in the game.

His throw didn't take Aramis off the bag

Aramis wasn’t back yet, because he had to charge hard for the bunt - which was supposed to be bunted towards third with a man on second.

Yeah, that was a crazy play.

When Lee first went to throw over there, I thought they had Ryan easily. Then when I saw that Lee’s throw was headed toward the home plate side of third, I was getting ready to drop an F-bomb. Then when Aramis got the call on the second tag, I nearly jumped off the couch with the joy. I do agree, though, that it did look like Ryan may have gotten his hand back on the bag before the second tag but…oh well. Definitely a game-changing play.

Agree...

…Ramirez was not in good position to put the initial tag on him and it was a gamble.

Lee is trying to do too much at the plate and it carried over to that decision in the field. You are taught to only make that play if you are 90% certain you will get the guy.

Okay...It was the best decision to make for one reason

The next batter (Skip) kills Right Handed Pitching. Wood has not been missing a lot of bats lately. Can’t expect a strike out. Can’t walk him because then that almost for sure brings Pujols up…which he came up anyway, but you don’t know that at the time

Absolutely the right call to make …

Just be glad that it was ARAM making the tag and little Ryan Theriot.

Move him out of the 3 hole in the lineup.

He’s hurting the team and himself. Move someone like De Rosa up. Down in the 6 or 7 spot, Lee will probably see better pitches to hit. Right now, Lee is one of the reasons why the team isn’t scoring more runs.

I was against this

but now think it’s time. I mean, look what DeRo, Soto, Edmonds, Reed, et al have done 5-8 this season. Put Lee there for a bit and see what happens.

Lee won't see...

…better pitches to hit going lower in the order. Right now, he has Ramirez giving him protection and it doesn’t get better than that in the Cubs lineup.

His issue is pitch selection and trying to pull all those outside pitches (where he is getting pounded).

I agree, but why hasnt he made adjustments? This has been going on since June basically.

…he looks as lost as ever right now. He isnt hitting the ball with any authority.

I can't answer that...

…but my experience would tell me he is just trying to do too much and has been for a while.

We know he has good pop, but he is not waiting back and attacking good hitters pitches for some reason. His slugging has been putrid since mid-season, and it has cleary gotten in his head.

At least he won't be so harmful to the team even if he doesn't see better pitches to hit.

BTW, I agree on your analysis of what he’s doing wrong. And maybe you’re right; opponents will keep pitching to him the same way.

Fukudome caught the ball w/ his eyes closed. What a show-off!

Guess catching hack.

Seriously, that and Fonzie’s catch two batters before were HUGE. Baseball Tonight gave the number one web gem to the Cubs as a team for those two saves.

Baseball Tonight recognized the Cubs?

Hm. Red Sox and Yankees must have had the day off.

speaking of recognition

i’d like to see what the sori haters that says he “dogs” it out in the outfield, have to say this morning…..the guy may not run the best routes, but he gives 100% and is slightly above average in the field

Specially when it comes

to outfield assists

My son, the budding Cub fan, and I quote a Scrubs line when he guns someone down

“This what you get when you mess with the warrior!!!”

That scene gets me everytime.

“Do you see what you get Carla?!”

Don't think he 'dogs it' on a regular basis...

but, coincidentally, I thought yesterday he played a single into a double by not going after a ball aggressively…can’t recall who the batter was.

All that being said, I don’t find him lazy.

Although I was a bit shocked when he swung at a 55 foot breaking ball.

He does 'dog' it...

One catch doesnt change that, but you are right he does give 100% everytime he is out there.

I am just really glad he caught that ball because if it got by him – game over.

wait you can't say

he dogs it in one breath and then in the next say he gives 100%

Sure you can....

I guess it is better said that he will do everything (give 100%) to win the game. But he definitly has his moments where he dogs it.

he's played VERY good

defense lately.

Dave Kaplan disagrees with you

He isn’t the only one, remember this team is better when Soriano isn’t playing. He is a guess hitting/fielding waste of money. We should have traded him right when we signed him.

uh...

this team is better when Soriano isn’t playing

That’s certainly not true since he came back from the DL this last time.

F forgot my sarcasm warning

oh! ok.

:D

Compliments of BCB Flickr Group

thank you, silly of me to not have mentioned sarcasm

For the record Soriano is prolly my favorite player on the team

he is a close second for me

after z

Ahhhh...now I see what you did there.

Seriously?

I agree. DFA Soriano immediately and let's start

my personal hero in LF, Casey McGeHee

Looking at Sori's total...

…fielding ability; the dude has a cannon for an arm, but he is not a guy I want running down balls to make a catch. The play last night was first rate, but he is not a good “catcher” of the baseball.

he catches the balls fine

okay so he lost one in the sun, i can’t hate him for that

the problem is the routes he takes to the balls

Thats my point...

…if you take bad routes to balls, you can’t catch as many as you should.

They can't comprehend

Wild Card Sox or irrelevant Yankees. Just an error; regularly scheduled East Coast programming will resume shortly.

Well.....

they had football to fall back on but with Tom Brady out – ESPN is thinking about halting sports for a year and switching to gardening or something.

Not quite

Ball is in his glove and so he’s about to, or already trying to absorb the impact of smashing into the wall. Any other RF would have played it off the wall or failed miserably resulting in at least a triple. Thank god he was in there last night, and specifically for that play.

+1

+1000

i said the same thing

if he doesn’t make that catch, he probably is hurting and doesn’t get after that ball very quickly….lord knows how far back into the infield it woulda rolled

game saver

that 8th inning was amazing

Probably his eyes closed when he banged into the wall

c'mon badger

re-read the title again and tell me if you think he was being serious haha

Oh, I never did think he was being serious

Just randomly posted.

The Cubs ACTUALLY reduced the Magic #

to Rey Sanchez/Jose Nieves last night.

But Sanchez also wore #6.

Kessinger never wore anything but #11.

I prefer to think of the magic number as Jacque Jones

I’m prolly the only one

You think of the magic number

as a ball being thrown fiercely into the ground?

Perennial Insect Killer.

Wrigley was never so bug-free.

They should invite him back to the clubhouse...

…to do something about those rats.

I like to picture my magic number as a free swinging red bat

"Free Swinging Red Bat?"

Just catching up after being out of town and this phrase is without comment. Didnt’ want my first comment back as at TWSS, but c’mon.

Idk if this is gonna work, but

Ahh...

Oh J-squared….

i miss his double finger points to the dugout

after he’d get on base…..that caught on with everyone on the team, kinda a cool tradition if you ask me

People still do it.

Cedeno and Soto are two that come to mind.

i think riot does it more than anyone

it’s just not the same though :(

i loved seeing jj on second, looking into the dugout with a huge grin, batting gloves half off, doing the double finger point

1 bcb point to someone who can find a pic of it

Im now on a mission to find that pic

Almost as good...

i google'ed for 15 minutes

and couldn’t find it

Ok I'm giving up for now

GIANT FAIL by me

That was just about the closest pic I could find

I haven’t given up yet

Pucker up, buttercup.

Here's a good one:

don't teast me

try again

*tease

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

Come on never, where's the pic?

i call shananagins

i don’t think he ever had it (reverse psychology)

damn it I was excited to see it

TWSS

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

That's it. neverAcquiesce is banned.

DFA him!

just issue

a few technical balks.

Well, here's him pointing:

Don’t know why the other pic didn’t show up (it did for me…at first). It was just a joke; here it is.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

I thought he was making the ball levitate.

these aren't

the cutoff throws you’re looking for.

I'm gonna get a screen shot of him doing it

Wow seems like they always cut out of the highlights right before he does it

Here's a good one for somebody's avatar:

Got it, hopefully this works

damn it

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29998523@N07/2850484683/

Url as well in case I fail again

I'm here for you, man.

good work

thanks

Hey, you found it.

I simply coded it for the masses.

:D

prolly the most time somebody has spent to get a picture of jacque jones

Worth it

lol

Somebody at Google is thinking, “Searches for ‘Jacque Jones’ are up 3000%. Any idea what that means?”

Jacque is trying to buy United Airlines! Panic!

Can Al be nominated for Best Post of Day?!?

n/t

TORCO - September 12, 2008 reply

I wonder how small...

…the comment boxes will get if we continue this discussion.

eventually

they stop shrinking.

TWHS

They can't get much smaller

or can they?
No, no they can’t.

nope

TWSS

Eventually we cross the axis

.sdrawkcab sraeppa gnihtyreve dna

!yaw gnikaerf oN

!looc ooos si siht
!!!eeeeeehw

what is going on in this bizarro world.

you da man

no wonder our economy sucks, we spent way too much time looking for jj pics haha

Yeah, don't taze me, bro!

Its his little way of being part of the team even now

Um yeah...

…what the hell does that mean?

JJ

Swung a Red Bat

Methinks is Jaque love...

He of the undented red bat.

As they have said

Jacque swung a nice red bat.

I like to picture my Jesus in a tuxedo T-Shirt

Because it says ‘I want to be formal, but I’m here to party. ’

Hahaha

He did it again this year, on the Tigers…

They had to wait until we got rid of Jones...

…before they redid the field. Those 18 hops to home were brutal on that outfield grass.

If only he played infield

he could have single-handedly gotten rid of the crown.

Yep.

Touche...

…Not to mention the fact that Kessinger was a bit more solid of a player…No offense to Rey…

Very smart...

…player Kessinger was. That was in the day when the SS were all slap hitters, but they almost never cost you a game in the field.

Ivan DeJesus was #11

…he is on the current coaching staff.

Ivan couldn't carry Kessinger's jock...

Haha. (Kessinger was my favorite player when I started watching the Cubs, so I may be biased)

Great win last night...

I changed my avatar to the “bleacher wonder woman” and we’ve won two in a row. LOL.

We still may not be hitting the ball like earlier, but you gotta love the defense that showed up last night.

Harden continues to amaze me.

ah...bleacher wonder woman

I think a larger photo might help us all through the trying times of cub uncertainty…

click for larger version

"Click for a larger version"?

What, you mean her breasts get bigger?

In a relative sense...YES!

lol

apologies to sue...

love this

(almost as much as Milton)

If only she was holding a "Cubs Win" sign....

Nah, then I'd be seeing Milton's face on her body

(shudder)

I think Milton dated her for a while...

…but then upgraded to someone better…

I apologize in advance...

hokie316 - September 12, 2008 reply

+ English Lady

Well done, lad.

It's the Attack of the 50 Foot Cubs Fan!

Hahaha...

Awesome Hokie!

Oh man...that's hilarious.

I’ll add it to the Flickr group if you don’t mind.

Oh, by all means...

it belongs to the internets now.

hokie316 - September 12, 2008 reply

OMG

That is so creepy but so funny.

And suddenly...

I can’t wait for the next Cubs win!!! (still laughing)

"Milton enjoys spending time in the Silicone Valley"

God bless ’im

Sounds

very relaxing and enjoyable.

Ladies and gentlemen

Shannen Doherty! (applauds)

Brenda?

Dick!

Speaking of Sue...

…I can’t help but notice that, for two games in a row, Al has posted Geo’s picture on the pregame thread and, lo and behold, the Cubs have won both of those games. Should Al continue doing this when the Cubs get back from "Hurricane break’?

Whatever works.

I’ve worn my Ramirez jersey two days in a row and will continue to do so.

I havent showered, and that works.

oh...THAT'S what I smell

Awesome.

Looking forward to continually drinking Shiner Bock so the Cubs can keep winning.

Bill Potter - September 12, 2008 reply

I'd stick with that routine, win or lose...

Goodie1969 - September 12, 2008 reply

I was wondering the same thing

Geo pics seem to be working, us bcb females are happy, it’s a win-win situation

Yup

But I think it has to be a new picture each day.

I hope Al has

a large stash of Geo pictures. Of course I think he should include the pictures in the pregame threads.

They have also won since we put up our new Cubs flag. It’s not coming down anytime soon.

If not...

don’t you?

Now there's

A Cubs fan with a lot of heart! Schwing!

What lungs!

I sat by her in 2006

There’s no doubt it was the same woman. She was wearing a yellow macrame bikini, and I was one row behind, just to the right.

From what I saw during some “adjusting”, they’re real, and they’re spectatcular . . . .

We need visual confirmation...

Didn't have a camera with me

But I’ve got witnesses. There were five guys and a woman in my group. When she walked away, the woman in our group commented about her shoes — and every man within earshot said, “Shoes?”

witnesses with no camera phones?

you suck. :)

Yes, CNN has no use for you.

Frankly, I was too stunned to move, let alone take a pic

Re; My Fantasy Team

My wife cares about, thats 250 Bucks!

Nobody cares about your wife spending all of your money...

better? :)

Ha

Well when you put it that way..heh heh.

I didn't realize that the Cubs were only .500 in one-run games...

But I haven’t done any research so I don’t know whether that’s good or bad?

I just assumed that teams with winning records like the Cubs also have winning records in one-run games?

Is the record in on-run games indicative of defense, bullpen, luck? All of the above?

DudeVf11 - September 12, 2008 reply

In general, the "better" team is supposed to be the one winning 1-run games

The same applies to wins in extra innings. Both situations are meant to gauge how well a team performs under pressure.

As an idea of how accurate this notion is, the Pirates record in 1-run games is 21-19, and they’re 11-4 in games that have gone to extras. Apparently they can win, but only in pressure situations.

about 10 times a year I'm glad I live near Philly

will be able to see Hamels make the Brew hitters look foolish on TV. Only downside is listening to Sarge say “as well” in every sentence, viz. “Sometimes, in the game of baseball, you have to make plays as well.” etc.

you get to hear Harry Kalas tho

Or does he not do games everyday

Yeah

He’s still on there I hear him on XM from time to time

he's on but does fewer innings

REALLY a class act and a great guy. Got a personal note from him back in the day when my agency tried to get him for some Fleer voiceover work. And what a great voice.

out-a-heeeere, homerun!

Mick-ee Mor-an-di-ni

One of my favorites

His home run calls are awesome

agreed

but it somehow doesn’t work when he uses the new nicknames, like, “J Roollllll”

yeah thats true

When he does Ryan Howard homers, thats when he’s at his best IMO.

What about Ryan Howard strikeouts?

his worst moment

was singing that “rubber tree plant” song after they clinched on the stadium mike. He must have sang 37 verses to DEAD silence. When they cut to the interview, Howard and the Comcast guy were chuckling. It was painful—felt bad for the guy.

That just sounds painful

The Brewers...

…are a “hack away” lineup, and I would agree, this will play right into Hamels hands.

Hamel scares me in the postseason

as much if not more than anyone. Only positive is that they never score runs for him—he should be about 18-5

"Hamels"

way to make myself sound like I know what i’m talking about :-)

Personally, I'm glad for the break.....

The past 2 weeks have been brutal for this fan. And you can never complain about rest for the team. I think I heard that Monday is their last day off? If that’s true, and we do have to play on Monday, it’s gotta be a positive to get 2 days off before that last stretch.

plus more rest for z and harden doesn't hurt

i think God, who is clearly a Cubs fan, is also a Hawkeye fan and wanted to see us destroy the cy-clowns saturday

The amazing thing about D LEE's slump......

it is like he is always the one up with men in scoring position recently. It is like the baseball gods are saying we know you suck at this right now, so here is more for you, thank us later.

i agree

i like dlee, it’s painful to watch

sad part is his average is still hovering around .300’s, but the power isn’t the same as it use to be

it's a corollary of Murphy's Law

right up there with Pujols always coming to plate a chance w enough guys on base to tie or take a lead.

I’m sure it’s frustrating for him too. But it’s awfully tough to watch/listen to.

Stuff

Astros are idiots, I realize they want the money but they are being short sighted. Whatever happens the Cubs are probably going to be exhausted when this Houston series is over, don’t the Astros want us fresh to face the Brewers? If there were 2-3 months left in the season I could understand trying to fit these games in at Houston. In this aspect the NFL is better, Godell would step in and make the best decision for all and wouldn’t allow a greedy owner to have his way.

I was very nervous when that ball went out to Fukudome, I thought it was gone. I was more nervous with Wood in the game, wow did the Cubs get lucky on the play at 3rd. I’m confident the Cubs will be fine over the last 2+ weeks and post season but for individual games they need to repair my trust. That last sentence might sound dumb but it’s true.

slocs55 - September 12, 2008 reply

1 more thing

DLee can’t be healthy. Still solid at 1st but he looks like a different hitter.

slocs55 - September 12, 2008 reply

Its possible...

…something is bothering him, but I would think this would have leaked out by now. Also, if Piniella knew he was hurting, I think he would have given him more days off and also moved him down in the order.

i dunno

he is swinging pretty aggressively

Let me be Gerald Perry for one second

D lee for starters is mental right now. His double plays, failure to drive people, failure to be anythign other than a singles hitter has got in his dome. He is over anxious, watching pitches he should hitting and swinging at pitches that will only lead to more dp’s and no power.
Secondly, he looks to be overcompensating and trying to generate more power by staarting his swing early, opening up early, which leads to a long swing, more ground balls and inability to hit the outside pitch.
IF i’m the hitting coach, i just tell D LEE forget power, forget the situation at hand, just tryin to be the best opposite field singles hitter you can be, and magically D lee should come back to life
that is if he isn’t injured?

amen

DLee’s struggles also making me appreciate ARam more. He is a slugger who is willing to cut down his swing and go the other way in a given situation.

...even altering things within an at bat as count dictates

no kidding..........

aram is one of few guys on this team that not only makes adjustments within an at bat, but he hits to the situation and can hit a breaking ball. He is our stud

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

+1

Some say he is the best breaking ball hitter in the league. At least hitting for power.

Ramirez...

…actually has the ability to make adjustments in mid-flight of his swing. There are times he recognizes he has gotten out front, but he keeps his hands back and can inside out a ball to the gap in right center. This takes talent.

He did that last night IIRC

when he dumped that ball to left for a single.

*to right

he also has the new role of bailing out d lee every night

I'm torn...

…on the Lee thing. At this stage of the season, it is a difficult thing for Piniella to mess with the heart of his order. With that said, I wouldn’t mind seeing Lee in the 2-hole for a couple of games. This will take the expectation of power out of his head and also allow him to still have the protection of Ramirez hitting 3rd.

Good idea.

Aye, there's the rub.

Read the following quote:

“It makes it much easier to put out a lineup knowing you’ve got Soriano in the leadoff spot and you can do whatever you want in the two, five, six, seven holes. Plus he’s starting to swing it, and he can carry a team.”
-Lou Piniella, 7/30/2008

Piniella inks Sori, DLee, and Aram in the 1, 3, and 4 holes (respectively) every game. It gives him a sense of certainty, and makes his job easier when he doesn’t have to think about it for 162 games. The question is if this approach is correct, and all signs in the second half of this season are pointing to ‘no’.

Besides, if there’s a problem with Lee’s approach at the plate, it’s Gerald Perry’s job to notice it, attempt to correct it, and inform Piniella about it. This looks to be a managerial issue at that level. Either Perry doesn’t want to risk the boss’s wrath by adding uncertainty to his life, or he hasn’t seen anything wrong with Lee. I for one would love to see this addressed, but Perry’s the guy who has to make it happen.

If there...

…is one thing Piniella would never miss, it is noticing an issue with a hitter. I am sure he has instructed Perry on his thoughts with Lee and they have been working to improve his approach. Working in it and actually having the player do it, can be two completely different things.

I agree that Piniella keeps an eye on his hitters

But do you think that eye may be a bit blind when it comes to Soriano, Lee, and Ramirez? They’ve been his rocks: Lee has played in 143 games (out of 146), Ramirez in 138 (with some injury time off), and Soriano in 97 (with 2 months out for injury).

I don't think so

Alrighty, then.

nope.

Completely agree...

…when you get a guy focused on going the other way, it is amazing what it does to your power. You hit homers when you stay back on the ball and that is what focusing on going the other way does.

He should be getting some advice from Riot.

On how to do that “base hit to RF” thing. :)

I'd rather d lee be a singles hitter than a rally killing double play weak ground out guy

Exactly.

DLee left six guys on base last night. Think of how many runs a couple singles could have driven in.

5 LOB the night before as well

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

The most curious part of this

is that in the past, he has been one of the best opposite field powre hitters in the league. We have seen him hit a ton of doubles to right center field and that used to be a big power stroke for him. Now, all of the balls to RC seem to be weak fly balls.

They pounded him on the Corner last year

and they are doing the samething again this year. I use to think it was his wrist…but know I think he is so freaked about his power numbers he is trying to jerk the ball all the time instead of going with the pitch….

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

That's pretty apparent now. He is

way to anxious and committing to early. He has swung and missed at too many balls this year. He used to wait longer on pitches away and now he is jumping at those. His timing is all off now.

That sounds like a great idea.

I never thought I’d type this, but DLee needs to start hitting like Ryan Theriot.

Up is down, black is white...

i never thought i'd grow to love the cubs as much as i love the white sox!

just checking who is paying attention................well no one

your right.....start hitting the other way....might be the best way out of this

Derrek Lee has lost bat speed

Simply put, he has no business being a # 3 hitter. The trouble is there is no better option. If it were up to me I would be seriously inclined to switch Geovany Soto and Lee in the lineup. Soto in the #3 hole isn’t ideal on several fronts, but he surely would perform better than Lee at this stage.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

The only problem is that you want that spot to

stay the same. A catcher has to be rested periodically which means juggling the order on his off days.

No such thing as a neutral site.

Hell, Cubs fans make up about a quarter of the gate when they play in Houston. Anywhere else, the crowd will be overwhelmingly Cubs fans.

DaveinHouston - September 12, 2008 reply

Haha, not our fault!

yes there is......wink wink

How's Doubleday Field looking this weekend...

The Cubs and Astros can send the Hall of Fame Game out in style with some real regular season baseball.

DISCLAIMER – The above is not a serious suggestion.

hokie316 - September 12, 2008 reply

LOL

If it weren’t so hard to get to Cooperstown, this would be a great idea.

I think the Baseball Gods

already passed judgment on the Hall of Fame game this year.

Central nearly wrapped up...

Here’s the math-
2 wins against Brewers of the six we have against them.
+
4 wins against Houston, St. Louis and Mets (out of ten games).
+
3 Milwaukee losses other than in games against Cubs (out of nine games).
=
Central champs.

Last night’s win should go a long way to help this team’s confidence.
The key will be getting that “cubbie swagger” back at the end of the month and carrying it through October.

SouthsideCub - September 12, 2008 reply

i like the way you think

bc my prediction for the contest at the beginning of the year was 95! i think the tie breaker was theriot ba and i think i had that at .305 which he seems to going down towards

More math

Even if the Cubs win one game—just one—in each of the remaining series:

1) the Brewers would still have to go 11-4 to beat us
2) the Astros would have to go 14-1
3) the Cards would have to run the table

I like our chances.

Well done

The reality is, if we take two of three from the Astros, and then two of three from Milwaukee at Wrigley, it would pretty much be over.

I think at that point Lou would put the brakes on, give all the starters a chance to rest and maybe even give a few spot starts to Marshall to rest Z and Harden.

SouthsideCub - September 12, 2008 reply

True, and

since one of the series is with the Cards, winning one game would prevent them from running the table.

i want to see a playoff clinching game friday

c’mon one time baby!

Revised math

Winning just one game in each series reduces the magic number by 8, down to 3

Kerry Wood is crumbling at the worst time possible...

Sorry, but I shudder to think about Wood entering a one or two run game in the playoffs. Looks also like Chad Gaudin isn’t going to be counted upon.

he's fine

Last night was a one-run game, playoff atmosphere.

yep

he got the job done and thats the only thing i care about, even if i did have flash backs of randy meyers

Or Rod Beck...

2 out, bases clogged fly-out to the warning track to tend the game…

Or even Ryan Dempster

making the save more interesting

ryan dempster was a closer?

i don’t remember that……i only remember him as a dominate starter!

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

He's definitely having a rough go recently

but I think he’ll right the ship.

He has had outings this year, against good team no less, where he has looked dominant. Recently, though, he’s looking like he can’t get the slider over. Which allows players to sit and wait on a fastball.

I think he’ll get it together.

SouthsideCub - September 12, 2008 reply

I think with Kerry Wood it will always be a tight-rope act. He seems

to have a hard time getting into a groove in the closer’s spot. I think we will just have tolive with the excitement.

he had been in a good groove

but its hard to stay on a roll when you’re not getting consistent work.

halfblindcubbiegirl - September 12, 2008 reply

and of course

had he come in to work in any of the losing games, Lou would have been eviscerated for pushing him too hard.

yep

but i’m not worried about kerry.

halfblindcubbiegirl - September 12, 2008 reply

me neither.

i am however

slightly worried about my own sanity… :-)

halfblindcubbiegirl - September 12, 2008 reply

I am

just worried about my blood pressure

then you still are sane....

coz only sane people can recognize insanity :P

haha

its a good thing i don’t drive and there are not cliffs around here otherwise this would get a little dicey. :-P

halfblindcubbiegirl - September 12, 2008 reply

I'm worried about that, too . . .

we're cubs fans

where does sanity enter into it?

I'm not worried about my own

Just HBCG’s . . . .

doesn't really

but i’m not ready for Oct baseball… and last nite was just a reminder that I need to GET ready or be driven crazy by nerves.

halfblindcubbiegirl - September 12, 2008 reply

You can prepare all you want.

I doubt it’s gonna help.

I mean, last night was rough. But, in the back of your mind we already knew the Brewers lost and we’d still be 4.5 up. Imagine if that’s a do-or-die situation.

I might die.

I don't think any fan

can ever really be prepared for October baseball.

You get tossed into it, and you endure it, and hopefully you come out the end having watched your team win 11 ball games.

Nah, you've been through this before

Last year was much more nerve-wracking in September for me. 1998, too.

And, it’d be hard to top the disappointment of 1984 & 2003 in October (knocks on wood).

Cubs didn't actually show up last October.

There was no cause to get nervous about.

They did in '03, though

yeah

that was a gut punch for the ages.

halfblindcubbiegirl - September 12, 2008 reply

Surreal

The foul ball isn’t why they lost, but it was like a cloud came over the field

And that made it all the harder to take.

I’ll always remember, after IT happened, my brother quickly got up and left the room to leave me by myself. Even amidst the hatred and agony brewing in my mind I thought an unspoken “thankyou” for him.

Your brother is a Cards fan?

Sanity enters into it

as much as the plummage does

Lou eviscerated?

Eek, I’m scared of the buttons shooting off the jersey, let alone what’s inside.

escape velocity

that’s what’s inside.

I figure he'll wait and when some sportswriter ticks him off, he'll

push out his stomach and fire one of those buttons into the writer’s eye.

just so long

as they get it on video.

I think

it’s Lou’s Mini-Me. He just keeps him there for safe keeping ;)

I think its good...

…Wood is going through this now. This will make him battle tested and give him time to get his breaking ball down. When he gets his breaking ball sorted out, he will be very difficult to score runs on.

as long as he doesn't hit people

i’m fine…..but once he hits someone, it seems like thats the nail in the coffin

Yep.

I think if he's going to blow a save

he should dot the first batter…you know, to give us some advance notice ;-)

good call

that way i have ample time to find the highest ledge i can

Better now than three weeks from now.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

You are assuming that if he struggles now, he will get it out of

his system and pitch better three weeks from now. I am not convinced of that.

Not necessarily

But his career record suggests that if he’s healthy, he’s an above average MLB pitcher. I’m not going to panic about three games. One of which came after he’d been unused for five days.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

That's what bothers me. I think he is healthy. I'm just not sure he

has adjuted to the closer’s role.

I think he's adjusted to the extent possible...

…at this point in his tenure as closer. It seems like he’s just having trouble hitting his spots and, as we all unfortunately know, Kerry can serve up some meatballs when he’s not locating.

He has always been a closer.

That is whay people forget. he was never meant to be a starter. He throws as hard as he can on every pitch. He was never a pitcher, he was a thrower.

And i am not going to lie, out of everyone on the Cubs roster, game 5 or 7 last inning there is no one else i would rather have on the mound than him.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

You mean you haven't been pining for Howry?

'es f@cking snuffed it!

he is an ex-reliever

he couldn't throw a 96mph fastball

if you put six million VOLTS through im!

This is an ex-pitcher!

bereft of ERA

he rests in the bullpen. If he weren’t doing color commentary for ESPN-8 (the Ocho) he’s be pushing up the infield grass by now!

"Pepper needs a new pair of shorts!"

uh..

has your train of thought jumped the tracks?

Nopers

just smoothly segueing from Monty to Dodgeball :-)

ah.

If you can dodge a ball, you can dodge a… um… ball…

Lance Armstrong's

cameo in that movie is one of my all-time favorite cameos

why?

we’ve won both of those games.

FAIL.

Kerry’s having some control issues – nothing more, nothing less. According to Gameday, he was throwing 95+ heaters throughout his outing last night, so his velocity is fine. He’s just missing spots here and there. Every save can’t be a 1-2-3 inning with 3 Ks. He gutted it out last night and retired the best hitter in the NL, if not all of baseball, and deserves credit.

And I haven’t heard anything further on Gaudin’s status. If you know something the rest of us don’t, how ’bout sharing instead of just pissing and moaning?

Kerry Wood will be fine...

He went through a 7-8 game streak where physically he could not do his job because we were losing. Basically he was off for a week with his job at hand. Of course he is going to have some rust – so be it. I think the rust is gone now.

This wasn't an argument on velocity or stuff...

Rather this was an argument on effectiveness and getting the job done. The Kerry Wood I have seen the past two weeks reminds me of the Kerry Wood who was an enigma as a starting pitcher. He’d have a dominant performance followed by a start where he would implode. He’d also have starts were he was pitching dominant no-hit ball for a few innings then all of a sudden fall off the face of a cliff. I’m not smart enough to know about Wood’s mental state and psyche on the mound of late. All I know is that he is not instilling a lot of confidence and I worry about the consequences in pressure packed playoff baseball games.

He got the job done. Period.

You can wring your hands all you want, but I disagree with your use of the word “crumbling” to describe Kerry Wood.

Sigh...

There is a baseline of knowledge and understanding of the game of baseball that is sorely lacking on this board. If you don’t understand the points I have raised then it is certainly your obligation to reject them. I’m not here to teach remedial baseball education.

Does one take the short bus

for remedial baseball education?

Remedial Baseball Education?

Whose the Professor for that class?

Joe Morgan?

Galvan316 - September 12, 2008 reply

With guest speaker

Rickey Henderson

And Tim McCarver

as dean of students

The Class Textbook

Yes, but it makes short stops

Do you hold seminars?

Baseball Education & You

or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Changeup

LOL.

Because it takes a baseball genius like you to come up with brillant observations like:

He’d have a dominant performance followed by a start where he would implode. He’d also have starts were he was pitching dominant no-hit ball for a few innings then all of a sudden fall off the face of a cliff.

That sounds like almost every pitcher in baseball, Joe Morgan.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

All BlueMike comments aside, the facts

are that Kerry Wood has an 83% save percentage. The question is, how does he stack up against the rest of the league and is that good enough to take the Cubs to the title?

isn't he tied for third

or fourth for saves this year?

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

Fourth. His save percentage is

silghtly above average. Not Brad Lidge numbers but good enough to do the job. He’s not lights out, but he’s probably good enough to do the job.

Right, he is among the top five closers...

…in the NL, going by number of saves. I’ve gotten into trouble in the past, though, for using saves or save percentage to judge a closer.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

I think save percentage is a valid stat for closers. He is right at

the average for the top twelve closers in the league.

Yeah, that seems like a reasonable way...

…to judge a closer to me, too, but I believe the more sabremetrically inclined have some issues with it. I’m guessing they may point to a guy like Joe Borowski, who had a great save percentage for Cleveland last season, but really wasn’t that great of a pitcher.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

That's like saying - "He's a .350 hitter but he's gotten a lot of lucky

shots". So what. The aim is to get results. Whether or not the guy is a good pitcher is really subjective and really doesn’t affect the bottom line, which is – Are you successful in the attempt?

That's what I thought...

…but I used that reasoning to stick up for Dempster at one point last season and got taken to task for it. Is cwyers in the house? Maybe he can explain.

Incidentally, I just found these standings on stats.com and Kerry currently ranks eighth among NL closers in terms of save percentage. And I feel the need to mention that Saito is number six even though he’s had 16 fewer opportunities. (I believe he’s injured right now.)

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

That had better be a pretty pursuasive

argument to convince me otherwise.

Saves vs. Save Opprotunities....

The Kerry Wood I have seen the past two weeks reminds me of the Kerry Wood who was an enigma as a starting pitcher.

What? He blew 1 save? you have to remember physically and mentally a closer can get rusty quickly. When the team is losing you cannot expect much out of your closer.

Sorry for teh confusion here....

my computer flipped out as i was typing this.

because last night wasn't a pressure filled game?

you’re ascribing causation and effect where you have no knowledge to do so.

Two nights in a row, Kerry Wood has come in and closed the games. That’s what he’s supposed to do.

Yes, he’s blown saves. Is there a closer in the league who hasn’t?

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

See Brad Lidge.

he hasn't blown a single save?

what place is his team in? :D

Actually he hasnt...

But you justified that with what place his team in.

I don't tend to follow other teams as much

I’m not entirely sure I know what team he’s on.

But your response was spot on....

Yea if we were fighting for a wild card spot Kerry Wood’s 6 blown saves would stand out….but it is something we do not have to dwell on.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

Dwell on? No. Just a concern. It may be just me, but like most closers

rust can be a problem. That can be misleading though. When the team struggles, the closer tends not to see as much action. It may be that he is pressing just like the rest of team.

I’m not smart enough

ding ding ding… we have a winner

You know,

talking down to people and belittling them is not the best way to make a point.

That's why I don't think he's for real

I honestly believe he does this stuff to provoke reactions

oh, no.

he’s for real. I used to be just like him — pompous, arrogant, know-it-all, everyone-else-is-wrong. It took catastrophic changes in my life to get me to change the way I dealt with people. I presume that sort of catastrophe hasn’t happened with him.

I forgot, you got married.

I see what you did there....

He's a Badger fan.

If he had gone to USC like I did, everything would be coming up roses for him :-)

Guess we all know what your doing

Saturday night.

me?

I’m not a Badger fan. I don’t follow college ball at all, actually.

I think

he was talking about Oakley

Can't be me. I'm a proud season ticket holder

of another Big 10 team.

Oops. I misread Drew's post for Shanghai Badger.

My bad.

And as a Big 10 Alumn

I’ll be pulling for the Buckeyes . . . .

if I had to pick a team to follow

it would be that one. I lived in Columbus for five years.

Blech.

I’m a huge (in many ways) Big 10 fan and will be rooting for USC. Guess I’ve given myself away there.

Yes, Mr. Blue, you did

I will also be cheering for them

I cheer for every Big Ten team against non conference with the exception of Michigan… I just cant do that

N Oakley won't like to hear that

I root for all of ‘em — but I don’t lose sleep when they lose.

I understand.

The Badger hatred for Ann Arbor peaked during the Ron Dayne years of UM squashing all those cheddar dreams. The venom has yet to recede.

That said, Rich Rod has made certain to provide the 5-7 season this year to make all you haters happy.

Oh, I never cared for UM

But always root for them in n/c games. Especially against ND . . . .

I root for any

team against ND.

Same here

me too.

I’m looking forward to Iowa getting back on the schedule. It doesn’t seem like fall without playing all the old Big 10 teams.

i'm looking forward

to watchin Purdue get shellacked by Oregon.

what a great weekend this is gonna be. No Cubs. Bears on the road again…. Sigh.

halfblindcubbiegirl - September 12, 2008 reply

lol

I might suggest that the only reason my wife was willing to marry me was because I’d already changed! But she certainly helped.

I agree.

He’s a troll plain and simple. Funny thing is, BlueMike himself may not even realize he’s a troll. He may very well love the Cubs and believe in his baseball opinions. But, for one reason or another, he just learned to interact with others on the Internet in the manner that he does. And he may simply lack the self-awareness to recognize how obnoxious his behavior is.

But the end result is the same: He’s hear to provoke a reaction, call attention to himself and disrupt civilized discussion rather than participate in any meaningful way. In other words, he’s a troll.

Daver...

Maybe his is not a troll but a Monkey.

Maybe we are all part of some top secret government experiment where they are trying to prove that a monkey can carry on a conversation in textual form with homosapiens…

Then, they can use said Monkeys in the War Against Terror….

This is just a theory though and have no stats to back it up

Or...

…maybe he’s not just one monkey but a thousand monkeys…put in a room together…with a thousand laptops…logged onto BCB…

Think about it.

But wasn't the theory

that they would write the works of Shakespeare? I don’t think of Shakespeare when I read Blue Mike.

Yes, that was the theory.

Turns out, they just write about how pitching is king and how much Felix Pie sucks. Oh, and that Kerry Wood is crumbling.

It was the best of times, it was the BLURST of times?

Stupid monkey

what a let down.

O, that this too too solid Wood would melt
Thaw and resolve itself into a closer!
Or that the Tribune Co. had not fix’d
His elbow ‘gainst self-slaughter! O Lou! Lou!
How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable, (no need to change that)
Seem to me all the baseball of this world!
Fie on’t! ah fie! ‘tis an unweeded Wrigley,
That grows to seed; things ’84 and ’69 in nature
Possess it merely. That Santo should come to this!
But one month to the post: nay, not so much, not one:
So excellent a manager; that was, to this,
Piniella to a Trammel; so loving to Pat Hughes
That he might not beteem the winds of Wrigley
Visit her troughs too roughly. Heaven and earth!
Must I remember? why, she would hang on him,
As if increase of double-plays had grown
By what it fed on: and yet, within a month —
Let me not think on’t — Post-season, thy name is Cuban! -
A little month, or ere those bats were old
With which she follow’d poor Ron Santo’s body,
Like Ernie Banks, all gloves: - why she, even she -
O, God! a BlueMike, that wants discourse of blogging,
Would have mourn’d longer-married with a monkey,
His father’s brother, but no more like his father
Than I to Ramirez: within a month:
Ere yet the strikes of most unrighteous umps
Had left the flushing in his strike zone,
He managed. O, most wicked speed, to post
With such dexterity to BCB pages!
It is not nor it cannot come to good:
But break, my heart; for he won’t hold his tongue.

bah. Read through the strike-outs. Stupid custom code.

Bravo, bravo!

Your stats would be refuted anyway.

For gods sake, he got Albert Freaking Pujols out last night with the game on the line!!!!

SHOULD HAVE WALKED HIM!!!

GAHHHHH!!!!

yeah, ok.

:P

greed is good

after kerry got the final out last night, i turned to my buddy and said “man we were SO close to sweeping these guys on the road…”

Twice...last time was a KW blown save, too

damn

thanks for bumming me out

Now, now...think of it as

two nine-pin taps from a 300 game…disappointing, but still satisfying

gordon gekko is a cub fan

Teldar Paper is a Cubs sponsor

D.Lee

D. Lee HAS become Jock Jones…….

Hm, a bold assertion but difficult to defend.

or even Mark Grace

Not true.

At the plate, maybe. In the field, not even close. Lee is struggling, but let’s not be insulting.

oh, reply failure

alert the Reply Team!

In 1984, a group of computer geeks was framed for a date they didn’t commit. Hounded by jocks and cheerleaders, they dissapeared into their parent’s basements. Now, if you need help with a website, if your computer is glitchy, maybe, if you ask the right people, you can hire… the REPLY TEAM!

DAHH DAH DAH DAHHHHHH DUM DUM DUMMMMM…

Houston

I think there is some confusion between Houston and New Orleans. It is not likely (though possible) that Houston will be flooded. There are some low-lying areas that likely will be but it is a very small part of the city. During Rita there was mass panic and for much of the city the power was out for about an hour.

So I don’t blame the Astros a bit to wait and see how bad it is going to be. The infrastructure here is much better than New Orleans and it is a real possibility that there can be baseball played in a safe environment in a few days. The last thing the city needs is for the local economy to come to a standstill. The Astros will be a small but visible indication of how quickly we can recover.

Time will tell.

But Ike is a more dangerous storm than Rita. Don’t be spoiled by that prior experience, people.

The problem is,

the Astros are COUNTING on the damage to be minimal. It would seem prudent to count on the worse happenig and adjust accordingly. That way, a bad situation would not be made worse by poor planning.

Concerns I have...

A lot has been debated about this bad patch of baseball the Cubs have undergone. There are two main arguments proposed.

A. All teams go thru bad patches, and it just so happens to be during the visible month of September for the Cubs.

B. The Cubs remain a better team versus any of the National League competition.

I agree completely with argument A. Slumps happen. But where I’m having growing hangup is argument B. It seems to me argument B has been the same thing I and others have said in other years….1984, 1998, 2003, 2007. What I have learned in all of this is that there should never be comfort taken in comparing the Cubs strenghts and weaknesses to any other team because the playoffs are a completely different animal. Case in point, last year literally everybody thought the Cubs would smoke through the Arizona D’Backs.

So what does that mean right now? Well for me it means taking objective look at this team. Which leads to the following concerns.

A. Return of dysfunctional offense from year’s past
B. Concern for the bullpen

Cub offense is starting to worry the crap out of me. And I don’t care if our bullpen is better than anybody elses in the National League, I still am worried given the loss of Gaudin and the erractic nature of Kerry Wood.

Bad patch? The Cubs have won two in a row.

Seriously, do you even watch the games?

Soriano made a great catch last night.

What do you think?

That guess catching LFer?

The one and the same.

I think it's his second

in three or four days.

And that putout in the second game.

I watched him prior to that game playing catch and was amazed at how far he could throw the ball with, seemingly, very little effort. Sidearm, no less.

that freakin rocked.

I was up off my couch, screaming “SIDDOWN! YOU’RE OUT!” and doing the out-motion in sync with the ump.

In the stadium

the crowd erupted like it was a given the guy would score. As soon as Fonzie fielded the ball I started the slow rise out of my seat with the throw and went absolutely apeshit when he was called out. Geo didn’t even move.

of course he doesn't.

he only watches games where we LOSE.

And Woody saved both games.

don't confuse him

with facts.

What are you getting at?

You do realize comparing stats Gaudin has really been far worse than Kerry Wood right?

How you feeling.....?

Down one run, bases loaded,two out, game on the line,pitcher with command on the outer half of the plate and D.Lee up………… How you feeling now……?

Better than if Jacque Jones?

Anxious.

But less anxious than I would if it were Jacque Jones at the plate.

For the record, I'm

anxious in that situation regardless of who’s at the plate.

I'm more concerned with the bases loaded, 1 out scenario here

when i need a base hit, it’s a crap shoot.

when I want someone to be smart, understand the situation and AT LEAST hit a fly ball to the OF or move guys over…that’s the scenario when Lee is making me nervous. First, it seems he’s always up in those spots. Second, I think he has somehow turned off his brain and is trying to hit a homer when a base hit will do just fine. Third, it’s all more frustrating because I actually think he’s probably one of the smarter ‘baseball IQ’ guys on the team.

Kinda......

Like Sara being a heartbeat away sort of thing……

Sara Lee?

Might wanna give the reply function a try.

Ahhhhhhh...

it works…..!!!!!!

Stop the political talk

Please.

We ain't talkin' politics...

…we’re talkin’ pound cake.

Yes.....

We should all eat cake……..

Margaret Thatcher said that.

About marriage.

LOL....

Please keep it on this side of the pond……

But...

I think it was Antwan Waker really…..

Galvan316 - September 12, 2008 reply

If we eat that,

would it be a sacrifice Bundt?

Hey-oh!

Just push it.

Push it real good!

twss

OUCH!

$10 in the pun jar, please!

Hmmmmm.

Send Soto a photo of this…..don’t think he has ever seen one…..

CC Rich Harden on that, too.

Agreed......

What does he do all day when he is not throwing……? Not hanging with Demp I think….!!

That's so bad

it’s great.

Dat's right.

Pound some cake up your ass.

would you use

one of those triangular pie server thingies for this? Or stick with the shovel?

Defninitely the fancy cake thingy.

A shovel would be crass.

well, we wouldn't want

to offend the Hendersons, that’s for sure.

I find...

Greater comfort in S.Lee…… yes!!!! I guess we should remember baseball is just the recess of life……

Anyone listening the The Score...

Right now? O..M..G… Mike Murphy has to be the most annoying, pessimistic, and sensationalizing radio host since Mike North. He’s an alleged Cub fan, but all he’s doing is bashing Lee, saying Fukudome should rip up his contract and will go back to Japan next year, and that the Cubs don’t have a chance to get past the 1st round of the playoffs.

His last statement was, “If Soriano doesn’t get hot soon, this team doesn’t have a shot!” Really? I didn’t know that a 1st place team that’s 30 games above .500 is built around ONE guy. I’m changing the radio station…

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

I think most people realize that Mike Murphy is not anything close

to an authority on any subject. Other than interviews, I can’t listen to the guy.

I hate Mike Murphy. Some 'Cubs Fan' he is. SCOFF

Tool of the week...

I want to call in on that segment of his and nominate him.

“Who’s your tool of the week caller?”
“You, Mike. I don’t like your senseless babble. Please disassociate yourself with Cubs fans. Thanks.”

Mike Murphy is a clown of the highest order

There are so many bad sports-talk radio hosts in Chicago that you REALLY have to suck to stand out. Somehow, Murph manages to do just that.

Doggie Stalker - September 12, 2008 reply

Is the game over yet ?

Seriously I could not watch a single pitch in the 8th or 9th. I caught the highlights later and just checked the ESPN ticker for updates. I am regressing in my ability to watch games live. I will have to bring a lot of reading material to Wrigley next week.

FYI my new good luck charm is my Daytona Cubs hat which I wore Wed & Thursday. Al dig yours out and give it a try when they actually play again.

I watched the last 10 minutes AFTER we won, backing up my DVR...

…and I STILL could barely get through it. NO idea how we pulled that one off, but we had SO many chances to lose and didn’t. Nice to see all those close calls go our way. We needed it.

I just sat on my couch, spent.

I could finally sit still for the first time in a good thirty minutes. It literally felt like a load was lifted from my shoulders.

twss

I compare it to the Heroin Addict looking for the Smack

Getting the Last out is getting the fix and enjoying the high…prior to that you are running like a crazed lunatic looking and hoping that you find the smack

Then as the calender flips to the next day…the nervousness returns and the cycle starts over. When the smack is not available, we choose to use BCB as our methadone to buffer the cravings to the next attempt at getting the smack.

For the Records Kids…Just Say No To Drugs….

And now Hurricane Ike's MIAd my dealer.

The Original Dave - September 12, 2008 reply

I was running the audio for the 11:00 news here in Ohio....

watching the game on MLB.tv… Luckily we were in a commercial break because I jumped up and screamed when he got Pujols to pop up.

Pic to wash the thought of Mike Murphy away:

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

All Mike Murphy thoughts are gone!

Murph say if Dlee and Soriano do not start hitting the Cubs will not advance in the playoffs, sounds just like last year, maybe Murph's not so crazy

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

A real asute observation. If the 1 and 3 hitters don't hit, we won't win. He

also informed us that water is really wet.

yeah but some people are in denial they still believe we can win it all with Lee and Soriano not hitting , how soon we've forgotten last year's debacle

Well, the thing is...

…the playoffs are, what, three weeks away? All hitters are streaky. Just because DLee and Soriano aren’t hitting particularly well right now doesn’t mean they might not heat up in October. There’s no sense worrying about it – and certainly no sense listening to some Score blowhard ramble on and on about it.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

+1

Especially that blowhard. He has an uncanny knack of bitching when the Cubs lose and cheering when they win. He really brings a lot to the table.

Umm don't we all tend to bitch a bit when they lose?, he just happens to do it on the radio, does it always have to be peaches and cream ?

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

Sure we do, but add something to the

conversation. Suggest ways to remedy a situation. Most of the stuff I hear from him is just babble. He always wants to dump someone who is struggling. If that were the standard, his ass would have been gone years ago.

So what would you suggest as a remedy?

Lou’s not going to move Lee out of the 3 spot now we all know that, maybe Lee should offer to be dropped in the order for the good of the team until he gets his timing back.

if I were Lou

I might not let him do that anyway. The lineup we have has won 88 games with over ten left to play. Don’t mess with a good thing.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

At this point you are pretty

much committed to the lineup as is. About all you can do now is hope that one you clinch, He relaxes and finds his stroke. Rearranging the order for the playoffs is really not an option. You have the potential of screwing with the head of the new #3 hitter and there is no gaurantee that moving DLee will fix his problem.

So when we get to the playoffs and if Lee and Sorinao are still struggling we don't change a thing because it worked well during the regular season?

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

Yes.

I respectfully disagree, I don't want to see a repeat of last year

Yes true the whole team was in a hitting slump but those two guys are key and team leaders, I think one or both of them would need to step up and admit that they weren’t getting it done and offer to be dropped in the order if that’s what it takes to get to the World Series.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

My point is, dropping him

in the order doesn’t necessarily mean it will make the team successful. Too often when something like this happens, we as fans say “Well do something!”. Sometimes the answer is to not make a move. There are negatives with shuffling the batting order. The team has been successful this year in its current configuration. The chances of him coming out of his slump as just as good as not. The other bats in the order should be enough to handle less production from DLee. I say, leave it alone.

I think WMHG is right on.

Dr. Samuel Johnson is right about Olson Johnson being right.

Weeghman Park - September 12, 2008 reply

Time for a Laurel and Hearty handshake

He's supposed to be above

the emotions of a typical fan. Maybe lend perspective to an issue? He never does that. In fact, he’s usually ultra-negative about the Cubs, even when they’re playing well.

Who says they aren't hitting...

Last 7 games:

Soriano: Avg: .304, 3HR, 6RBI, OPS: 1.206
Lee: Avg: .296, 3 Doubles, 5RBI

They aren’t exactly scorching, but they are far from “not hitting”.

I believe D-Lee had a 7 game hitting streak

going into last night’s game.

+ English Lady

Plus, as we’ve seen all year, this team is better than last year’s This team defines the word TEAM. Somebody is always there to pick up the others.

Different hero every win

Last night, Wood, Sori, and Fook, with minor kudos to Dero and Font for the BtB 2Bs

Her lilting

British accent always brightens the day.

“Squishsquish, honey, squishsquish!”

Kegler - September 12, 2008 reply

Cubs looking for a mascot, perhaps?

On a related note, at the game Wednesday the Cardinals had some girls dancing on the dugouts throwing stuff to the crowd and I saw nearly the entire Cubs bench turn to take a glance.

Hey I hope you're right but you know us Cubs fans we have to have something to obsess over

Every time I think of the hitting slump we were in during last years playoffs it’s scares the crap out of me.
Hopefully Lou has a plan if he sees that pattern re-emerging.

He does...

It involves sleeve rolling and ass kicking.

Oh I thought it was shirt rolling, all the Cubs come out playing with their shirts tied in the back showing the stomachs, don't want to see Lou lor sinatro like that.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

Nobody wins if two of their top

three run producers don’t hit. It just doesn’t happen. I don’t need a PhD in sabermetrics to know that.

the playoffs

are a crapshoot. We could go in having won the last 20 straight, and we could still dump it all in the crapper.

Just get there. Then, we rely on our pitching, and work to win these 1 run ballgames.

See: 2007 Colorado Rockies

man I can't take many more like this week , but the results were we took the series.

I'd be ok

if the entire post season was like this. Providing we win 11 of those games. :D

Yep

Really...

…what he said is BS. You have 6 other hitters in the lineup and I think it would depend on what they would do as well. Good pitching helps a tad too.

In the playoffs, the teams that go far, usually have good contributions from the lower part of the order. They just don’t spend as much time on the scouting reports with these guys and the big guns are focused on so much, they can tend to be shut down.

Last year nobody hit...

In the playoffs (except Geo a little bit). A teamwide slump buried us, not 2 guys.

I want.

She was.....

The star in, Leave it to Cleavage I think……

No fair. Ruined my concentration. I'm at work now and I can't concentrate on anything now!

She’s so gorgeous.

Mike Who?

I love me some Elisha.

daeviant - September 12, 2008 reply

Concured.

sanantonecub - September 12, 2008 reply

Rumor has it she will return at some point in the upcoming season of '24'

There is a higher being!

sanantonecub - September 12, 2008 reply

thirded

OK...ammending my list of things almost as good as seeing Milton

Wonder Woman Bleacher Girl
Marissa Miller in cubs jersey
Elisha Cuthbert

+1 all excellent choices

OT: Blackberry Users

Anyone with an 88xx or 83xx series Blackberry is invited to check out my fanshot for a new Cubs theme I just found and wanted to share w/my fellow BCB’ers.

You’ll be quite surprised what the creator of the theme added to the incoming call screen.

Nice Job Fellow BCB'ers

Over 500 comments on this mornings’ recap. We’re back in the win column two days in a row and everyone is back in off the ledge and at their computer. Positive, fun talk too! I applaud all of you, you’ve come a long way baby!

mrcubsfan - September 12, 2008 reply

'Cause we're smoking the Geo Slims...

Now, that's an oxymoron

Plus

I could watch BBTN, FSN Final Score, and SportsCenter without cringing at Cubs highlights

We should still have a few threads a day even though the games are off...

…don’t ya think?

Mike Murphy has been a diehard since the late 60's

He was there in 1969. He has lived and breathed the Cubs for more years than anybody on this board. I’m not going to defend the guy because I personally detest sportsradio. But if you want to attack the man’s arguments??? Well then keep looking through those rose-colored glasses. Murphy is right about some of these concerns he raises.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

Does the fact that he has been

around since the Banks-Williams-Santo days strengthen his arguments?

Hey I've been around just as long but I don't claim to have all the answers

That's the problem

He’s too much a fan and too emotional about it. Someone in that position needs to be a bit more aloof and provide perspective instead of being a windsock and going with whatever is the prevailing sentiment that hour.

Too much of a fan and too emotional , you mean kind of like Santo?

Santo

is in a way different role.

My point is this....

I happen to agree with these reported rants of Mike Murphy. I don’t waste my time with sportsradio other than to catch occasional glimpse of Mike and Mike in the Morning.

But don’t attack Mike Murphy’s knowledge. That man has lived and breathed Cubbie baseball more than anybody around here. His heart has been broken many more times than anybody. I’ve been a diehard since 1977 and guys like Al Yellon and Mike Murphy still have me tremendously beat. Murphy has spent literally thousands of games at Wrigley.

duration

or attendance do not equal knowledge.

I don’t listen to sports-radio either, but you haven’t presented a compelling argument that we should listen to him.

LOL

I agree with these reported rants.

BlueMike quote of the day so far.

maybe that's what Al

should put up on the overflow threads.

Ah, yes. The man who unequivocally delared in 1993

“Torborg’s coming. He’ll be the next Cubs manager.”

Yep, clearly knowledgable.

I can agree that it is stupid to question is Cub fandom

Was he not one of the original bleacher bums?

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

No one is questioning his fandom.

Just his insight.

I have no problem with that, because he is an idiot

Just the people above calling him a “fan” Thats not fair. Just because he doesn’t always think all is well doesn’t mean he isn’t a fan.

+1

yes he was Mike the bugler in the Left field bleachers, I'm sure Al knows him

Yes, Mike Murphy is one of the originals....

BCB has become horribly overwhelmed with the sabermagicians and grossly uninformed

There no longer is capacity to have intelligent argument. There are maybe 6 regular posters who understand baseball and the Cubs at a level where intelligent debate can be engaged in. The others? Reactionaries who insist that Kerry Wood is perfectly fine right now because his save % tells them so and that they have the back of Derrek Lee’s bubblegum card to prove that the Cubbie first baseman remains quality productive clutch hitter. nd it will be this same crowd who will scream bloody hell at Lou Piniella should the Cubs have yet another disappointing finish to the playoffs.

Or maybe the fact

Soriano is a washed up hack…..

“hello, leg store, my friend MDBNIU needs something to stand on…. Oh whats that? You have nothing? Ok bye!”

Lou In Blue - September 12, 2008 reply

hahahaha

halfblindcubbiegirl - September 12, 2008 reply

Hey you're right we should be able to have intelligent debates without the personal attacks, we're all allowed our opinoins.

A reaction

is a response to a particular event or set of facts. That makes you a “reactionary” as well.

IMO wood is fine. Results are what matter to me, so the fact that he saved that last two games is all I care about. The one he blew the other day was not all his fault, plus he hadn’t pitched in five days, so rust was to be expected. Plus, who else would you have close games? Marmol is needed in a different role. Spellcheck, I don’t think I could trust him in the closer role yet. Maybe in a year or two, but hopefully Jeff will be a starter.

Lee is a different story. He is not adjusting to how the pitchers are pitching him, which is why every pitcher throws him sliders low and away.

Finally, grow up. If you don’t like it here, go away. This place would be better without you.

MDBNIU is the DEFINITION of "reactionary."

The point I was attempting to get across

thank you for putting it more succinctly ;)

People who still think DLee is a good clutch hitter are on drugs

There I said it. The guy isn’t what he showed us in 2005.

One doesn't have to be on drugs to be delusional.

Isn’t that right Mr. Whiskers (said petting his imaginary cat).

point is

2005 is looking like an outlier, and a lot of people hoped it wouldn’t be.

Dood just ended a 7 game hitting streak yesterday. He’s doing alright. He’s just not what we’d hoped. Just like Dome hasn’t been able to perform the way he did at the beginning of the year.

But both bring a LOT to the table on the defensive side of things, and we HAVE productive bats. Soriano, Soto, DeRosa, Rami, Fonty, even Riot with his eight-million singles to right field. I don’t think it’s as simple as dropping someone in the order, and I don’t think it’s as simple as benching someone.

You're right there's no easy answer

I don't really think DLee should be benched and it becomes clearer every day to me that Dome needs to start in RF most days

DLee just shouldn’t be counted on as this amazing clutch hitter. He isn’t.

I hear what you are saying..............

but a number 3 hitter’s job is to produce, not just get hits when no one is on base

I agree with that too

but it’s not like he’s an accountant or an IT guy or a carpenter. You can’t just swap him out the same way. (And I’m an IT guy, fwiw, and I know exactly how replaceable I am).

actually, I think d lee would make a great IT guy or accountant, no so much a carpenter

I can TOTALLY see him

using a nail gun.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

He pretty tall, so you wouldn't need as many ladders.

he could also

wash windows.

Or help artificially inseminate giraffes and elephants.

I suppose that would be better than...

…naturally inseminating them.

he's not

THAT tall.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

and clean gutters.

I really hate the fact that................

I now have a mental picture that will haunt me

my work here is done

for the next five minutes, at least.

Maybe flip flop Lee and Ramirez, Rami is an RBI machine and Derek is not usually on base when those runs are being driven in lately

well, that would provide the least amount

of disruption. The question is, would it work and is it ok to have DLee’s level of production in the 4 spot just to avoid those DPs?

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

I think the real question is "What is Lou going to do?". At this

point I’m betting that he is going to sit tight and wait.

I'll bet you're right, Lou wouldn't want to give our multimillion dollar primadonna's a wake up call before the playoffs begin.

Do you think

Derrick Lee is a primadonna?

I think if I'm not producing I do what's best for my team, yeah he's a great fielder but we're paying him to hit too

It just bugs me when the manager is afraid to make a move because he’s worried about the players fragile psyche.
Hell If I’m not doing my job I hear about it, why should they be any different.

It's not about psyche...

It’s about sticking with what works. You don’t make drastic changes this late in the season after all the success we’ve had this year. Pitching will make or break the playoffs, not Derrek Lee not hitting for enough power.

I don't see what you're seeing.

Yes Lee is not producing at his 2005 rate, but how does that make him a diva?

What have you seen to indicate Lou is afraid to move him down? and, What have you seen to indicate he has a fragile psyche? Further, since when does a player slumping equate to “not doing his job.”

What the hell are you talking about?

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

He's a bit confused Sue, give him the benefit of the doubt.

a bit?

I guess I'm not allowed my opinion without being personally attacked then huh.

You are not being attacked...

Your opinion is being attacked because some of your comments are baseless.

ooh.

+english lady – read through those last night and “wanted to do it”

It's catching on!

Hmm, a post with "English Lady" & "wanted to do it"

sweet mother of English Lady, that’s provocative!

I still need

to go look at that site. Can’t do it here at work.

+ English Lady

I'm going to google the phrase tonight

and see what’s delivered. I’m hoping to see BCB.

Well,

I’m hoping to see a bit more. :D

Naughtay!

you bad man you...

but honest. :D

I respectfully disagree I'll leave it at that

After all none of us has any control over what’s going to happen.
So much of it is just pure luck .
It truly is a game of inches.
Didn’t mean to offend anyone with my opinion, I never claimed to be an expert just another opinon.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

This blog is about opinion and no one here is

an expert. Don’t be afraid to express your opinion. If you have a valid argument, people will be convinced. Except BlueMike, he’s a tougher sell.

pete's sake

where has ANYTHING shown that Derrek Lee is a primma-donna?

Or any OTHER Cubs players?

Didn't Lou say just last week that if you're producing you'll be in the lineup, wonder if that applies to everyone or just a select few?

And you would have who play first, exactly?

Ward? Hoffpauir?

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

He may not be driving in runs like you would like,

but his performance has not warranted removing him from the lineup.

freakin

seven game hitting streak!

never said remove him, but something gotta be done...what would you do?

let him

try to work out of it. He can’t do that without batting.

And it has to be done with as little disruption as possible. So, you can switch Rami and Lee, I suppose (although I agree with Cwyers, that it’s not going to produce many more runs) but nothing else.

I think these 2 days off

will be good for Lee. He has played the majority of the games maybe he is a little tired. I know he would never admit to it but rest can be a good remedy.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

Why does something gotta be done? The entire team's performance

does not hinge on DLee driving in more runs. He has driven in runs in the past, he’s in an RBI slump. that’s all. Water tends to find its own level. Just because he hasn’t driven in a ton of runs in the past two monts doesn’t mean he never will.

productive

is MORE THAN BATTING.

Every team...

…has a core group of starters, that will play through slumps without being pulled. Obviously, Lee is one of those guys and we can’t forget he is recognized as a team leader and he plays top notch defense.

Also, Lee is getting his share of hits, he just hasn’t hit for power for 6-7 weeks. i would guarantee, the lack of power bothers him more than anyone. I wouldn’t put it past Lee to go to Lou (if his slugging doesn’t improve) and say I don’t mind hitting in a different spot. Who knows, Lee may have already done that, and Lou told him we are going to stick with you at 3 to boost his confidence (speculation).

Anyway, Lee’s slugging % since the break does pose a bit of an issue for the order. It may or may not cost them games in the playoffs, because other players may pick up the slack or Lee starts to slug better – we’ll see.

Its much easier said than done, but he just needs to relax and swing the bat. If he doesn’t improve in the next 2 weeks, it could be interesting if the lineup is juggled.

Yeah how many times have those dp's taken us out of an inning

versus how many times has Dlee been productive in those spots?
I don’t have those numbers but I’m sure that they’d show that it would be a good move.

Right, because if you moved him down a spot in the lineup...

…that would magically fix things? Because having Aramis Ramirez and his .373 OBP batting in front of him is really going to cut into the number of times Lee hits with runners on ahead of h… are you serious? Do you really think that moving him a whole spot in the lineup – either direction – is that big of a deal? Do you really have no better use for your time to obsess about a potential half a run’s difference over the course of the next month?

cwyers - September 12, 2008 reply

yes

I like (with irony) the opinion

that having Aramis in front of Lee will reduce the GIDP. Hell, Theriot is at least faster and has a better chance of breaking up the DP by getting to second. I’m not questioning Aramis’ hustle, but his 100% hustle is not fast.

I guess the theory

is that Rami will, at least, drive Riot home.

Like a tent-stake.

I don't see it and

don’t understand the amount of Lee bashing.

me either

well i'm sorry we don't all "understand baseball and the Cubs at a level where intelligent debate

can be engaged in." i’ve been a Cubs fan since I was a kid watching the games on WGN and listening to Jack Brickhouse. I don’t claim to be an expert on baseball but I love the Cubs. Love watching the games, love reading about the games, love hearing the games, and really love the once or twice a year that I can get to Wrigley to watch. Discovered this blog about a year ago and have enjoyed “hanging out” with other folks who care about the Cubs, understand baseball a bit and like to talk about it.

I don’t think the fate of the team rises or falls with every individual game but try to look at the bigger picture. And the team this year has done great. No one wins all the games. But our record is one to be proud of and the fact that we’re 5 1/2 out with 16 games to go is pretty exciting to me….

I like it that there’s folks on BCB from various levels of understanding and knowledge about baseball . We don’t all have to have PhD’s in baseball.

MinnesotaFan - September 12, 2008 reply

+++111

I'm confused about your sig line....

is he telling him not to do that,
or is it better to do that now?

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

You obviously are not an "Animal House" fan

I am.....

I was just wondering if the typo was intentional or not.

Thanks for catching that , duh I need a drink

Well not drinking yet and can't be called fat , as Meatloaf says two outta three

Fat, drunk, and stupid IS NOW a way to go through life!

and you can too!

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

I resemble that on behalf of all fat, drunk and stupid people.

Very well said

Mapmaker - September 12, 2008 reply

Finally, a voice of reason.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

thank you

Hear, hear!

And there, there – even….

Well said.

Zeke - September 12, 2008 reply

Rec'd.

Let’s turn this thing green, people!

I see green people!

+ English Lady

With perfect ears.

Kegler - September 12, 2008 reply

So you're leaving then?

ha.....

Yes, but will be back the next loss.

no doubt

We should be so lucky.

And he's off!

A troll in fine form.

philadelphiacub - September 12, 2008 reply

A question for you.

Do you ever, in the middle of the night, wake up in a cold sweat, stare into the darkness, and wonder how your life ever ended up like this? What you must have done to deserve being so arrogant AND stupid?

Or does it keep you up at night so much that you never fall asleep in the first place?

cwyers - September 12, 2008 reply

then why do you keep coming here and reading this "drivel"?

Just because people disagree with you,

doesn’t make them, “grossly unimformed.”

That’s why it’s called OPINION!

So I assume that you are going to stop posting then...

I mean…it takes one to know one…

Hmm wonder If I'll get my money refunded for the tickets I have for tonights game

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&page=pennantpulse/080912

OT: Quote from Cory Hart

The Brewers’ Corey Hart said it was great to escape the boo-birds in Milwaukee and get to a more serene place — ehhhhh, Philadelphia? “Actually, it felt more like a home game than playing in Miller Park,” Hart said. “We didn’t hear the boos that we sometimes hear at home. … A guy makes an error, a guy strikes out, and you hear your hometown booing you. It makes you ready to get out of there and go somewhere else for a while. I think we’re all looser here.”

That is just plain funny. Think the pressure is getting to them?

What makes you think that?

Okay, maybe just a little… like this much, but that’s definetly it.

Looks like it...

“Hey, we’re the Brew Crew! You’re supposed to love us unconditionally!” Their fans obviously have expectations now, and they deserve to boo them as some Cubs fans boo mercilessly at times.

The last couple of weeks

at home and I’m sure some of the Cub players probably felt that way too. I heard quite a few boos in that last home stand.

While it's every fan's right

I just don’t see what it accomplishes. Silence demonstrates the same frustration.

True...

But then the whole world doesn’t know that you’re frustrated!

Egad!

What was I thinking?!

I've heard it said that when your team struggles you should

cheer even louder for them to show your support.
That sounds great, but I can’t help but think that I would just come off looking like a sarcastic jagoff.
…well, more so than usual.

Which is why silence works so well.

Shows your displeasure in a respectful way. The player(s) feel just as bad as you do.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

Kind of psychological boo.

There ya go.

I agree.

I choose not to boo as well.

Guess we all have our own way of showing our dissapointment, as long as it 's not vulgar or breaking any law I say go for it

Of course you do.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

Yeah, but vulgar and breaking the law is so much more exciting.

I guess...... :-(

:after Lee strikes out:

Me: BOOOO!!!
Lee: But I’m trying.
Me: BOOOO!!!
Lee: This hurts.
Me: And I slept with your wife.
Lee: That’s just…
Me: And made sure she mailed your credit card payment in late. Hello finance charge!
Lee: Damn.
Me: Yeah. Hit a homerun now.
Lee: …

what's in YOUR wallet!

Ok now that's funny

http://sports-ak.espn.go.com/mlb/index

lemme try the link again... grrr

This one should work better.

Do ya think he meant to say...

…“I think we’re all losers here”?

Thought the same myownself.

that's how I read it

the first time.

it was implied.

http://www.wsbtv.com/sports/17459528/detail.html

Atlanta?

Looks like, as of a couple hours ago, they’re still considering moving to Atlanta….

hey Hawkins huh..we have something in common

And when do they think the Astros will be flying out of Houston?

Before, during or after this?

LIFE THREATENING INUNDATION LIKELY!

ALL NEIGHBORHOODS…AND POSSIBLY ENTIRE COASTAL COMMUNITIES… WILL BE INUNDATED DURING THE PERIOD OF PEAK STORM TIDE. PERSONS NOT HEEDING EVACUATION ORDERS IN SINGLE FAMILY ONE OR TWO STORY HOMES MAY FACE CERTAIN DEATH. MANY RESIDENCES OF AVERAGE CONSTRUCTION DIRECTLY ON THE COAST WILL BE DESTROYED. WIDESPREAD AND DEVASTATING PERSONAL PROPERTY DAMAGE IS LIKELY ELSEWHERE. VEHICLES LEFT BEHIND WILL LIKELY BE SWEPT AWAY. NUMEROUS ROADS WILL BE SWAMPED…SOME MAY BE WASHED AWAY BY THE WATER. ENTIRE FLOOD PRONE COASTAL COMMUNITIES WILL BE CUTOFF. WATER LEVELS MAY EXCEED 9 FEET FOR MORE THAN A MILE INLAND. COASTAL RESIDENTS IN MULTI-STORY FACILITIES RISK BEING CUTOFF. CONDITIONS WILL BE WORSENED BY BATTERING WAVES CLOSER TO THE COAST. SUCH WAVES WILL EXACERBATE PROPERTY DAMAGE…WITH MASSIVE DESTRUCTION OF HOMES…INCLUDING THOSE OF BLOCK CONSTRUCTION. DAMAGE FROM BEACH EROSION COULD TAKE YEARS TO REPAIR.

the nth - September 12, 2008 reply

Would've been nice

if MLB had made this decision, say, Thursday – before the storm hit.

you're using logic again

that is incompatible w/ selig’s baseball.

halfblindcubbiegirl - September 12, 2008 reply

They should have had the plan on Monday

It is called Risk Management.

The Risk is a Hurricane Hitting Houston and not being about to play some or all of the Series in the Juice box

The assess the likelihood and the consquences and they develop a mitigation plan for the risk. Part of that plan would have been to pick an alternate venue and secure the need infrastructure to support the games at that event.

Agreed

It’s not like Hurricanes haven’t hit that part of the country before. Being prepared is not that difficult.

You do have to get them time to get their families safe

But not having a plan for the makeup is crazy. Maybe they do and they are just playing dumb…

They're not playing.

Sure they can fly into that not a problem

That's the most ominous NWS warning I've ever seen.

Galvan, you see more of these — ever see one that strong?

I'm no pilot...

…but with the eye supposed to hit Saturday morning, I wouldn’t think the winds would be calm enough to get out of their until late Saturday or even Sunday.

strong name

meant to reply UP THERE

yes is it

I don't think the heavy stuff is going to come down in quite a while...

It hasn’t even started and look at the picture… McLain… Have another if you think Houston is going to be ready by Sunday!

Try 2!

Houston, we have a problem.

Help?

How do you post a picture?

Click on thie picture icon, then paste the web address of the pic in the dialogue box

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

I'm scared

whoa!

that…. is not good.

halfblindcubbiegirl - September 12, 2008 reply

That looks like the place your are supposed to pound the sand!

Sadly, there will be no sand left...

…after that thing hits.

I hope those who

decided to stay get the chance to say they wished they had left.

They are telling folks in Houston who are not in the lower areas

To stay. Just that they need to realize that they will be w/o power and basic infrastructure more than likely.

Still can't get it to post...

It’s just not posting.

You've got to really WANT it.

Will it into posting.

Man... I felt like Cerano trying to hit a curve ball.

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

use the formatting guide feature in the post a comment box

Don't know if it's gone unnoticed on the site

but there was a great Fanshot posted today…

try 3

http://www.jsonline.com/multimedia/graphic.asp?graphic=/graphics/news/img/sep08/ikeJ7091208.jpg"/>

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

place exclamation points before and after the address

Ok... Try 4...

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

use the example in the formatting guide and paste in your address

This?

halfblindcubbiegirl - September 12, 2008 reply

Thanks!

next time

right click the image and use “copy image location” and paste that into the image box.

at least that works in Firefox.

halfblindcubbiegirl - September 12, 2008 reply

Thanks you...

If that doesn't work

use the URL of the pic, or right click the pic, go to “properties” and copy that address.

These are both helpful.

I have been “pwned” by the image-posting gestapho for the last time!

Yes!

Thank you guys… and gal. I tested on another thread and it worked!

also

you can use the preview button so if you’re not sure its right, you don’t have to feel like a dummy.

i use it all the time… it sucks to hit enter and see nothing come up.

halfblindcubbiegirl - September 12, 2008 reply

TWSS

i knew that was gonna happen.

halfblindcubbiegirl - September 12, 2008 reply

twss

Jeez, girl

you’re getting it left and right today.

(I know, I know…)

lmao

i know i might just have to stop talking.

halfblindcubbiegirl - September 12, 2008 reply

I don't know...

some guys like that.

coincidently

none of them are worth talking too..

funny how that works.

halfblindcubbiegirl - September 12, 2008 reply

:high five:

Nice.

Backwards and Forwards?

no problem

its trial & error for everyone. :-)

halfblindcubbiegirl - September 12, 2008 reply

TWSS

willie mays hayes' gloves - September 12, 2008 reply

Yikes!!!!!!!!!!

Damn.

“So did the hurricane destroy your house?”

“Um, no, the fire did.”

Now THAT is irony

A house burning down in a flood

Cue David Byrne.

Weeghman Park - September 12, 2008 reply

But the 4th one stood. And that's the one you're going to inherit.

At least

you don’t get screwed if you don’t have flood insurance ;)

someone forgot

to turn the stove off.

Why is everyone so ticked...

…that they haven’t rescheduled the game yet? What does it matter? If they come out on Saturday evening and say they will play in Atlanta, then what is the harm done? Everyone is acting like this is some kind of hostage situation and a Cub player is being executed every hour that they don’t inform you about what they are going to do.

is Howry next?

because then I want some time to think.

LOL

Literally.

could we pay someone to take him hostage?

i'm irritated that this hasnt been resolved yet

and annoyed that it got this bad to begin w/… but trying to keep it in perspective.

there are much bigger things than baseball at stake here.

halfblindcubbiegirl - September 12, 2008 reply

What irritates you?

You knowing what they’re going to happen doesn’t change a thing.

i'm irritated that there will be no games i care about this wkend

and that MLB/Astros are coming across so whiney about where they play.

Irritated is a bit strong but it kind of sucks from a selfish level.

halfblindcubbiegirl - September 12, 2008 reply

I'm irritated that a mindless jackass who lives up the asses

of the owners couldn’t make a decision or arbitrate an agreement between two teams in the best interest of the game and instead went with pleasing one of his millionaire buddies instead.

the nth - September 12, 2008 reply

Not sure everyone is ticked...

…just think MLB handled it poorly… that’s all.

Does this work to the Cubs advantage?

A couple of extra days off , and slowing down the Astros winning streak, maybe not such a bad thing.
I guess the worst part is having to play a doubleheader .

Nobody's life is at risk...

….the Cubs aren’t enduring some unfair advantage. I’m just not sure what MLB has done wrong. I watched PTI tonight and they both agreed (even though Wilbon is a Cubs fan) that Houston absolutely can’t give away home games while in a wild card race.

You really expect the Astros to give away home dates when they don’t have to?

BTW, forecast max winds and rainfall totals have dropped progressively all day. It is quite possible that there will be no water in 95% of the city by Saturday night and many people will be coming back to town on Sunday morning to be at work on Monday. All the Astros fans in my office are planning to be at the game whenever they have it.