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Bleed Cubbie Blue

Overflow Thread 2: Cubs vs. Diamondbacks, Wednesday 4/29, 2:40 CT

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Awww

What happened? Did we use up all the runs yesterday?

Your 2009 Cubbies.
yes and I say we should fire Lou

he knows we can only score a certaqin amount of runs per series, and he used them all yesterday damn it

No such thing..

Score early, score often

uh oh bettet get a call to the BP
Marmol is struggling

What a mess this turning out to be.

Jackson pinch hits

for Burns. 5-0 Diamondbacks, 1 out, bases loaded.

Allright! happy walkin'!

OUCH!

the truth hurts

Shark Sighting!
I've been wondering if there's anyone who plays for the Bears that could do well at baseball

Maybe work out a trade so Cutler isn’t wasted.

marmol needs to be taken out right now

he has no control….he’s overthrowing

Reynolds struck out 204 times last year

Those pitches must have been very outside.

Not even close
Strikes? Do you throw them Mu#@erFu!&*er?
pleast throw a strike.

please.

Ball four.

We can’t blame it on overuse this time. 6-0 Diamondbacks. Lou comes out for Marmol. Shark to pitch. Bases still loaded, one out.

not a pretty picture
This is ridiculous

I guess he is in there so that when it matters he doesnt do this.

I think somebody in the previous thread said that he needed the work so he won't get wild.
Well...

I’d rather have him do this in this game than in a game we’re winning 4-3 ….

Yep.

This happened last year too. Lots of rest = wild.

Marmol didn't allow a hit. Still got it!
this is why the cubs are mediocre right now

pitchers walk the ballpark every game and their hitters are the most inconsistent pieces of crap

On the bright side

Hardon is not injured yet

stfu before you jinx it
so many dirty ways to follow this up

I can’t pick just 1

I guess you didn't break your computer yet, eh?
if they walk another one, all bets are off
every game?

I refer you to 4/28/09.

don't get me wrong

i’m just saying stuff to calm myself down. I know but i’m just really freaking pissed

Just an all-around awful game thus far.

Classic Chase Field action, really. It’s not helping that I stayed up late the last two nights watching the other games in this series.

Have I mentioned

that I hate this ballpark?

That bears constant repeating.
I HATE THIS FREAKIN BALLPARK!
I would have let him pitch through it

But hey, what do I know, I just make maps.

actually I would have too.

He already cemented the loss, leave him out there until he throws freaking strikes

at some point

it becomes counterproductive. He threw what, one strike to four batters?

But he threw it REALLY well
Remember when Marmol blew Harden's first win last year?

What was that, a seven run lead? Lou tried to let him pitch through that one, and it just got crazy. And it led to a completely lost month.

I’m just thankful that this one was on the road. Marmol was awfully sensitive about that last year.

that was ugly

even though we won.

SHARK IN THE WATER!

our bullpen looks so young an unpredictable without woody....
you're kidding, right?
I certainly hope he is.
i just don't feel our bullpen strikes fear in the hearts of other teams like it did last year
And, if that's indeed the case (which I'm not sure it is),

the difference is Wood? Seriously?

it's not Howry. :P
The difference *is* Wood.

If Kevin Gregg were replacing Bobby Howry, we’d be a better team.

However, he replaced Kerry Wood – a step down.

The re-shuffling of chairs in the bullpen left the entire situation slightly worse. Except Marmol, who remains in the same role, and is hopefully getting his one bad month out of the way in one outing.

Compare Gregg at this point to Wood at this point

I think most of the brainiacs here were ready to crucify Wood at this point in the season last year. So I’m going to wait a bit before rendering any judgments.

I think you're completely missing the point.

Why couldn’t we have Gregg and Wood?

$$$$$

Wood wanted long term contract guaranteed, Hendry said no

So offer arbitration. If he refuses, hey, free draft pick.

If he accepts, hey, 1-year deal!

And if he accepts, hey, 1-year deal!
Also

do you really think Gregg would have gone somewhere with an established closer?

He came to the Cubs while we still owned Kerry Wood

And with Carlos Marmol as heir apparent.

Hell yes I think he’d go somewhere with an established closer. He wasn’t even the Marlins closer at the end of last year.

Hmm - lost the content of my post.

Why couldn’t we have Gregg and Wood? All we had to do was offer arbitration.

Moreover, no one was crucifying Wood on this site at this time last year – or in any year, frankly.

But especially at this time last year, when he was more or less unhittable. I think he allowed a run in 2 total innings in April last year – he was 2-0 with 4 saves and another 4 scoreless outings. The league was hitting .150 off of him, and he had 12 K to 2 walks.

Agreed....

BUT…instead of “pointing” at specific players….. look at the team…the offense is way down….and the pitching…while decent…is NOT as good as last year

Its April

see us again in May, late May at that.

Agree with that too....

Just observing

k...

Im trusting most of our fears in April are worked into new fears by late May…ill wait until then.

honestly, Marquis is a bigger difference here

Wood being a closer DOES NOT fix the middle relief issue, so its moot.

Marquis allows Cottssucker to be DFA’d and Marshall to be swing man. Marquis also was not as bad as so many say or think, he was a solid #5 who was over paid by Hendry (Not Marquis’ fault)

HE ate up a lot of innings...

and would have beeen a 3/4 for a lot of teams in the NL last year…

AND he was the “ANTI-DUNCAN”

Wood is not any "mesiah"...

Ask cleveland how they felt about the 3 run homer the other night…

The bullpen wasn’t that good last year.

Don't you get it, KC?

This team would be 20-0 if only DeRosa and Wood were here!

with

a team BA of .750 and team ERA of 0.00

Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying.

Silly Polly.

On the plus side

this occured during the day while I’m at work so I don’t have to waste three hours tonight.

You know, glass half full and all…

That appearance really didn't give me the feeling

that our only reliever worth a f*ck is fully healthy. Shoulda left him in there to see if he could work some of the rust off.

what a horrible, horrible baseball team right now

talent alone is keeping them at .500

they best figure out how to play the game soon

Feels more and more

… like 2004.

STRIKE THREE!

Shark gets the K!

looks like we will remain without a series win since 2003

in AZ.

did we look like crap all game, or just recent?

It's been an interesting day...
we have two hits against Doug Davis

what do you think?

Demp struggled early

Davis had our number from the start.

im here now

so its time for us to score some runs.

I DEMAND A WIN

and last years offense "fixed that"

…and Demp was in a contract year…

Heck...make him close again...andgo get Peavy

though with SD’s start he might not be on the market anymore

sounds like

pitching was off in the first couple and then marmol was just bad. offense has never gotten going.

pretty much from the get go...

although Soriano and Bradley both ripped a couple balls right at people. Other than that…poop.

we still have two ABs left

we can still win!!!

Absolutely

we rocked the Dback’s pen yesterday, we can do i again. Heres to hoff or hill leading off the eigth

what gets me is how lethargic they all seem

Fonzi’s comments earlier today are starting to worry me a little bit.

I missed those. Linky?
There's a fanpost about it.

Derrek Lee basically disagreed, saying that he “doesn’t see it.”

To which I would respond “well, that makes sense.”

To which he would respond, “what are you getting at?”

To which I would point behind him and then run away. But I’d totally tell it differently afterward, and Soriano would think it was cool.

And yesterday they didn't look lethargic

So … I wouldn’t put a lot of stake in what he said, other than as a motivational tool.

And don’t forget who wrote them. Wittenmyer would fit right in with the ledge-jumpers here.

So you're claiming what? That he made the quote up?

That Soriano actually said the team is the best he’s ever seen, and we’re going to win 140 games, but in his ledge jumper mind, he heard something completely different?

Good thing the bottom of AZ's lineup sucks

No one batting over .250? That’s sad.

nevermind
What...like7/9 of the Cub lineup?

:)

Yikes.

I didn’t realize things were that bad.

Marmol fantasy

owners=face palm

NOOOOOO!!!!!!!! well there goes my week for pitching!!!!
Deep fly ball to center

over Bradley’s head. Three runs score. Upton to second. 9-0 Cubs.

Right. It’s five and Max has baseball practice in 30 minutes. Time for me to go home. Someone else gets to do PBP.

I wish it was 9-0 Cubs.
I don't think we really want to know what happens next.
I understand that the Cubs are going to lose

but honestly to lose this way? This is what really makes me mad. Seriously, only 2 freaking hits off Doug Davis. That’s just embarrasing. This team is embarrasing right now.

He's always pwned us.
so everything is A-Ok then
I don't think that's what drewish is saying
Yes and no.

Davis would go to 8-6 against the Cubs.

Now, Randy Johnson OWNS them. Lock, stock and barrel.

5 runs on 1 freakin hit!!!
Talk about falling apart
This bullpen would be comical

if I wasn’t a fan of this team

shake it off, guys

see you tomorrow!

Later!

Thanks for the PBP!

Later, Drew.

I’m out, too. I am no longer deriving enjoyment from this particular recreational activity.

Shark Ks

ends inning mercifully Snyder

9 runs won't win this game!
Why?

Did they score again?

I'll play your game you rogue
losing 2 out of 3 to an 8-12 team. OMFG
its early, good teams lose series to worse teams all season long.
It's not just a loss

It’s the way the team is performing.

Three series in a row?

Sometimes, but not that often.

don't forget, offense was the Diamondbacks problem coming into the series

It was nice we could help them break out of their slump

The Cubs will cure what ails ya
we will score 14 this inning
If we did

what make you think the bullpen will hold the lead?

If we did that

I’d buy a round for anyone from here who shows up at the 1st game of the Cubs/Indians series

Wouldn't it be funny to see Woody come in and save every game for the Indians?

And DeRosa go 3 for 4 in every game? That would send Hendry a message.

Good Lord

Deliver us from evil. Or dumb, whatever the case.

maybe if we had a good leadoff hitter for the inning
If by score 14 you mean...

we score 14 Diamondbacks fans who can’t wait to face us again…I think you’re right.

I'm just going out on the limb to predict a Gathright strikeout
if there was a way for him to strike out AND get picked off

… he’d do it.

He strikes out, but Snyder let's the ball go by

Gathright reaches first, and is promptly picked off on the next pitch

But he really brings value to this team!
I say he chops one back to the pitcher and beats the throw for an infield single.
time for a two out rally
get that kid outta here lou!!!! He sucks my balls!
he sucks my dogs balls

and my dog is a female

in his defense, this is when Joey should be playing

it’s not like we’re honestly going to start a 10 run rally

There's no room on the team for Joey Gathright.

When the Cubs finally do the right thing and cut him, his career will be over. He’s not only our 25th man, but he’s MLB’s 750th man.

There's so many things wrong with this.

I feel like letting you know I’m from To Catch a Predator

I'm not saying Jake Fox is better......

but what in the hell is Gathraight doing holding a major league job. Good Lord.

If we're talking about playing baseball, then yes Fox is better.
+1
check that... +.5

he’s only a little better

it is sad Gathright can jump further

than he can hit a ball

he can jump over a whole car!
heilman should have

come in after demp; he is rested & ready

we need a free agent. we need help badly!!1
Warrior needs food badly!
Blue Warrior... is about to die!
Gauntlet Legends?
Any of the Gauntlets :)
That's the only one I remember.

Me and a buddy were recently on a binge playing that on 64.

“Another rune stone!”

a SS with range. check.

(Ojeda)

a SS who strikes out. check.

(Theriot)

So we're really claiming

Ojeda is a better SS than Theriot.

Now things have really gone off the rails.

That is not what I was saying

I just was just commenting off of what LAcarl519 just said. It was timing thing.

Timing is everything

I was commenting off what he said more than what you said.

Fantastic!

Good to know we’re on the same page.

That is the least of the Cubs' problems.

Our shortstop is league average with the glove by any and all metrics, and is above average with the bat.

agreed

Theriot has been one of the few guys who’s played OK so far.

Oh I know

I was just working wiht the timing of the coment.

+1

we have much bigger problems than Theriot

I agree that theRiot is an average (or even above average) hitting SS who is just in a slump.

But his arm is below average and his range is well below average. Those are sad facts.

but I also agree that he is not our problem at this time.
the stats have been shown here multiple times

i take it you have not seen them?

Not facts, dude.

His UZR is slightly above average in every season he’s ever played shortstop. His range is fine.

you know that

many disregard facts and stats, because their opinion knows better

stats will tell you what you want you to tell them

I know what I see with my eyes.

Again, he is not the problem with this team. Let’s move on.

I botched that.

anyway. theRiot is not the problem.

Let’s move on.

Scrappy Check Swing Strike Three from Theriot.
typo: drop "S" at start of sentence. :-(
I have tickets to Saturday's game

I’m seriously wondering whether I want to go. Why spend $60 on food and beer at something that will drive me crazy?

Because they may not play like this?
Well, I'm a litter bitter

I was at last Thursday’s game and Saturday’s game. Fool me thrice?

because if you dont go

they will score 12 runs and pitch a great game, and you will be twice as pissed for not going

you're probably right
If you don't want them, I'll gladly take them off your hands

feel free to email me.

Yeah, really

You’ll have plenty of takers if you don’t go. (Unfortunately, I have to work.)

I was making a point
Indeed

And I’m certainly not the only one who replied the same way.

let's not get into it, OK?

I wasn’t trying to start an argument, and there’s been enough of that on this board lately.

I'm not arguing

I don’t see what was argumentative about what I posted originally at all.

all right

I was assuming a tone.

I guess I and many others are a little testy.

No sweat

Games like this don’t bring out the best in anybody.

problem is ...

there have been a lot of them lately. Makes BCB a lot less fun.

Lotta good teamsgoing through

similar straits right now. Give it another 5-6 weeks and we’ll have a better handle on things.

I'll get right on that
pardon my language

but this shit is getting really annoying and something needs to change

Well, they'll play their next game against a different team...will that do?
no. if this team is going to continue to suck major balls

they might as well just show me that right now so i don’t watch them this summer.

which means

willl watch, just will not have high hopes

Then just turn off the TV/radio/computer now and walk away.
lets call Fox up. at least he can hit unlike dlee
Do we have a DH yet?
GASP

Pat Hughes is talking about reading something recently comparing the rate of occurrences of cycles, and no hitters and how pitchers don’t get triples!

BCB shout out!

Nice.
I wish Al

Could see this… Pat Hughes is a fan of BCB :)

He posts under the moniker of "BLou"
Oh, that's not nice.
I saw it!

Pat wrote the foreword to “Cubs By The Numbers” — shameless plug. I’m pretty sure he’s at least aware of BCB; maybe he did read my post this morning.

Given his comments

He definitely did. They were very specific.

Do they have an internet connection in the booth?

Cos he’ll easily get, like, a bazillion BCB points for just one post.

did he really namedrop - or is this an inference?
An inference

But, given the very specific nature of Pat Hughes’ comments I knew he was talking about the recap

thanks

i didn’t hear the exchange.

You know what. At least the bulls are playing. At least they're competitive.

Same with the Blackhawks.

take the blackhawks

and keep the bulls. There is ZERO chance that the Bulls advance.

the hawks at least are legit.

I like the Bulls a lot.

Hell, I even like the Cubs a lot! :-)

you never know. If the bulls win tomorrow

game 7 is up for grabs.

eggxactly

that is why they play the games

i'm not one to believe in conspiracy theories

BUT

do you really think the NBA would let that happen?

yes. The Bulls got the 1st overall pick. They must be liked a lot
but do you really think the NBA wants the Bulls to win that game?

don’t know why it was cut off……

also a much larger maket for TV ratings
it's 20 friggin games

10-10……….yeah they look bad but it truly is a loooooooooooooooongggggggg season

it is a marathon not a sprint
We hear that all the time--

It’s the mantra of the slow starter. Man, Dusty liked to say that while resting half the team to get ABs for Macias and Neifi.

Truth is, April wins count just as much as August wins.

I will not argue that fact

but its not like we have 10 games left and are are out 9 games from the Wild Card

The very definition of average

Not good. Not bad.

I don't think the Cubs had average in mind

when they shelled out $140 million for this team.

And I know the Yankees didn't

when they shelled out considerably more.

Thankfully, the season isn’t 20 games in length.

true ...

though the Yankees probably have more resources to shore things up.

They've always had those resources

and it hasn’t done them much good recently.

Patience, grasshopper. The best is yet to come.

Gregg seems pretty

nasty…

umpire

also appears blind…but i have pitchfx he doesnt

Ugh.

This game has been horrendous. I have been working on a recap. It’ll be up not long after the last out.

I hope

you need a re-write…

Stop the presses!
For a 10-run rally, I'll stop the presses.
for a 10 run loss, your recap should be

we came, we saw, we got smoked, see you tomorrow

the end

dempster's box score

does not look that good to me, nor did lily’s the other night… and we need marshall in the pen..

we are still within a touchdown and a field goal!
And

there is certainly time for a field goal and an onsides kick…

Quick!

Call Jay Cutler and get Shark out there!

crap. we need the two point conversion now!!
i think lou should think

about moving heilman into the starting rotation

Are you a relative of Heilman?

Starting pitching is not the problem with this team.

I don't think pitching in general

is the concern right now.

Yeah, we need a regular Bruce Wayne.

You know…Batman.

Okay, that was beyond bad, but a boring workday and horrific Cubs game combine to make my brains alllll goo and 390dakjl yeh.

I think we have deduced

that he IS Aaron Heilman.

As I said...

Can’t expect to score runs when 7/9’s of the starting lineup is hitting less than .220

why?
aaron

has been pitching well. he would not squander the opportunity, were he granted it…

how in the world is

having heilman start going to help?

He last started in 2005. And he was awful.

Why take away one of the only useful bullpen arms on the team? Starting pitching is one of the few things that is not broken.

heilman threw

a complete game 1 hiiter on 4/15/2005; against a very good marlins’ team

that wouldn't help at all

the starters, by and large, have been fine.

lemme help with the headline....

Doug Davis K(Y)’s the Cubs

How about: "Cubs Bats Feast On Lefty Junk Pitching"
So you're suggesting I post fiction?
Um, nope.
cmon, Jerry, that's comedy gold!!

it works on so many levels! The garbage balls he’s throwing, the knockout innings, the —-oh, yeah, I can see why you wouldn’t want to use it on a family site.

Oh well.

How about: Skokie changes Dempster St to Dempster Walkway
how about: "Lets Walk the Line Tonight
Holy crapfest!

what happened?

I should go back to bed… it’s all a nightmare, right??

we only wish

bad pitching, no hitting…pretty much the story of the day.

Dempster and Marmol?

Gave up all these runs??

wow anotherrrrrrrrrrr walllllkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
Cripes.

That’s nine.

That doesn't look like very good pitching.
Do you think Marmol is still hurt?

He looked wild, and not in a good way, he he.

debatable

perhaps lingering injury, but he also tends to be wild when he hasnt pitched in a few days.

There's wild, and there's "walk 4 straight batters" wild.
I cannot wait for the post game

Either eruption or complete ambivalence from Lou today.

"Well, we're not hitting.

What do you want me to say? You’re not gonna win if you don’t hit."

I'll bet my life savings on ambivalence
So is the fact that the bags are loaded in the 9th inning...

…is it because Gregg was put in a “non-save” situation…?

no it's because Kevin Gregg is pitching at all
Al ...

I hope your summary includes some suggestions about what the Cubs ought to do to fix things/shake things up. I know Hendry and Lou probably won’t read it, but I’d be interested in your take.

what we will need

is health and some bullpen help and we’ll be ok. Well…….that and a SS

seriously?!

Unless I missed something (I’m not watching the game), how can you possibly think Theriot’s the problem — or, a problem that ranks among the Cubs’ worst? As for health, the only guy out right today is Aramis.

I agree on the bullpen.

the hate by some for Theriot is a joke

they make him out to be the worst in the league, and he is far from it.

Right.

He’s far from the greatest, but, at least for me, the Theriot hate is a exaggerated.

I absolutely do not hate Theriot

he should be a starter…………….at 2B

I agree to an extent

The problems the Cubs have right now can be solved with tweaks, not radical overhauls.

well ...

Lee, Soto and Bradley need to hit a lot better than they are. I can’t imagine where we’d be right now with Sori and Fukudome.

Right

Water finds its own level, at least with Lee and Bradley. Soto, however, might be a bigger problem. They need him to produce.

I'm as worried about Lee

We might be witnessing his decline.

might?

I hate to say it, but we seem to have been witnessing it for a while

+1

it wouldn’t be so bad from the 7 hole though

I realize that's a popular meme

but I don’t necessarily buy it. People thought Konerko was in “decline,” too, but evidently he isn’t.

didn't Soto

k about 10x in a row last year and come out of it? Lee is the bigger worry

we might be saying

the bullpen needs a radical overhaul………let’s see after 40 games

how about

at least it wasnt the Mets

I need to update my dictionary of non-cursing cursewords
fudgestamidging crackymastic ump!!
Gregg got jobbed on a couple of calls

and hasn’t really found the zone since then…

Gregg should just hand his glasses to the ump and walk away

stop arguing.

now thats funny, good work carl
are you f-ing kidding me?

Are the Cubs trying to give Lou a heart attack?

General Patton in.

Ball 1.

Patton in to pitch

maybe he can find the zone. The umpire seems to be hiding it.

time for some Hurricane Lou
Maybe in Florida, where they belong.
why not Cotts?

make this ump fry in the sun for another 30 minutes or so calling balls.

im gonna predict a walk
nope good job Patton
Can I get a weather report?

I just arrived but looks like I should get my umbrella out… Those dark clouds on the scoreboard look like we could be in for a downpour of ledgejumpers…

i think most

already jumped after the first, so you might be ok except for the occasional scattered homeless guy

so, you're not at all worried

about the Cubs’ AWFUL showing today?

they scored 11 and allowed 3 yesterday

its a streaky team, whats to be worried about…oh yeah and its April

they both count as one game

no style points.

I don't even know how to respond to that

I almost feel like you and I must be members of different species.

Nah

I just understand that baseball is a game. you cant base your thought off a team on a single game. The difference in baseball between a three hundred hitter and a two hundred hitter is about a 3 hits a week. Basically you cant make your decisions based on a single small sample.

very, very true

If today was an aberration, I’d agree with you. But today ISN’T an aberration. This is the third time in five games that the Cubs have been absolutely crushed. And they weren’t playing ALL that well before the Cincinnati series.

yabbut

3 games in 5 over a 162 game season is nothing. They have all summer to work out the kinks. this team will win plenty of games. They will also lose plenty of games, some of them badly, some of them in bunches.

im trying to say don’t get your panties in a bunch over a few bad games here and there.

and I'm trying to say ...

that there are serious causes for concern.

and i think we all hear you

but an alarm in april may be silenced on its own, or it can become a glaring claxon, wait it out just a bit.

They weren't?

They were 8-4 after the first game of the Cincinnati series.

They were gutting out wins, certainly
Style points don't count

The D-Backs actually were outscored in 2007, but they still made it to the postseason.

It's not about style

It’s about not playing like crap.

Look, if you want to keep viewing things

as half-empty, go right ahead.

If they’re hovering around .500 at Memorial Day, then it’ll be time for concern.

.500 at Memorial Day

is still plenty of time to make the playoffs

I hope to hell we're a lot better than .500

at Memorial Day.

Well, that's a good point, too

What was the 2007 team at Memorial Day? Below .500, no?

true ...

but do you think the Cubs can win the division with 85 wins again? I don’t, based on how the Cardinals are playing.

I think lots below

I think they are going to have to be active in the bullpen market……….walk kill a team………and ya know Lou just loves em!!

See ...

I don’t think this is a half-full-half-empty argument. Right now, I’d say we’re 25 percent full.

The key words there are

“Right now.”

162 games, dude. Keep repeating that to yourself.

Really?

I could have sworn .500 meant half…

Stupid 5th grade math teacher…

yeah ...

because it’s as simple as that.

actually we are only about 1/8 thru the season
I'm not happy about it

because it’s a loss. Worried? No.

were you worried in 2006

… after Lee broke his wrist?

I don't see the correlation
I'm trying to gauge what actually makes you worried

I’m not saying that injury and this horrid week of baseball are on the same level. But the Cubs have a lot of problems right now.

perhaps

but its april, a lot of these guys will come around if given time.

'perhaps'?!!!

You’re saying the Cubs don’t have a lot of problems?

Im saying that

sometimes these things correct themselves.

That 2006 team

wasn’t nearly as good as this one is. I was worried about how losing Lee would affect that team. And, of course, we all know what happened.

I still think a better manager would have made more of that team, Lee or not, however. That injury gave Dusty the out he needed.

without getting into Dusty bashing ...

I agree that the 2006 team could have played better. I do think the Cubs have a tendency for more meltdowns (’06, ’04) than other clubs, for some reason.

we can stil go 152-10
or 10-152

Either is probably just as likely.

true

or we can just go on strike and conceed the season

Maybe because

you follow the Cubs and don’t pay a lot of attention to other teams.

The ending of 2004 was rough. But look at what the Mets have done the last two years.

'06 was rough
Absolutely

If you recall, that team started very well. And after Lee got hurt, it all went into the toilet.

Now, would you say that based on how that team started, it was going to win the World Series? If you think the Cubs suck now, logic dictates you would have to think that way.

See what I’m getting at here?

snap

you are using psychology now…

Practicing psychology without a license

is a bad idea. :)

so is peeing in the wind

but that doesnt stop many drunks

and it was partially because

Houston got hot at the right time, not just because of the Cubs losing…..but that is a fact, nevermine, facts dont mean much to some (not saying you)

The Cubs were 2-7 in the last nine games

The Cubs controlled their own destiny going into the final week-plus.

and had Houston not gone off in September winning a shit load of games

out 2-7 would have meant nothing, and we would ahve been Playoff bound

Right

Houston came on like gangbusters that season. All the Cubs had to do was play OK against the Mets and the Reds, both of which weren’t very good. But it was a perfect storm. Or an imperfect one.

2004 was almost as bad as 03

worse in some ways………..that was a helluva team in 04. Watching them choke over 10 days was awful. At least 03 only took a couple nights

I think 2004 was worse than 2003

2003 wasn’t a great team, but it got hot at the right time. 2004 was a much better team overall. You had a full season of Ramirez and Lofton, Lee at first base, Barrett at catcher, Maddux in the rotation and then Hendry got Nomar at the trade deadline. That should have been a can’t-miss team.

yeah

goddddddddddd……….let’s stop bringing it up…….it’s depressing……..lol

Lofton ...

wasn’t on the 2004 Cubs. I think you mean Patterson.

My mistake

Yep, Patterson, who had been hurt for a good chunk of 2003. And look how he turned out.

Patterson

started sucking in 04………..especially the last month

And now, expectations are higher

which they should be. So if things don’t start out perfectly, some people start to freak out.

But the Cubs got off to a near-perfect start last season. What did that get them in the postseason?

I guess the bottom line is, let’s not get too verklempt right now.

+10000

good night all and let’s win tommorow

is it to early

to look at the wild card standings yet??

Thats a good thing
it was worse

The 2004 meltdown hurt the franchise a lot more, IMO.

Not to mention

all the crap with Sammy and Steve Stone and Dusty. Just an awful way to end it.

and Merker
and Farnsworth
and God

he is obviously not a Cubs fan, lets trade God for Buda

Latroy anyone??
LaTroy was good in middle relief

it was closing he sucked at, did not like doing, felt uncomfortable doing, but Dusty kept using him there

Square peg, round hole

Kinda like … Soriano not batting leadoff. :)

I can't remember.....

was Borowski injured in 04?? Had to be the reason Hawkins was closing

agreed
Buda and a superstition to be named later
teams melt down all the time

we just happen to watch this one every day

were you asleep for the past week?
so we are ahead of schedule

for the June swoon

if that's the silver lining

we’re in trouble.

I think because of our history

Cubs fans tend to be fatalists and see the absolute worst in every situation.

like MIke Royko said

some see a glass as half empty, some see it as half full

Cub fans ask when the glass will spill

um ...

After game two in last year’s playoffs (and 100 other instances), can you blame anyone for thinking that way?

There does appear to be a lot of this recently

The expectations are high

sorry -- I misread your comment
Well I really am just getting up here in Aussieland...

but yeah.. it’s only April… I’m still quietly confident they’ll work out their problems…

As bad as this sounds,

i think tomorrow is going to be the first time i’m not looking forward to a cubs game. Watching these games just pisses me off to an extent where i’m screaming and punching my walls

i hope

for your sake you have a padded room. If baseball makes you this made you might want another hobby…

Yeah, our pitching is awful

When you don’t upgrade pitching and rely on a few guys that have been suspect in the past (read Lily, Dempster) – you are going to have issues. Oh yeah, and Marmol and Gregg might make up the worst set of game finishers of all time. Fire them all – rebuilding year this year, and next year. Unless you think Lee, Ramirez and Soriano are getting any younger..

Is this post a joke?
but according to some, you fix pitching

by replacng Theriot and bringing up Fox…

(confused look)

This

isn’t even worth a reply, but I can’t help myself.

Dammit, Not Bruce...

this is why I asked my question!

You should have told me I did need my umbrella! That one nearly landed right on me!

Sorry, Mate

I thought the storm front had passed. Freaky weather up here lately.

Uh...

Lilly is arguably are best pitcher right now (lowest ERA, tied for lead in wins, low WHIP at 1.10…)

All time?

Wow, and here I thought they just had control issues occationally.
But to know that we’re in the presence of 2 of the worst all time…that’s quite an accomplishment!

/sarcasm

Read my lips

Cubs do not win the division this year. Dempster and Lily deteriorate more this next year. I know you guys are all kool aid drinkers – but come on – we need to get some serious stud pitcher in here. Can you say Peavy?

No. I can't.

Right now the moves made in the offseason are not working as planned. They might get better, they might not, but to say that one guy (Peavy) would solve it is not going to happen. To say that we should clean house is not going to happen, again, been covered a lot, there are contracts, no-trade clauses, etc. And to suggest that we have the worst, or the best, of anything is pure hyperbole.
And if we don’t win the division this year, none of us will be happy about it. But sometimes that’s the way it goes. Harping on it and bringing up the same points is just going to lead to a miserable summer.

knuckleheads who are hating on Theriot

did they hear Len just now? Theriot is the ONLY Cub to make it to second base today. So how is he the biggest concern? Did he account for 10 runs given up by personally walking the hitters?

I don't know where that comes from

It’s certainly unwarranted.

when I made a complaint about theRiot

I stated that he is an above average hitter at his position.

my comment is as a whole (those who seemt to hate Theriot), not singling one person out
I don't hate The Riot...i really like him....just think he's playing outta position

He just should be a great starting 2b man….and the Cubs should have an excellent SS…to help the pitchers out

He’s a decent pretty good hitter and an average SS in the field…when he could be an excellent fielding 2nd baseman and the hitting “stays”…

two things

1. we won to NL Central crowns with him at SS in a row
2. who do you think should replace him that is either in the system or available as FA

Wow lee what a typical at bat
well, that's more than enough of that.

Let’s get em tomorrow.

I love this team

but that was one of the worst baseball games I have ever seen. Ever.

Wow

Glad that is over. someone needs to build a fire when they get home and leave their bats next to it for a while…

Yikes...

I’m just glad I missed the first half of the game…but geesh.

Okay I need to head for work, but...

can I get a gametime for tomorrow?

705 CDT
Thanks!

Tomorrow is another day, people.

Breathe deep and take your blood-pressure medication.. :)

there are numerous reasons we are a 500 team

injuries to DLee, ARam, Soto, MB, Marmol

Soto, DLee, MB, Font not hitting as expected

Sirott in the WGN Radio booth

Lou mismanaging the orange juice machine in the visiting dugout

Ticket sales produced too much revenue first hour of sales

DeRosa and Wood are Panamanian Gods who are missed since they would guarantee a 0.00 ERA

did I miss anything?

Nope

that covers it and gave me a LOL.

Wait dont forget that Milton bradley has been screwing with the clubhouse chemistry set..or something like that

I did forget

it is against NHL rules to win with a scrappy above average SS

wow,

were playing hockey now??

well NBA rules

state we were too scrappy to play, so we had to convert to NHL. The Cubs will be just fine in the Norris, everyone relax

Is Milton

a goal scorer or an enforcer???

he is a hooker

anyone know the sport (no not street walking)

Rugby of course!
ding ding ding
i almost forgot

that if Marmol was closing, we would be fine

And Hoffpaiuer hasn't been playing at First

Which would obviously change everything.

and Jake Fox

should be Mayor of Oak Park

I thought he would replace

Todd Stroger as Cook County chairman.

that job was set to be ONEDEC's but he was traded,

and they are waiting on Blago to repalce him still

YIkes... you know it was a rough game when..

Ronnie picks the Chevy player of the game based on a walk and a HBP. Attaboy Reed!

We WILL get ’em tomorrow!

Later everyone…

9000 miles past St. Louis...

nad about 400 miles from a great city dear to my heart

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