SOMEWHERE NEAR CLEVELAND -- Finally in for the evening after driving halfway to NYC from Chicago, before I recap the Cubs' 5-0 loss to the White Sox on Thursday, I wanted to say a few words about some of the behavior in the game threads.
We are all frustrated with the play of this team and particularly Alfonso Soriano, who's had a tough year while being injured and not really telling anyone for four months and trying to play through it.
Today's dropped fly ball really summed up not only his, but the Cubs' entire season. However, threatening him with death really isn't called for. This is baseball. It's a sport that's supposed to provide us with enjoyment, and perhaps one day the fulfillment of our dreams of a Cubs World Series. All I ask here is that you try to behave as you would around other people when you're on this site, particularly in the game threads, which I know can get kind of heated. Please keep it clean and don't make threats -- I know it doesn't feel very good to see losses like this. Just try to keep things in perspective. Thanks.
At this point in the season, with Soriano clearly still hurting -- it was impossible to tell, even sitting as close as I was to him in left field, whether his attempt to do his usual "hop" under A.J. Pierzynski's fly ball, or he just slipped on a piece of turf -- maybe it's time to shut him down. Soriano didn't make excuses:
"I slipped, and when I slipped I lost my balance," Soriano said. "I don't make an excuse, but that's the first time it happened -- that I slipped and missed the ball."
That wasn't the only problem, and in fact, as Aramis Ramirez went on to say:
"The last time I checked, we didn't score any runs," Aramis Ramirez said, "so even if [Soriano] makes that play, we lose, 1-0. Nobody wants to make a mistake on the field. 'Sori' doesn't want to make mistakes. Nobody wants to be embarrassed like that. We have to pick it up, that's the bottom line."
Ryan Dempster nearly matched Tom Seaver -- er, Carlos Torres, he just looked like Seaver out there Thursday afternoon -- by allowing no earned runs in seven-plus innings. Jake Fox's error on a routine pickoff throw allowed Chris Getz to go to second base in the second inning, where he scored on Alexei Ramirez's single. A 1-0 loss is tough enough to take, but then there was the managing problem.
When Fox led off the seventh inning, there was absolutely no excuse for him to still be on the bases. Your best bet defensively is to get him out of there in the next inning for Micah Hoffpauir, so why was he still running with nobody out? That is the one place, the ONE possible place, where Aaron Miles could have been useful. If Miles is running for Fox, he probably scores on Jeff Baker's single. Or maybe Mike Quade holds Fox (or Miles) at third base and there are runners on the corners with nobody out and then maybe Ozzie Guillen lifts Torres for Octavio Dotel. The Cubs have hit Dotel well since he signed with the White Sox -- and maybe then the whole game turns out differently.
Lou compounded his mistake of not using Miles in the one possible place where he could actually have been useful, by sending him up to pinch-hit in the last of the eighth for PH Mike Fontenot, who had already been announced to PH for Angel Guzman, when Ozzie called on lefthander Matt Thornton.
Now, think about this for a minute. Miles hasn't done anything useful all year. He's hitting .226 vs. LHP coming into this game, and .095 (2-for-23) as a pinch-hitter. Why on Earth would you put him in that situation at all, much less trailing 3-0 in the 8th inning? Send up Andres Blanco. Or Geovany Soto. Or even Carlos Zambrano, for heaven's sake. Miles grounded to short, which was utterly predictable.
Thanks, Lou. It wasn't all your fault, but it was yet another situation in which you used the wrong player in the wrong situation at the wrong time. Lou seems, again, disinterested and defeated, as noted in his postgame remarks, where he said about three sentences and didn't take questions. Maybe it's time for him to go.
It just wasn't the Cubs' day, and that started two hours before game time when a snafu resulted in anyone who had actually had their ticket scanned on June 16 (the original game date, and that included me) denied entry until the Cubs released those barcodes from their system (it took a few minutes before they figured it out, even though they had had two other postponed and rescheduled games earlier this year where no such problems occurred). Fortunately, they worked it out and everyone got in with a minimum of fuss.
And, the Rockies actually cooperated Thursday by losing, keeping the Cubs six games behind (five in the loss column) with 30 to go. It's still not an impossible task, but winning a few in a row right now would be the thing to do. Maybe starting in New York. Keep the faith. I'll report from Citi Field after Friday night's game.
0 recs | 352 comments
Didn't see the game
my TV thanks me for not seeing it.
Listened to a bit on the internet, poor Ronnie. He was in a bad state after the Sori boo boo.
BigJohnAZ - September 3, 2009
I legit feel bad for him.
You can tell its killing him to see this, and frankly i appreciate him wearing his heart on his sleeve.
AndrewJStone - September 4, 2009
First...
…what a depressing game, Al. Every time a Cub swung at a first pitch (off a guy who walked six his last time out) I died a little inside.
Maybe firing Gerald Perry wasn’t the answer, huh Jim?
Curtain Jerker - September 3, 2009
And another year of Lou's indifference. Not looking towards next year with any zeal at all.
BigJohnAZ - September 3, 2009
With a $130 MILLION payroll....
it should be easy…. :)
kcjones - September 3, 2009
Let's finish this season
before we start getting depressed about next season. The Cubs managerial merry-go-round has to stop.
Not Bruce Froemming - September 3, 2009
Maybe some change at the top....
ccould turn things around fast……..let’s let the “post season” play out b4 making any “rash judgements”….
BUT…if the deadturds get to a WS again…..(uh…that’d be 3x since 2003…) it would be a huge indictment of the Hendry daze in Chi town…
Made even more …whatever…..because the CUBS should have the resources to dominate in the NL…
kcjones - September 3, 2009
Yep
When you outspend everyone in your division by tens of millions, in a sport without a salary cap, you should win every division every year.
Curtain Jerker - September 3, 2009
"Should" and "do" aren't the same, sadly
Or else the Yankees would win the World Series every year.
Piniella deserves one more season. Besides, he’s going to be gone after next year, anyway.
Not Bruce Froemming - September 3, 2009
HENDRY.....is who I want to quit.....welll....
I could care less about Pinella….or Baker…or whoever….
kcjones - September 3, 2009
I don't know what
the future holds for Pinella…but I do know that if Sandberg is the heir apparent he needs some time with the big club first. It is not fair to him or the organization to thrust him into that pressure cooker without any big league experience as a bench coach. Managing 25 personalities at the big league is a lot different than 25 kids in double A ball.
TheRiot Police - September 3, 2009
I believe p-town is A ball...
or did he move this summer?
kcjones - September 3, 2009
He is in Tennessee
this year, which is the double A club
TheRiot Police - September 4, 2009
TA
kcjones - September 4, 2009
(Thanks (a)lot....
Don’t follow that closely…AFAIC…..Pittsburg andKC should be the Cubs farm system…
kcjones - September 4, 2009
No prob...
I know it more by accident than anything. Was planning to head to Peoria to catch him and low and behold I find out he had moved on
TheRiot Police - September 4, 2009
Alan Trammel
is HERE already. Sandberg could be his bench coach and learn. I would doubt if he’s ready for the top job, one of the most pressure-packed in MLB.
San Diego Smooth Jazz Man - September 4, 2009
+1
I guarantee you, Alan would not have kept running unproductive “veterans” out there just because they were veterans.
Zeke - September 4, 2009
+3 actually...
Zeke - September 4, 2009
Agree
About Sandberg…made this same comment last night. We need to seperate Sandberg the ballplayer from Sandberg the manager. Those are two totally different careers. He needs to be a greenhorn for at least one year before we turn the keys over to the manager’s office.
TheRiot Police - September 4, 2009
Unless he really proves something to me,
I don’t think I’ll ever be comfortable with Sandberg as a manager.
In Peoria, he was adept at getting thrown out of games. I can’t remember much else.
If you want to see the Cubs win a World Series, I don’t think Sandberg is the guy who will get you there.
Not Bruce Froemming - September 4, 2009
Well...
I wanted Joe G from the beginning. Lou was not a bad signing but you knew he was only going to be here 3 to 5 years tops. Joe was young enough that if he was successful here he was going to be here for several years.
TheRiot Police - September 4, 2009
Joe would have been a good pick
I was fine with Lou, too.
Not Bruce Froemming - September 4, 2009
No, but the Yankees contend every year
With our payroll in this division, we should be playing meaningful games at Labor Day.
Worf - September 4, 2009
You would think so
gaclaudy - September 4, 2009
Nope, he's done.
He’s just amiling it in now. He’s Dusty II.
Itchy - September 4, 2009
mailing it in
Itchy - September 4, 2009
I dunno, I thought it was AIRmailing it in...
Zeke - September 4, 2009
I will have to
disagree with you NB. I think it’s time for Lou to move on.
sue369 - September 4, 2009
Understood, Sue, but
I don’t see any alternative that is better.
Ever think part of the reason the Cubs have had problems is because no manager ever seems to last here? Continuity is an important thing.
And no, Itchy, he isn’t “mailing it in.” I wish people would quit projecting their own feelings upon other people or things.
Not Bruce Froemming - September 4, 2009
+1
The hate for Lou this season starts with the “don’t just stand there, do something” rant. People want to see fire, but the problems this season are more severe than can be fixed by Lou going on a tirade.
I will give him the benefit of the doubt and assume (projecting, for sure) that he is trying to keep the lid from blowing off of his own head during these trying times — not mailing it in.
vonde6 - September 4, 2009
This.
I think if you saw his news conference yesterday after the game, you could tell he was not at all happy.
Not Bruce Froemming - September 4, 2009
I don't want a
rant from Lou. I don’t care for those. I just don’t think he’s doing a good job.
sue369 - September 4, 2009
yup, long list of wrong moves, not just rants have been the problem.
KaliCub - September 4, 2009
"Wrong moves" is eminently debatable
Unless Lou decides to leave on his own, I think y’all should expect to see him back on the Cubs bench in 2010.
Not Bruce Froemming - September 4, 2009
I'm on the fence about Lou being let go.
But I do agree with you in general about the manger merry-go-round that we have had in the past.
If Lou would be the proactive manager that he was the last couple of years and be the team leader, then I say let him have one more shot at it. But he has really frustrated me with his bonehead moves along with his passivity this year.
KaliCub - September 4, 2009
With new ownership
we might be surprised the new avenues that might open up for this team.
sue369 - September 4, 2009
I agree...
…and Lou’s career accomplishments have earned him the right to leave on his own terms, and he has done nothing in Chicago to lose that right. It is very shortsighted to think a new manager is always the cure all for what ails a team, but this seems to happen every couple of years with Cub fans.
There is a reason several managers (some with very good reputations) have gone through the Cubs with frequency, and the answer is simple; the main problem has not been the manager, yet they are usually the one’s taking it in the shorts.
Let’s not concentrate on the symptom, lets cure the underlying sickness that is causing these symptoms to reacur. That would be revamping the baseball operations. If that is done, you may be surprised to see a manager actually last more than 3-4 years with the Cubs.
MPH73 - September 4, 2009
Stability matters...
but not above all else.
Any manager – whether he’s there one year or 10 years
- who has made some of the moves Lou has made this year. -- would be suspect.The idea of “Welp, he’ll be gone after next year anywho…” strikes me as lunacy.
He is walking around like a sad sack NOW. And maybe it’s because he’s at the end of a frustrating year.
But next year, when it’s July and August and he’s counting the days like any short-timer would, and the players know he’s a lame-duck.
Well, let’s just hope they are already 10 games up by then… because such an environment is not conducive to Dog Day comebacks.
Worf - September 4, 2009
I understand your point...
…but I think you completely missed mine, which is; fix the big problem with the organization and then worry about the manager.
MPH73 - September 4, 2009
I trust you're being sarcstic...
stuartscottslefteye - September 4, 2009 via mobile
ahh the Mayor Daley theory
if its broke, throw money at it…….too bad, that doesnt work more often than not
Cubbie-Tim - September 4, 2009
Thank you saying that.
I have felt for quite a while that Lou just doesn’t have the fire anymore. He’d be great to sit on the front porch with and hear great baseball stories from. But I don’t think he has it in him to manage a club to the WS. Do I hear 2011 anyone?
100yearitch - September 4, 2009
I'm thinking 2012.
I believe the Mayan calendar has the world ending in November of that year, so that would be right after the Cubs win the World Series.
Sounds about right.
Goodie1969 - September 4, 2009
I agree with you on the frustration
All of us need to remember that it’s just a game in the end.
Ace Venom - September 3, 2009
Agreed.
I wasn’t able to get into the game threads today, but from what Al said, it sounds like they were more heated than I would like.
Vermont Cubs Fan - September 4, 2009
Let's not be too sensitive here, ladies -
No one who says “If Soriano strikes out I’m gonna kill him” or whatever was said is going to actually go kill him. How many times have many of us threatened our little brothers or sisters or friends or whatever in that same way?
We’re here to vent. We’re not in a bar or actually standing in front of each other. That’s one of the benefits of a largely anonymous internet blog – we’re allowed to let loose. While I agree that decorum should be the rule of the day, some people around here act like it’s friggin’ church.
And chalking up Sori’s apathy at the plate as well as in the field to his ouchie knee is wearing thin. He has zero eye for the ball right now and any contact he makes in incidental. He’s swatting at flies with that telephone pole bat of his and he needs to settle down and take some friggin pitches.
stuartscottslefteye - September 4, 2009 via mobile
I'm sorry, but...
… there are a few rules of decorum here. We are all frustrated with the Cubs’ play and Soriano. However, that doesn’t mean you can yell “kill him”, anonymous Internet or not.
Al Yellon - September 4, 2009
BTW: Al - Have a good and safe trip.
eths - September 4, 2009
So no death threats - gotcha.
I can do that.
:-)
stuartscottslefteye - September 4, 2009
I agree.
sue369 - September 4, 2009
It was god bloody aweful.
Let’s just hope the road trip is better.
eamus catuli
eths - September 3, 2009
Why does
it feel like we are running to stand still….at least that is how the whole season has felt to me.
TheRiot Police - September 3, 2009
I agree
I’d just like the team to go down swinging. We know, even if we won’t admit it, that they probably won’t make the playoffs. All I’d like is them to play with a sense of urgency.
Curtain Jerker - September 3, 2009
That'd be nice.
You’re absolutely right. I can take losing if they appear to be giving 100% effort.
Today, that didn’t seem to be the case.
Al Yellon - September 3, 2009
Exactly!
I don’t get angry when the Cubs lose to a better team or even when they make physical errors. It’s the mental errors, the lapses of concentration that cause me to gnash my teeth.
Curtain Jerker - September 3, 2009
I would at least
like Lou to try something different. Try some hit and run, try some double steals (if you can actually get some guys on)…nothing to lose at this point. Need to throw the kitchen sink at this. I know this guys don’t want to lose and I know they want to make the playoffs…but they are in a desperate need of an enama (sp) at this point.
TheRiot Police - September 3, 2009
He's still playing for the 3 run homer
they ain’t coming, folks. We don’t score with RISP, you have to manufacture some runs.
BigJohnAZ - September 3, 2009
Of all the
bad stuff this year…nothing has been more maddening then seeing a runner at third with less than 2 outs. They have failed time and time again in that situation. I know it is hard and a lot of teams fail at it…but we are horrible at getting that done this year.
TheRiot Police - September 3, 2009
We'd have to get better to be horrible lol
BigJohnAZ - September 3, 2009
Especially with DeLee out of the lineup!
DKT - September 4, 2009
No.
Steal bases? Maybe with a different team. Theriot gets caught too often to make steal attempts worth it. Especially if you want to send a guy in unconventional situations his success rate has to be really high. AFAICT Bradley and Lee aren’t base stealers anymore, Aramis never was, and Kosuke has never had any success with it in MLB. Next in the lineup is Sori, who’s injured, or Fox, who’s slow. Then either Fonty or Baker, neither of whom have tried much. And finally Soto or Hill, who aren’t stealing anything. Maybe Rich Harden or Big Z can steal a base.
The hit-and-run looks really cool when it’s executed well, but it’s a poor strategy for scoring runs. And with a team that strikes out as much as this one does I can only imagine it’s even worse.
The way this team is built the only way to score is to wait for the 3-run homer. Lots of good offenses are built this way; it’s on the players to hit.
aldimond - September 4, 2009
Certainly
They are not a team rich in speed and the above strategies are not something I would try on a daily basis but for 130 or so games they have lived and die by the bloop and blast strategy and they have failed miserably. Why not try some unorthodoxed things to try to open some holes up for the hitters…especially the hitters at the bottom of the order. The bottom of the order has been a black hole all year thereby basically giving us only 4 or so innings to score when DLEE and ARAM spots in the order comes up.
At this point, you have 30 games to try to make something of your season….Why not?
TheRiot Police - September 4, 2009
There's more to manufacturing runs than steals & H&R
I know sacrifices are unfashionable BUT at the right moment (say, pitcher up, 1st & 2nd, no outs) it can be a good move. So can the occasional squeeze play. Executing a successful bunt doesn’t require raw speed, just good fundamentals.
ChipSet - September 4, 2009
The Cubs have tried bunting a lot this year.
They bunt with their pitchers just like you’d expect a team to do. There was even a stretch when Kosuke was leading off and Theriot hitting second when Theriot would bunt, in the first freaking inning, just about every time Kosuke got on base. That’s not a good time to sacrifice. Bradley popped up a bunt in a situation where he had no business bunting pretty recently.
aldimond - September 4, 2009
Yep
A blown bunt is never good. My point being, average (or a lack of) speed is no excuse for not being fundamentally sound, and thus dependent on the 3-run HR to get anything done.
ChipSet - September 4, 2009
Bottom-of-the-order hitters for the Cubs:
Soriano: strikes out a lot, below-average at making contact.
Fox: doesn’t strike out quite as much, because he swings early and doesn’t get deep in counts — he’s actually very bad at making contact.
Fontenot: strikes out a lot but is about average at making contact (he’s deep in counts more often). Hits lots of ground balls to the right side. Has average-ish power. The best H&R candidate of a bad bunch.
Baker: strikes out a ton, below-average at making contact.
Hill: strikes out a hell-ass-ton, very bad at making contact.
Soto: strikes out a lot, below-average at making contact.
And then, of course, Soto, Fox, and Sori have power that might be sapped by encouraging a “contact” swing. Maybe that would be a good thing for some of them, I don’t know.
aldimond - September 4, 2009
bring back the baltimore chop!
:P
tootle - September 4, 2009
Isn't that Aaron Miles without the ability to, you know, actually be SAFE at first?
Zeke - September 4, 2009
not quite....
you’ve got me flummoxed as to how to explain the differences :P
tootle - September 4, 2009
Kidding. Just taking another whack a Miles.
It’s fun! He’s like a human pinata…
Zeke - September 4, 2009
whackamiles?
is that like whackamole?
tootle - September 4, 2009
Guacamole?
Zeke - September 5, 2009
Exactly. Beat my ass 12-11, but to make ANOTHER middling pitcher look like Cy Young is getting old
BigJohnAZ - September 3, 2009
AFM got in the game...what else could be expected.....
And…at this point….if Soriano is hurt……..GET HIM READY FOR NEXT YEAR….the Cubs can’t do much worse (and…geee…..be unorthodox and think outtta the box…..they might even do better…..) playing someone else in that spot……..
JIM DONUT …this season’s on YOU….my friend….
kcjones - September 3, 2009
I saw a Miles jersey at the Bears game.
Home pinstripes, with MILES on the back in big letters. Now, who would do that, really? You made a mistake by buying the thing (unless its your last name, i guess), but you don’t have to keep trotting it out and throwing it on your back just because Lou can’t help himself and keeps trotting him out on the field.
AndrewJStone - September 4, 2009
That was a bet, for sure
Poor sap lost and had to be shamed in public.
chilango2 - September 4, 2009
I don't know
My buddy has a Cade McNown jersey that he still loves to wear.
Then again, he got it at a Bears game for $10. The humor value was totally worth it.
chitownhawkeye - September 4, 2009
Maybe it WAS Miles
Zeke - September 4, 2009
That fool knows better than walking the streets of my fair city
He only sees the light of day when he goes to “work” and when the team is on the road.
chilango2 - September 4, 2009
IT WAS ON SALE ....
At Cub World. But still gotta wonder what the buyer was thinking of,,,,,,
cubs north - September 4, 2009
I can't believe that Lou or anyone thinks that running Sori out there
game after game is the Cubs’ best option. His offense is nonexistent and with his bad kne his play in the field is giving the other team runs.
BigJohnAZ - September 3, 2009
He can hit his way out a slump
every player needs 130 games to get hot
gaclaudy - September 4, 2009
I wonder what goes through the player's minds
when Lou puts Miles in there to PH. Any starting pitcher on the team is a better option.
BigJohnAZ - September 3, 2009
AFM...is his name
:)
kcjones - September 3, 2009
Yeah, stressing the F
BigJohnAZ - September 3, 2009
The same ole...RISP....LOB....
issues that have killed the Hendry offense since 2004 are really rearing their ugly heads this year…….
The RIOT…while a really good hitter….is a AAA SS….and a serviceable 2bagger….AND…PLEASE….if GAMEBOARD and Fuku should be the 1-2 guys…..LET THEM DO IT….
the clutch hitting problem has been aroundd since 04/…..it was just a lot harder to complain about last year…the PEN…well….FIX IT….the fact EYER can produce in Filly and not in Chicago says something bout the front office/coaching/scouting….
kcjones - September 3, 2009
Eyre's success in Philly says nothing of the sort, KC
You should know bullpens are the most fungible part of any team’s roster. A good bullpen guy could look like crap one year, a world-beater the next. That’s why most teams have so much turnover in their ’pens.
Not Bruce Froemming - September 3, 2009
You said it
the bullpen is a crapshoot every year.
BigJohnAZ - September 3, 2009
Also....one of the MOST IMPORTANT...
and least stressed by the “hendry McFail” Cub regeme….in favor of starters….welll… you can see the results…
kcjones - September 3, 2009
Exhibit A:
Ryan Franklin. His ERA is a full two runs lower and his WHIP is a full half point lower than last year, and he’s 36. With such a small number of innings relievers throw it’s only natural they fluctuate wildly.
Curtain Jerker - September 3, 2009
Or, conversely, Brad Lidge.
daver - September 4, 2009
+1
Good points in both cases.
vonde6 - September 4, 2009
or Conversely to the Conversely
Joe Borowski
TheRiot Police - September 4, 2009
when franklin comes back down to earth next season
im going to laugh my ass off
jesus christos - September 4, 2009
Another excuse maker...
for the front office…..that continually finds players who can’t succeede, pitchers that can’t pitch, broadcasters that can’t keep their mouths shut, and still anotheer guy left on 2nd base…
kcjones - September 4, 2009
Blog posters who can't keep their finger off the "." key...
stuartscottslefteye - September 4, 2009 via mobile
Yes Bob Brenly is causing the down fall of the team
Maybe he is just the mouth piece for the frustrated fans around here
But hey fans aren’t suppose to get upset when players on their team fail. No matter what we are suppose to be like the toy monkey that just keeps on clapping no matter what.
gaclaudy - September 4, 2009
As he said yesterday regarding Soriano (right after his slip and slide) but really he seemed to mean about the Cubs in general:
“Nothing I see surprises me anymore…”
Zeke - September 4, 2009
He said...
Nothing he sees out there in left-field surprises him anymore.
CubsBullsBears - September 4, 2009
Maybe he was talking about Al up in the LF bleachers...
ballhawk - September 4, 2009
I think you are onto something there
Cubbie-Tim - September 4, 2009
Correct. I mistakenly neglected the "out there" (referring to left field).
Zeke - September 4, 2009
Did anyone else hear Brenly's "fingerprints" comment?
I was watching at work on MLB.com and during a commercial break they left the microphones were still hot. You could hear Brenly complaining about the game and saying something about how he “wouldn’t want my fingerprints all over this shit.”
It may have been my favorite part of the game.
Marmolade - September 4, 2009
Lol...
Gotta love BB.
CubsBullsBears - September 4, 2009
+1
jesus christos - September 4, 2009
Hilarious.
I almost wish Brenly was manager just to watch the fireworks.
daver - September 4, 2009
Bob Brenly calls
it as he sees it. I find that refreshing.
sue369 - September 4, 2009
+1,000
CubsBullsBears - September 4, 2009
We knew that making the playoffs would be tough
think back to the Braves and their run. There were years they stunk the first half due to poor play or injuries or both, but always got there in the end. I know even their own fans got bored with them, but the run they had seems much more impressive to me now.
BigJohnAZ - September 3, 2009
The Braves had an incredible run....
and I say all us here bitching…..(believe me…my DOGS are much lovlier than the word)….says a lot about the pressure I want to see on Cub MGT. aand the kinda fan base that could lead to a run like that.
The Cubs have the resources….WITH THE RIGHT FO….to DO THAT…….OK…it didn’t get don this year (OK…likely won’t get done this year)….BUT MR. Ricketts…needs to get a stafff in place that….well…
kcjones - September 3, 2009
Yea, but....
…the Braves have only 1 WS ring to show for their run.
ronsanto10 - September 4, 2009
But how many years did they make the playoffs in row?
14? 15? 16?
I’d be happy with a run like that. It at least gives the Cubs a chance.
gaclaudy - September 4, 2009
The Cubs streak is 2. The longest in a century.
Zeke - September 4, 2009
Atlanta was in playoffs 11 years in a row, 1995-2005
The previous season (1994) was a strike-year. The Braves were in 2nd place when Bud & Don shut down the season on August 12. As (rotten) luck would have it, that was probably Montreal’s best season ever – they had a 6 game lead on the Braves and had the best record in baseball by 3.5 games over Yankees.
Atlanta made the playoffs the three previous years, 1991-1993, so that makes it 14 out of 15 years.
Back to 1994 for a moment. I could fill this blog many times over with venom & bile on how I feel about Bud & the Owners, and probably a few times over on Fehr. But instead, I’ll leave you with this little strike-year nugget I found while verifying my comments. Made me laugh.
ballhawk - September 4, 2009
They key trade to set that all up: 1987- Doyle Alexander for John Smoltz...
Still makes me wonder what might have been in Detroit if they DIDN’T make that deal…
Zeke - September 4, 2009
Wasn't that a trade
Detriot made that became famous for leveraging a teams future for the present?
gaclaudy - September 4, 2009
"The Blueprint", yes.
Granted, the Tigers don’t win their division in ’87 without Doyle, but that was essentially it from him and from the Tigers for many years after that.
Zeke - September 4, 2009
The tigers lose the ALCS in game 6, not game 7 and probably still
go cheap and suck from 1989-2004. Smoltz probably becomes a great pitcher with a team other than the Braves.
The better question is what happens to the Braves.
N Oakley - September 4, 2009
You...
…have got to be kidding!!!
If the Cubs could ever get half way to where the Braves organization was for a long long time, people around here wouldn’t no what hit them!
MPH73 - September 4, 2009
0 in the last 100
I think one for the Cubs would suffice for now.
dr stabbingworth - September 4, 2009
Winning the WS once in the playoffs is a bit of a crapshoot.
It’s not always the best team that wins. But the only way to have a chance at the WS is to make the playoffs and put your ball in the roulette wheel. There’s not much of a pattern in which teams and players succeed and fail in the playoffs. It’s just who gets hot at the right time. This is more true in MLB than the other major sports (recalling how big a deal the Golden State-Dallas upset was in the NBA a few years back; a middling MLB team beating a first-place one in a 7-game series would hardly be news; the newspapers would try to spin it that way but would just look silly).
Anyway, I read somewhere that over that stretch the Braves had a pretty decent record overall in the playoffs over that stretch. If the Cubs can string together a decade where they’re continually in the playoffs they’ll probably come out of it with a World Series.
aldimond - September 4, 2009
I'd take that ring
if it took 20 appearances.
BigJohnAZ - September 4, 2009
On the bright side,
Koyie Hill was great. He threw out two runners at second and nearly got another one, had Jeff Baker handled his throw correctly. I was pretty glad to see someone showing some hustle out there.
Azul Cachorro - September 3, 2009
+1
BigJohnAZ - September 3, 2009
Gotta give him credit
He’s showing the Cubs that he definitely was the better choice between him and Bako.
BigJohnAZ - September 3, 2009
+2
He’s a resign. And I’d put him in serious contention for the starting gig; he may not handle the stick as well as Geo, but he’s more than made up for it behind the dish. In fact, he just might be a better defensive catcher.
LeSaboteur - September 4, 2009
Koyie Hill is an excellent backup catcher.
But nothing more. If he’s the starter in 2010, the Cubs are in trouble.
Al Yellon - September 4, 2009
but, Al, at least you have to agree
.. that given the dire circumstance we face this year (when the Cubs released Blanco and Soto went into his mysterious decline), Koyie has shown that he’s got what it takes to play in the majors. He’s shown what was possible for him when given a chance to be in the game. He’s produced in ways as similar if not better than Kendall would have.
Any other team, I think Hill would be a starter, every day. He’s earned the job next year, I think, barring a redux of Soto in spring or newer acquisitions. Geo looked hungry and monstrous on the farm prior to 2008, chomping at the bit. Sorry, but this year, the fire and drive weren’t there. I hope he’ll put it together this winter. If not, then the Cubs better go looking for some. Until then, Hill should have the job.
cubnational - September 4, 2009
No, not "any other team".
Maybe the Royals or the Nationals or the Padres. But not a contending team. He’s a fine backup, but that’s all.
Al Yellon - September 4, 2009
I dunno. Soto had better be ready to go next spring...
… or he could find himself playing backup catcher.
Blue Heron - September 4, 2009
We should definitely stick with our 2008 ROY - he's been awesome
stuartscottslefteye - September 4, 2009 via mobile
Same thought process
keep on running him out there
gaclaudy - September 4, 2009
disagree
I would think koyie hill goes into spring training as the guy to beat. I think soto has to come back and win the job away from hill next year. Soto has been a huge disapointment and unless he works real hard in the offseason, I don’t see a bright future for him.
cubsmania - September 4, 2009
Soto
is the not the answer for 2010. If the Cubs are counting on him they’re making a huge mistake.
VillanuevaExperience - September 4, 2009
Do you know something the rest of us don't?
daver - September 4, 2009
No Walks
It’s pretty much the same team as last year, but for whatever reason, their approach at the plate is totally different. They’re not making the opposing starter work nearly as much as they did last year. Take a few freakin’ walks aleady!
A 10-game homestand against Wash, NYM, Hou, and the lowly Sox…and you finish 5-5. Even 7-3 would have kept them about 4 games back. Not possible.
I feel for the starting pitchers…they’ve been abandoned this year.
Canadian Cubs Fan - September 3, 2009
The Cubs had a never say die attitude last year
I haven’t seen it much this year. We were always coming back in games in ‘08. We would get into the opponent’s pen and wreak havoc. Seems this year once we get down, that’s it.
BigJohnAZ - September 3, 2009
Maybe last year was as good as it gets around here
I mean, EVERYTHING went right in the regular season. Maybe that’s the best this current group can do. Maybe it’s time to blow everything up and start over.
Curtain Jerker - September 3, 2009
No, not yet
One more season. Then I think we’ll know what to do.
Not Bruce Froemming - September 3, 2009
Well...
Agree on the lack of walks..but some of that is directly related to their inability to hit at times. Pitchers are just not afraid to pitch to anyone in our lineup right now. They are putting pitches over the plate and we are just not doing anything with them. Until we start to actual do something with those pitches, pitchers are not going to nibble.
TheRiot Police - September 3, 2009
Very interesting
Hadn’t thought of that angle. I think we’ve all gotten tired of guys like Lehr and Torres making us looking like single A hitters.
The ‘09 season can’t end soon enough for me.
Canadian Cubs Fan - September 4, 2009
Lehr is 4-1
and shut down the Cardinals the game after he shut down the Cubs.
I don’t think using him buttresses your argument.
Not Bruce Froemming - September 4, 2009
Sori; I don't make an excuse
BUT……etc etc etc
Hey Alfonso….every time you add the word but, you ARE making an excuse. Instead of trying to deflect your horrible play by suggesting Bradley isn’t a team player, perhaps you can admit you don’t belong on a major league diamond the rest of the season.
Truthfully I don’t give a damn whether you’re injured or just incapable, I can’t stand to see you inability to add anything to the team. The season is over. I truly hope you’ll turn into a baseball player next year but right now spare us the pain of watching you embarrass yourself time after time.
tharr - September 3, 2009
Was his K swinging at three horrible sliders bad or what?
That was painful to watch. Does anybody ever tell him to take a strike? He doesn’t have a very good baseball IQ when it really matters.
DKT - September 4, 2009
A mixture of insecurity and trying to hard?
eths - September 4, 2009
Personally I think Soriano is a decent guy
but it really doesn’t matter why he is playing so poorly. The fact is that he is a net negative for the team. Since Lou doesn’t seem to be able to say no to him in the lineup, it’s up to him to accept his current limitations and sit down. I doubt he’ll do it but it is the right thing to do. When perhaps 95% of Cub fans know he doesn’t belong in the lineup, why is it that Piniella can’t or won’t accept that fact?
tharr - September 4, 2009
..UH...and those who want continuity....
Let’s start over again….without the Jim Hendry countinuity…
kcjones - September 3, 2009
Just a thought, please don't destroy me for this
Would it be a fair idea to trade Jake Fox away to an AL team for a good prospect or serviceable vet?
I know many of us love seeing that kind of power at the plate, but his error at first base today made me think about his defense overall. He isn’t as bad as, say, Miles (shiver), and doesn’t commit as many errors, but we have some infield depth, and their defense is a tad better. When I think about it, sometimes it seems as if the Cubs aren’t a good fit for Jake.
Opinions?
Azul Cachorro - September 3, 2009
I think it's a great idea
sell him before he gets overexposed and his value drops
Curtain Jerker - September 3, 2009
There will be a certain faction
that will scream bloody murder if it happens, but depending on what they can get, I’d be for it, too.
Not Bruce Froemming - September 3, 2009
Yea, that's what I meant
Like it was mentioned earlier, opposing pitchers are throwing more breaking balls at him, and he’s having trouble with them, kinda like Soriano. This probably means that there are some pitchers who have figured him out somehow.
Azul Cachorro - September 4, 2009
I agree, I think its a no-brainer.
The guy is a DH.
AussieCub - September 4, 2009
I'd been beating this...
..drum too for a while. Fox’s defensive lapses are not negated by his offensive production. If he cannot vastly improve upon his defense, and become contact reliable at the plate, he’s going to have a very short career in the majors.
If I’m a manager, I have little use for “professional hitters”.
LeSaboteur - September 4, 2009
I think dealing Fox would be a good idea.
Sell high. I would also either move Theriot to second or trade him also.
Grockcubs - September 4, 2009
I agree.
Fox is a natural DH.
Blue Heron - September 4, 2009
As is Soriano
CubsBullsBears - September 4, 2009
Anyway
I’m done with my tirade. Feel a little better lol
Honestly, the one thing I am upseat about is that we’ve been waiting all season for the Cubs to play well, consistently, even if they lose. They had a little run at the beginning of August and since then, it’s been hard to fathom this is the core team that kicked ass last year.
Good night all, got to start again tomorrow…
BigJohnAZ - September 3, 2009
A sweep in NY
Isn’t out of the question yet neither was thinking we could at least 8-2 on this homestand….
If they do sweep Mets and handle Pirates well they should be able to jump in front of Braves or Marlins. It’s time to start taking more advantage of really bad teams!
Honestly this should be the easiest 6 games they have all year.
ak123 - September 3, 2009
The Cubs...
…have just as good a chance of getting swept, as they do sweeping the Mets.
MPH73 - September 4, 2009
I am convinced...
….if every team the Cubs played called up a minor league guy to pitch against them, they would probably be shut out 100 times in a season.
I also agree with Al that this was not one of Lou’s better games. You absolutely have to pinch run for Fox in the 7th, especially as difficult as it has been for the Cubs to score runs.
IMO, this club has checked out and they will mail it in for the duration.
MPH73 - September 4, 2009
What a disaster of a homestand
I sums up this team perfectly. Flashes of brilliance, but ultimately a giant fail. 5-5 against the Nationals, Mets, Astros, and one against the Sox is pathetic.
Part of me wants to go 0-6 on this trip so we can start getting some guys shut down and healthy for next season (Alfonso, Randy Wells, Theriot).
nji232 - September 4, 2009
TheRIOT'S hurt???
BTW….most teams have (and play through) injuries…..the lack of depth on thsi team is inexcusable…the Cubs should STILL BE COMPETING….with those injuries…….
kcjones - September 4, 2009
Theriot's either really tired
or has become bad at baseball (OMG I just placed some blame outside Z, Soriano, or Milton). He is killing the team at the top of the order.
nji232 - September 4, 2009
Our all-knowing...
…friends at Baseball Reference say he’s played in 128-games so far this year. He appears to have started in all but four of those when he came off the bench as a PH and/or a late-inning replacement.
That’s a lot of baseball.
LeSaboteur - September 4, 2009
Part of it is surely the lack of a real backup SS
But Theriot has had an end of season drop off before because he got tired. When Lou talks about resting people, Theriot should be on of his priorities.
nji232 - September 4, 2009
Theriot is also perfectly suited to be the 7th hitter
His numbers there are the best. He’s got the combination of OBP and bat control that lets him either try to get on with no one on or move over any 5th or 6th hitters that may still be on.
Of course, Soriano being yanked from leadoff and Dome being forced to bat 5th because Bradley and Soto couldn’t do it forced the issue.
Worf - September 4, 2009
Yeah I agree
Theriot shouldn’t be near the top of the lineup. In a perfect world Dome, Bradley,Lee, Aramis, Sori/Geo, Geo/Sori, Theriot, Baker would be my order.
The problem is that Lou will never allow that many righties to bat in a row. I miss the days when Jim Edmonds was here fixing that problem.
nji232 - September 4, 2009
It hasn't just been a late-season drop-off.
With the exception of that weird May power surge, all Riot has done all year is hit singles. Very few XBHs, very few walks, and more strikeouts than usual. He somehow hit over .300 in August — it was probably one of the worst .300-hitting months in baseball history (I don’t have any proof of this, but it’s hard to imagine a worse one). Of 34 hits, just 2 for extra bases (both triples, oddly enough). 3 walks and 19 strikeouts. All told, a .336 OBP (just 30 points above BA) and .342 SLG (just 36 points above BA). But June wasn’t any better: .265/.315/.343, 6BB/21K, not buoyed by ridiculous batted-ball luck.
aldimond - September 4, 2009
I like Theriot, but I don't think he should be leading off.
And he should get a day off every so often, to keep him fresh. Fukudome should be leading off, for now at least.
Blue Heron - September 4, 2009
In the postgame, Lou said Theriot's leg (shin, I think) is banged up.
But, otherwise, he’s OK.
daver - September 4, 2009
Yeah, he has a nasty bruise.
Blue Heron - September 4, 2009
For anyone who saw the game - why didn't Fox just plow into AJ?
I’m sure Ted Lilly would have approved…
ballhawk - September 4, 2009
Scared?
AJ did his job taking out Theriot.
DrCrawdad - September 4, 2009
Doubt he was scared.
Looked to me like Jake just thought he had a better chance trying to avoid the tag and swipe the plate with his hand.
daver - September 4, 2009
You're right and I was wrong ...
… to have said that. I’ve heard Fox interviewed several times and he seems like a really cool guy. Plus that actually was a crafty slide that made it relatively close. I wish Jake Fox nothing but success.
DrCrawdad - September 4, 2009
ever since that fateful day in 2006
AJ took up tae kwon do
jesus christos - September 4, 2009
Al...
You left the part out about Sori saying “but I think the grass was too big”.
CubsBullsBears - September 4, 2009
Mutant Grass
gaclaudy - September 4, 2009
Also, has anyone (over)analyzed yet why Fox got the start instead of Hoffpauir?
With Lee out buying cigars for the road trip and since a righty throwing for the White Sox, I was wondering why Platooniella didn’t start Hoffpauir at 1B?
Best I can figure, either Lou really meant what he said (“We’ve got to find a way to get Fox’s bat into the lineup more”) or he was definitely sending a message to Hoffpauir (“You… you’re not so good.”).
ballhawk - September 4, 2009
Perhaps the message was to the FRONT OFFICE....
about the quality if talent…..“at Iowa”…to compete for the NL Central…
kcjones - September 4, 2009
Wow, I haven't seen you on here in forever!
Welcome back, man.
dtpollitt - September 4, 2009
My Day At Wrigley In The Bleachers...
I went to work as usual today, with no intention of going to the game when I was given 2 bleachers tickets. So, a coworker and I bolted for the game at 11:30 from our west suburban workplace. We missed the first half inning one, stood for a couple innings and then found seats in the LF bleachers, 2nd row!
I expected the worst from Carlos Torres. I expected the Cubs to make Torres toss strikes. No, they were for some reason hacking away at first pitches. A miracle of sorts, Torres tossed a shutout in his time out there.
It was a beautiful day to have skipped work and enjoyed a game.
I was ripped in a previous discussion because I disagreed in a discussion here about Soriano being the best LF in MLB. Coy smile on my face to be sitting right there to see to see in person Soriano drop AJ’s flyball! Where are all those folks who were claiming that Soriano was the best LF in MLB now?
Couple notes on the folks around us:
There was a father (Cubs fan) and son (about 21 yrs old who had on a Sox shirt) and they were in the front row on the aisle. The Sox fan may have egged on the drunkie Cubbie fans sitting next to me before we arrived, but when we got there the drunkie Cubbie clowns were yelling threats at the Sox kid, “We’re going follow you out and kick your ass…” Interestingly, Cubbie security said nothing about the threats nor the dark homo-erotic taunts (chanting that the kid was a “homo-homo” and then the even darker stuff) but nearly tossed the kid when he and his family reacted to the threats. Then when the kid was leaving he started yelling at the drunkies. Not too smart as the drunkies got right up and followed them out. I don’t know what happened from there.
I escaped the taunts from either side as I was neutrally dressed, having come over from work. Of course when I cheered the Sox it was obvious where my heart was. The drunkies sitting by me tried to bait me, but I simply answered, “GO BEARS!”
There was this “lady” in the front row who spewed all kinds of bile towards any Sox fans around. One of her common taunts was, “I work and pay taxes. I pay for you southsiders…” Four Asian Sox fans were perplexed by this and the one guy said, “I work for a living.” It didn’t stop her as she railed on with her slur on fans of the Southside team.
I’ve heard from Dave Kaplan on the radio and from some Cubs fans here slurs about Sox fans missing teeth. The guy sitting directly behind me decked in Cubbie gear with his missing teeth must never have encountered Dave Kaplan and his ilk.
Other than that crap, I got along with the fans sitting directly around me. Heck even drunkie who was itching for a fight gave me knuckles when he left to try to beat up the kid.
Meaningless game for two teams going no where but home at the end of the regular season, but a beautiful day to enjoy a day at the park.
DrCrawdad - September 4, 2009
Enjoy the Bears in Octtober....
N/T
kcjones - September 4, 2009
BEARS!
DrCrawdad - September 4, 2009
Crawdad I have no doubt you're a knowledgeable and loyal baseball fan...
…but this is not a non-partisan review of the baseball game. I try to stay away from making personal comments about people, but com’on man, seriously? You’re talking about our fans’ teeth, their clothes, etc. Isn’t it enough? I don’t know what you want out of us on this blog…for us to respect you as a fan, or for us to continue the tit-for-tat Cubs-White Sox bullshit that goes on because of comments like these. You decide.
Dan
dtpollitt - September 4, 2009
Crawdad I have no doubt you're a knowledgeable and loyal baseball fan...
…but this is not a non-partisan review of the baseball game. I try to stay away from making personal comments about people, but com’on man, seriously? You’re talking about our fans’ teeth, their clothes, etc. Isn’t it enough? I don’t know what you want out of us on this blog…for us to respect you as a fan, or for us to continue the tit-for-tat Cubs-White Sox bullshit that goes on because of comments like these. You decide.
Dan
dtpollitt - September 4, 2009
Living in stereo...
I made no slur about Cub fans teeth or any group of people just this individual. Slurs about groups of people, I’ll leave that for Dave Kaplan & at times some here. Considering the slurs of Kaplan and some here on occasion, yes I did find that ironic. Last time I was in the bleachers I was sitting by a group of mullet NASCAR Cubbie fans, which I found amusing too in the same respect.
DrCrawdad - September 4, 2009
If you flip-flop the word "Cubs" and "Sox"
and “Wrigley” and “the Cell,” this post could just as well have been written about any crosstown game played on the South Side, so don’t get too bent. The fans’ behavior was obviously inexcusable, but we’re all big boys here and shouldn’t be too shocked that the shit-slinging going on in the bleachers was ratcheted up a bit given the matchup (mismatch?) on the field. You’re a smart guy, Crawdad, and I know you weren’t surprised.
stuartscottslefteye - September 4, 2009 via mobile
Rarely surprised...
… by the stupids actions of groups of people under the influence. I’ve made clear many times here before that drunkie stupidity is not unique to any group of fans. I’m sure that there were many stupid acts by Sox fans yesterday too, but in the group of folks around me that’s an honest appraisal.
The only thing I was surprised by yesterday was the inaction of the security in the bleachers. If there was a fight, they share a degree of blame as they let it boil over and did nothing about it.
DrCrawdad - September 4, 2009
Oh I totally agree
That wasn’t meant as a condemnation of Sox fans, believe me. There are good and bad and completely fucking douchey on both sides of town.
stuartscottslefteye - September 4, 2009
Indeed
DrCrawdad - September 4, 2009
"GO BEARS!"
Great post, and even better response.
DudeVf11 - September 4, 2009
A coy smile b/c you thought you were the only ont that knew Sori isn't the BEST lf in MLB? Really?
Read any gamethread, consensus is his defense has been terrible all year. No where near the best, that is a laugher.
BleedsbluinMI - September 4, 2009
Strawman...
… I never said nor implied that I was the only one who did not agree with the theory that Soriano’s the best LF in MLB. Read the discussion for yourself.
DrCrawdad - September 4, 2009
Thus, the reason I don't sit in the bleachers
The rest of Wrigley is a fine place without the bleacher-style jackassery.
dr stabbingworth - September 4, 2009
I’ve sat in the bleachers several times. I’ve never had my experience there completely ruined by jackasses.
Wherever there is alcohol there is a potential for trouble (I’m not against alcohol by any means) but the party atmosphere and lack of control is dangerous. Allowing drunken morons to seriously threaten violence on other fans and then engage in completely vulgar verbal attacks should be more than enough to get you tossed. No the security there just stood there. I tried to convince them to toss the morons, but there was no interest on their part.
DrCrawdad - September 4, 2009
Just FYI...
… and if I’d had more time I would have posted this on Thursday night… security tossed literally hundreds of people out of the bleachers on Thursday, starting only 10 minutes after the gates opened, when a couple of underage people were tossed for having vodka mixed into their Big Gulps from 7-11.
Security did a good job on Thursday, but they were a bit overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of idiots.
Al Yellon - September 5, 2009
Continuing to prove...
…the consensus here correct, the Deadbirds lost to Milwaukee. We could’ve picked up a damn game, but we continue to not win when they lose.
LeSaboteur - September 4, 2009
You're still worried about the Cardinals?
The division is gone. Focus on the wild card. All the teams ahead of the Cubs (except the Marlins, who beat another team ahead of the Cubs, the Braves) lost.
The Marlins and Braves did their part — splitting a four-game series. It gets tougher this weekend, when all the teams are playing crappy opponents.
Al Yellon - September 4, 2009
The NL Central ...
… is all but decided and over.
DrCrawdad - September 4, 2009
Sad but true.
daver - September 4, 2009
Sorry, Al.
I don’t play for second place. While the division is for all intent and purposes gone, I’d still like to make up a few games in the standings; it looks better. Sure, we squeak in on the WC, but being back in single digits is much better than double digits.
LeSaboteur - September 4, 2009
I just wonder where this team would be now without:
We might now be looking at a team with some weaknesses but full of confidence, scrappiness and truly in the race for the playoffs, instead of a team which appears to have never grown together and makes the impression of no longer believing in themselves.
I don’t think one can pin the blame on single individual players. IMHO, all of the Soriano, Bradley, etc. bashing has reached ridiculous levels. One can also not put the blame singularly on Lou, the coaching staff or the front office. It has been a poor season on all levels when compared with the last years. And the blame must be passed around more or less equally. Who knows, they might surprise us yet, but it does look bleak. I just hope, whatever happens during the rest of this season, that the new ownership will think on a long term basis, make good decisions and rebuild the team solidly, even if takes a couple of years. We’ve waited for a long time, and I for one would prefer to see a slower rebuilding process which is sustainable, instead of quickly buying a few hired guns, winning the big one and waiting another century or so.
Eamus Catuli, Let’s have a good road trip!
eths - September 4, 2009
What do you mean?
The team I saw yesterday is exactly the team I remember from the playoffs last year. Nothing’s changed except a few faces
Mapmaker - September 4, 2009
The psychology is not the same and a not every "new face" seems to have fit in well.
I’ve the gut feeling that there is no easy quick fix either.
eths - September 4, 2009
Ramirez is WRONG...
..if Soriano makes the play, the score is still 1-0. With the score 3-0 because of that play, the complexion of the whole game changed and you could tell the Cubs were just deflated. There is a big difference in psychology in being down only 1 run and 3 runs. That play just killed us.
ronsanto10 - September 4, 2009
Ramirez is wrong and Ramirez is not wrong...
Yes that play changed psychology of a game but they could have scored runs afterwards and more importantly should have before Soriano’s error. I think the psychological “Knacks” is more deeply rooted than the affect of one missed ball and a couple of runs.
Success breeds success, and success has been missing for a while now.
{Knacks is German: “bent to the point where something cracks” or “the noise made when something cracks”}
eths - September 4, 2009
I really wanted to watch this game about three months ago
I figured yesterday, while trapped at work and unable to watch, that this would come down to who would suck more. Watching stuff pile on the scoreboard on BCB in the favor of the Sux was NOT a good feeling at all.
I just couldn’t stomach going into the TV lounge to watch it on break and I wouldn’t be able to tear myself away. I cooly and calmly drove home (10 minutes away) at 4:45 pm from my work place to tune in and hear Len telling us that the Cubs had lost again.
And we want to slip in to the Wild Card?
Uh .. sigh .. Go Cubs .. Maybe you’ll actually line some wins up for a change.
cubnational - September 4, 2009
This team has looked
tired since losing to the Reds and Jim Lehr. The month this team had to step up, it failed. I believe Lou should go, sure revoling managers is not ideal, however Lou looks out of step, out of touch and disinterested. How can a team look so beat and tired for so long, maybe an extentsion from there manager? In my opinion a new fresh look is needed to start the spring. Do I think it will happen? No. If that is the case and Lou comes back, he and this team better have some energy an desire to play into October.
Grockcubs - September 4, 2009
You hire managers to get the job done
If they can’t get the job done, they have to go. People talk about the two division titles, but I also note 0-6 in the playoffs, constantly bringing Aaron Miles in to pinch hit when he has other options on the bench, his inability to properly manage a bullpen, his inability to recognize that Fukudome should be the leadoff hitter despite having Bradley as the #2 hitter and just flat out indifference when it comes to constructing a proper lineup. The roster needs to be retooled without a doubt, but something has to change in that dugout as well.
Ace Venom - September 4, 2009
I can't see Pinella turning it around
I fear he will limp out of Wrigley early next season the same way Dusty did at the end of his contract, wondering “what the hell happened?”. Or worse, the season will start the same way as this year and Hendry will let Lou finish out his contract.
Mapmaker - September 4, 2009
You have to wonder...
…why that keeps happening to managers with the Cubs?
MPH73 - September 4, 2009
This comes back to a central point
That perhaps the pressure is too much for anybody, even the best baseball minds, to bear.
If that’s the case, then the Cubs situation really might be hopeless.
Not Bruce Froemming - September 4, 2009
That has actually occured to me many times
The Red Sox were able to turn it around, which gives us hope.
Mapmaker - September 4, 2009
Last I checked...
Boston wasn’t exactly a bed of roses in terms of pressure.
Worf - September 4, 2009
AND they have to deal daily with the Yankee Empire
which I’m glad we don’t have to.
Mapmaker - September 4, 2009
The media in Boston
isn’t exactly known for it’s low-pressure attitude.
If Boston can do it — the year after a crushing loss in the playoffs — then we can do it. There is no magic curse on Chicago and no more pressure here than in any other “tortured” city.
Worf - September 4, 2009
I agree
I do feel though that this team as constructed, caved to the pressure last October.
Mapmaker - September 4, 2009
There is no place
like Chicago when it comes to pressure. Not any more.
Now that Boston has broken the dam and won twice, I don’t think it compares.
Not Bruce Froemming - September 4, 2009
Well, sure NOT NOW
We’re talking pre-2004.
Worf - September 4, 2009
Yes, pre-2004
but not now. That’s my main concern.
Not Bruce Froemming - September 4, 2009
Nothing today
is any worse than Boston in 2003.
Worf - September 4, 2009
I'm talking about the present day
and I think it’s much worse than anyplace else.
Not Bruce Froemming - September 4, 2009
The curse of high expectations
Two post-seasons in a row and three in the last six seasons has not helped anyone be calm and rational about a mediocre Cubs team. Adding to that is the fact that last year’s team was so good (in the regular season), the expectations come November 2008 were that this year we would definitely do it.
Then 2009 happened. The balloon deflated rather explosively, I’m afraid.
Clutch16 - September 4, 2009
The balloon deflated rather explosively, I’m afraid.
paging SWL
Cubbie-Tim - September 4, 2009
*POP*
santoswoodenlegs - September 4, 2009
If he had been successful
Clutch16 - September 4, 2009
Sigh...
Nothing in Chicago 2009 is any worse than in Boston 2003.
And the Red Sox won in 2004. They overcame all the same crap you talk about here.
Same weight of history. Same lunatic fans. Same revolving door of managers. Same playoff hopes dashed by stupid stuff — Buckner/Bartman; Clemens’ meltdown/Dempster’s flameout.
Same arrogant and dominant division foe — Yankees/Cardinals. Same jokes. Same everything.
You think Boston fans were just fluffy bunnies, singing kumbaya?
It can be done. It will be done.
And it will be done without any behavior modifications of fans.
Worf - September 4, 2009
What the hell
are you talking about?
I said the pressure now is worse than anyplace in baseball. That’s it. Can you deny that?
I can’t speak for all fans, but I suspect you’re one who strongly needs a behavior modification.
Not Bruce Froemming - September 4, 2009
And I'm saying it's not worse than any time in baseball history
2003 Boston was equal to — or even worse. And that team won it all the next year.
Worf - September 4, 2009
half their team was on the juice in 2004 though
jesus christos - September 4, 2009
If Alan Trammel can survive 2003 in Detroit, he can handle it. (43-119)
Well, come to think of it, he didn’t survive as a manager, but you get my point. He can handle adversity…
Zeke - September 4, 2009
If that is the case...
Get me Doc, Michael J, and the Dolerean (sp) stat so that I can find out if I am going to waste the next 50+ (hopefully) years of my life.
TheRiot Police - September 4, 2009
Jim F'en Hendry
kcjones - September 4, 2009
Death threats?
Really? Anyone who really does that should be banned from BCB on the spot, IMO. That’s just ridiculous
kanderber - September 4, 2009
And yet wanting to "punch a player in the face" is okay with you....
Funny.
carmen_fanzone - September 4, 2009
santoswoodenlegs - September 4, 2009
Does Sori's bad knee tell him to swing at low and outside sliders
out of the strike zone? That’s not an injury, that’s not knowing how to play the game.
zevkalman - September 4, 2009
You heard of "Barking Dogs" (Hurting feet)
Well now comes “Swinging Knee”. It tells you that you can crush that outside slider!
gaclaudy - September 4, 2009
How about trading Hill for AJ?
ronsanto10 - September 4, 2009
As someone who watches a lot of ChiSox games...
…you really don’t want that. He’s a decent-average hitter with flashes of power who can’t take a walk or do much to prevent opponent’s stolen bases. He is said to be good with pitchers and he does do some things pretty well (blocking the plate, etc), but I’m not sure he’s worth what the ChiSox are paying him, much less worth it for the Cubs to trade for (there’s no way we’d get a favorable deal when we’re only offering a guy perceived as a backup only).
I wonder if the ChiSox would even look to shop AJ? I guess it depends how close they think Tyler Flowers is…
MarchHare - September 4, 2009
NO!!!!
Blue Heron - September 4, 2009
Why? AJ is better.
santoswoodenlegs - September 4, 2009
I hate Soriano at #6
My only complain is that he’s hitting at #6.
I originally thought it was a fantastic idea but I think it’s actually hurting the team more than when he lead off.
Soriano is getting more RBI opportunities and he’s not taking advantage of them. Lou should have been putting anyone who has been hitting better than Soriano in that spot. I don’t know if that’s swapping Soriano back in leadoff with Theriot or moving Bradley down to #6?
I’d rather see Soriano get more plate appearances and strike out than see him get at the plate one less time but have people on base and have him hit a shallow pop fly to the outfield.
ak123 - September 4, 2009
I'd rather see his sorry ass sitting on the bench. He's not hitting or fielding.
Get him out of the lineup completely.
CrimsonCub - September 4, 2009
Shut him down for the season
Ace Venom - September 4, 2009
It seems we never hit these no-name pitchers
I was listening to the game at work yesterday. A co-worker walked into my office in the 1st inning and asked, “who’s pitching today?” I said, “We’ve got Dempster going against some guy I’ve never heard of for the white sux, which means we probably won’t score a run.” Sure enough….
CrimsonCub - September 4, 2009
I have heard
theories that hitters have become too relient on video for game preparation. When you have rookies and last second callups, there is little to no video available to the hitters. At that point, I guess it comes down to guessing pitches, hoping for mistakes, etc since they have nothing to fall back in regards to a pitchers tendencies.
TheRiot Police - September 4, 2009
Which makes our tendency to swing at the first pitch all the more infuriating
Take a few pitches, get a good look, make him work, and see if he can throw strikes. If you aren’t familiar with a pitcher, it isn’t the best approach to go up there hacking away. We have an MLB team that, for the most part, does not seem capable of grasping the most simple aspects of the game that 99% of high school players out there understand.
CrimsonCub - September 4, 2009
And as I mentioned in the game thread yesterday...
…since I started following a number of beat reporters/bloggers for other teams on Twitter, I’ve come to the conclusion that this phenomenon is not exclusive to the Cubs. Many other teams struggle when facing unknown pitchers – maybe it is the video thing, or maybe it’s just bad pitch recognition because of unfamiliarity.
daver - September 4, 2009
Yes
I actually heard this theory when watching a Cardinal’s broadcast.
TheRiot Police - September 4, 2009
There is absolutely no reason to keep Soriano on the field
If you’re an optimist and you believe the wild-card is still in reach, Soriano is just hurting that cause. I personally believe he is too injured to contribute and it has nothing to do with desire, character, and all the other bullshit on the threads yesterday.
Fox can play LF and Fuld can come in later for defense. Is that anywhere as good as a healthy Soriano? Not at all. But it’s the best of the two options now.
If you’re a pessimist and you believe the season is over, then Soriano needs to get off that knee and start healing for 2010. If he’s healthy, he solves a lot of problems.
If by some miracle, he can go back to leadoff, that means Theriot can go back to 7th, where he thrives. Bradley (if he’s still here) can bat 2nd and Fukudome can bat 5th or 6th, depending on how Soto rebounds. Or, Bradley is shipped off, Fukudome goes to 2nd and the Cubs find someone else to protect Lee and Ramirez.
There is no case to be made to keep an obviously injured player on the field. Whatever percentage he’s got is NOT better than what Fox/Fuld can do.
Worf - September 4, 2009
Too injured? Some injured players don't swing wildly at low and outside sliders and always strike out.
zevkalman - September 4, 2009
The scab had healed after hijacking that thread last night
but now it’s open again… Ouch.
chilango2 - September 4, 2009
Got a laugh listening to WGN.
They’ve been playing a commercial lately for a supplement to help with depression. I thought it was pretty funny to be advertising to Cubs fans in a sick, ironic sort of way. The description of struggling to relax, stay calm, feelings of fear, anxiety and worries that can cause your mind to race uncontrollably….hmmm….sounds like me during a game. Pretty smart advertising. LOL I got a better idea. Maybe I should just stop listening to the Cubs!
But then here I am the very next day. What the hec is wrong with me? Yesterday really hurt. Came close to crying with that one. And now I’m back thinking…well the Rockies lost too. Somebody should slap me.
katie casey - September 4, 2009
Excuses
It’s time to quit the excuses and coddling for No. 12. The fact of the matter is that he’s fly-swatter bad at the plate and Cliff Johnson-bad in the field. The knee injury excuse is nonsense. That it came out near the tail end of an absolutely miserable season by him, replete with minimal effort in the field and on the bases, is predictable. He’s trying to save face and allow himself some sort of peace of mind heading into the offseason by hoping that it was a “sore knee” and not a complete decline.
Ramirez has it correct…nobody wants to be embarrassed out there. But No. 12, you’ve done exactly that, you’ve embarrassed yourself all season long. You and only you can change that in 2010. And if I were you, I’d begin your effort to do so in about 8 weeks. If you don’t, you just further prove that you’re done. Period.
krummy12 - September 4, 2009
Well, good, now that you've got it all figured out
medically and psychologically.
Or you could just shut up
Worf - September 4, 2009
Well
Don’t quit your day job Worf. You know far, far less baseball than you think. The frequent posts give you some sense of knowledge but reality says you’re just a regular guy, with regular thoughts and no particulary insight into the game of professional baseball. Your posts point that out time and time again. That my friend is reality.
krummy12 - September 4, 2009
Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room.
santoswoodenlegs - September 4, 2009
Nah
Fight? For what? “Blog supremacy”? He didn’t like my opinion, he could move on. Simple as that. I thought I’d point out that his posts lack baseball acumen. If he doesn’t like that, I’m cool with it.
krummy12 - September 4, 2009
Paging Dr. House... Paging Dr. House
His “assessment” is needed.
Dude, you have no more knowledge of Soriano’s medical condition than an LOLCat has of Shakespeare.
Worf - September 4, 2009
I love that movie. Premier Kissoff!
Zeke - September 4, 2009
The knee injury has been an issue since at least June.
IIRC, many of us – including me – were calling for Soriano to take a DL stint before the All-Star Break. Then, for whatever reason, he came out swinging in July. (Remember, folks, Alfonso Soriano put up a .992 OPS in 93 PAs that month.)
I don’t disagree that, more than likely, Soriano should have gone on the 15-day DL at some point this season – and he should absolutely take some (or most) of the responsibilty for failing to do that. But I would not write it off as nonsense.
daver - September 4, 2009
If Ramirez doesn't get hurt
I am positive that he takes that DL.
I maintain that Lou and Jim didn’t want to lose Soriano AND Ramirez.
Worf - September 4, 2009
Yeah, that's entirely possible.
And yet another way the Cubs may have mishandled the Aramis injury this season.
daver - September 4, 2009
Better to suck it up for a few games
I would have preferred Soriano be on the DL for his knee earlier in the season and have him in one of his hot streaks right now. Instead, we’ve got the same old injury cover up.
Ace Venom - September 4, 2009
What does a knee injury have to do with swinging at horrible pitches consistently?
zevkalman - September 4, 2009
He's slipping?
santoswoodenlegs - September 4, 2009
That's because the grass was too big...
Duh.
CubsBullsBears - September 4, 2009
Try doing anything when you're in pain...
…and I’m guessing your focus won’t quite be as good as when you’re not in pain. Plus, I could swear I read somewhere that Soriano’s actually been more patient at the plate this season. If anyone has a link, please share.
daver - September 4, 2009
Soriano more patient at plate
Soriano’s BB% is the third best of his career, behind last season and 2006 with Washington. His K% is as high as it’s been in a full season, tied with 2006. So we go deeper.
http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=847&position=2B/OF#platediscipline
Soriano’s out-of-zone swing percentage has gone down every year since joining the Cubs, but it jumped in 2007, so he’s still chasing more pitches than his career average, and well above the league average. He’s swinging at fewer pitches in the zone than at most times in his career, and he’s somewhat above league average in that department also. Overall he’s swinging at fewer pitches than usual for him but more than the average player. His contact rate out of the zone has been consistently worse than league-average (I don’t know about SLG out-of-zone, though), and contact rate in the zone has been about average. The really interesting trend is that pitchers are throwing Soriano fewer and fewer strikes over the course of his career.
One somewhat-unrelated thing I never really realized until looking at these charts is how league averages have changed over the last several years. Pitchers are throwing fewer strikes and batters are chasing more pitches out of the zone and swinging at fewer pitches in the zone. I wonder if this has to do with changes in stat collection, or if pitchers really have been getting nastier since 2002. Strikeout rates are up a bit and walk rates are pretty similar.
aldimond - September 4, 2009
O-Swing percentage
I’m assuming that counts balls fouled off?
Makes me wonder if the reason he is swinging at fewer pitches outside the zone is because he’s SEEING fewer pitches altogether. In the past, was he able to foul off some of those pitches?
I’d also be fascinated to see a pitch chart. Some of the pitches look like they are outside the opposite batter’s box outside line. Not all out-of-the-zone is created equal. Some are bordlerine and some are wild.
Seems like a lot more wild this year.
Worf - September 4, 2009
I'm pretty sure O-Swing counts fouls.
At any rate, he’s seeing a lower rate of pitches in the zone this year than ever. I’m not sure what sort of flukes there could be related to repeatedly fouling off two-strike pitches, and other context-related issues. It’s just interesting how Soriano’s O-Swing% has jumped around over his career.
My perception agrees with yours, that Sori is seeing lots of pitches way out there. PitchFX data could back that up or refute it, but I don’t really know how to get the data and analyzing it would take a long time.
aldimond - September 4, 2009
Thanks for the info.
Maybe what I heard/read is that Soriano has the lowest percentage of swings outside the strike zone of his Cubs career.
daver - September 4, 2009
Still an excuse
The MRI was clean. No tears, no breaks, possibly not even inflammation. I’m not doubting that it is probably sore but there is a distinct possibility that this “injury” is no more burdensome than what every other player might have at this point in time. We can agree to disagree. My assessment and opinion is that there is no injury, that his knee hasn’t been his major problem in 2009 and won’t be a major problem in 2010. Other things might be but his knee “injury” isn’t one of them. Just my opinion.
krummy12 - September 4, 2009
Your assessment????
BWAH!
Worf - September 4, 2009
Well done
My point is proven…again.
krummy12 - September 4, 2009
Hee hee hee
“Assessment”
Dude, you have no idea how pompous you sound. “Well, in my assessment and opinion as a booger-eating fan, Soriano is faking it…”
I realize you probably don’t have the hops to clear the Waukegan phone book, but you should consider trying to get over yourself at some point.
Worf - September 4, 2009
Booger eating?
AndrewJStone - September 4, 2009
FWIW
There was one out when Quade sent Fox in the 7th inning. Sori struck out after Fox’s leadoff double.
gocubsgo22 - September 4, 2009
What are our thoughts on catchers for next season?
If Soto isn’t producing this last month of the season, can’t get his act together in winter ball, I think we have to look to make a move. There are several catchers becoming free agents at the end of the season. Should we look to signing one? What are we thinking they’d cost?
Zaun, Varitek, Pudge, Martinez (probably staying with BOS)
jthack - September 4, 2009
I hate to say this out loud
but you have to give Soto another year. And yes, send his sorry fat behind to Winter League, but in Mexico, away from his buds (pun intended) so he can get his act together.
chilango2 - September 4, 2009
Agreed
Winning the RoY in 2008 affords Soto another chance.
Ace Venom - September 4, 2009
I am certainly disappointed in
Soto’s season, but I would take a 15-20 homer season and a 240-260 BA from my catcher especially if he calls a good game and plays well defensively. Something that I think with consistent playing time and no injuries he can produce hands down. I think it is way too early to shit can him.
if Lou and Jim see Soto as the glue that binds the top and the bottom of the orders than those numbers are not good enough. If that is the case then, Lou and Jim need to recalibrate the linep since I would rather have Soto’s numbers at the bottom of your order vs Hill’s paltry slugging at the bottom of the order. .
TheRiot Police - September 4, 2009
I agree Jose.
sue369 - September 4, 2009
Great Sun Times article today
About Soriano
Gives some insight into the contract, perhaps it will lead some to not being so anal about it now. I don’t agree with the don’t blame Soriano part bc his offense is killing the team, but the parts about him working hard and being a good teammate should be read by all.
nji232 - September 4, 2009
Disappointing
sorry but this article is just another part of the excuse machine for Soriano. If his knee has been bothering him for 4 months, how does that explain his hot July? While I’ll agree there are many holes on the 2009 Cubs, Soriano sticks out to me as the biggest disappointment. Having an OF with 10+ errors is just embarassing. He’sbeen a negative factor the past month and should have shut himself down if he couldn’t play.
VillanuevaExperience - September 4, 2009
Fonzi may have 11 errors, but how many balls has he mis-played and taken bad angles to? How many
balls did he get a late start on and never even touch? Another 25-30? More? Fonzi has been a total mess out there. When you see how effortless a guy like Fuld gets to balls out there, you really have to question why Lou keeps putting Fonzi in LF.
I don’t question how hard the guy (Fonzi) is working or trying, but if he doesn’t have it, he doesn’t have it—let him shut it down so we have the best chance for winning.
LAcarl519 - September 4, 2009
yeah
bigshortyskater - September 4, 2009
Agreed, he is a total mess and won't go near the wall to make a catch and routinely lets balls go over his head rather than leap
plus he plays balls hit in the corner like they are hand grenades. On top of it all, his assists are dropping.
Itchy - September 4, 2009
Firmly agree
But don’t let the No. 12 PR machine hear you say that on here. They’d rather pick on a bit player like Aaron Miles, who is miserable in his own right, but gets paid significantly less to have a smallish skill set. No. 12 gets the big dollars for his diminishing skills.
krummy12 - September 4, 2009
for the record, Aaron Miles has been an OK major league bench/platoon player with the exception of this year...
and Soriano has put up sick power numbers everywhere he’s ever played, and that is what GM’s seem to pay big $ for. Hell, I was GLAD when we got him, but I wasn’t overjoyed at how much $ we gave him. Nobody could really have predicted that either one’s production would fall off a cliff the way it has this year.
santoswoodenlegs - September 4, 2009
Soriano HAS to be better next year partly because he couldn't be much worse
Miles needs to just go away
Mapmaker - September 4, 2009
He's a great guy, he just shouldn't be playing on a bum knee!
He’s only an average outfielder when he’s healthy, for cryin’ out loud.
Blue Heron - September 4, 2009
Sorry, even healthly he's not really an outfielder.
santoswoodenlegs - September 4, 2009
DH?
Oh right. You have to be able to hit to be that and it’s only in the AL.
Ace Venom - September 4, 2009
what is he, an alien?
LAcarl519 - September 4, 2009
Breaking news: Santoswoodenlegs named Cubs manager
as his first official act, SWL announces Soriano and Theriot will switch positions…
ballhawk - September 4, 2009
Why can't we get an Alien in left field?
One with death rays.
You’d think $135 million would buy something like that for you.
AndrewJStone - September 4, 2009
Rest assured that I will also do away with the position of SS and employ a rover instead.
Players will also be fined and benched 1 game for the following infractions…
a) walking the leadoff batter in any inning
2) failed bunts
d) hopping at anytime while on the field of play
santoswoodenlegs - September 4, 2009
Why doesn't SWL just photoshop Soriano into second base? Might as well...
zevkalman - September 4, 2009
It's
great to have a guy that smiles in the clubhouse after striking out the previous day.
VillanuevaExperience - September 4, 2009
I was always told that working smarter is more important than working harder
There’s nothing wrong with working hard, but you need to approach a situation intelligently. It wasn’t smart to not have Soriano on the DL earlier in the season because the Cubs could really use his bat right now. Instead, he needs to be shut down because he didn’t get the care he needed earlier in the season. This can’t be healthy for him.
Ace Venom - September 4, 2009
His WAR is negative...
And the lowest amongst all Cubs regulars, and his UZR is a terrible -9.2. He has been the Cubs’ biggest disaster this year, and it’s not even close.
CubsBullsBears - September 4, 2009
It's not really a great article.
Yeah, there are some good things about Soriano, yeah, some people get over-emotional about the contract. You can’t blame Sori for the contract, and it shouldn’t affect the way he plays or how he’s received for the most part. But there are practical reasons to discuss the contract. First, I’m not sure why, as the article contends, anyone thought that having a huge, back-loaded deal until the middle of the next decade was going to make the team more attractive to prospective owners. Second, the contract limits the team’s options going forward.
I appreciate Soriano working hard, and I appreciate him wanting to be on the field and bat leadoff, but sometimes his desire doesn’t help the team. We would have been better off if he’d taken time off for his injury. We would be better off, generally, if he took time to get comfortable playing after injuries before coming back from them (see last year’s stretch of terrible defense after his return from injury). I’m not even going to comment on learning to lay off low sliders; I think he’s still a valuable hitter when healthy and unless he becomes completely worthless he has more to lose than to gain trying to change his approach at this point in his career. As far as being a good teammate — I’m sure he is one. But calling out Bradley doesn’t make him one. That’s just a member of the media favoring the guy who’s good with the media for calling out someone who’s not. I think he’d be a better teammate if he, oh, supported his teammate in that situation. That doesn’t mean condoning his behavior or criticizing Lou, it just means not saying stuff like, “We don’t need him,” when, as a matter of fact, the team really does.
aldimond - September 4, 2009
Missing
What part of the article about giving No. 12 credit for “working hard” is something that is laudable? Is that really supposed to be a compliment to No. 12 or a back-handed slap at the rest of the club not mentioned? Forgive me if I’m the one that has this wrong but a professional in any profession, including professional sports, should work hard. To suggest he deserves extra credit for doing so is as if the contract that Wittenmyer wants to sweep under the rug is an employee benefit.
In addition, nowhere in the article does it mention that the guy doesn’t hustle. He doesn’t hustle in the OF, he doesn’t hustle on the bases and he plays with a complete and utter lack of energy. Blame the knee all you want, that’s what this guy has shown in 2009. His numbers and daily play speak for themselves. If he wants to man-up for his pathetic showing in 2009 without using his knee as an excuse, he doesn’t need Wittenmyer’s aid.
krummy12 - September 4, 2009
Lou's commitment to veterans is understandable, but not when their play hurts the whole team.
Jim Leyland in Detroit is the first to make the moves required to help the team win, not the player. Veteran status or not. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
Frankly Lou’s explanation of playing unproductive (or worse counterproductive) veterans out of a sense of loyalty insults the franchise (if that’s still possible), the team and the fans.
Play the most productive players. It’s all about the wins Lou!
Zeke - September 4, 2009
It's an embarrassment on a national level
It’s an insult to all of us to have to watch it.
Itchy - September 4, 2009
International? Intergalactic?
Mapmaker - September 4, 2009
Planetary?
AndrewJStone - September 4, 2009
So whatcha want?
Mapmaker - September 4, 2009
If I knew
it was this kind of Party, I would stuck my d!ck in the mash potatoes
TheRiot Police - September 4, 2009
What's another name for pirate treasure?
I think it’s booty
Mapmaker - September 4, 2009
♪♫ Another dimension, another dimension, another dimension ♪♫
daver - September 4, 2009
Jazz and Awol that's our team.
Step inside the party disrupt the whole scene.
Goodie1969 - September 4, 2009
Seriously, Itchy
Get control of yourself.
Worf - September 4, 2009
You don't have to watch it.
santoswoodenlegs - September 4, 2009
You don't "have" to watch anything
None of us “have” to watch them play. We do so out of our ability to choose to do so. If you’re so consumed with repeatedly beating yourself over the head, then seek professional help, otherwise, get over yourself.
Craig in South Bend - September 4, 2009
Not put Soriano on DL changed season
It’s clear to me now that not putting Soriaon on the DL in April/May was the critical decision of the season. Basically, it ruined him for the rest of the season and he’s much too important of a piece to do that to. Game in and game out, the Cubs put a player out there who could not compete at an acceptable major league level, much less the superstar level that Soriano is supposed to play.
I don’t think it was a malicious decision. I’m sure that had Soriano, Piniella, and Hendry known how it would effect Soraino’s play for the rest of the year they would have just bitten the bullet, but they didn’t.
Here’s hoping that 5 months rest wil put this injury and this year totaly behind Soriano and everyone else.
Go Bears!
jerry morales rules - September 4, 2009
Everybody says Soriano's knee is the problem
Yet he had an MRI and that showed there’s nothing wrong, just inflamation and he was given a cortisone shot. After that, Lou, the doctors, and Sori himself, all declared that his knee was just sore but he was ready to play. Was that all lies or is the knee just another excuse for the never-ending Chicago Cubs excuse rolodex?
Itchy - September 4, 2009
The bum knee is an excuse for Soriano just not being able to hit or field very well this season.
zevkalman - September 4, 2009
Lou-don't
He’s more stubborn than an ox, and won’t change his ways cause he said he’s done the same things all along. It’s time for Ricketts to cut bait on him after the season is over. As for Sori, he needs to “slip” (not calling for him to be injured) all the way to the doctor’s office for knee surgery.
propheteer - September 4, 2009
Cubs Goals
There is some talk earlier up in the thread about how it would be great if the Cubs could duplicate the success that the Braves had when they went to the playoffs 15 years in a row. I thought it was curious, because it was posted and agreed to by BCB members whom I would not expect to be patient through so much playoff failure.
In a way it is Hendry’s own fault. Wasn’t he the one that said that the Cubs only goal was a world championship? This is a statement worthy of George Steinbrenner himself. It was ballsy, and well, stupid. He should have listed a whole series of goals, including instilling a winning tradition, building a world-class scouting organization, and mentioned the world championship at the end. The pyramids weren’t built in a day, and the Cubs have a lot of negative tradition to work out of their system. There is no curse, just a lot of memories of failure that need to be replaced by memories of success — like all those great games last season.
In 2007 and 2008, Lou impressed me by instilling a winning attitude (I think that you need several years of this attitude before it becomes a tradition) — 2007 was the most impressive, because he came in here cold and they spent most of the season playing catch up. This year, clearly, the wheels have fallen off. I think that Lou could have probably done some tinkering around the edges than he has done, but this team has broken down in more places than a 77 Pinto.
I think that Lou identified the few nuggets in our minor league system early in his tenure (Marmol, Theriot, Rich Hill (gah)), and he has mined it for what it is worth. You might have noticed that the guys that we have brought in to help from AAA this year are all middle-aged (by baseball standards) failure-to-launch types. They either have no position to play (Fox), or have very limited offensive upside (most of the rest). Our best prospects seem to be down at the single-A level. A system like this cannot tolerate many guys going on the DL or having seriously bad career years.
vonde6 - September 4, 2009
Cubs Acquire Thomas Diamond
drodd - September 4, 2009
Neil's son?
santoswoodenlegs - September 4, 2009
♪♫ Touching me....touching you! ♪♫
daver - September 4, 2009
Sigh...
He won’t be eligible for the post-season roster.
CubsBullsBears - September 4, 2009
WTF is Thomas Diamond? ......OH, THAT'S Thomas Diamond...(man, oh man...)
1:32pm: The Cubs confirmed the acquisition via a press release. Diamond was simply claimed off waivers from the Rangers. He’ll head to Triple A Iowa.
12:23pm: The Cubs acquired righty Thomas Diamond from the Rangers, MLBTR has learned. Diamond, the 10th overall pick in the 2004 draft, was designated for assignment Tuesday by Texas. He had Tommy John surgery in ’07, and has struggled with his control since. Diamond has worked as a reliever most of this year.
Cubs assistant GM Randy Bush coached Diamond at the University of New Orleans, by the way.
Zeke - September 4, 2009
On Soriano, this is what happens
with a player who has poor fielding fundamentals. I’m not surpised something like this happened with him, I hope he’ll be better but the cubs SHOULD shut him down.
As for shutting down, Rami too. Talk him into surgery ASAP. It’ll give him a 1 month head start on the end of the season and 6 weeks+ if the Cubs would have had made the playoffs.
blackhawk24 - September 4, 2009
replace the word move with shut...I'm too lazy to change it
santoswoodenlegs - September 4, 2009
Didn't Ramirez say
That he did not plan on having the surgery? I could swear that I read that in the online Tribune.
vonde6 - September 4, 2009
Yes, I believe he did say that.
He said something along the lines of that it’s just muscle soreness now and surgery isn’t necessary.
daver - September 4, 2009
He's strong enough to skip the surgery, perhaps
but I can attest from personal experience that the surgery is the right way to go.
Once the humerus’ head “learns” the path to slip outside the socket, it will keep on doing it. Also, a sudden motion will trigger the memory of the separation in your brain and your instinct will be to flinch—not helpful when you’re diving for a shot down the line.
The surgery Ramirez needs is now arthroscopic. It shouldn’t take him more than two months to be at full speed and strength.
chilango2 - September 4, 2009
Talk to him, man
vonde6 - September 4, 2009
Yes, you're correct
but now its up to the team doctors to talk him into having that work.
blackhawk24 - September 4, 2009
The season
This is just a .500 ballclub that is playing out the season.
I don’t see any reason why Soriano has to play with an ailing knee.
AboutTheCubs - September 4, 2009
I don't know the details of his contract...
But does he have any performance bonuses in there?
CubsBullsBears - September 4, 2009
Small unknown clause in his contract...
“Alfonso will be fitted with a pedometer on his foot and he will be payed extra for the extra yardage he gets from chasing balls in the outfield.”
KaliCub - September 4, 2009
^paid..geez I'm getting dumb
KaliCub - September 4, 2009
Brenly makes sense again
‘’I think Milton Bradley is a much better offensive player than we’ve seen this year. I just think he’s allowed too many distractions to get between his ears. I think he incorrectly blames everybody else for making him the lightning rod. Well, if you don’t want to be the lightning rod, then don’t stand on the roof in a thunderstorm with a 1-iron in your hand.’’
Itchy - September 4, 2009
+1
gaclaudy - September 4, 2009
Got a link?
I’d expect that he’s better than what we’ve seen this season as a whole (due to the couple of months early on where he sputtered and that he’ll be back and contributing in a big way next year, hopefully (but probably not realistically) at the levels of this last home stand, where he was on base like half the time he stepped up.
Part of me thinks he may thrive on the drama, which i certainly hope isn’t the case. Maybe he should spend the off season with Soto, just chillin’. Could be good for the nerves.
AndrewJStone - September 4, 2009
Link
Itchy - September 4, 2009
Link http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/1752657,CST-SPT-cubnt04.article
Itchy - September 4, 2009
Quote continues
’’Don’t call it upon yourself, and I think with some of his comments, he’s done that.’’
Clutch16 - September 4, 2009
Not sure if it's been discussed yet
http://www.sj-r.com/breaking/x2056226374/Cubs-claim-former-1st-rounder-Diamond-from-Rangers
jthack - September 4, 2009
It's like a page scroll up
literally almost 20 posts ago
Craig in South Bend - September 4, 2009
FanShot, too
Here.
Clutch16 - September 4, 2009
nOt SUrE iF IT BeEN dICuSSed yET
BuT SOriAno HaS beEN AwFul aT THe PLatE tHIs YeaR.
santoswoodenlegs - September 4, 2009
NEEDS MOAR LIND
Clutch16 - September 4, 2009
I HARD ABUT TISH
jesus christos - September 4, 2009
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Bleed Cubbie Blue to post a comment.