The best thing to do to avoid negativity is just to avoid reading the posts you know are coming from negative people. You are always going to have "the sky is falling" posters, you just have to ignore them. I'm not happy with the way the team has played nor am I am happy with the roster so I understand the overwhelming frustration though. The funny thing is that if you look up posts from last year at around this time you would see the same negative overreactions and the same rationalizations being posted about why the team is horrible and needs dismantled. People are venting for the most part and when moods are already poor due to the losses it is easy to turn that aggression onto other posters. As in most things in life, sometimes its better to wait a day to cool down before posting.

wow...lots of posts on here. I have to say that a very small sampling were personal attacks on others. I hope I didn't say anything that was taken wrong. I don't recall attacking anyone myself...usually I'm the one being attacked, and I'm fine with that.

I state a lot of facts...and the truth sometimes hurts. There's a lot of negativity on here about the team lately. A LOT...Fact is, if they did something positive for a change, and consistently, there would be a LOT more positive posts. Some fans can't take it. Some players can't take it. Jacque Jones, Latroy Hawkins, Derrek Lee, and Bradley come to mind as players that couldn't take the heat for their performances. Don't like it? Then perform damnit!!! Similarly, if the fans that don't like hearing what's wrong with the team don't like it....then tell everyone the positives to take out of their play to date. Does that make sense?

I'm not calling anyone out, nor should anyone take this wrong. All I'm saying is that if you have a problem with negative comments directed at the team, then respond by telling me, Boseph, Jim (TP), etc. the positives that we should take from the team.

I can tell you a few positives myself:

1)Soriano's play to date, and his unexpected patience at the dish.

2)Theriot's hot start

3)Harden's dominant performances

4)Fukudome's unexpected hot start

5)Hoffpauir's play

6)Koyie Hill's bat....how unexpected was that, anyway? He was like a career .200 hitter to this point

7)ARAM's bat

*unfortunately Hoffpauir and Hill are bench players, and the negatives:

Soto, Lee, Fontenot, Miles, Johnson, and Bradley have been getting a majority of the starts, and they're flat out HORRIBLE at the plate. If all 6 are playing at one time---as was the case today---then it's no wonder we got DOMINATED.

Dempster, Lilly, and the entire pen have had rough starts to the year.

I try to look at the positives, but if we keep running those same 6 guys out there with the lineup, there ain't no way we even stay above .500. You might say, "well, it's still early, and they can turn it on", but I cannot fathom why anyone would believe they could "turn it on". All 6 have sketchy at-best numbers in the past. If you look at their career stats it's a series of peaks and valleys. The problem is, they're all league average or below otherwise.

I sincerely hope they can put it together, but it doesn't look good right now. In 2007 and 2008 we had a combination of players with career years and luck from the minor leagues with production. When you try to string multiple consistent years together, you probably should do so with consistent players. If you gamble on "potential" or health risks, you'll most likely be on the wrong end of it all.

Hendry gambled starting with Lee coming off a career year, then Soriano, then Dempster and Bradley all in a row. All 4 were supposed to be HUGE cogs in our team, and all 4 have failed miserably thus far to live up to contract expectations and those of Cubs nation...plain and simple. We all know what Hendry could've had in place of Bradley and any of those options would've been better. We all know the Hamilton, Roberts, and Peavy sagas, and how they played out.

I sincerely hope for us all that they string together about 5 good games for all of our sanity. We are presently 5 games out, and the Cards have a cake walk of a schedule coming up. If we don't win 5 in a row, or at least 3 of 4 from the Marlins, we could be looking at 10 games out in early May. Would it be too early then?

We are currently only 4 games out, not five.

Aaron...my statement was not directed toward anyone.

I think I need to clarify this whole "negativity" thing so it doesn't look like we're just giving up on the Cubs for no reason.

When you look at the record, it's .500, and it's the end of April. Obviously, there are quite a few more games ahead and things can change. However, records are not indicative of play. Here are two good examples:

-On the good side, there's the '07 Cubs. This is a team that started the Lou Pinella reign rather auspiciously with the signing of Mark DeRosa, which was the most hated thing about that off-season. Now, the reason people hated that move was because the Cubs middle infield consisted of Caesar Izturis and Ryan Theriot: Theriot, who had just had a great breakout in the last half of '06, and Izturis, who existed purely for defense. The signing was thought to close the door on Theriot. Little did anyone guess that Pinella would actually sit the underperformer of the three, which wound up being Izturis.

Furthermore, that entire season was highlighted by the Cubs possessing a "never say die" attitude. If a bullpen guy went out and threw nothing but balls, Pinella would be right out there to bring them down to reality (his advice of "throw f****** strikes" to Dempster during his first save opportunity highlighted that). The team came together and played each game hard and, win or lose, you could just enjoy the game and know they left it all on the field.

That team, as we all know, won only a few games over .500, was swept out of the playoffs, and went on to improve to the '08 juggernaut team.

-On the opposite end of the spectrum, there's the '08 Chicago Bears. This was a team that performed well against great teams on big stages (as evident by their one-sided victories over the Colts and the Eagles), but would underperform against, well, everyone else. They played to a very mediocre level on all fronts: the defense was bad, the offense was bad, and the coaching was bad. And the Bears made very few adjustments. When Devin Hester stopped returning kicks for touchdowns (or positive yardage), they had him split duties with Daniel Manning. Yet, for that decision, there were still plenty of people on the team that needed to be replaced, could be replaced, but weren't replaced.

That team finished 9-7, and many sports writers note that there has not really been any non-Yankees team to finish with a winning record but miss the playoffs that have been more disliked than that Bears team.

What it comes down to is effort. Because the players aren't the most important part of this game: we are. What we, or what all people, should appreciate, is good effort. That's not just related to play, but to coaching, to management decisions, basically everything to do with the team. And this Cubs team, GM on down, has made a very lacking effort to win. From the moment the off-season started, the Cubs made decisions that haven't been good for the team, yet were made solely to build up money for one man: Milton Bradley. It was a horrible move then and, 20 games, 3 hits, and no effort later, it's still a horrible move. On top of that, the people they removed from the team were huge, integral pieces of why the Cubs won, and, again, it seems like the only reason they're gone was to clear space for a player who plays the exact opposite way that one's supposed to; the way they played it, and that's the right way.

This team is .500, but it is also suffering. The good majority of the players aren't giving it their all and, whats more, the manager isn't doing anything about it. He sat the catcher for one game, which apparently didn't help, and had them get rid of a guy who, and I know I'm beating a dead horse here, may have been the highest paid reliever on the team, but at the time, he was the only one earning his money.

If they bring someone up, heavy on the "IF" it will have to be an infielder. As much as Fontenot is not the ideal 3rd baseman we surely don't want to see him get hurt and see Hill at third.

i would like to comment a little about this website. neil you run a great website and i start and end my day reading the many posts and articles that you write. you truly do an excellent job. i found this great site almost 2 years ago and it has drasticaly changed over the last 3 to 4 months. the articles are still great and there are some great people that post but the negativity is almost too much to take. there is always negative comments on sites like this but up until a few months ago they were educated comments. we have always dissagreed but we did it in a responsible manner. thanks again neil for the great site with only a few sour folks.....

Because Scales can play defense and Fox can't...at all.

i just read on cubs.com that if ramirez isnt ready by tomorrow then hes off to the dl....then i saw there going to bring up bobby scales if needed why on earth him over fox???

I think Sorinao hit the nail on the head in that article. I think that it says alot about Lee that he thinks that it is just bad play. There is something noticable different about this team. Everytime I say "that guy is my fav player" he starts to tank. No more of that.

To Aaron I agree with you but when they start to play better, they will, enough with the negativety.

I am posting this before the night gets out of hand.

Most are upset with the way the Cubs are playing...and that is fine. Voice your displeasure with the team. But if I see a post directed at another commenter/reader in an abusive or negative way, I will delete the comment.

I do not believe in censorship of any kind but I am not going to allow readers to attack one another either.

In other words, if you want to bitch about the team, fine but do not lash out at others.

The 'recap' will be up after the radio show.

Neil is absolutely right. This is the best Cubs site in the universe, and we do not want anybody calling anyone else bad names, etc.

Neil, thanks for a great Cubs forum. I like it here.

Good for you Neil.

is it bad that I want Soto, Bradley, and Lee to get injured to force Hendry/Piniella's hand.

I'm sorry but they're just dragging this team down.

We don't have all the internal answers, but we do have K Hill, Hoffpauir, and Fox to at least give it a try. Any number of minor league guys like Scales, Tony Thomas, or hell, even DuBois could take their spots on the bench.

Lou said it in Spring Training that his big bats need to get going. Guess what? Soriano and ARAM answered the call, while Bradley and Lee sucked it up...and they're still sucking it up. Why are they playing again?

Okay, you want to get some game action because you were injured....Freaking DL them, and send them outright to the minors on rehab when they prove they can actually hit again. I believe you'd find Lee couldn't even hit AAA pitching right now

09shine,

Sorry, but you're wrong...We're 4 games out, closer to last than we are to first---actually 5 games out now. We have the Pirates and Cardinals, and now the Brewers seemingly firing on all cylinders.

We can't figure out the damned disabled list, so don't tell me "it's early"...because it's not. We had nearly half a month without Bradley, and yet he was still taking up a roster spot. ARAM's been out about a week, and still not DL'd. It's mismanagement on all levels----the field, front office, and our minor league system.

Lee sucks, and will NEVER return to form. Actually, what form would that be? Only one season over 100 RBI...sorry, no thanks.

Soto---rookie of the year...we have one season's worth to go off of.

I won't list every other career year again, but you're hoping for lightning in a bottle just like Hendry is.

It's gotten ugly, and it will NOT improve until Hendry makes sweeping changes. The same damn things were said in 2005 when Lee got hurt, and everyone was crying, "it's still early"....In 2007, we played like we are right now early on, and Lou had the famous tirade about, "I see now how things have been going on around here, and it won't be tolerated". Guess what Lou? We're now playing like the horseshit you said you'd change in 2007, and you still haven't done squat...save for one damn game benching your underperforming catcher and first baseman. WOW!!!

oh shit 5 games out?? why didn't you say so?? i guess we better pack it in and make "SWEEPING CHANGES" better luck next april.. oh and your page long rants are starting to get a little old.. take a pill and get off your period

That was 06 that Lee got hurt. 05 was when he SHOULD have won the MVP for leading the league in just about every hitting category, winning the Gold Glove at his position, and almost winning the triple crown...only to lose it to a guy at the same position on a contending team.

Boseph,

Thanks for correcting my years...it's still the truth though...remember the same things have been said nearly every year. "it's early" "we have guys injured coming back," blah blah blah....

Really? Other teams have injuries. It's early for every other team, and yet that's the excuse we get for horseshit play on the field?

I was thinking about renewing my subscription to mlb.tv next month, but I'm questioning that. I love baseball, but I don't like watching other teams play well...it only depresses me more, and yet, I can't handle wasting 3 hrs of my day watching this garbage.

the community of fans here has become almost as bad as the ones on the cubs forum.. wow they go .500 for the first month and the season's over?

at least get to summer before you start bailing on every single player that goes into a slump.. they show no heart or desire to win? they will and they'll win the division.. it's frickin april people

I'm all for optimism, but blind optimism is stupid. This team is supposed to contend. They're not contending. They have players refusing to go on the DL for fear that it might limit their ABs and, consequently, prevent them from having their third year activated on their overpriced contract, while others are showing no willingness to do any of the things they are good at (like Lee hitting the ball the other way...not going to happen after that wrist injury). The pitching (sans Harden) is horrendous, the bullpen is bad, and the only player they've cut is the overpriced guy with the 0.00 ERA. You've got a manager who came in unprepared for the season and is using a 5 foot 2nd bagger to play the second most difficult infield position at third, after they expected a guy suffering from post-concussion syndrome to be their answer as a third base backup. They got rid of their closer for a guy who relies on throwing a fastball as hard as he can as fast as he can down the plate to get guys out...the exact same archetype as Bob Howry. And they basically cut their super-sub/MVP of the last two years to sign a headcase who, as mentioned will not go on the DL to help his team and, instead, chooses to play SOME games hurt, in the process letting balls die in front of him or to his sides.

So yeah, lots to look forward to here. There weren't this many holes in 07.

so if you and aaron are so convinced that this team is going nowhere.. why are you here? why even bother with this season?

In all fairness, that's been the Cubs' problem for the last two years: not producing with runners in position. I was at that Colorado game last year when they came back down 8-0. And that was just guys blasting homers with men at first. They powered into a win with that game. It wasn't always pretty, but it always seemed to work.

Somehow, that was supposed to be solved by some combination of removing Blanco and DeRosa and adding Miles, Gathright, and Bradley. So far, it has failed. On paper, before the season ever began, it was destined for failure. The only two people who believed it was going to work were Jim and Lou.

Now, a month into the season, this team looks awful. They look like the 06 Cubs. They're definitely not as good as the 08 Cubs. They're below the level of play that the 07 Cubs were at...say what you will about them, but that team had grit and fought tooth and nail every game to climb up and win the NL Central.

And we keep looking to Lou like he's supposed to explode and get this team back up and running or look to Jim, expecting us to net us Peavy or some other superstar that should change the team around. Yet, a month into it all, nothing's happened yet. The only change we got is that we got rid of our highest paid reliever, who just happened to be the only guy in the pen who seemed to want to do his job, as evident by his 0.00 ERA that he actually PITCHED into. We still have Cotts, Bradley's still being allowed to avoid the DL/bench, Lee's still playing, and Hoffpauir keeps performing, only to be sat for two guys who have no passion anymore.

Say what you might about Soriano snapping on the team, he's actually the only guy who seems to have made changes to his game for the better. He's walking more, he's stealing bases; it's basically everything he was hired to do plus more.

The new owners have a lot of work to do.

at least Mark Grace is entertaining on their broadcast.....

I really hate our team right now....every last thing about it except for Theriot, Harden, Soriano, K Hill, Zambrano, Hoffpauir, ARAM, and Fukudome.

Everyone else can be fired, traded, or released

neil do you know the cubs current batting average with runners in scoring position and the bullpen ERA?

The Cubs are hitting .244 with RISP with a .356 OBP and a .357 SLG...7 doubles and 4 home runs.

Bullpen ERA from the 7th inning on, 4.85 with a 1.67 WHIP...and that was before Wednesday.

No, not off the top of my head.

I will look it up and post it later.

There are not enough words to express how bad this is.

8 walks in the last two innings...3 runs forced in with the bases loaded.

I don't know how much more of this I can handle....the difference between the teams....and really all year, is that when we walk guys, other teams have made us pay, playing smart baseball getting into scoring position, then knocking them in.

We, on the other hand, had the same amount of walks (in comparison to starting pitchers) with 3, and they made us pay...we didn't.

In fact, I'd love to see a statistic of how many times we've had the bases loaded, less than 2 outs, and we've come away empty-handed or just 1 run. Isn't that amazing?....actually sad...and that's not including all the times we've had 2nd and 3rd no out, or lead-off double, etc., and we can't even move the damn runner over.

I totally agree with you, Aaron. It's as sad as anything I've seen in a while for a team that "experts" said, without hesitation, should be one of the very best teams in the major leagues this year. This Cub team has major problems and it's not swine flu!

It would be one thing if the team lost while playing competitively, and with sound fundamentals. But based on the payroll, this is just so sad to watch.

3 straight series losses.

I guess no matter how hapless things get with Bradley, management will run him out there (short of the disabled list)...it's all about the money. They made their bed and now have to sleep in it.

Nice at bat by Gathright...not showing much speed though strolling back to the pine in the dugout.

oh...and just FYI...Fukudome gets that drive by Upton...Bradley can't run

With 2 outs, Bradley doesn't make an attempt to catch that?!?

Any other outfielder on the team would've caught that and kept us within a fighting chance.

I guess he didn't want to strain his vagina.

Someone stated it well earlier. Last year no deficit seemed out of reach. This year, it's two runs down, and essentially game over.

You get rid of guys like Wood and DeRosa, and you just lose the heart of the team, and pulse in the clubhouse. This current group has no heart, no pride.

well...either way we lost...but it's how you lose that defines your season, and whether or not you're able to turn it around.

We've had some VERY ugly losses...to the point you want to cover your eyes, and scream at the tv for how poorly managed the game was.

From the outset, this was a very poorly managed game. I don't care if Davis is a lefty...you put your hottest hitters out there---Fukudome, Hoffpauir, and K Hill. Bradley, Lee, and Soto have gone a combined 0-6, and have hit horribly in situations where we could've extended the inning. Ride your hot hands, and let everyone else ride the pine. It's ridiculous that Soto was even out there today after his struggles.

Losses like today can have repercussions later on. Mentally, it's draining, when you know you just lost to a HORRIBLE team, and lost bad in 2 of 3 games...and got your asses handed to you in the series before to the Cards

I still predict that we'll see Sandberg or Brenly managing this team by the All-Star break.

Talk about an over-rated current manager, and typical JH we extended this guy for another year.

Can you say "team free fall"?

the most idiotic post of the thread today goes to you.. congrats

get him out

This is just horrible.

that's so smart to walk the bases loaded btw...just coming off injury, walked the first batter.....it's so stupid. I don't care what the outcome is, or could've been with Tracy...,you just don't do that

Marmol does not seem right out there right now...he was hopping on his release to the first batter...not a good sign

Good heavens! I just looked at the up-to-date batting averages of this Cub lineup after Soriana and Theriot. No wonder Cub team is in over their heads these days. Doug Davis shuts them down totally....how disgusting and discouraging!

Davis is on over 100 pitches through 6...the fact that there's only 1 hit and 3 walks to show for that is pathetic. Dempster, on the other hand, has thrown 93 pitches, and has been touched up for 4 runs, which is pretty much where he should be with that kind of production.

And should I be surprised at all that Theriot has the only hit? To think, people actually wanted to get rid of him last year. The thing that pisses me off, though, is that if we're in seller mode by the trade deadline, you know he's gone...he's the only guy on the team other than Fontenot who doesn't have a no-trade clause (though, likely, if they possess a record necessitating a seller mode, I'm sure Lee, Bradley, possibly Dempster, and any number of the no-trade crew may gladly waive their's for a chance to win a ring).

"The no trade crew" as you call them all

have over-priced contracts...in this environment...who would want them?

Also, I'm sure the Cubs will do just enough to stay in range of the wild card.

Does Soto have any options left?

i just dont get it if every hitter didnt even try to swing we would have at least 10 walks

one-hit by Doug freaking Davis....How many of these sucky pitchers will have our number? Moreover, if sucky pitchers like that have our number, and good pitchers like Haren, Harang, etc. have our number, then we're in for a very LONG season

well.....I eat crow....but I should've said he'd have a lazy fly out yet again...LOL

"Lee just missed.."

Like I said. Seen this before.

I really hate it for Derrek. A few inches here and there and he has 4 homers more already...

100 bucks Lee GIDP here....I'll love crow...but it'll happen

Sadly, I'm not surprised by Lee's comments in that article regarding what Soriano said.

He must've been pissed off to hear the same thing from DeRosa and Edmonds last year.

Lee stinks of mediocrity. It's his MO...Why else would he stick with the same stance and distance from the plate when other teams have figured him out. He is the epitomy of mediocrity. The only thing he might be above average with is his defense.

Soriano's comments were also an indictment to Piniella's staff. Why can't he get this team playing like it should? Hell, he's the one that ran everyone that apparently was in his "doghouse" out of town. This is the team he wanted---more left-handed, more balance, etc.

I still can't fathom why we got Bradley. He is so bad...it's not even funny, especially with his contract. DeRosa with 4 HR, 17 RBI. And he's done it with a less than stellar avg and OBP. That's amazing....What that tells you is with RISP---he's clutch.

What exactly have we lacked?

Clutch hitting would be the answer. I'm at a loss for words how upset and disappointed I am in not only Hendry, but the coaching staff running the same idiots that can't get the job done out there, and yet for some indefensible reason, have kept their most potent bat in the minors toiling away at AAA when we need a bat so badly.

I think I've figured out the Cubs' MO this year: stay at 500. I have no doubt the Cubs will drop below 500 at some point this season, but for right now, it looks like their gameplan is "survive".

And on Soto, I have to wonder how much of that is on Soto and how much of this is the fact that Blanco hadn't finished his job of teaching him and Hill isn't really the "mentor" type...more of the "I'd like to take your spot" type. Blanco, Wood, DeRosa...the Ricketts should probably just clean house immediately.

Or, Soto was a nobody until he lost all of that weight.

It was all over the media about how dropping pounds turned his career around.

Look at him. He's pre-2007 Soto. I can't emphasize that enough.

Also missing Fukudome. Two important parts to the lineup.

man Soto, Lee, and Miles suck ASS...well, so does Bradley. You replace them with Hill, Hoffpauir, and Fukudome, and we might just have a different outcome today. Fact is, you don't put shitty bats in there for the sake of contract. You either produce, or get out. After all, that was Piniella's MO when he took over in 2007. That's why we've even seen Theriot, Fontenot, and Soto in our lineups---because their predecessors weren't hitting, and they were given a chance.

Lee's ass should be sat on the bench. He has no power anymore to hit fly balls---they just die. Soto would've smoked some balls out of the park last year, but his hand must be giving him trouble, because he's hitting NOTHING hard right now.

I don't see fight in these guys...It's pathetic. We get teased by these 10 run outbursts, and then it's same-old same-old bullshit.

As I said, between the 4 career year guys that really don't even belong on the team, that's $53 million. Think we couldn't find someone to equal their shitty production with that?

Minus Ramirez, this is our everyday starting lineup. This is a much-worse team than the one that played yesterday. I cannot imagine having to sit through this for another 100+ games. This seems like it will never end.

why do the Cubs suck in AZ? seriously...they just absolutely suck in AZ and against the dbacks...suck suck suck

Demp is just shi-tay this year as compared to last year..I think people who were worried that he would regress after a career year last season were right

Neil and everyone else....a MUST read:

http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2009/04/deals-not-paying-off-for-hendry.html

Neil, what do you mean, "beginning to think Soriano's right"? What did he say?

Here's the link

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/1549148,CST-SPT-cub29.article

Hey basically called the team out, and said "they were not playing with enough hunger. They have to go out and start to want it more, play hungier" along those lines.

thanks Nick

yeah....this just goes to show you how inept Hendry is with guys....I'll give you the top 3 examples:

Lee-Career year...first and only season of over 100 RBI, 5 yrs $65million, no-trade

Soriano-Career year...8 yrs $136 million, no-trade

Dempster-career year...only 4th season of 12 under 4 ERA, 4 yrs $52 million (no trade?...I don't know)

3 players, making a combined average of $43 million per year...all coming off career years.

Smart GM's stay away from those type of players, but Hendry, for whatever bizarre reason, loves those players. If you throw in Bradley....that leaves you with $53 million for 4 players all coming off career years when they signed their contracts. None seem to be living up to them. You'd think Hendry would've learned...but he hasn't

Aaron,

Demp has a no-trade. Being in the same team, since your first free-agent year, for more than 5 years automatically guarantees any MLB player a no-trade.

I think Dempster asked for it, and Hendry was thinking along the same line since 2008. It's not like we couldn't see this coming earlier last year...

Just a sloppy, sloppy inning. I am beginning to think Soriano is right.

Random things I like right now...

- Len Kasper: "Oppu-turnity" for double-play opportunity, not bad, Len, not bad...

- Demp's never our efficient pitcher, but Rosthchild got him back on track, again effective, not bad...

Now, Soto's shoulder really looks bothering. He never got that laser arm, but he could get people out if he stands to his firing position early. He's losing that too. Something's not right, and that carries to his bat as well (he should be hot early in the season). Not good signs...

hopefully they can take some pitches and make davis work as hard as he did in the first to give dempster time to get his composure back

I'm at the game now. Dempster looks bad. Has he been worth even half the new contract so far?

DLee just looked dumb on the missed bunt. Trade him.

you're absolutely right, Matt...if we can't capitalize with the opportunities we have, then what makes anyone think we'll be able to later in the game against a pitcher that always has our number for some bizarre reason.

Then, they capitalize, and it's 3-0....GAME OVER!!!

No thanks.

I've already watched this movie.

should've been no on, 2 outs.. ground ball hits 2nd base ump rob drake.. the tool that ejected piniella last year as he was walking away from the argument

ah...i can always smell doom coming on....we can't capitalize with RISP....but other teams always do against us

Neil.

I caught you!

Gracie, haha.

wow...Lou is a genius....put in one of your worst hitters this year (Soto) in favor of a guy that just keeps hitting and seems to handle the pitching staff very well. nice!!!!!!!!!!!

leaving one of our hottest hitters (Fukudome) in wouldn't have been bad either, even against a lefty in Davis. Returning Lee to the lineup hurts us even more. Soto and Lee bring this lineup down...you can count on that, so unless Bradley has a break-out game we're screwed....

Did you see the combination? Johnson-Soto-Miles. That's 3 outs in a row with 3 of our most scuffling hitters out there.

Soriano is doing well. Theriot is decent---has fallen off sharply though---so he's a wild card. Bradley has also struggled mightily. Understand how this has an effect on the lineup without Fukudome, Hoffpauir, and Koyie Hill?

Seems that way Aaron...I'm sure Lou is trying to play percentages agaimst a Lefty...and this is his first opportunity

to try it out. I would have given Soto another day or two...but expect his bat to start coming around...if he truly is healthy. At least we'll have a great bench today.

Percentages?

I recall Kosuke hit better against lefties than he did righties last year.

Different lineup without Fuko...at least Lee isn't 3rd...Also, love the fact that Lou said Bradley would be in the 6 hole when he came back...wait a day...it'll change again!!! The thing I really wonder

about Soto...is how his shoulder really is...and what,if any effect that is having.

Re: DLee...in Muskrat's mailbag at Cubs.com she said he has a bulging disc

in his back...if that is true---are we looking at Joe Crede at first?

So much for Lou giving Soto two days off...

Today's lineup:

Soriano - LF

Theriot - SS

Bradley - RF

Lee - 1B

Johnson - CF

Soto - C

Miles - 2B

Fontenot - 3B

Dempster - P

Just wanted to say that I went to the Giants / Dodgers game last night at AT&T park. Bob the worthless pos Howry came on in the ninth inning for the Giants and promtly gave up 2 runs to lose the game for the Giants. I almost got beat up at the game cause I predicted the whole thing in front of a ton of Giants fans! Hahaha... i'm glad a different team is now experiencing Howry's incompetence.

I love the fact that khill is behind the plate again today. Lou, please, PLEASE do NOT put Lee in the 3 hole. Anywhere but the 3 hole.

Agreed with you on all accounts.

BTW, I've always been meaning to ask you the meaning behind your username.

hehehe, it's a star wars reference. Very few caught that on the first guess. I'm a huge fan and at one point was collecting as many of the books as I could. From the Rogue Squadron series the main character is Corran Horn, among others. During fights they have number call signs and his was 9.

So when I needed a unique username for various websites, chat rooms, blogs, etc. in college that's what I finally came up with and kept. I use it for almost every site I create a username for and it has never been 'already in use'. Kinda my unique internet persona so to speak. Sorry, the description shouldn't have been long.

P.S. I also have two star wars tattoos. Rebel symbol on my left shoulder and the empire symbol on my right.