Game Sixty-Eight: Cubs (34-33) vs. Tigers (39-31)
Game Time - 6:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 176
Location - Comerica Park, Detroit
Rich Harden (4-3, 5.27/1.41) vs. Rick Porcello (8-4, 3.54/1.30)
Updated - 5:29pm C.T. - Reed Johnson to be placed on 15-day DL - Ryan Freel to be activated
How will the Cubs respond to the ninth inning on Tuesday? Tonight will tell a lot about a Cubs' team that has yet to find their identity ... 67 games into the season. The Cubs have not played consistent baseball away from Wrigley and that must start tonight. The Cubs have already dropped the first two games of a difficult 10-game trip and it will not get any easier facing the 20-year old Rick Porcello.
Lou Piniella needs a good, long outing from Rich Harden tonight and for the offense to start producing crooked numbers on a regular basis ...
Rich Harden has been inconsistent at best this season ... except for on the road and at night. The Cubs are reportedly concerned about Rich Harden and that is the reason the Pedro Martinez rumors will not go away. Harden, though, has repeatedly stated since being traded to the Cubs that he prefers to pitch at night ... and the numbers back up his statement.
Rich Harden is 2-0 in three games on the road with a 2.84 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP and at night, 3-0 in three starts with a 3.32 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. Teams are hitting just .211 against Harden away from Wrigley and .214 at night. At home ... 2-3 in seven starts with a 6.56 ERA and a 1.54 WHP and during the day, 1-3 in seven starts with a 6.31 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. Rich Harden has won his last two starts away from Wrigley.
The Indians lit up Rich Harden in his last outing. Harden barely made it through five innings and gave up seven runs on seven hits in five innings with three walks and two strikeouts ... only the second time all year Harden walked more than he struck out.
Harden could be hurt worse than he is letting on. After a fine start to the year, Harden has gotten progressively worse each month.
- April - 2-1 in four starts with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP ... opponents average, .195
- May - 2-1 in four starts with a 5.56 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP ... opponents average, .273
- June - 0-1 in two starts with a 7.36 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP ... opponents average, .293
Tonight will be a good test for Rich Harden.
Rich Harden will make his sixth career start against the Tigers tonight ... and his first since last June 2. Harden is 3-1 in five starts against Detroit with a 3.48 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP, the Tigers offense has hit .302 against him. For the record, Harden is 2-0 at Comerica Park in two starts with a 2.08 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP.
- Miguel Cabrera - 0-for-1 with 2 walks
- Curtis Granderson - 1-for-3 with a walk
- Brandon Inge - 2-for-6 with a double
- Gerald Laird - 0-for-6 with a walk
- Magglio Ordonez - 3-for-11 with a home run and a walk
- Placido Polanco - 5-for-7 with 2 doubles
- Ramon Santiago - 0-for-2
Rick Porcello was the Tigers top prospect according to Baseball America before the season ... and the 30th best prospect in all of baseball according to Jim Callis, but Porcello is in the big leagues less than two years after being drafted.
Porcello was the first round pick of the Tigers (27th overall) in the 2007 draft. To say he has not disappointed would be an understatement ... the 20-year is just two years removed from high school.
The Tigers have assembled a rotation full of power arms and Rick Porcello fits right in. His four-seam fastball has been clocked in the upper 90s and his sinker is consistently in the low to mid 90s. Porcello's arsenal also includes what has been described as a devastating curveball.
Not only are Porcello's stats and record impressive, but the Tigers are 9-4 in his starts and have won eight of the last nine ... Porcello was 5-0 in five starts in May with a 1.50 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP, opponents hit just .208 against him.
The right-hander won his last start against the Cardinals. Porcello held St. Louis to three runs, one earned, on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings with two walks and three strikeouts.
Porcello is 3-2 in six home starts this year with a 4.22 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. In his last four starts, 2-1 with a 3.68 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP.
Tonight will be the Cubs first look at Rick Porcello.
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
Update - According to a report from Cubs.com, Reed Johnson will be placed on 15-day DL on Thursday. The Cubs are expected to activate Ryan Freel to take Johnson's spot on the active roster.
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LF Soriano
SS Theriot
DH Lee
1B Hoffpauir
RF Bradley
3B Fox
CF Fukudome
C Soto
2B Fontenot
I like this lineup, I would rather have lee in the field because he save so many errors. This is pretty much a day off for Lee but still able to keep bat in lineup. Pinella you got the lineup right finall now you need to change closer.
Thank you for posting the lineup again ... you're quick
Hoffpauir and Fox in the lineup batting 4th and 6th. I would love to see a big boost in run production.
The Cubs continued their spending ways in Taiwan this week, signing Nan Ying high school second baseman Chen Pin-chie to a minor league deal. Pin Chie was the big ticket offensively this year in Taiwan, and reportedly received a signing bonus upwards of 300,000.
That's way to much money for an unproven player in a foreign country.
I like Gregg a lot, i think he's gonna have a better year then Wood or if wood was still withe the team. You gotta remember he had knee surgery a few months back and is just recently completely pain free. He has lowered his ERA 2 points since late may and has only given up 4 Runs all June. People who are asking for his exile WHOS HIS replacement MARMOL? Your funny, Marmol should be a career set-up man with his high Walk rate. i expect the Cubs to Re-sign gregg at the end of the year or sign Jose Valverde. Gregg pitched in 4 straight games from june 18-21, with a 33 pitched inning as well, with only 1 days rest in HOTlanta.
I think I like this too.
Bradley is hitting .330 on the year in the three hole mostly in front of Lee.
So that's the only change I'd promote.
FYI...here's another Cubs Far East signing...very interesting. He's supposedly the best offensive player in Taiwan:
http://eastwindupchronicle.com/cubs-sign-chen-pin-chie/
I hope these players turn about to be studs and not duds. The JH have to sign them and with what money?
The money comes out of the player development operating budget. Every year, at the organizational meetings, teams go over their operating budgets...They have stadium operations, employee and player salaries, marketing budgets, concessions, etc.
You have to look at each division as its own separate entity. For instance, concessions has a budget, but they also bring in cash. Ticket Sales has a budget, but they also bring in cash, etc., so on and so forth, so teams look at that, project revenues, and based on that, each department gets a budget.
For player development, stuff like overseas facilities in Latin America, scouting and player development staffs, Far East operations in China, signing bonuses, etc., all get factored in. So, when a team like the Cubs looks at the 2009 draft, and thinks it's weak (which it was regarded as one of the weakest in a LONG time), then they'll most likely take the bonuses they would've doled out there, and signed top of the line international talent. The way teams look at it, is they can get a young Latin American, Chinese, Korean, Australian, European (yes, even Europe now), and Taiwanese player, that had they been in the Rule 4 draft, would've been a first round pick.
With Lee, Ha, and Jung basically amounted to 3 top picks (rounds 1-3) in 2008, while Rhee amounted to a first rounder in 2007. Searle was another good one that we got from Australia that would've been in rounds 1-3.
I think one of the crappiest areas of ALL of our scouting is position players. Even though I think Hak Ju-Lee will be as good as advertised, and Vitters will too...we've done a piss poor job of identifying and developing hitting talent.
In fact, we've done such a bad job of developing and identifying it, that we have Gio Guzman, Josh Lansford, Joe Simokaitis, Tarlandus Mitchell, Andres Quezada (I believe he was one also), Ryan Sontag, Dylan Johnston, (and about 5 others I've forgotten), attempting to make it as pitchers when they were drafted/signed as position players. I read somewhere that we have the highest rate of position-pitcher switches of any MLB team right now. That's pathetic.
In fact, the AZL Cubs didn't even have enough position talent to fill the team with the position changes, that they had to sign a few NDFA (non drafted free agents) as roster fillers. LOL....what a joke of a player development staff we have.
I would really like to see on D-Lee the field, but other than that this is a good lineup. Fox, Hoffpauir, Lee all in the lineup, maybe Lou is starting to realize how to make a good lineup with this team.
There's a rumor that the Cubs will put Reed Johnson on the DL and recall Freel.
Not so much a rumor anymore.
The rest of the Cubs should take note: this is how you help your team when you get hurt. Not by sitting and making yourself available for a pinch hit appearance if you want to; by taking one for the team, missing a few games, and letting someone else help the team...granted this is only Ryan Freel, but still.
It would be nice to see the bottom third of tonights order do something positive tonight.
I'd rather have Fuld called up and get rid of Freel. Since they seem to be obsessed with lefty bats, they should give Fuld another shot.
btw If he wins tonight...Jason Marquis will be the first pitcher in the majors
to reach 10 wins this season.
Three ground ball outs for Porcello in the first
Cubbies need a big showing from Rich tonight, as he walks a guy LOL, and I completely agree that after last night, this game will tell us a lot about the makeup of this team.
ugh
Runners on base, and nuttin....seems we have heard this record play before.
there is absolutely 0% chance that the cubs win today..
I dunno man, gamecast still gives em a 42% chance ha ha ha ha ha
nope.. the 'odds' are 0%
Question, Aaron.
Is the Cubs scouting woes more identification or development. I deny to believe it's both but rather the latter.
Patterson, Pie, B. Hill and Choi all have been rushed and mishandled in their callups.
Thoughts?
I think it's both, because we've had power hitters like Zuleta, Sing, DuBois, Harvey, and Dopirak, etc., but none, save for maybe Zuleta, Sing, and DuBois, haven't developed past A-Ball.
The problem I see is plenty of teams out there HAVE developed their own young power hitters, AND drafted them. I mentioned quite a few on here that we flat out missed in the recent draft. One in our own backyard named Nommensen. I just don't get it. We have very crappy scouting, and have fallen in love with the "high ceiling" type of players.
Didn't we have another team in Chicago that got bit in the ass by that strategy. Chicago Bulls anyone? Remember post Jordan how many "promise" type players Krause drafted?
Porcello doesn't look that special to me, and his game log says he's good for about 6 hits and 3 runs an outing. Will the Cubs get theirs?
Just WOW...that's all I've got.
Dangit it appears as if there is another freaking BAD baserunning play, those are happening WAYYYYYY tooo often
Two scoring chances, no runs scored! It's the same ole song, new verse tonight but results are the same so far. This scenario continues to just kill the Cubs. Is there any reason to think that things will turn out any different? Absolutely not when the Cub offense can not take advantage of opportunities. At best, this Cub team can only hope to hover around .500 as the illness they have plagues their once hopeful season.
1st and 2nd, no outs, no runs
2nd base, no outs, no runs
Bro-KEN Re-CORD
(CLAP! CLAP! CLAP CLAP CLAP)]
wait a second... they said that Polanco comes back to bat because the bunt attempt was fouled off of his body? Harden still caught it on the fly! Why isn't that the same as catching any other foul ball for an out???
OK, I thought about and I'm answering my own question now... the batter serves as an obstruction in theory, so if the batted ball bounces off of anything, it's a dead ball, even if it's still in the air, right?
I think that may have been Lou's questioning.
when is lou gonna learn the only way were gonna score is by bunting?
Why is it that I anticipate the opponents of the Cubs being able to push across some runs sooner or later while thinking the Cubs will struggle to even score one or two? The answer is one we all know by now...the Cubs do NOT have a potent offense like last year so fair to good pitching will likely shut them down. Is it the power of negative thinking or just facing reality that too many of their hitters are not producing with no end in sight.
i never tire of pat hughes' overblown reactions to foul balls and deep fly balls.. just like i never tire of the cubs inability to get a run scoring hit
You got it, broken record as always.
Gosh Geez man-o-man (sounds so much better when Ronny does it)
A mistake by Harden and suddenly it seems this game is in jeopardy already. Actually it not only seems that way, it damn sure is likely to be one more Cub defeat. With no clutch hitting, a club cannot win regardless of how well their pitchers are performing. This has all the earmarks of a LOST season, and after all the optimism in pre-season, this is indeed a very bitter pill to swallow!
Fox and Hoffy have done absolutely nothing to shame themselves in the field.
That does not really surprise this Cub fan.
get hot geo
GEO!!!
SOTO!!!
GEO!!!
SOTO!!!
The NL Rookie of the Year is back!
and..in the 4th as well...
1st and 2nd...no outs, no runs
cue the chant again...
Bro-KEN Re-CORD
(CLAP! CLAP! CLAP CLAP CLAP)
GAME IS O-VER
(CLAP! CLAP! CLAP CLAP CLAP)
LOL
Geo! Please pass your secret on how to hit Porcello on to Fox.
Hoff = not-so-clutch
I really don't like getting into a slugfest with these Tigers...
When the pitcher gives the run right back the next inning, it really lifts the spirits of his teammates.
I just want the rebuilding process to start:
Lou retires
New owner installed, fires Hendry
-GM: Steve Stone
-Manager: Bob Brenly; Bench Coach: Sandberg Hitting Coach: Von Joshua Pitching Coach: Leo Mazzone, or if we can convince Greg Maddux to come
-trade any player 30 and over except for ARAM, and eat salary if we must
We'd still have Theriot, Fontenot, Fox, Hoffpauir, and Soto, along with Z, Marshall, and Wells in the rotation, and the entire pen except for Gregg and Heilman
I would rather tank it for this year, admitting we have a BIG problem, than go through a full season of 2010 and 2011 rebuilding...it will be ugly with a majority of this team in their mid 30's...No thank you!!!
As a regular reader of Stoney's blog...I can tell you he no longer wants to run a team anymore...as he said it is a young man's job...so pick another GM.
-Question for you Aaron...as a numbers guy...where do you think we would be sitting if ARAM didn't get the big hurt.
Ok to assume he wouldn't be quite as hot as he was...and we could slate him for
his regular 15 day DL stint...for whatever.
The second part is do you think he would
have made any of the other guys around him...any better...in terms of protection
and better pitches to the guys in front of him....
5 games?
10 games?
Sadly, I don't think we'd be much better. I do think there would be 5 games we might've won with Bradley's spot up in critical situations (Bradley would most likely be batting 5th with ARAM in there). Even so, 5 games is not a whole lot...we'd be in first, but Bradley has killed this team, and so has Fukudome lately...those slides would've still happened. We'd just see Bradley failing more with RISP.
I think the 2 that might've benefited most would be Lee and Soto, as Soto probably would've flip-flopped with Bradley at times. I also think Fontenot would've benefited a lot by not having to play everyday.
It is past time for Bradley to start doing something ... other than a walk.
Beggers and choosers, Neil.
Beats a K.
You are right, he did score the tying run. But man the cost of walks and no RBI has gone way up over the years...
Should Kosuke bunt here to get them in scoring position for Geo?
a bunt would be super..
yes
For me, Fukudome has become the last person I want to see up at the plate with runners on.
as long as he is getting on base...we can not afford to have a leadoff man hitting under .230
I'll take it.
So much station to station lately.
talking about milton but soriano is more of a problem to me cuz he doesnt take many walks
You can't take a pitch that close Geo...
Damn..
Bases loaded and no outs and we pray for 1 run.....pathetic
Here we go again bases loaded no outs, woop 1 out 0 runs
Disgusting...
wooohooo a run on an out, seriously! It has almost gotten laughable. Back in the day bases loaded no outs got a guy excited for a potential big inning, now, the Cubs are lucky, in that situation to get one. BAD and so god awful annoying I can barely take it!
Oh yeah Lou, let's send Richie back out there nearing a hundo, when he has struggled lately. Good call. This does not feel good to me.
and....for our main act tonight, we have the Cubs doing their comedy routine....everybody give 'em a big hand!!!
It's kind of a "cookie cutter" performance, so it'll be fairly the same as every other night...hope you enjoy!!!
See, their first act is to put runners in scoring position, no outs, and chop into a double play.
Their second act, is usually to put runners in scoring position, strike out, pop out, and ground out.
Their third, and perhaps most comic act is to have the bases loaded, no outs, and come away with just one run.
It's fairly routine...it gets kind of boring after awhile, and you want to see a new show, instead of the same one every night.
Unfortunately, the "producers" of the show (Hendry and Piniella) evidently haven't heard the fans in attendance booing them off stage. I think the booing needs to be louder, and we need to throw trash at them.
This is Chicago not Philly, But I get what you are saying.
They don't have a clue, Aaron, how to fix this mess....absolutely clueless!
You know what, good for everyone out there that holds out hope for this team. It has some players that have proven track records, and they should eventually get the job done.
That being said, if you believe that this team has a chance at all to succeed with its current situation, you're delusional and naive. And this has everything not to do with the track records of the aforementioned guys. Every team is going to have guys in the lineup that underperform (Soriano, Soto, Marmol) and guys that are worth taking the chance on at the time(Fontenot, Fox, Hoffpauir, Bradley). This is not uniquely descriptive of the Cubs only. You see, the problem lies completely with the management. As long as Lou is the manager and JH is the GM, this team is going to continue to play the big dollar guys that aren't producing. Grow a pair and sit the a-holes that aren't producing. It's actually quite simple.
Mark it down folks. This team ain't going anywhere unless a new baseball philosophy is instilled in it.
Good move Lou. No reliever could have walked 2 sandwiched around a pop out.
What's that?
Jake Fox can't play third?
Pfft!
Ughh..
Jinx.
Good god I give up
not fox's fault...
And that was the deathblow..
Bradley is such a loser....I told you all he sucked in the field...LOL...and yet most said Dunn's offense didn't cover his defense. What a crock....16 RBI thus far this year, several misplayed balls in the field...and a head case to boot....man, I don't even feel like being a fan of this crap anymore
I dunno about you, but I am stuck with this team, have been for many years, but this has got to be one of the most pathetic displays of Terrible baseball I have ever seen. And Lou, LOU, dear god man, how is it that all os us on this site can see these moves a mile before you can??? And Jim, JIM, less excuse for you you are not 206 years old, how is it that we can see things that you can't??? Give this team over to the fans, DO FREAKING SOMETHING, or kiss this season good bye!!!
OK, we do have relievers much worse than a Rich Harden after 110 pitches.
Sadly Gary I said the same thing, but I guess when the well is dry the well is dry and we all go home thirsty.
I think if I quit watching, this Bush League team might win.
Since Monday...0/24 RISP
2 men on, nobody out and....
well, Soto's error, Bradley's misplayed ball....Yup, we suck in ALL facets of the game but starting pitching.....WOW!!!!!!!
Neil, doesn't this remind you of 2006? I know we're not as bad, but the starters were good, then the hitting stopped ,they tried to be too perfect, and got lit up, and everything caved in. I see the same thing happening, and Brenly even commented on it the other day about pitchers now trying harder than normal to be perfect, and it shows by the 7th inning with Zambrano, and other starters making poor pitches when everything else was going well....As I've said, offense trumps defense by a wide margin, and trumps pitching by a slim margin. If you have good hitting, you can overcome bad pitching and poor defense. If you have good hitting, deficits of 7-2 seem like nothing. If you have good offense, in late inning, tight game situations, you always feel like you'll get the big hit.
We need offense, just like in 2006, and Hendry sat on his ass then, just as he's doing so now. I think it took him until June to land Nevin...We're nearing July, and ARAM is a far bigger bat than Lee was...WOW!!!
Hendry pisses me off
Aaron there are parallels between the two seasons. This team is not that bad as you pointed out.
There are so many problems with this team.
Bases loaded again.
Let's see how this goes...
How about big double Foxy?
Why isn't the runner at third?
We're down by a run and it feels like 10.
bases loaded yet again....less than 2 outs, 1 run across....yup, pretty sure we ARE indeed the WORST team in baseball right now
Bro-KEN Re-CORD
(CLAP! CLAP! CLAP CLAP CLAP)
Game is OVER by the way...
Zumaya should be in the 8th, and he'll K the entire side with 100 mph cheese
Rodney pitches the 9th...and it's good afternoon, good evening, and....YOU SUCK ASS CUBBIES!!!!!!!!!
Hoff for Cub fans is overated, he can not hit in the clutch. Bases loaded with 2 outs strikesout. first and second no outs lineout and earlier in the season you wanted him to start over Lee.
Waldo, they waited until he cooled off to play him...If you sat for a month...you'd be rusty also....I don't worry about Hoffy...he'll do Ok...if they play him enough.
Waldo, I would say that Hoffpauir home run with two outs in the 8th last night was absolutely CLUTCH..should have been a game winner until Gregg did his thing.
Hoff has been slumping somewhat, but I give him a break because he's been used so sparingly that his timing's been affected. With the exception of Lee, name me some others who have done a lot better. Hoffpauir CAN hit in the clutch and could prove it with continued play over a longer time period. That's my view, anyway.
Yeah, this game is going down the tubes, like so many others in the last several weeks....Cubs had enough chances to produce but they are incapable and will remain that way unless major changes come about. My guess is changes will come eventually AFTER this team has plummeted out of contention and the fan unrest is SO LOUD that management has to react to try to save face (or their asses).
I think Theriot was Zumaya's first career strikeout ... at least he acted that way.
It was a bounceback inning for him after yesterday,
I'll cut him some slack. Last night put a chip on his shoulder.
I like the fire...if we had that fire, we'd be in a hell of a lot better position than we are right now
Fire I do not mind, looking toward the other dugout I do ... do not care for it when the Cubs do it either.
People rag on k-rod for his celebrations after he wins games. If you win, you have some right to celebrate, obviously there are lines that you dont cross. One strikeout on a pretty good shortstop at best does not give you the right to celebrate and fist pump like you won or something.
Tigers just wasted a great bunt.
10 hits 6 walks and only 3 runs. If tonight's performance can't shame pro athletes, then they can't be shamed.
This is a DISGRACEFUL PATHETIC display of hitting with RISP....
What a fu#$#$ garbage offense....
How do you get a single bunt groundout. I thought if you get a force out it is a force out.
It makes perfect sense to replace the pitcher who just got a 3 pitch strikeout with Senior Wild
Is Lou bringing his own Thermos to the ball park?
this is why kevin gregg is our closer cub faithful
why is it that marmol has to always walk a few batters in before striking them out??
He is like a young Kerry Wood wild, Wood did the same thing when he was young.
if u can throw 104 mph u can celebrate all u want
L-O-U, in an interview today, said he was going to keep playing his vets because he "has full confidence in them." Let me interpret: "I'm going to blow the whole season because I refuse to play those who are getting the job done, and am going to use the players who are getting paid the most dough."
In his mind, Gregg is a great closer; Soriano is a stolen base threat, and Aaron Miles is a star.
Well yah Aaroon Miles is a future hall of famer and Gregg will beat K-rods save record. Also Soriano has the speed of Jose reyes ans William Taveras (70 SB a year) you cant take that from them. DUH!!!
They have to be patient against Rodney ... there ya go, good job Derrek Lee.
Neil your righet he does walk a lot. He blew a 3 run lead against the white Sox, I mean the White Sox.
If it's not the lack of clutch hits, it could be the errors, or maybe the walks, or failing to execute fundamentals...take your pick on any given night. It all adds up to a losing team with problems so severe that a fix seems overwhelming, likely impossible. After a season like the Cubs are going through, the pundits will say "it just wasn't their year" or some other idiotic rationalization.
Now Mr. Bradley, could you please start to earn some of your $32 million?
I guess he can't starting earning his pay just right now.
He can't hit a fastball straight down the middle. No movement. Just heat.
This is pathetic
LOL...Piniella just doesn't have a clue anymore with this team.
We're mid-way through the season, and he doesn't get it:
the only thing he got is that Miles is NOT a big league hitter...still, he:
-runs Heilman out in a close game
-runs Marmol out with runners on base
-puts Gregg in there in tight games
-keeps running Fontenot out there when he's obviously NOT a full-time player (this is mostly Hendry's fault as he doesn't have any other options...Blanco and Miles certainly aren't everyday players)
-they keep Patton on the roster, and never pitch him...why even do that? So they can send him to the minors next year after keeping him up all year? I don't get it.
-throwing Bradley out there when he sucks so bad..can't run, can't field, and can't hit whatsoever in key situations
-running Soriano out when he's clearly gimpy as hell, and needs a walker just to get to the balls in the OF
nothing he does seems to make sense. I'm starting to think he really is senile...it started last year when he removed Fontenot after he hit 2 hr in a game. It continued this year with not knowing Fox was 5-for-6 or whatever he was in pinch hitting
Funko is up. Game over. Good night.
Fox would have 7 RBI and 2 hr tonight if it weren't for this damn park, and both opposite field shots....He's got sick power...Piniella should've recognized this earlier this year
0 for 28 with runners in scoring position on this roadtrip. Zero clutch hits..Holy Cow! As Neil has often remarked of late...SPEECHLESS!!
Look at their lineup. The Cubs don't have a LF; they don't have a CF; and they don't have a RF. Then of course, they don't have a 2B; they don't have a 3B, and they don't have a C. Other than that, they aren't too bad off.
Oh, I forgot; they don't have a manager either.
fox rly hit that one and that was not a strike fukudome got rung up on
This one was a bad team loss. The Cubs were playing a game that I'm not familiar with.
How so? They've been playing it all year.
that one part when we lost was my favorite
Look, the only hope we have is to tank it in July...at that point, maybe, just maybe Hendry will have the balls to start dealing. I think he'd face serious scrutiny from Zell and the new owner to make some changes, because if you're spending $140 million, you best be making the playoffs, and at the very least, a Wild Card spot....and at worst, 2nd place. But we're on track to finish 3rd or worse. The Reds might even finish better. We're so lucky the Cards lost tonight too, otherwise we're screwed....By the way, the White Sox scored 10 runs off the Dodgers tonight...if they can do it....we're so screwed this weekend, because we can muster at most 4 runs against the Dodgers it seems.
so then we actually 'won' tonight?
in that case.. a great team win all around!
Aaron, I know you are frustrated like the rest of us, as well as the team. But no matter how far they may fall out of first, there is not much Hendry can do. Too many no-trade clauses and the few players without them you either would not to trade (Lilly) or cannot (Bradley).
Neil,
with all due respect, that is Hendry's own moronic doing.... What he should do is resign out of grotesque shame for the complete abomination of a job he's done. He's an oaf, an imbecile and a dunce.
Baron, you did not offend me with that comment. I do not agree with no-trade clauses ... or deals over 5 years for a position player and 3 years for a starting pitcher. Relievers, two years max and that is a stretch.
Actually, Bradley does have a no-trade.
Here's a "fun" fact....We are closer to last place in wins (32 by the Pirates) than we are to first (40 by the Cards). In fact, at 34-34, we're 3 1/2 games out, one in the loss column to both the Brewers and Cards...but as I said before, we still actually have to win those make up games, and so far, we're 0-1 there, losing to the Braves. That's why I've said to look at the win column, rather than the loss column, because that's the benchmark for you. We're 6 games out right now....That's NOT even close right now. We're heading into the 4th month of the season...time is running out, especially our window of opportunity, as it seems to be closing right before our eyes. Both the Cards and Brewers are for real. They have nowhere near the holes that we have on our team.
I want a firesale, because we NEED a firesale. I don't want to lose as much as the optimistic fan does...but at the same time, I realize 2010 WILL get REALLY ugly if we can't unload our dead weight.
As I've mentioned before, the only players we have that might even bring us some decent talent in return are Theriot, Soto, Fox, Lilly, Z, Dempster, Harden, Marshall, Marmol, Wells, Guzman, and Ascanio.
If you're rebuilding a team, you most certainly need to keep Fox, Z, Wells, Marmol, Guzman, and Ascanio to build around.
That leaves Harden, Lilly, Dempster, Theriot, and Soto as trade victims, and Soto might even be one you can build around if he loses weight and gets his hand feeling better. So then you have just 4 guys that you can trade that will help you rebuild. Even Dempster has a no-trade, so that might be difficult, rendering just 3 that you can trade.
Sure, you can trade Johnson, Fontenot, and others with no trade, but they won't bring anything in return.
Point is, I've said this before...the free agent crop next year sucks. Our core hitters are all in their 30's, and showing their age badly. All have no-trades. How the hell are you going to get younger and rebuild for the future. Fact is, you can't. Unless you find a poor schmuck to take Soriano, Bradley, and Fukudome, AND get them to waive no-trade clauses....you not only have a logjam on your roster, but 3 guys that you'd rather see on your bench making $40 million combined.
Can you say UGLY?!?!?!?
That's our OF from 2009-2011 folks...You can't sit $40 million on the bench, and you can't trade them because of no-trades, and you can't trade them because nobody wants them....LOL...If Hendry had just played the percentages, we would've been fine. You go with consistency every damn time, and you put yourself in a position to win.
Guys like Vitters, Flaherty, Harrison, Campana, Colvin, Brett Jackson, Hak Ju-Lee, and others are 2-3 years away, and who knows...they all might bust by then anyhow. If Vitters is our one power prospect, (and it looks like he is) then we're in for a world of hurt in the coming seasons
Aaron, Bradley does not have a no-trade clause to the best of my knowledge...
http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/2005/01/chicago-cubs_112114177768677294.html
I do not remember that at the time he signed and Cot's is the best source out there.
I know you want change, but it is not going to happen ... it can't.
Hopefully the sale will be completed soon.
Aaron...I'm in complete agreement...but suspect JH will do little to try and rectify the situation due to the damn
non-sale.
I am very disheartened.
Do you really trust JH enough to even dismantle a team properly?
What if he trades true value and gets back 9 Aaron Miles - like players.
Prior to the sale...I can see Lou starting his consultancy with the Yankees
a little earlier than planned.
Trammel named interim manager.
Jim says..."It's unfortunate, I got Lou
all the talent in the world,,,but with ARAM going down...Lou couldn't ride the horses.
Jim has another heart issue and steps down for health reasons.
Crane Kenny doesn't know what to do...
so he reinstates Ed Lynch...as interim GM.
Ed Lynch falls in love with Barry Zito
and Andruw Jones...Trades Shark, Wells, and Ascaino to get them.....
Arrrgh
neil give me a reason to believe...
3.5 games
Yep, 3 1/2 games ... that's all I've got.
What the heck is Piniella doing. This is one sorry as... team. I'm sooo angry I could scream. OBP 288 and Sorryano in the lead off spot. I spelled it right too. Lee sat on second base with two DEEP Fox fly outs. NO HUSSLE PERIOD. Keeps playin Fukodonothing everyday. Marmol is so lost on the mound, he needs to go to the minors to get his head outof his a.. Piniella, you said you would play the best playing player... you are a liar. This team is going NOWHERE!!!! God Bless
I just PRAY they don't bring Samarg up here and wreck his progress.
I'm so glad I have mlb.tv After watching complete horseshit from the Cubs, I get to watch decent baseball elsewhere...The Astros know how to situational hit, I'll tell you that much