Game Seventy-One: Cubs (35-35) vs. White Sox (35-38)
Game Time - 3:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: FOX Saturday Baseball - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 177
Location - U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago
Ryan Dempster (4-5, 3.83/1.32) vs. Mark Buehrle (7-2, 3.17/1.13)
Can the Cubs win two in a row on the road? The last time the Cubs posted back-to-back wins away from the Friendly Confines was June 7 (Reds) and June 9 (Astros). The Cubs are a very disappointing 14-22 on the road this season and one of their better wins outside of Wrigley on Friday was ignored due to the soap opera that is Milton Bradley.
Lou Piniella said Bradley would be in today's lineup in his post-game press conference. Piniella said he would discuss what happened on Friday afternoon in more detail on Saturday ... and Jim Hendry said he would address the situation at that time as well. The Cubs have a huge problem on their hands and one that must be addressed soon.
Milton Bradley told the Tribune, "I've always excelled at playing baseball, and to come here and suck like I have, it's just not a good feeling. And there's really not one guy who I can sit and talk to. I've been on teams where I have guys I know, or somebody I can just vent to."
When asked about Derrek Lee, Bradley responded with, "We just don't have that bond. 'D-Lee' is cool. He's quiet. But things change. I had a good rapport with [fired hitting coach Gerald Perry]. I trusted Gerald and I could talk to him, and he's gone. I think I clicked with [ex-Cub outfielder Joey] Gathright, and he's gone. So you just kind of feel like you're on an island, and trying to stay afloat."
According to the Tribune, "Bradley said the Cubs are a 'good group of guys,' but he hasn't formed any real relationships yet. 'The teammates, they're there and they say all the right things, But it's just [small talk]."
Before he was asked to leave the park by his manager in the sixth inning. Piniella stated he had grown tired of Milton's occurrences. Piniella said, "Look, I'm not happy that this thing happened, I'm really not. But at the same time, it was time." According to the Sun-Times, the other 24 players in the locker room appear to be on the same page with Piniella and tired of Bradley's outbursts.
Alfonso Soriano added, "That's my first time to see a manager fighting with a player; get mad with a player. Sometimes you can get mad, but not like that. It's something new for me every day. 'We are 25 players, and we have to be on the same page. If he is not 100 percent to help the team win, we don't need him. If he's 100 percent and he wants to play, he's more than welcome.''
According to the Sun-Times Piniella shouted at Bradley, "You're not a player! You're a piece of (blank)!" Bradley responded with, "I have too much respect for you to respond to that."
The Sun-Times also reported that Bradley's play is also wearing thin with his teammates. Some have pointed to the fact he takes walks on tight pitches when if he ball the ball in play he would drive in runs.
From the Sun-Times: "From the front office to the clubhouse, Cubs personnel sympathize with Bradley's frustration, and nobody blames him for struggling. But an apparent preoccupation with his individual issues over the team's efforts to shake a first-half malaise has worn on teammates, even down to things as simple as working close pitches for walks with runners on base when putting the ball in play with less than two outs might score a rare and needed run."
Milton Bradley also discussed the reception Mark DeRosa received last weekend ... and speaking of DeRosa, the Cubs and Indians discussed the former Cub last weekend according to the Sun-Times.
The Cubs must figure out a way to focus today and beat the White Sox. After Friday not only will the players have to deal with the hoopla of the 'Crosstown Classic' but each one of them will have to answer questions about Milton Bradley.
It's time to win a game ... and it all starts with Ryan Dempster.
While Ryan Dempster has not pitched badly in his last four starts (0-2 with a 2.10 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP), the Cubs are 0-4 in those starts and Dempster has not posted a win since May 30. Teams have hit Dempster pretty well over that stretch (.269 batting average against) and he has begun walking a lot of batters again. In order for Dempster to be successful he must have at least a 3:1 strikeout to walk ratio, history has proven that. In his last 25 2/3 innings Dempster has walked 12 and struck out only 21. While his ERA is low, his WHIP (walk and hits per innings pitched) is the highest of any month and teams are hitting almost 20 points higher ... in his last 12 2/3 innings (two starts), Dempster has as many strikeouts (10) as walks (10).
The Cubs offense has been non-existent over his last four starts (five total runs) and with Mark Buehrle on the mound this afternoon, it figures to be more of the same. In order for the Cubs to win game two on the South Side it will take a performance similar to the one Dempster put together on the North Side against the Dodgers on May 30 (no runs on three hits with a walk and five strikeouts in seven innings).
Dempster faced the White Sox on the North Side two starts ago. Dempster started the first game of the rain-shortened series and issued a season-high six walks in six innings. While none of the free passes came around to score, he ran up his pitch count and barely made it through six. With Angel Guzman on the DL, the Cubs need at least seven from Dempster this afternoon ... if not more.
Ryan Dempster has posted just one road win this season (1-4 in nine starts) and the last time he started a game on the South Side he was shelled. Today will be a good test for the Cubs second starter.
- Brian Anderson - 1-for-2 with a walk
- Gordon Beckham - 1-for-2 with a walk
- Jermaine Dye - 3-for-9 with a double and 2 walks
- Chris Getz - 1-for-2 with a triple and a walk
- Paul Konerko - 0-for-4
- A.J. Pierzynski - 4-for-12 with a home run and 2 walks
- Scott Podsednik - 2-for-12 with 3 walks
- Alexei Ramirez - 1-for-6 with a home run
- Jim Thome - 3-for-11 with a double and 2 walks
- DeWayne Wise - 2-for-6
The Cubs will get their first, and only, look of the season at Mark Buehrle this afternoon. The southpaw has been very good of late and loves to beat the Cubs ... so it could be a very frustrating afternoon if the Cubs offense does not make him work. Buehrle is a quick worker and always throws strikes ... except for of late.
Buehrle has issued 21 walks in 93 2/3 innings (14 starts) but nine of those have come in his last four starts and like Ryan Dempster, his strikeout to walk ratio is just under 2:1 over that span (16 strikeouts and 9 walks). The Cubs could be getting him at the right time if they could just show a little patience and take advantage of every opportunity Buehrle gives them.
Mark Buehrle is coming off a seven-inning shutout performance in Cincinnati last Sunday. Buehrle allowed just five hits in the Sox 4-1 victory.
This afternoon will be Mark Buehrle's 11th career start against the Cubs. He is 4-4 in his first ten with a 4.57 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP ... last season, 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP, allowed just one unearned run in seven innings on six hits with two walks and five strikeouts at the Cell.
- Andres Blanco - 1-for-4 with a walk
- Milton Bradley - 8-for-25 with 2 doubles, a triple and 4 walks
- Mike Fontenot - 0-for-3
- Kosuke Fukudome - 1-for-4
- Derrek Lee - 5-for-11 with 2 doubles, a home run and a walk
- Aaron Miles - 1-for-3
- Alfonso Soriano - 6-for-29 with a double, 2 home runs and a walk
- Geovany Soto - 1-for-3 with a double
- Ryan Theriot - 1-for-7
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
I specifically loved the part where us firing/trading his two best friends in Gerald Perry and Joey Gathright were the reasons why he sucks now.
I'll be your friend Milton, Really.
Call the CCO and we can exchange numbers.
Bradley is in the starting lineup. So is Fox and Freel is playing third. Will post full lineup shortly.
Today's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Bradley - RF
Lee - 1B
Fox - DH
Soto - C
Freel - 3B
Fukudome - CF
Blanco - 2B
Finally Fontenot is out, the only reason he is out because of versing a lefty but least he is not in.
From Chris Deluca of the Sun-Times:
"Here's everything you need to know about Milton Bradley. The setting was the opening homestand of the season. Bradley was expressing his unhappiness in Chicago during a contentious session with reporters. As he walked away, the oft-injured Bradley was asked: How do you feel?
"I feel like 30 million bucks," Bradley said over his shoulder, not missing a beat.
That is the quote the Cubs never wanted you to see."
What an absolute prick. I don't care how Bradley plays once Aramis comes back, Fox better be playing RF. Bradley doesn't deserve to wear a Chicago Cubs uniform, let alone any other MLB uniform. I for one will not be supporting this team as long as this jackass is on it and other incredibly deserving players are being punished for his attitude and lack of heart. Jim Hendry needs to owe up to his huge mistake and do something about Bradley or he's going to alienate even more fans than he already has.
I say trade him to Cleveland for DeRosa or any team that will take him..
Pledging not to be as distracting as Milton, here are the two (yes, two) rumored deals that I have yet to confirm. Both assume that the Cubs do not snatch victory from the jaws of mediocrity this season. I am hoping that Jake, The Rake, Micah Money and a few others give us real hope, but I am planning on Seller Mode.
John Henry, Red Sox owner, told my neighbor's cousin's brother (who is a waiter in the Red Sox suite) that the Red Sox will have, (have) to get a big-time power pitcher to offset the edge the Yankees have with Sabathia and his mates. The Cubs will need payroll relief and have mainly difficult, mega-millions contracts to work with. The Cubs also have to take steps to get better.
Deal One: Zambrano, Miles and good prospects, Chirinos and Guyer go to the Sox. The Red Sox payroll is down about $18 mil this year. They left room for Z.
The Cubs get Clay Buchholz, who's numbers are excellent, to slot (for now) in the three hole. Cubs also get top AA prospects Doubront (lhp) and Reddick (cf) and "sleeper" standout Jorge Jiminez (a left handed hitting third baseman). The versatile Jiminez (at last) ups the Puerto Rican quota to two. The deal maker is the the Cubs also take middle infielder, Julio Lugo's remaining $9 mil contract for 2110. He is 34, is hitting about .290, and is versatile.
Bucholz (who has a major league no-hitter to his credit and who has irked Sox officials a litle over being left at
AAA, could approach the potential of Z. Doubront is a starter in 2111 (could replace Lilly) as is Reddick. (Vitters replaces Aram in 2112 and fits well with Reddick as young hitters with power. With Jake the Rake and Micah Money (replacing Lee in 2111), the new middle of the order becomes EXCITING--two lefties and two rightie who can stroke it.
The second deal will be harder and likely requires Soriano to show some serious signs of life. It is a two-bad-and-comparable contracts' deal with the "extra" pieces being very attractive to both teams.
The Giants get Soriano (they crave a power bat), middle infielders', Flaherty, Barney, and top pitching prospect,Dae Eun Rhee (20). The Cubs get Barry Zito (31), John Bowker (lefty OF), top AA prospect, Henry Sosa (RP) and Ben Snyder (AA LRP and Brad's brother). Bowker (26), who got some ROY votes a couple of years ago has a line of .354-13-51 at AAA. He also has 10 SB's. The Giants feel they have two comparable lefty outfielders ahead of him.
If I had my way, I would have Hank Sauer's replacement as the Mayor of Wrigley Field, Jake The Rake in LF, Dome or Johnson in CF and Bowker in RF. Jake is very Sauer-like. A little iffy with the glove, a little slow and a lot of bat and charisma. Sauer was NL, MVP one year.
There you have it Faithful--a peak at a likeable future. That would be a net payroll change of about - $20 mil and includes not resigning Harden. Z, Harden, Gregg, Miles, Heilman, Cotts, Vizcaino, Gaudin, and Gathright are gone.
The 2110 returning starters would be Demp, Lilly, Bucholz and Wells. A fifth starter comes from within or as a free agent. Marmol, Guzman, Marshall, and Ascaino remain in the pen. Sosa, Samardzija, Jackson, Hart, Snyder, Atkins Stevens, and Gaub are near-term pitching prospects. And yes, we likely still need a lefty reliever.
JimK,
Love it...and thanks for including Bucholz. I love the trades...now get in Hendry's ear, and get it done.
I especially love the Giants trade, but I don't want to include Rhee...he seems like the real deal...he was flat out dominating before TJ surgery
An "oops" on the starters above. Zito would be one of the five starters.
Jim K:
I thouight you used to salivate over Jonathan Sanchez? Oh, now relatives in SF that can toss you inside scoop?
Have to admit, I wouldn't mind them unloading Soriano's contract.
I would hate that lineup for the sole reason that we cannot develop young players. The thing people seem to forget is that there's a very good reason some of these big names are getting these large contracts: they're worth it most of the time. I would never trade Soriano simply because he'll more than likely get hot again (and, like I've mentioned before, when he gets hot, he gets so hot he wins games by himself). Now, if by the end of the season he doesn't have more than 20 homeruns and his BA is below .250, then you can start the "trade him for whatever you can get" talks. Until then, he's a must-keep. I'd also never trade Zambrano because, like it or not, he's an ace pitcher and you just can't find those every day.
I mean, prospects aren't guaranteed success stories. We should know that best: we had Rich Hill, Felix Pie, and Ronny Cedeno all crap out on us, though Cedeno is more Dusty's fault for ruining him than anyone else. Guys like Jake Fox and Adam Jones, who hit .300+ in the minors and then come up to the majors and stay hot, those are rarities. Best case scenario: we trade for a bunch of prospects, lose a lot of our established guys, and wind up with a group of prospects where maybe one of them hits over .280 on the season, most of them hit between .240-.265 with average power and speed numbers, and maybe only one or two completely fall off, with the pitching prospects all sporting 3.00+ ERA's.
WoW!!!...It'll take some time to digest...But looks pretty interesting...
Milton talked before the game. Just read ...
http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2009/06/milton-bradley-at-us-cellular-before-saturdays-game.html
Lou apologized to Milton for the 'piece of (blank) comment' but the he must quit acting the way he did on Friday.
JimK, why do you type "2110, 2111, 2112, etc" instead of the actual year, 2010, 2011, 2012? I've noticed you've done it on some of your other posts as well.
Billy....Just call it a senior moment. My mind isn't the only thing that lets me down from time-to-time. It's good to have editors.
Haha, that's what I figured, but just thought I'd check.
Jim C....Sanchez has been having control problems this year. I've had enough of that for awhile. And, Jiminez takes care of the Puerto Rican quota. LOL Aaron....Rhee is the price for Sori having one more year on his contract than Zito.
Well, that was quick. Gotta play from behind again.
I hope the Cubs took note on what the Sox did in the first. Lead-off guy doesn't try to hit a home run, got a double, second hold bunts him to third. Then Dye hits him in. Fundamental baseball is what this team has lacked.
Doesn't matter what team does it but that is baseball at it's best.
Also why is Theriot always trying to crush the ball? That 3-1 count he looked like a power guy, simple swing would have been just fine, he needs to stop trying to hit it out of the park.
It always good to let the home team get ahead early and then wonder if your often disappearing offense will come to life or move again into its dormant mode. Dempster is already laboring which doesn't bode well, does it.
I really don't want Big Z to go anywere. First he is a fantastic pitcher. Second I love to see him pitch when we are in losing streaks because he brings fire no lose attitude to the mound. Third no matter how the seasons goes Z will NEVER be boring.
Did McCarver really just say Maddux's number was #36 when it was retired a couple weeks ago w/ Fergie Jenkins #31? Unless I misheard his comment, I'm pretty sure he completely screwed it up and Buck didn't correct him. By the way I can't stand McCarver.
No, you're right, he said it. I think Fox gets some sort of federal tax break for keeping McCarver employed, because I'm almost positive he's completely retarded.
lol
A 2-out walk, stolen base and a single by Podsednik. Dempster needed a good game and 1 2/3 in has not pitched well.
Walks and falling behind
It's been a long time, Neil, since I remember the Cubs "manufacturing" runs like the Sox have today...not sure this team is capable of doing so. We'll see, but this game seems one of those (too many recently) where the offense goes back into a slumber.
Well, Dempster sucks ass again today.
He blows vs Bridgeport.
Anyone have a live feed for this game? online?? Matt I think usually knows...Matt..are you around?
Yeh, I'm looking.
But some jerk off on the mlb.tv forums ratted out ustream and got it shut down today..
I'm at a loss for alternative streams. These weekend games are a pain..
that sucks...guess i'll just go to a bar....thanks man
Don't run!
AHA!
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/mundanetv
Big two-out singles from Theriot and Lee...took advantage of the Sox defense.
Time for Dempster to settle down
Good to see the Cubs being on the right end of scoring off errors. Keep it up Cubbies!
I would love to see Milton sacrifice right here. Nice way of making amends.
I'd let a three-run homer mend wounds too...
Just sayin....
I was being a little more realistic with the tools he has to work with.
Great 10-pitch at bat by Theriot...
Good job by Derrek Lee ... got the run in.
You know what the 'weather' is like in Chicago when I'm pumped for the sac fly.
Go get em Fox.
I know it was a out for Milton but he had good contact. When things are going wrong you get no breaks.
I think Milton should just bat right, he can hit and his average will jump.
Can't keep falling behind these hitters ... gotta make 'em earn it.
I will be so glad when Scott Podsednik retires. Killed the Cubs with the Brewers, did the same with the Sox the first time, then with the Rockies last year.
I hear you Neil.
I tire of Lou's laziness in the dugout.
::sigh::
Badly handled situation.
Wait, why is Demp still there?!?
Need to get Dempster out there!
Phew...
Could have been worse.
Should have been better.
Everything is up today for Dempster. Should be his last inning. Offense has to get it going.
Damn it Lou!
103 pitches for Demp...probably should have lifted him a few batters ago...
We needed more than 5 from him today.
Up to our offense and bullpen now!!!
Hmmmm.
Demp was left in there because Lou needed more innings and he assumed that his bats have been hitting and will battle back regardless of how many Ryan gives up.
I don't think Lou remembers that falling back after clawing a lead demoralizes the offense...
Cards won...5-3. We need to figure a way to pull this one out.
So Freel instead Hoffpauir was the better option for today? Even with the favorable lefty righty matchup, that's just stupid. Can Hendry just fire the old coot and bring Brenley down from the booth. How much worse could it get?
I take it back offense.
Never say day.
"Shipment of crow to the CCO for one Matt Haggard?"
die*
Way to go SORIANO!!!!
No way!
Theriot!
Hell yes!
Theriot another two-out RBI!
Bradley needs to drive the ball in a gap here so I don't want to see him in AAA so much.
Why is Dempster going back out?
I don't mind Demp starting the inning.
But Lou HAS TO have a early hook if he struggles right off the bat...
Nvrmd
Nope
.........wait is Dempster coming back in???? Is Lou taking math lessons from Bradley?
Dempster out ... Heilman in.
Lou had a heatd argument with the bullpenn guys and sent them all home...Demp needs to go 9.
Long time since Soriano had a clutch hit.I could not believe my eyes!!!
Lol. good one.
"Do you think I'm out here to ignore it?"
Classic! ^^
Get ready for the suicide squeeze...
Ozzy likes it almost as much as LaRussa
I bet he does 'like it as much LaRussa'.
As soon as I read my own post I saw that coming.
It was just too easy.
I would have been insulted had someone else not tried it. =)
I am really shocked Buck and McCarver just talked about the Cardinals.
They've also talked about Colorado, Cleveland, New York, New York, Seattle and Philadelphia.
You people pay too much attention to stuff like that.
You sound as biased as you believe them to be, Neil.
Point taken.
Another WALK!?!?!?!?!
Guess Lou can say later, "Those walks really came back to hurt us." You think?
Gordon Bacon looks overmatched, looks like he needs more time in AAA.
If only every batter would hit towards Ramirez.
Great freakin baseball smarts by Freel.
He just bought a lot of props for me there.
I agree...
That's the Ryan Freel I remember!
Soriano walks!
Win or lose, I want to give kudos to my ball team today.
They fought. They showed fire. They were dragons.
And I'm feeling good about the future of the team.
Milton, the psychotic jerk off doesnt come through again, what a surprise.
Bradley's 16 RBI's in 175 ABs out of the 3 and 4 hole, is down right pathetic.
You're absolutely right, Gary. He has proven he can't hit left-handed and he's not such a threat anymore right-handed. My view is his place is on the bench!
and if they just gave the job to Hoffpauer, he has 22 RBI's in 135 AB's and would surley have more if he was starting. Theriot and Fontenot have more HR's than Bradley.
Dammit Marmol. So Rothchild what have we done with Marmol.
I still believe Marmol is a product over overwork.
League leader in 2008 appearances.
Winterball in both 07 and 08.
WBC and then the 2009 season.
I can't see that Rothschild has done a damn thing to get Marmol back on track. This guy has far too good a stuff to be floundering because of "command" issues. The pitching coach has the responsibiliity to figure out what he's doing different from his effectiveness days and see that Marmol gets back in the groove...I repeat that finding answers could be Rothschild's biggest contribution yet to this year's club.
Motherfu....
And I continue...
Motherfuckudome!
Wow! Great catch!
Bradley is not a lefty anymore, he is a righty.
Great catch by Kosuke! Saved a run...
That was just a cheapo hit. Kinda makes me want to punch McCarver even more because that was, in fact, not Theriot's fault. This is just a battle and, really, I can't have any complaints about this game other than Heilman fell behind way too often.
The 9th should be interesting especially, since Lee, Fox, and Soto are all looking to win this. Though I still don't trust Gregg.
Nice job bullpen, against the #12 offense in the AL.
Another deep fly to CF for Fox.
He's not getting fooled at least.
And again...
You can't take those close pitches on 0-2.
How many times have we seen that as of late?
Regardless of today's out come, I need to give props to Marshall. In his previous 3 appearances he had two 3 pitch strike outs, and a 1 pitch double play with the bases loaded. That is down right clutch.
Demoralizing.
great
We have no one in the bullpen, besides Marshall, that you can trust.
Marshall is a starter capable of tossing against righties and lefties effectively.
I don't get using him as a LOOGY.
A.J. who bleaches their hair?
How old are you dude?!
It figures, when the hitting comes back, the pitching leaves. Just the kind of thing that happens, when it's not your century.
well, I'm glad I didn't waste my day watching this game. I ended up taking a walk in the park with my wife, and it was a beautiful day. We got back a little early, and I saw Matt posted the streaming video link (thanks buddy), so I watched the last AB...LOL...I should've stayed away.
As for Gary's comment, I just have to say that I think I might've been spot on with my assessment about this year being almost exactly like 2006, and I have a good theory, so here it goes...
We were pitiful that year when we lost Lee, but our pitching was phenomenal early on. By the time Hendry finally made a move and got some offense (Nevin), and we started scoring runs again, our pitchers were less precise. I have a good theory on this.
See, when your offense sucks ass (which in 2006 and 2009, it has), then as a pitcher, you absolutely have to be locked in with every pitch, knowing that if you give up just one, maybe 2 runs, it's all over for you. But when that offense unexpectedly comes back for you, there's almost a relief, and you're like, "finally, I have a cushion to work with"...but the kicker is, you're not as locked in mentally. Does that make sense? I've heard this described by my good friend that was a catcher for a number of years in the big leagues. He said he saw it all the time.
I'm sure you all can recall quite a few blowout wins, where teams let the opposition get back into the game...and they might even have their ace pitcher on the mound....it's all psychological, and it's up to the pitching coach and manager to get them focused (which obviously didn't happen)
I was looking at the stats, and I have no idea what happened (and look forward to Neil's heartbreaking recap), but it seems like Heilman and Marmol yet again blew the game. Am I right? It wasn't Marshall or Ascanio. (also, I think Bradley was out of position anyhow. With 2 outs, you have to play deep, and rely on your 2B for bloop hits...but you just can't take that chance, and had Fukudome been in RF, he surely would've caught up to that ball. It seemed as if Bradley was loafing after it too, which really pissed me off)
Marmol has to sit on the bench, and we absolutely CANNOT carry David Patton on this roster any longer. Marshall used 7 out of 8 days is NOT good, and all the other pitchers have been kind of abused too. If you're essentially going to play with 6 bullpen pitchers, then at least get more offense on the team. This is getting ridiculous.
Also, I was reading some posts...Was Fox crushing the ball, and being unlucky, or was he not hitting well today?
How many f'n times is our pen going to blow it? It's really getting hard to watch these guys blow it every day!
How many f'n times is our pen going to blow it? It's really getting hard to watch these guys blow it every day!
Fox crushed the ball to deep center EVERY at bat.
0-5 with five deep flies to CF.
He was just swinging early. No patience.
oh....and yet another loss when Bradley starts....think that is very telling. We need to get that douche out of our lineup
If Pittsburgh wins tonight, they will have the same number of wins as the Cubs.
The Cards have won 7 more games than the Cubs. They have lost one more game than the Cubs. The window of opportunity to save the season is closing. Either L-O-U wakes up NOW, or forget it. And I do mean: FORGETABOUTIT.
I wonder if L-O-U knows that Marmol is awful this year.
L-O-U was right when he told Bradley he was not a ballplayer.
I, for one, can't wait til the All Star Break.
We'll still be in it and it'll be a great time to rest everyone and start to really acess how to fix this team.
We've seen it time and time again how mediocre teams turn it on in the second half and cruise deep into October.
We have the peices. We just need to work on some things.
It's clear that Bradley is not a lefty right now. I don't care what he was brought in for.
We just need to platoon Hoff and Bradley for the remainder of the first half. And Fox is clearly our starting third baseman for the time being. No questions.
agreed, except the All-Star break is too late to make changes. We need them NOW. We need to move Miles, Patton, and Bradley off the roster immediately. Find a replacement for Fontenot, and have Marmol go on the DL (a la Waddell) with some mystery ailment, and send him to EXST for rehab work to get his awful mechanics straightened out.
FYI, I broke down his mechanics the other night...What I saw was his entire chest exposed when his front foot landed. This is why you see so many sliders WAYYYYYY outside to righties, and WAYYYYYYY inside to lefties. He's opening up too soon, and Rothschild is such an idiot, and probably doesn't even notice this. While I understand the players have to make the adjustments ultimately, one of the things I did with my pitchers when I was coaching in college was to have a more closed stance initially. This reminded them to stay closed when they landed, thus giving their breaking pitches more life, and more velocity on their fastballs. If you've noticed since Marmol has been flying open, his fastball sits in the 89-91 range, and his sliders are in the dirt outside, without much snap.
Since Rothschild doesn't know how to fix any pitcher (and Maddux was the real help before), I think he needs to go to Extended Spring Training before it's too late for him.
It's unfortunate, because I would normally count on Marmol, Ascanio, and Guzman to get the job done, but Guzman's injured, Ascanio doesn't get near enough work, and Marmol's a mechanical nightmare right now. Couple that with the ALWAYS iffy Heilman, and Gregg, and it's pretty clear that ALL of Hendry's moves this offseason were shortsighted, not thought through, and just UGLY preparation went into it in the first place.
Fox stays on the team. Hoffpauir plays everyday for Bradley. Miles gets replaced by Tony Thomas or Darwin Barney, or Bobby Scales, and Patton gets replaced by Blake Parker or Jon Gaub. Whomever we bring up in the bullpen though, MUST have strikeout stuff, and MUST throw in the mid to upper 90's.
All-Star break? We'll be ten games back by then.
In this division?
You're nuts.
No one wants it.
Actually, both the Brewers and Cardinals want it, and have been far better than the Cubs month to month. We're no better than a .500 team, and had one month over .500 (just 2 games though), while both the Brewers and Cards have had months 8 games over .500, and the rest close to .500 or just over. So, again, while it SEEMS like we are close based on losses...we're NOWHERE close to the wins necessary to win the division...sorry...but 7 games back in the win column says it all for me. You still have to win the games...which we're not, and if we're a .500 club, that means that we'll still be no less than 3 games back. And we know the Brewers and Cards will get hot...we just know that any team coached by LaRussa will give us fits. We have some very dangerous series coming up, and if we don't rip off at least 5 in a row starting tomorrow, I don't think we have a prayer.
Remember what I said, and check back with me at the break.
Will do.
That's nearly impossible to be 10 games back by the break. The math behind that is so screwed up that I can't even understand where you'd logically get 10 games. Here's how that would work:
There are 14 games left for the Brewers, Cards, and Cubs. Of those games, the Cubs take on the Cards 3 time and the Brewers 4 times. Both series are at home, and the Cubs, as bad as they may have been, have handled both teams at home. Even at the worst, there's no chance they're getting swept in either series, so you're looking at 2 wins minimum. Since one of those teams is bound to be in the lead at the time, that's only a 13 game drop, and since we're seeing a win in both series, you can cut that to 12.
Now, the next series is against the Pirates for three games. And as bad as the Cubs have been the Pirate have done worse. At the very worst, they lose this series 2-1. Still, that's an 11 game drop.
Next would be the Braves at Wrigley, and other than Chipper and Nate McClouth, I can't see any Braves hitters manhandling our pitching at home. Again, we'll assume worst case scenario, which is a 2-1 series loss, so we're down to 10.
Now also keep in mind the Cards and Brewers face each other. If anything, the Cards would sweep the Brewers. But that won't happen. It'll be a hard fought series and the Cubs are bound to win at least one game during that streak, so there's more ground made up.
Anyways, without having my head explode, let's just say that the Cubs would need a monumental collapse to hit 10 games back, coincided with an amazing win streak by the Cardinals. And when I say monumental, I mean the kind where someone will lose their job regardless of ownership status. And, again, a collapse like that would be pretty big news.
Sorry-oh,no!'s June stats:
91 ab, 17 hit, 2 hr, 5 rbi, .187 ba
He's K'd 70x in 290ab this year. Hey,
that's one for four, better than his BA.
The ENTIRE Cubs outfield out to be benched for the reserves.
Put Fox in LF; Johnson in CF, and Hoffpauir in RF. L-O-U has no business starting Sorry-oh-no, Funko or Bradley. They are all losers. Three--count'em--THREEEEEEE free agent busts by JHendry. Fire that loser. JHendry, I mean!
Brings Scales back. Blanco has NO POP in his bat. Sure, he catches the ball, but so what? He's another Aaron Miles. At least Scales gets an extra base hit on occasion.
Anybody that this this team has the talent to win needs "professional help."
Okay, seriously? That was just a good ball game. Both teams made about the same amount of overall mistakes (for the White Sox, on the field, for the Cubs, it was bullpen decisions). Heilman fell behind a lot of hitters, but ultimately gave up one run and left the game with a lead. Marmol let the game get tied, but really, it was a semi-misplayed ball by Freel combined with some good small ball by the Sox, capitilized by a very cheap hit that tied it.
If you want to complain about anything, complain about Marshall and Ascanio being completely ineffective out of the pen. But even then, there's really no good alternative to bring up (you can throw out potential, but really, stats are the only thing that matters and right now, the guys who have the best stats to show major-league readiness are all starters and it occurs to me that maybe, just maybe, Lou doesn't WANT to bring up starters to waste away in his pen).
The game was good to watch. It was hard fought by both sides and showed signs of improvement from both teams, end of story. Complaining about this game and how "the Cubs are hopelessly lost" is just looking to complain about something, and it's sickening to read. If they regress tomorrow, THEN you can complain. But complaining about this game is like the guy last year who spent the entire season on his "Oh Theriot sucks so much, we should trade him immediately, he'll never amount to anything in the majors" pedestal even while he was hitting over .300: it's just looking for something to complain about.
Just take this game for what it was: a good showing that our offense (our GOOD offense, not the sucky guys...because Freel and Bradley didn't really contribute) can hit quality pitchers and knock them out of games early. If they improve on this, then we're only a few moves away from being the best team in the Central (cause I still believe that out of Miles, Bradley, and Freel, at least two of them need to be gone). If they regress, then it's the same old same old. But give the complaining a rest for a day.
What a bunch of B.S.!!! Lou is a wimp! Bradley is a dumbass who looks like a monkey f-ing a football most of the time and the one f-ing guy that should be playing for that stupid idiot in right field just got traded to the Cubs arch rivals?!?!?! The Cubs owe their 101 years of misery to the fact that their all a bunch of f-ing idiots!! They won't win this year and they'll NEVER WIN!! I am a die hard Cubs fan who is sick and pissed at these f-ing idiots!! I hope they lose 90 games this year!! It would be nice if someone knocked some sense into Hendry the babbling idiot!!