hv watche the replay and it is the first players shown and it is def z. they push him away. man i am glad i dont hv to coach those misfits...

please someone find out who the idiot z was arguing with after the win. wgn only showed it a second or two, but someone was pulling z away while he was running his mouth and pointing at someone in the cubs line.

well...I'm not exactly sure, but I thought I noticed Bradley push someone in line. Could that have been it? If it is, that's really not cool.

Thank you Carlos. The season's big (positive) surprise , Randy Wells, wins his 10th.

NATION REPRESENT!

CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!

I'm looking for the next Sean Rodriquez. As Ross Perot used to say, "Eagles don't flock. You find them one at a time.

By the way, I hope that you and other area Faithful can make it to MULLEN'S BAR AND GRILL in Rogers Park (Western and Tuohy) Saturday at noon, September 12th for the start of the Reds game.

Gramps and I and spouses will be there. I found his phone number and called him. We're looking forward to meeting. I'm going to have a little memorabelia to see, and a few old Cubs official baseball cards to give away. Nothing formal. Just show up, chat a little and have some lunch.

I'll try to make it.

Three up and three outs to get. Throw strikes, Carlos!!

Nice at bat for Micah on his return. It's a W, but he keeps the inning alive.

Lee scores on Dome's double, but Quade blew it sending ARAM to a certain death.

There is no reason to send him and risk an injury.

Hey Aaron ... did you see this.

Chris Robinson has been placed on the inactive list today to join Team Canada for the World Cup tournament that begins on September 9th

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090831&content_id=6714132&vkey=pr_t451&fext=.jsp&sid=t451

well, I see it 2 ways...both are negatives:

either...

1)The Cubs blew it by telling him to go

or

2)Robinson blew it by requesting to go, as he surely would've been recalled (well...it would be so Cub to not recall him, wouldn't it?...especially when we need another catcher with Soto sucking so badly

the unfortunate thing for both parties is that Robinson will be exposed to the Rule 5 this year, and the Cubs are probably higher on Welington Castillo, who is having a rough year...so it's a lose-lose situation, especially when Robinson led the league in fielding percentage.

Aaron, they are real high on both Clevenger and Castillo.

From the way I understand it, Castillo has made big strides defensively this season. They wanted him to concentrate on his defense this year. I saw him in Mesa last spring, excellent arm.

They keep comparing him to Yadier Molina.

With them not inviting Robinson to spring training I wondered how he worked into their plans. Castillo and Clevenger were both non-roster invitees.

Yeah, I thought I'd heard that too Re: Castillo=Molina, and I knew the Cubs were aggressively promoting Clevenger, so they had to be high on him...

I also noted my mistake earlier this year when I wanted Robinson promoted. Normally, I look at a player's entire career, and not one season when evaluating him. In Robinson's case, he did almost nothing before this year to warrant any consideration, so that could be a reason for them overlooking him this year, even though he had the highest fielding percentage of any catcher.

There are certain quality players in the Cubs organization that unfortunately will be overlooked, and will end up with other teams (this is my guess based on the past). Guys like Deeds, Snyder, Adduci, Papelbon, Parker, Lalli, Maestri, Mathes, Robinson, and Tony Thomas will all wind up with other teams. They're all very solid players, but we keep recycling older guys like Aaron Miles, etc. that take up valuable roster spots for these guys to develop in...(sighs)...hopefully, one day, this will change

The games are strangely relaxing now that the Cubs are out of it.

Ryno with 7 ejections this year....guess he took note of Billy Martin and Earl Weaver in his playing days....

I'll take salt with my crow ... good job by Gregg

DLee hasn't packed his bags for the winter yet. He hustled a single into a double.

Never a d'd'd'd'doubt. He g'g'g'g'got Blum with a SO.

My name is not Thomas, but I would like a bigger lead.

It was nice to see Rickett's in the crowd.

Even a blind squirell can find a nut once in awhile I guess....

Exactly Joe. If an ugly guy asks every girl

he sees on a date, eventually he'll find some

type of company. Lol

He did!!! C. Lee flies out. Can he get the third out?

Jim K

I'm sorry that your boy Sean Rodriguez was part of the Kazmir deal. Who's next on your wish list?

Theriot swinging like he has a date tonight.

Here he comes to ruin the daaaaaay!

Super Gregg!!!!

I think I just saw Carlos Lee licking his chops ....

Why is Kevin Gregg facing Lee?

Of course Gregg can get the out...... can't he?

Kevin Gregg as a set up man, huh?

Well, if BB or Len need a blown save to complete their bingo cards....

There is Fuld! Good, solid outing by the rookie.

He is for real and I see him as our solid #3 guy

next year. One of our more important need is a

new pitching coach who can control Big Z and

take him out of that silly pedestal he lives in

and thinks he deserves. Duncan and mazzone

could be the right people. We clearly had a good

team coming in so I would start with a full new staff

which is unlikely to happen.... But think about it a

if we are stuck with this bums that I dislike for lack

of heart, we might as well get a solid hitting coach and

a better pitching coach. That can't be too hard but

then again our bum players think they are better than

their coaching and do things like, I won't change my

heavy bat because I don't need to change anything.

Lol?!

also...saw the Rangers just DFA'd Thomas Diamond, a former first rounder, and once regarded as one of the top pitching prospects in the entire league. He's a lefty, and has already had TJ surgery, and this year battled some shoulder ailments, but he might be worth a look for added depth in our system, right?

Gervaco has a Randy Johnson kind of fast and sharp slider.

Sori couldn't even make contact.

Soriano's final swing was just downright embarrassing.

Know what else is embarrassing? Because we are so awful this year, our announcers are more excited about their BINGO game that they're apparently playing with different types of baseball game occurrences than they are interested in the team...that should tell you everything you need to know.

I've been watching (mostly), and we have to be impressed with the "comeback" of Wells. Six excellent innings. He still likely needs a little more rest.

Bradley has enhanced his value again. He'll make it tough for the braintrust, if he sustains the rest of the season. (Yes, I know Cubs' "braintrust" is an oxymoron.

Re Carlos Lee and to confirm Neal. JH had four big-time opportunities at the time. ARAM, Soriano, C. Lee and Zito. Unfortunately, Soriano was considered the top prize by nearly all. JH re-signed ARAM and signed Alphoso.

Well we're tacking on in the 6th... Keep it up Blue!!

Aramis with another RBI!

just FYI for any that actually care, Felix Pie ripped his 8th home run in just 187 AB's this year, and has the following line:

.273 avg 8hr 24 RBI .335 OBP .471 SLG

Here's Milton Bradley's line in 344 AB's, nearly twice as many AB's as Pie:

.267 avg 12hr 37 RBI .398 OBP .424 SLG

$400k salary vs $10 million....hmmmmmmmmm....just sayin'

Also, where's Joey Gathright? How about Ryan Freel? Reed Johnson? Exactly my point....he was a lefty bat, and would've at least made a decent bench bat/fill in.

Aaron, just a little note on Ernie Banks: He wasn't developed by the Cubs system. In fact, there wasn't much of a Cubs system. The organization was playing baseball against the tide: less farm, more free agents.

Banks played for the Negro League, before being purchased by team owner and president PK Wrigley, and joined the Cubs without any minor league experience.

Ernie was brought to Wrigley in order to accommodate another Black player (Baker, the second baseman I believe?).

And Baker was "confined" so long a in the minors while he ripped it apart, basically wasted his youth. (Wrigley was pretty racist.)

MILTON!!!

#12

Was cArlos Lee traded to the Astros or was he a free agent signing? who has manned RF for the Cubs since Lee has been with the Astros? Just thinking about how well Lee has always hit at Wrigley.

The Astros are coming off of an August that saw them post the highest ERA in team history...and then they come face the scary Cubs offense and look unhittable...interesting indeed.

Len said this was a good comeback year for Fukudome from an offensive perspective. really? is it? his numbers are very average..OR are his numbers true representations and we all just had way to high of hopes for his Cubs career?

McGeehee (sp?) hit a 3 run homer for the Brew crew tonight. enough said.

Carlos Lee was a free-agent. Signed not long after Soriano inked his deal with the Cubs if I remember correctly.

I am not a big fan of Fox, like in the 9th inning the Cubs need a base runner on he goes up wanting a home run. Valverde threw him 3 straight balls and he swung at all them. I really dont care if Soriano is in, maybe he will still play good.

Waldo, Fox hit an absolute line drive rocket to the right fielder (which means that he did not try to pull the ball) to end the game.

He struck out in his last at-bat verse Valverde.

Yeah you're right. I was thinking about what he did in the 6th.

I love this site, but some of these comments are mind-boggling. "Maybe Soriano will still play good"????

Waldo, are you kidding?

I just said that because in his last game he went 3-3 with that 3 run home run and I am hoping maybe he will still have that momentum. That is why I said that.

well, when you have players like Bradley and Soriano making comments that they've already surrendered the season, and Piniella stating much the same....there really is no hope on the team.

as for playing the youth....I guess you could make a case for playing Fox (though he's already playing more with Soriano out), Fuld in CF, and Hoffpauir in RF....but that's such a small part of the lineup...what are you gonna do? In years past, this used to aggravate me so much to the point where I didn't even want to be a fan anymore of the crap they put out there for us. We'd be like 30 games out, and they'd still be playing the veterans. I used to think to myself (and still do when I see teams do that) that the teams were doing their fans a disservice, along with the players a disservice by not playing them when they're completely out of it. I think every GM and manager needs to evaluate where his team is in the standings, and start planning for the future. In years past, guys like Zuleta, Kelton, Hinske, etc. could've used a significant amount of playing time in September so we could evaluate whether or not they were in our plans for the future. We didn't...and we lost all 3. Now, I realize none of those guys has gone on to do much of anything (though Hinske has been effective), but still...you get my point.

Fact is, why play guys like Bradley, Gregg, Heilman, Miles, and Fontenot when they so clearly are not in our plans long-term? Why not give Hoffpauir, Berg, Gaub, Tony Thomas, and Scales (though I realize he's not a long-term option...but he's earned it over Miles) a chance to show what they can do. I'd argue that you even bring up some Rule 5 eligible guys like Colvin, Papelbon, Maestri, Clevenger, W. Castillo, Parker, Adduci, Blake Lalli, and C. Robinson to see what they have before you risk losing them. After all, if we put Cotts, Chad Fox, and David Patton on the 60-day DL, then we have 3 more roster spots available for the non-40 man players to make a total of 5. If we DFA Miles, that makes it 6. We're almost guaranteed to lose Papelbon, Adduci, Colvin, W. Castillo, Maestri, and C. Robinson if they're left exposed. Parker, Clevenger, and Lalli are toss ups. I'd see what those kids have before you risk losing them.

Look, with Gregg, Heilman, Chad Fox, Neal Cotts, Patton, Grabow, Harden, Miles, Reed Johnson, and Bradley not likely to be back next season, we could be left with 10 vacancies (12 if you include the 2 we have now) on our 40-man roster. I would say that Gregg, Heilman, Fox, Cotts, Miles, and Johnson are virtually guaranteed to not be coming back, so that's 8 total spots, worst case scenario. As mentioned, we have about 6 players that are deserving, and we risk losing if they're not added to the 40-man. I'd rather add them now and throw them in the fire, than wait until Spring Training to see if they can handle it (assuming we add them to the 40-man after the season). For a guy like Colvin, there's absolutely no reason he shouldn't be called up in September. You simply do not draft a guy that high, and not try to see what you have with him. He will also be 24 in September, so the time is running out to see if he can be a productive MLB player.

If you need any evidence of why this organization hasn't been able to develop it's own position talent since the days of Banks, Williams, and Santo...you need look no further than September call-ups and the organization's refusal to play young talent when they're mathematically out of the race. There is absolutely no reason to have hope when you have to leapfrog 4 teams and make up 6 games in the standings, just to capture the Wild Card...there is NO reason to hope when we haven't even had that long of a winning streak all damn season. Furthermore, there is NO hope, when the Cubs organization as a hole, has NEVER come back from that many games down to win a berth in the playoffs in the final month. BUT...we certainly have had monumental collapses as a team, haven't we in recent history?...missing the playoffs in 1969, 2004, and this year when we had decent leads in the standings going into the final months of the season. We were 1/2 game up on the Cards to start the month, and we find ourselves 10 1/2 games out....only an inept franchise like the Cubs can pull off a feat like that. In 2004, I believe we had something like a 5 game lead in the Wild Card going into September, and then we bombed....(shakes head) only the Cubs can do something like that. And we're left wondering, "what is it that makes this franchise so bad...so ugly...and so unpredictable?"

Well, in 1969 after the cat incident, much was made out of it, and rather than laugh it off, the team paid attention to it, and the collapse began, after they lost a 9 1/2 game lead on August 19th to the "Amazin'" Mets (funny thing is, if the Cubs were not so "amazingly" bad, they'd never have that name attached to their team). But...some may point out those years, and proclaim that it's just like '69, or '04, and while I can see some similarities between '04 and this year (with Gregg's deflating blown saves)---his blown saves happened earlier when Piniella could've and SHOULD HAVE made a change, whereas Hawkins' blown save against the Mets came at the end of the year, when we couldn't do anything about it. But, do you guys know what this season reminds me most of?!? 1977....Yes, the little talked about season that "could have been". The Cubs road Bobby Murcer and Rick Reuschel to an 81-81 mark on the season, but at one point, they had an 8 1/2 game lead in the division at 47-22 on June 28, but the lead was cut by the Phillies to 2 by the All-Star Break. On July 31, they started a dive, going 20-40 to finish the season, which totally reminds me of this season. In fact, though we never had a commanding lead like that in the division, nor were we 25 games over .500, the swoon post July 31st has already started to happen, and is HIGHLY likely to continue into September at this rate.

So, I ask again....if we have a history of collapses, and NEVER a history of monumental comebacks, and a poor history of developing players...then why not give the young players a shot, because we've got nothing to lose at this point.

I need to correct myself...in 1935, we did come back to win the division....and the NL pennant by going 23-1 down the stretch....so once in our history...sorry

Gotta keep playing those vets to the hopeful playoff promised land. Lou is really unbelievable.

Lineup Change ....

Alfonso Soriano will start in left tonight and hit sixth ... rest of the lineup remains the same.

And we suck again.

As mentioned on the previous topic, I'm bummed that Sean Rodriquez has gone to the Rays. I thought he was gettable for 2nd base. We still need a highly productive middle infielder for next year.

Now, I'm wondering if the Ray's SS, Jason Bartlet, could be traded for. The Rays have had serious budget limitations (they are at $63 mil this year--up from about $50 mil), and Bartlet is close to arbitration. The Rays need relief pitching and could use an OF prospect. We have the pitching and might offer Colvin too. His 1 year and $2 mil ends in October. His .340-12-59 with 24 SB's could move him out of the Rays plans, and it would look good for us.

He is 30 years old, but would be an excellent transition to one of our young prospects. I'd be willing to pay $5-6 mil for 3 or 4 years.

Lou is red-hot in closing in on the right lineup. now he just needs to move Fukudome to right and Fuld to center.

Tonight's lineup:

Theriot - SS

Bradley - RF

Lee - 1B

Ramirez - 3B

Fukudome - CF

Fox - LF

Baker - 2B

Hill - C

Wells - P

You nailed the case on Wells. He says mechanics were the problem last outing, but we'll know tonight. It could be fatique.

That's the thing about just calling up a very large group of relievers: your everyday lineup is still going to be the exact same.

Hey, we're still in the post-season race, remember. No time to tinker with the lineup now. LOL

Funny thing is that we could very possibly make the postseason if we put in the fresh blood. Remember the Rockies in 07: they only needed one EXCELLENT month to get in. Granted, this team acts defeated all the way around, but it is possible.

The only we we can even REMOTELY think about playoffs is if we start playing Fuld in center, and Fox in left and Koyie Hill at catcher. It's taken way to long to get Soriano out of the lineup and most likely to late. However, one thing we do have is great SP so if our offense can wake up we could go on a serious run for the WC. But just like the entire season the offense is showing no signs of breaking out of it's season long slump. Therefore playoffs are not likely not that they were at any point in near memory.

jc....I agree and think Lou will be skipping a turn or allowing 5 IP for guys like Wells. The same with Z, Harden and Demp. Theriot, Lee and ARAM too should get two days off a week. I see Soriano resting and Bradley playing. Hopefully, Bradley keeps builing his value. I've got my fingers crossed on Z. If he can put 3 or 4 effective starts together, it helps greatly--no matter what the team does with him.

Management has to end this crap about being in the wild card and do what is best for the future of the team. One thing would be to ease of Wells' innings. There is just way too much evidence that making big jumps in innings pitched leads to bad things. And fatigue leads to injury.

Please, please take of the players. Aramis should rest, Soriano rest, give the kids big league game time. Ease off Wells, give Gorzy some innings. There are so many reasons to make some changes. Fine if you want to tell the media that your team still has a chance, say whatever you want, Jim, you always do anyway, just make the right personnel moves to help your team be better next year!

I am glad I am not alone in my concern for Wells.