Aaron

You have sunk to a new low with your newest rant!

What happened to you can have your opnion & we can have ours?

Calling other people lemmings because we dont share your opnion.... doesnt make it "true" as you say it is.....

And then comparing it to physically abused women..... Is Pathetic!

You would say something like that, wouldn't you Scott?!? I thought you were staying away, LOL...

Like it or not, but the truth often hurts, and that's probably why you get worked up so much by direct posts like mine, and others on here.

Lemmings, as I stated, probably would offend some (obviously it offended you and your thin skin...which is okay, but not unexpected). It doesn't take away the fact that lemmings is an appropriate analogy to use here, as this franchise has been terrible for so long, and yet fans keep moving through the turnstiles. Does this mean we have the greatest fans, or just a lot of fans that don't know what a winner looks like, because they've never seen one in their life?!?

If you did a survey on the street, and asked a random person that knew nothing about baseball, and asked them if they'd root for any sports team that has only been to 7 playoff series in 65 years, and hadn't won a championship in 102 years, they'd probably say "HELL NO."

But this also does NOT mean that all Cubs fans are lemmings. It just means that most of the fans that keep going through the turnstiles year after year, and last place finish after last place (or second to last) finish are, either lemmings, or drunk, or have no clue what a winner looks like so they're content with watching a loser...or, all of the above.

This also doesn't mean you can't follow the team as a fan, and hope they do their best, or that you're any less of a fan because you don't go to games, and don't buy merchandise, etc. It makes you look at things from a different perspective, that you are, in fact, doing Cubs nation a service by NOT going to games and not buying merchandise when they field awful teams. You prove that you have better things to do with your life....much like I am doing this summer, as a pitching coach for a collegiate baseball league that is now going to the summer league World Series in Wichita. I simply filled my life with the sport I'm passionate about, and it's made life more enjoyable, as I used to live and die with every Cubs win or loss.

As for the analogy with abused women...what a crock that you somehow think that's pathetic! What analogy would you have chosen? What other scenario have you seen people keep coming back for more abuse even when they know it's not right for them? Please, tell me, I'm all ears. I guess you could make an analogy about substance abusers, but that didn't fit as well as the abuser situation I mentioned, and even if I had another analogy like that, I can almost guarantee you'd have a problem with that as well....You simply have a problem with all of my posts, which is well known on here.

We get it, you don't like it, and you cry about wanting to leave, because you don't agree with my opinion, (wha, wha, wha, cry me a river)

I hate it when the Cubs lose, but it's so incredibly predictable.

This team simply isn't good enough to compete in this league...not by a long-shot. We might have pretty good pitching, but our defense and offense leave much to be desired. We're on par with the worst teams in all of baseball in that regard.

Piniella and Hendry are also asleep at the wheel and driving this team off a cliff.

The question everyone has to ask themselves is: Can this organization recover quickly from this dismal season? If you do not believe it can, then the most prudent thing to do is stop going to games, and stop buying merchandise. That's the only way ownership will get a hint. It does NOT mean you are a fair-weather fan (which, incidently seems to be a term that was made up by Cubs fans trying to justify why they spent time and money following crappy teams)

The best case scenario for Cubs fans, is Ricketts grows some balls, and sends Hendry packing right now, and brings someone in to clean house. In the process, Piniella, Z, Lee, Fukudome, Theriot, Fontenot, Baker, Hill, Soriano, Nady, Lilly, Silva, Howry, Grabow, and possibly even ARAM, are looking to take their services elsewhere. There is absolutely no point in keeping this team together.

Folks, it's July 18th. Some of you out there (you know who you are), were saying things like, "if we can get to .500 by the end of July, we might have a chance". Well, we have 12 games left this month (including today). We'd have to win no less than 11 of 12 just to have a chance, and we play teams like the Cardinals and Rockies later this month.

And that's not even mentioning the fact that The Brewers, Cardinals, and Reds are all on 2 or more game winning streaks to start the second half. Great, we won 2 in a row to open the second half...What'd that get us?!? Like I've said to the eternal optimists on here ad nauseam....Do you guys really understand that we need a 20 game swing just to break even in first place. That means 10 wins on our part and 10 losses on the Reds part. We'd have to go on a 10 game winning streak, which, hasn't happened in quite awhile for us, AND, we'd have to have the Reds and Cardinals both go on 10 game losing streaks simultaneously. You're more likely to get struck by lightning than having that scenario occur.

We have 12 games left against the Cardinals and 6 games left against the Reds, meaning we basically have to sweep both teams the rest of the season just to have a chance. Do you realize how terrible those odds are?!? Not to mention the Reds have owned us this year, and the Cardinals have 2 Cy Young candidates yet again in their rotation with Wainwright and Carpenter.

But, our idiotic GM must think that we still have a chance, just like overly optimistic fans, because he hasn't made a single damn trade all season long when we clearly needed it.

I am watching the Rays vs Yankees right now, and I see why we haven't won in a long time. The Yankees simply have accountability that we don't. If you don't produce there, you're jettisoned in a hurry. Their ownership, management, and coaching staff demand excellence, and more importantly, so does their fan base. They won't show up if they suck. They still watch their games on tv, which you can see by the ratings of their network, but they aren't like the lemmings that populate Wrigley on a yearly basis.

I'm sorry if that last statement offends anyone, but it's true, and if you're honest with yourself, you'll see that too. Before we can win a championship, we have to have a fan base that demands excellence, and we don't have it. Wrigley is the world's largest bar, and everyone knows it. I wish someone would organize a fan lock-out or something where nobody goes through the gates because the team is so awful.

What pisses me off more than anything, is when you hear players like Lee, Zambrano, Bradley (last year), and others before them complain about our fan base and the boos. It's almost like they think if they sign with the Cubs, they'll have a free pass on everything, and they can get away with snoozing on the base paths, acting lost at the plate, and completely disinterested in the field. When fans boo, they don't understand, and yet when you go to New York and try pulling that crap off with the Yankees, they'll boo, and players understand. You rarely hear complaints from them, because they knew they played like garbage on that given day.

I realize it was only 2 years after he took over as GM, but how Hendry was able to keep his job as GM after the 2004 debacle where he couldn't control his team (and neither could his manager, who also kept his job incidently) just defies all logic in the universe. ON any other team, they would've lost their jobs IMMEDIATELY.

The Cubs are a joke, and everyone knows it, which is why we can't get any quality free agents at a reasonable price. While I dislike Votto entirely, especially his showboating I completely understand his comments about our fans. Why would any player respect a team's fan base when they cheer on an organization as dysfunctional and horribly managed as the Cubs?!? If I were a player, I know I wouldn't have respect for any team's fan base that showed up everyday, no matter how bad their team was playing, and nearly sold out the stadium. I'd hold those same fans in contempt when they come on the road to support their team against mine, especially if my team was bad (which the Reds have been in previous years), and had trouble drawing fans.

Lemmings...that's what we've become as fans, and NOBODY should respect us. It's really indicting of a fan base when your only claim to fame is "loyalty". Do you respect that woman that is physically abused by her husband/boyfriend more or less when she tells you she's just "being loyal". You think to yourself in that situation that if that woman would just have some self respect, and either leave and never come back, or leave temporarily while her significant other gets some serious help, then possibly comes back once he's turned his life around, then she'd be a much happier person, and feel much more fulfilled than she ever had before.

I honestly think Cubs fans are afraid to leave the team and move on with their lives, because their fellow fans are quick to say they're fair weather fans when they start cheering on the team in seasons like 1984, 1989, 1998, 2003, 2007, and 2008. Notice, that in 30 years, we've made the playoffs a pathetic 6 times....Think Yankees fans would stand for that?!? Think Boston fans would stand for that?!? Think even the Chicago Bears fans would stand for that?!? They wouldn't...and they haven't. What's most embarrassing to me, is the fact that even the White Sox fans wouldn't stand for that, which is what leads to significant changes, and organizational turnaround that we can only hope would happen on the North Side.

We will NEVER be a championship team until we as fans, stand together, and say we're not going to f$%king take it anymore!!!! Unfortunately, there are far too many lemmings out there to do this

Let's face it. There are only 4 teams in the NL with a worse record than the Cubs. And 2 of them happen to be in our division. That's the only thin little thread that leaves any encouragement. Bottom line is.... IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN. Not this year. And probably not next year. Not until we can shed some of those high priced, non-productive contracts and replace them with productive contracts.

As for this year. I never thought that I could imagine a scenario where I would root for the Cardinals, but after reading some of those ignorant comments by Joey Voto, I want the Cards to crush the Reds. I hope Joey has trouble finding a restaurant that wants to serve him when he comes to town. I don't like booing players just because, unless they deserve it. Joey deserves it.

Zambrano will be with the I-Cubs this week. Could pitch Tuesday or Wednesday

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20100717/SPORTS1402/100717010/1014/SPORTS03/I-Cubs-Chicago-pitcher-Carlos-Zambrano-to-throw-in-Des-Moines-this-week

Zambrano? The Cubs RP? I remember him...

Jim C. we still have a prayer of a chance. If we can take 3 of 4 vs. the phillies, 8 out of 10 on the homestand.

Neil, doesn't like Uggla but we need more fire power. If we win 8 of ten thecubs become buyers. what about Kelly Johnson? Any thoughts Neil?

Patrick, I've always liked Kelly Johnson but it would depend what they would have to give up.

This organization needs to get younger and have a plan for the future and stop trying to come up with one-year fixes.

If, and this is a big if, Hendry could unload Theriot and Fontenot and would not have to give up anything more than maybe a Logan Watkins or a Matt Cerda, I would be okay with Johnson. But not for this year for next year. Johnson could give players like Hak-Ju Lee and D.J. LeMahieu time to develop.

Patrick S:

I would love to have Uggla. With the exception of Derosa, 2b has been a sore spot for awhile. Since 2006 we have had almost 20 different players attempt to solidify it. You and Brandon do great updates on the minor leagues and probably have more insight on any up and coming 2B prospects then the rest of us.

As for the playoffs, I would love it, I just think that there is no chance. (

Why would you bash on C. Marm.? The guy had an off night but has still been beyond dominant this year. Any pitcher working at an almost 18K/9 has got to be praised rather than bashed. Sure his walk rate is a tad high but there is no way i would take andrew cashner over him in the ninth.

Hmm, I hope you weren't talking to me, because you'll be shooting the wrong target.

no not at all. i just think he's been highly underrated as a whole.

Let's be honest. The game was actually watchable. Hamels always had good stuffs. Even the mighty Red Birds got off balance last night a bit by taking 8 Ks from the usually not so-dominating Kuroda.

Castro again demonstrated why he should be kept playing here. He delivered, good baseball senses and many skills in this series...

Marmol, a blown save. That happens. Beatable? Well, if batters can easily lay off that slider, then 90% of the closers out there should be moved. They can't. They shouldn't.

Mo Rivera is a one-pitch guy, but he got command, and he has a plan. Joe Nathan never had dominating stuffs. I don't know what more we can expect from a closer.

Marmol's slider is the best in the league, that's all he needs.

One step forward (winning 2 in a row) 2 steps back and back to sucking ass again by giving it away. Horrible loss today, horrible! Any trades? NO, you have to be kidding me! Lee, Fukodome, Lilly, Theriot, Nady, Soto, and for God's sake you still have Howry on the roster making probably millions where he should be paying us, all need to go. Hendrey, Rothschild, Lou are amazing me by still having a job and questions my outlook on having new ownership who claims to be billionaires who wants to win. They have 2 weeks to sweep out the trash and change OUR team. This is a joke!

Howry is being paid the league min by the Cubs.

Also Trades are a 2 way street. To many fans think the major leagues are like fantasy baseball & trades are easy...... There not.

Fantasy baseball....Come on man....Believe me, I know a few things about trades and how they work. All the players I named can be better off in a different uniform which would make it better for us to rebuild. If Howry is making the minimum, why the hell do we pay him the minimum when EVERY team didn't want him, only us? He sucks ass. I hope you agree about Howry, and I hope you agree that we need to make trades to put players who may be more valuable on other teams for 2 or 3 months. I hope you understand that this team isn't winning. We are 9 and a half games out. Or do you just want to wait til next year and start with the same guys and do this again?

Instead of Piniella calling out his players, he should be calling out himself. Tonight I watched the replay of this afternooons game, and it was soooo clear that Marmol had lost it after Soto's fumbled tag at home plate. No pitch to the next batter was even close, as a matter of fact the wild pitch may have been the closest to a strike, I saw. WHERES PINIELLA?? This guy does nothing!! I'm glad this is our final year of watching this deadbeat.

There goes that great two game winning streak, right down the sewer! And to think it was our third 2 game winning streak of the year!! N.I.V.!!!!

Oh well. No doubt the Cubbies can have another two game winning streak. We have 70 more games to go in which to win two in a row.

Jim, I don't know why you care about the people who still believe the Cubs still have a chance. It's cool that you don't think so, but you really didn't have to say that. It bothers me that you wouldn't want people to have faith in this team. Who knows whats gonna happen, but I sure as hell want this team to succeed. Apparently, you find more pleasure in wanting Cub fans to think negatively of this team.

Andres, I think your spot on...... Its always nice to be made fun of by people that disagree with your opnion.

Andres Blanco's Glove and Scott:

I wasn't attempting to offend anyone. It was a generalization comment directed at all of the cub world not just the CCO. I just don't think that this team is good enough to make the playoffs. I would LOVE it if they did, but it just wont happen this year. For the record, I cheer for this team every day and It kills me when they get beat. I've been to 6 games this year (5-1 with me in attendance :) I just think that because they win 2 or 3 games in a row people loose sight of the fact that they are way under .500 and in 4th place. I was just keeping things in perspective.

Ok.. Fair enough.... But maybe if you went to more game's we would a better record... LOL

:)

I actually fully expected a loss today and the Cubs delivered. Marmol is easily beatable: if you don't swing, it's usually a ball. It's when he can drop the slider into the zone that he gets guys flustered and he hasn't shown the ability to do that because usually it's in the dirt. He can throw the fastball for a strike, but that's hittable if guys are looking for it. Ultimately, Marmol isn't someone I have great faith in as a closer until he gets better command over that slider: something that our current coaching staff can't teach.

This mirrors exactly what I said yesterday to my brother-in-law - despite Marmol's obnoxious stats, I just do not trust him. We all know there's no such thing as a perfect closer, and there are very few really, really good ones in the league. But Carlos just doesn't instill the confidence that others might. I think it all comes down to the fact that "his pitch" is a slider; a very difficult pitch to consistently throw for strikes. If you're a little off on slider, you're a lot off.

I kind of know what you mean. Marmo'sl slider is so good that it usually is a ball. The giving up 2 hits today is what shocked me.

Do you add Soto to the rumor mill of players to be traded? You can tell Lou is holding back so much in calling out his players. He was disgusted that his catcher could not hold on to the baseball. Maybe he is gonna start thinking about defensive replacements in late innings for the catcher position???

Back to reality. This should quiet the "We still have a chance crowd."