n/t

I’m what’s known as an eternal optimist. I still like Pie, and even though I’ve bitched about Soriano, I know he tends to start slowly but I’ll take two spectacular months from him and be happy.

After 37 innings as a starter, he’s 4-0 with a 3.16 ERA, 1.108 WHIP and .173 BAA. That gives him an OPS+ of 135. Yeah, I know it’s early—but if there’s one guy clever enough to shock us all with a solid season, it’s Ryan Dempster.

Also, right now, four Cubs (DLee, Theriot, Aramis and Dome) have more than 100 ABs and all four have OPS+ well over 100. And Soto is nine ABs away from joining the club.

Again, I realize these numbers are still based on relatively small sample sizes, but we’re being optimistic here, right?

Remember that game? Cubs led 5-0 with Z on the mound, and lost. Z looked bad, Ohman walked in a run, and after the game Lou absolutely lost it.

I was really down after that loss – thought it was a sign of things to come. I guess it was for the next month or so, but you’re right, it’s a long season.

2 or 3 from the Cards and we’re back on track heading to Cincinnati!

I echo all you’ve said-i too was leery of Soto as a #1 catcher-but he looks like he’ll be fine. Cedeno REALLY gives reason for hope—it looks like the mental/emotional finally caught up with the obvious physical tools that have always been there.

In many of the games we’ve lost-fluke outfield play-base running goof ups and like yesterday—just a plain great at bat by Braun vs. Wood and hitting what could/should have been an out pitch have beaten us.

We’ve been in the games and could have won many of them….a couple fundamental errors made the difference and I believe they’ll be fewer and farther between as the season progresses. My main worry is the overuse of Marmol—but it looks like we’ll be fine!

Lou overhauled the roster last year (or at least got Hendry to do so) and changed the attitude – completely – in less than half a season.

Everyone loves the manager when the team is winning and everyone piles on when the team is losing, but I really think hiring Piniella was the single best decision Henrdy has made as GM. The guy is a winner, and as someone else said, he’s not here to make friends.

I like Lou but I think that he has been very bad re strategy this year. He is
consistantly over using and over thinking moves. I am still agast that he RAN OUT of
player in the 8th inning of one the games I went to in Philly ( the Cubs managed to win thanks to the bad HR call). He is coddling Soriano when the entire baseball WORLD knows
he is a BAD leadoff hitter. He is in love with the scrappy guys from LSU but thinks a guy
with a lifefime .296 average has no place on the team ( you know who I am talking about)

Don’t get me wrong. I am not pessimistic on the team but I am not fond of much of Lou’s
on field moves this year.

Optimism…weak NL, weak NL Central, Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, Ted Lilly, Carlos Marmol, Jon Lieber, Geovany Soto, Derrek Lee, Mark DeRosa, Ryan Theriot, Ronny Cedeno, Aramis Ramirez, Reed Johnson, Kosuke Fukudome, Henry Blanco, Daryl Ward, Lou Piniella, Larry Rothschild, the coaching staff

Concern…starting pitching in general, Rich Hill, relief pithching in general, Kerry Wood, Bob Howry, Michael Wuertz, Kevin Hart

Pessimism…Jason Marquis, Alfonso Soriano, Felix Pie, Mike Fontenot

and Lou manages the Cubs. So, we’ll be in the playoffs. End of story.

Ask Yost if he is optimistic about the Brewers chances now that he let Gallardo finish the game with the Cubs and he overworks his 8,343 pitchers. What a sicko Yost is. It may not have hurt Gallardo’s ACL to finish yesterday’s game, but who knows…..

post.

GO CUBS!!!