We’ll get em tomorrow. It’s tough, and we really do need to beat them, but these games happen. Don’t panic. I hate saying this but it is, in fact, too early to start panicking.

That being said, we really need to head back to Wrigley.

Blanco’s failure to get a sac bunt down in the 13th after the first two Cubs had reached.

Theriot’s break the wrong way on a hit and run with Ramirez up that subsequently turned into a DP.

cubs2234 – your post appeared as I was writing this – they need to win on the road, too. At least .500. They have played 5 more games at home and the schedule late in the year has a lot of road games. Getting back to Chicago won’t always be the cure.

Yes, one game doesn’t make a season. It’s a marathon not a sprint.

But on the other hand, the loss exposed some of the fundamental flaws with Cubs this year. These flaws could come back and haunt the Cubs over the rest of the season or post season if they are not addressed.

That being said GO CUBS!

i can handle…wood blowing up and even losing. i can handle periods of hot and cold hitting but what i cant handle is any freaking more of those brain dead base running plays and jason marquis on this team. dear hendry plz admit it was a bad signing and dump him please.

one positive note—i think mlb should suspend marmol for that pitching performance last night. its almost like cheating. that was filthy and absolutely not hittable by anyone. j/k about the suspending part but omg wowwww.

Plain and simple. I appreciate that he’s in the game, and he’s thinking, but come on guy! You don’t have to make a double-switch every single time just because you can. I don’t know anyone who didn’t think swapping Lee out for Blanco wouldn’t come back to bite us.

And worse still – in Blanco’s first at bat, he was used to sacrifice bunt. Not only is that something any of our pitchers could have done… but he failed at it anyway!

Was that we finally broke through and took the lead late, and we fumbled it back. Sori getting picked off started the cascade of mistakes, that potential run was HUGE. As soonn as Kerry hit the lead off man, I was screaming, take him out. And then he gives up a solid single to the next hitter. We have seen this movie before. I understand you need to leave him in there to work through it and put an end to the lead off HBP/losing the game scenario, but I felt better after the inning ended with the game tied. Didn’t see the remainder after that, but saw the lowlights later. Yes, Lou is a great manager, and we wouldn’t be atop the Central last year or this year without him, but, boy, has he done some crazy things this year. I remember Don Zimmer and Jim Frey going against the grain, going with their gut instincts and for the most part succeeding, but Lou just seems lost/tired out there at times.

All I can say is, thank freaking God for Marmol.

... the Cubs leave another loss on the field. This is happening far too often, though. Perhaps this is a ridiculous thing to say of the team thats tied for the best record in the NL, but that doesn’t change the facts. The Cubs have had a few prolonged stretches now where they simply have failed to execute and even in many of the games that they have won, the Cubs have left too many runners on base and have failed to cash in on potential big innings.

Last night was piss poor all around. Bad in-game strategy by Lou, which is likely why he refused to talk to the media… he knows he managed a poor game. But the Cubs had bad base running, an inability to drive in runs, and several other bad plays.

The Cubs are now again tied for first but the Cubs need to look in the mirror and realize that they should have at least a 5 game lead in this division.

DmL

I am no fan of his, but I think if there was someplace for him to be traded he would have been.

Edmonds experiment should be over.

after last night game. I now agree him. There is a pattern there. Couple that w/ the fact that I would like to see if cedano as a full time player stays onedec or falls back into his old ways.

that Dempster and Onedec would be players that I enjoyed seeing play….. I would have thought you were on drugs.

btw I love your tag line!!!!!

It’s one game. It seems whenever there’s a tough loss all the naysayers come out.

Yes, Edmonds is likely done. Whether or not he would have hit that first pitch far a few years ago, I would think a guy who hasn’t been playing would take a few pitches and be more selective at that point in a game. Yes, Wood has a proclivity for hitting guys, and Kasper mentioned it just before it happened again. Yes, Brenly would have walked Bay as well, because once they started pitching to him, Brenly said nothing for 2-3 pitches, indicating his disapproval.

But for heaven’s sake. The Cubs are what, 9-2 against Pittsburgh now? We all know every game is important, and if this had happened in September the angst would be more appropriate. But it’s early enough still to fix some of these things. Hendry, if not Piniella, likely won’t tolerate Edmonds much longer. Lou was seen having an intense talk with Wood, presumably about throwing sliders to left handers as Brenly assumed.

They’re tied for first, even with all the faults. I’d rather be the Cubs than any other N.L. team right now. After all, thank God we’re not Brewers fans.

Wood almost hit Mientkiewicz on the previous pitch. Soriano doesn’t have to advance even if the bunt gets down. Edmonds could have looked at a pitch or two (leading off the inning, Capps had just struck out?). Double switch with anyone in an extra inning game other than Lee (1 to 3 spots earlier in the lineup?). The little things. There’s enough talent here to pressure the other team, not handicap us.