Crow...it's what's for dinner

by BrewCrew'sPrinceofDarkness on Aug 16, 2008 1:41 PM CDT

Yesterday I spent all day talking about how Micah Hoffpauir should replace Daryle Ward on this Cubs team. I kept using Micah hot streak in AAA and his stats from earlier in the season to justify my conclusion while completely discounting those that were consistently saying, "Do not discount the usefulness of an experienced Major League hitter."

So I would like to take this opportunity to, with my first fan post, say:

I was wrong.

I was very very wrong.

I would like to also point out that Drew was right.

Congratulations Darlye and thank you for not giving up on yourself.

I will not be questioning his place on this team again for the rest of the year.

Go Cubs!

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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MMMM .. the new dark meat

I thought some gnarly old guy with a fork full of crow was pretty gross…

Well, Next Year is here .. and Jack's century's gotta end some time .. GO CUBBIES!

by cubnational on Aug 16, 2008 2:18 PM CDT reply actions

Crow always tastes great when...

…we’re eating it after a great Cubs win. If Ward doesn’t do anything the rest of his Cubs career, we’ll still remember him just for the way he came through last night.

by bluekoolaide on Aug 16, 2008 2:19 PM CDT reply actions

Cool

Big of you to admit it. I know I’ve eaten my share of crow, too. Better, as koolaide said that we’re eating it in a winning season, unlike, say… these guys.

The author of this post is not a certified scout, doctor, agent, statistician, manager, or journalist, nor was he ever a very good player, though he tried very hard to be like Ryne Sandberg and was about as scrappy as it gets (in T-ball). Any opinion expressed above should in no way be confused with fact, truth, or reality and is hereby qualified in the following ways: 1) The author does not know as much about baseball as Lou Piniella. 2) The author does not know as much about baseball as Jim Hendry. 3) The author does not know as much about baseball as either Dusty or Darren Baker.

by DGU on Aug 16, 2008 2:34 PM CDT reply actions

Why do the Nats suck so much?

Oh…that’s why.

Theriot, Fonty, and Johnson = The Scrappy Pyramid of Victory

by BrewCrew'sPrinceofDarkness on Aug 16, 2008 2:49 PM CDT up reply actions

Let's hope they have major suckage next weekend.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Aug 16, 2008 3:34 PM CDT up reply actions

Yes, lets.

I’m going to be in Wrigley for that one (Saturday’s game).

We’ve got seats in “good” territory – I guess somewhere near the dugout. And it’s been a while since I’ve been – is a walk out to a visit in the bleachers possible?

by MN exile on Aug 16, 2008 5:17 PM CDT up reply actions

No, but...

…. if you’ll email me the day before with your seat location, I’ll try to stop by before the game.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Aug 17, 2008 5:09 AM CDT up reply actions

At least Nats fans

probably won’t throw batteries at this kid if he makes it to the majors with another team, a la Drew.

by inukjim on Aug 16, 2008 3:23 PM CDT up reply actions

I am eating crow myself

I had just posted.." why is ward up when we have ramirez available to pinch hit" and next thing I know Im running and screaming around the house!

by cubs2410 on Aug 16, 2008 3:30 PM CDT reply actions

I know I'll

get killed for this, but his HR doesn’t mean you’re wrong. 2 hits all year pinch hitting when thats you’re job still isn’t good enough. I’m not raining on this parade, but I’d still like to see Micah be given a shot. Give Daryl time, maybe he keeps it going as it sounds like he will start tonight, but that HR should save his skin all together.

Its funny, you spend most of your life gripping a baseball. And in the end, its almost always the other way around.

by TCobb1911 on Aug 16, 2008 3:34 PM CDT reply actions

Thanks for typing what I was thinking....

Let my ashes blow in a beautiful snow from the prevailing 30 mile an hour southwest wind...
When my last remains go flying over the left field wall, I'll bid the bleacher bums adieu,
And I will come to my final resting place, out on Waveland Avenue. --Steve Goodman

by NotSure on Aug 16, 2008 3:40 PM CDT up reply actions

correction...

that HR should NOT save his skin all together.

Its funny, you spend most of your life gripping a baseball. And in the end, its almost always the other way around.

by TCobb1911 on Aug 16, 2008 3:40 PM CDT up reply actions

+1

I think it’s a little premature to suddenly be so accepting of him after hating on him all year because of one AB. Yes, it may be a sign of him turning it around, but let’s see him pinch hit a couple more times before considering him a sure thing on our bench.

by rea5661 on Aug 16, 2008 3:42 PM CDT up reply actions

A-FREAKING-MEN

Corey Patterson had a few timely hits too.

Pluto will always be a planet to me!

by DaBard on Aug 16, 2008 3:49 PM CDT up reply actions

A very Few!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Grace17 on Aug 18, 2008 4:07 AM CDT up reply actions

This is ironic

because all the people calling for Ward’s head are doing it based off of a tiny 70 AB sample size for Ward and a microscopic 37 AB sample for Hoffpauir. To say Ward’s pinch-hit HR doesn’t mean anything because the sample is too small is a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black.

Ward has 70 ABs this season. I can find a similar line to Ward’s 2008 line in 70 consecutive ABs of Berkman’s MVP 2008 line by cherry picking out of his cold July. I can find a line like Micah’s 2008 in Cesar Izturis’ 2008. I can find Hoff’s line in any of Neifi Perez’ years with the Cubs (except that Neifi strikes out less). Ward’s first 70 ABs this year do not tell us all that much how he will hit going forward this season.

You have to look at the players in the box. When you look at the two players’ approach at the plate, that’s where you see the difference. Micah was swinging and missing at horrible pitches – give him another 35 ABs and his line is almost guaranteed to be worse than Ward’s. Ward remains a professional hitter who has had some bad luck on fly balls being hit to fielders.

by DGU on Aug 16, 2008 3:56 PM CDT up reply actions

+1

Nanika Ga Okoru!

by daver on Aug 16, 2008 9:31 PM CDT up reply actions

doubleplus good

Our 2008 Chicago Cubs -- FINDING WAYS TO WIN!

by drewishdrewid on Aug 16, 2008 9:55 PM CDT up reply actions

Ridiculous

So his last AB doesnt count, and his .327/.436/.527 in 110 ABs last year doesnt count. Or his .540 slugging the year before in 130 ABs. But somehow the 69 ABs between his last AB and his two years of consistant production counts more?

Let’s look at those 69 ABs. He is still walking at a strong rate (a little below last year, but second best of his career and twice his career average) , his isolated power numbers are still good (equal to last year), and his K rate is just slightly worse than last year. The only thing wrong with Ward is that balls hit into play are not finding holes. The most volatile hitting stat there is. The one that players who top the list one year can suck at the next. The luck stat. Thats it.

Ward is fine, has been fine, and will continue to be fine as long as no one gets into his head or Lou does something dumb like pull the ripcord on him.

Reed Ballgame - best CF in the MLB

by californiachicagoan on Aug 16, 2008 5:32 PM CDT up reply actions 3 recs

Thank you!

Rec’d.

by DGU on Aug 16, 2008 5:50 PM CDT up reply actions

NO one is saying

it doesn’t mean anything… But no one should be one here saying how they’ll support him for the rest of his Cubs career because of one hit.

Its funny, you spend most of your life gripping a baseball. And in the end, its almost always the other way around.

by TCobb1911 on Aug 16, 2008 3:58 PM CDT reply actions

It was one homerun.

I was excited last night when he hit it but I want to see if it can happen more often than it has. I like Daryle and hope he can hit like that more often.

Good luck Shawn Johnson, Lolo Jones and Doug Schwab. Bring home the gold!!!

by sue369 on Aug 16, 2008 4:18 PM CDT reply actions

Tonight he should start

And if he does well, then he is back in the saddle (again! YEAH AEROSMITH!) as the lefty, mashing pinch hitter. If he struggles again, then we’ve still got the same question on our hands that we did a few days ago… Which is…

What to do with D. Ward?

One thing you learned as a Cubs fan: when you bought you ticket, you could bank on seeing the bottom of the ninth.
Joe Garagiola

by Ryan at Cubshub on Aug 16, 2008 4:43 PM CDT reply actions

It's not a question for me.

This is a simple choice between experience (DWaryle) and, well, a huge left-handed question mark (Hoffpauir). I’ll take the former (Astro, Pirate, National, Brave).

Nanika Ga Okoru!

by daver on Aug 16, 2008 9:37 PM CDT up reply actions