When Did We All Fall Into Mr. Peabody's Wayback Machine?

by Zeke on Jun 12, 2009 3:29 AM CDT

So when exactly did we all fall into Mr. Peabody's "Wayback Machine" and travel to the deadball era of 1968? With the way the Cubs have hit this season, it sure SEEMS like we did take a trip with Sherman and Mr. P. to the time of Gibson, McClain, Kofax, Marichal and Jenkins.

This isn't just a mass case of "juicelessness" (is that an adjective? Well it is now...). This situation requires ACTION to help tip the scales of justice back in the favor of the poor, overmatched hitters.

BCBers: What would YOU do to to revive offense?

Make the DH mandatory in the NL?

Lower the pitching mound (again)?

Make pitchers throw from second base?

Make pitchers use their non-dominant arm?

Let batters take TWO bats to the plate?

Let's hear YOUR ideas for how MLB can help wake up the Cubs hitters and return them from the 1960s!

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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MLB could:

- Institute a minimum total team height requirement.

- Limit number of light-hitting, “scrappy” second basemen on rosters to 5.

- Find someone to help broker the sale to Ricketts and encourage the new ownership group to hire a GM that wouldn’t give two-year deals to the likes of Neifi Perez, Glendon Rusch, Aaron Miles, etc.

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Jun 12, 2009 7:20 AM CDT reply actions

I'd be happy if they placed a limit on switch-hitting utility men on the active roster.

Why do the Cubs need 3?

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg

by Bill Potter on Jun 12, 2009 10:21 AM CDT up reply actions

I don't know . . . and that's kind of where I was going

But I lumped in Theriot and Fontenot.

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Jun 12, 2009 10:23 AM CDT up reply actions

Oh, they can be lumped in, too.

It’s like the Cubs decided to emulate the early-2000’s Cardinals and try and collect the Stubby Clapps and Bo Harts of the world and stick them all on one team.

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg

by Bill Potter on Jun 12, 2009 10:28 AM CDT up reply actions

I dunno.

Just because the Cubs are having trouble scoring runs, doesn’t mean we’ve returned to 1968. The Phillies are averaging 5.37 runs a game; do that for the whole season and you’ll score 869 runs, more than the Cubs did last year.

Getting Aramis Ramirez back will help.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Jun 12, 2009 7:47 AM CDT reply actions

Why wait

until Aramis comes back ? All these games count in the standings and the failure to add a bat or use your available pieces just makes the job harder in the long run. We could have easily gone 6-2 on this last road trip. This would have left us a mere 1/2 out of first with games in hand.

This reminds me of 2006 when Hendry sat pat after Lee’s wrist was broken and nothing was done for weeks when Jim FINALLY woke up and acquired Nevin. Looking on the bright side, that contributed to the team’s performance that year and probably hastened the exit of Dusty. The difference this year is that we have a replacement wasting away at AAA in Jake Fox. Granted, his defense may cost the occasional run but the lack of offense on this team is costing us more, in my opinion. We could always replace Fox in the late innings for defensive purposes.

Failing that, make a move, Jim ! Even little moves can make a difference and recent performances have shown that the Miles/Freel/Scales/Fontenot combination can not get the job done. Call up the Nationals and see what it would cost to get Belliard, Beimel and Willingham. They make around $ 5 million per year combined and the Nats are going to be looking for ways to scrape together the dough to sign Strasburg. Offer them Miles, Wellington Castillo and David Patton. Sure, they won’t want Miles but for the cost savings involved, maybe they’d bite, and this would fill holes on the bench and bullpen.

by Southside Steve on Jun 12, 2009 8:18 AM CDT up reply actions

Belliard, Beimel and Willingham?

Willingham’s done OK this year (but 12 RBI on 9 HR?) — but why do we need another outfielder?

Belliard’s been awful, and Beimel’s good year with the Dodgers last year looks like the outlier to his career.

I’m with you on the Jake Fox bandwagon. The guy can hit. The Cubs could have used him yesterday.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Jun 12, 2009 8:28 AM CDT up reply actions

With all our struggles on offense... and all the close 1 run games we're playing

It’s absolutely dumbfounding why we sent Fox back down. We need that bat!

"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)

Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)
.

by SackMan on Jun 12, 2009 9:18 AM CDT up reply actions

Well...

by Southside Steve on Jun 12, 2009 10:12 AM CDT up reply actions

Oops

Hit enter too fast.
First, Belliard has been a solid major league hitter for years and has played third base in the past. Perhaps it is only 454 innings but Iit wouldn’t surprise me if that is more than what Fontenot, Sclaes and Miles combined.

Second, while the offense has been the main problem, the bullpen has been close behind and Beimel would help there. Beimel has been good for three years with LA and while his numbers this year aren’t what they have been, perhaps they’ve been skewed by one or two appearances. Small sample size seems to be a buzzword on BCB, perhaps it applies here as well.

Third, Willingham provides a solid bat of the bench, which has been another problem, and can play the outfieldif, god forbid, ilton Bradley gets hurt ? He’s also an emergency catcher and could probably manage third or first as well.

Fourth, it would get Aaron Miles off the team and while I realize that Belliard is primarily a second baseman, let’s see how many here would prefer Miles on the team as the backup infielder instead of Belliard. Anyone, anyone, Bueller ?

Fifth, this type of deal does not hamstring the team financially like a Peavy deal would, or trading Jackson and Thomas for some overpaid third basemen. Why was that even thrown out there in the comments below ? I never suggested it.

Anyway, my rationale…

by Southside Steve on Jun 12, 2009 10:24 AM CDT up reply actions

i dont want either

Miles or Belliard

Don't assault me and I won't assault you, because you don't know what I will, or won't, do. I'm going to end it with that. - Milton Bradley 2003 to Paul Lo Duca

by SouthsideCUBSfan on Jun 12, 2009 12:06 PM CDT up reply actions

Beimel is a pitcher.

How does he help the team score runs?

And can we trade David Patton? Doesn’t that conflict with the Rule 5 draft rules?

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by daver on Jun 12, 2009 9:10 AM CDT up reply actions

No, the Cubs can trade Patton.

The team acquiring him would have to keep Patton on their 25-man roster all year or offer him back to the Rockies.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Jun 12, 2009 9:11 AM CDT up reply actions

Ah, OK.

As you can see, I still haven’t gotten all that Rule 5 stuff straight.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by daver on Jun 12, 2009 9:32 AM CDT up reply actions

yeah, let's send

jackson and thomas off for some chump 3b who has a huge contract in 2010 and 11. mortgage the future for now.

no thanks, i’d rather miss the playoffs.

by tim815 on Jun 12, 2009 9:56 AM CDT up reply actions

Agreed.

And Belliard has played only 454.2 innings of 3B. He’s mostly a – wait for it – SECOND BASEMAN.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by daver on Jun 12, 2009 10:08 AM CDT up reply actions

Can't have too many of those...

"Who ever heard of the Cubs losing a game they had to have?" -Frank Chance
"If [Ruth] had [called his shot], I would have knocked him down with the next pitch." -Charlie Root

by Clutch16 on Jun 12, 2009 10:15 AM CDT up reply actions

Geez...

Wouldn’t you rather have Belliard than Miles ? He’s a much better hitter and is not signed past this year. In addition, he would be a better platoon partner with Fontenot once Ramirez comes back and would provide a more potent bat off the bench.

by Southside Steve on Jun 12, 2009 10:32 AM CDT up reply actions

OK, he does appear a better hitter than Miles - definitely has more pop.

I guess if Hendry could get the Nats to take Miles, exchanging him for Belliard wouldn’t be a bad escape pod. Ronnie’s numbers this year so far do look pretty bad, but he hasn’t played much. I wouldn’t really see him as a long-term solution as a 3B backup, though.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by daver on Jun 12, 2009 10:42 AM CDT up reply actions

Long term, no

but until Ramirez comes back in 3-5 weeks ? I say yes, much better than what we have now. Plus, as mentioned above, he’d be a better bench/platoon player once ARam comes back, unlike a Kouzmanoff type,who has been suggested as a replacement by some here. And maybe just as importantly for the team while the sale goes through, no long term commitments (all three contracts can be let go at the end of this year) and relatively minimal impact on the payroll for the remainder of this year.

by Southside Steve on Jun 12, 2009 10:53 AM CDT up reply actions

hey Philly is only scoring that much because Ibanez is on steroids.....

Just kidding Raul!

by Glacier on Jun 12, 2009 9:08 AM CDT up reply actions

My post was a tad tongue-in-cheek Al, but I think you are putting too much stock in A-Ram coming back.

Yes, it will help. Yes, they SHOULD score more runs with him back. Yes, it will be a mental lift for the team.

But if you are banking on him coming back near the form he was when he went down with the injury, I don’t think so. As we saw with D-Lee’s wrist, it took a LOT longer to return to form.

And if this team’s psyche is so fragile that they can be THIS flummoxed offensively with the loss of a single play (admittedly their best run producer), they they haven’t been constructed very well.

As Tom Izzo says: PP;TPW. “Players, play. Tough players win”

Go Green! Go White! GO STATE!
King Leonidas: Spartans! What is your profession?
Spartans: HA-OOH! HA-OOH! HA-OOH!

by Zeke on Jun 12, 2009 10:32 AM CDT up reply actions

I'm out of ideas on what would help the offense.

Not that I had many good ones to begin with. Just grind it out. I’d like to see Lou getting the runners moving more often, too. I don’t even care if guys get thrown out trying to steal or advance on a hit & run. Just do something. These squandered quality starts are really beginning to eat away at me.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by daver on Jun 12, 2009 9:36 AM CDT reply actions

grinding it out

eventually, something will start to stick. They can’t all slump forever.

I'm a Cubs FANATIC. They are my team, through thick and thin. When they play over their heads, and when they play under the gutter. When they win the division, and then get swept in the division series. When they get no-hitters and when they blow no-hitters. And some day, when they go all the way and get those rings. This is the kind of fan I am.

by drewishdrewid on Jun 12, 2009 9:51 AM CDT up reply actions

All things considered...

…a 4-4 road trip really isn’t all that bad. As the ol’ cliche goes, play .500 on the road and above .500 at home and you should be in good shape. Nonetheless, just a couple more runs and the Cubs could have easily won – even swept – the Astros series. Just maddening.

I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.

by daver on Jun 12, 2009 10:10 AM CDT up reply actions

I believe you summed it up perfectly.

It’s not the result of the trip, it all the woulda, shoulda, couldas.

if this was still new to me, i wouldn't understand

by N Oakley on Jun 12, 2009 10:12 AM CDT up reply actions

Yes and no

The Astros do not have a good team. They won’t lose every series, but they are the kind of team that the Cubs need to beat up on if they are going to be legitimate contenders.

I’m a huge advocate of 1 game at a time, but the Cubs are looking at a homestand where they really should win 6 or 7 of 9.

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Jun 12, 2009 10:18 AM CDT up reply actions

The 2003 Detroit Tigers would beg to differ drewish...

Go Green! Go White! GO STATE!
King Leonidas: Spartans! What is your profession?
Spartans: HA-OOH! HA-OOH! HA-OOH!

by Zeke on Jun 12, 2009 10:34 AM CDT up reply actions

Lou

is getting lazy

Don't assault me and I won't assault you, because you don't know what I will, or won't, do. I'm going to end it with that. - Milton Bradley 2003 to Paul Lo Duca

by SouthsideCUBSfan on Jun 12, 2009 12:08 PM CDT up reply actions