2009 Cubs Can Of Worms Nominees

by ambrosiadreams on Sep 19, 2009 11:12 AM CDT

Like many of you, I really enjoyed Al's offseason series "The Cubs Can Of Worms", in which he conjured up memories of failures past. In hindsight, it gave me a good chuckle and brought relief that the players or coaches profiled were no longer haunting us. In reality, though this season has been a disappointment, we are still a good team. There are, however, a number of candidates for Al's series, and I've narrowed it down to three nominees. Try to have fun with this!

1) Aaron Miles (Miles From Ordinary): .181/.221/.239, 0 HR, 5 RBI Wow. It's hard to believe that this a player on a major league roster with those numbers. I mean, a .221 OBP, are you serious?? Not to mention the fact that 10 pitchers have more RBI's than him (he's also tied with 2 others, including our own Ryan Dempster).

2) Kevin Gregg (Not Ggood): 4.68ERA, 13 HR allowed, 6 blown saves Not what you want to see from your closer, that's for sure. Home Run Howry revisited, but then again he wasn't in the closer's role. Looking back, some of those blown saves (ie Florida) really, really hurt.

3) Milton Bradley (What Else You Got, Milton?): .257/.378/.397 12 HR 40 RBI Obviously, Milton's numbers are not horrible. They are decent, quite similar to Kosuke's numbers after his rookie season as a matter of fact. A lot of people on here were calling for Kosuke's deportation after last season, although Kosuke has always been a class act. Unfortunately, the same can't be said about Milton Bradley. There were confrontations with the manager, the media, the fans, throwing a ball into the stands with 2 outs, baserunning blunders, umpire bumps, suspensions, the list goes on and on. I don't want to start this debate again, because it's been discussed ad nauseum, but Bradley makes the cut simply because of the behaviors and distractions that have been brought to this team.

So, there you have it. Happy voting, have fun with this, and hopefully when this episode is written, we can all look back, have a good chuckle, and be thankful that this is all over.

Poll

Who should be the 2009 Cubs Can of Worms subject?

Aaron Miles (Miles From Ordinary)

105 votes

Kevin Gregg (Not Ggood)

38 votes

Milton Bradley (What Else You Got, Milton?)

108 votes

251 votes | Poll has closed

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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Comments

I think there's little question...

…that Aaron Miles will go down as one of the most universally scorned Cubs players in recent memory. Gregg did have a fairly long stretch of effectiveness at one point (not that I want him back), but I don’t think history will judge him quite as harshly as Miles. And Milton, well, he’s in a category all his own and may yet redeem himself.

Catch my act on Twitter as @dat_cubfan_dave.

by daver on Sep 19, 2009 11:52 AM CDT reply actions

atleast miles can bunt

The official slogan of your 2009 Chicago Cubs:

Why?

by jesus christos on Sep 19, 2009 12:12 PM CDT up reply actions

To which I'd reply...

…at least Kevin Gregg can strike out major league hitters to the tune of a 9.1 K/9 and 2.43 K:BB. And I know, I know…the home run thing.

Catch my act on Twitter as @dat_cubfan_dave.

by daver on Sep 19, 2009 12:40 PM CDT up reply actions

Miles' season really is baffling

He was a .285 career hitter and was coming off .290-.300 seasons.

by Not Bruce Froemming on Sep 19, 2009 12:18 PM CDT reply actions

Cardinals spy.

Jim Edmonds was seduced by the allure of Wrigleyville and betrayed his masters. Aaron Miles could not be tempted quite so easily.

Catch my act on Twitter as @dat_cubfan_dave.

by daver on Sep 19, 2009 12:41 PM CDT up reply actions

But Kerry Wood got paid off to blow 2 saves to Cubs right :)

by ak123 on Sep 19, 2009 12:42 PM CDT up reply actions

It's the murky underworld of major league baseball.

Wait, shh! Did you hear that? I gotta go…

Catch my act on Twitter as @dat_cubfan_dave.

by daver on Sep 19, 2009 1:09 PM CDT up reply actions

Miles is contemptible

Not even worthy of consideration for a “can of worms” article. Gregg will not even enter the history books and be compared to LaToya Hawkings.

Bradley is prime material for thousands of words. I just don’t want to open that can of worms anymore. He’s dead to me.

Delicious Mexican Treats.

by chilango2 on Sep 19, 2009 12:51 PM CDT reply actions

No one is as bad as Hawkins

Gregg sucks, but he owns it. Hawkins blamed everyone else for his problems.

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on Sep 19, 2009 2:53 PM CDT up reply actions

Those thousands of words are already written, though

"When you're going through hell, keep going." - Winston Churchill

by vonde6 on Sep 20, 2009 3:18 PM CDT up reply actions

I think the reason

Badley has caused so much controversy this season is that he is playing more, thus being more open to scrutiny. In the past, during his lengthy stays on the dl, he was out of sight and out of mind.

by Clark Addison on Sep 19, 2009 1:00 PM CDT reply actions

Aaron Miles embodies everything wrong with this team...

trying to capture lighting in a bottle by sticking a leaky AA-cell battery into a zip-loc bag, and pass it off on the fans as an “improvement” from last year.

Try again.

by lswaidz on Sep 19, 2009 1:40 PM CDT reply actions

Well...

If we are isolating 2009 (where a player on this list wouldn’t necessarily be on an all-time list) then I would probably take Soriano.

Let me make this clear: I do not like Aaron Miles. I loathe that signing. But I never really had much expectation for him being a major contributor. He’s dead to me.

Milton Bradley: My New Favorite Cub

by Kansas25 on Sep 19, 2009 2:11 PM CDT reply actions

I agree

I actually like Soriano but his dismal season which presumably resulted from an injury neither he nor the Cubs would
fess up to , did more damage than Miles, Gregg & Bradley combined.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Sep 19, 2009 5:00 PM CDT up reply actions

On this we can agree

I’d nominate Soto as well

by shoemile on Sep 19, 2009 6:16 PM CDT up reply actions

I think I'll have to wait about five years...

… before I do a “Can of Worms” post about someone from 2009.

By then, maybe we can laugh about this year.

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

by Al Yellon on Sep 19, 2009 2:59 PM CDT reply actions

You know the one condition...

that would instantly make this season a good laugh.

Milton Bradley: My New Favorite Cub

by Kansas25 on Sep 19, 2009 4:01 PM CDT up reply actions

What would that be?

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

by Al Yellon on Sep 19, 2009 8:39 PM CDT up reply actions

making the playoffs this season?

baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out

by Cubbie-Tim on Sep 19, 2009 9:21 PM CDT up reply actions

Winning a World Series, of course.

I’m going to groan about this season for years to come…unless we finally reach the ultimate goal. Then this will all seem funny.

Milton Bradley: My New Favorite Cub

by Kansas25 on Sep 19, 2009 11:35 PM CDT up reply actions

I voted for Miles because...........

I think I can honestly say Gregg has performed pretty close to what should have been expected.

With Bradley….did anyone think he’s play 140 games without any distractions?

But, while I didn’t like the addition of Miles, especially considering he was to replace DeRosa at least in theory, I thought he’d at least be serviceable and he has been as far away from serviceable as he could get and still be breathing.

by Rkfd Die Hard on Sep 19, 2009 5:30 PM CDT reply actions

I haven't played since high school

but I could have put up better numbers than Miles. I’m sure he’s a very nice guy but it sickens me to see him come to bat.

by Mapmaker on Sep 19, 2009 6:30 PM CDT reply actions

Miles is useless, and a complete waste of money that could've been spent elsewhere.

Compare his season line to Bobby Scales, career minor leaguer, and his line of .250/.315/.420 with 3 HR, and 12 RBI in 111 PA’s, with Miles putting up his horrid line in 167 PA. And Scales is only making the league minimum. Sigh.

"Was you ever punched in the face five hundred times a night? It stings after a while." ~Rocky Balboa

by Goodie1969 on Sep 20, 2009 2:16 PM CDT up reply actions

Even Andres Blanco's offense...

… which isn’t very good, is better than Miles.

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

by Al Yellon on Sep 20, 2009 2:28 PM CDT up reply actions

All of the above

by TheHawkRules on Sep 20, 2009 11:28 AM CDT reply actions

I nominate Lou.

by Arbusto on Sep 20, 2009 12:02 PM CDT reply actions

the Aaron's

Miles of Heilman

baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out

by Cubbie-Tim on Sep 20, 2009 1:23 PM CDT reply actions

Judging from BCB, to me the obvious answer is Bradley.

Post something about Bradley and all of a sudden there a 800+ comments arguing about him. Discussing him is often like opening a “can of worms.” Isn’t that what the phrase can of worms is all about-a source of unpredictable trouble and complexity? Everyone seems pretty much in argreement on the faults of your other candidates, so I wouldn’t think they’d qualify for the award quite like him.

"Fasten those seatbelts"-Pat Hughes

by katie casey on Sep 20, 2009 2:43 PM CDT reply actions

Hmmm....in light of recent events....maybe now everyone will agree about Milton

and he won’t be that can of worms after all.

"Fasten those seatbelts"-Pat Hughes

by katie casey on Sep 20, 2009 5:36 PM CDT up reply actions

He's opened a big enough can right now.

We won’t have to wait till the end of the season to discuss that.

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

by Al Yellon on Sep 20, 2009 5:46 PM CDT up reply actions

Can a can of worms spoil?

baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out

by Cubbie-Tim on Sep 20, 2009 8:27 PM CDT up reply actions

they taste much better when they are fresh

"Fasten those seatbelts"-Pat Hughes

by katie casey on Sep 21, 2009 8:49 AM CDT up reply actions

But those aren't cans.

They’re plastic cups of worms.

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

by Al Yellon on Sep 21, 2009 8:55 AM CDT up reply actions

OK, how about this one then?

Yeah I know it’s paper.

"Fasten those seatbelts"-Pat Hughes

by katie casey on Sep 21, 2009 9:04 AM CDT up reply actions

Better!

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

by Al Yellon on Sep 21, 2009 10:46 AM CDT up reply actions

Go for the real thing

You see, wire telegraph is a kind of a very, very long cat. You pull his tail in New York and his head is meowing in Los Angeles. Do you understand this? And radio operates exactly the same way: you send signals here, they receive them there. The only difference is that there is no cat. - Albert Einstein

by eths on Sep 22, 2009 3:32 AM CDT up reply actions