Cubs Win Second Straight In Post Jim Hendry Era
by Al Yellon on Aug 20, 2011 6:50 PM CDT
in Chicago Cubs Recaps
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I kid, I kid. Obviously, there's no specific connection between Jim Hendry being dismissed as general manager and the Cubs defeating the Cardinals two straight games.
Really, it's just nice to win games against the Cardinals in general and help knock them farther out of playoff contention. With the Cubs' 3-0 win over the Cardinals and the Brewers' wild win over the Mets in New York, 11-9, Milwaukee extended their lead over St. Louis to 8.5 games; St. Louis would also be 8.5 games out in the wild card race if the Braves win their game Saturday evening.
Matt Garza was the story today. He had a shaky first inning in which he gave up a leadoff double to Jon Jay. Then, with a 3-0 count on Albert Pujols, Mike Quade gave the signal from the dugout to put Pujols on intentionally. Garza clearly was unhappy with this decision, but did as he was told. After then walking Lance Berkman to load the bases, he got out of it with a 6-4-3 double play.
After that 23-pitch first, Garza shut down the Cardinals on just a pair of singles through the sixth, getting out of the fifth with a DP he started himself. There! Good defense isn't that hard, is it, Matt? He had trouble in the seventh after Aramis Ramirez threw a sure DP throw high to Carlos Pena, making the guy who's probably the slowest man in baseball, Yadier Molina, safe at first. He struck out Ryan Theriot to end the inning.
Edwin Jackson started out just as well for the Cardinals, giving up just a walk in the second before Garza bunted into a double play. In the fourth, though, the Cubs scored all their runs on a Starlin Castro single, a line-drive home run by Aramis Ramirez, and then Carlos Pena tripled.
That's not as unusual as you might think -- it's his second of the year -- and then Marlon Byrd doubled him in. Thanks to some solid relief pitching by Sean Marshall, Kerry Wood and Carlos Marmol (29th save), Garza had his sixth win of the year. In so doing he lowered his season ERA to 3.62 -- if he can hold that level or lower, it will be a career-best -- took over the team lead in strikeouts (151, tied for seventh in the NL with Zack Greinke), and dropped his ERA at Wrigley Field to 2.61. So much for everyone who thought his ERA would balloon, going from a pitcher's park at the Trop, to a hitter's park at Wrigley. Garza has also cut way down on his home runs allowed, just 11 so far in 146.2 innings, compared to 28 last year in 204.2 innings.
Since the Cubs reached their low point of the year, 23 games under .500 at 42-65, by losing to the Cardinals in St. Louis on July 30, they're 14-5 -- all but one of those wins in a 13-5 August, by far their best month of the year. They had only one winning month in 2010 (September), so that would be a welcome break from all the bad baseball so far this season.
All of this happened after a drenching thunderstorm blew through Chicago just before noon; by about 1:30 the sun had come out and it was shining brightly all afternoon in front of the largest crowd of the year, 42,374. It looked like there were very few no-shows today, too. The Cubs will draw well tomorrow, undoubtedly -- then we'll see how things go with the Braves in town for three night games when a lot of suburban schools and colleges are back in session.
Two wins don't solve all this club's ills, but they are nice nonetheless. Looking forward to a possible sweep on Sunday.
I know many of you have turned your attention to the GM vacancy and who might be considered for that spot. I'll write about that sometime soon; for now, just trying to enjoy the fading baseball season. Though it's been a tough one, we'll still miss baseball when it's gone for the winter.
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It's clear that with Hendry gone the team is more relaxed, and the pressure is off.
The atmosphere in the clubhouse has obviously been much different the past couple days. I expect a good showing from here on out, and for it to continue into next season.
Seeya Jimbo! Good job, Tommy Boy!
I expect a good showing from here on out, and for it to continue into next season.
I’d like that. Given that we will have a new GM soon, the cast of characters could be quite different by next April.
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Found this article on Ricketts's search for new GM...
Friedman’s name is on the list, but it says that Hahn probably wouldn’t be ruled out. If Cashman leaves the Yankees, would Girardi come with him? This would mean Sandberg getting rejected twice. Who would you take? Girardi or Sandberg?
by jeffmills1972 on Aug 20, 2011 10:55 PM CDT up reply actions
who knows
There could have been some tension surrounding Z as well.
by cozmotaylor123 on Aug 20, 2011 7:05 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
I'm sure of it
For all their faults, the Cubs don’t have many guys who really dominate locker rooms with bad vibes. Even guys you suspect of loafing like Ramirez are more ghosts in the clubhouse than actual impediments. If guys like Garza start taking over the role of clubhouse leaders, the atmosphere in the Wrigley dugouts shouldn’t be a problem in the future.
[...]when Giants coach Steve Owen, a certified defensive genius, was asked how he planned to stop Nagurski, he said: "With a shotgun, as he’s leaving the dressing room."
by NobodySpecial on Aug 20, 2011 7:11 PM CDT up reply actions
Every year we hear how positive
the team chemistry is. Every year they lose we find out one of the reasons is bad chemistry. All I want to see is a winning team that isn’t put together with band aids. The chemistry will take care of itself.
If it wasn't for the injuries, we'd be printing WS tickets right now.
Hendry being let go didn't make the team more relaxed
Z being put in his spot relaxed the team.
And, the pressure has been off since before the ASB.
Continuing into next season depends who will be running the show and who will be in the show.
Just win the next game...!
something happened after Pena spoke at the trade deadline
Cubs are playing .750 ball, if they win tomorrow, they will be 15-5 over the last 20 games, more than a hot streak. They are hitting for more power and playing better defense along with better starting pitching.
A friend once told me: "I don't buy the idea that a team learns anything from a loss, the only thing they learn is how to lose games."---Knight
Pena has spoken before and they continued losing
If it wasn't for the injuries, we'd be printing WS tickets right now.
Really?
"Obviously, there are some things that need to change," Pena said. "(It’s) not so much moving a piece here and there will make a huge difference. I’m talking more about our culture, our way of being, (our) way of thinking, our energy. "We have (talent). There’s no doubt about it. It’s the other stuff. The intangibles need to change and I think as we go along they are. … I’m saying let’s endure through this. This is only going to make us stronger (and) soon enough we’re going to reap the benefits."
,
Then the Cubs (43-65) snap a five-game losing streak….now they are 56-70, having won 14 of 19…
Incidentally the July team line was: .246/.290/.382 .672-OPS
and August team line is: 291/.347/.496 .843=OPS
where the Cubs scored 91 runs in all of July in 26 games while 90 runs in August in just 17 games.
pitching splits are: July : 4.85-ERA .273/.343.420 .763-OPS opposition
and August currently is: 4.04-ERA .241/.304/.406 .710-OPS opposition
Come on what happened? New bubble gum? New water cooler? Or is the team not listening to the coaching staff?
A friend once told me: "I don't buy the idea that a team learns anything from a loss, the only thing they learn is how to lose games."---Knight
I can crunch numbers too and
It’s obvious that the team is playing better, but claiming it’s based upon Pena’s comments is simply nonsense. What possible proof exists that a correlation exists?
If it wasn't for the injuries, we'd be printing WS tickets right now.
I don't think Ivy
has made an declarative statement. He presents evidence to back what he postulates as the reason for the recent hot streak. It is a rare Ivy post that makes sense. Proving a correlation is difficult if not impossible in any circumstance.
And so it goes.
I am indeed being agnostic on this correlation
There is something here, whether it is a coincidence or something else none of us could possibly know. But this is no small turnaround. Is it a combination of a different attitude and or approach or the fact that the Cubs lineup changed with Fukudome putting Castro mostly in the lead off spot and correspondingly putting Barney in the 2 hole and Ramirez in the 3rd spot…but that does not explain the pitching and fielding changes as well.
Nonsense is too harsh a statement Tharr, for you cannot disprove it either…so saying it is nonsense is nonsensical on your part.
The word I used was “something”, I was asking the question…making an observation.
A friend once told me: "I don't buy the idea that a team learns anything from a loss, the only thing they learn is how to lose games."---Knight
Hey, this line of reasoning got Quade the full time job after last season.
Seeya Jimbo! Good job, Tommy Boy!
There's a big difference between the in season effect of a GM and a manager.
And the players were pretty clear in their defense of Hendry…
But I know you’re being sarcastic so I’ll leave it at that.
I don't mean to be contrary
But how is this obvious?
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by BeerCub on Aug 21, 2011 12:21 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Facts
Sorry to let facts get in the way but the Cubs had been playing well for about 3 weeks 12-5 before Friday heck they were playing well before Z’s latest blowup.
So to say this current streak has anything to do with either man leaving is just purely meatball.
Nothing happens unless it's first a dream
by puckishcubsfan on Aug 21, 2011 6:16 AM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
Good game all around
Though I missed most of it, still good to see Garza dealing like that. Looking forward to a sweep tomorrow!
"Chicago baseball fans, who are composites of scar tissue and mortifying memories..." - George F. Will
Avatar provided courtesy of AndrewJStone.
I don't like anybody showing up their manager. Even if it is Quade.
Garza needs to knock that shit off.
I'm sure he will be.
What Garza did today is minor IMO, but still did happen. Same thing with Dempster. Z’s a basketcase, so whatever. But for all Quade’s faults, these guys are professionals, and some of this stuff really shouldn’t be happening, and that’s on the players. It doesn’t appear this is a very easy group to handle.
Seeya Jimbo! Good job, Tommy Boy!
One of the problems with the Hendry era.
The inmates ran the asylum. You don’t need a yelling and screaming manager, but you do need someone who will enforce rules and team discipline and hold players accountable.
Let’s hope we get someone like that.
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Dusty, Lou, Quade...
It appears like it takes more than just the manager. Whoever takes over as GM is going to have to make wholesale changes throughout the organization.
Seeya Jimbo! Good job, Tommy Boy!
consistency and knowing how to manage star power
What Barney said about Sandberg rings quite true, he is a Hall of Fame player, someone who now has paid the price down in the thankless world of minor league baseball, where he gets teams to win and stay competitive. They play the game right, they approach the game right and he wins respect.
Now would the Soriano’s, Ramirez’s and other veterans rebel against some basic measures? Maybe but Sandberg simply could enforce playing time….but what he would need is to be backed up by his GM and owner.
A friend once told me: "I don't buy the idea that a team learns anything from a loss, the only thing they learn is how to lose games."---Knight
I agree.
Personally, I walk Albert every time, bar none. But, I understand Garza’s frustrations. There were a couple pitches he thought were strikes, and he’s competitive enough where even down in the count 3-0, he felt he could’ve come back and gotten him out. Also, I think the planes were really bothering him and throwing off his rhythm.
"Whenever one finds himself in the majority, it is time to step back and reflect," Mark Twain.
by WindisBlowingOut! on Aug 20, 2011 7:41 PM CDT up reply actions
not that rare?
and then Carlos Pena tripled.
That’s not as unusual as you might think — it’s his second of the year
Fox noted it was his second since 2007, I believe….
Fukudometer: Created 3/31/08 Wrigley Debut 4/5/08 WGN and Japan TV Debut 4/6/08 Sun Times Debut: 4/20/08 Coffee Table Debut: 7/17/08
If that's what they said, they were wrong.
Pena had two triples in 2008 and two in 2009.
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Fox WRONG about something?
I’m shocked.
There are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. Who says baseball isn't a religion?
seventh since 2004 actually
He had 2 in 2009. Seems pretty rare to me….
Fukudometer: Created 3/31/08 Wrigley Debut 4/5/08 WGN and Japan TV Debut 4/6/08 Sun Times Debut: 4/20/08 Coffee Table Debut: 7/17/08
For a guy with Pena's lack of speed?
That’s kind of a lot.
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Congrats on a great couple of days.
In the meantime, we’re folding like a house of Cards in a hurricane as the Brewers go 21-3.
Haven’t won a postseason game in 5 years, only been once. This with the reputed Best Player in Baseball, Holliday, ROY & Cy candidates w/Connie Mack Jr. @ the helm. Thanks for The Curse of ThEriot this year.
Hope y’all finish strong, we’re toast. Time for LaRussa & Pujols to move on, open the next chapter in St. Louis.
Al, what do you attribute the record crowds too? Are they admitting more patrons the past couple days than since the ’78 fiasco? How can attendance be higher than games in your postseason years? Thanks.
I'm a Baseball fan first, Cards fan 2nd.
by Cardsfansince62 on Aug 20, 2011 7:17 PM CDT reply actions
Thanks for The Curse of ThEriot this year.
im so sorry about this. no one (except for yankees and phillies fans) should have to experience ryan theriot
I'm a happy panda.
by jesus christos on Aug 20, 2011 7:20 PM CDT up reply actions
If there is a TheRiot curse, it couldn't happen in a better place
Just a shame the Cubs haven’t been good enough to take advantage of it. And I agree, if there is a just God in Heaven, the Cards will trade him to the Reds.
40 games in St. Louis, 40 games in Cincy,
40 games as a Yankee, and 40 games with whoever is competing with the Cubs for the 2012 division title. (A guy can dream, right?)
I only want him on the Yankees roster for the postseason
And even then, I only really care unless the Cubs get to the WS. I don’t have the energy to get all concerned about the AL.
Crowds
First, the seating capacity is larger over the last few years with the addition of high priced dugout boxes and the bleacher expansion. That, with selling 1,500 standing room tix, accounted for the high attendance today.
Playoff games generally have lower crowds because some seats are taken out of sale for auxiliary press areas. This is true for all ballparks, not just Wrigley.
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Got it, thanks.
I thought the bleachers expansion/seat additions was prior to 07 or 08. Was thinkin’ attendance woulda been huge some of those late 07/08 reg season games.
I'm a Baseball fan first, Cards fan 2nd.
by Cardsfansince62 on Aug 20, 2011 7:36 PM CDT up reply actions
I think Tribune gave away more freebies at that time.
That’s the only explanation.
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Freebies don't count on attendance?
Doesn’t MLB “get” an appropriation of seats too? I know the NHL does that. Those are still seats that have a ticket and thus count towards attendance.
Gotta wonder if the SRO number is higher. You cite 1,500 above. Has it been that for some time now? Because I thought I remember seeing a number around only 1,000.
Just win the next game...!
It could be higher.
And you are correct, freebies are not counted. Only paid attendance (paid tickets sold) is reported.
I wish they’d list actual bodies in the house, too. As I have written before, I have been keeping track of my estimate of how many actually showed up since the Astros series in late July.
So for the last 28 home dates we’ll have an approximate comparison of announced tickets sold and actual bodies in the house.
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Are the Cubs over selling tickets
or why all of a sudden we are having decade record crowds? I know it is the cardinals but crowds are bigger than 08.
I bet cardinals fans were agitated Grace talked Cubs all afternoon.
Garza impressed. He is our ace next season and maybe Hendry got one right for us that will pay dividends well in the future. I enjoyed this game a lot, let’s do the unthinkable and sweep them tomorrow night on national TV.
We'll miss you Big Boy. #10 for Hall of Fame.
by mrcubsfan on Aug 20, 2011 7:22 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
See above for the reason for the larger crowds.
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But bigger than 08? These have been 2 huge crowds.
We'll miss you Big Boy. #10 for Hall of Fame.
by mrcubsfan on Aug 20, 2011 7:36 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Loved Grace as a player, loved him.
Didn’t mind his Cubs talk today. Thought the self-gratifying several minutes of talking about Garza’s uni # & G r a letters in his name in the top of the 1st were a tad redic. But just sounded like he was jacked-up to be back in Chicago callin’ the game. Understandable. He’s not the greatest announcer but improving.
Still sad to lose my daily Moreland fix on the Longhorn baseball & football games here in Austin. Huge Moreland fan, as a Cub as well as Horn announcer. Not sure who gets his gig here this season, maybe he’ll do some games after MLB’s over.
I'm a Baseball fan first, Cards fan 2nd.
by Cardsfansince62 on Aug 20, 2011 7:42 PM CDT up reply actions
He’s not the greatest announcer but improving.
Grace? He’s been awful in the booth since he started and has not gotten any better.
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That's a pretty low bar to jump over.
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Santo couldn't announce a game any better than Grace can
but he’s held with such high reverence. I don’t get it. Santo was AWFUL at his job. Sorry.
by stuartscottslefteye on Aug 21, 2011 8:45 AM CDT up reply actions
Because Grace purports to be a good analyst.
Santo never did. Everyone knew he was a fan in the booth.
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Santo
was about entertainment and personality. You were listening to the character. It also says how great Pat is at his job. Uecker is another guy who doesn’t always do such a great job at keeping the listener informed. Some times I’m trying to figure out what’s going on and he’s talking about the tax on oleomargarine. Yet he is wildly popular and not just with his home fanbase.
I also don’t think Grace is bad.
"Prince Fielder is too fat even for the Oakland A’s" - Billy Beane
Well, sorry you even had to ask this question
Because since you did, it means you haven’t paid one whit of attention to any discussion related to Ron Santo.
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we’re 5.5 behind cincy and 3.5 behind pittsburgh. i would hope we could catch pittsburgh but i would absolutely love to put the reds in our rear view mirror.
i would especially enjoy putting it in the faces of all the bandwagon reds fans around here that our terrible team finished better than you.
small steps though.
btw, i attribute the better play due to hendry’s last trade. quade insisted on kosuke in the leadoff. with him gone, starlin is leading off and the other players are batting where they should more or less. it was a good trade that forced the manager’s hand into doing something he should have done since mid april.
by jcarti01 on Aug 20, 2011 7:28 PM CDT reply actions 2 recs
...
Though it’s been a tough one, we’ll still miss baseball when it’s gone for the winter.
THIS.
Go Cubs
BEAR DOWN!
by mikegncb34 on Aug 20, 2011 7:29 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Congrats to the Milwaukee Brewers...Champs of the NL Central AND...
the next NL Central team to be swept outta the playoffs…hopefully.
Good job, Tom...now on to the manager problem.
I'd actually rather see the Brewers make some noise
If they get flattened, it is just a sign of how far the Cubs have to go to get to the WS. Division wins are just a sign of the dilution caused by expansion. Getting to the WS and winning it are still the accomplishments that really matter.
they'd play the phillies, right?
I'm a happy panda.
by jesus christos on Aug 20, 2011 8:12 PM CDT up reply actions
I think the Braves
who are wildcard, but in the same division.
"Prince Fielder is too fat even for the Oakland A’s" - Billy Beane
Right now you'd have
(3) AZ @ (1) PHI
(WC) ATL @ (2) MIL
Wild card can’t play it’s own division in the first round.
"Stuff like this is why they should shut off the internet."
by Orval Overall on Dec 17, 2010 1:19 PM CST
dilution caused by expansion
or 6 teams with middling front offices.
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
Garza was great today
but except for that stretch in the 4th inning, Edwin Jackson was just as good. Both pitchers were just blowing guys away today. Certainly enjoying taking two from the Cardinals; it would be nice to get the sweep tomorrow and put the final death blow on their season.
It was nice to hear Lewin/Grace call the game...
Not the greatest broadcasters of all-time, but two guys that know the Cubs very well…
Get 'em on, Get 'em over, Get 'em in!
Lewin/Grace
better than Buck/McCarver—though that ain’t saying much!
Go Cubs Go! Go Cubs Go!
Hey Chicago what do you say,
The Cubs are gonna win today!
Almost everybody
Is better than Buck/McCarver.
Minor League Contributing Writer, Athletics Nation.
State high point count: 4/50
If you are grouchy, irritable, or just plain mean, there will be a $10 charge for putting up with you.
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Aug 20, 2011 8:35 PM CDT up reply actions
dental drill>>buck mccarver
I'm a Cubs fan. The Jaded Bitterness comes as a Standard Feature.
Hahaha...Cubs win!! cards lose!!!
.. Cards r gonna miss the playoffs and thats as good as the cubs winning!! Fuck the Cardinals!
No need for profanity.
I’m not that excited to see the Brewers go to the playoffs, either.
And no, seeing the Cardinals miss the playoffs is definitely NOT as good as the Cubs winning.
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i would rather have the Breweres win thw World Series than the Cards make the playoffs
… the Cards can go to hell far as im concerned… I hate the Cardinals and every MF that roots for them!! Go CUBS sweep the bitch Cardinals tomorow!!! I hate the cards and all their fans!!!!!!
Screw the cards. GO CUBS!!!!!!
You sound like a Cardinal fan.
"I'm not much of a chemistry guy, you know. Chemistry to me is a pinch-hit double with the bases loaded"--Jim Frey, Chicago Tribune, 1985.
i would rather have the Breweres win thw World Series than the Cards make the playoffs
lol
I'm a happy panda.
by jesus christos on Aug 20, 2011 9:58 PM CDT up reply actions
I can actually on some level agree with this statement
I generally dislike Cardinals fans and there walk on water, we live in baseball-mecca attitude. I lived in Wisconsin for a while and I may hate the fact that most Sconies (no offense Wisky residents!) love the Fackers, but how can you hate on a historically Cubbie-like mediocre franchise like the Brewers? The Brewers haven’t won sh*t EVER.
There GM Melvin is going for it like Hendry did in 2007-08, they’re most likely going to lose Fielder after this off-season, and either Greinke and/or Marcum after 2012. Their farm system is in chambles so 2011 is going to be the Brewers best chance to get to the WS for a while, IMO
If it’s not the Cubs, I’d rather have it be the Brewers than the Cardinals, Phillies, Yankees, or RSox
Try growing up a Cubs fan in SE Wisconsin
I would MUCH rather have the Cardinals win.
Step Two: Develop an organizational plan
by Shanghai Badger on Aug 21, 2011 6:53 AM CDT up reply actions
And I think jc was laughing at the spelling of "Breweres"
Step Two: Develop an organizational plan
by Shanghai Badger on Aug 21, 2011 6:53 AM CDT up reply actions
wow
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the ground each morning the devil says, "OH CRAP, SHE'S UP"!
As good?
You don’t sound like a Cardinals fan. You sound like a White Sox fan.
Step Two: Develop an organizational plan
by Shanghai Badger on Aug 21, 2011 6:54 AM CDT up reply actions
Spoiler
Really, it’s just nice to win games against the Cardinals in general and help knock them farther out of playoff contention
I would have really preferred the Cubs not sweep the Pirates a few weeks back. How sweet would it have been for the Pirates to have a better record than the hated redbirds.
"The standard is the standard" Mike Tomlin
It wasn't just the Cubs beating the Pirates.
Since July 19, Pittsburgh is 8-21.
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Yes, but
it was also at the beginning the Pirate skid. Things could have been much different if the Pirates had won those 4. This was right after the horrible call in Atlanta.
"The standard is the standard" Mike Tomlin
Can't wait! Got bleacher seats for tomorrow night...
.. and a room at the Doubletree off Michigan Ave — All on my company’s dime and we don’t start til 11am Monday! Let’s sweep!
"I always tell the truth -- Even when I lie" -- Tony Montana
if
the cubs played like this most of the season hendry would’nt have lost his job. 13-5 and they’re still 15 games under.shows you how bad this team was.the brewers made offseason moves and so did the cubs. well,we see whose worked out and whose did’nt.and my 1st choice for gm is freidman from the rays.he’d have money to spend and asses in the seats. he has neither in tampa.and this guy with the white sox sounds intriguing.
now
that big z is gone i’ve appointed matt garza as my favorite cubs starter. im sure he’ll be thrilled.
Garza has plenty of "fire," too...
just without slamming bats into Gatorade coolers, bumping umps, chucking balls into the stands, beating up teammates, etc… But if I’m being completely honest, I’ll miss watching Z bat and hit HR’s. He was entertaining as heck…
Get 'em on, Get 'em over, Get 'em in!
and
dont foget the curse of the central. 07-08-09-10. everybody 3 and out.i cant see the brewers doing that but you never know.when your hot your hot when your not your not.we shall see. whatever my season ends oct 3rd.
Why?
I love the playoffs (except for the game start and end times) even if the Cubs aren’t playing.
John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.
by rlpete on Aug 21, 2011 7:43 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I agree.
Plus, this year the first round could be nearly over by Oct. 3. The regular season ends Sept. 28 and the playoffs start Sept. 30.
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Al, have you ever seen so many Cardinal fans at Wrigley?
Couple things, since they are only here for one weekend trip this is the most Cardinal fans I have ever seen at Wrigley, The bleachers wre a sea of red, I have to believe 35% of the fans were St. Louis.
Why isn’t Dempster starting tonight? Why throw Lopez out there on Sunday night baseball when u have a chance to sweep?
I had the same question about Dempster.
Lopez’s turn could have and should have been skipped.
Disagree re: Cardinal fans. I’ve seen many other games vs. St. Louis when there were more Cardinals fans than this weekend.
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this really bothers me
tickets are a premium for this game, you owe it to your fan base to put the best possible guy out there to beat the Cardinals, Dempster. Yes, beating and sweeping St. Louis should mean a lot more than beating Atlanta tomorrow in this lost season. Another example why Quade will be looking for a new job in 38 days.
I agree.
Some of the things Quade does are just mystifying.
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Quade is over-matched in this league
Which is why he needs to be gone
"The standard is the standard" Mike Tomlin
Quade needs to be questioned about this
it’s just not right for Dempster not to be out there, especially now that we have a chance to sweep.
You'll get a lame answer, like...
… “I wanted to keep everyone on rotation.”
Like it matters to keep Rodrigo Lopez on rotation.
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Lots of Cardinal fans
But I recall the awful years of the 1970s when friends and I would sit in the center field bleachers all the time with our pick of seats, except when the Cardinals came to town. Center field would fill up, mostly with Cardinal fans, and we had to take what we could get. How dare they!? Anyway, the Cardinals always seem to bring a lot of fans to weekend series at Wrigley Field.
One of Lee Elia's 15%
by waiting4cubs on Aug 21, 2011 8:59 AM CDT up reply actions
i had no idea they used to sell bleachers on the day of game
(Al’s article yesterday). That had to be pretty wild for the big games and a lot of waiting in line. I wonder if people would camp out for tickets?
Yes.
Especially in the late 1970s, when the Cubs contended for a while before falling out of the race, people did sleep overnight on occasion, mainly weekends.
Often, people would show up as early as 6 am for other games.
They ended this after 1984 when pushing and shoving in line got out of hand.
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The day of game bleacher tickets policy was great.
You always felt you had a shot at getting into the game, for the few games that were sold out! Now day of game is SRO and the Cubs’ policy on that is strange, or at least inconsistent. For instance, yesterday I went to the box office at about 11:00 and was told standing room wasn’t available. I asked if SRO was sold out or just not being offered. “We sold a lot of standing room,” I was told. “Don’t know if they’re going to release any more.”
We returned at about 2:30. When I asked about standing room the guy in the ticket window hesitated and then said, “Is it just you?” I replied that there would be two of us. He paused again, said okay, and sold me the tickets.
This has happened before. Perhaps they are trying to prevent scalpers from buying them up. However, we did the same routine for a Cubs/Sox game this year, trying early and being told no standing room, and then returning about half an hour before game time only to be told that standing room was completely sold out. Tried again just before first pitch and got the same reply. And the total attendance for the game turned out to be less than yesterday!
In a final interesting twist, Tom Ricketts stopped in standing room to chat. It was fun. He was happy the weather turned nice and the house was full. Then he offered my wife and I upgrades to box seats! Very nice. But we turned him down. SRO was hilarious fun yesterday and we didn’t want to leave.
One of Lee Elia's 15%
by waiting4cubs on Aug 21, 2011 9:50 AM CDT up reply actions
That SRO policy is mystifying.
There’s a way to fix that — make people go into the park immediately after buying the SRO tickets.
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Exactly!
They used to do that when they sold SRO tickets at the windows on Waveland Ave. You had to go straight into the ballpark through Gate K. We had no problem with that at all. I think the Ricketts changed that policy. I don’t believe they sell any tickets at the Waveland Ave. ticket windows, do they?
One of Lee Elia's 15%
by waiting4cubs on Aug 21, 2011 10:00 AM CDT up reply actions
Pity.
It was very convenient. Buy a ticket, in through Gate K, buy a scorecard from our usual guy (since retired), up the ramp and we’re there at our favorite spot! Also, that last ramp down along the left field line is one of the quickest ways out of the ballpark. It feeds straight out at Gate J. No crush of people in the main concourse below the grandstands, which is good for an old guy like me. I think your bleacher stairs must be pretty quick, too.
Also, the last box seats exit along the third base line feeds into that turnstile exit on Waveland (if it’s still there) which also avoids the crunch of the concourse. When we get lucky enough to get a lower box (generally a gift) we walk around the ballpark to that exit and be out in no time.
One of Lee Elia's 15%
by waiting4cubs on Aug 21, 2011 10:31 AM CDT up reply actions
here's some standing room advice
if you have a bleacher seat and came late or buy sro, go to sec 242 and there is fence about row 14 where you can lean against and get some sun too. It’s not bad.
Thanks for the tip, but I have to avoid the sun.
I had a basal cell problem several years ago (I like to blame too many games in the center field bleachers with no sun screen — foolish youth). Also, the breeze coming through from the west makes standing room at that last ramp along the left field line one of the coolest spots in the ballpark on hot days.
One of Lee Elia's 15%
by waiting4cubs on Aug 21, 2011 10:08 AM CDT up reply actions
Right. We stand above 205-206. You can see the scoreboard from there, too,
because the luxury boxes overhang stops at the PNC suite which is to our right a bit.
One of Lee Elia's 15%
by waiting4cubs on Aug 21, 2011 10:17 AM CDT up reply actions
Let them be swept tonight!
If the Cubs still have a chance, no matter how small, it’s still Go Cubs, damn the math and pass the KoolAid.
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