How Not To Play Baseball And Still Set Milestones: Cubs Beat Astros 2-1
by Al Yellon on Sep 17, 2011 4:25 PM CDT
in Chicago Cubs Recaps
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As befitting teams that entered Saturday's game with 85 and 99 losses, respectively, the Cubs and Astros gave an excellent demonstration of bad baseball Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field.
In the first inning alone, we had a pitcher give up a run because of an error and still strike out the side and his opponent allow four walks, but not have the run he allowed be as a direct result of any of the walks (it, too, scored on an error).
That set the tone for a dreadfully long (three hours and 16 minutes for 8-1/2 innings, just 36 minutes shorter than Friday's 12-inning affair) in which I timed Wesley Wright, one of three Houston relievers, as taking about 45 seconds between pitches -- and that doesn't even include a couple of mound meetings the Astros had during his two-batter appearance in the eighth inning.
The Cubs left nine men on base and were 0-for-8 with RISP. The Astros left 13 men on base and were 0-for-14 with RISP. Exactly 300 pitches were thrown in this game, 138 by Astros hurlers and 162 by five Cubs pitchers, but when Sean Marshall got Humberto Quintero to hit a soft bouncer to Darwin Barney with the bases loaded in the ninth, the Cubs had a 2-1 victory over Houston, several milestones were established. (Note: I didn't understand the PH appearance by Quintero; he was batting for Brian Bogusevic. The last time Bogusevic faced a Cubs pitcher with the bases loaded in the ninth inning, he hit a walkoff grand slam. Sometimes, you want the better hitter at the plate even though it would have been lefty vs. lefty. Good for the Cubs that Astros manager Brad Mills made this choice.)
Here's the history (and other statistical miscellany) this victory accomplished:
- It was the Astros' 100th loss. It is the first time in Houston franchise history they have lost 100 games; that leaves the Angels and Rockies as the only teams that have never lost 100 games in a season.
- It is the 4,000th game the Cubs have won in Wrigley Field. They have lost 3,520 for a winning percentage of .532. Even in bad years, the Cubs have generally played well at home. In fact, if they can win the four home games remaining in 2011, they'd finish with a winning home season at 41-40.
- The Cubs evened up their record in one-run games at 25-25. It's 13-6 since the All-Star break.
- The Cubs evened up their record since the All-Star break to 30-30, improved to 8-7 in September and 24-20 since Aug. 1.
Rodrigo Lopez threw six very good innings, striking out a season-high seven. Then again, you have to remember he was facing essentially a Triple-A team. So a few props to Lopez, but not enough to make me want him back. Meanwhile, Houston's Henry Sosa, a more-or-less Triple-A pitcher, handcuffed the Cubs (except for the four first-inning walks) with no hits for the first three innings.
Then Bryan LaHair hit his second home run as a Cub to dead center field. It gave the Cubs a 2-1 lead and was the final scoring in the game. I'm not going to go through all the various scoring chances the Cubs (and for that matter, the Astros) had in the last five innings, because it might take as long as those innings did. (I think Wesley Wright might still be out there kicking dirt around the Wrigley Field mound.)
A few -- very few -- words about the wave that started in the ninth inning (it appeared, in right center field) and went around Wrigley Field several times. Stop this. Just stop it. It's not interesting, it's not enjoyable to watch, it got in the way of a critical situation in the game and it's not all about you, you people who start it.
It's so 1980s. Just stop. (No, I did not participate, nor will I ever.)
Attendance watch: 39,377 tickets were sold today. The no-show count was reasonably low, likely due to the nice weather; over 30,000 were in the house and the bleachers were about 95% full. That brings the season total to 2,879,104. So the Cubs need just 120,896 to get to three million -- an average of 30,224 for the four remaining dates. They should get it, especially after I heard today that a lot of bleacher tickets were sold for Monday and Tuesday, presumably to Brewers fans thinking they might see a division clinching game.
Which I would rather not see. Milwaukee's magic number is seven; this would be a great time to send them on a five-game losing streak, starting tonight.
Meanwhile, the Cubs will go for their sixth straight home win over the Astros (and second straight sweep of them at Wrigley) Sunday afternoon behind Ryan Dempster.
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Waving
Al, I gotta believe you are preaching to the choir on that execrable cheer: I can’t believe any of your regular readers would be so uninterested in the game as to participate in the wave.
"It is history that teaches us to hope" -- R. E. Lee
But Lee wasn't a Cubs fan.
I hope not.
Maybe someone else who did it will read this and be embarrassed enough to never do it again.
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In the *9th*?
In a one-run game?!? WTF is wrong with people?
Granted, it’s not like the game counts for crap, but still…
"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
Goes to show
That people are not coming to the game to watch the game. There are so many available tickets that casual sports fans can get in and think they are cool by starting the wave.
In my lifetime please!
That wave was sickening.
It went totally around 4 times. No, I did not participate, but it was distracting and as Al said it was during a critical time of the game. Unfricken believable. Never saw anything like that at Wrigley before and hope I never see it again.
Football? Football? What's a football?-Ralphie Parker
by katie casey on Sep 18, 2011 12:19 PM CDT up reply actions
Lopez is now a .500 pitcher on a weak team.
No, I don’t want him back. But, if he would have pitched for us all season instead of Russell and those other so called pitchers we threw out there that couldn’t win a game, maybe we win another 5-6 games. Really, how is he 6-6?
We'll miss you Big Boy. #10 for Hall of Fame.
by mrcubsfan on Sep 17, 2011 4:45 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
The other team heard the name 'Rodrigo Lopez'
and they immediately dressed their AAA team in disguises and went to the bar.
[...]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 Sep 17, 2011 4:55 PM CDT up reply actions
5-6 more wins is a stretch.
You could sell me on 2-3. RoLo is still awfully bad, so we can’t assume the Cubs would have become a .500 team in the games started by guys who shouldn’t be SPs in the big leagues (Russell, Davis, Ortiz, et al.).
"Stuff like this is why they should shut off the internet."
by Orval Overall on Dec 17, 2010 1:19 PM CST
Lopez has 14 starts.
If he had 28 starts like Garza, and (big if) we had gone 7-7 we would be a half game behind the Reds. I know, not much consolation, but it goes to show that after Cashner and Wells went down we tanked our whole season with crappy 4-5 starters. Let’s hope we have 5 solid starters for an entire season next year.
We'll miss you Big Boy. #10 for Hall of Fame.
by mrcubsfan on Sep 17, 2011 6:23 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Agree with you.
Lopez has done a respectable job. He is the kind of pitcher that teams should have available as a 6th starter. The Cubs should never have thrown away games by starting James Russell. I was also fine with trying Doug Davis but he just didn’t work. I didn’t like Ramon Ortiz.
For 2012, Lopez should be invited to spring training. He should be considered for the long man in the bullpen and then WHEN not if someone gets hurt, he could fill in.
John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.
Well...
There’s a bunch of issues with this projection.
First, you have to consider the record of the Cubs in the 14 games you are “assigning” to Lopez. Are you just picking 14 games the Cubs lost?
I just don’t think you can assume that, as bad as the Cubs were all year, that they would automatically continue to go .500 in games started by a marginal SP.
I fully agree Lopez has been respectable… and certainly better than Russell, Davis, Ortiz. But I don’t automatically think we can project the Cubs to gain five wins in hindsight if you make Lopez a year long project.
Not to mention that Lopez wasn’t acquired till the end of May… so we would really be playing the “what if?” game if you’re talking about him filling in starts through April and May.
"Stuff like this is why they should shut off the internet."
by Orval Overall on Dec 17, 2010 1:19 PM CST
I am 4-0 in games I've been to
when Lopez pitches. I am starting to ♥ him. I think we should have him back next year with the condition that they give me tickets to all of his games.
Football? Football? What's a football?-Ralphie Parker
by katie casey on Sep 18, 2011 12:22 PM CDT up reply actions
^THIS^ Wholeheartedly!
Those cannot be true Cub Fans! …grumble…grumble…GD Tourists!
"So sad, This Cubbie Thing" Courtesy of E-Man, 6/25/2011
sorry to tell you
but if it was tourists, then the crowd was made up of almost all tourists. Participation was was too close to universal. We were in the 400’s and watched the horror. Top of the ninth of a one-run game? Surreal.
Some fans in the left field bleachers tried to start a wave earlier, going in the opposite direction (counter clockwise), but it only made it to the next section before it died.
There were some fans behind us, in the 500s, screaming “NO WAVE” and someone in the bleachers had a sign up that read “No WAVE at WRIGLEY” or something like that, but it seams that most fans who were there today had no notion of that sentiment.
One of Lee Elia's 15%
by waiting4cubs on Sep 17, 2011 6:34 PM CDT up reply actions
Tragic.
Thanks for sharing. Maybe ‘Real Cub Fans’ have left for greener pastures? I can’t verify it, but I’ve heard Wrigley is #1 tourist attraction in Chicago (During MLB season). I can only say that I, for one, would take a very anti-wave position were I there. (And I feel sad for anyone who’d be foolish enough to gimme the ole ’c’mon man…join in’… =:)—-~> (that’s my best “devilish smiley face”)
"So sad, This Cubbie Thing" Courtesy of E-Man, 6/25/2011
There's really no point to the wave
But people think it’s cool and want to be more into the game, even though it’s not at all about them. I don’t think many people on TV notice it though. I don’t think I did
by braziliancubsfan on Sep 17, 2011 5:01 PM CDT reply actions
Lahair stays hot...
Quade give him more playing time…what does he need to do to stay in the lineup?
He hasn’t been that bad in the outfield maybe he will make the team over Colvin next year.
LaHair's plate approaches have been really good so far, working each count
I hope that he gets some consideration for either a bench job or a starting job (I know I will get the haters out on that).
Who hates LaHair?
That is a dumb comment. No one hates him. There are some myself included that don’t think he is a good option for the starting 1st baseman spot in 2012 but no one hates him. I’d like to see him do well. He is a good story and so far has shown that he should be strongly considered for the left-handed/primary pinch hitter spot next season. I want Fielder at 1st base though.
John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.
I don't think he meant that people reallly "hate" LaHair
He meant the “haters” that regularly talk about how he’s going to be nothing, based only on his age. They seem to forget that baseball players usually enter their prime around ages 26-28 so he could just be a late bloomer.
Is he the next Prince Fielder? Probably not. But I believe we’d have more production next year with an outfield of Soriano, Colvin (in CF), and LaHair (if Pena is kept, which it seems they are hell-bent on doing) then Soriano, Byrd, and some guy that they beg out of retirement to play RF after trading away both LaHair and Colvin for peanuts.
That would be an awful outfield.
Two players out of position and the gimpy Soriano.
Offensively, I see no value in slotting Colvin for any starting position. He has horrible plate discipline and barring a complete remake of his approach, he is a 4th outfielder at best.
John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.
Colvin still thinks he can hit that high fastball at eye level.
I swear every pitcher gets him out with that now.
If he is going to be a viable MLB player, Colvin needs a hitting coach who emphasizes strike zone knowledge
A coach the Cubs’ system apparently lacks. Colvin also probably needs to at least start 2012 in AAA, given his massive struggles this year.
Colvin will not be our CF next year
He’ll be lucky if he’s even on the MLB roster. And it’s a good thing that he won’t be, because an OF of Soriano, Colvin, LaHair would be atrocious defensively.
At some point next year, Brett Jackson will be called up. He’ll either play CF or move to RF with Byrd remaining in CF.
LaHair
either gets traded over the winter or takes Colvin’s spot on the 25 man (who is traded) and is in LF next year with LoMo at 1B, Jackson in CF and Bryd in RF…
thank god I am not the GM
It would be interesting to see if
Lahair performance in Sept makes him a trade trip for a starting pitcher. Maybe a Lahair, Barney, and Soto could get you a starter. You would still have DJ, Castillo, and Colvin to fill their roles.
imaginism working OT
Soto is not a valued catcher after this year, he has a WAR of 1.9 (2.0 is an average MLB player), 15/25 comparable catchers, his fielding is 2.0 and ranked T-6th though, yet his errors are way up, 2 fielding error and 9 throwing, 36/81 CS/SB (they are running more on Soto), as for Barney his WAR is 1.6 (again average is 2.0) and 18th ranked 2nd in MLB. I like Barney as a very good utility/platoon player. He seems to have a good situational hitting component where his clutch is stronger than league average (1.18) but otherwise his game is average. LaHair is a promise.
I say keep all three, trade Byrd (his WAR is 2.2, and ranked 20th in CF’ers,) trade Dempster, Marmol, even Marshall (his value is high now), rid the club of DeWitt, Hill, and I don’t think Pena or Ramirez are retained. Soriano stays but is relegated with Campana in LF….next year is not a pretty roster but one that will surprise some with better results than this sorry ass example of a MLB big market roster.
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
Byrd has been bad this year but i feel like he could be useful 4th outfielder
and show some leadership to Jackson. If you can get a good trade for him then I am all for it but if you want to have best outfield out there then Byrd should be able to find a spot. As for Demp he is a useful 3rd starter and why would we get rid of starting pitching when we need it. As for Marmol and Marshall I would trade them if the offer was good. With Marmol’s salary increase he will need to build his value back up.
Also Barney could have more value as a shortstop where his WAR would be higher. Soto still has the potential to bounce back but we need to get rid of him before he starts getting to expensive.
As for Lahair he is having a hot streak but his approach at the plate tells me that even when his babip goes down he will be able to draw walks and see a bunch of pitches. I can’t recall how Hoffpauir’s approach was but he does have a better approach than Colvin does even when he was hitting well.
Trade DJ instead
Capitalize on his potential before he turns into a bust.
by Mulhollandmania on Sep 17, 2011 9:36 PM CDT up reply actions
As a throw-in maybe
but I don’t DJL will bring back much. He has one skill, he hits for average. People keep hoping for the power to appear.
John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.
LaHair seems to be a lot more patient than Hoffpauir was.
He works counts (are you watching, Marlon and Ramirez?) and seems to try to get a good pitch to hit.
2.0 WAR isn't an average MLB player
It’s an average MLB starter. And remember that Soto has two years of 3+ WAR (2008 and 2010). He’s more valuable than you’d think, even after a down year.
That said, I’d still keep him. I don’t believe that we have a replacement that we can count on to meet Soto’s production, and Soto is still not that expensive.
It may be time for a "give something to get something" trade with Soto
He remains a reasonable productive catcher, with the tantalization of his 2008 and 2010 offensive numbers. But the Cubs desperately need starting pitching, and I wonder if a good starter wouldn’t contribute more than the difference between Soto and Castillo/Clevenger.
SouthernCub I meant to say that as the average for a starter is 2.0
All three players mentioned are considered starters so each have less than average starting status——therefore it is what it is.
I think keeping Soto while having Clevenger/Robinson/Castillo fight for the platoon backup role. I think Soto is more a 90-100 game starter.
The bottom line is that much more impact players need to be on the field. Going younger is better. As for DJ unless he finds a Sandberg power stroke I see him as a utility player at best. Now what strikes me as an interesting oversight is what happened to Ryan Flaherty…who had a 907 OPS in TENN but saw in drop to 676 in AAA, that said DJ only had a 694 OPS in IA while 878 in TN….seems to me both players were pretty close while Flaherty had more dingers.
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
Byrd should be traded immediately after the season is over.
Unless they want to keep him as a 4th outfielder who rarely starts and just comes in for defense. If Quade is back, I don’t think he’ll be able to handle that.
$6.5M is a lot to pay a 4th OF unless you are the Yankees
If Byrd isn’t going to start, the Cubs need to move him.
LaBomb!
His swing kind of looks like Robinson Cano
He has a nice fluid swing that makes contact a lot.
Much better than that of Colvin. I would love to see Colvin shipped off or in AAA next year and LaHair as a backup corner OF/1B.
agree
I hadn’t seen any video of him before he came up but I was intrigued.
Even if you didn’t know his stats and just say a couple at bats you can tell that he has a way better approach than most of the Cubs players. That seems like enough of a reason to give him a shot at spot on next years team.
You Shouldn't Get Excited Over Bryan LaHair.
I read something about that recently.
MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown
by D98 on Sep 18, 2011 12:25 AM CDT up reply actions 3 recs
Waving in my "ughh" from northern Spain
If the Cubs still have a chance, no matter how small, it’s still Go Cubs, damn the math and pass the KoolAid.
by eths on Sep 17, 2011 5:18 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
I go out on a limb here...
I predict… (ready for this?)…The Cubs will not finish with a winning home record… ’Win remaining games?! Hah! For a tie with our longest W streak of 2011?! (No insult meant towards author :])
"So sad, This Cubbie Thing" Courtesy of E-Man, 6/25/2011
Sadly
It took just ONE DAY for my comment to ring true…against the LAST PLACE ASTROS…
"So sad, This Cubbie Thing" Courtesy of E-Man, 6/25/2011
I kind of like the wave
at least at minor league games and highschool football games. Considering our place in the standings, why not?
Because it's lame
I hate it. I’m there to watch the game, not the crowd.
Even worse is when football fans do it when their team has the ball. I’ll never get that.
Step Two: Develop an organizational plan
by Shanghai Badger on Sep 17, 2011 7:17 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Here's hoping that win #4100
comes in the 2012 season. It COULD happen ya know!
We'll miss you Big Boy. #10 for Hall of Fame.
by mrcubsfan on Sep 17, 2011 6:25 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
We could only get to 4081
Unlesss they expand the regular season to 200 games.
Actually they could get to 4085 as they have 4 more left this year.
John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.
Uh-oh
The Cubs evened up their record since the All-Star break to 30-30, improved to 8-7 in September and 24-20 since Aug. 1.
Step Two: Develop an organizational plan
by Shanghai Badger on Sep 17, 2011 7:17 PM CDT reply actions
How the hell...
… are they that good?
I’m sure Quade will use that to stay on as manager, or perhaps they’ll try the college of coaches 2.0, one manager for the 1st half the season, Quade for the 2nd half the season.
by ddoubleheader on Sep 17, 2011 11:37 PM CDT up reply actions
We stopped trying to find a place for Kosuke Fukudome.
I’m kidding.
(NO I’M NOT)
MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown
Yes, that was about as dumb as it gets.
Castro is a great lead-off man and Quade refused to put him there so that we could have a statue batting lead off.
The only problem is, that Quade doesn’t have Castro run enough. He can steal bases, but Quade keeps playing station-to-station baseball. I can’t wait for this season to be over.
Castro batting leadoff this year.
.326/.370/.465 in 292 plate appearances.
If he can do this for a full year — about twice as many PA — we’d be very happy, I think.
He’s also hit seven of his nine HR out of the leadoff spot.
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by Al Yellon on Sep 18, 2011 8:54 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
who's LoMo?
LeMathieu? I don’t see him as 1B candidate. Trading Colvin now would be dumb; let him come to spring training and show he’s learned a few things (like how to lay off the high inside heat).
lomo = logan morrison
aka the most interesting man in the world
I'm a happy panda.
by jesus christos on Sep 17, 2011 7:31 PM CDT up reply actions
5-0!!!!!
I sat in the upper deck box, section 415, with my wife and daughter today. My wife is a lucky charm and is 5-0 in Cubs games attended this year!
Those are great seats in the upper deck box. We were even with the pitcher and we felt just close enough to the field. You can look do and notice things like which players and coaches were standing on the top step when the Cubs were in the field (I saw Dempster, Byrd, and Listach talking). But you also have a great view of the entire field.
"Just shut up and play" - Matt Garza
My husband is 11-4.
If you take April out, he’s been 11-1 since May. Considering the season our spouse’s records are unbelievable. We are going Tues. and I’m counting on his luck to continue because I sure as hecfire don’t want to see the Brewers clinch on my last game of the year at Wrigley.
Football? Football? What's a football?-Ralphie Parker
by katie casey on Sep 18, 2011 12:38 PM CDT up reply actions
Q: How bad and boring did things get for the Cubs in 2011?
A: Fans started doing the wave.
Seeya Jimbo! Good job, Tommy Boy!
I switched over during a time out
of the football game and saw the wave going on and switched right back to the football game. Holy crap people it’s so not cool.
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the ground each morning the devil says, "OH CRAP, SHE'S UP"!
What a game today though, right?
I made my 5 year old watch the entire 4th quarter, b/c even at 24-10, it was completely apparent who was going to win that game.
MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown
The Iowa game?
Best game I have seen in a long time.
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the ground each morning the devil says, "OH CRAP, SHE'S UP"!
agree
and I thought there was no chance in hell they were going to score 3 TD’s on 3 consecutive drives to win the game…
Didn't catch the game
Why did Marshall close instead of Marmol? I haven’t heard of an injury so I’m guessing its being overworked lately…?
In my lifetime please!
Marmol pitched two innings yesterday
Turned on the game in the ninth.
blech
WWOZ.org - New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Station
by Gibbon Jockey on Sep 17, 2011 7:58 PM CDT up reply actions
The weird part about that was...
… Marmol threw only 19 pitches on Friday. Is that so many that he couldn’t have gone again Saturday?
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The Cubs are on a roll!!!!
Campana and LaHair are responsible for both runs today…..
Do either get a start tomorrow?
I am guessing no….
Got to get Byrd and Johnson back in there….Must see what Sorinao, Johnson, Byrd, and Pena can do!!!!!
Somebody in the front office
needs to put Sori, Byrd, Johnson and Pena on the DL immediately.
by LT on Sep 17, 2011 9:28 PM CDT up reply actions
Somebody in the front office should have let Pena, Johnson, and Byrd go on waivers a month ago
by TJ11 on Sep 17, 2011 10:24 PM CDT up reply actions 4 recs
A MILLION REC'S
We get to see the same, awesome team next year! They deserve it!
by TheGrinch13 on Sep 18, 2011 8:55 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Al - how about a little Campana love?
Once again – single-handedly manufactures the first Cubs run. Walk, kept out of a double play by running on the pitch to get to second. Stole third, came home on an overthrow. I know there is a lot of anti-Campana sentiment on here, but geez, this guy MIGHT have the speed necessary to generate some runs. He throws the pitcher and the defense off. I’d like to see him in there every day. I’m not convinced he can’t start in center next year, with BJax is left.
I like Campana.
In order for him to be a useful MLB player, he has to learn better plate discipline. His OBP is .317. That’s not good enough to play every day. If he could walk some and get that up to .350 or .360… well then, you have a different story.
He’s walked only eight times in 142 plate appearances.
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"In order for him to be a useful MLB player, he has to learn better plate discipline."
So what does that mean in regards to our vets who swing at the first pitch every single at bat regardless of the situation (cough, cough, Byrd and company), along with most of the pitches that they see after that?
I’d say that the advance scouting reports on the Cubs must be pretty easy to write. “First pitch, sinker on the outside corner, just off the plate, most batters will roll over on it and tap out or swing and miss.”
Yeah, all the Cubs need to learn better plate discipline.
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Well, many of those veterans have NOT been useful MLB players for a while
And I would add bunting to the tricks Campana needs to learn. Anything that can get him to 1B.
How come?
The Cubs evened up their record in one-run games at 25-25. It’s 13-6 since the All-Star break.
The Cubs evened up their record since the All-Star break to 30-30, improved to 8-7 in September and 24-20 since Aug. 1.
Sat, 4/23 Dodgers W 10-8 10-10 .500 ball
and then by
Sat, 7/30 at Cardinals L 5-13 42-65
or
32-55, 23 games under .500 .368 ball
then like magic
Sat, 9/17 Astros W 2-1 67-85
or
25-20 or .555 ball
what happened?
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 haven't looked at the numbers but i would say starting pitching
Even with Mediocre pitching from Wells, Demp, and Lopez, this team can play .500 ball. Adding a big name starter ( Wilson) and having Cashner in the rotation will improve this team vastly. You add to that a better year from Marmol (10 blown saves) , No Quade (yes he’s cost us at least a handful of games) then the Cubs might be bearable to watch.
Hiya JC-
I can happily report that I’m 99.9% certain ubercubsfan is being sarcastic! :]
"So sad, This Cubbie Thing" Courtesy of E-Man, 6/25/2011
Baseball happened.
Baseball is pitching, offensive production, baserunning and defense.
by daver on Sep 17, 2011 10:19 PM CDT via iPhone app up reply actions
Mean reversion
They weren’t the 100-loss team they were playing like before the break. They aren’t the winning team they have been since. They are an 88-90 loss team – where they will finish. Statistical justice is served….
Seriously, though....
….aren’t we all still kinda glad Hendry managed to trade Fukudome away?
That guy suuuuuuuuuuuuuuucked.
MLBMilestone.com - following the numbers to Cooperstown
It was like him taking away candy from a baby.
Quade insisted on leading him off every single day instead of letting Castro lead off. So when he did get on base (usually by a walk) he would just stand at 1B like a statue as we played our usual station-to-station baseball. I don’t believe that our team believes in SB’s unless Campana is on 1B. Note to Quade: You probably won’t get three hits in a row to get him in, so try a SB or hit and run once in a while.
Ahhh the law of averages and statistics
They’ll never let me down.
They have two liter bottles now? To think I spent all that time demanding a liter!
Not again.
What happened? 150 games happened. The baseball season is long. There are ebbs and flows. What happened to the Red Sox the past few weeks? Injuries, slumps, etc. happen over the course of 6 months. The Cubs were never as bad as they showed in May and June.
John Grabow: $4.8 million in 2011.
wait
that doesnt fit into the CUBS FO SUCKS narrative that has been floating around for the past 4 months…
boring
yes. in fact i nodded of during the game and woke up with woody pitching.and i really hope campana is on this team as an extra outfielder next year. he is such a distraction and troublemaker on the basepaths that he makes things happen.
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