Bruce hits it on the head again.....

[Larry Horse]

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/story.asp?id=198894

 

The only thing missing in the article......maybe a mention of Hendry's contract extension. You know, a little salt in the wounds.

[Tracer Bullet]

One of the saddest parts of that article is that our OBP leader has a .368 OBP. That's a fine OBP (and great for Walker), but to be the best on our entire team? Ugh.

[SCCubbieFAN]

Awesome article Bruce. Right on the money. I wonder if JH knows how to read?

[bhogg]

Awesome article Bruce. Right on the money. I wonder if JH knows how to read?

 

 

 

probably not.

 

I would imagine he'd sit the article on the desk. . . . see how it reacts to the airconditioning. . . maybe watch it float to the floor and get a "feel" for how it's made.

[TXCubsFan]

Nice article, Bruce. Tough on the organization without being snarky. I have to admit the manlove for Neifi in the Cubs organization does border on the bizarre.

[Derwood]

Bruce Miles: The Mouthpiece of NSBB'ers around the world!

 

Unfortunately, Hendry is no different than our politicians. Write as many scathing articles about them as you'd like, but it won't make them change a thing about how they do their job.

[Bruce Miles]

Thanks for the comments. Sometimes you worry about harping on things too much, but examples like Hatteberg and the contrasts they point up are just too telling. Who knows how much effect we have? We did harp on Nevin not playing and then all of a sudden Dusty started him two days in a row.

[TXCubsFan]

Thanks for the comments. Sometimes you worry about harping on things too much, but examples like Hatteberg and the contrasts they point up are just too telling. Who knows how much effect we have? We did harp on Nevin not playing and then all of a sudden Dusty started him two days in a row.

 

Bruce, any chance the Cubs would be willing to have a Jones/Murton platoon in LF in 2007?

[MustangMike]

Thanks for the comments. Sometimes you worry about harping on things too much, but examples like Hatteberg and the contrasts they point up are just too telling. Who knows how much effect we have? We did harp on Nevin not playing and then all of a sudden Dusty started him two days in a row.

 

 

Yes, but against 2 lefties in a row wasn't it? We see a righty and Nevin disapears again.

 

Good article though Bruce, I just wish the organization would listen to the entire baseball world screaming at their deficiencies. Do they just ignore everyone or think those stats are BS. Are the too short-sided to see that they constantly give up young pitching for one year rentals?…on a team with no solid pitching no less. The man love for Neifi is just shocking, I can’t figure it out. I can’t believe he makes more than Walker, no wonder he’s always mad.

[badgercub]

Great article Bruce! The downside is I guess Hendry won't be granting you any interviews in the near future, but since that is like talking to a brick wall, I guess it doesn't really matter. The proof is in the pudding and not the excuses this organization continually makes for it's non success.

[mg420]

Thanks for the comments. Sometimes you worry about harping on things too much, but examples like Hatteberg and the contrasts they point up are just too telling. Who knows how much effect we have? We did harp on Nevin not playing and then all of a sudden Dusty started him two days in a row.

 

Bruce, any chance the Cubs would be willing to have a Jones/Murton platoon in LF in 2007?

why would you want to platoon jones just when he has started hitting lefties? i would be much more concerned about cf than left or right if i were the cubs.

[Warpticon]

"Bruce hits it on the head again..."

 

I wonder if Bruce should be batting cleanup in Lee's absence.

[BeerHere]

Great article again Bruce. Makes me depressed and sick to see my team so blind to the changes of the game in recent years.

[TXCubsFan]

Thanks for the comments. Sometimes you worry about harping on things too much, but examples like Hatteberg and the contrasts they point up are just too telling. Who knows how much effect we have? We did harp on Nevin not playing and then all of a sudden Dusty started him two days in a row.

 

Bruce, any chance the Cubs would be willing to have a Jones/Murton platoon in LF in 2007?

why would you want to platoon jones just when he has started hitting lefties? i would be much more concerned about cf than left or right if i were the cubs.

 

Murton kills lefties. Have you seen Jones swing against LH starters that bust him inside? Ugly.

[RynoRules]

Hard to argue with any of it, Bruce. Well stated and very well organized.

[nolanwood]

Excellent article, Bruce!! Do you think the organization will eventually recognize the faults you addressed?

[C.C.]

Great article and I hope Hendry reads this. Hard to believe what's so obvious to rest of baseball is not to our GM. It's sad because Hendry is a lifer baseball man and you would think he would be better then this...

[Hacking Out Machine]

Bruce, you are fighting the good fight, and for that we salute you! I'm not sure if people realize just how bad a .282 OBP is, let alone .222. Do people realize that making outs is bad? When asked directly, what do the Cubs respond with?

 

The organization has to know that an offense built around occasional random event of hitting a single isn't going to work. If you don't walk and you don't hit home runs, it takes at least 3 hits in an inning to score a run. To have a big inning requires 4 or 5. Even good teams have a hard time stringing that many hits together. But when you throw in a walk, an extra base hit, maybe a homer, you see why teams like the Sox consistently overcome deficits.

[cheapseats]

why would you want to platoon jones just when he has started hitting lefties? i would be much more concerned about cf than left or right if i were the cubs.

 

CF is the biggest problem, but the whole outfield needs to be addressed.

 

Jacque has played more than 1000 major league games. He has never hit lefties, and, although he's had a few good at-bats against lefties this year, his overall numbers against lefties will continue to be very poor.

 

Murton has a little more than 100 at-bats against lefties in his short career, and he has an OPS of more than 1.000. He doesn't fare as well against righties. I wouldn't mind seeing a Murton/Jones platoon if the Cubs were able to sign a bat for RF and someone who hits better than a pitcher for CF.

[FergieJ31]

The Cubs’ obsession with speed and athleticism, as if they were building a track-and-field team instead of a baseball team, will continue to haunt them.

 

Great line!

 

Getting rid of Dusty (unlikely as it is) will hardly help, not as long as the GM, scouts and coaching staff buy into this "toolsy" philosophy

[dalgreen]

Great article and I hope Hendry reads this. Hard to believe what's so obvious to rest of baseball is not to our GM. It's sad because Hendry is a lifer baseball man and you would think he would be better then this...

 

That's the problem, he and Baker are baseball men. Their arrogance prohibits them from thinking that fans, sabrematicians, media, statisticians, etc. could possibly know what is valuable to a baseball team. This is three and a half years now of not having any respect for OBP, so I don't think Hendry and Baker are ever going to get it. Here's what I don't understand, Hendry and Baker moan, gripe and groan about the number of walks our pitchers give up that turn into runs, but for some stupid reason they can't see the value in having our team be patient and receive walks.

[FergieJ31]

I wouldn't mind seeing a Murton/Jones platoon if the Cubs were able to sign a bat for RF and someone who hits better than a pitcher for CF.

 

Yeah exactly what he said.

 

In spite of his weak numbers this year I'm convinced (or maybe delusional?) that JP will have trade value at the deadline.

 

Contending teams will hopefully look at his strong '03 playoff performance, especially vs the Yankees. Add to that the false but widely believed perception that his offensive numbers have been hurt by Wrigley's high grass, and the usual "change of scenery" hope, and the Cubs might get more than a bag of balls for him.

[E.J.]

Here are some eye-popping numbers to the suckage of the Cubs this year.

 

Suntimes[/url]"]The last shall be first

 

Last in the league in slugging percentage (.384) and on-base percentage (.310). Last in the league in walks taken (154) and walks given (273).

 

Last in the league in home runs (49), doubles (90), total bases (809), runs scored (250) and RBI (233). Last in the league in wild pitches ( 28 ) and -- just to break the monotony -- only third-worst in home runs allowed (79).

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Excellent article, Bruce. Keep up the good fight!

[KaiserCesar]

Great article, Bruce! I know its an article, not a book, but I get the feeling the casual baseball fan who loves his batting average and rbis won't really grasp how important OBP is and just view it as some secondary stat that would be nice to have. But even so, for those who know what you're talking about, its a refreshing read, and well done.