5/21: Cobs (Marshall) @ Cards (Wainwright); 7:15 pm CT, CSN

[cubswin2009]

So is Bradley hitting .150 yet?

[TruffleShuffle]

I wish I could convince Miles to quit playing baseball. We seriously have Neifi Perez all over again. I thought we were through with Neifi Perez type players on the Cubs.

 

1. Both suck

2. Both are lauded for their ability to play a bunch of positions

3. Both have OBPs that are carried by their BA

 

However, at least Neifi had a shred of power in his repitoire. I think I'd rather have Neifi on this team than Miles.

The thing is (all caps for emphasis) MILES CAN'T PLAY A LOT OF POSITIONS. He's a second baseman. Shortstop if you want horrible defense, other positions if you have an absolute emergency, but he can't play multiple positions! He's a second baseman!

 

This team is so bad right now.

 

well yeah, when arguably the best hitter on the team gets hurt and everyone else goes ice cold, the team is going to suck. that's true for any team in baseball.

 

frankly i'm glad the cubs are above .500 since they're trotting out 5 guys a night who are flirting with the mendoza line.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Something drastic needs to happen here. dont care if its Jake Fox or a trade or whatever, but this has been absolutely pathetic.

[UMFan83]

If you told me St. Louis was only going to score 8 runs in this series, I would be happy that we won the series. I wouldn't in a million years believe that St. Louis would sweep with 8 runs scored.

[CubColtPacer]

The offense was a lot better tonight than the first 2 games of the series. They just got really unlucky today.

[TruffleShuffle]

At least our pen is starting to take some shape. Patton will probably be gone, Ascanio will get Heilmans spot, Heilman gets Pattons spot.

Exactly. If you want to look for a bright spot, Guzman is continuing to make the team confident that they have their 7th inning guy.

 

is patton really going away? i hadn't heard anything about this, other than most of NSBB wanting him gone.

We havnt seen the guy in ages. Theres really no need to keep him over Ascanio, who Lou actually seems to almost trust.

 

he's a rule 5 guy, they usually go many games without playing. it's not as simple as sending him down; if he's not on the chicago cubs then he ceases to be in the organization.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Cubs are basically playing like a middle of the pack team at best.

[Little Slide Rooter]

At least our pen is starting to take some shape. Patton will probably be gone, Ascanio will get Heilmans spot, Heilman gets Pattons spot.

Exactly. If you want to look for a bright spot, Guzman is continuing to make the team confident that they have their 7th inning guy.

 

is patton really going away? i hadn't heard anything about this, other than most of NSBB wanting him gone.

We havnt seen the guy in ages. Theres really no need to keep him over Ascanio, who Lou actually seems to almost trust.

 

he's a rule 5 guy, they usually go many games without playing. it's not as simple as sending him down; if he's not on the chicago cubs then he ceases to be in the organization.

 

and?

[TruffleShuffle]

Something drastic needs to happen here. dont care if its Jake Fox or a trade or whatever, but this has been absolutely pathetic.

 

calling up a guy who's going to get 1 AB per game as a pinch hitter does not qualify as drastic.

[Sammy Sofa]

The offense was a lot better tonight than the first 2 games of the series. They just got really unlucky today.

 

Yeah, these are the games that actually frustrate me. It's one thing if the team just stinks, but it's another if they're actually driving the ball and nothing is landing for a hit or dying at the wall.

[Little Slide Rooter]

The offense was a lot better tonight than the first 2 games of the series. They just got really unlucky today.

 

Yeah, these are the games that actually frustrate me. It's one thing if the team just stinks, but it's another if they're actually driving the ball and nothing is landing for a hit or dying at the wall.

 

Driving the ball obviously isnt working for them, and they refuse to attempt small ball. There basically playing like the White Sox, with a few sluggers who show up when they want to and a bunch of mediocre players around them.

[Sammy Sofa]

The offense was a lot better tonight than the first 2 games of the series. They just got really unlucky today.

 

Yeah, these are the games that actually frustrate me. It's one thing if the team just stinks, but it's another if they're actually driving the ball and nothing is landing for a hit or dying at the wall.

 

Driving the ball obviously isnt working for them, and they refuse to attempt small ball. There basically playing like the White Sox, with a few sluggers who show up when they want to and a bunch of mediocre players around them.

 

"Small ball" is pretty meaningless. "Driving the ball" doesn't mean just hitting XBH.

[Soul]

Wasted 3 decent starts this series.

 

I guess that's the silver lining, although I'm concerned that the offense gets going again just in time for the starts to be worse.

[Old Style]

Can Hoff play LF?

[Schwarber Fan]

You know Z won't have his best stuff tomorrow and Peavy will shut us down. We always struggle offensively in that park.

[UMFan83]

At least our pen is starting to take some shape. Patton will probably be gone, Ascanio will get Heilmans spot, Heilman gets Pattons spot.

Exactly. If you want to look for a bright spot, Guzman is continuing to make the team confident that they have their 7th inning guy.

 

is patton really going away? i hadn't heard anything about this, other than most of NSBB wanting him gone.

We havnt seen the guy in ages. Theres really no need to keep him over Ascanio, who Lou actually seems to almost trust.

 

he's a rule 5 guy, they usually go many games without playing. it's not as simple as sending him down; if he's not on the chicago cubs then he ceases to be in the organization.

 

Why can the Cubs afford to hide a non-prospect in Patton on their bench for the entire year? I mean at best you get a decent reliever somewhere down the road. Yay great. The Cubs have been throwing money at their problems for year, and now all the sudden they can accept having a 24 man team to keep a marginal reliever on their team? Just make a trade with Colorado already.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Can Hoff play LF?

 

We may soon find out.

[Little Slide Rooter]

 

Why can the Cubs afford to hide a non-prospect in Patton on their bench for the entire year? I mean at best you get a decent reliever somewhere down the road. Yay great. The Cubs have been throwing money at their problems for year, and now all the sudden they can accept having a 24 man team to keep a marginal reliever on their team? Just make a trade with Colorado already.

 

Agreed. The way hes pitching, I cant imagine Colorodo wanting too much for him back. Maybe a Doug Deeds or Richie Robnett type at most. If we cant make a deal, we really wont miss him.

[UMFan83]

You know Z won't have his best stuff tomorrow and Peavy will shut us down. We always struggle offensively in that park.

 

Last year we scored 7, 9 and 1 runs in that park. It's possible to hit there, but its really hard to hit HRs.

[Arnold Layne]

"Small ball" is pretty meaningless.

 

So is hitting the ball hard right at the defense.

[CubColtPacer]

The offense was a lot better tonight than the first 2 games of the series. They just got really unlucky today.

 

Yeah, these are the games that actually frustrate me. It's one thing if the team just stinks, but it's another if they're actually driving the ball and nothing is landing for a hit or dying at the wall.

 

Driving the ball obviously isnt working for them, and they refuse to attempt small ball. There basically playing like the White Sox, with a few sluggers who show up when they want to and a bunch of mediocre players around them.

 

Not exactly easy to play small ball when you're not getting any runners on base. The Cubs 1 run was partly accomplished through small ball (the hit and run with Theriot at the plate kept the team out of the inning ending DP in the 6th) but normally the team really isn't built for it. They're not a huge home run bunch either, but they are gap hitters and their line drives did not find any gaps tonight.

[CubColtPacer]

"Small ball" is pretty meaningless.

 

So is hitting the ball hard right at the defense.

 

In result, yes they go down the same as a lazy out. But most hitters would say there isn't really a difference between a hard hit ball to a gap and a hard hit ball for an out. There isn't much placement of a ball besides the general idea of which field to hit it to. If you make solid contact, you simply have to take your chances of where it goes.

[Sammy Sofa]

"Small ball" is pretty meaningless.

 

So is hitting the ball hard right at the defense.

 

Except it's not.

 

You really don't see a difference when a team is not making good contact and awkwardly striking out as opposed to driving outs? A team consistently driving the ball means that they're at least seeing pitches better and picking the right ones to hit. Though you refuse to acknowledge it, things like chance and luck are a huge part of this game and sometimes "bad luck" hits and those better hit balls are unfortunately tracked or hit right at someone.

[Sammy Sofa]

"Small ball" is pretty meaningless.

 

So is hitting the ball hard right at the defense.

 

In result, yes they go down the same as a lazy out. But most hitters would say there isn't really a difference between a hard hit ball to a gap and a hard hit ball for an out. There isn't much placement of a ball besides the general idea of which field to hit it to. If you make solid contact, you simply have to take your chances of where it goes.

 

Don't bother. The guy simply does not believe in chance. Everything happens for a reason in baseball to him.

[Gingerballs Lives]

You know Z won't have his best stuff tomorrow and Peavy will shut us down. We always struggle offensively in that park.

 

Last year we scored 7, 9 and 1 runs in that park. It's possible to hit there, but its really hard to hit HRs.

 

Unfortunately, this isn't last year's team.