Hopes/expectations for the second half.

[Gingerballs Lives]

All things considered, I think the Cubs are pretty lucky to be 3.5 games out headed into the break. What can we expect in the second half?

 

I know what I want, a healthy Aramis Ramirez.

[Keener98]

I want Bradley to keep hitting and taking pitches like he has been, and Soriano to get hot like he has in the past. Also for DLee to keep doing what hes been doing, and the health of ARam wont be as important, because I dont think we are going to see the ARam we have all loved the rest of this year. Pitchers to keep pitching like they have, and Rich Harden to quit pitching like Shawn Estes.

[RyneSandberg]

You're not going to have a 100% healthy Aramis Ramirez for a while, and the biggest problem is he is scared to just let go and really swing the bat. I think we can expect for Aram's power numbers to greatly diminish for the rest of the year.

[17 Seconds]

You're not going to have a 100% healthy Aramis Ramirez for a while, and the biggest problem is he is scared to just let go and really swing the bat. I think we can expect for Aram's power numbers to greatly diminish for the rest of the year.

 

he was letting go and taking huge rips tonight. the problem is it looks like it was hurting him

 

i mean it was obvious they rushed him back. every time the cubs lost a game it seemed like his return date would be moved up a day. this feels a lot like the derrek lee injury in 06. he rushed back, sucked for a while, and then ended up back on the DL. i've be shocked if ramirez doesn't hit the dl again eventually

[rynefan]

You're not going to have a 100% healthy Aramis Ramirez for a while, and the biggest problem is he is scared to just let go and really swing the bat. I think we can expect for Aram's power numbers to greatly diminish for the rest of the year.

 

he was letting go and taking huge rips tonight. the problem is it looks like it was hurting him

 

i mean it was obvious they rushed him back. every time the cubs lost a game it seemed like his return date would be moved up a day. this feels a lot like the derrek lee injury in 06. he rushed back, sucked for a while, and then ended up back on the DL. i've be shocked if ramirez doesn't hit the dl again eventually

 

They were treading water without him, I'd rather they have waited til at least after the AS break, and then go from there. I know he wanted to come back BAD, but not so sure it's a great idea.

[17 Seconds]

hopes: that they won't suck

 

expectations: that they'll suck

[Drew Doughty]

win the division

 

for both of them

[Sammy Sofa]

I thought Aramis' reactions were less from pain and more from him swinging at absolute garbage.

[17 Seconds]

I thought Aramis' reactions were less from pain and more from him swinging at absolute garbage.

 

there were at least 2 different occasions during tonight's game where he was clearly flexing/grabbing his shoulder with a grimace on his face after a swing. he was definitely feeling it.

[CyHawk_Cub]

Hopes?

--a healthy ARam & Sori leading a resurgent Cubs offense

--Randy Wells continues to perform significantly better than a 5th starter

--Font/Baker platoon produces .270/.350/.420

 

Expectations?

--ARam going on season-ending DL; Sori is gimpy rest of the way

--the league catches up to Wells & his average stuff, but his season-long #'s will look respectable given his pedigree

--Font/Baker platoon produces .230/.280/.340

 

I think the Cardinals take the division IF Pujols & Carpenter stay healthy, Ludwick ends up with #'s similar to '08 & they acquire one more bat. The Cubs could make it interesting, but I'm so concerned about ARam...he's clearly not "right" and a few days off for the ASB & occasional days off won't remedy that, IMHO.

[WindyCity]

Cubs will win the World Series! :D

 

(you meant hopes for the second half of this century right?)

[erik316wttn]

I expect the Cubs to play roughly 74 more games.

 

Beyond that, I have no hopes.

[DiamondMind]

We need Soriano to be Soriano, and Harden to be Harden.

[rawaction]

Obviously, the Cubs need Soriano, Bradley, and Ramirez to stay on the field and start performing. Bradley has put up OPS's of .905, 1.009, and .868 in the 2nd half the last 3 years (actually last year was worst than his 1st half). Soriano and Ramirez have been better 2nd half hitters as Cubs, as well. However, it wouldn't suprise me with their injury histories if none of them performed.

 

So, I really don't know what to expect. The Cubs can get away with little production from C, 2B, and Harden if everyone performs the way they have and the big 3 perform like they should. That's a big if though because Lee, Fukudome, and Theriot have all been prone to long, bad slumps. Don't know what to expect from Wells and Dempster from here on out. And then there's the unpredictable bullpen.

[Little Slide Rooter]

If we can get a second baseman who can use a baseball bat, great. With Soto out for a month we'll need another bat, and its easier to get a middle infielder than a catcher who can hit.

 

We really need Soriano to get it together. If our guys play to their abilities, and the Cardials play to theirs, the 3.5 game deficit should be like a 5 point defecit at half time in a basketball game. Pujols will be Pujols, Carpenter will be Carpenter, at least if he stays healthy. Wainwright is a great #2, and Ludwick is very streaky, but when hes on, watch out but the rest of those guys are spare parts.

[gflore34]

Hope: They'll play some consistently good baseball, has yet to happen, if it does, the Cardinals, Brewers, et al will be in the rear view mirror.

 

Expectations: Well it's the Cubs so, I expect the worst and hope for the best that being said, I'd expect:

1. Soriano to continue slumping in fact, to go homer-less until the last week of season on his way to setting career lows in BA, HR, RBI and a career high in K's

2. Ramirez DL'ed for the remainder of the season within 10 or so games of the second half

3. Soto to never regain his ROY form

4. Fukudome to continue slumping, more Fuku-copters to come

5. Lee to hit the DL with neck spasms

6. Dempster because, he's a Cub, to take far longer than normal to return from a broken toe

7. Basically everything that's gone wrong to continue doing so and somehow get worse while of course, Albert Pujols and the Lilliputians win the WS

[mul21]

I hope they either go on a tremendous winning streak and run away with the division or completely suck so I can stop paying attention.

 

I expect them to continue giving me false hope by winning a few and then crapping out like they did against the Braves. Then they'll get good enough the last month of the season to get into either the wild card or division race, then rip our hearts out just like they did in '04.