Re: I am an ex Cubs Optimist. (a rant by a fan)

[A New Era]

The Cubs have picked up right where they left off this year. I just got done listening to the 10th inning and fans calling in second guessing Lou and some making some actual valid points. And Kaplan telling people it's early, people, please stop. I mean really!? Kap, just don't [expletive] take calls if you don't want to hear pissed Cubs fans.

 

My main thought right now is. If you are going to contend, you CAN NOT lose games like this. Sure even some of the best teams will have a few losses like this. But the Cubs already have TWO. 50 percent of their games are loses that SHOULD NOT have been losses. So I the Cubs optimist of the past, am now hanging my hat. The Cubs deffinatly are not making the post season this season. I am not going to get my hopes up for this team.

 

However I am still optimistic about the future. Because the farm system really has improved and they have made some good descisions management wise lately (just compare the coaches the last few years back to the nightmare coaches under the Dusty Era). Wilkins, Jaramillo, etc. . However my optimism relies heavily on getting rid of Hendry. I used to be a staunch Hendry supporter. But I realize now Hendry built this mess. He really has to go.

 

The next 12 months will give us a good idea of how the Ricketts Era will play out. Will he let hendry hit the panic button and trade away good prospects for more bandaides. Or are we really going to start building the team from the bottom up. It might take a few years, but I want to see us build and stop overpaying mediocre players. I want to see smart descisions. I am still hopeful because of alot of our young talent and new owner. But I need to SEE the right moves being made.

 

Sorry for my rant all. But I felt like saying it and I think some of you might feel where I'm coming from.

[rocket]

IT'S THE 4TH GAME FOR CHRISSAKES

[CubbieBum]

I feel where you are coming from as do the people making similar posts in the post game reaction thread.

[A New Era]

That's exactly what Kaplan said. Dude, they have already had one disastrous game, and 2 heart breakers. in ONLY FOUR GAMES.

 

I'm not saying I'm gonna stop watching the Cubs. Only that I accept the fact they won't make the post season this year, and that I expect to see smart team BUILDING over the next couple years. Is that so bad?

[A New Era]

Yeah sorry if I should have posted this in another thread. Please move it if needed.

[rocket]

The Phillies started last year 1-3 and we all know they never went anywhere

[imb]

what exactly were your preseason plans for this team? If you were expecting them to be 3-1 at this point, the problem starts with you.

[Butterscup1679666578]

the bottom line is this is a bad team. they're going to be a bad team all season long, and probably for the next several seasons.

[Andy]

the bottom line is this is a bad team. they're going to be a bad team all season long, and probably for the next several seasons.

Yep. I'm pissed at this season's start, but quite frankly I wrote this team off, at least as far as winning it all goes, before the calendar even flipped to 2010. There's just not enough talent.

[baseballfan50]

That's exactly what Kaplan said. Dude, they have already had one disastrous game, and 2 heart breakers. in ONLY FOUR GAMES.

 

I'm not saying I'm gonna stop watching the Cubs. Only that I accept the fact they won't make the post season this year, and that I expect to see smart team BUILDING over the next couple years. Is that so bad?

 

I'm not a Cub fan, but I do know that the second series of the year is a little early to give up, for any team. I know it's frustrating to give up leads and play poorly, but it is the beginning of April. Every team has 6 more months of games to play. Obviously I'm not rooting for the Cubs, but it's early. You never know what might happen as the weeks progress.

 

I think the Cardinals probably have the best chance in the division (at least I hope so), but I do think the Cubs have some talent on their ballclub. And Lou is a pretty good manager.

 

I look forward to some good competition in the NL Central this season. And I look forward to seeing what each of the six teams brings to the table.

 

You're not supposed to be giving up in April (although I know that it's difficult not to be a bit discouraged). :P

Edited April 10, 2010 by baseballfan50

[17 Seconds]

your first step should be to stop listneing to dave kaplan. kaplan is like every cubs.com poster combined.

[A New Era]

what exactly were your preseason plans for this team? If you were expecting them to be 3-1 at this point, the problem starts with you.

 

I expected them to not suck?

[imb]

what exactly were your preseason plans for this team? If you were expecting them to be 3-1 at this point, the problem starts with you.

 

I expected them to not suck?

 

that was a bad move then. try to be more realistic in the future

[JonJayCutler]

Basically what it comes down to is that we can't put so much stock into one game when there are 162 of them. Not saying any one game is meaningless, but the chances of last night's loss costing us a chance at the playoffs are slim to none.

[Cubswin11]

your first step should be to stop listneing to dave kaplan. kaplan is like every cubs.com poster combined.

He's a [expletive] idiot. He knows nothing about the Cubs or baseball and I don't know how he has a job where he is considered a primary authority on the Cubs, it's sickening.

[NewUserName]

The Phillies started last year 1-3 and we all know they never went anywhere

 

Not sure what is more silly...the after 4 game panic or comparing the Cubs to the Phillies

[SouthSideRyan]

The 2008 Cubs:

 

Game 1: Offense looks pathetic the whole game, Kerry gives up 3 in the 9th breaking a scoreless tie. Kosuke hits a 3 run HR in the bottom half, and the Cubs immediately blow it in the 10th.

 

Game 2: Cubs get blown out 8-2 against Jeff freakin Suppan

 

Game 3: Cubs win 6-3

 

Game 4: Pen blows another one as Lieber gives up 2 in the 8th. Cubs lose 4-3.

[Soul]

Nobody confuses me for an optimist, but this is just ridiculous.

 

At least wait for May before becoming hysterical.

 

For the vast majority of clubs nobody really knows anything until about June. Clubs start out one way and end the other way all the time.

 

Kap was completely correct--stop with this nonsense

[TruffleShuffle]

the bottom line is this is a bad team. they're going to be a bad team all season long, and probably for the next several seasons.

 

i understand that it's hard to be enthusiastic about an overpaid, aging roster that isn't all that talented, but there are ways to turn things around without it lasting "several seasons." the mariners won 61 games in 2008 with a payroll over $100M; that roster was pretty bereft of talent (with a few obvious exceptions, like ichiro, jose lopez and king felix). last year they won 85 games and now look pretty well positioned for the future.

 

so what needs to change?

 

1. stop giving bloated contracts to non-impact players. if you're going to pay someone like a superstar, they'd better produce like one (not soriano).

2. stop spending money on veterans who represent, if anything, very marginal upgrades over in-house options. examples of this include henry blanco, aaron miles, john grabow.

3. exploit market inefficiencies to find bargains and under-appreciated players. this is what has impressed me most about zduriencik (mariners gm). he signed branyan to a 1 year, $1.4M contract, realizing that his strikeouts were not that big a deal and he could hit 30 homers with some walks if given a chance to play regularly. he also recognized that franklin gutierrez was an outstanding fielder who should be in CF, and could cover a lot of ground in spacious safeco. the mariners have been built into a great defensive team that plays to their home park.

4. show more patience with the young kids, trusting the scouts and their minor league production rather than panicking every time they have a few tough games.

5. spend liberally in international free agency and the draft, but spend more wisely - don't drop $10M on jeff samardzija, $1M on drew rundle, etc. i'm all for buying guys away from college, but we've spent big dollars on guys who weren't regarded that highly by others outside the organization.

6. continue to upgrade the player development program.

[Larry Horse]

Nicely put, truffle.

[larhur]

I have a unique idea how to improve our team, Just release Soriano, hr is not the whole problem, we have 5 starters hitting under .200,but he is such a bad left fielder, the drop today is at least two or three not caught in left, in only 5 games. I know his knee is probably still weak but he will never never be a good hitter anymore, can't defend and is getting worse, suck up the money, cut soriano, put colvin in left, he cannot be worse, he probably will make mistakes but I see him getting better unlike Alfonso who is getting worse. Time to step up and do the Cub thing and let him sign with another team, Thanks for the memories, go away

[SouthSideRyan]

Tyler Colvin is not a good baseball player

[larhur]

Actually Colvin is a good player, not great but can only ger better, but it doesn't have to be tyler, any left fielder would be better than what we have, with Soriano its time to say good bye

[Sammy Sofa]

Actually Colvin is a good player, not great but can only ger better,

 

Why can he "only get better?" That's an absurd expectation.

 

but it doesn't have to be tyler, any left fielder would be better than what we have

 

False.

[Guest]

If Soriano isn't improved on last year, then it really isn't difficult to find someone better than him. Fuld, for example, would certainly be better than what Soriano did last year.