05/17 CUBS (Garza) @ Cincinnati (Volquez) 6:10 CDT, CSN TV

[Little Slide Rooter]

I've been waiting for this Boston series for at least 6 years, and now that its hear I doubt I'll watch more than an inning or two. This team just has nothing going for it.

 

Yeah, that wont be a pretty series. Not at all.

 

Eh, it may be all right, given the pitching scene in Boston. I had been looking forward to facing Lackey, though.

 

And Im sure hed been looking forward to facing the Cubs

[Guest]

No reason why Quade should be the manager of this team tomorrow morning.

 

If only things went the way they should....

 

I think you should boycott NSBB until Quade gets fired.

[TruffleShuffle]

People scoffed at Ricketts when he sent the letter saying the team would be better fundamentally. The enlightened baseball minds don't like to hear things like that or playing the game the right way, but this team is proof there is still merit in those things.

 

 

Be careful they will come for you with torches and pitchforks next.

 

please point me to the posts where people on nsbb are saying that things like defense and baserunning don't matter.

[Dirt Dog Sparly]

People scoffed at Ricketts when he sent the letter saying the team would be better fundamentally. The enlightened baseball minds don't like to hear things like that or playing the game the right way, but this team is proof there is still merit in those things.

 

 

Be careful they will come for you with torches and pitchforks next.

 

please point me to the posts where people on nsbb are saying that things like defense and baserunning don't matter.

 

 

That will be a long list. Let me get started on it.

[Schwarber Fan]

some times when things are going bad you just fire the manager... it'd be nice to see this team have the balls.

[TruffleShuffle]

People scoffed at Ricketts when he sent the letter saying the team would be better fundamentally. The enlightened baseball minds don't like to hear things like that or playing the game the right way, but this team is proof there is still merit in those things.

 

 

Be careful they will come for you with torches and pitchforks next.

 

please point me to the posts where people on nsbb are saying that things like defense and baserunning don't matter.

 

 

That will be a long list. Let me get started on it.

 

ok, can't wait to see it.

[MWV]

Castro batting:

 

3rd .182/.234/.205

2nd .256/.273/.302

1st .426/.443/.603

 

I think these numbers have more to do with the timing his transition to the 3-hole (after the league had "adjusted" to him) than with his ability to handle the role.

[dalgreen]

some times when things are going bad you just fire the manager... it'd be nice to see this team have the balls.

 

Would you include firing Hendry, please?

[Little Slide Rooter]

some times when things are going bad you just fire the manager... it'd be nice to see this team have the balls.

 

And Ive never understood the point, especially when its some God awful team like the Pirates or the Royals. When your paying a guy no matter what, theres no point in replacing him unless the replacement is someone who could be the manager past the remainder of the season.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Castro batting:

 

3rd .182/.234/.205

2nd .256/.273/.302

1st .426/.443/.603

 

I think these numbers have more to do with the timing his transition to the 3-hole (after the league had "adjusted" to him) than with his ability to handle the role.

 

I thought hed been a lot better in the 2 hole. However, it seemed that as soon as they took him out of the 3 hole and put him in the 6th for a game or 2 and then back to the top of the lineup, he picked it up again.

[Schwarber Fan]

some times when things are going bad you just fire the manager... it'd be nice to see this team have the balls.

 

And Ive never understood the point, especially when its some God awful team like the Pirates or the Royals. When your paying a guy no matter what, theres no point in replacing him unless the replacement is someone who could be the manager past the remainder of the season.

 

I don't think this team is Pirates/Royals bad, on paper they could easily compete in this division. Maybe all they need is a spark/shakeup.

[seanhopper]

This whole season has been pitiful. Typical bad fundamental baseball from the Cubs and unfortunately I don't see it changing under the current regime. I don't see any players coming up through the system that will greatly improve things either. Vitters has had a poor season so far, Simpson has been pretty awful, and Cashner is now out for an unspecified amount of time. There's little to get excited for. Brett Jackson is the only player that may be worth watching--but he's now injured. Just a depressing season. Please tell me the Ricketts are going to wake up and make a change. Enough is enough.

I would rather root for and watch a bunch of kids who play hard (and so happen to make some mistakes) than to watch this boring veteran team that can't play.

[javy knows my name]

I, too, would rather this team had less talent

[Irrelevant Dude]

I don't think this team is Pirates/Royals bad, on paper they could easily compete in this division. Maybe all they need is a spark/shakeup.

As long as the Cubs can play the rest of the season on paper, they should be ok.

[dalgreen]

some times when things are going bad you just fire the manager... it'd be nice to see this team have the balls.

 

And Ive never understood the point, especially when its some God awful team like the Pirates or the Royals. When your paying a guy no matter what, theres no point in replacing him unless the replacement is someone who could be the manager past the remainder of the season.

 

I don't think this team is Pirates/Royals bad, on paper they could easily compete in this division. Maybe all they need is a spark/shakeup.

 

 

If the Cubs finish 5th in the division they might as well finish sixth. Then you should include them in the Pirates/Royals conversation. Did you really feel comfortable with the 5-3 lead? It seems every loss someone new makes a bad defensive or offensive mental mistake. This team is not good. Name one area of the game where you can rank them "very good". Offense, defense, pitching ... they aren't very good. Even if I'm a college pitcher, the batting order including Ramirez, Pena and Soriano wouldn't scare me at all.

[TruffleShuffle]

yeah the cubs look ok "on paper" because they have a lot of names like pena, ramirez and soriano who used to be really good, but now they're not. the cubs just aren't a good team, regardless of how effective the manager is. and you're kidding yourself if you think that mental errors lead back to the manager. this isn't little league; if your team is just throwing the ball around aimlessly then it's probably because the players are dumb, not that their manager for like 3 months isn't paying attention to fundamentals.

[UMFan83]

some times when things are going bad you just fire the manager... it'd be nice to see this team have the balls.

 

There's really no point. They pretty much hired Quade because I don't think they really believed that they had a strong chance of competing this year, and figured it would be ok to see if Quade had some magic in him, and in the meantime not have to pay the manager big bucks like they have for the last 8 years.

 

If they were to fire him 2 months into his first season, no matter how dumb he's been or how bad the team has played, it just tells any potential manager 'dont come to Chicago' because a) they don't give their managers any time to prove their worth and b) their organization has absolutely no one competent in charge if they are hiring managers and then firing them 2 months later.

[Guest]

Even if I'm a college pitcher, the batting order including Ramirez, Pena and Soriano wouldn't scare me at all.

If you're a college pitcher facing those guys, I'm guessing you'd be more than a tad worried.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Looking in the AL West, theres a team tied for 1st place whose 1B happens to be out for the year. Im wondering if theyd be interested in a veteran power hitting 1B with pretty good defensive skills.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Even if I'm a college pitcher, the batting order including Ramirez, Pena and Soriano wouldn't scare me at all.

If you're a college pitcher facing those guys, I'm guessing you'd be more than a tad worried.

 

what if your like a Stephen Strasberg type. Are you still worried?

[Ballgame64]

People scoffed at Ricketts when he sent the letter saying the team would be better fundamentally. The enlightened baseball minds don't like to hear things like that or playing the game the right way, but this team is proof there is still merit in those things.

 

 

Be careful they will come for you with torches and pitchforks next.

 

please point me to the posts where people on nsbb are saying that things like defense and baserunning don't matter.

Proof - many posters wanted Adam Dunn. How can you believe in defense if you wanted that guy?

 

There are plenty of posters who didn't want Sandberg because of his quotes about playing the game the right way. They don't want to hear about hitting behind runners, bunting or shorting your swing with two strikes. All I know is it seems like everyday the Cubs failure to make consistent contact seems to cost them runs.

[Sammy Sofa]

How can you believe in defense

 

I have no idea, because that is one of the craziest damn things I've ever seen posted here.

[Sammy Sofa]

And love the idea that Sandberg would have magically made bad plays not happen, and that Quade is some kind of anti-fundamental madman who causes players to make errors.

[dalgreen]

Even if I'm a college pitcher, the batting order including Ramirez, Pena and Soriano wouldn't scare me at all.

If you're a college pitcher facing those guys, I'm guessing you'd be more than a tad worried.

 

Yes, it's hyperbole. But, no, actually, I wouldn't be worried. There are other middle of the order lineups that would concern me more.

[TruffleShuffle]

Proof - many posters wanted Adam Dunn. How can you believe in defense if you wanted that guy?

 

because you believe the offensive production he provides will outweigh the poor defense? ted williams was a lousy defensive LF, would you have said "no thanks i don't want that 1.200 ops guy because he gives some runs back in the field"

 

There are plenty of posters who didn't want Sandberg because of his quotes about playing the game the right way. They don't want to hear about hitting behind runners, bunting or shorting your swing with two strikes. All I know is it seems like everyday the Cubs failure to make consistent contact seems to cost them runs.

 

it's because sandberg does [expletive] like bunting in the first inning and places way too much emphasis on manufacturing runs. what you see when a guy strikes out with a runner on 2b and nobody out is the failed opportunity to score him from third on a ground out or a sac fly. what many other people see with your preferred method (roller to the right side or a sac bunt) is you giving the other team an out and reducing the chances of a big inning. "manufacturing runs" is often a euphemism for giving the other team outs in an attempt to push one run across, and the most important thing in baseball (offensively anyway) is to not make outs.